Home Improvement: 04/01/2008

April 30, 2008

Kitchen Table And Chair Sets – You Need To Purchase One That Is Durable

by: Jesse Akre

In every household, what is one must have piece of furniture other than your bed in your bedroom? If you guessed kitchen table and chair sets, then you were right.

The dining or kitchen area is a hot spot for most families, which is why having a durable set in place is so important. It needs to be able the handle book bags dropping on it, crazy board game battles, and meals where everyone is dashing to get your fill. If you don’t go with a strong, sturdy when then you will be disappointed when you have to replace it since it fell apart after only a few short years.

Now, the better kitchen table and chair sets are crafted out of higher quality materials, that’s basically just a simple rule that you should follow. So, if you never heard of the substance the one you are looking at is made out of, it is safe to say that what you are looking at isn’t such a great, durable choice. Some of the nicer options to go with are stronger woods like pine, cedar, and mahogany and other materials like metal and glass. There are even some that can come with stone or granite table tops. These sets can also be finished in a number of ways to from stains applied to them, to being brushed with or oil rubbed, and you can even get ones that are painted colors.

After you have determined what you are looking at is of high quality, then you can get on to finding something that matches the current style of your space. With all the materials that kitchen table and chair sets can be made from, there are actually a lot of different stylish options you can choose from. Like, you can get a set that is more on the traditional side featuring just a plain look or you can get one that is very ornamental and antique in its appearance. Some of the other choices that you can get include those that have a modern feel, others that are more contemporary, and you can even get ones that combine styles known as transitional options.

In addition to getting something that is durable and looks good, you also want to make sure that the kitchen table and chairs sets you are interested in is comfortable. This is key because you want people to be relaxed when they’re sitting down. So, make sure you get a chair that has a supportive seat and backrests, armrests don’t hurt either, but if you have smaller children it is a safer bet to go without since they might get hurt on them.

To easily check out the many kitchen table and chair sets that are available, just hit the Internet and do some online shopping. Just by the click of the mouse you can get what you want and it will even be shipped to your house, which is really convenient if you don’t have a big truck or van.

In your household, having furniture that is durable in your kitchen/dining area is important because it will get used a lot. For that reason, sturdy kitchen table and chair sets are key and what’s nice is that there are many selections to choose from, all of which will be sure to please.

About The Author
Jesse Akre, owner of a wide variety of online stores specializing in niche products, shares information on how to furnish and decorate your indoor and outdoor space so that it is both comfortable and appealing to the eye.

Weather Vane – Just The Outdoor Accessory To Make Your House Stand Out

by: Jesse Akre

As you look down your street, you realize that every house on your block is pretty similar. Sure, that can be nice, but maybe you want yours to stand out a little bit. Well, there is an easy way to do it and it doesn’t involve painting or remodeling. All you have to do is purchase a weather vane for your home.

Really, a weather vane is a great option for making your home stand out from the rest. How is this possible you might be asking? There are actually a couple of different reasons really, the first of which is that there are many stylish options to choose from. For example, maybe you are really into hunting and fishing. You could go with one that is in the shape of a bear, another that looks like a goose, and even one that is in the shape of a rainbow trout. Or, maybe you are into airplanes, then a great choice for you would be hi-wing plane or even a low in plane if you like.

The style options with a weather vane does not stop there either. A few other selections include nautical options like sailboats and lighthouses, additional animals including horses, chickens, and any other animal you might want, and you can even get collegiate ones that are in the shape of your team’s logo.

Another thing that makes a weather vane such an appealing outdoor accessory is the lovely materials that it can be crafted from. One of the most popular materials is copper, which has a bright shiny appearance when new and over time weathers to a beautiful patina or verdigris color. Along with copper, there are other stunning material choices too and they are aluminum and steel, the both of which have nice shining appearances and can even be hand painted to create unique looking selections.

Now you might not know it, but a weather vane also comes in different sizes. Like, if you wanted to put one on the roof of your house, then you would go with a full bodied larger one. However, if you want to put one on a deck rail or in a garden, then a smaller one that isn’t full bodied would be the way to go. There are medium sized versions as well, ideal for putting on garages, and a fantastic way to see all the choices is by hitting the internet for some online shopping. You can breeze through all the choices without much trouble at all and what’s great is that when you do come across something you like, it will generally be at the best prices possible. Plus, your selection will be shipped right to your home. Basically, shopping has never been so convenient.

In the end, if you want your home to be a little different from everyone else’s, make sure that it is in a good way. And, a great way for doing just that is with a beautiful weather vane. There are a ton of eye-catching selections to choose from that will have everyone looking at your house for all the right reasons.

Porch Swings – A Fantastic Way To Kick Back And Relax

by: Jesse Akre

Imagine sitting back on a sunny afternoon swaying back and forth on a porch swing, watching the day go by. It used to be porch swings were just something you saw on the front of an old southern home, with someone's grandfather swaying back and forth, a pipe hanging out of the side of his mouth. Someone finally saw fit to return this piece of Americana to the limelight. Porch swings are making a comeback.

If you're ready to add a little motion to your front porch, there are a few things to know and keep in mind before you start selecting porch swings.

Before you begin the shopping process you need to take a closer look at the porch you are going to be putting the swing on. Pull out the tape measure and make measurements of the porch area. How much space do you have between the house and the railing around your porch. You need to know this measurement in case you want to set your porch swings in a way to face the front lawn. If you are going to put your porch swings sideways, looking across the porch, you still need to keep those measurements to make sure the swings are not too wide to fit in this space.

Next, how are you going to hang it? Does you porch have at least an 8-foot clearance from the floor to ceiling beams? You are going to need that much space to be able to hang the swing. You also need to find a nice strong beam to hold the weight of the swing and those that will be sitting on it. If you have the room for your swing to be put up this way, you may want to buy the hanging kit the same time you buy the swing, so you know they will match. If you don't have the clearance for this kind of porch swing, you may have to settle for fully enclosed porch swing sets that have their own frame and swing mechanism.

Now you can start the fun part of shopping, looking for stylish porch swings that will not only be fun to swing on, but look great. Remember your house architecture when you are making this decision. While there are a lot of great looking swings out there, if you put one that looks completely different from your house on the porch, it is going to seem awkward and stand out as not quite looking right. You want to choose a porch swing that will add to the look of your porch, not detract from it.

Finally, unless you are a handyman, you want to read what it will really take to put your swing in place before you buy. Some of them take a lot of assembly and know-how to assemble and install. If you end up with one of those you may get too frustrated to ever hang it or end up having to pay more to call in a professional.

About The Author
Jesse Akre, owner of a wide variety of online stores specializing in niche products, shares information on how to furnish and decorate your indoor and outdoor space so that it is both comfortable and appealing to the eye.

How to Clean Wool Carpets

by: Keith Wroblewski

This guide is written to help you maintain your wall to wall wool carpet. It is not meant for wool Oriental rugs. These rugs may have loose dye that will bleed or crock. I reccomend that you have these rugs taken to a rug plant that specializes in wool rugs. Oriental rugs should never be cleaned at your home since the dies may bleed.

If you have recently purchased a wool carpet please go to your pantry which holds all your carpet cleaning spotters and throw them away. Never use a soap or carpet cleaning chemical on wool carpet unless it has a PH between 4.5 and 8.5. To be completely safe you could stay below a PH of 7 (neutral and will not cause the dyes to bleed) or look for your carpet cleaning product at http://www.fernmark.com. Be especially careful of using bleach products near your wool carpet. Bleach will actually dissolve wool carpet and leave you with a giant hole. Bleach is a great way to test your carpet for wool content if your not sure if your carpet has wool in it. Now that we have discussed what not to do, we can establish how to better maintain your wool carpet.

Vacuum as often as you can. This is akin to washing your hair.How many days a week do you skip washing your hair? Only use low PH cleaners. Using over the counter products on wool carpets is like using Tide on your hair!High PH cleaners will break down the cuticle or hard scaly surface that holds the fiber together. Breaking down the cuticle would leave us with a fuzzy mess. When using a wool safe product - blot. Scrubbing will also cause the fiber to fuzz out. I also recommend that you blot up the wool safe spotter with an acidic rinse ( 1 part white vinegar 3 part water). This will remove any residue and leave the wool fiber slightly acidic which will help maintain the wools softness. You also want to speed dry your wool carpet. If the carpet takes too long to dry it can turn yellow or brown. Using too high a PH cleaner on your wool carpet can also turn the fibers brown or yellow. We call this PH browning.

In conclusion vacuum as often as you can. Spot clean with wool safe products. Blot rinse with an acidic rinse and never use bleach (causes wool to dissolve) or products with a high PH. Have your carpets cleaned by a professional at least once a year by a professional carpet cleaner who uses wool safe products. For more information on carpets, carpet cleaning, carpet repair, water damage, allergies please go to http://www.colorado-carpet-masters.com

About The Author
Keith Wroblewski is an IICRC Master Carpet Cleaner who has been in the cleaning industry for 20 years. He has produced several free help guides and now offers these guides at
http://www.colorado-carpet-masters.com

Cleaning Wool Carpets - A Boulder Carpet Cleaning Guide

by: Keith Wroblewski

This guide is written to help you maintain your wall to wall wool carpet. It is not meant for wool Oriental rugs. These rugs may have loose dye that will bleed or crock. I recommend that you have these rugs taken to a rug plant that specializes in wool rugs. Oriental rugs should never be cleaned at your home since the dies may bleed.If you do decide to spot clean your Oriental rug, make sure you test every color separately for color fastness. You may have 10 colors in your rug and only one bleeds. You test for color fastness by taking a white cotton towel that has been dipped with a small amount of wool safe cleaner, and then clamping the towel on each color separately.

If you have recently purchased a wool carpet please go to your pantry which holds all your carpet cleaning spotters and throw them away. Never use a soap or carpet cleaning chemical on wool carpet unless it has a PH between 4.5 and 8.5. To be completely safe you could stay below a PH of 7 (neutral and will not cause the dyes to bleed) or look for your carpet cleaning product at http://www.fernmark.com. Be especially careful of using bleach products near your wool carpet. Bleach will actually dissolve wool carpet and leave you with a giant hole. Bleach is a great way to test your carpet for wool content if your not sure if your carpet has wool in it. Now that we have discussed what not to do, we can establish how to better maintain your wool carpet.

Vacuum as often as you can. This is akin to washing your hair.How many days a week do you skip washing your hair? Only use low PH cleaners. Using over the counter products on wool carpets is like using Tide on your hair!High PH cleaners will break down the cuticle or hard scaly surface that holds the fiber together. Breaking down the cuticle would leave us with a fuzzy mess. When using a wool safe product - blot. Scrubbing will also cause the fiber to fuzz out. I also recommend that you blot up the wool safe spotter with an acidic rinse ( 1 part white vinegar 3 part water). This will remove any residue and leave the wool fiber slightly acidic which will help maintain the wools softness. You also want to speed dry your wool carpet. If the carpet takes too long to dry it can turn yellow or brown. Using too high a PH cleaner on your wool carpet can also turn the fibers brown or yellow. We call this PH browning.

In conclusion vacuum as often as you can. Spot clean with wool safe products. Blot rinse with an acidic rinse and never use bleach (causes wool to dissolve) or products with a high PH. Have your carpets cleaned by a professional at least once a year by a professional carpet cleaner who uses wool safe products. For more information on carpets, carpet cleaning, carpet repair, water damage, allergies please go to http://www.colorado-carpet-masters.com/

Using Leather Chesterfields to Enhance your Home or Office

by: Craig Miller

When attempting to bring class and style into your home, leather furniture is the way to go. While there are several different kinds of leather and companies to choose from, there is nothing quite like leather chesterfields. Chesterfield furniture has been around for quite some time and continues to bring wonderful furniture into people's homes worldwide. Adding Chesterfield furniture to your home gives you rich and world class feel to the living room. No longer do you have to settle for a mediocre sofa that disappears in the room. You can make a Chesterfield sofa the highlight of the room with the magnificent leather and beautiful colour.

While this furniture used to be out of the price range for many, it has gradually become more affordable for everyone. But the status quo remains the same as this is high class furniture that can brighten up the room and bring your office or living room to another level.

There is nothing better than being able to show off a fine piece of furniture to family and friends like Chesterfield furniture. Guests will have the luxury of sitting on pure, soft, and comfortable leather sofa. And unlike many sofas that require attention after a couple of years, you will have your Chesterfield sofa for years to come because of the high-class durability.

Placing this luxury furniture in the living room is ideal to show it off, but it can also make for a fine piece of furniture in the office. There is nothing that says class and wealth in an office better than furniture like this. It will imply prosperity to those who enter your office and give your office a true working atmosphere.

Although you may not be aware of it at the time, but image can mean everything in a home. Replacing ragged sofas with a Chesterfield sofa can do wonders for your home. It will liven the room up, give it character, and present wealth in a new manner. And because of the style, you can put virtually anything around the sofa and create a beautifully crafted room.

It is hard to believe that one sofa could have such an impact on a room, but that is exactly what you are getting with leather chesterfields. It is the finest furniture around and can be purchased at a reasonable price. And with the durability it is built with, you can enjoy the comfort of fine leather for years to come.

How To Choose The Right Furniture For You

by: Craig Miller

Long gone are the days when office furniture meant a simple computer desk and a filing cabinet. In this day and age, we have all sorts of technology to accommodate for. There are photocopiers, drafting tables, large networks of workstations, and much more to take into account.

Getting the best deal on this excess in office furniture can be tough. And the question arises as to whether not the extra money is worth it in the first place- so what is a business to do?

Discount Office Furniture Vs Brand Name Office Furniture

There is a certain place for budget cuts, and then certain places for excess spending. Office furniture is one of the categories that floats somewhere in the middle between the two.

Some claim that brand name furniture that specializes in new-age design and comfort is worth the money. The reasoning behind this claim is simple: happy and comfortable workers are more efficient than uninspired and unhappy workers.

One good example of this is Google, who is a company that specializes in employee satisfaction. Google remains to be one of the best places to work for- and if you've seen their office furniture, you can guess it wasn't the discount brand at the handy shop. Google claims that the extra style inspires creativity- and we can't disagree.

But discount furniture is what most businesses side with. After all, how much more money can one spend before trying to make employees more inspired? For most businesses, the return on investment just isn't anywhere near what they'd like. The result: you'll likely stick with discount office furniture long before splurging on new-age furniture.

Arguments for Work Safety and Tax Write-offs

One of the leading problems in workplace safety is carpal tunnel syndrome. This affliction is caused by poor posture in the workplace- something many brand name products fix. Some could argue that the company would be less responsible for injuries with these ergonomic brands of office furniture. In many respects, they are right- carpal tunnel is indeed a very real threat.

To help justify the cause, some argue that the tax write-offs that are available for office furniture makes the price of ergonomic designs much easier to stomach. This will put many office products in reach for businesses- but careful spending is still needed. There are limits to the tax write-offs, and even then, the tax breaks only come once a year.

One clever strategy many businesses engage in is last-minute shopping. That way they can get a return on their money much sooner, so waiting the year out isn't a problem (whereas the money could be better used in reinvesting into the business).

When Money Isn't an Option

If money wasn't an option, what should you splurge on? First and foremost, safety should be addressed. Chairs with supportive backs are a must. Keyboards and mice with ergonomic designs that counteract carpal tunnel are also worthy of a purchase.

Only after safety is addressed should one consider style and brand name options. It's nice to have a decorated office space to inspire and give a positive attitude. When money isn't an option, this will indeed benefit those who use the office. (Studies show interesting colours and styles do, in fact, inspire creativity and help overall efficiency on average.)

In the end, it's good to have an accountant nearby for tax advice, safety in mind, and a strong will to get the best office furniture for your company

Add Class and Style to Your Room with Chesterfield Furniture

by: Craig Miller

April 29, 2008

Buying Wool Carpets - Are Wool Carpets for Me?

by: Keith Wroblewski

Should I consider buying wool carpets? Wool carpets are wonderful! Wool carpets have made my life miserable! This is actually one of those situations where both of these statements can be 100% true. My hope is to help you determine which one of these groups you belong too before you go through the expense of investing in wool carpets.

I have been cleaning carpets in Boulder Colorado for over 17 years and I have cleaned some wonderful and not so wonderful wool carpets. Wool is soft and it feels great to walk, crawl, or lay on. It feels like walking on soft hair. Wow! It is soft hair! The wool fiber consist of three main parts. The epidermis (cuticle) consisting of protective, overlapping scales on the fibers outer surface. The cortex, which composes most of the wools fiber and the center of the wool fiber is called the medulla. One of the facts that makes wool kinda scary is that it is a protein. Why could this be bad? Wool proteins can chemically bond with other proteins and can permanently attach itself to the wool fiber.

The real protein problem usually arises from our pets. Most of our pets throw up their food which is primarily a Protein base. These pet accidents can quickly turn our beloved soft haired carpet into a visual tapestry of pet throw up, urine stains and other digestive processes that I don't like to think about. Often, these stains will permanently affix themselves and become part of the wool fiber. Wool is considered the finest carpet fiber in the world and if I didn't have pets I would seriously consider the expense. The advantages of wool carpet include its' feel (soft), holds color very well, wears well, soil resistant, cleans well and it is naturally non flammable.

The negative traits of wool fiber include that it is very sensitive to alkalinity (high PH soaps), costs more than synthetic fibers, costs more to clean, not resistant to Protein stains, will dissolve in bleach and can be damaged by carpet beetles and moths. Consider the pluses and minuses as they pertain to your life and if you decide to purchase the wonderful wool carpet fiber, see our special carpet cleaning care guide for wool carpets at http://www.colorado-carpet-masters.com. You will also find free carpet repair guides, allergy guides, carpet buying guides, carpet spot guides, carpet cleaning consumer guides an much more.

Choosing the Best Cheap Carpet for Your Own Individual Needs

by: Keith Wroblewski

What carpet will work best for my needs? What questions should I ask the carpet store before purchasing my carpet? How can I tell if the carpet is a quality carpet versus an over priced carpet? These are the questions that my clients ask me when they are considering purchasing a new carpet for their home. I will attempt to answer these questions and keep you from spending too much money or not enough money to achieve your new carpet needs. The first question you should answer is How long do I want the carpet to last? To simplify the answer to this question we will categorize the expected carpet life into under 5 years.

Many people just want to put carpet into their home for resale purposes and wish to spend the least amount of money as possible. Other people wish to replace just their family room for a few years and then replace the whole house once the upstairs or less used carpets are also ready for replacement. If you want just a few years of use, Olefin carpet may be the best carpet for you. It is simply less expensive. It is also colorfast and will not discolor or fade easily. The down side to Olefin carpet is that it will mat easily and not perk up as much once it is cleaned. It will also absorb oils and not release them easily or some times not at all. As a carpet cleaner, we like Olefin the least since it does not respond to cleaning as well as most other carpets. Now that you decided that Olefin is best for you, How should you pick out your olefin carpet?

One of the biggest mistakes people make with Olefin carpet is getting a carpet yarn that is tall. Olefin is very heavy and if you take a tall heavy fiber and support it with lots and lots of other tall heavy fibers they will mat and tangle and not look very good. Your best bet is to get a very short olefin fiber that will not mat. When you compare the Olefin carpet between stores you want to make sure that you are comparing carpets of equal density. The store should be able to tell you how dense this particular carpet is. Make sure that you are getting the price for a square yard of carpet and not a square foot. Also, make sure that you compare the same thickness of carpet pad and if the carpet installation and carpet stretching is going to be knee kicked or power stretched. You might also want to ask if the installer working for the store is an employee or if they are a sub contractor? Do they guarantee the carpet installation? You might want to check the store and installer on the BBB web site. I would compare three stores for price. Remember to compare the store for the same:

1. Fiber content (are they made of the same stuff? Olefin)

2. The carpets thickness.

3. Are they all using square yards?

4. Cost of the same thickness carpet pad.

5. Cost of installation.

6. Is the installation under guarantee?

7. Are the installers power stretching or Knee kicking?

8. How much do they charge for old carpet tear out?

9. How much do they charge for old carpet removal?

If you have any other questions regarding choosing the best cheap carpet or finding a longer lasting carpet please look for the article you need at www.Colorado-Carpet-Masters.com

Should You Choose Wax Or Polish To Protect Your Wood Furniture?

by: Megan Cherry

Products for caring for your wood furniture abound. If you don't believe me, just take a look in your local supermarket or discount store and you'll see many polishes and waxes available to choose from. Whether you are trying to care for a dining room table or an ornate wooden cuckoo clock, you are confronted with so many choices it may be difficult to come to a decision. Every product claims that they protect your wood better than the next product. In reality, most of them will remove dust and clean the surface, but they won't do much else.

Using a polish or a wax may provide a certain amount of protection against scratches and scrapes to your furniture, however they really don't give you any lasting protection like a quality wood finish would. They really don't improve the durability of an old finish or revive it, either. In fact, the only real difference between a polish and a wax is that polish will leave a thin liquid film on the surface when you wipe down your wood, and wax will leave a thin film of solid wax on the surface. The liquid will eventually evaporate, while the wax will not.

Wax has been used since the very beginning of written history on wood items that needed to be protected, both as a finish on bare wood and to protect a finish that has been applied to wood. Wax is solid at room temperature, but a solvent can be mixed in to help the wax dissolve and create a softer product that is easier to apply to your wood. The solvent will evaporate out eventually, leaving a nice solid layer of wax on the surface. Some people prefer to use mineral spirits as a solvent with their wax, but be sure you read the instructions on the wax you've chosen first. Some say you need to use turpentine or toluene instead. Turpentine will add a smell to the wax that you may find irritating, and using toluene can be tricky because it evaporates very quickly. Solvents will affect your drying time, so if you need a longer drying time, mineral spirits may be the solvent you should choose. If you want it to dry quickly, opt for the toluene.

Polishes, on the other hand, are very different from waxes. They are a liquid that may include a very small quantity of oil or wax. Polishes usually completely evaporate over a period of time, so in the long run it is less protective than wax. You can divide polish into two different categories depending on which solvents they use in their formula. First, you will find petroleum-based solvents. Petroleum or oil-based solvents evaporate much more slowly and are similar to mineral spirits. The other type of solvent used in polish is an emulsion of water and oil-based solvents. This type is excellent for cleaning, since the water will remove water-soluble dirt, while the oil removes oil-soluble dirt. In the end, you'll need to choose the kind of polish that suits the job you want it to do.

Water-Based Finishes: What Should You Know About Them?

by: Megan Cherry

It's true that many believe water-based finishes are safer than other finishes, and that they are also safer to handle. However, water-based finishes still use some of the same resins used in urethane and acrylic finishes. Water-based finishes are indeed much safer than traditional lacquers, but you should still be careful when you use them. Most of you have used latex paint before. Therefore, you know that the fumes can be quite intense, especially in an enclosed space. This is also true for water-based finishes, and you'll want to take proper precautions to protect both your skin and lungs. Make sure there's adequate ventilation, wear proper protective clothing, and wear a respirator as well.

Many harmful additives have been replaced by water in these types of finishes. The resins are not easily mixed with water, though, so they have to be chemically modified in order to be emulsified with the water. These require chemicals called surfaces and solvents to be added; among these are glycol ethers, which force resins to mix with water.

Yet another problem with water-based finishes is that the water will often raise the grain in the wood. Try this sometime. Sand a piece of wood and then rub some plain water on it. You'll notice that the wood fibers will absorb the water and swell, which makes them "stand up" and roughen. To get around this problem, you can use a seal or coat of shellac. This will add a barrier between the wood and the next coat of finish. It will also give your wood a little bit of an amber color. Alternatively, you can use a couple of light coats of standing sealer. Once the standing sealer has dried, you can lightly sand the wood, which will smooth it out.

Fortunately, though, water finishes are of a neutral color, which means that they don't add any color to the wood as other finishes might. Other lacquers might cause a slight amber color to the wood. Therefore, if you want to keep your wood's natural color without any distortion whatsoever, a water-based finish is a great choice. However, there are certain woods that do not do best with a water-based finish. These are the darker woods such as cherry or walnut. If a water-based finish is applied, this tends to "tone down" the color of the wood so that the deep rich wood color is somewhat negated with a water-based finish.

Therefore, water-based finishes have both pros and cons. Pros are that they are not flammable and are less polluting than traditional finishes are, they don't yellow, dry fast and can be either sprayed on or applied with a brush. In addition, water-based finishes have much less of an odor and clean up is much easier than it is with other types of finishes. However, they have drawbacks too. Most cannot give wood a deep, rich color as we are used to with a solvent-based finish. In addition, the water raises the wood's grain and can be very difficult to apply, since humidity and temperature play a role in both application and drying times.

In addition, with water-based finishes, the tools you'll need will be slightly different than those with solvent-based finishes. For example, steel wool will rust quickly with water-based finishes, and natural bristle brushes will absorb too much water and become limp. In addition, if you're using either a conventional or high-volume low-pressure spray gun, you'll need to have stainless steel needles and nozzles so that corrosion does not happen.

How To Choose The Best Air Purifier - An Air Purifier Comparison For Homes And Offices

by: Richard Chandler

Regardless of what time of year it may be or what part of the country you live in, pollutants in the air can affect the health of you, your loved ones, and your coworkers. With the arrival of Spring comes warmer weather, Spring cleaning, and beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, the warm weather, Spring cleaning, and beautiful flowers bring increased levels of dust, pollen, allergens, and lots of other things that wreak havoc on your sinuses and allergies. As beautiful a time of year as it may be, Spring can also be a miserable time of year for many. Fall and Winter mark the beginning of the cold and flu season, with households and offices across the nation spreading germs among their inhabitants. Airborne germs and bacteria can allow simple viruses to be spread amongst numerous people several times throughout the season, enabling the virus to mutate and grow in strength with each new host.

If you suffer from allergies or sinus problems, or work in an office full of potential sick people, one of the best ways to prevent the spread of illness and combat airborne allergens is the use of an air purifier. Human beings spend 90% of their lives indoors, and the EPA has estimated that indoor air quality can be up to 50% worse than outdoors. Air purifiers pull a number of pollutants out of the air, reducing the levels of allergens and airborne organisms that transmit disease or affect allergy and asthma sufferers while helping to promote healthy living.

With so many air purifiers on the market, it can be difficult to decide which one to invest in. Air purifiers are not cheap, though the benefits they provide make them worth every penny. However, to get the most out of an air purification system, it is important to choose one that best suits your needs and the needs of those around you.

Airfree Air Purifiers
The Airfree P1000 Air Purifier, Airfree Platinum 2000 Air Sterilizer, and the Airfree Onix 3000 are designed for rooms of 450, 550, and 650 square feet respectively. Attractive in design, the Airfree models do not require replacement of any filters, so there is never any need for maintenance. They draw air into the center of the unit, and then heat it to over 400 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria, airborne viruses, dust mites, and germs - no living organism can survive temperatures that high! The air is then cooled before it is released by the completely silent motor.

Airfree air purifiers are ideal for public places where germs and bacteria are known to prosper, such as waiting rooms and doctors offices. Especially during the cold and flu season, these air purifiers make a great addition to any business office regardless of the number of employees on hand. Because of their compact design and the method by which the air is purified, Airfree products are best used in smaller rooms and offices.

Neoair Air Purifiers
Neoair air purifiers use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, the only filters endorsed by the Department of Homeland Security, to remove dust, allergens, and pollutants from the air. Ideal for those who have asthma and allergy problems, the Neoair products are both versatile and convenient in their design. They have been rigorously tested by the CHN Center for Disease Control and Prevention and have been given a mold reduction certification by Applied Consumer Services.

The Neoair Cruiser Air Purifier cleans the air in the last place you think you would need it: your vehicle. Designed for RVs, trucks, vans, and cars, the Neoair Cruiser is great for ridding the air in your vehicle of airborne contaminants including cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes. In addition to the standard HEPA filter, it uses a Photo-catalyst filter, Activated Carbon Filter, and UV Light to ensure you enjoy the cleanest air possible. The Neoair Cruiser Air Purifier is powered by your vehicle’s cigarette lighter and includes a UV lamp designed to last up to 20,000 hours.

Designed for rooms up to 450 square feet, the Neoair Enviro 68108 utilizes the same air cleaning technology found in laboratories and clean rooms to keep the air in your home or office free of molds, fungi, bacteria, and other allergens. The five stage air purification system includes a fiber prescreening filter, HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, advanced OFS filter, and a negative ionic discharger. The prescreen filter ensures the other filters last much longer by catching larger particles such as pollen, human skin cells, and pet dander to keep the other filters from getting clogged. The negative ionic discharger releases negative ions which have been shown to reduce stress, enhance alertness and contribute to overall well being. The Neoair Enviro 68108 includes a wireless remote control that operates the fan speed and a 2, 4, or 8 hour timer.

The Neoair Plus Air Purifier improves upon the features and conveniences of the Neoair Enviro 68108 by adding an air pollution sensor with sensor display and a filters replacement indicator. The air pollution sensor enables the system to automatically adjust the fan speed based on the level of pollution in the room. The four stage purification system includes a SuperHEPA filter which removes twice as many allergens from the air as a standard HEPA filter. The Neoair Plus also includes a wireless remote control with adjustable fan speed and timer settings, and is designed for rooms that measure up to 600 square feet.

EZ Air Purification System
Designed for rooms up to 1,200 square feet in size, the EZ Air Purification System is ideal for larger commercial settings. The four stage purification system includes a hospital grade HEPA filter, UV lamps, and activated carbon. Indicator lights inform you when the filters need to be replaced, and replacement is easy thanks to the tool-free access panel in the back of the unit. The EZ Air Purification System features a whisper quiet fan and three attractive color options. It also includes a one year supply of carbon prefilter packs.

Austin Air HealthMate And HealthMate Jr. Air Filter
The Austin Air HealthMate and HealthMate Jr. Air Filters offer users one of two unique filtering options depending on your individual needs. Those wishing to remove allergens, dust, pollens, and dander can select the medical grade HEPA filter. It traps 99.97% of all particles that are larger than 0.3 microns and is ideal for allergy and asthma sufferers. The Carbon/Zeolite filter is designed to trap a wide variety of gases, chemicals, and allergens including formaldehyde and ammonia. It is ideal for those with chemical sensitivities. Both versions of the Austin Air Filters feature foam sealing gaskets on the top and bottom to prevent untreated air from passing through. The HealthMate Jr. is designed for rooms up to 700 square feet while the standard HealthMate can efficiently clean up to 1,500 square feet.

Consider Your Specific Needs Before Purchasing
Because a variety of air purifiers exist, it is important to consider exactly what you are looking for before purchasing one. If you do not wish to worry about having to maintain the air purifier by replacing filters and UV lamps, the Airfree models are the best choice, though they tend to be more efficient in smaller spaces. For your vehicle, such as a truck or RV, the Neoair Cruiser is the perfect choice, combining multiple levels of filtering and drawing power from your cigarette lighter.

For remote control convenience and timed operation in a home or small office setting, the Neoair Enviro and Neoair Plus are the best choices with their five stage filtration technology and healthy release of negative ions. For larger, commercial settings the EZ Air Purification System and Austin Air HealthMate Systems are the best choice, especially with the Austin’s ability to reduce the presence of chemical smells.

10 Fireplace Smoking Problems and Solutions

by: Rick Pocock

There is nothing worse than coming in after a hard day and when you finally get a decent fire going, all you get is smoke coming back into the room. It burns the eyes and lungs, and you wind up having to open windows and doors to let the cold air in to air the room out. That smell gets into all of the fabrics in the house as well as in your clothes, and it seems to take forever to get rid of it.

Many of the common smoking problems deal with the fact that a fire needs to be supplied with a large amount of make up air as one of its three primary elements, as well as needing to have an adequate opening through the chimney to the outside in order to exhaust out the smoke and gases so that they don’t come back into the room. Below is a list of the top ten possible reasons and their solutions as to why you’re having that smoking problem.

1) Dirty or Obstructed Chimney– Have the chimney inspected and swept by a Certified Chimney Sweep so that the chimney can be checked for any obstructions such as a bird’s nest or tree branches, or your kid’s missing volley ball. Also, a dirty chimney cap will prevent smoke from freely exiting the chimney.

2) Closed Damper– Before starting a fire, always check to make sure that the damper is completely open. If you’re not sure, shine a flashlight up the chimney to see if the metal damper plate is open or closed.

3) Fuel– Cut firewood must be aged a minimum of one year. It should be kept dry and protected from the rain. If the log is larger around than 6" in diameter, it should be split so that it burns efficiently. Also, some types of prefabricated “paper wrapped” logs can be prone to smoking.

4) Fire Grate Placement– The fire grate is where you place your wood in the firebox and should be placed as far back in the firebox as possible, preferably right against the backwall in order to create a good draw. Sometimes it’s necessary to raise the grate with bricks to help. This gets more air under the grate for better circulation and it also raises the height of the fire.

5) Chimney Not Built To Proper Dimensions-Many times the fireplace opening is too large or too tall, especially in relation to the chimney flue size. This can give smoke a choice of going up the chimney or coming into the room. The solution could be adding a metal smoke guard to the top of the fireplace opening, since it shrinks the size of the opening. Also, many two-sided fireplaces have inherent smoking problems due to their sensitivity to air drafts in the house. In this case you might think about installing glass doors. One more thing, if the chimney does not have adequate height, you may need to extend the height of the chimney to improve the draw.

6) Cold Weather– If the weather outside the house is either colder and/or raining, the air inside the chimney flue will be cold and heavy and block the smoke from venting out. In this case, it helps to ‘prime’ the chimney by rolling up a newspaper and lighting it, then hold the lit end close to the open damper inside the firebox for a minute or two to warm up the heavy air in the flue. Then you can light the fire and ideally should have a good draw.

7) The House Is Near a Canyon or Hillside– If the house is next to a canyon, hillside or slope, it can have smoking problems due to wind currents and downdrafts. The air is pushed down the chimney into the room. Many times a specially designed chimney wind cap will resolve this problem since the top part of it turns like a weather vane and the cap’s backside creates a barrier in the way of the wind.

8) Central Heating System– If the heater is on, you will lose the draw from the chimney which will cause a smoking problem. This is because the central air furnace is so strong that even if the air intake vent for the central heating system is not in the same room as the fireplace, it will suck the outside air down the chimney and will cause the fireplace to smoke when the fire is going. Do not run the heater when the fireplace is in use!

9) Air Pressure Difference– Because houses are built much tighter than they used to be, the air pressure inside the house can be different than outside the house and this will not allow for a proper draw of air through the flue as well as the fire not receiving adequate make up air. This will also happen if a house is retrofitted with new tighter windows and doors. To minimize the smoking problem, crack open a window or door (preferably at the same level as the fireplace) in the room.

10) Tall Trees and Buildings– A tall tree or added-on second story (yours or your neighbor’s) close to the chimney may change the wind currents and cause down drafts to go down through the chimney and not only cause a smoking problem but possibly an odor problem as well. Keep those trees trimmed! With the 2nd story problem, the solution will likely be to raise the chimney height, but in some cases the wind cap might help instead.

These at least hit the highlights of what could be the problem when dealing with that annoying smoking problem. There are other possible reasons for this problem, so if following the corrective actions presented here don’t take care of it, the best advice I could give would be to contact a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep in your area and put him to work figuring it out. Good Luck!

Cleaning Your Dryer Vent Means A Savings Of Time And Money And Avoiding a Fire Hazard

by: Rick Pocock

Have you noticed that its starting to take longer and longer for your clothes to dry? Does a load of towels now take 2 or 3 drying cycles, and maybe still feel a little damp? If so, you’re probably also paying higher gas and electric bills than you used to.

The solution may be simpler than you think. And less expensive.

Most people automatically think that the dryer itself is the problem, but it usually turns out that the venting pipe that exhausts the dryer to the outside of the house has become clogged with lint. If your dryer can’t vent out that heat and moisture in the clothes, then your laundry can’t dry. Over time, running the dryer this way will eventually create enough extra wear and tear on the dryer parts that it will ultimately lead to expensive dryer repairs. Worst of all, it also turns your dryer into a potential fire hazard.

Most dryers now have a safety feature that will either turn the dryer off or turn the dryer’s heat off if it senses that it’s overheating, which will happen when there’s a buildup clogging the venting system. That’s why it takes forever for your clothes to dry--the clothes will keep spinning but there’ll be no heat. This feature is not completely reliable to depend on, and the older dryers are also not as likely to have adequate safety systems which will shut it off or stop the heat.

Who do you contact to get the venting system brushed out and inspected? Believe it or not, most appliance technicians will only deal with the dryer itself and want nothing to do with what it vents through. Generally the people to contact are chimney sweeps, and it is highly recommended to use one trained as a C-Det Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician if they are in your area.

In addition to cleaning out the accumulation in the venting system, there are other ways to help keep you safe when using your dryer.

One of the main causes for buildup in the dryer venting system is from forgetting to pull the pieces of paper, wrappers or Kleenex from the pockets before doing the laundry. Then add to that the hair (human and pet), sand, jewelry, money, and just about anything that you can think of, and you can see what it will lead to. The more of this kind of stuff that can be caught ahead of time and not allowed to get into the dryer, the better. It’s crazy what winds up in there!

In 1998, the last year reported, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that there were 15,600 fires, resulting in 20 deaths and 370 injuries from dryer fires. The fire hazard, in many cases, is caused by the lint and paper that gets past the lint screen landing inside the dryer below the drum on the dryer floor. Have a qualified appliance repair person out to clean the interior of the dryer several times a year to minimize the chance of fire. Watch how the repair person does this. In some dryers, there’s an access panel in the front of the dryer that can be easily removed so that the homeowner can do this. Clean the lint debris behind the dryer and keep combustible materials away from the dryer as much as possible.

Lint should be removed from the lint screen before each load of laundry. In addition, the fabric softener pads or sheets are fine to use but they leave a chemical film on the lint screen which will make your dryer harder to exhaust. Every few months, take the lint screen out, bring it to your kitchen sink and wash it with water, liquid dishwashing soap and a tooth brush.

The flexible connector hose between the dryer and the wall should be made from aluminum and not from flammable plastic. It should not be kinked or crushed, since this will also restrict the dryer’s ability to vent properly and will cause the dryer to overheat. It’s preferable that the connector hose only be long enough to go between the dryer and the wall with just a little bit of slack so that if the dryer is pulled out, the hose still stays connected.

If your dryer is located in a laundry closet or small room, the door to that room must be open while the dryer is running. A dryer needs make-up air--whatever amount of air it’s exhausting out, it needs to bring the same amount of air in, without having to work for it. If the dryer cannot get that make-up air, it may overheat. A dryer needs at least 100 square inches of oxygen, the equivalent of a 10" x 10" window. Also, if there is an exhaust fan in the laundry room, the fan should be off when the dryer is running.

Because of the high incidence of dryer fires, never leave the house if the dryer is on and never go to bed with the dryer running either. We are all a nation of multitaskers and what better way to multitask than to put wet clothes into the dryer, run some errands and come home to a load of dry laundry. This is really taking chances and just not safe to do.

When looking for a company to clean the dryer vent system, make sure that the technician will use a brushing method to clean out the dryer venting system. Many companies simply use a vacuum or blower, which will not remove the lint accumulation in the venting system. This becomes that much more essential if the lint is moist, since it takes on a consistency close to paper mache and will otherwise stick like paste to the inside of the pipe.

So if you are in need of this being done, just think about how much money you will be saving and how much joy it will put back into doing the laundry! Well, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but at least it will be a little less of a chore.

A Driveway Alarm: Saving Children's Lives

by: Steve Strong

Unpleasant incidents can happen to anyone, anytime! But, the true wisdom lies in knowing how to tackle them so as to minimize the loss of life as well as property. A driveway alarm is an ideal product for those, who put the security of kids and house above anything else in their life. A driveway alarms has a sensor that monitors the areas around your house, especially the entrances and exits. The driveway alarm would alert you in case someone intrudes from the backyard of the house. It alerts you if someone approaches your property or your driveway, and thus saves your family from facing an untoward incident.

There is a huge variety of driveway alarms available in the market to suit your specific requirements. The recent models of driveway alarms are completely wireless, and are equipped with an advanced range of sensors to enable you detect any suspicious motion. In fact, it is an ideal product to manage a big house. For example, the wireless version of driveway alarm can monitor upto 2 miles of area around your house. In addition, you get a Walkie Talkie that can be used for effective supervision of the house or business property.

Driveway alarm is an enhanced security measure that you must take to ensure you and your family complete peace of mind. Moreover, it’s very simple to install a driveway alarm and avail its wide range of benefits. Other than ensuring your safety, a driveway alarm can be used to notify when your guests reach your driveway. It can effectively dissuade unwanted people by activating its siren, alarms or lights. You can even install it outside your house and be informed when someone reaches your premises. You also have an option to go for wired magnetic probes, which disrupt the movement of vehicles by creating a magnetic field on your driveway.

You should get a right type of driveway alarm installed by an expert. This would help you ensure complete safety and peace of mind. Therefore, it is important to first take a closer look of your specific needs, and decide which driveway alarm to go for. While a hose type of driveway alarm alerts you about the movement of cars and heavy vehicles, a magnetic probe will only be identifying metallic vehicles. Then, you can choose a wireless beam as well, which can identify people as well as metallic vehicles. So, first of all you should decide the type of driveway alarm and match it with your requirements.

Next, you should pay attention to identify the construction of your home. Remember, the choice of a driveway alarm would be greatly influenced if you have a mobile home, or the one with steel or aluminum siding. So, observe and discuss it with the driveway alarm expert and take the decision accordingly. If your house has any transformers close by, their presence may interfere with the transmission of the signal. For example, if there is an electric fence around your house, you can use the DWA 5 model in this case.

Therefore, you should first know which type of driveway alarm is suitable for you. There are certain features that you can keep in mind while choosing a driveway alarm model:

• Signal Detection range up to 2 miles
• Wired or wireless installation
• Voice message
• Doorbell chimes
• Separate tones for separate areas of detection
• Cameras to monitor risk-prone areas
• With or Without a Fence

A driveway alarm provides you with complete security at very nominal price. Sometimes, the decision to install a driveway could be the decision to choose happy or tragic life.

How To Protect Your Business And Reduce Insurance Costs

by: Steve Strong

No matter how large your organization security needs to be taken very seriously, a good quality security system can not only prevent an unauthorized act but can also help to reduce insurance payments and protect the workforce. Even if you run a small business it is possible to install and monitor security cameras at a very reasonable price. Many small businesses are now turning to the wireless camera networks for monitoring the inside and outside of the premises. Since new Wireless technology has evolved over the years and has become more accessible and cheaper for everyone. It is now possible to have a state of the art complete monitoring system in place and running within 10 minutes.

What do you need to have a good installation that will protect you? The first and most important part will be the actual cameras, you can get small cameras that will send crystal clear footage to the camera receiver, if you do not want to buy an external viewing monitor then it is possible to display everything on a standard television. Installation could not be more simple, mounting the cameras is a very simple process and can involve as little as two screws, plug it into the standard mains output and the job is near done. All that then remains is to plug the video receiver into the television output and the system is installed. This eliminates any unwanted cabling and the expense involved in running it, the cameras are so good that they can even transmit through doors, floors, ceilings and walls. The cameras can be very small as well which can be useful if you need to monitor staff or if you are monitoring open access areas. The camera systems can even be more sophisticated and offer the ability to have motion detection and infra red should this be needed.

There are so many benefits to having security cameras for small business installed of which some are the theft prevention aspects, insurance benefits, peace or mind and the simplicity of installation. Any small business can benefit from an installation from Restaurants, small shops, professional offices and small warehouses. In terms of the business impact of having security cameras installed this can range from avoiding law suites, ensuring customer and employee safety, preventing theft, evaluating the staffs performance and monitoring the building while you are away. There are so many uses and cases for having a system installed that it could potentially be saving you money and time in the long run. As sated earlier in the article with the simplicity of the monitoring systems and the ease of use virtually every small business should be able to budget for a good quality low cost security system to install in their premises. Whether you choose to install a wireless one or a wired solution, cheap or expensive, the options will be able to provide you with the added security that is need when running a small business and help to prevent loss and safe money.

Motion Detectors - How Can Motion Detection Systems Prevent Crime?

by: Steve Strong

As the world is progressing more liberal and richer, people are also getting more affluent one by one and day after day. As a result of this fast growth, material possessions and expensive valuables are easily seen everywhere outside. Now luxury cars, diamond necklaces, gold jewelry, designer’s cloths or big premises are few items, which can become an article of burglar’s longing and can pose a great threat for the owner of getting it stolen or damaged. Such an exhibition of affluence has alarmed growing needs of security for life and belongings.

The way such threats are becoming more prominent with the growing crime index, the security devices are also picking their strength up in confronting such intimidations. There is variety of security and surveillance devices available in the market today.

One such category includes motion detectors, which is a very strong means of covering your indoor or outdoor residential or business premises. Motion detectors have a range of devices, such as standard indoor motion detectors, waterproof outdoor motion detectors, and motion detector cameras that cover the surveillance aspect of security all around. These motion detector cameras are a better option because they don’t require any storage like film or hard drive recording. It is very simple to use and easy to install.

If you have a business premises such as a warehouse or a factory premises that needs to be secured 24X7 hours a week, the outdoor and indoor motion detection cameras can be a better choice. These detectors can take an immediate action the moment they detect some danger. An alarm security system is a better alternative, if you have a day-night manned surveillance control room on your premises. The detectors can be attached to a quiet alarm or a light and would alert the authorized personnel as soon as some suspicious activity takes place around your premises. In case, you do not have such manned post available through the night or otherwise; you can plug the indoor and outdoor motion detectors into a central security system. This system acts as a loud alarm as soon as it detects someone. It produces a loud sound to alert the police or frightens the person to run away.

These motion detectors are not only meant for business premises, but also for outdoors. This is because the outdoor residential premises witness a lot of movement in neighborhoods, which can result in too many false alarms. Similarly, motion detector cameras can be of not much help as you tend to watch a lot of tape getting nothing at the end.

If you have very big residential premises, you can still think of putting the outdoor motion detectors or the motion detector cameras to strengthen your security. Yet, indoor motion detectors are a better choice to secure the house against any intrusion anytime during your presence or absence in the house.

The outdoor motion detectors certainly help your security personnel to secure your big or small business premises as well as you and your staff or family members from a forthcoming trouble.

Protecting Your Home From Lock Bumping

by: Steve Strong

There have been many incidents of lock bumping, wherein, the burglars used this method to enter the premises. Lock bumping allowed them to make a forceless entry into the premises. They opened doors with the help of a key by applying some force and ten removing the pins of lock resulting into a free way inside.

The outburst of such news in the local media and internet has created an environment of fear and insecurity among the people around. Though this technique has been practiced by burglars since ages, but recent spate of incidents and their overwhelmed publicity created an environment of shock among the masses. Moreover, this outburst in news and internet has also provided people the sufficient information on the availability of such techniques.

Besides the security concern, this is an insurance issue as well. If the insurance inspector does not locate any signs of forcible entry to your premises, he is more likely to suspend your claim for theft. Though such incidents are increasingly taking place all around now, but some bare minimal precautions can help protecting you and your property a hell lot of possible trouble later. You just need to upgrade the locks of your business and residential premises so as to prevent any unforeseen incident of door bumping. For such up gradation, you are required to replace your existing lock with bump proof locks or just replace the lock cylinders.

Generally, it has been seen that residential grade doorknobs are not provided with the lock cylinders. In case, you do not have such locks at your residence, you first need to get them replaced by commercial grade knob locks and put a high security cylinders in that. Somehow, in most of the houses the deadbolts do not comprise of removable cylinders. The Installation of deadbolt locks is highly recommended by the professionals so as to safeguard your home from lock bumping or for the added protection. If you have the deadbolt lock on your door, replacing the cylinders only will sort out the problem and existing deadbolts are not required to be changed.

While, putting a bump proof security cylinder in your door, just keep track of some specifications. Normally, you will find that the deadbolts of your lock measure 2 1/8 inch of diameter hole with a 1 inch hole from the edge of the door. The Measurements of “backset”, which is the measurement of the distance from edge of the door to the centre of the lock is 2 3/8 inches or 2 ¾ inches. However, some locks comprise of adjustable backsets and some others have fixed backsets. So, you will need these specifications when you go to buy a bump proof cylinder for your house.

The next precaution required is to safeguard your keys after you have replaced your ordinary locks to more secured bump proof locks. Although, most of the high security keys can not be duplicated by the local hardware shop without proper scrutiny, still it is better to prevent any such possibility by protecting your keys yourself. As, your security is your responsibility first, so be smarter than the prospective smart intruders.

Everything You Need To Know When Selecting A Home Safe

by: Steve Strong

Safes come in all different shapes and sizes and with a host of different security features. Depending on where you want your safe for will influence what type of safe you will require. For the home you will probably be looking for a small scale security safe. The safes can be split into two categories; these are burglary resistant and fire resistant.

Focusing on the burglary resistant safes first these will normally include security and key cabinets. The security safes have different ratings depending on the capacity, the low end range from around 2000 dollars through to 75000 dollars in insurance ratings. This is worked on the capacity of cash and valuables, so for example a low end 2000 dollar insurance rated safe will be insured for the value of 2000 dollars in cash or 40000 in valuables, this will vary depending on the type you choose. The safes will usually be fitted with either a key or electronic combination and the fixing would be to the wall or the floor. Within this range there are many options to satisfy your needs, these will range from laptop security safes to under floor safes.

A very common form of burglary is for the intruder to enter the premises or the house and steal car keys; usually the theft of the vehicle is to order. Many people make this easy for the intruder by having their keys near to the door. It is possible today to buy a key safe or cabinet that can hold your keys in a secure unit that will make the theft of your car keys harder for any intruder. It is also possible to keep your keys inside your security safe to provide additional security. Often the security safes are not fireproof and would not be suitable for storage of important paper documentation. There are many fireproof safes now on the market which are suitable not only for documents but also for data storage.

Data storage safes are common place in business where many organizations need to keep important files secure. Fireproof safes offer a range of protection from 1 hour to 2 hours fire resistance. The safes can protect important data items such as cds, dvds, dat tapes and optical disks. The other fireproof safes are for document storage again depending on the type that you buy the resistance can range anywhere from thirty minutes up to four hours. The smaller models are suitable for home use and start in price at around 75 dollars, making this a very cost effective solution to protect your valuable documents.

When choosing your safe you can have different styles of lock, these include key, electronic and combination locks. On the lower end safes you will most likely have either a key or electronic lock, if you have difficulty in remembering number sequences then it would be advised to choose the key lock over the electronic. Some of the high end safes will have a combination lock that will be set to turns and numbers; these are not normally found on the lower end safes made for the home environment.

Home Security Lighting To Detour Potential Break-ins

by: Steve Strong

Home Security Lighting is often overlooked as one of the most important aspects of home and house security. The major benefit that home security lighting has is that it helps to prevent and not just protect against intruders and vandals. Not only is this there this but also the advantage of protecting the homeowner against anybody who may be lurking on the property when getting to the premises at night.

The home security lighting that is used on the property can vary and when implemented should consider the neighboring property and homeowners. It is imperative that the lighting used is not too bright and does not illuminate over to other peoples boundaries causing complaints. There are on the market today many different types of security lighting available, some of the products that are available include porch lighting, halogen floodlights, infra red detection lights and motion sensor lighting.

The Porch lighting is a popular form of security lighting and is the preferred choice for many households. The basics behind the lighting is it provides a permanent source of light at very low wattage, usually the lighting is controlled with a light detector so will automatically come on and off from dawn to dusk periods. This is an essential element of the product; you can still obtain manual light switches however the automatic ones offer the protection for your property when you are away from home on business or vacations.

Another form of home security lighting that is becoming more popular with home owners are the halogen floodlights. The basis behind these is they are tripped by motion detection, for example if an intruder was in your back garden then the lighting would be activated along the boundary of your property when any movement occurred. The light levels from this form of security lighting needs to be no more than 150 watts, if the light is any brighter then this can cause blind spots from the glare of the light. These lights also use PIR sensors, these stop the lighting being tripped by animals or birds during the night. It is very important that the lighting is configured correctly and is not illuminating any of your neighbors’ gardens or homes. Usually these products will have a range of around 8 – 10 meters from the light to activation and will be triggered either by infra red motion detection or body heat sensor detection.

Pricing of these products are in today’s market are very competitive and you should be able to obtain a suitable product for reasonable prices. The PIR style lights and traditional floodlights come in at very similar price levels so you can base your decision on what best suites your needs. The highlighted security lighting products in this article are the two main security lighting options available however you can also get other forms of lighting such as garden lights which store solar powered energy. These can be used to improve the look of your garden whilst providing additional security. Plus you can also get standard porch lighting systems or path way lighting that will serve a purpose of illuminating areas of your property to prevent unwelcome visitors. The home security lighting systems can be used in tandem with other forms of security to provide a complete home security system.

With An Increase In Crime It’s Necessary To Protect Your Home And Loved Ones

by: Steve Strong

Our home is somewhere where we should feel safe and comfortable at all times and be able to shut the outside world away. For many people there are times when our private space becomes invaded and we have intruders, there are many ways that we can help to prevent this from happening and protect our families and possessions. Home safety devices and security has become big business and there are so many different products on the market that it becomes a hard choice as what to choose and when it should be used.

The market can be broken down and there should be particular focus paid to the outside and the inside of the building, each area requires a different method of protection.

When looking into the security of the external perimeter of the home there are a number of devices that can be used. Secure gates and padlocks are a good idea to prevent people from entering your back yard, even an open gate can be an invitation for someone to come in and have a look around. Make sure your garage and your external buildings are secured such as the shed or outhouse, many thieves will not make the effort to break into your home but are looking for quick gains that they can find in a garage or shed that is not locked. If you are looking to install a security system then installing security lights that can detect motion in the garden or on the front drive would be a good idea. The lights are very bright and will be able to detect any movement from a person and will often protect areas that otherwise would be dark and vulnerable.

Lots of people are also looking into the security camera path for protection and have installed monitoring systems, cameras are a good idea but the systems can be expensive and may not be necessary for a smaller house. Protecting the outside of the house is the first line of defense, in order to have a complete system the inside of the property needs to be secured as well.

Home safety does not need to be expensive and simple measures can help to prevent the everyday burglar from getting into your house easily. Window locks and good quality door locks make the task harder and often an easy target is what they are looking for. Installation of a burglar alarm system is also a good idea, if the budget is tight though then there are dummy systems that can be installed which will act as a deterrent. The more visible security that you have the less likely it is that you will be targeted. Motion detection systems and security monitoring systems can all be setup inside the home too; it is possible to do this at a reasonable cost due to the advance in technology and the availability of the products. Home security and safety should be taken seriously and it doesn’t have to be expensive to implement a good tight system in your home.

How To Make Sure Your Home Is Fully Secure From Break-ins

by: Steve Strong

Glass break sensors or Audi Discriminators have been around for a number of years. The technology has advanced in recent years and there are now a number of different versions available. The basic concept of a glass break sensor is to detect and sound an alarm if there is a sound of breaking glass. The original concept was based around a single technology which only picked up on the sound of breaking glass, however today there are now dual frequency devices which will not only pickup on the sound of breaking glass but also on the splintering of wood. Most of the glass break sensors today will use the dual frequency technology.

The technology works by listening at the frequency that glass breaks and if this sound is detected then the alarm is activated. There are some points that need to be made clear before you decide on this form of security, firstly the technology does not work through walls, ceilings or doors. With this in mind you would need to have a sensor in each of the rooms where you have glass windows or doors. This can be a costly exercise to have sensors in all of these places and you may not wish to have this many around the house in every room.

The sensors are wall mounted and have a range of around 35 feet in all directions; therefore their coverage is good for the home environment. There are however on glass sensors that can be purchased, these are sensors that are attached to the windows directly usually using a glue adhesive. The off-glass sensors can be discreetly wall mounted and are most likely the preferred option for many people. Today it is possible to buy the devices as either hardwired or wireless units like much of the security equipment that can be brought today.

A lot of the glass break sensor units will provide many advanced features including false alarm detection which will eliminate the chance of something other than the breaking glass triggering the alarm systems. Most of the glass break sensors come with excellent guidelines on how to install the system allowing the homeowner to be capable of setting up the systems quickly and simply. Testing features are generally built into the sensors allowing the user to easily verify that they are functioning correctly; usually this is achieved by lights on the sensors.

As like any home security product it is important to follow the correct planning routine in order to ensure that the product is suitable for your requirements. Some of the most important aspects when you are looking to install glass break sensors will be the number of rooms, how many sensors will be required per room, whether a window would be accessible from the outside by an intruder. Check the features included in the glass break sensor that you are purchasing and make sure they are suitable to integrate into your current security setup. When you purchase the sensor keep in mind whether you need a wired or a wireless sensor and whether you want the off glass or on glass sensors. Always read the instructions carefully before attempting to start the installation process, you need to ensure that they are setup correctly otherwise your security could be compromised.

Is There A Difference In A Business Security System And Home Security System?

by: Steve Strong

Business security does vary from the home security process due to the different factors that are involved; if you run a small business the advice again will vary form a large organization. Remember security is not just for the premises but also for the people and data, the questions and information in this article will help you to asses the kind of security you would need to consider for your business.

Some of the most preliminary questions include information such as do you have employees? Do you have a written security plan? Do you collect and store personal information? These are all basic questions to consider, however you will also need to consider the physical elements of security such access control to the data and remote access to files and computer systems. Couple this with the actual security of the buildings and outside areas and you will then be able to draw up an overall security plan. Many large organizations will employ someone to specifically work on a day to day basis on all aspects of the companies’ security policy.

So breaking this down you will need to focus on the key areas of each aspect to construct the overall business plan. Looking at the personal data security this will usually be stored on backup tapes from servers or even on the servers, taking the backups is important to minimize the chance of data loss. Once the data has been removed from the servers then safe storage is vital to eliminate theft and loss. Most organizations will keep the information in fireproof safes or storage rooms, while others will remove the tapes and store them in multiple locations. Which ever method is suitable for your business the security of confidential information is paramount.

The physical security of staff members and the building is another aspect that we need to cover, various levels apply. Depending on the size of the building, number of employees and the work carried out in the building will have a bearing on how much security is required. Many large organizations will have security guards employed to restrict access to the building and stop unauthorized entry. Not only does this stop people entering the building it also helps to assist in areas such as fire regulations, where the employer should know how many people are in the building in case of fire. Security tags and entry systems are also common place now, every member of staff is provided with a security tag and this will monitor when and where the person went within the building. The other advantage of using security tags is they can restrict access to certain areas, useful if you need to have secure areas such as data storage, server rooms and so on.

This all then ties in with the traditional methods of security which will include camera systems, alarm systems and fire systems. With all these security measures it becomes clear as to why business security cameras will take not only one person’s time but in large businesses a whole team of people to implement and run on a day to day basis.

Dummy Security Cameras Could Void Your Home Or Business Insurance

by: Steve Strong

Often the expense of a surveillance system can put many people off of purchasing and leave their property or premises vulnerable to theft or attack. It is common known that if any would be criminal sees a property with security or a property without they are more likely to go for the easy target. With this in mind even if you do not have the money to finance a complete system it is possible to buy dummy security cameras, these make for a brilliant alternative and are a must have for many people. The systems look just like their real counterparts and act as the perfect deterrent for any would be nuisance caller or would be burglar. Most people would not recognize a live system from a bogus one and this is the beauty of them. The majority of the systems look and feel just like the real thing, they have identical external casings with wiring, cables and markings which you would expect to find.

Since many of the dummy security cameras have become ever more sophisticated just like the real ones and now can be bought with a host of features. Motion sensors can be found on them and they act just like the real ones and would fool most people, other features include lights that flash or blink to give the impression that they are recording or live. Many are branded with stickers and other factual information to further deter the intruder. Some locations or buildings would not make suitable places to have these camera systems and it is important that careful consideration is taken before considering fake cameras.

In many offices or business premises real cameras are a necessity with health and safety grounds and also the protection of the goods. Fake systems will not provide the owner with any information should a building be broken into or damaged, and will only act as a deterrent.

The main reason and probably the only reason that anyone would purchase a dummy system is on cost. The majority of businesses that are most likely to use security cameras will have stock or equipment that needs to be protected and the dummy security cameras will do the job unless a break in occurs. Many businesses will not be insured and the goods would not be insured if the security systems are not live and providing active real protection. For the everyday homeowner then dummy security cameras could be enough to prevent a potential burglar, it would be highly unlikely that if you did get burgled any contents and your home insurance payouts would be prevented because you have security cameras. Be careful to check your insurance policies carefully and do not declare that you have a real live active security camera system in place when you in fact do not. You would be likely to pay reduced insurance premiums, but run the risk that if you do need to make a claim that your insurance would be invalidated due to inaccurate information.

April 27, 2008

The Warmth Of Patios

by: Kenny Leichester

Apart from providing source to life, nature is meant for all to enjoy. Natural surrounding is at its best when it is undisturbed my man. Some would adapt nature’s beauty at home. Transporting replicas of lush sceneries in their own garden so that they may enjoy it everyday in the comforts of their own home. Resting in suitable patio furniture will then be a necessity to them. A wide variety of patio furniture to choose from. And this is just half the enjoyment.

Obviously, outdoor furniture is needed. Take for instance, the patio in the home. It is an area in which one can still enjoy the outdoors even without stepping onto the grass. The patio is an extension of the home but without the shelter or rooftop to obstruct it. In this way, one can appreciate favorable weather conditions! Patio furniture comes in all forms such as hammocks, swings, tables and chairs, canopies, cushions, fire pits, bird baths and feeders, rugs and even ponds or fountains!

Hammocks give the best comfort while you need to be in the snooze mode. With a few cushions, you will be more contented to drift away in the lazy afternoons. Hammocks can be enjoyed by anyone from children to the aged. What would a patio be without a table and chairs? Having these in the patio would allow family activities to take place. A fire pit for barbeque and you can have activities together a lot more often. Other things can invite a fresh look to your garden is a bird bath or feeder. Pond or fountains will give it a refreshing effect too.

But there are bad days when weather takes the upper hand and dares to destroy the effort you put into your patio. Or there may be days when the weather doesn’t look very promising yet you want to enjoy the outdoors anyways. So what can you do to protect your patio furniture? And what can you do to enjoy the outdoors despite disagreeable weather?

The patio umbrella is exactly the thing you need for those outdoor uncertainties. Furthermore, for those who worry about the harmful damages of the rays, you can be sure that a good patio umbrella will protect you. These umbrellas come in different shades of color. It is interesting to note that the darker the shade, the more protection it guarantees. If the sun’s ray is not the one you are worried about, you can therefore settle for lighter colors.

When the weather gets tough, your outdoor furniture will suffer. Recognized for its stability and durability, teak is the best type of furniture you must have in the outdoor patio. Water resistant timber will not let you down. It will never rot, twist or splinter. Teak is also on one the most elegant looking wood. It will give your patio that classy look. With low cost maintenance, there is no need for you to run out of the house to cover your furniture in plastic anymore.

What if you want to be outdoors during fall and early spring? Outdoor heaters allow you to enjoy your patio longer during these seasons. Although these heaters won’t transform the dead of winter into a summer day, the heaters operate on adjustable temperature settings. This allows the ideal atmosphere for a spirited evening barbecue, an early morning breakfast or any other outdoor activity. These heaters are economical and easy to operate and most outdoor heaters require no electricity at all.

So whatever the weather, don’t let it bother you! Enjoy the outdoors as much as you possibly can. Nature is beautiful whatever form it is in. So enjoy it at its purest!

Termite Treatments

by: Bruce Gow

Termite Treatments Used in Sydney Australia

All Guard Pest Control uses & recommends Termidor as a low toxic, effective Termite Treatment for your home

There area number of termite treatments available in Sydney Australia, but which are the most cost effective and what works the best to stop termites in their tracks?

The standard termite treatment involves applying termiticide as a continuous barrier in the soil around the house, termite baits, installing continuous termite shields at the top of the foundation, and/or termite reticulation systems. Other termite treatments include termiticide foam, using crushed granite (trade name Granitgard) or steel mesh cloth (Termimesh) as a physical barrier, moisture control, and wood elimination. A combination of methods are used for "integrated pest management," as many times a single technique is not enough.

Termite Baits
Termite baits are a great indicator of the presence of termites and are an effective way to kill the colony causing the problem. Sentricon makes such a system. FMC makes FirstLine, a termite baiting station using an insecticide stomach poison in a cellulose matrix. FMC is modifying their product to incorporate untreated stations that last longer than treated bait stations. The bait is a cellulose food treated with termiticide, a toxic substance and/or insect growth regulator. The food is wood or laminated-texture cellulose, which is favoured by termites. Termites eat the treated food and carry it back to the nest, reducing the size of the colony. The termiticide in the bait works slowly enough that termites have a chance to go back to the nest instead of dying near the bait, because dead termites repel other termites.

It's not recommended by this firm as a standalone treatment, unless it is obvious where the termites are coming from. Well placed baits are a frontline indicator of termite activity and often used to supplement soil barrier treatments. We prefer to use Termidor for termite treatments in most circumstances, as it is a low toxic alternative which termites wander through treated areas at random and pick up poison to take back to the nest. Unlike high toxic repellents, it does not require a continuous barrier around your home. Termite baits may be used a supplement for effective termite control.

Why are termites a problem in Australia?
Termites (often incorrectly called 'white ants') feed on wood and serve an important function in nature by converting dead trees into organic matter. Unfortunately, the wood in buildings and other structures such as wooden power poles is equally appetising to termites, so they can cause serious damage which may be very expensive to repair. There are many species of termites in Australia, of which about 20 species can eat sound wood in buildings; those causing most damage to buildings are social insects that live in subterranean colonies that may contain up to 200, 000 individuals.

In order to maintain humidity and to protect themselves from extreme weather conditions, a colony (or nest) of subterranean termites may be up to 6–7 metres below the soil surface and have extensive tunnel networks that can extend up to 100 metres from the nest.

How can buildings be protected against termites?
Control techniques for termites can essentially be divided into two types, prevention and treatment. Preventative measures are easily applied during the construction of new buildings, but some (eg. stainless steel mesh, or a layer of granite chips) are not very suitable for existing buildings or structures.

Prevention of Attack
Building design can reduce the chances of termite damage. Important strategies include reducing the amount of timber used in buildings, a properly designed concrete slab with edges exposed for inspection for termite activity, or provision for easy under-floor inspections of timber floors. Installation of a reticulated system under the concrete slab can also to allow chemical barriers to be applied and re-applied whenever necessary.

Chemical barriers
Chemicals that are used to kill termites are called termiticides. Termiticides have differing modes of action, and several methods are used to apply them.

For many new buildings, creation of a termiticide-treated layer of soil surrounding and under the building form an integrated barrier together with the physical methods described above.

The termiticide is applied to the soil under the slab and around the footings, pipes, conduits and other structures of the house during construction to create a vertical barrier. Further loosened soil around the perimeter of the house, including around all pipes and service facilities, is treated during and after construction to from a horizontal barrier.

Timber intended for use in the construction of houses, outbuildings, fences and other outdoor structures is often treated with chemicals by dipping and pressure or vacuum impregnation.

1 The Australian Standards relating to termite management are: AS 3660.1— 2000 Termite Management – Part 1: New Building Work; AS 3660.2 – 2000 Termite Management – Part 2: In and Around Existing Buildings and Structures – Guidelines; and AS 3660.3 – 2000 Termite Management – Part 3: Assessment Criteria for Termite Management Systems. Termite protection: available treatments and hazard information about termiticides Page 3 of 25

Treatment of infestation
Treatment of a termite infestation in an existing structure also requires an integrated approach, including destruction of termites within the timber structures, measures to locate and destroy the termite nest, re-establishment of a chemical and/or physical barrier, and regular inspections to detect any ongoing or new termite activity.

For existing buildings, where signs of infestation have been detected, chemical treatment is usually the best option for destroying termites and re-establishing a barrier.

Premise
Active Ingredient Imidacloprid a member of the relatively new class of chemicals called chloronicotinyls . It is used to create a barrier or treated zone in the soil where it attracts termites, which die within the treated zone.

Brand – Premise, from Bayer

Type – Chloro-Nicotinyl (an insect nerve inhibitor)

Toxicity – Rated S5. “Practically non-toxic” both oral and dermal.

Odour – This water-based insecticide is almost odourless.

Longevity – The label claims “at least two years”. Bayer advise us that they are intending to re-label claiming 5 years.

Bayer’s printed information states “At CSIRO test sites, Premise was effective for a minimum of 2 years with more than 6 years control achieve at some sites. Trial work in infested buildings has shown that more than 90 per cent are still termite free 5-6 years after treatment.

Bayer also claim that Imidacloprid has some indirect colony control effect. In other words, it will kill termites without repelling them, and can have a negative effect on the health and numbers of any colony infesting the immediate area.

Biflex
Brand – Biflex Aqua from F.M.C.

Type – Synthetic pyrethroid water based termiticide

Toxicity – Rated S6, oral – “slightly toxic”, dermal – “practically non-toxic”.

Odour – This water based termiticide is almost odourless.

Longevity - the label claims “at least 10 years” when applied at maximum strength. In practical conditions around a typical home, due to water exposure, disturbance of garden beds etc STC recommends re-treatment each 5 years.

A characteristic of Bifenthrin is that it binds very quickly and strongly to the soil particles. This makes it a good option where moisture movement in the soil may be a factor. On the downside, for the same reason, it tends to be filtered out by the soil so that it will not seep through the soil and penetrate some target areas as well as a product like as Imidacloprid.

Termidor
Brand -Termidor from BASF

Active Ingredient Fipronil - Benzisothiazolin

Toxicity -Rated S6, oral-harmful if swallowed, dermal-may irritate skin, does not readily penetrate skin. Repeated exposure may cause allergic reaction.

Odour - has a slight vegetable oil smell.

Longevity - re-treatment each 5 years should be expected.

Termidor was launched in 2002 after some presentations from the USA, where it is used extensively. It has quickly built up a reputation as “the best” termiticide, because of claims made that it has strong indirect colony control effects. The effectiveness of Fipronil as a termiticide is beyond doubt. Fipronil is an extremely low toxic active insecticide. It is applied by spraying, trenching and soil rodding as a chemical soil barrier around existing structures, and may also be used to protect poles and fence posts.

Accordingly, All Guard Pest Control regards this product as “top of the range” and its cost premium is generally worthwhile on jobs where a continuous soil treatment is unlikely to be achievable due to building characteristics.

N.B. - All Guard Pest Control Pty Ltd cannot guarantee that colony control will occur, since this will depend on many factors including the termite pressure around the particular areas treated. The best security is achieved by the formation of a continuous soil treatment in conjunction with a regularly monitored termite baiting system.

Call All Guard Pest control now on 1800 333 337 or email Rudy at rudy@allguardpestcontrol.com.au for free advice on how to best protect your home from termite attack