Great video on how to fix a hole in your wall .
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.
Cut Electrical WireThe television, also known as the "telly" or the "boob tube", is probably the most ubiquitous and cheapest source of entertainment and continues to serve its purpose satisfactorily ever since it first became commercially available in the 1930's. The TV is here to stay and the question on whether your TV repair skills can remain a decent source of income may be answered by sheer numbers. The latest statistics I have found was from a year 2005 Wall Street Journal report that estimated the number of TV sets worldwide at around 1 to 2 billion. That's a lot of televisions out there considering that was more than 3 years ago!
I would venture to guess that any TV repair business would still be profitable business if it knows how to get a slice of the pie that the major manufacturers' service centers are getting by offering superior service at a lot more affordable prices.
You should also learn to adapt to the modern times and be open to learning new skills by investing a little bit of your time and resources to learning new things.
Recent trends indicate that the usual cathode ray tube (CRT) TV may be on the way out and that more and more growth is seen in the newer technologies of TV. New statistics indicate that the liquid crystal display (LCD) and the plasma flat screen TV are well on their way to impressive growth! This is true even with the current worldwide financial crisis (circa 2008-2009) that originated from the US housing credit bubble burst. Now, everyone is starting to scrimp on unessential stuff like expensive vacations but has started buying new TVs for their recreational needs at home.
The decline of demand for the traditional CRTs means there will also be a decline of prices and profitability in that area. People buying CRT televisions are seeing it more and more as disposables and would rather buy new ones instead of having malfunctioning ones repaired.
On the other hand, the increase in the demand for the newer LCD and Plasma screen TVs could mean there will also be a flood of pre-owned units in the market that thrift-buyers definitely still prefer. This is seen especially in developing countries where most people still could not afford the relatively pricier newer technologies and second-hand TV stores are still thriving.
At any rate, I think the business of TV repair remains a viable and profitable venture for anyone who's interested so long as he or she is willing to actively identify the areas of opportunities and adapt to current market conditions.
Hence, the acquisition of new technical skills is a pre-requisite to staying competitive and on top of the business of electronics repair. This should not be as difficult as it sounds as there are now more ways you can learn, for example, LCD TV repair or plasma TV repair, without getting formal TV repair training in a classroom setting. There are now online membership sites that offer detailed step-by-step tutorials at really low fees that you could earn back in one repair job of one television unit! You can get TV repair tips online and study at your own pace but at the speed of the internet! I know that seems like an oxymoron but I think that's a pretty fair description of the convenience the internet offers to anyone looking to learn new things.
There is definitely going to be a surge in demand for services relating to the huge number of flat screen televisions out there in people's homes. Catch the wave before it happens and make your TV repair business grow.
The author is an advocate of using the internet for learning new technical skills for the benefit of your business. He is also a proponent of Do-It-Yourself TV Repair and maintains a website about LCD and Plasma TV Repair.
Pour Girder To Post ConnectionToday the most popular type of home improvement homeowners are wanting and doing is kitchen remodeling. Kitchens are the main attraction and social center of your home for preparing meals for your family and for friends a comfortable place to socialize and gather. Kitchen design and planning is most important step for you to achieve the personal look, practical use and customized to meet you and your family's lifestyle and needs. One of the most popular colors kitchen designers choose is white. White kitchen cabinets can be used to make a subtle design statement or portray a very dramatic distinctive look. The color white speaks for itself and depending on the style of kitchen cabinetry and door style you can create a look that fits your personality. White kitchen cabinets are used for many different decor such as contemporary, traditional, country, French country, English, shaker and many more. There are also many choices of material used for kitchen cabinets like; plastic laminate, white painted wood, high gloss lacquer, vinyl foil, white stain and white washed finish - all having their our design statement. Each of these styles has a distinctive look and can reflect your own personality.
White kitchen cabinets make color choices for accessories and countertops somewhat easier to choose an accent color theme throughout the kitchen and surrounding rooms. Using white color cabinetry in any of the styles mentioned can accomplish a design which is timeless and stay stylish for years to come. Contemporary style white gloss finishes give a very sleek modern look, while white painted wood raised panel door styles can give a warm traditional feeling in a kitchen. The flooring and countertop colors are the main accent areas and can drastically give different moods with different colors. A white traditional style cabinet with wood flooring is very popular and makes the kitchen feel very inviting and warm. Adding granite countertops to this combination again can totally change the mood of the kitchen depending on the color and texture.
The color choice for appliances is also very important and contributes to the total design statement. I would suggest if you are planning a traditional style kitchen use matching white wood front decorator panels on the dishwasher and refrigerator fronts as they will blend in better with the total look and use your choice for ovens, cook tops and sinks as stainless steel or black. In a contemporary style kitchen many designers choose to accent all appliances with contrasting colors to create a more dramatic look. In the past many people felt that white kitchen cabinets were only for showrooms and thought white was too much work to maintain. With today's new wood finishes and synthetic materials white kitchen cabinetry is as easy to maintain as any other stained color. White kitchen cabinets have been in style for the past 20 years and show no signs of going out of the style trends to date. It is much easier to change color themes from time to time by changing window treatments, place mats and countertop accessories with new accent colors if you choose.
Plaster Crack Wall DamageHere, you will be introduced to the top 5 bathroom remodeling themes. Remodeling this particular room has been found to be a very exciting endeavor to many homeowners. This excitement occurs for many different reasons. First, remodeling the bathroom is a relatively easy task that anyone can perform. Second, it takes very little time to remodel this room. Third, many individuals view this room as a private area where they can relax and unwind in a warm bubble bath, or even a hot shower. Individuals can instill a sense of creativity in this room, and add a spark of their unique personality by selecting a theme.
A theme is a general subject of a room. It is a particular style, or type of decoration that you choose to center your bathroom around. This theme should reflect the personality of the individual performing the decoration, the interests of that individual, or simply a subject theme that is common to the bathroom. There are many methods in which a person who is remodeling the bathroom can integrate all components into one. If you are trying to decide on the most appropriate decoration style for your bathroom, you may consider the ideas listed here as extremely beneficial in your decision. Now, I will introduce you to the top 5 bathroom remodeling themes.
1. One of the most popular bathroom themes is that which reflects scenes and decorations that can reflect things under the sea. There are many creative ways to achieve this bathroom theme. One of the base components required to achieve this type of decorating scheme is to implement various shades of blue and green into the room. This can be achieved by painting the walls in these colors, ensuring that the sink, bathtub, and toilet fit in with this color scheme, or even working in ceramic tile on the floors, shower, and walls that reflect this coloring. Accessorizing in an "under the sea" scheme is quite simple to do. There are many different shower curtains, sink sets, and toilet coverings that can be implemented in order to enhance the "underwater" experience.
2. The next bathroom remodeling theme that seems to be growing in popularity is the "rainforest" theme. This can be easily achieved by integrating bamboo flooring, and bamboo wall covering. Mixed with trimmings of woods, and grains, virtually every component of the bathroom can be integrated into a tropical retreat. These days, you can purchase window blinds that display tropical rainforest themes, and even shower curtains that reflect this theme. If you elect to use this particular theme when remodeling your bathroom, it is important to integrate accessories and artistic prints that reflect the bright birds, trees, and plants that reside in these cherished tropical sanctuaries.
3. Asian bathroom themes are quickly growing in popularity. Integrating small palms, Asian lettering, and small graphics like those that display Geishas are becoming quite trendy when it comes to bathroom remodeling. It is important to use a lot of wood, particularly bamboo and that derived from palms, in order to develop this particular bathroom design. Many also often go for mosaic type glass and even etched glass with natural scenes that are relevant to Asia. This can be a very relaxing and interesting theme for this room in the home.
4. The artistic theme is also emerging as a popular choice when it comes to bathroom remodeling. This can be achieved by mixing abstract colors, patterns, shapes, and artwork into the bathroom. Virtually anything goes in this type of bathroom. There are many geometrically shaped bathtubs and showers that can be purchased to appeal to this particular bathroom design. Sinks and vanities that would be appropriate to this type of theme can also be purchased.
5. The Zen theme is a great bathroom remodeling scheme. This type of theme focuses on balance and nature. It should be painted and designed in neutral and calming colors. It should be thrift, yet elegant. Implementing accessories like candles and wicker baskets are quite appropriate when it comes to the Zen bathroom. Using products like bamboo towel racks and toilet paper holders, scented satchels around the bathtub areas, and an arrangement of tropical plants are all fluid when it comes to this type of bathroom theme. Having a water resistant CD player that plays soothing sounds of nature will add to the effect of this bathroom remodeling theme.
As you can see, there are many different bathroom themes that you can choose from when remodeling your bathroom. Here, you have been introduced to the five most popular ones.
If you think this article is good check out the other resources Scott Dee has put together for you at his blog Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling Ideas or Bathroom Remodeling. His new web site is all about accessories and can be found online at Bathroom Accessories.
Diagonal Floor SheathingSome people take the cleanliness of their kitchen for granted. Some might think that the simple spray down with bleach every so often should take care of the worst, but in reality this is not the case.A clean kitchen can help prevent you and your family from getting ill, and can even keep everyone healthier.
Here is a cleaning regiment that should only take you between 30 and 90 minutes to give your kitchen the clean down.Before you begin you need to gather all your cleaning materials together, give yourself a goal and a reward for when you finish, and put on an audio book or your favorite CD to create a fun atmosphere.
Start with a quick clutter clean-up around the kitchen-put everything away, clear the dishes. Everything needs to be cleared to begin:
Wash the walls, dust the ceiling, fans, and corners of the wall-there are many things we forget that con collect dust and germs like the air vents and doorknobs. Walls can have food splattered on them, grease stains can accumulate on the walls.
Dust the art-many people have well decorate kitchens, the only price to be paid is that they need to be cleaned.
Dust and clean the windowsills, take down the drapes and get all those hard to reach spots.
Your oven and refrigerator need to be washed. Yes it's true.There is stuff around the cords of your refrigerator and under it, you know it, so clean it.
An important appliance to keep clean is your dish washer. A great way to clean this useful piece of machinery is to run it empty.
Sweep the floors and mop.You have a mop, it is time to use it.Make sure to do this last so no one will walk on your clean floors and it has time to dry.
Keeping a clean kitchen is to everyone's benefit.Do a deep clean at least once a month and cut back on the germs that like to live in this important part of your house.
For More Information
If you would like more information about cooking, recipes, or other cooking tips, visit www.cdkitchen.com today to brighten up your kitchen!
Joseph Devine
In bathroom decorating, the shower curtains tend to be the focus of the room in most cases. The great thing is that there is a wide variety of choices that you can choose from to enhance the look of your bathroom and your home. From simpler, more sedate shower curtains to unusual and unique shower curtains, you are sure to find just the right look and personality of curtain for your bathroom remodeling. This is a low cost way to undergo bathroom remodeling if you are not able or willing to redo the entire room. You can choose shower curtains that coordinate with the rest of your accessories to give the entire room a new look and feel.
How Do You Choose Shower Curtains?
There are many different choices in shower curtains for your bathroom. From unique styles to more traditional, simple styles, you will be able to find just the right style and color of shower curtain for your bathroom. After you have chosen the fabric and design of your shower curtain, then you can move on to the curtain rings and rod. Be sure that you choose wisely, because these choices can make the room look complete or it can detract from the whole look.
Shower curtains come in many different waterproof materials, including PVC coated, vinyl coated, and nylon to ensure that they are durable in the shower. Even if you find a curtain that is not made of a waterproof material and it will work great for decorating your bathroom, you can still use it with a plain vinyl shower curtain. This can give you the exact look that you are desiring and you will still have the durable, waterproof protection.
Shower Curtains Made By You
If you just cannot find the right look or style for your bathroom, then you will be happy to know that you can create your own. Whether you are a sewer or not, there are a wide variety of different instructions to enable even the most craft-challenged of us to create designer shower curtains. Use your imagination and create the perfect look for your bathroom.
Keeping Your Shower Curtains Clean
The number one problem in the bathroom is mold. Your shower curtain will be no exception to this problem, simply because mold loves the warm and damp environment of your shower. In some people, mold can trigger health problems, which is why it is very important to you're your shower curtain as clean as possible.
To clean your shower curtain you want to use a cleaner that is specially made to clean and kill the mold. Most of the time, shower curtains can't be cleaned in the washing machine, but you will have to check the tag on your particular curtain to be sure. If you can wash it in the washing machine, then wash it using hot water and bleach to kill the mold and germs. If not, then you can wash the curtain, apply lemon juice to the mold, and then place it in the sun. The sun and lemon juice together will kill the mold.
After the mold is killed, you want to keep it away. To do this, you want to keep your bathroom ventilated by opening a window or opening a vent and you can soak your clean shower curtain in salt water, as this can help inhibit mold growth.
The free-lance writer John Bakers is especially interested in themes similar to designer draperies and designer curtains. Recording his experience in detailed writings like http://www.curtains-drapes-coverings.com the columnist expressed his experience on ideas related to designer shower curtains.
This is the first article of a ten-part series discussing the various individual components of enclosed trailers and how they will relate to the long-term stability of your trailer.
One of the most important components of enclosed trailers is their wall construction. Wall constructions come in a variety of combinations. Most enclosed trailers will use aluminum, steel, galvanized steel sometimes referred to as Galvaneal; or FRP. For wall cross members, steel or aluminum is used. Attached to the cross members is plywood, luan, aluminum or a combination of these.
Exterior
Most commonly used is the aluminum exterior. Normally ranging in thickness from .024 - .050, aluminum is the most common form of exterior. It is durable, lasts long, and does not rust. It is the lightest materials used for the exterior of an enclosed trailer. These are applied in panels using screws, rivets, 3M adhesive tape or an industrial epoxy. Using thicker exterior aluminum will generally increase trailer stability and preserve the aesthetics of the trailer longer. FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastics) is a fiberglass based wall than lasts long and is easy to repair. FRP is normally only available in white. Steel and galvanized steel are generally the least desirable exterior as they will rust and tend to deteriorate rapidly.
Cross Members
The materials used to build the wall cross members are made of steel or aluminum. The steel variety is implemented using either a z-channel, hat post or box tube. Hat post implementations use the same steel configuration as road signs, while z-channel is a hat post cut in half. A box tube has steel on all four sides and is generally considered the most desirable due to strength. Z-channel is the least desirable because of their strength while hat post is cost compromise between box tube and z-channel. For commercial uses or if your application requires wall mounted devices, box tube is a must. Generally, enclosed trailers with hot post a z-channel tend to have their exteriors look wavy over time. Normally, cross members are 16 on center. Some manufacturers use 24 on center, consumers should be wary of these trailers if they also use z-channel or hat post because of the lack of strength.
Wall Material
Generally, with hat post and z-channel, the walls will have plywood reinforcement. Plywood will add weight over luan with box tube. Looking long term, it is more economical to pay more for a box tub wall trailer if the trailer is used frequently due to added fuel costs. Interior aluminum walls are aesthetically pleasing and are easily cleaned. Some trailers offer a white vinyl coating over luan called designer board. These walls are also easy to clean with a lesser cost than aluminum.
William Mrozinski is the Chief Financial Officer of Millennium Trailers. Millennium is the industry leader in the area of enclosed car trailers. William can be reached at bill@milltrailers.com or by calling Millennium Trailers at 1-800-978-7223.
Strip Roof Patch DamageStair building tips for installing lights and decking, handrail tips and some deck advice.
For more helpful home improvement information visit: http://www.gregvan.com
Home Fence BooksWarehousing is a very important aspect primarily for the companies in the manufacturing industry. Apart from the manufacturing firms, warehousing is quite useful companies for storing their finished products and raw materials. Commensurate the nature of their use, the warehouses which are generally huge in size are often found in dilapidated state which can be a possible cause of damage to the stored material.
Maintenance and upkeep of the warehouses is something which is generally last on the list of priorities for the parent companies, which tend to ignore its importance till the time some untoward incident resulting in considerable loss to the stored material does not happen. Often the logic of regular and effective maintenance of warehousing facilities is compared in relation with the monetary benefits and since it requires spending of huge amounts of money, proper monetary returns justification is always found wanting. This is one major reason why the over all maintenance and upkeep of the warehousing facilities is ignored.
Parent companies at some point or the other will have to realize the importance of having an effective maintenance schedules for their warehousing facilities. There have been instances where the companies who have blatantly ignored the pathetic conditions of their warehousing facilities have had to bear the repercussions in the form of accidents and mishaps which have resulted in considerable loss to the materials stored and in some cases have even resulted in a loss to human lives as well.
Contrary to the normal belief that having a proper maintenance schedule for the warehousing facilities will cost bucket loads of money for the companies. To help the companies in countering this problem there are specialist companies which are in the business of specifically maintaining the proper condition of the warehousing facilities. These servicing companies apply a very professional and concise approach towards devising means and ways for countering the problem.
They would provide host of solutions for their client companies which would entail management and restoration of each and every aspect of the maintenance and upkeep of the warehousing facilities. Detailed studies or risk profiling is done to ascertain the extent of loss to the structure, faade cladding or the over all facility while taking up the job, which would project the actual amount of effort that is required for keeping the facility in good shape.
There are instances where only with exception of the warehouse faade cladding, rest of the entire facility is in good workable condition. Restoring and maintaining the faade cladding is a very tedious and time consuming process. These specialist companies undertake jobs which require maintenance of the faade cladding providing a fresh and new look to the entire building. To top it all, the amount of money that these companies charge is not very high, contrary to the detailing and extent of work that is required. Apart from one time restoration job, these companies also take up regular faade cladding maintenance contracts, which will ensure that the condition and health of the building faade cladding is optimum and can be used for a longer durations.
Businesses that own warehouses don't have to spend thousands to get new cladding. You can restore your cladding and gutter lining with Pristine repair and restore company.
Stair Handrail InspectionDid you know that concrete resurfacing may be the answer to some of your most challenging home improvement projects? Resurfacing, which is a thin overlay process, is generally known for its application on driveways, patios and outdoor living spaces, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Custom colors and textures can be applied to almost any surface from ceilings to floors and everything in between. Just think of the possibilities for your most challenging projects...out dated floors and counter tops, vintage kitchens and bathrooms, surfaces needing patching or repair work, damaged walls and ceilings to name a few! Cosmetic repairs can be integrated into the design. The concrete-acrylic coatings are applied directly over existing surfaces including and not limited to the following:
v Existing Tile
v Linoleum
v Painted surfaces
v Old paneling
v Glass
v Concrete, old or new
v Drywall
Creative resurfacing provides a practical way to enjoy, natural looking surfaces that are in many ways better than real stone or tile. These expensive looking surfaces are a fraction of the cost that you would pay for granite or tile.
These surfaces are durable, created to resist stains, mildew and most chemicals, fading from sunlight (UV) and are engineered to cure at nearly 8,000 P.S.I (that's three times the rating of traditional concrete.)
The process is quick and easy, projects can be completed in days rather weeks or months.
Flexibility in using this process is virtually endless from color, to design and texture applications ; every project is a one of kind work of art...more than just beautiful and durable, resurfacing offers solutions that are versatile. Any of our design applications can be resurfaced or colored at any time so that you're not stuck with the same look if you don't want to!
http://www.onthelevelbuilder.com
(c) copyright - Kimberlee Carter. All right reserved worldwide.
Custom Window CoveringsWhy is it that these Mac Mansions stress the occupants more, is it not just because they cost more to run but the fact that the materials used are full of toxins and also mainly because the orientation, proportions, natural materials used and environmental factors are non existent.
Look at the way buildings in poorer countries use materials that are closer to the site (organic) and type of materials are closer to the area. If you want stone as walling then go get it from the closest quarry to avoid transport costs and help a local too. Same goes for all the other materials that you need.
This doesn't mean that you have to build out of mud brick and thatch roof, but the principal is that there is a significant environmental cost to this planet to import materials from afar.
If you can, go get a Dowser that can feel the underground electrical fields and the underground water table.
As this can effect you well being. The Chinese never built a home until that was done in the past as these fields can effect your mood and health.
Look at the `Golden Mean` the proportion of 1 to 1.618 that was reflected by Fibonacci and Leonardo Da Vinci.
You will find not only the worlds most beautiful buildings used this proportion but it is everywhere in nature, even the Milky Ways spirals are a reflection of this special mathematical ratio.
Think of these points relating to building a home as you would to preparing a meal using organic food.
The manner in which the ingredients are prepared are the same, and we all know how much healthier organic foods are for you.
I suggest that you research and inquire through your designer or architect the availability of organic materials and how to use them, they all have the skills and knowledge to do that for you, its just that we are too lazy to implement them.
Talk to any plumber about recycling grey water for example or storing water underground for reuse and they will get excited but will say that its too hard to do and better to flush it away for a plant to process.
We have come to expect that pushing a button will alleviate the problem, but we should be responsible for our services coming into our homes and our wastes going out.
Recycled materials such as windows and doors are a great way of making our homes more interesting and relieving pressure on our forests and timber industries. thereby becoming an eco-home.
Paints and glues for joinery are a concern as they can release toxins over time that effect us in many ways.
Whereas organic paints can be beneficial to us such as using Sisal matting for our floors.
Remember that you should live simply so that others can simply live.
Plants inside can freshen up the oxygen levels and growing your own vegetables using composted material from kitchen waste is great for your well being.
A house that is well orientated and ventilated rather than conditioned is better for you, how many times have you caught a cold from the first blast of the air conditioner for the year.
Always remember that you are responsible for your health and that you can make difference just by researching and asking the question.... how can I make my home healthier?
If you do then you will leave a lasting legacy for future generations that will thank you for the home that you built rather than a disposable house that would last barely two generations before it becomes irrelevant.
Elvio Ferrara is a local building designer in Adelaide Australia that works from home and deals mainly with renovating eco homes that are about 100 years old.
Building Or Buying A Good GarageIn this report, we will be discussing ways on how to resolve a home improvement construction contract work disputes between an owner, contractor, supplier or an architect.
Most home improvement projects end completing the project with the owner and the contractors when the final payment is made.
Sadly, sometimes a small percentage of home improvement projects ends in a dispute regarding the performance of the contractors, the quality of work, contractor delays, some kind of breach in the contract agreement, owner not paying for the work as per the contract proposal agreement or the combination of the actions by one or both parties.
Disputes of this nature sometimes may end in litigation by the parties. The parties involved should attempt to resolve the problem before contemplating litigation. Litigation is expensive, time consuming and delays the completion of the project.
Many times a dispute can be resolved if the parties are cooperative, reasonable and willing to work together.
For starters, let's broadly discuss the above situation.
1. Cooperative:
Cooperative is understanding the situation and that the problem can be resolved by being fair, patient and professional to each parties concerns.
2. Reasonable:
Reasonable concerns are that many times the problem will require additional costs. The question is how much and who will pay for the additional costs.
3. Solution:
First, the parties must be respectful of each others concerns.
Second, an agreement as to what the problems are and a determination as how to best remedy the problem.
Third, a cost analysis estimate of the work required to rectify the problems.
Should all of the above fail, the next step prior to litigation would be to call for a third party impartial construction expert (agreed to by all parties) to attempt to arbitrate a solution. The costs of utilizing the expert would be shared by all parties as per an agreement.
This method is highly recommended and is the least expensive other then the parties agreeing to a settlement. The parties respectfully should try to use all means available prior to litigation if possible. Litigation should only be the last resort not the first.
In conclusion, consider that the construction industry is quite complex at times and that each project is different. Home owners when contemplating home improvement projects need to do their homework. The importance of selecting an experienced contractor, construction manager, supplier or architect can and will impact the failure or success of the project.
In closing article 1093a report, note some words of wisdom.
"A word to the wise will be sufficient","buyer beware", "you pay for what you get"
Wishing you all good luck, success and a happy ending.
Your author Jon Ewall
About the author
Jon Ewall is an independent construction consultant manager with 40 years experience in all phases of the construction industry. He has been active in the construction and development of commercial, industrial, medical, multi-family, office, municipal, hospital, institutional, and restaurant projects. Jon's expertise provides clients positive solutions to construction related activities.
Comments and inquiries on articles are welcomed.
Contact CONSULTJEAL4U@COX.NET
Great video on how to repair a window screen.
This video was made possible by Greg Vanden Berge who is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
Plant Attaches To StuccoEmulsion and paints on the walls are fading. Plumbing system is not working properly; leaky roofs and damp walls making the home a nest for molds and mildews; cracks on the exterior wall are prominent and the window sidings are broken. Yes, your home is looking ugly and sick; you need to give it a face lift.
Home improvement and home remodeling are done to renovate the exterior and interior of your home. At the same time, it helps you add some extra space some times. Planned remodeling can effectively increase living space. Adding a roof over an open place or constructing a door at a suitable position can allow you make full use of available area.
To keep your home in good shape you need to repair your home at a regular interval. All the homeowners go for home improvement at least once in a year or two. Home remodeling not only keeps your home in right condition, but makes it attractive and good-looking as well.
Apart from thorough home improvement and remodeling, you may need to repair small constructional problems through out the year. Leaks, small cracks, wiring defects etc. should be addressed as soon as they are detected. Otherwise the small problem can lead to serious damages later on.
Home improvement is a wide and extended process; it's not all about repairing concrete walls and applying paints. Properly planned home improvement makes your home look esthetically correct. Apart from constructional retouch, residential remodeling adds a theme to your home.
Hence, while remodeling your home, you need to consider every facets of the building. Constructional defects, paints, windows, window sidings and shutters, furniture, garden and garden furniture, patio and deck, awnings and canopies, curtains and upholsteries, electrical wiring, plumbing works, functionalities and safety and security - all the areas should be thoroughly checked for any scope for improvement.
Make sure your home reflects your taste and culture. Choose the color schemes according to your likings. The room for the kids should be designed and decorated with pictures of cartoons, animals and birds painted on the walls. And in the patio or porch, decorate the ceiling with hanging plants.
Hundreds of thousands home remodeling tips are available to help homeowners make their homes look better. For decorative part of home improvement, you need to consult exterior and interior designers. For constructional works, you have to look for local home remodeling contractors
Residential contractors also help homeowners repair constructional and wiring defects. Since home improvement or remodeling is not a regular process and generally done once in years, you should be careful while choosing the home improvement contractors and designers. Consult local business directories or search the internet and hire reputed professionals to get best result.
Charles Mathews is a free lancer who has a written several article on home improvement contractors and home remodeling contractors. For more information he recommends you to visit: http://www.realreferences.com/
Energy Saving BooksAre you looking for ways to use free wind energy source through windmills? Energy and electricity is at an all time high today, and this is a very bad situation for our planet today since most of it comes from non renewable energy sources like fossil fuels. These sources are not infinite and will run out soon if we do not start exploring the possibility of using alternatives like renewable energy.
In this article, I will explain more about windmills energy source and how you can harness free wind power at your own home.
1. Is It Really Possible to Create Energy using Windmills at Home?
I never thought this might be possible initially as my opinion of wind mills generating electricity was huge structures that take up a lot of space. But ever since I heard about people using them to generate residential electricity, I decided to explore further and finally managed to succeed building my own too.
2. Benefits of Using Windmills to Harness Free Wind Energy Source
After completing and using the systems, I have found that it is very clean to use. Most importantly, it has cut my electric bills by more than 80%. Personally, I hope that more and more people start using renewable energy to conserve our planet and make it a more desirable place to live in.
3. How Much Energy Will the Windmills be Able to Generate?
It is typically able to support more than 50% of a household's electrical needs. It can be used in combination with a solar panel system to generate even more electricity. The amount of energy that your systems are able to generate is dependent on the wind and sunlight around your residential area as well as the design of your turbines and solar panels.
Want to learn how to build Windmills Energy Source system? Download the Best Step-By-Step Home Energy Guides at http://www.renewableenergysystemreview.com first!
The author has managed to reduce his energy bill by more than 80% by building his own renewable home energy system. Check out his website above to find out how to do it!
Spanish Patio Corner With ClayLike most people you have heard the nightmare stories from family and friends about the home they built or the remodel they did and how things didn't go right .The project took far too long and ended up costing more then initially discussed. The owner blames the contractor, the contractor blames the owner and it's the same old song and dance. What's the key thing usually missing in the scenario?
Communication between all parties
As an owner builder you may look at the process and think how hard can it be, hire a guy to do this another to do that and it's done right? most likely it's not. There are so many things that can be overlooked or go wrong, and you may be surprised to learn that most people working in the trades simply just don't care about quality nor do they care to work with other trades for the common good of the project. It takes someone to orchestrate, and someone with experience to get the job done right.
You may be hiring an architect and/or building contractor and more often then not they can't seem to get it right either, they simply don't understand that it takes a team working together towards a common goal. The goal being making sure your project comes together as you envisioned it, on time, and on budget. As a building contractor we have built many custom homes and in most cases struggled through the process using plans and specifications that frankly just weren't thought through completely.
Nine out of ten times the building contractor doesn't even see the plans until it is time to put the numbers together for the project.
On average most people looking to build will hand off their plans to about three contractors for pricing before they make a decision. Now let's assume the plans and specifications don't have all the necessary information needed to price the job out correctly, these three contractors now have to call the architect and the customer to get their questions answered, or they don't bother to ask any questions at all and the customer is left with the contractors interpretation of the plans.
We have seen time and time again where the customer says, "I thought that was included" and the typical response from the contractor is, "it wasn't on the plans", and or "you didn't ask for it.
Or how about this one, the customer states to the contractor, "why didn't you tell me I shouldn't use this type of stone in my shower?" the typical response is usually I didn't know, or you didn't ask. So many times the architect will call out for materials in their specifications that they saw or read about in a magazine without understanding the application process, what it takes to be installed properly, or how it will adhere to the other materials surrounding it.
The point is, there is so much to know about building a home correctly, it takes years of actually working with the materials, and doing the installations to understand the what, when, and how.
The bottom line is, if you're thinking about building yourself or decide to hire someone to do the build, hire yourself a consultant first, most likely it will save you time, money, and more importantly your sanity.
Black mold doesn't care if your house is nice and new, or musty and old. It doesn't care where you live or how sensitive your sinuses are. It wants into your house any way it can!
Black mold happens to everyone, and it's a big headache. It's especially a pain to clean. That's why prevention is the key to keeping your home mold free.
Humidity
This is the number one condition for mold to grow. It loves the wet parts of your house. Keeping your home dry is the best way to keep the mold out.
Mold thrives best at around 55% relative humidity. Anything over that and mold can have a heyday in your home. The most surefire way to prevent black mold growth is to reduce humidity.
-Check your watery trouble spots. Especially keep your eye on the bathroom and kitchen, and look for places where water runs.
-If you have any area of standing water or water damage, get rid of it immediately. Clean it well and let it dry.
-Keep everything dry. After you wash the dishes, make sure you towel everything down. Don't leave standing water on any of your kitchen counters or around your sink.
-When you see mold, clean it up immediately. Don't let it go, or it will encourage more mold to grow.
-Buy a dehumidifier. This will help dry the house out a little and that will reduce mold. You can buy one at most department stores, and it doesn't have to be anything fancy.
-If you live in a humid or warm climate, you will definitely have to deal with the mold. Take that into account and keep your house dry before the mold gets in.
Air
-Make sure there is plenty of air flow in your house. Fresh air will clear out the mold spores that might be around. Open windows and get plenty of ventilation.
-In the bathroom, always turn on the exhaust fan during and just after showering. This will clear away some of the water before it has a chance to settle.
-Keep down the dust in your house. Dust can carry mold spores, and both can be major irritants.
-Routinely check and clean your air ducts. Mold can grow around your heating and air conditioning ducts, and this is especially bad because it circulates mold all over the house.
Inspections
-If you are suffering from any chronic sinus problems that might be mold related, get your house tested and inspected. Inspectors can check mold samples to see if they are toxic. They can also check and see how much airborne mold there is in your house.
-Routinely check around your house in the hidden places where Dangerous Toxic Black Mold likes to grow. This includes your attic, crawlspaces, basement and air ducts.
It's not enough just to clean up mold when you see it. To stay mold free, you have to prevent black mold from growing. Don't give it a chance!
Learn more about Black Mold Species on our site. You'll also find other information such as Black Mold On Onions ToxicBlackMoldHelp.org is a comprehensive resource to help individuals to test and inspect, identify health symptoms and removal of toxic black mold.
When it comes to the numerous basement remodeling options out there, few projects can bring out the kid in a homeowner quite like installing a gameroom. In fact, developing a well planned game room remodeling project can be almost as fun as enjoying the games themselves, thanks to the unique creative freedom that a job like this allows. You're only limitations are space availability, finances, and your own imagination!
Game Room Remodeling: Getting Started
Like any home remodeling job, a game room remodel starts with a desire to increase the fun and functionality of a room, and is followed by a determination to take all the steps necessary to bring your vision to life. The majority of game rooms are designed in basements, giving them a unique atmosphere and sequestering them from the quieter areas of the home, such as the living room and bedrooms.
For many homeowners, the basement is the ideal place to start a remodeling project. It's a room that's usually limited to a laundry room or storage area, but the basement-- especially larger basements with higher ceilings-- have huge potential. Before deciding to install a game room in your basement, carefully consider the logistics of the undertaking. If you have a relatively small basement space with low ceilings, designing a game room might require some serious reconstruction or deconstruction of walls, which can add a lot to your bill. A professional basement remodeling contractor can help you assess your remodeling plans and give you a cost estimate, which can be extremely helpful in determining whether a game room would be a practical choice for your particular basement.
Think In Specifics
Another major factor in planning your game room remodeling project is knowing exactly what types of games, entertainment, seating, and ambiance you wish to include in the design. Larger, popular game room games like pool, ping-pong, foosball, and air hockey all require plenty of open space for large tables. Table tennis, in particular, also needs plenty of perimeter space and higher ceilings for the best level of play.
Arcade games, video game consoles, pinball machines, and dart boards have their specific dimensions, as well. The key is to make a complete list of every game you'd like to include in your game room, plan exactly where each game table or console could be placed in relation to one another, and use the measurements of your basement to determine which games stay and which ones have to go.
If you're thinking in a grand scale, and want your game room to capture the feeling of a real sports bar, you'll need to carefully plan for the installation of a bar area, a flat screen television, a stereo or jukebox, and whatever other chairs, tables, and other furniture you'll need to achieve your goal.
The more detailed and specific your game room looks on paper, the easier it'll be for your home contractor to deliver the results you're looking for in a quick and stress-free manner.
Have Fun!
By carefully planning your game room remodel, staying under budget, and embracing your inner kid, your home's basement can go from a dreary storage area to a lively center for socializing and play. So, think practically, but never forget what the goal is: having fun! Challenge your spouse to a billiards game, teach your kids the art of foosball, or have your friends over to watch the big game! It's all possible with a game room, and the possibilities are right under your feet!
To find a reputable remodeling contractor in Chicago, Atlanta, and other select cities across the U.S., check out the consumer advocate resource at SignatureContractors today!
Sometimes as contractors we get in a hurry and we just want to finish the job. We told the homeowner we would be done in three months, at the same time the homeowner keeps adding new work to the list.
I ran into a problem like this on one job where the contractor was in a hurry to finish the flooring and chose to go right over the existing floor that was out of level. He told the homeowner he didn't have time to repair that section of the floor. He was installing half-inch plywood over 1 x 6 diagonal floor sheeting to strengthen up the floor.
This floor was going to require quite a bit of attention from the contractor and his crew. The homeowner should have hired another contractor to repair the floor while the original contractor finished the house remodel. When your contractor gives you that much grief about any work, you need to start thinking about hiring another contractor or at least finding one to complete the task your original contractor has no interest in.
I felt sorry for the homeowner because this was not what he wanted and he was upset with the contractor but the job was done. This is my warning to any contractor, handyman or home repair specialists. When installing a new plywood floor over an existing floor to strengthen it up, use some common sense and repair the floor correctly or don't do the job at all.
I wrote this article for contractors to have a little more sympathy for the homeowners you are working for because sometimes they can't see the whole picture like you can. I also wrote this article for homeowners to listen to your contractor carefully when he is explaining a potential problem that you can't visualize further down the road. Any contractor with over 15 years experience remodeling homes has a pretty good idea what's going to happen next.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.
Stair Building BooksOkay. You found a contractor or service provider that you like. You received an estimate to your satisfaction, you understand the terms of an agreement (i.e. down payment, time to complete, materials to be used, etc.) and have decided to move forward.
First understand that an estimate, by definition, is just that. An estimate is a rough idea to produce a statement of the approximate cost of the project. It is not a promise. Also understand the estimate is for the time it should take to complete the project understanding that if something gets in the way of that completion, oftentimes it will, that a satisfactory resolution to the completion will be set in place immediately upon discovery.
Contact the service pro and let him/her know that you are ready to take the next step and enter into a formalized agreement (contract). At this time, the service pro will set up a time to meet with you to discuss in detail every aspect of the project possible, i.e. materials to be used, color selection, setting a final cost and setting the start and end times. Be realistic about the time it will take to complete the project. This will mostly be determined based the professional experience and labor personnel.
Regarding down payments. We all have our own horror stories and have heard stories from others. However, it is not ethical to make the professional buy all your materials with no money down from you. This is where trust comes into play. If you are not comfortable making a materials down payment, ask to pay the supplier directly. Be advised that if you wish to purchase the materials directly, you most likely will end up paying the full price rather than a discount offered to the service pro if he/she chooses to share that with you. Ask for it.
The best way to handle payments, in my opinion, depending on the size and scope of the project, is to break down the project into segments. Say the job is for a painting project that will take you one week to complete. Half down payment and half due at completion should suffice. If you are not comfortable with paying half, then reason with the pro. They want your business, but you want their trust. In the event that 99% of the work is done, but something else needs to be completed but cannot at that time for one reason or another, agree on a partial payment of the remaining balance due. This keeps honesty in place and you are not looking for someone else to finish the job if the service pro does not finish. This rarely occurs, but it is good to keep everything in fair balance.
That said good luck with your project. If you have any questions or comments about a project you wish to begin or questions about the way a service pro handled your estimate, do not hesitate to contact me. I would be glad to assist and offer my opinion.
Ryan M. Bruzan
Wood Post And Beam ConnectionInterior and exterior both paintings require close monitoring for a clean job. Contractors provide great help to get the job done however, the issue is that you requirements may be miss-conceived by the contractors for that matter at every step of the painting process you have to work close to the contractors so that you can paint the house according to your specifications.
Before specifying the requirements consult the color scheme and the paint material to be used with the contractor. That help you to build a friendly relationship with contractor and they feel more motivated working on their own proposed solutions. Also involve the whole family in decide the color scheme and the texture of the paint so as to minimize the conflicts after the job.
First and the most important job is to review the initial estimate, as the contractors work according to the job and requirements specified in the initial estimate. Check for all the work that has to be done before painting e-g repairing cracks, leakage, broken nails, small holes and bores. You may get this work done by the painting contractors free of cost if you request them in initial estimate. These small jobs will make you pain job perfect. Painting the house without repairing these cracks and holes will affect the overall look and life of the paint. Working carefully on initial estimate will eliminate delays in the painting job. Make sure that the house was trimmed before the paint and all the dirty surfaces have been cleaned, it will help the paint to form a strong bond.
Once the work starts, monitor the crew staff closely because it would be difficult to fix the odd patches after the job. To get the job clean and exclusive, make sure that the crew staff is working with new equipment. Especially the rollers have to be in good working conditions. Paint the trim first, then ceiling and wall in the end. Starting with walls will waste the paints, and will also affect the looks of the paint negatively. Once the wall has been painted, the trim paint will appear on the wall paint, same is the case with ceiling.
Once the paint job is done; closely examine the edges of the walls and ceiling. As uneven and poorly painted edges affects the life of the paint badly. Since it is very difficult to deal with the plastic drop sheets, try to use cotton drop clothes.
When the job is finished, keep the contractor with you to examine the house. To ensure a safe and good looking paint job, several coasts are used to cover the surface. Any uneven coat or bleed through of the fresh paint should be fixed there and then. To inspect the paint properly have a look on the walls, ceilings and window frames from different angles and distance. This will give you the clear picture of the painting.
Painting contractors are professionals, they know the job better. All you have to do is to clearly communicate your requirements and limitations. Any miss-conception about the job will result into a conflict at the end. To make the paint job good experience, try to work closely to the contractors.
Bio: View my profile for more articles about San Diego Painting Contractor
David Hay is the owner of 858 GRAPHICS in San Diego, California. 858 Graphics designs, builds, prints and installs almost any type of graphics. For all your Trade Show Display, Wall Murals, Outdoor Signs, Poster Printing and Vehicle Wraps needs, please visit http://www.858graphics.com
When it comes to choosing a floor type for your basement, your options are somewhat limited. Basements are generally below grade, meaning below ground level. While some floors are suitable for below grade installation, others are not. Floors that have a higher level of water resistance, such as rubber, linoleum and most tile types, are generally suited for basement floor installation.
If you want to install hard surface flooring in your basement, concrete, tile and stone are best. Despite concrete's hard surface, they can still be damaged by spills and must be sealed periodically. Less permeable stone floor types such as flagstones, granite and slate can make for a perfect basement floor. Slate tiles, stone tiles and ceramic tiles can all be installed below grade, but like concrete, also need to be sealed.
When installing flooring over a concrete subfloor, make sure that the concrete is completely level and free from holes and cracks. You should never install over a concrete subfloor unless it passes pH alkalinity and calcium chloride tests. These tests can usually be found in most hardware stores. Sometimes concrete floors can emit moisture over time that can negatively affect the adhesives used in floor installation. You may need to have the concrete subfloor sealed and/or install a moisture barrier (e.g. plastic).
Floor types that are not generally suited for basement installation include floors made with wood materials such as bamboo, hardwood and cork. Wood floors have a tendency to expand or contract when exposed to extreme changes in humidity. In some cases, cork floors may be approved for basement installation if proper precaution is taken. Before installing a wood floor in your basement, make you sure you verify with the manufacturer to avoid voiding your warranty.
If you want hardwood floors in your basement but don't want the hassle of constantly repairing moisture-related damage, consider installing high-laminate flooring (HPL). Laminate flooring that can handle high levels of foot traffic can be manufactured to resemble the exact hardwood floor type you like.
Linoleum and rubber floors are usually approved for basement installation as they are durable, antimicrobial and resilient. This means that in addition to bouncing back upon impact, their surface naturally deters mold and fungi. This is an ideal characteristic for those who suffer from allergies to bacterial growth.
If you want a basement floor that can withstand a below grade environment and is also eco-friendly, look no further than ceramic tiles. When properly sealed, ceramic tile floors can hold up well to moisture exposure. They can also be made with up to 70% recycled materials such as windshield and used glass bottles. In addition to being as strong or stronger as tiles made with newer materials, green ceramic tiles are often cheaper.
2 X 12 Shower Pan Framing BlocksWhen it comes to choosing a new floor for your home there are many choices available to today's home owner. Bamboo flooring provides an excellent alternative to traditional hardwood flooring materials. Growing in popularity as an alternative, bamboo flooring has many attractive features that make it a viable option for modern homeowners. Although harvested primarily in China, bamboo flooring can now be found quite easily in both European and North American markets. Many of those that adopted bamboo flooring early on point out its environmental friendliness due to it being a renewable resource. The bamboo plant regrows very quickly when compared with the time it takes a forest to regrow. In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows far faster than a normal forest. When done responsibly, harvesting of the bamboo plant can be accomplished in a environmentally friendly manner.
How does bamboo flooring stack up when compared to traditional flooring materials? High quality bamboo flooring is harder and more durable than even the most expensive hardwood flooring. Moisture does not affect bamboo in the way that hardwood suffers from water damage. Where traditional hardwood may buckle and crack because of water exposure, bamboo flooring will keep out water without a problem. Bamboo flooring is engineered like a laminate and treated under very high pressure with a high quality glue. This makes bamboo flooring very resistant to abrasions and scratches, where a hardwood floor would end up showing scratches. Bamboo flooring has become significantly more affordable in the past number of years as well.
Best of all, bamboo flooring can typically be installed at home without any professional assistance. Like many of the newer hardwoods, bamboo flooring is made with a groove that allows the planks to interlock, making them considerably easier to install. Before installing a bamboo floor, allow the planks to adjust to their new environment for no less than 72 hours. Although bamboo flooring is very resistant to moisture, they do need some time to adjust to their new climate before installation. Having an experienced flooring professional install the material for you can save you money and aggravation down the road. The last thing you want is to ruin your new floor due to an improper installation method.
What steps need to be taken in order to provide upkeep for a bamboo floor? Maintenance requirements are fairly simple for bamboo flooring. Make certain to sweep and mop the floor after it is laid down. Basic regular maintenance such as dusting and sweep should be done after installation. This will prevent a build up of dust that can dull the finish. A mat used at the entrance way will keep out a great deal of dust and dirt. Dirt and small rocks can easily scratch the finish, and a mat can do a great deal to prevent this problem. By following a simply and ongoing maintenance plan you can help to keep your new bamboo floors looking their best for many years to come.
Harry Saggu is a Brampton condo real estate professional with a background in economics. Visit the site to search for Condominiums for sale in Brampton and market information.
As one of the greatest sources of inexhaustible energies available, wind power is the best available source for generating electricity while reducing pollution. This very reason is why people are opting to install windmills for their individual household electricity needs. For building a wind turbine, you don't need any advanced construction or engineering skills. In fact practically any person can do this task with ease. When the blades spin they generate power and it is converted into electricity by the turbine. This is done by an electrical motor present inside the turbine. The first and foremost thing about installation is finding the appropriate location for placing the unit. The location should be free of obstacles and should have wind speeds above 5 MPH. The roof tops are an excellent place for installing a windmill. There are some basic materials that you will need, which include: a tower to give support to your system, a generator, blades, mounting and batteries. These parts are available in nearly any hardware store across the country.
Benefits of building a wind turbine for yourself:
- Can save about 80% of your monthly electrical bills, or even eliminate them completely.
EX: If monthly power bill is around $200, you can cut it down to $40. By this around $1000 can be saved every year. You can even produce excess electricity to eliminate your bill and sell left over electricity back to your local power company.
- Get tax credits for using green energy, this is part of the government's environmental plan.
- Protect your environment by reducing global warming and your dependence on expensive fossil fuels.
- The value of your house is increased.
On average, a self-made windmill doesn't cost more than 200 dollars. This can be easily paid back by savings on electricity in a fairly short period of time. Rather than buying an expensive commercial one it's better to opt for a homemade model, which only takes a day or so to assemble, even with limited skills. It's wise to choose many smaller systems than a bigger one. Through this method, even when one system is shut down for maintenance, the other systems can generate power and you don't have to supplement your wind power with electricity from your power company.
The cheapest option for installing wind turbines is to go with DIY Wind Turbine Instructions which includes detailed instructions, step-by-step video walk-throughs and even locations to get all of your materials as cheap as possible.
With DIY wind turbine instructions you can be living off the grid, on free wind energy, for as little as a $200 start up cost.
Start saving money and the environment today, what are you waiting for?
Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.
If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.
There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.
The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.
The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.
This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.
A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.
Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.
If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.
By Greg Vanden Berge
Feng Shui Tips 1:
Sleep is very important for the overall health of a person; so if you have difficulty sleeping, it is always better to follow these feng shui tips for better sleep and health. A very important feng shui tip is to avoid sleeping with the head towards the door. This is because according to feng shui, the best place to position the bed and to sleep is a position where you can see the door, without actually being across from it. This is why you should also avoid sleeping with your feet right in front of the entrance.
Feng shui tips also state that it is not healthy to sleep under a window as this has a bad impact on your chi. It may make you lose some positive energy by dispersing it. In addition to this, by sleeping under a window, any bad chi that enters the room directly affects you. If you have no alternative than sleeping under a window, it is better to hang a curtain on the window to prevent bad chi from entering the room.
Feng Shui Tips 2:
Feng shui tips are indeed effective in inducing effective sleep. Besides the feng shui tips mentioned above, it is also better to ensure that there are no pictures of water in your bedroom. This is because according to feng shui, pictures of water in the bedroom not only causes insomnia, but is also taught to bring bad luck to the people sleeping in the room.So if you find that there is a picture of water in the bedroom, either remove it or at least, ensure that it is as far from the bed as possible. Another feng shui tip to remember for effective sleep is to ensure that there are no poisoning arrows pointing towards your bed.
You can find out if there are any poisoning arrows in your bedroom by looking for edgy elements or corners pointing to the place you sleep. And if you find some elements like this, and find that it is difficult to get rid of it, try to work at neutralizing its bad effect. This can be done by either covering the edge or by placing a plant in front of it.
If you're having problems with your Windows opening and closing, you can apply a little wax on the tracking. It's been a long time since anyone has used this trick, I thought I would share it with homeowners and professionals alike. My grandfather was a master Carpenter and he always had a small candle in his nailbags or toolbox.
I personally have tried wax, grease, silicone lubricant, oil, vegetable oil and wax seems to work about the best. I sprayed silicon lubricant on my windows and within a few months there was a nice collection of dirt, where I had applied the lubricant on the tracking and it was gummed up around the operating parts of the window. The dirt eventually made the window harder to slide and needed to be disassembled, cleaned and reassembled.
I've used silicon lubricant on quite a few things and had the same results. Wax can also attract dirt but somehow doesn't seem to collect as much of it as oil, grease and other lubricants.
Wax used as a lubricant often works best on horizontal sliding windows, these are windows that slide right to left and you will need to lubricate the tracking that the wheels roll on. Some windows have teflon inserts on the section of the window that slides. Either way you can apply the wax to the bottom of the window track and soon you will have a window that slides back and forth with ease.
If you apply the wax and it doesn't help the window slide easier, you could have a problem with the rollers on the window, teflon inserts or the tracking. Sometimes the window tracking and rollers just need to be cleaned in order for the window to slide effortlessly.
You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers advice to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
Mold Growing Under PaintIt might not taste good, but is tap water really dangerous? Well, let's see. Are 2400 cancer-causing chemicals dangerous? How about lead? Is that something to be concerned about?
News reports and public safety advocates are trying to inform the public about what might actually be in their glass. They also try to have the maximum contamination levels lowered. So that facilities will be required to provide something safer to their customers.
One of my concerns is that the reports will encourage people to buy more bottled water to drink. The two most popular brands in the US actually use municipal supplies, as their sources. In other words, they are bottling your own tap-water and selling it back to you.
That's obviously not any safer. It could even be more hazardous to your health, because the plastic bottles leach contaminants into the liquid. Even if it started out cleaner, it would end up with contaminants. How about another question?
Is tap water really dangerous for cooking?
One of the primary contaminants that have researchers worried around the world is trihalomethane. Trihalomethanes, abbreviated THMs, are actually a group of chemical compounds that are released when chlorine reacts with bacteria, germs and other living organisms. Exposure to them increases a person's cancer risk. By just how much is a subject of some debate. Recently, researchers determined that the risk has been underestimated by 50%, because the level of THMs in the water supply is measured using cold water. They have found that the released amount increases dramatically when water is heated.
Another concern is that THMs are gases that become airborne along with the steam from a boiling pot of water. When we inhale chemicals, they enter our bloodstream more quickly than they would if we consumed them. So, is tap water really dangerous for cooking? That's only one point.
A person that has an immunodeficiency should not consume cysts. They are microscopic organisms that cause vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration, as a result, which can be fatal. Public facilities cannot remove them, because they are resistant to chemicals and other disinfectants. They can only be "filtered" out and the process required to remove them can only be done in the home.
When you use unfiltered tap-water for cleaning fresh fruits and vegetables, you can consume cysts. Other than submicron filtration, the only way to remove them is by boiling... and you already know the problem with boiling unfiltered water.
There are other questions that you could ask, as well. For example, is tap water really dangerous for showering? Because the water is heated, the risk is the same as when boiling. Effective home filtration is the only solution, if you want to protect your health. Be sure to look for kitchen and showerhead filters that reduce THMs. Most of them do not. At some point in the future, things may change, but right now, the answer to; is tap water really dangerous, is clear. Without a home purifier, it can be deadly.
I am 55 years old, and I have been teaching school for 22 years. I have been researching water for 10 years. Click here: http://www.clean-and-pure-water.com
Smoke, a harmful mixture of chemicals and toxins, is dangerous to your health and your property, and adds to the damage done to your property as the result of a fire.
Inhaling smoke is very damaging to your health, which is why fire departments help vent smoke from buildings.
Once the fire department has put out the fire and vented the building, their job is complete, and there is often a large mess left behind, including discoloration and corrosion of materials as well as pungent odors that may be difficult to eliminate from your home and belongings.
At this point, smoke restoration companies should be called for professional help. This clean-up job requires special tools and knowledge to prevent further damage and to restore the property.
The extent of smoke damage and the ease with which it is cleaned away is often based on the type of smoke in your home: wet, dry, protein and fuel-oil.
Wet smoke comes from low heat and is difficult to clean. Dry smoke results after a fast burning fire at high temperatures. Protein smoke is invisible, but discolors varnishes and has an extremely foul odor. Fuel-oil soot smoke is a result of a furnace malfunction.
Before the restoration professionals arrive, there are several things you can do to start the smoke removal process. Immediate action is important since many items in your home can be damaged by smoke, including electronics, clothing, upholstery and draperies.
First, open windows and turn on fans, if possible, to air out the home and begin to eliminate the remaining odor. This can also help dry out your carpets and other upholstered items that may have been water damaged by extinguishing the fire.
These tips will speed up the restoration process, too:
Do
Don't
ACCORD Restoration specializes in clean-up, repair, restoration and rebuilding after fires, floods, storms or natural disasters. We offer reliable, 24/7/365 emergency services carried out with expert craftsmanship.
To learn more visit http://www.accordrestoration.com/
Damage Pool EquipmentYou too can build a deck.
All you need is a few dozen screws, nails, bolts, posts, gravel, stain, thinner, drill, hammer, measuring tape. This article offers some tips about how to build a deck that is strong, economical and comes up to the owners expectations.
Tip #1
Doing things the old-fashioned way may not always be the best idea. Many good software packages offer help in designing your deck. Their services may include alternative designs, list of materials, tools that are needed, measurements and sometimes even building rules.
Tip #2
Once you have carefully planned it out, you need to get materials. There are several newer options available besides pine, cedar and rosewood trees. Manufacturers offer other materials that look and feel very much like wood. These materials are cost effective as they require less maintenance worries and are stronger and less subject to damage.
Tip #3
It is important that the deck be strongly founded. You may want to get professional help if you don't have the tools and skills to level prepare ground, create good concrete pier holes and pour concrete. You must then apply vertical anchors at the appropriate time.
Tip #4
Building codes in most localities determine the required distance between support piers. Since most lumber comes in 8 foot or 12 foot lengths, making support distances equal to or less than that leads to fewer cuts.
Tip #5
In most cases, ledger boards lay up against the house to support the joists (support beams under the walking surface). If it is moved away from the wall, it can prevent corrosion by moisture.
Tip #6
Prefer screws and bolts over nails. This is because screws last longer and work better. Nails on the other hand rust pretty soon. This obviously will lead to the weakening of connections of the deck.
Adam Peters loves writing for websites on many consumer subjects. Learn more about patio sun rooms and six tips for decks built to last at http://www.allsunrooms.com/enclosures.html
Corrugated Metal Roof DamageA good contractor is fundamental to obtain economical benefits from every cent you pay him. Bad contractor wastes your money away. A good contractor usually have been working many years in the field they cover: plumbing, electricity, carpentry etc. They have built solid skills and good reputation and are prepared to execute their jobs efficiently.
Someone who has learned to secrets of their job knows if something is bad done or well done. Knowing how to do thing, a contractor can emend, fix, repair and re-do what is a failure made one of his workmen. They have develop skills in accounting and finances, know how to manage these field, can hire sub-contractors and employees and qualify their works and efficiency fairly.
How To Recognize A Good Contractor
The first step is to ask friends and relatives for reference on a reliable contractor but if you are not count with those source and have tried and failed, begin a search-
A good search contains common sense: begin calling contractors, ask them about their services and finally, ask them about referrals. A competent contractor won't have any objection on giving you information on former client that are satisfied with their work. Referrals are vital to their job and they know it.
Referrals
Check them as soon you get them. Be wise, make your list of questions about the project the contractor managed with the former client. Compare the complexity and size with your own project. Other important thing is to ask them if there were changes during the executing of the project and price readjustment. Learn if the contractor complied with schedule and if all the objectives were met suitably.
Act friendly and let them know you are grateful for their help, people always like to share their opinions and experienced when they are appreciated. A customer's successful project is the contractor's success, so a good contractor will try to keep his/her client happy and satisfied. That is what built his/her prestige and reputation.
License Or Not
Contractor can be good and skillful but not have a license. Maybe you can skip some dollars but there is always a risk.
Licensed contractor can be checked in the BBB (Better Business Bureau and other organizations). Checking the contractor's number you can find if there are many complaints against him/her or pending actions and how family these action are. Customer can act unfairly try to take advantages of unprotected contractor.
Try to gather as much information as you can but remember that law keeps information for itself during pending actions-
Interviewing The Contractor.
Ask them all the question you think necessary. Watch if the contractor answer clearly, fairly or try to evade your questions. Be clear about your intentions and ask about last project, details, etc.
Complexity In The Project
Not all project are similar in complexity. Build a new room is more complex and costly than remodeling an existent. If you have already decks on your house is simpler to attach a new deck. There are many things that increase the complexity of a project, like the size, material and place where it should be executed (a plain ground or steep slope)
When you planning to hire a contractor, remember that professional can be efficient and work harder but character varies. There are person very hard to treat and this may rise a problem if a difficulty happens during the project.When choosing a contractor balance character, honestly, skills and price and decide who is your ideal contractor
Adam Peters is the consultant of some online magazines. Find at http://www.allsunrooms.com/find_a_contractor.html more articles about sunroom construction
Ceramic Tile Shower Pan DamageRemote light switches - switches which allow you to turn lights (or other appliances) off or on without having to manually toggle the switch - are getting pretty commonplace these days. From internet searches to infomercials to the shelves of your local home improvement stores, these devices are everywhere.
Wireless television remotes were first developed in the 1950's. By today's standard these mechanical devices were primitive. When you pushed a button it would hit a metal bar with an audible "click" (hence the term "clicker"). The television circuits would respond to the resultant frequency and the television would turn on, turn off, change channels, etc. Unfortunately, anything that resulted in the same frequency would have the same result as my family found out when we discovered we could manipulate the television while eating simply by the sounds of our knives and forks hitting each other or the plate (my brother was especially adept at this).
Technology improved and the number of practical applications for remote controls increased. Remote light switches typically send signals to receivers either wired to the device to be controlled itself or receivers which have been plugged into an outlet with the device then plugged into the receiver. The receiver is programmed to respond to certain remote control transmitters. When you push a button on the remote, the device responds to the transmitters as programmed. This technology is sometimes employed during remodeling of rooms and in the construction of log homes, when accessing the electrical wiring to the house directly can be difficult.
When was the last time you were in the basement and absent-mindedly turned off one light before you turned on another and you were literally feeling your way along the walls to turn on a light so you could see? Or the last time you hit your shin on something in the living room stumbling around in the dark? How about the last time you stayed out later than you planned and came home to a dark house?
Just think of how handy it would be to have remote light switches for these and all of the other applications you can think of! These devices are a must for every household!
To read more visit Remote Light Switches
Finding something you don't like about yourself is usually very easy for most people. Most of the time you don't even have to ask your family or friends because you have heard them complain about the same thing for years. How many times have you heard someone mention, I need to lose weight?
Here's a list of things people don't like about themselves. If you're one of those people that has a hard time finding something wrong with yourself, you could always ask one of your friends for some suggestions. I'm sure they would like that.
1. The need to lose weight. This of course is one of the worst problems with Americans. Most people need to lose weight and let's not forget there are some people that need to gain weight.
2. The need to stop gambling. As more Indian reservations are allowed to build gambling casinos and of course as the Internet gambling gets larger, I've noticed some people with gambling problems.
3. The need to stop drinking alcohol. The abuse of alcohol has been going on for many years. These people have an excuse for why they drink and most of the time it doesn't make sense.
4. The need to stop smoking. This could be one of the most difficult things I've ever seen my friends and family deal with.
5. The need to stop excessive behaviors. For example, gossiping, cruelty, bullying, lying, cheating, stealing, partying etc. You get the idea.
6. Don't forget the dreaded shopaholic. Most shopaholic's seem to have large credit card debt and can't seem to stop this vicious circle of buying and owing money to their creditors.
7. Working long hours or the workaholic. Sometimes this is a necessity but I would suggest that you change your lifestyle if possible. Reevaluate your reasons for working so hard.
8. Religious fundamentalists. People that spend too much time at their place of worship and soon find themselves feeling guilty if they're not doing something spiritual.
9. The need to be on time. This would include people that have problems giving themselves enough time to get ready for work or school.
10. The need to stop doing drugs. I thought by now, approaching my 50s, that drugs would no longer be a problem in the United States, but it is. It's one of the most damaging things people can do to their lives.
There are plenty of things that people would like to stop doing or start doing. If you're a smoker and you seem to shop excessively near the casinos, I would advise you to start with something small and work your way up to the big stuff.
What are you going to change today about your life? Make a list of things that you're not happy with about your life and start making the changes today that you need to create the life you deserve and desire.
Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.
Greg is currently working on a personal development video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.
Mold Growing Under PaintWhere do we go to buy stair building books? Do we go to the major retailers like Amazon or Barnes & Noble? I have found over the years the information in most of these books I have purchased from these stores has a lot of fluff with very little common sense stair building application.
I bought one stair building book that had information on handrails. The front cover looked great and I thought this was going to be a great book reading the reviews from Amazon. When I finally got the book in the mail, I would say about one third of it was math tables for building elaborate wooden hand railing's. These tables were not easy to understand along with the rest of the book.
Back when I bought the book on building stair handrails it dawned on me that most of the construction workers I have met during my 30 years of working in the field were not very good outside of basic math. Now I knew a lot of carpenters that could read a measuring tape and use a framing square pretty good. But when it came to advanced geometrical construction projects like a stair hand railing system this was out of our league.
Reading this book or should I say parts of it gave me an idea to write a book of my own, starting with basic stair building I took all the fluff or the hard to understand advanced stair building applications out of my book, How to Build a Straight Set of Stairs.
I put a lot of time into creating an illustration for every possible part of building a simple set of stairs. I have probably built over 2000 sets of stairs during my lifetime and have explained and taught basic and advanced stair building to other carpenters. Understanding what parts of the stair construction process they understood, I was able to improve my skills as a stair building teacher.
Most people do not need advanced stair building skills to construct a simple straight set of stairs. If you are building a straight set of stairs and would like a stair building book with lots of easy to understand illustrations along with simplified directions you have found it.
We're building more stair building books to help contractors, carpenters, handymen and homeowners understand the stair building process.
Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.
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