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Archive for 2013

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Everybody misplaces car keys from time to time. And if they seem lost for good your car dealership may charge a fortune for a car key replacement. Luckily there are affordable alternatives. Key replacement retailers like https://www.ikeyless.com usually have replacement keys available to cut keys based on your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). The VIN is a 17 number code usually visible through the driver’s side dashboard.

How to Order a Replacement Car Key

Order your car key replacement by entering your VIN, year, make, and model. Follow the instructions on the retailer’s website to complete the order. You will be able to receive your keys in a few days. Once you receive your key you can program it to your car without the help of a technician. Instructions on how to do so are usually included with the key. By ordering the car key replacement from a retailer and programming ti yourself, you may be able to save money, since a dealership would charge you for the replacement key as well as the service of programming the new key for you.

Additional Help

If you need professional help to replace a lost key or to change a lock, TalkLocal can help you find a high quality technician. TalkLocal will match you with up to three professionals locksmiths or car key replacement retailers in your area, in just a matter of minutes.

Posted in Auto Repair | No Comments »

How to Remove Burns from Carpet

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

Are you trying to figure out how to remove burns from carpet? This article will help you make your carpet look like new!

Before you begin, you will need these supplies:

– carpet glue

– glue gun

-roller carpet tractor

– replacement carpet patch

– vacuum or hard brush

– scissors

– paper

– pencil

– carpet knife or a utility knife

– and steel wool or light sandpaper.

Steps to Remove Burns from Carpet

1. Take your sandpaper or steel wool and slowly rub along the burned area of the carpet. Rubbing the carpet in this way will get rid of the burned fibers.

2. Use your vacuum or brush on the burned area to get rid of any excess burned fibers or ashes. Check the burned area. At this point, you may have already eliminated any trace of the burn and you may be finished. If you still see evidence of the burn on your carpet, there is more you can do.

If you still see evidence of the burn…

3. Take your utility knife or carpet knife and cut the burned area out of the carpet. Make sure you cut at least two inches outside of the burned area. Also, make sure not to cut the floor below your carpet.

4. Put the burned piece of carpet that you cut out on a piece of paper. Trace the outside of the burned piece of carpet with a pencil on the paper.

5. Cut out the outline that you drew on the paper and use it to cut out replacement carpet.

6. You can match your carpet exactly by using a piece from the back of the closet or other hidden area. If you have no extra carpet, buy a square of similar carpet.

7. Glue your replacement carpet patch to the main carpet. Make sure to apply the glue the bottom of the new patch, as well as all along the edges.

8. Use your roller to seal the seams together.

Additional Help

While you can save money removing burns from a carpet yourself, you may not have the time, or you may not wish to go to the trouble of creating a replacement carpet patch. Don’t worry! You can contact a carpet cleaning professional to remove the burn from your carpet. With the help of TalkLocal, you can be on the phone within minutes with up to three high quality carpet cleaning professionals your area, that are available when you are.

Posted in Carpet Cleaners | No Comments »

My Headphone Jack Broke Inside My Laptop

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

My headphone jack broke inside my laptop once. Here are some recommendations for dealing with this frustrating issue.

Home Remedies (Not Recommended in General)

Pliers: Strongly Not Recommended

Your first instinct may be to try to pull out the broken jack with the thinnest pliers you can get your hands on. However this is strongly discouraged. Headphone jacks are designed to “lock on” to the place linearly, requiring non-angular and extensive force for it to be dislodged from the laptop.

With the very limited space that you have to lever the pliers through, the work of dislodging the broken jack is almost impossible. Using the pliers will also almost certainly damage your computer.

There is a chance that a jeweler or a watchmaker may be able to help you with their precision tools, but don’t count on them helping you out – their tools are not exactly designed for pulling off broken jacks, and the tools may become damaged.

Glue: Not Recommended, but Can Be Effective

Do not try to douse the adhesive directly onto the broken jack. Instead apply the glue to the end of the stick and let it dry for a bit first – this is to lessen the fluidity of the glue while keeping its adhesiveness.

After the glue dries for a bit at the end of the stick and becomes firm, carefully attach the stick’s glued end to the broken jack, find something to hold it in place until it dries, and pull the stick in hopes of getting the jack out.

Although this step has been proven to be successful, it is generally not recommended – one wrong move and your computer may be permanently damaged. Exercise your own discretion. If it is a cheap laptop you plan on throwing away after a bit, use home remedies. If not, consider getting help from a professional.

Help from a Professional: Highly Recommended

Home remedies can work, but always at a risk of damaging your computer. If you are willing to spend a few bucks to ensure everything works smoothly, hire a professional to help you. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three local professionals who can help you when you need it.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

Home Remedies for Killing Roaches

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

There is a belief that cockroaches can survive anything, even nuclear warfare. So don’t fret if those pesky bugs won’t seem to go away. Sometimes a natural approach is the best way to get rid of these stubborn pests. Try these home remedies for killing roaches.

Mix Sugar and Baking Soda

This method is cheap, simple, and cost effective. Stir together ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup baking soda. Place dabs of the mixture in strategic spots like behind or beneath appliances, in closets, or near wastebaskets. Roaches are attracted to the sugar, and ingest the mixture. The baking soda gives them gas and ultimately kills them. This mixture can make pets sick, so make sure to place the mixture in places they can’t reach. Pill bottles wedged horizontally into tight spots and plates underneath furniture work well to keep things tidy.

Boric Acid

Boric acid is a chemical compound that is very effective in removing roaches. Treat areas under cabinets, behind appliances, and anywhere else where roaches walk. The boric acid will kill the insect through ingestion or contact with their exoskeleton. You can purchase the compound at most home goods stores. Be sure that the boric acid is hidden out of reach of children and pets.

Roach Ball Recipe

This recipe takes the boric acid solution to the next level.

Mix:

1 cup borax

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

Mix the ingredients into a paste and roll the paste into little balls. Place two or three balls into a sandwich –size plastic bag and leave the bag open. Then place the bag anywhere you have a roach problem. The roaches will eat the balls and carry them away. They will die out of sight, other roaches will eat the carcass, ingest the poison, and so on. This recipe makes about 50 balls for 10 applications. Make sure to hide the bags carefully so that they are out of reach of children and pets.

Get a Gecko

This idea may seem a little wacky, but it has proven to work. Purchase a gecko at a local pet store and let it loose in the house. Geckos naturally eat roaches and will get rid of the problem pretty quickly. Once the roach population dwindles, the gecko will start to hang out in the open. When the roaches are gone, keep your new pet in an appropriate tank and feed them crickets daily.

If you need professional help, TalkLocal will connect you to up to three reliable pest control professionals in you area in minutes!

Posted in Pest Control | 1 Comment »

Will Moving Companies Move Liquor?

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

Are you in the process of moving to a new home or apartment? Do you happen to have a stash of aged whiskey or imported rum that you don’t want to move by yourself? Will moving companies move liquor for you? Well, moving liquor is not an item specifically listed on most moving company’s service descriptions. But you may be able to find a moving company that is willing to move alcoholic beverages.

Federal Law states that moving companies are prohibited from transporting alcoholic beverages. This is partly due to the fact that alcoholic liquids are highly flammable and can cause excessive damage.

Will Moving Companies Move Liquor?

However, after speaking to several moving companies in the area, the majority said that they would move alcoholic beverages as long as they are already boxed up. Moving companies are not allowed to open up boxes. Make sure the bottles are packed securely and safely though. If the bottles happen to break, the moving company may or may not report you to the authorities depending on how strict they are. In more extreme cases, the liquids from the broken bottles can cause a fire. Furthermore, another company that I contacted stated that if the bottles were not packed they would simply pack the bottles for an additional charge.

After getting in touch with several moving companies in my area, I highly recommend getting in contact with the moving company you are using to find out if they will move alcoholic beverages for you, as company policy may vary from company to company.

Additional Help

If you are still unsure about whether or not your alcoholic beverages can be moved, or if you would like to speak with a professional moving company in your area, use TalkLocal. We will connect you with up to three professionals in your area in just minutes, who will be available when you need them.

Posted in Moving and Storage | No Comments »

Stop Your Neighbor from Using Your Wireless Network

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013

The fact that someone else is tapping into your wireless network can pose a serious problem. Your neighbor not only has the capacity to slow your internet connection by stealing bandwidth, but even possess the potential to steal your passwords if you are using an insecure network. Here are some tips to stop your neighbor from using your wireless network.

Change Your Wireless Router Settings

You have the capacity to set the list of trusted “MAC” addresses that can connect to your router and get into your wireless network. MAC addresses are unique addresses possessed by every network card used to connect to the internet.

Once you set the list, any other network card that is not listed will be blocked from joining the network. Follow the steps in this guide on how to set the list of MAC addresses:

The steps may differ depending on the kind of router you have, but these are general. You will need to know the IP address of your wireless router as well as how to find the MAC addresses of the network cards that you own/approve on your network.

Your Router’s IP Address

This is the default IP address. Although it may differ depending on the type of router you have, it is typically for most networks.

How to check the MAC address of a network adapter

1. Click on the Windows Start Button.

2. On the “search programs and files” bar, put “Run” and press enter.

3. A small screen should come up. Type “cmd” and press enter to open command.

4. Type “ipconfig /all” to list your network card information.

5. Locate your Physical Address. This is your MAC address.

How to Set the List of MAC addresses on your Router

1. Open any web browser and enter the IP address of your wireless router.

2. A Login window should appear. Login using your administrator account.

3. Click on Advanced Settings.

4. Click on MAC address Filter/Filtering.

5. Configure the list of MAC addresses to fit your intentions.

6. Save your settings.

You can find more specific directions depending on your type of router at this link:

http://wintelguy.com/2010/20101024_mac_filter.html

Additional Help

Seek help from a professional if the above recommendations do not resolve the issue.

TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local expert to fix your issue quickly, which saves you time and energy in a stressful situation.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

Why is my Dog Limping?

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

Why is My Dog Limping?

Have you started to notice that your dog is limping, either occasionally or constantly? There are many factors, causes, and explanations for why your pup may be injured, and here’s what you can do to figure it out.

Causes

Factors leading to limping can include the age of your dog, the amount of walking/exercise your dog sees daily, their health, the ground they are walking on, etc. If you see that the limping comes and goes or that it gets gradually worse, there could be a few different explanations.

If your dog is older, arthritis and aching joints may be a cause of the limping. If you notice pain in the wrist, elbow, shoulder of a front leg, ankle, knee, or hip of a hind leg, this may result in discomfort all the way down through the leg and explain the limping.You should also examine your dog’s limbs for other possible sources of the problem.

Examining your dog

Look at your dogs paws and toes. A bleeding cut, thorn, shard of glass stuck in their paw, or a split toenail, can be very painful and may explain the limping. A cracked or split nail may be a problem because they can often expose the nerves and/or sensitive tissue in the dog’s feet that make it very painful to put weight on that foot. Your dog may even have a fractured or broken toe or foot. If you examine the webbing between their toes as well, you may come across a tear or embedded piece of glass or rock causing discomfort. In these cases, you may be able to help by simply removing the object. In other cases, a more serious condition may require a visit to the vet.

In other more serious cases, a disease or development problem may have resulted in the limping of your pet. There may be problems with their leg nerves, ligaments, or even partial paralysis.

Professional Help

If you have tried home remedies to no avail, or believe that there may be a more serious problem with your dog, try using TalkLocal to locate a veterinarian immediately. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable professionals in your neighborhood, within minutes. Simply enter in your specific problem, location and availability and TalkLocal will contact multiple vets, who will then call YOU directly, ready to help.

Posted in Veterinarians | No Comments »

Gateway Touchpad Replacement

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

Since Gateway touchpads are delicate items, misuse of the touchpad or even just normal wear and tear can cause the touchpad to malfunction. For some people, it may be easier just to replace the Gateway touchpad rather than the whole computer. Warning: The process of replacing the touchpad is somewhat complicated, and you should be very careful in handling laptop parts. If you feel uncomfortable at any point during your Gateway touchpad replacement, TalkLocal can connect you to a trained IT professional to help you with this task.

Disassembling Your Laptop:

At this point, you need to remove the LCD display by disconnecting the four screws beneath the display and then remove four more screws near the center of the top cover. This will allow you to disconnect the blue and white cable connecting the touchpad to the motherboard. You now should be able to pull the top cover off the motherboard and replace it with your new touchpad. Ensure that you reassemble the laptop in the same way it was disassembled.

Once again, if you feel the least bit uncomfortable disassembling and reassembling your laptop, visit TalkLocal right now to find you a local computer repair professional to assist you within minutes. We will connect you with up to three local professionals who will be able to help you.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

System CMOS Checksum Error

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

There are many errors you can get while starting up a computer. One of the more common errors you might encounter is the infamous System CMOS checksum error. However, while this error might be extremely frustrating, there are fortunately only a couple of problems that can cause this error, all of which are easily solved.

What does this error mean?

A checksum is a value stored in the CMOS memory in order to guard your computer’s BIOS software. Every time you boot up your computer, the current value is checked against the stored value to detect whether or not the BIOS was changed. If these two values are the same, the computer boots normally. However, when these two values differ, the system flags it as a CMOS Checksum error.

What can cause this error?

There are usually 3 main reasons for the System CMOS checksum bad error:

How can I fix this error?

If a user or virus updated the BIOS:

At boot, go into the BIOS screen by pressing del or F2 or the specific key combination designated by the motherboard (it should be displayed on the boot screen). Reset the BIOS settings back to default while checking that the date and time are correct. Afterwards, make sure to run a virus scan to ensure that a virus didn’t cause the error and the BIOS settings are still correct.

If the CMOS battery expired or isn’t functioning:

If you suspect this is the error, the battery can be easily changed. Before actually making any hardware changes, reboot the computer to ensure that the error still exists. Make sure to write down all the CMOS settings (if you lose them, you can obtain them from your computer manufacturer). Using the motherboard’s tech manual, locate the battery and remove it. Afterwards, replace it with a new battery with the same specifications (voltage and size) and reenter the CMOS settings.

If the computer was not shut down properly:

Make sure the computer shuts down completely before turning off the main power by going to the Start Menu and clicking Shut Down.

At any point, if you ever feel uncomfortable working with your computer or would rather have a trained IT professional do the repairs, you can always use TalkLocal to find a computer technician right now! We’ll connect you with up to three technicians in your area who can help you when you need it.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

List of Tax Deductible Expenses

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013

The list of common tax deductible expenses discussed below should help you as you face the income tax hurdle this year. As figuring out your taxes gets harder and harder, we all need more go-to information to cut our tax bills. Recognizing tax deductible expenses is essential as we gather information to reduce the amount we pay in taxes. Here are some areas that may give you ideas for tax deductions.

Health and Family Expenses

Education expense deductions can be significant if you have a family with a number of children. Make sure to include any interest on student loans along with the typical expenses such as travel, books and supplies, and other college related expenses. In addition, families can receive tax deductions on items such as childcare costs, child tax credits and costs relating to adoption. Also, if your medical/dental expenses are greater than 7.5% of your gross AGI, you can include them in tax deductions.

Losses from Investments

Log on to your account online and print off the 1099-B form. This will give you the breakdown of any losses from stocks, mutual funds, and any other investments you may be involved with.

Real Estate

If you are a first-time homeowner – congratulations! Use the 5405 form to get a big tax break. If you have been a homeowner for a while, get the amount of property taxes you paid during the year from your escrow company. With so many people updating their energy usage at home, you can also take advantage of the home energy improvement tokens.

Retirement

Contributions to your SEP, IRA, and traditional retirement investments are tax deductible. Check out your payroll and W2 to see if some of your retirement investments are already being factored in.

Personal Property and Vehicles

If you have already paid off taxes for personal property or have spent money on registration fees for your vehicle, these expenses can sometimes be applied for tax deductions, depending on the state where you live.

More Help

There are income tax computer programs on the market that can help you double-check your list of tax deductible expenses by pinpointing tax deductions as you answer a series of questions.

Additional Help

If you would like help with anything tax-related or would like to make sure you are preparing your taxes correctly, check out TalkLocal. You will be connected directly to professional accountants right in your area who can help you at a time that is most convenient for your schedule.

Posted in Accountants | No Comments »

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