info@chedwards.net   (516) 249-5200
Menu
Stay safe this summer with our pool safety tips!

Stay safe this summer with our pool safety tips!

Relaxing by the pool and enjoying the sun is one of the best parts of summer. While you are enjoying this fun filled summer activity, it is important to remember how crucial pool safety is. It is not only important to keep yourself informed but also your children or anybody visiting your pool. In this blog, you will find helpful pool tips from the American Red Cross.

  • Secure your pool with appropriate barriers. Completely surround your pool with a 4-feet high fence or barrier with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Place a safety cover on the pool or hot tub when not in use and remove any ladders or steps used for access. Consider installing a pool alarm that goes off if anyone enters the pool.
  • Keep children under active supervision at all times. Stay in arm’s reach of young kids. Designate a responsible person to watch the water when people are in the pool—never allow anyone to swim alone. Have young or inexperienced swimmers wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
  • Ensure everyone in the home knows how to swim well by enrolling them in age-appropriate water orientation and learn-to-swim courses from the Red Cross.
  • Keep your pool or hot tub water clean and clear. Maintain proper chemical levels, circulation and filtration. Regularly test and adjust the chemical levels to minimize the risk of earaches, rashes or more serious diseases.
  • Establish and enforce rules and safe behaviors, such as “no diving,” “stay away from drain covers,” “swim with a buddy” and “walk please.”
  • Ensure everyone in the home knows how to respond to aquatic emergencies by having appropriate safety equipment and taking water safety, first aid and CPR courses from the Red Cross.

These very helpful and informative tips can help keep your pool time as safe and fun as possible. You can find out more tips on the American Red Cross website, www.redcross.org. You can also go to www.HomePoolEssentials.org to take an online pool essentials course. This course describes steps that home pool owners need to take to prevent any accidents and keep their pool well maintained. Now it’s time to grab your sunscreen and pool float and enjoy the summer!

Water Conservation Gardening Tips

Water Conservation Gardening Tips

As the weather heats up, many homeowners will be heading outside to start planting their favorite flowers, fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

Along with efficient gardening comes extended and excessive water use. Here are some simple tips that will help you conserve water while keeping your garden in tip-top shape.

The right plants. The best water conservation strategies start and end with plant selection. Look for drought-tolerant plants. Many have gray or silver foliage. Others have thick, fleshy leaves and are called succulents. These plants naturally need less water.

Compost. Adding compost to your garden soil regularly, not only adds beneficial nutrients, but also helps the soil retain moisture.

Shredded Leaves. Shredded leaves make excellent mulch, and better yet, they are free! Spread them in the fall to insulate the soil and prevent frost damage of perennials. The shreds will eventually break down and feed the soil, just like a compost.

Drip Irrigation. If you want to water your pots more efficiently, use a drip irrigation system to put water in the root zone. You can even hook it up to a timer to automatically start and stop irrigation.

These are just a few tips to help you save on water this gardening season. So, get out there, get gardening and save while you’re at it too!

For more information on water conservation please visit http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/top-10-ways-conserve-water.

Written by: Amanda Haase

Gina Rodriguez makes a high school student’s dreams come true!

Gina Rodriguez makes a high school student’s dreams come true!

Gina Rodriguez, the star of “Jane the Virgin”, is making a high school student`s prom dream come true. Jessica Casanova is a high school teen who dreamt of wearing her idol`s Golden Globes dress to prom. Gina Rodriquez saw her tweet and made her dreams come true.

“Rodriguez’s good gestures didn’t end there, as she paid for some alterations to the dress and even sent along a personal video, according to the Associated Press. In it she tells Casanova, “I love you, I’m so proud of you. I’m so excited for you. Dance like no one’s watching, have the time of your life. Enjoy every single moment. Make smart decisions and let loose, girl. You look beautiful.” After seeing this, many fans also got in on this action and started the trend, “Sisterhood of the Traveling Golden Globes Dress.” Gina plans on passing her dress along to other teens attending their prom.

This amazing gesture made by Gina Rodriguez is something that you can also participate in. DoSomething.org, OperationProm.org and BeccasCloset.org are just a few. Instead of having your dresses hanging in the closet, you can make someone`s prom dreams come true.

Stay cool for the summer with starbucks!

Stay cool for the summer with starbucks!

Starbucks is about to give you some new options to wake up in the morning and to stay cool all summer long. This summer, Starbucks is releasing two new types of Cold Brews. These two new menu items will be Nitro Cold Brew and Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew.

 

Let`s start off with the Nitro Cold Brew. This is considered a spin on the signature Cold Brew. But this time is unique because it’ll be infused with nitrogen. The reasoning behind this combination is to give a smoother and more creamy texture to the beverage. What makes it even more fascinating is that it will be poured to perfection right out of a tap. “Nitro Cold Brew is cold right out of the tap and served unsweetened without ice. A Tall (12-ounce) serving has 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar.” This new way of serving up a classic Cold Brew is definitely going to be interesting to see. “We start with a small, chilled keg of Starbucks Cold Brew coffee,” said Anthony Carroll, a 20-year partner on Starbucks Coffee team. “Then it’s infused with nitrogen, which unlocks the super-smooth, natural sweetness of the Cold Brew coffee, which then cascades from the tap with a velvety texture you can see and taste.” Currently this beverage is being offered in select stores in Seattle. By the end of the summer, the list of participating stores will increase. And we are in luck, because New York is on the list! Along with 500 company-operated stores in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

 

The second Cold Brew is a sweeter version of the signature drink. “We wanted to create a coffee-forward iced beverage with a splash of sweet cream,” said Christal Canzler from Starbucks beverage development team. This delicious combination will be made with Starbucks Cold Brew over ice and finished off with a house-made vanilla sweet cream. “A Tall (12-ounce) serving is 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar.”  These two new beverages will definitely help you stay cool for the summer. Which one will you try first?

 

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Happy National Doughnut Day! Are you planning on celebrating this sweet day? One way you can do this is by stopping by your local Krispy Kreme. No matter what kind of doughnut you like, they are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Aside from the free doughnuts, there’s actually a lot more behind this day. This sweet tradition goes all the way back to World War I. During this time, the women who volunteered for the Salvation Army would make doughnuts for the soldiers who were fighting over seas. The Salvation Army then took this idea and launched National Doughnut Day in 1938 in Chicago. The purpose of this day was to raise funds and awareness for the organization.

This tradition then carried into World War II. But this time the Salvation Army volunteers had a new title. They would be called either Salvation Army`s dough girls or dough lassies. As LIFE wrote of the volunteers, “They are hand-picked for looks, education, personality and experience in recreational fields. They are hardy physically and have a sociable, friendly manner.” The soldier’s spirits were instantly lifted when they were delivered doughnuts. The slogan “doughnuts will win the war”, was also commonly used. Now you know the historical facts behind this delicious treat. You can also donate to the Salvation Army when you pick up your free doughnut at Krispy Kreme!

 

Hands-free driving is about to have a new meaning!

Hands-free driving is about to have a new meaning!

Hands free driving is about to get a new meaning. One of the first self-driving cars will debut in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania next week. And the company debuting this vehicle is Uber. This past February, the ride-sharing company announced that they would be partnering with Carnegie Mellon University to open its Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh. It is preparing to launch autonomous vehicles in to its fleet by 2020.

“Self-driving cars have the potential to save millions of lives and improve quality of life for people around the world,” Uber said in a blog post on its site, citing a statistic that 94% of car accidents that result in the loss of live involve human error.

Uber`s rival Lyft, is also trying to get in on all of this action. Lyft has released a statement this month that they are currently in the same process. “Executives at Lyft and Uber have said one of the top hurdles to their success is navigating a patchwork of regulations that govern the use and liabilities of autonomous vehicles. Federal regulators are working to help companies figure out how to meet safety standards when designing cars.” This project is still in the early stages for both Lyft and Uber. With all the pros and cons to this, it’s interesting to see what will happen.

Natural Gas Safety

Natural Gas Safety

Whether you are at home, at work, or in a public place, it is likely that you are in an area served by natural gas. Natural gas pipelines quietly and efficiently transport natural gas every day to residential homes and businesses.

Just like with other forms of energy, natural gas must be handled with proper care. Despite the industry’s excellent safety record, a gas leak can occur at any time and potentially cause a hazardous and dangerous situation.

Many gas pipelines are underground in public areas. These areas are marked off with lines to show an approximate location of the pipeline, however, this line will not indicate its depth. These markers will also display the pipeline’s operator and telephone number where the operator can be contacted in case of an emergency.

It is important to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of natural gas and prepare yourself to act quickly in the event of an emergency.

A gas leak can be often recognized by three of the senses, smell, sight, and sound.

Smell – Natural gas is colorless and odorless. However, it has a very distinct, and pungent odor. Similar to rotten eggs.

Sight – You may see a white cloud, mist, fog or bubbles in standing water or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead for no apparent reason.

Sound – Hearing a roaring, hissing or whistling noise, could also be a sign of a gas leak.

If you recognize any of these, move to a safe place and call 911 immediately.

Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances, as this can cause an explosion. Most importantly, do not assume that someone else will report the condition. Provide an exact location to where the gas leak is when reporting to the police.

For more information on gas leaks and gas safety, please visit https://www.nationalgridus.com/Long-Island-NY-Business/Natural-Gas-Safety/

Written by: Amanda Haase

Bath and Body Works is throwing it back to the 90`s!

Bath and Body Works is throwing it back to the 90`s!

Bath and Body Works is about to throw it all the way back to the 90`s. The popular body care store is re-releasing scents and products that were customer favorites in the 90`s. This is all for their #FlashBackFragrance campaign which will leave you feeling nostalgic.

The eight scents that will be re-released include Peony, Country Apple, Cucumber Melon, Freesia, Brown Sugar & Fig, Mango Mandarin, Cotton Blossom, Sun-Ripened Raspberry. Talk about a throwback with all of these amazing scents! There are also four different ways in which you can buy these scents. The first one is the fragrance mist which will be $14. The second will be the ultra shea body cream for $13. The shea & Vitamin E body lotion will be $12.50. And lastly the shea & Vitamin E shower gel for $12.50. With so many options, what will you choose? I definitely plan to stock up on the Sun-Ripened Raspberry.

6 Tips To Maintaining a Healthy, Beautiful Looking Lawn This Summer Season

6 Tips To Maintaining a Healthy, Beautiful Looking Lawn This Summer Season

grass

The warm sunny weather is here and it’s time of the year for healthy, green growing grass. A yard doesn’t just have healthy green grass all by itself year after year. In most cases, it takes constant gardening maintenance to care for grass and maintain its gorgeous green coloring.

 

During this time of year, your grass needs special care. Follow these 6 tips when maintaining your lawn this summer season:

1. Cut your grass at the proper height to maintain its health. If your grass is cut too short, it will burn in the sun or die. Grass that is kept too high will start to thin out due to too much shade. Tall grass also stays damp, which can lead to mold and mildew. Trim your grass about once a week during the growing season to keep it the correct height.

2. Dethatch your yard every two or three years to remove dead grass buildup. When grass dies and new blades take its place, dead vegetation builds up on top of the soil. This can block light and air from advancing new growth.

3. Towards the end of the summer season, aerate your yard to loosen the soil and incorporate more air flow near the surface.

4. After you aerate your grass, overseed your grass. Since you already have a lawn, simply cast the seeds by hand over the grass, throwing out more seed over thin areas.

5. Water your grass on a regular basis, and after casting seed, to maintain healthy growth.

Watering lawn6. Set up a sprinkler for your yard, and water the grass once a day for 15 minutes. Be sure to avoid overwatering your grass. Continue this until you see blades of new grass growing.

Maintain that healthy, beautiful look you love all summer long by following these simple maintenance tips. Make your lawn, your home’s first impression.

For more lawn maintenance and gardening tips visit http://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/22-year-round-lawn-care-tips-pictures

Written by: Amanda Haase

Tips To Staying Safe On Your Summer Road Trip Vacation

Tips To Staying Safe On Your Summer Road Trip Vacation

summer driving photoSummer is finally here and that means one thing – it’s road trip season! Whether you plan on following your favorite band around the country, taking a family vacation or diner hoping, it is important to stay safe while on your trip. Check out these seven tips to staying safe on your road trip vacation:

 

1. Before you go, check your oil, and any other fluids that may be low.

tires photo2. Make sure tires are properly inflated and inspect them for excessive wear.

3. If the battery in your vehicle is more then three years old, have it tested. You may even want to replace it.

(Please see our Summer Safety Driving Tips blog for more information regarding vehicle maintenance) https://www.chedwards.net/blog/summer-driving-safety-tips/#/

4. When you plan a trip, time your route so you drive through the busiest places during non-peak travel hours.

5. When you and your family take a break from driving to eat or sleep, either bring your pricey gadgets with you or hide them inside your locked car to avoid theft.

6. Avoid speeding and rapid accelerations to conserve your gas. Remember, hauling heavy cargo is bad for fuel economy as well.

7. Pack emergency supplies of food, water, tools, a cell phone charger, and a flashlight. You may not need them but it never hurts to be safe rather than sorry.

Make sure when you plan your summer road trip you follow these driving photohelpful, safety tips to protect your loved ones. If you are interested in receiving a free, no obligation Automobile quote please give C.H. Edwards a call at 516-249-5200, and let us help you get covered!

Drive safe this summer season!

Written by: Amanda Haase