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Aug

What Makes for the Best Cooler This Summer?

Coolers have come a long way from polystyrene ice chests. Nowadays, rotor-molded coolers such as the Yeti cooler bring state-of-the-art technology to the age-old need to hold ice.

Rotor-molded coolers are made through a process where powdered plastic is melted into a hollow mold as it is rotated to ensure that it fills every part of the mold. This results in a unibody plastic cast of the mold and allows for the durability and retention of today’s modern coolers. Their unibody construction also makes it easy to clean.

Some of the best coolers on the market are in the Yeti line. Yeti coolers come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors from soft-sided coolers with shoulder straps and backpack coolers to heavy-duty wheeled coolers perfect for a camping trip or going fishing. Many are available at your local Brinkmann’s hardware store. A good cooler should be able to keep ice frozen for at least 24 hours, which is more than enough for most food and drink needs. Some of the heavy-duty coolers in the Yeti line have been tested to hold ice for over a week, making it perfect for that long camping trip.

Getting the Most out of Your Cooler:

To get the most out of your ice chest you’ll want to pre-chill the inside. Using either ice packs or ice, fill the cooler and leave it overnight to drop the interior temperature of the cooler. The next day when you plan to use it dump out the old ice or packs and refill it with new ice. You’ll find you get a much longer chill using this method. If possible, use solid blocks of ice rather than ice cubes. You can make these yourself by filling milk cartons or other containers with water and freezing them. Solid blocks of ice last longer than ice cubes because they have less surface area.

When packing your cooler, use layers. First, add a layer of ice on the bottom. If you’re using ice blocks add ice cubes on top of them to fill in the spaces. Then add your food and drink and finally top it off with additional ice. Using this method will guarantee that everything stays cool as long as possible.

By following these tips you’ll keep your food and drinks ice cold and your gathering going long into the night!

Aug

The Basics of Bird Feeding

For many people, there is no greater joy than that of seeing feathered visitors appearing in their yard, and having backyard bird feeding stations is one of the best ways to ensure that they make their appearance. The following tips will help to make sure that your bird feeding efforts benefit both the view and the birds!

Keep It Full:

Backyard birds will make use of feeders year-round, however, they won’t keep coming back to feeders that aren’t reliably full. Once you begin feeding, make sure to keep your feeders full at all times, or the birds will find another place to go.

Choosing The Right Kind of Bird Feeders:

There are many different kinds of bird feeding stations, and each kind has pros and cons. Some of the most common kinds are hopper feeders or house feeders (these tend to look like a little house and can either hang or be placed on a platform. They have walls and a small roof surrounding the seed to keep it dry. Tube feeders have a central refillable tube and either has holes along the tube, or deposit seed on a tray, or a combination of both. Usually, these feeders are hung to help avoid seed theft by squirrels. Tube feeders with smaller holes attract finches as they hold thistle seeds or nyjer seed. Suet feeders are cage-like containers which hold chunks of fat which help attract the birds through the winter. Instead of suet, in the summer, you’ll want to use peanut butter and cracked corn in your suet feeders, as suet can go rancid in summer. Your local hardware store such as Brinkmann’s will have these, and many other types of feeders.

Experts suggest having more than one type of feeder in more than one location in your yard to attract the widest variety of bird species to your yard.

Which Type of Food:

The type of birds you’re looking to attract will help you decide what type of food to choose from. Black oil sunflower seed is the most popular seed. This type of oil, along with many other types, can be found at your local Brinkmann’s. These natural oils can be used to attract a wide variety of birds including blue jays, cardinals, chickadees, finches, nuthatches, and sparrows. If you’re looking for a “starter seed” to get into the hobby, black oil sunflower seed is a great place to start. Other seed choices include “no mess” seed mixes which have been de-hulled and will cut down on the mess below your feeder or even fruits such as raisins and currants soaked in water overnight. This will attract fruit eaters such as robins, waxwings, bluebirds, and mockingbirds. Once you start feeding in summer and fall, it’s best to keep feeding through the winter as birds use many more calories to survive in the cold.

Give Them A Bath:

Finally, another way to attract a variety of birds to your yard and to see their natural behavior is to have a birdbath. Wild birds need to wash their feathers and they are attracted to birdbaths to do just that. Be sure to put mosquito dunks in your birdbaths and to clean them often! Just as you
want clean water for your bath, so do the birds.

Jul

Deck or fence looking old? Consider an Exterior Stain!

Summer is the season we spend the most time outdoors and enjoying our yards, but it’s also a great time to give something back to our decks or fences: a little TLC in the form of an exterior stain for wood.

What is Exterior Stain?

Wood stain is actually a kind of paint (which is why you’ll find it in the paint department of your local Brinkmann’s) and it’s used to protect and enhance the look of the natural wood grain. Stain soaks into your wood rather than creating a barrier on top of the wood like a varnish, so it’s mostly used for aesthetic reasons rather than for protection, however, it does prevent warping and helps to preserve the wood. If you follow up with a clear coat, you’ll also gain protection against water, stains, and even certain kinds of insects, mold, and mildew.

When using Exterior Stain, some people prefer a transparent wood shade. This will allow a light wood like pine, for example, to obtain the color of rich, dark mahogany while still allowing the natural wood grain to show through. There are dozens of natural wood shades available in a semi-transparent stain. There is also the option of solid color stains, which act more like paint in that they completely change the look of wood, but they won’t crack or peel as paint would. Solid stains can be mixed in any color, just like regular paint.

Solid exterior stains should be reapplied about every five years, and transparent stains should be reapplied yearly. A UV-rated weatherproofing seal can also greatly extend the time between re-staining. It will protect against both the weather and the sun.

A good way to check whether your deck or fence needs a new coat of stain is to watch when it rains. Is the water beading up? You’re probably good for a while. If not, break out the brushes, it’s time to get to work.

Before you stain your deck, be sure that you have a few days of dry weather coming up. Once you’ve applied a stain, you’ll want to wait a couple of days before using your deck again, and the dryer the weather, the faster the stain will dry.

A few more important points about new decks and fences:

Pressure-treated lumber needs to dry for at least 6 months before wood treatments are applied, so don’t go staining that brand new deck!

Kiln-dried lumber will need about two months to dry before staining or painting, so if you’ve just built your deck or fence, give it 8 weeks to settle in before getting your paintbrush and stain out

Jul

Buzz buzz SLAP! Mosquitoes are the Official Buzz of Summer.

It’s that time of year again, step outside for just a minute and they’re on you: mosquitoes. If you rarely get bitten, consider yourself lucky; for the rest of us they’re a pest at best and adanger at worst. Carrying mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus, the Zika Virus (which can cause birth defects in pregnant women), and Encephalitis, mosquitoes are one of the more annoying parts of summer and can sometimes be a real danger to the public health.

Preventing Mosquitoes:

Prevention is the key when it comes to mosquitoes looking for a blood meal and there are a few things you can do to help keep mosquitoes away from you and your family.

Wearing long sleeves and long pants can help, but in the summer convincing kids (and most adults) to bundle up is generally a no-go. So what else can you try? Head over to your local Brinkmann’s Hardware and pick up some insect repellant that contains DEET. DEET is NOT meant to be used on the skin, it’s meant to be used on clothing, but it does provide effective mosquito control when used properly. There are even some clothes on the market that contain DEET in the fabric. Other sprays that prevent mosquito bites and can be used directly on the skin include Eucalyptus, Lemon Essential Oil, and Picaridin as ingredients.

Yard sprays are another way for you to avoid mosquito bites. If you look in the garden section you’ll find mosquito repellents in the form of a spray you can use on your grass and bushes, which will help keep the area clear of pests for a time.

Mosquito Traps:

There are also CO2 mosquito traps that attract and then kill mosquitoes. Put one in the far corner of your yard, and you’ll see a lot fewer mosquito bites.

Finally, you can help to avoid getting bitten by interrupting the life cycle of mosquitoes by getting rid of any standing water where they breed. Even a bottle cap’s worth of water can be a breeding ground for these pesky insects, and mosquito larvae transform into adult mosquitos extremely quickly. If you have a birdbath or other standing water that you would prefer not to dump out, pick up some mosquito dunks at Brinkmann’s. These are safe for birds and other animals, but won’t let mosquito eggs hatch out.

By combining all of these strategies you’ll give yourself the best possible chance to get through the summer without getting bitten by those pesky little buzzers.

Jun

The Basics of Swimming Pool Care

Having fun in the summer is a lot easier when you have your own pool; but that doesn’t mean that owning a pool is all parties and unicorn-shaped floats! Pool care is an important part of pool ownership and ensures that your water is clean, clear, and safe for swimming.

The most basic part of pool care and pool maintenance is circulation.

Make sure that your pool pump runs for at least 12 hours a day to ensure that your water is not stagnant and has the chance to run through your filter at least a few times every day. Cloudy pools usually don’t have very good circulation.

Pool Filters:

Cleaning your pool means making sure that your pool filter is doing its job. There are several kinds of filters available for pools including sand filters, saltwater chlorinators, cartridge filters, and diatomaceous earth filters. No matter what kind your pool uses, they all have the same job: to remove dirt and debris—from the biggest leaves to the smallest particles—from your water before it is returned back into your pool. Everything from leaves and pollen to sand and sunscreen ends up in your pool water, so running the pump and ensuring that water flows through your filter is key to keeping your water clean, clear, and healthy.

Pool Skimming:

In addition to using your filter to circulate the water you’ll want to manually skim the surface of your pool and brush your pool walls regularly so debris that builds up there can fall to the bottom where, if you have an in-ground pool, it will be sucked into the drains in the bottom of the deep end. If you have an above ground pool you’ll want to attach your pool vacuum to your filter system and put the vacuum upside down in the middle of the pool at the bottom. When you turn it on it will act in the same way as the main drain in an in-ground pool. An automatic pool cleaner can help to take care of these tasks, but you’ll still want to manually skim and brush a bit to make sure the job is complete.

Pool Care Chemicals:

Finally, in order to maintain water balance, it is important to use the proper pool chemicals and water testing kit. You can find all of these at your local Brinkmann’s hardware store, including pool salt for those with salt water pools. There are three main components you’ll want to test for when testing the water with your test strips: pH levels, alkalinity, and your sanitizer levels.

The ideal pH range for your pool is from 7.4-7.6. Alkalinity serves as a buffer for your pH, helping to keep it from swinging from basic to acidic and vice versa. The ideal range for your alkalinity levels is from 100 to 150 ppm. Finally, your sanitizer levels represent the chlorine level in your pool (unless your pool utilizes bromine or another type of sanitizer). Knowing your water testing results will guide you when it’s time to add chemicals to the water to adjust your water balance. Be careful when adding chemicals, read all of the directions, and if you have any questions call your chemical supplier.

Jun

It’s Summertime, Bring On The Grilling!

Now that the weather is warmer, more of us are turning the great outdoors into our kitchen by grilling our favorite foods. There are a lot of choices for fuel, but the most common by far is a propane grill.

Why a Propane Grill?

Propane gas is sometimes called LP-gas, or liquefied petroleum gas. Propane is non-toxic, colorless, and almost completely odorless. That smell you detect when lighting your grill is the additive safety feature which has been added into the gas so that you will notice if there’s a leak. Almost all of the propane in use today has been produced in North America and propane produces very few carbon emissions when burned. Now that you know a bit about propane, let’s talk about why it’s so popular as a grilling fuel choice.

Propane is easy! With charcoal grills, you have to prep the coals and wait for them to heat up before you can cook. There’s also the issue of lighter fluid, which can be stinky. However, with propane, the cooking is simple. You just turn the switch and whoosh! You have your flame ready to go. You also don’t have to handle the sooty clean up left behind by charcoal. Just turn off the flame, brush the grate, and you’re ready for the next meal. Propane tanks also last a while, so you can run to your local Brinkmann’s for a refill knowing you’ve got many meals coming out of that one fill up. Plus, most propane grills store the tank right inside so you don’t have bags of charcoal to store away.

A propane grill will give you a steady heat. With a propane grill, the heat is determined by how high you set your burner. Want high heat? Turn it up! Want a lower, slow burn? Just turn the burner down. Charcoal grills are more unpredictable and may die out before you’re done with the cooking.

Most importantly, TASTE! That smoky flavor that people talk about with referring to charcoal grills is largely imparted on steaks and chops, but proper seasoning ensures that even these cuts will taste delicious on a propane grill. Further, it’s vital to be careful with charcoal that you don’t use too much lighter fluid, because traces of it will end up on your food, and no one wants butane for dinner. For delicate flavors like chicken, fish, veggies, and fruits (yup, you can even grill fruits like peaches and pineapple for a delicious treat,) grilling with propane is a great choice.

Environmental Reasons:

Finally, there’s the environment to consider. Charcoal briquettes can release up to 105 times more Co2 into the air than propane, as well as volatile organic compounds (or VOCs), which can cause a number of health problems including cancer. While propane grills burn a non-renewable fuel, it produces far fewer carbon emissions and only generates 5.6 pounds of Co2 per hour vs. the 11 lbs. per hour of charcoal.

These are just a few of the reasons that people choose propane for their outdoor grilling. So the next time you’re out looking for a new grill, consider a propane model. You’ll be getting the ease of use, ease of cooking, great taste and you’ll even be doing the environment a favor!

May

Weed Control Tips For A Greener Summer

Weed Control may seem like a tedious Spring activity. But, for most homeowners, a lush, weed free lawn is a goal, but stubborn weeds like crabgrass, clover, and dandelions often get in the way.

Generally speaking, there are two types of perennial weeds that you’ll encounter in your yard, broadleaf weeds like dandelion and creeping charlie, and grassy weeds like crabgrass and foxtail. For some, a weed control service is an answer. Give them a call and a worker will come and treat the weeds in your lawn, letting you enjoy a sea of green without any labor, however for others, it’s a fight they want to tackle on their own, and, thankfully, due to selective herbicide treatments, it’s a relatively low-effort task to handle.

Weed Control:

If you only have one or two dandelions, you may decide to pull weeds, which is not the worst way to get a little bit of exercise on a nice day. However, if your dandelions have put out their weed seeds, you may have a bigger infestation of invasive plants than you can handle without a good weed control product.

If you’re looking for weed control without fertilizing, a product such as Scotts® Weed Control for Lawns, is helpful. However, one of the best ways to stop weeds is to crowd out weed growth with a healthy lawn by fertilizing at the same time you kill weeds. To do both in one shot, Scotts® Turf Builder® Triple Action will both kill weeds and feed your lawn at the same time. To spot treat, a product like Scotts® Spot Weed Control for Lawns will target just the weeds, while leaving the lawn grass alone.

In early spring, using a pre-emergent herbicide can easily help control crabgrass and foxtail. Scotts® Turf Builder® Halts® Crabgrass Preventer with Lawn Food (which also feeds your lawn) or Scotts® Halts® Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer (which does not), are great options to stop weeds before they start to grow.

All of these items can be found at local hardware stores such as Brinkmann’s, and the staff there can help answer any questions you may have.

Weed Prevention:

Most importantly, to prevent weeds, make sure you have the proper environment for your lawn by following these tips.

Weed seeds need sunlight to sprout, so keep your lawn a bit higher, and the seeds are less likely to germinate.

Ensure that your lawn isn’t thirsty! A well-watered yard will have deep, strong roots, letting it out-compete weeds. Water regularly for a thick, lush lawn.

Give it some food. Every 6-8 weeks during spring and summer, feed your lawn to help it handle stress like the heat and drought that often comes along with summer. A healthy lawn will help to repel weeds, so be sure to help your lawn to help you enjoy a weed-free summer!

May

The Outdoor Power Tools That Will Make Your Summer Greener

Outdoor power equipment is key to keeping your yard looking its best throughout the year. Most outdoor power tools come in two versions, battery powered and gas powered, and there are pros and cons for each.

Leaf Blowers:

When it comes to leaf blowers, you’re going to notice a difference in power between the battery and gas-powered versions with gas-powered outpacing battery or even plug-in versions, however, what you gain in power, you also gain in weight. Be aware of this as it is true of just about every outdoor power tool. While your power might give out sooner with the battery version, your arms may give out with the gas-powered version of a leaf blower. Additionally, there is the issue of fumes. Gas-powered blowers produce quite a lot of exhaust fumes, making the battery-powered option a cleaner choice.

In addition to a leaf blower, which will keep your yard looking neat and debris free, there are a few other power tools you may want to consider to keep your yard in good shape.

String Trimmers:

For edging your lawn, and working in tight spots, you will likely want to pick up a string trimmer. To keep hedges neat and shape topiaries, you will want a hedge trimmer or a hand trimmer.

Being small, hand trimmers are generally battery powered, and will often come with options for both hedge and grass trimming, hedge trimmers, on the other hand, are larger, and depending on how many hedges you have, you may want to go with a gas powered unit. Remember the weight issue though, and stop into a hardware store such as Brinkmann’s before you buy, so that you can test the weight and make sure it’s comfortable in your hands. If you have trouble holding it, it can be unsafe to use. The staff at your local store can help you find a tool you’re comfortable working with.STIHL is a top brand option for trimmers and almost all power tool options. Brinkmann’s is an authorized STIHL dealer, so they both sell, and service STIHL products.

Chainsaws:

Another tool which can come in extremely handy is the chainsaw. From taming tree limbs to cutting up firewood, chainsaws make a tough job easier. Chainsaws come in both gas powered and electric and each has its pros and cons.

Electric chainsaws offer a cleaner energy source, and, best of all, very little maintenance. Without having to mix gas and oil, you just push a button and go. Another pro for electric chainsaws is that they’re less noisy, which, if you’re in a suburban neighborhood, can be a great asset. However, when it comes to speed and power, electric chainsaws still aren’t quite up to the jobs that gas-powered chainsaws are. Gas-powered chainsaws will do better if you’re dealing with cutting down larger trees and branches and will get through all of their jobs more quickly. If noise or fumes are a factor, that may also be another issue, as gas-powered mowers are loud and do emit fumes, they’re also quite heavy and not as easy to handle as their electric cousins. The choice may be a confusing one, and, again, a dealer that sells both, such as Brinkmann’s Hardware will have experience with users of both types of equipment and will be able to steer you toward the best fit for your needs, and your yard.

Apr

Which BBQ Grills Are Right For You?

As spring approaches and the weather warms up, people begin taking their cooking outside with BBQ grills. Grilling has long been a favorite summer activity, regardless of taste or preference. Meats, vegetables, and even fruits all achieve delightfully rich flavors when grilled. The type of BBQ grill you choose has a big impact on flavor, so it’s important to choose wisely!

Whether you’re looking to replace your existing BBQ grill or this is your first grill purchase, there’s a lot to know before you make a choice. Here’s some helpful information regarding different types of BBQ grills, and the effects they have on the foods you cook on them.

Fuel Type

For most people, there are two basic types of BBQ grills to choose from: gas or charcoal. Gas grills can run off of smaller propane tanks which you can get at most hardware stores, such as a Brinkmann’s, or they can run off the natural gas line running to your home.

According to the Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association, the vast majority of the 72% of households that have an outdoor grill use natural gas or propane to fuel them.

Gas grills such as Gas Weber Grills, are convenient options for most people; they heat quickly and offer a variety of accessories such as side burners, auto ignition, thermometers and more. As for flavor, gas grills impart very little flavor into the food, when compared with the smoky flavor imparted by other options such as charcoal grills or wood pellet grills.

Pellet grills have become more popular in recent years, as they are a hybrid between a smoker and a grill. Pellet grills utilize food-quality wood pellets as fuel and an electric thermostat to keep your food within the desired temperature range. This makes it perfect for longer cooking meats such as ribs, roasts, and briskets. If you’re a fan of old fashioned barbecue, a pellet grill may be the right choice for you.

Another common type of grill is the charcoal grill. Charcoal grills are easy to use, impart a great classic smoky, rich flavor, and generally keeps a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process, so long as there is enough fuel.

For people who rarely grill, or have limited space, a portable grill may work best for you. Portable grills are usually electric or charcoal grills. On the side of the spectrum, there are also, Kamado grills. These are outdoor ceramic grills that allow you to grill, bake and cook in!

Whichever you choose, grilling can open up a number of new delicious and healthy food options, so before you head out, be sure to decide what kind of food you plan to cook, how much space you have, and what flavors you’re looking for. All of these decisions will help to make sure that you get the perfect grill for your summer grilling season.

Apr

Gardening for Beginners

Spring is here and year after year you tell yourself you’re going to grow a garden. How about this year, for a change, you actually jump in and do it? Our Gardening for Beginners Read will give you all the tips needed to get started.

The first step to planning your garden is choosing your location. Will you be planting right in the ground or will you be using a raised bed? Will you even be using your own yard? For some, a plot in the local cooperative extension is enough; but for others once they get a taste they start wanting to convert the front lawn to a farm.

For your first year you may want to start small. Green thumbs can be learned, but maintaining a garden takes more time than you might think and you want it to be fun, rather than a job.

If the final frost date hasn’t passed you can’t do much work outside, but you can gather your garden tools and watch the sun.

Visit your local garden center to pick out the tools you will need. A good center, such as Brinkmann’s, will have a staff member to help guide you to the exact tools you’ll want depending on the kinds of plants you plan to grow. Some of the basic tools you’ll want are a hand trowel, a larger shovel, and a rake. Depending on soil conditions and plants you may need other tools. Garden center staff will know what’s best for your particular situation.

Watch to see where your yard gets full sun. If you’re planning on doing vegetable gardening or even planting flowers you’ll want at least 6-8 hours of full sun to get a decent crop. Spend some time observing and watching how the sun travels across your yard and it will help you determine where to place your garden bed.

Preparing Your Soil:

Once the final frost has passed you can start preparing your garden soil. You’ll need to till it well and work in a layer of compost, grass clippings, or other organic matter. You can also use pre-packaged garden soil to help improve your planting medium. This will help to nourish the plants you put in the soil.

Once the soil is prepared you’re on your way to starting a vegetable garden. If you’ve started from seeds wait until your seedlings are a couple of inches tall before putting them in the ground, though certain plants like lettuce and sunflowers can be planted right in the garden soil. Small plants you purchase from the garden center will be ready to plant right away.

When your plants are young you’ll want to water them often. Young plants should never dry out, so water them daily unless it’s already been raining. The best time to water them is early in the morning so that the moisture doesn’t evaporate.

Keeping Weeds Out:

Weeds can become an issue as they grow quickly and can appear seemingly overnight. To keep out the weeds and help let moisture in keep the soil around your plants covered in mulch. You can use grass clippings, pine needles, or bark chips. You’ll find many options at your garden center, or you can just use the clippings from when you mow your lawn. And that’s it! Feed your plants about halfway through the growing season because they’ll be hungry as they make their final push to produce vegetables and flowers. Starting in the summer you’ll be able to begin your harvest. As your plants grow take in vegetables as they appear, and soon you’ll have more tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini than you know what to do with!

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