Make Your Old Bike More Rider-Friendly

I do not enjoy riding my old Gitane bicycle any more with its low handlebars, hard seat and skinny tires. Ric Paul, owner of Wheel Away Cycle Center, Inc., a Diamond Certified company, tells me that with a few changes, I can reduce the strain on my neck and back and have a much better riding experience.

First off, you need to elevate the handlebars. Just getting a longer stem or buying new upright handlebars can increase the rise for the upper body 6 to 8 inches. This might slow you down a bit, but you have better visibility and a much more comfortable ride. A broader and softer seat adds comfort, and you might consider padded cycling shorts as well. If you're ready to trade in your old Gitane or Varsity Schwinn for a brand new comfortable cruiser, Mr. Paul recommends the Townie from Electra or the Expedition by Specialized. Prices range from $350-$400.

Moving Major Appliances and Electronic Equipment

Maybe the last time you moved, everything fit into your VW van. Now, it's a different story, especially when you not have only furniture, but also household appliances like microwave ovens, refrigerators and big screen TVs. Moving expert Cal Farnsworth, President of Diamond Certified's Earl Farnsworth Express, agent for Mayflower Transit, Inc., says your large appliances need to be emptied, and then banded and wrapped tightly in moving blankets. Any moving parts such as washer drums and icemakers must be securely fastened before shipping.

Gas appliances need special attention and it is highly recommended that you have a plumber or electrician disconnect stoves and dryers before the move. Do not pack items inside these large appliances because they could damage wiring, motors or drums. For big screen televisions and plasma TVs, you need to use a special moving box that can be rented or purchased, unless you still have the original packaging.

Linoleum Versus Vinyl

People use the terms linoleum and vinyl interchangeably as if they’re the same product, but they’re in fact very different. Here are the main differences between the two so that you can better evaluate alternatives when shopping for flooring.

Linoleum is a “green” product consisting mainly of linseed oil, gypsum and jute. It is very stiff and must be heat welded at the seams. It has to be waxed to best maintain it, an important consideration. It is more expensive than most vinyls and more expensive to install. Vinyl sheet flooring, a petroleum product, is a more popular choice for homeowners, mostly because it’s easy to clean with a damp mop or Swiffer. Vinyl is flexible and the seams are carefully matched to the pattern. Should repairs ever be needed, vinyl patterns can be cut and seamed more easily than linoleum.

Slow Computer Driving You Nuts?

Is your computer getting slower and slower? I regularly delete photos, video clips and old e-mails, but apparently that’s not enough. Most of us don’t realize that even deleted items are still stored in your computer’s hard drive unless you take additional steps of removing them from your operating system.

For PC users, right-click on Internet Explorer and choose Properties. Under the Temporary Internet Files heading on the General Tab, click the Delete Cookies and Delete Files buttons. Check the Delete Offline Content box also. You might need a computer expert to help you with these suggestions. Another way to speed things up is to install Spyware prevention software. Spyware will certainly slow your machine down. A third suggestion is to buy an external USB hard drive, which serves as a good back-up for photos and data in case your computer crashes.

Repair or Replace Your Windshield?

The smallest rock can cause plenty of damage to your windshield while you’re driving. Sometimes just the chip can be repaired, but often you have to replace the entire windshield. A chip in the driver’s line of vision is hazardous. A small ding may grow into multiple cracks, especially when the area is exposed to temperature changes.

If your windshield has to be replaced, Here are some tips on what to do in the first couple of days. Wait 3-4 hours before driving your car to let the glue start setting up. It takes up to 48 hours to completely dry. Keep the windows a little open to relieve pressure inside the car and avoid slamming the doors. You should wait at least 2 days before visiting a car wash. Most professional installers offer a lifetime warranty on all replacements.

Clean Drains Before the Holidays

Drain cleaning should be part of regular home maintenance and it's best to get it done before Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's Eve. Storm drains may contain dirt, leaves and roots. Tree roots love to grow inside the main sewer line. Kitchen drains can have grease and food build-up. Many holiday parties have been ruined by these lines backing up at the worst time, according to Kevin Garza, President of San Jose Plumbing, Inc., a Diamond Certified company.

Expert drain cleaning and some precautions will help you avoid big problems during holiday parties. Ask your plumber to check all your drains and snake those that need cleaning. Good plumbers should also check faucets, garbage disposals, toilets, traps and the water heater. And finally, clean the gutters, check all storm drains and use lots and lots of water when putting food down the disposal.

New Protections for Used Car Buyers

California car buyers now have more rights when it comes to buying a used car. The new law gives you a two-day return option on used vehicles costing $40,000 or less. Rosemary Shahan, President of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS), is quick to point out that the new law does not cover used cars purchased from a private party, leased cars, out of state purchases, RVs, motorcycles or commercial vehicles.

With the return option, dealers can charge a fee based on the sale price of the car, along with a restocking fee. The dealer cannot sell your trade-in during the trial period. All terms and fees are negotiable, so why not ask for a 4-5 day trial instead of just two? Be aware that some dealers are asking customers to sign a form saying they will buy another car if they rescind the first sales contract. This is not part of the new law.

Can I Afford an Oriental Rug?

Nowadays you can find quality handmade wool oriental rugs in every price range. The "entry level" or "starter" rug can be an investment that fits your budget, style, taste and décor, according to Max Safavi, Partner in Marin Oriental Rug House, a Diamond Certified company.

A good handmade rug is an investment in that it will hold its value better than other home furnishings. It can be used as a trade-in should you choose to upgrade your rugs. A beautiful rug is also a work of art that can add to a room's aesthetics for many years and can be passed on within the family. When shopping for your first oriental rug, know your room's measurements and color scheme (bring fabric swatches). And discuss your budget openly with your salesperson. This way the salesperson will know exactly what kind of rugs to show you.

The Downside of Doing Your Own Plumbing

If you have the know-how, you can save a lot of money by ordering parts and materials on the Internet and acting as the general contractor on your own plumbing projects. However, you may not save money in the long run unless you are well versed in city and county building codes, requirements and labor laws. You might also have problems with defective materials that have to be shipped back and then re-installed.

Laura Lee Pokovich, President of Gotelli Plumbing Company, a Diamond Certified company, says parts and materials bought from a licensed and insured contractor may be initially more expensive, but you do get a warranty. If defective parts are purchased somewhere else but installed by a licensed plumber, only the workmanship is guaranteed, not the parts. You will have to pay the plumber's hourly rate to take out the defective part and re-install the replacement, which may eat up the savings you had counted on.

Why Tire Pressure Matters

Like most people I know, I hate checking the air pressure in my tires. Believe it or not, to be safe on the road, you should be checking your tires about once a month, according to the tire pros. That’s because on average, tires lose about one pound of pressure every month and are potentially hazardous when under-inflated.

A Good Loan Agent is a Mortgage Matchmaker

The key to mortgage matchmaking is being a careful listener. The Diamond Certified mortgage brokers I talked to say a good loan agent will ask the right questions first and then find a loan at the lowest interest rate that fits your particular needs. To get a good match, ask questions and expect informative answers.

The loan agent will pre-qualify you, evaluating your financial situation and credit scores. Here are some strategies to use when shopping for a loan. Don’t make large purchases, such as a new car, while you are buying or refinancing a home, as this new debt may affect your credit scores and therefore the interest rate you are offered. Speak to your loan agent before you pay off or close credit card accounts. Lenders often prefer that you have cash reserves available for your regular payments.

Bed Bugs Invading Homes - Yikes!

You know the expression, "Don't let the bed bugs bite." People who find bugs and small pearl-shaped eggs on the cheesecloth attached to box springs wonder how these pests get into their homes in the first place.

Bed bugs nest in unfinished wood furniture, so be careful if you bring second hand end tables, dressers or headboards into your home. Inspect them carefully. If you stay in budget hotels when you travel, take a flashlight and check the box springs for droppings, eggs and bugs. Adult bed bugs are the size of a #2 pencil eraser so they're easy to spot. If you share a room with them, they might come home with you! Anyone who discovers a nest should leave it undisturbed; moving anything will only make things worse. A professional exterminator can usually eliminate bed bugs in two visits, spaced 10 days apart.

Efficient Fireplace Burning techniques

Homeowners often make the mistake of adding too much firewood to the fireplace. Keep the top of the flames visible below the fireplace opening to gauge the right amount of wood. If you have glass doors, keep them wide open with the screen closed for at least 30 minutes after starting the fire. Once the wood is burning well, close the doors and set draft controls. That advice is coming from Andy Gatley, owner of Best Chimney Sweep, a Diamond Certified company.

If you use your fireplace a lot, it's important to know that creosote buildup is the main cause of chimney fires. Creosote is highly combustible. Mr. Gatley reminds homeowners to burn only seasoned wood. Do not allow your fire to smolder by separating the logs or standing them on end, and never burn trash in a fireplace or woodstove.

Quality Paint Pays for Itself

What is the difference between a $40 gallon of paint and a $20 gallon of paint?  Serious painters say you will see marked differences between high and low quality paints when you compare how easy they are to apply and how long they last. The bottom line is that it almost always pays in the long run to buy the best paint you can afford.

Paints with better ingredients splatter less, cling to the paint roller better and adhere more easily to surfaces. The difference quality paint makes on the finished product is more obvious with exteriors. Cheap exterior paint becomes chalky and peels sooner than quality paint. Inside your home, inexpensive paints will show marks easier when walls are bumped. The better paints will usually have their ingredients listed on the label.

Cost Effective Ways to Heat Your Home

Have you thought about installing a wood-burning stove? Some of these zone heaters, as they're called, burn gas, wood or pellets made of recycled sawdust. Tony Renati, Manager of Frizelle-Enos, a Diamond Certified company, says the stoves can be freestanding or installed inside an insert in an existing fireplace. Stoves come in both traditional and contemporary styles and are available with enamel finishes of all colors, brown being most popular right now.

People buy zone heaters because they want to save money on energy bills and help keep the air clean. Gas-burning stoves are cleanest of all, according to Mr. Renati. These stoves are also safer and more economical than electric heaters. You can expect to invest somewhere between $900 and $3,000 in a unit before installation, depending on size. For wood and pellet heaters, a professional cleaning by a chimney sweep is needed at least once a year to remove creosote build-up and accumulated soot.

Save Money by Recycling E-Waste

Nowadays, when you take electronic items (e-waste) to the dump, it’s likely you will have to pay a disposal fee. That’s on top of a recycling fee you may have paid at the time of purchase. A computer monitor can easily cost $25 to unload. Another option is to take your e-waste to a recycling center where they accept everything from computer cords, cell phones, stereos and speaker wires to remote controls, TVs and VCRs.

E-waste recyclers act as middlemen who make sure these items are dissembled properly and anything of value is put to use again.  Some parts are valuable. For every 4,000 pounds of e-waste, for example, three ounces of gold are extracted from circuit connections and microchips. Recycling this type of waste keeps it from being dumped illegally here or overseas on highways, in rivers and landfills.

Cancellation Rights for Health Club Shoppers

It's always a good idea to compare a number of health clubs before deciding which one's right for you. The salespeople who show you the facilities are often eager to sign you up for a plan, and if you get pressured into a contract and then have second thoughts, California law offers you some protections.

According to Department of Consumer Affairs spokesman Miles Bristow, consumers have up until midnight of the fifth business day to cancel a health club contract. Sundays and holidays do not count as business days. Your cancellation notice must be done in writing, preferably by certified mail, return receipt requested. Mr. Bristow also notes you even have longer to cancel expensive memberships - 20 days for contracts totaling $1,500-$2,000, 30 days for those ranging from $2,001-$2,500, and 45 days for any agreement costing $2,501 or more. Once your cancellation is received, the club must issue a refund within 10 days.