Archive for August, 2009


Conservatories Are As Popular As Ever

Filed Under: New Construction
Aug.11, 2009

Conservatories are as popular as ever. Gone is the reputation of being too hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. They are now seen as extra living space which can be used all year round. People have started to be more and more adventurous with their designs and now often conservatories are designer statements made out of glass adding a contemporary feel to the most normal of houses.

We first fell in love with the concept of conservatories as far back as the 18th century. Thanks to new trade links opening across the world explorers and merchants brought exotic plants back to Europe. These plants were not able to survive outside in the European climate so orangeries were built to house them in. Orangeries soon became very fashionable and were seen as a sign of status. It was then the Victorians with their improvements in technology who took the idea of the orangery and developed the conservatory which soon became popular with the middle classes.

Today improvements in technology such as double glazing has meant that conservatories are now more practical than ever and affordable. No longer are they used as just a space for growing plants but they are used as extra living space and a major part of the home. The popularity of conservatories shows no signs of slowing down. UPVC conservatories are by far the most popular type of conservatory available on the market today. UPVC conservatories are not only highly cost effective but they are also energy efficient and low maintenance. In the current economic climate people are choosing to improve their current homes rather than move house.

In England and Wales adding a conservatory to your home does not usually require planning permission although there are some exceptions. You should always check with your local planning department to check to see if you need to get planning permission as this will help to prevent heart ache in the future. Also ask your conservatory fitter they should be able to talk you through the whole process from start to finish and will be able to advise whether planning permission will be necessary.

For more information on Conservatories, Double Glazing and Orangeries please visit our website or call into your local show room.

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Beautiful Kitchens That Are Sustainable in Your Home

Filed Under: Kitchen Remodeling
Aug.10, 2009

Ideally, a sustainable kitchen is one built with durable non-petroleum-based materials ie. from recycled timber and granite or stone bench tops, as opposed to melamine and plastic. Also, in its every day use, a sustainable kitchen uses safe, non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products. Let’s look at each area with a view to providing you with kitchen ideas.

Look at kitchens in show homes or kitchen manufacturer displays to give you ideas on the potential of your own kitchen . Measure your kitchen and take those measurements and measuring tape with you. Evaluate the design and space in the display home with what you have to work within your own home. You may think the actual layout is not that crucial until you try functioning in it. Optimising the space you have available will be one of the biggest challenges of the entire project.

What natural light is available. When renovating the kitchen is it practicable to install a larger window to let additional light into the kitchen? If you do make a decision on this choice do you need to use double glazed glass to keep out heat and glare.

Acquire a kitchen cabinet maker who uses sustainable timber to manufacture his cabinet frames. When deciding upon what material to use for your bench tops there is a wide range of natural stones available that can be used for bench tops, decorative bricks for outward facing cupboard walls and other materials that meet sustainability goals What paint is being used to colour drawer and cupboard faces. There are now bio-paints on the market that are prepared from natural non-toxic resources and are definitely worth investigating further.

Select appliances that have a high star energy rating and buy the right size appliance for your needs. For example, is your current refrigerator too big or too small? If you need a dish washer pick one that cleans dishes efficiently but does so using nominal water and consequently will use less energy to heat the water. Electric cook tops and ovens at this point do not have star energy ratings. In terms of a sustainable kitchen a gas cooker will give off lower greenhouse gas emission than an electric cooker

Find energy efficient lights to put in in the kitchen as these significantly cut down energy consumption and cost. Compact fluorescent lights CFL are energy efficient and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can replace the old incandescent light globes including halogen down lights.

Turn kitchen waste into green garbage. Have one bin for food scraps that can be put on to a compost heap and the second bin for recyclables that can be collected each week with household .

I hope you have found this article informative and helpful in designing a sustainable kitchen in your home.

Pauline is the owner of HomeHandyWoman For full article go to Kitchen Design Homehandywoman is a site for women wishing to learn how to do their own repairs and maintenance around their home.

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How to Save Energy and Cash With an HVAC Installation

Filed Under: Heating & Air Conditioning
Aug.09, 2009

If you’ve been thinking about some home improvement options, undoubtedly you’ve considered an upgrade to your heating and air conditioning units. For homes not equipped with HVAC systems, it will be a major upgrade, but for comfort and the amount of energy (and money) you will save over time, there’s no better place to start with a home renovation project.

The benefits of a central heating and air conditioning system are well known. The differences in control and comfort are far superior to old models, especially the ozone-depleting air conditioners that were in use for so long. These days, you will fix the thermometer with an ideal temperature and let the technology take over from there. Of course, there is little use in upgrading your ventilation system unless you are planning to back it up with energy-efficient windows.

As with most cases of energy-saving projects, there is going to be a considerable up-front expense. The savings will trickle down over time and continue to make sense for you. Immediately, you will need less heat and less cooling power from your system, so the first energy bill you get will be lower. Just multiply by the month, then by several years, and it’s a no-brainer. Of course, your property’s value will increase significantly, so if you are thinking of a change of scenery, or need to move because of work or family events, you can see your investment increase exponentially.

Recently, there have been new developments in HVAC installation. As the years go by, the scientists and researchers always find a way to make a good thing better. It has been proven that HVAC ductwork, which is usually placed in attics or the garage, would actually work much more efficiently if it were placed in what is called a “conditioned space.” You won’t have to turn your home into a laboratory: a conditioned space is merely a fully insulated little room which is sealed from outside air.

It is said that over 30% of the energy from ductwork is lost when located in a typical crawl space or other spot in the house. Besides, studies have proven that there is a risk of harmful chemical components staying inside the home as a result of the conduction process. Utilizing a conditioned space will make your energy bills significantly lower and actually upgrade the air quality in the home. If you’re planning on an upgrade to an HVAC system, this way is ideal.

As mentioned earlier, once you have a superior heating and cooling system, it’s time to say goodbye to your old windows. The drafts you have experienced will be reduced, if not eliminated, and the amount of energy you need to keep out the cold (or the heat) will drop along with it. That means good things for our environment, and for your wallet, too.

There’s no better upgrade in your home than an HVAC Installation. Installing your system in a conditioned space along with energy-efficient windows, you will save money and help the environment in the process.

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How to Purchase the Perfect Carpet

Filed Under: Flooring
Aug.08, 2009

You’re ready, willing and able to purchase a brand new carpet today. You decide to go out shopping but are stressed out by all the different types of carpet fibers, colors and weave patterns. Here is an easy way to shop for carpet. You’ll save money and get the carpet of your dreams.

In my line of business people always ask me, “what is the best type of carpet to buy?”. While in their homes the answer is easy because I know exactly what they are looking for. I know their needs. But for you, the complete stranger, I may need to dig a little deeper. How much traffic will the carpet receive. What is your budget? Will you be eating in the rooms where the carpet will be? Do you wear shoes in the home? All of these questions will ultimately lead you to the perfect carpet for your home.

Walk into any carpet dealer and you will most likely be faced with four types of carpet. Nylon dominates 80% of the residential market followed by olefin and polyester. Wool is very rarely found and only represents about 1% of the residential market. Some characteristics of wool include it being very absorbent. It can hold as much as ten times it weight in water and hold up to 30% of it’s weight in water without feeling wet to the hand. Wool is burn resistant. It is by far the most beautiful and posh of the carpet fibers but is very difficult to clean long term without distortion of the fibers. Red dyes in particular are very difficult to clean from wool carpet.

Olefin is found more in commercial spaces. It’s very economical. Some challenges that you may face with olefin include a very low heat threshold. Simply dragging something heavy over the carpet may produce enough heat to permanently burn the olefin and leave a drag mark. Olefin doesn’t dissolve in bleach although the color might. It’s strong but do not expect long lasting beauty from it.

Polyester is manufactured to look like nylon and is quickly grabbing more and more market value in carpet retail. If you are looking for a beautiful carpet and do not mind a short carpet life, polyester may be the way to go.

Nylon is by far the most popular and in my personal opinion best carpet available. It’s colorfast and has excellent memory. As long as it’s vacuumed properly, it will automatically spring back to it’s original shape once being stepped on. It doesn’t mat very easily. 4th and 5th generation nylon include carpet protection to help shield spills and dirt. Make sure your carpet salesman gives you nylon and not olefin. For the untrained eyes it may be challenging the tell the difference. The way to be sure you are getting what you paid for simply take a small strand of carpet filaments and put them into a glass of water. If they sink you have nylon. If they float you have olefin.

So if you are a landlord buying carpet for a tenant or the home owner, but nylon. If you are a tenant only living in an area for a short period of time, buy polyester. If you never walk on your carpets, never eat or drink in the carpeted room, and can afford it buy wool. If the carpet is for a high traffic commercial area definitely buy olefin. Regardless what you decide to own be sure to vacuum as much as possible and have a professional carpet cleaner steam clean the carpets every six to twelve months. This will maximize the life of your new carpet and really compliment the beauty of the carpeted room.

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Installing a Ceiling Fan – Don’t Use the Wrong Electrical Box

Filed Under: Electrical
Aug.07, 2009

If you’ve ever walked into a home where the ceiling fan is hanging or separated from the ceiling and ever wondered what was causing the problem, you’re about to find out. These ceiling fans were attached to a regular light fixture rough electrical box.

Here’s what happens, these plastic rough electrical boxes are designed for lighter duty, light fixtures. The weight of an electric ceiling fan, over time will usually start to pull the rough electrical box away from the wood framing. Now we have an electrical safety hazard.

I know that ceiling fans look great and I would recommend installing them in any room of your home, as long as you have the proper electrical box to attach them to. If you choose to install a ceiling fan, using these boxes anyway, you might not ever have any problems with them. However, if you start to notice the base of the ceiling fans, starting to separate from the ceiling, you could have a problem.

Now you’re probably wondering if I have a light fixture on my ceiling and would like to install a ceiling fan, how could I actually do it, safely? Here’s the best advice that I could give you, contact a licensed electrician and have them installed the proper electrical box, for you and save yourself a lot of grief.

Could you imagine the ceiling fan, falling on top of an expensive piece of furniture or worse than that, someone as they’re walking underneath the fan, while it’s an operation? Something to think about.

Home Electrical Wiring Books And Ideas

If you’re really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Tips . Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

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.

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Selecting the Appropriate Shower

Filed Under: Bathrooms
Aug.06, 2009

I have recently carried out some home improvements, one being our bathroom. I know what style shower enclosures, toilet and sink I wanted but I didn’t realise how complicated buying an actual shower was. Here is what I learnt…

If you have a combination boiler or hot water cylinder than a mixer shower is perfect. You need to have hot water available as it takes both hot and cold water and mixes them to reach the right temperature. Have you ever been in the shower when the water goes freezing as someone downstairs has turned the tap on? This is because you have a manual model. If you go for the thermostatic model this will not happen as it will stay at the same temperature throughout your shower.

The other type of shower is an electric shower. As it says in the name these are powered through your electricity supply and use a lot of energy they do however have a more controlled heat and only heat the amount of water that is required. The benefit of this is if your boiler breaks you can still have a hot shower!

The easy way to look at it is if you have to turn the taps to turn the shower on it is a mixer shower. If you have to press a button it is an electric shower.

I had to go for the mixer shower which I am pleased about as I really really like my taps and they match the basin taps!

If you want to know more about Shower Enclosures or baths then feel free to visit First Bathrooms.

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Understanding Your Hardwood Flooring Selection

Filed Under: Flooring
Aug.05, 2009

As your old floor has become harder to clean, matted, and simply ready to give up, there is a practical alternative to restoring life back into the room. Hardwood floors add a certain type of warmth and style to any room that other floors can only try to imitate. But as you make the decision to install your hardwood floor, you must first understand how and why some types will last longer, are easier to install, and why it is a fitting choice for you.

Fortunately, hardwood floors are better produced with quality finishes and more advanced construction today than ever before because the consumer demand for them has increased.

There are three types of hardwood flooring: solid hardwood, engineered, and long-strip hardwood. Because solid hardwood is moisture-sensitive, it is not used directly over a concrete slab, but rather nailed down. There are many finishes that are available to recoat your beautiful solid hardwood floor over and over again which adds to their attractiveness for their long life span. Remember, some solid hardwood floors over 100 years old are still in thriving condition.

Engineered hardwood flooring is manufactured with sheets of wood laminated together after being stacked on top of each other to form one flexible strip of wood. Because engineered hardwood uses a cross-ply construction, it does not shrink and expand with humidity like solid hardwood does. Engineered floors of most types can be nailed down, glued, floated, stapled, and installed over concrete.

Longstrip plank floors have similarities to the engineered floors in that there are several wood strips glued together. One plank of longstrip is bigger and wider than the other types to give the appearance of multiple rows wide and several planks long. This type of floor is available in a wide variety of wood species and if damaged is easy to replace.

Understanding the hardwood flooring options will help you be a smarter shopper when it comes to the exciting time of replacing, remodeling, or adding value to your home.

Big Bobs Flooring (http://www.mybigbobs.com/) is a flooring outlet. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.

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When is it Time to Call an Electrician?

Filed Under: Electrical
Aug.04, 2009

There are many elements to getting an electrical problem corrected. Not the least of which is to ensure that the job is done correctly. By this, the most important thing to consider is safety. In most cases, a professional and licensed electrician will ensure that the proper safety steps are taken over the course of a job.

There are some corrections and fixes that an average home owner and self proclaimed “handyman” can take care of with little to no risk. However, it is very important to remember that electricity, in any volume, is very dangerous.

Sometimes it shows more sound judgment to get a licensed electrician to do the job in the first place. Electricians in your area are invaluable resources, because they understand the codes and the environmental impacts in a specific area. For example, if you live in Houston and look for an electrician online, by searching for electricians Houston, you can help to ensure that you are getting an electrician experienced in your area. By getting a professional, at the beginning, you can avoid possibly more expensive corrections of a botched initial job.

Here are a few of the times that would require contacting a licensed electrician:

• If an unbiased third party has advised you to contact a licensed electrician
• If the fix would require obtaining expensive tools, you will save money by letting a professional (who most likely will already have the tools) perform the job
• If there is any work that needs to be done, behind the walls or some other boundary, it is advised to have a professional perform the work. This will help ensure that any repairs will not be yours.
• If you do not have the necessary protective gear to perform the job safely, it is advised to hire a professionally.

When trying to determine whether or not a job should be done by a professional, always exercise caution. Erring on the side of safety, rather than the side of cost, can and will help you make sure that the job is done correctly and with no safety risk to yourself.

If you have any doubts about the safety of the job that you are doing, it is always suggested that you contact a professional.

Billy Mendoza is an electrician, Houston and Friendswood, TX are the areas that he services primarily. He is the creator of http://www.residentialelectricalsvcs.com

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