Protect Your Car From Road Salt – Auto
Protect Your Car From Road Salt
Marilyn Pokorney
Every winter drivers should take active steps to protect their car from road salt.
Road salt is necessary for safe transportation when snow and ice accumulate on roads and highways and cause dangerous driving conditions.
Salt was first used in the 1930s in snow and ice control to make roads safe and passable by creating a lower freezing temperature of the water. It is the most available and cost-effective de-icer. It is easy to store, handle, and apply.
Some 15 million tons of de-icing salt is used each year in the U.S. and about 4-5 million in Canada.
Salt keeps snow and ice from bonding to the pavement and to allow snowplows to remove accumulations quickly and efficiently.
Studies show that salt use reduces accidents by 88%.
Washing your car during wintertime is one of the best things you can do to maintain the value of your car. Mud, salt, rain, sleet, and snow can damage your cars clear finish. Mud and salt caked on the undercarriage promote rust, especially in older vehicles, and can also affect how well your car drives.
To prevent winter damage, it is recommended that you wash your vehicle every 10 days. Wash your vehicle whenever the temperature is 40 degrees F. and above. Do it during the day so that it dries completely before freezing evening temperatures begin.
Immediately after washing the vehicle, open and close all doors, the trunk, and other parts of the car with locks several times before parking it to prevent locks from freezing.
Always wash your car right after a snow or rain shower. Rain and snow collect pollutants in the air and drop them as acid rain which can damage the cars protective finish. Snow and sleet also include the corrosive road salt.
Wash the underside of your car often during the winter months in car washes that do not use recycled water.
Avoid driving through large puddles of standing water which is saturated with road salt.
Any paint chips that are larger than the tip of a pen should be taken care of immediately.
Wax your car at least every six months. Put a good heavy coat of wax on your car before the winter storms hit. This heavy coat will protect your paint from the corrosive salt and cold temperatures.
More frequent waxes are needed if your car is red, black or white because these colors are more susceptible to acid rain and UV rays.
When spring time rolls around, treat your car to a good wax job again. Be sure to remove all road grime and salt off of the car before you begin waxing.
For more information:
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About The Author
Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
marilynp@nctc.net
How to Modify Your Landscaping to Protect Your House from Burglars – Home
How to Modify Your Landscaping to Protect Your House from Burglars
TC Thorn
Believe it or not, landscaping can be an important part of a good home security plan. A burglar who is "casing the joint" from the street will choose the house with tall shrubs and trees that provide hiding places. Homes with little or no outdoor lighting are preferred targets as well.
So, how can you landscape to protect against burglars while still creating an aesthetically pleasing yard Here are a few tips:
You dont need to eliminate trees, but keep them trimmed back from your house; tree branches can be used as a ladder if they are next to a window or skylight.
Mow your lawn regularly; an unkempt lawn can suggest to a thief that the owners are away on a trip.
Store ladders, lawn chairs, and picnic tables out of sight lest they be used as a means to reach high windows.
Trim back shrubs growing near doors and walkways, keeping them 3 feet or shorter in height. Also, dont allow shrubs to block any of your windows.
Adding gravel under windows makes for noisy footing for would-be thieves.
Consider planting thorny bushes of the low growing variety around windows. Some examples are: Hawthorne, Rose Shrub, and Barberry.
Forgo privacy and keep your trees and shrubs trimmed back in order to allow a clear view of the outside of your house. Having neighbors that can see your doors and windows can help deter thieves even if you happen to be out of town.
Keep your yard well lit. Motion-detecting lights make decent choices; body heat-triggered sensors are even better less likely to be triggered by a waving branch or a passing animal.
Dogs are not a complete home security plan, but can make good home protectors because they have keener hearing than humans, along with a propensity for barking at strangers. Dogs training can help your dog learn exactly what you want him to do.
About The Author
TC Thorn writes content for numerous web sites, including a number she owns such as http://www.homesecurityinformation.com where you can find more information on homeowners insurance and home security.
Protect Your Most Important Asset – Diet
Protect Your Most Important Asset
Kim Beardsmore
The body automatically functions, and we automatically take it for granted! We expect our body to keep going and not complain, however much we abuse it. But it does complain, with headaches, backache, indigestion, colds, skin rashes: just a few of the minor warnings. Whether you are running a home business, major corporation or a family if you relate to these mild complaints you just may need to pay attention to protect your most important asset: your health, your ability to think clearly and your emotional strength.
Without paying attention to keeping yourself well, you may slip into more serious warnings of self-abuse and progress to serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. A few simple changes can make all the difference to the long-term health of your body, the clarity of your thinking, the strength of your emotional well-being and the long-term viability of your self-propelled business!
Food is fuel
What you eat and drink provides your body with the fuel to carry out all the physical and mental activities that get you through each day, including breathing and blinking! Some foods, such as fruit and vegetables, provide excellent fuel, with lots of beneficial nutrients. Other foods provide the body with poor quality fuel laced with undesirable chemicals, such as over-processed junk foods. What percentage of your current diet is providing fuel-efficient, nutrient-rich food Find out by keeping a diary over the following week - jot down everything you eat and drink and then analyze your fuel source. The better your fuel source, the longer your life expectancy