Sylvania Town Money Saver | June FOM 2021

How to Keep Your House Cool in Hot Weather

When summer�me temperatures soar, it can be temp�ng to run your AC constantly. However, keeping your air condi�oner on full �me isn't just hard on your budget; it can also be hard on your HVAC system.

While rou�ne maintenance is an excellent way to keep the system running efficiently, use the following guide to stay cool without straining your equipment.

1. Keep Blinds Closed

While everyone enjoys natural light, keeping your blinds and curtains open during the heat of the day can also allow heat into your house, increasing the internal temperature and causing your AC to work over�me to compensate. Prevent this by keeping your blinds closed in the day�me to block out the a�ernoon heat and keep your house cooler.

3. Vent the Attic

Many don't realize their a�c contributes to the overall temperature inside the house. On an 80-degree day, the temperature in your a�c can reach up to 150 degrees, which can easily make its way into your home, increasing your indoor air temperature. Ven�la�on systems pull the hot air out of your a�c and reduce its temperature by as much as 10 degrees, lowering the temperature inside your house.

Keep your home cool this Summer with the help of Overcashier & Horst Heating and Air Conditioning in Sylvania, OH.

For over 60 years, their skilled team has provided reliable, high-quality home hea�ng and AC services, including HVAC installa�on, repairs, maintenance, and more. Call (419) 841-3333 to schedule an appointment, or visit them online to learn more about their services.

2. Use Fans

Box fans are excellent for circula�ng cool air as well as pushing out hot air. Consider placing box fans in your windows at night to draw in the cool night air. This keeps your house cool without the need to run your air condi�oner overnight. You can also face the fans poin�ng out on hot days to pull the warm air out of your home.

4. Inspect Ductwork

Tradi�onal HVAC systems rely on ductwork to circulate cool air throughout your house. S�ll, holes, loose ductwork, and improper seals can cause the condi�oned air from your system to filter into the a�c or basement rather than inside the house. Perform a visual inspec�on to look for holes or signs that your ducts have come detached. Seal them yourself or hire an HVAC contractor to make the necessary repairs.

Some restrictions apply. Expires 7/31/21

FUN WAYS

CELEBRATE FATHER’S DAY

Father’s Day presents an opportunity to honor not only dads, but father figures and other influential men who offer care and guidance to the people they love. Here are some clever ideas to show dads they are appreciated.

BACKYARD BASH

Outdoor parties are some of the safer ways to bring people together. Weather permitting, families can host barbecues and enlist someone other than Dad to man the grill. Serve foods buffet-style and space out tables so people can safely celebrate.

PLAN A SPORTS OUTING

Professional sports teams are once again welcoming fans to stadiums and other venues, albeit with reduced capacities to maintain safety. It may be possible to purchase tickets to an upcoming game and surprise Dad or Grandpa with tickets on Father’s Day. Make Father’s Day festivities sports-centric, with coordinated decorations and themed foods to set the scene.

PLAN A GAME DAY

Whether your father likes board games, video games or crossword puzzles, gear Father’s Day around fun and games. Let Dad lead the way and choose the activity, and then everyone can step away from their screens and come together at the table over jigsaw puzzles or trivia questions.

SET UP AN OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT

Perfect for a father who is a movie buff, use a projector and show a movie on an outdoor screen or against a blank outdoor wall. Invite friends and family to join in on the fun. Make sure there are refreshments at the ready and plenty of hot popcorn.✴

Did You Know?

The year 1893 was an important one in HOT DOG history.

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, in 1893, the city of Chicago hosted the Chicago Columbian Exposition, a world’s fair that celebrated the 400th anniversary of famed explorer Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World in 1492. Visitors to the exposition consumed large quantities of sausages sold by vendors. Many immediately took a liking to this unique food because it was both easy to eat and inexpensive. The NHDSC notes that Germans are likely responsible for introducing sausages served on buns. In addition to their popularity at the Columbian Exposition, hot dogs got another boost in 1893 when they first started appearing at ballparks. Many modern baseball fans now cannot imagine attending a ballgame without indulging in a hot dog or two, and some historians believe they have German immigrant Chris von der Ahe to thank for that. Chris von der Ahe owned the St. Louis Browns, and in 1893 his team became the first to sell hot dogs at baseball games, though some historians dispute this.

Impossible Apple Pie

BASIC INGREDIENTS

6 cups sliced apples

1-¼ ground cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar

¾ cup milk

½ cup Bisquick

2 eggs

STREUSEL

1 cup Bisquick

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

½ packed brown sugar

3 tbs. firm butter

2 tbs. softened butter/margarine

Head oven to 325. Grease pie pan. Mix apples and spices, turn into plate. Beat remaining ingredients (Excpet streusel) until smooth. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with streusel. Bake until knife inserted comes out clean. 55-60 min.

Note: Make the Streusel first so you don’t have to clean the beaters

Zucchini Rice Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked rice (cooled)

• 2 sm. or 1 lg. zucchini

• 1 or 2 green onions

• 3 Tbs bottled CREAMY Italian dressing

• ¼ tps black pepper

• 1 avocado (optional)

• 1 Tbs lemon juice (if adding avocado)

Steam zucchini, slice into ¼” pieces. Reserve a few slices for garnish. Thinly slice green onion. Mix zucchini & green onions together with the rice and dressing.

Just before serving, peel the avocado, slice & dip in the lemon juice. Arrange around the salad (or gently toss into salad). Or simply garnish with zucchini slices.

your trusted Automotive Guide

ACURA

Dave White Acura 5880 Monroe St. Sylvania (419) 885-3600 whitecars.com

BMW

BMW of Toledo 7600 W. Central Toledo 1(844) 892-5408 bmwoftoledo.com

BUICK

Ballas Buick - GMC 5715 W. Central Toledo (419) 535-1000 ballasbuickgmc.com

Groulx Buick - GMC 15435 S. Dixie Hwy. Monroe, MI (734) 241-3704 groulxbuickgma.com

CHEVROLET

Dave White Chevrolet 5880 Monroe St. Sylvania (419) 885-4444 whitecars.com

Yark Chevrolet 26997 N Dixie Hwy Perrysburg (419) 877-7658 yarkchevy.com

CHRYSLER

Yark Chrysler 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501 yarkchrysler.com

DODGE

Yark Dodge 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501

New Car

FIAT

Yark Fiat 6000 W. Central Ave. Toledo 1(844) 847-3702 yarkfiat.com

FORD

BRONDES FORD 1475 Arrowhead Rd. Maumee (419) 329-4062

brondes.com

BRONDES FORD 5545 Secor Rd. Toledo (419) 491-7004 brondes.com

STEVE ROGERS FORD 9760 State Route 64 Waterville (419) 878-8151 steverogersford.com

GMC

Ballas Buick-GMC 5715 W. Central Ave. Toledo (419) 535-1000 ballasbuickgmc.com

Groulx Buick - GMC 15435 S. Dixie Hwy. Monroe, MI (734) 241-3704 groulxbuickgma.com

HONDA

Jim White Honda 1505 Reynolds Rd. Maumee (419) 893-5581

jimwhitehonda.com

JEEP Yark Jeep 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501 yarkjeep.com

LINCOLN

Brondes Lincoln 1475 Arrowhead Rd. Maumee (419) 329-4062 brondeslincolnmaumee.com

MAZDA

Yark Mazda 6000 W. Central Ave. Toledo (419) 842-7454 yarkmazda.com

NISSAN

Gerweck Nissan 15407 So. Monroe St. Monroe, MI (734) 457-0100 gerwicknissan.com

Yark Nissan 5957 W. Central Ave. Toledo (844) 815-4874 yarknissan.com

RAM

Yark Ram 6019 W. Central Ave. Toledo (855) 817-1501 yarkram.com

SUBARU

Yark Subaru 6041 W. Central Ave. Toledo 1(844) 492-9955 yarksubaru.com

TOYOTA

Jim White Toyota 6123 W. Central Ave. Toledo (419) 841-6681 whitecars.com

Yark Toyota 1377 Conant St. Maumee (844) 819-2577 yarktoyota.com

yarkdodge.com Call Chick Reid 419-705-5396 to add listings to this page.

Plants That Keep Bugs Away

Outdoor spaces are in demand, so, too, are ways to keep unwanted, o en relentless insects away. Insects can turn relaxing days on the patio into wars of attrition with hungry bugs like mosquitoes. ankfully, there are ways to ght back against insects while simultaneously adding a little aesthetic appeal to the backyard. e Farmer’s Almanac notes that planting these insect-repelling plants around the patio or backyard can help homeowners successfully repel unwanted insects, including mosquitoes..

• LAVENDER Lavender is a fragrant plant that adds a pop of purple and has been known to repel mosquitoes, eas, ies, and moths.

• BASIL Basil can provide the best of both worlds, as it’s been found to repel ies and moths and also makes for a tasty addition to pasta sauces and other dishes.

• THYME Also a valuable ingredient to keep in the kitchen, thyme can help keep hungry mosquitoes at bay.

• MINT A e Farmer’s Almanac warns that it’s easy to overplant mint, so homeowners should only plant with care and make a concerted e ort to prevent overgrowth. Also great in the kitchen, mint has long been considered an e ective mosquito repellant.

• ALLIUMS Like lavender, alliums can add a burst of purple to your patio. And though they aren’t believed to repel mosquitoes, alliums have been found to be helpful against cabbage worms, aphids, carrot ies, and slugs

• CHRYSANTHEMUMS If ants are drawing homeowners’ ire, chrysanthemums may do the trick. ese eye-catching owers also are believed to repel eas and roaches, among other insects.

• MARIGOLDS e scent of this awe-inspiring plant is known to repel mosquitoes and other pests. Marigolds also attract insects like ladybugs that are known to consume aphids, which are minute bugs that reproduce rapidly and feed by sucking sap from plants.

Home Air Conditioning Systems

Few experiences provide as much relief as walking into a cool room on a hot summer day.

Homeowners may not know where to begin in regard to nding the right air conditioning system for their home. Correct installation and routine maintenance can ensure homeowners’ air conditioning systems withstand the test of time.

How Do I Know Which Size Is Best?

When shopping for new air conditioning systems, homeowners must consider a host of factors to ensure they get the best match... the home’s age, the number and quality of its windows, how well it’s insulated, the number of stories it has, and its square footage are among the factors to consider. Working with trained technicians who can recommend the correct system.

What About Energy Efficiency?

Energy e ciency is an important consideration when purchasing a new air conditioner for a home. An energy-e cient unit can help homeowners save considerable amounts of money. A unit that adequately cools a home without consuming a lot of costly electricity should be every homeowner’s goal. is rating is noted on the Energy Guide® label on each unit, and the higher the number, the more e cient the unit.

Home air conditioning systems are costly. But the right choice of unit can keep homes cool without costing homeowners a fortune in energy costs. •

Did You Know?

Working out close to bedtime may not be as detrimental to sleep as previously thought. In fact, some sleep experts are now saying that workout sessions - including those that occur late in the day - can be mutually beneficial for improving sleep duration and quality. In the past, researchers believed that exercise in the evening could increase heart rate, raise core body temperature and send stimulating hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, through the body, which could adversely affect sleep. However, recent findings say it’s not all that troublesome. A study found that people who exercised vigorously for 35 minutes before bed slept as well as they did on nights when they did not exercise. A poll also showed that people who exercised reported they snoozed better than those who didn’t work out, and exercising closer to bedtime did not affect sleep quality. Dr. Stuart Quan, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School, says the best workout time generally varies from person to person. Those who want to exercise at night can see how it impacts their sleep. It’s also notable to point out that adrenaline and cortisol only take an hour to regulate and return to normal levels after vigorous activity. So slipping under the sheets an hour or two after a workout may be the best advice for nocturnal fitness fans.

Fire Pits

Fire pits are a wildly popular outdoor design element, as many relish the opportunity to retreat to their back yards. Keep these dos and don’ts in mind as you plan your summer s’mores sessions.

• DO KEEP THE FIRE PIT A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM HOME Keeping fire pits a minimum of 10 to 20 feet away from any structure.

• DON’T PLACE THE FIRE PIT BENEATH TREES OR SHRUBS Shrubs and low hanging branches can easily catch embers and be lit ablaze.

• DO CLEAN OUT SEASONAL DEBRIS It can be tempting to let seasonal debris resting inside the fire pit burn away during the season’s first s’mores session. But burning debris poses a serious safety risk, as embers can easily be blown out of the fire pit.

• DON’T BURN FIRE PITS NEAR FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. Store firewood piles a safe distance away from the fire pit while it’s in operation. It may be convenient to keep firewood right next to the fire pit while the fire is burning, but that increases the risk that embers will land on firewood and start a fire outside of the pit.

• DO CHECK THE WEATHER REPORT BEFORE STARTING A FIRE Windy weather increases the risk of embers blowing around and potentially landing on the house, other structures around the property or trees.

• DON’T LEAVE A FIRE PIT BURNING. Unattended recreational fires are illegal and incredibly dangerous. Homeowners should never leave fire pit fires burning unattended or allow fires to slowly die out overnight. Always extinguish the fire before going inside and stop adding wood to the fire roughly one hour before you plan to go inside. Water or sand can be poured on ashes to extinguish the fire.

A night around the fire pit is a summertime tradition in many households. Safety must be as much a part of such traditions as s’mores.