Lewis Maclean - December 2019
DECEMBER 2019
Healthier Home Clean Air Makes for a
Over the past couple of months, we’ve gotten many great responses for our furnace giveaway. As you may recall, we reached out to our many customers to tell us about a deserving family in the community who is in need of a new furnace. The submission deadline was Nov. 30. Right now, we’re reading through the applications and narrowing it down. With so many touching stories, it hasn’t been easy, but we hope to have a decision very soon. We’ll keep you posted! As we all know, going into winter without a reliable source of heat is a huge challenge, and no family should go without heat. But sometimes, restoring heat or efficiency is just a matter of calling the right people to take a look at your boiler or furnace. Many people hold off on that call because they don’t want to deal with a big bill — they worry that they’ll have to replace the whole unit — but that often isn’t the case. It usually comes down to performing a little routine maintenance (and no, it’s not too late for winter maintenance). Going into the winter, heat and comfort aren’t the only things homeowners need to worry about. Indoor air quality can be just as important. During the winter months, air inside the home can become stale. At the same time, many homeowners supplement their whole home heating system with a fireplace or stove. While these can be a good source of heat, albeit not the most efficient, they can introduce particulates into the air. These particulates mix in with the dust and dander that may already be present, which can degrade your indoor air quality further.
your home’s air is clean. A good filtration system helps reduce allergens and germs, which can reduce illness and help holiday guests feel more comfortable. Of course, finding the right filter for your home can be the hard part. Many homeowners are familiar with their HVAC system’s air filter. It’s something that most people replace periodically, and it may be accessible through a wall vent leading to the system or accessed directly in the furnace. Some homes may even have a dedicated filtration system. There are a number of different filters on the market that can be fitted into your HVAC system, such as fibreglass, pleated media, HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air), and reusable filters. Fibreglass filters generally trap larger particles and aren’t necessarily designed to clean the air. Small particles like fine dust and dander, along with mites and germs, often slip through and filter back into the home’s air. Pleated media filters are generally better at capturing smaller particles (though this can vary by brand and style). HEPA filters, however, are designed specifically to capture small particles as well as germs and mold. They can help create a healthier air environment within the home and can be ideal for anyone who suffers with allergies. These are ideal for anyone who suffers with allergies. In addition to HEPA filters, there are also activated carbon filters that are more effective at trapping odours, gases, and other airborne pollutants. Ultraviolet (UV) filtration is yet another option. UV air purifiers are typically used alongside other types of air filters because they are not designed to reduce airborne particles (though you can get dual filters that do). Instead, these use UV light to kill viruses and bacteria that may be in the air. These are great during cold and flu season, and can also be ideal for anyone who may have a compromised immune system. While there are other types of filters on the market, these are among the most common. Clean air in the home is another great way to live a healthier lifestyle. It’s one less thing you and your family have to think about — and during the holidays, we can all use one less thing to think about! As always, if you have questions about installing new air filters or you need to schedule someone to come out and take a look at your furnace or boiler, we’re standing by the phone, 24/7, ready to take care of all of your heating, cooling, plumbing, or drainage needs.
As the year comes to an end, we hope it’s been a good one! From all of us at Lewis MacLean Plumbing & Heating, happy holidays and have a wonderful New Year!
1 604-532-9625 • –Tyler Dillon
During the cold and flu season, and during the holidays, it’s even more important to make sure
Howto Build the Perfect Snowman (According to Science)
Merry & Bright
A BRIEF HISTORY OF STRING LIGHTS
If you’re lucky enough to get a good snow day this year, building a snowman is a
No matter which holidays you celebrate this season, you likely decorate your home, trees, and other displays with string lights. These strands of lights have come a long way since their invention in the 19th century. In 1880, after Thomas Edison developed an incandescent lightbulb that was easier to widely manufacture, he wanted to get it to the masses. As the holiday season of 1880 approached, Edison strung together a series of bulbs and draped them around his lab in Menlo Park, New Jersey, so people on passing trains could admire this new, vibrant wonder. The idea was slow to take off. Two years later, Edward Hibberd Johnson, a close associate of Edison, took the idea further. In his New York City home, Johnson decorated a Christmas tree with electric lights, making it the first electrically lit tree in history. Insurance companies were a major force behind the electric light craze. At the beginning of the 20th century, many families were still decorating their trees and homes with candles. Insurance companies decided that if your home caught fire and an open flame was the culprit, you were not covered and would not receive compensation. Most people at the time decorated with garlands and ornaments, and only the wealthy made the transition to electric string lights. According to History Matters and Appalachian State University, a string of Edison miniature lamps cost $12 USD in 1900. That’s the equivalent of about $300 USD today. It was also in 1900 that the first advertisement for the string lights went to print. The ad was published in Scientific American Magazine and suggested that you rent a string of lights rather than buy them. That way, more people could afford the lights and wouldn’t have to worry about storage after the holiday season. Over the decades, more people bought (and rented) electric tree lights. By 1925, there were 15 companies in the electric tree light business. They even got together to form the NOMA Electric Corporation, which may have helped these companies survive the Great Depression and World War II. Since then, the lights we use to decorate our trees and homes have taken many shapes and sizes. Today, energy-efficient LED lights are among the most common varieties.
great way to spend it. That said, building a snowman isn’t all fun and games. It’s hard work, and you want to make sure the end result is worth the sore legs and soggy pants. Here are some science-backed strategies for building the perfect snowman.
Choose the Right Snow Snow is your artistic medium, so make sure you have the right material for your
project. Yes, there is a wrong kind of snow to use when building a snowman. You want the snow to be moist enough that it packs well but not so slushy that it collapses under pressure. The ideal snow for building your masterpiece is freshly fallen snow when the temperature is around 32 degrees F. If the snow isn’t quite right, you can moisten it a little by spraying water on it. Location Is Everything Before you start stacking your snowman, pick the right location for it to hang out. Asphalt will heat up faster, so stick Frosty on a grassy lawn. If you can find a place that will be in the shade when the sun comes out, all the better. Pay Attention to Proportion As you roll the snowballs to form the head and body pieces, keep proportions in mind. This is important for the visual aesthetic of your snowman and overall stability. Mathematician Dr. James Hind from Nottingham Trent University developed a formula for building the perfect snowman. He recommended that a snowman be 64 inches tall, while the sections of the snowman should be 31 inches in diameter for the base, 20 inches in diameter for the middle, and 12 inches in diameter for the head. Once your snowman is built, science has just one rule for decorating: Have fun. Grab a scarf and a top hat, a carrot nose and radish eyes, or a fancy bow tie. Building the perfect snowman means building a snowman that will make you smile when you see it.
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Germ Warfare How to Combat Germs During the Season of Sickness
No one likes to get sick, so it can be uncomfortable to be around people with colds or flu-like symptoms. And we certainly don’t want to expose others to our illness if we’re sick, but most people can’t just lock themselves into their homes for days on end. Luckily, there are a few practical steps we can take to keep ourselves from getting sick. Use disinfectant. Around every home, office, school, or place where people congregate, there are countless places for germs to hide. Handles and doorknobs are prime real estate: doors, drawers, cabinets, the coffee pot, you name it. On top of these surfaces, you also have keyboards, mice, phones, and buttons on the printer and copier. The easiest way to keep these and all surfaces clean? Disinfectant wipes. During flu season (or when someone clearly has a cold), wipe down these surfaces twice a day or more. It may seem excessive at first, but the more you disinfect with vigilance, the less likely the illness will spread. Stay home. If you are sick, avoid going to work or engaging in social gatherings. While it can be hard to miss work, even a single day of rest can make a huge difference in overcoming a cold. Office managers also need to recognize the need for team members to take time off to recuperate. After all, if one person is sick and at work, germs will spread. When that happens, productivity doesn’t
just take a hit, it’s obliterated. If you have social gatherings planned and you’re under the weather, you may need to skip it — or postpone it, if possible.
Wash your hands. You’ve heard this time and time again, but it’s worth
repeating. There are still too many people who haven’t gotten into this important habit. Washing your hands with hot, soapy water takes no more than 30 seconds and can save you
a week or two of misery down the road. It’s one of the most effective ways to reduce exposure to germs and the spread of illness. Make it a ritual, and if necessary, put up notes to remind others to do the same. What else can you do? Consider setting a sanitation station (or a few) around your home or workplace. Include hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and tissues. Keep stations reliably stocked. Make it easy for everyone to combat germs and stay healthy during the season of sickness.
POTATO LATKES
INGREDIENTS
• 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed • 1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters • 2 large eggs • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp kosher salt • 1 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp black pepper • Safflower or vegetable oil, for frying
DIRECTIONS
1. Using either a food processor with a coarse grating disc or the coarse side of a box grater, grate potatoes and onion. (If using a food processor, halve or quarter potatoes.) Once grated, wrap in a clean dish towel or cheesecloth to wring out as much moisture as possible. 2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in eggs, flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper. 3. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan containing 1/4-inch of oil over medium-high heat. Use a heaping tablespoon to drop batter into the hot pan, working in batches. Use a spatula or spoon to form them into discs. Fry about 5 minutes per side, until deeply browned. 4. Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack to drain, and serve alongside applesauce and sour cream.
HOLIDAYS FLURRY FROZEN PENGUIN
WREATH SNOWFLAKE
COOKIES ORNAMENTS REINDEER STOCKINGS
WINTER SLEIGH
Inspired by The New York Times
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THIS ISSUE
Clean Air Is Healthy Air Build a Snowman With Science! A Brief History of String Lights 3 Ways to Combat Germs During the Cold and Flu Season Potato Latkes Get to Know Some of Curling’s Best Athletes
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Royal Rinks
CURLING ATHLETES EVERY FAN SHOULD KNOW
Every four years, as some of the world’s best Olympic athletes battle for gold medals, the world falls in love with curling. Curling originated in 16th-century Scotland and is most popular in Canada, where many Scots immigrated. Now, 480 years after the first recorded instance of curling occurred on a frozen pond in Scotland, many devotees have left their mark on the sport’s history. These are just a few of the greats. Roy Thiessen Choosing only one devoted coach to highlight is difficult, but it must be Roy Thiessen. Roy coached championship teams — or rinks, as they are called in curling — at both provincial and national levels. His expertise led him to chair the first Saskatchewan Summer Games in 1972, the World Junior Men’s Curling Championships in 1979, and the World Ladies’ Curling Championships in 1983. Budding athletes can learn all of Roy’s secrets and the fundamentals of curling in the numerous books he wrote. Harvey Mazinke Curling Team In 1973, Canada held its collective breath as the Harvey Mazinke Curling Team took their final shot in a world championship match against Sweden. The rock ultimately failed to reach the rings, crowning Sweden as world champions and snapping the 10-0 record Harvey Mazinke had built during a week of competition.
But regardless of that final score, Harvey Mazinke’s impact on the sport was not diminished. The team was crowned the Canadian
Men’s Curling Champions in 1973, and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame recognizes them as “ambassadors to the game.” Joyce McKee Curling Team
Without Joyce McKee, Sylvia Fedoruk, Donna Belding, and Muriel Coben, the Canadian Ladies Curling Association Championship, now called the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, would have never become the nationally recognized organization it is today. The aforementioned women were part of the Joyce McKee rink and were the first winners of the championship in 1960. Their style, play, and knowledge propelled women’s curling into the leagues of men’s competitions, proving that women could compete at just as high of a level as their male peers. To this day, the Joyce McKee rink’s accuracy is unparalleled. If you can’t wait another two years before curling hits centre stage at the Winter Olympics, check out the podcast “Curling Legends” to get your fix of curling greatness.
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