5 things to remember for winter driving

1. Be prepared, make sure your car is fully equipped to handle all the snow and ice on the roads. Change to snow tires. Have an emergency kit in your car in case you get stranded in a snow storm. Your kit should include water, non perishable food, a flash light, a small shovel in case you have to dig snow out from under your wheels. If you get stuck in the snow, don't spin your wheels, you'll just be getting yourself deeper and deeper. Move your wheels back and forth to clear out snow and then rock your car back and forth to get the momentum to get out of the snow pack.

2. Slow down, black ice can form anywhere and once you hit it there is no stopping. Make sure you keep your distance from other cars. In the event that you start to slide depending on what type of breaks you have you will want to break slowly. If you have ABS brakes slowly ease into the break and you'll feel a pulse, which means they are working. If you have standard breaks pump your breaks, if you put full pressure on your breaks your chances of sliding out of control are greater.

3. Look ahead, if you are heading for a light be prepared that you might need to stop break sooner if you need to make a stop. During the winter months in Utah deer and other wild life come down from the mountains in search for food. Keep a look out for movement on the side of the road, if you see a deer crossing the street chances are they are not alone. Deer travel in packs.

4. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions, just because you have a SUV with 4wheel drive doesn't mean you can go full speed down the road. Know the limits of your car by reading the drivers manual.

5. Avoid driving in snow storms if you can. The best way to stay out of danger is to stay off the roads during a storm.

Fresh Air, Fresh Veggies, Fresh Life

I was recently visiting Melissa Felis's State Farm office in Salt Lake City and discovered that the back yard of their office, which is a converted home, is a wonderful vegetable garden. Melissa has donated the space behind her office to the residents of The Canyon Creek Assisted Living Center, and every week they come to work in the garden and take home some of the wonderful vegetables.

Melissa had the idea for a co-op garden, but said she doesn't have gardening skills. Eventually, one of her clients, offered to help her do the gardening. His wife works for the center and suggested the idea to have the residents garden as a weekly activity. Melissa wanted to give something back to the community, providing seniors and others who need food to have it provided. She believes in paying it forward. If you take something from the garden, she just asks you to do a little work in it! This is the garden's first year and will be continued next year.Seeing the garden in its peak got me thinking about the benefits of such gardens.

I have never been into gardening but the idea of a vegetable garden just seems marvelous. Having been a long-time beneficiary of my aunt’s garden, I recognize great- tasting fresh garden peas and heirloom tomatoes. I decided to see what it takes to manage a great garden, and with what I learned, I will be ready to plant at the first signs of spring.

I have a small yard and not much room for a big garden, but the amount of land devoted to a vegetable garden will return more than you could ever imagine. If you don't have a lot of space to devote to a vegetable garden, make a three foot by three foot grid and plant a different crop in each square foot. If space is limited you can grow some crops in large pots on a deck or patio.

A garden should be well planned in advance. Choose the sunniest spot in your yard, avoiding any areas that are too shady. Decide if you are going to plant in open soil or in raised beds. If planting in raised beds, they should be three to four feet wide and eight to 12 inches high and however long your space will allow. You can either pile the soil or enclose the beds in wood or stone frames. You can either pile the soil or enclose them in wood or stone frames. Open soil is perfectly fine for planting. Raised beds often allow the soil to warm quicker, therefore planting can begin sooner.

Get your soil ready with all the right nutrients. Mix in compost or well rotted manure, even if you are adding new top soil. Utah soil tends to lack nitrogen and phosphorous elements, apply three pounds for every 100 square feet of 10-20-0 fertilizer to supplement this deficiency.

Utah gardens can grow all sorts of vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, kale, asparagus, beans, tomatoes and all sorts of herbs are all grown in gardens across Utah. For information on planting and harvesting different crops, here is a chart from Utah State’s extension services:

Planting and Harvesting various crops

If you have an existing garden, fall is the time to do some early maintenance before the freeze. Remove dead and spent plants. If you want to get an early start on next season’s harvest, you can plant some vegetables now so they mature sooner in the spring. Timing is everything September is a good month to plant onions, carrots and spinach for next summer's harvest. Add some nutrients and cross your fingers.
For more information on gardening or joining a local community garden, check out the following site:

Wasatch Community Gardens

American Community Garden Association-Find your own community garden

Trees are the bee's knees

Trees have many purposes. they provide us with oxygen, homes for wild life, shade on hot summer days, and add aesthetic pleasure to our surrounding. Sometimes trees can cause more problems then not. Trees can become sick and die creating an eyesore, they can disrupt the ground and push up any patio or structure the root may be under, they can they can block views and cause structural damage or they can interfere with electrical line or sewer lines creating disgusting and costly back ups in your home.

The life of a tree can very anywhere from 75 years to centuries old. If you are unsure if your tree is sick, there are a few signs that will help you determine your next step.fungus, disease or even old age can cause a tree to die. If your tree stops growing new leaves or if they are sporadic you should have your tree tested, other signs of a dying tree is brittle and pealing bark, loss of tree limbs or if the trunk is spongy. some diseases and fungi can be cured by an arborist.

if you need to remove a tree whether it is sick or just getting in the way, you should have a professional take it out. A tree needs to be taken out in sections so not to cause any structural damage to nearby homes, building or power lines. Advanced Restoration with any tree removal and have specialist that can repair any property damage as a result of a fallen tree.

If you want to get creative and add a unique quality to your garden, you can leave the stump and incorporate it as part of the landscape. Carve the remaining tree stump into a sculpture then treat it with a wood preservative. You can also have it hollowed out and use it as a planter. If you are into keeping a compost pile incorporate the stump, the pile will help the stump decompose faster.

Keeping it Solar

All we here about these days is how to be more “green”. What does that really mean? And how does it all work? There are several different types of alternative energy including solar, wind and water. We can harness and use these energy sources to our advantage.

Solar energy is the easiest of all the renewable energies; it’s something that you can use right at home. Solar energy has been used since the beginning of time by plants and animals. The sun is the fuel behind phenomenal events in nature such as the summer-plankton boom along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska turning a lackluster stretch of water into a vivacious feeding ground for herring, whales, sea lions, birds and many others. Humans have learned to use the sun to distil water and use glass to magnify it

Photovoltaic panels are the most commonly used technology to capture the sun’s energy. Photovoltaic cells cause photons from sunlight to knock electrons into a higher state of energy, creating electricity. Though solar energy is a great alternative and can surely be used to provide us enough power to light, heat and adjust the temperatures in our homes, you need the sun and that’s not always possible. Solar technologies are really only beneficial for areas that receive a lot of sun year round. Pollution, cloud cover and nighttime, all greatly alter the effectiveness of the solar panels.

Storing the power that the panels generate is another problem. The methods we have now are not efficient or cost-effective. There are methods of saving the heat that panels absorb in salt and releasing the heat later when the sun isn’t available to create power. But this thermal method is only used by larger solar farms and has not yet been available for everyday use in your home.

DID YOU KNOW...

It’s easy to spruce up your home and make it look like it just had a million-dollar makeover. All you need are a few key design elements and some elbow grease.

If you have a favorite chair but its fabric/pattern is out of date, take it over to your favorite upholsterer and update your chair with your favorite fabric. Add a unique and vibrant throw for those cozy stay at home nights, and you have a new focal point of your room. Adding a new area rug can really change the dynamics of your room. Wool and Persian rugs are timeless and, with proper care, can last a lifetime.

Update your wall paint; 2009 is all about bold combinations. Mix soft floral colors with a bright or dark color to enhance the architectural design of your room. Art says a lot about you and adds a personal feel to your home. If your budget is tight, look at your local galleries and the up and coming artist. New artists are usually the most affordable. If nothing catches your eye, have your vacation and family photos transferred to canvas and mount them on your wall unframed.

The easiest way to change the style of a room is adding a bold crystal vase left alone or filled with your favorite flower. This makes a statement and everyone will admire it. Add some life into your living space by including fresh flowers or a unique topiary on your table to add color and softness. Lighten up the area with a table or standing lamp. Lighting is essential to your space. The best lighting is natural light, so keep your blinds open and your windows clean.

Keep organized! Don’t feel bad throwing away anything you don’t like even if it was a gift. Don’t keep old newspapers or magazines around, they just create clutter. If it’s broken and too expensive to fix, chuck it! Keeping your home clutter free will make every day living enjoyable.

Now is the time for your personal style to show. Don’t hold back - make your home the place you want it to be.

Summer cash savers!!

It is now easier than ever to save some COLD hard cash this summer. Cooling your home in the summer can be pretty expensive and a major energy sucker. Here are some ways to cut back but still cool off.

1. Set your air conditioner thermostat as high as is comfortable (78 degrees or higher is recommended for the summer and 65 degrees in the winter) the higher the setting in the summer and the lower the setting in the winter, the more energy you will save.

2. Don’t cool the outdoors. Keep your windows and window coverings closed during the day when the sun is shining. Make sure if you have a fire place you keep the damper closed. If allowed, it will let out eight percent of you air.

3. Switch to fluorescent light bulbs in fixtures that are used the most. They use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer. If you’re not going to be in a room for more than five minutes turn off the lights.

4. Run only full loads in the dishwasher and run it at night on hot days.

5. Wash clothes in cold water. Clean the lint filter in the clothes dryer after every use.

6. Set the temperature of your refrigerator between 37 degrees and 40 degrees.

7. Use a microwave, toaster oven or outdoor grill instead of the oven.

8. Unplug small appliances like coffee makers, toasters and TVs when not in use.

Check out rockymountainpower.net/saves for more energy saving tips.
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/saving_energy/index.html

Kite Fastival Review

On the beautiful and slightly breezy day of April 18, 2009 in southern Utah, Advanced Restoration was part of the 10^th Annual Dixie Escalante Kite Festival. In the early morning hours the tents for food, vendors and information went up along with the stage and many bounce houses and toys for the whole family to enjoy. The 28,000 people were planned to arrive starting at 10am. They had four school buses to shuttle the people from parking to the grass. All day long people came to enjoy the sun, entertainment and most of all the wind (when it decided to blow). Several times throughout the day we got some big gusts and kites scattered the air. Every picture I took did not do it justice, but it was beautiful to see all the kites in the sky.

There were many from the insurance industry volunteering and attending the event. Our friends from Main Street Insurance, Lenee Clark organized the entertainment and Jaron Hunt from Hunt Leavitt Insurance is the Chairman elect. We had many past customers come by and thank us for the wonderful work we did for them during their disaster. Overall the day was a big success. There was entertainment, food and kites all day. When the evening came The Cadillacs sang on stage and it ended with a beautiful display of fireworks. This is an event you won’t want to miss next year.

Hurricane Business Expo

Saturday, April 25, 2009, Advanced Restoration had a booth at the Hurricane Business Expo. They had several hundred people show up to see businesses in the area. Mark Drawe from the Hurricane State Farm office had a wonderful display. Gene Gallia from Allstate is one of Hurricane’s Chamber Twisters and came to visit us at our booth. We also saw Tracy Lessar from Bringhurst-Leavitt. We had a great opportunity to meet many of the residents and show off the FLIR camera. All were impressed with the technology. Several of our past clients came to our booth and said they would be glad to recommend us but hope we don’t have to see them again unless it is a party like the Hurricane Expo.

Swamp Cooler Faux Pas!

It is that time of year when the weather is starting to warm up and most of us will be turning on our swamp coolers soon. Before doing so we have a few tips for you.

To get your swamp cooler running properly, clean out any dust and debris that may have settled in your unit and change out your evaporation pads.

As the weather started to get cold last fall, you should have disconnected the water line to your swamp cooler from both the unit and the water supply. The water line should have been blown out and kept disconnected until the spring.

If you didn’t disconnect your water line, there is a good chance that there could be a crack in it. If water gets trapped in the pipe, during the winter it will freeze and the water that remained in the piping expands which could leave cracks in it. When you turn on the water supply, water escapes from the cracks and can leave you with a big mess to clean up. If not caught soon, you could end up with major water damage and even mold.

When re-attaching the water line, make sure the ferrule is all the way onto the pipe. If not, when you tighten the compression nut to the water supply it has a tendency to move the ferrule off the pipe and creates a very unstable connection and the pressure of the water can blow out the waterline. Tighten the lines to both the swamp cooler and the water supply, make sure the connections are secure and you are set to turn on your water, and enjoy the nice cool air!

If you need to replace a water line we recommend that you get a copper supply piping, It the strongest and if properly cared for it will last the longest. The next best thing is a Pex line; it is a thick durable opaque plastic. If you are looking for the cheapest solution you can get a polypropylene line that is thinner and less durable plastic piping. If you have any questions or experience a leak, call Advanced Restoration!

Ethics Count!

Ethics in today’s business world is hard to find. With some of the largest corporations failing across the nation, as well as worldwide, it’s not hard to see why. CEOs have been getting increasingly larger salaries and bonuses while the companies they were supposed to be running started crumbling right underneath them. We all heard about Merrill Lynch’s CEO John Thain who, as the company was barely afloat, paid more than one million dollars to refurnish his office.

Advanced Restoration isn’t close to being a multi-billion dollar business, but we do understand the power of ethics. We are not 100% perfect all the time, but we always promise to be honest and correct our mistakes. As Certified Restorers and members of RIA, Advanced Restoration is held to a high standard and ethical code which states:

• We will do our work right and at a fair and reasonable price.
• We deal competently and fairly with homeowners and insurance companies alike.
• We only scope the damage involved, as we perceive it.
• We do not enter into any agreements with homeowners, insurance adjusters or subcontractors to give or receive rebates or compensation not specified in the estimate.
• We do not discuss our prices with competitors while bidding is still open
• We will not enter into any secret agreements to do more work for less, as well as charging less for work done that the rate quoted in our estimate.
• We are always in search of new research and developments in fire, water, vandalism and related disaster restoration to give our customers the benefit and most effective techniques available.
• We keep excellent job records and administer our company’s affairs in accordance with business and accounting procedures.
• Our estimates and opinions reflect our best professional judgment and nothing else.

For more information about RIA visit www.restorationindustry.org .

13-0 BCS Busters!

Nobody thought it would happen but the Utes have done it again! An amazing win by the University of Utah in the Sugar Bowl has shown the world the Mountain West Conference is a force to be reckoned with. Utah beat Alabama's Crimson Tide 31-17 for their second BCS bowl game win.

Utah dominated the Crimson Tide with three touchdowns in the first quarter alone. Alabama got their name in the game in the second quarter with a field goal right off the start, but just couldn't keep it going.

After Utah's win many tried to blame the loss on the fact that Alabama didn't have Andre Smith on the offensive line to protect John Parker Wilson, who was sacked eight times in the game. But in reality, Utah played an awesome game. They held off Alabama's running game and blew past their defense. Utah definitely proved they were there to play and make a name for themselves.

Utah wanted to be there and they were excited to have the opportunity where Alabama was still brooding over their lose to Florida and the fact they didn't make it to the championship game.

Utah was the only team that had an undefeated season and should have been ranked number one but with all the National Championship bureaucracy, Utah landed at second on the AP poll with Florida at number one. Utah's head coach Kyle Whittingham was awarded the National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association.

UTAH VS. ALABAMA

Jasen Ah You, our production manager and John Hunter, one of our estimator were both involved in coaching the University of Utah football team to a 12-0 season in 2008, and are helping to keep the winning streak going all the way to New Orleans. The Running Utes (ranked 7th in BCS standings) are set to face off against Alabama’s Crimson Tide (ranked 4th in BCS standings) on January 2nd. This will be a tough game for Utah and everyone (yah, even our BYU alum) are rooting for Utah and a perfect 13-0 season

This is the second BCS bowl game the University of Utah has been invited to in the last four years. In 2005 Utah beat Pittsburg 35-7. It was an amazing win for Utah, especially because they were the first non BCS team to make it to a BCS bowl game, and now the first team to do so twice.

Alabama is making their thirteenth trip to the sugar bowl. The last of which was in 1993 when they beat Miami for the BCS championship title. Alabama is favored to win, with a ten point lead over Utah. Utah will not go down so easily, however, they are in this game to win. Currently Utah holds the longest winning streak in the nation with 13 wins and has won the last six of their bowl games.

Just this week Andre Smith, Alabama’s offensive tackle was suspended and will not be playing against Utah. This is good news for The Utes; Smith is a superstar for Alabama’s offensive line. Smith was suspended from the team due to a violation of team rules.

GO UTES!

Building You Up

An igloo appeared on the front of this year’s Christmas card from Advanced Restoration. Here is a little history on igloos: The word igloo is an Inuit word for house or dwelling. Igloos are ingenious buildings that can save lives. Did you know a well-built igloo can get as warm as 61 degrees Fahrenheit, with temperatures as low as -40 degrees outside? The inside of an igloo can trap warmth by body heat which will increase temperature.

Ice crystals interlock as the snow is cut into blocks. A strong igloo can hold the weight of a man standing on top of it. Some lamps are used in igloos which cause the snow to melt a little, which actually strengthens the igloo from the inside. Igloos are constructed by forming a circle the size you would like your igloo to be. Then well-cut blocks are carved from the middle and placed around the edge of the circle. A portion of a few of the blocks are then shaved down to the ground on the first circle so the remaining blocks stack in an ascending order. This is how the igloo is eventually closed at the top. A hole is cut in the side and in the roof to allow for air circulation.

Some igloos were constructed for temporary overnight shelter for hunting trips, and others were constructed for longer stays and included up to five rooms and housed up to twenty people. Advanced Restoration takes the same pride in rebuilding your home. Building You Up is never far from our minds. Please have a safe and happy holiday season!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pia4i5sr0o0

Hiring A Handyman

As the real estate market declines, many homeowners are considering remodeling their homes. The stress of hiring a contractor can be bad enough, without worrying about a possible criminal record, or sordid past. You have to be careful about who you let in your home. Whether it’s a landscaper, contractor, or electrician who you are hiring, each should be qualified and licensed through the state.

There are many qualified and honest contractors, but there are also many that are not licensed to do the work and can leave you with a hole in your pocket and a big mess to clean up. The state licensing division is not required to do a background check on applicants. It is up to you, the homeowner, to protect yourself.

Here are a few tips to consider when hiring a contractor:

1. Get at least three bids on any project you have going on.
2. Ask them to supply you with past customers you can contact to ask about their experience and how they like the work; don’t forget to ask if you can come view the work yourself.
3. You don’t always want to go with the cheapest bid. Ask friends and family members for recommendations. Check with the state to see if the contractor is licensed in their field, https://secure.utah.gov/llv/llv .
4. Make sure you ask any questions you may have. Is each contractor given a background check? Are their employees drug tested?
5. Do not pay in full. Give a small down payment and only pay more as the work progresses.

At Advanced Restoration we do a thorough check on all our sub contractors. We make sure they are licensed and properly insured to do the work. We care about the quality of our work and that it is done properly the first time. We also understand and abide by code regulations and standards.

At Advanced Restoration, our licensed contractors are skilled in home renovations as well as add-ons. We want the process of remodeling your home to be as painless as possible and we promise to do the work right and on time!

It’s a Friday night and kids are running around practically unrecognizable in crazy and scary costumes, out to collect a stockpile of candy to last a lifetime. A group of young teens, happy to be out of the house start from house to house, looking for treats. However being at an age where most people feel they are too old to be trick-or-treating, boredom sets in after only a few houses. The adolescents get creative and begin to find humor in toilet-papering or egging someone’s house. Now the old saying, “Trick or Treat” becomes a real threat.

Kids may think it is fun to spray paint your house or send a stink bomb through your mail slot, or throw eggs at vehicles, but the damage that occurs is no laughing matter. Many acts of vandalism start out as small pranks that escalate into costly property damage. Eggs can discolor the paint on your home and car.
Taking a few steps to protect your home can end up saving you money. Make sure your home is well lit, making it harder for vandals to hide in the shadows. Be on the lookout for your neighbors’ homes as well, and ask them to do the same for you.

If you have kids of that age, talk to them about the consequences of vandalism. Let them know the dangers and the possible repercussions that will follow. Let them know it’s not just a harmless prank, but it will end up costing someone hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars in damages.

Whether it’s a firecracker in your mail slot or spray paint on the side of your house, Advanced Restoration is here to help if you happen to be a victim of vandalism.

WINTERIZING YOUR HOME

With winter right around the corner, there are several things that as homeowners you need to be aware of. In our line of work we see flood after flood, especially during the springtime. Most of these can be prevented in the fall by doing a few simple things around the house and yard.
Start by turning off your outside water and detaching your hose, this allows the excess water to drain out the pipe. If not, water gets trapped in the exterior water faucet where the hose connects and slides back into the pipe. When the water freezes, the pipe expands causing it to crack. The pipe is underground and is not visible. When you turn on your water on in the spring, the water escapes out the cracked in the pipe, and only has one place to go, your basement!

If you have a sump pump, make sure it is draining properly by pouring water into the sump tank, watch to make sure the float rises and is able to trigger the pump. If the pump is working properly the water should drain quickly and lower the float to shut off the pump. If float does not trigger the pump check the float, it may be catching on something, reposition the pump and try again. If this does not work you’ll most likely need to replace the float. If the water starts to lower and the pump doesn’t shut off, this also indicates you need a new float.

Drain your swamp cooler completely and clean out the bottom tray. Remove the buildup of mineral deposits so that it doesn’t freeze and become impossible to remove in the spring. It is vital to disconnect the water line from both the unit and supply. Blow out all the excess water to prevent freezing. Cover the unit to protect from snow.

Clean out your gutters and storm drains. As the snow starts melting, keep a clear path for the water to go. Your down spouts should be pointed to a well draining area to carry the water away from your home. Downspouts should not be positioned near window wells or hills. If your gutters are full of dirt and leaves, the melting snow and rain can back up and can form an ice dam if freezing occurs. Ice dams are formed on slanted roofs. Poor insulation causes heat to escape from the house, melting snow on the roof. The resultant water travels down to the overhang where it refreezes above the eave of the roof, and where there is also a lack of heat. The formed ice creates a frozen buildup or dam. Water cannot escape past this ice blockage, and therefore accumulates on the roof, eventually making its way beneath the shingles and may leak through into the house.

Have your furnace and ducts inspected and cleaned before turning your furnace on. Check all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are working properly. Have your chimney flue cleaned and make sure the damper is opening and closing properly. If you use a gas fireplace have that inspected as well. Have a fire extinguisher on hand in your home, if you have one and it’s older than ten years, it should be replaced.

If you need any help or have questions call Advanced Restoration 888.886.1740