5 Reasons Fireplace Owners Think Early Spring is "Firewood Time"

Written by Susan Penney


Asrepparttar weather hints of warmth andrepparttar 100407 spring buds appear on trees, firewood may not berepparttar 100408 first thing that comes to mind. But early spring isrepparttar 100409 ideal time to buy or gather your firewood for your fireplace or woodstove. Why? Here are 5 good reasons:

1.Firewood needs at least six months to season. If you want your firewood ready forrepparttar 100410 cool days of next fall, now’srepparttar 100411 time to be getting it.

2.Insects living underrepparttar 100412 bark are dormant in early spring. When you store firewood now for use next fall or winter, any insects will likely die before you bringrepparttar 100413 firewood into your home. That’s a plus!

3.Prices for firewood are generally down in early spring, andrepparttar 100414 supplies are good. Buying now instead of waiting for cold weather to buy your firewood will save you money.

4.Fuel costs, especiallyrepparttar 100415 cost of heating oil, are rising. Many people will be turning to their fireplaces as a source of supplemental heat, especially when they see their fuel bills next winter. So next fall is expected not only to haverepparttar 100416 regular seasonal increase in firewood prices but also to see additional price increases due to unusually high demands. Buying your firewood now puts you ahead of those price increases that are forecast for firewood next fall.

Repairing holes in Sheetrocked Walls

Written by Mark Donovan


It is quite simple to repair a hole in a Sheetrocked wall, however there are minor differences in methods of repair depending on how largerepparttar hole is.

Small size holes (1/4” or smaller)

With small holes, simply apply a little joint compound or wall putty with a small putty knife or trowel. Let dry, then sand lightly and paint.

Medium size holes (Greater than ¼” in diameter and smaller than 2” in diameter).

First clean outrepparttar 100406 hole and surrounding area of any debris and loose sheetrock. Then apply a mesh tape, specifically manufactured for sheetrock applications, acrossrepparttar 100407 hole. Use your putty knife to ensure that it is applied evenly onrepparttar 100408 wall surface. Next apply a liberal amount of Joint Compound overrepparttar 100409 hole and mesh. Let this set for 1 to 2 days.

Afterrepparttar 100410 initial coat has been applied and has had time to fully dry, apply a second skim coat of Joint Compound overrepparttar 100411 area. However, this time spreadrepparttar 100412 Joint Compound over an area that is 2-3 timesrepparttar 100413 size ofrepparttar 100414 original hole. Basically you want to flare outrepparttar 100415 area that you are repairing so that it will blend in nicely withrepparttar 100416 rest ofrepparttar 100417 wall. Again letrepparttar 100418 area dry for a day.

Finally lightly sandrepparttar 100419 area and apply one last skim coat overrepparttar 100420 area. Again spreadingrepparttar 100421 Joint Compound out a little further thanrepparttar 100422 last application. Letrepparttar 100423 Joint Compound set up one more day, sand lightly and then paint.

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