B10
HOME & GARDEN
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Greenshoot Media
Adding a water feature to your yard or patio adds a cooling, relaxing element to
your environment.
Building a
water feature
Greenshoot Media
Adding a water feature to your yard
or patio adds a cooling, relaxing ele-
ment to your environment.
It can serve as a focal point of your
outdoor living space and also as a
pleasant scene setter for outdoor par-
ties or even just a relaxing evening
with a book. Here’s how to build your
own water feature with steps from the
DIY Network.
Pick a spot
Choose a fl at spot in your yard and
remove any existing plants, rocks and
debris. Dig out the shape of your new
pond. For a natural shape, make your
pond with rounded edges that aren’t
perfectly symmetrical.
Sand it and layer it
Once you’ve got the pool dug, add
a layer of fi ll sand that’s about an inch
or two thick. This will act as a cush-
ion for your pond linger and keep it
from tearing on rocks or other debris
in the soil. Build up the sand around
the edges to be a little bit higher and
taper it off around the sides.
Next, lay down the pond liner to
keep the pond clean. Choose a tick
liner that’s unlikely to tear but still
fl exible enough to mold to the shape of
Greenshoot Media
Make sure that the visible parts of your system are clean and free of debris.
Keeping your cool
your pond. Don’t be afraid to use more
than one piece so it doesn’t leak. Your
liner should completely cover the pond
with excess liner on all sides, up and
over the border you made with sand.
Put rocks down to pin the liner in place
and then cut it to size.
Greenshoot Media
Hotter weather means running your
air conditioner more to keep you and
your family cool inside the house. For
many families, that means more of an
expense when it comes to the utility
bills.
There are things you can do to help
minimize the expense and keep your
home and your family as cool as can
be.
Rock it
Wash off your rocks with a hose
before placing them in and around
your pond. The pond liner should be
covered with small to medium-sized
stones, with larger rocks around the
edges for contrast. Roll them into
place if you can and don’t be afraid to
fl ip them around to fi nd the best look
for your space.
HVAC maintenance
Here’s a checklist for keeping your
air conditioner running in tip-top con-
dition. Make sure that the visible parts
of your system are clean and free of
debris. Your components should have
at least two feet of clear space around
them. Regularly inspect your refriger-
ant lines for leaks. There are two lines,
typically copper, that connect your
outdoor air conditioner to the indoor
evaporator coil.
You should also regularly replace
the system’s fi lter with a high-quality
fi lter and continue to do so every 90
days. If your system as a humidifi er fi l-
ter, you could replace it at the begin-
ning of the heating system.
Another annual task to complete
is to lubricate the HVAC motor and
replace the fan belt, if needed. Clean
Put down roots
Plants around the edges of your
pond will soften the look of the stone
and bring in some color. Choose native
plants that are friendly to pollinators
and use a range of colors and sizes.
Install drip irrigation to keep your
plants healthy and watered.
Finish it up
Add a store-bought fountain and
water. Fill the pond up with water per
your pump’s instructions and keep an
eye on it to make sure it doesn’t empty
out in hotter months.
Machine
Continued from Page B1
being maneuverable in small
areas and the options for mul-
tiple attachments to handle
a wide variety of projects at
once makes the machine ideal
for tasks around the property.
The multiple attachments also
makes it easier for the home-
owner since it requires renting
out less machinery.
“This is one of those things
that not a lot of people know
Light up your summer nights with...
North River
Electric, Inc.
Brian Smith, Electrician
Dayville, OR • 541-673-0800
your condensation drain line with
bleach to keep it free of algae and
other debris, which will allow your
system to run more effi ciently.
Hiring an HVAC technician
Some local HVAC companies will
off er maintenance plans to help home-
owners take care of these regular tasks
on their own, including replacing fi l-
ters. These maintenance plans also
usually come with discounts on ser-
vice and repair. For older HVAC sys-
tems, consider having a qualifi ed tech-
nician come and check it at least twice
a year.
Call for help
Depending on your climate and
other factors, your HVAC should last
you anywhere from 10-20 years. You
should count on it needing not only
routine maintenance during that time,
but also the occasional repair. Here are
some signs that your unit needs imme-
diate attention from a pro.
• The HVAC unit is blowing warm
air in the summer.
• The system turns itself off and on
intermittently.
• There are pockets of warm and
cool air throughout your home.
• Your energy bills go up
unexpectedly.
about, but anybody can use
it,” Bryan said.
The current attachments
available for the MT52 are
a tiller, angle broom, auger,
bucket, pallet forks, jack ham-
mer, stump grinder and a
trencher.
Courtney said customers
who rented out the machine
had a great experience and
enjoyed its size, which made it
less intimidating compared to
full-sized excavators or bigger
machinery.
“It’s not intimidating. You
get into an excavator, and the
machinery in it will be intim-
idating for an average home-
owner,” Bryan said. “But this
is a small and simple machine,
and you can easily maneuver
it on any project.”
The Montagues also said
the MT52 can help a home-
owner save money.
“It’s small, it’s easy to use,
it’s easy to put on attachments
and it’s great for any project,”
Courtney said. “That machine
is something everybody can
use.”
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