Home Painting Ideas for DIY Enthusiasts

Home painting is not everyone's cup of tea. But all of us should give it a try because it gives immense pleasure while doing so. Here are some useful tips that would help you give your walls a proper finish.

Do the preparation

• The very first thing you need to do is to wash down all the walls, which you want to paint. You can take the help of a pressure washer. It can be taken on rent from any store. After completing the washing process, take a scraper and remove all the chipped areas and loose paintings. No need to scrap the whole wall. But the uneven areas need to scraped as they create problems while painting.
• Next thing to do is to calculate the area of the wall by square footage so that you can determine the amount of paint required. Buy paint in 5-gallon pails, rather than gallons to save more money.

Collect your tools

• You will need painting brushes and rollers during painting. What type and how many brushes you need can be best decided by consulting your local paint store. For oil based paints, you can opt for natural or synthetic bristles, while you can use synthetic bristles with latex paint. The same rule applies while selecting rollers.
• Don't forget to purchase some painter’s tape. It is a blue tape that comes in different widths and can be easily removed without messing up your paint job.

Precautions before applying

• Don't start painting out of the paint cans. Because during painting it will remain open and come in contact with air, that would dry it out, thus making the paint difficult to apply. Also the brush or roller will take foreign particles like dirt into the paint that will enter your paint and can change the color as you go long.
• Painting should be started from the edge of the wall and move towards the middle. Most of us do just opposite and face problems. If you start painting with a new can of paint in the middle of the wall, then there are chances of differences in the color and that will look more prominent in the middle of the wall. Therefore with each new can of paint, start painting from the edges.
• Before starting painting, dip you roller in water for latex paints and in solvent for oil based paints. Either you use a pan or a 5-gallon bucket, roll it out a little to make sure it isn’t dripping. You don’t need to go all the way from the top to the bottom as you paint.

How you should apply?

• It is good to apply the paint in a N or Y pattern. Then apply in columns up and down smoothing out all the edges or ridges. Don’t try to stretch the paint, and make sure you have enough amount of paint on the paint roller to give it a good coat. In case of applying more than one coat, the first coat should be completely dry before applying a new coat of paint.
• It is always difficult to paint the corners. If you are careless you light see paint dripping from corners later. Get close to the corners but but don’t scrape the roller against the corner. It will cause drips. Always keep a paintbrush ready for taking care of any drips or ridges you leave behind. It is better to do this rather than trying to fix it later.

Some Essential Cleaning Tools for Your Home

Without having right tools you can't perform work efficiently and specially if you are doing the home cleaning. A house cannot be properly cleaned without good housecleaning tools. Cleaning tools are specifically designed for separate stages of the housecleaning process. Here we have listed some basic home cleaning tools that are needed in all homes.

Sponges
Sponges are common cleaning tools consisting of porous material. They are generally used for cleaning impervious surfaces. They are excellent absorbers of water and water-based solutions. Sponges are generally made from foamed plastic polymers or cellulose wood fibers. Natural sponges are pretty environmentally friendly.


Squeegee
Squeegee is an important cleaning tool with a flat, smooth rubber blade that is used to remove or control the flow of liquid on flat surfaces. Window squeegee is the most popular that removes the cleaning fluid or water from the glass surface. After applying the soapy solution, which acts as a lubricant and breaks up the dirt, the squeegee draws the now water-borne dirt off the glass giving a neat & perfectly clean surface. It can also be used around the house during spring cleaning time as well.

Mop
Mop are home cleaning tools in which a textile is mounted on a handle. They are generally used for cleaning floors. It is advised not to go after cheap mops. Invest a bit extra and buy a good one. You should look into microfiber mops, which use reusable microfiber cloth pads that can be soaked in a cleaning solution prior to use and dropped into a separate bin when soiled.

Hand Gloves
While dealing with home cleaning, we use a number of cleaning chemicals that are quite hazardous for our skin specially our hands. So use rubber gloves and protect your hands. Generally we people don't take much care of our hands and avoid it. In that case our hands come in contact with harmful chemicals and affect it.



Cleaning Cloths
Cleaning clothes are important accessories that we use while cleaning your home. You can find a large range of cleaning cloths in the market, some of which claim to be anti-bacterial or super-absorbent. Most of cleaning cloths are made of terry cloth, a cotton cloth with innumerable loops which make it very absorbent. Now-a-days microfiber cloths have become very popular, which promise superior cleaning action. They do so due to the presence of the millions of tiny fibres which trap dirt.

Your Guide to Select Green Kitchen cabinets

While planning a kitchen makeover, most of your budget goes to the cabinets. So it is really worthy to give some time to select appropriate types of cabinets for your kitchens that suits your budgets, your health as well as the environment. The traditional materials used in the manufacturing of kitchen cabinets have now being replaced with green and environment friendly materials. Just read on to find what type of kitchen cabinets you should avoid and what to choose?

Avoid the Hazardous Traditional Cabinets
The traditional cabinets leach harmful gases in your kitchen that is harmful for you and your family's health. It might sound absurd but it is totally true. Most of kitchen cabinets boxes are made from the use of particle board or fiber board, which in turn is created from a urea formaldehyde resin which is a well known carcinogen. This substrate out gases formaldehyde all the time in the surrounding and pollute the breathable air. When this emission comes in contact with any heat source, it becomes more concentrated and toxic when released. Now you can imagine the number of appliances that generate heat and are placed by the side of your cabinets. Traditional cabinets made of particle board are quite hard to update and fix.

Adopt Green Kitchen Cabinets
Now more number of people are preferring green cabinets over conventional cabinets because green cabinets do not release toxic gases into the air. Though the resources available for eco-friendly cabinets are still meager but alternative materials that are less harmful in effect can also be used. By selecting a green kitchen cabinets means you are opting for cabinets that don't pollute indoor air quality and place a strain on the environment. Before buying a green cabinet from a cabinet manufacturer you should ask for a third party certification that ensures that their products are free from formaldehyde and created with no or low VOC's.

Green Materials for Kitchen Cabinets
You can ask for cabinet boxes made with wheat board or straw board. Wheat board is the remnants of the straw waste left over from farmers' wheat crops. It is formaldehyde free and it provides the desired strength and durability according to the set standards. Thus wheat board cabinet boxes not only give toxins free environment, it also makes good use of recycling an organic waste product that would otherwise be disposed of.

Plywood boxes are a better option. Though it is a bit expensive but you don't update your kitchen cabinets regularly so you will have to take it as a long time investment, say 10 years. When you distribute that little extra expense in 10 years span and compare it to the impact on your health by the use of traditional cabinets, you will find it much worthy.

The most popular and common material for green kitchen cabinets is bamboo. Bamboo appeals to the eye, is quite durable, and is also rapidly renewable. Bamboo is a popular choice for environmentalists as it can mature in less than half the time the hardwood trees take to reach market size.

The amount of wood used in your kitchen cabinet depends on what type yo choose. Most of the cabinet doors have at least some solid core, and it differs depending on the styles you choose. Older kitchen cabinets are made from solid wood so people using them are now trying to discard them, thereby removing the threat of particle board problems. For those who can't afford green kitchen cabinets, sanding, staining and refinishing with a no or low VOC finish can be a wise decision. There are a number of optional choices, more than ever before.

How to Install Your Jacuzzi?

No thing can provide more comfort, after a hectic day workout, than relaxing in your Jacuzzi tub. And it would be a slicing on cake if available at home. You can install a jacuzzi with the help of an expert or you can do it at your own. Installing a jacuzzi is not an easy task and needs to be minutely taken care of for a number of things. A number of things needs to be determined before purchasing a jacuzzi. But we will not mention those points here. In this article, we will tell you what important things should be looked after while installing a jacuzzi.

1. Make the Floor Leveled: The floor at which the Jacuzzi bathtub is to be installed should be properly leveled. If the floor is uneven by a bit, you need to level the area in order to sit the tub. In case of uneven floor level you may run into lot of troubles, such as malfunctioning of drainage system and jets. The floor should be strong enough to support the weight of tub. Your floor needs to be able to support 150 lbs. per square foot.

2. Make a Stable Ground: The Jacuzzi bathtub is a heavy item even when it is empty. When filled with water and loaded with few person, it can go to almost 200 pounds per square foot. So the base area of the floor on which the Jacuzzi will rest should be made solid and stable. You need to pour one to two inch of thick layer of cement or mortar to support such huge weights.

3. Make a Supporting Frame: The bathtub should be supported along the entire length of the bottom and the rim. So the area supporting the bathtub should be framed. Some Jacuzzi units come along with frames. If the tub that you purchase is not pre-framed then either you can hire a carpenter to develop a frame or you can buy a ready made frame suiting your unit. It is important to remember that the frame should have an access panel to reach to the motor and pump in case of maintenance. Usually the bathtub manufacturers include the dimensions for the supporting enclosure.

4. For Wiring Contact an Experienced Electrician: Until and unless you are a certified electrician, you should not go for the electrical wiring part of Jacuzzi's installation. Working with plumbing & electricity can be tricky business and even most experienced DIY homeowners opt for the services of a professional electrician or an experienced plumber or a general contractor with experience in Jacuzzi installation. Such type of work involves electricity in close proximity to water, the risk is pretty much enhanced.

5. You need to clean the construction area to remove all residues. Then you should check that all connections and fittings are secured. Fill the tub with water above the jets and check for leaks. The jets should be run for at least 15 minutes and check if any problem occurs fix it before closing the area.

How to Check & Fix the Plumbing Leakage Problems?

According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the typical U.S. home can waste up to 11,000 gallons of water per year only through household leaks. So we should pay attention to conserve this increasingly scarce resource. Here are some very useful tips to check out the leakages in your home plumbing system.

1. A Look at Water Meter: Observing your water meter can help you identify the leakages. What you need to do is to stop using water for two hours, and check the water meter before and after that period. If the meter reading fluctuates even a little bit, then you might have a leak in your plumbing system.

2. Check the Water Bill: You need to look at the water bills for the two months of the year. Say January and February, as they are the coldest months and water usage is minimum during this period. If you are a family of four member and the consumption is more than 12,000 gallons a month that means there are some serious leaks.

3. Toilet Leakages: Toilets are the common places where leaks generally happen. To identify any leaks in toilet tank, put a drop of food coloring in it and watch for some time. If the color shows up in the bowl before you flush that indicates there is some leak. The most common reason of a toilet leak is a worn out valve seal, also known as toilet flapper. Flappers are rubber parts that can decay over time and build up minerals. They are inexpensive and replacing them might sole your leakage problems.

4. Look for Leaky Faucets: Leaky faucets are one of the most common leaking causes. It is always recommended to solve such problems with your plumber. The reason behind this is that some faucets are too old to be found in the stores, and they are almost impossible to remove without painful effort. Even if you are ready to give it a try, make sure that you buy the correct replacement.

5. Leaking Showerheads: Showerheads cause big leakage problems. Leaky showerheads can be fixed by ensuring that there is a tight connection between the pipe stem and the showerhead. One can use pipe tape to secure it. Also known as Teflon tape, pipe tapes can be found on any hardware store. It is easy to apply and can help tame unruly leaks. Another thing that needs to be taken care of is to check the washer or O-ring inside the showerhead.

6. Check the Outdoor Leaks: The in-ground irrigation system needs to be checked if you have one. You should check it each spring prior to use and make sure that it wasn't damaged by frost or freezing. Check your garden hose for leaks at its connection to the spigot. If it leaks while you run your hose, replace the nylon or rubber hose washer and ensure a tight connection to the spigot using pipe tape and a wrench.

Biometric Door Locks: Secure, Reliable, Comfy

Gone are the days of carrying bunch of keys for opening doors. Gone are the days of keeping separate keys for separate locks. Now you would be able to unlock all the doors and cases without the help of any key. The idea is not new and has been in use for quite some time but slowly and steadily it is becoming popular and coming in people's eye. Right! We are talking about biometric door locks.

Biometric locks provide an entirely new level of interface with extreme ease & security. The most noticeable benefit is getting rid of carrying cumbersome keys. It also mitigates a range of problems associated with PIN, standard key, RFID, magnetic stripe cards, etc., while providing new levels of ease. Biometric door locks identify the authorized people on the basis of their biometric properties, already fed earlier into the system. The unique biometric characteristics of individuals allow only correct users to enter the system.

For quite some time the use of biometric access systems, particularly biometric door locks have been plagued by two flaws. First one has been the high cost of these devices in order to achieve accurate performance that put them out of the general consumer range. The second problem has been the visual design characteristics. But in recent years biometric device manufacturers have been able to sort out both these flaws. You can now find a range of biometric access devices in the market at an affordable rate.

Types of Biometric Technology
A number of identification technologies have been used by the biometric door locks manufacturers, such as fingerprint recognition technology, face recognition technology, voice recognition technology, iris recognition technology, etc. Each of these technologies work on some type of unique and individual biometric properties that we inherit. In this way one can't copy or duplicate one's unique identification like the password and access card, ultimately enhancing the security.

Unlocking Doors with Eyes
Now open doors with your eyes! You might have seen it many times in sci-fi movies. But the fiction has been changed to reality. Researchers from Queensland University of Technology's faculty of Built Environment and Engineering, has achieved sorting out one of the final obstacles to the everyday application of iris scanning technology. Already being used, this technology will become the part of our daily life in coming decade.

Like fingerprint every individual iris is unique and even the iris pattern of the left and right eye of the same person differs from each other. The iris pattern is fixed throughout a person's lifetime. Iris recognition confirms the identity of a person based on who the person is instead of what the person possesses, such as an ID card or password.

Wall Sconces – A Descriptive Guide

Home lighting is an important part of interior décor and one can use different forms of lighting fixtures for that purpose, such as fluorescent lights, incandescent lights, emergency lights, can lights and wall sconces.

Wall sconces are an excellent way to add life to the boring walls of your home. Wall sconces are lighting that are usually mounted above the eye level on a wall to provide either directional or indirect lighting on or beside a wall in your home.

• Wall sconces are also used to light areas like a shelf, end table, desk, etc.
• They can also be used to accent a wall or possibly a picture hanging on the wall.
• It can be used to create a focal point around an artwork or a fireplace.
• You can also light up the darker side of your room with wall sconces.
• They are a great accent lighting option for any room in the home.

Where to put up wall sconces?
Wall sconces are for every corner of your home, from bedroom to bathroom, hallways to living room. They are of great help whether you are doing stylist improvements or just doing remodeling of your home. In the following section we will tell you the right places to put up the wall sconces.

Your bathroom needs adequate lighting and wall sconces can add more light to the fixtures like wall mirror. Halogen lights give superior lighting so they are preferred but they cost you much on electricity bill so its totally your choice.

You can add an extra touch to the dining area with wall sconces. Other lighting fixtures in the dining table form shadows in the outer edges. Wall sconces offer the correct amount of understated light to walls in your dining room. They make the entire room appear cozy instead of dark and dingy on the edges.

Single bulb/ Multiple bulb
Single bulb wall sconces are preferred in bedroom, small living room or dining room. They create a cozy reading spot alongside your chair and provide that much of light required. You can put up a single bulb wall sconce in your bedroom on either side of bed. That would make the side table free and add soft convenient lighting. Multi bulb wall sconces are more suited to larger areas like hallways or drawing room, which need more lighting. Hallways are the perfect place for two bulb wall sconces placed at each two feet giving dim light with added sophistication and interest.

Beat the Heat...Beat Global Warming...with Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans and air-conditioners have been the main cooling equipment for decades. First came the fans and then the air conditioners. Air conditioners dominated the cooling equipment sector but it should not be promoted due to the enormous consumption of electricity and supporting the causes of emission of greenhouse gases.

Almost one-sixth of U.S. Electricity is consumed by the air conditioners per year. During peak periods in scorching summers this figure raise to 40%. The ongoing trend of rising global temperatures and intense heat waves can increase the consumption further.

The rapidly increasing energy demand in U.S. is creating more environmental pressure. Almost 30% of the country's greenhouse gases & 70% of the acid rain is caused by the electricity generation from fossil fuels. Half of the US energy is produced from coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. The power plants generating electricity from coal produce two-third of sulfur oxide emissions; one-third of nitrogen oxide, main component of acid rain and smog; one-third of the country's mercury emissions, which settle in waterways and contaminate the food chain; and one-third of carbon dioxide emissions, the primary global warming reason.

If comparing the figures given in previous two paragraphs, one can easily estimate that how-much the use of air-conditioners is responsible for global warming.

Just reverse are the ceiling fans, not only a quiet, elegant and inexpensive means but an excellent energy savers. A ceiling fan at maximum speed uses 50 to 75 watts per day, as much as an incandescent bulb, that is one-tenth as much as a medium size air conditioner. Running 12 hours a day cost almost $1.50 a month, much less compared to $25 for an air conditioner.

Also the ceiling fans work on a different principle. Ceiling fans, one of the popular electric fans, cool by creating light breezes that evaporate moisture from the skin. On the other hand air conditioners consume huge amounts of energy to push the heat from indoor air and blow it outside. The circulating air generated by ceiling fans feels 9 degree cooler. Combined with other energy efficient means, ceiling fans can yield even greater savings.

The electricity generated for the average household in US expel 13,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 77 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and 47 pounds of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere each year. Isn't this our duty to do our bit to save our environment? And that too without sacrificing comfort, and saving some dollars.

Energy Efficient LED Lighting Products From Delta Electronics

Complying with its mission "To provide innovative, clean and efficient energy solutions for a better tomorrow", Delta Electronics Inc. has announced the completion of a full line of advanced energy-saving LED lamps & lighting products.

According to Raymond Hsu, senior vice president and general manager of Delta's Components Business Group, "Delta is dedicated to pursuing energy efficiency and carbon reduction by focusing our technology innovation in two main areas: renewable energy and LED applications. These new products confirm Delta's commitment to developing energy-saving solutions."

The products announced by Delta fall in three major categories: Outdoor lighting, Indoor lighting, and Functional lighting.

Outdoor Lighting
SLDT Series: The SLDT series outdoor lightings are 8-meter high open-structure street lights. They are one of the most energy efficient lights produced in Taiwan, cooled by natural air convection.

SLDN Series: The SLDN Series are closed-structure outdoor LED night light for street that are 8 meters high or less. Due to its industrial design, these lights can use interchangeable heat pipes for natural air convection and lighting modules that allow changing lenses for optical conditions. The SLDN Series are a result of cross-industry collaboration between Delta, using newest thermal solutions of Taiwan's Neng Tyi Precision Industries Co. Ltd, and Lustrous International Technology Ltd packaged LEDs.

Solar-LED Pathway Lighting: These solar-led lighting are designed to provide light to areas with a limited electricity supply. They are equipped with features like smart energy-saving designs by remote control, motion-sensing, daylight-nighttime-sensing, max-power tracking, and of course temperature compensation feature to lengthen battery life while keeping the same amount of light emission.

Indoor Lighting: The indoor lighting series includes office OA, T8 tube, and E27 screw-base bulbs. It is also called general lighting, and is used in general office buildings and households. All lights are designed to fit compatibly with already existing led lighting fixtures to facilitate direct replacement by end users. Like other Delta LED lighting products, they are highly energy and lumen efficient, and have great optical qualities.

Functional Lighting: Functional lighting includes products having high brightness uniformity, embedded full-range stepless phase-dimming.

Bathroom Cleaning Guide – Scrub the Spots & Scums

A bathroom without spots and stench is good for health and it also reflects your state of mind and style of living. Cleaning bathroom is a tedious task for all of us for it takes a lot of time and hard work. We often prefer to clean bedroom, guest room and other rooms than the bathroom. The soap scums and spots covering the faucets, sinks, and floors make the bathroom slick and stenched. To get rid of them, a variety of cleaning chemicals can be used.

Since our day starts after spending first few minutes in bathroom, we must keep our bathroom clean and fresh. Here are some very useful and proved bathroom cleaning tips that one can use with ease to get out of these problems.

Toilets

Ring around toilets are a common problem and they occur due to the alkaline deposits. One to two cups of white vinegar, once in a month can eliminate this problem.

Cut off the water supply to the toilet and remove the water from the surface. Wet a couple of heavy duty paper towels with orange citrus cleaner or white vinegar. Cover all the areas with it. Leave the towels damp for several hours or even overnight till the spots get dissolved. Then use a nylon brush or toilet bowl cleaner to scrub. If the white vinegar is not enough use a pumice stone and a stiff toothbrush to scrub the deposits.

Sinks

Pour one cup of baking soda or salt into your sink followed by a cup of white vinegar. Leave it for an hour and then flush it with hot water. The combination of hot water with salt unblock the pipes and removes most of the buildup. You can apply the same for kitchen, tub and shower sinks.

Tubs and Shower Stalls

Spots on the shower walls and glass doors appear due to the alkaline deposits in the water. Applying car wax can help removing these stains. Glass and fiberglass both are porous, and car wax seals these pores that makes cleaning easier and keep the water spots away. However don't use it on the floor as it gets slick. Twice in a year will be enough and keep stains away.

The soap scum has been an age old problem in the bathroom. The prime culprit behind it is the talc found in most bar soaps. Switching to liquid soaps or natural soaps can solve this issue. Besides you need to clean the shower once in a week.

Use orange citrus based cleaner once in a week to clean the showers. Just spray it and wait for a few minutes before the dirt dissolves. No need to scrub abruptly. Even if the soap scum remains then orange based concentrated cleaner can help. Pour it in a bowl and using an old dishrag apply it on the walls and doors. Boiling hot white vinegar can come handy too. However it takes time to dissolve the buildup.

After the buildup is dissolved, use a white bristle pad to scrub. The colored scrubber are coarser and might scratch the surface. Dampen the pad and gently rub the surface. Doing this will remove the dissolved buildup and mineral deposits from the glass doors.

Faucets

Deposits often buildup around faucets and that feels irritating when we use them. To get rid of these deposits, place a paper towel wet in white vinegar around the sink. Plug the drain and pour half a cup of white vinegar in the sink. Wait for a while as it takes time to dissolve the deposits. Scrub using a nylon toothbrush.

Green Builder Hardware Associations

Green Builder hardware association are those government as well as private bodies that monitor as well as promote sustainable building along with providing information on green builder manufacturers, green building suppliers and manufacturing associations and professional associations in all sectors of the green building industry. These associations provides and shares resources and various technologies to aid in the designing of high environmental standards that includes minimizing energy requirements, reducing water consumption, using building materials of low environmental impact, reducing wastage, conserving the natural environment and safeguard human health and well being.

Countries all over the world have configured their own set of rules and standards of efficiency for green building. These organizations play an active role in facilitating the learning process between the members and thus help the building industry in avoiding the hazardous impact on non green buildings. The green building hardware association have access to international network and they use their resources to bring together all the representatives of the green hardware industry and further expand its growth among the member companies. The advantages of these trade associations is that they provide source of technical expertize and focus on maintaining the green standards of the global green building industry. While browsing through these trade associations one can gather fruitful information on the latest happenings in the green industry. Promoting and sensitizing the building hardware manufacturers about the environmental impacts of green building is the key aim of these green building associations.

Following is the list of some of the most popular green builder associations across the globe -

US Green Building Council is a non profit community of leaders that works with the aim of making green buildings available for every generation. This 15 years old organization is the prime association among the green building trade associations and also license some of the other organisations that run on similar pattern.

Builders Owners & Managers Association, of Canada manages the building environment standards along with certification, along with replacing their Go Green and Go Green Plus programs.

The New Zealand Green Building Council, provide the construction industry with an objective measurement for green buildings and to recognize and reward environmental leadership in the property industry.

UK Green Building Council, was launched in February 2007 and aims at providing sustainable building environment by radically transforming the way it is planned, designed, constructed, maintained and operated. The participation list in this membership council includes businesses, NGOs, academic institutions and government agencies.

Sustainability Practitioners Association was formed in July 2004 by 14 consultants working in different areas of sustainability. Based in Australia, the vision of this green council is to endure, high impact association to connect and help in developing Australian sustainability practitioners.

Zero Carbon Homes - Another Initiative to Turn Green

In another attempt to go green, the Litchfield Group is all set for the curtain raiser of its new range of sustainable and energy efficient window hardware, doors and structural wall products. This launch happened at Ecobuild in the low carbon building category. Cashing upon the programme objective that is Reducing carbon dioxide emissions, lowering fuel bills and improving the insulation of buildings, the managing director of the firm claims to have heavily invested in the development of products that will be applicable in the zero carbon home requirements even in the year 2016. The company has launched three step solution to counter the growing carbon emission. They include Sheerframe HED window system, made to measure Masterdor Thermal door-sets and ICF Tech structural walls. The Sheerframe HED (Homogenous Energy Dynamics), a new thermal PVC window system that is aimed to deliver U-values as low as 0.8W/m2K.

Litchfield is a UK based company that has installed technology like regional fabricators and installers, 55mm insulated timber engineered Masterdor Thermal door-set and Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) system to make its product a success in the building market and construction industry. All these products manufactured by the company qualify the UK government standards. Some of the main features of this range of zero carbon homes are that they provide excellent sound reduction, are low on maintenance and are secured by design accredited.

Other Related Articles:

• Tips to Make Your Green Kitchen A Success
• Green Dreams

Home Improvement Tips Using Modern Furniture Hardware

While choosing furniture hardware for refurnishing your house, it is more that obvious that a person can get confused. Besides, remodeling a home is an expensive affair as well, especially if you are planning to integrate a new design or style into the interior of the abode. But however, to rescue you from all these spendings there are various ways to cut down on your home improvement expenditures. Though a new piece of furniture frames and headboards will be instrumental in giving your house a new look.

The Initial Step

Designing a well placed furniture plan is essential if you do not want to go wrong anywhere and want to meet your comfort as well as needs. You should also be clear about the style of the furniture that will best suit your room.

Replace Bulky Items And Save Space

This is the foremost step when remodeling your house. Replace bulky ancient furniture with streamlines modern furnishings that acquire less space are are easy to manage. Old furniture use up a lot of space and if your house is small then choose from a wide range multi purpose furniture. For example, use the Ottoman (storage + seat/foot rest) or Sofa bed that can perform the task of both sofa and bed. A modern style is more practical as they tend to be smaller and clean cut edges which do not hang out much and thus cuts down on the space they take up. Go for a bed that has storage compartments and brackets, so that there is more space for better use of wardrobe and drawer.

Plan Before Purchasing

There is no dearth in the furniture hardware industry for furniture supplies, so do not shop in a haste. If you have made up your mind to replace those big antique furnishings with latest sofa that has exquisite furniture legs, then be prepared to hover a little longer before you actually find the best piece. Keep in mind the measurement factor so that the furniture hardware compliments your room. Get a tape measure and start measuring the dimensions of the room so that you will know what size will best fit in it.

Consider the Design

This is also an important factor before purchasing the furniture hardware for your home. Modern furniture differs in the designs as per the taste of their designer. Some of the furniture that have modern tags might have a vintage look. So be clear about the design that will suit your home the most.

Cut Cost By Window Shopping

This is a must before you actually purchase the most coveted furniture piece. Make sure you do a window shopping of all the furniture outlets to have a feel of all the modern furniture available in the furniture hardware industry. Compare the prices of the same stuffs to make this activity cost effective. Also you can wait for the furniture shops and department stores in your area to go on sale or to put huge discounts on their furnishings before you start buying one for your very own.

Renovate Your Bathroom in Green Way

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

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

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

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

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

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

Efficient Tips for Buying Energy Efficient Windows

The huge amount of money you pay for energy each year, in the scorching summer months and the freezing winter, can be reduced by using the energy efficient windows.

Your location and the design of your home plays an important role in selecting the type of energy efficient windows you want. A person living in the southern region will need different windows than someone living in the northern region as the climatic & environmental conditions are entirely different.

Design of home: The energy efficient windows, one of the important building hardwares, should be bought keeping the design of your home in mind. The direction of the windows and their size are important.

• In heat-dominated regions, windows facing south should be glazed heavily. To make efficient use of solar heat during cold months, the windows should possess a solar heat gain coefficient of more than .6 but a U-factor of less than .35 so that heat transfer is reduced during the summer.

• Person living in cooling-dominated regions should focus more on the north-facing windows. It should have low solar heat gain coefficient. The windows facing south should be shaded by trees and porches to minimize the intrusion of heat and sunlight. Reflective and tinted windows don't suit these climates because they reduce the SHGC and allow more heat during the spring and summer.

Windows Frame: The selection of window hardware like an appropriate frame is important.

• Earlier aluminum frames were quite popular but they are losing their value because aluminum conducts easily than other frame materials. It lead to heat detriment in cooling dominated regions. A fiberglass or composite frame would be better option, as they can be insulated better and won't conduct as much heat from the interior to the exterior of the home.

• The regions where temperature fluctuation is higher, wooden frames should be avoided because the material will expand and contract. Wood laminate frames is a better option and give the same aesthetic appeal.

Types of Glass: You should consider for the varieties of glasses before buying energy efficient windows. It is the main portion of your window and determines the amount of energy you conserve.

• If your living in heating-dominated regions, glass-filled windows are the best choice because they provide more insulation and reduce the U-factor considerably. Tinted glass is also quite good and popular, but if you have a green thumb then you should not use a tint of greater than 70 percent because that can cause inside plants to die from lack of conducted sunlight.

• Glaze glass is also a good option to consider while buying energy efficient windows. They have multiple panes of glass. Such types of glasses are best suited to cooler climate regions where heat transfer is highest and therefore heat needs to be retained. The cost of double-pane and triple-pane windows are higher than the single-pain but they last indefinitely and can significantly reduce cooling costs in the summer.
  

Plumbing Hardware : Ways to Fix Simple Plumbing Problems

Most of the people living in the western countries are taking the convenience of modern plumbing technologies for granted. Be it a running tap or flushing toilet, it does not come to anyone's mind as to the changes plumbing has gone through or the history of the technology. Plumbing hardware roughly includes all those equipments that helps in the plumbing like hose fittings, pipe fittings, plumbing pipes, tube fittings and valves. Today pipes and fixtures are mostly located underground and the sewage drains and cesspools of ancient times have been almost completely eradicated and replaced. As technology continues to advance, the cleanliness and efficiency of plumbing and toilets have become more efficient and clean.

However, when at home, if some problem arises like leaking faucets, clogged drains and faulty pipes people get anxious to hunt for a plumber. Only a few realise that these petty problems can be tackled at home only and that too without the help of any plumber. Yeah its very much true. All you need is your plumbing tools and some patience ensure the blueprint for sparkling success. Routine plumbing problems in the house does not necessarily explicate harbinger of doom. Here's how you can go about conducting minor repairs yourself without disastrous results.

1. Make sure you are equipped with all the plumbing tools before you embark upon the task of repair work. After making a bee line to the nearest plumbing supplies store, pick basic tools like an auger, a plunger, a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, pipe wrenches, slip-joint and needle nose pliers, compression nuts and rings and faucet seats.

2. Getting familiar with the location and functioning of the shut-off valve of every fixture and main shut-off valves in the house is extremely crucial. Make sure to turn off the water supply before beginning with the repair work.

3. If the problem is in a particular fixture, then you can close the valve of that fixture only. The valve is generally located at the beneath the fixture and you can sloe it by turning it clockwise. In case the fixture does not have a valve of its own, then close the main shut-off valve in the house.

4. If there is a leaky faucet, then get on the root of it by taking off the faucet with a screwdriver. Then take off the screw cap that secures the stem, with an adjustable wrench. Make sure you do this with patience and precision to avoid any damage.

5. In some of the faucets, one needs to replace the washer in order to stop the leak. While in some washer less faucets the cause of leakage can be the 'O' rings.

These are some of the most effective and workable tips that one can follow to mend small plumbing problems at home with the help of plumbing hadware, thus evading the need to call a professional plumber. These routine plumbing problems can be conducted by oneself without calamitous results. Plumbing technology is changing day by day and various equipments that can help the house maker solve it on their own, are being launched in the markets.

Innovative Applications of LED

In the past decade, LED technology has expanded its scope to almost every household in the world. From little red spots that tells one that the wi fi connection is on, to the excellent light source that we see in our rooms just by switching on a plug, applications of LED is ubiquitous. Production quality LEDs are now capable of efficiencies of around 70 lm/W, compared with 12 lm/W for incandescent light bulbs, and single die devices are producing over 100 lm.

Today one can find the implication of these LED lights in many areas. Be it the LCD screen of the computers or the latest version of the mobile phones, be it Ipods or safety and security hardware like LED enabled drainage system or Led micro lights for reading at nights, LED technology is vast and growing by leaps and bounds. The newest trend in the electronic market is the green influence that has not left the LED world bereft. The most recent launches in the LED market are the LED Light bulbs that can help one save up to 90% of electricity costs plus reduce the heat output and even more than this the bulbs claim to last up to 10 times longer than a standard light bulb or compact florescent. Some of the most advanced LED enabled products in the electronic world are -

LED enabled Faucet Lights - Install this in your homes to give a new look to the monotonous water taps. Available in red and blue they are heat sensitive and alarm the user by changing colors, as soon as the water temperature goes above 89 degrees centigrade.

LED Jellyfish Mood Lamps - These are unique desktop tank that plays trick with the eyes by displaying three jellyfish that swim, with the aid of the 6 bright colorful LEDS that are placed at the top of the tank.

Sony's Walkman - Sony, the largest supplier of electronic goods has launched a new Walkman called NWZ-X1000 that features an OLED (Organic light emitting diode) touchscreen.

Apple's DRM-free tunes - Singing A New Melody

Apple, who is renowned over the world for its launches in technological segment, has yet again buzzed the world by making the much awaited provisions for higher quality DRM free music. Apple has finally cut the deals that will aid the iTunes to offer a large number of songs and that too, free of copy protection software from three music labels. In addition, Apple has also come on terms of being more flexible as far as pricing is concerned. This deal also encloses the terms related to the song prices. It has been decided that the price of the song will be broken down in three categories, that is older songs from the catalog, mid line songs (newer songs that aren't big hits), and current hits. Though on speculation earlier, Apple has confirmed the acceptance of this deal at the Macworld.

DRM (Digital Tights Management) free songs were the demand that was being pestered upon the company by many iPhone users. DRM is considered to be one of the most reviled technologies of all time and although the launch of the software at US largest music store did create some ripple but it soon died down due to the increased prices of the hit songs. Though initially the company was not in the favor of bringing down the price, it now has done so. The price of catalog music is falling to 79 cents per song though some hit songs are priced at 99 cents. This approach of Apple has won many accolades by their fans.

To give it another favorable dimension, Apple has also offered songs that are free of digital rights, and that too even for one whole year. To further expand iTunes DRM free library Apple has sought new deals that include three major labels namely Sonly BMG, Universal and Warner Music. Along with this, Apple has also come to agreement with music labels on the issue of over-the-air downloads that are aimed to allow iPhone users to download any song on their mobiles sets only via cell networks. In short, this term will enable the iPhone owners to download music without using the Wi Fi system. This announcement was made public at the Macworld Conference and Expo that was held in San Francisco on January 6th 2009.

The company ensures the users, that not only will new music downloads be free of copy-protection software, but Apple and the labels will begin removing DRM from music that are already available in the iTunes Stores. However, the fate of the songs that have already been purchased is still dubious.

Further than this now, listeners can choose from millions of iTunes Plus songs from all major music labels and thousands of independents and that too all free of burn limits and digital rights management (DRM). This means that from now on iTune Plus music will play on iPod, Apple TV, all Mac and Windows computers, and many other digital music players. It is also easy to upgrade and one need not buy the song or album again.

Add Magical Lights To Your Monotonous Faucet & Sink

Adding a little color to the somber white bathroom can be an interesting way to change the monotonous look of your house. In order to make the midnight appointment with your bathroom, much more exhilarating, install the LED faucet light attachment, the recent launch in the faucet, tapes and mixers hardware industry. This is the most simple method to turn every normal looking faucet in your home in to a radium looking fantasy, indeed like some party going on in the sink.

This LED faucet claims to add aesthetic beauty to any sink and gets activated by water pressure and turns off automatically as well. Along with this, there is a temperature controlling light alert that will automatically turn red from blue, as soon as the temperature of the water soars higher than 89 degrees centigrade. Thus, this device is best for children as it works as a warning sign. This faucet light is designed in a manner to fit on the nozzle of most of the standard faucet fittings (both in US and UK). This device works by sleuthing as soon as the water passes through the attachment and then turns on the flood of blue LED lights that make the water look radium blue.

It is an easy to install light that runs on 3 AG13 batteries. All you need to do is just attach it to the end of your faucet and let the magical lights make your sink shine and shimmer with blue. Working on the same methodology is the LED shower light that is also sensitive to temperature. The normal height of the faucet is 1.5” diameter while it comes in a size of 2.25”. While bathing or when the shower is on, as soon as the water temperature reaches up to 89 degree, the blue water turns into a metallic red.

Some of the main features that make this building hardware product worth buying are listed as follows -

1. Water pressure activation is all that is required to make this light source work.


2. Has a temperature controlling alarm that makes the light turns red as soon as the temperature ascends higher than 89 degrees centigrade.


3. The faucet turns off automatically when the flow of water is turned off.


4. Long lasting bright Blue and Red LEDs.


5. It works on 3 AG13 batteries.


6. Universal adapter (that is included with the faucet) fits on most water faucets conveniently.


7. About 2.25" in size and 1.5” long in diameter .


8. Can be installed in less than a few minutes and that too without the help of a professional.

These unique counterparts of the building hardware industry help in making a bathroom unique by putting a light show in the sink, and with this even the kids will find the act of washing their hands, great fun. Besides, these faucets can also have a perfect effect when you are planning to turn your house in a nightclub for a party. This is an exceptional product in the faucet hardware market that is sure to impress all the house members and even the guests who visit your washroom. Do not miss it if you want your house to be bedecked with some unique buzzing features.

=> Faucet LED Light- Changed colour with water temperature

Concrete Fasteners – Types and Uses

Construction and mechanical hardware essentially includes all the construction tools and mechanical accessories that are involved in various construction engineering applications. Besides knowing about all the mechanical and construction hardware products like transmission chains, bearings and couplings it is also important to have an idea about their applications and use. In this article lets throw some light on an important aspect of construction hardware, that is anchor concrete fasteners.

To begin concrete fasteners are used to join wood and metal to concrete. A variety of options of concrete fasteners that are designed for specific use are available. Following is the guide that will tell you all about the fasteners and will also extend help in making you find the perfect concrete fasteners for your next home improvement.

Plastic Type Fasteners
A plastic fastener is perhaps the most commonly used fasteners in the construction and mechanical industry. They are ideal for holding weight less than 50 pounds and show best results when accomplice with concrete, mortar, brick, and stone. However, one should be cautious while using these fastener in too soft concrete, as the plastic anchors might break free while turning the screw with great force.

Metal Shield Fastener
This is also a popular choice for mechanical and construction applications that uses soft materials like mortar and brick. Also referred as soft metal shield anchors, these fasteners have a shortcoming of being subject to easy stripping in case when too much force is applied on the wench.

Hammer Set Fastener
The hammer set segment of concrete fasteners are easy to install and are also hassle free as no washers and nuts are required to place it. Drilling the hole a little deeper and hammering the fastener is all one needs to indulge in. This is becoming a popular choice for construction and mechanical hardware among manufactures, suppliers as well as buyers. The only disadvantage of this fastener is that while removing the fastener, the wall gets damaged.

Sleeve Type Fastener
Known as sleeve anchors, these fasteners are best for holding a weight up to 200 pounds. Availability of different sizes also acts instrumental for this fastener in the construction hardware market. To install this, one needs to just pinch the side of the hole and screw it. However one needs to be cautious while screwing it as over tightening these concrete fasteners can break it around the hole.

Screws Type Fasteners

The fifth type in the segment of concrete fastener is screw fastener that are commonly used to attach windows, doors and even electrical boxes. The only requisite of installing these fasteners is the screw driver. They are the most popular fasteners as they can be removed and screwed back easily.

There are various options of mechanical fasteners available in the hardware market. Some of the other popular version of concrete fasteners are lag shields and screws that are best used in masonary wall materials. The toggle bolts are suitable for light and medium load and even hollow masonry. Choose from a wide array of construction fasteners that will surely keep your houses intact.

Hardware Round Up : Hottest Gadgets of 2008

Hardware gadgets seem to have ruled the charts of success this year. Various innovative gadgets that were developed after intricate research and bountiful experiments were launched this year. Following is the list of a few coolest gadgets that had the hardware world soaring hot.

Radio Controlled Motorized Drink Cooler – The is the best if you want to gain attention during a party or even a football game for that matter. It is a unique concept which is a radio controlled motorized cooler that a person can operate around the room using a simple transmitter. This cooler has the capacity to hold a dozen cans and bottles including the ice. It has the attribute of expanding and contracting, hence making it easier to transport as well. This cooler is battery powered remote runs on a standard 9-volt battery. This can move up at a distance of 30 feet, thus making it easier for the host to send around the drink using a motor rather that physical labour.

Magnetic Tool Band for Arm – One of the major concerns, that involves keeping track of all the tools while working under a car, of automobile manufactures have been sorted. Thanks to the magnetic arm band for tools that lets a person keep hardware like drill bits, screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets, nuts, bolts, nails, screws, pliers and even hammers, close to arms. The secret for the success of this hardware tool is the magnetic arm band that is engineered using heavy duty PVC coated poly-knit fabric and is secured using hook and loop straps.

LED Headlights for Dogs – This product is aimed at becoming extremely popular in countries all over the world. This is primarily an adjustable collar which can fit any dog with the easy-to-use clip-fasteners. Three powerful AAA batteries are installed to light the three LED lights that will not only help the dog but the owner as well to keep track at the night. Costing just $20, this is an interesting buy.

Hot Stop Shower Head – This is one of the highly advanced product in the bathroom hardware segment. Basically this is a valve this is a temperature sensing valve that shuts off the water 117º F and above to prevent burning-hot accidents.

Zip Sander – Among the mechanical hardware, one of the most raging product is the Zip Sander which is lightweight foam block that is contoured to fit in ones hand and equipped with a hook-and-loop bottom surface which help in the easier attaching and removing of abrasive sheets.

Gorilla Wood Glue – The Gorilla Glue, a perfect launch in the lubrication hardware market is an emulsion of cross-linked polyvinyl acetate (PVA) molecules that are suspended in water. The main advantage of this wood glue is that is designed to better resist moisture, cold temperatures and even short clamp times. The fact that it facilitates short clamp times, makes this product a hit among the amateurs as well.

Bosch Rotary Hammer – This is a hammer drill on steroids that is designed to bore in wood by virtue of a switch. This inexpensive product works on with an easily detachable dust extractor and has two drilling modes. Just by pressing a switch one can toggle between the drilling modes.