We have a redwood swing set that was eleven years old – and frankly it was really starting to decay…

I guess we could have let it go, but when we bought it new (in March, 2000) we decided we would try to maintain it to the point of having it 30 years from now. I’m not quite sure that will be possible – but I plan to do what I can. And frankly, I’m almost half-way there now – so of course it’s possible!

But what I’ve discovered is that insect damage, wood rot, rust and sun damage require more than just annual maintenance. It was recently time for a full restoration. I was [quite thankfully] able to invoke my manufacturer’s warranty to get replacement redwood at no cost other than shipping which is what made this possible – as I was going to be replacing nearly half of the swing set. Carpenter bees had really done a number on many of the load bearing supports, and anything that had been touching the mulch was pretty much shot as well.

What was really disconcerting, though, was that once the set was broken down – the damage was far worse than I anticipated. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised; that’s the way things tend to go – especially when they’re sitting in wet mulch for eleven years. Still though, it was more work than anticipated. We had to manufacture new footers on the fly (which we were able to do with some of the older wood), had to replace a lot of the hardware – and had to improvise a bit further here and there.

In the end, though, I now have what I consider to be a “significantly” new set – and possibly good for eleven more years!

For anyone striving to conquer something similar (even if perhaps with a cedar or pine set – and especially if you’re thinking about buying a used swing set), you might want to check out a much more elaborate article with many construction photos at the link just below…

http://www.all-about-the-house.com/rehabbing-a-redwood-swing-set/

Thanks for reading, and I’ll leave you with this: as much maintenance as these sets are, I have to say I think they’re worth it. My kids are now 13 and soon-to-be 16, and while they act like the set is for babies – they’re still using it all the time. It’s a focal part of our yard. True – my daughter and her friends are probably talking about “cute boys” now while they’re swinging, but they’re still using the set!

Before the mercury climbs too high and carries our electric bills upward with it, we all need to do some tweaking of our home’s energy efficiency. With these six tips, you can comfortably cool your home and effectively reduce and save money on your monthly utility bills. But if you wait for the dog days of summer, it’s going to be too late to save:

1. Get an Energy Audit

I first learned about energy audits around six months ago, and it’s one of the best discoveries I’ve made as a homeowner. Most energy providers will send a rep to your house to perform an energy audit on your home – for free. At first, I wondered how effective a free analysis from the electric company could be, but I was pleasantly surprised.

My free home energy efficiency audit took a little over an hour, and the rep was qualified, informative, and helpful. He outlined at least ten innovative ways that I could improve my home and reduce my power bill. Power providers are just as motivated to reduce energy costs as homeowners are, because they have to spend more in the long run when customers overuse energy. They don’t want to spend on building more plants and maintaining high levels of output during peak hours and peak seasons.

Rather, they’re looking to help customers operate more efficient homes, which will in turn allow them to run an efficient business while serving a large number of customers. Many providers will also inform you of which green energy tax credits you can claim for any home improvements you take on.

So do yourself a favor and call your energy provider. If they provide this service, schedule an appointment. After a free one-hour consultation, you’ll end up saving hundreds of dollars and improving your home’s value. Make sure you get expert advice before the hot, expensive summer months, or you’ll regret it when you see your electric bill come August.

Pro Tip: If your power company doesn’t offer free audits, or if you can’t find an available hour for the appointment, try the DIY energy audit at EnergySavers.gov.

2. Install Weather Stripping

I used to think of weather stripping as just a “winter job.” Big mistake.

Just as weather stripping keeps out the cold in the wintertime, it keeps out just as much heat in the summertime. The rule of thumb is that if you can see daylight through any of your door frames – including the bottom of the door – you’re wasting a lot of energy and money.

Weather stripping provides plenty of benefit without a lot of investment. It’s cheap and very easy to install. If you put off this project before last winter, make sure you get it done now.

Pro Tip: Though weather stripping is inexpensive, it may not be an option if you rent. And if your only trouble area is the bottom of the doorway, you may not want to take on a home improvement project. Instead, just pick up a cheap draftstopper at a home goods store, or schedule some family craft time to make your own.

3. Replace All Air Filters

Replacing the main air filter on your air conditioning unit is a no-brainer that many people simply overlook despite how easy it can be. No frugal homeowner can afford to ignore this money-saver!

A clean air filter has a major effect on your monthly cooling bill. Your AC unit has to work much harder when it’s pushing air through a dirty, dust-filled filter. You spent plenty of money to get an efficient, powerful air conditioner, so why inhibit its effectiveness with a dirty vent?

Pro Tip: If you don’t want to take on the expense of regularly changing your filter, just keep up with regular cleanings. Every three to four months, remove the vent and clear it with a handheld vacuum or a damp rag. An easy way to remember this task is to do it on the first day of every season.

4. Clean Your Vents

Vents are almost as important as the main air conditioning unit. In my home, I have two large AC vents and several small floor vents. They cool the house much more effectively – and they provide cleaner air – when they’re unobstructed. Make sure you don’t have bookshelves or other high furniture blocking the flow from ceiling or wall vents, and move any items, large or small, away from floor vents. Remember, just because you can’t feel the air on your hand or face doesn’t mean that you’re not still in the path of the airflow. Your vents need plenty of room to work.

I’ve gone as far as having these vents professionally cleaned with an industrial-strength vacuum cleaner that sucks out all of the dust and debris. It’s a heavy up-front cost for spring cleaning, but the summer I had the cleaning done, I enjoyed my lowest electric bill ever. I’ve also re-sized filters to fit my vents, providing cleaner air throughout the house.

Pro Tip: If this year’s budget doesn’t have room for a professional cleaner, set aside half an hour to take your regular vacuum to the vents. Use a narrow extension if you have one, so you can pull up the vent and clean dust from the surface as well as any accessible part of the air duct.

5. Install Ceiling Fans

Fortunately, my house came with ceiling fans in every room, drastically reducing my energy bill. Ceiling fans recirculate cold air down into the rooms of my home in the summer (while letting the hot air rise above the fans and out), and they keep rooms warm in the winter too. Though you’ll spend on electricity to operate the fans, they use far less power than air conditioners and heaters do.

The biggest obstacle is the initial cost of purchasing and installing the fans. If you’ll be in your home for a few years, though, these fans will eventually pay for themselves.

Pro Tip: If you can’t install a major item like a ceiling fan, or if the sticker price dissuades you, try using small, energy-efficient floor fans or table fans, or put a temporary exhaust fan in the window of a room where you spend a lot of time.

6. Install a Programmable Thermostat

Finally, explore the option of a programmable thermostat. With a programmable thermostat, you can set a schedule that will cool your house right before you get home from work, instead of wasting electricity running the AC all day long. You’ll also be able to set it to turn off during the night, so you’ll save money when the outside temperature cools and you’re comfortably sleeping. Thermostats are equally effective in the winter, allowing your house to get colder while no one is home and warm up just before you get home.

Pro Tip: Simple computerized thermostats aren’t very expensive anymore, and you don’t need the bells and whistles of a complicated high-tech model. The key is that your thermostat has a timer option.

Final Thoughts

I’m always looking to keep my money in my wallet and my savings accounts. But I also like to be comfortable, particularly in my own home during a heat wave. If you’re ready to get proactive and dedicate a little time, you’ll enjoy a much more pleasant summer, minimizing sweat and save energy at home at the same time. Even better, you’ll benefit from these changes in the winter as well.

What home improvements have you made to lower the cost of keeping cool in the hot summer months?

By David Bakke

http://www.mint.com/blog/consumer-iq/6-energy-saving-home-improvements-that-pay-off/

Most pre-purchase building inspections will look for minor and major defects. The thing to remember here is that no house or building is perfect and there will always be one problem or other. The question the new buyers will have to ask themselves is what type of problem can they handle or deal with. There will always be unexpected repair issues with any used building. The bottom line is that no buyer should cancel a deal based on minor problems. All buildings will have routine maintenance and problems to deal with. Most of them will be easy and relatively inexpensive to deal with. It is not realistic to expect the seller to deal with every little problem with the building.

The buyer’s real concern should be to find out if there are any serous problems with the building that could affect its market value, or worse, cause injury or harm to its occupants. A building that measures around 2000 sq ft, the inspection cost can be anywhere from 200 to 600 dollars. Inspections should always be done by a professional who follows nationally accepted Standards of Practice and Ethics agreement. Usually the inspector is not required to do anything that may be potentially dangerous, such as dig around to inspect plumbing and walk on pitched roofs. The inspector is also not required to move personal objects of the present owner, if it happens to get in the way of inspection. Standards of practice can vary from place to place, but they all operate with similar rules.

The job of the inspector is to look at the entire building from the foundation to the roof top. There will be hundreds of details to look into and the time it takes will depend entirely on the age and size of the house. Older houses will more likely have outdated items which will need more time for a thorough inspection. In most situations it is not possible to inspect every little item of the building. In this case it will be clearly stated in the contract and the reasons will be given. The best thing to do in this case is to talk to the inspector directly and get any doubts cleared. The buyer should also understand that home inspections are only a visual examination of the house, not a guarantee or insurance policy. Mechanical accessories can fail at anytime after purchasing the building.

Now if the quality of your shed is important, then don’t waste time and money on Free Plans as you will quickly learn that nothing is for nothing in this world. Free Plans do cost as they will not include the materials list you require when you visit the building supplier and will miss crucial information and attention to detail that will ultimately lead to confusion, frustration and more than likely an incomplete shed in your backyard. Now that’s a waste of time and money.

So here are a few points to consider when building your own Shed

1. Time, Quality, Cost

Start by finding the right plans for building a shed. You will be able to complete your project in less time and without hassle as they provide easy to follow step by step instructions and guidelines.

2. Location, Location, Location

Before you start building a shed, first determine what you plan to use it for. Will it be a storage shed, a garden shed, tool shed, utility shed, wood shed, something as small as a lean to shed or something as big as a barn, it’s important to know the intended use so you can decide on the size and type of materials to use.

Once you have determined the purpose of your shed, the location is the most important factors you need to consider. Carefully plan it according to the following considerations:

Distance from your property line

Local building code in your area

Direction of sunlight

Connection to utility lines

3. Foundation

When it comes to building the foundation, usually the two options are either make a concrete slab to build your shed on or dig the ground and fill it with gravel.

4. Materials

If you want it to be made of renewable resources, use wood as your frame material. Cedar is the ideal type of wood; it’s light, permeable and maintains its size and shape despite daily wear and tear.

5. Internals

You can fit out the inside exactly as you want depending upon its use. Allow plenty of room for storage if it is to be used as a gardening shed. If it’s primarily going to be your workshop you can build a workbench with a peg board for storage of your tools.

6. Lighting

When you build your own shed from a plan you will be able to place windows where you need them and make the best use of all important natural light. You may also choose to add sky lights; this will be a great benefit if using your shed as a workshop.

Follow the above guidelines and you won’t go far wrong!

By Robert Peters

http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/plans-for-building-a-shed-information-that-allows-you-to-build-a-shed-with-confidence-4518855.html#axzz1PwWmsWSE

Designs for Indoor Swimming Pool

Depending on the construction techniques, you can select to own the pool on-ground or in-ground. The in-ground pools are usually built by concrete, vinyl, gunite, fiberglass or steel, while the on-ground types will be built in areas where the ground is likely to freeze. It will be much cheaper to build an on-ground swimming pool, but the in-ground types are more popular.

Construction and Costs of Indoor Swimming Pool

When you are building an indoor pool, this will require plenty of research and preparation. Decisions with regards to the design, construction materials, addition of facilities, expected funds and so on, own to be complete in front of the final structure. A certified building outworker or professional can be employed. The expert can create suggestions about the construction of the structure based on your necessities, funds and available space. All condition should be discussed before the building process starts. The wiring and plumbing of your house must be taken into account before you start to make plans for construction. The expenses involved will be strong-minded by the materials, the shape and size of the pool, in addition to other facilities such as a gym, lighting, a spa and more.

Maintenance of Indoor Swimming Pool

It can be luxurious to maintain and manage indoor pools. But, if you instigate a few of the methods below, this could help you to save some money.

Lighting: Use small glowing lights rather than incandescent lamps or bulbs. These smaller fluorescent bulbs are energy-efficient and can help to reduce electricity usage by about 30%.

Water Heating: You can use solar heating systems, because swimming pools need lower temperature heating. The solar systems will also increase efficiency whilst lowering the maintenance costs.

When you have indoor swimming pools you can also add a gym and a spa for rejuvenation and relaxation. In addition, this will allow you own to pool parties at home when you are entertaining family and friends.

Thinking the interior of our home is where we spend most of our time, all this pollution is not a fine thing. There are some things you can do to reduce down on the indoor pollution. Not all of these may be particle. But doing just a few will make you better off than you are now.

Floors

Stone, tile, linoleum, or hardwood floors are much easier to keep clean. If you can get rid of your carpet and change to these alternatives that will make a significant improvement. If that is not possible, vacuum weekly. Make sure your vacuum is equipped with a high efficiency air filter. Shampoo carpets at least twice per year. If you have drop rugs, clean these as often as possible throughout the year as well.

Windows

Keep the windows closed in your home as much as you can during heavy pollen times of the year. The air conditioning will filter the air and keep much of the pollen out.

Ventilation Ducts

Have your heating and air conditioning ducts cleaned every couple of years.

Curtains

Curtain made of washable fabrics are great and should be kept cleaned every few months. If you have blinds make sure they are dusted mostly.

Bedding

This is an area where you spend a lot of time and it has lots of pollution problems people often neglect. Use dust and mite proof covers for your box spring and mattress, and pillows. Rinse your sheets and bedding at least once per week. Use very hot water to kills the mites and disinfect when washing your sheets.

Bathroom

Don’t let mold gather anywhere. Bathrooms are often moist environments where mold likes to breed. Scrub cleans around pipes, the toilet, sink, and tub and shower areas regularly. Don’t let moisture sit anywhere. Dry the shower walls and doors after use. Fix leaky faucets. Make sure shower curtains and mats are cleaned regularly and allowed to dry out after each use.

Refrigerator

The refrigerator is often another neglected area in our home, which should be kept cleaner. Clean up excess moisture in the refrigerator. Throw out old food before mold starts to grow. Clean dust out from under, around and back of this appliance. Vacuum the dust from the refrigeration coils.

Leaks

Periodically check under sinks to make sure there are no slow leaks that could be a breeding spot for mold and insects.

Trash

Keep your trash bins clean, use plastic liner bags as often as possible. These are some of our favorite tips for helping to keep your house pollution free. Try as many as you can for a more health living environment.

This is why the concept of home theater is born. Because of the growing popularity of home theater systems, you may easily find home theater furniture like home theater seating system and home theater equipments that will suit your requirements. This modern concept is slowly receiving a grand welcome from people because in the end, having home theater set up in your home may prove to be economical. Home theater system including home theater seating that completes the set up is not only available for the rich and the famous.

Slowly, the knowledge of the basic home theater design such as the three major components and home theater seating options is getting to be a concept known to the middle class citizenry. Home theater system with the addition of home theater seating options may be a neat gift of the older people because they can enjoy watching movies even without having to leave the house. Home theater seating options include lumbar back support and motorized reclining mechanism, especially designed for people who need to give their back a rest.

It may be worthy to mention what are the three basic components of a home theater system. You may not need to add home theater seating if the room is quite small, only the three basic components may be able to give you that home theater entertainment you long for. Do not mind home theater seating if you do not have big budget for the home theater system, a recliner may do the part especially if your living room has limited space. The three basic components of a home theater system are television set which should not be smaller than 27 inches; three speakers placed on the right, the left and on the center for a surround sound; and finally, the DVD player, you may need to find one with progressive scan because this will give you sharp images and flicker-free pictures. If you have all these basic home theater components, even without home theater seating, you may be able to experience the almost theatrical experience.

Relax and enjoy the entertainment your home theater system may provide. Sit beside your family in your home theater seating designed to your whole family, the kids will surely love to see a movie with you on your very own home theater system. You may not need home theater seating to complete the set up if the room is quite small. However, if you have a bigger room for your home theater system, including the home theater seating in the set up may be able to complete the best home theater package. You may even add television cabinet to compliment the design and your home theater seating which may be made of the same wood as your television cabinet.

Additionally, because the basic three speakers’ requirement is only good for smaller rooms, if you have a bigger room, you may need to add more speakers. You can even put six speakers and a subwoofer to complete that surround sound you love in a movie theater. All these will complete the grand package of your home theater. You may need to consider high-end home theater seating to help you relax you tired body from working all day. Relax and enjoy life with your family, your home theater system may do a lot of good for you.

By Nicholas Tan

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/complete-your-home-theater-setup-with-home-theater-seating-214950.html#ixzz1PHVpkyhv

Before we talk about some of the benefits of hiring a professional architect, let’s discuss why lots of people are weary to hire them. regularly many people would like to think that they have what it takes to build a house. When in fact they are so ill equipped, they would struggle to build a garden shed.

Professional architects are people who have spent at least 4 years studying to be one. It’s not possible to achieve the same results by following a book or articles. Architecture is like maths or science, it has to be perfect. There can be very little room for error. Although architect services can be expensive, it will save you a lot of money aswell as the stress.

Now let’s talk about some benefits that you can achieve by gaining professional architects to help plan and build. One, they can solve design problems and they can find the complete solutions to any arising problems quickly. Two, they reliable for managing the entire design project from start to finish. And three, they can act as manager for the current design project and will have no problems managing a group of workers to handle the job according to your layout. Once you know the specific benefits of hiring a professional architect, you’ll want to get them to help with your design plans.

At times you can hire an architect on a consultation basis simply and ask their expert opinion about your design plans, so you won’t make any perfect mistakes that could ruin the whole design. repeatedly most of the pre-prepared plans that you can get online are easy enogh to follow if you understand all of the instructions. However, since most of us have hardly any experience on creating a design strategy from nothing, this could be a major problem. It’s true that interior change on any building practice is a straighforward adjustment and won’t have much effect on the overall design formula. But, when you are thinking about a structural change you need the advice of a professional. Having a professional architect to help you with your own plan is better rather than risking yourself to go with trial and error which will cost you a lot more money.

To conclude: most people aren’t used to asking for help to build a house and a lot of them are more likely to attempt it themselves despite all the benefits they can obtain by hiring a professional. If that sounds like you, you should keep all the info in this blurb in mind when you are planning to build a contemporary house from nothing and to decide whether bringing in a professional architect is the precise way to go.

Perhaps, the biggest change in new home construction is the size of the home itself. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the average size of new US homes dropped between 2007 and 2009. The overall size of a new home shrunk from 10% to 15%, which in turn brings down the price of the property. Buyers no longer see the need or have the funds to care for the spacious way of living anymore. Amenities are still present, quality finishings are still used, granite countertops are still popular but the kitchens and bathrooms are smaller.

Energy efficiency is the next biggest trend in new home construction, which is not surprising. Builders are using better methods of construction, choosing to spend money in areas that will not only make the home more green but will also appeal to the buyer’s wallet. Choosing better windows that help maintain a higher R-value in the home is one way to increase energy efficiency. Properly sealing duct work so the homeowner gets the maximum possible benefit of air flow, is now a regular part of home construction. Using closed cell spray foam insulation in walls, cavities and attics, instead of pink batted insulation, increases the home’s R-value tremendously. Perhaps, builders are choosing to construct energy efficient homes for the good of the environment. Or perhaps, it is an attempt to stay competitive in a market where foreclosure real estate is cheap and plentiful. Either way, the buyer benefits.

Anyone who has been in the real estate market for a few years knows that the best way to increase the value of your home is updating the kitchen and/or bathrooms. The reverse is also true if your intention is to decrease building costs. New homebuilders have begun to scale back the size of kitchens. Bathrooms are losing square footage as well, but they are also decreasing in numbers. Homes, previously having two or three bathrooms, will now have one or two depending on the number of bedrooms. The kids’ exclusive bathroom or a downstairs’ powder room is no longer the trend. Most often there is the main bathroom for guests and an ensuite half bathroom for those who occupy the master bedroom. Resort style door-less showers are now a rarity in new homes. Instead, there is the built in linen closet. The kitchen is smaller but as the most used room in the home, it is constructed with practicality in mind. Traditionally, this is a multi-use space so new homebuilders are adding features for those uses. Perhaps, there will be a charging station for cell phones and laptops. Or the ability to sit in multiples ways; at a breakfast bar, at a kitchen table or at a built in desk area.

In Europe, laundry facilities in the home are traditionally located in the kitchen. In North America, we do not see that too often. However, the practicality of the arrangement is pleasing and perhaps new home builders will catch on at some point. For now there does seem to be a trend towards building a dedicated and organized laundry room on the main level of the house. Instead of sticking the washer and dryer in the basement or a closet, homebuilders are creating a dedicated space. Now the never-ending mundane task of laundry can be completed without bumping elbows with the furnace or closet doors. Plus if space allows, the laundry room can double as a mud-room.

As the US continues to struggle with recovery from the infamous economic downturn of 2007, homeowners will continue to seek ways to lower the cost of living. Foreclosure sales are great if you have the cash in hand but those homes do not necessarily come with the components to make the cost of living less. Rooms will usually be larger and more expensive to heat. More bathrooms means a higher water bill. Most homes are not properly insulated, which is a huge factor in energy consumption. Windows today are far more energy efficient than even five years ago. If you are looking to get into the real estate market, take a good hard look at new home construction. After all, practicality is key.

By Mark Munns

Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/construction-articles/for-new-home-construction-practicality-is-key-4448359.html#ixzz1OdCeJI4T

NMC electrical cables, being well insulated and safe are used in damp areas or above ground. UF (the underground feeder) can be used outdoor in the ground. These cables are not safe to use above the ground because cable sheathing can be destroyed by sunlight.

Copper electrical wire, aluminum electrical wire, alloys and silver are the electrical cables which are different in performance and price. Copper wire is considered gold standard and most homes rely on it. Aluminum is cheaper than copper and can easily be shaped and bent, but is less conductive. An alloy is made from aluminum and copper to get the characteristic of both and is used in industries.

An underground cable is a type of electric power cable, which is installed in underground ducts. It is mostly used in cities where shortage of space and safety concerns prevent the use of overhead lines. Now, installing underground cable has become an easy task because many topnotch types of equipment are available for professionals to install. Cable winches, cable ploughs, cable trailers and electric blowers are the equipment used by professionals to install these underground cables. A professional CLP company must have a good collection of cable winches. Its main function is to drag the cable at uniform speed. Many different configurations of cable winches are available. They range from light weight to much larger, more elaborate equipment. Cable ploughs are also an extremely vital equipment, to dig the drenches to bury cable quickly. Cable trailers are used to transport cables in a smoother way. Electrical blowers are more efficient. Air is blown down a propelling cable at uniform speed with the help of these electric blowers. Underground cabling equipment is vital to install underground cables efficiently.