April 19, 2011 • Page 11 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com One of the leading causes of customer dissatisfaction with their hardwood floor is that the floor does not live up to expectation. No matter how experienced the installer, how good an install that he/she performs or what the quality of the hardwood is; there are number of things that can be expected from a hardwood floor. • Hardwood Floors will dent: the term “hardwood” is relative to “softwood” as far as a comparison in terms of hardness. Hardwood floor will dent from impact with “high heel” shoes, furniture sliding across the floor and even your pet’s nails. No finish that is applied to the hardwood will prevent the dents but the finish must contour to the dent to protect the hardwood from moisture and household use. Scratching the finish with any abrasive or sharp object is not considered normal use or wear. • Hardwood is not a monochromatic product: hardwood, since it is a natural product, will vary in appearance from one board to the next. It is not a manufactured product but is milled from kiln-dried wood that comes from a tree. It will have grain and color variations consistent with the grade and species of the selected hardwood flooring. • Hardwood may “gap”: although the hardwood floor “strips” may start tight together it will since it is a natural product, continue to absorb and release moisture. The “hydroscopic” process causes the hardwood to expand and contract from season to season with the changes of humidity in the environment. As a result, some gaps may appear between some of the individual boards in the floor. It is critical to the performance of the hardwood floor that the house temperature remains between 6575 degrees Fahrenheit and the interior house humidity be within the range of 35-55 percent moisture content. • Species characteristics: each species of hardwood reacts differently to temperature, humidity, and sunlight and will continue to expand and contract at different rates as well darken and lighten as the UV rays from the sun react with the wood. Each Species has a different degree of hardness and will dent to varying degrees depending on the hadrness of the species. • Maintenance of the floor: each hardwood floor needs to be maintained on a regular basis to avoid excessive deterioration and damage to the finishes and the hardwood itself. Regular sweeping, vacuuming or mopping with a dry mop are recommended to assure that sand, grit and other debris do not damage the surface of the flooring. Damp mopping with manufacturer-approved cleaners is recommended to maintain the hardwood floor’s original appearance and luster. Place a mat or area rug at all entries or high use areas to protect the floor’s finish from excessive wear. SUBMITTED BY GERALD RUPIPER FROM FLOOR TO CEILING Digging Soon? Make A Call To 811 (ARA) - It's that time of year again. All across the country, homeowners can finally put away the snow shovel, put on a pair of shorts and venture out into their yards with a digging shovel for an adventure in home improvement. Now that the weather is getting warmer, Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the association dedicated to protecting underground utilities and the people who dig near them, reminds homeowners and professional diggers that calling 811 is the first step to protect everyone from the risk of unintentionally damaging an underground line. a tree or garden are all examples of digging projects that should only begin a few days after making a call to 811. Here's how it works: 1. One free, simple phone ? 811, Page 12 please 2008 Locust St. • Yankton, SD 57078 Local Phone: 665-7080 • Toll Free: 800-834-7081 See Clark’s Rentals for all your Johnson EQUIPMENT RENTALS Electric, LLP Gary R. Johnson Rick Merkel • Ben Merkel Save Money & Space By Renting Items You Seldom Use! Skidloaders • Stump Grinders Posthole Diggers • Tree Spade Aerators • Interseeders Tillers • Power Rakes Brush Cutters • Trenchers Chippers • Sod Cutters and much more • Rural • Residential • Commercial • Electrical • Telephone • We Trench H20 Lines, Footing & Electric Lines • Our Bucket Truck Reaches 50’ PLUS • We Set Poles FAST COURTEOUS SERVICE 214 CAPITAL ST., YANKTON 605-665-5686 STRESSED OUT? We Can Help! Every digging project, no matter how large or small, warrants a call to 811, which connects you to your local one-call utility notification center. Installing a mailbox, building a deck and planting 5276JN Hardwood Wood Floors: Performance, Expectations New Location 800 E. 4th CLARK’S RENTAL, INC. 800 E. 4th • Yankton, SD • 605-665-3343 Drivers & Owner Operators Wanted Let Us Help You RELAX with a New Caldera Spa! Premium Best Transport Compatible chemicals for any tub using Chlorine or Bromine. Dare to Compare! Open until 6 PM Monday through Friday! 10-5 PM Saturday, 1-5 PM Sunday LEISURE WORLD, INC. 1900 Broadway Ave, Yankton, SD 57078 • 605-665-1240 2500 S. 13th St., Norfolk, NE 68701 • 402-371-8425 Call Classifieds 1501 Wek Road • Yankton, SD 57078 • Toll-Free: (800) 359-4084 665-5884 605-665-9202 • Fax 605-665-0162 . RANGER RZR XP 900 RZR XP 900 0 . SPO SP SPORTSMAN SPORTSMAN XP 850 ® ™ RANGER RANGER RANGER XP 800 NGER G 800 ® $ 3609 West 8th • Yankton Ph. (605) 665-7433 (866) 293-7433 www.allseasonspowersportsinc.com Stockmen’s Trailer Sales LLC. Full Service Department 1504 E. Hwy. 50 • Yankton, SD 605-260-1522 • Toll-Free 866-760-3279 www.stockmenstrailersales.net Hours: Weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. REBATES UP TO * FINANCING AS LOW AS ON SELECT MODELS APR** Get Your ATV Ready for Spring & Summer. Call Now for Appointments! Offers good on new and unregistered units purchased 3/1/11–4/30/11. Offers only available at participating Polaris® dealers. *On select 2010 models. See your dealer for details. **Rates as low as 3.99% for 36 months. Approval, and any rates and terms provided, are based on credit worthiness. Other ?nancing offers are available. Applies to the purchase of all new ATV and RANGER ® models made on the Polaris Installment Program from 3/1/11–4/30/11. Fixed APR of 3.99%, 7.99%, or 10.99% will be assigned based on credit approval criteria. Examples of monthly payments over a 36 month term at 3.99% APR: $29.52 per $1,000 ?nanced and at 10.99% APR: $32.73 per $1,000 ?nanced. Warning: ATVs can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Avoid operating Polaris ATVs or RANGER s on paved surfaces or public roads. Riders and passengers should always wear a helmet, eye protection, protective clothing, and a seat belt and always use cab nets (on RANGER vehicles). Never engage in stunt driving, and avoid excessive speeds and sharp turns. Polaris adult ATV models are for riders age 16 and older. Drivers of RANGER vehicles must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license. All ATV riders should take a safety training course. For ATV safety and training information call the SVIA at (800) 887-2887, see your dealer, or call Polaris at (800) 342-3764. ©2011 Polaris Industries Inc.