How to Choose Your Home Cleaning Products

Oftentimes, when it comes to household goods, what we see on TV directly translates to what we buy at the store.  Advertising is a powerful thing, and it entices us to buy things, even if they aren’t necessarily the right products for us.

If, for example, an ad for a cleaning product claims that it is the best laundry detergent or stain remover available, we tend to go ahead and purchase that particular brand without closer evaluating its capabilities.  Sometimes, this is fine, but unfortunately, there are more instances in which we fall prey to marketing and purchase things before we’ve researched them.

So, to help you get past the marketing hype when it comes to buying your house cleaning products, consider these tips before your next run to the store…

• Make sure it is effective. What’s the use of buying a cleaning product if it doesn’t do its job? Do some research by going online and looking at forums or independent reviews to obtain first hand information on how users rank a given product. You might even come across information that directly compares similar products for an easy reference.
• Make sure it gives you value for your money. In most cases, just because a product is cheaper doesn’t mean it’s a better value.  Cheaper brands tend to not work as effectively, and you actually end up using more than you normally would with a more expensive, yet more effective product. Buying in bulk is also a great way to get more bang for you buck because you can usually get a discount.
• Make sure the product is eco-friendly. You may be keeping your house clean, but are you making the rest of the world dirtier?  You no longer have to choose between eco-friendly and powerful because there are now a number of eco-friendly products that are just as efficient as the artificial chemical ones.  Since you have plenty of options, think of the welfare of our environment the next time you purchase your cleaning products.
• Make sure it will last a long time. Check the expiration date on the product label and determine if you will be able to use it within that time period, given your cleaning schedule or laundry load.  Choosing a product with a longer shelf life will give you more value for your money and you won’t find yourself throwing out half full bottles of cleaning solution.
• Make sure you feel comfortable using it. Some cleaning products are too complicated and require tools to use. When you need something fast and convenient, double check the instructions first.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031

Peripheral Energy Cuts Power Cost At Oklahoma Tower

Operating a building can be very expensive, namely the use of electricity being a huge expense. However, for Steve McKinney, President of Peripheral Energy, it is now possible to cut the cost of power in the building thanks to new technology that can save at least 6 percent overall of the building’s electricity bill. The Oklahoma Tower is now enjoying a reduction of $2,300 a month in energy bills.

The KVAR Energy Controllers used by the Peripheral Energy Company works by using a capacitor technology, making the motors run more effectively. In turn, power factor or the amount of electricity that is used is also increased. McKinney indicated that the company is optimizing the motors so they will have an extended life and will be able to cut electrical demand. About three years is the estimated time for the equipment to pay itself off.

Eric Starns, Property Manager for Grubb & Ellis-Levy Beffort, said that the Oklahoma Tower exceeded the normal repayment time. In fact, nine months later, it’s already paid off. The new technology by Peripheral Energy was applied to their seven motors therefore reducing electricity costs last summer despite high temperatures, which causes the building to use more power. For Starns, the new power-saving equipment has increased the power factor of their seven motors to at least 98 percent.

Right now, Peripheral Energy has cut down energy costs to other buildings such as Kickapoo Casino in Shawnee and Linn Energy in Canadian County. Kickapoo Casino has cut down their electricity costs by $2,000 while Linn Energy moved from $5,100 energy costs to $2,100.

Jennifer Fields
Oklahoma City & Edmond Real Estate Agent
405.330.0031