Home-Improvement Articles
Why Air Purifiers Are All The Rage
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 672)
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Air Purifiers
Air Purifiers are all the rage now, everybody has them and everybody sells them. There are Ionic Air Purifiers, regular filter Purifiers and HEPA filter purifiers.
the Journal of the American Medical Association now suggests that the air pollution existing today in the US raises the risk of lung disease to a point where more than half of the US population is breathing unhealthy amounts of air pollution.
More than 50 million Americans seem to be suffering from allergies and more than 20 million battle asthma.
There is such a thing as Sick Building Syndrome, a worldwide phenomenon, when chemical substances used in office construction such as glue, insulating materials, cardboard, and fiberglass are steadily released into the atmosphere from electronic equipment, carpeting, furniture and fittings.
That is why the air inside buildings or residential structures may be many times more polluted than the air outside, according to the EPA.
Because of all these reasons Air Purifiers have become very important. The different types of air purifiers include mechanical purifiers, electronic air purifying systems, hybrid purifiers and gas phase purifiers. Most of these systems remove particles and harmful toxins from the indoor air.
The HEPA Filter is a High Efficiency Particulate Arrested Filter designed to remove 99.97% of all airborne pollutants 0.3 microns or larger from the air that passes through the filter ( including tobacco smoke, household dust and pollen).
There are also filtering technologies that operate by using ozonation. The most popular air purifier on the market today uses ozone. These purifiers actually produce ozone which is an irritant that can worsen asthma and decrease lung function.
The removal of particles from the air is what is measured when the efficiency rate is trying to be achieved.
The fraction of particles that is removed from the indoor air being measured is what determines the amount of efficiency an air purifier possesses.
Air cleaners using mechanical filters or electronic technology can perform particle removal. Mechanical home air purifiers are units that can draw the indoor air through a metal or fibrous filter that is designed to trap the particles.
Because filters have different size pores they are able to catch these particles. is able to catch these particles with its different sized pores. Different types of filters may be pleated , square, round, with different levels of efficiency.
Mechanical filters in general are very efficient in eliminating contaminants from the air as long as they are cleaned regularly. There are 3 diferent types of electronic purifiers:
Electrostatic purifiers pull air into a chamber and charge the particles electrically. The air is then let through wafers which are negative ion generators, give particles a charge and cause them to stick to the nearest solid object.
These purifiers are not as effective as the other electronic or mechanical purifiers because they do not eliminate particles but move them to another location.
Ionizers do the same thing but create ozone which in itself may be bad for your health. Ozone is a lung irritant produced by ion generators and some other electronic air cleaners and ozone generators.
While indirect ozone production is of concern, there is even greater concern with the direct, and purposeful introduction of a lung irritant into indoor air. There is no difference, despite some marketers' claims, between ozone in smog outdoors and ozone produced by these devices. Repeated exposure to ozone pollution may cause permanent damage to the lungs.
Hybrid air cleaners use both mechanical filters and electronic technology in order to clean the air of particles. Ozone emissions may be present from the use of electrostatic air purifiers and negative ion generators. High levels of ozone may be harmful but cleaning the units as specified by the manufacturer may mitigate the possible bad effects of ozone to some extent.
Efficient Air Purifiers can cost anywhere from $500 to $1500 for a single room and a System to clean a whole house can easily run into the thousands of dollars.
Enjoy Your Backyard
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 471)
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If you are one of the lucky people in life that is blessed with having a backyard outside your home, then enjoy it. Use your back yard, make it into a favorite place for you, your family and your friends to spend time. After all, not everyone has the privilege of having a great backyard to spend time in.
If you have ever lived in an apartment or an inner city than you know how great it is to have even a little bit of property to call your own. You know how fun it can be to have space to play or relax or garden. You know that a backyard can be one of the greatest places on earth.
I have grown to love my backyard so much because it holds so much potential for me and my family. It is a small plot of the earth just to be used by me and the ones I love. Because I know that not many people in the world have a space to call their own, I have really learned to make the most of the backyard I have.
For the first few years our family had a backyard we did little with it other than mow the grass. That all changed, however, after a family meeting we held one Saturday afternoon. I guess it was my husband's idea, I cannot really remember, but I just know that we decided as a family to put our backyard into good use. We brainstormed ideas about the different ways that we could transform our backyard into a place that we all enjoyed spending time in.
Our brainstorming session led to many changes in our backyard. My husband and I had always wanted to garden, so we set aside part of the backyard and began making preparations for having a vegetable garden. It was a thrill for us to actually see one of dreams come true right on our own property. We read up on gardening and asked for tips from our gardening friends. Within two seasons we had a small but successful vegetable garden that was one of the proudest spots in our backyard.
Our children requested a fire pit so that we could enjoy bonfires and making smores on cool summer nights. We did a little research and installed a great fire pit on one side of our backyard. It became a gathering place for many of our friends and family members throughout the spring, summer and even fall months. Many special conversations were had around that fire pit and it too became one of the best parts of our backyard.
Regardless of the state of your backyard now, take some time to brainstorm with your own family and make your backyard a great place for years to come.
When Is It Time To Buy A New Bed
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 439)
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When our beds are no longer providing proper support and comfort, it affects the quality of our sleep. People are often unaware that their beds may be one of the reasons why they are not sleeping well.
Beds don't last forever - life span is affected by factors such as the quality of the bed, care, amount of use and sleeping each night versus occasional use of spare beds. Changes in lifestyle and in our bodies can also necessitate a change of bed.
A mattress will need replacing if you start waking up with aches and pains which will usually wear off as the day progresses. Your sleep pattern becomes affected and your not sleeping as well as you used too. Other beds seem more comfortable and you prefer sleeping in these rather than your own. Wear and tear in your mattress can also play a big part in your sleeping comfort, Mattresses will generally start to sag or rip as the materials are worn down.
Having a comfortable bed plays a very big role in having a good nights sleep and can help you feel refreshed and ready to face the world.
There are hundreds of different types of beds on the market today and there is no specific type for a back problem etc. The best advice is to try out as many different types as you can and find the one you feel most comfortable lying on. below is a brief guide courtesy of the sleep council on how to choose a good bed
Decide your priorities and concerns in advance. For example, is it :-
price, storage, access to bedroom, turning the mattress, getting in and out of bed, overall size, shape, a health issue, etc
If possible, try a selection of beds for comparison before you buy.
Buy for correct support and comfort for your weight and build - not just firmness.
Lie down in your normal sleeping position and make some turns, too. Wear comfortable clothing and remove any outdoor gear.
Try it together, if the bed's for two.
Don't forget a bed is a mattress and a base working together - don't consider them in isolation.
Think big - larger beds are more comfortable.
You get what you pay for - both in product and service - so spend as much as you can afford.
Remember, you're going to spend over 29,000 hours on your bed during its (10 year) lifespan so it's worth taking a little time and effort in the beginning to make sure you make the right choice.
Hassle Free Walk In Showers
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 208)
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Walk-in showers have become the ultimate luxury in new homes and for existing bathroom upgrades. Design experts say one of the key factors for homebuyers is the bathroom and with more emphasis being placed on bathroom design they are looking for both functionality and stylish innovations. As a result, homeowners are basking in an endless array of choices for stylizing their bathrooms with a vast range of decorative finishes and dynamic choices in showers available.
These hot new trendy showers stray from the days of the typical bath/shower combination now giving homeowners more options in where to allocate their walk-in shower. With the emergence of shower range designs from semi-framed, framed to frameless combined with uncompromising construction, walk-in showers have become the core addition in bathroom renovations. Today much of the design effort is being placed on creating a more open space in the bathroom. Consumers are becoming increasingly in favor of clear glass showers to serve as the focal point in their bathroom because of the clean precision line construction and as a mean of reflecting light especially for bathrooms not equipped with windows. By incorporating glass type walk-in showers other bathroom fixtures can easily be built into the remaining bathroom d
How To Care For Your Furniture
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 480)
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Investing in quality furniture can be a large investment; it can be the largest investment after the purchase of your home and car. I know you don't think twice about properly maintaining your car and keeping your house up to date by painting and replacing worn floors so why wouldn't you give your furniture the same care?
Your furniture gets used quite a bit, especially if you have parties and get-togethers like we do in addition to having teenagers. You can make your furniture last much longer if you adhere to some of the suggestions we will give you here.
The first thing should be a no-brainer, Keep your furniture clean! I know, it should be obvious but this is one of the leading causes of furniture looking bad and breaking down. Vacuum cloth furniture on a regular basis. If you have furniture constructed of leather, wipe it down with a good leather treatment product and keep your wood furniture looking new by keeping it polished with good wood oil.
If your furniture is already worn, there are still some steps you can take to restore it. This is especially easy with wood furniture, as you have several options. First you can strip the furniture down, sand it and repaint it and totally change the entire look of the piece of furniture. Another option is to paint it. You can just paint it a flat color or you can choose a custom paint finish or if you are a little creative you can paint a theme on it. I painted my son's furniture with surf scenes since he is all into surfing.
For minor scratches, one trick is to simply get wax crayons that are similar in color to fill in the cracks, or even shoe polish works sometimes.
With upholstered furniture you can easily renew them by just having them reupholstered and get a completely new look in the process. This is another good argument for buying quality furniture. There is not point spending the money on reupholstering cheap furniture that is not built properly. If you look at some of the furniture like your grandparents probably still have, you know what I mean. They may have a couch that they have had for fifty years!
And yet another way to revive tired looking furniture is to simply move your room around or switch the rooms that your furniture is in. Take the armchair that has been in your living room since you bought the house and move it to the bedroom. Take the unused chair in the spare room and move it by the front door. Simple changes like this will help you cycle your furniture from heavy use areas to light use areas, which will help maintain their life, and will help you enjoy them as if they were new.
The Most Often Overlooked Aspect Of Bathroom Remodeling
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 307)
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One of the most often overlooked aspect of bathroom remodeling that you should take special note of is the floor. Most people don't pay too much attention to the floor when remodeling their bathroom.
The floor of your bathroom should be one of the first places to start when remodeling. This is because the floor gets much more used than other aspects of your bathroom.
That being said, it is also important that you also use the best type of floor that will not only be durable, but also beautiful looking. This does not mean you have to spend fortunes on the floor.
You can get stone or ceramic tile for your bathroom floor. Such stone or ceramic floor tiles are not too expensive but are mostly durable. So, you can spend just a little more money and still get good quality floor tiles for your bathroom. I know of people who have these stone or ceramic tiles for their bathroom floors that have lasted for ages. Yours too can.
But to get the best benefit of stone or ceramic floor for your bathroom, you have to make sure it is properly installed. So, get the help of a professional to properly fix or install your stone or ceramic tile. If it is not properly fixed, it will not last at all.
There was once when I did the mistake of getting an amateur to fix the tiles for my bathroom. Sadly, this did not last at all. I had to get it remodeled after a very short time. I ended up spending much more and wasting valuable time remodeling my bathroom floor. Don't repeat such a mistake.
Do it once and do it the right way and you will enjoy your bathroom floor remodeling for years to come!
Live In Your Living Room
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 89)
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Is your living room a place for show, only used when you're entertaining? Living rooms, as their name suggests, should not only reflect who you are to the outside world, but they should also be lived in. Here are some suggestions for making your living room warm and inviting for guests as well as functional and comfortable for family members.
If your living room is large, divide it into smaller areas through the positioning of furniture. You want the "conversation pit" to be cozy
Home Improvement Guidelines For Selecting A Contractor
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 484)
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In today's world the most valuable asset owned by people is their home. And when considering any size home improvement project, protecting this investment should be top priority.
The first step in any remodeling or improvement project is to select the right contractor. Prudent homeowners will make their selection carefully and after thoughtful consideration. Is the contractor licensed, and is he experienced? If so, in what particular area is his expertise?
How to find a Qualified Contractor:
One source for locating a qualified, experienced contractor is from other people who have had similar remodeling work done. When talking with contractors, request references and take the time to check them out.
Check with a service that keeps track records of various contractors. You can also use online resources, such as Handy Canadian.com, for locating a qualified contractor in your area.
Hire only a home improvement contractor with strong referrals and high rankings. Depending on the type of project you are planning, you may need to deal with any of the following professional contractors:
Architects are designers of homes, buildings, and home improvement remodeling projects. You may want to consult one if your project includes new construction or structural changes.
Designers usually have expertise in a certain area of the home, such as interior decorating, and bedroom or bath design.
Design/build contractors see your project through from concept to completed construction, and may have an architect or certified designer on staff.
General Contactors oversee the entire construction process, and sub-contract specialized contractors such as plumbers or electricians.
Specialized contractors are highly proficient in their individual area, such as dry wall, paint, or cabinetry.
Questions to ask before selecting a contractor for your home improvement might include: How long have you been contracting? What licenses and certifications do you carry? How many projects have you completed in the last year; what were they, and who were they for?
Ask, "What references do you have? Will there be any subcontractors, and if so what are their credentials? What insurance coverage do you have? What permits are required for my project?"
Be Thorough in Your Search
You might also want to check with the appropriate government office to see whether or not there are any unresolved complaints against the contractor before making your final selection.
Check out all references provided and ask questions such as: Was the project completed on time and were you happy with the results? How well did the contractor communicate with you throughout the project? Were there any cost over-runs?
Also ask if the contractor employee's were on time, courteous, and whether or not they cleaned up the home improvement site when they were finished?
Canadian residents have the opportunity to use the Internet to assist in the screening process by visiting Handy Canadian.com.
By following these guidelines, you help insure a successful home improvement!
Take Care Of Your Air Conditioning
(category: Home-Improvement, Word count: 318)
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If you take care of your air conditioning unit, you could prolong its life and get the most use out of it. Generally you should be able to do most of the maintenance yourself. However, in the more serious cases, it would be better to hire a contractor.
The first and most simple step to take to prolong your air conditioner's life is to change the filter. You should change it whenever it gets dirty. Depending on the usage, that could range from every three to six months. There are some filters out there, which can last up to a year. Ask someone in the hardware store for more tips!
Once a year be sure that you check the evaporator coil located inside the air handler to make sure there is no dust build up.
When the weather starts to cool you should check the outside of the air conditioning. You should check around the unit and make sure there is no debris on the surface of the condenser that will stop airflow. Also you should check between the fins of the condenser to see that it's not plugged with dead bugs or pollen. Spraying the condenser with a hose will usually be good enough to get rid of all the debris.
Although many air conditioners today use direct drive motors, it is a good idea to check the belt in the air handler. You may have to replace it. If no change is required, you may only have to oil the motor bearings once a year.
It is also good to check contactors and other electrical; most of them are located inside the condensing unit. The contactor operates the compressor and the contacts get pitted and need to be replaced occasionally. Different manufacturers use different types of contactors so check the manual to find what kind you need.
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