Flowers and Garden

Archive for the ‘Garden Tips and Info’ Category

Nothing beats the taste of organic, garden-fresh tomatoes. Go to any Farmer’s Market and talk to the vendors and they will pride themselves on their produce free from pesticides. But are their vegetables truly free from contaminates? Tap water contains a number of pollutants, yet is rarely considered as a threat.

This article is not arguing that an uprising from “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” will spawn from your garden. But remember, we are what we eat, and isn’t it a gardener’s passionate duty to ensure the best quality produce possible? Installing a reverse osmosis water system is a smart defensive plan in protecting the quality and integrity of your produce. Read on to learn more.

Are there Contaminates in my Salad?

Every year, over 19 million reports of people becoming ill from drinking their tap water are recorded. Some of these illnesses have resulted from contaminates like arsenic, fluoride and pharmaceuticals. In some more extreme cases, a carcinogenic known to cause several types of cancer has been found in tap water across the nation. Having a reverse osmosis system will safeguard your water supply from such potential threats. Here’s how it works: when household water pressure forces the tap water through a semi-permeable membrane, it removes dissolved inorganic solids (including salt) from the water. The leftover contaminates are flushed down the drain out of harm’s way. So what will adding a reverse osmosis system do for your garden? Remember, high levels of minerals in water cause nutrient lockout. Furthermore, calcium (which is found in hard water) locks out phosphorus. In addition, you will get a more accurate ppm reading if you start with reverse osmosis water and then add your nutrients.

Yet Another Threat in the Garden

Hard water is another entity that will significantly cripple your garden. There are many water softening systems to choose from, and implementing one into your home’s water supply will pay back in a barrage of benefits. As previously stated, calcium runs rampant in hard water, and causes nutrient lockout. Softening the water will ensure that your plants are getting all the nutrients intended, but sodium is also not good for plants.   Many gardeners utilize reverse osmosis to eliminate the damaging effects of hard water.   However the effects of hard water don’t just begin and end in your garden. Calcium also causes buildup in plumbing and causes pipes to clog. When this happens, often the only fix is to have the pipes replaced. This is a very expensive repair and can easily be avoided by softening the water. Hard water also harms your appliances and fixtures, such as the washing machine, sprinkler system, dishwasher and hot tub. It also damages hoses.  But there’s more: hard water also runs up your utility bill. For example, when hard water is present, water heaters run up to 30% less efficiently. Also, hard water interferes with your detergent’s ability to give your clothing a thorough cleaning. Soap deposits and dirt get caught in between fibers. Not only do your clothes come out of the wash “less than perfect”, this causes fabric stiffening which shortens the life of your wardrobe.

For Your Consideration

Reverse osmosis water combined with a water softening system will not only insure the integrity of your garden, but it will produce healthier plants. There are also a number of other benefits in utilizing these systems. When you undertake your next home improvement project, consider making these upgrades a part of it. Not only will you have a better home and garden, but also you will be cushioning your home with a great insurance policy that guarantees your house and its inhabitants are exposed only to pure, clean water.

This article is from US Water Systems, the county’s leading provider of water treatment solutions for both home and residential.

Photo source: http://perfectgardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/vegetable-garden-watering.jpg

Sudden storm roof damage means you need an emergency roofer, like Roofer911, in a hurry. Just don’t let your urgency cause you to make a bad decision. When the sky is coming through to your living space you might grab the first roofer you can find. The end result is that you might have to call in another roofer later to fix the patch and run job offered to many home owners in their time of need.

Needing a roofer for a sudden emergency roofing problem doesn’t relieve you of the obligation of getting the best roofing repair you can for your money. In fact the best course of action in a storm emergency might be a quick roof tarp covering to stop additional damage to your valuables and then followed by a return visit when the active storm dangers and destruction have past. Then it’s time to insure a proper long term repair to your roof.

The problem with weather created roof repair emergencies is that your neighbors are probably in the same situation as you are. And by neighbors it could mean half of the town depending on if you’ve experienced a bad storm or a hurricane force event.

Large scale weather emergencies could see block after block of storm related roofing repairs needing to be done. Beware the roofing vultures. Suddenly anyone with a truck and a ladder can instantly go into the roofing business. Just because the nameless unmarked roofing truck shows up at your door now when you need it most, don’t treat it as a miracle. It could be another disaster in the making. Insure that your roof repair contractor is legitimate likeroofer911 before you sign a contract or give a deposit. A little diligence on your part could save you lots of money and save you from a poor roofing repair experience.

Remember that roofing repair is a professional business and that professional roofing contractors will know best how to help you with your insurance claims and insurance company adjusters. A complete roofing service will also inspect for hidden damage that can cause leaks by using infrared thermal imaging. And that’s certainly better than waiting for the next storm to discover an uncovered problem.

Roofer911 knows that it’s not only your main roof that may have sustained damage. Future leaking can be caused by water paths created under your siding due to storm damage so all areas that could cause leaks will be inspected and repaired. In addition, rain gutters and downspouts need to be checked and repaired as even simple mis-alignment of them can cause water to end up inside your house where it doesn’t belong. Even seamless gutters have corners and connections that can leak in severe weather once they’ve been battered by a storm and should be inspected up close and not just viewed from the ground. These details shouldn’t be a worry when you hire the professionals at Roofer911. Remember that a quick, cheap roof repair can end up being no repair at all.