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Tick Checks and How to Remove Them by Mosquito Joe

While the weather has certainly been our friend so far this summer, the tick population has not in New Jersey. It seems like there are countless posts appearing on social media and conversations with parents finding ticks on themselves and their little ones. While this could be terrifying, our tips below will help you stay calm. After you have spotted the tick, the first step is tick removal or retrieval. You will need a good pair of tweezers for this. Clean the area around t

Before + After Home Renovations: 1940's Home in Foreclosure by Luly Bestard Melarti, AIA

KITCHEN RENOVATION : RANGE WALL This kitchen is located in a house built in the 1940’s that was in foreclosure. The couple that bought the house saw an opportunity they could not resist. Situated on a restrictive flood plane, the home's footprint could not be changed, but everything else was. The kitchen was completely redone with all new cabinets, a custom bell-shaped hood with black straps, and Sub-Zero Wolf Appliances. The kitchen feels light and airy, but is designed for

Before + After Renovation: 1940's House in Ridgewood By Luly Bestard Melarti, AIA

KITCHEN RENOVATION This kitchen is located in a 1940’s house in Ridgewood that was in need of renovation. The homeowner asked for the new kitchen to be aesthetically light and modern and to be functionally connected to the family room. It was already open to the family room, so we only had to remove one column and for it to feel entirely connected. We selected a downdraft vent that is hidden in the cabinet, instead of an island hood, to keep the opening free from obstructio

The Benefits of a Home Water Purification System By Passaic Bergen Water Softening

Access to clean drinking water is essential for healthy living as it is recommended that people drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. However, many people do not like the taste of tap water, which often leads these individuals to purchase bottled water for their home. However, purchasing bottled water can quickly become expensive. If you are looking for another way to access clean, refreshing drinking water in your home, you should consider a whole-home water purifier.

Water Villain Vs Water Hero by Cindy Dittfield

I’ve lived within 15 miles of where I was born, here in Passaic County, my entire life. I’ve grown accustomed to the taste and feel of my tap water, as most of us have. However, I must confess, the hard water’s been relentless in its pursuit to destroy almost anything and everything in its path. I speak of water as if it’s a villain and for my purpose today, it is. A Little History I left home with my suitcase in one hand and my coffee pot in the other. At the time, the coffe

What in the World is 1,4 Dioxane? By Cindy Dittfield

They say what’s old is new again. Unfortunately, today the same adage applies to our drinking water. One of the newest yet one of the oldest water offenders in our area is 1,4 dioxane. What is 1,4 Dioxane? 1,4 Dioxane is a stable clear liquid at room temperature and is easily mixed with water. Its primary use is a solvent for chemical processing and/or as a reagent for other chemicals and household goods. In other words, 1, 4 Dioxane is present in many of the household produ

Drink Up Your Water is Perfect! By Cindy Dittfield

These are the words everyone living in Northern New Jersey wants to hear; however, based on the current news, it’s getting tougher and tougher to find good water news. Our last article provided articles about issues in specific towns and suggested you take a look to see if your town was receiving any publicity about the drinking water. The message was very clear – get a free water test and put your mind at ease. The article spoke to the importance of testing your water for bo

Moving? How Hard Water Has Affected Your Home by Cindy Dittfield

Sigh...I'm about to put my lovely northern New Jersey house on the market. I've lived in my Hawthorne home for over 17 years. We’ve raised our family, celebrated many life events and have had a wonderful experience living in our home. When you're selling your home there is a list of items that one may need to take a look at before a realtor or perspective buyer walks in the door. There are many articles, posts and blogs giving advice about home staging, but for this blog, we'

PFOA – Water – Your Health by Cindy Dittfield

I read a lot of articles each day about all things water. Some days I find my muse from an article in the local paper, on my Facebook feed, or through word of mouth. However, what normally happens is as my husband reads the paper, he points out each viable article to me as I sip my coffee in the morning. The writer in me usually takes to the keys after I finish at least my first pot; however; there are times when I read about something extremely important or perhaps something

Gray is the New Black by Cindy Dittfield

I love to buy black clothing. Part of it is because black goes with everything, but also because when I’m standing in the store, and the dress I like is offered in multiple colors, I cannot decide. So, I just choose the black one. Black is a basic color and goes well with mostly everything so selection is always quick, and hopefully painless, for me. Recently, I had an ‘a-ha’ moment and thought “why am I’m replacing my clothing so often?” I noticed the blacks just were look

Winter Dryness, Softened Water and Your Wallet by Cindy Dittfield

It’s already January, and we’ve had our first dusting of snow here in Northern New Jersey. That is odd for this time of year to say the least. The precipitation may be less this year than we are used to, however, we are still experiencing cold days and even colder nights. The wintertime presents us with a much different physical environment than the summer causing a laundry list of physical hiccups that are somewhat challenging to our normal beauty routines. Namely, dry skin,

Chlorine!? Isn’t That for Pools? By Cindy Dittfield

If you don’t have a water filtration system in your home, you are, in fact, consuming some chlorine from your water. Here in Northern New Jersey, water coming from your tap has already flowed through your local water treatment plant and chlorine has been added to your drinking water. Realizing this statement may send some of our readers into a tizzy, we wanted to provide you with some pertinent information and options that will settle your nerves. Why Is Chlorine Being Added

Water Efficiency Technology - Someone Please Shake the Handle by Cindy Dittfield

How many times have you left the bathroom only to hear the toilet running? Inevitably someone in the house yells, “The toilet’s running. Please shake the handle.” Running toilets and leaking faucets are common occurrences in many households - normally it’s part and parcel of faulty toilet parts, or bad washers that need to be attended to or replaced. It’s important to insure that your toilet doesn’t run and that your faucets are leaking. If they are, you are wasting a lot of

RIP Earl – Hard Water and The Story of Mike’s Betta Fish by Cindy Dittfield

Over the years every time we’ve gone to the pet store, we inevitably come home with a Betta fish. Regardless of how old my kids get, they see them and it’s a must have. Recently, while out on a date with his girlfriend, my son, Mike, must have had a flashback and picked up a Betta fish. I suspect that “I wanna pet fish” thing doesn’t go away with age. This beautiful blue Betta was quickly named Earl and placed in one of my large clear vases on Mike’s coffee table. Earl was fl

Take Control From the Inside Out by Jodi Aishton

It’s that time of year to take control from the inside out…..inside your closet that is.  This is one area of your life that you CAN find an instant fix and get better organized in 2015! Considering this is something you do EVERY DAY, don’t you think looking and going into your closet should be more of a Zen-like relaxing experience as opposed to a daily picking up after the tornado experience? Do you look forward to looking in your closet every day? When you enter is it easy

BERGEN COUNTY MOMS