Install lengths of J-channel along the inner edge of the fascia. The J-channel will conceal the cut edges of the soffit lengths and will provide a watertight seal.  Your nails should be centered in the channel slots and the nail heads should remain 1/32-to-1/16 inches (0.7938-to-1.6 mm) out. Boxed-type soffits will need a second J Channel strip, running from the fascia to the edge of the house. If the soffit on your house wraps around a corner, you will need to make provisions for the change of direction.  You can do this by installing two J-channels diagonally where the corners of the roof and house meet. You will have to cut a number of soffit and vent pieces at an angle to accommodate the diagonal pieces of J-channel. Vinyl siding usually comes in 12-foot (3.66-meter) lengths. Therefore, you will need to cut these long pieces of siding to fit the measurements of your soffit.  Keep in mind that the soffit pieces should measure 1/4 inch (6.35 mm) shorter than the actual length of the soffit. This 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) gap allows for the expansion of vinyl siding in warm weather. Once the J-channel is installed and the soffit pieces are cut, you will be able install them.  You can do this by pressing the soffit pieces into the channel, bending them to fit if necessary (vinyl siding is quite flexible). If you're having difficulty just pressing them in, you may need to pull the channel lip back with a pry bar or locking tool to get the siding panels to fit . Once the soffit pieces are installed, remove the gutter/downspout and slide the lengths of fascia siding under the gutter apron.  Secure the top edge of the fascia pieces with galvanized or painted nails placed every couple of feet. Reattach the gutters.

Summary: Nail J-channel pieces under the fascia. Understand how to deal with wrap-around soffit. Measure and cut the soffit pieces. Push each panel into the J-channel. Slide in the fascia siding pieces.


Trying to paint ceiling corners with a bunch of furniture in the way will only make a hard job even harder.  Plus, you risk dripping paint on your furniture by accident.  Pull furniture away from the walls and move it to the center of the room before you get started. If you’re painting the whole ceiling and not just the ceiling corners, remove your furniture to another room entirely. Lay blue painter’s tape along the entire perimeter of the wall where it meets the ceiling.  This will prevent the paint you’re applying to the ceiling from accidentally getting on the wall. If you apply a lot of paint where the paint meets the ceiling, score the edge with a razor blade before removing the tape so the paint doesn’t peel. Lay down a drop cloth before you start working.  If you don’t have a dropcloth, use an old set of sheets. If you’re only painting ceiling corners, you can probably get away with just laying down some thick cardboard or a layer of newspapers beneath the corner in question. Painting ceiling corners can be messy.  Wear heavy overalls or old clothes when painting.  Do not wear new clothes or anything that you might be concerned about if it got paint on it.  Disposable rubber gloves might also be useful. Wear a hat, too, to protect your head.

Summary: Remove any furniture that you can from the room. Tape the edges of the wall. Protect your floor. Wear old clothes or overalls.


Steam sterilizers require the addition of a small amount of water to create steam. Consult your user manual to determine how much water to use. Too little water may not sterilize the bottles properly, but too much could cause the basin to overflow. Check the sterilizer's instructions to see if there is a specific type of water you need to use. Some sterilizers require you to use distilled water instead of tap water to avoid a buildup of mineral deposits inside the sterilizer. The steam sterilizer kills germs, but will not actually clean off milk or formula residue. Wash your bottles, nipples, and other accessories with warm, soapy water and rinse them thoroughly before you put them into the sterilizer. Place one bottle upside-down on each prong. Do not attempt to load more bottles into the sterilizer than there are prongs. Most only have room for about six bottles, so if you have more than that, you will need to clean the bottles in batches. If you are interested in sterilizing a larger number of bottles at one time, check the sterilizer’s capacity before purchasing. Some sterilizers will only hold a couple of bottles, while others may hold 9 or more. These pieces should be spaced apart enough that they do not touch. If the sterilizer has lower prongs, space the accessories in between these prongs to hold them in place. Make sure that nipples and caps are placed in the sterilizer with their openings facing down. This will allow the steam to enter and sterilize the inside of the nipple or cap more effectively. Electric sterilizers work by generating steam. This steam needs to be contained inside the sterilizer to clean the bottles properly. Make sure the cover is on securely before you turn on the sterilizer. The sterilizer should automatically begin heating to a temperature high enough to generate steam and kill most of the bacteria in and on the bottles and nipples. For most electric steam sterilizers, the process takes about 10 minutes, although the time required is variable. Do not attempt to remove them until after the sterilizer finishes its cooling cycle. Dry the bottles with a clean dish towel or allow them to air dry.  Many electric steam sterilizers will also dry and deodorize the bottles for you.  Some electric steam cleaners are designed to keep the bottles sterilized for up to 24 hours, as long as the lid is kept closed during that time. If you don’t want to use the bottles right away, consider leaving them in the sterilizer.

Summary: Add the recommended amount of water to the sterilizer. Clean your bottles and accessories. Load the sterilizer. Place the nipples, nipple rings, and caps inside. Put the cover on. Turn on the machine. Remove the bottles when the cycle finishes.


Farmed salmon is the term for the mass raising of salmon. These salmon are kept in small pens and fed diets containing hormones, dyes and antibiotics. They are often grown in deplorable conditions which facilitate the spread of disease and lice among the fish population. This salmon, however, is widely available and inexpensive. You should not consume farmed salmon more than one time per month due to the high level of chemicals in the fish. Wild caught salmon is the most expensive of all the kinds. This is because the fish are allowed to grow at their own pace in a natural environment until caught or harvested. The harvest of wild salmon is strictly monitored and regulated with the aim of stabilizing or increasing the number of available fish. Wild salmon from Alaska is considered to be a sustainable harvest, due, in part, to the strict regulations and the fact that the fish is allowed to reproduce as naturally.
Summary: Buy farmed salmon. Buy wild salmon.