Home Selling Books - Real Estate Tips

I was talking to a friend of mine, who had just purchased a new home about two months ago and he was practically yelling at me as he was talking about all the problems that he had with his realtor and previous homeowner. He was so mad, he had forgot about the problems he had with the home inspection. My friend was usually a very easy going and calm individual but this had upset him and almost turned him into an irrational person.

As I was calming him down and trying to get to the core of the problem, it seem like he didn't have enough information about buying or selling homes. He was confused with all the paperwork that was involved during the entire process. His real estate salesperson had him sign a contract that wouldn't let him use another realtor for a specific period of time. He really didn't know what he was signing and according to him, it wasn't explained properly to him.

After a couple of weeks of shopping for a new home, he became irritated with the realtor and wanted to end the relationship. Think again, said the realtor as he explained to my friend that they had a binding contract and his current realtor would get a percentage of the transaction, no matter what for that specific period of time. Was my friend mad, he was practically foaming at the mouth as he was telling me about the real estate professional.

It didn't stop here and they don't want to go into a long story about the real estate transaction from purgatory. My friends pain had come from the fact, that he had purchased a home 15 years ago and it was a smooth transaction and he was under the impression that buying and selling homes was a simple process.

I handed my friend a book called "The Consumer's Guide to Home Buying" and asked him if this book would have been helpful, before he started shopping for a home. I was curious because I build websites and do a lot are writing on the Internet. I told him to take the book home and I would get back with him, in a few weeks.

He contacted me the next day and couldn't believe the information he gained, just by scanning through the book in a few hours. He started to get mad at me for not giving him this book, before all the home buying problems occurred. I informed him quite simply that he had never even told me, he was looking for a home.

Can home selling books save you money, you bet they can.

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 has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping

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

Poor Roof Corner Patch
Foam Insulation Around Door Jamb

Trenchless Sewer Repairs - Home Repair Tips

Trenchless sewer repair can save your yard and landscaping from being entirely ruined. It also saves your driveway, by not having to dig up every inch of your yard to install a new sewer system. Many plumbers now offer the new trenchless sewer technology to repair your pipes and keep your yard intact, as well as your electrical, gas, and water lines.

Whether you have old, broken, or root infested sewer lines, a professional plumbing team can replace your old pipes with new, seamless polythylene pipes, saving you time and money in the process. This trenchless technology is referred to as pipe bursting, and only requires a minimum of digging. The plumbers use seamless pipes during this process, eliminating joints that allow root intrusion and exfiltration. Your flow capacity will also be increased, making your entire plumbing system more efficient.

Having trenchless sewers installed will also save you money, because you will not be paying for the labor involved in digging up your yard and driveway, not to mention the cost of putting it all back after the sewer repairs are done. No one wants a big mess in their yard after they have worked for years to get it just the way they like it.

The structural strength of this type of trenchless system is just as strong as any other type of sewer repair and installation process, so it makes sense to save your yard and driveway as you enjoy the benefits of a new sewer system in your home. Plumbing companies are switching to this method more often now that homeowners are aware of the benefits.

And now I invite you to find out more about your home's plumbing system by visiting http://www.LosAngelesPlumbingandSewer.com to learn how Schuelke Plumbing can offer you the best and most recent information available on plumbing and sewer repairs for your residential or commercial buildings.

Wood Panel Renovation - San Deigo Home Tips

The old paneling in your home has turned too ugly to even bear and yet you cannot change it because of its very exorbitant cost. It gives you a feeling of depression and you have gone to the level of thinking of selling your home off just to get away from those irksome panels. Just do not feel down as you are not the only one facing this problem. There are millions of other people too who just hate the ugly look of the paneling in their home. There are a few tricks that can help you repair those panels and get rid of that horrendous look.

A few ideas are her for you to check, with the help of which you can readily brighten up the dingy walls and the ugly panels. Only be prepared to endure some elbow grease which is surely better than the ugly look of those panels.

Painting the Paneling: One way of giving them a professional look is to paint the panels. But you just cannot splash a tin-full of paint and expect it to look good. If you try that out it will give a bad look to the panels. Panels absorb the paints easily and this would show the panels again and might even leave some yellow streaks on the base. The key to a good painting is surface preparation. Just degrease the surface from dirt and muck with a good cleaner before painting it. A gloss-removing substance has to be applied before the degreasing solution is put on the panels. It should be then left to dry for a night. The panel is then absolutely ready to get painted. After the first coat of paint you should leave it to fry before applying the second coat.

Painting Wallpaper: There is a kind of wallpaper available in some wallpaper stores; those wallpapers can be painted again. This gives the look of a painted wall to the paper. You can choose a color and apply it on these wallpapers and it will look really great. The awfully dingy wood paneling gets a brand new look. Other colors can also be used to give a 3D effect to the whole thing. The wallpapers should be hung according to the direction. The paper has to be soaked in water prior to the painting and left to hang for a few minutes. This makes the paper ready to be painted with the color(s) of your choice. I did this to my own basement after replacing the windows.

Glazing the Paneling: By glazing the panel you can add a nice shine to it. The panel should be cleaned with a degreaser solution. Then the panel has to be colored according to your choice. It should be left overnight to get dried. Then you mix a satiny top shade with a glaze in correct proportion and paint over small sections of the panels. Determining how much shine you want, just wipe off the excess glaze with a clean sweep. The brush should be cleaned with mineral oil and let dry before storing them for future use.

Being specifically passionate about basement window, Johnathan Bakers was publishing a lot of detailed reports in this specific field. You can discover his writings on over at http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com

Pest Control by Chemical Means

Pests can pose untold miseries to human kind if not checked timely.Some pests like locusts are known to have wiped out the entire food supply of some African countries in the past.Rats are no less destructive.Birds like parrots and their likes are destructive to fruit orchards.Some pests like mosquitoes are feared for their ability to transmit contagious diseases. Ticks and mites affect cattle to deadly results.

History tells us that even from the early stages of civilization; pest control measures have been given utmost importance.There are evidences that chemical pesticides were used even from 4500 BC.The last century saw a spurt in the development of different chemical compounds for pest control due to the increased need for food and good living conditions.

The readily acting, supremely efficient and highly toxic chemical pesticides were instrumental in making farming sector a profit making service.Food security of many countries was ensured by employing large scale pest management measures.Another added advantage chemical pesticides had over natural means was that a plethora of different pesticides were available for different kinds of pestilence.

However, a lot of negative side effects to the use of chemicals were noticed later.Chemical pesticides are not partial to any creature that comes up, and, friendly microorganisms and other creatures also got wiped out.Ecological balances of many regions altered for the worse.People living in their areas of use developed deadly diseases and disorders.Pesticide residue in the harvested produces has induced genetic and reproductive problems to human beings.

However, all these negative effects have not gone unnoticed by policy makers.Government funded researches to find out safer chemical fertilizers are taking place around the globe.Pesticide companies are also chipping in with their own efforts to find safer pesticides.

But whatever havoc they can wreak in the environment, chemical fertilizers are still the best bet for controlling pests over large, unenclosed areas.The combination of healthy farming practices and judicial use of pesticides can sustain the ecological balance of the world.

If you want to know more about Pest Control measures then it is a good idea to visit Terminix.

Repairing a Leaking Toilet - Home Repairs

Let me explain how a toilet works. First when you go to flush the toilet a little arm pulls a rubber flapper up and lets the water drain into the toilet bowl. The water draining into the toilet bowl forces the old water out along with the number two or number one waste and extremities.

If the toilet sounds like it is running there is a good chance that the seal between the rubber flapper and the plastic rain at the bottom of the toilet is broken somehow. The sound you are hearing is water running around this ring and in to the toilet bowl.

This leak is actually causing no damage to the toilet itself but is wasting water. Hence the water bill will be a little higher if you don't fix the leaking toilet. The best way to find out if this is actually your problem is to take the toilet tank lid off. Then stick your hand down into the toilet bowl and press gently on the rubber flap.

If the water stops leaking or starts running faster this is your problem. Turn the water off to the toilet. There will be a shut off valve on the wall under your toilet bowl in the bathroom. After you turn the water off removed the plastic flap and examine it.

You will be looking for a warped toilet flap or of some sort or grooves on the flapper itself. Take the toilet flapper down to your local home improvement store and buy a new one. Go home and replace the new toilet flapper and this should solve 90% of your leaking toilet problems.

There is one more thing it could be. With the toilet tank lid off, check to see if water is overflowing into the little round plastic pipe. This plastic pipe should have a small hose running from the float valve assembly into it.

If the water is over flowing from the toilet tank into this little plastic pipe you will need to adjust the float.

First thing you will need to do is while the toilet is running lift up on the float lever arm. If the water stops you can simply bend the metal arm of the float lever. The purpose of bending the arm will force the float deeper into the water there for stopping the water from rising over the small tube in the center of your toilet.

There are few parts to a toilet and most parts can be purchased at your local hardware or home improvement centers. Toilet repairs like this can be made simple and the parts used to replace are inexpensive.

Happy Toilet Repairing.

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 House Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Some Great Plumbing Ideas

Wood Stoves Books

Mold Remediation Companies - House Information

Recent verdicts in favor of mold remediation companies who have been targeted by homeowners seeking compensation for mold-related illnesses and property damages are validating what we've been saying all along: we're here to help.

No doubt, mold causes a great deal of damage and poses a health threat, especially to those with weak immune systems and allergies. However, mold remediation companies come in after the fact. Our first priority is to come into the home and remove the hazard - a hazard that is already present in the home. From there, we dry out the home and search for, and address, the moisture source. Next structural repairs such as replacing carpets and drywall take place.

As a nationwide network of water damage and mold restoration companies, we understand the health concerns surrounding mold. We also have seen firsthand how devastating mold infestations can be to the structure itself. Mold is indeed nasty stuff. Removing the mold and restoring the structure can also be quite costly. Not only must you remove the water and dry out the home, you must also remove the mold-infested building materials and then replace them. Depending on the extent of the damage, mold remediation bills can quickly climb. To make matters worse, not all mold damage is covered by insurance. In fact, many policies specifically exclude mold claims.

What we've observed by watching these trials is that more and more homeowners are going after the mold remediation companies. Not only has it been historically difficult to prove mold sickness and convince insurance companies to pay for mold-related damages, many homeowners are unwilling to take responsibility for paying the bills. In a quest for some sort of compensation, some have turned on those who are trying to help.

However, going after the mold remediation companies is often akin to shooting the messenger. Companies that specialize in remediating mold and restoring the home's health come into the home, thoroughly inspect it for excessive moisture and mold, and explain to the homeowner, "You've got mold." Many times, the homeowner already knows that they have mold and contact the mold remediation company for help in getting rid of it.

When an insurance company denies a mold-related claim, what's a homeowner to do when it comes to paying for much-needed mold remediation services? If the insurance company won't pay, options may be available. First, don't panic. Talk to the company who is performing the repairs and see if the mold remediation company can help with financing or point you to other resources. Talk to your insurance company and see if you can work out a better arrangement. Consider consulting with a public insurance adjuster that specializes in water damage and mold claims. And remember, the mold restoration company is here to help you combat the current health hazard - they didn't cause it.

By: Mr. Mark Decherd

For more information and other articles by Mark Decherd go to:

Dryout Inc.
1415 Colonial Blvd.
Fort Myers, Fl. 33907
dryout.net
239-437-7100
Water Damage

Dryout Inc Emergency water damage restoration, drying, deodorization, decontamination, disinfection, mold removal, water damage repair, restoration and reconstruction of commercial and residential properties damaged by fire, water and other disasters by a network of trained specialists, technicians and restoration professionals across the USA and Canada.

Mark Decherd
Dryout Inc.

http://www.dryout.net

Install Kitchen Cabinets - House Remodeling Ideas

One of the best ways to economize on your kitchen project cabinets, thank about installing on your own.

If you have the correct hardware with some strategic planning, the procedure is really quite simple.

You will need to make up a plan to successfully attack the installation of you your kitchen cabinet with a friend or partner, though, because it's very difficult to position those cabinets alone.

Continue to study this to learn the information about how to easily install kitchen cabinets by yourself!

* Before anything else, assemble the cabinets employing the instructions that accompanied them.

* Employ a pencil to lightly mark the cabinet positioning. Insure that they will be level and will not interfere with your electrical outlets, will permit you to use your current plumbing, and things if this nature. How dreadful would it be if you found when your installation was complete you determine that your sink doesn't fit..

* It does not matter hardly at all, you can choose to install the wall or the floor units first. Included instructions direct you need to install the units of the floor first, however if you are more comfortable you can do it the other way around.

* Employ a stud locator to find the studs for each cabinet. Make certain to fasten the cabinets to the studs, and use cabinet screws instead of using drywall screws. Drywall screws just can't cope with the weight of kitchen cabinets.

* Bore guide holes. This prevents your cabinets from splitting and results in the cleanest joins.

* Fasten the cabinets to the wall studs employing a cabinet screw at the top and bottom of the cabinet unit. For sturdier cabinets, it's a very good idea additional to screws to buttress the weight.

* Examine each cabinet to make sure that it's level before securing it to anything. It could be necessary to add filler material like wood slats or tile underlayment beneath the units to insure your cabinet's level.

* Set the corner cabinets first, since it will be impossible to move the wall if you end up with less space than anticipated! Subsequently install the other units around them. If you have voids between the units or need to adjust one down to allow for the wiring or plumbing, place a wood panel in-between the units.

* When you're ready to install non-corner units, it would be a important idea to fasten them together, and then attach them to the wall. This assures that the front panels are flat and flush with each other.

* In the case of wall units, the procedure is nearly the same, however if you have really sturdy ones, you will most likely need to employ wood pieces called "shims" beneath them to help underpin the bulk.

* You may choose to employ a friend or partner to help hold up the cabinets, however if you followed the suggestion to connect your cabinets into a row before you put them up, it's going to be difficult to handle all that bulk. Experiment with stacking buckets or paint cans beneath the units to assist in keeping them up there. You should still to have your helper hold tightly; it would be really despicable if they fell over and were blemished or fractured

* Once you have got all of the screws into place, you will need to carefully remove the supports.

Complete Renovations | Home Improvement Loan | Home Decorating | Kitchen Backsplash | Public Designs

Remodeling In Carlsbad

What you are thinking about remodeling your house and you live in Carlsbad. Let me give you some advice about some local contractors and some of the people involved. I used a company called Service Magic to find a local heating and air conditioning contractor. All I had to do was go on the internet , type in some information about my self and what I wanted to have done to my home. This didn't seem that bad of a idea at the time. But look what I found out.

I went to their web site, filled in my information and with in minutes I had received the names of at least 4 contractors. Wow this is neat. I didn't even get to start calling any of them when my phone rang. It was one of the contractors secretaries. She introduced herself and asked what would be a good time for someone to come out to look at the work I wanted done.

I was surprised at the speed things were taking place but in a way glad that I had a reputable contractor from one of the largest construction referral services on the internet. I told her 10:00 would be fine. I got a call shortly after that from one of the other companies. He wanted to meet me that mourning at 8:00 if it was Ok with me. I told him of course, let's do this. Then the next one called and I thought great you can come at 1:00. Well you guessed it the next one was coming over at 2:30.

The first contractor showed up as scheduled at 8:00. We talked about what I wanted done and he whips out his note book and starts figuring out a price. This took place around 15 minutes into the meeting. This guys good I thought. Being a General Contractor in Carlsbad myself, for a job like this I would go back to my office and figure out a price and then double check my figures for a accurate estimate. It took this guy less than 5 minutes to create a proposal of around 10,700 dollars for every thing.

Well I was thinking to myself, the job should be around 7,000 dollars but what do I know about construction. I informed him that I would think about it and that I was going to meet with a couple of other contractors that day. He ask me who the other contractors were. I proceeded to tell him that I probably shouldn't tell him who they were. Well your not going to believe this. He put on his physic hat and told me who was coming over. The only thing he didn't know was what time they where coming over.

Oh I forgot to mention before he left he told me he would knock ten percent off the job if I signed the contract right now. I pretended like I was excited just to see his reaction. He looked at me like he had won the gold metal in sales. I told him thanks but I bet your new offer with the ten percent discount will be good for the next few day. Right I asked. He wasn't looking that excited any more as he replied with a Yes it will be good for a while. I thanked him and he went on his way.

My 10:00 never showed but his secretary gave me the old, " He had to go do a emergency job and could he reschedule tomorrow at the same time. I said that would be fine. As a contractor myself I have always put the work I had to do first and foremost.

About 12:30 I get a call from my next heating and air conditioning contractor. He is running late but will be there at 1:30. I appreciate the call and I will see you then. The only problem now is that I have another contractor coming at 2:30. That give the next contractor less than one hour before the next guy shows up. I never liked going over to someone's house and running into another remodeling contractor.

The next contractor was very informative and knew his stuff. I listened and learned. He told me he was going to have to go back to his office and would have a price back in the mourning. Great I told him as I hurried him out the door.

The last contractor of the day shows up and wants to know whose been over to the house, was it these guys or those guys. I told him I wasn't going to tell him who was over. Now this guy was a salesman. He did a little more probing before he let me in on the fact that his company doesn't do complete home installations. He made up some story that his company only replaces the forced air units. I could tell he didn't want to do the job once he found out I knew what I was talking about. So I said my good byes to Mr. Salesman.

The bad part about him was latter on that week his company sent us some mailers. The kind that doesn't have your name on it and everyone in the neighborhood get's one. I couldn't believe my eyes when I started to read this letter. It said we would be glad to give you an estimate on all your heating and air conditioning needs or services. " We Do Complete Installs". I told my wife we could have used this a few weeks ago. Then I recognized the name of the company and now knew that the salesman had lied to me for sure.

That night I started to think about what was going on here it seemed like I was being set up. Everyone knew what was going on but me. It seemed clear to me that these people knew each other.

Well as time went on we ended up hiring the first guy that came over. He seemed to have the best product at the most reasonable price. His company also did a great job. Keep one thing in mind here out of five contractors that I gave the opportunity to bid the job. Only three showed up and from them I only got two bids. Why didn't I get more bids? Quite frankly I was to busy working at the time and of course the other two guys were always going to show up and that kind of strung me along. My mistake.

Here's the kicker to all of this. Service Magic calls me up one day to tell me they would like to start sending me construction leads as a General Contractor.

I listened to what they had to say and was almost ready to sign up with them again. That's right, I was signed up with them when they first started until they changed the rules on me. The salesman that originally contacted me said if I paid them the 100 dollar sign up fee they would let me pick what jobs I wanted to do. That lasted about 5 months before I noticed that they were not sending me siding referrals to pick from. I called them up only to talk to someone who didn't understand the State Of California Contractors Licensing Board.

Well I wasn't about to reinvent the wheel. I simply told them that I should a least get my money back, right. They said they would look into it further as I never heard from them again about my 100 dollars. Well things have changed at Service Magic since I was with them when they started.
As a home owner you don't think you are paying Service Magic because all you do is fill out a simple form giving some information about yourself.

I found out that Service Magic sent all four of these contractors my original information. Each contractor then had to pay 55 dollars each to Service Magic for a total of 220 dollars. All I have to say is how are they getting away with charging this much money for sending a out a simple referral to these contractors.

The contractor unfortunately passes this expense on to his customers. You as the home owners end up paying these fees as a cost of doing business with them. Some contractors think this is a great way of doing business but you might think differently in the future if you start paying over 100 dollars for a simple construction referral.

Greg Vanden Berge has been in the home building and remodeling business for over 30 years. With this knowledge he has created a few websites that provide useful information for home owners as well as contractors. His main goal is to educate professionals in the home related businesses, dealing with problems that can easily be avoided with just a little bit of information

His website http://gregvan.com provides all kinds of answers to remodeling and new house building issues that could create major damage as well as possible damage to your pocket book

Visit us now for Home Improvement Tips

Eight Foot Long Shear Panel Wall

Taking Advantage of the Extra Space in Your Home - Home Tips

If you intend to remodel your home, instead of just improving the decor and fixtures of your home, you could consider taking advantage of any extra space you have in your home.

This means that if you need an extra room, you could convert your basement and attic into additional rooms or game rooms that your family will really like and enjoy spending time in. many a times, this is a much better alternative than keeping these areas as dark and gloomy storage areas.

If you intend to remodel your basement, you have to first repair any water problems you have. This may take some time to get into operation; this is why it is better to get the help of a home inspector in solving water proofing problems. This way, you are sure that your new room will not have any water problems on completion.

Use the help of a professional designer

You have to decide what you intend to use your basement for depending on the conditions of the basement. Poor lighting suggests a dark room or home theater and an isolated atmosphere suggests a cushion for noisy stuff like a game room or hangout.

It is up to you to decide and make the right choice with the help of a professional designer. This way you will be able to make maximum use of the basements natural light with perhaps using large windows and glass bricks for added safety from thieves.

Remember that the basement may have few vents in it; so when remodeling, remember the need of good air circulation and place openings where needed. You could also install a carbon monoxide detector for safety reasons in picking up warnings of problems with venting.

Decide what you want to use your attic for

Besides remodeling the basement, you can remodel the attic for extra space. In doing so, once again, you have to consider what you intend to remodel the attic into. You can get ideas for this by thinking what you are in deficit of in the house; perhaps a bedroom, study room or a bathroom.

You can then get the help of a designer to design the place, and to give an estimate of remodeling costs; this way you will be able to decide if it is worth remodeling or not. Like if you intend to make a bathroom, consider if the costs incurred in building it like reinforcement in walls is worth the remodeling.

Also find out if local building codes and zoning laws permit an addition, your type of addition, the materials you intend to use, how you intend to provide access to the new structure and if reinforcement of walls and floor is required to hold any heavy equipment you intend to place in the additional space.

With all this covered, you should have no problems in remodeling your home, to use that extra spots in your home wisely.

James Tyler is the owner of Ace Builders, a residential remodeling company serving the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Tyler writes about issues relating to all types of remodeling and home improvement projects.

For more information, tips and advice visit http://www.acebuilders.net

Easy Bathroom Remodeling Solutions

Here's a list of problems that contractors run into when designing, planning, and remodeling bathrooms. These bathroom remodeling solutions listed below, often create problems for homeowners as well as contractors. Some of these problems have created contract disputes and could have been solved if the contractor or a homeowner was informed properly.

1. Problems with Old Galvanized Water Pipes: This is one of the biggest problems with older homes. Metal rusts and water running through these metal pipes will speed this process up, considerably. The problem arises when the galvanized water supply pipes cannot be taken apart or unthreaded, to add new plumbing fixtures or pipes, during the bathroom remodel.

Solution to the Problem: Experience contractors should inform their clients, about problems like this and what they propose to do, if they run into a situation where the galvanized water pipes are badly damaged. There will usually be extra work, which leads to extra money and this could create a problem between the contractor and a homeowner.

2. Problems with cast-iron drainpipes: these pipes often rust or become separated at the joints, creating water leaks and even areas for tree roots to enter the drainage system. These tree roots of course will cause the drainpipes to clog and eventually will have to be cleared in order for the drainage system to work properly.

Solution to the problem: informed the home owner of problems with cast-iron plumbing. If the contractor explains to the homeowner, any problems that could arise and a solution, you will find the process of bathroom remodeling a little less stressful. This stress can be eliminated or the contractor and a homeowner with a little preparation.

If you're a remodeling contractor, it wouldn't be a bad idea to make out a list of potential problems for the homeowner. List as many of the problems as you can think of, that you have ran into in the past or have heard other contractors and homeowners talking about. These lists can be given to your clients when you sign the contract.

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

If you're really interested in learning more about remodeling, new home construction, home maintenance, home repairs and really want to get the nuts and bolts of home improvement. Visit our web site and select from the best-selling home building books on the Internet

Window Header Framing Problems

Is Your Real Estate Agent in a Hurry?

If any of these statements sound familiar to you, it could mean that your real estate agent is either in hurry or doesn't have an answer to your question. Either way, this could lead to an unpleasant relationship.

Have You Ever Heard the Words:

Don't Worry about a Thing, Will Take Care of You.

Come on That Roof Will Last for Another 30 Years.

I Wouldn't Worry about That, That's Easy to Fix.

How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You, It's Not a Problem.

I'm on Your Side, There Won't Be Any Problems.

With a Little Bit of Caulking, You Won't Even Notice It.

Just Plant Some Bushes in Front of It and You'll Never See It.

The Floor Squeaks, That Gives the House Character.

Or What about the Ever Famous, Are You Going to Buy the House or Not.

Are any one of these experiences familiar to you? Don't be afraid to ask your questions again. Be firm when asking, but please don't be rude and if the answers don't sound right ask someone else to verify or ask your real estate professional if they are positive and know for a fact their answer is correct. It's always good to get a second opinion anyway.

You don't need to do business with anyone that will not answer your questions and is always trying to hurry you along. If you sign a purchasing agreement with a real estate professional you're not getting along with, ask them to let you out of the contract.

With no fees of course, there are other ways to purchase a home if your now old real estate agent doesn't want to play fair.

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 has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping

If you're having problems with your real estate professional, you might give some thought to look in at some home foreclosures, and then contacting someone to help you, after you have found the home that you are looking for. Some real estate agents can be extremely unhelpful

2 X 10 Miter Around Post

Prepare For New Trends in Bamboo Shades

As the growth of any product increases, there will be a deepening of the available options out there. Often, the newer choices will be the best. Imagine the time when the re were only a few choices of personal computers. Later, even now, there are so many options. Given this inevitable flow of new options for products, one should not be surprised that there are so many new choices of window treatments available. In addition to the wide range of product choices, there is a deep and wide range of style and design with each category. This article will focus on the options available for bamboo shades. The old style of sticks interlaced with threads, which may have had only a few color choices, but not many design options, is the past. Now, perhaps due in part to enhanced production methods, as well as a desire to match almost every design plan, has led to a time which may well be the renaissance of bamboo shades.

The new trends in bamboo shades have included a movement towards the unconventional. Traditional American consumers have gone for basic white in window treatments. While there have always been sales of white bamboo shades, woven woods consumers have usually trended more toward the unique patterns. This will include different types of slat materials as well as new weaving and interlacing of threads.

Basic stick design has been replaced by more bamboo looking materials. The bamboo shades which use tortoise shell patterns are now increasingly common. These bamboo shades sometimes are colored differently, including black or red, which makes for a different type of color splash compared to the traditional greenish brown colors. Other designs use different sections of the split bamboo as the base. Much of this material was considered not attractive enough for bamboo shades, but now, with new production techniques, as well as the other new trends discussed in this article, these former scrap discards are being used in a productive way.

While the basic brown, beige, or white threads are still available, the trends here are towards more durable threads, which will last longer under strong exposure to the sun light. Bamboo shades also use newer colors, including green, red, and chocolate, and this range can allow for a design that may have looked commonplace to now look rich and new. This slight change is usually not noticeable as to the cause, but upon close examination of the threads, one will notice that a simple difference in color is the cause of the style enhancement for the bamboo shades.

The third most common way in which bamboo shades patterns are evolving is a new style of weaving the threads. The traditional shades had a simple drop in the threads, with a weave that mimicked plain flat fabric. However, the newer designs include braids, macrame, and twists. The woven threads themselves are beautiful enough to make a window treatment. However, the blending with old and new bamboo sections makes for a new and crisp treatment, worthy of a design award when used in a fashionable living room.

As the trends for higher fashion design ebb and flow in bamboo shades, consumers will be offered a fine new array of exquisite styling. Consumers should try to learn more about these new designs, all of which are available in real bamboo for prices similar to the less expensive and less design focused plastic options. The online retailers are the fastest to the market with these choices, but the unfortunate loss in ability to touch the real material is worth the trade off when realizing such great high fashion bamboo shades for one's spaces.

Judith Persit works from home in a design studio and writes about bamboo shades Learn about shades at her website.

A Guide To Whole House Water Filter Replacement Cartridges

The vendors who carry whole house water filter replacement cartridges cater to those customers who have a whole house system. This is a filter system that connects to the main water line going into a home. The typical connection comes before the point where the line splits, sending part of the line to the hot water heater.

When a homeowner has a this type of water filter system then all the residents of the home can enjoy access to clean and pure water in the kitchen, the laundry and the bathroom. Of course that access remains a benefit of residence in the same home only one overriding condition-the homeowner takes the time to get replacement cartridges.

As any homeowner thinks about investing in a filter system for the entire house, he or she might have a few questions. Frequently homeowners ask this question: Can I use this filter to get pure water for the plants in my garden and the grass on my lawn?

The homeowner must examine the blueprint for the house, in order to obtain an answer to that question. The homeowner needs to learn where the city's main water line splits into a "house" line and a "yard" line. Of course, no garden or lawn can receive filtered water if a homeowner fails to purchase the needed whole house water filter replacement cartridges.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) applauds homeowners who invest in a whole house filter system and also make the effort to get the necessary filter replacement cartridges. A survey done by the EPA in 2001 showed that 82,655 city water systems in the U.S. had unsafe drinking water.

Water safety experts at in the EPA know how the drinking of unsafe water can affect the health of those who remain unaware of the dangerous substances in that water. Sometimes water contains radioactive contaminants. When the residents of a home drink water with those contaminants they increase the likelihood that they could develop cancer.

If city water contains antimony, and if that water enters a home unfiltered, then the residents of a home could have rising cholesterol levels or falling blood sugar levels. If city water contains arsenic, then it could cause the unsuspecting city residents who drink that water to have unexplained skin damage or circulatory problems.

If a city water system contains barium, then the physicians in that city might find that a number of patients have a rising blood pressure level. Were those same physicians to inquire about the use of water filters in the home, they could probably link those rising blood pressure levels to the absence of a whole house water filter.

Having emphasized the importance of a water filter for the whole house, this article needs to offer help to those who plan to purchase whole house water filter replacement cartridges. Those who go in search of such cartridges should know exactly what size they need. Cartridges have varied lengths. The most commonly used cartridges have lengths of 5 inches, 10 inches and 20 inches.

Those in search of replacement cartridges should also know that there are three basic types of filters. Some come with sediment pre-filter; some have a high flow carbon filter. Homeowners can also buy a house filter with both sediment pre-filter and a high flow carbon filter.

Any homeowner with a water filter system for their residence should become familiar with the available sources for these replacement cartridges. Only the regular replacement of such cartridges can insure the purity and the good taste of water in a home. Only necessary replacements can guarantee the functionality of carbon filters with an ion exchange and of micron filtration.

The homeowner who has purchased a whole house water filter system has made a safe choice. The homeowner who, in addition, regularly takes the time to get whole house water filter replacement cartridges has made the safest choice.

Discover why you need whole house water filter replacement cartridges in your home.

Laurel Tevolitz is a dedicated researcher of critical issues that affect health and well-being. Visit her water purification blog now at http://www.safewaterpurifier.com to discover which water purification system she recommends after extensive research.

Home Remodeling Books

Enlightening Findings About Home Inspections

Let's face it: For most people, the subject of home inspections is anything but a fun subject. However, it is an important subject. Increasingly, new home-buyers are required to make sure that their homes are up to a certain standard. Furthermore, it's in your own health interests to make sure that the new house comes up to those standards. So while it might not be terribly exciting, you would be well-advised to learn about this subject.

Back in 2001, a study was conducted by the Market Enhancement Group (or MEG) about home inspections. While that was seven years ago, it's the most exhaustive examination of the subject that has been conducted, before or since. The results of the study were enlightening.

First let's discuss the methodology of the study. It was done through MEG's omnibus poll. This poll consisted of 1,000 phone interviews which were divided equally among four regions of the United States, with 250 persons in each of these regions: the Northeast, the Midwest, the South, and the West. Those who responded to the survey were all U.S. consumers who had bought a house within the 18 months prior to the survey. There was a margin of error in the study of plus or minus 3.4 percent.

Now let's look at who the study found obtained an inspection. According to the study, 77 percent of recent house buyers had gotten a house inspection before they bought their homes. Seventy-nine percent had attended this inspection and participated in it. An astounding 97 percent said they felt the inspection was worth what they paid for it.

Only a tiny fraction -- 23 percent -- of home-buyers said they'd bought a new house without getting an inspection. Of those who did buy one, most selected their inspectors after receiving a recommendation for him or her from their real estate agent (69 percent).

Of those who hired an inspector, 43 percent did so only after their real estate agent suggested they do so; however, the majority, 57 percent, did so of their own volition.

Now let's consider the differences that the survey found according to geographical location. Those buying a new home in the Western region had the highest incidence of hiring a home inspector, at 81 percent. The South follows closely at 80 percent, with the Midwest next at 77 percent and he Northeast Region at 70 percent.

Just at those in the West had the highest incidence of hiring inspector, they also had te highest rate of selecting a home inspector after a real estate agent recommended the person.

However, home-buyers in the South

For home buyers getting a home inspection, the percentage of inspections conducted at their personal request was highest in the South Region (65%) and the West Region (60%), followed by the Midwest Region (53%) and the Northeast Region (47%).

For home buyers getting a home inspection, the percentage of inspections conducted at the real estate agent's request was highest in the Northwest Region (53%).
What this study shows us is that there are a whole lot of people who choose not to have their houses inspected--and of those who do hire an inspector, many do so only after a real estate agent suggests one. This means that many home-buyers are not yet independently convinced of the need for such an inspection. But here are some reasons--and areas of your house--that call for an inspection.

1) A home needs the exterior inspected. If a roof is just now starting to age, then the subtle defects and damages are probably not going to be readily apparent to you, a novice on the subject. They can be found by a qualified inspector, though. Keep in mind that you'll spend several thousand dollars resurfacing a roof if you wait too long. The same holds true for the siding. Finding problems while they're still minor can save you big bucks.

2) A home just as urgently needs the interior inspected. For instance, you don't want to wait until after you've moved in all your furniture to discover that your basement floods easily. It's important to have an inspector check the basement for any clues of possible water intrusion, like a damp odor, mildew, water stains, etc.

Also on the interior, the house should be checked for proper ventilation and insulation. What many people don't understand is that inferior ventilation, particularly in the attic, can actually accelerate the deterioration of your roof deck. This can cost a lot of money to fix, if you wait too long.

The interior inspection would also include a check of the paint surface, to make sure it does not contain lead paint.

3) And finally, a house needs to have its electrical work and plumbing inspected. You need a qualified inspector to check for problems such as over fused circuits, burned wiring, poor wiring connections, amateur-installed wiring, openings in the wall where a young one could put his or her fingers, and dead-ended / exposed wiring.

As for plumbing, you need an inspector who can look for old lead pipes or galvanized steel ones. Replacing bad ones could be costly. Naturally, he'll also look for leaks and, using a moisture meter, he'll evaluate plaster or wall board suspected of having damage caused by leaks. Many plumbing issues are not clearly visible to the average house-owner, which is why it's so essential to have a professional--one who knows where to look and what to look for -- do it for you.

There are many other responsibilities for a professional inspector. However, these are some of the crucial issues, and they are ones that any knowledgeable expert will be able to investigate. Most importantly, they are issues that, if left to an amateur, could result in expensive repairs in the not-too-distant future. Sure, hiring an inspector will cost money--but it's quite likely that it will save you more than it costs.

Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspections (866) 476-2056
Copyright 2008 Olympian Civil Home and Building Inspectors,
2008 All Rights Reserved

Please visit my inspection mega-site for more information about my full service home inspection and environmental testing company. We service Brooklyn, Queens, New York, Manhattan, Staten Island, Nassau County, Yonkers and the Bronx. You may also wish to visit my learning library which is packed with great tips and advice for buyers, sellers and homeowners alike. Lastly, you can also take advantage of my VIP referrals for vendors in over 50 home related trades, where your satisfaction is assured and the inspection of vendors completed workmanship or products is conducted on your behalf for free; visit my site for more details or call toll free 866-476-2056.

http://www.olympiancares.com/inspection-library-new-york-brooklyn-staten-island-queens-nassau-county-long-island-bronx-manhattan-yonkers-westchester.htm

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House Pocket Door Problems

Just a few months ago I went over to repair a pocket door that was closing at a weird angle. This was the first time I had ran into this sort of situation and was definitely confused. I got a flashlight and started looking inside the pocket door frame. I had a hard time finding the problem but when I did it was obvious.

As the pocket door was sliding closed it would work perfectly but when you went to open it the bottom of the door would stick out about an inch and a half passed the door jam. The problem turned out to be the track was missing a screw in the very back and as the door slid back into the frame the tracking would hang down at an angle from the weight of the door. There was no way to reach the screw because it was at that very back of the pocket door frame near the framing itself.

In order to fix the pocket door problem I was going to have to remove a good sized area of the plastered wall at the upper right hand corner of the pocket door frame. This was the only thing I could think of and would require a simple wall patch and some paint to make the repair complete.

This job took me about one hour to cut the hole and replaced the screw that had fallen out of the pocket door tracking. I then use some fast setting drywall plaster and some fiberglass drywall tape to repair the wall. This took another hour to finish the drywall properly.

Some pocket door problems are a little easier to repair than this one. Most pocket doors seemed to have problems sliding and eventually are left closed, never to be used again.

Painting the doors over and over again can actually add to the thickness of the door or excessive moisture in the home over long periods of time can also cause the door to swell preventing it from opening properly.

Painting the rollers themselves or the track that the rollers ride in can create a problem with rolling the door easily and effortlessly. If the pocket door rollers or tracking is damaged they will have to be repaired or replaced, obviously. Some people actually spray silicon on the rollers or grease the pocket door wheels and over time the track becomes caked with dried grease and dirt making the door hard to open and close

Here's one most people don't ever think about and yet I have faced this problem more than once. "The Dreaded Picture Hanger". Most people don't realize that the pocket door will not operate very well with a nail driven through it. I have had people complain about their pocket door not operating properly but they can wiggle it a little.

When I come upon a situation like this it usually just requires removing the nail that the picture is hung upon.

I have also seen instances where the home has been remodeled and new floor trim or door trim has been installed. The finish carpenter using his nail gun without changing to a shorter nail has himself nailed the pocket door shut. This could be a big problem because the nails are so thin they could be hard to remove.

Well that's all I can think of for pocket door problems that I have ran into for now. Until the next article have fun remodeling your home.

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 and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Vista Door Repairs

Architecture Books

Tips in Remodeling a Small Bathroom

Being among the top players world-wide in the financial, commercial, entertainment and cultural industries, New York City has become the most densely populated city in the country. With such reputation, the cost of housing soars leaving smaller living spaces a more popular option. Making a home out of these amply-spaced to smaller units is a challenge to many. This includes making important features of the home seem much cozier such as remodeling a small bathroom.

When remodeling a small bathroom, a complete focus on space fused with the right amount of creativity is key to the success of the project. Another important thing to ponder on is that quality does not come cheap. But it does not mean that you would have to always stick with the most expensive service or product, it only means that you should take careful considerations before letting go of your hard-earned cash to be able to give the most value to the money that you spend.

There are various ways to make less space appear much bigger. Enlisted are helpful tips in remodeling a small bathroom:

First off, unless you have significant skills and experience in plumbing, carpentry and electrical works, or the project is not a major one; you should seek the expertise of a competent NYC contractor to help you. Following this first tip in remodeling a small bathroom would save you a whole of time and money in the long run.

Instead of having a tub, maximize the space by having a shower instead. Rather than the traditional shower pan construction, a simple one-piece pan would serve as a much sleeker option as well as a leakproof solution. But if you still prefer a tub over a spacious shower, then go for the soaking bathtubs that are smaller but deeper designs.

In remodeling a small bathroom, choose a lighter and cooler hue for the walls and delicate patters for wallpapers or tiles. Light colors have an airy feel to them creating an illusion of more space. To create a better impact out of these designs, install fixtures offering heavy lighting. Another way to better illuminate the small bathroom is through skylight features. A bay window is a good choice as its alcove may also offer additional storage space.

Two elements have long since been known to give an illusion of more space. Reflection
and vertical objects and designs such as unframed mirrors and tall bathroom products that have shiny surfaces can be used in remodeling a small bathroom. You can have two mirrors installed opposite each other or facing the window. And when shopping, choose a tall but compact model of toilet and either a wall-mounted or sleek sink.

Important considerations when remodeling a small bathroom are the storage of toiletries and room for decorative items. Choose to have spaces cut out into the walls to serves as additional storage or display area rather than having free-standing cabinets or shelves installed into the walls. Lesser things protruding from the walls would help make the space seem larger.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened NYC contractor. To know more about remodeling a small bathroom, visit Contractors New York

Things to Consider Before the Installation of an Electric Shower

Everyone wants to have an attractive and luxurious shower in their bathroom. Electric showers have better impressions among other types of showers and are widely used because of their excellent performance. Compared to other showers, electric showers are easy to install, economical, and convenient to use. Basic requirements when installing electric showers include little plumbing from the cold water supply and appropriate electrical connection. However, few precautionary measures should be taken in order to provide a safe and economical output.

For households with only cold water pipe line available, electric shower is the only option. It is also recommended for areas with low pressure water supply. Electric showers have built-in pumps designed to maintain water pressure for the shower and sprayed through the shower head.

On the other hand, for households with both hot and cold water pipe lines, mixer showers are suitable and the best option. It is designed to mix hot and cold water to regulate the water temperature when used. Lastly, on areas provided with low pressure water supply, but with installed heater for a shower, power showers are the best option.

During installation, the shower head should be installed in an area far from the base tray to avoid contact. Installation of electric shower should also be in accordance with the water supply that should have a minimum running pressure of 1.0 bar at a flow rate of 8 liters/minute. Water supplied to electric showers should be cold and must have a dedicated line to be used exclusive for the shower to maintain water temperature.

Showers should not be installed in sections with freezing conditions, but should be placed on tiled surfaces. Before completing the water supply connection with electric shower, pipes should be cleaned and checked so that waste can be washed out and avoid obstructions for the water to flow. One isolated valve must also be fitted in the main water supply. This valve will regulate the opening and closing of the main water supply which is necessary when performing maintenance of the shower.

For electric showers, compatible cable that can carry proper voltage to the device should be chosen. A separate electric connection should be used from the unit to the shower through a double pole switch. The switch will be used to turn the heating process of water on and off. It is also suitable for turning electricity off in emergency situations. This should be installed in a secured place, away from any person taking shower to prevent any accidents brought by electrical shock. For added safety, wirings of electric shower must be connected to a switch without any plug or socket.

Making the required electrical connection for the shower may sound simple, but professional electricians are required to perform the task. All these precautions should be considered before installing electric showers. By considering these things, installing electric showers is made easy and safe. Let us all remember that one can only get the most out of it when it is installed properly and effectively.

If you are looking for more information then feel free to visit electric showers and electric power showers.

Brick Wall At Alley

Books on Home Building - Professional Advice

If you're a do it yourself or or a homeowner who every once in a while, once to tackle a small or large project but doesn't know where to begin, can gather useful information from home building books. I have been using these books for years and may have been worth their weight in gold.

I started my career working for my father and my father worked for his father as a Carpenter. Our job was to frame the house and we built a Lotta homes. I learned how to frame and developed some great carpentry skills from my father and working with other skilled carpenters. Over the years, if you're paying attention, even a monkey can figure out, how to assemble almost anything.

The only problem that I faced, was learning how to build the rest of the home. I would often ask questions to other building trades like plumbers, electricians, roofers and construction superintendents. Some of these people were helpful and others were not. When I was in my early 30s, I purchased my first book on home building. This book lead to other books and soon I found myself with more home building knowledge that my father.

I had about 50 books on home building and soon found myself doing large home remodels, with no formal education. I would attribute almost everything that I learned outside of house framing to books. These books have proven invaluable to me over the years and with a relatively small investment. I couldn't have spent over $200 purchasing these books but have used the knowledge from them to save myself thousands of dollars.

One $20 home building books or home repairs, can save you lots of money, if you're willing to do a little research and the labor to complete almost any home building project.

By the way, if you're interested in learning how to repair a roof, build your own house, interior decorating, structural engineering, building a deck, gathering some more information about home painting or even remodeling your bathroom. An online home building bookstore can save you money if you're willing to do the work.

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 has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping

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

What You Need to Know When You Design a Screened Porch

Respected scientists have, through painstaking research, discovered that a single mosquito can lift 10 times its own weight. This means of course, that it takes a mere 11,253,534 mosquitoes to grab, lift, and fly away with an average-sized toy poodle.

Alarming as that may seem, it is not nearly as scary as the fact that 11,253,534 is also the exact number of mosquitoes contained within a cubic meter of mid-summer air found in the typical Midwestern backyard. Which is precisely why those same respected scientists invented the screened porch.

In temperate climates, flying insects can make the enjoyment of warm summer nights very difficult. Americans spend a great deal on money on various methods of repelling the buzzing vampires. We spend even more money on decks and patios only to find their use limited by the local bug population. And that's exactly why so many homeowners make a screened porch an indispensable part of their house.

My clients often ask me whether a screened porch or a "Florida" or "three-season" room is more appropriate for outdoor living in the Midwest. They're very different kinds of spaces; a three-season room is much more than just a screened porch with windows.

Building codes typically require any enclosed space that is capable of being heated and cooled to meet all of the requirements of indoor living space. That means going beyond basic structural stability: a room enclosed with walls and glass must be insulated, heated, provided with adequate natural and/or artificial lighting, fitted with the proper number of electrical outlets, and meet mechanical energy codes.

A screened porch, however, is considered to be outdoor living space and need only be structurally sound. As long as it isn't high enough off of the ground to require a railing, few other code demands are made. There's a cost difference, too, since a screened porch requires fewer trades and far less material to build. It's a relatively cheap way to add living space and extend the enjoyment of your yard and garden into the spring and fall.

But the true delight of a screened porch is the feeling of being outside, without the rain, blazing sun, or bugs. That's an experience that isn't felt in even the most highly glazed "Florida rooms". It's a common mistake to overdo a screened porch, to add more columns than necessary or to install a half-height wall around the perimeter. Anything that creates physical or visual separation between the inside and outside erodes the illusion. The best screened porches are as transparent as possible.

Finding just the right location for a screened porch can be tough, especially on narrow suburban lots. In most cases, the screened porch should be connected to another family gathering area and close to the kitchen, with views of a yard or garden. But how to do that without blocking the views from other rooms? Again, transparency is the key. Make the screens as big as possible and the ceiling high, add a skylight or two, and you'll still have a good view from inside the house.

Materials for a screened porch should be chosen first for architectural compatibility with the house, and second for durability. If the porch is to be painted, make sure to choose a species and grade of wood that will hold paint well. Cedar, redwood, and other Western softwoods are excellent for paint adhesion. Cedar and redwood are also known for their natural resistance to insects and rot.

Other options for the porch's frame include pressure-treated lumber and several recently introduced simulated wood products made from varying proportions of post-consumer recycled plastics and waste wood fibers. These "polymer-lumber" materials offer excellent rot and insect resistance, and eventually weather to a pleasing gray color.

The screens themselves can be made of metal or plastic screening. Plastic screening is usually the best choice, offering rust resistance, light weight, and durability. And although the screens can be attached directly to the porch frame, a "pre-framed" screen system allows for easy replacement and cleaning by simply removing the entire screen and frame as a single unit. A local screen contractor will measure the existing openings and build the pre-framed screens to fit.

A well-designed and well-built screened porch adds value, function, character, and enjoyment to a home. It can get you a little more in touch with the outdoors, and give you another reason to keep the garden weeded. It can also get the bug zapper out of your yard -- and save you a small fortune on citronella.

Richard L. Taylor, AIA is a published author and recognized expert in Residential Architecture. He is President of Richard Taylor Architects, a 5-person firm in Historic Dublin, Ohio. Residential Architect | Luxury Home Plans

Why Ozone Use is a Must When Properly Treating a Mold Problem in a Home Or Building

Have You Been Told You Can Complete a Thorough Mold Remediation Project Without Using a High Level Ozone Shock Treatment?

Think Again!! Says Nations Top Mold Remediation Expert, Quoting a Military Report Issued By Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory Which Proves Its Practically Impossible

Did You Know That Anthrax Reproduces With Toxic Spores Just Like Toxic Mold?

I Discovered That The US Military Has Studied How to De-Con a Civilian Building Which Has Been Contaminated by a Spore Based Pathogen Like Mold. The Studies Were Conducted After the Anthrax Attacks on Congressmen Using the US Post Office. Their Discoveries Throw Conventional Mold Treatment Out the Window!

Ozone Myths Shattered!

Often I am asked about the effectiveness of Ozone treatments for mold remediation.This is a complex topic, which has many sides.
If you ask me is ozone effective for mold remediation I would honestly answer, that it depends...

On what you ask? Well on many, many, things I answer.

You see there are some contractors out there that are using powerful ozone generators as a substitute for the actual physical steps of mold remediation. I have heard claims like:

"Our ozone machines are so powerful they will turn mold to ash."

"They will literally vaporize mold."

"Leave the dry wall and the ozone cannons will destroy the mold which you can paint right over"

And Dozens of other lies.

The truth is the use of ozone alone is never a complete treatment for mold.

The roots of mold will penetrate deep within a substrate up to 3/16ths to .5 inch.

Additionally even dead mold is still poisonous. So removing physically all of the structures of the mold organism is necessary. Just using a gas-out alone, will never accomplish this objective.

Molds reproduce by making spores that cannot be seen without magnification. Mold spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mold spores land on a damp spot indoors, they begin growing and multiplying, and soon the mold problem is out of control. Many types of molds exist. ALL MOLDS have the potential to cause health effects.

Ozone Kills Mold!

Ozone is a powerful gas and it will destroy mold spores and the mVOCs created by toxic bacterial or fungal organisms.

In fact according to a study conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory (that's where they developed the atomic bomb) scientists discovered, that in order to truly complete the decontamination of a home school or commercial building that has been contaminated with a spore based pathogen, like mold it is absolutely vital to complete your decontamination process with the use of a gas-out that would flood the area with toxic levels of a reactive gas.

The reason given is that a building has so many nooks crannies crevices and cul- de-sacs; it has so many surfaces that interface between boards and in ducts and others inaccessible spaces where spore can hide and remain eluded by liquid based disinfectants. That's right no amount of HEPA vacuuming or air-scrubbing or manual clean up can ever achieve complete true de-con without a gas out due inaccessibility.

But a gas can over come this because at high levels the gas can penetrate right into all the nooks and crannies and even into carpets and fabrics and other porous materials.

While many gases were considered the winner was ozone hands down!

The reason is simple ozone is lethal to virtually all pathogens- yet it is made of O3 which is pure oxygen O2 %2B O a single free-radical oxygen molecule. The single oxygen can only last for a split second when it bonds with and adheres to other molecules. With viruses mold and bacteria it punches a hole directly into the cell wall and then begins to destroy the contents. A tremendous amount of ozone is required for serious remediation.

If a high parts per million concentration of ozone is not reached within a given area, all the bacteria will not be killed. Mold will then grow once again from any remaining live spores, and strong odors may return. That is why we use Bio3 Blaster commercial grade powerful industrial strength ozone air generators. They are chosen by only the best professionals for serious mold, mildew, odor and pollutant removals in homes, offices, motel rooms, clubs, pubs, basements, cars, boats, as well as for fire, flood and crime scene cleanup restorations.

What is then left behind is pure oxygen O2... Safe and healthy.

The only way for this process to be effective is to isolate an area and then to use powerful ozone generators known as cannons to generate ozone at very high levels to completely saturate the air in the isolated area.

The Way its Done is With an OZONE CANNON!

No people plants animals or fish can be present when this is done.
Each room of the house can be blasted with an Ozone Treatment to sterilize them of mold.

High powered ozone travels and kills mold and bacteria all through the room.

This process is known as High Ozone Shock Treatment.

It is not a substitute for mold remediation. If there is mold growing on sheet rock for instance ozone is not an answer. Mold will grow completely through sheet rock once the hyphal root penetrates the paper of the drywall it quickly permeates the gypsum as it is made of calcium carbonate a mineral rich food source for mold. The mold almost always penetrates the paper behind the wall too! If mold is growing in an attic, ozone alone is not an answer. For the same reasons the roots of the mold penetrate the boards to deeply for ozone alone to completely destroy the problem.

What ozone is great for is to get into the areas where the human or fogger or HEPA vac can't and to destroy the spores that were missed.
As humans, trained mold workers lack eyes good enough to see the mold they are combating once it goes airborne. You see ten thousand spores can fit onto the head of a pin.

They are that small!!!

In one square inch of flowering mold there can be anywhere from 1-5 million!!! What's worse is that when a mold worker begins to fog or spray the mold- the mold, has a built in survival mechanism called bursting or sporulation which allows it to send clouds of invisible spores into the air to escape the chemicals being sprayed onto them. This means that in a typical mold remediation job, millions and billions of spores are put into the air and are too tiny to see.
By saturating the area that the treatment has been performed in after the mold has been killed and treated only is one is assured of complete decontamination.

If you can stand to be in a room with an ozone machine it does NOT have the power to kill mold and bacteria. You can ONLY kill mold by the use of unoccupied room High Ozone Shock Treatments.Mold can ONLYbe killed by ozone levels much higher than meant for human occupation like our machines can produce.

This step should only be performed, after the gross removal of the porous building materials like drywall, after the stains have been removed and after the surfaces have been fogged and or vacuumed.

Ozone will also permanently destroy the mVOC's and musty odors.

Ozone oxidizes poisonous materials rapidly; sterilization ability is 600--3000 times stronger than Chlorine. Ozone kills E-coli 3125 times faster than chlorine. Some swimming pools/spas use ozone because it is a strong disinfectant, but it converts back into oxygen so it does not have harmful effects like chlorine. The proof of the efficacy of Ozone Shock therapy can be found in a study published in the Journal of the International ozone Association.

Many mold remediation companies use zero or no sporicidal products (things that kill spore or mold "seeds") to perform a mold remediation process. That means They always leave behind spore-contaminated structures.

Killing the spores is the most important part of a mold remediation process!!!!

Leaving the spores behind is like planting future mold problems which will inevitably develop or germinate later.

Safe Mold Solutions recommends no less than two sporicides (things that destroy spores) be used.

We have found the use of both Ozone and hydrogen peroxide to be ideal.

Both ozone and hydrogen peroxide work nearly identically. Both use free radical oxygen to destroy mold viruses bacteria and spores. Hydrogen peroxide leaves behind water, ozone leaves behind only pure oxygen.

No Residues... Safe and Effective!!!!!

What does all this mean?

If you have allergies to bacteria and mold or are suffering from contamination you can only sanitize, and truly destroy, these contaminants buy the use of an unoccupied room high Ozone Shock Treatment. Once you have shocked the unoccupied room or area you can then return an hour after the machine is turned off to breathe and sleep better in the room that has been sanitized. NO air purifier or chemical can do that for you!!!

We recommend the use of the machines that only Elite professionals use to kill mold spores in high humidity and flooding situations. The use of high powered ozone shock treatments is the ONLY way to reach hard to get to areas to kill mold spores.

If a competitor offers you a mold clean up protocol without Ozone Shock Treament- kick him out of your home!!! He obviously doesn't understand mold or its' complete and thorough clean up!

Charles Boday CMI, CMRC, CMLCC CALL 1-800-948-4947 NOW! http://www.safemoldsolutions.com

http://www.superdrybasement.com In the past we have worked for Ocwen , the Veterans Administration, Fannie Mae, HSBC/ Household, Countrywide, First Merit, Safeguard properties, American General, Westfield, Auto-owners, Nationwide, Allstate, Prudential and many others!!! Remember when mold is suspected or has been detected in a structure you owe to yourself to hire the very best .... FOR LESS!!!!

Get more for your money! You'll get immediate service turnaround - most inspections performed in 24-48 Hours.

You'll Get Complete Pre and Post Testing and Protocol Planning services available Now!You'll get the Best Mold Clean Up Contractors in the Midwest serving states east and west of the Mississippi. You'll get the best trained inspectors in the industry!

You'll get the most knowledgeable clean up experts!

You'll get immediate installation when you need it in a crunch to close a deal.

You'll get the best guarantees in the industry!

Call Now, 1-800-948-4947 To schedule an inspection and solve your problems permanently!

Prevent Pinhole Leaks & Slab Leaks & Conserve Energy by Controlling Your Hot Water Circulating Pump

If you have had 1 leak, more will surely follow - you can do something about it before further damage is done and additional money is wasted.

Circulating hot water is the fastest way to wear out your pipes. In fact 90% of all pinhole leaks and slab leaks happen in hot water lines for the following reasons:

1. Chemicals in water are corrosive

2. Chemicals in water when heated are even more corrosive

3. Chemicals in water when heated and circulated through copper pipes that bend around corners and turn up walls and curve around electrical conduit and sewer pipes and are reduced in size as water passes through a building is extremely corrosive

In order to understand the solution it is helpful to know what causes the problem. With a little insight into how domestic hot water recirculation lines or recirc loops are built and how they work we can see that the answer is as easy as flipping a switch.

Apartments, hotels and larger homes have recirc loops designed to move hot water to the farthest fixture from the boiler or water heater in a reasonable amount of time. Each loop has a pump pushing water through a copper pipe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each loop has multiple joints and fittings that obstruct the flow of water. Gate or ball valves and flapper checks and expansion tanks and whatever else the plumber had on his truck the day he built the line create disturbances in the flow path.

Water likes to flow in a nice straight line with no obstructions. This is called laminar flow - nice and smooth. Anything in the flow path can disrupt the flow and cause an eddy to form. Eddies are the bad boys, the unwanted visitor, the black sheep of the family.

Create a little friction, add in some turbulence and the next thing you know you have a leak.

As your reading this please keep in mind there are things you can do to reduce or even eliminate leaks. They are relatively inexpensive and I'll tell you what they are in a minute.

When water pipes leak many things can happen - none of which are any good. Pinhole and slab leaks, mold, wasted water, wasted energy, property damage, resident/guest complaints and inconvenience all mean one thing.

It cost you time and money.

The only question left is how much? Please refer to Table 1 for an idea of how much a leak can cost.

Table 1: The Cost of a Leak

1 $200 You caught the leak early and it wasn't buried in a wall or under a slab

2 $1,000 The leak was in a wall and you caught it early and it was relatively accessible after tearing out some drywall

3 $2,000 Same as above except you didn't catch it early and mold and light structural damage had occurred

4 $10,000 The leak was underneath a concrete slab but you were able to pinpoint the exact location

5 $20,000 Same as above except you had to chase the leak into another rooms

6 $100,000 + The leak went unnoticed until someone got sick and you got sued

So there is the doom and gloom. What's the solution?

Good question. The answer is there are a number of things you can do. As you go through my list keep in mind that people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time (based on a study by the California Energy Commission).

First, check your water pressure. 40 psi is high enough for most 1 or 2 story buildings. Be sure to check it in several places to find the lowest pressure in the building. Typically that would be the point furthest from the water meter. If you don't have a pressure regulator, put one in.

When implementing this strategy do it in stages. Drop the pressure by 5 psi at a time and wait to see if you have any complaints. Shower heads and aerators already restrict flow to 2.5 gpm or less. Newer fixtures like the Evolve line of low flow shower heads have pressure compensating technology built into them and work just as well at low pressure as they do at high pressure.

Second, turn off the pump when no one is using hot water. That's right. I said turn off the pump. As I mentioned earlier people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time. The pump only needs to be on when people need water.

There are 3 methods of implementing this strategy:

1. The Manual Method

2. The Guessing Method

3. The Automated Method

Manual Method

Have someone go to the switch and turn on the pump when you need hot water and turn it off when you are done. Might be practical for a single family home (certainly not convenient) but impossible in an apartment or hotel.

The Guessing Method

Plug your pump into a timer and guess when hot water will be needed. This may be a practical solution if the number of people living in the house or apartment or with a limited number of guests in a hotel and everyone has the same predictable need for hot water. Unfortunately when hot water is needed during an off period the timer gets disabled and never turned back on.

The Automated Method

Think about your recirculation line as a closed loop. When there is no demand for hot water, no water enters or leaves the system. When a hot water faucet is turned on there is a "leak" in the system.

When water leaves the system more water is added from the city water line through a cold water make-up line (this is the technical name for the copper pipe that brings cold water to your water heater).

If a flow sensor is placed in the cold water make-up line, any indication of water movement would mean someone is using hot water.

If the sensor sensed a demand (i.e., someone turned on a hot water faucet) it could turn on the pump. The demand would be met and the pump could be turned off automatically when the demand ended.

That is precisely how an On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller works. The pump is only on when there is a demand.

As it turns out, there are many benefits to automating your recirc pumps operation:

Drastically reduces pinhole leaks and slab leaks - if the hot water is not moving, it is much less corrosive

Energy is conserved - since people only use hot water 15% to 20% of the time, the pump will be off 80% to 85% of the time. That means the recirculation line isn't full of hot water and no energy is being lost. California Energy Commission studies indicate 37% less energy is consumed when an On-Demand Controller is installed.

Note: A sufficiently high speed pump is required (2,200 rpm or faster) to implement this strategy. If you have a high speed pump you will only need an On-Demand Controller. If not you will need a full system including a high speed pump.

In conclusion, cut your risks, lower your losses, reduce your energy bill and extend the life of you pipes and water heater or boiler by turning off you recirc pump with an On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller.

Contact me directly at the email address below to find out if this solution will work for you or what other options you might have. To purchase the On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller click on the link below.

Do it now and sleep better tonight knowing that one of your biggest headaches just got cured.

For information on the On-Demand Intelligent Pump Controller go to http://www.SavesYouEnergy.com

Mark Franklin is CEO of Saves You Energy, LLC a manufacturer and retailer of water and energy conservation products. As a civil engineer Mr. Franklin was involved in the design of multi-family and commercial projects worth in excess of $100 million.

Mr. Franklin has worked with companies ranging from the US Navy to Embassy Suites and Biltmore Hotels to Stanford Student Housing. Pinnacle Properties, United Development Group and ConAm are among the apartment ownership and management companies that have used his products. School Districts like the Blue Valley School District in Kansas and ESCOs such as Johnson Controls have utilized his technologies to reduce energy consumption.

Mr. Franklin can be reached at mark@SavesYouEnergy.com or visit his company's web site at http://www.SavesYouEnergy.com

Fusion Food - House Ideas

Globalisation has changed the outlook of people, in almost every walk of life. Recently, there is a new socio-culture based on fusion. And food is receiving the most attention. With the changing taste of people, there is a demand for more exotic recipes. Basically, fusion creates an opportunity, to give regional touch to traditional cuisines, in creating interesting recipes.

Fusion recipes have evolved in different ways. Firstly, an original dish is combined with several ingredients from different cuisines and regions. Secondly, there is also a possibility of combining regional and sub regional cuisines to create a new recipe. This can be especially done in the case of Asian cuisine. Lastly, mixing of ingredients and flavours of one cuisine and basing it on food forms of another like are sweet and sour sauce recipe or American chop suey. Both are a product of American Chinese cooking. This mix and match for recipes can be challenging for a cook. Therefore, one needs to be well versed with different cooking techniques. Know various ingredients, their tastes and texture and if they can inter blend.

Despite the success of fusion foods, it is still viewed with criticism, by some. They hold the belief that classic dishes symbolise the culinary finesse, while fusion undermines it. But after all cooking is an art. And with time every art evolves and changes. Those who understand this appreciate culinary innovation and become a part of it.

Innovation has always lead the world, we must embrace change and get experimental with our food. Find lots of simple vegetarian recipes at simply vegetarian website, created by a food lover inspired by fusion.