Questions you were afraid to ask...write them down

[lvpets2002]

Oh now this makes me feel all good.. So for Lunch when I take my burrito out of the foil to put in a plastic container for the Microwave is a NoNo
For real the shinny side of foil is to go on the pan side & the dull side is next to the food.. Reason is the shinny side reflects the heat of the oven or grill the best.. Well thats my story & I am sticking to it..

[Cinder & Smoke]

For real the shinny side of foil is to go on the pan side & the dull side is next to the food ...
Reason is the shinny side reflects the heat of the oven or grill the best.

Not so sure that's "scientifically correct"!
"Heat" is thermal energy that is conducted or passes through the foil -
the heat energy isn't impressed much with the shiny vrs. dull side.
And you wouldn't want to "reflect" your heat away from the food; you want it
to "pass through" the foil to the food.

Now if you're cooking with SUN light - you don't want to "reflect" it away ...
so you'd want the dull side out. (And a thick book to read while waiting!)

As the Alcoa folks said - doesn't much matter WHICH way you wrap with foil.

[Cincy'sMom]

Oh now this makes me feel all good.. So for Lunch when I take my burrito out of the foil to put in a plastic container for the Microwave is a NoNo

There are plastics that have less additives then others, and these are marked as microwave safe.

[lvpets2002]

I can tell your a fireman.. All I know is that I dont want my food to be running away before I can eat it.. tomato tomoto = potato patoto

Not so sure that's "scientifically correct"!
"Heat" is thermal energy that is conducted or passes through the foil -
the heat energy isn't impressed much with the shiny vrs. dull side.
And you wouldn't want to "reflect" your heat away from the food; you want it
to "pass through" the foil to the food.

Now if you're cooking with SUN light - you don't want to "reflect" it away ...
so you'd want the dull side out. (And a thick book to read while waiting!)

As the Alcoa folks said - doesn't much matter WHICH way you wrap with foil.

[cassiesmom]

Things that come on a roll ... toilet tissue, paper towels ... What direction is it supposed to unroll? Do I install the new roll with the end facing the wall (so it unrolls from underneath the roller), or facing the room (so it unrolls over the top)?

[cali]

and here I always put the shiny side up because it looks prettier lol

[Roxyluvsme13]

and here I always put the shiny side up because it looks prettier lol

I do that, too.

[Cinder & Smoke]

What direction is it supposed to unroll?

Do I install the new roll with the end facing the wall
(so it unrolls from underneath the roller),

or facing the room (so it unrolls over the top)?

As a Kitten, Boots, da Kat, much preferred the Over the Top / Facing Out mounting ...
Soooo much easier to spool off an ENTIRE roll onto the floor that way!

[K9karen]

As a Kitten, Boots, da Kat, much preferred the Over the Top / Facing Out mounting ...
Soooo much easier to spool off an ENTIRE roll onto the floor that way!

LOL! Agreed!

[dukedogsmom]

As a Kitten, Boots, da Kat, much preferred the Over the Top / Facing Out mounting ...
Soooo much easier to spool off an ENTIRE roll onto the floor that way!

Too funny! Doogie only did that one time, thank goodness. And it was in shreds, too.

[smokey the elder]

Styrofoam does not contain bisphenol A. This is the monomer used in polycarbonate, aka "Lexan". BPA can leach out of Lexan, and that is of some concern.

Lemon will "melt" (dissolve) styrofoam!

Here endeth today's chemistry lesson.

[cassiesmom]

Does a home fire extinguisher ever lose its effectiveness? I received a fire extinguisher 10 years ago as a housewarming gift. I thought that was a great idea and placed it in the kitchen closet. I just replaced my smoke detector because there is a new law in my town that requires carbon monoxide detectors in each residence. So, I bought a combination smoke and CO unit. Solved two problems at once, I wasn't sure how long ago the previous owner put up that smoke detector - and, I needed a CO detector anyway. But there's still a fire extinguisher in my closet that's not getting any newer. I can't find any sort of expiration date on the package.

[Randi]

Ahh, fire extinguisher....I know a little bit about that, as I asked Phred the same question a few years ago.

The one you have weighs so much when it's new, and after all these years, it's supposed to weigh the same to be effective, more or less.

I'm sure Phred will explain this much better and in detail though.

I've had mine for at last 15 years, and I doubt I could lift it up very high if it was neccesary.

Stay safe!

[Miss Z]

When using tin foil does the shiny side go up or down? What's the difference between the shiny side and the dull side?

I always thought that the shiny side was so because it kept in heat radiation, but then again, I was never any good at physics!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Does a home fire extinguisher ever lose its effectiveness?

... there's still a fire extinguisher in my closet that's not getting any newer.

They do need to be "inspected".

Consider a typical home or vehicle 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 pound Dry Chemical extinguisher
that carries an "ABC" or "Flammable Liquids" label and has a small GAUGE >>>
These need to be "inspected" frequently to be sure the gauge indicates "FULL" and
that there's nothing blocking the discharge nozzle.
Then pick the extinguisher UP and *SHAKE* it - to unpack the dry chemical and
insure that it will flow out the nozzle when needed.

You can do these "inspections" yourself ... for 12 YEARS.

After the 12th Year of the extinguisher's "life" - it gets a lil "dicey"!
The US Dept of Transportation rules state that all stored pressure Dry Chemical
extinguishers MUST be "Hydrostatically Tested" by a certified tester Every 12 Years.
ALL Extinguishers are "dated" with the month/year they were assembled.
THAT date starts the 12 year clock - not when you purchased it.

For small home sized extinguishers, it's a LOT cheaper to go to WalMart, Sears, or your
favorite Hardware store and buy a barnd NEW one than pay a fire extinguisher service center
to empty, hydro test, dry, and refill your old one!

What to DO with the OLD one?
Call your local Fire Station and ask if you can come by some day for a quick class ...
Tell 'em "I'll bring my old extinguisher to use, just need you guys to build a fire and
show me how to use it." (We LIKE building fires! )
After you use it - toss it in the dumpster.

Be Safe!
/s/ Phred