Begin to dig a trench in the spot where you want the water to begin to flow. This trench that will direct the water away should have a resulting grade of 1%, with the beginning of the trench being 1% higher than the end of it. That difference in grade will allow for a gentle slope which, when filled with rocks, will enable the water to run off through the rocks and away from where it could do damage to your lot.

Here are some tips for installing a French drains:

• Choose a location to divert the water to where it will not create any damage. That may be difficult; you may simply have to choose a location or you may need to install a Dry Well.

• Before beginning to dig your trench, check with the local utility authorities to be sure that you will not be digging near any of their pipes or easements.

• Plant a clean stick at the beginning of your trench and a second at the proposed end of the trench. Tie a string which is the length of the proposed trench firmly to the first stick at its ground level, wrapping the other end around the second. Use a string level to be sure that the string remains level. Firmly tie the second end to the second stick; these lengths will be compared to view the progress of your digging. You ultimately want your trench to be 100 feet long with the shallower end being six inches higher than the deep end.

• Fill the trench with rocks to provide a guide for the water as it runs off through the drain.

• Some experts on French drains advocate a narrow drain; others advise a wider drain with a width of 8-10 inches for water conduction purposes.

• Be sure that the new drain does not cause problem for any of your neighbors with lower-lying lots near yours!

Below are some tips on how to install a new screen spline:

1. Remove the old screen and screen spline from the “spline channel;”  pry the old screen spline and screen out of the “spline channel” with a small screwdriver, taking special care to pull the old spline gently so as not to hurt the screen frame  or spline channel while doing so. Applying excessive force to the frame may cause it to bend if metal, or break, if wood and plastic.

2. Have the new screen precut, with a 1”  overlap to enable you to install the new screen along with the new spline in the spline channel.

3. Insert the new spline carefully into the spline channel along with the new screen, again gently using a small screwdriver to insert materials into the channel.

4. Repeat this along all sides of the screen, taking special care with the corners of the frame to enable the screen and spline to be inserted smoothly.

5. When you have finished, trim any additional spline material using a sharp utility knife and trimming along the frame side of the screen.

These simple tips will give you some hints on how to install a dryer:

• Determine before picking out your dryer, whether your house has gas or electric hook-ups. If the hook-ups are gas, be certain that you have adequate knowledge concerning gas appliances before attempting the hook-up. Because natural gas is a dangerous substance, if you are not completely familiar with hooking it up safely, use the services of a professional for your own safety and that of persons living with you in the house.

• Be sure that the lint ducts are installed properly and hooked up to an outside vent. Proper venting of lint is essential to the dryer operating correctly and not overheating and causing a fire risk.

• Be sure that an electric dryer is securely plugged in to an appropriate outlet. The electrical cord should be long enough to reach the outlet without using an extension cord. If it is not long enough, take steps to replace it with a new, longer cord.

• Be sure that the dryer has a lint trap which has to be cleaned between running loads of clothes. It should fit securely and be the proper accessory for that particular machine.

• Make sure that once the dryer is installed, you know how to maintain the dryer and have common knowledge on how to fixe common clothes dryer problems.

By following these simple steps you can clean your mini-blinds in no time at all and without any worries.

1. Remove the curtains carefully from the window.  You will want to make sure that you save every piece that you remove while taking down the blinds.

2. Place the blinds in the bathtub and run hot water over them.

3. Add any type of household cleaner and let sit for approximately five to ten minutes. If your blinds have any color besides white for the string, do not use bleach.

4. Begin to wipe the blinds using only your hands.  You will use your hands because you know exactly how much pressure you are applying and therefore your mini-blinds will be less likely to break.

5. Drain the water from your bathtub and begin to rinse the blinds with semi-warm water.

6. Place the blinds outside to dry, and leave them there for a half hour.

After completing these steps you can then put back up your mini-blinds.  Be careful not to break any of the blinds and to use all of the pieces that you removed when taking the blinds down.  Your blinds should look as good as new.

Cleaning your LCD TV does not have to be difficult.  By following these simple steps your TV can look as good as new in just a few minutes.

1. Gather all the materials that you may need.  This will include a Q-tip, two soft towels, and a bottle of LCD TV cleaner or water, rubbing alcohol, and a measuring cup to form your own solution.
2. When you have all of the materials handy, dust the screen down with one of the dry cloths.
3. Use the other towel to clean the screen by applying your home-made mixture to it or use the LCD TV cleaner and gently wiping it across the screen.
4. Use the Q-tip if necessary to clean the crease where the screen meets the frame.
5. Gently wipe the dry towel once more over the screen to ensure it is completely dry. 

If you follow all of these steps you can have your LCD TV screen cleaned in no time.  It is important to remember that you cannot press too hard on the screen, because it may bust.  With that in mind, it should be easier than ever to clean your LCD TV.

Believe it or not, there are ways to prevent making this mistake.  By following these simple steps you can choose the perfect color for your home, and wake up every day loving the house you live in.

• Look at more than one pain shop.  Making a decision like this should never be rushed, the best advice someone can give is for you to take your time.  By looking and multiple paint shops you can decide on what are the best deals, if you want to use a specific kind of paint and what tones you would like to go with. 
• Keep in mind the color your neighbor’s homes are and the environment for which you live in.  For example, people whom live at the beach have bright colored houses such as pink and green; however people that live in the country tend to have more tan and white colored houses.
• Choose a color that you feel will fit in, and take the color swatch home.
• Hold the color swatch up to your house and take your time looking at the color.  Make sure it will look okay with your roofing and the base of your home.

After completing all of these steps you are ready to choose the color of your home.  You may have to repeat some of the steps multiple times, however the end result is always worth the wait.

It is quick and easy to check your carbon monoxide detector, and you can do so by following these simple steps.

• Remove your carbon monoxide detector from the wall it is plugged into and place it in a safe dry place.  Do not put the detector into a wet area, because it does use electricity and being wet can cause a malfunction.

• Clean the dust and dirt out from the various creases in the device, using a dry cloth.  This is the most important step because dust and dirt can cause the device to not detect the carbon monoxide.

•  Press the “test” button on the device.  When you press the “test” button an alarm will sound.  This sound will let you know that your device is working right and that you can plug it back into the wall. 

Having a working carbon monoxide detector is an important asset to have in your house.  It can keep people safe and ensure that your home is not being threatened.  Because carbon monoxide is odorless, the only way to detect it is with a carbon monoxide detector.  If you do not regularly check your carbon monoxide detector, you may not be fully protected. You can plan to check your carbon monoxide detector with your usual checkups on your fire alarm in your home

Try a few of these tips to make your property less attractive to termites: 

1. As soon as you find a property that you want to buy, check on having the property and structure checked for evidence of termite presence, past or present, on the property.

2. Be certain that there is a termite inspection clause in your purchase contract.

3. Keep your property under a termite protection contract at all times.

4. Do not store wood or other moist things near or especially against your house. Termites coming up from the ground can use that stored wood as a way of chewing into your structure.

5. Always use treated wood when building a long term structure on your property.

Termites cause more damage to homes and property than fire or earthquake. They are a serious threat to property and property values.  Be sure you can recognize one when you see it so that you can take appropriate measures before they move in for good! They eat like every meal is a Thanksgiving feast!

• Take the time to measure your yard so that you are certain you have purchased enough fertilizer to complete this job on your entire yard.  Make sure that you buy enough fertilizer to be able to spread out the fertilizer generously on your entire yard.

• Make sure that you have a spreader that you can use for your fertilizer.  This will help you spread the fertilizer evenly.  If you do not have a spreader than you might want to think about renting on so that you do the best job possible.

• Check out the weather map. This is important because you want to try to fertilize your yard just before it rains. The day before is best if you can.  

• Water your lawn for two or three days after you have applied the fertilizer.  This is one of the most important things that you can do.  If you do not have the time to do this with a garden hose then you may want to invest in sprinklers.   

If you take the time to follow these simple tips correctly then your yard will look amazing.  You will be very pleased with your gardening.

Try a few of these things to help you with this task. 

1.)   Cut your grass very short when you do cut it.  This means that you want it to be approximately one and one half inches tall. 

2.)   If your grass was high you will want to rake your yard when you are finished cutting it.  

3.)   If you are planting new grass you need to make sure that you are turning the dirt and soil so that the new seeds will fall into the dirt and stay there. 

4.)   Do not cut your new grass until it is at least three inches high.  This can be very tempting for individuals that are obsessed with their yards. However cutting the grass before its three inches high will kill the grass before it has a chance to grow.

5.)   Remember to water your yard in order to keep it lush and green. You should water in the early morning or late night. If you water during mid day the water will evaporate by the sun before the water has a chance to be soaked up by the soil. 

When you are planting new grass, or taking care of a green yard, you want to make sure that you are keeping the grass watered and you are not cutting it too often.  Refusing to follow these steps can dry your grass out and kill it.  This will be defeating the purpose because your yard will not be beautiful and green.  It will appear to be brown and dead.