Trusted Saskatoon Tire and Auto Repair & Service Winter Car Maintenance Tips

5. Dec 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Auto Repair & Service, Saskatoon Tires, Trusted Tips

Be Safe On The Roads This Winter

Safe driving is always important, but being on the road during winter warrants extra precautions. That's why we have written up our most important tips to stay safe in hazardous, wintery weather conditions.

1) Avoid slipping and sliding

Ensure your vehicle is ready for Canada’s changing winter weather, by switching your all-season tires to winter ones before the temperature drops below 7°C. Winter tires optimize the performance and safety of winter driving. The braking distance of a winter tire could be up to two vehicle lengths shorter than the braking distance of an all-season tire.

2) Replace Worn Tires

It’s extremely important to check your tires each winter season because worn or bald tires can be very dangerous. Tires have tread wear indicator bars moulded into them. A solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread means it’s time to replace the tire.

3) Make Sure Your Tires Are Correctly Inflated

For every 5°C drop in temperature, tires lose one pound of air pressure. To ensure optimum fuel efficiency and prevent irregular or premature wear, tire inflation should be checked monthly. Several tire manufacturers recommend that tire pressure should be higher in the winter, so check to see whether your tire pressure should be adjusted accordingly.

4) Fill Your Trunk With A Winter Survival Kit

Winter weather can be very unpredictable, so make sure you have a winter survival kit in your trunk in case you get stuck in bad conditions. Every car should have a scraper for the windshield, a small shovel, candles, and warm clothing such as a winter jacket, gloves and a hat. Also, make sure you bring a cell phone with you on every trip in case you need to call for help.

5) Defrost Your Vehicle Properly

Although it takes you a few extra minutes, make sure to properly clean your windows and remove any excess snow from the top of your vehicle. Ice and snow that is left on your vehicle can obstruct your view, causing potentially dangerous situations.

6) Top Up Your Fluids

Wintery road conditions can cause your windshield to get dirty quickly, so make sure your windshield washer fluid is filled up. Also, ensure your gas tank is at least half full, as on very cold days the condensation in the tank can freeze and cause problems.

7) Buckle Up & Adjust To Driving Conditions

Make sure you are always buckled up and adjust your driving to what the conditions are like. You will put yourself and others at risk if you do not change your driving style to suit the wintery conditions.

Trusted Saskatoon Home Builder Decora Shares Tips On How To Brighten Up Your Home This Holiday Season

2. Dec 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Home Builders, Trusted Tips

Decorating Your Home For The Holidays

No matter if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other Winter Holiday, December is the season to brighten up your home with holiday décor and decorations. From gingerbread baking in the oven to stockings hung over the fireplace- we’ve put together 8 easy ways to bring the holiday season into your Westbow Home.

1. Add a holiday wreath to your front door.

Adding a wreath to your front door is a great and simple way to bring the spirit of the holiday to your home. Local makers offers various styles of wreaths or you can create something yourself using local greenery.

2. Decorate your Christmas tree

There are many options when it comes to your Christmas tree. There has been a long debate between whether a fake or real tree is better, but there are now more options than ever! Second hand artificial trees provide a lower cost option while those looking for an eco friendly option may opt for a returnable Christmas tree.

3. Fill your holiday mugs with homemade hot chocolate, apple cider, or mulled wine

As the weather gets colder outside, filling your mug with a warm cozy drink will help warm your body and soul.

4. Bring festivity into your bathroom

Simple pieces of décor such as candles, a locally made sign, and some holiday themed hand towels are a great and easy way to bring the holidays into your bathrooms.

5. Light up your neighbourhood

Christmas lights provide a bright and cheery neighbourhood atmosphere. From traditional string lights to modern projectable lights, the variety in options are endless

6. Spend time baking holiday cookies

Your Westbow kitchen is perfect for spending time with your family, baking holiday cookies. There are many holiday cookies to choose from! Gingerbread, sugar cookies, and shortbread are just a few of our favourites.

7. Relax in your loft and enjoy a holiday movie

Many Westbow homes have bonus rooms or lofts which make for excellent places to curl up and enjoy a holiday movie.

8. Spend time with your family and friends.

As the holidays draw closer, families and friends gather to celebrate the season. Westbow homes are built for hosting parties, get-togethers, and dinners. Spacious, open concept kitchens and living rooms ensure there is no separation between the guests and the hosts.

Trusted Saskatoon Mortgage Brokers Tip About Your Phone and Low Mortgage Rates

28. Nov 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Mortgages, Trusted Tips

Buying a home is one of the most important and exciting steps in your life.... now that pesky financing! Deal with people who can offer you and your family the best options for you.

So How Does Your Phone Affect Your Mortgage Rates

What many people aren’t aware of is that your cell phone payment history DOES affect your credit score.

Cell phone accounts work differently than a credit card or a line of credit. A cell phone is an open or “O” account, which means the balance has to be paid in full at the end of each month.

There is no such thing as a minimum payment with an “O” account like there is with credit cards and lines of credit. You can’t just pay a portion of your bill. The amount that you see on your statement has to be paid in full otherwise your credit score will suffer.

Unfortunately, many Canadians don’t view paying their cell phone bill in full or on time as being as important as other payments. Lenders disagree. The bank underwriters (the people who review your application) are thinking, “If you can’t make or keep track of a cell phone payment, what are the chances that you are going to be responsible with your mortgage payment?”

Costly Missed Payments

Let’s take a look at one borrower, John, who was declined for best-rate mortgage financing on the purchase of a new house because he had three late payments on his cell phone bill during the last two years. His argument wasn’t unique. “I called (the phone company) before the payment was due and asked if I could pay half of the bill this month and the remainder of the outstanding balance the following month,” he said. “The customer service rep told me that it was okay to take a couple of months to get caught up.”

Susan and Frank found themselves in a similar situation. They were approved for mortgage financing but were then declined at the last minute due to a recent late payment showing up on their report in the same week they were supposed to be moving.

Arranging a mortgage and preparing for a move is stressful enough without having a financing issue in the eleventh hour. In the end they were able to find a resolution, but it resulted in a delayed closing. They had to get approved by a different lender at a higher rate. In addition to all the stress and time, this small mistake ended up costing them $3,459.28.

Despite what they tell you, late payments will continue to be recorded until your account is caught up. Underwriters will look at an applicant with an outstanding balance as someone who is not in control of their finances. It will drop your score and hurt your chances of being approved for the best rates and terms.

A Matter of Principle

It’s common for consumers to not make a payment because they were unfairly charged or they found a mistake on their bill. On principle, I understand that you might not want to make the payment, however, even if you are disputing the charge, it will not stop the negative item from showing up on your credit report.

And keep in mind that one late payment can be enough to negatively impact your best rates and terms for future financing. Your cell phone company will start the collection process if an overdue balance is not paid within 60 to 90 days.

As you can guess, a collection appearing on your report does not help your credit score. Many of my clients echo my caution, and in hindsight wished they had simply paid the bill in the first place. If you find yourself in this situation, my suggestion is to clear the amount owing first and then dispute the charges. That way it doesn’t lower your score or cause you to get charged higher rates just because of one account.

Warning…Warning

If you have paid out or closed your cell phone account, make sure you get something in writing to confirm that there is no outstanding balance owing.

The same goes for an outstanding amount or settled collection. Don’t take anyone’s word for it or assume that it will be updated on your credit report. Are you starting to see a trend? Whatever you do, get a confirmation in writing! If you don’t, it will make trying to correct the error even more difficult.

The only way to avoid having your cell phone report on both Equifax and TransUnion is to go with a pay-as-you-go contract. If you are on any other type of plan, keep your fingers crossed. You don’t want to be one of the unlucky ones to have a cell phone error or problem tarnishing your credit. To improve your chances of avoiding any issues, ensure you pay the full amount owing each month and keep good records.

Trusted Saskatoon Plumbers Share Issues To Look Out For

21. Oct 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Plumbing, Trusted Tips

HIDDEN PLUMBING ISSUES THAT COULD LEAD TO COSTLY REPAIRS FOR HOME BUYERS

Shopping for a new house? Whether it’s your first time buying a home or your fifth, knowing what you’re getting into before you sign on the dotted line is always a smart financial move. All too often, people purchase properties only to find out later that they require a great deal of costly residential plumbing and heating work. While many Saskatoon plumbers will assess the plumbing and heating setup in a house for a fee, there are some simple ways to identify common plumbing issues that could cost you a significant amount in repairs, down the road.

What Water Pressure Can Tell You

Whenever you go to look at a house, it’s always a good idea to run the water in the sinks or a shower to see the strength of the water pressure. If the pressure is weak, you can typically conclude that the residential plumbing is old, and that the galvanized steel or cast iron pipes that were commonplace in houses plumbed before the 1960’s have started to corrode.

Slow Drainage is a Concern

Like water pressure, the rate at which water drains in a house will give you an idea of whether or not there could be a larger plumbing issue. Slow drainage could be caused by much more than just a blocked pipe. In some cases, it’s a sign that the house has old drainage pipes that need to be replaced. This is something you could confirm with the help of Saskatoon plumbers, but especially in older homes, replacing a main drainage pipe can be costly because they’re often difficult to access. If the drainage pipe is in the floor or behind a wall, you’ll have to hire other trades people to get to it.

Water Stains are Signs of Larger Residential Plumbing Problems

When you walk through a house, be on the lookout for water stains on ceilings, walls and baseboards, in kitchen and bathroom cupboards, around the shower and any other place where there’s plumbing. If there’s blistered paint on any of the walls in the home, that too is a sign that there’s been a leak in plumbing. In addition to water stains, check the floor around the base of the toilets and bathtubs or showers. If the floor springs back when you apply pressure, it’s a good indication that water has been leaking from the fixtures. These types of issues will not only require you to hire a plumber, but also a trades person to repair the rotten flooring, all of which can add up quickly.

Beyond the visible signs, make note of a mildew smell. A musty smell is a guarantee that there is or has been some type of moisture issue in the past, and whether it was caused by leaky plumbing, flooding or anything else, it’s never a good sign.

Check the Furnace Filter

A clogged furnace filter can put a lot of strain on a furnace. Take a moment to remove the furnace filter (hopefully there is one installed) and see how dirty it is. It’s a simple test that will give you some insight on how well the previous owners took care of important plumbing and heating systems in the home.

If you find a house that you really like but you’ve identified one or more of the plumbing and heating warning signs I’ve mentioned here, you can always hire Saskatoon plumbers to confirm your suspicions. They can also give you an idea of what it will cost to repair or replace the plumbing.

Check out their listing here in the Plumbing Category on THE Saskatoon Directory of excellence.

Trusted Saskatoon Plumbers at Perfection Plumbing Tip on Preventing Drain Blockages

4. Apr 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Plumbing, Trusted Tips

Perfection Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Ltd. is a premier provider of quality drain cleaning and plumbing services in Saskatoon, SK. They are the company of choice to handle all of your plumbing concerns including drain cleaning service, water heater installation, plumbing repair, and more. Perfection Plumbing is a Trusted Saskatoon Plumbers on the Saskatoon Directory. In their latest tip, they share helpful info on preventing blocked drains.

Prevent Drain Blockages With Common Sense and Saskatoon Drain Cleaners

Saskatoon drain cleaners very often have a hard job; the majority of any drain cleaning job is reactive, in that it’s clearing away the result of months, even years of buildup in drain and guttering systems, when the problem could easily have been alleviated, or even prevented, in the first place. But it is still surprising how many people do not know how to proactively keep their drain systems clean, and there are many reasons why this should be a priority. But just how can someone be mindful during their day-to-day tasks?

Avoid Pouring Fat Away

An alarming amount of commercial premises that serve food, and just as many residential customers, require Saskatoon drain cleaning services as fat build-up has clogged their drains. It may seem like the easy option to pour away boiling hot liquid into a plug hole, but it won’t stay hot forever. When it cools down, it congeals and effectively creates a plugin the draining system. Before long, anything that goes down the drain in the same building, and very often with neighbouring buildings who share the same pipes, will come right back up, delivering old waste and a foul smell to boot. For commercial premises, this can mean closing down while the ‘health hazard’ has to be remedied. The easiest option is to avoid pouring away fat altogether.

Claw Back on Lumpy Food in The Sink!

It’s easy when the cooking is done to throw pots and pans into the sink and forget about the lumpy, off-cut pieces of food that lay in the bottom of the bowl. But again, over time, these will not go away. When they eventually get soft enough to go down the drain, they’ll rot and start to produce a rotting smell. A quick clear away before throwing the pots and pans in the sink will mitigate this problem.

Avoid Blocking the Gutter

Many gutter drain cleaning jobs can be avoided by simply not letting the gutter clog up. Over time, waste in the guttering needs to go somewhere, and when the rain and wind hammer down, it’ll push what waste is in the guttering down the downspout, causing a blockage. Regular cleaning of the gutter is a must.

For plumbing problems in your home, don’t hesitate to contact Perfection Plumbing for help.