The Different Tools Necessary For Taking Care of Your Landscape

It has not been that long ago, that the first blades of grass were cut down about only 150 years ago. During those days people used as grass cutting scythe and did it all by hand, and many were lucky it even worked moderately. Nowadays, there are over a dozen different tools that have been designed that people use to keep their lawns in pristine shape.

The lawn mower is just the most basic of all lawn care tools and it is hard to imagine a living organism that actually needs to be cut and sliced off to be kept healthy. As a professional lawn care worker once said, "Grass just likes to be cut", and to accomplish this a good, quality lawnmower is essential.

Though a lawn mower is an expensive investment, if it is taken care of it can last a lifetime. You will need to keep the blade sharpened, the spark plugs clean and the air filter changed if the mower has one, and change the oil as needed.

Keeping your lawn neat and clean is not just a matter of clipping it , you will need to do more than just this alone. You will need a trimmer or edger and there are two types available; an old fashioned two blade model and one that uses a string that gets shot out of the trimmer. Taking the trimmer along the edge of patio bricks, ledges and edges will help maintain the good appearance of your lawn. The string type of trimmer is less expensive and although the string will need to be periodically replaced, it is better at saving time and effort in the long run.

A spreader is needed to place fertilizer evenly throughout the lawn and other chemicals and compounds that will keep your lawn free of weeds and looking its best. One of the spreaders available to use almost looks like a smaller lawn mower and has a tub with small holes and a roller to dispense the compounds. A positive fact about this type of spreader is that they are easy to use and they are adjustable for use on different projects. The second type of spreader is a hand-held model, which is usually plastic and has a handle. This type of spreader is perfect for patching small areas of lawn and distributing dry fertilizer.

A rake is also used for much more than just raking up piles of leaves in the fall time, leaves left on the ground can pile up and it can cause the grass to overheat or get to little water. In areas of the country that experience snow, the grass at the end of the season gets compacted and turns into thatch. Blades overlay each other and this results in air not being able to properly reach the soil and while dethatching can be done with a power tool, a rake is also effective. A shovel spade is needing for digging post holes and moving dirt and planting plants, and many other projects you could be doing around the yard.

Knowledge is power it's time to learn more about lawn advice. Ready for a better understanding? Visit http://www.zone10.com

Stud Spacing And Wall Framing

An Important Part of Home Inspection - The Roof

Everyone knows that you should have a home inspection performed on a house you wish to buy. A professional home inspector will outline any problems or repairs that need to be made so you can negotiate a price accordingly and finalize the real estate transaction with peace of mind. But when it comes to the inspection of the roof, what exactly is a home inspector look at?

There are two basic types of roofs, pitched and flat. A pitched roof is normally built of a wood framework of beams joined at the top at an angle, a deck usually made up of plywood and a weather resistant cover. The singles (cover) are the one layer that keep your roof dry so they must be intact in order to protect against the elements such as rain, snow and hail.

A professional home inspector will first do a cursory visual inspection of the roof. He will when go up on the roof to look for uneven shingles or a poor new shingles installation over old ones. Installing new shingles over old ones is not necessary a problem, as long as the work is done correctly. The home inspector will also check for sagging which could be caused by a damaged deck or a potentially more serious structural issue with one of the ridge beams. Any pealing, cracking or breakage of the shingles will be noted on the inspection report.

An inspection of the attic will also be made to ensure that there is no water damage on the underside of the deck which would indicate water leakage. The home inspector will also look for appropriate roof ventilation. He will count the number of vents and the soffit and their overall placement to confirm that there is adequate ventilation. Warm air must be allowed to escape the attic to avoid moisture build-up and ultimately rot.

In the case of a flat roof, a professional inspector will verify all the same elements as for a pitched roof with the addition of water pooling. The main difference between a flat and a pitched roof is that the flat roof is built to be water tight whereas the pitched roof is meant to have the water run off its sides. A flat roof should not have any ponds of standing water as it can breed insects and plants, which can ultimately damage the roof. With a flat roof, the inspector will look for any weak spots, visible cracks, blisters or corrosion which could compromise the integrity of the roof. Tracing the source of water damage from a flat roof may be more difficult as it may have started in one place but when zigzagged away and created damage somewhere else.

Before you buy a new home, have it inspected by a professional. This will give you not only peace of mind about any major structural or mechanical issues the home may have but it will also educate you as what areas of house will need attention in the near future. Such as the roof.

Stefan Hyross writes on topics that include the real estate market and real estate inspection. For more information about home inspections in general and Mississauga home inspection in particular, please feel free to visit the website.

Horizontal Or Vertical Drywall

Different Popular Types Of Roofs

A roof does a lot for your home. It keeps you warm or cool and it keeps you protected from the elements. It also can add to the looks of your home. Read this article to learn about some of the different types of roofs available to you

One popular style of roof is the slate roof. Slate proofs are very attractive in appearance and offer excellent protection from fire. They are also a unique roof and provide for a long roof life. They do have some disadvantages though. They are extremely expensive and are much harder to install since they require extensive structures to support the weight. You also can not walk on the roof without risking damage to the tiles. If you can do it though, nothing looks like a slate roof.

Another popular option is a metal roof. Metal roofs are also durable and offer a long life. They are also resistant to sleet and hail and when made from recycled metal they are very environmentally sound. They are however more expensive to install requiring special tools and skills. Some people might also object to the sound of a metal roof since they may be louder in the rain.

The last option I will talk about is the concrete tile roof. They are similar to slate roofs but are much cheaper. They are an attractive roof available in a number of different styles and colors and offer excellent fire resistance. They are still expensive however and can be damaged by hail storms. You also may not be able to use them in climates subject to heavy freezing.

I hope this article has given you some useful information on roofs. If you are looking to do something different than the basic asphalt shingle, one of these options may be for you. Good luck with whichever one you decide

Learn more about roofs at Home Tip Net a website on roof repair and roofers.

What Kind Of Wood Rot

Why it is Important to Fix Roof Leaks As Soon As They Appear

The roof over our heads is what makes our house a home through providing complete functionality and utmost comfort for you and the whole family to lavish in. Whether you are living in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, Long Island, Queens, or wherever in New York your roof will inevitably be exposed to a good amount of everyday sunshine and beaten time and again by harsh natural elements. Though overused, the clich 'An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure' still does not stick very well even if it has proven to be true many times. And this goes well with your roof, as keeping it in good condition and repairing leaks as soon as they are detected not only saves the roof itself from larger damages but the rest of your home as well.

The tough nature of your roofing system's purpose makes it more prone to damages that may lead to leaks. When not attended to immediately, this may cause a larger problem requiring more complex, expensive and time consuming repair. The issues that you might be faced with if you leave your leaking roof be range from growth of mold and mildew, to damage in your house's foundation.

Dealing with roof leaks can be tricky at times as not all leaks are that obvious. Other than drips during rains, watermarks and dark spots in the ceiling; there really are not much signs to point you to the problem unless you actually evaluate your roof. This makes it crucial for homeowners to stick to a regular roof checkup, and while at it look for indications of damage.

Your shingles could tell the story. Any blisters, curls, cracks in the shingles would indicate that the roofing material has reached its working lifespan and may need replacement. Discolored patches, loose or exposed nails and missing shingles should also raise the red flag.

Areas such as skylights, intersection of roof planes, vents, and around chimneys are prone to moisture. Feel the insulation and if you notice any wet portions or growth of molds, water may already be seeping through these areas.

A damaged roof flashing could also be the cause of the leak. Roof flashings are found where the roof meets the wall so be sure to check ridges, plumbing vents, chimneys, skylights and eaves.

When homeowners notice a leak, they often miscalculate the level of difficulty that tracing the source poses. Though water may be trickling from a certain place, it does not mean that the source of the leak is in that same area. So if you think you are not up to the job, you might just as well look for a qualified local roofing contractor to do the job for you expertly and skillfully.

Hiring a roofing contractor could make a good deal of difference in terms of the quality of repair, proper and right steps to take, and the time and back-breaking effort you'd save yourself from to be able to finish up the task. As your roof is what keeps everything in your New York home in its full productivity, beauty and comfort; the costs to maintain one of your greatest investments would be well worth it.

Eugene Makeev uses his skills and expertise to help home owners in Brooklyn, Long Island, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island avoid the common pitfalls by matching their roof repair New York needs with prescreened Roofers Long Island.

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Older Homes With No Dryer Hookup

Please Contribute Helpful Information to Our Blog

How would you like to help other contractors, home improvement specialists, builders, real estate professionals and anyone else involved in home remodeling. If you have any tips or home improvement advice to you would like to share with our readers, it would greatly be appreciated. Leave all comments below.

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Aluminum Roofing - TLC For a Very Tough Roof

But if you think aluminum roofing sounds like the ticket, just make sure you are prepared to live with it for a very long time. On the average, you can expect to your aluminum roofing to celebrate its golden anniversary-yes, fifty years of protective service! Even if you are inheriting aluminum roofing on a building you buy, the odds are that it has plenty of life left, because aluminum is far more resistant to rust and mold than roofing of other materials.

Taking care Of Your Aluminum Roofing

But one thing against which aluminum roofing can't protect you is weather related damage, like hurricane winds or uprooted trees. While the aluminum itself will not be harmed by high wind and torrential rain, the roof structure should be given a going over every sis moths so that the fasteners which hold the aluminum roofing in place can be checked and replaced if necessary.

Your semi-annual check should examine the roof for broken, loose, or buckled material, and puddles of accumulated water which can be predictors of a leaky roof. A twice yearly check will allow you to stop any minor problems with your aluminum roofing before they become major ones, and save you a ton of money in the process!

Taking Care Of Your Gutters

If your home or building has gutters, and is surrounded by deciduous trees, you should also do an annual gutter cleaning so that water can drain freely from your aluminum Roofing You may even be lucky enough to hire some gutter cleaners who throw in a roof once-over at no charge. You may thing that cleaning the gutters of your building is a job you can handle on your own from the ground, but the truth is that without getting up to gutter level like the professionals do, you can't see what is going on with your roof.

If you don't have the legs for scrambling around on the roof, you can hire a roofing specialist or contractor who will be happy to perform the necessary inspection. You should have not trouble getting the name of a reliable roofing contractor from family members or friends, or even check with the bank which holds your home or building mortgage. They are certain to have the names of some preferred contractors, because they want any work done on your property to be correctly completed, so that your property's value is not harmed.

While you're at it, ask the roofing inspector to have a look at your chimney and make sure it is drawing freely!

You can also find more info on Metal Roofing

Roofingbliss.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about roof.

What Kind Of Wood Rot

Credit Score Repair

There are several things you should know when you begin the process of credit score repair. Many of those things include things you can do to immediately improve your score, things you shouldn't do, and free counseling available to you.

If you are thinking about working on your credit score repair then the first thing you should do is order a copy of your credit reports. You should verify your contact information is correct. Did you know that by updating just your phone number and address on your credit report it will raise your score one point? Most people don't. The first thing you should do is update all of your personal information with the credit reporting agencies. Yes, this will make your contact information available to your creditors and the phone might start ringing a little more than it already was but since you are on the path to credit score repair then it will be fine.

If you receive your credit reports and you realize that all of your debt is too much to handle and you don't think there is any way you will ever get out of debt then you should seek credit counseling. There are many free credit counseling companies who can help you organize your debt and come up with a positive plan that will work best for you in paying off your debt.

When you are working toward credit score repair then there are certain things that you should not do. The biggest thing you shouldn't do is apply for credit while you are trying to improve your credit. One of the first things listed on your credit report is a list of all of the places who ran your credit score when you have applied for credit. You might see utility companies or credit card companies who have turned you down in the past. The more your credit score is ran by companies when you apply for credit, the lower your score will get. That is right. Every time you apply for credit it is a negative impact on your score. This means that if you are applying for credit through credit card companies and other sources while you are paying off your debt, you might not see improvements on your score. Leave your credit alone while you are paying off your debt. Your score will increase faster.

When you are working toward credit score repair you need to keep your debts organized. Pay on each debt as you can. Be sure to get proof of payment for each debt paid. This might be a slow process for you but it will pay off in the long run.

Credit score repair is a good idea. There are quick things you can do to immediately improve your score like update all of your current information. You should remember not to apply for credit through any company while you are trying to improve your scores, no matter how tempting it is to see if you would finally qualify for something. Also, if the process seems too overwhelming for you to handle on your own, remember you can seek help from free credit counseling companies who can help you and relieve some of the stress.

This article is brought to you courtesy of Jordan FeRoss who is a leading expert in Credit Score Repair

Dust Clogging Bath Fan Vent

Trenchless Sewer Repairs - Plumbers Use Video Inspection to Pinpoint Problems With Sewer Line Repair

If your residence or commercial building needs sewer repairs, the plumbers in Los Angeles are ready to help. Using state-of-the-art technology and video inspections, they can pinpoint your sewer problems quickly and efficiently. In Los Angeles and the surrounding area, people do not like the destruction that comes with traditional sewer line repairs. The video inspection also reveals whether you have cracks in your sewer lines, root intrusion, or a complete collapse of your sewer line. The video inspection is achieved by connecting a tiny camera to the end of an auger line.

Trenchless technology, available in most cases, allows the plumbers to make repairs from just two small access points, one on either end of the line. This means faster repairs and minimal disruption to your landscaping, yard, or driveway because the entire sewer line does not need to be uncovered. For many years, getting to sewer lines to replace and repair meant large scale excavation. This was both a costly and a lengthy process, leaving you with a yard and driveway to repair once the sewer was repaired. Many times the cost to replace trees, sidewalks, driveways, and landscaping exceeded the cost of the sewer repair.

Advances in technology now allow for trenchless sewer line repair, and plumbers in Los Angeles have been leaders in the industry in this specialized area. There are two different options for trenchless sewer repair. One is pipe relining and the other is pipe bursting. Pipe bursting involves bursting the old pipe apart as a new pipe is pulled through. The old, original pipe acts as a guide as the new pipe is pulled through. It is then ripped apart by the equipment pulling in this new pipe. You are left with a strong new pipe exactly in the same place as where the old pipe was.

Pipe relining has some similarities, but instead of splitting the old pipe apart to replace it, a fiberglass liner is places inside of the damaged pipes. The pipes are sealed, and your pipes will now last for many years to come. Relining may last as long as several decades, depending on how the work is completed and other details.

Trenchless sewer repair is the way to go to avoid costly damage to trees, sidewalks, driveways, and landscaping. If you are given the choice, and it is completely up to you, opt for a trenchless sewer line repair in order to maintain the plumbing and sewer system in your residential or commercial building.

Visit http://www.LosAngelesPlumbingAndSewer.com to find out more about Schuelke Plumbing and the services they offer. Family owned and operated, Schuelke Plumbing offers 100% free financing for all of your plumbing repairs, as well as a lifetime guarantee on many services and repairs.

Crawl Space Repairs

Home Improvement Can Involve the Fittings For Amenities

In the United States, four plumbing fittings have to be there one at a time for a restroom to be considered a "full bath." Plainly, a "restroom" may be understood as a private space wherever a person takes a bath. The bathtub, shower, commode, and basin are the fixtures that make up a full bathroom. While a "3/4 bath' consists of a shower, basin and commode. Conversely, a 'half bath' may be termed a powder room and has just a toilet and vanity basin usually with a mirror. When a property owner does a little to alter the look of this piece of the house, he is assembling what is termed a bathroom home improvement. This venture can be carried out by the owner himself, or he may hire a 'pro' to oversee this job.

A home improvement can involve the fittings for amenities. It might also involve a preservation practice required to keep the bathroom in top condition. One other reason for a restroom improvement might be adding new equipment and restyling this room.

However, most of the time, a restroom home improvement requires an installation of something in the room, such as a fan, vent, light, vanity, medicine cabinet, ironing center or shower door. Several websites provide detailed instructions on how to go about these installations. In addition, these websites distribute material regarding where the best stores are in your town for those wholesale restroom systems and their matching prices. A restroom improvement might as well refer to schedule restroom maintenance. This might consist of faucet substitution, redoing vinyl flooring, or altering a shower head.

From time to time, it is suggested that homeowners take these measures. As a final point, a restroom home improvement plan might involve upgrading its amenities and services. Some homeowners buy restroom enhancement to put together one more appropriate to their requirements. Others do so to add to the market value of the whole house because most house buyers are very fussy about the look and practicality of the restroom.

Bathroom Safety

An additional form of restroom home improvement necessitates building the restroom for safety and with a view to greater suitability for the elder members or those in ill health in the family. You'll accomplish this by installing or implementing double-handed faucets, putting in a toilet with a higher seat, installing a tub with a non-slip textured shell, and fitting tub safety bars. The restroom aught likewise, to be outfitted with a ground-fault circuit interrupter outlet, so that electrical power will instantaneously be cut off in case of a short circuit.

Apart from the original reasons for modernizing or humanizing of a bathroom equipment , it is central to the job that all work be very precisely completed.

Being particularly interested in using a router for woodworking, Nash Wendin has been publishing a lot of short articles in this specific area. You might see his writings on use of router at different sources for use of router information.

Xbox 360 1 Hour Repair For Red Lights Problem

The Xbox 360 is a video game console using which you can play high end graphics games whenever you wish. These devices are not like other ordinary gaming consoles where you cannot install games in them. Adding to this, there are few drawbacks in normal gaming consoles like the low storage space, poor graphics, etc which lead to the development of second generation of video gaming console. Xbox 360 was introduced by Microsoft and the notable thing is that the hardware for the console is developed by Microsoft and the code for the chip components in the motherboard was also written by Microsoft programmers.

PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW VERSION
Xbox and Xbox 360 are two entirely different versions. Xbox 360 came out in the year 2005 with advance technology than the normal Xbox version. Now, problems have aroused with the Xbox 360's hardware performance. Many have complained about the hardware failure in the latest version than its previous version. Majority have complained about the frequent red light blinking in the power ring area. Xbox 360 has a power button surrounding which you will able to see lights glowing in green and red. All together they are called as the power ring. This is somewhat similar to your PC like the lights blinking in green and red color when you start your PC. When the console starts it will glow in green and shows the user that it has started without any problem. But, if there is any problem within the device then even though it has started, the device lights will be glowing in red color.

ACTUAL CAUSE FOR THE ERROR
The error has aroused because of the overheating of the console. The heat sinks placed above the microprocessors have failed to absorb the heat developed in the area. Thus causing the GUI to fail to start because of the over heat. Though internal coolers have been provided to the processors in order to cool them the heat developed is extraordinary that the cooling becomes inadequate. Because of these problems, the hardware signals the user about the problem in the hardware by glowing red light. If your console had similar kind of problem then you will observe three red lights in the power ring. This error is called as 'The Red Ring of Death' or simply as RRoD.

METHOD TO SOLVE
The error occurred can be solved permanently. You can give your console to the Microsoft service centre to repair the console if you have a warranty for it. But, the drawback is that you have to wait up to 3 months till the repair work gets over and it is shipped back to your home.

Still there is an alternative solution for this. You can repair the console on your own by watching some video tutorials in the internet. These videos will help you to repair the console. They will suggest only the removal of the X clamp from the motherboard. There are also some video samples for better understanding. The advantage in this method is that the console gets ready within an hour or two hours and you can start playing on the same day. It is very easy to repair your console and you don't need to wait for months to get it back from Microsoft.

Xbox 360 Repair Videos
Repair your Xbox 360 by watching the videos online and fix your Xbox 360 now. This is the most recommended way of fixing your Xbox 360 by the Xbox gamers around the world. You can fix your Xbox in just one hour from now and start playing the games again. Save over $100 and also the valuable play time. Just by using your household tools you can fix your Xbox and it's pretty simple. Just give me ten minutes and I will show you how to fix your Xbox now. Watch the videos to Fix your Xbox 360 - Click Here.

10 Easy Steps to Fix Your Xbox
Checkout how easy it is to fix your Xbox 360 with 10 simple steps which can be done by anyone. This will definitely help you to get rid of Red Light Errors for sure. Check out Here: Xbox 360 Repair Procedure - Click Here.

Post Your Ideas Here On Home Remodeling

To would appreciate any home remodeling tips for ideas that you have that could help other homeowners, building contractors and other people involved in home remodeling. Post all your comments below .

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Fence Building Bible - Great Construction Advice

What if I told you where to get the ultimate fence building Encyclopedia? Better yet, what if I told you, you could get it for under $20? If you're building a standard 1 x 6 dogeared fence, that's 6 foot tall and made from wood, with 4x4 post cemented into the ground, this book might not interest you, but if you're thinking about building a fence, that will make all your neighbors jealous, you might be interested in the "Fence Building Bible."

If you're interested in using your imagination, along with some of the information in this fence building Encyclopedia, if you're interested in creating a masterpiece, instead of just another barrier that divides the property, you had better think seriously about, either running down to your local library and checking the book out, or purchasing the book, so that you have it on hand when needed.

Here's a quote from the product description that could be helpful, "Beneke suggests the appropriate types of fence to keep the swimming pool secure, con fine the livestock, keep deer away from the garden, or create outdoor living spaces. He then discusses the essentials of proper fence design and provides step-by-step illustrated instructions for planning, building, maintaining, and repairing any style of fence."

If you're planning on building a fence to keep livestock, it would be extremely helpful to know what kind of fence will be necessary to keep pigs or cows separated from the other animals, including you. There's nothing worse than building a new fence, putting some large cattle inside of it and having them tear it apart and escape.

The fence building Bible as simple instructions, with lots of illustrations, to give you plenty of ideas. There's a good chance that you will see a fence in this book that you have never seen before. If you're thinking about building something out of the ordinary, I would suggest strongly, that find this book.

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.

If you're really interested in learning more about remodeling, new home construction, home maintenance, home repairs and really want to get the nuts and bolts of home improvement. Visit our web site and select from the best-selling home building books on the Internet.

Fixings Squeaking Stairs

Conservation Marketing

Times are tough, somewhat like the Great Depression. Still, we must all have hope and realize people still survived during those troubling times and some even got rich. Necessity has always been the mother of invention and uncertain times call for extraordinary creativity. These are times when staying inside the box will kill your business.

Restructuring our mentality for growth has many facets, requires persistence, and brings about lasting change for the better. Conservation is of the utmost importance today while our ecological and economic worlds are in peril. The human race simply cannot afford the luxury of wanton disregard for both.

Conservation is the cutting edge of opportunity no matter the field it is what the world needs. The call to action has never been more clear for creative people to rise up and solve problems rather than adding to them. Where does that leave the get rich quick peddlers? They should be running for cover because their day in the sun is up, it is time for the new breed of Internet Marketers to take control. It is time to let value, economy, and integrity rule the face of online marketing instead of up sell escalator routine we are so familiar with. Let's face it does anybody really like all the browser controlling pop up, fly in garbage we are being fed? No, only a fool would like to be manipulated in such a way.

I have a rule of thumb I go by when shopping for anything:

1 If I can't afford the price I won't but it.

2 If I don't like the price I won't buy it.

3 If the quality is low I won't buy it.

4 If I don't like the presentation I won't buy it.

5 If it seems to good to be true I won't buy it.

6 If it is an up sell before I have even purchased chances are I won't by it.

My rules are simple. I like to be treated fairly and in exchange I am willing to pay a fair price for almost anything. I admire straight shooting with a lack of theatrics to get into my wallet.

The entitlement mentality is still running rampant in our societies today. Getting paid what you are worth has taken on some fairly obviously erroneous forms, after all who is worth a five or six figure income who has not put out some effort for it? Nobody, and people usually learn the hard way that getting rich overnight is a pipe dream.

Design your business and your life around conservation, commitment, and courage. Tough times require fortitude and especially in marketing. There are no easy meals in the marketing house you must work for your food. Roll up your sleeves and learn to earn with Internet Marketing.

"Mountains are usually imposing at first, but with each step the summit is closer." William Muncrief 2008

Comment on Wood Deck Repairs

Do you have any ideas for building or repairing wood decks . We would love to hear from you in the comment area.

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Small Bath Tubs For Small Bathrooms

Most home owners are faced with the dilemma of how to install bath tubs in a small bathroom. You have two options to solve this dilemma. Either you do away with bath tub installation or you can use small bath tubs that will fit in your bathroom.

Small bath tubs can offer numerous benefits for you. That is why you have to make sure that a bath tub can be installed in your bathroom. Here are the advantages you can get from them and some tips on bath tub installation.

Health Benefits

Bath tubs have dual functions. You can use them to take a bath but they can also provide many healthy benefits. By soaking in a warm bath, you can effectively solve muscle pain problems and muscle soreness.

Muscle pains are common problems of most working people like you. It is not always advisable to take pain relievers because you can develop dependence on these medicines.

A warm bath every night is an effective alternative for taking pain relievers. And you can only achieve full body muscle relaxation if you have a bath tub at home. This way, you will feel reinvigorated and your pains can go away.

Warm bath is also very helpful for those with arthritis, rheumatism, and other types of joint pain problems. Soaking in a warm bath therefore can improve the quality of your life.

Use Small Bath Tubs to Save Bathroom Space

Using small bath tubs is a practical alternative to big and bulky tubs. You can save a lot of bathroom space if you use them. In fact you can install an overhead shower above the bath tub so you can take a bath immediately after soaking in the tub.

Most small tubs are short so you can easily install them in the corner area of your bathroom. This way, your tub will not hamper your movements in the bathroom.

How to Choose the Perfect Small Bath Tub

When buying one, always choose a deep soaking tub. A deep soaking bath tub will allow you to fully soak your body in it. Remember, these are shorter so if they are not the deep soaking types, they would be very difficult to use.

You must also find a small bath tub that has a built-in seat. This seat will allow you to comfortably recline inside the tub for a full body soaking. Without a built-in seat, it would be very uncomfortable to lie down inside the tub.

It is also best if you can find a walk-in small bath tub. A walk-in tub has a specially designed swing-in water tight door. This swing-in door will allow you to easily enter and get out of the tub.

A walk-in tub will be very useful for the elderly who have difficulty climbing in and out of the tub.

When you have a small bathroom, then there is no reason why you cannot install a tub. Just utilize small bath tubs that can fit perfectly into a corner. Because of its many benefits and advantages, you will not regret your decision to install one in your bathroom.

George Edmondson is an accomplished writer who specializes on small bath tubs help and advice. If you want to learn more about small batch tubs, simply visit http://www.bathtubsguide.com.

Benefits Of Replacement Windows

Get Rid of Silverfish Naturally and Organically

Silverfish, a small half inch long insect attracted to glues in the house like book bindings or wallpaper, can cause considerable damage just like ants and termites. A major concern for many people is getting products that get rid of silverfish but are safe for their pets and children to be around.

There are four common solutions of killing, getting rid of, repelling, or exterminating silverfish that are safe and natural.

The first are citrus sprays. These are citrus smelling sprays specifically made to get rid of insects like silverfish who are repelled by the smell. Use it generously where you feel the infestation may occur as well as along baseboards and the outside of the home. Do not use citrus smelling cleaning sprays as they are not organic and are not made to repel silverfish. This is an organic pest control product.

A second technique are electronic methods like ultrasonic pest control. These are small devices that are plugged into electrical outlets that let out noises that make it uncomfortable for the insect to be in the area. Some are said to work well keeping pests away while others have complained that it does nothing if the house is completely infested.

Third, Diatomaceous Earth will kill silverfish as well as other insects and even spiders. This white powder will essentially dehydrate the pests. You can sprinkle this around the home where the silverfish might be as well as use it in your garden. This is definitely a method of exterminating as opposed to repelling the silverfish.

The last technique is the use of traps near the silverfish infestation. Dark areas of the home or wall voids is the best place to use these. These traps will also catch ants, aphids, and fleas as well. Obviously this is a safe non-chemical solution.

To find out more about getting rid of silverfish and these specific products, read our article on Silverfish Control as well as other common pest at http://www.crittercontrollers.com.

Good San Diego Contractors

I would love to hear your good contractor stories. I'm so tired of hearing about contractor nightmares, is there anyone out there that has a good contractor story. Place it in the comment area underneath this question.

Stair Building Books

Sliding Closet Doors Provide For User-Friendly Homes

My husband and I have physical limitations. I was partially paralyzed as the result of a skiing accident a few years back. He lost an arm in an automobile accident when he was a teenager. Life has a way of connecting people who need each other. At least, this is what we both believe. As a result, we fell in love, married and purchased our very first house together. It didn't take us long to realize that some things would need to be changed. Things such as how the bathrooms were set up and how traditional closet doors would have to be switched out with Sliding closet doors. You buy the house you love, you work with it and you make it your home.

Given that money wasn't an obstacle, we decided to look at sliding doors of unique design and quality. I don't much like mirrored doors. I know what it is I look like. Nothing is going to change from day to day. I want to look at something that isn't my own reflection. For the bedroom, we decided upon some Asian style Sliding closet doors, made from the thinnest of frosted glass and painted in traditional Japanese fashion. Light from the bedroom would play on the panels and illumine the artwork. It's a great way to begin one's day, don't you think so ? For all of the closets throughout the house, sliding doors were put in. Some were made of raised panels, some were made of linens, some were covered in Asian tapestries, etc...All were individually designed with the help of a consulting Interior Designer. Each sliding door became the central feature in a room which brought a sense of unity to the space.

My favorite Sliding closet doors were the ones placed in the kitchen as they lead out to the dining and living rooms. These doorways had to be extended in width and recessed runners had to be inlaid before the doors could be installed. Here too, we designed linen covers for the doorways. They allowed light to flow through them but no sense of privacy was ever lost. Our guests have told us many times that they find our home genuinely relaxing and welcoming. This means a great deal to my husband and me. We know what it's like to feel "different" and we don't want others to feel this way when in our home.

Simon Harris writes about Sliding Closet Doors at http://www.closetreviews.com

Framed Plywood Shower Seat

Home Remodeling Stair Lighting Help

Walking up and down the stairs in the dark could become a safety issue. If the stairs in the house are not that old, there should be a light switch at the top and a light switch at the bottom of the stairway. This is a three way switch and is designed to allow you to turn the stair lighting on as you walk up the stairs and then turn the stair lighting off, once you've safely reached the top of the stairway. And vice versa as she walked down the stairs.

If you don't have a light switch, there are motion sensor lights that are battery operated and can be installed easily in the stairway. These lights can provide you with peace of mind, while protecting your family from accidents.

Stairway accidents are nothing to joke about, I lived in a two-story house with four other people and was the last one to fall down the stairway. None of us got seriously injured and the stairway was built to meet local building codes and was inspected by a building and safety inspector. The stairs were built correctly and the stair lighting was no problem, but people still fell down the stairway and it always happens in the evening.

During the day time there were two windows that let plenty of light into the stairway and in the evening the stairway became quite dark, rarely was the stair lightning ever turned on. This could have been outright laziness but nevertheless, it was rarely used and eventually became a safety issue.

Lighting your stairway might not end all of your problems but it can and some of your problems. There are plenty of stair lighting systems available on the market today and some of the battery operated stair lighting systems can be installed by most homeowners.

Think safety always and do your best to solve your stair lighting problems as soon as possible to prevent injuries or accidents.

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 building stairs or home building ideas.

Hiring Contractors Books

Five Proven Tile Backsplash Ideas

When decking up the kitchen in a unique way is the awe-inspiring challenge, you can trust the barrage of simply spectacular tile backsplash ideas to come to your rescue. These ideas manage, rather easily, to create visual depth without hurting aesthetic sensibilities. So one is not exactly bemused by the mass hysteria that these ideas have generated among large swathes of the population.

They Have Everybody Buzzing

These exiting ideas have plenty to offer. Whether stone or stainless steel, they manage to weave magic in all directions. Add to this the absolutely scintillating range of vibrant colors, imaginative designs and opulent patterns that make sure that homeowners are not expected to mothball pet issues like beauty and style. They promise a complete package, and they are bang on target right from the word go.

Just in case you plan to jump on to this bandwagon, here's a statutory warning that you just cannot afford to be utterly cavalier about: Make sure you keep your head firmly on your shoulders, or else the uninhibited beauty of these tiles will send your mind into a tizzy.

Six Superlative Ideas

If my expansive description has not exactly made you delirious with joy, I don't blame you. May be thinking creatively is not up your street. So before your morale folds up like a tent, here are six irrepressible ways that will bring the spring back in your stride:

• Hand-painted murals in a plethora of colors, textures and designs can form the supreme inspiration behind your masterpiece.
• Ceramic tiles may seem rather ubiquitous, but that's because they never falter when it comes to creating that sterling impact.
• Shimmering, dazzling glass tiles revive your feckless attempts to enliven the kitchen wall from limbo without any trouble.
• Stone tiles- granite, slate or marble come into their element with wood cabinets and counters. Watch the sparks fly.
• Metallic mosaic tiles envelope the entire space in a cloak of mystery and intrigue.
• Randomly arranged small mosaic tiles in a monochromatic color scheme can easily send the style quotient of your kitchen soaring.

Has your imagination assumed rampaging dimensions yet?

Learn to easily generate 100's of BRILLIANT Kitchen Backsplash Design Ideas ... F-A-S-T ! See http://www.TrulyLovelyHome.com

Small Crack In Roof Rafter

Prevent Pinhole Leaks & Slab Leaks & Conserve Energy by Controlling Your Hot Water Circulating Pump

If you have had 1 leak, more will surely follow - you can do something about it before further damage is done and additional money is wasted.

Circulating hot water is the fastest way to wear out your pipes. In fact 90% of all pinhole leaks and slab leaks happen in hot water lines for the following reasons:

1. Chemicals in water are corrosive

2. Chemicals in water when heated are even more corrosive

3. Chemicals in water when heated and circulated through copper pipes that bend around corners and turn up walls and curve around electrical conduit and sewer pipes and are reduced in size as water passes through a building is extremely corrosive

In order to understand the solution it is helpful to know what causes the problem. With a little insight into how domestic hot water recirculation lines or recirc loops are built and how they work we can see that the answer is as easy as flipping a switch.

Apartments, hotels and larger homes have recirc loops designed to move hot water to the farthest fixture from the boiler or water heater in a reasonable amount of time. Each loop has a pump pushing water through a copper pipe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each loop has multiple joints and fittings that obstruct the flow of water. Gate or ball valves and flapper checks and expansion tanks and whatever else the plumber had on his truck the day he built the line create disturbances in the flow path.

Water likes to flow in a nice straight line with no obstructions. This is called laminar flow - nice and smooth. Anything in the flow path can disrupt the flow and cause an eddy to form. Eddies are the bad boys, the unwanted visitor, the black sheep of the family.

Create a little friction, add in some turbulence and the next thing you know you have a leak.

As your reading this please keep in mind there are things you can do to reduce or even eliminate leaks. They are relatively inexpensive and I'll tell you what they are in a minute.

When water pipes leak many things can happen - none of which are any good. Pinhole and slab leaks, mold, wasted water, wasted energy, property damage, resident/guest complaints and inconvenience all mean one thing.

It cost you time and money.

The only question left is how much? Please refer to Table 1 for an idea of how much a leak can cost.

Table 1: The Cost of a Leak

1 $200 You caught the leak early and it wasn't buried in a wall or under a slab

2 $1,000 The leak was in a wall and you caught it early and it was relatively accessible after tearing out some drywall

3 $2,000 Same as above except you didn't catch it early and mold and light structural damage had occurred

4 $10,000 The leak was underneath a concrete slab but you were able to pinpoint the exact location

5 $20,000 Same as above except you had to chase the leak into another rooms

6 $100,000 + The leak went unnoticed until someone got sick and you got sued

So there is the doom and gloom. What's the solution?

Good question. The answer is there are a number of things you can do. As you go through my list keep in mind that people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time (based on a study by the California Energy Commission).

First, check your water pressure. 40 psi is high enough for most 1 or 2 story buildings. Be sure to check it in several places to find the lowest pressure in the building. Typically that would be the point furthest from the water meter. If you don't have a pressure regulator, put one in.

When implementing this strategy do it in stages. Drop the pressure by 5 psi at a time and wait to see if you have any complaints. Shower heads and aerators already restrict flow to 2.5 gpm or less. Newer fixtures like the Evolve line of low flow shower heads have pressure compensating technology built into them and work just as well at low pressure as they do at high pressure.

Second, turn off the pump when no one is using hot water. That's right. I said turn off the pump. As I mentioned earlier people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time. The pump only needs to be on when people need water.

There are 3 methods of implementing this strategy:

1. The Manual Method

2. The Guessing Method

3. The Automated Method

Manual Method

Have someone go to the switch and turn on the pump when you need hot water and turn it off when you are done. Might be practical for a single family home (certainly not convenient) but impossible in an apartment or hotel.

The Guessing Method

Plug your pump into a timer and guess when hot water will be needed. This may be a practical solution if the number of people living in the house or apartment or with a limited number of guests in a hotel and everyone has the same predictable need for hot water. Unfortunately when hot water is needed during an off period the timer gets disabled and never turned back on.

The Automated Method

Think about your recirculation line as a closed loop. When there is no demand for hot water, no water enters or leaves the system. When a hot water faucet is turned on there is a "leak" in the system.

When water leaves the system more water is added from the city water line through a cold water make-up line (this is the technical name for the copper pipe that brings cold water to your water heater).

If a flow sensor is placed in the cold water make-up line, any indication of water movement would mean someone is using hot water.

If the sensor sensed a demand (i.e., someone turned on a hot water faucet) it could turn on the pump. The demand would be met and the pump could be turned off automatically when the demand ended.

That is precisely how an On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller works. The pump is only on when there is a demand.

As it turns out, there are many benefits to automating your recirc pumps operation:

Drastically reduces pinhole leaks and slab leaks - if the hot water is not moving, it is much less corrosive

Energy is conserved - since people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time, the pump will be off 80% to 85% of the time. That means the recirculation line isn't full of hot water and no energy is being lost. California Energy Commission studies indicate 37% less energy is consumed when an On-Demand Controller is installed.

Note: A sufficiently high speed pump is required (2,200 rpm or faster) to implement this strategy. If you have a high speed pump you will only need an On-Demand Controller. If not you will need a full system including a high speed pump.

In conclusion, cut your risks, lower your losses, reduce your energy bill and extend the life of you pipes and water heater or boiler by turning off you recirc pump with an On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller.

Contact me directly at the email address below to find out if this solution will work for you or what other options you might have. To purchase the On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller click on the link below.

Do it now and sleep better tonight knowing that one of your biggest headaches just got cured.

For information on the On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller go to http://www.SavesYouEnergy.com

Mark Franklin is CEO of Saves You Energy, LLC a manufacturer and retailer of water and energy conservation products. As a civil engineer Mr. Franklin was involved in the design of multi-family and commercial projects worth in excess of $100 million.

Mr. Franklin has worked with companies ranging from the US Navy to Embassy Suites and Biltmore Hotels to Stanford Student Housing. Pinnacle Properties, United Development Group and ConAm are among the apartment ownership and management companies that have used his products. School Districts like the Blue Valley School District in Kansas and ESCOs such as Johnson Controls have utilized his technologies to reduce energy consumption.

Mr. Franklin can be reached at mark@SavesYouEnergy.com or visit his company's web site at http://www.SavesYouEnergy.com

Where You Can Find Porch Ideas?

Porch ideas can come from anywhere. With the many online sites offering pictures and information about porches, you can easily get an idea for building a porch or remodeling your existing porch. Home improvement magazines are also another source you can use in your search. While there may be many different kinds of porches that catch your eye, you have to really look into each one of them to make sure that the design will complement that of the exterior of your home. You also have to ensure that you have the required amount of space to use one of these ideas.

One of the main thing that will determine which of the many ideas you have for building a porch is the amount of money you have available for such a project. It is a good idea to purchase all your materials first so that you have everything you need. There is nothing worse than thinking you have enough materials only to find that you run out halfway through the project and have to wait until you can afford it to buy the rest of what you need. This will make your home look unsightly during the waiting period.

You also have to make sure that the ideas for porches that you really like are practical for the area in which you live. Some porches are well suited for windy areas, whereas others are not. If you live on the coast and het frequent high winds and rain, then a porch that consists mainly of glass may not be a good idea unless it is an enclosure between two offsets on your home.

The purpose for which you want to use the porch will also affect your ideas. If you want this to be a space where you can sit and enjoy the sunshine, then you may want to look for an open design. If you want to have it as a protection for the entrance to your home, you may want to consider having closet space inside so that it serves as a mudroom.

For more information onfront porch designs, different types of porches and related topics, visit AboutPorches.com

How To Clean Marble - Home Repair Tips

Marble differs from most other stones because it is extremely porous. In other words, it allows dirt and stains to set in and be retained far more easily than denser stone. Also for this reason, it cannot withstand most conventional cleaning mediums especially harsh detergents and acids.

Remember that marble has a slightly unstable chemistry and is quite delicate. Calcium carbonate (which is what marble basically consists of) will immediately and dramatically react with any kind of acid, resulting in pitting and scarring.

The best way of maintaining marbles overall cleanliness is with lukewarm water, a soft cloth and an occasional wipe down with a mild, non-abrasive detergent. The marble should be thoroughly wiped dry after such cleaning. If you like, a light coat of wax can be applied for further protection, but this is entirely optional, since marble will not gain additional luster from wax the way wood does.

The only safe way of tackling stains (blood, tea, coffee etc.) on marble is by gently soaking them off. To do this, any kind of absorbent material such as blotting paper or facial tissue can be lightly soaked in water and 20% hydrogen peroxide, placed over the stain and left there for several hours. The stain should wipe off easily after this treatment. Rust stains are best removed with regular rust removers; however, marble should not be exposed to them longer than strictly necessary.

Marble does tend to fade with the passage of time. This does not necessarily detract from its innate beauty. However, the luster of faded marble especially on domestic home floors can be effectively rejuvenated. There are specialty cleaning agents such as tin dioxide available at most leading housekeeping stores. Used as manual polish or in combination with an electric floor polisher, these work wonders in freshening up the lost shine of marble.

Keeping your marble in top condition is easy with a little care: it may be maintained with soft, conventional cleaning products; stains can be removed with hydrogen peroxide and it may even be polished to keep it looking new.

Wood Flooring provides detailed information about wood flooring, laminate wood flooring, hard wood flooring, engineered wood flooring and more. Wood Flooring is the sister site of How To Clean Marble.

Tile Setting Books

4 Core Elements Absolutely Needed to Building and Sustaining Success With an Internet Home-Business

I believe many people hold onto to this idea that success is only saved for the elite or that it's some "illusion of grandeur" completely out of their reach. What I have found from personal experience, is that we make the idea or concept way to grandiose. Success in one's life and/or business is nothing more than a decision being made to achieve, followed by very thoughtful, strategic and daily steps toward achieving it.

The best thing we can do for yourselves is STOP MAKING IT SO ILLUSIVE!

With that being said, if you've made that very simple, yet pivotal decision to create success in your life and in business, and you're looking to align yourself with a business opportunity (provided you've chosen the route of online home business), here are the 4 things you absolutely need to look for in order to propel yourself toward achievement and success:

Authentic and Empowered Leadership

Is there a name, a face, a voice on the other end? You want to align yourself with a leader who will coach you through the developmental stages of you building your business, and empower you to become your own best asset.

Tangible, Strategic Marketing Skills

You want to make sure that the leader/team you are joining has marketing training, and RESOURCES in place to help get you and your business up and running and in profit mode in a timely manner. Understand, I'm not referring to a "add water and stir" replicated system. Are there resource to help you market and leverage your own leadership ability?

A Real, Highly Sought After Product

Make sure that the business opportunity you are pursuing has a stand alone, valuable product attached to it that you feel good about representing and appeals to the general consumer base regardless if it has a business opportunity attached to it.

Lucrative Compensation Plan with Leverage-ability

You want to align yourself with a business model that has a compensation plan that is actually designed for your success. Meaning you have the ability to generate high commissions on your own and reap the same high commissions by building and leveraging a team. You also want to make sure that profits can be generated in months...not dog-years! However, plus understand, I'm not wanting to foster the "get rich quick" mentality, though.

The Online Home-Based Business Industry is a fantastic industry for anyone with enough desire to want to change their lives to be able to step in and do so! This industry makes it attainable!

However, even though there are many ways and opportunities to make money, there is also A LOT of hype and misleading/misinformation as well.

Please do your due diligence. Impulsiveness can lead to poverty. Wisdom and mindfulness lead to prosperity.

Brandi Garcia is a leader in the online, home-based business industry. She embraces the concepts of Personal Branding and focuses on developing "Tangible, Survival Marketing Skills" and "Fierce Mindset" as the cornerstones of success. You can see examples and get more information regarding these concepts at: http://www.rainmakerfreedom.com

Brandi is reachable by phone at: 559-250-6623

Older Homes With No Dryer Hookup

Link Building - Don't Waste Your Money

Now, I am not suggesting that link building is a total waste of money, but I am saying that without your website being set up correctly, it will not have the maximum effect you seek.

What I mean by having your website set up correctly, is that you have researched and decided what the keyword phrases are that you want to be found for.

Once you have the keywords decided, it is time to reflect them in your website. A failure to do this will cost you in the rankings and reduce your potential traffic.

Basically you need to make sure that your keyword phrases appear in the page title, meta description, page headline, image tags and text.

With regard to keyword use in the text of your document, there are a few simple rules to follow. The first is to get your keyword phrases as close as possible to the beginning of the first paragraph on the page. The first time they appear, you should put them in bold to show the search engines that they are important words.

The search engines also look at the keyword density on the page. Keyword density is the proportion of times a keyword appears on the page in proportion to other words. This is usually expressed as a percentage and the percentage you should go for is 3% to 4% and no more.

Do all of the above and your link building efforts will have more effect than if you don't and just press ahead.

Lyndon Ogden is the Managing Director of Your SEO Services, based in the United Kingdom. Lyndon is an acknowledged expert on search engine optimization and also on what it takes to make a website successful. His SEO Company website features news, advice, free tools and SEO services aimed at helping businesses succeed online.

Extreme Temperature Building

Tips For Greater Beauty on Building an Amazing Patio

Did you ever conceive recasting home surfaces? You should, because no home is completed without an attractively designed patio. When you do, you'll be able to take in acquaintances over for barbecues, unwind with your family outdoors, enjoy all the patio covers and patio designs has to offer. In fact, a great patio can be an annex of your living area, reserving you a groovy place to assemble with or whatever you enjoy to do.

Patio is a paved area exterior of your house, typically for repose, dinning, and good conversation, listening to music , drinks and other recreational activity. A patio is best covered to add up much smasher and looks more desirable for all seasons. It has many figures and designs. An adept patio cover design that is used largely on summer is the vinyl Awnings. They get into many colors, designs and sizes. They also make suitable poolside beauty and consolations. In selecting a roof design for your patio, it is well-advised you pick out designs that will full complement your house designs, seen as section of your house that it really is. Above all, uniqueness is what creates the patio site to lay eyes on.

A concrete terrace can be an occupying part of the landscape, provided it is rightly dressed after it is directed. It is a glorious part to savor out of doors cooking and entertaining. Your terrace becomes a completely unique and family oriented place where amusement and repose can be discovered. You're able to savor being outdoor with your kids and what a tremendous patio you'll possess.

There are several different modes to build a patio of your dreams. If you settle to hire a contractor to build your patio cover, it's essential that you choose one with a demonstrated repute. Choose a contracting company that offers the most welfare at the best price. A reputable contractor will see to it that you receive a lifetime warranty against leakages and troubles with the finale, and make certain that the shade cover is decently built and organized to resist rigorous atmospheric condition. Additionally, more adept contractors will supply you with patio cover images, an option of patio cover prices, and even customized figures that will absolutely catch the style of your home.

For more info: please contact Royal Covers (dba Royal Constructions) Arizona Building ROC #88151-B. (800) 228-5809 (480) 926-2300. Royal Covers (dba Royal Construction) is Arizonas premier sun room, Arizona room and patio cover contractor. Founded in 1979, we have designed and built over 5, 000 projects across the state ranging in price from several thousand dollars to well in excess of $100, 000.

You can contact at Arizona Building Contractor Arizona ROC #88151-B, Tel No. (800) 228-5809, (480) 926-2300 or visit visit http://royalcovers.com

e-mail lsee@royalcovers.com

Shaky Garage Door Track

Unbiased Tips - Grants & Incentive For Remodeling

The Canadian government both federal and provincial offers grants, and other financial incentive, like tax credit and rebates. These grants are available to anyone whose renovation involves energy upgrading. All products energy star rated for example windows, and appliances, and fixtures, vehicle are all-eligible for ecoEnergy or the ecoAuto programs.

The programs will financially assist homeowners of single-family homes including detached, semi-detached and low-rise multi-unit residential buildings. These grants allow homeowners to offset the cost of renovation that reduces the energy consumption of the home. The extension of the program from 2007 into 2008 and now 2009 has proven that Canadian's are taking advantage of these incentive programs.

Since the begining of this ecoEnergy in April of 2007 the Canadian goverment have processed $58 million in ecoEnrgy grants. Now in 2009, an additional $300 million will be added to ensure that the program continues. Programs like these will aid Canada in meeting it environmental and green economy goals.

Owning a single family home doesn't make you automatically eligible for government grants, there are other criteria. In addition to owning the home, all homeowners must have an energy efficient assessment conducted by a certified energy auditor.

The issuance of the grants to eligible homeowner who have had an energy assessment completed on their home before and after renovation may received a maximum of $5000 from the government (provided all conditions are meet).

In addition most provinces in Canada have implemented complimentary programs which matches the federal government $5000. So in total all homeowners would be eligible for up to $10,000 in grants on energy efficient renovation. Homeowners benefit from a 25% reduction on the cost of energy efficient renovation. There is more assistance coming from the government in the form of a Tax Credit.

Once an energy efficient assessment on you home have be conduct, the following year homeowner are allowed up to a maximum $1350 in tax credit. This is about a 15% tax credit on the portion of the renovation, which has improved the home energy usage.

If you'd like to know more about these ecoEnergy programs and how you can benefit from them here's where I got informed.

For information on tax credit

For construction permit floor plan that get approved visit http://www.reading-detailing-house-plans.com

Small Basement Remodeling Ideas and Tips

Space is a common housing issue especially in big city living. As the song popularized by Frank Sinatra goes, I want to be a part of it... New York, New York. Most everybody still wants to experience and live through the action of the never-sleeping city. So if you do live in New York, there is still another option to consider other than just learning to live with how things are. The answer to your space crunch lies through looking into the possibilities unused areas has to offer. This makes small basement remodeling one of the best home improvement projects to undertake.

Why small basement remodeling?

- When thinking of adding square footage to your home's living area, this is a more cost-effective alternative than having a home addition where you would need to extend. This would cost you only a fraction of what you will be spending on the later with most or all of the same features. One of the reasons for the great savings is that the structural necessities are already there like the ceiling, flooring, and walls.

- Another benefit for undertaking a small basement remodeling is the ideal location of the area that promotes fewer hassles posed by home improvement works to the family's daily living.

- Since the nature of the space is underground; it is typically warm during colder months and cooler on summer. This factor helps you enjoy the small basement remodeling project results with less energy costs.

There are many ways that you could come up with a finish your small basement remodeling and this depends on your personal needs and preferences. The isolation and originally compact masonry of the place makes it ideal to be turned into a home office, playroom for the younger children, game or recreational room, home theatre or an exercise area. Because plumbing is readily available and easily accessible, the area can also excellently make up for a sauna, additional bathroom, or large custom shower. Other popular small basement remodeling ideas include: a wet bar, kitchenette, and additional room for guests.

When we think about our small basements, the most natural thing to come into out minds is their dungeon-like features. To bring out the most in our remodeling project, you can play with certain elements to make the space as inviting, comfortable and more spacious to look at.

- This area would naturally require heavy lighting compared to most areas in the house. You can provide fixtures promoting intense light as well as maximize the use of windows to let in more natural light.

- Carpets have been a popular choice but are you aware that tiles could do better as flooring? Aside from the durability that it offers, it is also low maintenance. As your small basement is prone to moisture and water problems, this would serve as the better alternative. To make up for the hardness and help with the over-all room design, you can also put beautiful area rugs.

- Light paint colors, horizontal designs and diagonal patterns are great in making the small basement remodeling finish seem much wider.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened Basement Contractor New York. For more, visit New York Contractors

The Origin of the Sauna

The conventional sauna as a therapeutic treatment originated in Finland, where the freezing winds of north and frigid air are nearly constant. The sauna room is practically the only place where these modern day Vikings can take solace in the relaxing heat of steam.

Scandinavians learned how to use a sauna quite early on. They use the sauna for many things; there are many benefits of sauna sessions. Not only is it very relaxing for them (and anybody else for that matter), but it is a social affair as well, just as much as going to a bar or to a close friend's house.

Saunas were (and still are) a daily part of life, where entire families would enjoy each other's company while they bathed in the steam. They were also used for preparation of burial, as well as a place for women to give birth, because water was readily available and the structure itself was sanitary, not to mention the calming atmosphere.

There are two different types of sauna: the regular steam sauna and the dry infrared sauna. The infrared type is usually a home sauna, as it is more portable. The steam sauna is more popular in Scandinavian countries because it is more traditional.

The very first known saunas in Finland were basically made from alcoves carved into slopes that were used as winter dwellings. These contained fire places where they would heat stones up and then dump water over the stones, creating heat. The pile of rocks was called a kiuas, and the sauna heat was called lyly.

With the advent of the metal wood stove during the industrial revolution, sauna temperatures were able to rise to 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes even up to or exceeding 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The sauna is rising in popularity in western culture. You can almost always find steam rooms or even steam showers at any gym, if not a sauna itself.

If not a sauna, steam room, or any of the other above mentioned items, you will most definitely be able to find a hot tub anywhere there is a swimming pool, whether it is in a residential home or a community swimming pool. The hot tub was obviously inspired by the Finnish sauna; a person soaking in heated water with steam rising up is directly reminiscent of an open air sauna.

However, in Finland the sauna is not intended for weight loss or as a replacement for physical exercise by any means. It is only for refreshment and for healing, as the sauna is known to induce excessive sweating which releases toxins from the skin. It is supposed to be a natural place where gender and age does not matter.

The first sauna is recorded to have been built by the Finns way back in either the fifth or the eighth century. Wood was burned inside of a room and, once the smoke cleared, the sauna goers were allowed in, where there was heat and the natural aroma of wood.

Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in the best kind of steam showers, swim spas, and hot tubs. For the infrared sauna you have been looking for, check out http://www.mybath.biz/.

Renovate Your Bathroom in a Green Way

Green..green..&..green. The word has really become quite important today in the perspective of increasing danger of global warming. We need to protect our resources and ensure that a minimum is wasted, and better if the wasted ones are recycled as well. So the entire focus is on saving the natural resources, be it the construction of your bedroom or renovation of the bathroom. Government and some private organizations like green building association are working towards it and helping residential communities, Realtors, and individuals.

Bathroom is the place of solitude where one want to feel relaxed in a healthy and hygienic environment. The bathroom remodeling may be the initial step of your home renovation. In such blue economy situation, saving money is the top priority while considering bathroom renovation. There is no greater way of adding value to your bathroom than a greener way. The most prominent benefit of green bathroom remodeling is saving of water and energy resources.

Renovation with Recycled Materials

A number of bathroom hardware made of recycled materials are becoming popular like tiles, vanities and flooring. The use of recycled fixtures like refinished counter-tops and sinks encourages green bathroom remodeling and save your valuable money as well as conserve natural resources. The old fashioned claw foot tubs are regaining its popularity and might be a good choice for you.

Reduce the Water Consumption

Minimizing the water consumption must be your top priority while planning for your bathroom renovation in an environment friendly way. It should be considered that how much water is used in your bathroom, during flushing the toilet or during shower. You can reduce your water consumption by almost 20% by switching from old traditional toilet to smaller dual-flush toilet.

Old water guzzling shower heads are the prime culprits of wasting water. Replacing them saves in water bills. Dual- flush toilets help saving the amount of green washed into the toilet. It has two flush modes, one is for number one that flushes less water compared to the number two mode. That will definitely cut down your energy bills.

Remodel with Durability

It has been found that most of the bathroom renovation does last only a few years, and most of the waste that reaches landfill sites come from home remodeling including bathroom remodeling. This kind of bathroom remodeling creates a bad impact on environment as well as on your pocket. You make ensure that your green bathroom remodeling is durable and last longer.

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Bathroom Renovation Tips

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Remodel Instead of Selling Your Home

Why sell your home when you can remodel and create the home of your dreams

After living in your home for a long time, you may end up getting bored looking at the fixtures and decor of your home. The options you have for a change are to either sell the house and buy a new one, or a better option which is to remodel and create your dream home.

Buying a new home does not always prove to be a practical choice as you may have to shift the kids' school, spend more time commuting to your workplace, need more time getting accustomed to the stores and markets near you and of course, get your old home sold for the right price.

Keep your budget in mind

When remodeling your home, you will first have to keep your budget into consideration, if you have any additions or requirements to be added to your home and any particular style that you intend to implement in the house. The rooms that need most attention when remodeling are bathrooms and kitchens as these are the most used rooms, and have new accessories coming up that will make your rooms look much better than they were before.

Like if you lack a room for your kids or a guest room, consider adding this by perhaps adding an extra room to your home. You could consider transforming a basement to a game room or your garage into an apartment to give that extra space to your family.

If you like outdoor entertaining, you could consider adding a patio or deck to facilitate this. And if you are suddenly involved in becoming environmentally conscious, you could consider using environmentally friendly products in the remodeling of your home.

You get better rates by meeting neighborhood standards

Instead of just renovating and remodeling your home to your ideas and budget, with some research, you will be able to find out what changes will bring the best rate to your home in the future.

If you find out that your home is the only home that has only one bathroom, you could consider adding a bathroom to your home when remodeling. This is because if you can meet the neighborhood standard, you will be able to get a better rate for your home when selling it.

If you plan any additions to your home, make sure it is in proportion to the house. It should be an accent to the house, and not end up as a focal point. Your remodeling should always work to your benefit as it is not always that home buyers will like the house the way you have remodeled it.

Remodeling your home gets a better resale price

Remember that though you may be selling it in the future, you have to remodel it so that you are all comfortable in it till you sell it. It is not necessary to spend a fortune on remodeling; you can make quite an impact with a restricted budget.

Not only do you get a new home by remodeling your home, you also get extra years of pleasure, which may in turn increase the value of the home. This will fetch you a better price, if you intend to sell the house in the future.

James Tyler is the owner of Ace Builders, a residential remodeling company serving the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Tyler writes about issues relating to all types of remodeling and home improvement projects.

For more information, tips and advice visit http://www.acebuilders.net

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Her Fix-it Guide to Toilet Repair

Imagine your home without toilets. Yes, the thought itself is enough to make you cringe. The toilet is often the most used, or should we say the most 'misused' fixture in the home. The importance of the toilet can only be felt at the exact point in time when something goes wrong with it. Toilets generally are a fairly easy DIY project that can be successfully completed by anyone. With just a bit of work and the tips you will find in this article, you should be able to quickly fix your toilet.

The first step in fixing a toilet is to determine the problem with the toilet. Your toilet could either be a slow moving toilet, or it could be clogged, or it could even be a running toilet. A slow moving toilet implies that you have to flush the toilet quite a number of times and the water drains away quite slowly. Slow moving toilets are often the result of clogged sewage drain pipes, and are at risk of suddenly clogging completely and overflowing. No one likes to clean up the mess an overflowing toilet creates. A running toilet is one where once you flush it, the water does not want to stop flowing into the toilet bowl. A running toilet can use up a large amount of water over a fairly short period, so it is important to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Make no difference which problem you have, you can fix it yourself. If you happen to have a clogged or slow moving toilet, then the first thing you should do is turn off water supply to the toilet. You can do this can be by turning the knob on the shut off valve to the right until the water supply stops. The valve is normally placed a few inches above the floor on the left when facing the toilet.

Now determine which the problem you have. To do this, pour a bucket of water quickly into the bowl. If it flushes slowly, the toilet has developed a clog. Clear the clog affecting your toilet by first using a plunger. If this removes the clog, then you can turn the water back on to the toilet, if it does not clear the clog, then you should try using a plumbers snake. This tool will allow you to clear most any clog.

Once you have the clog taken care of, then you should clear the mineral deposits that tend to develop in the small holes under the rim of the toilet. This will help your toilet flush much more effectively. These holes can be cleared with a stiff bristled brush, or you can use the bent end of a coat hanger to poke the holes clear. You might also want to make use of a small mirror to see the holes that are being cleared.

If your toilet is letting water into the bowl at all times, then you have a running toilet. First off, remove the toilet tank lid and sit aside out of your way. Some people like to place it in the bathtub. Next check the ball cock, which is the valve that the float is attached to. If water is coming out of the valve, you may need to replace it.

If that doesnt seem to be the problem, then press down on the flap at the bottom of the toilet tank to see if the water stops running into the bowl. Over time, these flaps tend to warp out of shape and cause the tank to leak into the bowl. If this solves the problem, then replace the tank flap.

Whichever needs replacing, be certain to shut off the water supply to the toilet before you begin your repair.

Ruth Campbell owns and operates Her Fix-It Guide

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How To Paint Your Inside - Home Repair Tips

Your interior walls are a direct reflection of your home and all that it is. From the moment you enter a home it is the condition of the walls that make such a profound and indelible impression. When walls have been beautifully painted and the color(s) have been tastefully selected to graciously accent the surrounding area; the sight can't be anything short of resplendent. That's the effect that walls handsomely done can have on you.

Your house walls consist of more square footage than your ceilings, floors and everything else; so it is imperative that they should be addressed in a very special way. To neglect to do so would be just short of criminal, I think. Your walls make a statement that can be warm and inviting, or cold, negligent and uninviting...it all depends on you. Here is a guide that can help you give your walls a new and appealing appearance, all the while potentially saving yourself a great deal of money; not to mention the satisfaction that comes along with doing a good job yourself, so let's begin the journey.

PREPARATION

Whether your house interior walls consist of : gypsum board/drywall, plaster, simulated plaster, plywood, or wood paneling; before painting it you will need to prepare the substrate (surface) to receive the paint or finish coat. Herein lies the work, however, some cases may prove to be less demanding then others, but it is so important to get it right here because this literally is the foundation on which you will build, for instance, if your walls consist of drywall or sheetrock, as it is most commonly known; you must inspect it thoroughly before proceeding. Check to see if there are any small holes, cracks, mapping lines; not to mention pits, large holes and possibly failing drywall tape. A careful inspection should shed some light on what you really need to do in order to get the walls ready and worthy to receive paint. And if you do need to remove the existing tape and replace it with new tape, then by all means do so. If you have a large hole in your walls you may need to install a piece of new drywall and finish it out. Sometimes, installing a whole new drywall panel is necessary when the hole is extremely large, but whether you're installing a new panel, partial panel, or just skimming over some areas try to do a good job by keeping your work smooth and neat. After all, every thing that you do at this stage will definitely show up in the finish work. So remember to keep it neat and smooth throughout your repairing and preparation stages.

If your interior walls consist of plaster and repairs are in order, again, smoothness and neatness are the operative words. Superficial or cosmetic repairs to plaster can be done by most homeowners, however, if you have a more serious problems such as: plaster falling to the floor; failing lath, large size crevices and cracks---call a reputable plaster contractor right away! But as I stated earlier, many simple repairs can be successfully done by the homeowner.

Your walls might consist of wood, if that is the case, be sure to take the time to inspect it carefully to see if you have any problems, if so, try to correct them as neatly and professionally as you possibly can. You can fill in dents and small holes with a good wood filler, and then sand it smooth with an electrical sander, or maybe you can hand sand it and avoid using electrical sanders that can quickly cause damage to your wood. And with using any electrical tools always work safely and wear full safety gear. If some of your wood boards or paneling need to be replaced then do so. The key to beautiful walls is properly preparing your substrate to achieve a uniform and symmetrical look...and that applies to any type material that your walls may consist of.

PRIMING YOUR WALLS

Now that your walls have been carefully prepared/repaired and thoroughly cleaned, you are now ready to begin priming. Priming your walls is a very important step in getting your walls ready to paint. To neglect to do this is plain folly in every sense of the word. And to use anything less than a quality primer is truly gambling with the out come of your project.

Learn More

Donald Thomas is owner and CEO of AMERICAN PAINTING AND PRESSURE CLEANING, INC. He has been in the home improvement business since 1984. Please feel free to visit our website for more full length feature articles and a lot of great tools and equipment. http://www.americanpaintingandpressurecleaninginc.com

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Bathroom Remodeling - Choosing Your New Bathtub

Are you a homeowner? If so, if you are given the option to change one thing about your bathroom, what would you choose? If you are similar to many other homeowners, there is a high possibility that the bathtub was your answer. In the United States, there are a rather large number of homeowners who wish that they had a new bathtub. If you are among those individuals, the good news is you don't have to wish any longer? If you want a new bathtub, you should get one. Making a new bathtub part of your bathroom remodeling project isn't as hard as it may appear.

Perhaps, the first step in selecting your new bathtub is deciding on the amount of money set aside for your budget. In addition, if you are remodeling your entire bathroom, it is important that you not make the cost of a new bathtub your only focus, but also the cost of your other supplies. If you mistakenly overspent on a new bathtub, it could affect the rest of your bathroom remodeling plans. Furthermore, you will probably discover that setting a bathtub limit or budget is the best method to cut down on shopping time. Having in mind the amount of money that would be consider overspent will prevent you from wasting your time, by examining bathtubs that you are unable to afford.

It is also a fine idea to decide, ahead of time, how you would like to have your new bathtub installed. If you have plans to hire a professional to install your new bathtub, you will need to be aware of the extra costs. Even though you might want to avoid paying a professional contractor, you may need to. There are several bathroom contractors who specialize in replacing bathtubs. In fact, some, literally, just place a new bathtub right over the old one. It may be feasible for you to do this yourself, but, in most cases, you will discover that a professional contractor would take as little as a few hours to install your new bathtub.

Regardless of whether your choice is to install your own bathtub or hire a professional to do it for you, you will have to find a new bathtub to purchase. If you are planning to have your old bathtub completely removed, you will probably discover that you have more options. When a new bathtub replaces an old bathtub, the tubs need to be somewhat similar in size or style. Hence, if you are remodeling your bathroom with the expectations of getting a "new," bathroom, you may be searching for something different. Fortunately for you, you still have a limitless number of options.

In the United States, the most regularly installed bathtubs types consist of traditional ones, which are also known as standard tubs. These bathtubs are frequently connected directly to the wall, positioned in a corner, and sit right on the floor. One of the good points about the majority of traditional bathtubs is the comparatively affordable price. You can buy a traditional bathtub for as low as two hundred dollars. If comfort is your concern, instead of price, you may want to consider spa-like bathtubs or even massage bathtubs. These bathtubs, as you may guess, are more expensive than most others. Several massage bathtubs or spa-like bath tubs go for around one or two thousand dollars. If you are searching for a trendy, stylish bathtub, you may fancy owning a freestanding bathtub. You can get a freestanding bathtub from as low as five hundred dollars, but it can also reach into the thousands.

Once you have made the decision of purchasing a bathtub that suits your preference, you will need to settle on on a particular tub. Perhaps, shopping is the greatest way to accomplish this. You may find it simpler to decide when you are able to view the bathtub displays set up. For an extensive range of bathtubs, consisting of displays, you are recommended to checkout one of your local home improvement stores.

Did you find those tips on bathroom remodeling useful? You can learn a lot more about bathroom remodeling by visiting http://home-remodeling.homeimprovementnewbie.com/.

The author of this article is Shin who is the webmaster of the site http://www.homeimprovementnewbie.com/ where he provides tips on home improvement.

Home Tips - Stair Lighting Problems

Walking up and down the stairs in the dark could become a safety issue. If the stairs in the house are not that old, there should be a light switch at the top and a light switch at the bottom of the stairway. This is a three way switch and is designed to allow you to turn the stair lighting on as you walk up the stairs and then turn the stair lighting off, once you've safely reached the top of the stairway. And vice versa as she walked down the stairs.

If you don't have a light switch, there are motion sensor lights that are battery operated and can be installed easily in the stairway. These lights can provide you with peace of mind, while protecting your family from accidents.

Stairway accidents are nothing to joke about, I lived in a two-story house with four other people and was the last one to fall down the stairway. None of us got seriously injured and the stairway was built to meet local building codes and was inspected by a building and safety inspector. The stairs were built correctly and the stair lighting was no problem, but people still fell down the stairway and it always happens in the evening.

During the day time there were two windows that let plenty of light into the stairway and in the evening the stairway became quite dark, rarely was the stair lightning ever turned on. This could have been outright laziness but nevertheless, it was rarely used and eventually became a safety issue.

Lighting your stairway might not end all of your problems but it can and some of your problems. There are plenty of stair lighting systems available on the market today and some of the battery operated stair lighting systems can be installed by most homeowners.

Think safety always and do your best to solve your stair lighting problems as soon as possible to prevent injuries or accidents.

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 building stairs or home building ideas.

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