Broadcaster Press 11 April 14, 2015 www.broadcasteronline.com Spring Home Improvement Car Care These Professionals Stick Shifts Not Always What They Seem Can Help Maintain Your Home Many auto enthusiasts prefer stick shifts, or manual transmissions, over to those machines. Electricians can fix automatic transmissions. existing issues, but many also can design Such supporters of stick and install new electrical components shifts tend to feel as though and systems. The dangers of working a manual transmission with electrical systems are many, so engages drivers in ways that electricians typically must be certified an automatic one simply and licensed before they can practice cannot, making stick shifts their trade. Such danger is one reason more fun to drive than why even those who are adept at fixing the more staid, automatic problems around the house might want alternatives. to hire an electrician should an electrical While the fun factor issue arise. associated with manual transmission vehicles may • Plumber: A plumber is a professional be difficult to dispute, there whose area of expertise is in installing are other commonly held and maintaining systems for drinking beliefs about stick shifts water, drainage and sewage. Though not that are far easier to contest. all jurisdictions require a plumber be The following are a few licensed before he or she can practice, things about today’s manual many do, and it can take years of training transmission vehicles that and experience to master the skill of might surprise even the plumbing. Many people call a plumber most ardent automotive when a toilet or sink backs up, but enthusiasts. Home repairs are inevitable. For the plumbers must have far more extensive * Manual transmission homeowner who also happens to be handy skills as well. Plumbers must be skilled vehicles are not necessarily with a hammer, the occasional home repair in a number of areas, including having an cheaper than automatic is nothing to fear and something that many ability to read and understand a home’s transmission vehicles. even enjoy. But there many homeowners who blueprints, detect faults in a plumbing Stick shifts are often less aren’t so adept at home repairs, and such system if the homeowner cannot install expensive than automatics, men and women typically rely on trained and repair fixtures and systems, and be but that’s not always professionals when something goes awry aware of any legal requirements to ensure the case, and certain around the house. For those homeowners a home is safe. manufacturers, including who either don’t have the time or the ability BMW, tend to charge to fix issues that arise around the house, the • Landscaper: Homeowners have the same price for their following is a breakdown of three of the more increasingly looked to professional vehicles regardless of commonly called on home service providers. landscapers to maintain their home’s which type of transmission exterior and subsequently ensure their buyers choose. In the past, • Electrician: An electrician specializes property value remains high. A typical manual transmissions in addressing a building’s or home’s landscaper offers his client an array of were almost always a less electrical wiring issues, stationary services, from cutting the grass to raking expensive option than machines and the equipment related leaves to more complicated tasks that automatic transmissions gravitate toward landscape because they were easier architecture. A home’s curb for manufacturers to INTERIOR • EXTERIOR appeal has been shown to COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL vastly improve a prospective install, which enabled automakers to cut back Quality Workmanship, buyer’s impression of the on labor costs, and those Reasonable Rates house, and as a result savings were passed along Since 1983 many homeowners rely on to consumers. While that a landscaper to take care difference in sticker price of their property. Many might once have been significant, nowadays it is • AUTOMOTIVE COLLISION REPAIR landscapers an extensive knowledge of the science • PAINT • FRAMEWORK involved in tending to a lawn • GLASS REPLACEMENT and how to help it weather the seasons without losing its appeal. 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Because vehicles with manual transmissions require more skill to drive than automatics, some feel as though this deters car thieves, who may not know how to drive stick shifts. But there is no evidence to support this theory, nor any evidence to dispute it. And while those who subscribe to this theory feel that manual transmissions are therefore cheaper to insure because they are at a decreased risk of being stolen, that is also untrue. While the standards used to determine the price of an insurance policy vary between providers, many insurance providers view manual transmission vehicles as more risky because they take longer to shift, stop and accelerate. But manual transmissions also are less expensive to repair, and insurance companies consider that as well when determining the cost of a policy. Such factors may cancel each other out, and drivers will be left with an insurance policy that’s roughly the same as if the vehicle included an automatic transmission. The demand for manual transmission vehicles continues to shrink, and there are things drivers should know about such automobiles before driving one home. nMetro Creative Connections How Often Should My Gutters be Cleaned? While a gutter is very useful in directing rain water away from the house, it can accumulate dry leaves and other debris causing it to clog. When there is too much debris in the gutter it traps water causing the gutter to rust and break away. Additionally, if the water does not drain from the gutter it can lead to ice damming and damage, forcing you to replace the gutter. Many small animals and insects can also decide to build nests and homes among the debris accumulated in the gutter as well. 1. Benefits of Cleaning Your Gutters A gutter that is full of debris cannot fulfill its true purpose. The accumulation of dry leaves and debris will prevent water from flowing down the gutter into the down spout. This means that excess rain water will pour out of the sides of the gutter and on to the siding of the house and into the landscaping. This will necessitate expensive repair and painting to restore the appearance of your home. Additionally, a clogged gutter can lead to a rusted gutter that will require replacement. The water trapped in the gutter can freeze in winter, forming ice dams that weigh down the gutter and cause damage to the gutter and the roof. All of these issues can be avoided by ensuring that the gutters are cleaned regularly. 2. Contributing Factor Gutters become clogged because of the fallen leaves and other debris that accumulates on the roof of the house. This is washed into the gutter when it rains. Additionally, small animals such as squirrels and birds might decide to nest among the debris and leave their dropping in the gutter. The presence of organic matter and water leads to the formation of mold, which contributes to the further clogging of the gutter as well. ELECTRIC SERVICE “The Line To Power” Design/Build • Fiber Cabling • Commercial • Residential Service Calls • Boom Truck with Auger • Trenching Serving the Beresford and Vermillion Areas often negligible, meaning buyers won’t necessarily save substantial amounts of money by opting for a stick shift. * Stick shifts are not readily available in all models. As the popularity of manual transmission vehicles has waned, so, too, has their availability. According to Edmunds. com, 67 percent of 2013 model-year vehicles were offered only with automatic transmissions. While it might be possible for buyers to still purchase such vehicles with manual transmissions, that opportunity is not guaranteed. Even if it is available, buyers will likely have to pay a premium price to order such custommade automobiles, and it takes longer to deliver such vehicles than it does when buyers simply buy a car already on the lot. * Stick shifts may not be expensive to maintain. Some drivers of manual transmission vehicles like to bemoan the costs of replacing the clutch on their vehicles, and that raises some concern among buyers considering a stick shift. But skilled stick shift drivers need not be worried about constantly replacing the clutch, which tends to be most in need of replacement when novice drivers struggle to get the hang of a manual transmission. In addition, manual transmissions are often much less expensive to replace than automatic transmissions. Also, skilled stick shift drivers who can deftly downshift often note the positive long-term effect that such a practice has on 1-800-560-2518 1221 Cornell St., Vermillion, SD • 605-624-5642 201 NW 13th St., Ste. 3, Beresford, SD • 800-560-2518 n GUTTERS, Page 13 Romsdahl’s Repair & Remodel Carpentry, Interior & Exterior, Painting, Refinishing, Drywall, & Ceramic Tile Free Estimates 605-670-2161 Farmers Mutual Hail provides the insurance products you need to protect your farm. 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