View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.
You may think cranking up the heat in your house to warm that chilly room downstairs is the easiest thing to do – but it’s actually very inefficient! This morning I talked to Rob Elgas on NBC5 Chicago about keeping your house comfortable during those cold, winter days. Here are the products I featured that might come in handy for you:
1. Pelonis Portable Electric Furnace ($24.99)
2. Life Smart Infrared Quartz Heater ($249)
3. Homedics Portable Humidifier ($19.99)
4. Air-O-Swiss Warm and Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier ($159)
Thanks for watching!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
I love how government works. Back in 2007 a law was passed that effectively would eliminate traditional incandescent light bulbs from being sold in the US. A part of that law was supposed to take effect on January 1st 2012 when the 100 watt light bulb was to be eliminated from store shelves. Well, now it’s on hold. While I am of the mindset that you should be able to buy whatever kind of light bulb you want. I am also a big proponent of higher efficiency light bulbs that are available, affordable, and will just plain save you money each and every day.
Bolting a TV to your wall is not that difficult do, yet so important you do it – especially if you have small children in your home.
Any TV that is on a stand should be attached to the wall behind it or screwed down to the place where it sits. All flat screens have threaded holes on the back for mounting the unit on the wall with the appropriate bracket. The makers give you the screws. Go to your local hardware store and buy two feet of small chain, make sure the link is just big enough for the screw to go through. You may need a flat washer as well. Put the washer on the screw, put the screw through the link in the chain and then attach that to the hole on the back of the flat screen TV and tighten. Then using an electronic stud sensor, find solid framing on the wall behind the TV. Use at least a 2” wood screw to go through the chain and into the framing for a secure hold. This could keep a small child from injury or, God forbid, even something worse and it costs about $3. Some newer flat screen TV’s now have holes pre-drilled in the bases, you can screw the base to what the TV is sitting on and that will secure it as well. If you have an older CRT TV and there are no threaded holes then use heavy duty plastic ratchet ties through the fins on the back of the TV to make a loop and also loop those through the chain and attach to the wall.
