Edward KinseLLa

Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category

Heat losses can also occur through leaky doors and windows. High time, the “problem cases” to seal against drafts. In so-called leaky door draft brakes are used. Especially suitable are hinged plastic profiles with brush edges. First, to improve the adhesion of the adhesive area cleaned with cleaning benzine or alcohol. Subsequently, the sealing profile to the previously measured distance between the frame part is cut to length accordingly. Now, the sealing profile for the closed door is stuck so that the brush rests evenly on the floor.

Leaks at windows can result in significant heat loss and should therefore be absolutely eliminated. This requires special self-sealing tapes provide fast relief. This one proceeds as follows:
* First-old sealants are removed and cleaned the bond area.
* Only the sealing tape on the vertical edges of the window is installed, here is to respect that an exact conclusion arises at the edges. The backing from the adhesive side only gradually withdraw and push the tape carefully into the fold.
* The sealing tape should not be carried away over the edges, but will be rescheduled at each edge.

To determine the necessary thickness of the sealing tape that will be the following trick: You put up a kneaded eraser in window frames. Then closes the window and opens it again. Now you can read thick band on the need plasticine sealing.
As an alternative to sealing strips and sealing profiles made of silicone rubber can be used, which are held by a support rail and against sealing tapes are aging.

Winterizing your home should start with thinking about Safety First, and the best way to ensure the safety of your HVAC system is to get a heating tune-up to be sure its efficient operation throughout the cold season.

After that’s accomplished, all you have to do is be sure you’re not wasting additional energy. You can reduce your heating costs further by doing a few simple things yourself that won’t cost a ton. One way to find out if you’re wasting energy is to do your own 5-step Energy Audit:

1.    Take a walk around the exterior of your house and check for cracks around windows and doors where cold air can come in. Also examine brick work, stucco, siding and the foundation for any gaps. And be sure to check around gas and electric lines and plumbing, too.

2.    Your next step is to get to the hardware store to purchase weather stripping, caulk and foam. The money you save on energy will be well worth the small price you pay for these materials. Then take your check list and plug those cracks and install the weather stripping. It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours depending on the amount of cracks and the size of your home.

3.    Do a similar inside audit, check for air infiltration around windows, doors and switch plates on outside walls. To find air leaks use a piece of tissue on a tooth pick or an incense stick. Air coming in will make the tissue flag wave or disperse the incense smoke. Temporary caulking can be used around windows and then removed in the spring. Foam inserts behind switch plates will eliminate that infiltration problem (be sure power to switch plates is turned off when adding insulation).

4.    Take your Energy Audit into the basement, attic or crawl space. Since insulation gets compacted over the years, add insulation to keep the heat from escaping. Check vents and duct work for leaks or separation.

5.    Turn off the water supply to outside faucets, and even cover them with insulating material. Water damage caused by broken pipes can result in untimely, expensive repairs.

FIVE WARM TIPS THAT WON’T COST YOU A PENNY

With just a few free tricks, you can quickly trim down your bloated heating bill into something a little more appetizing. Did we mention these tricks are free?

USE YOUR BLINDS
Use the sun to your advantage. After all, it’s the best source of energy we have. To maximize the sun’s heat, keep your blinds open during the day. This will allow the natural sunlight to heat the air inside your house. But once night rolls around, be sure to close those blinds, otherwise warm air will escape back through your windows, leaving you to shiver under the cold winter’s moon.

SPARE THE SPARE
Don’t pump costly warm air into your spare and vacant rooms. Simply close off any ducts in unused rooms to ensure you won’t blow a gasket when you open your heating bill.

KEEP AIR MOVING
Hot air rises. But that doesn’t exactly keep your toes warm, or any part of you for that matter. To redistribute the warmth in your house, just turn your ceiling fans on low. The ceiling fans will ensure that the hard-to-find warm air moves to heights a little closer to your heart.

DROP IT LOW
Sometimes we can surprise even ourselves. Test out your temperature tolerance by dropping your thermostat one degree each day. Keep going until the temperature in the house is just too chilly for you. Once the house gets too cold, turn it back up a degree. You can easily save some cash just by testing out your comfort zone.

BUNDLE UP
Wooly socks. A tuque. That old sweater grandma knitted for you. It doesn’t matter what your clothing of choice is, just be sure to bundle up with your preferred warm and fuzzy favorites. Because there is no reason to heat the whole house when you are the one who really needs to stay warm.

The model PROTOS, of German manufacture, is characterized by its asymmetrical shape of the tub. The molded armrests promise a comfortable, soothing and relaxing bath. To increase the convenience even further, there is the possibility to install a neck pillow and / or handle.

Price:
* 1833 EUR



Product information:
* Molded armrests
* Neck pillow / Handles optional
* Left and Right hand
* 5 mm thick, body-sanitary acrylic (PMMA)
* Height-adjustable legs included in the price

Measurements:
* 180 x 100 x 43 cm, 245 liters capacity

About the Whirlpool System:
The whirlpool system “Fresh bath sanitary” is a combined system with air and water jets. With the pneumatic control (electronic control unit in the “Gold Package”) is the hot tub easy to use. If you have tension, you can step up the intensity of the water jets by admixture additionally air. The system impresses with an excellent price-performance ratio.

Features at a glance:
* Combined water-air system
* Pneumatic control system with separate On / Off switch for water and air massage
* Adding air to the water jets intensity amplification
* 4-6 lateral hydro-massage jets, adjustable, chrome
* 4 hydro-massage jets in the back, adjustable, chrome
* 2-4 hydro-massage jets in the foot area, adjustable, chrome
* 12 air jets in the floor area, chrome
* Blower with heating (air preheat)
* Extra strong pump
* Residual water discharge
* Ozone disinfection

When looking for an unusual and dramatic way to refresh your home consider the magical abilities of glass mosaic tiles. Decades ago interior decorators learned secrets of catching the eye and moving it from the floor to the wall. Gamblers saw that concept first hand in Monaco.

Home and business consultants can tell you when you enter a room, your eyes do not focus on the floor. Smart home decorators can put this concept into play by installing a bright, mesmerizing wall of these glass mosaic tiles instead of spending money replacing a floor. There is more good news. Because many of these tiles are made from recycled products, you will be doing your part to save the planet from landfill. Their 21st century look is not restricted to the inside of the home.

An outdated kitchen backsplash can easily be replaced with a large square of these versatile glass tiles. Although they are gorgeous, they can resist water spots, are easy to clean and hard to break. Glass mosaic tiles never discolor and come in an array of rainbow-hued colors. You can consult an expert or plot out a do it yourself transformation. You night chose a solid, dramatic or comedic pattern to match your mood and your work space. If you want to take it slow for the first project, use these tiles as a border or think big with a countertop or kitchen wall.

Your bathroom can be transformed into a Palm Springs spa with a little creativity and the use of glass mosaic tiles in the bathroom. You could afford a trip to the desert with the money you are saving. Create some glitter in this small space with the addition of a wall of glass mosaic tiles. These tiles can reflect other colors of the room, make the room seem larger and best of all these beauties are easy to maintain. Please yourself with a little pop to the tired look. Show off any room in your home with impact or flattering low lights paired with nicely placed tiles. Pull back the shower curtain and place glass tiles around the enclosure. Mildew and moisture are not a concern. The walls are your palate so sit down with an array of samples and create your own showroom. If you are a little timid about tackling a huge project, use these tiles to highlight small areas.

Patio borders and garden areas can perk up the landscape of the entire yard with the use of some bright glass mosaic tiles. No need to worry about discoloration, sunlight, frost or heat damage, these tiles are as strong as they are beautiful. Treat yourself with the addition of glass mosaic tiles around a plain vanilla pool. These can add some spice and enhance the pleasure of your oasis from the noisy world. Or maybe select a few of these tiles to surround your hot tub on the deck. You can make a small space seem magical in the moonlight.

The model OCTAVIA by a renowned German manufacturer offers a modern design and the chrome-plated, high pedestal. This free-standing bathtub each bathroom is a progressive and modern rest pool, where you like a relaxing and soothing bath occupies.

Product information:
* Modern design
* Chrome-plated, high-pedestal

Measurements:
* 175 x 86 x 60 cm, 230 liters capacity

Price:
* 2044.75 EUR

You can find indoor wall water fountains almost anywhere, be it in the home, at the office, or sometimes in public places like parks and schools. Thinking about fountains likely conjures up images of majestic stone structures, or perhaps beautiful yet small installations that complement any indoor decor with their delicate visual appeal. Imagine the sound of it: imagine the softly falling water trickling down into a tranquil pool. The sound is consistent, natural, and beautiful. You might even associate certain smells with your indoor water fountain, like the scent of the air after a fresh rain. But did you know that water fountains also serve health purposes, and may improve your home's environment? Yes, fountains are healthy.






This was likely not the first thing you thought of when I asked you to think about water fountains, as the health benefits of these aquatic decorations are largely overlooked. But it's true: water fountains have been shown to have a number of modest physical and mental health benefits, from stress and pain relief to environmental temperature regulation. To start the sound of water flowing is more than just a nice noise to hear." The trickling, splashing sound of falling water actually produces a multi-frequency sound called "white noise" that muffles and sometimes completely cancels out other sounds within its frequency range. This means you will not have to put up with barking dogs, the hum of electric wires overhead, traffic jams, or noisy neighbors. Now you can site back, relax, and soak up the soothing sounds of water splashing over carved stone and rocks. Improve relaxation and release the everyday stress by muffling the obnoxious noises in your environment.

The splashing action of water fountains also purifies the air you breathe, by breaking water molecules into negative ions. The negative ions use their negative polarity to attract and bond with positively charged particles in the air, dampening and neutralizing them. This means you no longer have to worry about breathing in unwanted dust particles, toxins, allergens, and bioaerosols every time you breathe, you wall fountain will take care of them for you. Another benefit of indoor wall fountains is humidity control. Installing such a fountain generally increases local humidity by a factor of two percent. That may not seem like much, but it may make all the difference between a cold and dry environment and a comfortable one. We as human beings must maintain a certain level of humidity in our environment to feel comfortable: roughly fifty percent.

This humidity moisturizes the skin and makes the area around you feel a little warmer. A new indoor water fountain may help to improve you skins health and make your home more comfortable. A wall fountain is certainly not a cure-all but the effects are noticeable. Need a little more comfort in your home, maybe just a little more stress relief and relaxation, or if you like to breathe cleaner fresher air, and wall water fountain is what you have always needed.

OK, so winter is approaching, and you need to face the necessity of doing something about your current home-heating system. First, of course, determine whether you need a new furnace altogether or whether you can just make alterations to the system you already have. When purchasing a new heating system, whether it be from Home Depot, Lowe’s, or any other vendor, two important things to consider: 1. Check the rating on the item which estimates how much it will cost you to run it for a year, and 2. Consider the warranty. If you only plan to be in your home for another 4 or 5 years, why pay more for a furnace which comes with a 20-year warranty?





If you only need to upgrade your existing system, there are also many options available. First, how many heating zones are there in your home? (Ideally, the larger the house, the more zones you will have.) If you have only one zone and the current heat output is not sufficient, you need to consider adding a zone so that you are only heating one part of the house at a time, versus putting in at a great expense another HVAC system.

Additionally, you can give your HVAC system an upgrade by installing a more efficient heat pump HVAC system. A heat pump is based on the same principal as your kitchen refrigerator by moving the heat from outdoors inside (and in reverse in summer) and thus making a cold place cooler and the warm place even warmer. Now, the heat pump of course will cost you not only the price of the unit, but also the duct-work needed to bring the heat into the rooms it will serve. So, the closer you can keep the unit to the area you want to service, the more you will save in footage of new pipes.

As one of the possible remedies for the unwanted duct installation expense you may consider using a ductless mini-split heat pump system. They make a great add-ons to a large whole-house units and supplement well the non-ducted types of heating systems, such as radiant panels and floors, hot water and other types of space heaters. The main advantage of the mini-split heat pump systems is their size that helps keeping installation costs in check as well as flexibility in adding heating/air-conditioning zones.

Beware of installers who promise that you will be able to get a lower rate from the electric company with the installation of an electric heat pump. This is not necessarily so. Some utilities will install a second off-peak meter if you meet their requirements ( amount of usage and using appliances only in off-peak hours), but this may prove too inconvenient for you.
Another possible option is to consider installing a wood-burning stove. These cast-iron units radiate heat from the entire body and the length of pipe running from the stove itself to the point of the roof where they exit. (This point usually has to be the highest one on the roof). So the idea is to place the stove in a low room of the house (heat rises) where there is a lot of open access to other rooms of the house. A stove such as this can definitely save you money on your heating bills. But it does require regular maintenance – cleaning the pipe to avoid creosote build-up and a possible chimney fire. And try not to require a pipe which entails anything other than a straight rise from the stove body to the exit in the roof. Any type of angle or bend will be much more difficult to keep clean.

There is also the option of using or installing a fireplace. Most studies have indicated that a fireplace is more aesthetic than practical. Unless you are sitting directly in front of it, you will not experience much warmth. Most of the heat generated goes straight up the flue. You can enhance the heat output from a fireplace by installing a special blower which helps disburse the heat into the room , but this of course will also increase your expense. And like the wood-burning stove, the chimney of the fireplace requires regular maintenance and cleaning.

Finally, there is the option of a small space heater. If your room has low or normal ceilings, is relatively small and enclosed, a space heater would suffice nicely. However, if the heat it puts out has easy escape routes, you will probably not be happy. As a last resort, if you are going to be positioned in 1 place- like the bed or couch- for an extended period of time, an electric blanket could just do the trick!