shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com April 10, 2018 • Page 11 Spring Home Improvement & Car Care Protect Vehicle Paint Finish Perhaps nothing ages a car or truck more than a lackluster exterior finish. Even if vehicles are only a few years old, failure to maintain the paint, tires and chrome accents can make them look worn beyond their years, potentially affecting resale value. The environment can be a vehicle’s worst enemy. Protecting a car means being mindful of substances and habits that can compromise the exterior finish. Seek Shade Over time, the sun can damage a vehicle’s paint job through oxidation and premature fading. People who live in areas with especially warm climates may see the paint on their vehicles suffer considerable damage thanks to the sun. One of the easiest ways to protect a vehicle from the sun is to use sheltered parking or park in the shade whenever possible. This can help protect the paint, headlights and trim. Drivers should store their cars in their garages overnight and during daylight hours when they are home. Wash and Dry It’s important to routinely wash vehicles to protect their exterior finish. Use a mild cleanser designed for automo- biles and a clean rag or sponge so as not to cause scratches that can cause further damage. Because minerals in tap water can be left behind through evaporation and may oxidize and damage the paint, it’s best to wipe away as much residual moisture as possible with a chamois. Paint Protection Waxing can prevent bird droppings, berries, splattered bugs, and more from sticking to the paint and wearing down the finish. Waxes come in paste, liquid and spray. Each type has a different reapplication schedule, so drivers should consult the product instructions. Vehicle owners also can invest in spray films to further protect painted surfaces. Do-it-yourself products are applied like a spray and then dry to an invisible, durable film. This helps protect against insects, gravel, sand, winter salt, and even road grime. Different manufacturers offer protection films. It is important to safeguard the exterior of a vehicle to help it look newer longer, protecting the value of the car or truck while also protecting it against the elements. Use Renovations to Create Healthier Homes Home renovation projects are done for several different reasons, whether to update styles, repair damaged or broken items or to achieve more living space. More than ever before, homeowners are choosing improvement projects geared toward making their homes healthier. Establishing a healthy home means different things to different people. For example, to an environmentalist, a healthy home may incorporate eco-friendly or green products. To those with young children or mobility-impaired seniors, a healthy home may be one free from potential hazards. Others may view a healthy home as one that alleviates allergies. The World Health Organizations says inadequate housing conditions, such as poor ventilation, radon, urban pollution, and moisture issues, can contribute to many preventable diseases and injuries Ñ especially respiratory problems, nervous system disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Furthermore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air quality as a top five environmental risk to public health. EPA studies have found that indoor air pollution levels were roughly two to five times greater than outdoor pollution nMetro Creative Connections levels. People interested in making their homes healthier can embrace these renovations and lifestyle changes. • Be aware of furniture materials. Toxic PBDEs, which are chemicals used as flame retardants on furniture fabrics produced prior to 2006, can send toxins into the air. Some manuEngine troubles are many drivers’ worst nightmares. facturers may still use these flame retardants in new forms, but Whether they occur out on the road or they prevent drivers with similar risks. Before purchasing furniture, ask if a product from leaving their driveways in the morning, engine trouis treated, and select naturally fire-resistant materials like wool bles can quickly derail plans and cost drivers substantial and cotton. amounts of money. • Lighten up. Lighting is often underappreciated but can Thankfully, engine troubles are often noticeable long have a dramatic impact on whether a home feels inviting, before cars break down. Drivers who learn to recognize the warm and/or uplifting. Experiment with different types of bulbs signs that suggest engines might be in need of work can and lighting fixtures to turn drab and dreary environments into avoid being stranded on the road or at home. brighter places. Lighting may improve mood and productivity. ¥ Vehicle shaking: One telltale sign of engine trouble is • Let the sun shine in. Modify window treatments to let when a vehicle shakes while it’s moving. Drivers of old cars more sunlight into the house. There is evidence that the sun, and trucks may not expect the smoothest of rides, but cars particularly UV light, is a potent bactericide. The Sunlight Instithat shake, sometimes violently, could be experiencing tute advises that there’s no harm in letting natural sunlight do problems. Sometimes a car might shake if its spark plugs its work, as bacteria within eight feet of low-intensity UV light need replacing. That’s an easy, inexpensive fix that drivers can be killed in 10 minutes. can do on their own in a matter of minutes. A more serious • Inspect and service wood-burning appliances. A study cause of the vehicle shaking could be problems with its published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and timing belt or fuel intake system. Drivers who inspect and/ Molecular Biology has found regular inhalation of wood smoke or replace their spark plugs but notice their vehicles are limits immune activity and function, and anyone who burns still shaking should take their cars into their mechanics wood indoors should be aware of these potential health risks. immediately. Ensuring proper ventilation of smoke and routinely cleaning • Sudden gas mileage reduction: Drivers who notice the chimney can help cut down on particulate matter. they’re not getting as much bang for their gas bucks as they • Turn to nontoxic cleaning products, pesticides and used to might have engine troubles to blame. According to insecticides. Always opt for nontoxic, natural products when Pep Boys, a dropoff in gas mileage might be indicative of an cleaning in and around the house. issue in the compression stroke of the engine. Such an issue • Declutter the home. A cluttered, hectic space can affect can typically be fixed by having the fuel system serviced, emotions and mental state, never mind attracting dust and which will clean the fuel system and can help restore the making a home harder to clean. Spending time in spaces that vehicle’s performance and reduce emissions. do not elicit stressful feelings is healthier and can help resi• Noises: If driving has become as noisy as a rock condents to rest and recharge. cert, drivers should take heed that this could be indicative Making a home healthier can be on the list of this year’s of engine trouble. Pep Boys notes that noises typically renovation plans. fuel filters. Such issues may also be traced to issues with the indicate abnormalities in the combustion flow. Such noises may include knocking, hissing and popping. Vehicles making vehicle’s computer system. Bring such issues to the attennMetro Creative Connections tion of a mechanic, and reduce their frequency with regular these noises should be taken to a mechanic immediately. oil changes. • Stalling: Vehicles that jerk or stall also may be experinMetro Creative Connections encing engine troubles. While old spark plugs might be the culprit, stalling or jerking may indicate clogged fuel lines or Some Telltale Signs of Engine Troubles HVAC & Electrical Contractors Did You Know? Cars and trucks can benefit greatly from clean air filters. Many drivers are aware of the need to change the oil in their vehicles according to the intervals designated in their owners’ manuals, but few may be aware of the many benefits of changing air filters. One such benefit pertains to fuel efficiency. The automotive website CarsDirect.com notes that studies have shown that changing clogged air filters can improve fuel efficiency by as much as 10 percent and save drivers as much as 15 cents per gallon of fuel. Clean air filters also can benefit the environment. When vehicle air filters are clogged, air flow to the engine is reduced, adversely affecting vehicle emissions. Clean filters increase air flow to the engine, reducing vehicle emissions as Member Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association a result. Clean air filters also FOREIGN & Troy Kabella can help drivers get more out DOMESTIC of their vehicle investments. Transmissions • Drive Lines Transfer Cases • Differentials Designed to trap dirt and 2409 E. Hwy. 50 • Yankton debris, clean air filters proToll Free 1 -888-665-1 75 “We guarantee our work” 1 long engine life by preventing such particles from damaging engine components. Drivers can check their ownersÕ manuals for air filter replacement guidelines, but manufacturers generally advise drivers change their air filters Tune Ups • Brakes • Cooling Systems every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. • Trailer Hitches & Accessories Such a repair is inexpensive but can go a long way toward General Repair & Diagnostics ensuring vehicles operate as Dan & Dean Christensen efficiently as possible. Yankton • Transmission Specialists Power Source Electric Your Heating & Cooling Specialists 665-2895 Chris Frick Residential & Commercial Electrical Contractors 260-8683 Divisions of Electair, Inc. Doug Dykstra PUT SOME 665 - 1 75 1 Christensen’s Radiator & Repair nMetro Creative Connections 1918 Locust, Yankton • 665-3549 Variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to fit any lifestyle, backyard or budget Leisure World, Inc. Spas • Swimming Pools • Saunas 1900 Broadway Ave., Yankton, SD • 605-665-1240 2500 S. 13th St., Norfolk, NE • 402-371-8425 w w w. l e i s u r e w o r l d . c o m