Setting Up a Warm, Cozy Lounge Spot for Your Pet for the Cold Season

Just like us, humans, cats and dogs are also vulnerable to extreme cold, especially during winter season. And it is fair and just that you should give them a nice, warm spot to take refuge as the cool breeze lingers on.

Forget about taking your pets outside. And don’t even think about leaving them out in the cold. To tell you the truth, that’s not “COOL”! (Pun intended)

Better yet, go and set up a sweet spot that’s warm enough to accommodate your furry little friends this frosty season. Here are some easy tips and steps:

Prepare your pet’s indoor sanctuary

First thing to do is to prepare the necessary stuff to use in setting up a temporary shelter for your pet. This includes a pet basket furnished with a pet throw or an old quilt, toys, feeding dishes and drinking bowl. If you happen to have an outside shelter for your pet, you might also want to spruce it up in case your 4-legged companions prefer to stay outdoors for a while after a nice, short cold walk. Install proper insulation if needed. In addition, be mindful that it is still best to let your pets slack off in your humble abode for a few weeks or so – or at least until the ice melts – to keep them warm.

Spot near by the fireplace, in the garage or in the basement

Make sure to set up the “pet lounge” in an area where warmth is adequate to keep them cozy and snug. Moreover, the garage can also be a perfect spot for your dog/cat to spend the entire winter, provided that their lounge should have a safe distance away from any vehicular or tool hazards.

As for using the basement, it is suggested that before pimping your underground space, you must ensure that there’s a pet flap installed onto the door to prevent incidents of pets getting trapped downstairs.

Get them pet sweaters and jackets

Because their own fur, and even when cloaked with their favorite pet cover, is still not enough to block off the intense cold. Besides, it seems that most pet owners nowadays are fond of dressing up their k-9s and feline friends. So, might as well put something functional on them to maintain and regulate their body temperature. Additionally, it is better for your pets to wear booties to protect their paws from snow and salt when taking a walk.

Keep the drapes open during daytime

Get the most out of the daytime by keeping the drapes and window curtains open, especially when there’s enough sunlight to fight off frigid winter gust. For most house pets, it is quite automatic for them to follow the sun’s path by the window, so it is also advised to set up your pet’s lounge anywhere near glassed hole.

Finally, make sure to always keep an eye on your cuddly pets, as they tend to become uneasy, especially if it’s their first time to stay indoors for a stretched amount of time. Check their temperature regularly and yes, an occasional belly rub helps a lot in giving your pets comfort.

Time to Tune-Up Your Snowmobile!

Cold season is here! No wonder quite a number of people have been too busy caving into their own backyard parking and garages getting their winter beast all warmed up and ready for the ice build up… Err, snowmobile, that is.

But hold your tauntauns for a sec! Just before taking of the snowmobile cover and kickstarting the good ol’ winter warrior, you must see to it that everything is all prepped and checked. Remember, your snow vehicle just woke up from a long hibernation so relatively, your “sled” still in the state of “atrophy”. Doing otherwise will only cause you some unexpected engine troubles that eventually lead to an avalanche of expenses.

Is your snowmobile ready to hit the cold?

To save yourself the hassles and embarrassments while giving you a solid snow-riding experience, here are some tips on tuning up your snowmobile for the season!

Rely on your user’s manual

Before checking up on any part of your snowmobile, it is highly advisable to rely on your user’s manual for tune up instructions and steps. This will apply greatly to those rookie riders. This is to avoid unnecessary alterations and tweaking that may cause serious damage to your snowmobile overtime. It is also fine to call a serviceman to facilitate the tune-up in case you’re not yet familiar with the parts of the sled.

All lubed up

Ensure the oil level of the snowmobile if it’s still sitting on the right level. In addition, you may also want to inspect the viscosity and the color of the oil if it is still applicable for use. If the oil filter needs to be replaced, then please do so. Same goes with the oil pump, as these components maintains the integrity of the oil and distributes it to the engine’s most part for lubrication, respectively.

Tank and carb clean

And since you’ve stockpile your sled for nearly a year, it is also a-must to check and replace the gas inside the tank. Gas tends to accumulate varnish and other chemical residue that can and will block of your carburetor’s jets. Speaking of which, this also goes with maintaining your snowmobile’s carburetor. A clean tank and carburetor not only will give you a smooth ride, it will also promote the fuel efficiency of your ride.

Keep it cool

Just because it’s snowing, it doesn’t mean your snowmobile’s engine will be invulnerable to overheating. That’s why it is still advisable to add coolant to engine’s radiator. If it requires water as well, then don’t think twice about pouring some on it.

Chain, chain, chain!

Aside from checking the chain case’s oil level, you must ensure its calibration if it has the right tension, wear as well as the condition of the components that go with it. This also goes well with the track and belts.

Full charge

Battery, that is. As said earlier, your ride has been out for a long season of hibernation. This equates to idled battery, which can be discharged even when not in use. Especially when connected to the vehicle even when not in use. It is best to check the charge level of the battery.

Spark of connection

Spark plugs are essential for delivering electric current to produce electric current to ignite the fuel, which is responsible for producing power to your snowmobile. That’s why practically all mechanics always recommend to change spark plugs every once in a while. As for usage in snowmobiles, it is advisable to change every season of usage.

Brakes and lightings

Last but not the least, and probably the most important thing to inspect are the functions and condition of the brakes and lightings. Like other vehicles, these integral parts and elements should be well-maintained to ensure safety and to further prevent vehicle-related accidents.

Once you’ve checked all of these, you’re now ready to mount and hit the snow!

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Moreover, visit Formosa Covers’ official website to check out our line of vehicle covers including for snowmobiles!

Patio Umbrella Maintenance This Cold Season

Patio umbrellas are there to keep us refreshed and protected from the sun’s UV rays and scourching heat as you chill by the backyard. On the other hand, rain, snow and cold season is a different story altogether. And since it’s starting to feel a bit chilly, looks like you won’t be needing much of a shade anytime soon.

Protect your patio furniture investments with Formosa Covers

And since your umbrella will be on a season-long hibernation inside its umbrella cover, you may want to clean up as well before closing it and zipping it off until spring comes. So, to help you prep up your umbrella before sending it off to a long vacay, here are some maintenance pointers:

Wipe ‘N Wash

Outdoor umbrellas are obviously vulnerable to practically all kinds of dirt. And this includes dust particles, eroded earth, leaves, tree sap, fruit nectars, bird droppings and insect leavings. This accumulation of nasty stuff may and can leave unwanted damage to your umbrella if left overtime. To avoid this, the first thing you need to do is to wipe off the frame of the umbrella – including the ribs and finial – using a smooth cloth. Never use towel or any rough, abrasive cloth for cleaning, as it may leave noticeable scratches. Regardless if the frame is made of aluminum or wood, make sure to place it on a rubber matting when laying it down on your garage driveway to prevent any unwanted scratches when dusting.

Easy on the soap and chemicals

On a normal basis, cleaning patio umbrellas can be done using water, alone, although in some cases, the need to use soaps, cleansers and other chemical-based cleaning agents is required to effectively wash off hardened dirt patches and stains coming from sap and droppings. These cleansers may do damage to your umbrella such as discoloration, detergent staining and tarnishing. For detachable covers, if you wish to use machine washers (industrial grade laundry-mats), you may do so, provided that you’ll use mild soap. In relation, when using these cleaning agents, make sure to thoroughly rinse the umbrella’s frame, then wipe it dry using a soft cloth. As for the fabric covers, it is advisable to leave it for a while to drying it out completely.

Everyday is not always a sunny day

As said earlier, patio umbrellas are not built to withstand rain and other harsh conditions. Come bad weather or snow/cold season, it is recommended to store the umbrella in upright position for the time being. Also, when safekeeping, make sure that the umbrella is in “DEADLOCK” to prevent it from opening accidentally.

Finally, once your patio umbrella is all prepped up, encase it in a resilient umbrella cover to shield it off from insects, pests and dirt accumulation.

And what better way to do it than to protect your investment using Formosa Covers Patio Umbrella Covers, right? Visit the official site to check out wide range of furniture, car and pet seat covers.

Why The Need to Cover Your Air Conditioning System

There has been a long clash of expertise between seasoned air conditioning maintenance specialists, as to whether or not you should cover our air conditioning system’s outside unit, especially during the cold season. Some say YES because it protects the condenser from elements and dirt particles, while others say NO because it will accumulate moisture from the inside.

So to answer this once and for all, here are some key points to consider and the proper way to cover your air conditioning unit:

Air conditioner covers act as shield against elements and harsh weather

Air conditioner covers are made from the finest heavy-duty water repellent fabric materials like denier polyester to ensure the mint condition of your home cooling system by preventing it from being weather-beaten. So much for accumulated ice that will eventually melt and may “flood” and damage your unit’s inner components, snow water may also cause rust, wire deterioration, freezing of mechanism or worse, short circuit.

In addition, aircon covers deter other dirt elements and substances that may damage its metal casing, and even the inside mechanism once these damaging agents enter through the grills, such as tree branches, leaves, dust, eroded earth, even animal droppings. Quite nasty, right?

Cover it. But don’t leave it entirely there!

It is very important to take note of this. For one thing, your air conditioning unit releases heat accumulated by the compressor and condenser. This becomes an instant VIP access to rodents, insects and other animals lurking around the area to find warmth. What’s more, leaving the cover entirely could cause moisture to be trapped, and cause condensation which may also damage the internal components of the air conditioner.

To avoid such occurrence, just make it a point to take off the cover every once in a while, especially during daytime, and it’s not that snowy. During the summer, you may want to keep your covers for a while, as it won’t be any much of a need during this season. As a stand-in, you may instead put plywood on top of the unit during the day, and dress it by night time.  This will also allow the condenser and the compressor to “breathe”.

YES or NO?

The final verdict? Yes, it is still recommended to use a trusty cover to retain your air conditioning system’s cosmetics and overall working form, provided that owners have to take into consideration the status of the weather and the general condition of your location according to seasons. Moreover, they also need to know the right time and circumstance to strip off the unit from its cover.

Most aircon experts would probably dispute this, as they’ll say it is not really necessary to put a cover to your unit because the components are made from impervious materials. For us, we beg to disagree, because our bottomline is: It is in our best interest to protect and prolong the longevity of your air conditioning system. And these heavy-duty outdoor covers by Formosa guarantees total protection for your home and leisure investments to ensure convenience and carefree living.