.	home features services what's new FAQ delbe pointers principals Sign-up Forms Franchise Information contractor registration contact us! affiliated organizations DELBE MANAGEMENT	Delbe Pointers                            Making Life A Little Easier... Spring 2000 The Delbe Pointers newsletter is a bi-annual newsletter providing homeowners with simple tips and tricks to use when it comes to maintaining, repairing or improving their home. Articles and tips from the Spring 2000 edition can be found below. If you have a tip or a trick you would like to share with your fellow homeowners, please forward them to us. If we use the tip in our newsletter we will be happy to send you a small gift in appreciation. TIPS Around The House Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips. Use a meat baster to "squeeze" your pancake batter onto the hot griddle-perfect shaped pancakes every time. To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to the water before hard-boiling. Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies treats in the pan. The marshmallow won't stick to your fingers. Home Appliance Maintenance Tips Garbage Disposal... To clean and deodorize the interior, try Disposer Care. It helps to scrub away food, grease, and odors. It's safe for septic tanks and PVC pipes. You can find it in many local home improvement and hardware stores. Washing Machine... Over time, the water hoes on your washing machine may leak or burst. It's a good preventive maintenance practice to check these hoses from time to time for any sign of wear or weakness. Often there's a small blister in the rubber of the hose, which could rupture. Most manufactures recommend replacing the hoses every 5 years. A NEW INSPECTION SERVICE... Ever wish you could have someone come in and do the minor maintance that so many home systems require? DHS has found a service that will clean your refrigerator coils, change the filters and lubricate the fan on the range hood, vacuum your dryer vents, recaulk bathtubs and sinks as necessary, dye test the toilets for leaks and adjust the water level, check operation of your smoke and CO2 detectors and replace the batteries if necessary, and much more. Pricing plans are available for one visit a year or two visits per year and a reduced price is available for condominium owners. Give your DHS personal home representative a call for more information. Summer Air Quality Codes Ever wonder just what the codes mean when you hear the weather reports in the summer? Call (202) 962-3299 for a daily air quality forecast or check your newspaper. Code Air Quality Weather Recommended Actions RED Unhealthy Temp in the 90-100°F; hazy, humid, stagnate air. Those with heart and respiratory ailments should limit outdoor exercise. Follow tips below.   ORANGE Approaching Unhealthy Temp in the upper 80-90°; little wind Those with heart and respiratory ailments should limit outdoor exercise. Follow tips below.   YELLOW Moderate Mild temp in the upper 70's-90's°;winds under 15 mph. Consolidate trips; limit car idling.   GREEN Good Cool, windy, raining Even when ozone level is good, try to car pool, use mass transit, keep cars tuned, and use environmentally safe paint and cleaning products. (Adapted from Pepco's Lines, Vol. 27, Issue 7) Fall 1998 Delbe Pointers Go back Home