Great Cleaner for the Outdoor Grill

    
This 4th of July weekend many Americans will be having fun with friends and family, watching fireworks, eating watermelon and  other locally raised fresh produce and grilling outdoors. There is nothing better than this summer time tradition. The one aspect that isn’t much fun is cleaning the grill after those great steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken have been cooked. If you cook like I do you have sauces, marinades and grease all over the grill. This year I don’t worry as much about the mess because I found a great product that makes clean up easier.

The best cleaner I found for the grill is Wash Tyme Handmade Soap. Wash Tyme specializes in making natural vegetable glycerin soaps that cleans exceptionally well and is gentle. The glycerin used is the byproduct of making biodiesel from recycled & filtered vegetable oil. By making soap from this glycerin, there is no down-stream waste!

I keep a 50/50 solution of Wash Tyme liquid cleaner/water in spray bottle by my grill at all times. When the grill cools I spray it with this solution, I wait a few minutes and then wipe it down with water. The seasonings, marinades and grease simply wash away. My grill is clean and looks shiny. Last weekend a guest looked at my grill and commented that it was a very clean and impressive looking grill. That comment is enough to bring a big smile to any man who is king of his outdoor domain when he is grilling! Wash Tyme helped create that special moment.

I like Wash Tyme because it works. The fact that is created from a byproduct of making biodiesel from recycled and filtered vegetable oil, which means there is no waste and the fact that Wash Tyme located in my own community makes it an even better choice. Reflecting upon this I feel great to be supporting a local business during this truly American holiday; it creates a sense of community for me. It makes me think about

supporting our local communities, helping each other to prosper, allowing all of us to pursue a better life and enjoy our freedom. It makes me think that this is exactly what our founding fathers did. It was the determination, cooperative and supportive efforts of our founding fathers which helped make this Country great and made it possible for us to celebrate Independence Day – 4th of July.

Get some Wash Tyme soap to help clean up your grill.  Help make your local communities and America thrive by supporting your local businesses. And, most of all have a fun and safe 4th of July celebration with your friends and families.

Email Wash Tyme at info@washtyme.com
or
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 352 Sellersville PA 18960

Wash Tyme Link

Related Link:

Great Recipes for the Grill

Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc.

Superior Woodcraft Blog

Oil In The Gulf

   
I spend a few hours a week looking for energy saving opportunities in the basements of my clients. Sometimes this means inserting myself into crawl spaces and similar other worldly places investigating where holes in the foundation walls or framing allows air to blow in. I am used to it – the dust and dampness – but what really creeps me out are the invisible spider webs. Brushing up against a spider web, even a really old one not maintained, is horrifying.

There was a really spider-webby basement recently that made me pause because it had a iridescent sheen that reminded me of oil on water. I suddenly flashed on those giant floating plumes of oil being injected into the Gulf of Mexico by the BP disaster. These plumes are hundreds of feet deep, wide and long, creating the equivalent of a huge unavoidable net. For the fish, turtles, and pelicans blithely following their natural instincts then suddenly enveloped in oil – this is a horror. Suffocating in oil, saturated in something that will not come off , breathing it in – this is a million times worse than walking into a room of spider webs. At least when I walk into a spider web, I do not breath it in.

The BP oil gushing out is permeating the psyche of America. The collective we, at least those who think about things, see the parallels to home heating and car driving, pension fund dividends, and wrecked economies, businesses and lives in this environmental catastrophe. Even those who want to bury their head in the sand about this can not avoid the tar balls in their hair. We are a risk taking species that is for sure and I think a lot of us are so caught up in the momentum of what we do every day that any modification of our routine seems either impossible or a drop in the bucket. But the cultural habits of our families, communities and nation can and must change to meet the excesses or possibly unavoidable mistakes that lead to disasters.

Most of us have to risk the metaphorical spider-webs-in-the-basement as we traverse the interconnections of middle class American. Driving is a necessity, our food chain is petroleum based, our pensioners get dividends from oil company sales: everything and everyone is so interlinked in this fragile, wounded ecosystem and economy. So if anything is to come of this it must be that the interconnectedness will be our strength even as it is our nemesis. If indeed individuals can change the world, then let’s at least embrace conservation of energy in our own lives as that one first step. Don’t drive so fast, walk to a store, open a window, hang up the wash, make a statement, get an energy audit.  Collectively these actions will make a difference and it is not a hopeless situation.

I remember a Lake Erie research project I did in seventh grade in 1969. At the time Lake Erie was “dead”, the victim of algae blooms caused by pollution. I thought at that time that the situation was nearly hopeless, but it wasn’t. Many years of clean up and vigilance brought the lake back. In our backyard there are Blue Herons in the Delaware Canal and hawks flying around Yardley, which indicate to me a more balanced ecosystem and a measure of hopefulness. Unfortunately our local backyard now includes the entire Gulf Coast, Kandahar and beyond. Fortunately the small things we do here will have a collective impact. We simply must get it done and now is the perfect time.  To make the biggest impact the best place to start is with a home energy audit.

This article was contributed by Thomas G. Wells


THOMAS G. WELLS CONSTRUCTION L.L.C.
105 Pennsylvania Avenue
Yardley, Pa. 19067

Tel: 215-321-4818
Fax: 215-321-2179
Cell: 215-378-4048
http://www.tgw-construction.com/
PA CONTRACTOR # #PA003219 • NJ CONTRACTOR #13VH03383400


Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc. Custom Cabinetry Blog
Superior Woodcraft, Inc. Website

Gulf Oil Spill - Clean Up Equipment

   
Interesting note about technology being deployed to help with the oil leak in the Gulf.

Ocean Therapy Solutions, a company backed by Kevin Costner, sold 32 centrifuges to BP.  These centrifuges will be used to seperate the oil and water.

In 1993 Kevin procured a technology transfer from the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory for a centrifugal oil-water separator. He founded Costner Industries (CINC) and committed the next 15 years, and over $20 million toward research and development, advocacy and outreach on behalf of a rugged, compact portable device that would serve as a first line of defense in oil spill clean up and recovery.


Costner's vision and ultimate success with CINC technology is its unparalleled efficiency and success in spill clean up. More information.

It is refreshing to see Hollywood money being invested in quality projects such Ocean Therapy Solutions.  Hats off to Mr. Costner.

Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Give Yourself a Raise - Part 1

  
Everyone is looking for ways to increase their income. There are two ways to accomplish this - 1)Make more money 2) Reduce Expenses. The first option is great, but you need to ask for a raise, find a better paying job, work more hours, get a second job, etc.  Are you brave enough to ask for a raise in this economy?  It sounds great, but not as easy to accomplish.  Let's look at option 2 - reduce expenses.  Reducing expenses is something that is within our control and is easier to achieve.


You have probably heard a lot about adding insulation and caulking your home. You probably heard about President Obama's  cash for caulkers program where homeowners get rebates for adding insulation and reducing air infiltration. Most likely you have read that adding insulation and reducing air infiltration is the best investment you can make - especially in these markets. Sounds too good to be true and you’re a bit skeptical – right? Well I am about to share with you real experiences from two homes where adding insulation and reducing air infiltration was done in the homeowner's spare time over a two year period.

The two houses differed in size and age, but the results were very similar. The homeowners did the work themselves over a two year period in their spare time. Basically an hour here and 2-3 hours there.  Both homeowners added some insulation and used lots of caulk. The tasks are fairly easy – just a little bit of dirty work.

In a 15 year old home the homeowner reduced their heating expense by 29% and they are now saving about $1,850 per year at the current energy costs. The second home was much smaller and is over 250 years old. This homeowner reduced their heating expense by 40% and are saving about $900 per year. The investments that the homeowners made were paid back within the first year – not too bad!

In Part 2 we will exam how to get started and how to earn that raise!  Stay tuned.

Related Links:

PPL Electric Utility Offers Rebates & Incentives
Applications Now Accepted for Home Heating Equipment Rebates
Great News for Energy Star Customers!
How to Save Money, Improve Your Comfort & Indoor Air Quality
Is My Home Too Tight?
Save Hundreds on Your Utility Bills...
High-efficiency Heating and Cooling Systems

Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Outdoor Cooking Help - Great Recipes for the Grill

   
The time of year is upon us when the grill takes over where the oven left off. Whether you have a Coleman camper grill, a Weber charcoal, or a Viking outdoor kitchen, we all want to be the king of the neighborhood BBQ. Unfortunately for most of us, that prospect is easier said than done.

The good news is that the internet has provided us a way for the manufacturers to share their recipes. Here are some of our favorite links and recipes for outdoor cooking.

Viking

http://www.vikingrange.com/consumer/lifestyle/recipes_browse_all.jsp?id=cat120005

Click the link for “Summer Barbeque” for a full list of recipes to host your own party.

Wolf

http://wolfappliance.com/livingkitchen/lifestyle/recipelist.aspx?gid=11&fid=10

The Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin is our favorite.

Dacor

http://www.dacor.com/The-Dacor-Kitchen/Recipes/Grilling/index.aspx

Black Bass with Salsa is a unique grill dish that will make you look like a pro.

Weber

http://weber.com/grillout/Default.aspx

Their section of Desserts for the grill is fascinating.

Feel free to experiment. Feel free to share your favorites. Most importantly, feel free to try something new. The only thing that separates us from the professionals is a great recipe and a willingness to try.

This article was contributed by James Bender of Bill Vandegrift, Inc.


Bill Vandegrift, Inc
450 E. Butler Ave
New Britain, PA 18901

215-345-1892
http://www.billvandegrift.com/

Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog

Good For Your Wallet, Good For Your Planet- Part 1

   

How can you update your home’s interior without starting from scratch?

Nothing is more intimidating than trying to redesign your home and keep most of what you already have. Sound like a challenge? It’s simple to throw away or donate all of your stuff and buy new; you’ve got a clean slate. But that isn’t easy on your bank account or the environment. Here are a few sustainable and sensible ways to update your look:

The Easiest:

Paint! You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating. Paint is the least expensive, highest impact design choice you can make. Some things to consider:

* Fashion. Home decor color styles change just like fashion. That doesn’t mean you need to repaint every season, but what was in style for walls 5-10 years ago will look dated today. Take a look at home catalogs you receive in the mail, design magazines and design blogs. Blue may still work for your bedroom, but which shade of blue you choose can create a fresh look.

* How do you use the room? A dining room or kitchen should incorporate colors that stimulate the appetite. Warm tones such as brown, red, saffron, gold and greens that have yellow in them are great compliments for these rooms. If you have treasured art that you want to accentuate, use whites. Bedrooms are the perfect place for soothing, cool colors. Pink has a calming effect and has even been used in prison holding cells to reduce erratic behavior.

* What colors are in your furnishings? Take a cue from the things you already love. Many of your home decor fabrics can inspire paint color choices. A favorite pillow, painting or upholstery fabric might hold the key to a new wall color. If the colors work together in one item, they will work together on a larger scale.

*No-VOC paint is a must for good indoor air quality and limited exposure to dangerous toxins.

Superior Woodcraft's blog is a great resource to use when you are planning your home projects.  Find quality paints, wall coverings, appliances, plumbing fixtures and more on Superior Woodcraft's Blog

Links for enviromentally friendly quality paints:

Sherwin Williams
Benjamin Moore
Fine Paints of Europe
Mythic Paint
American Clay

Stay tuned for Part 2 - The Most Cost Effective Way to Update Your Home's Interior.

This article was submitted by Kathryn Robbins of Kat Robbins Interiors.

Kat Robbins Interiors

610-291-4220
Wayne, PA 19087

Source:

Superior Woodcraft, Inc.
Superior Woodcraft Blog