Don’t Use Dinosaur Methods to Find Home Services

Posted by Frank Jovine under Homeowner Tips

Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles. They were the dominant vertebrates for over 160 million years. While I am on the topic of dinosaurs, I am sure you’ve heard the saying get out of the “dinosaur age” or “stop thinking like a dinosaur.”

There are many people who still apply old thinking and probably because that’s what they’re use to. There are far better ways to to do things today, because of technology.

Examples of Old and New

Old: Do you still use the Yellow pages when looking for home services?
New: Why not go online to find qualified contractors who have contractor reviews.

Old: Finding TV repair help in the back of some local newspaper.
New: Google it!!!

Old: Snail mail (The one the mailman delivers)
New: Email, the faster and cheapest way to communicate.

Old: CB Radio
New: Cell phone or smart phone

Old: Record player
New: BluRay player

I am sure by now you’re getting my drift and it’s time to use technology to do things smarter and faster. Stop thinking like a dinosaur!

I know many people prefer a traditional lifestyle with a little mixture of modernization to expedite services. This is still a good approach in life.

Tags: Contractor Reviews, Find a Plumber, Find Contractors, Home Services

Electrical Contractors and Licensing

Posted by Frank Jovine under Electricians, Home Improvement

When choosing an electrical contractor to do basement electrical wiring , it’s best to always hire someone who has the proper credentials to do the work.

There are many electrician jobs available for license electricians that are commercial type jobs, but these opportunities require licenses and insurances. I am sure some contractors may perform work that they’re not licensed for and this can be a painful experience for both the customer and contractor.

Always ask for proof of license and insurance (General Liability). The insurance is very important in the event something goes wrong, the GL will cover costs for any wrong doing.

There are many types of electrical licenses and you can get detailed information on the different levels of licenses by clicking on the link below.

Electrical Contractor Licensing Information by state

There are some states that don’t have licensing at the state level; you will need to check with local jurisdictions.

If you are a license electrician, jobs are available through ServiceLive.com for repair and upgrades in Sears and Kmart stores. Electrician jobs consist of (General Electrical Repairs e.g. Replace ballasts and lights, Diagnose and repair electrical issues).

Learn how to get an Electrician’s License.

Tags: Electrical Contractors, Electrician Jobs, Hire, Licensing

TV Installation Is Not For Everyone

Posted by Frank Jovine under DIY Disasters, Tech Tips

Spending a couple extra bucks on a new TV is much cheaper than repair. Even if the current TV isn’t broken, some of us may even consider making the investment anyway. After all with the prices coming down on last years home electronics models, what better time to enjoy a new home entertainment system than now!

However, installing a TV or home theater system is not as easy as it looks. If you’re going to make the investment on the hardware, don’t risk breaking it before you’ve even gotten the chance to enjoy it!

Some may argue that cats are extremely clever animals, but even they cannot distinguish between certain shades of color such as red. Before fumbling around with wires (especially if you haven’t a clue what the difference is between the red, yellow and white cords), think twice before installing home theater equipment on your own. Instead, consulting a TV installer first may save you from expensive DIY disasters!

Be a cool cat and hire a pro!

Tags: Home Electronics, Installation Services, TV Installation, TV Installers

How NOT to Remove and Install Window AC

Posted by Frank Jovine under DIY Disasters

If your home lacks central air conditioning, choosing to install window AC units during the summer may be your only option for relief against the heat. However, exterior AC units have limited use during cooler months. Some units can actually cause heat to escape your home in the winter, leading to higher energy bills. Depending on how harsh winters are where you live, you may also have to repair AC units that are left out year long.  To avoid these unnecessary costs, window AC units should be removed in the fall to help prepare your home for the winter months ahead.

However, removing an AC unit by yourself can lead to DIY disasters if not properly executed. Consider our handyman guide for safety tips which will help you avoid repairing outside walls or broken bones as a result of carelessness.

Tip 1: To avoid the risk of electrical shock, always turn off and unplug the unit first before handling it.

Tip 2: Even under supervision, DO NOT attempt to remove an exterior AC unit that is located above the ground level by yourself - unless you are a professional. Doing so could result in damage to the unit as well as your building and injury to yourself and any unlucky bystanders below.

Tip 3: Wear safety gloves when lifting the air conditioner to maintain a tight grip and avoid hand injuries.

Tip 4: Air conditioner units tend to be very heavy. In addition to using the proper safety equipment, always have an extra person to help with lifting and a spotter to ensure safety below.

Tip 5: This should go without saying, but use common sense and never climb out of an open window! Your weight added to that of the unit will put extra strain on supports which could unexpectedly give  without warning.

Bottom line: Whether installing or removing your window AC unit for the year, you may want to consider spending a little extra on a professional handyman rather than the expense of your own life or that of a family member.

The entire installation process depicted above was documented on camera and you can view all the DANGEROUS photos here. Danger is why we recommend a pro for this type of installation. Please note these photos illustrate what NOT to do!

Tags: AC Fail, AC Installation, DIY Disasters, Install Window AC, Remove Window AC

Assemble Gas Grill Not Included

Posted by Frank Jovine under Do It Yourself, Humor

I purchased my new gas grill over two years ago and I had to assemble it. The grill came with detailed instructions and it even included and estimated time to assemble (1.5 hours). I am not sure who they were estimating the time by, but it sure was not me.

I even asked the sales agent if I could purchase the assembled gas grill on display. He was not able to sell a grill already assembled, but offered to assemble it for $80. I only paid $122 for the gas grill and I thought that was a little expensive until I did it myself.

To assemble gas grill was a project for me as I am not a handyman, but after 2.5 hours I was pleased at my craftsmanship, well, at least I had no left over parts. If I knew it would have taken me this long, I would’ve paid for the assembly. The good news is that I will not need to do it again for a long time, unless a friend needed help.

Have you ever noticed how many parts they can cram into a small box? At first, you think how bad could this be until you open the box and start to spread out all the parts. I think I will stick to what I am good at, such as; computer repair, wireless network and HP printer installation.

Tags: Assemble Gas Grill, Assembly, Gas Grills

Data Lost – Game Over!

Posted by Frank Jovine under Tech Tips

Have you ever experienced a hard drive crash? If you have, we hope you backed up your hard drive. Otherwise, you just learned an expensive lesson. To recover data from a hard drive is no easy task and it requires a professional service. Your data is important and you should always back it up daily or weekly depending on how frequently you save new data.

To recover data from a hard drive requires a lot of time and the proper tools. The cost is substantial, depending on how much data you want to recover. On average, most companies in the data recovery business charge by storage size. The cost for this service can run anywhere from $300 to $2000 depending on how much data you need to recover. In some cases it could take a couple of weeks to get your data back.

Here are some ways to backup your data:

• Backup to an external hard drive
• Use a remote backup service – Some offer up to 5 GB free
• Burn your data to a DVD or CD
• Upload data to a server (requires a hosting account)

These are just a few ways you can backup your critical data from a hard drive crash.

Tags: Computer Repair, Data Backup, Data Lost, Data Recovery

Duct Tape Tool of Choice

Posted by Frank Jovine under Do It Yourself

Duct tape is the quintessential quick fix, especially for the weekend DIYer. We all know that it acts like a Band-aid to fix small leaks, broken book bindings or patching holes in vinyl siding.  There are actually Web sites devoted to the many uses of duct tape.

So what is it?  Duct tape is a strong tape that is composed of three layers. The top layer (1) is a resilient plastic (Polyethylene). The bottom layer (3) is a rubber-based adhesive. The middle layer (2) is a fabric mesh. Duct tape is manufactured by pressing these three layers together.

Those three layers of magic have come in handy for many of us and here are several fixes people have used Duct Tape for;

• To tape up a broken window.
• To fix a handle on a shovel.
• To patch the kids’ water slide.
• To fix a cracked whiffle ball bat.
• To patch a cracked garden hose.

Our ServiceLive professionals use it too – we forget it was designed for duct work!  Duct tape may be the number one “tool” in America, but it should only be used for quick fixes as indicated above, or as a temporary fix until you can get a professional out to your home to make a more substantial repair.

But it’s not just for home improvement fixes!  Duct tape can be used for other things besides quick repairs, like an effective cockroach trap, (photo on right).

If you’re creative, you can design your own duct tape purses and even clothing. Go ahead and search Duct Tape clothing on Google.

Even NASA uses duct tape, so that should say it all.

It should be called the miracle tape!

Tags: DIY Tools, Duct Tape, Duct Tape Purses, Tools

We are back!

Posted by Frank Jovine under ServiceLive News

We are back after a short layoff. You may notice many changes over the next couple weeks on our blog and for good reason. We are shifting gears a little and starting off with fresh content that relates to in-home services and the contractors who perform those services.

We will be inviting our service providers to guest post for us to share some of their experience in the field. If you are a service provider who would like to contribute to the ServiceLive blog, please send an email to contact@servicelive.com. As a contributor we will include a link to your profile on ServiceLive and a link to your web site.

We appreciate your patience and look forward to interacting with you in the comments section.