5 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Summer

The birds are singing. The wind is moving through the trees. Summer is almost here, and it's time to make adjustments around your house as the sun blazes down and the temperature rises! Here are just a few ways to prepare your property for the new season.

1. Check Your Air Conditioner

First things first: How's your air conditioner doing? If it's been awhile since it rattled to life, you might want to check its filters and power units before leaving it on all day. Consult someone in AC repair Tampa FL if you need professional assistance.

image:pixabay.com/en/bedroom-balcony-door-outlook-357661

2. Change Your Curtains

Throw out those heavy winter drapes! With warmer weather on the horizon, you'll be much better served with light, breezy and gauzy curtains. Not only will they absorb less heat from the sun, but they'll also complement a fun, summer-themed interior design.

3. Mind the Cracks

You don't want all of your cool interior air escaping through a crack in the window frame. You also don't want hot exterior air pushing its way through the gap between your front door and the floor. Seal up these spots to regulate the temperature inside your dwelling.

4. Take Care of Your Lawn

Everyone wants bright green grass on their front lawn, but few people are willing to put in the time and energy to make it happen. If you're one of the rare ones, make sure that your sprinklers are timed and your lawnmower is ready for business. You might also want to invest in some fertilizer for your soil.

5. Watch Your Electricity Bill

Don't go overboard with fans, freezers and air conditioners! Not only is it bad for the environment, but it'll be bad for your wallet as well. Try to find non-electric ways to stay cool this summer. You'll appreciate the effort when your monthly bills remain under control.

These are just a few things to do around the house as the temperature starts to climb. If you're serious about saving electricity while still keeping cool, let these suggestions be your guide!

Lighting For Your Landscape

Lighting For Your Landscape

If you have a need for landscape lighting Kansas City area, you would be amazed at all the varieties and the range of prices that are available. They add beautiful and functional decoration to your yard or garden while supplying a light source for safety purposes in your outside oasis. They also create an exceptional first impression for someone who visits in the area. 

image:www.rensenhouseoflights.com

Some of the types from which you can choose are these:

LED Landscape Lamp

This compares to a 10 Watt Halogen. It features a 2700K Warm White Kelvin Temperature and puts forth a 180-degree beam spread angle that is omni-directional.

LED Landscape Flood Light or Accent Light

These are commercial outdoor large flood lights in a metal housing with a polyester textured powder coat finish. Each is an integrated LED fixture with a 120V-277V voltage, has surge protection built in, is rated for wet areas, and is purposely designed for a high use and wear and tear.

LED Landscape Accent

The 12V with a Variable Lumen Output (VLO) allows you to switch easily between three lumen outputs (400, 600, 835 lumens) without having to mechanically adjust the settings on the fixture. It is an adjustable lumen large accent 35-degree, fully sealed 3000K flood light with a 6,000-volt surge protection.  Also featured are custom optics that assure no halos or scallops and thus deliver superb center-to-edge uniformity for a clear and clean light.

LED Path Light

There is a gentle sloping texture to this warm white 2700K LED Flare Path Light. Beautiful in a copper finish, it is ideal for gardens and walkways.

Deck Light

This is a warm white 2700K LED deck light with perforated cut outs in copper.

LED Wall Wash

This 12V four-watt LED rectangular accent light has a horizontal display of LEDs that result in a wide and evenly distributed flood beam to illuminate plants, shrubs, and textured wall surfaces and silhouette special details. It has a 3000K white temperature in a textured black finish.

Beginner’s Horse Jumping Tips

Whether your horse jumping goal is merely for fun or for competitions, you will need to prepare and train your horse. Training young and/or inexperienced horses to jump can be a difficult task. This is especially true because untrained horses can be unpredictable. The good news, however, is that with patience, determination, hard work, and the right horse jump designs, you can have your horsing jumping like a pro in no time.

image:www.olddominionjumps.com/horse-jumps

Before Starting

For proper jump training, find a large area that is well-drained and level. Avoid areas that are rocky, soggy, or have other issues that could seriously harm your horse. Furthermore, avoid saddles other than English saddles when jumping. Other saddles are uncomfortable for you and your house when they are trying to learn how to jump. You should also choose a mild bit to prevent any injuries to the horse’s mouth when they are making big leaps.

Just Getting Started

The first obstacle to train your horse on is ground poles. These poles are merely laid on the ground and you will direct your horse to ride over them. If you find your horse is a bit timid when nearing the poles, dismount and walk him over the poles multiple times until he is more comfortable. Continue to add more and more poles throughout the area for him to ride over. Once he has mastered the ground poles, position about three trotting poles, making sure they are spaced about five feet apart, for him to trot over.

Moving On

When you’re confident that your horse has mastered the beginner jump obstacles, you can move on to cross rails and gymnastic grids. Cross rails, when added with a few trotting poles, invites your horse towards the middle, which decreases the chance of him running out if he ends up drifting a bit too far to the side. A gymnastic grid helps to correct the horse’s form, all without having to do it for him. It also teaches him to wait before jumping and rock onto his hocks when ticking off for the jump.