Type of Programmable Thermostat

There are 4 basic types of programmable thermostat: 1 week, 5+2, 5-1-1 and 7 day. The most basic type of programmable thermostat has 1 program to set up. This is called a 1 week thermostat. Slightly more sophisticated is a 5+2 thermostat which offers a program for weekdays and a program for the weekend. A 5-1-1 thermostat has a program for weekdays and separate programs for Saturday and Sunday. Finally, there is a 7 day thermostat that gives the user a program for every day of the week.

Your choice of thermostat will largely depend on your schedule. If you have a standard ‘9 to 5’ job you can probably manage with a 5+2 or 5-1-1 thermostat. If your daily schedule continually varies you should get a 7 day thermostat. It is by matching your schedule to the heating/cooling schedule that you save money on your bills.

Certification and Compatibility

It is important to get a device with environmental certification. This is confirmation about the thermostat’s ability to save you money. The most recognized certification is the Energy Star certification.

Just as important is to get a thermostat that is compatible with the HVAC equipment in your home. You have to know whether you have single or two stage heating or cooling; whether you have 2 or 3 wire hot water. If you have a heat pump you should be particularly cautious on this point. Generally speaking Honeywell thermostats are more compatible than Lux Products or Hunter thermostats. Heat pump efficiency depends on the temperature difference between inside and out: for this reason it is a good idea to get a thermostat with an outdoor sensor such as the Honeywell Prestige HD.

Important functions

For convenience of making quick changes temporary hold and vacation mode are useful functions. Temporary hold lets the user raise or lower the room temperature without altering the programmed settings. Vacation mode allows the user to set the thermostat on a power saving programming until he or she returns from holiday.

Swing control allows the user to choose a margin of between 1 and 5 degrees. Within this margin the thermostat does not activate the heating or cooling. This function stops the HVAC equipment frequently turning on and off. Hunter and Lux Products thermostats have swing control whereas Honeywell thermostats do not. Instead Honeywell thermostats stay within 1 degree of the set point. This can cause some people with houses with poor insulation problems.

Keyboard lockout is useful for a home where lots of people are coming and going. It stops people without the code altering the settings.

Conclusion

Whereas Honeywell thermostats are the most expensive it is not always the case that their thermostats are the best device for a particular house. It is worth reading programmable thermostat reviews and comparing specifications to get the unit that is best for you.

When I first went to Thong Nai Pan Noi, the smaller of the two beaches in the Thong Nai Pan area of the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand, very few people were there. It was a beautiful white sand beach fringed with towering palm trees. The sea was deliciously warm. There were only a few cheap bungalow operations to stay at. There was only one night club, and they didn’t know how to make cocktails. For me and my then girlfriend it was an idyllic get away location. This was well before the Full Moon Party made the island famous for all-night hedonism.

My love affair with Thong Nai Pan Noi continued, as it did with my then girl friend who I later married. We have gone back to Thong Nai Pan Noi every few years.

Each time I’ve returned to the beach it has become a little more developed. There are now 3 luxury hotels in Thong Nai Pan Noi to choose from. The cheap bungalows are few and far between.

Last year we had a baby daughter. I was vaguely tempted to name her after the beach. I didn’t. I had to go to Thong Nai Pan Noi to sort out some business last Christmas. I decided not to take my family. I thought the beach wouldn’t be suitable for the kid.

I was really surprised when I got to the Thong Nai Pan: both beaches were full of families. Some of the kids were as young as my daughter. Suddenly, it seemed Thong Nai Pan had gone from being bohemian hang-out to family destination.

This has a lot to do with the improved amenities and facilities on the beaches. There are better roads, there are clinics, pharmacies, shops. Even a 7-11. It’s a convenient place to stay now. I also noticed that there is a private villa in Thong Nai Pan Noi to rent. It’s called Sunrise Villa. I went up to have a look at it. It’s a big 3 bedroom villa with 2 storeys. It has amazing views from the balcony and upstairs master bedroom. It also has a kitchen and huge lounge / dining area. It only costs 5,000 Thai Baht a night. That makes it much cheaper than most of the other accommodation on Thong Nai Pan.

I have already booked Sunrise Villa for my family. We are going out in August.

It’s very difficult to know exactly what the actual effects of any chemical element in a beauty solution is and because it’s not common to your skin it could wind up causing a bunch of harm. Even though many of those so called magical products are developed using the best intentions, they consist of a lot of chemicals and you frequently find yourself with other problems caused by using them.

Quite a few chemically created skin lotions are successful in the short term because they supply your skin with the moisture it needs right away. However, that moisture recedes and your skin goes dry again while at the same moment those chemicals are seeping into your body. They might also prevent your skin from producing its own moisture. The tissues no longer need to generate their own moisture because they are acquiring it through an outside source.

Switching to organic skin lotions together with other all-natural skin care and beauty creams will still supply your body what it desires but without the possibly damaging side effects. Your system will likely continue to operate ordinarily because there are no mysterious toxins being introduced to the system. Some people have even described using mashed up pulp to their skin in order to give it the sustenance it requires, and it is well-known that cucumbers have a natural healing effect on the body. Due to this fact lots of the natural items you see in the market actually contain these ingredients.

You absolutely do need to be very watchful of these products because there may be unnatural substances in them that are designed to imitate the actual thing and you don’t always receive the identical benefits as the purely natural products. Quite often companies use the words organic or natural or pure just to get your interest when in fact their products are not even close to it. When you think about how your skin absorbs substances, you need to understand that anything you put on it will affect it in some manner. As long as you can keep the things your skin soaks in as pure as it can be, you won’t have to fret too much about it.

Maintain focus on the genuinely natural skin care products and make sure you understand how they are formulated and what they include to make sure that you always have wholesome, stunning skin. My top endorsement for organic skin care products and other pure products for your body and house is Jenuinely Pure!

Coconut milk is widely used in the cuisine of Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and the Caribbean, basically anywhere the coconut grows. This is not surprising because coconut milk has a rich and delicious flavor that is excellent in a range of dishes. It is also possible to add it to smoothies.

Unlike cow’s milk, coconut milk contains anti-oxidants that stop it going off. The coconut oil might separate from the milk but this is no problem as you all you have to do is to give it a shake and it is OK. Another important difference between cow’s milk and coconut milk is that coconut milk is lactose free. Thus, it is an ideal food for people with lactose intolerance.

Coconut milk is rich in a wide range of minerals and vitamins. It contains iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and also the following important vitamins: C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6. Coconut milk is also a good source of protein. For adults and for growing children coconut milk is a great food stuff for staying healthy.

Another benefit of coconut milk is that it contains lauric acid. This is a fatty acid that is also found in mother’s milk. It is an antimicrobial agent that helps to protect the body against viral infections. Coconut milk has been used for hundreds of years in India and other Asian and Polynesian countries for medicine.

Finally, coconut milk contains mostly medium chain fatty acids that are easily absorbed by the body and turned into energy. This makes coconut milk less fattening than cow’s milk and great for people who want to lose weight.

If you have never tried coconut milk before then you are missing out – not only is it delicious but it is great for your health. Moreover coconut milk is cheap to buy and from a renewable resource that is earth friendly.

For a tropical island obviously one of the main attractions is the great weather, soft sand and warm sea. Koh Samui has over 20 beautiful beaches to choose from, each with its own personality. There are the mainstream beaches of Chaweng and Lamai that are next to towns packed with lively bars and restaurants. There is the boutique ambience of Bophut with its old Chinese architecture. There is the exclusive area of Choeng Mon with its designer hotels. And there is the more backpacker feel of Maenam. This is to name but a few of the beaches. Many people return year after year just to try a new beach each trip.

One of the main attractions for Koh Samui is that despite being 700 km from Bangkok it is easily accessed by numerous Thai Airways flights from the capital as well as other cities both in Thailand and farther afield. Samui Airport is near some of the best beaches on the island and is one of the most beautiful and relaxed transport hubs you are likely to encounter.

It is not just the airport that makes Koh Samui convenient. It is also the fact that the island boasts world class hospitals, big supermarkets, superb spas and wellness centers, good dentists and even a decompression chamber. Such is the convenience of Koh Samui that it has a large ex-pat community.

There are plenty of things to do in Koh Samui. There are a zoo and aquarium to visit; plenty of great diving spots nearby; a go kart course; an 18-hole golf course; a butterfly garden; a snake farm and several forest canopy ziplines to try. You can visit waterfalls, see mummified monks, go to Black Moon Parties, Samba Shows and Muay Thai fights.  Big Buddha statue and the 18 arm Buddha at Plai Laem are outstanding examples of Thai Buddhist art. You can also visit an island occupied solely by sea gypsies who risk their lives scaling cliffs looking for birds’ nests to sell for Chinese cuisine. In short Koh Samui is full of attractions for those who need a break from relaxing by the pool.

Samui accommodation ranges from youth hostels and cheap locally run guest houses to 5 star luxury resorts that boast private pool villas, exclusive spas and wedding facilities. You can stay in Koh Samui for as little as $15 a night and for as much as $1,000 a night.

Every year Koh Samui tries to make itself more appealing to tourists. It has recently added an annual jazz festival and annual marathon to its list of growing attractions.

Many people are just unprepared for a rainy day in LA. In fact most of them don’t even own an umbrella! Myself, I like to be prepared. I make sure to make a visit to the collective and pick up some medicinal substances. Then I fire up some Netflix and use my vaporizer. I figure there’s no reason to get all wet! Some days you just want to chill. Beforehand, I like to have some Ben N Jerry’s ice cream ready, plus some peanut butter. Is there anything better?

There haven’t been too many good movies opening lately. One movie that I knew would be terrible was ‘Jack And Jill’ starring Adam Sandler. As soon as I saw the previews I was certain it would be bad. Turns out I was right. It opened this weekend and has only a 4% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I think Adam Sandler is just having a joke at our expense.

Back in the day, I think he made some good movies. Happy Madison is definitely a classic, and I thought Waterboy was pretty good. His movies have gone way downhill lately. I think he should stop doing these major Hollywood blockbusters and instead do a smaller indie film. Maybe hook up with a really talented writer/ director and do something that people don’t expect from Adam Sandler.

Anyway, it looks like the rain has subsided for a little while, so I might head outside. Here I am, blogging away the day. Usually it would be eighty degrees and sunny at this time, and I’d be out enjoying it. The climate is definitely one of the advantages of living in SoCal.

Photo by Tricia Wang