Improving Home Energy Efficiency with Proper Window Treatment

February 21, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The staggering 30% of your heating bill is eaten trough old and inefficient window installations in your home. It is more or less a known fact to all these days and it seems that nearly all household owners throughout the world are planning that transformation for the modern and energy efficient frames. Today we will cover various facts that you need to know in order to once and for all forget about all the problematic possibilities regarding energy efficiency, and never again have that nervous feeling before opening the heating bill.

 

It Is Finally Time for an Energy Efficient Transformation

 

There are few things in this world that your utility company loves more than your old traditional wooden window frames. Therefore many of us have already conducted front door window repair and tried to replace all energy insufficient doors in our house. It is still a very surprising fact at what number the old window frames are still presented all around the world.

 

These old frames consume so much energy that all the additional energy that wasn’t intended to be consumed can be put at the end of a year in the amount consumed with an average of three mounts of energy consumption for one year! And no one wants to have such an unpleasing feeling while taking a shocking discovery that his heating bill has tripled itself all of a sudden. How does it happen? And why do advanced PVC technology in window making save so much energy?
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How to Keep Insects Away From Your Home During Spring

February 15, 2019 by 1 Comment

Come spring, the weather is warmer and it is a time to get comfortable in less-heavy clothing. Spring season is not only favorable for human beings, but also for notorious insects to wreak havoc. As spring kicks in, nature comes back to life after several months of the cold and snow. The insects that come with the warmer weather are not limited to bright flowers and green grass only. They have a tendency to follow their instincts which can lead them into the inside of your home.

The spring-time pests are annoying because they cause great stress and leave people uncomfortable and sleepless. Their presence during winter was fairly mild. This coming season, don’t allow pests to deprive you the peace and tranquility you had during winter. If it gets to that point, look for a professional such as joshuaspestcontrol.com to come and keep them away from your home. Before it reaches that point, here is some information on spring pests that will prove helpful.

Dealing with mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are disease-carrying insects that can give you sleepless nights. They are everywhere, except Antarctica and a few other places that experience prolonged winter periods. Mosquitoes can host various diseases and should be kept away from your home as much as possible.

To keep mosquitos away from your home this spring, observe some basic precautions such as not having stagnant water in your house. If you’re involved in an outdoor activity, try to stay covered as much as possible in activewear clothing for outdoors that covers almost all parts of your body. Alternatively, you can use mosquito repellents such as DEET and an outdoor repeller lantern. In case you start having flu-like symptoms which persist for about two days, visit a doctor.
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Upgrading Your Kids’ Room – How Often is Too Often?

January 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Living with kids often means having to adapt your lifestyle to certain changes that you may not be prepared to deal with. For example, the way you handle your own rooms might not necessarily work too well when it comes to the rooms your kids will live in, especially if you live with more than one child. You’ll want to plan ahead when it comes to upgrades and possibly even repairs, and you should always evaluate each situation carefully to figure out whether it’s appropriate to disturb the child’s current life.

Kids Don’t Like Frequent Change

One thing you should understand as early as possible is that kids simply don’t enjoy having their environment changing too often, especially in major ways. You might like thinking about upgrades and other changes to your own room, but when it comes to the ones your kids live in, you should not be too quick to spring into action.

Room improvements inevitably mean having to rearrange things temporarily, and even if it’s for a short while, that might seem like quite the long time to your kids themselves. It’s not just about finding an alternative room for them to stay in during the repair – this kind of disturbance is going to affect their mood more than you might like.

Don’t Postpone Repairs

On the other hand, repairs are not something you should put off. Even little things can add up quite quickly when you’re living with young children, and small issues in their day-to-day life can easily reflect back on you and make your own experience miserable. If something goes wrong, you should take the time to repair it as early as is convenient.

As long as you stick to what we mentioned above about avoiding any too frequent changes, you should be fine. If possible, group repairs together so that you can get more done in one go and not disturb your kids’ lives too much. Also, consider the option of setting things up in a way that minimizes potential damage in the first place. Invest a little more into sturdy furniture that will be resilient to damage, and this can make a big difference.
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Top 10 Reasons You Should Buy Robotic Cleaners and Vacuums for Your Above Ground Pool

January 14, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Who would not want to own above ground swimming pools? They cost less and occupy a smaller space than inground pools. Having one is all fun until it is cleaning time. The need to keep the water sparkling clean is high and as a pool owner, you would only want a pool cleaner that could give you the best results.

Some owners spend a lot of money and time to keep their pool clean and even hire professional pool cleaners, whilst others invest on built-in filtration systems. There are different types of pool cleaners: the suction-side, pressure-side, and robotic cleaners.

Many above ground pools come with built-in filtration systems.  Lately, though, a lot of people have been shifting to using robotic cleaners.  Here are ten reasons many pool owners are choosing them.

1. Convenient to store

Robotic cleaners remove as much as 2 microns of external pollutants. Aside from the pool bottom and waterline, they also clean your pool’s side walls, preventing algal build-up and avoiding possible bacterial growth. Robotic cleaners also filter floating and large debris, which basic pool filtration systems could not. At the same time, these robotic cleaners save you from the dreadful wires and hoses other types of filtration require. Plus, they provide you the convenience in terms of storage.  They require less space in your garage.

2. Cost and energy efficient

Whilst robotic pool cleaners cost anywhere from $200 to $1,000, they carry longer warranties. These little mechanical wonders consume less power, with a voltage of 70 watts per hour cycle up to 200 watts for the whole cleaning cycle.  This could save you a total of 5 cents per hour cycle on your electricity.

Unlike pressure-side cleaners, robotic pool cleaners do not require additional booster pumps which could cost you more. Robotic cleaners have their own filtration system, which means they do not need a built-in pool filter.  This prevents wear and tear on the part of the filter, given the large volume of debris collected; thus, prolonging its life. Studies also show that robotic pool cleaners are 93% more energy efficient than standard pool filtration systems.
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Stopping Your Home From Losing Its Cool

January 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment

A stuffy, stifling home is not something you want to come home to, but during the hottest weather – it’s almost a certainty. Taking the right measures to keep your home cool can help you feel more comfortable and able to relax in your home. There are lots of different things you can do to keep your home cool, and hopefully, the following will give you some inspiration no matter what your budget is.

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

Block out the sun during the day

Having the sun blaze down on your home all day will make it extremely hot by the time you get home at the end of the day. Help to block out the sun by opening your windows – especially the ones that are out of reach and use blinds or curtains to provide some shade.

Try the fan and ice method

Having some fans around your home can be a great idea to keep your home cool. However, if the air within your home is warm, all they’ll be doing is blowing warm air around. Try some fan tricks that will help you to make the most of your fan. Placing your fan in front of a bucket of ice is ideal for creating your own makeshift AC, giving you a portable option you can move around your home!
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Gas or Electric Water Heaters, Which are More Effective?

December 17, 2018 by Leave a Comment

save money

 

During the cold season, every person will want to use warm water, either when taking a shower or doing other house chores like cleaning.

For this reason, every homeowner wants to invest in a power source that is efficient and affordable. When it comes to the source of power, the common options are gas and electric water heaters. Note that the two alternatives provide reliable means to heat water in your tanks.

A gas water heater tends to be a cheap alternative since the energy used to heat water comes from burning a fuel, which is natural gas.

On the other hand, you need to install electric resistance coils to use an electric water heater. While the gas water heaters are not efficient like electric heaters, the high cost of electricity makes the operational cost of electric heaters high.

Gas water heaters tend to be a convenient choice for big families since they have a faster recovery rate.

 

Electric Water Heater Gas Water Heater
Power source Domestic energy: can be coal, wind power, nuclear or natural gas energy Natural gas
Operates in power outage No Yes
Life Expectancy 13 years 12-13 years
Recovery Rate ~14 gallons/hr. ~50 gallons/hr.
Efficiency 0.90. 0.60.
13 Year Price $6,769 $5,394
Price $300 to $2880 (+wiring and installation) $250 to $1500 (+gasline if there isn’t already one)
Types Storage, tankless, heat pump. Storage, tankless, condensing.

 

 

  • Gas and Electric Water Heater: which is better

  • Performance

 

A gas heater has the capability of heating a 50-gallon storage rage within 60 minutes. The time a gas heater takes to reheat a water tank after use (recovery rate) is faster compared to that of an electric heater.

Another benefit of the gas water heater is that they can operate in even when power outage occurs. For large families, a gas water heater is the best choice an electric one will have difficulties in maintaining the hot water demands of many people.

The major drawback of an electric water heater is that it has a slow recovery rate. This means that a 50-gallon tank will need more time to recover.

 

  • Efficiency

 

In most cases, gas storage units tend to be inefficient due to the heat loss from exhaust gases and walls of a tank. Water remains hot all the time and even though this is beneficial, it implies that energy is wasted. The remedy for this problem is the use of condensing units which can help in increasing efficiency.

While electric heaters are known to be energy efficient, the savings in consumption of actual power are mitigated by expensive electricity bills. Electric heat pump units are extremely more efficient but they are rare and come with the high cost of installations.
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Landscapes Make Any Building Look Beautiful

December 14, 2018 by Leave a Comment

It’s always great to have a gorgeous home, but the difference between a mediocre house and a beautiful home can often owe more to the landscapes than to the building itself. Not only can a high-quality landscape make any property look so much better, but it will also add significant value to any property. Landscaped yards aren’t just the concept of 18th-century European nobility. They can fit any space and even be made to adhere to a relatively limited budget, too. If you work from home and would like to spend more time outside, a landscaped yard, designed with this in mind, could be the ideal solution. Indeed, many commercial office spaces also incorporate landscapes gardens for the benefit of their employees.

Landscaped yards aren’t just for homes but work very well in an office setting. Many businesses are starting to realize the benefits of having a landscape garden for their employees. Different businesses are trying different things, and corporate landscape gardens aren’t always just places for employees to relax and spend a bit of time amongst greenery (although they are definitely good for this too). Some are taking initiatives to grow fruits and vegetables for their company cafeterias, while there are also some companies which even introduce apiaries and have employees help care for them. Any sort of corporate garden can break the monotony of office life and will help employees to feel more relaxed.

If you’re considering getting your yard landscaped, it’s probably a good idea to hire a landscape architect in order to help you design something suitable for your space and your budget, as well as the surrounding climate. A landscape architect has years of training in their trade, and this includes intimate knowledge of both landscaping and architecture. This means that landscape architects are familiar with construction techniques and materials, as well as which plants and features will work in a given landscape. A landscape architect can help you come up with a coherent design, rather than one that simply looks like a hodgepodge of various things thrown together.
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The Most Important Fundamentals For Your Home

December 14, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Running a beautiful home isn’t an accident. It’s something that happens with effort, aimed towards the result you most hope to enjoy. A family home is also a dynamic process, something you have to maintain, but also something you can repeatedly enjoy. As a family lives there over the years, the character of the place changes with it. Perhaps one of the saddest things a prospective buyer can see is a home that’s been neglected over the years, filled with potential but simply no one with the financial backing or willingness to make a real change there.

 

Of course, you’re likely in no danger of having this happen to your familial home. It’s also unlikely that you need a guide to tell you how to love your home, because you do that passively all by yourself. However, sometimes when moving into a new place for the first time and adapting to the homemaker’s mindset, a little forethought and understanding of fundamental services to use can help you in a large manner.

 

The most important fundamentals of your home are essential to take care of, and luckily they are listed as below:

 

Plumbing

 

Plumbing is among one of the most important resources any person needs to get right. This is because a shoddy job can sometimes cost expensive or irreparable damage, and that’s likely something you are absolutely hoping to avoid. Good plumbing also gives you a greater degree of freedom in how rooms are designed, and where you place certain implements. A good plumbing job can reduce the long-term designs of new difficulties by a large margin, and that can truly make all the difference in the long-term. Be sure to vet your plumbing hires well, or use a tried and tested offering such as ABC Plumbing Services for a reliable job each and every time. This often makes the biggest difference in the quality and nature of the work conducted.
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