January 2009

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for
reading our newsletter. We hope you have found it interesting and informative. It has been our goal to give you
sound advice on how to save energy dollars and maintain
your home.
We are now at the threshold of a new year. There is no
doubt that we are in very difficult economic times and all
of us are impacted in numerous ways. Not only has the
price of gas been an issue, but the cost of groceries, clothing, utilities, investments, savings, etc. has been impacted.
There are many expenses and activities we’ve had to move
down our list of priorities or eliminate completely.
However, do not make the mistake of letting the maintenance of your home fall too far down that list. Let’s face
it your home is probably the largest investment you will
make. Yes, it costs to keep up the day to day maintenance
and repairs, but it could cost much more if left undone until it becomes an absolute necessity. Prioritize the things
that need to be done and take them on one at a time.
This leads us to what many call the second largest investment we make - our cars.
Preventive maintenance is important to keep your car
safe. With proper care your car will last longer and some
of the possible problems can be avoided. A well-maintained car is not only safer; it’s also more economical and
produces less pollution. In addition, if the car is wellmaintained, you might get a higher price when you decide
to sell it.
In this issue of the LGN and future issues, we will be discussing some maintenance tips that should be performed
on a regular basis. Your owner’s manual usually has maintenance schedules and the frequency recommended.
Let’s begin with your tires:
Much of the following information comes from the Car
Maintenance Guide published by AAA with permission to use.
Thank you AAA.
Your tires are the only part of the car that has direct contact with the road. Tires affect your vehicle handling, ride,
braking and safety. For optimum performance, tires must
have the correct air pressure, tread depth, balance and the
vehicle must have the correct wheel alignment. Automo-
tive repair professionals should do many of these procedures because they have the proper tools and knowledge.
However, understanding these procedures will help you
feel more confident in dealing with a repair provider.
a.Air Pressure – Check the tire pressure regularly.
Most tire dealers and mechanics recommend at least
once a month. You can find the recommended tire
pressure in your owner’s manual or the driver’s side
doorjamb. Low or over inflated tire pressure can
lower your gas mileage, make your car handle poorly,
cause your tires to wear out much sooner, and even
lead to blowouts. In wet or slippery conditions, this
increases your stopping distance and could cause
your car to become less controllable.
b.Tread Depth – While you are checking the air
pressure on each tire, visually inspect the tire’s tread
and sidewall for signs of wear and road debris that
may have penetrated your tire. Although it is not
as accurate, you can check tread depth by placing
a penny in the tread of the tire. Insert the penny
upside-down (inserting President Lincoln’s head
into the tire’s tread). If President Lincoln’s entire
head is showing, it is time to replace your tires.
However, have your repair professional check the
depth with the proper gauge.
c.Wheel Balancing – Properly balanced tires help to
reduce uneven wear and extend their life. When
tires are balanced, small lead weights are attached to
the wheels to limit vibration of the tire and wheels
as they turn. Tires and wheels should be balanced
when the tires are rotated (many mechanics reco
mend every 5,000 to 6,000 miles), after putting on
new tires, after fixing a flat tire, and any other time a
tire is removed from its rim.
d.Wheel Alignment – This consists of adjusting the
angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car
maker’s specification. The purpose of these
adjustments is maximum tire life and vehicle-travel
that is straight and true. How do you know if your
wheels are out of alignment?
i. Excessive or uneven tire wear.
ii. Steering wheel pulls to the left or right.
iii. Feeling of looseness or wandering.
iv. Steering wheel vibration or shimmy.
v. Steering wheel is not centered when car is
moving straight ahead.
e.Tire Wear – Poor tire maintenance can lead to
premature tire wear, tire blowout or a flat tire.
i. Over inflation: Too much air pressure causes only the tire’s middle section to touch the road.
This creates wear primarily in the center of the
tire, and not the tire’s edges.
ii. Under inflation: Too little air pressure causes
the tire’s sides to sag and the middle section
pulls up from the road. This creates wear
primarily on both edges of the tire, but not in
the center.
iii.Tread wear on one edge of the tire: This
typically occurs when the wheels are out of
alignment.
iv. Erratic tread wear: This is often called cupping,
and may mean the wheel is out of balance, or
that the shock absorbers or ball joints need to
be replaced.
f. Tire Rotation – Tires on the front and the rear of
vehicles operate at different loads and perform
different steering and braking functions,
resulting in unequal wear patterns. To gain
maximum life and performance from your tires, it
is essential to rotate your vehicle’s tires every 6,000
miles if you drive under normal driving conditions.
In the next issues of the LGN we will cover other important tips for car maintenance.
Super Bowl Trivia:
l No network footage exists of Super Bowl I. It was
taped over, supposedly for a soap opera.
l No
Super Bowl has ever ended in a shutout. Super
Bowl VII with Miami Dolphins kicker Garo
Yepremian’s failed field goal attempt is perhaps
the most dramatic example of a near shutout. The
lowest amount of points scored in a Super Bowl is
3, put up by those same Dolphins in the previous
year’s Super Bowl, Super Bowl VI.
l Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest U.S. food
consumption day, following Thanksgiving.
l The
team to score first has won 25 of 36 Super
Bowls The team leading at the end of the third
quarter has won 31 of 36 Super Bowls. We don’t
have the statistics for any of the Super Bowls
after XXXVI.
l The
winning Super Bowl team gets the Vince
Lombardi Trophy, named for the coach of the
Green Bay Packers, who won the first two Super
Bowl games. Following his death in September
1970, the trophy was named the Vince Lombardi
Trophy, first awarded at Super Bowl V in Miami.
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is made by Tiffany, takes
72 man hours to produce, and it costs $12,500.
Quotable Quote:
“How far you go in life depends on your being tender
with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak
and strong, because someday in life you will have
been all of these.”
George Washington Carver