The Magic of Baking Soda: What Does Baking Soda Do for a Pool?

When it comes to pool maintenance, the list of chemicals and tools you need can get quite overwhelming. From chlorine to algaecide, the pool supply store often feels like a chemistry lab. But amidst all the complex names and solutions, there lies a simple household item that can work wonders: baking soda. So, what does baking soda do for a pool? Let’s dive in (pun intended) to discover the surprising benefits and uses of baking soda in pool care.

What Does Baking Soda Do for a Pool? The Secret Ingredient: Baking Soda

What is Baking Soda?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of pool maintenance, let’s clarify what baking soda actually is. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a natural, non-toxic substance that’s found in all sorts of household products. It’s a white, crystalline powder that’s slightly alkaline. And while you might know it best for its role in baking or deodorizing your fridge, it has some serious uses in pool maintenance too.

Balancing Act: Baking Soda and pH Levels

Why pH Matters

First things first, let’s talk about pH levels. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. For pool water, a pH level between 7.2 and 7.8 is ideal. If the pH is too low (acidic), it can cause corrosion of pool equipment, skin irritation, and can even reduce the effectiveness of chlorine. If the pH is too high (basic), it can lead to scaling on pool surfaces, cloudy water, and also decrease chlorine’s effectiveness.

How Baking Soda

Imagine waking up to the gentle hum of a well-calibrated home, powered by the sun, with every corner designed for energy efficiency. Your living space seamlessly integrates technology and sustainability, creating a harmonious environment. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the blueprint for creating your solar-efficient smart home, combining anecdotes of personal journeys and technological marvels that bring this vision to life.

Harnessing the Power of the Sun: A Personal Awakening

Anecdote: Irv’s Solar Revelation

Meet Irv, an ordinary homeowner turned solar enthusiast. One day, as he stood in his backyard, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face, he had an epiphany. He realized the untapped potential of solar energy in powering his home. This revelation set him on a journey to transform his house into an energy-efficient haven.

Solar Power Calculation 1: Irv started by researching how to calculate solar power energy for his specific needs. He wanted to understand the potential savings and environmental impact. The phrase “solar power calculation” became his guiding star.

Designing the Blueprint: The Roadster to Solar Efficiency

Anecdote: The Roadster’s Solar Odyssey

In the realm of solar efficiency, think of your home as a sleek roadster, cutting through the energy landscape with agility and style. Just as a sports car maximizes fuel efficiency, your smart home can harness solar power to optimize energy consumption.

Embrace smart technologies that intuitively adjust to your lifestyle. Smart thermostats, lighting systems, and appliances sync with your preferences, creating a symbiotic relationship between you and your home. It’s like having a co-pilot who anticipates your every move.

Solar Power Calculation 2: Before embarking … Read on Gather baltimore

Beyond the common lawn mowers is something more exciting and better performing. The conception of electric lawn mowers has been gaining a better shape season after the other and today you can find some promising ones to romp your fields with a lot more ease and flexibility.

If you have got chance to get your hands on one of the super grass cutting machines then you can surely confess the undying experience and rock solid performance. In this write-up we will give a cutting edge review on the 3 best electric lawn mower that you can get in the market today.

If you are in a quagmire of figuring out the best electric mower to buy then the review below will help you get a better grip and know which one to invest on.

Types of Electric Lawn Mowers

Electric lawn mowers come in two major classifications and have lots of similarities that they share. An electric mower can either be a corded or a cordless electric mower.

While both types of electric mowers use electric motors to propel the blades the most notable difference is that the corded one simply has a cord while the other one does not have a cord.

Each of the mowers has their advantages over the other and one should be keen when investing in either of them. Here is an overview detailing the two types of mowers.

• Corded Electric Lawn Mowers

This type of mower draws power from an electric outlet to propel its blades. This type of mower is characterized by high performance and high mowing power.

It consumes little … Read on Gather baltimore

In the sun-drenched villages and bustling cities of Mexico, a unique contraption hums and clanks its way through verdant fields and dusty streets. This is not your typical, gasoline-guzzling lawnmower, but a testament to human ingenuity and adaptation – the mexican lawnmower.

Forget sleek chrome and rumbling engines. The mexican lawnmower is a beast of a different breed, a vibrant tapestry woven from recycled materials, local craftsmanship, and sheer human power. Imagine a bicycle frame, its handlebars adorned with colorful tassels, transformed into a chariot for a rotating blade. The wheels churn, powered by the rider’s legs, and the blade whirs to life, shearing through overgrown grass with a satisfying crunch.

mexican lawnmower

The mexican lawnmower, also known as “máquina de carritos” or cart machine, has been a staple in Mexican communities for generations. It is a symbol of resourcefulness and sustainability, embodying the country’s rich history and culture. In this article, we will take a closer look at the mexican lawnmower, its origins, and its impact on Mexican society.

Read more: Best Electric Lawn Mower: Choosing the Perfect Electric Lawn Mower for Your Garden Size

A Legacy of Resourcefulness

The mexican lawnmower‘s origins can be traced back to the haciendas of colonial Mexico, where vast stretches of land needed taming. With limited access to imported machinery, resourceful locals fashioned their own tools from whatever they could find. Discarded bicycle frames, scrap metal, and even repurposed wood were all fair game in the hands of skilled artisans.

This spirit of make-do-and-mend lives on in the mexican lawnmower today. In rural areas, where modern machines … Read on Gather baltimore

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home, where delicious meals are prepared and cherished memories are made. However, it’s also a place where accidents can happen if proper health and safety measures aren’t taken seriously. From burns and cuts to foodborne illnesses, the kitchen can be a hazardous place. In this blog, we’ll explore some essential tips and guidelines for maintaining health and safety in the kitchen.

Cleanliness is Key

A clean kitchen is a safe kitchen. Regularly clean all surfaces, utensils, and equipment to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Wash your hands before and after handling food, and clean all fruit and vegetables thoroughly. Keeping your kitchen clean not only prevents foodborne illnesses but also reduces the risk of accidents due to slippery surfaces. You should also ensure that your chefs and cooks have a good standard of personal hygiene as well as clean uniforms. You can find uniforms at retailers like Bragardus: see their selection here.

Organize Your Workspace

A cluttered kitchen can be a recipe for disaster. Keep your workspace organized to prevent accidents. Store knives and sharp objects in a designated area, and make sure pots and pans are easily accessible. By knowing where everything is, you can avoid fumbling around and reduce the likelihood of injuries.

Proper Handling of Knives

Knives are essential tools in the kitchen, but they can also be quite dangerous if not handled properly. Always use a sharp knife, as it requires less force, making it less likely to slip and cause an injury. Store knives safely, with blade guards or in … Read on Gather baltimore

A stripped lug nut could become your worst nightmare while changing your car tire. If you don’t know what to do, it’ll give you a hard time. Don’t get discouraged though, because, with the right tools and procedure, you can fix this problem in a snap.

Removing a stripped lug nut requires you to work smart, not hard. That’s why we’re here to teach you how to remove a stripped lug nut. There are different ways to remove a stripped lug nut, and we recommend you try each one before giving in and calling the mechanic.

Read on below for the tools needed and the procedure. We’ve also included a short section on why lug nuts become stripped and how to avoid it.

How To Avoid Stripping Your Lug Nuts In The First Place

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s pin down the cause of the problem first. Why are your lug nuts stripped? A stripped lug nut usually occurs when they’re not torqued properly. This usually happens when it’s over-torqued or overly tightened.

Sometimes, when you take your car to the mechanic, they don’t torque the lug nuts to specifications. This causes problems in the long run, one of which is a stripped lug nut. Sometimes it can also cause the wheel actually to fall out which is extremely dangerous.

How to Remove a Stripped Lug Nut and Prevent It

When you get any work done on your tires, check your lug nuts if they’re properly torqued. If you still have the manual, you can try to retorque them yourself according to specifications. This … Read on Gather baltimore

The easiest technique to clean engineered wood floors may be on your mind if you recently installed wood flooring in your house or place of business. You may take advantage of your engineered wood flooring for many years to come by following our care and cleaning advice.

Your engineered wood floors will be easy to clean if you take good care of them. The simplest approach to keeping wood floors clean is daily sweeping or vacuuming and regular floor maintenance. But occasionally, thorough cleaning will be required.

Let’s examine some of the top cleaning techniques for wood floors.

Cleaning Tips

Employ a Moist Mop

The best tool for cleaning an engineered wood floor is a mop, much like a broom. Keep it a little moist. It shouldn’t be soaked in water. Compared to solid wood floors, engineered wood floors are more moisture resistant, but the lamella is made of genuine wood, which can deform when damp. The non-abrasive microfiber mops are effective on engineered wood floors. Use mops instead that include disposable or washable microfiber pads.

Invest in the Right Cleaner

For use on engineered wood flooring, numerous floor cleaners have received approval. Additionally, it is crucial to confirm that the cleaner works with the floor finishing. Follow the instructions strictly.  This is the easiest technique to restore the new look of wood floors.

Clean Water Rinse

After cleaning your floors with the cleanser, you won’t constantly feel the need to rinse them. Examine the flooring for cleaner residue, which may be easier to see on shiny-finished flooring. To get rid of any leftovers, rinse with a clean … Read on Gather baltimore

Whether you’re thinking of repainting the interior living room walls, giving your exterior fencing a fresh coat of paint, or repainting your entire property, investing in a paint sprayer is the best way to get painting jobs done more efficiently and professionally.

But if you are still determining if this kind of paint sprayer is really a worthwhile addition to your DIY tool collection, we’ve listed five compelling reasons why you should invest in this kind of paint sprayer.

Budget-Friendly Buy

Airless paint sprayers are affordable, so you won’t need to stretch your budget too far to add this valuable sprayer to your collection of tools.

You can find a quality airless paint sprayer for a few hundred dollars, and you can rest assured the sprayer will last several years. So you won’t need to replace your sprayer anytime soon.

Paint Efficiently

Aside from the budget-friendly price, airless paint sprayers are also highly efficient. You can repaint a reasonably large surface area in a short period. Moreover, this particular kind of paint sprayer also ensures a smooth finish.

The high-quality finish means that you can enjoy seemingly professional painting results, even if it’s your first time using the sprayer.

Compact

These paint sprayers are also compact in size. Thanks to the small design, you can pack up your paint sprayer and fit it neatly into your garage storage or anywhere else without much hassle.

Storage won’t be a problem when choosing an airless paint sprayer to manage all your DIY painting projects around the house.

Convenient To Use

Airless paint sprayers are also extremely easy and convenient to … Read on Gather baltimore

Did you know that the cost to install solar has fallen by more than 60% in the last decade?

As solar energy becomes more accessible, so increase the number of people utilizing this clean, renewable energy source. While you’ve probably considered installing solar panels on your property, you’re probably still wondering, “how do solar panels work?”

If you want to reduce your reliance on the grid and take a step towards going solar, it pays to do a little research beforehand. This guide explains the science and mechanics behind solar panels.

Read on for the 101 on solar panels.

What Are Solar Panels?

Solar panels harness the energy of the sun and convert it into electricity for your home and for the grid. Generally, solar panels are comprised of a series of crystalline silicon ingots. The crystals, or cells, are arranged in a hexagonal layout for maximum efficiency and mounted on a backplate with framing.

The energy you generate from your solar panels can power your home and reduce your monthly energy bills. Furthermore, multiple state incentives and schemes allow you to sell the electricity you generate back to your local authority.

How Do Solar Panels Work on a House?

After choosing the perfect solar array for your property, a team of professional fitters will assess your property. They will determine the best location for your solar panels based on several factors.

These will include the geographical location of your house, the aspect, and pitch of your roof, plus other environmental factors. Most retailers and installers offer a 25-year warranty.

How Do Solar Panels Work at Night?

Are you eager to put your creative juices to work? Then consider creating customized artwork! Even if you don’t think you have the chops to churn out an oil painting, you might be surprised by what you can do — with the right tools.

Put on your artist’s beret and stay tuned to learn 3 tips for creating your own custom artwork!

1. Brainstorm Custom Artwork Design Ideas

If you’re looking to complement an upgraded living room with new art, you need to determine what subject matter suits the space. Before diving into any creative project, take some time to jot down ideas first. Determine whether you want to create custom artwork around a theme, color, or concept.

You may want to create a mural directly on the wall, for instance. You could project a scene of your favorite landscape, trace it, and use paint to fill in the blanks.

On the other hand, you may want to sketch out some ideas for an ambitious acrylic painting to hang above your bed. Make some thumbnail sketches to determine the composition and style.

2. Choose Your Medium

Your chosen medium could be watercolor paints, collage, or photography. You also could create artwork using a digital tablet. Or you could use oil or acrylic paints to create custom canvas artwork.

And if you’re on a budget, a graphite pencil and sheet of white paper can go a long way. Draw your home, or use a protractor and stencils to create an abstract design of various shapes.

Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, try making a continuous line drawing of your pet. To … Read on Gather baltimore

It’s not unusual for buyers to fall head over heels for a house if the kitchen has been updated and looks amazing. But as we all know, home improvements can be pretty expensive and sometimes not worth the effort in the end. Here are a few kitchen update ideas that will make a huge impact without breaking the bank.

Deep Clean Everything

No one wants to buy a house with grease stains behind the stove, dust buildup on top of the cabinets, or a menagerie of dust bunnies under the appliances. By far, deep cleaning the entire kitchen is a cheap way to make your kitchen look more appealing to buyers. All it takes is a little bit of sweat equity and a few cleaning supplies to change the overall appearance of your kitchen.

Refresh The Paint

Regardless of when you last painted the kitchen, a fresh coat of paint can go a long way in making your home feel clean and new. A few gallons of paint can cost less than $100, and it can make a world of a difference by brightening up the entire space. Also, if you have outdated wallpaper, you might want to consider removing it and opting for paint instead.

Remember: kitchen trends are always changing and what may be hot this year may not be as popular in a decade. So when in doubt – go neutral!

Update Light Fixtures And Bulbs

When you turn on the lights in the kitchen, is everything bathed in a yellow hue? Unfortunately, outdated light fixtures and warm white (aka yellow) bulbs can date the … Read on Gather baltimore

The kitchen is without a doubt one of the most important rooms in your home. Even if you don’t love to cook and spend more time reheating food than cooking from scratch, it’s still a crucial part of your day-to-day life. The kitchen might be where you enjoy your morning coffee, cut important birthday cakes, or spend time with friends and family members. The kitchen is where you refuel and sustain your body, whatever form that sustenance takes. If, or when you have a family, the kitchen becomes even more critical, and many families describe it as the heart of their homes.

The kitchen is also a great space when it comes to showing off. When we visit someone else’s home, most of us are keen for a look in the kitchen, to see what gadgets they’ve got, have a snoop on how tidy they are, and check out their décor.

Unfortunately, as much as we might want a trendy and modern kitchen space, normal wear and tear mean that these well-loved rooms start to become tired and dated fairly quickly. The good news is you don’t need to commit to the time and expense of a full remodel to bring your kitchen up to date. There are plenty of small changes and improvements that you can make to turn your tired kitchen into a modern and sophisticated area, where you are keen to show off and spend time. Here’s a look at some of them.

Deep Clean

Our kitchens can quickly become dirty. The walls and cupboards can become yellow with grease, seals can become dirty, and … Read on Gather baltimore

We all love to stay in a comfortable atmosphere. We are living in a space where the temperature is cold and comfortable. If you live in a tropical nation, you might want to buy an air conditioner. It depends on the weather conditions around your area. The air conditioners come in are handy under unfavorable weather conditions.

Having an AC does have multiple benefits, but you have to take good care of the appliance. Sometimes, it requires repairing and services. If you are looking for a good place for AC repair, you may simply look for AC repair near me over the internet. This article will have a comprehensive look at the available types of air conditioners.

Types Of Air Conditioners

While buying an AC, there are quite a few varieties available. So research the market well and buy the best option for your home. There are various capacities and color options available to choose from.  This article tries to guide you about the available air conditioners. So without further delay, let us look at some of the available types of air conditioners in the market.

• Split Air Conditioner:  These air conditioners are mounted high on the wall. These are specifically used for larger rooms with higher cooling capacity. These air conditioners do not require a window for installation. It comes with a condenser and a compressor. They are available in various capacities such as 1 ton,1.5 tons, 2 tons, etc. You can choose the quantity as per your requirement
• Window Air Conditioner: These air conditioners are mounted on windows and are best suited for smaller

Warm, vibrant, and energetic are just some emotions that a pastel-colored living room exudes. Whether it’s a family gathering, neighbors, or friends, living rooms are an important part of your life. These colors send out the right vibes that welcome you when you return home. 

We share some exciting pastel colors that will not only give your home a designer look but will also set the mood for a positively inspired life. Make a difference in your living room with these pastel hues that match your personality. 

Earthy Sage

Get in touch with nature with sage, an earthy pastel shade that has a soothing effect. This grey-green color gives you that dried-leaves look that has just the right warmth. A calm feeling surrounds you and keeps stress at bay. 

To complete the impact, you need the right combination of furniture to go with your walls. The furniture colors that blend well with sage include soft white, warm wood, and dark leather. 

Pale Sky Blue

Add a sweet touch to your living room with a pale shade of sky blue. It gives you a liberating feeling. Hang a couple of colorful paintings on the wall to give the impact of a gallery. 

Pair your light lavender walls with a cobalt blue ottoman to put your feet up and enjoy life. Your furniture should be a mix of neutral shades like brown, black, or white. 

Buttercream Yellow

Give your walls a rich earthy tone with buttercream yellow pastel shade. This color keeps you warm in the coldest winters. Mix and match with some light lilac-colored artwork. 

Furniture color options … Read on Gather baltimore

We’ll look today at a pair of LED grow lights from the reputable Chinese manufacturer Mars Hydro 300w. The Eco lights we’ll explore are the 300-watt and 600-watt models.

They are the same in most respects except the physical dimensions and the coverage so we’ll give you the raw technical data for each but when reviewing the lights we’ll generalize unless the models differ.

…First, a pictorial look at the pros and cons of these nifty LEDs…

Mars Hydro 300w Review

Pros of Mars Hydro Eco series

• On/Off switch for ease of use
• The Mars Hydro Eco 300w light gives you comprehensive full spectrum output with IR 730nm, ideal for flowering.
• Newest SMD chip tech. No burnt LEDs ever. SMD chips have 3×longer lifespan than traditional ones.
• Efficient cooling system. Minimal heat produced.
• Very little noise
• Daisy chain function. Simply daisy chain multiple lights together for ease of use.
• The Mars Hydro Eco series contains high red ratio for abundant flowering.
• Suitable for all types of growing from seedling to harvest

Cons of Mars Hydro Eco series

1. Not dimmable
2. Not as powerful as it could be for flowering stage

We’ll look now at 7 strong reasons to consider buying these affordable LEDs…

Class-Leading Coverage

The core purpose of any grow light is to maximize the yield of your crop and those coverage figures are all-important with any LEDs.

As with any smaller grow lights, you’ll get relatively limited coverage.

The 300-watt model is good for 1.7 x 1.7 feet for flowering and 2 x 2 feet for veg.

With the 600-watt lights, you’ll get 2.5 feet … Read on Gather baltimore

There are not many points more aggravating than jumping in the shower only to experience a soft dribble of water streaming below the showerhead.

While low water stress is a fantastic means to save water, it can additionally make showering a strenuous procedure. Because of this, many individuals pick to enhance their water pressure, permitting them to take quicker showers.

How To Increase Water Pressure In Shower? and Can I raise water stress in a shower? Yes, while your water stress is mostly dictated by just how your plumbing is directed to the shower, there are numerous ways you can manually raise the water stress in your shower.

These options range from simply cleaning up the showerhead to changing the settings on your hot water heating unit and also even more. In this message, we will certainly share numerous ways to conveniently enhance the water pressure in your shower.

Whether you are new to your residence or just seeing a decrease in your water pressure, you make sure to locate an option to improve your shower circumstance.

Read more: Cleaners Are in High Demand After COVID-19

Easy Ways to Boost Water Stress in A Shower

You may be under the impact that low water pressure is simply something you need to deal with. While your residence’s plumbing does have an impact on the water pressure that comes through your shower head, there are numerous actions you can take to boost your shower’s water pressure.

What Creates Low Water Pressure?

There are a number of factors you could be experiencing low tide stress in your shower. Frequently, low … Read on Gather baltimore

Whether you’ve noticed an ant problem in your home or you’re coming across the signs of a possible roach infestation, daily cleaning habits are often enough to keep household pests at bay. The first measure of protection against household pests is maintaining an ideally clean home.

However, when any pest problem is already in active motion, it is always best to use pest control services, such as Ant Exterminator services and others. Even regular cleaning is not enough to rid your home of an infestation.

With that said, once you have proper pest control management in place, these cleaning tips will ensure pests never find your home a welcoming place to be.

Never Leave Food Out

Most pests need a source of food to survive and keep thriving. So leaving food out overnight is an action that will welcome a variety of pests into your home, mainly ants and roaches. So be sure to always wash dishes and clean the kitchen area thoroughly every evening to ensure household pests aren’t feasting on any leftover food left out in the open. The same applies to pet food. Mice and rodents will thrive on pet food that is left out. So always be sure to remove leftover pet food from bowls each evening.

Sweep And Vacuum Daily

Roaches and other pests will leave feces dropping around your home, which can be a health concern for anyone. For this reason, it is best to vacuum and sweep flooring every day before using a suitable antibacterial product to clean your flooring. You may even be vacuuming up ant colonies breeding inside your … Read on Gather baltimore