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How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are life in forested areas of the world. They make their nest in wood. Many people confuse carpenter ants with termites. Termites are insects that consume wood whereas carpenter ants just build their nests in dead and damp wood. Carpenter ants often attack wooden structures and can cause a lot of costly damage.

What To Do

Carpenter ants hollow their dead tree limbs, timbers, woods in homes, etc. to make their nest. They only chisel the wood and don’t actually eat it like termites. In a house, many objects and furniture are made of wood. Carpenter ants can infest anywhere. They usually make their nests under the window, decks, porches, etc. They like to be in damp wood but even softwood is comfortable for them. Let’s have a look at how to get rid of carpenter ants and how to control their population.

Sprays

Spraying pesticides will not be of much value as you will be killing only a fraction of the whole population. The major part of the ants would be sitting in the colony and you will be killing only the workers.

Treating the affected area

One should go for a treatment that targets the whole colony. First, locate the colony by seeing where the sawdust is coming from. Once you find the place, use a dust insecticide for use in wood. Apply it directly into the cavity. Use a tube to do this and not the hands. Fill a bottle full of the dust insecticide and inject the dust by squeezing and releasing the bottle. However, it will be better if you call a professional pest controller.

Baits

Some insects and animals can be fooled with bait, but not all. The carpenter ant feeds on much different stuff and thus bait might not be very successful.

Dust formulations- There are many dust formulations made for home use. Some of them are: Apicide, Deltadust, Drione. These are used by professionals and may not be given over the counter. These formulations are used to control bees and ants which get stuck in the wall. While using these, make sure it does not come into contact with humans or pets.

Liquid insecticides- These insecticides are smart and do not kill the infected insect immediately. Instead, it works like a virus and infects other members of the colony as well. But these are very strong and can only be used twice a year. It cannot be used anytime you feel like it, as it is harmful to humans too. They are only to be used by licensed pesticide applicators.

• Always try to target the colony and apply the pesticide or dust.

• Sometimes you might have to use the sprays on a monthly basis.

To prevent more infestation, trim all the branches of trees which surround your house so that the branches do not touch the house. Also, paint exposed wood furniture and replace already infested wood and furniture.

The Facts About Plastic vs. China RV Toilets

Why do many of us settle for less than the best? Well, certainly there are various classes of RVs with different levels of sophistication and many, many price points. True, the economics of RV travel mandate we find our “niche” when it comes to affordability, but there is one area within the RV most of us take for granted, seemingly unaware that the RVing experience can be enhanced by upgrading, regardless of where on the status ladder we find ourselves. I’m talking about the RV toilet.

Yes, believe it or not, with rare exceptions, the RV toilet has stayed relatively unchanged since way back. Think back to your first encounter with a recreation vehicle, especially the first time you actually used one.

I know in my early RVing experience, after hearing all about how the RV is considered a “home on wheels,” my inquisitive mind began comparing the attributes of my RV with the accouterments found in my home. And they didn’t always jibe. The common RV toilet was one of those components I just couldn’t reconcile as being equitable to the one in my master bathroom. It was plastic, it was unstable, it was small, it was uncomfortable, it never rinsed properly, it required lots of maintenance and it was simply a toilet. At best, it was tolerated.

But today, the picture is quite different. RV toilets have come a long way, baby! In fact, the Magnum Opus RV toilet, developed by Dometic, has come a very long way! Simply put, it looks and feels like a unit found in a very luxurious home. It is constructed of 100% vitreous china – think of it, a real porcelain toilet in an RV! The glossy surface of china is virtually stain-resistant, so no more ugly discoloration of the plastic bowl to behold at each use. The hand-glazed and kiln-fired porcelain surface is extremely resistant to scratches typically acquired during maintenance and cleaning tasks. In fact, the china bowl can be cleaned with any of the harsher abrasives, you know, the ones that really work, without so much as a blemish left on the surface. The exposed finish admirably maintains its luster even after repeated cleanings. These attributes are true with any of the Sealand Brand of china toilets in the Dometic line. Additionally, a newly designed flush rim takes advantage of the incoming water pressure to thoroughly and completely rinse the bowl during each flush.

The good news is that anyone can upgrade the toilet in an RV. What a difference this one, relatively small, an upgrade can make. If you are a serious RVer, you owe it to yourself to strongly consider this doable upgrade.

Yes, but the bolt pattern on my toilet is different and it would be too large a project for me to attempt and I don’t want to pay those high retail bucks for a pro technician to swap it out. I can hear the protests now. The fact is, it’s a relatively simple job to replace your current plastic toilet with any of the vitreous china toilets offered by Dometic.

You are right about the Dometic/Sealand Brand having a different bolt pattern on the majority of their units. It has four bolts compared to only two on other RV toilets! More bolts mean more stability. That’s why a Dometic porcelain toilet feels like it has substance to it. Properly installed, it will not rock or wobble. It will remain sturdy forever. And you can toss out those worries about the bolt pattern being different. A universal mounting kit is available that allows simple conversion from a 2-bolt to a 4-bolt configuration. Anyone with common hand tools and about an hour can easily make the switch.

So don’t settle for second or third best when it comes to your RV toilet. It makes a tremendous difference in looks feel, and operation; three of my most important categories. It’s the upgrade that anyone can perform and those who do, wish they would have it sooner.

Remember, RVing is more than a hobby, it’s a lifestyle!

Searching for a good plumbing service? It is a not so easy thing to do. When an emergency plumbing situation arises, you have to keep in mind a researched plumber who could perform the job well so that the problem doesn’t arise again. So how to find a good plumber?

A few steps must be followed to find a good plumber:

1. Looking for Plumbers or Companies:

First and foremost, you could take suggestions and recommendations from your neighbors or real estate agent. The lifeblood of many businesses is referrals. So, if your neighbor has trusted a plumber, take it into consideration. Reference is always important. There are call based services as well as agents who specialize in providing contacts. Many plumbing services are also available online for you to choose from.

2. Verification:

Judging an ideal plumber requires a verification of his past services. You can also browse the internet for good plumbers available near you, and read the reviews that people have given. The plumber must be qualified and licensed. Without a license, the credentials of the plumber are not verified. He may not be good at work and probably hasn’t learned much about it. It is of foremost importance.

3. The plumber should be insured:

The plumber must carry an insurance, or he could claim to be hurt while he is performing the job for you. An insured plumber will protect you and your property in some accident while repairing. Also, make note that in case of any unfortunate accident, you are not responsible for.

4. Plumbing Company:

If the plumbing company offering services has awards and affiliations, look for its authenticity. Contact the company, and ensure yourself that there are employees to answer the call, and the company is licensed and reliable. Try to get more than 3 quotes for plumbing problems from the company. You must ask for a “worse case scenario” quote in case the plumber does not mention it. That will help you get the idea about things people generally hide from customers. You must go through all the customer reviews of the plumbing company. You must read their Facebook or Twitter page to draw an idea of the reputation of the company. Choose good user-reviewed sites. Check if the company has long list of complaints. You must know what licenses are mandatory for plumbing services. Posing good questions to the company and a comparative study of two or more companies is key. When you contact the company, you must ask the basic question of how long they have they been in service. The reputed companies always last because of their wide range of quality services.

5. Prices, Discounts and Quotes:

Compare the prices for the same job of two plumbing companies. If you find more than a slight difference, call the company that has priced the job high to ask why the price level is higher than the other company. Depending on the answer, make a judgement. Do not forget to ask about the guarantee. It’s important to know if there would be a money-back in case of dissatisfaction of customers, and service failure. Ask if the guarantee is limited in any way or is it written in your quote or not. Plumbers stating that they would tell you about the cost only when they have the job in front of them are risky to hire. An ideal plumber would provide the quote, without hesitation. Your work isn’t over with the quote. You need to ensure that you get flat, fixed quotes, so that you would know exactly what the plumber will do. For reference, you could contact another technician like an A/C repairer or an electrician.

Choosing a good plumber is, indeed, a difficult task. Make sure you follow these important and basic tips, when you are in need of plumbing services. A bad plumber can make or destroy the health of the house you live in. Therefore, be as careful in choosing a plumber as in choosing a doctor.