Archive for September, 2009

Temporary Or Portable Greenhouse – Is This What You Need?

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Why would you want a small portable greenhouse? I can only tell you that for me it works really well as we live at about 9000 ft in the Rocky Mountains and the amount of snow that we get in the winter would demolish a small greenhouse. We do, however, have another home in New Mexico where the winters are cold but there is little snow.

I can use the greenhouse in New Mexico in the winter to carry my plants over into the spring when we dismantle the greenhouse and move it along with all my plants to the mountain home in Colorado. It doesn’t get really warm enough to grow outdoors on the mountain until June but we move at the end of April. Also, for our vegetables, we must use the greenhouse for almost the entire summer as our nights are too cold for the vegetable to mature outdoors. Sometime early in November or so, we move the greenhouse back south to winter our plants and continue harvesting the vegetables.

Portable greenhouses work great in this situation because of the easy set up. The price is also very reasonable for the use we are able to get out of it. They can be folded out in an accordion style with simple posts in the middle. It is just perfect for our seedlings in the spring as well as our wintered plants storage.

Even though the portable greenhouses are smaller and inexpensive, many are made of durable and lasting materials with tear-resistant plastic that blocks UV rays but allows about 75% of the sunlight to come through to the plants. Most also have sturdy zippers in the roof for necessary venting. This venting is important especially for us with the amount of sun we experience in New Mexico even in the winter. It may be cold outside but inside the greenhouse, it can get extremely warm.

Because of the amount of wind we receive, we do need to secure the greenhouse with extra supports. Portable greenhouses are very lightweight aluminum so we need to provide that extra support but don’t mind at all considering the benefits we get from wintering our favorite plants and having the fresh vegetables from our spring seedlings.

Visit our blog today to learn more about types of greenhouses and what would best meet your personal gardening needs. Get your free ebook from my friends at “Wings of Success” on Greenhouse planning and maintenance. http://buildinggreenhousestoday.com

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Folding Sliding Doors For Living Area Applications

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

It wasn’t all that long ago that folding-sliding doors for your living room were considered to be a poor investment. Many people found that the construction of the doors led to an increase in outdoor air circulation within the house while the doors were closed, an increase in rain leaks, and left them an open target for burglary. Over the past few years there have been great strides in the technological development of folding-sliding doors that have been largely ignored by the general populous.

Your living room can now be a gateway into your back garden and you and your family can enjoy the outdoor lifestyle from inside your home. As the construction quality of folding-sliding doors has improved, so have the qualities that prevent easy break ins or poor insulation. Many older homes find that their folding-sliding doors provide better insulation from the elements than their roof or their old windows do, and of course there have been great strides made to keep the inside of your home safe from uninvited individuals.

Whether it’s party time or you are just looking to add on an extension or addition, a folding-sliding door can open up your living space in a new and classy way without compromising your energy needs or your feelings of security. If you have not looked into these types of doors in the last two years, you might be surprised to find the dramatic difference in home security and weather stability.

The cool and crisp air during the early fall or those cool summer nights can become your best form of entertainment. Turn off the television and open up your living room to the outdoors for some unique and comfortable quality time. You don’t need to throw a party to experience the wonderful benefits of the folding-sliding door. Your family will love the easy access to the back garden and you will find that it is much easier to watch the children play while you get some work done.

There is no limiting the potential benefits to installing folding-sliding doors to your living room. Whatever you want your home environment to be you can create it through the innovative use and functionality of these special doors. Folding-sliding doors have surpassed their poor reputation of yesterday only to show up today with a high degree of quality and personal craftsmanship that is rare in our new age world.

To know more about conservatory and conservatories by apropos visit http://www.apropos-conservatories.com/conservatories.html

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Clean Or Replace Skylight Domes – Proper Procedure

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Proper procedure to clean, repair or replace your skylight domes.

You might have excessive moisture or just want to clean between the domes of your skylight. Or maybe you need to replace the domes. It’s not hard to do, but there is a proper procedure. Follow this guide.

1) Disassemble unit by removing hex head screws around perimeter of the aluminum retaining angle and remove top angle frame.

2) Separate the domes and remove old gasket seal that is between domes. Sometimes the domes can be really stuck together. Don’t pull too hard or you might break the plastic. Instead, use a knife to run between the domes and separate the gasket used to keep the domes together. If you’re replacing the domes, the you don’t need to separate the old ones. Just remove both together.

3) Clean domes. DO NOT USE: Glass cleaners, window cleaning sprays, kitchen scouring compounds, alcohol, or solvents such as acetone, gasoline, benzene, carbon tetrachloride or lacquer thinner. These chemicals will destroy the plastic. Use a soft cloth with plastic cleaner or mild soap and plenty of lukewarm water, applying only light pressure. Rinse with clean water and dry by blotting with damp cloth or chamois.

4) Set inner/bottom dome back on frame and apply a 1/4″ bead of 100% silicone caulk (GE or Dow brand 100% silicone) to the middle of the flat sides of the dome leaving a 1″ to 2″ gap at lower corners.

5) Set outer dome in place and reinstall dome retaining angle. Be careful to NOT apply too much pressure to retaining angle when replacing fasteners, so that the domes may allow for any future moisture to weep out from between the domes.

If you need to purchase skylight domes for replacement, contact your local distributor. Birdview Skylights does not sell to the general public, but if you give us a call we can direct you to a distributor in your area.

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Common Outdoor Lighting Mistakes

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Outdoor lighting can be deceptively tricky. Part of the difficulty is that it can seem so easy. How hard is it to light some flowerbeds? Frankly, it may not be hard to light, but it is hard to light well. Since no one wants their outdoors to look like an adolescent tossed up some holiday lights, it’s best to keep in mind some common mistakes.

Lack of a Goal

When creating an outdoor lighting scheme, your first consideration should be what you want to achieve. Safety, security, spotlighting, overall artistry – there are many different goals for outdoor lighting. Make sure yours is firmly in mind before you start. Knowing your goal will allow you to plan more effectively, saving time, money, and inevitable frustration.

Lifeless Placement of Lights

When lighting a pathway, don’t fall into the trap of an even row of lights. It’s visually uninteresting; you’re not lighting an airport runway. Place lights at irregular intervals, making sure to both light the way and be pleasing to the eye.

Hide landscape lighting fixtures unless they’re meant to be a focal point. The eye should be drawn to the features lit, not the source of the lighting.

Incorrect Quantity of Lights

While more does not equal better, you also don’t want to leave pronounced dark areas. Spots of darkness draw the eye to the lights instead of the things being lit. Don’t overdo it – you don’t want your yard to look like a car lot – but don’t under do it, either.

Unwise Direction of Lights

Improperly aimed lighting can create glares, distract passing drivers, or even shine into the eyes of people outside. It’d be a shame to ruin an evening garden party because your lighting blinded your guests.

Wrong Type of Lights

It’s not the most exciting topic, but the type of lights you use greatly affects the overall look. A vertical difference of 10 feet could require you to go from a 20 watt to a 30 watt bulb. Halogen bulbs emulate moonlight’s bluer color. Low-voltage bulbs can illuminate without overpowering. Garage and porch lighting may need to be adjusted so their bright lights don’t ruin an effect. These considerations are important to achieve a unified look. Learn about them.

Wrong Colors of Lights

Take great care with colored lights or filters. You don’t want your lighting scheme to look like something more appropriate for a Ringling Bros. circus than your backyard. You may want to avoid colored lights altogether since they can often look garish. Filters can be used to good effect, but only if done subtly. Never use a different color filter in every fixture.

Every property offers its own canvas on which professional landscapers can create distinct looks to best flatter the property. The slightest wattage variations, changes in lighting angles, and relocation of lighting fixtures will reveal a whole different look. If it all seems overwhelming, look into contracting a professional landscaper. They will handle all these intricate details and get the job done right, making your outdoors look its very best.

Paula Alford has made Ulitimate Landscape Concepts a leader in landscaping for several reasons. First and foremost, their service. After all, landscaping is a service business. Second, their wonderful and colorful blueprints. Not chintzy, vague drawings, but architectural renderings where you see what the end result will look like. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services

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Solar Water Heaters

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Solar means energy harnessing from the sun for various domestic reasons like cooking, lighting and heating as well. Solar energy has been into existence not only recently but since the 1800s.

Solar water heaters come in different shapes and sizes to suit our needs. They are solar collectors. Most of them consist of a flat copper plate that is painted black with water tubes attached another plate known as the absorber plate. Solar energy that falls on the copper plate gets absorbed and transfers energy to the water that flows in the tubes.

Solar water heaters come in various configurations and their prices vary according to their design, cost, performance and level of intricacy. Usually solar energy water heaters have back up for water heating with electricity or gas.

What do you get in a solar water heater? It consists of a storage tank for hot water and solar collector to absorb solar energy, a back up energy source and pump controls in certain cases.

You get different collector models like the integrated collector and storage system. These put together the function of hot water storage and solar energy collection in one unit. Most solar collectors are roof mounted and they are used for heating water for domestic use, heating of pools and space heating needs.

They are available in three models namely warm climate progressive tube, moderate climate Helio-Pak and cold climate trendsetter. The first model the warm climate solar heater is easy to install and maintain and since it uses no electricity it can function during black out as well. Its prices range from $1,700.00 to $2600.00.

The second option is a flat type heater with pumps, valves and controllers to assist in prevention of freezing. It uses electricity and does not function during blackouts. Its price ranges from $2,200 to $5,200.00.

The third solar hot water active, evacuated tube is a heavy duty commercial as well as residential model. Its additional applications are water heating, radiant floor heating, space heat and its price ranges from $6,000.00 to $17,000.00

Solar heating technologies are reliable, simple, eco friendly and cost effective way of harnessing the sun’s energy for homes and business centers. With the latest tax credit reduction of 30% of the system cost that will benefit you on purchase of solar power you are into a rich harvest of course.

Nazima Golamaully writes about Demand water heaters at http://www.thewaterheatersreview.com/

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Round Area Rugs – Enhance Your Living Room Decor

Friday, September 25th, 2009

An area rug can be a fabulous addition to the interior design of your home. Area rugs are currently available in a variety of shapes including rectangle, square, oval, round and so on to match your preferences in interior decoration. When you are planning to renovate your home, make sure to utilize round area rugs, the perfect floor furnishing alternative that can significantly enhance your living room decor.

Dazzling Colors and Designs for Exceptional Elegance

By furnishing the floor of your living room with round area rugs, you can substantially improve its appearance and appeal. They make rooms with limited space as well as uniquely shaped and fully furnished living rooms aesthetically appealing.

To precisely suit the interior decorations of your home, this type of rugs are available in an assortment of eye-catching designs, colors and patterns. By selecting round shaped area-rugs of appropriate dimensions and right color combinations you can enhance the overall elegance of the entire space. Light colored round rugs impart a spacious look for your living room, whereas dark shaded rugs generate more warmth in your living room.

At present, to provide better durability, round area rugs made of both natural fibers and synthetic materials including acrylic, polypropylene, sisal, wool, nylon, cotton and jute are widely available in the industry. Cotton rugs can be used in living rooms. Rugs made of natural fibers are more environment friendly, whereas synthetic rugs are stronger.

Easy to Maintain and More Durable

Another significant benefit of using round area rugs for decorating your living room floors is that, you can easily refashion the entire area by making the minimum of investments. As far as the maintenance process is concerned, these rugs are easy to clean and are more durable.

Before purchasing round area rugs for enhancing the interiors of your living rooms, it is important to purchase area rugs of the right dimensions and design patterns that go well with the interior design of your home.

Worldwide Wholesale Floor Coverings – New Jersey Area Rugs store – Come to any of our stores in Edison and Lawrenceville in New Jersey (NJ) and you’ll discover the Worldwide difference for yourself. Round area rugs can enhance the interiors of your living rooms.

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Tips to Get the Best Chandelier For Your Room

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Every household want to make their simple homes look classy and elegant. There are so many ways to improve the look of one’s home, from the living room to the dining area to the bedroom.

There are the decorative mirrors, marble tiles, modern furniture and homemade shelves to choose from. Another great addition to achieve a new look is a chandelier. An elegant and decorative piece like this always extracts amazement and admiration from any guest.

However, choosing any kind of chandelier is not the only thing that matters. It should complement the room. In a very plain house, the elegant crystal chandelier will definitely look out of place, while it will enhance a luxurious room and looks as if it truly belongs there.

The same can be said about the room’s size. A small chandelier will look insignificant if it is placed in a very huge room. And if a chandelier is too big for the room, the room will look a lot smaller than when an ordinary fluorescent lamp or a light bulb is used. In placing a chandelier in dining rooms, the diameter of the chandelier has to be 12 inches shorter than the width of the table. It is important that before purchasing any kind of chandelier, you must take into account the dimensions of the room and the furniture where the chandelier needs to be installed.

Also, consider the brightness that will emanate from the chandelier. Commonly, a chandelier with one socket or two has sixty watt bulbs. Three or four sockets must only have forty watt bulbs to avoid too much brightness. However, you can buy and put a dimmer switch to customize the lightning anytime you like.

Crystal chandelier is the best choice of all the chandeliers available in the market. Nothing can beat its elegance and stylish look, and the refracted light of the crystal chandelier has a major effect in the appearance of the room. It can be used in any room even in the bathroom. But before you buy, make sure it matches the style and overall ambiance of the room.

If you find crystal chandeliers to be expensive, then try wrought iron chandeliers. It has almost the same elegance and decorative look that a crystal chandelier has. Besides, wrought iron has a longer life compared to other chandeliers that’s why this type makes a better investment.

With uniqueness, coordination and creativity, you will soon have the best chandelier in a room everyone will envy.

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Redo Your Kitchen Decor With Dependable Granite Tiles

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Kitchen related installations require extreme care. A single mistake ruins the whole project. Firstly, it is important to select the right material. It should be durable and beautiful. Worktops are once in a lifetime installation. Although the statement is unpractical, but one expects them to last for at least five to six years.

Hence, granite tiles become a promising choice. They fall in the bracket of the dependable stone materials. Moreover, the price range is within the pocket of the common man. The look and the functionality of the stone are ideal for the worktops. However, you can find issues with the grout lines. This drawback is overcome via minimizing gap between consecutive tiles or using tinted grout color.

The granite tiles are highly flexible when it comes to color, shape and designs. It offers a versatile range. You can get each and every color in varied tile patterns. It opens a pool of creativity and adds an edge to interior designs. An outdated kitchen with broken worktops and cracked wall tiles can be repaired with this remarkable stone to add beauty.

You can also design your back splash with the granite tiles. Their stylish designs can add life to a boring kitchen decor. You can use polished tiles for this area. This simplifies the cleaning process and aids easy maintenance of the stone. This stone is a reliable choice for the kitchen projects. They are used since ages and their designs have adorned several projects.

Moreover, you can save your money by installing the tiles yourself. The whole process is simple and result oriented. You can follow certain do-it-yourself instructions and install the tiles yourself. If you don’t have enough time and patience, then you can appoint a tiling expert who’ll assist you in granite installation project.

So, revamp your kitchen by placing granite tiles wall, flooring, worktops and back splash.

About The Author: Ricky Manty is the owner of a major tile installation company in UK. He has made significant contribution in providing tile installation and maintenance tips for the buyers of granite tiles, marble tiles and granite tiles. Read his expert articles to get easy and affordable solutions for your tiling projects.

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How Can You Check and Improve the Insulation For Sliding Patio Doors?

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

Sliding patio doors make a wonderful fashion addition a home. They are both trendy, eye catching, and increase the value of a home. These doors will come with insulation but over time the insulation will become worn leading to outdoor air blowing through the edges of the door. The best way to check for air leaks is run your hand across the edges to feel for cold air coming through. If you feel air coming through, there are a number of things you can do to improve the insulation for the sliding patio doors. As well, a heat gun will tell you how cold the surface of the glass. You cam also check when it is cold and windy.

1. One very good method of decreasing energy consumption due to air blowing through the patio doors is to purchase curtains that insulate patio doors. Insulated patio door drapes are customizable to fit the situation. In the winter time you can use these insulated drapes which are available in a variety of styles and colors. In the spring, you can change to lighter drapes.

2. In the winter time, you can acquire the insulation effect by hanging a sheet of clear plastic over the entire opening which will block the air space between the plastic and the door. Sunlight will be able to shine through the house while the plastic blocks the air. You can cover the entire patio door with shrink plastic, but you will not be able you use the door until you remove the clear plastic.

3. A double pane window will also block the air from coming into the room. This will allow you to reduce the size of the space that is permitting the cold air to come in to the home. There are actually triple pane windows available on the market, but you will have to pay more.

4. In the spring, attach solar film on the door windows. Put it on the inside to minimize weathering. It will drastically cut the amount of heat coming through the door. This film can be purchased online. In the fall, assemble 4 shutter doors with inset hinges. At the unattached end, put a magnetic strip on the side facing outdoors and line it up with a similar strip on the adjacent framing. When closed, the door space is greatly reduced and keeps cold drafts coming from edges.

5. There are kits available that contain rubberized weather stripping. You can use this stripping to replace the worn seals around the door. These kits can be purchased online or at a home improvement store.

6. If you use vertical blinds, replace them with insulated vertical blinds.

7. There is foam weather stripping that can be used to seal spots where a draft can be felt. Make sure the seals around the edges are in place.

The purpose of a sliding glass door’s weather-stripping is to decrease cold air from coming into the home thereby keeping the home warm, comfortable, as well as lowering your energy costs. It is important to maintain these stylish doors so they remain durable for many years.

Canadian windows and doors manufacturer specializing in vinyl window manufacturing technology. Offering high quality windows, replacement windows, bay windows and patio doors. Visit us to buy vinyl windows and much more.

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Green Energy Consumption Tips From Master Electricians

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Many people are concerned about the state of the earth and how they can help the “green” efforts. There are many things a single person can do to contribute, but to start one does not have to go too far. Any person from teachers to master electricians can provide insight regarding the green effort. This article addresses energy consumption tips a person can apply within their homes.

Become aware

Most may not realize how quickly the “little things” can add up in regards to energy consumption. For instance, how much power was used due to a room left lit throughout the entire workday? Are appliances left plugged in or on standby using more energy than previously thought? To start, one of the best tips to be provided is to become aware of the little things that can make a big impact:

- Turn off lights whenever possible. Take advantage of sources of natural sunlight within the home.

- Unplug appliances when not in use. Not only does it save energy, but is also extra precautionary in regards to electrical fires.

- Take advantage of the weather. Many of us get in the habit of keeping the home air and heat units on regardless of outside weather temperatures. Open windows and doors whenever possible to reduce energy consumption.

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs)

On average compact fluorescent bulbs use about 75% less energy, produce 75% less heat, and last about 10 times longer in comparison to standard bulbs.

CFLs can be used indoors or outdoors. They can dramatically improve conservation outdoors because most leave outdoor lighting on overnight or most of the night via a timer. CFLs can be used in conjunction with protective fixtures to shield extreme temperatures and inclement weather.

CFLs are used in conjunction with timers, dimmers, motion detectors, and automatic daylight shutoff devices to conserve energy. Make sure to check particular products are compatible with using CFL bulbs.

Home Appliances

Home appliances can count for a good percentage of household’s energy bill. Refrigerators, clothes washers and dryers, and dishwashers are big factors.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy lists the energy performance of top-rated energy- saving appliances on its web site: http://www.aceee.org.
Be mindful of refrigerator temperatures. Recommended temperatures for refrigerators ranges from 35 to 40 degrees F; and, freezer temperatures can be set around 0 to 5 degrees F.

Everyone at Mister Sparky® — from schedulers to Service Electricians — respects the value of your time and home. That’s why if a Mister Sparky® Service Electrician doesn’t show up as promised … your service call is FREE. If you aren’t fully satisfied for any reason, we’ll make it right. Guaranteed. We mean it when we say your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Visit http://www.mistersparky-houston.com.

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