Sunday, April 10, 2011

How to Dispose of a Mercury Thermometer

I just replaced a mercury-based thermostat in my house. Mercury is common in older, non-digital thermostats. Mine is Honeywell and is made in the shape of a circle. The mercury is in a small glass tube with three wires attached. Mercury can be quite dangerous and needs to be handled carefully. Fortunately, my local Natick Health Department accepts mercury thermostats for proper disposal and even offers a free digital thermostat in exchange. From what I've read, most local governments will accept mercury-based thermostats for disposal like Natick.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Grubs

It seems that April is the start of the lawn care season in New England. I purchased my first two installments of fertilizer over the weekend and also purchased two 40 lb. bags of lime since soil here tends to be more acidic than grass likes. I think I'll also need to spread a grub control product. From what I've heard, grubs are a common problem here in New England and I've seen at least one spot of lawn damage that I can't otherwise explain. That UConn article says that June is about the best time to apply a chemical treatment and recommends watering before (to bring grubs to the surface) and after (to draw the chemical down to the grubs) application to maximize effectiveness.