3 Wives’ Tales Proven True Mom Really Does Know Best
No one actually wants to call the heating pros to their house in the dead of winter. We all want our HVAC systems to work perfectly 100 percent of the time. Unfortunately, there are times when you need to pick up the phone, like when you wake up in the middle of the night and your home is freezing. Your heating system has failed, and you aren’t sure what to do. At Lewis MacLean, we understand this kind of situation. When it’s cold outside, all you want to do is keep your home warm and cozy, but home heating systems don’t last forever. This is why we offer annual inspections — and why we talk about them all the time. We want to make sure you aren’t waking up in the middle of the night to a freezing house! When you schedule an inspection of your heating system, our pros rely on our patented approach to diagnose potential problems with your system all while making sure you’re getting the most out of it. Here’s how our heating inspection checklist looks. THE HEATING INSPECTION CHECKLIST The Professional Approach • Check for gas leaks. • Inspect fan and air-filter assembly. • Check for proper operation of motors. • Inspect pilot light or electronic ignition. • Inspect burners. • Clean and vacuum burner area. • Visually inspect heat exchanger. • Perform carbon monoxide test. • Test gas pilot safety system. • Test safety-limit controls. • Check electric controls and wiring. • Check combustion and ventilation air supply. • Check fan belt. • Check hot-water tank. • Check for proper operation and clearances of venting system. • Check condensate line pump and secondary heat exchanger.
“Make a face like that, and it’ll stay that way forever.” You may have heard something like this from Mom’s book of wisdom. Maybe you never disputed the idea that mother knows best. But
as you grew up, it slowly became clear that hair doesn’t grow back faster and thicker if you shave it, cracking your knuckles
doesn’t cause arthritis, and gum doesn’t stay in your stomach for months after you swallow it. After a whirlwind of wives’ tales over the years, many common claims have been put under scrutiny. Wives tales have been known
as pseudoscience and blind intuition, but even as many were disproved, some surprisingly proved to hold weight. Here are three wives’ tales that have proven to be true. Garlic Cures Colds For decades, moms have professed the healing properties of garlic, suggesting it can cure colds and help the body fight sickness. It turns out they were absolutely right. Garlic has antiviral properties that strengthen the immune system and nutrients that help combat illnesses. The effects of garlic can actually be more effective than over-the-counter flu medications. Some studies show that regular consumption of raw garlic lessens the likelihood of getting a cold, so if you feel a tickle in your throat, try a clove before you open the medicine cabinet. Heartburn Means a Hairy Baby It’s hard to list wives’ tales without bringing up one about pregnancy. Many are solely based on intuition, but a few that sound odd have proven to be true. In 2007, a study done by Johns Hopkins attempted to debunk the myth that heartburn during pregnancy would mean a hairy baby at birth. Instead of proving it wrong, they found that 82 percent of women with severe heartburn during pregnancy gave birth to hairy babies. Turns out the hormones that cause heartburn in pregnant women also affect fetal hair growth. Joint Pain Predicts the Weather Did you ever look at your mom with skepticism when she would predict rain because her knees hurt? If so, you might owe your mom an apology, because there is a scientific connection. The drop in barometric pressure that’s common during storm weather causes pain in arthritic joints.
If you’re worried about your heating system or you’ve noticed a drop in efficiency and your home just isn’t being warmed like it used to, give us a call. We’ll take a look, diagnose the problem, and get you back to feeling cozy this winter!
2 • www.lewismaclean.com
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