Hxp 2c w13 sample by Hudson Ink

WINTER 2013

Prevent Common Repairs and Save Big … page 2

My Word by <NAME> Hello Friends, Lots of people love this time of year. How about you? Wintertime is great for gathering in front of a roaring fire with family and friends. During this unwinding time, if anything goes wrong with your home plumbing system, we welcome you to let us do the worrying. We know that home plumbing can be rough during the winter months. These challenges from temperature and increased indoor activity

…continued on page 4

Five Easy Ways to Support Our Troops …page 2

Kitchen Energy Savers …page 3

<Company>’s Smart & simple ways to enrich your home living.

— Q&A: You Ask, We Answer — Hard Water Is Hard on Your Plumbing System

Hard water isn’t a health hazard

as much as it is a nuisance. It’s why your detergent doesn’t lather as well, your skin feels drier and you see spots on your dishes. Hard water also has implications for your plumbing system. Minerals can build up in plumbing pipes, and they cause trouble with your hot water system if they pile up on your heating element. So, hard water may not be a health hazard, but it certainly can add to the costs of running a household – if only because you have to use twice as much detergent on every load of laundry. Even more costly, hard water can lead to operational inefficiency and early replacement of water-use appliances and plumbing pipes. What Can You Do? You can soften your water. One option is with powder or liquid water

softeners that would be used on a case-by-case basis – you’d add them to each load of laundry, for instance. Another option – an ion exchange water softening unit – offers a more comprehensive solution. Installed within your plumbing system, the water softening unit is designed to continuously remove calcium and magnesium from your household water. Before investing in a water softener unit, find out about the hardness of your water. Your water supplier can tell you your area’s relative water condition, or you can test it with a hard water test kit. When you’re ready to talk about installing a unit in your home, give us a call about a solution that’s just right for you. Source: Cooperative Extension, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Visit www.<yourcompany>.comfort-tips.com for more great ideas for home & life, including: Money-Saving tips | Home & Organizing | Health & Food

— The 5 —

Five Easy Ways to Support Our Troops

— Doll ar s Make Sense —

Prevent Common Repairs and Save Big L ittle drips can equal huge costs if

not taken care of quickly by a trained plumbing professional, but this could also be the least of your problems. PEMCO Insurance lists five of the “Top 10 Most Preventable Homeowners Claims” as directly related to plumbing issues: 1. Burst washing machine hoses 2. Slow leaks around tubs and showers 3. Toilet seal leaks 4. Water supply line leaks 5. Hot water tank leaks So, what can you do? Use these preventative maintenance tips to save potentially thousands of dollars in major – but largely avoidable – repairs: • Regularly check washing machine hoses. Many homeowners don’t know that these should be replaced every three years. • Check and maintain seals around showers and tubs. Grout and caulking can decay or crack allowing water into walls… which can mean costly water damage repairs.

• Check for water around the base of the toilet and repair the leak. If the toilet wobbles, the wax seal may need to be replaced. You can find these at most home construction stores.

• Replace plastic supply lines if they become brittle. If the lines are metal, check for leaks and crimps. • Inspect the floor around your hot water heater for signs of leaks. Discoloration or dampness can be signs of a problem. If it’s older than five years, a qualified technician should check it periodically.

S eparated from family and

friends, while facing difficult and dangerous duties, the members of the U.S. military appreciate more than ever the support of a grateful country. Here are a few ways to show your support:

Call us if we can help you with preventative maintenance.

Get $25 Off the Best Service We Can Offer. For your next plumbing repair, we’d like to make things easier on your wallet. So just clip this coupon for a $25 savings on your repair bill. Then call us and we’ll give you our best service. Call <COMPANY> at <PHONE>. ©2013

1. Books for Soldiers. This site allows you to see book, DVD and game requests posted by soldiers. You can then fill the requests, and even become a Pen Pal. Learn more at www.booksforsoldiers.com.

— Take That! (ANd t his too) —

On the Lookout for Lower Costs? Being proactive about lowering

costs can help find better values for your household spending: • Check out thegrocerygame.com. Find out how to save hundreds

of dollars a month on your grocery bill. • Price shop online. Compare big-ticket item prices with prices from other distributors instantly. • Get a library card. Before you buy a new book, drop in at your local library and check one out for free.

2. Phone cards. There’s nothing like hearing a voice from home. So, Cell Phones for Soldiers keeps military personnel in touch with their loved ones by providing them with free calling cards and, in some cases, recycled cell phones. Details are available at www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. 3. Care packages. “Operation USO Care Package,” initiated by USO Metro, enables individuals to finance care packages for service members en route to overseas destinations. A contribution of $25 will purchase one Care Package. For more information, call 1-866-USO-GIVE or visit www.usocares.org. 4. Messages. Send a special message to the men and women of the armed services through A Million Thanks. This service is a year-round campaign that provides letters, emails and cards for service members. Details are available at www.amillionthanks.org. 5. Thank You Cards. You can send cards through Give2TheTroops at www.give2thetroops.org.

Is your bathwater clear as mud? If your water isn’t properly filtered, you may have a mud bath in your very own home. Or at least, plenty of sediment in your water. The buildup in your water can affect taste and cleaning power. So call <COMPANY> at <PHONE> for a water inspection and filtration options.

— Secrets —

Kitchen Energy Savers

Energy can be easily wasted in

the kitchen. Here are some tips to follow that will save money:

1. If you’re cooking in the oven, try to cook as many foods as possible at the same time. Try not to open the door more than necessary to avoid losing heat and wasting energy. 2. If you have a self-cleaning oven, start the cycle right after you’ve used it. Then you don’t have to spend

more energy heating it to high temperatures. 3. The microwave can be a great energy-saver. It uses much less electricity than a conventional oven. Moreover, it’s a lot faster. 4. During the winter, don’t use your ventilator unless you must. This evacuates all your hot air! Of course, if you have one of those ventilators that just moves the air around in the room, you don’t need to worry.

— Q&A: You Ask , We Answer — • Go to bed and get up at the same time each day – even on the weekends.

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Insomnia, narcolepsy, snoring

and sleep apnea are common complaints affecting about 40 million people in the U.S. each year. Anyone can be affected by these conditions on occasion, but when it lasts a few weeks or more, you should see your doctor. In the meantime, consider these tips for a better night’s sleep:

• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, beer, wine and liquor four to six hours before bedtime. • Do not exercise within two hours of bedtime. • Do not eat large meals within two hours of bedtime. • Do not nap later than 3 p.m. • If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something quiet like reading. • Wind down in the 30 minutes before bedtime by doing something relaxing, like drinking warm milk or taking a warm bath.

My Word

! e M n a c S

…continued from page 1

can cause issues. But don’t worry. We’ll be here when you need us. If you run into plumbing trouble, call us, and we’ll come and fix you right up. Remember, the warmer days of spring will be here soon enough. In the meantime, we wish you the best that winter has to offer. We hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely, <SIGNATURE> <NAME> P.S. This newsletter has great tips to help you run your home, but feel free to pass it along to others when you’re done.

Scan this QR code with your smartphone to view <your company’s> special online offer. Don’t have a smartphone? Visit <your website> for more information.

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More Hot Water, More Energy Savings? Really, there’s a way.

even when you’re not using it.

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With Forever Hot Water, you

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M O r e S av i n g s a n d G r e at N ews

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Want to see more home and savings

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You’ll find energy saving tips for the coming

savings!

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