Q: Remember, this is a formal business letter, and should be formatted accordingly.  Place your name, title, and address on the top left of the paper. Place the date below this. Put your boss' name, title, and address below this. Address your boss appropriately. Start with "Dear Mr." or "Dear Mrs." Have 1-inch margins around the paper and use single spacing. Don't indent, just use a double space in between paragraphs. End with "Sincerely," then leave 4 lines so you can manually sign your name. Below this, type your name and title. Don't jump right into "I need more money." Ease your boss into your request by stating that you're glad to be working for this company. For example: Dear Mr. Smith, Please allow me to once again express my pride in working for this company. I appreciate all the opportunities this job has granted me. After the introduction, then establish your value to the company. Your boss may be legitimately unaware of your specific contributions to the company. Seeing them all laid out will help him or her see that you are indeed an asset to the company. Highlight all of the good work you've done to demonstrate that you deserve more money for your work.  You will need to provide concrete evidence of your performance in the letter. Be sure to include specific details, percentages, and figures about your contributions to the company. Avoid general statements such as, “I work hard” and “I do a great job.” Mention how sales have increased in your department, or how customer satisfaction has gone up. If you have any good performance reviews, cite them here. Also be sure to include copies of them with the letter. After establishing that you've worked hard for the company, then state your concern that you're earning less than the industry average. Again, your boss might actually be unaware of industry standards, so seeing all of the research presented may help make your point more convincing.  Include exact figures here. State exactly what you're making, and then state what the industry average is. Point out what the discrepancy is. If you're making above average, point out exactly why you're such an asset to the company that you deserve more. Don't simply ask for more money, tell your boss what your expectation is. This will allow your boss to look at the numbers and see if the company can afford your request.  Write, "In line with my performance for this company, I request a compensation increase of 3% annually, which will bring my yearly salary to $50,000." It is often good to ask for slightly more than you actually want so if your boss negotiates with you, you'll end up closer to what you actually want. Don't go overboard, however, or you'll seem unreasonable. For example, if you want a 2% raise, ask for 2.5 or 3%, not 10%. Always end on a positive note. Don't use any kind of ultimatum, like threatening to leave if you don't get your request. Stress your desire to continue working for the company and that you look forward to the future. Write that you're willing to discuss this matter with your boss any time.
A: Format the letter appropriately. Start with a cordial statement about your job satisfaction. Highlight your past accomplishments. State your rate of compensation in relation to the industry standard. Ask for a specific amount. Conclude cordially.

Q: If you suspect that there are bees in your chimney, do not start your fireplace under any circumstance. Beeswax is highly flammable, and you may risk an explosion if you turn it on. Even if a major blast doesn’t occur, the hot wax may eat through your grout and masonry, potentially causing extensive damage. On top of that, bees are good for the environment! You may be able to have them peacefully removed without killing any bees in the process. If you see dead insects in the pit of your fireplace or there are bugs flying around your chimney, see if you can confirm that they’re bees. Bees always have fur, while wasps and hornets have smooth exteriors. In addition, hornets and wasps have longer, thinner thoraxes while bees tend to be round.  If you have hornets or wasps in your nest, call an exterminator and seal your chimney immediately. Hornets and wasps can be very aggressive towards humans, and if they think your home is their home, you could have a nasty situation on your hand. If you have an allergy to bees, do not get close to them. Bees are typically non-aggressive, but they may sting if they think you’re trying to harm them. Rent an infrared camera from a construction supply store. Turn the camera on and point it at the fireplace. Slowly raise it up towards your roof while monitoring the screen. If there are lots of little dots flying around, you have bees. If there is a large, white mass on the screen, you have a hive.  An infrared camera will cost around $50-80 to rent for a day. If the bees haven’t established a hive, it will cost considerably less to have the bees removed. The contractor will likely use a vacuum to extract the bees and take them elsewhere. This will usually cost anywhere from $50-200. If you have an established hive, it will cost a little more. The contractor will need to use a grinder to cut the hive out and remove it. This can cost $200-1,500, depending on the size of the hive and the chimney. Get an inflatable chimney plug from a construction supply store. Inflate the plug halfway by blowing into the tube. Then, slide it up the pit until it’s at least 1 ft (30 cm) above the base of the chimney. Next, blow it up as much as you can to expand the plug and block the chimney. This is the best way to keep bees, wasps, or hornets from flying down into your home.  The damper, which is the hatch that closes the opening to the chimney, is not nearly enough to keep bees out. They can usually squeeze through the opening between the plates. Chimney plugs are also known as balloon plugs. Alternatively, hold a contractor’s bag over the chimney and press long lengths of duct tape into the seam where the bag meets the masonry. Then, add more tape along the groves in the grout so it overlaps the seam where the first layer of tape meets the masonry. Do this 2-3 times to create an airtight fit.
A:
Keep your fireplace off if you suspect you have a bee problem. Confirm that you have bees by looking for fur and round thoraxes. Use an infrared camera to determine if they’ve established a hive. Plug your chimney if it’s open to keep the insects from coming inside.