A Look at Outdoor Ceiling Fans
July 29, 2008
A ceiling fan used outdoors, such as on a covered porch, deck, or gazebo, can serve several purposes. Outdoor ceiling fans can provide a cool breeze and make hot days much more comfortable, keep bugs away, and provide beautiful and unique decoration. It is important to use fans that are made for outdoor use; indoor ceiling fans cannot hold up to the elements like those that are designed to be put outdoors.
Outdoor ceiling fans are great for providing a gentle breeze on a hot summer day. Anyone with a porch, deck, gazebo, or any other type of roofed open air outdoor area should consider buying an outdoor ceiling fan. Outdoor ceiling fans gently stir the air downwards, creating a pleasant breeze that allows people to enjoy the outdoors even on a hot, stuffy, or humid day.
Another advantage of outdoor ceiling fans is that they can be great for keeping bugs away. It is difficult for bugs like gnats and mosquitoes to fly in the downward draft created by outdoor ceiling fans. Having an outdoor ceiling fan makes it possible to have a fun, bug-free time outside without having to use annoying bug lights or smelly, oily bug spray.
Easy Ways to Save Energy
July 29, 2008
Easy Ways to Save Energy
by: Aldene Fredenburg
With this fall’s spike in oil and natural gas prices and the further impact Hurricane Katrina will have on this winter’s heating oil supplies, it’s become more important than ever to make sure our homes are as energy-efficient as possible.
Luckily, there are a number of easy, inexpensive ways to button up your home for winter. Numerous cost-efficient products on the market for your windows and doors will go a long way toward preserving the heat you generate with your heating system.
Make sure your windows and doors are tight. Self-stick foam weather-stripping at the tops and bottom of windows, as well as across the separation between the top and bottom halves of the window, will block out drafts. Additionally, clear plastic, secured to the window frame with double-sided sticky tape, will also block out drafts and create an air barrier between the window and you.
Additional weather-stripping around all four edges of doors will also help to block out the cold. Also, don’t forget your water heater! You can buy inexpensive padding to wrap around the unit itself, and sturdy foam insulation for all the pipes.
A Home Equity Loan ? Is It For You?
July 28, 2008
Home equity loans are often touted as being the solution to so many things ? giving you access to money for home repairs or improvements, a way to consolidate debt, finance a sudden family emergency, or even as a way to start an investment portfolio. There’s a lot to think about, though, before you go and sign up for the first home equity loan you see.
A home equity loan is like a second mortgage on your home. If your home is currently worth $130,000, and you have a mortgage against it for $70,000, then you have $60,000 of equity available. Some home equity loans may allow you to borrow up to 80% of your home’s value, others may go higher in special circumstances. In this example, you would be able to borrow another $34,000 as a home equity loan and still have only borrowed 80%.
So the first step is to get a reasonably good idea of what your home is worth on the market. Your friendly realtor may help with this, but be aware that sometimes they can inflate the value in the hope of getting your business. You can also look at what price similar houses close by have sold for. Or you can pay a qualified valuer to assess your home.
Posh Pool Table Covers - The Latest Trend In Customized Décor
July 28, 2008
Posh Pool Table Covers - The Latest Trend In Customized Décor
by: Paolo Basauri
The Advantage of Using Pool Table Covers
As anyone who owns a pool or billiards table (www.houston-pool-tables.com) can tell you, the decorative game table is usually considered a prized possession, as well as the focus of the room in which it is kept. Maintaining the beauty and functionality of the pool table means keeping it free of spills, stains and damage. The ongoing quality of your pool table can be significantly increased through the use of pool table covers . Available in a wide range of styles, materials and prices, pool table covers are a wise investment for any serious pool table owner.
Types of Pool Table Covers
Pool table covers are sold in a variety of materials and styles. Regardless of your room decoration or budgetary concerns, finding a pool table cover to fit your needs is a simple process. All you need to know is the dimensions of your pool table and you’re all set. Standard pool table covers come in sizes ranging from 7ft to 9ft, but customized, fitted covers are also an option to consider. While many covers come in the traditional green of pool felt, more expressive colors and patterned pool table covers are the latest trend. To begin your search, you should decide which cover material best suits your décor, your personal style and your budget. Typical cover materials include:
Wild Flower Garden - Plan to Plant
July 28, 2008
In the previous article I discussed design for your new wild flower garden. The next stage is planning the planting. This is an exciting stage, we are just a few steps away from turning your garden design concept into a reality. But first things first.
If you have completed your design, does it fit within your budget? If it does, that’s great, if not now is the time to go back and make some changes. Before you go to the garden center or hardware, you will need to have a final shopping list. This will help you stay within budget and ensure that you have all the materials on handbefore you start your project.
From the design stage you will have factored in such items as concrete or mulch for walkways, brick for walls, seating, water features or lighting or any other accessories you might want to add to your new garden. Before you begin preparing the ground for planting, the hardscaping should be completed.
Now you will need to work out your plant requirements. Be sure to consider the following before making a final decision on plant choices:
Control Pests without Harmful Chemicals
July 28, 2008
Control Pests without Harmful Chemicals
by: Aldene Fredenburg
Garden and household pests - unwanted insects, including flies, mosquitoes, fleas, cockroaches, termites, and moths, and intruders like mice and rats - are annoying, destructive, and potentially harmful to the health of humans and pets. But the use of chemical toxins to control these pests is a problem - who knows what some of these chemicals themselves can do to the health of our family members?
Luckily, there are ways to combat these invaders without resorting to potentially poisonous chemicals. Essentially, there are four approaches to pest control; used in combination they can go a long way to eliminating insects and rodents from one’s home and outdoor environment.
First, make sure you’re not creating the conditions that invite these pests onto your property. Standing water attracts mosquitoes; take a walk through your property and make sure you don’t have bowls of water, discarded tires, and other receptacles that can contain rain water. If you find them, get rid of them. Poorly stored food and stray crumbs can attract ants, roaches, and mice. Keep your food stored in airtight containers, wipe down counters, tables, etc., and sweep the floor frequently, discarding the refuse and removing in from the house.
Improving Bathrooms - The Specifics
July 27, 2008
Improving Bathrooms - The Specifics
by: Raynor James
One of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to improve the bathrooms. Here’s a primer on things to consider.
Sinks
Villeroy and Boch makes a sink that mimics a boulder worn into a bowl by water flowing into it. It can be quite handsome in a minimalist home or a rustic one. You can see it and others at villeroy-boch.com.
Concrete Jungle makes some dramatically simple concrete sinks and vanities that surprisingly look very modern, or very farm-house. Check concretejungleonline.com if that idea appeals.
Walker Zanger’s designs include a perfectly simple sink in white marble for a dressier look. They also have a sturdy dark wooden “table” base that gives it dramatic contrast. You might enjoy visiting walkerzanger.com for more ideas.
Showers
A shower separate from the tub is one of today’s favorite luxuries. Some of them have been designed to feel like rain (at least part of the time). Dornbracht has one called “RainSky M” which can be checked out at dornbracht.com.
Ceiling Fans: Past and Present
July 27, 2008
Philip Diehl first invented the ceiling fan in 1882, around the same time electricity was beginning to spread into homes and businesses throughout the country. Over the next decade, Diehl improved his original idea and made it more practical. Two improvements were that he made the motor smaller and added electric lights. By the 1920’s, ceiling fans were found all over the country and soon spread to the rest of the world.
The basic idea behind the ceiling fan has remained relatively unchanged since its creation. Ceiling fans make a breeze or suck up air in order to make a room feel more comfortable. A small motor contained within the ceiling fan turns the fan blades. The blades come in various lengths, depending on how big the room that needs to be conditioned is. Standard ceiling fan blades are made out of wood and are between 32 and 52 inches long. That measurement is from the tip of one blade to the tip of the blade opposite it. Ceiling fan blades are mounted at a 12- to 15-degree angle in order to properly spread the air. Ceiling fans normally have either four or five blades that have to be balanced around the fan so that it will not rattle or shake when it is in operation.
The Mortgage Loan Application Online - Save Time & Money By Applying On The Internet
July 27, 2008
"You can save time and money by applying for a mortgage loan online." This often touted tagline seems like a gimmick, but it’s true. Here’s why:
You Do The Work
By researching your loan online, you save time from visiting an office and getting the run-around from loan officers. It is unlikely you will get a straight mortgage quote from a bank over the phone, but you can get quotes from several lenders at once using a mortgage broker site. You also save time and money for the mortgage lender by accessing financial information online.
You also save the mortgage lender time when you fill out the mortgage loan application online. By entering your information into the mortgage lender’s database, you reduce the need for data entry clerks. Your information is then verified efficiently through databases for an almost instant approval.
Consolidated Mortgage Offices
With the Internet, mortgage lenders are able to consolidate their offices into one spot, usually in a low cost area of the country. With reduced overhead and a smaller staff, mortgage lenders can increase their profits or pass the savings onto consumers in the form of lower rates and fees.
How to Remove Ceramic Tiles
July 27, 2008
How to Remove Ceramic Tiles
by: Brenda H. Murphy
Given the amount of work involved, and the degree of difficulty, when you’re looking at removing ceramic tiles on the wall or floor, give some consideration to whether you might be better off just replacing the cracked or damaged ones. Of course, if you can’t get matching ones, that means doing the whole job over, but when you do, remember to buy enough tiles that you have extras, so that it won’t need to be repeated again, should you ever have a couple of them damaged.
Before starting a removal job, decide whether you have anything there worth salvaging. It could be that while you want to redecorate the shower stall, that tile would like great on the wall in the laundry room. And it can be used over again, as long as you are careful in removing it. Ceramic tile has lots of compression strength, but very little tensile strength. That means you can put weight on it, but to twist or bend the piece, will likely break it.
