Tile Grouting Tips For Your Bathrooms, Kitchens and Floors

Isn't tile grouting supposed to be simple, if you read the directions and watch a couple of videos? What could make tile grouting so difficult? Grouting your tile isn't that difficult, by the time you're done reading this article, you should have a pretty good idea how to grout your floors, bathrooms, kitchens and anything else that requires tile.

I used to have problems grouting tile, but after I read the directions, I became a grouting wizard. This sounds hard to believe, but after reading the directions on the tile grout bag, I became a grout master. I know, you the type of person who never read the directions, you simply add water, mix and start grouting.

It's time to change your thinking about, whether or not the directions will be helpful. Whether it's about grouting your bathroom floor or putting together your home barbecued. I read one thing on the grout bag and it changed my entire grouting career.

The grout should slake. After you're done mixing the grout, you should wait between five and 10 minutes to let the moisture soak into the grout mix. Do this once, and you will never go back to mixing your grout and applying it, as quickly as possible after it has been mixed.

For more information on grouting, remodeling or home repairs, I would recommend reading books on home improvement and home repairs. Some of these books can make a big difference in your home improvement abilities as a handyman. I would also recommend reading more articles, there's plenty of information about tile and grouting, all over the Internet.

Click here if you are looking for some more Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Tips. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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How to Protect Foundation Plumbing Pipes?

If you install any underground plumbing pipes, in your concrete building foundation, you will need to protect them, from the concrete. You can use a variety of products and the most common of them will be a Styrofoam wrapping that can be purchased at most plumbing supply stores.

Let's start with the waste pipes, that are made out of plastic. The concrete could actually start to put pressure on the plastic pipes as the concrete starts to expand and this pressure could actually damage your new waste pipes.

You don't need to wrap all of the plastic waste pipes, only the parts of the waste pipes that will be exposed or in direct contact any concrete, but you do need to protect every copper water supply line that will be buried under the ground or exposed to the concrete, with a plastic sleeve. These products can be purchased again at most building supply or plumbing supply stores.

If these pipes aren't protected properly, you could find yourself within a short time, repairing the pipes that are either inside of your concrete foundation or buried underneath your concrete foundation. Either way, this isn't going to be a good thing.

You definitely need to wrap a plastic sleeve around the water supply pipes that are going to be buried or in direct contact with the concrete. This is a must and most building departments will require your plumbing pipes to be wrapped, before it they will sign off on your rough foundation plumbing inspection.

However, for the waste pipes, you can actually use cardboard to protect them. If you're short on funds, why not grab some cardboard boxes, dismantle them and start using cardboard to wrap the pipes, with a little duct tape.

There are plenty of ways to save money in the construction business, buy a few books, read a couple of articles, with a lot of pictures in this can provide you with lots of construction information, from experience building contractors.

Check out some of the best selling Home Building Plumbing Books all on one website

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repairs. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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10 Things a Homeowner Won't Tell a Contractor - Common Courtesy

I've been a contractor in the state of California for over 20 years and there are some things that a homeowner won't tell a contractor. These are a few things that a contractor might want to hear, but a reluctant homeowner, might have second thoughts telling their contractors how they really feel.

1. We are happy with all of the work that you did in a timely manner and we appreciate your services.

2. We are happy with the way you performed your construction tasks, efficiently and we appreciate your services.

3. The work was done by a true professional and we would recommend you to any one of our friends.

4. The payment plan that you created in the contract worked out perfectly and never made us feel uncomfortable. It never seemed like you had too much of our money or we were putting you in a bad spot financially.

5. Thanks for keeping the job clean, it meant a lot to us, because we have seen other construction jobs that look like a tornado ran through them.

6. Thanks for helping us with our design. Working with your contractor on a daily, weekly or monthly basis can be frustrating or joyful. Let the contractor know either way how you are really feeling.

7. You and your crew are extremely hard-working and we appreciate the simple fact that you didn't come to work late or leave early.

8. Thanks for the reasonable priced estimate on our project. You helped us say a lot of money and we appreciate that sincerely.

9. Thanks for doing the extra work at a reasonable price. You could have gouged us at certain times, but you chose to be fair and work things out, in a way that would benefit both of us.

10. This one is the most important and often overlooked by homeowners and it's simple and easy to do. Thanks for doing what you said you were going to do and actually doing it.

Just a simple thank you and paying them on time, for a service well done is enough for most contractors. However, a little common courtesy can go a long way, even in the construction industry.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Home Remodeling Contractor

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Click here if you're looking for additional Homeowner Contractor Advice. If you're interested in gathering more information on how to hire a good contractor, make sure that you visit our website.

Important Do-It-Yourself Home Remodeling Advice

Often I'm asked by homeowners, if they think that they can build something on their own. Often I end up explaining the process to them and it's pretty confusing. I would like to give some homeowners and construction handyman some do-it-yourself home remodeling advice, about projects that I think they should avoid and the reason why.

1. Working on Electrical Service Boxes

I really don't recommend, anyone who lacks experience working with electrical, to be working on it at all. When it comes to the electrical service box repairs, if you don't have any experience working in this specific area, I am suggesting this to all homeowners and do-it-yourselfers, stay away from electrical service power boxes. Electricity can be extremely hazardous to your health, so take my advice, this is coming from an expert on the subject.

2. Plumbing Water Supply Lines

I don't recommend, anyone who doesn't have any experience working with plumbing water supply lines, because if they break, or if your repair, doesn't hold properly, you could destroy a large portion of your home. Picture this, you just got through putting a new faucet in, everything looks great, but it's time for you to go to your baseball game. You come home about four hours later and the entire house is flooded with water.

This kind of stuff does happen and you need to take the advice of an expert here. It has even happened to me and I understand the process, pretty good. If you plan on fixing any plumbing water supply lines, make sure that you can spend the time, keeping an eye on your new home repair. If you're going to have any problems with them, they will usually happen within the first few hours of use.

I hope this helps, sometimes it's better to pay a professional, but I can understand, every intelligent person, is interested in saving a few dollars and learning new skills.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Pictures and Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Vista Home Repair Contractors

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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Home Purchasing Checklists Provide Protection

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.

If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.

There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.

The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.

The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.

This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.

A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.

If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.

By Greg Vandenberge

What is a Three Way Home Electrical Light Switch?

A three way home electrical light switch is a special light switch that can be used in your hallways, large rooms and stairways. These light switches are specially made to operate one light or a group of lights from two different locations.

They are most commonly found in hallways and provide a homeowner with the option of turning the light on at one end of the hallway and turning it off, when they are finished walking through the hallway and are about to enter into another room.

Before three way home electrical light switches were made, people would turn the hallway light on and leave it on or they wouldn't turn the hall light on at all, because they knew that after they walked down the dark hallway, they wouldn't be able to turn the light off at the other end.

Three-way light switches are also used in stairways. It makes a lot of sense, to be able to turn your stairway light on, at the bottom of the stairs and then after you have walked up the stairway safely, you can simply turn the stair lights system off.

As homes become larger, it's not going to be uncommon to find three way light switches being used at either end of large rooms. If your living room or family room was located within the center of your home and had an entrance at each end, it wouldn't be a bad idea to install a light switch at each end, for travelers who are simply walking through these room.

Remember that three-way light switches, are used to operate lights from two different locations.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Great Home Repair Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Encinitas Home Remodeling Contractors

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

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Building Codes - Stairway Construction

The stair building code was created for building safety. Before the building code and local city enforcement (Building Inspectors), anyone could build a house. This meant Uncle Earl who had just watched a couple of his friends build a house down the street construct some sort of a dwelling. The next step for Earl would be to help these guys for a day and now he is a professional home builder. You get the point.

Stair Building Codes create the safety needed for one of the most hazardous areas of your home. You might know someone who has fallen down a stairway?

I lived in a house I built for 15 years and I redesigned the stairs from a winder design to a T shaped set of stairs. Both sets of stairs were built using the local stair building code for my city.

Wow I could not believe how many times my family members fell down the stairs. I even fell down once. I was amazed. When I switched from the winder to the T shaped stairway there were less accidents. My point is that even using the stair building codes this is a dangerous part of your house.

Having a professional stair builder install your stairs is great advice. Take it. For example this happened to me on quite a few jobs. I get a set of plans from a architect who has been designing houses for over 40 years. I looked at the stairway to find out that he has designed a stairway that is too small for the length of this part of the home. If I build the stairs using the plans that by the way were approved from the local building department, I could have a problem.

You are probably asking yourself how does this happen. Aren't these people experienced professionals. Of course they are. They probably have the U.B.C. (Uniform Building Code) in their office somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes here and there but this is one area of the home where safety is a big concern.

Just look at it like this. The stair building code was designed to improve the safety and reduce the number of accidents while using the stairs. Over the years I have seen stairs poorly designed and constructed. These stairs create problems for the owners of the buildings not just the people that use them. Did I mention lawsuits. This is one area where a lawyer will have a field day.

As a building professional I advise you to use the stair building code first for safety and second to avoid lawsuits. Get an idea from some of the pictures I have taken over the years on problems with stair building.

Use common sense while building or remodeling your home. It goes a long way.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry. Stair Building Articles

How to Fit a Shower

If you are looking to install a new shower in your home, the first steps will be to measure, prepare, and fit the shower. A shower kit will always come with installation instructions, which should be followed to get the best result. Here are a few basic, general guidelines that will help as well. As always when tackling any home improvement project, with or without professional help, ensure that all of your permits are in order before you begin. Shower fitting is not recommended for beginner do-it-yourselfers.

The base of any shower is the shower tray. The shower tray holds the water before it drains, keeping it from spilling out on to the floor. Make absolutely certain that the area is level and that the shower tray will be properly supported. Many shower trays are made of acrylic or resin that can be prone to flexing when not adequately supported. Too much flexing can lead to a break in the seal between the tray and the shower enclosure, causing a leak. Avoid this difficult and expensive problem from the start by taking steps to make sure you have the right kind of supports in the right places.

Make sure you have enough room underneath the shower tray for the drainage pipe to run. Measure carefully to ensure you have enough space for this. If you don't, build your shower floor to be a bit higher to allow the correct amount of space for the drainage pipe and waste trap. Make sure you have access to these things as you install the shower tray, so you can check the seals between the drain of your shower tray and your drain pipe before you close it up.

Before installing anything else, make sure that all walls to be included in the showering area have been well water-proofed. You may choose to use tile or a shower kit with plastic wall panels. Which ever route you choose to take, this is a vital step both in beautifying the shower as well as preventing water damage to your home.

The shower screens will be installed last. A good fit is made from accurate measurements! The type and size of the shower screen panels will depend on the size and shape of the shower tray you've purchased. They should fit together without gaps.

The shower screens, whether purchased separately or as part of a kit, will also have instructions from the manufacturer which should be followed for a solid and lasting result. Check all of your caulking and seals to ensure that everything is watertight.

Written by James Chapman, a director of Bella Bathrooms who supply Showers for the UK market.

Bella Bathrooms is an online retailer formed by 2 plumbers from the North East of England. Having hands on experience of custom bathroom installation and products has enabled Bella Bathrooms Ltd to only select quality bathroom products for their online shop. They sell bathroom furniture, bathroom suites, showers and bath related products for consumers through the United Kingdom.

Pocket Door Problems

What You Need To Know About Home Improvement Remodeling

Have a specific plan of what you want done.

Before you even start, it's important to know what exactly it is you want to do. Do you want to completely redo the kitchen, or do you want to put in a new shower in a bathroom? Browse magazines for ideas, or ask friends whose homes you like what exactly they did. From there, you can know whether or not you can do it yourself or if you will have to hire someone.

In addition, planning thoroughly is important because it could affect the outcome of other projects. For example, let's say you want to add siding to your home. You will need to check if there are other repairs or things that could influence the siding, such as windows, paint, and so forth.

You will also want to prioritize your projects. For example, if you only have the budget for one project, and you need a new roof but would also like to redo your master bathroom, the new roof should take priority.

It's also a good idea to check local laws and ordinances before you begin remodeling. Make sure your homeowner's association allows the project you would like to do, so you don't end up wasting money if they don't approve it and you're already halfway finished.

Create a budget.

First, determine how much you want to spend. Then, you can determine whether you can tackle all the projects at once, or whether you will need to break them up and work on one this year, another next year, and so forth.

When making a budget, make sure you take into account not just materials, but labor and clean-up too. Costs you may not think about, like renting industrial vaccums, carpet cleaning, or dumpsters can add up.

That said, most experts will tell you it's a good idea to have a little extra set aside just in case, as many remodeling projects go over budget. Or, the home owners decide they would like to add something new; for example, if they originally planned on replacing countertops and then ended up putting in new cabinetry as well.

Consider timing

The time of year you decide to do remodeling will make a difference as well. Some things are obvious - you don't want to wait until summer is half over to install central air, nor do you want to put a swimming pool in in the dead of winter.

Spring is often an ideal time for remodeling for a number of reasons. The weather is usually ideal, and most people have recovered from the costs of the holiday season.

Home improvement remodeling is an exciting way to add not only value to your home, but to make it a more pleasant place to live. By careful planning and budgeting, you can make the most of your home improvement.

HomeBuildingRemodeling.com is your source for top quality home building, remodeling and home decorating information. For free articles delivered daily by email, visit http://www.HomeBuildingRemodeling.com and enter your name and email under the Free Home Building and Remodeling Updates section.

Simple Light Switch Replacement

How to Build It Wood Shower Pan

Whether you live in a home that has a bathtub or a shower, there is a good chance that structural framing could be damaged if there was any water leaking around the plumbing fixtures. The damage should be repaired before framing your pan.

If you're replacing a bathtub and installing a new shower this is going to require constructing a wood shower pan. Now building a wood pan will require a level floor surface, shower damn and blocking.

Now let's start with building the shower damn. You're probably wondering what is a shower damn and what does it have to do with the wood shower pan. The shower damn is actually the area you climb over when entering into the shower. This part of the shower pan enables the water to flow off a shower curtain or door into the shower pan and down the drain.

The shower damn needs to be at the least 6 inches tall and would be best if it was at least 8 inches. You can use a 4 x 6 or a 4 x 8 for the wood shower damn.

Next we need to block the perimeter of the pan area in the wall framing that we will use for our shower walls also. These blocks should be at least 12 inches high. This would require using 2 x 12 lumber for blocking.

After you block the perimeter of the shower pan and installed the shower damn you are ready to have to shower water proffed with a process known as hot mopping the shower pan or using a vinyl liner.

Well I hope this gives you a better idea of what's involved when framing shower pans during the house framing process.

Greg Vanden Berge has been building and remodeling for over 30 years and his information has proven valuable to most contractors and homeowners all over the world. He usually tries to write at least two articles a day on home improvement or remodeling problems.

Greg is in the process right now of working on a home inspection website that will revolutionize the home inspection business. He is also working on a book to help homeowners and contractors as well as other home related professions in dealing with the home inspection process.

You can visit the home inspection website currently under construction at Home Inspection Help

Surviving As A Contractor

Laying Ceramic Tile - Important Details That Must Be Right

Laying ceramic tile is a simple process. Get the basics right and the project will be a success. Now there are quite a few tricks that you need to know for the project to turn out right. Overlook these few things and you may have problems. Actually some of the most important steps are before you lay the first tile.

Some tile projects fail because of the base over which the tile is set. That's because any movement of the finished tile surface will likely lead to cracks. You see a tile surface is brittle. Move the base around and the tile will crack either in the tiles themselves or in the grout. A cracked tile surface is because of movement of the base. You can easily prevent this.

Now on some surfaces you may need some bracing. But usually even if you have a bouncing mounting surface, covering the surface will solve the problem. Putting down a plywood base or a cement board base is often the solution. The cement board base is almost a standard professional first step. In any case, make sure your base is clean, smooth and solid.

Once you have a solid base, the next important step is to decide where that first tile goes. Get the first tile right and the project is well under way. You see the finished look of the tile surface depends on where the cut tiles are and how all the tile joints look. Usually most rooms aren't exactly square so it's a challenge to make the tile lines match best with the existing walls. Planning is the key to success.

You can often start a floor in the center and work out for the best look. Once you get started it's easy to keep joints even using regular tile spacers. Then you can check regularly with a carpenter square to keep all the tiles properly aligned.

Laying ceramic tile is a step by step process. No particular step is hard, but there are quite a few tricks that you need to know to have the best chance for success. Get off to the right start and you'll surely have a good looking finished project.

You can get access to video tutorials showing the professional tricks to laying ceramic tile on our tile website.

Al Bullington invites you to visit http://InstallingCeramicTile.net for answers to your tile questions.

Window Header Framing Problems

How Hot is Your Kitchen

The kitchen is a feisty place, a place of sizzling, burning, searing, and grilling, with the whistle of steam and the crackle of oil all combining to create a symphony that's so good you can taste it.

But how hot is your kitchen in actuality? I'm not talking about temperature I am referring to excitement, to inspiration, to passion. Are the walls coated in bare and lonely wall paper, screaming for an accent? Or do they have style, and character, born from a thousand tiny details each expressing the inner you?

The energy in your kitchen may come from the cook, but the cook's energy has to come from inspiration. A kitchen devoid of character will not ignite new ideas, and it won't excite the imagination.

On the other hand however, it is quite possible to get too hot. You don't want to be sweating in the salsa. Over stimulation can lead to mistakes, and mistakes usually taste terrible.

So the kitchen ends up being a compromise. You balance hot against cold, energy against calculation, to form the perfect space for creation. And you judge this balance with the best scale available, your own body.

Everyone has an internal temperature, and a psychological temperament. Some people are always excited, always energetic, while others are calmer, and more calculating.

When you are the cook, it is your job to mold the kitchen to suit the emotional needs of your personality. This can be done by balancing your own heat, and energy, against the stimulus in the room. In this way you can invigorate your calm serenity with some exciting colors, or cool off a fiery temperament with some soothing art pieces.

Conclusion: How hot do you want your kitchen to be? Cool as a cucumber or hot as a tamale? The answer is simple, balance the space against your own personal flame.

Looking to add a unique flavor to your kitchen or bar ware set? Each and every stone beverage coaster offered by PebbleArt is made one of a kind by the natural properties which occur within its surface. These features give each piece its own distinct personality and character.

Structural Framing Beams

In Search of Vintage Bathroom Vanities

Do all things with a nostalgic echo stir up some wonderful memories in you? Do you earnestly believe that classic pieces are defined by unparalleled elegance and charm, and that one must celebrate their timeless intrigue?

Thankfully, you are not alone in your attempts in taking a trip down memory lane. And before you are convinced that your dreams of recreating that magic of yesteryears will remain nothing but a black hole, take time off to admire some simply breathtaking vintage bathroom vanities.

They manage to infuse life into bathrooms that seem to be floundering for breath with impeccable refinement and unmatched sophistication.

That Unmistakable Regal Touch

Antique looking classy bathroom vanities are crafted from solid antique wood, with a detailed china top. That's really the secret to their intriguing, almost bewitching beauty. Modern-day advances ensure that the magnificence of exquisite, intricate carvings and etchings are protected with the help of chemicals.

If there's even an iota of doubt about the quality of these vanities, here's a pronouncement that is sure to gladden many hearts. The quality of these antiques is exemplar par excellence, as they are carved from high density fiber board that is further enhanced with a superb stain finish. Antique water faucets and antique brass and ceramic hardware only add to the ethereal appeal.

And before you make snap judgments about the functionality, or rather the lack of it, these vanities surprise you with an enormous amount of storage space.

Selecting One Could Take You Ages

You may find it rather hard to resist the exceptionally beautiful appearance of these bathroom vanities, but there's something else that you are sure to find more arduous. Just try your hand at picking your favorite, and you'll be able to comprehend the enormity of this decision.

There's the Antique Oak Record Cabinet for bathroom vanity that takes your breath away with its sawn oak construction, smoldering bronze faucets and pristine white sink. It is a spectacle that promises pure, unrestrained happiness. For those that believe in uninhibited opulence, the Marble Top French Dresser is both unique and rare.

Whatever you choose, you are sure to have a bathroom that will become the cynosure of all eyes.

Here's exactly how you can generate 100's or even 1000's of positively brilliant Bathroom Remodeling Ideas... FAST ! And you could easily increase your home's value by several $1000s fast with these 25 street-smart tips for Dirt Cheap Home Improvement

Electrical Outlet Problems

Exterior House Painting - Homeowner Tips

Fixing up your house can be a fun and exciting time, as you decide on a new look for your home. Designing and planning home projects is both complicated and time consuming, but if done right the results are very rewarding for you and your family.

Exterior house painting is one of the quickest and most surefire ways you can change the look of your home. Painting it a different color or just mixing up the color schemes can give your house a fresh new look. Be sure to consult experts, or do your own research, when deciding on color schemes, as certain colors do not mesh well.

It is better to do this research prior to painting, so time and money is not wasted learning the hard way that certain colors clash too hard for your home. Exterior house painting is not Chinese algebra, but doing your homework never hurts.

Contractors' opinions are useful as well, as they have probably been in the business for some time and have experience with color schemes. Consulting a skilled contractor is a good idea before making a final decision on your exterior house painting choices.

Hiring a contractor is wise as well because of the time and headaches you will save while getting a professional job at the same time. Many people take home projects lightly and end up paying the price later, whether it is a monetary price or just the hassle that comes from disappointment in your decision. Taking some time for planning and design will probably help you to avoid these messes.

More information on College Works Painting exterior house painting for your home is just a click away

Create Your Solar Power House and Immediately Notice Beneficial Financial Savings & Cleaner Living!

Finding room-heating too expensive? Electric bills keeping you strained even in dreams? Forget all worries!! Just go for a solar power house. Or even easier, retrofit your home with solar power panels or passive solar power.

Imagine a side-walk, exposed directly to the sun on a blazing summer noon. Heat had reached the boiling point and if you try, the heated sidewalks can even cook an egg for you. This is what we call passive solar power! Passive solar homes have mechanisms like double glazed windows to store solar energy and then re-circulate the air through the house. Active solar power houses have elaborate devices like large solar panel cells, pumps and heat exchanges.

Get a combination of active and passive solar powers for your home soon. In a solar power house the sun's rays are trapped and via photovoltaic technology stored and converted into power to warm up your house and to provide you with good quality electricity. You'll be able to utilize this energy in running any kind of electric appliance. But attention please! Be careful in making your home as energy-efficient as possible before you switch to solar power. Always go for new and energy-efficient appliances because they consume low kilowatts to operate. Use older appliances and you run the risk of burning more kilowatts for the same work.

And what's more, depending upon the area in which you live you may jolly well be entitled to discounts and tax recessions when you purchase a new energy efficient appliance. So hurry up and reduce your costs.

If you really think that you cannot afford a solar power house at the moment, don't worry! There are loads of other options. If you have your bucks you can go for a solar heating system specifically designed for swimming pools. If you don't, you might decide to install a simple, inexpensive solar heating system to heat up your water for now. Once you realize how well it works and above all how much toy get to save, toy may finally take a step forward towards turning your home into a solar power house.

Live happier and for less money in a Solar Power House. All you have to do is Click Here to save hundreds of dollars per year!

Facts About Radon

Radon is a product of complex chemical processes that takes place in 14 stages. Facts about radon indicate that its presence in the atmosphere is harmless since the concentration level is quite low. However, if you're exposed in closed places radon can be harmful. Basically it results as a decay product of uranium into the soil.

If your basement have cracks or openings, you better think of repairing them fast. Facts about radon are quite shocking when it comes to how it can enter and accumulate in your house. The process is quite interesting. Actually what happens is that radon is present in the soil. Due to the difference in pressure between the soil and your house low areas such as basement, radon easily gets attracted by the basement's low pressure since it's under high pressure in the soil.

Interestingly, water from underground springs is also exposed to radon and thus can get in our houses through the water we use. However, it's in small amounts and actually harmless. So am I saying that radon is harmful? Well, facts about radon shows that it's particles remain attached to the lungs tissues and may trigger cancer. Basically what happens is that, it affects the DNA structure of lung cells causing cellular division impossible and thus the tissues die one by one.

Generally, it's advisable to make sure a radon test is done in any house that you might be thinking of buying. In addition, please make sure that the person who performs the test is qualified as per EPA Radon measurement proficiency program.

Peter Gitundu Researches and Reports on Radon. For More Information on Facts about Facts About Radon, Visit His Site at FACTS ABOUT RADON. You Can Also Add Your Views About Facts about radon At My Blog here FACTS ABOUT RADON

Problems With New Houses - Home Building

The house you live in was probably a mass produced home built as part of a housing track. The track home is a rapidly built house in phases. These phases if possible will over lap the other home building trades. If possible you will have the plumbers working on the same house as the electricians and the framers. This is called fast tracking.

Fast tracking a house is building a home as fast as humanly possible. So you can imagine the pressures put on all of the people involved in building a track home.
The pace is so fast sometimes that I have seen job superintendents and foremen look like they were actually going to blow up. I mean explode from the pressure they where under.

Framing the stairs on the job was the same experience for me most of the time. Sometimes I had three jobs going at once. Think about it. At the most, I could only go to each of the jobs twice each week. That involved working on Saturday of course. This made a lot of framing foremen extremely upset. They had full time crews on their jobs always working five days a week. If I missed one day of work. I was behind for the rest of the job.

Now it rarely happened but if I did miss a day of work I had to make it up some how. The only way to make it up was by working late or on Sunday. Well most of the time I worked six days a week from 7:00 in the mourning until 5:00 at night. So working late meant sunrise to sunset. Oh did I mention that I did have a family. This wasn't easy for them either.

One time I got so far behind on a job that I was putting stairs in while they were roofing the houses. Talk about one unhappy foreman. I think you get the idea about the pressure I was under to install these stairs on time. My experience building stairs on track built homes taught me to build homes extremely fast while being proficient.
I'm not interested in working like that anymore. My life is simple now and I want to keep it that way. The next time you see a construction worker working late on a Saturday show some compassion. Maybe by reading this article you will understand some of the pressure he is under.

Building tract homes is hard on you mentally and physically.

Happy Home building.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry. Stairway Safety

How Can I Benefit From Solar Panels?

The use of solar panels has become increasingly popular due to the financial savings they offer. Yet this is just one good reason why you should look into adding them. They also help to reduce the depletion of those resources we can't replace. As our society continues to move forward with technology we find we are using more and more electricity every day.

You will find there are plenty of well qualified contractors out there willing to install home solar panels for you. It is a good idea to contact at least two of them to see what they have to offer. Compare the solar panels they will install as well as the price. You also want to check their reputation and find out what type of warranty they offer on the work they will complete for you.

If you want to save money on the installation though you need to look at solar home kits. These allow you go put everything into place on your own. You can use them for your home or your business if you want to create your own electricity. Make a deal with a friend that they will help you install your solar panels and you will do the same for them. That way you can both benefit and the work will be completed in less time.

There really isn't too much to the process of installing your own solar panels Yet what it offers you in return is a very effective way to save money and to protect the environment in which you live.

Some individuals worry that they won't collect enough energy with home solar panels to meet their needs. It is true that households can vary when it comes to the amount of energy they consume each day. Likewise, the sun doesn't always shine as brightly in the sky each day either. Yet you don't have to worry because if you use all of the solar energy you create the back up system will be immediately accessed. That is the only time you will end up paying for the use of electricity.

The cost of installing solar panels is extremely affordable. In fact, it costs much less than most people happen to think. Therefore you should seriously look into the matter. You also want to find out if there are tax breaks and incentives offered in your area for installing solar panels California is one of the best states out there offering such initiatives to their residents. You will also find many new homes and businesses being built with solar panels This is due to the construction companies taking advantage of those incentives as well.

Study more useful information on the benefits of Home Solar Panels and find out how these great system can benefit your households. Visit Earth For Energy today; Your guide to understand solar panels.

Home Improvement Tips - Renovating So You Can Age at Home

When remodeling your home you should think to the future. Do you have an elderly relative that might be moving in at some point or should you be planning for your own future?

A recently released a study that found 75% of the people who currently own homes planned on retiring in them. Its even got a term. Aging in place.

Try to think with the future ahead in mind. Here is some ideas to keep in mind when you are renovating your home.

• Consider a more open more wheelchair friendly layout for your design.
• Remodel your home so that you can live on the ground level if necessary.
• Avoid steps on the main floor if possible.
• Widen doorways to make them wheelchair accessible.
• Try to plan the front entry as low as possible to the ground and eliminate stairs with sloping walks.
• In a bathroom remodel, install extra reinforcement for grab bars and make them handicap accessible.
• Use lever type faucet handles in bathrooms and the kitchen.
• Plan for a lot of storage within easy reach - the area from 20 to 44 inches above the floor and no more than 20 deep.
• When installing cabinets use drawers where possible.
• Make sure that drawers have pulls that are easy to grasp.
• Install lever handles on doors throughout the house.
• Consider hard flooring or choose an attractive, low-pile commercial carpet.
• Place your electric outlets higher than normal and switches lower.
• Consider a shelf outside the front door so you can put down packages while looking for keys and bringing bags in from a car.

Not only will these upgrades to your home benefit you if you choose to retire in your home, it will also likely make it more appealing should you choose to sell it at some point later.

Bob Current writes about a variety of subjects including home renovations. You can download his free report on Choosing The Best Contractor For Your Renovation at http://www.homeimprovementtips.info.

Propane Fittings

It is a known fact that greenhouse emissions and global warming are on top of list amongst the major issues of today. With deterioration of 'Arctic ice caps' and 'frenzy' for obtaining more quantity of crude oil, alternative fuels need to be thought of. One amongst the high-class alternative fuels has been 'propane', i.e. a by-product of refining of crude oil and processing of natural gas.

The Propane Education and Research Council says 'propane' goes on to provide great value as it tends to burn hotter as well as in a more efficient manner in comparison with the other sources of energy. If gone by statistics, you would get to know that a 'propane furnace' is capable of heating air up to around 25 degrees hotter. Propane emits of greenhouse gases in comparison with electricity. Propane appliances tend to have a short time-span; as far as energy savings payback is concerned.

Several household appliances have already stated making use of propane, inclusive of generators, grills, space heaters, pool heaters, clothes dryers, and many more. The life of a propane furnace is around 20 years. On the other hand, electric pumps last for around 12 years. Moreover, repairing propane gas furnaces is easier as compared to electric heaters. Space heaters fueled by propane are efficient up to 99.9%. In addition to that, they have 'oxygen depletion sensors' which shut off the unit if levels of oxygen become extremely low. This creates a much safer environment within the household.

In your life span, making use of propane gas water heaters ought to save you around $2000 more in comparison with electric water heaters. This money can be used for overcoming the other hardships on the economic front. Fireplaces fueled by propane emit around forty times lesser emissions as compared to wood-burning fireplaces. The cost of operation is also less.

Now, with all these advantages, using propane would definitely prove to be a wise decision. Right now, around 1.8 million households utilize propane, thereby creating more cost-effective uses for day-to-day appliances. Just give a thought to advantages of having turned to propane: All you would get is a finer environment for children from the futuristic point of view. Besides, more money can be saved. It is the time to have started taking up responsibility of future of the environment.

Vehicle emissions have been amongst the leading sources of carbon dioxide in to the atmosphere. It's also one of the prime factors with regards to global warming. Individuals have been pushing for solutions. Electric cars are also being created for people to switch over. Now, the problem lies in the fact that solutions designed for helping with emissions are, in virtual sense, not affordable by majority of people. Gas-to-propane conversions are quite affordable as compared to having bought a 'hybrid car'. Such an alternative is the best solution as propane burns completely clean. There are little or, you can say, no emissions (in to the atmosphere) with propane.

I am John James from home-fixing.com and I am an expert on fittings. I hope this article gives you a good start to choose the right fuel, I have written a lot more advice on fittings and tips on home improvements.

Room Acoustics & Home Cinema Rooms

Room acoustics play a huge role in creating a successful home cinema. The best home cinema hardware in the world will fail to perform at its best in a badly designed room.

The main issue in a home cinema tends to be excessive reverberation time - this is the time taken for a sound from a speaker to decay by 60dB below its original level - i.e. the amount of time it takes for a sound to dissipate in the room.

If you can imagine standing in a completely empty room with hard floors and ceilings and clapping your hands, the sound will echo for quite some time and therefore take a long time to decay (it reflects off the walls and floor). Now imagine standing in a carpeted bedroom and clapping your hands, the sound would not echo as much and disappear quite quickly (the bed and the carpet would absorb some of the sound). The bedroom has a lower reverberation time than the original room.

In a home cinema it is generally good to have a shorter reverberation time as if the reverberation time of one syllable overlaps the other it can be difficult to make out speech. The same thing happens with sound from the surround sound speakers - one effect overlaps another resulting in a muddle of sound.

Home Cinema Treatments

There are several ways to treat excessive reverberation time - changing the shape of the room is one. Imagine a square box, a wave comes out of the speaker hits the back wall and comes back 180 degrees on itself - muddled sound. Now imagine a complex shape like Octagon, some waves will still bounce back at 180 degrees but the majority will bounce off in different directions - the sound still exists but all the bouncing will reduce its energy quite quickly (and therefore volume) and keep the sounds distinct.

The other way to treat excessive reverberation is to absorb the wave - acoustic panels consist of acoustic substrate finished in fabric. This tends to be the most practical way to improve the sound in your room and the finishing fabric can be almost any design - improving aesthetics at the same time as the sound. Manufacturers such as Cineak and Cinematech have products available in a variety of sizes and shapes to cater for most situations.

Written by: Dave Chester

Custom Controls

http://www.CustomControls.co.uk

Custom Control & Entertainment Solutions - Home Cinema, Multi-Room Audio Video, Home Automation & Lighting Control. Premier Dealers for Crestron, Kaleidescape, Lutron and Bowers & Wilkins.

Going Green in the Bathroom Benefits - Poway Home Tips

The tough housing market, tight lending practices by commercial institutions and across the board depressed economy is forcing more and more homeowners to be more frugal. Going green in the bathroom is one way many have found to save money in their energy and water bills. Many are still under the old idea that environmentally sustainable practices are expensive while in reality it is the opposite. The centerpiece of green bathroom remodeling is to save water and energy resources, while saving you money and us, the environment.

As consumers demand for products that have the twin advantages of saving money and natural resources increase, companies respond by making products that address these needs. Today, more and more companies are jumping into the bandwagon of making green products. The result is that the cost of these materials that are environmentally sustainable have gone down while their benefits have been appreciated more.

With bathrooms, it is much easier to go green than the other rooms in the house. By just following the 1994 water conservation mandates, many homeowners have simply replaced outdated fixtures and reaping the savings in utility bills immediately.

Going green in the bathroom benefits:
According to Mike Nagel of the National Association of Home Builders and Remodelers Council, "Americans spent over $230 billion last year on home remodeling, with energy efficient and sustainable products representing an increasing share of the market."

Low flow shower heads can dramatically reduce the amount of water used while taking shower.
Toilets that use less water than the standard toilets are becoming more popular. Dual flush toilets save water and have become the darling of some in the bathroom renovation business.
Bathtub and sink refinishing are lees expensive than total tear out. Reglazing a bathtub saves money, time and the environment.

Take for instance, a bathtub. It costs about $300 to buy a new one, but when the price of tear out, plumbing, tile setting and disposal of the fixtures, the price adds up pretty quickly. The price for total bathtub replacement can go from $1500 to $2500, depending on the part of the country the work is done. Bathtub refinishing is done in the bathroom, takes about four hours to complete, can be used the next day and costs about $450. Restoring a bathtub while in the bathroom, saves the energy that could have been used in manufacturing, and transporting the tub to the warehouse, store and to your bathroom. It also saves the landfills.

Going from the standard bulb to a low energy bulb saves money on utility bills. Using recycled or re-manufactured flooring materials saves valuable assets. Paints that are low in VOC have health and green benefits. Reducing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), will reduce health problems, from asthma to cancer. Be careful to use building materials like cabinetry, adhesives, caulks and paints that are VOC free.

Because the bathroom is affected by heat, humidity and chemicals from cleaning, hygiene and cosmetic products, ventilation, therefore becomes very important. Outside air is less polluted than the air inside. If it feasible to have a window that recycles the air in the bathroom, go ahead and enjoy your fresh air. Going green in the bathroom saves money, time, the environment and is a healthy thing to do.

Wilson Uche Ukah, is the President of Refinishing Stars, a bathtub refinishing company serving homeowners in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville. Refinishing Stars, refinishes bathtubs, sinks, and countertops for hotels and motels nationwide. He writes regularly on green remodeling. Wilson can be reached at http://www.refinishingstars.com or sales@refinishingstars.com

Does Solar Renewable Energy Work?

You've probably heard a lot from the "go green" movement which has swept the country into an environmental craze. While some people who are eager to see green renewable energy sources implemented on a wider scale would stretch the truth as to just how much you can benefit from it, it's important to be able to separate the myths from the truth.

The answer is yes, you can use solar renewable energy to power your home. Using solar cells which you can easily create in your own backyard over a weekend using a do it yourself guide which work just as well as solar cells which you could have professionally installed for a much greater price, you can convert sunlight into natural electricity. The process is simple enough to grasp. As photons on the rays of sunlight come down and are absorbed by the silicon in the cell. The electrons are shaken free from their atoms and are then dispersed through the cell to form usable natural electricity. The addition of a generator allows you to store this natural electricity so that you can keep power supplied to your home, even during lulls in service such as the middle of the night.

Many people not only run their homes on this natural electricity, but they also create surplus amounts of it to sell back to the power company for a profit. If they've got some free land to devote towards it, they make a nice second income this way. You can do this, as well, just on a smaller scale. It's really up to you as to how many solar cells you create and how much space you have on your home or in your yard to implement it. Using a do it yourself guide you can make as many as you want, you can even build some for your friends or family, or even sell them to other people.

The average family spends roughly $2500 on electricity each year. If you'd like to save that much by easily tapping solar renewable energy and creating your own natural electricity, visit http://www.renewableenergyreviewed.com to learn more about the leading do it yourself guides on the market and start saving today.

Build New Or Remodel?

There are three possible scenarios involved in that question:

1. Stay where you are and renovate

2. Move to an existing house and renovate

3. Build a new house for you to move into

There are numerous considerations, not the least of which is how you feel about your existing location. That word - LOCATION - should be your primary focus. Do you prefer to remain where you are, or not? Is staying where you are an option, or are you forced to relocate due to a job change, or other issues?

If you wish to stay where you are, there's no reason to read this article. Remodeling and/or expanding the place where you now live is the least expensive alternative - by far.
Your aggravation levels will increase during the construction, but they will do that with either of the other choices as well. If it gets to be too much, you can move to a motel for 2 months, eat dinner out every night, and still come out cheaper than either option 2 or option 3. If you want to be in your present home, case closed.

So let's assume you have to move, and we'll concentrate on option 2 vs. option 3. There are two important aspects of this topic which apply to both.
In both cases you have to research the property with the building department to make sure you will be able to do what you wish. Verify zoning, lot size restrictions, and access to utilities.
You will have unknown costs (moving, insurance, taxes, financing costs, etc.) in either case.

Advantages of remodeling an existing house:
Fewer hidden (or unknown) costs. New homes often have impact fees, ground preparation fees, and higher permit fees than those imposed for remodeling.
Hard construction costs will be less (usually, but not always).
You can move into the house much sooner. If you have to leave your existing home quickly, you may not have the ability to wait for a new home to be built.

Advantages of building new:
Unrestricted design potential, allowing you to end up with a more modern, better insulated home, with better traffic flow than you would have in an older building. Also, older homes have less closet/storage space than new ones.
Your long term energy costs will be lower because all of your equipment will be running more efficiently.
Less disruption to family routine. While construction is happening, you're still living in your present house. Then you move into a finished product (possibly with some decorative items to complete).

I'm sure you noticed that I haven't listed costs in either list. The determining factor is going to be the extent of the renovation to the existing building. Depending upon the condition of the house, age, building codes and other factors, it can actually be more costly to remodel than to build new.

In either case, allow an extra 20% in your budget over and above any quoted costs you've obtained. 10% is for upgrades that you decide upon after initial pricing. The other 10% is for the rising costs of material and labor. If the price of oil goes through the roof again, 10% might not be enough.

If the older home was built between 1950 and 1978, there might be issues having to do with asbestos and lead paint. Make sure you get a professional inspection performed. You may also be required to bring the plumbing and electrical systems up to date.

In conclusion, renovating a home might be very rewarding, as well as the cheaper alternative. However, you have to do your homework before making the commitment, in order to insure that you're not stepping into a money pit. Every situation is different. Your decision will probably come down to what your sixth sense tells you. Regardless of how you choose, anticipate that moving into a new home will take more time and more money than expected.

Charles Gueli

Home Helper

http://www.continuous-home-improvement-help.com

DIY Solar Power - Getting Started the Cheapest Way

Over the past two decades, solar panels have enjoyed widespread use and many more homes are beginning to realize the huge cost savings associated with the sun's renewable energy source.

Most people still think that solar energy is something only the rich can afford for their renewable energy supply. This may have been true 15 years ago but certainly not with today's savvy do it yourself (DIY) society.

Here's how you can build your own solar panels without having to spend thousands of dollars on installation charges and expensive equipment all the while saving yourself up to 80% on your electricity bill.

• You'll need a cheap solar panel (find it on eBay)
• You'll need a battery and battery holder
• You'll need a DC input and/or an AC inverter

The trick you need to learn is how to put it all together and how to connect numerous solar panels together. For the majority of homes, more than one solar panel is required.

Each solar cell produces a small amount of electricity but when combined together, they can generate enough electricity for most household needs. Before starting, you should check that you have the right tools for the job such as a soldering gun, spanner and a screwdriver.

The easiest way to get started to producing your own solar energy is to follow a simple plan. Earth4Energy is such a plan which shows you how to find all of the above mentioned parts for less than $200! With this inexpensive guide, you can get the job done quicker and you'll also be able to build wind turbines for additional renewable energy sources around the home too. Either way, this guide shows you everything you need to know to be able to generate enough power for your entire home and can have your own solar energy generators installed within a couple of days.

For more tips on how to harness the power of the sun and reviews of the best do it yourself solar power kits, please visit the web site, DIY Solar Power Now.

Solar energy is just one of many renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. Help save our environment by converting your home to solar energy little by little.

Mistakes in New Kitchen Design

Every designer and contractor experiences them, a kitchen that they wish would just go away. One small mistake snowballs into a full blown catastrophe, leaving everyone involved yelling at everyone else or maybe only speaking through lawyers. But most of the mistakes that cause such disasters are completely preventable. What follows in this two part article are some mistakes we've seen that you'd do well to avoid.

Cabinet Glazing

This is a process subject to varying results, and not everyone understands that. Basically what happens is this: cabinet manufacturers wipe an already stained door with a darker color paint, filling in all the cracks and crevices. Then they wipe this off, leaving the paint in the gaps and low spots. Sometimes, depending on how heavy the wiping hand was, there are traces of the paint left on the flat parts and each door or cabinet ends up being unique. Even though a set will consist of all the same colors, each cabinet will look a little different from the others. Some people don't understand this. Nowadays cabinet manufacturers make customers and designers sign a disclaimer stating that they understand things will look a little different than the door sample they saw.

Accurate Floor Plan Measurements

It is imperative that these are spot on. Many projects crash and burn because whoever took the measurements was just "pretty close." If measurements are underestimated, things may be ok; there are always filler strips. But if the designer thinks he's working with 6'-3" and there is really only 6'-1 1/2" available, there may be a problem. A workaround might be one smaller cabinet and a filler strip. Replacing a lazy susan corner cabinet farther up the line with a blind corner cabinet, and bumping it out the correct difference, is another idea. It all depends on how creative the designer is with the space kitchen area, and what sort of changes the homeowner can live with.

Remember the Ceiling

Utility cabinets are usually available in 84", 90", and 96". If someone has an 86" ceiling, they're all set, right? Not necessarily. How are they going to tip it into place? More than one screaming match has started over the best way to fit such a monster in a low ceilinged room. Is there another room with higher ceilings you can tip it up in? From there, it might be carried upright to the final resting place somehow, provided there are no low doorways on the way. Some manufacturers let you ship the toe space loose, effectively making it a 91 1/2" (in the case of a 96") cabinets. Once in place you can slip blocks underneath the cabinet up to attach the toe space and toe kick.

So far, I've shown you three problems that can lead to disasters in new kitchens and kitchen remodeling projects. While there are workarounds for each problem, it's best not having them in the first place. Stay tuned for Part II.

Craig Parker is a kitchen designer and performs Linux sysadmin duties at http://www.thecabinetfolks.com
The Cabinet Folks strive to provide quality kitchen and bath cabinets and stellar customer service at fair prices.

Dangers of Walking on a House Roof

Here's some things to think about before walking on the roof of a house. If you slip and fall off the roof you could get hurt seriously. For your own safety if you have no experience walking on a roof use extreme caution. I would even suggest using a ladder and moving the latter around the perimeter of the house if you are inspecting the roof for damage.

Here's some things to keep in mind before walking on a house roof.

1. If the building is above two stories hire a contractor especially if you think the roof has building damage.

2. If the roof is too steep stay off. This could be extremely hazardous to your health.

3. If the roof is severely damaged and has loose shingles or tiles, this could create a safety hazard as you slip on one of these loose shingles and possibly fall off the roof.

4. You should stay off the roof at all costs if there is snow or ice. Ice obviously is extremely slippery and would be difficult to walk on. The difficulty would be increased if the roof has a steep slope.

5. Now last but not least if the roof is wet you should avoid walking on it until it is dry. I have been on wet roofs before and personally slipped myself losing my balance but not falling off of the roof.

Climbing up on a roof and walking around is not child's play and should be left to an experienced professional . If you feel comfortable walking around on any roof please use caution. If you slip in the middle of the roof there is a good chance you will be able to regain your balance or have time to stop yourself before falling off.

I would suggest using caution near the edges of the roof. If the roof is too steep or you don't feel comfortable, why risk serious injury. Use common sense along with the proper ladders to ensure your safety and "Think before walking on a house roof."

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

How to Make a Wind Power Generator at Home

Wind power is the cheapest source of energy and you can make and install a wind power generator at your home and can start generating electricity for your own consumption. The electricity produced by wind generator is not only much cheaper than what you are getting today, but also the whole process is pollution free.

Wind is the renewable source of energy and we need a small kit, which is also called as wind power generator so that we can get additional electricity for our home. The kit is readily available in the market; however there are many varieties of it and some are very costly. We need to ensure that we get a good quality product at minimum price so that we can cut down huge electricity bill instantaneously.

A wind power generator converts the kinetic energy of wind to the electrical energy and which is then supplied to our house through the connecting wires and thus we start saving on electricity bills, once the unit starts generating electricity. A wind power generator has many parts and the major parts of it are the gearbox and large rotor blades. You might have seen large rotor blades at many places. Although these occupy some space, however you can install these in your backyards or garden.

There are many places where wind flow is heavy and thus there is a potential to generate good amount of electricity through wind power generators. Even in other places also, you can generate electricity and can reduce your electricity bill by 50 to 70 percent.

So, you can install a wind power generator at your home with an initial investment of around $200 and can start generating electricity. The advantage of the technique is that it is totally pollution free and the repair and maintenance cost of the wind power generator is negligible. So, try a suitable wind power generator today itself and start cutting down your huge electricity bill by as much as 70 percent.

Solar energy and wind energy are two most famous renewable sources of energy and nothing additional is required to generate electricity except a small initial investment.If you are thinking how can you generate electricity in your backyard so that you can reduce your electricity bill.

Earth4energy is a guide that teaches you how to create electricity in your backyard. This is worth spending a few bucks to save thousands in your electricity bills. Earth4Energy Review

Does Home Improvement Still Make Sense In A Housing Slump?

Last night I watched a home improvement show in which a Florida couple had spent $50,000 updating their home. Now they were asking their realtor for a home appraisal. Amazingly, the realtor told them their renovation had increased the value of their home by $120,000 - more than a two-to-one return on their investment!

Cable TV is filled with shows like this that inspire homeowners to take on kitchen remodeling, bedroom makeovers or similar projects.

But many of these shows were filmed two or three years ago during the height of the housing boom.

As we enter 2008 we face a very different housing market in which nationwide home prices are stagnant and even declining in some markets.

In this sort of environment, does home improvement still make sense? The answer depends on what sort of home improvement you want to tackle.

Avoid Style Makeovers

First, it's time for a reality check. Even during the peak of the housing boom, the idea that remodeling your home produced a high return on investment was simply a myth.

According to 2004 survey by Remodeling Magazine, the average home renovation returned only 80% of its value at the time of resale.

So for every dollar you invested in a major renovation, you could expect $0.80 back in your pocket. And that was in 2004, when home values across the country were climbing at an unprecedented rate.

If you want a style makeover to make yourself happy, by all means you should do it. But you shouldn't expect it to dramatically increase the resale value of your home.

In fact, your taste could well end up driving away potential buyers. Personal tastes can be tricky. You may love red and gold walls in your living room, but some buyers will see this as a liability that needs to be fixed.

Even if your tastes are in step with current tastes, styles will change over time. Your choice of kitchen tile and countertops may be in line with current fashion, but if you don't plan to sell your home for another ten years, the style may well be dated when you sell.

Keep in Step with Your Neighborhood

Your home's location is still the biggest factor determining its value. With that in mind, renovations make the most sense if they bring your house up to the norm for the neighborhood.

If your 3,000 square foot home has only two bathrooms, adding a third bathroom makes sense. If all other homes in your neighborhood have a deck, then adding one to your home makes sense as well.

But this rule only applies to major items. Just because your neighbor added solid gold faucets and a sunken marble bathtub doesn't mean you should remodel your master bath to keep pace.

And if you are already the biggest house on the block, further home upgrades will do little to increase the value of your home.

Invest in Home Maintenance.

Home repairs and preventative maintenance are the best investment you can make in your house, and they make sense regardless of whether the housing market is in a boom or a bust. They won't necessarily raise the value of your home, but they can prevent your home from loosing far more value due to damage and wear.

Putting off repairs simply means they will cost more when you do get around to fixing them. A crack from a settling foundation will expand over time. Water damage from a leaky gutter will only cause further wear to your exterior walls.

When you sell your house these issues will almost certainly come up in the home inspection, and you may need to discount your home's price to allow the buyer to make repairs. Worse, too large a repair bill may simply scare a buyer away.

The Bottom Line:

Overall, the best advice is to invest in sound home improvements that keep your house in good shape and up to the standard of your neighborhood.

If you still want to make a style upgrade, that's fine. But do it for aesthetic reasons, not financial ones.

Home Design Ideas to Create a Home of Energy Saving "Green" Beauty

We live in a new world. The time for paying attention to our natural resources is now. We have woken to the realization that our world is not the inexhaustible support system we believed it to be.

Thankfully "going green" does not require extreme and costly changes. Making a significant difference in the worlds natural resources, only takes small decisions made one step at a time. We can decide to:

Recycle
Reuse
Restore
Reduce

With these 4 words in mind we have a few of the most wonderful ideas, tips and secrets to present. Simple and affordable going green ideas. And, if you choose to implement any or all of these suggestions you can be assured you are contributing to the over all health of the earth now and toward a more sustainable living environment for our future generations.

1. Going Green by Changing Your Lights. If every household in the U.S. replaced just one light bulb from the standard incandescent to the highly energy efficient luminescent bulbs being promoted today we would

Save A national average of $600,000,000. a year in energy costs.

Save Enough energy to light more than 3,000,000 homes for one year.

Save Green house gases equivalent to the emissions given off from over 800,000 cars.

Save Significant amounts on your energy bill. My husband spent one day replacing all the bulbs in our home. Not totally convinced it would make that much of a difference on our bill I supported his efforts more for the conservation aspects (and because he had turned off the TV) rather than the money saving pitch.

Boy was I surprised when the next electric bill came,

it dropped approximately 20%! or about 10 cents per

hour!

This change in bulb has one characteristic that may take some time getting used to. When you first turn on the lights - they appear dingy due to the fact they need to warm up a bit before they are at peak - light up the room - performance. They also initially cost a bit more but the standard life span far outlasts the basic bulb - from months to years.

Another energy saving tip is to install dimmer switches. Years ago these dimmers did not provide any benefit other than creating ambient light in a room. Today they are designed to minimize your electric consumption as well.

2. Going Green by Choosing an Eco Friendly Floor. If you are planning to replace your floor with hard wood there are two options that are delightfully green, look beautiful, perform well, and cost less than most hard woods.
Cork - Cork has come a long way from its original purpose of wine stopping.

It comes from the bark of a tree that can be harvested once every 10 years and does no damage to the tree at all. Like sheering a sheep! It's typically sold in tile or sheet form and is easy to install. Because cork contains millions of air bubbles - it is comfortable to walk on and easier on the feet when standing for long periods of time in the kitchen. It is also hypoallergenic, absorbs sounds, and acts as a thermal insulator which means warmth on the feet.

There are fabulous color and grain options available today so be sure to shop around!

There are a few drawbacks to consider. Cork does need to be sealed to moisture protect and is not very resistant to fading or punctures however, it does bounce back well when a heavy blunt object is dropped on it.

The other floor covering option is Bamboo - bamboo is definitely more competitive if you need a harder wood floor. Harder than oak yet it is made from a fast growing Asian grass that matures in about 6 years. It can be refinished numerous times with dye-based stains. Very eco-friendly.

Bamboo also offers a wonderful variety of color, grain and style. Have fun looking for the color and grain of this beautiful hard wood option. Did I mention it's priced lower than most oak options?

3. Going Green by Recycling or Restoring Your Furniture. Must you buy new furniture or can you refinish, restore, repaint or recycle?

Wonderful design projects can result from painting, restaining or reupholstering that piece that
is dated or worn. The most exciting aspect of recycling furniture is the money saved.

Sandpaper, paint and associated supplies are relatively inexpensive. Door knobs, drawer pulls can
really change up the look of that tired piece of furniture also with minimum expense. A picture says a thousand words especially in this case. Visit the web site listed below to see some fantastic examples of these furniture restoring options.

Design applications usually last about 10 years. The neutral - earthy colors we have been seeing so often has been around since the late 90's so it's on its way out. This year you will start seeing bold, bright colors being applied to accent walls, furniture and textures. So, don't be afraid to experiment with color, fabric textures and brush techniques. This is the year for bold, bright and beautiful! Go for it.

Another idea you may want to entertain is a fantastic option to buy "slightly used" from your local Good Will or Salvation Army. With a bit of frugal redesign "know how" you can create remarkable results.

4. Going Green by Buying Energy Star Appliances. Energy Star is the U.S. Governments Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy Seal of approval system to confirm a products ability to avoid/limit greenhouse gases without sacrificing quality.

When you purchase an Energy Star item you can be assured you have a product that will reduce energy consumption and save you money when used in your home, guaranteed through the entire life span of the appliance.

2007 stats from www.energystar.gov reports that consumers "saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars - all while saving $16,000,000,000. (16 Billion) on their utility bills.

Wow - Good Job! Let's keep up the good work!

Sue Krippner is a Free Lance Artist, Home Staging and Redesign Professional. She is attracted to "all things beautiful, especially as it relates to interior decorating and design. Visit http://frugalhomedesign.com to see samples of her art and find plenty of professional design, tips hints and secrets to help facilitate your personal interior design goals with money saving frugal flair.

Build Your Own Deck With the Right Power Tools

You'll have to start out with using a little imagination to picture what you want your end result to be. A complex deck may be out of your league, so leave that up to the professionals. You'll need only basic construction skills to build a simple deck.

There are many home and garden type magazine that will inspire you with some ideas, but you'll have to decide how large you want your deck to be. Try a few chairs and a small table around the area of your yard where you are planning to build it. This will give you a basic idea of how much space you will need. You might find a plan that already suits what you need.

The type of decking material you choose will depend on your budget. A wood deck is obviously going to be less expensive than a higher-end composite deck. However, remember to calculate on your costs how much you will have to pay for maintaining the deck if you decide to go with wood. It can be costly in the long run. The plan you follow will list all of the building materials and hardware you'll need. Definitely invest in the right power tools if you don't already have them. A cordless drill and a good "chop saw" saw will save you hours of labor.

Deck piers are also a must if you want to save time and strain on your back. These are pre-formed concrete footings with notches that accept standard sizes of wood. They are used in a "deck pier system" which saves you the trouble of digging holes and pouring your own footings.

Once you have calculated all of the materials you will need, have them delivered from your local building supply store if you don't have a vehicle to get them yourself. Before you begin construction, do an inventory of your materials and power tools. It will go smoothly if you have everything you need on hand.

For more information on Power Tools or visit http://www.directtools.com

Shopping Online For Your Bathroom Vanity

Shopping online for bathroom vanities and vanity cabinets can be a smart way to remodel your bathroom. Not only will you be able to find more choices than you might in a regular supply store, but you will also be able to compare prices to see if you're getting the best deal possible. However, with these benefits come responsibility on your part to know what you're choosing and whether it's the right fit for you. Here's a primer that will help you find the best cabinet or vanity for your needs - at a great price.

Know your size

The first thing you will want to do is measure the distance from the wall to where you want the front of your vanity to be. Most bathroom vanities can be found in widths of under thirty inches to up to six feet. While you might want bathroom vanities to be larger in order to store more things, this can also cause your bathroom to appear cramped and much smaller than it really is. To help you with your measurement, you may want to find a cardboard box that can simulate the various sizes of bathroom cabinets online in order to get a clear mental picture of what your bathroom might look like once it's installed.

Know the wood color and texture

Just as there are hundreds of bathroom vanities, there are dozens of colors that you can choose from in terms of vanities. Some of the more traditional colors include wood veneers like cherry, maple, oak, and walnut. You can also find natural woods that are merely covered with a shiny sealant. Or you may opt for a glass cabinet or shelving system. You might also want to choose a particular color that falls in line with a theme that you have picked out. No matter what color you choose, you will want to ask for a clear picture of the cabinet first before you actually purchase it. A computer screen can sometimes distort the color that you see on the website.

Know the type of cabinet you want

While it seems fairly obvious what vanity cabinets are, bathroom vanities can range in size, shape, and purpose so you will want to know what's out there before you start shopping. Some of the common types of cabinets include:

" Shelving - This can be open, recessed, surface mounted or be placed in a corner. Choosing shelving means that any items that are stored here will be in plain view of anyone in the bathroom.
" Cabinets - Just like the name, these bathroom cabinets will be fully enclosed with doors of wood, glass or another material.
" Countertops - What type of countertop do you want
" Sink - The vanity that you choose may be determined partly by the type of sink that you want. If you want a vessel sink, you must find a vanity that accommodates that type of sink. If you want an undermount sink, then you should narrow your search to those vanities that have that type of sink.

When you're online

Knowing what the descriptions mean when you're shopping online for websites will allow you to pick the best fit for your needs as well as receive the cabinets that you really wanted. Most online retailers of bathroom vanities and vanity cabinets will have a customer service phone number that you should utilize if you have any questions.

For a site that's as helpful as they are stocked with the cabinets you need and want, go to http://www.discountbathroomvanities.com

Dave Robert is a district sales manager at Discount Bathroom Vanities Publishing, and an avid fixer-upper who's been restoring old houses for more than twenty years. Readers can tap into Dave's knowledge about home remodeling, and kitchen and bathroom design, at: http://www.DiscountBathroomVanities.com

Easy Money Saving Tips For Today's Economy

Whether or not you make $20,000 a year or a six figure income every one wants to save money.Especially these days, due to the economic crisis saving money has become paramount.Bills, children and those unexpected expenses can easily become overwhelming and we might feel that it is impossible to put anything into savings or worse pay our bills month to month.We examine our bills and every penny that we spend and can not find away that we can make a difference, and it continues to be a downward slope from there.
This may be your life, or maybe you can just some costs on the luxuries that you enjoy.The first step is to recognize it, because you can not fix what you do not acknowledge.The second step is to take action.

Here are some useful tips to cut cost without making major life changes:

Install surge protector - Sure we turn of the television when we go to bed at night, but simply because it is plugged into the wall it is drawing power, which in turn will cost money on your electric bill.That is just the television, think of all the other appliances that are plugged in around your house.Unplug the coffee pot from the wall after your morning coffee, or toaster, blender, you get the idea.For big items like your televisions, stereo, computer, plug them into a surge protector, when you go to bed or off to work for the day, turn the switch to off to cut off complete energy supply.You will truly be surprised how much money you will save on your energy bill.

Heat/Air-conditioning-Just turning it down by 2 degrees when you go to bed or off to work will save you tons of money.Turn it down by 5-10 degrees when you areoff to work, and this little thing can add up to big savings.

Blinds-Common sense, open them in the winter to allow the sun to warm your house vice the heater.In the summer close you blinds to reflect the suns rays to keep your house cooler.
Appliances-If you need a new refrigerator, dish washer, washer whatever it might be, invest in an energy efficient one.If it isnot time to get a new appliance, install energy saver light bulbs, they cost more but will greatly reduce your monthly bill.

Keep the change-Put a change bucket on your kitchen counter and next to the washing machine.Turn the change in for cash; I usually rack up about $50 in change a month.
Meal Planning-Plan out you weekly meals before you will go shopping.Not only will you save money at the grocery store by only buying what you need, you will also save money on fast food.If you know there is something to made when you get home, you are less likely to hit the local fast food drive-thru.

Put a timer on the shower-My kids always linger in the shower.I now give them a 10 minute shower time.I put a kitchen timer in their bathroom, they soap up first and then play, when the timer goes off it is time to get out.This tip has greatly reduced my water bill.

Bulk you plans-First look at your bills.How often do you use those 400 channels or movie package you subscribe to, if the answer is rarely get rid of them.If you have a ton of extras on your phone service that you do not use, say goodbye to those as well.A lot of companies offer package deals, I have my cable, phone and internet bundled together on one bill for a savings of $150 a month.

The point is if you just look there are hundreds of ways to cut costs, to help you save for a rainy day or an emergency fund or just be able to pay your bills each month.Acknowledge the problem and fix it, which is all we truly can do.

Here is to your savings!
The Penny Pincher

Learn even more ways to save money, on everything from grocery shopping, to saving while raising children at http://www.thepennypincher.weebly.com

Outdoor Shed Foundations - Home Building Tips

When looking to build your own outdoor shed the first place to start is with the shed foundation. Your storage shed needs to be built on a strong foundation. Whether it is wood or concrete your slab needs to be a firm base that your outdoor shed will be built on. If you don't have a good shed foundation then your shed will not last as long as it should.

Wondering when to use a concrete slab or wood for a shed foundation? Here are the two main reasons for choosing one or the other. A wood foundation for your outdoor shed will allow you to move it if you ever decide that your original spot is not right. If you use a concrete slap then you will not be able to move it at all.

After you figured out what type of foundation you want you need to start to assemble it. If you're going to use the wood foundation, make sure you use pressure treated wood. Any home improvement store will have it just make sure to ask for help if you're unsure of the type and size you need. Tell them you're building an outdoor shed and they will be able to point you in the right direction.

An easy way to build a nice strong shed foundation is to get a couple of skids. These can be found at just about any store and usually they are in the back and free. Lay the skids out and placing your pressure treated wood around the outside nail then together. Using 3/4" plywood for the floor will give your outdoor shed a very strong foundation. Using bricks under the skids will help level the shed floor off and also keep any moisture from getting into our wood foundation.

If you decide to use the concrete slab make sure you have picked out the correct location, as this will be a permanent structure on your property. If you need your outdoor shed to support a lot of heavy equipment then you want to use the concrete slab foundation. It will be able to hold a lot more weight than the wood foundation.

It's always best to have a plan of attack before starting any home improvement project: it can save you time and money. Think about what you plan to keep inside your outdoor shed, if its going to be heavy equipment and you know that the wood foundation is going to be raised up off the ground 5-8" you may need a ramp to get stuff in and out. A concrete foundation can be made to be ground level. Keeping all these things in mind before you start building your outdoor shed will make this go so much faster and give you less headaches.

Learn more about outdoor storage sheds & buildings

How Can Going Back to School Be Green?

Pupils and teachers alike are probably trying not to think about going back to school as the long summer holidays have only just begun, but as it is actually only a matter of weeks away, we have been thinking about how you can stay green as the new academic year approaches.

Firstly there is the equipment and kit that is invariably required whether you are teaching or learning. Many of these requirements are similar from primary school up until university so keep reading whichever type of educational establishment you work or study in. Stationery is a good start, much of which can be bought made from recycled materials. And when it comes to paper, remember to use both sides whether writing or printing. Also plan ahead with regards to lunches and invest in a lunch box rather than using plastic bags every day. If you need new school uniform check whether your school offers second hand clothes and donate your old good quality ones.

With regards to getting to your school or college, try to walk or cycle whenever possible, or use public transport if it is too far. Alternatively, set up a car sharing pool to reduce car use and save money.

Once you are there, you could think about how to make your school or college greener. Why not set up some eco-iniatives with colleagues or peers? You could become a Fairtrade school, set up a recycling scheme or move towards using renewable energy.

Ultimately, going back to school is just one more part of our lives where we can easily make a difference to our carbon footprint by making small changes to the purchases we make and actions we take. So as you start making plans for the next school year, think about how these could be a little greener.

Hayley Jones is the Web Marketing Director of UK Energy Saving, http://www.uk-energy-saving.com