You may run into having to wire one of your plugs at home to a three point plug that is still the most common pug found in South Africa, so we thought we would help by adding this quick post on the correct wiring for your plug, and we are going to give you a quick tip on remembering next time which wire goes on which side. We follow the IEC 60446 standard for flexible cords in South Africa, which in essence means that all live or active wires have to be brown, neutral wires have to be blue and and earth or grounding wires have to be a combination of yellow and green, we also thought you may wish to know what that means as well, here below is a summary of the different colours and what they represent: Brown (live) – connects your appliances to the main power supply in your house. Blue (neutral) – keeps the power loads in your house balanced Yellow/green (earth) – is a protective conductor which creates a low resistance path for faulty current to flow into. Now here is life hack for you to remember what goes where when you look at your plug from the top, also see the picture below showing the right way to place the different colour wires: bLue - Left bRown - Right The other wire (Green/Yellow) will then go into the remaining point

During our engagement with consumers an interesting point of front loader vs top loader machines came up and our House and Home division put together a bit of a write up on Top Loaders Vs Front Loader washing machines, from the friendly Defy team, this is what Defy found and advises: There are many domestic appliances consumers can learn to live without, but when it comes to washing machines, even one day without is one too many. But the big question is which washing machine front loader or top loader? Here’s a breakdown of the two. Top loader washing machine These washing machines use a centre agitator and paddles to move clothes through the water from top to bottom, loosening dirt. There is a control system and mechanical system. The control system has the load size selector, temperature selector, timer and lock. The mechanical system has a motor, clutch, transmission, wash tubs, water valve, agitator, pumps, suspension system and belt or motor coupling. Pros of a top loader washing machine These washing machines remain a popular choice with consumers the world over for a number of reasons: Cycle times: The top loader has a much faster cycle time than front loaders, which means that vast quantities of laundry can be done in significantly less time. Typically, top loaders have a run cycle of about 15 to 30 minutes faster than traditional front loaders, which can take up to an hour. Capacity: The top loader has a larger capacity than similarly sized front loaders, in both the domestic and commercial models. Ergonomics: The simple fact that laundry is loaded at the top of the machine, rather than the user having to bend to insert laundry, makes top loaders beneficial. This is particularly helpful for the elderly community or those suffering from back problems. Additional laundry: If you’ve forgotten to throw in certain items of clothing, you can add them too during the wash cycle, whereas front loaders lock during a cycle. Fabric softeners: Top loaders are known to respond better to fabric softeners than front loader washing machines. Cost: Top loaders are considerably lower in price than their front loader counterparts. This makes them a popular choice for laundromats as well as apartment blocks and university accommodation with community laundry rooms. Cons of a top loader washing machine For the savings in costs, consumers will have to consider the downsides to the top loader washing machine. Efficiency: Top loaders are less efficient than front loaders, using much more water and energy. This makes them costlier in the long run. Noise: Top loaders are often a lot noisier because of the friction created between clothes when twisting in the wash. Layout: Many modern kitchens and laundries are designed for a washing machine to be fitted under a counter or cabinet for a slick finish. Front loader washing machine Like the top loader washing machine, the front loader has a stainless steel inner drum, an outer washtub, motor, control system, drain pump and rotational spinning. However, a front loader fills the bottom of the inner tub with some water and uses rotation and gravity to move clothes through water. The side paddles lift the clothes and move them in and out of the water to remove dirt. Pros of a front loader washing machine Here’s a look at why front loader washing machines are starting to overtake the traditional top loaders in popularity. Energy efficiency: Front loaders use less water and energy because the fit of the drum relies more on gravity. This means the clothes don’t need to be saturated with water the entire time, using up to 50% less water. Detergent efficiency: Front loaders use less detergent, further saving on costs. Features: Front loaders have more cycle options and modern features. Defy’s range of washing machines are a good example, offering consumers auto programming and innovative SteamCure technology for a better clean using less energy. Using steam, the system minimises water consumption, using less energy for a quicker cycle. Better for laundry: Front loaders are a lot gentler on the clothes, meaning less wear and tear, and they also don’t deposit lint during a wash cycle. Reliability: Because they use gravity to turn the clothing, they require fewer repairs on major parts, making them the more reliable option. Quieter: They create a lot less noise than a top loader washing machine, particularly during a spin cycle. Many front loaders have a vibration control feature to stabilise the internal drum. Versatile locations: Front loaders can be placed in a closet, or elevated on counter out of the way. Some washing machines come with additional features such as a steam setting, a self cleaning cycle, or reversible washer doors. Cons of a front loader washing machine Despite being the preferred washing machine appliance, front loaders have a few drawbacks, including: Time consuming: These washing machines take quite a bit longer to clean clothes than a top loader. Capacity: Front loaders are designed for domestic use as they have a much lower capacity than top loaders. Sensitivity: If you overload a front loader, you are likely to wear out the drum bearings. While this might be risky for top loaders, it’s a lot more harmful for front loaders. Mould: The rubber seal means that any incorrect detergent could lead to mould and mildew which is problematic for laundry. Ergonomic issues: Unless a washing machine is elevated, it can cause ergonomic issues for users having to bend down to use them. For domestic use, the front loader washing machine is comparably the better choice for the majority of consumers, however, this obviously depends on independent elements such as space configurations, load capacity and energy consumption. To find out how energy efficient a particular washing machine is, the Department of Energy has outlined the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and, currently, washing machines with an energy efficiency rating of Class A can be sold, the list from the department can be seen here.

This month to date the most searched for providers on The Go-To Guy website was that of Appliance Repairs, and in our talks with customers a number of interesting points came to the fore that we thought we would share with our service providers and consumers alike. It was interesting to note that most consumers never think about their appliances, until of course ot breaks, and then a number of questions came up that are common amongst consumers, we cover these points and some tips below. Proof of Purchase/Warranties The first question once it is confirmed that the appliance is really "kaput", is whether the appliance is still under warranty, and 99% of consumers admit to throwing away or misplacing the receipt of the device, and cannot even remember when they bought the device, and even if they found the receipt it seems modern receipts has the power to fade the ink to barely legible characters on a white background, thus not helping much. Here at The Go-to Guy we had a small session with one objective, what advice could we give consumers in regards to keeping record and associated information on their appliances, here is our list: Create a WhatsApp group on your phone with your family members and call this Group "Receipts and Proof Purchase", when you purchase the device, immediately take a picture of the receipt of the device and share it on this group, thus in future when you need any information you all will have it on the group. Whilst you take the above photos, also take a photo of the machine itself , the model number and the serial and the reference info on the machine, also add it to this group, this information is going to prove very valuable if at some point in the future you require service on your appliance. Place the booklets and other warranty cars and the like in a Ziplock bag, and stick this bag on the back of machine with Sellotape, that way if you need to refer to this in future you know where it is, alternatively one of the members suggested that you have a drawer or box in the house that everybody knows is the destiny for any user manuals and/or warranty cards , then you know where to look if you need it. Who to Call (No not Ghostbusters) The next question that came was of course who to call when your appliance decided up to here and no further, especially if the machine is still under warranty, with most frantically starting to search for that missing receipt, but yes you're going to need it as the first port of call would normally be the place you purchased the appliance from, a definite start if under warranty. If not under warranty then you could possibly still call the retailer you bought the appliance from, and they should be able to provide you with the contact details for the supplier. Our own test however showed that this is a "hit and miss" affair as some of the retailers had contact details on hand and some did not, and you could be placed on hold for extended periods of time. Here we have a tip for service providers that do offer Appliance Repairs , go and engage with these retailers as a reference for customers that have appliance issues and needs to have their appliances repaired outside of warranty, you can possibly increase your business as a result. Then the frantic search started for a number or a contact of Appliance Repair in the area, scratching through papers in drawers, nots made somewhere and messaging friends, and then shouting out for assistance on Facebook for urgent contact as there may be food in the fridge, hectic and not fun, and of course everybody will recommend someone from somewhere... and some will be bully's and badmouth suppliers, others will provide five star reviews, its a popcorn period in most cases. Here is an important tip: If you find a great supplier, save that number on your phone , and add what they do so that you can easily search for the name afterwards, its much easier remembering the word Electrician than a name of a person a year down the line, you can also add that name and number as a note in that WhatsApp group you created on your phone. Fortunately we also created a House and Home Supplier page here at The Go-To Guy, so you simply have to remember our website and you are covered, in fact better still save our website as a shortcut on your phone screen and then we are one click away . Supplier Reputation and Customer Engagement Once customers have found a number to call, or several as the case may be, there are a number of things that came up that we believe suppliers should be made aware of, as this could make or break their reputation in the market and if done well entrench them as a supplier of reference to the consumers in the community, we cover these below. The most common comment was that suppliers are not answering their phones, and from experience we know that if you do not answer your phone on the first call then 70% of consumers will not call again, they will look for somebody else, thus your business will suffer as a result. Here at The Go-To Guy we are working on a solution for this and will be announcing that in the future, in the interim however it would be worthwhile for service orientated companies to set their diverts to a backup number, even if the call has a cost you are bound to increase your revenues as a result. The second comment was that service providers do not return calls if a message is left , yet again your business is losing revenue as a result. We know that when on the road servicing customers it is difficult to keep track of all the messages and a notebook is not always at hand. here is a simple solution; send yourself a WhatsApp message or voice note on calls to return or tasks to complete , then when you have time you can recall the message as our phones tend to be with us all the time, its also a great way to keep an electronic diary and will aid you in so many ways. The other common comment was that service providers do not return quotations requested. In our engagement with service providers it became evident that on the one end of the spectrum was the constant issuing of quotations that resulted in no business, customers ghosting service providers and never returning follow-up calls, whilst on the other end admin time for quotations were constrained. Yet again here at The Go-To Guy we are working on a solution for this issue, yet in the interim our recommendation is to throw out the process of trying to write a quotation when you finally get to the office and behind a desk for admin, use what is in your hand and send electronic quotes through simply having a WhatsApp message with the key quote numbers and references, you can give each a unique number through a simple numbering system that takes the date and time you send the message, these quote structures are valid and accepted by most consumers, you can give more formal documentation and receipts where applicable. It is further vital that you have a payment solution for customers to pay on site , get yourself a mobile card machine such as Yoco , which allows you to take payments on site, as we have encountered many customers and service providers referencing payment processes as an issue. An additional tool you can use is to change your WhatsApp number to WatsApp business, there is no additional charge and the interface remains the same, yet you will have additional tools that you can use in the application to manage your interaction with customers, including the ability to showcase your business branding, status updates you can use to communicate with your community, catalogue of services that you can load, quick and out of office reply messages and a list of other features aimed at helping you communicate better, definitely give this a try. It is our mission here at The Go-To Guy to help small business, so look out for the features we will launch in the future, beyond our current House and Home listing page and our newly announced recruitment service aimed at sales people for small business.

We thought would be good to provide a few tips in respect of plumbing at home The most common plumbing problems are blocked drains and toilets, leaky taps, and pipes, running toilets and geyser problems. To save money you can tackle your own plumbing problems, just make sure that you understand what the problem is and that you know how to fix it, otherwise it is advised to contact a professional. Blocked drains can be a nightmare. You can use drain strainers at your sinks or bathtubs, to keep food and hair out of your drains. Hair especially is a rather common reason for blocked drains as it binds with grease and other sticky stuff and then forms clogs. Be careful of food waste, it should be avoided at all times and although we are sometimes lazy to remove the small food particles from the sink, it is actually important that you do as it clogs up drains rather quickly, especially tealeaves and coffee grounds that do not break down. Do not discard old cooking oil down your drains, the oil will clog up your pipes. Let the oil cool and pour it in a disposable container and throw it away. Clean your drains regularly. You can use vinegar to clean your drains. Let the vinegar sit for a few hours and then flush it away with running hot water. A plunger can be used to help remove clog in your drain or toilet. Signs that may indicate that you have a water leak are mould, peeling paint, the sound of running water when no taps are open, mysterious puddles or stains, if you suspect a leak but hear nothing you could use a simple method to place a screwdriver against pipes, place your ear on back of screw driver and listen if you hear any water running, naturally all taps must be closed. A leaking tap can be fixed, by simply replacing a washer, yet make sure you have closed the input feed, as removing the tap without closing main feed could lead to unfunny, yet funny, disaster and an early shower When you need a plumber, choose a reputable local plumber and always call a certified plumber for major issues.

There are different kinds of dryers in the market, so if you do not know the difference then lets go and explore these in a bit of detail. ​ Vented Dryers When drying your clothes in a tumble dryer there is a considerable amount of heat that is generated, and this heat needs to be moved somewhere else your machine could be damaged or even cause a fire. Vented dryers have a flexible pipe that moves this air through the pipe to an area outside, such as through a wall, or a hose through a window. ​ Condenser Dryer A condenser dryer, which is the most popular takes the water during the drying cycle and turns it into steam, then this steam is converted back to water and routed to a tank, which you would then have to empty from time-to-time. ​ Heat Pump Dryers These dryers are normally higher priced and use heat-pump technology, the benefit being lower drying temperatures, less electricity as a result, less noise and ultimately lower running costs. ​ Laundry Packs Lastly you get a simple yet effective solution, that is not actually a tumble dryer but a laundry pack, which is a cylindrical bag that uses a high speed motor to blast your clothes with hot air, they take about 10kg and the motor uses very little electricity, they are also the lowest cost alternative drying machine you can get.

We are entering the winter period, and nothing takes the cold away such as a hot shower, or a bath, and we thought would be a great time to cover some interesting points on geysers. Most geysers are inside a roof, or more recently you may also find them outside, and often people ask that if a geyser should be installed whether they can do it themselves or if they should a professional, and then there also seems to be some questions on whether you should call a Plumber or Electrician for the installation of such a geyser. Geyser installations should not be done by yourself, it should be done by a professional, if not and anything happens you may find that your warranty may be voiced, insurance may refuse claims or you may not be able to get a clearance certificate from an Electrician. You need to call both a Plumber and an Electrician as well to do the installation, as the plumber will do the initial installation and the electrician would have to earth the geyser. There are a variety of Geyser sizes as well that you can choose from, 50 - 100 - 150 and 200 litres and as a rule of thumb the average household that has a dishwasher, washing machine, takes an average bath and have days that they would do all of these would require a 100 litre geyser, smaller may lead to the occasional "wait a while before you bath" moments and larger may be an overkill, and naturally these come at different price points as well. As it is winter a common question on geysers also seems to be related to geyser blankets, these are thermal covering that goes around the geyser and literally wraps your geyser, the logic being that this blanket maintains the heat of the water in geyser longer, and indeed a geyser blanket can considerably reduce geyser energy consumption, even by as much as half, so definitely an investment to look at. Geysers do not last forever, and we all heard the term that the geyser "burst" and led to considerable damage, and subsequent repairs and insurance claims as a result. The reality is that it is very rare for a geyser to burst, instead they tend to break rather loudly if there was a pressure built up due to temperature not being controlled properly due to thermostat being faulty, pressure vessel may fail, metal fatigue and often poor installations. When geysers do "burst" or get damaged and there is damage to the roof, you will most likely find that there is no leakage/drip tray fitted, which is compulsory by the way as it is required by law, it is very important for you to ensure you have a drip tray installed as it could save you considerable damage in future. We tend to install our geyser and then forget about it until it breaks, the reality is that geysers needs to be service on regular intervals, shorter periods where water is of poor quality, the recommended period under normal circumstances would be every 4 years, with recent water quality however it is better to service more regularly, the service should include the checking of magnesium sacrificial anode element and thermostat, removal of lime scale and sludge and leak checking of the entire system. We can hear you wondering what an Anode Self Sacrificing is, sounds like a hero of some kind in a technology movie, yet this is a part of your geyser that is made of magnesium or aluminium that is wound around a steel core wire, and it acts as a type of a magnet for corrosion, and thus protecting the other metal parts in your geyser, it lasts for about 5 years, water quality dependent, and thus needs to be replaced at these intervals, which will ensure your geyser gets a decent lifespan. Most geysers in South Africa are high pressure geysers (400 to 600 kPa), fitted with a pressure balancing valve ensuring that your hot and cold water supply to your taps are at the same pressure , you do however get low pressure geysers as well, so double check when buying that bargain on the corner that you are buying correctly. Tip: If ever your geyser gets broken, first get the serial number (found on the geyser) and manufacturer details and call them to enquire about the warranty, this simple check can save you hundreds if not thousands of Rands and most well-known brands in South Africa are rather good in supporting these warranties. Gas and Solar geysers are becoming more popular and we will cover this in a future post

Mention the word tree felling/removal and immediately you think of cutting down a tree, yet in the field of tree felling there are in fact a wide variety of services offered. Arborist by the way is a professional tree surgeon in the practice of arboriculture which is the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines and other perennial woody plants in dendrology and horticulture. We thought it would be great to expand on the wide area through this blog and to cover all of the different services that a professional tree feller/arborist actually offers their clients. Crowning Crowning is the process where a portion of the smaller branches are removed to produce a density of foliage around an evenly spaced branch structure, and does not shape the overall size or shape of the tree, and within the crowning of a tree you will find that your arborist will mention crown lifting, crown reduction and crown thinning, each of these aimed at a different end result. Crown Lifting: Here the gap between the ground level and the start of leafy area is increased, normally achieved by removing the lowest branches of the crown to a specific height. Lifting of the tree crown would be applicable when you would want more space around the tree bottom, some may also call this canopy lifting. A practical example is when a tree obscures a stop street sign and by lifting the crown the sign can be seen.or where more sun is required at the base of a tree. In the picture below as an example the tree base was cleared to provide space for movement below the tree. Good practice dictates that unless absolutely necessary that large branches growing directly from the trunk should not be removed as this can cause large wounds that can lead to decay of the tree, older mature trees should be avoided or restricted to secondary branches or shortening of primary branches rather than the whole removal where possible. Crown Reduction: Here the ends of all branches are cut to reduce the overall size of the tree, both in volume and size, whilst still retaining the natural shape of the tree, normally used for aesthetic effect or where the size and volume of the tree may be encroaching on other elements around the tree, such as electric fencing, gutters and others. Other uses may be to reduce the mechanical stress on a tree due to the size, volume and ultimately weight on the tree due to the growth of the crown area. In the picture below the tree crown was shaped for aesthetic effect using both crown lifting as well as crown reduction. Crown Thinning: Here the tree feller/arborist will remove some of the branches within the tree crown in order to reduce the density of the tree, the objective being to allow more natural light to pass through the tree or to reduce the wind resistance of the tree, thus allowing for less stress on tree that may be in a windy area. This method is normally used on broad leaved species and does not alter the overall size or shape of the tree. Good practice will see a gradual removal of inner branches over a period in order to not shock the tree and also it is recommended not to remove more than 30% of the overall structure. It is also rare that this will be done only once on trees with large amounts of epicormic growth, and rather you should prepare to have this done over the life of such a tree. In the picture below it can be seen that the sun is allowed to filter through the branches from an otherwise very densely leafed tree. (Note: Epicormic growth is growth that occurs from dormant sprouts and some tree species produces this growth around wounds caused by pruning) Tree General Before we jump into tree pruning it may be worthwhile to cover how a tree actually works, as this will greatly assist in understanding the principles behind pruning. A tree is in fact a dynamic living organism, with a woody stem that adds the ability to be self supporting. Trees use photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar, trees uses this sugar to make the building of cellulose (reinforcement material) and lignin (provides trees with rigidity, makes them water resistant and degradation resistant), in order to sustain its self-supporting structure. These sugars produced are transported throughout the tree via the inner bark area knows as the phloem. The tree roots absorb water and other minerals from the soil, these are transported to the leaves of the tree via tubular vessels called xylem, and in fact this is the vascular tissue, think of it as the pipeline from roots to the leaves. Branches of trees were once buds that then became twigs, and over time and incremental growth have gone on to form a branch, ultimately a number of these branches forms to provide the tree its unique shape, size and volume. Pruning When looking at pruning it is important to understand when to prune as different species react differently to pruning at different periods in the seasons as well as their lifecycle, hence the requirement to arm yourself with knowledge on the trees you may be pruning, or getting the services of a professional tree surgeon/arborist to assist you. Pruning involves the selective removal of certain parts of the tree and focus is on diseased, damaged, dead and deranged material from the tree, this is also commonly referred to as the "4 D's". Good practice is to start early in the life of a tree as smaller cuts limits the wounds to a tree and starts a healthy process. Dead Wood Pruning: This is the pruning/removal of dead or dying branches from a tree, this may be for aesthetics, safety or general plant health reasons. These branches may have died due to a number of reasons, such as light deficiency, pest and disease damage, root structure damage and even being planted incorrectly Formative Pruning: Besides the elaborate designs sometimes seen on especially hedges or dense structured trees and shrubs, formative pruning also assists in reducing risks of diseases, structural weakness and broken branches as trees mature. Formative pruning is especially important in younger trees as they develop to have a balanced shape and structure. Tree Felling You may wonder why trees are even removed, as they have such an important role to play in nature, is a living organism and part of nature, yet there are times when it may be the only solution, such as safety, unsuitable for location, visual considerations, impact on environment, diseases or even a tree considered a threat to other trees in area. Tree felling can be a hazardous exercise and it is strongly recommended to solicit the services of a professional to assist in the removal of a tree, noting that there are also considerations that needs to be taken into account when engaging with tree fellers, such as whether you require the cutting down only of a tree or the stump removal as well, there are considerable efforts and costs with each of these. If you wish to remove the stump as well there are various methods that could be applied, such as stump grinding, which is a machine that will grind into the stump below ground level, with the wood particles that could be used as mulch, alternatively the Arborist may suggest alternative methods to remove the stump, including the use of herbicides or plain old elbow grease and a few tools to literally chop the stump out of the ground, the only other alternative to use the stump in some creative way. Besides the requirement for qualified staff and the risks of liability in case of any injuries or deaths as a result of poorly equipped and trained tree fellers, there is also the risk of spreading diseases from infected trees, such as the threat identified by invasive shot hole borer, also referred to as polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) – the tiny black beetle, which hails from South-East Asia, has spread to eight of the nine provinces (Limpopo being the only exception), and is the largest geographical outbreak of this beetle in the world, and unethical or uneducated operators that sell or dumps infected wood may do significant damage to environment. The best way to control these shot-hole borer, or any other bark beetle, remains to cut out the weak branches and remove all dead wood from the area. And by law if these beetles are found by any owner or occupier of land this need to be reported, no person may move, transport or convey a list of 23 targeted tree species, including as firewood and infested wood may not be sold. The list of Notifiable ISHB Target Trees Indigenous trees Coast silver oak (Brachylaena discolor) Forest bushwillow (Combretum krausii) River bushwillow (Combretum erythrophyllum) Coast coral tree (Erythrina caffra) Water blossom pea (Podalyria calyptrata) Fountain bush (Psoralea pinata) Cape willow (Salix mucronata) Keurboom (Virgilia oroboides subsp. ferruginea) Exotic trees Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) Pink flame tree (Brachychiton discolor) American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Avocado (Pearsea americana) London plane (Platanus x acerifolia) Pin oak (Quercus palustris) English oak (Quercus robur) White willow (Salix alba) Invasive species Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) 19. Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) 20. Chinese maple (Acer buergerianum) 21. Box elder (Acer negundo) 22. Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) 23. Castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis) Sectional Felling: This is the removal of part of a tree, and practical examples of such a requirement may be trees that overhang onto neighbours properties, trees that branches threaten to damage structures or tree branches that become too heavy to be supported by the three itself, thus only a section of the tree is required to be removed as opposed to the whole tree. Tree Disease Consulting Arborists across the country also offers tree disease consulting services, which may include assessment of your soil structures with the aim to have nutrients in the soil that will aid healthy trees and growth in general. Tags and Links Tree Felling Potchefstroom Tree Felling Klerksdorp Tree Felling Near Me

We are often asked about installation cost of paver products, and as a rule of thumb you can most probably calculate that installation cost may be double the cost of your pavers, it is at this point in a conversation that some customers may think that the Paving contractor has gone nuts and they want to run :), yet it is a fact that high quality workmanship will cost you more than the low quality jobs that became so frequent in the past few years, mostly from taking someone sitting in front of the local hardware store at half the price of your pavers. Let me try and explain the factors impacting the price, the quality and ultimately your wallet over the longer term. The cost of a standard paver on a driveway today would most probably be in the region of R325, excluding your pavers, and that would be the minimum that a quality contractor would charge to get a quality job done with such a standard paver, remember other larger and designer pavers would increase the costs to properly lay such avers (Weight and Design factors playing a large role in that calculation) Let us look at a 10 square meter paving project for our calculations using a standard paver brick to cover such an area: Working at an excellent cost price of about R110 per square meter for the bricks at ex factory price (not yet delivered and taking minimum quantities of about 27 pallets in this specific case), which would require the contractor to invest in nearly 30k on the specific/average order quantity and mix quantity in which this R110 would be included, would equate to R1,100 for the 10 squares to be covered for the pavers. Now this would be without any transport cost, and in this case I am going to work on a trip within 10km from the factory/yard and I am assuming the transport would go directly from source to destination, which in many cases do not hold true as most yards deliver to yard and then based on demand would transport to customer, yet for this calculation we are going to assume an optimum arrangement, transport in this case I have calculated at a minimum of R1,000 (which would be very well priced transport costs), therefore this would be a whopping R100 per square meter. On site the minimum would be one skilled worker and two general labourers, which in my case would be permanent staff as we do not use day labourers at customer sites, and minimum salary costs will be used, which again is not really a real world scenario as minimum wage would not provide you with regular on the job staff as they will start falling into the "private job" trap and you will have lower quality workmanship workers on minimum pay, yet we will use that for this calculation, thus three workers on site would cost you about R600 minimum, reality is closer to R800/R900, thus R60 per square meter. Preparation and Paving I am going to work on a minimum of two days, yet that is if site is perfectly prepared, no removals of old paving and all materials and equipment being on site, starting at 07:00 and having a weather perfect day, no load-shedding, no dogs that distract workers, ample space to work and in general a perfect world, thus R1,200 for labour to do the paving, or R120 per square meter. Additional materials, such as sand, plaster, cement, plastic sheets would equate to approx R310 in total (not taking into consideration minimum quantities you can order some of the materials at, which results in additional costs that will not appear in this calculation, thus we have R31 per square meter. Taking machinery costs into consideration, such as Compactor and in most cases some cutting machinery such as Grinders, would add an additional R1,400 per day, with a minimum of one day as the calculation used in this case to once again take a perfect world as the basis, therefore we have R140 per square for this machinery that we will use during this job. For Grouting we have made an assumption of R5.14 per square. Thus before I have added any margin for the business, or any of the additional costs such as transport to and from the site, and increases in fuel prices, unforeseen and other hidden cost we can see that the pavers were at R110 per square and the rest of the costs were R396 rounded, nearly four times the pavers for this project, of course as project sizes increase we will have lower cost per square meter on some of the items listed above, yet I think this provides the reader with a little bit of an insight to how difficult realistic, yet economical acceptable from customer perspective the calculation becomes. The contractor will obviously sharpen our pencils all the time and aim to have a balance between an acceptable deal from customer perspective, yet a quality offering from a product and service perspective, and with each site being different (waterways, layout, access, levelling requirements, extractions etc), so they may look at each quotation we do in an earnest manner to find that balance, and we discuss each quote with customer to find a balance. Some may say but it is then better to use a "front of hardware store guy", let's call him "The Bloke", as the savings may prove to be significant, yet we have consistently seen some of the following issues that would have to be carefully considered prior to going that route: The Bloke may arrive without machinery, which will either require the customer to then rent the machinery, or have a sub standard job that was not compacted properly, cutting jobs that are done by breaking methods and not clean cuts, resulting in uneven lines on your paving installation. The Bloke may take much longer and then start the common issue of saying that the team needs to be paid and that he underestimated the job, therefore the customer starts being placed under pressure to pay team in Friday paydays, this happens rather often and have led to some very uncomfortable situations before for some customers. The Blokes guarantees my be very difficult to find and enforce after The Bloke left the site and job is considered done, especially if you start having sagging, rain water channeling issues and movement of the actual pavers, these are very difficult to fix after the job is done and will leave you with heavy frustrations, not to mention higher costs if paving needs to be lifted again and redone. The Bloke may have miscalculated the quantity of materials needed, which often happens to get you to accept the quote, only to come back after the job is started and requesting more bricks/cement/sand The above is just a few points to consider when going the cheaper route, and it is better advised to ask the contractor to sharpen their pencils, discuss the cost calculations and agree a fair price than trying to take shortcuts. Tags and Links Paving Potchefstroom Paving Klerksdorp Paving Near Me

There are many different types of blinds available on the market today. Below is a list of the most popular types of blinds, as well as a brief description of each. 1. Venetian Blinds: Venetian blinds are made up of horizontal slats that can be tilted to control the amount of light and privacy entering a room. 2. Roller Blinds: Roller blinds are a type of window covering that consists of a piece of fabric that is rolled up or down to open or close. 3. Roman Blinds: Roman blinds are a type of window covering that consists of folds of fabric that stack on top of each other when closed. 4. Pleated Blinds: Pleated blinds are made up of horizontally-aligned pleats, or folds, that can be opened or closed to control the amount of light and privacy entering a room. 5. Vertical Blinds: Vertical blinds are made up of vertical slats that can be tilted to control the amount of light and privacy entering a room. Links and Tags Blinds in Klerksdorp Blinds in Potchefstroom Blinds Near Me

Having a pet can be an awesome responsibility, but it does require more than just loving them and taking them on walks. It's important to pay attention to their body, fur, and skin as well. In this blog post, I'll break down the best tips for caring for your pet at home - from grooming basics to strategies for tackling some common skin conditions. All of the instructions are easy to follow and will help keep your furry companion looking and feeling great. Fur and Skin Care What Are The Different Types of Care? There are a few different types of care that your cat or dog’s fur and skin may need. These include: -Brushing: Brushing helps to remove dead hair, dirt, and other debris from your pet’s coat. It also helps to distribute natural oils throughout the coat, which can help to keep it healthy and looking shiny. Depending on your pet’s fur type, you may need to brush them daily or weekly. -Bathing: Bathing can help to remove any dirt, debris, or other build-up that may be on your pet’s fur or skin. It is important to use a shampoo that is specifically designed for cats or dogs, as human shampoo can be too harsh for their skin. You should only bathe your pet as needed, as bathing too often can strip away natural oils and lead to dryness. -Grooming: Grooming helps to keep your pet’s fur and nails trimmed and looking neat. It is important to use the proper tools for grooming, such as scissors or clippers for the nails and a brush or comb for the fur. You should groom your pet regularly, depending on their needs. Fur and Skin Care What Causes a Pet's Fur or Skin to Change? There are many things that can cause a pet's fur or skin to change. Some changes are due to the environment, such as changes in temperature or humidity. Other changes can be due to health conditions, such as allergies or infections. Still other changes can be due to grooming habits, such as over-bathing or using the wrong type of shampoo. What Can I Do to Help My Pet's Fur or Skin? If you notice a change in your pet's fur or skin, the first thing you should do is consult with your veterinarian. They will be able to determine if the change is due to a health condition or something else. If it is a health condition, they will be able to provide treatment. If it is not a health condition, they may be able to suggest some changes in your pet's diet or grooming habits. Fur and Skin Care When Should You Seek Veterinary Treatment for Your Pet? If your pet has any kind of skin or fur condition, it's important to seek professional treatment as soon as possible. Veterinary dermatologists are specially trained to diagnose and treat conditions of the skin and fur, so they can provide your pet with the best possible care. If you're not sure whether your pet needs to see a vet, here are a few signs that it's time to make an appointment: Your pet is scratching or licking excessively. Your pet has bald spots or patches of missing fur. Your pet has red, inflamed skin. Your pet has scabs or open sores. Your pet's skin or fur is changing color. You've noticed changes in your pet's behavior, such as increased irritability or lethargy. If you notice any of these signs, don't hesitate to contact your veterinarian for an appointment. Early diagnosis and treatment can often help improve your pet's condition and quality of life. Fur and Skin Care How Can I Improve My Pet’s Health? Caring for your pet’s fur and skin is important for their overall health. There are a few things you can do at home to help keep your pet’s coat and skin healthy. Brushing your pet regularly helps remove dead fur and skin cells and stimulates blood circulation. It also helps distribute the natural oils that keep the fur and skin healthy. Be sure to use a brush that is designed for your pet’s fur type. Bathing your pet regularly is also important for their fur and skin health. Use a shampoo that is designed for pets and avoid getting any water in their ears. Be sure to rinse all of the shampoo out of their fur to prevent skin irritation. In addition to regular brushing and bathing, you should also trim your pet’s nails and clean their ears periodically. These are all important part of keeping your pet’s fur and skin healthy. Keep an eye out for any changes in the fur or skin. If you notice any redness, itching, excessive shedding or other changes, it could be a sign of a health issue. Contact your veterinarian right away if you're concerned about your pet's fur or skin. Using Pet Grooming Services By following these tips, you can help keep your cat or dog's fur or skin, however it may be worthwhile considering a pet grooming service, such as mobile doggy parlour that comes to your home or established pet groomers in your area, which will save you some time and also allow professionals to look after your pets furry skin. There are many benefits to using a doggy parlour or pet grooming service, some of the top reasons why you should consider using one. Whether you have a hairy hound that needs regular grooming or a pampered pooch that could use a spa day, there are plenty of good reasons to visit your local pet groomer. Here are just a few of the top reasons to use a doggy parlour or pet grooming service: 1. Regular grooming can help reduce shedding and keep your home clean. 2. It can also help reduce allergens in the home for those with allergies to pet dander. 3. Grooming can also help keep your pet's coat healthy and free of mats and tangles. 4. A professional groomer can also identify health problems such as skin infections, mites, and fleas. 5. Regular grooming can be bonding experience for you and your pet. 6. It can also be a great way to socialise your pet, especially if they are shy or anxious around other animals. 7. And last but not least, professional grooming can simply make your pet look and Links and Tags Doggy Parlour Klerksdorp Doggy Parlour Potchefstroom Doggy Parlour Near Me Pet Grooming Near Me

Gas geysers are a great way to generate efficient use of energy to heat your water, and they're becoming increasingly popular in Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom. There are a few things you need to know before you buy one, though. Here's what you need to know about gas geysers in Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom. Similar to other things in life it is not a fact that all gas geysers are equal, and indeed there are different types of gas geysers you can find in Klerksdorp ad Potchefstroom, these are as follows: Battery Ignition gas geysers Hydro Ignition gas geysers Geysers that used 220 volt Ac to Ignite the Gas Geyser. Note: Battery or Hydro Ignition Gas Geysers used either batteries or a Hydro to ignite the gas. Differences to be aware of between the different geysers and that is commonly referred to as Hydro powered (Entry Level) and Forced powered (Advanced Level) The Battery and Hydro ignition gas geysers are normally lower priced and there are some important factors to keep in mind with these units, the most important points being as follows: (Source: https://gas-geysers-johannesburg.co.za/) Entry Level gas geysers are not able to effectively supply sufficient hot water to multiple hot taps operating simultaneously, and also does now work well with mixer taps If someone opens up another tap in the house there is a very good chance your gas Geyser will switch off and you will be left with cold water or no water at all. Forced driven gas geysers can supply hot water to multiple taps. The entry level gas geysers temperature can only be set at the gas geyser. Meaning if your wife likes to take a hot shower and you like a cooler shower you will have to go to the gas Geyser and manually change the temperature on the gas Geyser. In homes with three or more people and two or more bathrooms, you will ideally need one medium capacity Entry Level gas geysers per bathroom.Forced driven gas geysers can supply two or more bathrooms simultaneously. Entry Level gas geysers have limitations in the distances they are able to supply hot water over. This limit is approximately 8m-10m. Entry Level gas geysers are not recommended for double storey homes, unless the bathrooms & kitchen are all on the ground floor. Entry Level gas geysers are very sensitive to fluctuating water pressure. This is only a problem in situations where water supply is from a borehole and can be overcome by installing a pressure pump. Forced driven gas geysers can normally accommodate fluctuating water pressure. Entry Level gas geysers will need to be protected from prevailing winds & rain & will need to have a weather cover fitted & flue pipe fitted (extra costs). - A flue pipe The flue pipe on a gas geyser works in the same way that a chimney pipe does on a fireplace. The flue pipe will draw the CO2 gasses produced by the gas burners out of the geyser, along with excess heat. Without a flue pipe, the CO2 gasses settle over the gas burners & literally smother the flames Entry Level gas geysers must have a flue pipe (chimney pipe) with cowl (‘Chinese Hat’ which fits on top of the flue pipe). Without this the geyser will overheat & keep switching off. Flue pipes come at an extra charge. Entry Level gas geysers cannot be connected to a controller (these controllers have the benefit of eliminating temperature fluctuations if someone else turns on another tap, enables more precise temperature controls) The Entry Level gas geysers temperature in most instances can only be altered at the gas geyser. Entry Level gas geysers cannot detect the cold water temperature coming into the gas geyser to save you money on gas and precious water your forced driven gas geysers can. Entry Level gas geysers don’t work well if water saver shower heads &/or filters on your taps. Entry Level gas geysers don’t work well in homes with mixer unit taps. If the cold water is allowed in too fast, it tends to push the hot water back to the gas geyser.The entry level gas geysers registers this as a safety problem and switches itself off particularly annoying for the person in shower at the time ! This does not happen with forced driven gas geysers. Entry Level gas geysers don’t have freeze protection feature. If the weather goes to minus degrees The Entry Level gas geysers will freeze up and damage the heat exchanger and water pipes. The forced driven gas geysers have freeze protection feature including an electrical element and intermittent firing of the burner to protect the heat exchanger and water pipes from freezing over. Entry Level gas geysers that use the Hydro Generator Ignition – require no batteries. The Hydro mechanisms are easily damaged by dirt/sand in the water supply. Entry Level gas geysers that use the Hydro Generator Ignition are very sensitive to water flow not enough water flow and the Hydro Generator Ignition will not ignite the gas geyser. Entry Level gas geysers normally have a much shorter warranty than Forced Driven geysers, so be sure to ask the question on warranties when purchasing your gas heater. Entry level geysers do not have electronic control systems, so all of their gas burners all come on at the same time. This means that their gas consumption is the same whether one tap or more are operating. Should you opt for any of these entry level geysers, the recommended sizes vs application would be as follows: Recommended Standard/ Manual Geyser Sizes 6l geyser – Kitchen sink or basin only 8l geyser – Kitchen sink & washing machine. Can be used for a shower which is not used very often i.e. spare bathroom but does not give a really adequate volume of hot water for daily use. 10l geyser – Shower. 12l geyser – Minimum size required for a bath. 16l geyser – 1x shower & 1x ‘small’ hot tap (ie basin/ sink) running simultaneously. 20l geyser (Standard Geyser ) – 2x showers/ baths running simultaneously Advantages of the more advanced Forced Powered Geysers: Forced Fan gas geysers are extremely gas efficient and have electronic control systems & are able to modulate their gas consumption according to demand for hot water. Exact water temperature can be pre-programmed. Forced Fan gas geysers can operate under low water pressure conditions of 1 bar. Forced Fan Gas Geysers are the only geysers which can successfully supply hot water to upstairs bathrooms. Automatic stabilisation of fluctuating water pressure. Forced Fan gas geyser electronic systems ensure sufficient water pressure and temperature for multiple hot water taps operating simultaneously. Fully weatherproof & do not use flue pipes Forced Fan Gas Geysers can be connected directly to an existing solar water system as a back-up during cloudy weather/ winter. Disadvantages of Forced Fan Gas Geysers: Forced Fan gas geysers cost between two to three times that of a Standard gas geyser. Forced Fan gas geysers must have electricity to ignite and to operate their electronic controls. Lack of electricity during power failures can be overcome by using a UPS/ Inverter/ Generator at these times. Forced Fan gas geysers can be run on generator power, however protection against power surges must be installed as this can damage the geyser’s electronic operating systems. Do Forced Driven Geysers Use Electricity Yes, Forced Driven Water Heater do use electricity. Usage is minimal approximately 83 watts, if anti frost activated 100 watts But this will make your hot water usage very efficient.Buy using a in built computer to measure the water temperature coming in from the ground water ( municipal water ) and giving you a accurate water temperature that you have set the gas Geyser temperature to. This efficiency will save you on precious water and gas. Gas Installations If you're interested in buying a gas geyser, you'll need to have a gas line installed in your home. Gas products that carry the Safe Gas Appliance certificate means they have been tested as safe gas appliances and comply to SABS regulations. All gas installations must carry a CoC for insurance purposes and must be done by professionals, his is very important. What is a Tankless Gas Geyser? Tankless Gas geysers are rated by the maximum liters per minute it can handle, and not by a tank/geyser capacity in liters that we are used to when referring to standard geysers. So if you see a 20 liter gas geyser it means that this is a 20 liter per minute gas geyser. It could give you 20 liters of hot water per minute maximum. Remember these are tankless ,no resivoir, it’s hot water on demand as you open the hot water faucet. Here is a great video from Dewhot showing you how to determine your required flow rate prior to deciding the flowrate of the gas geyser you will require: Other Points to Remember One other very important point is that your choice of gas geysers may have water heating temperature limitations if the water flow is set at maximum, as explained in this video below by Dewhot, basically the faster your water runs the less ability the gas geyser will have to heat the water to higher temperatures, this is especially important in winter when the incoming water may be cooler and thus will require greater heating. Will Gas Geysers Save You Money Gas geysers are far more efficient than electrical geysers and offer a viable and cost-effective option to have hot water for your home. It has been calculated that the savings on your monthly electricity bill could be cut by as much as 40% by going with gas. Your electrical geyser has been proven to be the highest energy consumer in your home. Going with a gas geyser makes a lot of sense but what does not make sense is going with a low quality, low cost and illegal installation. A complete gas geyser installation can cost anywhere from R7500 for entry-level up to R20 000 for more advanced setup and depending on your requirements. Based on average industry rates you should budget for your gas geyser installation as follows: (Note these are indicative prices at time of this article, other factors such as the incresed fuel prices, inflation and other factors will impact these prices considerably) Gas line installation – R2,500 and up Plumbing – R2,200 and up Gas Geyser – R 3,000 to R13,500 depending on your requirements (your installer will make the best recommendation for you) Gas – 19kg cylinder +/- R950 Here is a great video explaining how a gas heater basically works from Builders Warehouse You can find Gas suppliers in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp right here on The Go To Guy Tags and Links: Gas supplier in Klerksdorp Gas supplier in Potchefstroom. Gas supplier near me Gas Geysers

Every year, winter especially, there is a surge in people wanting to know what the price of gas should be in South Africa, and especially when it gets really cold, this as more of us reach out for our gas heaters to heat up our homes and our chilling bones. In this article we share with you some facts on LPG gas prices in South Africa, specifically LPG Gas prices in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp. The LPG Gas prices as published by Department of Energy is not the same across the country, and indeed for LPG Gas as well as fuel prices the country is divided into different zones, and prices for LPG Gas is set against each zone. Important to understand is that the published price is the maximum price that a retailer may charge for LPG Gas, and retailer may charge less than this price but not more, very important to understand is that this published price includes VAT. Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp falls under the zone referred to as 9C, and if you wish to view the entire grid map you can find the PDF Map of the Grids below: LPG Gas Prices in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp LPG Gas prices are regulated and each month the Department of Energy publishes these prices for all retailers across the country on their website, which you can view by clicking here, these prices are published in cents per kilogram, and the price as published for the periods as we update them are as follows: June 2022 is at 3,714 cents per kilogram, thus R37,14 per kilogram, and the standard gas bottle of 9 kg should cost you no more than R334.26 VAT Included. (Valid to 6th July 2022) July 2022 is at 3,496 cents per kilogram, thus R34,96 per kilogram, and the standard gas bottle of 9 kg should cost you no more than R314.64 VAT Included. (Valid to 2nd August 2022) For reference here are the published prices over the years for June of each year: 2012: R 20.25 2013: R 22.89 2014: R 25.01 2015: R 22.17 2016: R 21.58 2017: R 21.44 2018: R 23.84 2019: R 26.57 2020: R 21.29 2021: R 27.21 2022: R 37.14 You can also download the current price as published at start of July 2022 below. Take Our Poll We thought we would also add the poll below to determine if retailers are actually charging customers the right price as published by the Department of Energy, let us know by simply selecting your experience on pricing below (Vote and you will see the results of all voters to date) Tags and Links LPG Gas Suppliers Potchefstroom LPG Gas Suppliers Klerksdorp LPG Gas Suppliers

SuperSport published the Springboks tour for 2022, and the first thing that comes to mind for Rugby lovers in Potchefstroom may be how Load Shedding will impact the watching of Rugby, especially if you do not have a generator or other form of electricity, when Eskom decides it is lights out. The Go-To Guy put together the following schedule, showing the Springbok tour dates and times that you could watch the game on SuperSport, against the different levels of load shedding that may be announced,. This may allow you to plan accordingly as Eskom makes announcements on the possible stages of load shedding where applicable,. You can find each game below as well as the different load shedding stages on those days that may be announced, as a bonus at the end of article we added the load-shedding stages and times for you for free download, all the way to end December 2022. The Games and Load-Shedding Risk Factor Stages Date: Saturday 2nd July 2022 Supersport Time: 15:05 Venue: Pretoria, South Africa Opponents: Wales Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 1 and upwards will ruin your day Date: Saturday 9th July 2022 Supersport Time: 15:05 Venue: Bloemfontein, South Africa Opponents: Wales Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 8 may ruin your day up to 16:00 Date: Saturday 16th July 2022 Supersport Time: 15:05 Venue: Cape Town, South Africa Opponents: Wales Risk Factor Potchefstroom: May be impacted after 18:00 from Stage 2 and upwards Date: Saturday 6th August 2022 Supersport Time: 15:05 Venue: Mbombela, South Africa Opponents: New Zealand Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 1 may impact start of game to 16:00 and Stage 5 will ruin your day Date: Saturday 13th August 2022 Supersport Time: 15:05 Venue: Johannesburg, South Africa Opponents: New Zealand Risk Factor Potchefstroom: May be impacted after 18:00 from Stage 3 and upwards Date: Saturday 27th August 2022 Supersport Time: 05:30 Venue: Adelaide, Australia Opponents: Australia Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 2 may disrupt first part of broadcast to 06:00, stage 6 will ruin your day Date: Saturday 3rd September 2022 Supersport Time: 09:35 Venue: Sydney, Australia Opponents: Australia Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 3 may impact first part of broadcast to 10 am, Stage 7 will ruin your day Date: Saturday 17th September 2022 Supersport Time: 19:10 Venue: Buenos Aires, Argentina Opponents: Argentina Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 7 and upwards may impact first hour of broadcast to 20:00 Date: Saturday 24th September 2022 Supersport Time: 15:05 Venue: Durban, South Africa Opponents: Argentina Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 2 upwards may impact first hour of broadcast to 16:00, Stage 6 upwards will ruin your day Date: Saturday 5th November 2022 Supersport Time: 17:30 Venue: Dublin, Ireland Opponents: Ireland Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 8 may impact first 30 mins of Broadcast to 18:00 Date: Saturday 12th November 2022 Supersport Time: 20:00 Venue: Marseille, France Opponents: France Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 2 upwards will ruin your day Date: Saturday 26th November 2022 Supersport Time: 17:30 Venue: Twickenham, England Opponents: England Risk Factor Potchefstroom: Stage 7 upwards will ruin your day Eskom Load-Shedding Schedule There are two sheets: Sheet one in the workbook being a static one that indicates all the levels and times of load shedding, dependent on the stage of load-shedding announced by Eskom. The other is a schedule to the end of the year by actual date, and also by Stage that may be announced by Eskom. For additional value we indicate the number of hours per day, the percentage of time during day and in the evening as well as showing you weekends in the formatting.of the dated sheet. Simply scroll down on sheet to the 8 different load-shedding schedules Notes: We have taken great care in putting these sheets together, from confirmed and official Eskom sources, yet Eskom and Councils may alter and follow a different program, note also that although two hours are indicated Eskom adds 30 minutes on their time schedules to cater for reactivation of grids, thus all two hour blocks may be two hours and thirty minutes. If you spot any errors, typos or others, let us know by email at theguy@thegotoguy.co.za :) If you wish to see all the different areas load shedding stages by different municipal areas you can simply click here, which will take you to Eskom schedules

Here is a free downloadable sheet showing the different stages of Eskom and what times you can expect the power to be off in Potchefstroom during these stages, the sheet also indicates the percentage of times of daytime and night-time outages for reference. There are two sheets: Sheet one in the workbook being a static one that indicates all the levels and times of load shedding, dependent on the stage of load-shedding announced by Eskom. The other is a schedule to the end of the year by actual date, and also by Stage that may be announced by Eskom. For additional value we indicate the number of hours per day, the percentage of time during day and in the evening as well as showing you weekends in the formatting.of the dated sheet. Simply scroll down on sheet to the 8 different load-shedding schedules Download Sheet Below in Excel Format Download Sheet Below in PDF Format View Sheet Online by Clicking on this link: Google Live Sheet Notes: We have taken great care in putting these sheets together, from confirmed and official Eskom sources, yet Eskom and Councils may alter and follow a different program, note also that although two hours are indicated Eskom adds 30 minutes on their time schedules to cater for reactivation of grids, thus all two hour blocks may be two hours and thirty minutes. If you spot any errors, typos or others, let us know by email at theguy@thegotoguy.co.za :) If you wish to see all the different areas load shedding stages by different municipal areas you can simply click here, which will take you to Eskom schedules

Jobs are scarce, and many people, mainly women, walk the streets each day looking for domestic work, house to house for miles at end, it is not a nice experience, especially if met by hundreds on "no work available". Here at The Go-To Guy we looked at that and asked ourselves how we could use the tools we have to create something where these woman looking for jobs could go and register their details, whilst at the same time people looking for assistants at their homes could go and find people that meets their requirements, and thus we created a registration service where Domestic Workers can go and register for free. The service is currently in Beta and we will ad more personalisation over the next few weeks, we will also add the ability for homes that have a need to advertise for domestic workers to place advertisements so that we have both the supply and demand sectors covered, this will include references as well as social proof credibility factors that will aid both job seekers and job givers. Watch this space as we continue to develop this community initiative over the next period, and if you have any suggestions, insights, advice and ideas to develop the service then please send us your comments.

People choose tiles to cover their floors and wall because they are stylish, durable and easy to maintain. Not all types of tiles are suitable for every job and you also need to consider your budget when picking tiles. Tiles came in different shapes and materials, let us take a look at which tile will be best for your renovation project. Ceramic: Ceramic tiles have a white or red clay biscuit and are baked in a kiln at high temperature. Ceramic tiles are great for splash backs and bathroom walls. Glazed ceramic tiles works great for flooring and is long lasting. Ceramic tiles are easy to install and to clean and very durable. Ceramic tiles are smaller than other tiles in general. Porcelain: Porcelain tiles are made with finer clays than ceramic and they are baked at a higher temperature. Porcelain tiles are great for bathrooms, kitchens and high-traffic areas. Porcelain tiles works great for indoors and outdoor. Porcelain tiles can be used for flooring and wall covers. The installation of porcelain tiles can be a bit tricky, and needs an adhesive when installing. Mosaics: Mosaic tiles are small pieces of tiles that are arranged on a sheet. The small pieces of tiles can be made of porcelain, glass, marble, stone, ceramic and even pebbles. Mosaics tiles can be use to add detail to a wall, but it is recommended to use it sparingly, as it can look dated quickly. Mosaics tiles are great for introducing detail on walls and splash backs. Mosaics tills can be added to spaces where extra grip is needed. Cement Tiles: Cement tiles are part cement, ceramic, and porcelain, that are pressed and then left to cure. Cement tiles are great to add character to small spaces. Because cement tiles are so versatile it can provide you with great patterns and colors. It can be hard work to lay cement tiles, and the tiles must be resealed once a month to maintain its beauty. It is best to use cement tiles in low-traffic areas. Natural stone tiles: Quarried stone such as marble, limestone, granite, slate, travertine, and quarts are all family to the natural stone tiles. Granite tiles have a similar look than marble, but it is the less expensive tile. Granite tiles are great for laundry rooms. Marble tiles are costly, but it adds a touch of elegance and refinement to any room. Granite tiles works great as shower flooring, backsplashes, and columns. You can create a truly rustic style with limestone tiles. Limestone tiles are great for outdoor areas, due to it rich appearance and variety of colours and size. It is best to apply travertine tiles as wall covers, as to avoid scratches, etching and stains. Quarry tiles are naturally dense, nonporous and water resistant. Quarry tiles works great in high traffic areas, and they are naturally slip-resistant.

Covered in this article are the following: Employment Process Induction of Domestic Workers Domestic Worker Definition Most Important Legal Requirements Minimum Wages Hours of Work Leave Classifications/Requirements Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COIDA) Employment Contracts Payment of Salaries Downloads Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Employment Process of Domestic Workers We found that most households meet and employ their workers via their friends and family networks as a method of filtering the workers, with trust being the largest factor when looking at employing a worker, and having friends and family recommending or vouching for the worker a big trust checkpoint is achieved. This trust requirement is a natural concern, as domestic workers and other home workers are in fact workers that enters a very private space into the homes and in their lives, and allowing a total stranger into their homes remains a huge stumbling block, we also believe that by not having a method to confirm/achieve this trust, leaves a number of open positions and households that are looking at employing someone rather leaving these positions vacant, thus a great job creation opportunity exists if this trust factor could be addressed. Besides the common process of networking with family and friends to find a person that could fill a position, we also found that there is no clear needs analysis and checklist type of reference used to look, find, filter and ultimately employ the employee, resulting often in a poor match between the household needs and the services that could be provided, or is expected to be provided by the employee. It is vitally important for households/Employers to have a more structured approach to defining their needs and the checklist against which potential employees could be filtered, at the least we recommend the following are covered, and for reference we have a downloadable document assisting with this as a free download at the end of this article. Defining the Environment: In the job requirements it is important that a summary is provided of the environment in which the houseworker would operate, as an example stating that it is a 3 bedroomed house, tiled or carpeted, the total number of rooms in the house, the number of bathrooms, if there are any additional outside buildings such as granny flat and/or others, this provides the employees viewing the advertised position and potentially the financial benefits in perspective, saving a lot of time in terms of interviews and interactions with potential employees. Equipment at Household and Required Use/Application: We overlook the equipment we have in our households, and how these will be used by the worker, here we are referring to stating items such as washing machine type (EG Top-loader, Front-loader, Automatic etc), Tumble-dryers or not (Which will impact how clothes will be dried), type of iron that will be used (Standard, Steam, Press-down), Kitchen having gas stove and electrical oven or not (Especially if cooking is required). Family Structure: It is important for the employee to understand the family dynamics of the household as this will impact not just the workload as an example but also prepare the worker in general in her/his approach and engagement with the household and if she/he would be a fit, such as that the family consists of the parents, two children aged x and y (which would be completely different between non-school and school going children and care) Expectations: Households needs to define clearly what the expectations are in terms of the job/s that needs to be done, both broadly and also personalised requirements, in order to not just use this as a filter for interviewing and finding the ideal employee, but also to discuss, refresh and in greater detail define the expectations, such as the daily cleaning that will be required, weekly, monthly and then quarterly, (EG such as curtain washing annually, washing windows monthly) Childcare/Children Interaction: if there are children in the house, whether the employee would be directly responsible for caring for them or not, it is advisable to provide an overview of the children, their requirements and your expectations in caring for the children. Salaries and Benefits: Naturally the employee would wish to know what salary and benefits would be for the position, and for this purpose the household needs to carefully think through this in order to capture all the relevant points, especially the basics such as the hourly rate, the transport allowance that would be provided, meals, holiday and leave days, medical fees, education fees (as applicable for specific position), keeping in mind labour legislation and related (EG: Uniforms that is not a benefit but seen as Protective Equipment) Checklist of Required Documents: It is easy to forget the most basic administrative documents that will be required, such as an ID document copy that would be required, other documents that may have to appear on the file of the employee, (You will definitely need to keep an admin file on the employee, this is covered later in this article) Checklist of Labour Compliance Understanding: This checklist can be used for the successful applicant "meeting of the minds" and also acts as the foundation of the agreement that you need to sign with the employee, it cover cover things such start times, end times, lunch and tea breaks, overtime policy, leave policy and processes, other policies such as intoxication and absenteeism, by having this as general discussion the foundation is laid for a mutually understood relationship. By having the above in a document form a search will yield more tangible and structured discussions, not just at the start of search but also the entire interview process and ultimately the relationship going forward. Induction and Best Practices Like any relationship the foundation of the relationship is laid at the start of that relationship, and in our observations of the Domestic and Home worker sectors it is evident that there is a significant gap, and indeed a great opportunity for employers, to integrate the new worker into their households. We further found that employers have a very "light" approach to the induction and initial training/sensitisation of the new employee into the household, when this specific part of the relationship will have a dramatic effect on not just the continued long relationship between employer and employee, but also the service levels provided by the employee to the household. It is therefore suggested that household have a full session with employer that welcomes the employee to the household, introduce to all family members, and then room-for-room cover the expectations in each room, what days you wish to focus on specifics, such as washing days, ironing days etc. Also the personalised points that would be applicable for each room or job that would be required, an example would be to open specific room windows on Mondays, whatever may be specific requirement/s, it is highly advisable to have a list for each room to discuss, as well as what the daily routine would typically be. This induction should also include other dynamics, such as contact numbers, emergency numbers, safety advice and requirements (EG storing of poisonous cleaning materials in households with small children) Domestic Worker Definition Let's also look at the definition of a domestic worker, around which there seems to be some confusion, the following are defined in labour acts and regulations. The word “domestic worker” means any domestic worker or independent contractor who performs domestic work in a private household and who receives, or is entitled to receive pay and these include the following workers: Gardeners Domestic workers employed or supplied by employment services. Drivers of the household, a person employed by a household as a driver of a motor vehicle; and A person that takes care of children, the aged, the sick, frail or disabled, this includes Nannies, Au Pairs etc. It does, however, not include a farm worker who performs domestic work in a home on a farm. The Basic Responsibilities for Employers The moment that any worker works for you for more than 26 hours a month, they are employed by you, and no longer considered a casual employee, and as such at this point there are a number of legal requirements that come in, some of the most important ones are: You need to sign an employment contract with the employee You need to provide your employee with a payslip each month You need to register the employee for UIF and subsequently start payment of UIF You need to register the employee with COIDA and start payment of annual COIDA fees Minimum Wages It should be understood that while the word minimum wage is a defined term in the act, the word does not constitute that it is a "living wage" and employers paying their employees more than the minimum seems to be acutely aware of such, equally so the market for great people will always require that you pay your worker more than the minimum wage. Surveys during 2021 showed that domestic workers in reality earn between R2,614 and R2,916 a month. The more worrying finding from the survey is that one in five domestic workers (21%) are earning less than R1,500 a month, and two-thirds earned below 2021’s minimum wage. Only 1% reported earning more than R6,000 a month. As from 1 March 2022 the minimum hourly wages for a domestic worker is R23.19. This is an increase of 6.9% from the previous year. Assuming a domestic worker is working 160 hours a month (eight hours a day, 20 days a month), the monthly wage comes to R3,710 for the month. An employer must be aware that it is a criminal offence to pay less than the National Minimum Wage. An employer is not permitted to engage in a negotiation with their employee/s whereby they agree to a daily wage that is less than the National Minimum Wage. The Basic Conditions of Employment Act ensures that no employee can receive less than what is prescribed in the Act. The National Minimum Wage is only applicable to the payment of ordinary hours of work and does not apply to allowances for transport, meals, accommodation and bonuses. Employers cannot reduce the salaries of domestic workers who earn more than the minimum wage. It’s considered unfair labour practice for an employer to reduce the salary of a domestic worker who earns above the minimum wage. Hours of Work The above rate is for normal hours and a domestic worker may not work more than: 45 hours per week 9 hours per day for a five day week 8 hours per day for a six day work week Should overtime be required these needs to be agreed, as overtime is voluntarily, and the rate as mentioned above would then be multiplied by factor of 1.5, thus overtime rate under current legislation would be R34.78. Although a worker may be requested to work overtime, there are limitations, and a domestic worker may not work: More than 15 hours overtime per week, and; More than 12 hours on any day, including overtime. Note: An employee may agree to take paid time off instead of being paid the multiplier for overtime worked, this will be based on the same principle, for every hour worked the time off would be 90 minutes. A domestic worker is entitled to an hour break for a meal after 5 hours of continued work, such an interval may by agreement be reduced to 30 minutes, and if your worker needs to work through that meal they would have to be paid for such. Sunday work is voluntarily and the worker may not be forced to work on this day, and any hours worked on Sunday would have to be paid at a multiplier of 2, thus the minimum applicable would be R46.38 and this would be based on the agreed salary of the employee, you cannot implement a different rate than the rate in the employment contract for this purpose. Public Holidays Domestic workers are entitled to all public holidays as contained in the public holidays act, in addition there may be mutual agreement on other public holidays that are not contained in the act. Working on public holidays is also voluntarily, and wages would be determined at multiplier of 2 if working on these days, the current official public holidays are: New Years day Human rights day Good Friday Family Day Freedom Day Employees Day Youth Day National Woman’s Day Heritage Day Day of Reconciliation Christmas Day Day of Goodwill Any government declared official public holiday Looking at Leave and the Different Classifications Leave - Annual Annual leave provision for domestic workers: Three weeks per year or 1 day for 17 days worked, domestic who does not work 45 ordinary hours, leave can be calculated at 1 hour for 17 hours worked, or 1 day for every 17 days worked The leave must be given not later than 6 months after completing 12 months of employment with the same employer. The leave may not be given at the same time as sick leave, nor at the same time as a period of notice to terminate work. Leave - Sick Sick leave provision for domestic workers: During every sick leave cycle of 36 months an employee is entitled to an amount of paid sick leave equal to the number of days the employee would normally work during a period of six weeks. During the first six months of employment, an employee is entitled to one day’s paid sick leave for every 26 days worked. The employer is not required to pay an employee if the employee has been absent from work for more than two consecutive days or on more than two occasions during an eight-week period and, on request by the employer, does not produce a medical certificate stating that the employee was unable to work for the duration of the employee’s absence on account of sickness or injury. Leave - Maternity Leave Maternity Leave Provisions for domestic workers An employee may take up to four months of unpaid maternity leave and is not allowed to return to work for a minimum of six weeks after giving birth. As an employer, you are not legally obliged to pay a portion of their salary during maternity leave, but you may choose to. The mother can also claim maternity benefits from UIF for the full four months. Leave - Family Responsibility Family responsibility provision for domestic workers: Domestic workers who have been employed for longer than 4 months and for at least 4 days a week are entitled to take 3 days paid family responsibility leave during each leave cycle in the following circumstances: when the employee’s child is born when the employee’s child is sick if one of the following people dies: the employee’s husband / wife / life partner / parent /adoptive parent / grandparent/ child/adopted child/ grandchild/ brother or sister More than 3 days of family responsibility leave is unpaid and may be deducted of the employees wages. Unemployment Fund There seems to be confusion on the registration and payment of UIF for domestic workers, yet if any worker works for you for more than 26 hours per month, then you are under a legal obligation to register that employee for UIF, and to make the contributions towards UIF The employer must register as a contributor to UIF and must register her domestic worker as a beneficiary. The UIF will send the employer a contributor number when she registers and she has to use that number when making payments. The total amount for UIF is 2% of the worker’s salary each month: 1% is paid by the employer and the other 1% can be deducted from the worker’s wages to be paid over to UIF. It is the responsibility of the employer to pay the UIF contribution for her domestic worker. If she doesn’t pay it, she/he can be held personally liable for payment of the amount owing to the UIF. Non-payment of UIF is an offence and the UIF will levy a 10% penalty on all the unpaid back contributions, and the finance committee at UIF will also calculate interest owing. A worker who works more than 24 hours a month can claim UIF benefits when she becomes unemployed if she was dismissed or retrenched or the employer dies. She cannot claim UIF if she resigns. If she agrees to the termination of her work – that is, if she was not dismissed or retrenched, she also doesn’t qualify. In order to register your employee for UIF you will be required to have the following information and documentation: Personal details of your employee that will include the Name, ID Number and Salary information Your details which will include you Name, ID Number, Physical Address, Postal Address, E-Mail and Mobile Number Forms UI-19 and UI-8D completed, and for which you will also require a utility bill that is not older than 3 months (You can download these forms at the end of this article under Downloads Section) There are a number of channels you could use for this process, these are: Department of Labour Centre Near You Department of Labour Online System Email UI-8D and UI-19 forms to domestic@uif.gov.za Post to UIF, Pretoria 0052 The Go-To Guy strongly recommends taking the online registration route :) The U-Filing Process Basic Steps You will go to the website address https://ufiling.labour.gov.za/uif/ click on "Register" You will then be presented with terms and conditions to accept, click on Continue You will then have to complete a number of fields, note: the first field is a username that you have to create, remember this as you will require it later when you want to access the system again You will then receive an activation mail with a temporary password, and a link that you need to click in the mail, clicking on this link will take you to a login screen, where you will be prompted for a new password From here you will go through a vetting process where you have to answer some questions, this will include your physical address, postal address, email address, mobile number, employers, exactly what you entered when you registered. Once you completed the above questions you will be directed where you can confirm/update your personal details before proceeding to the Ufiling website You will then on the left column see a dropdown menu, look and click on "Registrations" A page will open with three tabs at the top, click on "Domestic Employer" You will then go through a process where you will be verified, capture your details, capture employee details. A important part here will be the date of employment that you will be requested to put in of your worker and you are bound by law to register within 7 days from employee having started working for you. You will then enter all the details of the employee on the next screen, this will include name, ID number and date of birth. You will then have a screen capturing a range of details on the employment details, this includes start date, hours worked monthly, gross salary, UIF deductible salary, UIF contributions, Occupation, qualifications, physical and postal address. Once finished you will then receive a mail with your UIF number as an employer, this will now allways be your UIF number and every-time an employee leaves or starts you will update only the employee details on your profile. From here on forward you would have to ensure that by 7th of each month you pay the UIF that was due for the previous month, else penalties and interest will be charged to your account. UIF payments can be made by EFT and by Debit Order Notes: If you did not pay UIF for previous periods then UIF will be calculated for previous periods at 2% UIF owed per month for the period owing, a 10% penalty fee would be charged on the UIF amount and then an interest charge will be added (fluctuates and UIF finance department will advise this rate), you cannot deduct any arrears from the employee, only going forward after you have registered as an employer can you deduct 1% monthly, UIF for domestic workers started in April 2003 Can a domestic worker claim UIF and SASSA Pension Yes, a domestic worker could certainly claim UIF (only IF she is entitled to claim) and apply for a SASSA pension at the same time, BUT as the old-age pension is a means-tested grant, the UIF money would be taken into account as income, thus decreasing the amount of pension money to be received. For this reason, it is generally better to claim any UIF benefits due before applying for the SASSA grant. COIDA Domestic workers who suffer injury or contract an illness while on duty at the private home of their employer may apply for compensation from the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COIDA) Fund. Dependants of domestic workers will also be able to claim from the Compensation Fund. Employers will need to register with the Compensation Fund and pay annual assessment fees based on their domestic worker’s earnings. Employers are NOT allowed to deduct money from wages as contributions to the Fund. Employers who fail to register or default on payment of assessment fees will be liable for fines or prosecution in the event of a workplace incident (refer to the landmark ruling by the Constitutional Court on 19 November 2020, Sylvia Mahlangu v Minister of Labour). All employers of domestic works (including gardeners) – whether part-time, casual, temporary or full-time – must register themselves and their employees with the Compensation Commissioner, this effective from 10th of March 2021, and we attached that notice published on 10th March 2021 in the Government Gazette Any person who employs a domestic worker is therefore deemed to be an employer and is obliged to register their domestic workers with the Compensation Fund by paying an annual fee on their behalf. Employers who fail to do so are guilty of an offence and liable to a fine, and should a domestic worker who is not registered with the Compensation Fund be injured on duty, such domestic worker can also institute civil proceedings against their employer. It is essential for employers to register their domestic workers with the Compensation Fund, to indemnify themselves from civil litigation. The failure to register with the Compensation Fund may open an employer up to costly and time-consuming litigation. The annual fee payable by an employer is calculated as follows: The domestic worker’s annual salary ÷ 100 × 1.04. if we take the current minimum wage as an example then the annual salary would be R44,520 annually must therefore pay an annual fee of R460 to the Compensation Fund. What sort of protection does this cover offer your employee? In the event that they fall ill or suffer an injury as a direct result of their employment, they will be able to claim compensation for temporary or permanent disability, assistance with medical bills, orthotic or assistive devices and rehabilitation services. In the event of their death, their dependants can claim compensation from the fund for funeral expenses and ongoing support in the form of a widow/widower’s pension or lump sum, a child pension or additional dependency award to cover parents, siblings and other family members who may have been dependent on the employee. It doesn’t matter how many hours a week the employee works for you, how you pay them, or what kind of contract you have – you need to register them. This applies even to employees who work for multiple employers – each of those employers will need to register them How to Register your employee You are going to need the following documents and information: Your own personal details, name, ID, Mobile Number, E-Mail Address, Residential Address, Banking details, and then strangely you will also require the details of your Spouse/Partner A completed CF-1E Form, which is the application for the registration of the domestic worker employer, we attached this form in the downloads section. A copy of the ID/Passport/Work Permit, your own as well as your employee Proof of your address Copy of your employment contract Your UIF Number you received when you registered your employee with UIF This application needs to be sent by mail to mail address: registrationcf@labour.gov.za or you can register online at this link: Department of Labour Online User Registration Once registered you will be expected to submit a Return of Earnings (ROE) on an annual basis as soon as the ROE system opens between 1st April and 30th of May each year, and you can do this online by registering at this link: Department of Labour Online User Registration Employment Contracts Every domestic worker that works for you more that 26 hours per month must have a contract with you as an employer, and it is important that you cover all the relevant points in that agreement, besides the basic requirements we also suggest that you apply your mind to other points of importance and add that in the agreement, some of these are: The ability to use polygraphs and consent from employee in this regard If you will be having monitoring and nanny cams, specify this in your agreement and ensure that employee is aware and accepts this monitoring as part of the employment agreement. The process and tests that may be done if you suspect intoxication of any kind, this should include the consent to breathalyser tests as well as blood tests if required, specifically you should place in agreement that you have a zero tolerance policy, therefore any trace of any intoxicating substance is considered a breaking of this policy, further state that if employee arrives intoxicated that she/he will be sent home and marked as absent, with absenteeism charge then becoming applicable. How disciplinary matters would be addressed, referring to the guidelines from department of labour. Any probation periods, specifically its important to monitor and record performance during probation period, see FAQ on probation period later in this article Here is a checklist that you can use as a tick list to ensure you have all the relevant clauses in you agreement: The full name and address of the employer The full name and occupation of the employee, and a description of the work they will be doing, include all the duties on the list, including details on watching children and caring requirements The place of work The start date of employment The domestic worker’s agreed working hours and days of work. It is important to note that agreed working hours may not exceed 45 hours a week, including a daily one-hour lunch break that must be taken after five hours of work. The domestic worker’s wage or rate and method and frequency of payment The rate of pay for overtime work Any other cash payments the employee is entitled to Any deductions taken from wages The leave they are entitled to The notice period required to terminate employment, or the date of termination if the employment is for a specific period only. The different consents as per section above The benefits that they will receive over and above their basic salary, such as transport, meals, accommodation - note uniforms is not a benefit Policies such as zero tolerance policy for intoxication. If they will be monitored using video footage or nanny cams This list is not exhaustive and you need to apply your mind in ensuring that you have all the relevant points as it pertains to your household covered, also you need to ensure that your employee understands all the requirements. Payments of Wages and Other Fees Payment of salary: The employer must pay the domestic worker in cash, by cheque or directly into their bank account. Payments must be done during working hours. Any payments made and received should have a verifiable record, so if you pay by cash then let employee sign for funds received. The employer may not deduct from the domestic income for the following reasons: Breakage (crockery, electrical appliances, Damages (ironing) Meals provided during working hours, Clothing, Work equipment. Downloads UIF Form UI-8D UIF Form UI-19 Notice Government Gazette COIDA COIDA CF-1E Form FAQ Note: We are not legal and labour experts, and we suggest on any specific points that you discuss with your legal/labour consultants we placed the information here for convenience and as a starting point for you to build on.

When you finish painting or varnishing a project, it is often that left with some paint. To not waste it and store it for future use, we put together a few quick tips on how to store your paint. Heat or cold can quickly ruin paint making it hard and impossible to work with. It is important that you try and place the paint in the smallest container that you can find that wont allow too much air space in the container, as the more air you have in your container the greater the chances are that you will end with hardened pain, this as result of air reacting with the paint and hardening the paint. Mark this container clearly with the colour and type of pain that you have in the container, include the date so that you have an idea of how old the paint is. You can then take glad wrap and wrap this around the tin, this adds another layer of air sealing and also prevents any leaking should the container not be sealed properly. A good tip is to allways clean the lid grooves after you have used the paint, as these grooves tend to collect paint in these grooves, which hardens and then prevents the lid from sealing properly, or even worse is that it hardens so much that you cannot open the lid and then risk injury trying to. When you reseal the lid do not hammer it into place with a metal small headed hammer, this damages the lid and also once bent or damaged, rather take a larger head tool such asa mallet or a piece of wooden plank placed over the lid to spread the force evenly and then hammering on this to seal the lid. Finally after having done all this is to on a regular basis as you do s0me cleaning to turn the tin around so that the paint does not form a hard sludge on one side of the tin