Father's Day Gift Ideas & Air Conditioning Science Print

• Geoff and Rosie talk about their mutual love of CCR.
• The value of meteorites and the scientific importance of finding them quickly.
• Geoff's experience traveling to a giant crater on Russia's Taimyr Peninsula.
• The incredible speed meteorites travel at.......

• How much debris is earth actually colliding with?
• With all of the debris hitting earth, has anyone ever been hit by one? Listen!
• The story of Ann Hodges.
• How they narrow down the search to find meteorites & who owns them when they land?
• Did you know meteorites are not hot when they land on earth?
• Sign up for Geoff's Meteorite Adventures!

• We give Geoff's books away with a few listener's who know the answers to Rosie's questions.
• Details on classes Geoff teaches.
• Previewing the rest of the broadcast.

John Eisenhower with Integrity Tree Service and Tim with Scotty's Lawnmower are here to answer your questions!

• With the extreme heat on this weekend, John discusses desert adapted trees/plants and xerophytes. John breaks down their characteristics and how they survive.
• Tips on surviving heat......plants and us too.
• Tim talks through lawnmower maintenance and what needs to be done to make sure your equipment is ready to go and running efficiently.
• Proper way to store your lawnmower when you store it through the winter.
• The downside of using a dull blade on your grass. 

• Events over the weekend in Sedona put on by the Arizona Community Tree Council.

Caller:

• Mike - He wanted to know if he can prune back his chinese elm tree this time of year?

Recommendation - They grow pretty fast and usually December or January is the ideal time, but he could do some pruning. Just cut back on the amount you cut back.

• Tim discusses the early signs of a dull blade on your different types of mowers.

Emails from Listeners:

• Elizabeth - She has a 25 foot saguaro cactus that has some bird damage and is near their home. Should they move it?

Recommendation - It would take a site visit, but if it is damaged they may have to move it or it could be too late. John describes what happens and what to watch for. Treatment is possible in some cases, so it can survive.

• Carol - She wants to know what to do with her joshua tree? She was going to remove it, but her neighbor thinks it may be illegal to move them. Is that true?

Recommendation - She'd need to contact a local municipality for restrictions in her area.

• They want to do a raised planter and what type of material should they use in it?

Recommendation - John creates his own compost and recommends doing that too. Arizona native soils are really tough to grow a garden. John also talks through what he uses for composting bins.

• Tim discusses the best methods for lawnmower maintenance throughout the year. Changing oils, air filter and spark plug replacements, chain lube and swapping blades every few months and getting them sharpened. Use good gas to prevent varnish buildup!

We play an interview with John Jay Harper from Harper's Nursery & Landscaping Company as he is judging at the America In Bloom Organization in Ohio!

Caller:

• Charles - He wants our opinion of Sta-Bil fuel additive to keep the fuel in good shape through the winter season?

Recommendation - Tim has used this and has had no luck with it, especially in smaller tanks. He thinks it might work better in bigger applications, but mostly not great results in the smaller tools, etc.

If you need a new mower or service, call Tim at Scotty's Lawnmower and if you need an expert eye on your trees, call John at Integrity Tree Service.

• Click here for all the DIY questions on all subjects related to home maintenance in Arizona.
• All of Rosie's articles across the state and what we covered this week.
• Are you in the construction industry and not happy in your current position? Click on any of our Rosie-certified businesses in your area and most all of them are looking for help? If Rosie is describing your dream job call a ROTH Partner! Knight Air Conditioning. Lyons Roofing, Diamond Sky Construction or JKC General Contractors!
• Romey welcomes a new partner Beyer Appliance Service, Inc.
• Rosie talks about how Rosie on the House Remodeling is bidding smaller jobs and what they've bene up to.

Gift Ideas for Father's Day -Non-contact thermometer gun. The guys rant about all the things they can use it for!

Caller:

• Delores - She has cellulose insulation in her attic and she can see the rafters now. She wants to add it and wants to know if she should stick with the same material or go with fiberglass?

Recommendation - Rosie does some investigating trying to determine if she has any other weak spots in the homes envelope. A "Whole home energy audit" is the 1st place we'd start.

Callers:

• Continuing with Delores - Insulation probably won't make the difference she's looking for. Windows are a great 1st place. Listen to get the specific details. Rosie and Stan like cellulose insulation, so that should be great to add to the existing material. She can call Banker Insulation, Thermal Advantage or REEis and they'll get an expert eye on her situation.

*Father's Day gift Ideas on top of our list, like a good carpenter's square.

• Carol - She just had some laminated flooring in her office & their is vinyl, wood and ceramic options. What do we think?

Recommendation - It sounds like she might talking about a porcelian option and that is very durable. Rosie saw some at Arizona Tile and it was fairly affordable. We also talk through some of the pros/cons of the other options. Marvel Building & Masonry Supply sells a Belgard Paver for the outdoors that we love too!

More Gift Ideas for Father's Day:

• A headlamp is very affordable and it gets used all the time.
• Small pocket LED lights for your keychain.
• 3M Digital WorkTunes Hearing Protector. Hint, hint Romey!

*Rosie talks about the new look website and the New DIY Videos sponsored by Stampede Plumbing and Green Valley Cooling & Heating.

More Gift Ideas for Dad:

• A Go-Pro Video Camera with Blast Motion Replay.
• If you buy tools....buy quality! Don't go to the dollar store. They won't last.

We welcome David Byrnes, owner of Green ID to the broadcast to talk about the science of keeping your home comfortable during the summer months in Arizona.

• "Building to Code is the worst you can legally build a house" David talks about this and how different trades don't work together to guarantee a properly designed home.
• David's opinion on cellulose from our caller from the last hour.
• What a "House Energy Audit" actuall is and what goes into it.
• Some of the ways people waste money trying to save on energy. Listen so you're not taken advantage of!
• Major red flags and common mistakes.
• Duct design is such a major problem!

• Why "Whole Home Energy Audits" are key to knowing what's happening with your home and how to make it comfortable and more affordable. This will help you to prevent wasting money and to get the "low hanging fruit."

Caller:

• She's building a new home and is considering upgrading the wall insulation. It's $900 to upgrade and wants our opinion. It doesn't include the attic. R19 to R38.

Recommendation - It has to be a foam to get that rating. Rosie asks about the windows and some other areas of the home that could be more effective. David is going to sit down with her and educate her on what could be the best way to build.

Text From a Listener:

• They just finished the duct work, it's being insulated and they are installing radiant barriers. Is it too late to have a home energy audit?

Recommendation - If the drywall is up, they can do a pressure test, otherwise they home needs to have the windows installed and fairly complete to do this.

Caller:

• He needs a home energy audit in Tucson?

Recommendation - Call Intelligent Design Air Conditioning & Heating!

*Rosie talks through his situation and it sounds like he has a well built home and his bills are very reasonable.

• How ranch style homeowner's can benefit and common issues with these types of homes and some other common mistakes we had in buidling designs over the years.
• David's building preferences if he was "King for a Day"

Caller:

• Troy - He wants us to guess his utility bill! Can Rosie do it?  It sounds like he has a major problem that he needs to get taken care of, especially considering he has the energy management computer.
• The problems with Evaporative Coolers......

If you like what you heard and need an expert, call David at Green ID and keep your home comfortable this summer!