The Model Info Center

There are many factors which need to be thought about when choosing what kind of

href="http://www.yourfloors.co.uk">flooring to install. Getting new flooring installed in your

home can breathe new life into it and can be a great way to reinvigorate your living environment. It

may not be as expensive as you think either.

An important factor when choosing flooring is how that particular room will be used. Flooring which

makes sense for the dining room may not be suitable for the kitchen or bathroom for example. Some of

the most widely used types of flooring are carpet, vinyl, wood, and laminate.

Laminate flooring can be a great substitute for solid wood floors if you are looking for a wood

effect floor for a fraction of the price. Laminate flooring consists of a sheet of MDF with a wood-

effect plastic surface fixed to it. The downside of laminate flooring is that whilst it is scratch

resistant once it is damaged it is impossible to repair. That aside it can still be an ideal choice

for a kitchen, where the plastic coating provides an easily cleanable surface. Conversely solid wood

flooring would not be advisable in a bathroom, or in fact any room which is likely to get very humid

and wet. Some woods are more vulnerable to the wet than others.

If you are planning to install a wooden floor, its critical you have the right surface to fit it

on. Ideally your existing floor needs to be flat, and dry. There are options however to resolve

uneven flooring problems, such as laying ply throughout, or employing an underlay to create a

floating floor.

Often laminate flooring is sold as a product you can fit together without help which is a great way

of keeping costs down. Solid wood flooring requires however a higher degree of DIY skills, so it can

sometimes be advisable to get solid wooden floors fitted professionally which can add a considerable

cost.

One point to remember many people do not realise when they measure their room to work out how much

flooring they will need ” is that it is crucial to include a 10mm gap around the edge of the room

for the wooden flooring to expand and contract.

As an integral part of any interior design strategy, it is important to select the right flooring.

Whilst wooden or laminate floors can be ideal ” often for a more chic minimalist look; carpet can be

a better option if you are trying to achieve a more traditional home feel. The important thing is

you take into account the various factors you need to consider before ordering new flooring.

The general public is justifiably confused about differences among water filtration approaches and their relative efficacy. When one begins shopping for a water filtration device, he is immediately presented with a rather bewildering set of choices and the daunting task of choosing from among reverse osmosis, KDF, carbon block and even distillation - to name the most common. In the following article, we have endeavored to describe each of these approaches in limited detail and then compare and contrast these various types of filtration technologies to assist you in making an informed decision when it comes time to purchase a water filter system. The main filtration approaches/filters are listed below:

Carbon Block Technology

With carbon block filters, water is forced through the pores of the densely compacted carbon block, where a combination of mechanical filtration, electrokinetic adsorption, and physical/ chemical adsorption take place to reduce a wide range of contaminants. Solid Carbon Block technology can reduce chlorine, taste and odor problems, particulate matter, and a wide range of contaminants of health concern — cysts (cryptosporidium and giardia), VOCs (pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals), certain endocrine disrupters, Trihalomethanes (cancer-causing disinfection by-products), heavy metals (lead, mercury), turbidity (clarity), MTBE, Chloramines and asbestos. Solid carbon block filters do not remove healthful, naturally-occurring minerals, require no electricity, and do not add salt or silver to the water.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis (RO) has been known for more than a century, but it did not become a commercial process until the early sixties when a special membrane was developed (1,2,3,4). Because RO operates at a comparatively low temperature and is relatively energy efficient, it is employed in various applications, e.g., desalination, treatment of waste water, reclamation of minerals, concentration of whey and other food products, and purification of water. While RO will remove certain contaminants and additives that carbon block filters will not (i.e fluoride and nitrates for example), it has a number of downsides as well. These include: RO has no independent ability to reduce most Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC’s); it has very low output - takes up to 24 hours to process 5 gallons of water; you must have a holding tank to store the processed water; considerable water is wasted - for every gallon processed, 3 to 9 gallons are wasted and it removes minerals and trace elements essential to good health.

In the RO process, feed water is passed through a prefilter after pH adjustment, and is pumped to the membrane modules at the designed pressure. The product water is then pumped to a storage tank and the concentrate is drained (6). Most RO units with a cellulose acetate membrane are designed to operate between 55 F - 86 F. (13 C - 30 C). In practice, the feed water may go through any one or a combination of several of the following pretreatments: sand bed, chlorinator and retention tank, anthracite filter, activated charcoal filter, degasifier, microfilter, neutralizer, and deionizer, depending on the condition of the feed water and the desired quality of the product water. Since water conditions may vary from time to time, adequate pretreatment must be provided so that the dissolved solids and the bacterial level of the feed water, after prefiltration, can be controlled within the designed limits. In othere words, to get adequate treatment and a resulting safe water product, RO must be combined with othere technologies such as carbon block and/or granulated activated carbon.

Charcoal Filters or Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC)

These come in powdered or granulated form which allows water to flow around rather than through the carbon. They are sometimes referred to as taste and odor filters because of the limited contact time the water has with the carbon. In some cases, they can promote the growth of bacteria.

KDF

In the KDF application, water passes through a bed of a media made of a special high-purity alloy blend of two dissimilar metals - copper and zinc KDF-55D. This media, patented in 1987 by KDF Fluid Treatment, Inc., is a major advancement in water treatment technology that works on the electro-chemical and spontaneous-oxidation-reduction (redox) principles. Chlorine is instantaneously and almost inexhaustibly oxidized.

Silver-Charcoal Filters

Same as Charcoal Filters above; however, uses silver to inhibit the growth of bacteria while water sits in filter.
Silver ingested in certain doses can be poisonous to the human body; therefore, it must be registered with the EPA as containing a poisonous substance.

Limited Media Filters

As the demand for quality drinking water continues to grow, new types of media will be test-marketed, from metal shavings to coconut shells. Some materials can be quite “exceptional” in reducing a particular contaminant in the water, but there is a wide range of contaminants that should be addressed - not just one or two.

______________________Filtration Type_______________

……………..Reverse….Carbon….KDF….Carbon
………………Osmosis…..Block…………….(GAC)

Contaminants
Reduced

….TDS………….Yes……….Some……No…….Some

…Chlorine………Yes………..Yes…….Yes……Yes

…Fluoride………Yes…………No………No…….No

….VOC’s………..No…………Yes……..No…….Some

…Nitrates………Yes…………No………No…….No

…Microbes &…….No………..Yes……..No…….Some

…Bacterials

…Metals………..Yes……….Some…..Some…..Some

Other Features

…Mineral……Eliminates…..Retains….Retains…Retains

…Content

….Water…..High Waste….None……..None……None
….Waste

….Price………Higher…….Variable……Low…..Variable

..Maintenance
….Costs……….High………..Low……..Low…..Variable

Douglas Frans, Ph.D. Has been a mental health practitioner, educator, lecturer and researcher over a 30 year professional career. His primary clinical work has focused on personal empowerment and compulsive disorders including: addiction and eating disorders. He has worked in private practice settings and also directed mental health, addiction and eating disorder recovery programs. He has practiced primarily from a competency-based perspective. Dr. Frans consults and writes about water quality issues and water filters as well.

NewMexicoHomeDirectory.com is proud to announce that over 2,500 New Mexico businesses have registered on its online directory. Developed by the leading New Mexico, Internet business solutions firm, PearsonKramer, the site was created to provide a one-stop shop for New Mexico homeowners to access information regarding everything related to homeownership and home maintenance in New Mexico. According to Chris Kramer of PearsonKramer, “My wife and I are homeowners that tend to do a lot DIY (do-it-yourself), projects around our house and other properties we own. We were tired of having to dig through the phone book or call numerous friends to get recommendations. We built the New Mexico Home Directory as a central point-of-contact to get information on businesses that provide support to homeowners.” The site was initially launched in 2007 and since it’s release has averaged over 1,000 unique visitors per month.

NewMexicoHomeDirectory.com is easily navigated as users are able to search for vendors according to their specific needs. Similar to Craigslist.org, New Mexico Home Directory is a community-managed site meaning the users are able to provide feedback and have a voice in who is in the online directory. NewMexicoHomeDirectory.com is yet another example of the many directory-based website that empower consumers with information in their buying decisions.

Bathroom remodeling is often a popular home improvement project for both new and old homeowners. This may include painting, using new countertops, vanities, windows, retiling, floors, appliances, vents or better lighting. Before embarking on a project of remodeling your bathroom, provided below are a few tips and ideas to make the experience even more fruitful.

Planning

Good planning goes a long way in helping achieve the design of your dreams. First decide whether you want to take up the project yourself or bring in the assistance of an interior designer, bathroom remodeling contractor or a home improvement expert. Consider your budget at this stage and also prioritize the aspects you want to remodel. Do you just want to make just a few changes with minor repairs or give your bathroom a whole new look.

The design

Next measure the bathroom for dimensions and to get an idea of how you can make the best use of the space available. Now consider a good design that gives a feeling of class and space to the room. Also remember not to use creativity at the cost of functionality of the bathroom.

Walls and floors

You can consider painting your walls or using ceramic or granite tiles to suit the concept of the bathroom. Popular flooring options include ceramic tiles, linoleum and baseboards.

The appliances

Consider the appliances that need remodeling with respect to the design of the room. You may want to change the lighting, bathtubs, sinks, showers, faucets and toilets with respect to the concept of the entire room. Use appropriate colors and materials.

Other aspects

Finally you may want to consider using some space for storage where you can stack things that you do not want to be visible outside. Use cabinets made of appropriate materials like wood, laminate or metal to suit the design of your bathroom. Besides storage, consider ergonomics and keep modern usage trends in mind for a creative and functional bathroom.

While bathroom remodeling can be an exciting project it can also seem daunting because of the various aspects that need to be considered for the look and design you require. We at totalremodeling.com have a range of choices, designs, colors and textures to help you through the process. Our panel of experts is also here just to help you remodel your bathroom for the design of your dreams.

Dan Noyes

Home Remodeling Ideas

Read More ON Home Remodeling Information

When I was a little girl, I remember my dad taking us for drives at night throughout our neighborhood to see the houses decorated for Christmas. There were some that had a simple wreath on the front door and some that looked like Santa’s Workshop on the front lawn.

I was always amazed at the beautiful lights, glistening snow, and holiday music. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized those beautiful displays took a lot more organizing, planning and money than I thought.

Whether you live in a cold or warm climate, you don’t have to break the bank in order to create a cozy and beautiful outdoor holiday display for your home.

Here’s how.

Create a plan. You need to decide how much money you can comfortably spend. Many people wind up over-spending during the holidays, use credit cards and find they take on more debt than they should. August or September is a good time to start planning and it won’t take long. Many retail stores are beginning to announce pre-Christmas sales and this is the time to find bargains.

If you live in a closed community, check for rules and restrictions. This will save you any headaches later on if there are certain things not permitted.

Here are some things to think about when creating your plan.

To Theme or Not to Theme: Once you have determined your spending limit, next is to decide how creative to get. Do you want to create a theme on your front lawn such as Disney or Santa’s workshop or would you rather stay traditional with just some lights and perhaps just a reindeer.

Lights - How many front windows do you have and do you want lights on all of them? If you live in a 2-story house, don’t forget the second floor. Measure your windows, so you know how many strings or yardage of lights you will need. Equally important is to check for an outside electrical receptacle where you will be plugging them in.

Window candles - These are the electric or battery-operated lights that look like a glowing stick candle on a window sill and create a nice, cozy effect. If you choose electric, make sure you have enough receptacles by each window to plug them in. If you choose battery-operated, you will need to have extra batteries on hand.

Front Door - Decorating your front door can be as elaborate as a gift box or as simple as hanging either a real or artificial wreath.

Lawn Ornaments - These can be anything from simple signs that say, “Santa, Stop Here” or “North Pole” to an entire village of animated characters re-creating Santa’s Workshop.

Roof - I am reminded of an episode from the TV show “Home Improvement”, where Tim literally fell through his roof when trying to re-create Santa’s sleigh and reindeer on his roof. Safety is always the first consideration. If you want to put holiday displays on your roof, you may be better off hiring a professional.

Once you have gone through this list and created your plan, start scouting the newspapers for sales at retail stores. Home improvement stores or discount stores will usually have an entire department established just for outdoor holiday decorations.

If you live in a cold-weather climate, putting up the lights and roof ornaments is best done before the snow and chilling temperatures arrive.

Plan early to stay within budget and you will have a great time decorating the outside of your home for the holidays.

Patty Gale is a successful entrepreneur who has traded in her suits, hose and heels to work from home in her “jammies.” She is on a mission to empower others to do the same and can be reached at: www.Christmas-Decorations-Ideas.com

Protecting Yourself and Your Home When You Sign a Home Improvement Contract

By Hank Jaworowski, CR
Founder and President of The Home Improvement Success Club of America

A Home Improvement Project can be filled with a variety of problems and headaches. Most people are very trusting individuals and are not aware of the many problems that occur when one attempts a home improvement project. If you choose to embark on a project than you need to protect yourself and your home from common problems that occur BEFORE you sign on the dotted line. Make sure that before you sign a contract with someone to do a project that the following items or clauses are included in that contract:

CONTINUOUS WORK CLAUSE - This clause should detail the minimum number of people working on your home each day, Monday through Friday. If weather is a factor and work cannot take place, you should include in your contract that you will receive a call by 8 a.m. that day, if no one is going to show up because of bad weather. The contractor should agree to 7 hour work days, and work will not run past 5:00 p.m., unless permission is received by you. Reduction of $_________(determine an amount) in total price if project work schedule not continuous, with minimum manpower, for full seven

STARTING DATE CLAUSE - Full refund by contractor if job not started by__________.

COMPLETION DATE CLAUSE - The amount of $_______ will be subtracted per day, for every day project is not completed by________.

WORK SITE CONDITION CLAUSE - All areas to be kept “broom clean” on a daily basis. Define “broom clean”.

WORK STOPPAGE CLAUSE - this gives you the right to cancel the contract if work is deemed unsatisfactory or gets inexplicably delayed.

MATERIAL INSTALLATION CLAUSE - All installations will be done according to manufacturer specifications and local building codes, unless otherwise noted.

ARBITRATION CLAUSE - If unsolvable problem(s) arise both parties agree to arbitration by National Arbitration Board or other. Both parties agree to abide by decision.

WARRANTY CLAUSE - All labor and product warranties will be supplied by contractor before final payment.

MATERIAL DELIVERY AND STORAGE CLAUSE - All deliveries to be accepted by contractor, securing materials will be the responsibility of contractor until installation and materials will be covered and placed _________ on property.

SUBCONTRACTING CLAUSE - Contractor shall not assign this project to any other company or individual, unless they are listed as a subcontractor, without the written consent of the homeowner.

PERMIT AND FEES CLAUSE - Contractor is responsible for all required permits, fees or notices required for the work within.

PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAUSE - Contractor shall be responsible for any damage caused to existing conditions. The contractor is liable for the full cost of the repair. The homeowner will determine who will repair the damage and at what cost.

JOB SITE BEHAVIOR CLAUSE - No loud music, foul language, alcohol or drug consumption, no cigarette butts to be left on property, and workers will wear shirts at all times.

COMMUNICATION CLAUSE - If homeowner needs to clarify a situation and attempts to call contractor or contractor’s office during daytime hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), contractor agrees to return call or contact homeowner within 2 hours of homeowner’s call. If call back or contact is not made within 2 hours, there will be a deduction of $_________ per occurrence from the cost of the project.

SUBCONTRACTOR NAME, ADDRESS AND LICENSE NUMBERS CLAUSE -Names, address and license numbers of all subcontractors to be used on project.

STARTING DATE CLAUSE - Full refund by contractor if job not started by_(Date)__.

COMPLETION DATE CLAUSE - The amount of $_______ will be subtracted per day for every day project is not completed by_(Date)_.

These 17 clauses will protect you and your home from problems that will occur in the completion of your Home Improvement Project. Make sure your contract includes them all.

Hank Jaworowski has been a Nationally Certified Remodeler (CR) through the National Association of The Remodeling Industry (NARI) since 1994. He was president of Contemporary Home Remodeling Corp. from 1978-2003. Contemporary earned some of the industry’s highest awards such as Remodeling Magazine’s Big 50 (1999) and receiving a National Contractor of the Year Award (2002). Mr. Jaworowski has given numerous seminars and conferences, throughout the years, on how homeowners can get the home improvement results they deserve.

Although competition is driving prices down, solar panel systems can require you departing with a chunk of change. Fortunately, the mortgage industry wants to talk to you.

Financing Residential Solar Power

If you are considering improving your home with a solar panel system or the hot new thin solar roofing systems, you need to learn three little letters - E…E…M. EEM stands for energy efficient mortgage. It also stands for avoiding out of pocket costs to improve your home with a solar.

Energy efficient mortgages came to be because of a nudge from the government to lenders in an effort to promote the use of solar energy as a power source. Put another way, the government told lenders to do it and do it now. So, what exactly is an energy efficient mortgage? Glad you asked.

An energy efficient mortgage is a loan that allows you to incorporate the cost of your solar improvements into your mortgage loan. The improvements can cost up to 15 percent of the total value of your home. The lender will calculate the energy savings for you home because of the new solar system and will add that to the total loan value, letting you borrow more than normal. Put another way, it doesn’t matter how much equity you currently have in your home, the solar financing is added on top of the loan. This, of course, lets you get a solar system without much out of pocket expense and you get to recover a good chunk of the cost through an increased mortgage interest deduction. Throw in tax credits, rebates and net metering incentives, and solar is getting mighty cheap if you know how to work the system.

Energy efficient mortgages have very few restrictions. You can get them for new construction or existing homes. The can be issued for single family residents, duplexes, condos and so on.

Frankly, it is a no brainer to go with an energy efficiency mortgage. Ask your lender for more information on the program so you can find out how to profit from a solar improvement to your home.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

Ever since I was a little girl I have just loved candles! I
would spend ages just watching their lovely glow and taking in
the aroma as they burned. I couldn’t imagine life without them.
Now, our own home is always beautifully decorated and scented
with wonderful candles. While you can get many gorgeous looking
unscented candles, I love to have scented candles burning. Smell
is our most powerful sense in making us feel a certain way or
taking us back in history to those special moments.

Our sense of smell has a memory so you can use smell in a very
positive way to evoke wonderful feelings of happiness, calmness,
that holiday, festive feeling etc. I am almost put into a trance
every time I smell Jasmine as it takes me back to my nanna’s
special, loved filled country garden where we shared so many
irreplaceable moments. And I bake a special Choc, Fruit, Sherry
Slice that was my Mothers pride and joy special recipe at least
once a week so that I feel like I am back home with her in her
kitchen helping her cook. She died young in 1999 at only 53
years of age and that is one way that I feel very close to her.
Smell makes things very real!

There is nothing nicer than going to visit a friend and as they
open the door to greet you, you are welcomed by the most
delicious or uplifting aroma. You immediately feel at home.
Scented candles offer this unseen but most important aspect in
our homes - scent, smell, aroma.

Now that Spring is here I have to confess - I have completed
contracted the “Spring Cleaning Bug” and been almost fanatical
about decluttering, cleaning out cupboards and opening up
spaces. I am enhancing our home and its new “Spring Clean” with
candles that have fresh, clean, floral fragrances. My current
favorites are Frangipani and Rose Geranium.

Before, awnings just served as protection from the sun and rain for houses. But now, awnings are included as part of a house’s or building’s architecture not only for its primary purpose, but also to add charm and create a statement.

If you are still unconvinced about the architectural beauty of awnings, you might want to have them installed for the following reasons:

* It protects the window frames from the rain, sun and snow. Most window frames and windowpanes are made of wood. We all know how wood responds to environmental changes. Even with sufficient wood coating and polish, wood deteriorates faster when exposed to the harshness of the weather conditions.

* Your house may have a porch or a patio and you have some furniture there, where you relax as you read a book or have a cup of coffee with your friends. Such furniture, regardless of the material, wears out faster when exposed to the sun and rain.

* When it’s raining, you normally keep your windows shut, blocking fresh air from coming in through the windows. If your house has awnings, during rain showers, you can keep your windows open and still prevent rainwater from getting in.

* When you are watching TV or using the computer, you usually have the windows shut, or the curtains or blinds down to reduce the glare. If awnings were fitted, you wouldn’t need to block natural light from the rest of the room since the awnings will reduce the glare on the monitors positioned near the windows.

* A major effect of having awnings, according to a study, is that it can reduce summer heat increase by 65% for windows facing south, and 77% for windows facing east and west.

So if you are now convinced that you would like your house or your building to have awnings, don’t just go out there and get one. There are things that you need to consider.

* Material

The most commonly used materials for awnings are outdoor fabric and aluminum. Those made of outdoor fabric come in a variety of color and shapes; however, these require more maintenance than aluminum ones.

Those made of aluminum are sturdy and require less maintenance. These awnings, however, have limited design and color options.

* Angle

It is recommended that for windows facing east or west, the size of the drop should be 65-75% for the best efficiency. For a window facing south, the drop can just be 45-60% since less coverage is needed, as the sun has a higher angle from this direction.

* Side panels

Side panels may alter the architectural feel of the awnings. Side panels are also beneficial in adding coverage in a different direction.

* Stationary, Retractable or Freestanding

Roll-up and retractable awnings allow you to permit the sun to shine into the house during winter.

Retractable awnings are also good for patios or decks. These awnings have a mechanism that allows it to be extended as far as necessary.

Retractable awnings can also have motors and switches for ease in retraction. Some also have sun and wind sensors to automate the retraction.

Retractable awnings are not for heavy rains, high winds and snow, though. So make sure these are properly protected from such weather conditions.

Freestanding awnings may also be used for patios, decks or terraces. Business establishments, as these also double as an advertisement, usually use these.

* Size

Small awnings are used for their decorative effect. If you would like to maximize the protective function of awnings, choose the bigger ones.

* Style

The most popular styles are traditional with closed sides, traditional with open sides, dome style, double bar standard, waterfall, quarter barrel, gable walkway and semi-circular entrance.

To check the most applicable style for your house design and the direction of your windows, consult an architect.

* Color

Apart from considering what color goes well with your house or establishment, if possible, choose a light-colored awning since it does not only block direct sunlight light other awnings, but this also reflects sunlight. By doing so, it lessens the amount of heat that comes in.

Also to minimize the heat that comes into the house, make sure that there is a gap between the side of the house and the top of the awning to prevent the heat on the awning to be transferred to the house.

Keep these tips in mind when consulting your architect while designing your house or business establishment.

For more great awning information and resources check out:

http://www.justawnings.info