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Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

Granite, by definition is an igneous rock which contains no less than twenty percent quartz by total volume. Granite is a volcanic rock formed from magma deep in the Earth’s crust which heats existing rocks to melting pint combining with the magma which gives the rock its distinctive speckled or grainy appearance. As this cools, quartz crystals are formed giving granite its defining ingredient. Granite is currently only known on Earth and astro-geologists, being those who study rock formations on other planets, are yet to discover granite like rock formations outside of our blue planet. However seeing as granite is the bedrock of Earth, forming a major part of the continental crust, I’m sure granite like rocks do exist in the far reaches of space.

Here on Earth granite has been the mainstay of the construction industry since at least the time of ancient Egypt. Granite is both ubiquitous and workable which meant the rock could be quarried and hewn within a reasonable distance of the structure it was being used for. The great pyramids of Gaza are hewn from local granite, as are the pyramids of south America and many ancient structures throughout Asia are also constructed from granite. Granite was not only used for huge foundation or construction stones, as it was also commonly carved into statues, the most famous being the Sphinx, and split into granite tiles too throughout the ancient world. Read the rest of this entry »

Finding a quality handyman is tricky when you’re a homeowner. Typically you’re short on time with a lot of tasks around the house that need to be done. Good handymen offer a variety of handyman services and can help you out with a lot of the smaller jobs where you need specialist tools or skills. Unfortunately, sourcing a reliable and quality handyman isn’t always as easy as it should be. For that reason we’ve put together a list of tips to find you a good handyman where you live.

Source your handyman

Ask your trusted friends, neighbours and family for a handyman referral. If you’re struggling to find a good referral then its time to look online and find a handyman you like the look of and has good reviews and testimonials.

Screen and qualify the handyman

Google your handyman and look out for reviews and complaints from past clients. Eliminate any handyman which has multiple bad reviews online, the chances are you will be disappointed as well. You can find reliable reviews and feedback on sites like Yelp.com, InsiderPages.com and Google places. Read the rest of this entry »

Are you ready for a catastrophic event? You should be! We are all well aware that at any given moment an emergency may arise without advance notice, such as a large scale earthquake–especially in California–leaving Americans vulnerable for diseases due to lack of fresh, running water, starvation due to a lack of consumable resources, and scrambling for resources to survive. It may turn out to be Darwinism, survival of the fittest, should one happen not to be ready for any catastrophic event.

In any event, it is important to have an emergency kit available at our disposal. There are several types of survival kits that one can purchase or put together based on their needs, such as a kit for their vehicle, residential, and work location.

We found purchasing the items to be inexpensive, but more time consuming due to the requirement of finding each item. It is much easier to purchase a kit already put together, but it may or may not meet your needs and may a little more expensive versus purchasing the items yourself from an establishment such as Wal-Mart or the 99 cent store.

The following is a list of items that should be in an emergency survival kit. One should plan for 3 days worth of food and water; prescription medicine should include at least 1 week’s worth. Keep in mind; the items are not limited to the following:

• Duffel bag or backpack (preferred for mobilization in case you have to vacate your residence or work location)
• Sturdy container such as trash container (preferred for home emergency kit)
• Flashlight or crank flashlight
• Candles
• Matches (waterproof) and lighters
• Radio (some radios already come equipped with a flashlight) or crank radio
• First-Aid kit (know how to use kit)
• Currency (small denominations: $1 and $5)
• Important documents (Social security cards, birth certificates, state issued ID, etc)
• Whistle
• Dust Masks
• Gloves
• Trash bags
• Moist towels
• Toilet paper
• Multi-tool (i.e. Gerber)
• Knife
• Pliers, gas shut off tool
• Can opener, manual
• Prescription medicine
• Infant formula, diapers, etc.
• Pet food
• Zip-loc bags
• Plastic containers
• Water purification MACHINE or water purification pills
• Paper
• Pencils
• Pens
• Feminine hygiene
• Glow sticks
• Rope (5150 cord works perfect)
• 1 gallon of water per person, per day (e.g. A family of 3 would require a total of 9 gallons)
• Change of clothes (long/short sleeve, sneakers, waterproof jacket, sturdy shoes, hat, under garments, etc.)
• Sunglasses
• Prescription glasses
• Non-perishable foods (i.e. canned food; we recommend MREs: Meals Ready to Eat)
• Salt packets*
• Sugar packets*
• Scarf
• Sleeping bag or blanket
• Umbrella
• Sunscreen
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Travel size shampoo
• Deodorant
• Baby wipes (field showers)
• Raincoat
• Spare batteries of different sizes

Solely obtaining an emergency survival kit is not enough. It must be maintained. It is crucial to inventory the items at least twice a year to ensure items are not expired, been damaged, or have somehow disappeared. If they have, it is important to replace the items as soon as possible–catastrophic events are unpredictable.

* Salt and sugar packets are recommended for drinking water. The salt will assist the body in retaining water. The sugar will give the water some flavor.

Deciding to look into drinking water storage tanks is easy. Whether it is to collect rain and make your house more ecologically friendly or as a part of an emergency preparedness plan, saving potable water makes a lot of sense. But deciding what kind of storage unit to get is a little more confusing.

Most rain cisterns are made out of galvanized or stainless steel. This is partially because the material is cheap and easily obtainable, and are usually either welded or bolted together. But when shopping for drinking water storage tanks it’s important to get material that was specifically created for that purpose, as metal containers are coated inside and out to prevent against leaks and corrosion and to make sure the liquid remains potable. Read the rest of this entry »

Ways to Become Organized

Very few people would say they prefer to not be organized. Most want an organized life and a home that reflects it. If you have looked around, shook your head and said this doesn’t fit my idea of the design for my home and life, there’s a good chance you could use a few tips on ways to become organized.

Here are 3 places to find help, 2 ideas about picking your battles where to start, 1 tested ruler for making decisions and more.

An organized home is a much more peaceful place to relax, refresh and recharge.You’ll feel better about yourself as a whole when you can defeat clutter and regain order and control. Read the rest of this entry »

Marble has been in use since time immemorial. It is hard to say who first used marble but there is a history of kings and queens erecting beautiful edifices, palaces, churches and forts using this natural stone. Ancient buildings made their mark due to their design and use of marble. These ancient structures still amaze visitors with their beauty. Marble is still hot favorite of people today and those who can afford it buy this natural stone for their home floors. It is found in almost every country but the Italian marble is world famous. There is a huge group of homeowners who can’t afford marble. For them there are marble tiles.

Marble tiles are in no way inferior to genuine stone that is found in queries. Therefore one should have no hesitation in installing these slabs in his home or office. These slabs come in square and rectangular pieces and are made to set on any kind of sub surface. Easy installation and no maintenance is the prime cause behind the popularity of these slabs. You can find this product on retail stores and online shops. There are glazed pieces and non glazed slabs. You will be offered marble slabs of different colors stretching from majestic white to mosaic. There is no end to choice when it comes to marble product. Read the rest of this entry »

Foundation creep is a common type of foundation damage found in houses built on sloping sites. With this kind of damage, a foundation element (wall, footing, slab or pier) can begin to move downhill in response to gravitational forces, soil pressure and other factors. Since foundation elements are usually tied together with a combination of steel reinforcement, continuous masonry or framing; multiple elements can be affected when one element shifts.

If not addressed, foundation creep is likely to worsen over time. Homeowners who occupy sloping sites are well-advised to contact a foundation repair specialist if they notice foundation damage. When proper repairs are done in a timely fashion, high repair costs and more perilous foundation damage can be avoided.

Sloping Sites Present Problems

Contractors prefer to build a house on a flat, open site, but they don’t always get their way. Sloping sites are often developed because flat sites are no longer available. They can also be chosen because of attractive views and other features like rock outcroppings to create special appeal. Regardless of the reason for developing a sloping site, property owners have reason to be concerned when soil creep causes foundation damage. Read the rest of this entry »

The moon serves as your lamp in your bedroom tonight. You are in your soft bed, sleeping softly while enjoying the comfort of your pillows and blanket. You are in the middle of your slumber, when suddenly you are awakened by a distinct bite on your skin. Yes, they have attacked again, bed bugs! But worry no more; you can put an end to these nightmares through simple home remedies for bed bugs.

Before you can actually eradicate bed bugs, you have to know what they are first. These little oval insects that are brown in color are nocturnal animals. This means that these blood-sucking animals are awake at night until dawn, which explains why they attack when you’re at sleep. They eat quite fast, with an average feeding time of five minutes. After that, they go back to their hiding place. Now that you already know the basics about the ‘foe’, you are all set to learn the different home remedies for bugs.

The first home remedy for bed bugs is to detect them. Bed bugs are really small insects. Because of the bed bugs’ size and the fact that they stay in hiding most of the time, you have to carefully inspect your place for you to find out if you really have them in your house. Read the rest of this entry »

The current carbon tax debate is placing an immediate focus on housing design and energy saving products as prudent people considering purchasing a home or carrying out a renovation will increasingly begin to factor in the cost of running a home and using building products that are less energy intensive to produce, said Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects.

Archicentre State Manager Victoria, David Hallett said considering the carbon tax is planned to be introduced in July 2012 it is prudent for people to consider its impact when planning a building project which can take up to twelve months to commence.

Mr Hallett said, “As carbon pricing will impact both on materials used and on the running costs of the home, the major area for home buyers and renovators to create a winner is at the design stage. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you organized effort, your closets? Would you be closed finally your cabinet doors properly? Are you hesitant to your wardrobe in fear to open that all your belongings only tumbling come down? If you specify solutions that you stop all of your problems with your space, then following could be effectively able to looking after cabinet a few insights on how you use your storage space get.

Challenge 1: Padded cabinets
Let’s be honest. If you are reading this article, there is a great opportunity that you have problems when dealing with padded cabinets. The best way, with padded handle cabinets is throwing away or selling things you no longer need. It may seem difficult at first, but you will feel better, have guaranteed after you sort through the chaos. If you have taken something in your closet in more than a year, you will bear probably back it. These are the types of items in your closet that need to go. Read the rest of this entry »