Rain Barrels for the Not So Rainy Days

Rain barrels have gained quite significant popularity among those who care about the environment and/or those who simply want to save some money by saving rainwater. For either reason, harvesting rain gives you more advantages than losses. Do you have one at home? If you haven't, you might want to consider having one now, or two or more.

The advantages

Let's take a look at the advantages of harvesting rainwater from rain barrels. The most obvious one is some money is saved every month. City water is used just for oral consumption and other hygienic stuff. While other water usages like watering the garden or flushing toilet, we can use the collected rain water. This will definitely cut your water bill.

Another advantage is your garden plants will be a lot happier fed with rain water. Why? Because rain is natural soft water having hardly any elements in it; no minerals, fluorides or whatever chemicals people or earth put in it. The grasses, the trees and the bushes love this! You will see more flourishing garden when you have rain barrel than when you don't. Not bad for something you get for free, right?

Where can I get rain barrels?

It seems that you are convinced already.

You can get ready made rain barrels or you can make them yourselves. If you don't want to waste your time making one, a rain barrel can be purchased for as low as $79.95. That is a rain barrel that uses 55 gallon reconditioned drum. There are choices depending on the size, the look, and the materials of the barrels. See here to see your options.

If you have the time and are actually intrigued to craft the rain water barrel yourself, here is a great DIY video I found on YouTube. The guy uses multiple barrels to save even more water for the not so rainy days; but of course you can always choose to have only one. It's pretty easy.




It's great and all, but maybe they don't look that appealing.....

So why not add an artistic touch to it? Grab some colorful paints and showcase your best painting skill with the family! The kids will absolutely love it. They may not turn out as cool as these rain barrels below, but they will surely be an awesome reminder of how much fun you have with the family.

Spill and Leak Tips: Small Amount of Fuel

This blog post will give some important tips to handle small amount of fuel spill or leak. Fuel spill and leak can happen anywhere; under your car in your home's driveway, at the parking lot of a small factory or shop, heating oil tank, etc. Every home and business owners should know the basic things of what to do and how to act once fuel spill is discovered.

Clear the air

If the fuel spill is found inside a closed room or building, immediately open all doors and windows to clear the air. Or simply just leave. If it happens outside, move on to the next step. 

Contain it

As soon as you spot fuel spill, go get yourself a bucket or any other container. Put the pail right where the fuel leaks so it can temporarily contain the fuel. If a bucket is not enough to contain the spill, try to block access to the drains. Soak up the spill with the right absorbents, the one that you can find in the First Response Spill Kit. If you don't have one ready, you can simply use the cat litter. 

However, if you don't have the first response spill kit now and you haven't experienced the fuel leak yet, perhaps it's a good time to buy it now.

Stop the leak

Analyze the leak. Is it small? Can you stop it yourself without causing further damage? Do you have the means to do it? Our leak repair kits should come really handy at this point; for example the reusable drum leak patch shown above. Don't forget to wear protective gloves and safety glasses when you are dealing with fuel.

However, if the leak is too big to handle on your own, don't take any risk and call the right maintenance personal to help you fix it.

Dispose the absorbent materials correctly

Consult the environment and labor department to know the closest facility to dispose the used, fuel-contained absorbent materials. Do not throw them in the trash as this is highly flammable and can cause unwanted casualties. Do not flush fuel down the drain either. 

Most importantly, be safe, try not to panic and teach the people you live and work with in case this happens when you are not present. 

Good luck!

Spring Cleaning Tips for Him

Whether it is responding to spill and leak of your electronic devices, cleaning air conditioner or heater, or waxing floors, it is highly useful to schedule a spring cleaning tips for him. If you are not a "he", check out our Spring Cleaning Tips for Her blog post. Let's get started, shall we?

A. Have a good spring cleaning check list. I picked out one that is absolutely useful for the man of the house to follow through.

B. Sparkle your car; and your wife's. Here's the most efficient way to spring clean your car in 5, 15, 30, or 60 minutes, depending how much time you have at the moment of the spring cleaning mood arrives.

click image to go to creativesavingsblog

C. Got a blocked drainage? Use salt. Source: RealSimple.

D. Use half of tennis ball as bulb remover. Source: RealSimple.

E. Polish chrome on taps with baby oil. Source: RealSimple.

F. Choose from our many gloves especially when you are working with harsher cleaning chemicals.

Happy cleaning!