Homeowners are occasionally surprised at the strange things that are found inside their chimney. I shared a story several months ago about a raccoon that had made its way into the home through the chimney because the homeowner didn’t have a chimney cap. Raccoons aren’t the only creatures that make their way into the chimney …

Source: Winter is Just Around the Corner… is Your Chimney Ready to Face the Heat? –

Dan Namerow of Farryn Electric 484.316.0449 conducted a very informative session today at the Belmont Hills Library on Do I Need A Generator? There are so many options! My main takeaways; every house will have a unique requirement and make sure the installer addresses safety issues. Thanks Dan for keeping our community informed.

Summer is quickly approaching and that means party, but it also means the onset of flies. With today’s “going green” way of life, it would seem almost impossible to deter flies without the use of chemicals. That is not the case, with the help of nature and the people at www.howtogetridofstuff and www.ehow.com, there are ways to help deter flies from destroying your day outside. It should be noted that at times a method will have to be changed as the flies become accustom to the scent that is being produced to keep them away.

1. Flies do not like smoke that is why you normally do not see them around grills that are in use. Burn incense or even a candle will work. There are some citronella candles on the market that can be used for both flies and mosquitoes.

2. Place a small dish (disposable plate or bowl) of molasses and black pepper outside. Put the dish away from where you wish to entertain. The flies will be attracted to the scent and get stuck. Just throw the dish away.

3. Use herbs in your decorating. Flies do not like the scent of certain herbs, such as elder, lavender and mint. These herbs also work well in gardens and as potted plants.

4. Sprinkle Borax in the bottom of your trash cans. Not only does it deter the flies, it will also prevent them from breeding.

5. In sunny and infested areas, use potted plants of basil. Again, the flies do not like the scent of basil. The plant should be watered at the root and not on the leaves; this will produce a stronger scent.

6. Hang a pine bough. But if the bough is not available, pine oil can be used. Place a few drops on a small piece of cheesecloth and place in areas where flies tend to fly around. It should be noted that the pine oil will need to be refresh often and can become expensive.

7. Use cloves. Place either whole or ground cloves in a small cloth pouch or muslin teabag and hang in area.

8. Flies dislike citrus in all forms. Place fresh citrus peel in area where the flies are or use citrus peel dried and hung in a small cloth pouch or muslin teabag. It should be noted that you will have to rub the peels every so often to keep the scent fresh and the flies away.

9. If you are unable to use fresh basil to deter flies because of lack of sun, then use dried basil. Place basil in muslin teabag or any very fine mesh small pouch. As like with all herbs, the basil will need to be rubbed once in awhile to keep the scent strong.

10. It is often called the “water bag trick”. People are not sure why it works, but claim it does (I have personally tried both way and had no luck). Fill one quart size Ziploc bag half full with water and place in a penny. Seal the bag and place inside another quart bag and seal. Hang bag in area where the flies are. It is claimed that the flies are “panicked” by their reflection while another states that it resembles a wasp’s nest which will “scare” the flies away.