Duct cleaning has become a major industry. As a homeowner, you probably receive regular solicitations, by phone or flyers, to have your heating ducts cleaned on a regular basis – ‘once a year’ is often touted as optimum. The benefits are said to be many, including;
• providing you with better indoor air quality (or IAQ),
• reducing the presence of house molds and allergens,
• getting rid of house dust,
• improving airflow and delivery of warm air, and/or
• reducing energy costs.
But if you expect duct cleaning to make these improvements, you may be disappointed. It is difficult to find objective and independent research that substantiates these claims.

Don’t get me wrong, professional duct cleaning CAN clean your ducts, removing dust, debris, pet hair and dander, and who knows what else. However, duct cleaning will not usually change the quality of the air you breathe, nor will it significantly improve furnace efficiency or heating costs. In the 1990s, duct cleaning research conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tested house and duct performance before and after cleaning. Researchers observed little or no discernible differences in the concentrations of household airborne particles or in duct airflows due to duct cleaning.

Homeowners often expect an efficient furnace filter will remove airborne dust. CMHC has tested the effectiveness of furnace filters in reducing household dust. While some very good filters effectively clean the air in the ducts, they do not create a dust-free environment in your house because of the various ways dust enters our homes everyday. But a good filter will help keep your air-conditioning coil, furnace heat exchanger, and supply ducts from accumulating circulated dust.

When Does Duct Cleaning Make Sense?

There are several situations when duct cleaning could make sense;

• If you have a problem with water in your ducts, this may result in mold growth in the duct. After solving the water problem, cleaning may help to disinfect the ducts affected. But even in this situation, it may be easier and cheaper to replace the offending duct work – if accessible, rather than clean the whole system.
• If you are moving into a newly constructed house, duct cleaning can be useful to remove drywall dust, fiberglass pieces, and sawdust. For similar reasons, duct cleaning may be advisable for older houses following major renovations.
• If you are having trouble with furnace airflow, a duct cleaning could reveal significant blockages. Have the ducts cleaned before you try more expensive solutions or test methods. Cleaning of furnace and air conditioning components (e.g. furnace fan blower, air conditioning coil, humidifier, furnace heat exchanger, etc.) has been shown to make some difference in duct air flow.

In one sentence, the Chinese New Year is the second New Moon after the winter solstice. The Chinese year 4705 begins on Feb. 18, 2007 - The Year of the Pig. But why name it after an animal …

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in a year of the pig tend to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners.

What animal marked the year in which you were born? Check out http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0002076.html for the answer.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we thought it a good time for some Heart Facts:

• The human heart beats roughly 35 million times a year.
• In a lifetime, the heart pumps about one million barrels of blood.
• Three years after a person quits smoking, their chance of having a heart attack is the same as someone who has never smoked before.
• The human heart weighs less than a pound.
• The human heart can create enough pressure that it could squirt blood at a distance of thirty feet.
• The first open heart surgery was performed by Dr. Daniel Hall Williams in 1893.
• Scientists have discovered that the longer the ring finger is in boys the less likely they are to have a heart attack.
• The right lung of a human is larger than the left one - because of the space and placement of the heart.
• Olive oil can help in lowering cholesterol levels and decreasing the risk of heart complications.
• In 1967, the first successful heart transplant was performed in Cape Town, South Africa.
• People that suffer from gum disease are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack.
• Most heart attacks occur between the hours of 8 and 9 AM.
• At one time it was thought that the heart controlled a person's emotions.
• A woman’s heart beats faster than a man’.

Happy St. Valentine’s Day!

In December 1995, the Parliament of Canada officially recognized February as Black History Month following a motion introduced by the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament, the Honourable Jean Augustine, MP of Etobicoke-Lakeshore. The history of Black History Month dates back to the 1950s when the Canadian Negro Women's Association brought the Black History celebration to Toronto, Ontario. By 1978 the Ontario Black History Society successfully petitioned the City of Toronto to have the February celebration formally recognized. This month-long celebration is extremely important to people of African heritage. Every year Canadians are invited to take part in the events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present.

Learn about the many contributions people of African heritage have made to help make Canada the great country it is. Visit the Government of Canada’s Multicultural website at http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/multi/black-noir/index_e.cfm

Want to fit more on your desktop or see things larger than life? Just increase or decrease your desktop resolution based upon your preference. Increasing the resolution will make everything smaller and you'll be able to see more - with less scroll bars. Decreasing the resolution will make everything bigger, which is great for people who have problems reading small print.

Here's how to do it:
• Right-click on a blank area of the desktop.
• Select Properties from the drop-down menu.
• Click the Settings tab.
• You'll see a slider bar control. Drag it to the right or left and watch the monitor sample.
• Click Apply to test your new settings.
• If you like what you see, hit the OK button. If you don't like it, just sit tight and do nothing for about 15 seconds and your previous settings will be restored.

"Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance toward the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point."
~ Harold B. Melchart

Ever heard the myth that Eskimos have 400 words for snow? Are they really so much more in touch with nature that they have that many names for snow?

First, let me say that we use the term Eskimo only because it was used when the myth originated. We have since realized that the word Eskimo is not appropriate and even considered insulting to some people of the northern regions of our land. Today, we refer to these indigenous people as Inuit.

As for 400 words, well I know I have lots of choice words for snow when I’m faced with a driveway to shovel. But 400 - that’s a little bit of an exaggeration. It is fair to say that the Inuit have many, though. Just check out this list of words used by the Yup'ik people of Alaska, as found in Steven A. Jacobson's (1984) Yup'ik Eskimo dictionary:

• snowflake: qanuk
• fine snow/rain particles: kanevvluk
• drifting particles: natquik
• clinging particles: nevluk
• fallen snow on the ground: qanikcaq
• soft, deep fallen snow on the ground: muruaneq
• crust on fallen snow: qetrar
• fresh fallen snow on the ground: nutaryuk
• fallen snow floating on water: qanisqineq
• snow bank: qengaruk
• snow block: utvak
• snow cornice: navcaq
• blizzard, snowstorm: pirta
• severe blizzard: cellallir, pirrelvag

"Vice-versa"

Example - "Fish can't live where we are most comfortable, and vice-versa".

Meaning - The reverse of the previous statement, with the main items transposed. It derives from Latin, with the translation being 'the other way round' or 'the position being reversed', but is now fully absorbed into English.
Often mispronounced, as vie-sa ver-sa, and consequently misspelled as visa versa. It should be pronounced vie-si ver-sa.

Origin - It is found in print quite early, as in Anthony Copley's 'An answere to a letter of a Jesuited gentleman by his cousin', 1601:
"They are like to bee put to such a penance and the Arch-Priests vice-versa to be suspended and attained as Schismaticall."

Cool Website for Kids

Valentine’s Day Card Ideas
Samantha, age 13, says, “I always make my Valentine’s cards. This year I’m making some different kinds. This year I think I’ll try #4 for my Dad and #6 for my Mom.”

Dinosaur Naming
Doug, age 10, says, “I just love everything about dinosaurs. If they weren’t extinct, I’d have one for a pet. This site tells you how dinosaurs are named. Some are called what they are because they have a flat head or lots of spikes and stuff. Some were even misnamed.”

Concept Cars
Jose, age 11, says, “Concept cars are so cool! I want to drive one when I’m older. But not all of them will be built. Some are just ideas that never make it. They sure are cool, though.”

Hockey Legends
Andrew, age 9, says, “My Dad and I always watch the games together. He used to be a defenseman. So am I. There is a lot of interesting stuff on this site. I even found out that Tim Horton used to play hockey! I thought he just made coffee.”

The Correct Way to Shake a Can of Spray Paint

No, Hank hasn’t been hitting the sauce; there really is a better way …
The pigments in spray paint cans will settle to the bottom during storage. If not mixed thoroughly, an uneven colour may be the result. That’s why manufacturers put a small metal ball in the can - to help mix the paint thoroughly. Shake the can back and forth until you hear the ball rolling. Then shake the can so the ball rolls around the bottom - where the pigments settle - to mix it thoroughly. And don’t try to make do with a 10 second shaking - shake the can for 1-2 minutes the first time you use the paint, and for 30 seconds to a minute the next time the can is used during the same day.

White boards, with their dry-erasable markers are wonderfully effective IF no one uses the wrong marker on it or sticks something to it. If that happens, getting those unwanted marks off can be tough. Finding the correct solvent to do the job is the challenge. But fret no more! In addition to containing the proper ink for the board, dry-erasable markers also contain the proper solvent – as part of the ink! So simply colour over the unwanted marks with an old dry-erasable marker, and wipe it all away.

“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“I made up my mind long ago that life was too short to do anything for myself that I could pay others to do for me.” ~ Somerset Maugham

“The conventional view is that Oakmont was an Open I should have won because I was the better player at the time. Well, “should have” and “did” may be neighbours, but they don’t always get along.” ~ Arnold Palmer

“Mona Lisa looks as if she has just been sick, or is about to be.” ~ Noel Coward