Tag Archives: pets

EP199: Pet Safe Ice Melt, North Facing Rooms, and more!

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SEGMENT 1: Keeping Our Pets Safe in the Winter

A lot of us have pets who love being out in the snow. But, there are some concerns–especially regarding the various ice melts we often use on our driveways. And unfortunately, not all “Pet-Safe” ice melts are created equal. We’ve got the info you need to help keep your pet safe and happy this winter!

SEGMENT 2: Scuff-X, Miracle Paint!

Scuff-X from Benjamin Moore is a paint we’ve spoken about many times on the show. But it’s still so remarkable . . . we can always find something new to say! Today we talk about how we’re seeing Scuff-X being used with great success on trim and cabinets.

SEGMENT 3: Choosing Colors for a North Facing Room

Color is light. And the quality, quantity, and even the angle light enters our rooms can dramatically affect the look and feel of the colors on our walls. Today we talk why choosing colors for a North facing room can be difficult and we’ve got some suggestions!

Grays That Don’t Lean Too Blue

Look for grays that lean beige:

  • Revere Pewter
  • Edgecomb Gray

Greens With a Hint of Blue

Look for a more balanced green, with equal parts yellow and blue.

  • Spring Valley
  • Desert Green

Beige That Actually Looks Beige!

The rule of thumb in a North facing room is to choose colors that are warmer than you think you should. Then, the cool tones in the light will bring them back into the zone you were hoping. For beige or a warm off-white, try these Benjamin Moore colors respectively:

  • Lenox Tan
  • Gentle Cream

SEGMENT 4: Maintaining the Right Tire Pressure

Keeping your tires at the right pressure is important! Not only for fuel economy, but for safety, handling, and even for preventing undue wear on the tires! 

We talk about what you need to do and how often to make sure your tires are at the right pressure, no matter the season!

And we also mentioned a specific tire gauge that we love. Here’s a link:

EP111: All About Shellac, Selling a Home with Pets, Bird Exclusion

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LISTEN HERE:

Segment 2: Selling a Home with Pets

Sue and Ginger Prins from Sue Prins Group 5-Star Real Estate are in the studio with us, talking about some little things we pet owners can do to get our homes read to sell for top dollar!

Segments 3 & 4: Bird Exclusion with Rose Pest Solutions

David Popp and Dale Hodgson from Rose Pest Solutions are here to talk about birds. Yes, they’re fun to watch. Yes, they’re beautiful. But they can also be a nuisance when they build nests in our eaves trough or our dryer vents. What do you do if you have geese that are continually threatening you? What about a nest of starlings in the fancy sign hanging over the door of your business? David and Dale have the answers!

EP88: Cleaning With RepcoLite, Appliance Debate, Holiday Pet Safety, and 11th Hour Touch-Ups!

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Now, who among us really likes waiting in lines? And who thinks of going to the paint store for their cleaning supplies? We’re guessing not many people. But the truth is, RepcoLite has great cleaning supplies that many people don’t even know about. And the line is usually a lot short so you’ll save tons of time! We’re going to go through some of the cleaning supplies you can pick up next time you’re in our store.

We’ve also decided to settle some old appliance debates. And to do that, we’ve invited Joe Rogers and Scott Hosteter from West End Appliance to answer our questions. They’ll finally tell us whether we have to rinse the dishes clean BEFORE we put them in the dishwasher.

And with Christmas and the New Year right around the corner, we thought it would be good to talk with veterinarian, Dr. Jim Bader from Mapleview Animal Hospital in Holland about the possible problems our pets may encounter. Will the commotion be too much? What if they eat our Christmas feast?

And finally, we are in the 11th hour before Christmas and big painting projects are probably the last thing on people’s minds. But what happens if you have some spots on your walls and trim that look bad? Can they be fixed before guests arrive?

Of course they can! We’ve got simple, 5 minute touch up tips for the paint and stain in your house. It’s a lot easier than you think and will have your house looking almost like new before the guests arrive.

 

Listen here:

NOTES:

SEGMENT 1: Cleaning Supplies

  • Wooster Dust Eater
  • Old Paint Brush
    • Use for dusting
  • Guardsman Furniture Cleaner and Polish
  • Pump Up Wallpaper Sprayer

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EP40 – January 6, 2018: 15-Minute Regimen, Gel Stain Cabinet Fix, Winter Pet Safety, and Dan’s Bathroom Re-do

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This week we cover a number of interesting topics. One of which is a concept that Dan thinks is brilliant: a 15-minute home improvement regimen! Yes, it sounds a little goofy, but you will be amazed at the amount of work you can accomplish by just spending 15 minutes a night working on it. It’s painless, quick, almost fun. And if you do it a few nights in a row, you’ll be blown away by how much work you crank out! On top of that, we spend some time talking about what we need to do as pet owners to keep our furry friends safe during these cold winter days!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 040:

Things pile up over time when we don't stay on top of them. Weight is a perfect example. Let it go for a little while and before you know it, some unwanted pounds have found a new home around our middle!

Well, the same thing happens in our home. Little projects add up and before you know it, we've got tons of jobs to do and no idea where to begin!

Rather than jump into a crash-course of home improvement projects, why not instead create a manageable schedule that will help you easily and relatively painlessly take off those "extra pounds"? That's what we talk about today!

Looking to refresh your kitchen cabinets without completely stripping them down and starting over? If you're dealing with a few scratches or some worn areas, we might have a fix for you that will save you tons of time!

Here are a few photos submitted by a customer who gave the project a try!

The weather has been frigidly cold and while we all bundle up with layers and layers, we don't always think about our pets! Sure, they're covered in fur, but they can still get hypothermia and they can still suffer in weather like this. But just moving them into the garage may not be the answer. In this segment we talk about a number of different precautions we should all be talking to keep our furry friends safe and warm!

In this segment, we break down a bathroom re-do Dan just recently undertook. We talk about the materials used and the lessons learned! And hopefully provide everyone listening with the information and encouragement to step outside of their comfort zone and jump into a project!

EP03 – April 15, 2017: Benjamin Moore Color of the Year

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Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year is purple. Yeah. And we’re hearing a lot of questions in the store about how in the world to decorate with purple. Today, we’re on the phone with Hannah Yeo from Benjamin Moore. She has a TON of great color information. It’s easily one of the most interesting interviews we’ve done so far. If you have any interest in decorating with color (purple or otherwise) give this a listen!

That and more on today’s episode!

Listen here:

Show notes for episode 003:

In this first segment, we're on the phone with Hannah Yeo from Benjamin Moore to discuss Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year for 2017. We're just letting you know: It's purple! But, of course, that's being a little too simplistic.... Benjamin Moore's Color of the Year is sophisticated, unusual, interesting, and the perfect "enabler" color.

Hannah's here to explain how Benjamin Moore came up with this color and how you can easily use it in your own home.

Hannah Yeo is a Color & Design Expert for Benjamin Moore, North America’s favorite paint, color and coatings brand. As part of the Benjamin Moore Color & Design team, Hannah plays an integral role in forecasting trends, developing and curating colors, and managing four sub-brands at Benjamin Moore & Co.

Prior to joining Benjamin Moore in 2009, Hannah began her career at Fisher-Price as a Graphic Designer. Her background in graphic design and color gave her a unique skill set: infusing graphic design elements to communicate color.

Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Design from Pratt Institute.

At RepcoLite, we get tons of questions on a regular basis. Tons of questions. In our Ask RepcoLite! segment today, we focus on a couple of very common questions.

The first one is simply: "What in the world is a RepcoLite?" We know that our company name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. And we also know that it doesn't make tons of sense. But apart from that, we still think we're a pretty interesting company with a lot to offer! So we take a minute to introduce ourselves! (And if you'd like to read our origin story, check it out here!)

The second question gets down to the nitty gritty: "I just painted my bathroom. How long before I can start using my shower again?"

Brian Stacey from Bergman Power Equipment is a lawn equipment specialist and he joins us in the studio to talk about the Must-Have Lawn Equipment Every Homeowner Needs. Some of us think we can get by with a lawnmower. Some of us feel we need a different edger for odd and even numbered days. Brian's going to walk us through the 4 pieces of equipment he feels are absolutely necessary.

When we told co-workers that we were interviewing a vet for the last segment of today's show, everybody figured we meant a veteran! Nobody could imagine what in the world we were going to talk to a Veterinarian about on a home improvement show. But Betsy is both an animal lover and extremely creative and she came up with the idea of interviewing a vet about how a home remodel project can produce stress in our pets. To find out what we can do as pet owners to alleviate this stress, we interview Dr. Jim Havinga from the Animal Clinic of Holland. He's got some great advice and recommendations regarding how you can keep your pet safe and calm during the next project.

And, after the interview wrapped up, Dr. Jim started telling us stories from his practice: A dog who rattled, a horse on the tracks, and a number of others. Betsy and I thought the stories were great and we want you to hear them, too! So we've got them below. They're really worth a listen!