Ant Problems

Ant Problems
Wet spring means more ants heading inside--here's how to deal with them.

Plenty of precipitation is a good thing for lawns and gardens. But it could also mean trouble with ants. Ant colonies flee into houses when the ground gets wet. Suburban pest control companies are noticing an uptick in ant-related calls. Research has shown bait gels and granular products ants carry back to their colonies, which in turn destroys the problem at its source, are the best ways to eliminate ants. Sprays spread pesticides in the house and may not solve the problem.

Carpenter Ants: Dull black ants, which can grow up to three-fourths of an inch, dig into damp wood, often near leaking pipes or inadequately sealed windows, They don't eat wood but rather forage human food and insects. The ants burrow into door frames, wall voids and foam insulation. It's important to deal with them swiftly and completely.

Pavement and odorous ants: These two species, especially, move inside during rains. The pavement ant is dark brown and about one-sixth of an inch long. The odorous ant releases an ammonia-type scent when crushed. Both are the easiest type of ant to eliminate by properly sealing windows and cracks in a house's foundation with caulk.

Pharaoh and ghost ants: These species still make it into houses, many times through indoor plants bought at garden centers. Pharaoh ants are yellowish brown and one of the few types that can sting, while ghost ants are defined by a dark head and translucent legs and body. Seeking a professional to help rid houses of an infestation of these species.

SOS: Pet Messes

DOGS AND CATS

The biggest hurdle when it comes to our pets is their fur. Dog hair is coarse and weaveS its way into fabrics. Cat fur is fine, landing on every surface. Vacuum any clumps of fur from floors with a hand vacuum or attachment.  For spot-cleaning smaller areas, use a squeegee or a damp rubber glove. Run it over the surface to collect the fur, then discard. A squeegee also works well to collect fur from rugs and carpets.

For carpets, use the same technique to combat both dirt left by muddy paws and stains left by hair balls. Spritz the area with a solution of one part white vinegar to two parts water and blot.

You might need something more powerful on drool, because it's a protein-based stain that may contain tiny bits of food. Combine a half cup of hydrogen peroxide with one teaspoon of ammonia; apply to the stains with a rag, being careful not to soak the carpet. (Test in an inconspicuous area first.) Let sit for 30 minutes, then blot. Apply cool water to the area, then dry it by standing on a thick pad of paper towels.

SMALL MAMMALS

Daily maintenance of your rabbit's or guinea pig's cage will make each deep clean easier. Separate and remove droppings with a plastic scoop or a paper towel. Once a week, move the animal to another spot (something escape-proof) so you can give the cage a more thorough wipe-down. Scoop up and discard soiled bedding, then spray the sides and bottom of the cage with cleaner. Thoroughly rinse with a hose and let dry in direct sunlight.  Vacuum the area around the cage to remove debris. When done, refill the cage with fresh bedding.

BIRDS

A bird's cage should be swept out daily and deep-cleaned once a week to once a month, depending on the size of the bird. Avoid anything chemical-based, which can be dangerous. Use a scrub brush to apply a solution of warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Rinse everything to remove any residue, dry completely, then line the cage with newspaper.

Change the paper lining every day. Birds are messy eaters, so install a plastic seed guard around the food bowl to prevent seed spray.

TURTLES AND REPTILES

Turtle tanks get grimy as waste breaks down in the water. Install a filtration system and at least once a week, replace half the water. Every month, drain the tank entirely and give it a thorough clean using a solution of one part white vinegar to two parts water.

Reptiles rarely shed and are kept in a confined area. To clean their tanks or cage, first remove any loose items and wash them in hot, soapy water. Disinfect the rest of the tank with a product made speficifally for reptiles. Whatever cleaner you use should be low odor - reptiles are very sensitive to fumes and can become sick if they inhale toxins.

To make the glass on your tank sparkle, wipe it down with a solution of one part white vinegar to two parts water.

The Only Cleaners You Need

Surface Cleaner - Better Life Tub &Tile Cleaner. Cleaner spritz, wipe, rinse.  No harsh fumes or chemicals.
To buy: $8; cleanhappens.com

Soap Scum Eraser - Scrub Free Total Bathroom Cleaner.  A buildup of scum is no match for this spray.  To Buy: $10; bedbathandbeyond.com, $3; jet.com

Ring Remover - Pure Clen Bath Stone Cleaning Block.  Sturdy enough to tackle the ring of hard water and mineral deposits in the toilet bowl.  To Buy: $4; bedbathandbeyond.com

Drain Snake - Zip-It Bath and Sink Hair Snare.  20-inch plastic strip slips easily into sink and tub drains to clear clogs.  To Buy: $2; homedepot.com

Scrub Brush - OXO Good Grips Extendable Tub & Tile Scrubber.  This extendable pole with a swiveling head makes for easy work.  To Buy: $13; oxo.com

Glass Cleaner - Sprayway World's Best Glass Cleaner.  A no-streak solution for mirrors, windows, and shower.  To Buy: $2; target.com

Cleaning Cloths - General Purpose Cloths.  Microfiber cloths grab hold of dirt  and debris instead of just pushing them around.  To Buy: $20 for 4; ecloth.com

Oven Cleaner - Mr. Clean Magic Eraser with Durafoam.  Scrub the grimy interior of a microwave or convection oven (including the glass on the door).  To Buy: $3 for 2; mrclean.com

Goo Remover - Eucalyptus Essential Oil.  Natural and effective germ killer also emits a refreshing scent.  To Buy: $14; ouifresh.com

Disinfectant - Harmon Face Values Hydrogen Peroxide Spray.  Buy the all-natural sanitizer spray in a spray bottle for cutting boards, counters, and the sink.  To Buy: $2; bedbathandbeyond.com

Degreaser - Dawn Ultra Original Scent Dishwashing Liquid.  This solution is particularly good for cleaning vent filters and removing buildup in the oven and on the stove.  To Buy: $3; target.com

Brightener - White Vinegar.  To disinfect and shine appliances.  It can also be used to revive dingy oven racks and hazy mirrors.  To Buy: Heinz Distilled White Vinegar, $2; walmart.com

Multisurface Spray - Formula 409 All-Purpose Cleaner.  Hardened drips on the fridge?  It's great for countertops and backsplashes too.  To Buy: $3; target.com

Milder Abrasive - Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser & Polish.  A no-scratch solution for burned-on messes and hard-to-remove rust stains.  To Buy: $4; bedbathandbeyond.com

Polish - Scott's Liquid Gold Cleaner.  It's a staple for wood furniture, this polish can also shine your stainless steel appliances and keep fingerprints from showing up as easily.  To Buy: From $6; truevalue.com

Decluttering - Help your loved ones

Q: What problems does keeping too much stuff cause your loved ones after you're gone?

A: It's very time-consuming.  Why should my family take so much time - to take care of my things?

Q: How do you decide what to keep or discard?

A: Talk about it with your family.  It's a delight to go through things and remember their worth.  But if you don't remember why a thing has meaning, then it has no worth, and it will be easier to part with.

Q: Get rid of "private" items - such as diaries.  Why?

A: If you think a secret will cause your loved ones harm or unhappiness, then make sure to destroy such items.  Make a bonfire, or shove them into a hungry shredder.

The Color of Money

It "used to be" off-white walls sell houses.  Real Estate website Zillow analyzed 32,000 photos of homes sold around the U.S. and determined which colors correlated to higher-than-average sale prices.

1. Kitchen

• Do paint: Soft blue-gray
• Don't paint: Straw yellow/marigold

2. Living Room

• Do paint: Light beige/taupe
• Don't paint: Pastel gray/light blue

3. Dining Room

• Do paint: Slate/pale blue-gray
• Don't paint: Brick red/copper red

4. Bedroom

• Do paint: Cerulean/cadet blue
• Don't paint: Light pink/antique rose

5. Exterior

• Do paint: Greige
• Don't paint: Medium brown/taupe

Minimize dust fallout - having wood floors refinished

Many dustless companies connect their sanders to tubing that carries the dust to bags outside, thanks to vacuums mounted on trailers. Others use indoor vacuums equipped with filters that trap even the extremely fine particles that cause the most lung damage. To locate these contractors, start with the "find a professional" service on the National Wood Flooring Association's website, woodfloors.org Then call a few companies and ask what equipment they use, as well as the questions you'd use to screen any contractor, such as how much experience they have and whom they list as references.

Hire someone who is certified: Hiring a company with good equipment will go a long way toward minimizing dust.

If you need to move furniture and other items: Storing them in a room that won't be sanded makes sense. To minimize dust, close doors and cover gaps under doorways with towels rolled into snake shapes. Cover doorways that you will need to use with zippered plastic, such as ZipWall ZipDoor  Commercial Door Kit for Dust Containment, $36 on Amazon.com.

Scam emails?

• Do not click on any links in the scam email.
• Do not reply to the email or contact the senders in any way.
• If you have clicked on a link in the email, do not supply any information on the website that may open.
• Do not open any attachments that arrive in an email that you don't recognize. 

If you have compromised the safety of your bank details and/or have lost money due to fraudulent misuse of your cards, you should immediately contact your bank.

If you've been a victim of fraud, report it to nxg@rimits.com

Fake emails often (not always) display the following characteristics:

• Sender's email address doesn't match the trusted organization's website address.
• Email is sent from a completely different address or a free web mail address.
• Email does not use your proper name, but uses a non-specific greeting like "dear customer".
• A sense of urgency; ie: The threat that unless you act immediately your account may be closed
• A prominent website link. These can be forged or seem very similar to the proper address, but even a single character's difference means a different website. 
• Request for personal information such as user name, password or bank details.
• Email contains spelling and grammatical errors.
• You were not expecting to get an email from the company that appears to have sent it.
• Entire text of the email is contained within an image rather than the usual text format.
• Image contains an embedded hyper link to a bogus site. 

Before selling your home

The condition of the home can bring you as much as 10 percent more in the sale price and determine how long it's likely to stay on the market. 

Your screen or storm door should be in good shape and any muddy paw or nose prints should be scrubbed. The glass panels in the door should sparkle, as should every window in the house.

The Front Hall: Should be free of clutter. In the closet, remove out-of-season clothing and unneeded storage. All your closets will look larger if they are orderly and uncrowded. 

Living Room: Remove distracting personal possessions, trophies, family pictures, political and religious items to create a space buyers will picture their own furniture. Large pieces and excess items can be packed away. 

If you don't repaint your home's interior, you must attend to cracks and water stains in the ceiling, small cracks in walls, and broken windowpanes. Fresh paint always looks good!

Kitchens and Bathrooms traditionally sell houses: Fix leaky faucets and bleach stains in the sinks. To show off your expanse of kitchen counters, remove most items, leaving only one or two decorative pieces or basic appliances. Someone will be sure to open the oven, so keep it spotless. Doors on the oven, toaster oven, and microwave should shine.

Make your bath sparkle, replace shower curtains with sparkling, inexpensive new ones in a solid neutral color. Replacing a chipped or damaged toilet seat as well. Bring in a potted plant. Check the grout around the tub and shower. Remove tub mats. A set of nice or new solid - colored towels and washcloths can be set out at the last minute. 

Bedrooms: Straighten closet clutter, use your best bedspreads and remove crowded furniture if possible. Check light bulbs, wipe doorknobs & light switches, and tighten handrails. 

Your best investment - after soap - is probably paint. Choose a light neutral color to make the rooms look larger. 

Happy selling!

Neglected Cleaning Tasks

Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans should be cleaned every other month.

Baseboards
Vacuum up hair, dust, and debris using a horsehair-brush attachment.

Shower Heads
Shower heads should be wiped down at least once every two weeks and deserve a deep clean twice a year.  Pour one-half cup each vinegar and water into a quart zip-lock bag, then place the shower head inside the bag, twisting a hair elastic or rubber band around the bag and the pipe behind the head to hold the bag in place.  Let the shower head soak for at least 10 minutes, then remove the bag, scrub, rinse, and wipe down.

Inside the Washer and Dryer
Mold, mildew, and lint can build up inside a washer and dryer.  Run an empty cycle with a quarter-cup of bleach.  Attention should be paid to the rubber seals around the washer door.  Clean the dryer's lint trap after each use to prevent odors and lessen the risk of fire.

Dishwasher
Place a small dish filled with a cup of white vinegar in the top rack and run an empty cycle with hot water; open the door afterward to let it air-dry.


Refrigerator coils
Cleaning your refrigerator coils can improve its efficiency.  Most new refrigerators hide the coils behind a metal plate in the back that has to be unscrewed.  Loosen the dust with the brush and then suck it out with the [vacuum's] crevice tool.

Courtesy of Home Warranty of America: Spring Home Maintenance

Courtesy of Home Warranty of America:

Spring is drawing near! Springtime is a critical time for home upkeep. When the winter frost finally thaws, making a little time for spring maintenance can help you save energy, avoid hassle, and extend the lives of some of your home's most valuable components and systems.

3 Tips for Spring Home Maintenance:

• Run your cooling system to ensure it's working. If not, call a certified HVAC technician before the busy season begins.
• Clean your roofs and gutters to avoid damage from heavy spring rains and reduce the risk of leaks.
• Take time to reapply exterior caulking around windows and weather stripping to avoid costly gaps and higher A/C bills.

A Better Complexion

What you eat really does affect your complexion.  Yellow or orange fruits and vegetables help prevent damage.  These are packed with beta-carotene and antioxidants like vitamins C and A.  Combined, they act like a natural sunscreen.  Drinking green tea can also prevent sun-induced skin damage.  Green tea contains polyphenols, which reduce cell damage caused by ultraviolet radiation.

To combat wrinkles, include almonds, brown rice, and olive oil in your diet.  These contain high amounts of vitamin E, which can protect the cell membranes of the skin.

To improve the skin's elasticity and prevent thin skin, eat whole grains, seafood, and garlic.  These are rich in selenium, which can slow the signs of aging by preserving suppleness of skin tissue. (Source: Reader's Digest)

Create a Sale-Worthy Home

Depersonalize

Buyers may not be able to see past personal belongings and may even be distracted by them.  Remove personalized items where possible, replacing them with generic items.

Improve the exterior

Curb appeal is crucial to making a strong first impression.  Lackluster landscape can turn buyers away even before they reach the front door.  Seasonal potted flowers and plants can help make the house look polished.  Repair damaged walkways and consider a fresh coat of paint on trim around windows and doors.  Pressure-wash siding if necessary.

Put things in storage

Rent a storage unit to house items that can make a home appear cluttered.  Clean out closets and cabinets.  If closets are brimming with stuff, buyers may assume the house doesn't have enough storage space.

Make it light and bright

Open all of the drapes and blinds, and turn on lights so the house is well-lit.  Add table lamps or other fixtures to dim rooms.

Create an experience

Make bathrooms look like a spa.  Stack pretty washcloths, add scented candles and faux plants, and buy bathmats and towels in coordinating tones.  Set dining spaces as if one were sitting down to a meal and ensure appliances are sparkling clean.

Use common 'scents'

Baked goods, vanilla and cinnamon might make for more appealing scents.  Making a home sell fast involves preparation and the knowledge that buyers are often greatly influenced by their first impressions.

A Resource for Readiness

When it comes to emergencies, you can't be overprepared.  Knowing how to respond - and quickly - may help you and your family stay safe.  So where do you start?  Check out Ready.gov. You'll find answers to questions like: 

• What should I do if I receive a winter weather warning in my area?
• What should I have on hand in case of a power outage?
• How can I make my home safer if a hurricane is coming?
• How can I protect myself from falling debris in an earthquake?
• How can I make sure my pets are taken care of in a disaster?

Latest Mortgage Rates as of 1/26/2018

Mortgage rates held steady since my last update. FHA pricing has improved significantly due to a new investor. Here are latest mortgage rates:

Conventional

30 year fixed = 4.125%

20 year fixed = 4.00%

15 year fixed = 3.75%

FHA/VA - (Pricing improved with new investor)

30 year fixed = 3.95%

Jumbo (loan amounts over $453,100)

30 year fixed = 4.375%

15 year fixed = 4.00%

5 year ARM = 3.75%

** Above rates considering 740+credit score, 25% down payment, owner occupied, 30 day rate lock, $250,001 minimum loan amount, purchase & escrows. Rates can change at any time without notice..

Please Scott know if you have any mortgage related questions.  I have used his services for many years.

Scott Jacobsen

Vice President of Residential Lending

Cell # (630) 673-3103

E-fax # (312) 592-2232

Email: Scott.Jacobsen@KeyMortgageServices.com

Website: www.KeyMortgageServices.com/ScottJacobsen

NMLS # 664645

Key Mortgage Services

475 N. Martingale Rd. Suite #100

Schaumburg, IL 60173

Cool Website: Oh My Disney

A fun and interactive site for lovers of everything Disney, it has quizzes, news, art, video, nostalgia, movies, parks, and everything else Disney.

www.ohmydisney.com

Ever Wonder About - "Germs in Restaurants"??

THINGS NOT TO TOUCH OR USE: 

• The table
• The seat
• Menu
• Condiments
• Ice
• Lemon slices
• Door handles
• Buffet utensils

Per Gregory Karp, Credit Card 'autopay and everyday' can help deter fraud

53% of consumers say their financial institution sent them a new payment card over the previous year because of a data breach or fraud, according to a 2016 report by Aite Group, a financial services research firm.

Choose one card to make automatic payments on recurring bills and another for everyday spending.

Designate one of your credit cards for trusted recurring autopay accounts, such as cellphone and utility bills, software subscriptions and news sites.  Then don't use it for anything else.  That way, the card isn't being processed by restaurant servers, gas station pump readers or online retailers- common ways thieves steal numbers.

Use one of your other credit cards for everyday spending, both in stores and online.

A flat-rate rewards card or an old card you want to keep active would be idea to use for autopay accounts.  Using a rewards cards to accumulate cash-back rewards, points or miles makes sense for bills.  You might have to pay them anyway, so you might as well get something for it.  With cash-back cards, the rewards will be like a discount on your spending, assuming you pay your monthly credit-card bill in full and don't incur finance charges.

A flat-rate card is ideal because its rewards rate is the same regardless of the merchant.  You can get a decent cash-back rate without having to juggle multiple cards or increasing your exposure to potential fraud.

Old, unused card.  To keep credit scores high, you'll want to keep old credit-card accounts open, even if you don't like a card anymore, unless it charges an annual fee.  The age of credit accounts is a major factor in the calculation of credit scores, as is your total credit line compared with the total amount of credit you're using.