January 13, 2008
When it comes to buying a new refrigerator, or refrigerator-freezer combination, there are a number of factors that need to be considered before you make your purchase. Factors that will, influence the best buy for you are in three broad categories:
The environment where the appliance is to be installed
The environment where the appliance is to be installed
The load you will place on the appliance
The total cost of owning and operating the appliance.
At Myshopping.com.au you can compare a great range of appliances, and assess them according to their specifications, brands, prices and vendors.
The environment
Most kitchens have a refrigerator, but not all are located in the kitchen. Before you make a decision about the appliance, you need to measure the space it will occupy. Make sure you measure the available width, height and depth, taking into account the space available for opening the refrigerator doors. Remember that fridges generate heat on the outside in order to cool the inside the cabinet, therefore there needs to be adequate space around the unit to allow the heat to dissipate. If it is to be enclosed within a cavity, be sure there is ventilation available through the top of the cavity. You can choose a refrigerator to be modelled to reflect and enhance the d?cor of the kitchen into which it is being installed.
There are a number of basic design differences that you can consider. Each different design has an impact on how it fits into your environment as well as other aspects of the unit.
Single compartment refrigerators are units with only fresh food space and no freezer compartment. They are generally automatic defrost units.
Single door refrigerators have a small freezer compartment built into the main cabinet. These are usually manual defrost and are often referred to as small bar refrigerators.
Cyclic defrost refrigerator/freezers are generally two door units in which the freezer unit is manually defrosted, but the fresh food compartment defrosts automatically using either natural warming of the cabinet during the ‘off cycle’, or a small electric heater on the refrigerator evaporator.
Frost-free refrigerators are generally two door models that have automatic defrost in both the freezer and fresh food compartments. Well-designed frost-free refrigerators can have a lower energy use than cyclic defrost models of the same size
Vertical/Upright freezers are front-opening door freezers allowing contents to be accessed and loaded quickly, thus minimising the time that the door is open.
Chest freezers have a top opening lid and are generally more economical than vertical freezers but less convenient to use, and are manual defrost.
Within the two-door category, units are available with top freezer compartments, bottom freezer compartments or as side-by-side units. Generally speaking, top of bottom door freezers are more energy efficient than side-by-side units, which are also limited in shelf-width space. Side-by-side fridges however, do offer some benefits in kitchens with limited space because the doors are not as wide as doors on top or bottom door freezer units. You can search Myshopping.com.au to compare the prices and performance specifications of these different model combinations.
The load
The load you place on the appliance affects how effective it is as a refrigerator, and how much it costs you in the long run. It all boils down to size. What capacity refrigerator should you buy? To answer that question, you need to consider what-and how much of it-you will put into it. So let’s look at size first.
Small refrigerators are typically 200 litres to 280 litres, medium 280 litres to 400 litres, large from 400 litres to 560 litres and extra large from 560 litres to 800 litres. Depending on the lifestyle you lead and how often you shop for fresh foods, two people need around 220 litres to 280 litres of refrigerator capacity. For each additional person, add another 30 litres. A family of four therefore, should consider a refrigerator/freezer capacity of something in the order of 300 litres to 360 litres. You can search Myshopping.com.au for refrigerators of different capacities.
Getting the right size is important. If your fridge on average is not at least two thirds full, or your freezer at least three quarters full, it’s probably too big for your needs. A refrigerator that’s too big and not kept filled wastes energy and costs more to run. A fridge that’s too small has you constantly rearranging food to make it all fit, which results in wastage of energy because of long periods the door is open and wasted time.
Also consider the load from the point of view of the shelving capacity of the unit. If you’re simply stocking it with large quantities of packaged food, you may need only small crisper capacity. On the other hand if fresh vegetables and fruit are a large party of your pantry, then you need a unit with substantial crisper capacity. Shelf adjustments and strength are important. Flimsily constructed plastic shelving cannot withstand heavy loads, especially door shelving. You need also to be able to adjust shelving heights to suit the kinds of foods you are putting in the unit.
The less time a fridge door remains open, the less energy it will consume. Therefore a fridge/freezer with easy access is easier to stock, and easier to use things you need quickly. The temperature control is how you manage the load of your fridge. Make sure you know where the thermostat control is located and how it is adjusted, this will help you manage the load of the unit for efficient energy use and constant temperature.
Cost
Here are a couple of facts that you may not be aware of. A typical refrigerator uses between 600 and 900-kilowatt hours of electricity per year, which makes it the single most expensive appliance in many households, making up 20% or more of the total residential electricity consumption. Nearly all households have at least one refrigerator and about 30% own two. Nearly 60% of households own a separate freezer. So, it’s not just the cost of the refrigerator that’s important, it’s also the cost of owning it.
The working life of most fridges is in the order of ten years. This is not to say that fridges can continue to work satisfactorily for longer, nor that some a poorly manufactured and give up the ghost after seven years. However a quick calculation of ten years of 20% of your household electricity consumption will soon tell you how much it will cost over its life. So how do you make a choice that will result in the lowest cost? Use the energy rating star system.
Every major refrigerator and freezer manufacturer has their goods tested by Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand and are regulated for energy labelling in Australia. They are also regulated for MEPS (minimum efficiency standards). The results of these tests are published and a label is attached to the product advising of that unit’s performance. This performance rating is given a ’star’ rating, which enables you to compare different energy consumption levels of different brands, capacities and types of refrigerator/freezers. You can use Myshopping.com.au to make this comparison very easily.
Summary
The following points are a quick summary of the things that will help you buy the right refrigerator/freezer for your situation. Use Myshopping.com.au to make comparisons between makes and models of specifications, energy ratings, price and vendors.
Generally, larger refrigerators consume more energy. A model that is too large will waste space and energy; too small could mean extra trips to supermarket and inconvenience, and inefficient use of the cabinet.
It is generally cheaper to run one large refrigerator than two small ones. However, a quick check of the energy consumption on the label will give you accurate comparison.
Top or bottom freezer units are generally more efficient than side-by-side units. You can check the stars and the energy consumption to compare.
Automatic ice-makers and through-the-door dispensers will increase both the energy use (typically 100 to 150 kilowatt hours/year) and the purchase price, but may add convenience and reduce energy wastage by not having the door opened as frequently.
Manual defrost models use less energy than frost-free models, but only if they are defrosted regularly enough to remain energy efficient.
If two different sized refrigerators use the same amount of energy, the larger model can be considered more efficient because it keeps more space cold with same amount of electricity.
Andrew Gates for comparison online shopping service MyShopping.com.au. MyShopping.com.au helps you compare the different refrigerators from different brands in terms of specifications and accessories. You can also compare prices from hundreds of different brands and vendors
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January 2, 2008
Installing a new bathroom vanity cabinet, or adding a vanity table to your bedroom, is a great way to enhance the appearance and function of your home. Bedroom and bathroom vanities add elegance and charm, and provide a special place for pampering. Bathroom sink vanity units with built in cabinets or drawers are ideal for storing all kinds of toiletries and accessories, and are often very attractive pieces of furniture to look at. Whether you’re after an antique style vanity or one to suit a contemporary bathroom, there are a variety of styles and finishes available to match all sorts of décor.
Bathroom vanities are made from a choice of woods or veneers, which are specially selected for their durability. Vanity tops need to be water resistant and hardwearing, and are made from a range of attractive materials including marble and tempered glass. Sinks can be vessel style or under mounted, made from porcelain, stone, stainless steel or other stylish materials. The style and finish of the faucets and fixtures is important, as these details play a big part in the overall ambiance of a bathroom and help to define its character.
Bedroom vanities are designed with comfort and convenience in mind, as well as aesthetics. A bedroom vanity set, comprising of a dressing table, mirror and cushioned stool, makes a great gift idea for a loved one, and provides a brilliant place at which to sit to apply makeup and perform your daily beauty routine. Vanity furniture comes in a huge range of styles and finishes, from the rich tones of cherry or mahogany, to ornately crafted wrought iron. As well as adding a touch of luxury and class to your home, your vanity table is a useful place to store jewelry, watches and other trinkets.
If you’re looking to spruce up your bathroom or bedroom, a new vanity cabinet or dressing table can make an amazing difference to the look and feel of a room. As well as providing a great place to primp and preen, a vanity can be a stunning centerpiece of your décor, bringing a sense of grace and calm to your home.
Caroline Smith is a regular contributor to FindVanities.com - an online guide to finding all kinds of bathroom vanities,
bedroom vanities, vanity stools and more.
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December 22, 2007
A larger air conditioner will not always provide more cooling. It should be sized for the room area. If properly sized it should operate long enough to remove moisture from the air. It is the moisture removed from the room which actually produces the feeling of cooling. Unfortunately many people in their rush to purchase a window air conditioner buy too large a model.
Too large a unit can actually provide less cooling than a smaller, properly sized unit. This is because with an oversized air conditioner its run time is too short. Consequently it does not remove enough moisture from the room to produce a feeling of comfort. If you’re A/C seems to cycle off and then back on every few minutes and does a poor job of cooling, it is probably oversized for the room.
Air conditioners are rated in BTU’s. British Thermal Units are a measurement of how much heat is being transferred form the room being cooled to where the heat is dumped out of doors. This is why the cooing coil inside the room is cool to the touch, while the part that hangs outside is extremely hot.
A window air conditioner used in the average household room can be as low as 4000 BTU. While 5000, 6000, and 8000 are the most common sizes purchased.
How do I determine what size A/C I need?
Following is a basic sizing chart for calculating the window air conditioner needed for a room. Calculate the size of the room by multiplying the width of the room by the length of the room. Use your room size to determine what BTU’s are required to cool that particular room size.
room in sq ft—–room in sq m—–A/C size in BTU’s
100 - 250…………9 - 23…………5000 - 6000
250 - 400………..23 - 37…………6000 - 8500
400 - 550………..37 - 51…………8000 - 11000
550 - 875………..51 - 81………..11000 - 15000
Based on a room occupied by two adults, having an average insulation, number of windows, and sun exposure.
Which is the best room for placement of an air conditioner?
Wherever it gives the most comfort is where it should be installed. If you only have one air conditioner then we usually suggest the bedroom. This is because most people find that if they can sleep comfortably during a hot summer night then their next days work will be a lot easier. Getting through a hot day at work becomes a lot easier when you know you will sleep comfortably that night.
Some people do not like a cool sleeping environment so they will tend to place it in a living room or family room. Or some people will place it in the family room because the whole family can sleep there. Get out the sleeping bags and turn it into an adventure for the young ones. Beats waking up in the morning to find a dog, cat, and four kids in the bed with you.
Also window air conditioner can be noisy, which may disturb sleep. Others find the drone of the fan actually promotes sleep because all the neighbourhood noises are drowned out. Some people say the air conditioner works as well as a sleeping pill
But whichever room you eventually pick don’t expect the impossible from you’re A/C. It is not meant to cool more than one room or one open area. Air conditioners will not cool other rooms? This is because the blower in a window air conditioner is not very powerful. It is sized to cool one open area, not a number of interconnected rooms. Therefore once again a couple of smaller units may be better for your home than one large unit.
Lastly, remember to properly secure the air conditioner in the window. Once installed a piece of wood to stop the window from being lifted up is a good idea. If you have wooden sills the simple addition of a wood screw at the top of the raised window (the one you had to raise to install the A/C) will only take a minute. Otherwise an intruder could gain access to the house by lifting the window and letting the A/C fall out. This could result in the loss of both your valuables and the air conditioner.
Copyright 2005 by Donald Grummett. All right reserved.
Service manager of MG Appliance Repair Services in Ottawa, Canada. In the trade over 30 years as a technician, business owner, and technical trainer. For more information about appliances including FAQ, Stain guide, Recycling, and Newsletter visit http://www.mgservices.ca
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December 15, 2007
Cold weather brings dry homes. And dry homes bring itchy skin, scratchy throats, and irritated sinuses. To counter the effects of “dry house syndrome,” the first thing homeowners and contractors often reach for is a central humidifier.
If you happen to be an admitted germ-phobe, central humidifiers aren’t for you. Think swamp-environment. That’s the best way to describe the conditions inside your furnace-attached humidifier; a breeding-ground for bacteria, viruses, and molds.
If you have leaky ducts that run through an unconditioned area, such as the attic, warm “humidified” air is able to escape and condense on the cold roof-deck, causing costly moisture-damage and/or rot.
If you want to maintain comfortable winter humidity levels (+-40 percent RH), here’s a more “holistic” approach:
1.) Reduce your homes air-leaks. Cutting the homes air-infiltration rate reduces the amount of moisture that gets lost to the outside. Reducing air-leaks also reduces drafts and saves energy.
CAVEAT: In our opinion, there’s no such thing as an “overtight” home. That said, if you don’t have adequate ventilation, excess moisture can be a problem in tight homes. Additionally, overtightening the home in a manner that seals-off a furnace’ or water-heaters source of combustion air increase the risk of back-drafting the chimney and introducing carbon monoxide into the home.
2. Consider an energy-recovery ventilator (ERV). ERVs like their close-cousin, the heat-recovery ventilator (HRV), are ‘balanced’ ventilation systems. Conventional exhaust-only ventilators (i.e. standard bathroom fan) get their make-up air by pulling it through the cracks and leaks in the home. Not a very well-controlled method, and certainly not the best for indoor air quality.
Balanced ventilators, like ERVs and HRVs, bring fresh air into the home by way of dedicated ducts. As an added bonus, HRVs ‘recover’ a portion of the heat that normally gets exhausted and returns it back inside the home, a nice energy-efficiency feature. ERVs have an added-added bonus. They recover heat AND humidity and help keep clean, fresh-air circulating through the home without drying-it out in winter. Controls prevent the unit from causing excessive humidity-levels that can lead to condensation build-up on windows, or more serious moisture problems.
Balanced ventilators, like ERVs and HRVs, also help minimize the risk of chimney back-drafting. Some models have built-in HEPA filters for even better indoor air quality.
You’ll have to spend more money in the short-term, but the benefits of this two-pronged approach are multi-fold — cleaner air, a safer home, lower energy bills, and greater comfort. And believe us, the goopy, sticky stuff that’s sticking to the bottom of your humdifier is nasty.
John Bishop is vice president of Enhanced Living, Inc., heating, cooling and indoor air quality specialists based in the Albany, NY-area. Extensive experience in the field of building science and residential energy-management, John was formerly the state marketing coordinator for New York’s award-winning Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes Program. John can be contacted at johnbishop@enhancedliving.net.
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November 15, 2007
Laminate Flooring is becoming increasingly popular and the question I keep getting asked time and time again ‘How do I measure for Laminate Flooring’. Because of the amount of times I get e-mails and phone calls asking this question I thought it would be best to write an article regarding it.
Where do I start?
Right let us start at the beginning. The first thing you need to do is find out how much laminate flooring you are going to need. To do this you will need to measure the width of your room and also the length of your room in feet. Write these figures down then multiply them both together. This will then give you the size of your room in square feet. You will then need to add 10% for wastage.
Example:
Width 20 ft x Length 20 ft = 400 sf + 10% = 440 sf.
So you will need 440 sf of flooring.
Now you need to find out how many packs you require. If the laminate flooring you have chosen comes in packs of say 19 sf then just divide you room size by this number.
Example
440 sf / 19 sf = 23.15 packs.
Rounded up to the next pack means you will need 24 packs of flooring.
You will also need to do this for the amount of underlay required.
What else will you need?
If you are laying the laminate flooring over a concrete sub-floor then you will also need to purchase a Damp Proof Membrane (D.P.M.). Most leading brands now have underlay that includes a built in D.P.M. This is worth purchasing as it saves time and money.
Doorways.
For doorways you will need one of the following transition profiles.
End Cap - This is used in doorways that meet carpet, ceramic or stone tiles. It can also be used to finish off the flooring against things like a sliding glass door.
Reducer - You use this when there is a difference in height between the laminate flooring and the floor covering you are meeting up with like linoleum or vinyl
T Moulding - This is needed in doorways where laminate meets laminate. Or for anytime a hard surface is within 1/8 inch. of being the same height as the laminate, you will can use a T moulding.
Finishing of around the perimeter of the room.
With Laminate Flooring you have to leave an expansion gap, of around 10mm, anywhere the flooring meets a wall. There are two ways of hiding this expansion gap.
One way is to replace your skirting boards, this way the new skirting fits over the expansion gap. This of course adds more cost and time to your project.
The second, cheaper and quicker way is to cover the expansion gap with beading/Scotia. This fits up against the skirting boards covering the expansion gap. Most brands offer beading that matches the colour of your laminate flooring.
To measure for this simply measure all around the perimeter of you room, where you are going to need beading. You will again need to add 10% for wastage. Once you have this figure you will then need to divide it by the length of the beading, they usually come in lengths of 8ft.
You will also need to purchase a fitting kit. This usually comprises of a tapping block, pull bar and spacers.
Ok now we know how to measure for laminate flooring here is a measuring format for you to fill in. You can print this out to make it easier for you.
Flooring Required.
Width _____ft x Length _____ft = ______sf + 10% = _____sf (A)
Divide (A) by pack size = _____ packs required.
Divide (A) by Underlay roll size = _____ Rolls of underlay required.
How many doorways
End Caps ____ Reducer____ T Moulding____
Beading
Perimeter _____ft + 10% = _____ft
Divided by beading length = ____ft lengths beading required
My name is Jason Ashby and i have 21 years experiance in the flooring trade. First starting out as a flooring installer then progressing into training people in all aspects of flooring. I also run an online UK store selling laminate flooring products. For more informtion regarding laminate or wooden flooring please visit http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/laminate-flooring-information.htm.
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November 3, 2007
If you have radiant heat and are planning a ceramic floor tile installation, then understanding the function of membranes will certain be beneficial. This article will teach you about various membranes in conjunction with radiant heat, so that your floor tile installation will be done properly.
There have been many tragic ceramic floor tile installation disasters by using the wrong membranes or none at all. If the membranes and/or bonding mortars are not compatible your bond will be lost and problems will occur.
With a floor tile installation make sure your membranes meet current ANSI standards and that manufacturers instructions are followed properly.
With floor tile installations, membranes are used for a variety of reasons, each having a specific purpose, such as moisture vapor emission membranes, cork underlay, peel and stick membranes and liquid or trowel applied membranes.
A load bearing, bonded, uncoupling membrane is also a full coverage membrane, but it’s made of thicker material than the anti-fracture membrane. The air cavities that are pressed into its surface allow for lateral movement.
A cleavage membrane is not bonded to the concrete. The function of this membrane is to separate the tile assembly from the concrete and isolate the wire-reinforced mortar bed and the ceramic floor tile installation from any instability in the wood or concrete sub-floor.
A crack isolation membrane is bonded to the sub-floor to cover existing shrinkage cracks and must cover three times the width of the floor tile used, with a minimum width of 6 inches.
An anti-fracture membrane is also bonded to the sub-floor, but this membrane needs to fully cover the sub-floor in order to protect against shrinkage, moisture and expansion and/or contraction of the concrete.
With a radiant heat system a moisture barrier is important in controling moisture and stoping liquid from passing through. Always consider all of the options, because the improper use of a membrane may trap moisture and cuase condensation.
Just remember that when you’re doing a ceramic floor tile installation make sure that you use the correct membrane especially if you have in-floor radiant heating otherwise you could end up with cracked tile and grout and an expensive repair bill.
Larry Lang is the founder of Radiant Heating Disasters which specializes in consulting of hydronic in-floor radiant heating systems. Larry is also author of Radiant Heat - What You NEED to Know BEFORE You Sign That Contract. This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as this entire article, including working links and this resource box are unchanged. Copyright 2006 Larry Lang All rights Reservered Lang Enterprises Inc. www.radiantheatingdisasters.com
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October 26, 2007
My father asked me the other day, what question did I get most
from my landscape and lawn care customers. The answer: How much
does it cost and what kind of retaining wall can I install?
Customers and potential customers alike are always amazed about
the high cost of landscape design. Cost may not always be about
the materials used, but it is always, about the time involved in
the design and installation. Labor is the key component of any
project and any business. If you doubt me, just call for an
estimate on an in-home computer repair.
The second question is one that continues to evolve. Not long
ago, when a customer wanted a retaining wall installed at their
residence, the choice was simple; you get pavers or Windsor’s.
That is certainly not the case today as Windsor’s are rapidly
becoming extinct as the dinosaur. Here are few tips when
thinking of installing a retaining wall:
1. Materials: When choosing materials, select the type that is
best suited for the desired result. Many long-lasting materials
are available for landscape use including flagstone wall rock,
Xeriscape rockery, railroad tie maze, regal stone, Pyzique
stone, Windsor stone, and framed fence. Also consider recycled
concrete paving treated timbers, vertical poles, pre-cast
concrete modular units, poured concrete, and brick veneer.
2. Type of wall: The type of wall you choose should be
determined by need. Decide if you need a poured-in-place
concrete “structural” wall or a much less expensive “dry-laid
wall” consisting of stacked, open-joint material.
3. Determine design or on-site placement: Planning ahead will
help you avoid the expense and time it takes to relocate a wall
or to modify retained areas once they’re installed.
4. Drainage: Most retaining walls fail because of pressure
against the wall caused by water or soil-moisture build up
behind the wall. All walls should provide for the back-of-wall
water to freely drain down and away from the wall. This is
accomplished with gravel backfill, or manufactured drainage
blankets and drain pipes. Structural walls require “weep” holes
to allow water to drain from behind the wall.
5. Foundations: A wall is only as good as its foundation, and
all retaining walls should be built on structurally sound,
compacted foundation sub-base material. Leveled and compacted
earth or gravel fill are acceptable. The foundation material
should extend at least one foot beyond the front and back of the
base width of the wall. When building dry-laid stone walls,
place the largest, most stable stones on the bottom of the wall,
and be aware that the base width may need to be as wide as the
wall is high.
6. Cant or batter: Walls are more stable and structurally secure
if they slope back or “lay back” into the retained slope. This
amount of variance from true vertical is called “cant” or
“batter”.
7. Anchors: Timber walls and other walls of solid horizontal
materials usually have “T” anchors extending back into the slope
into undisturbed earth. This helps walls resist pressures that
force them forward, or cause them to pivot on footing material.
A good rule of thumb is to provide at least one anchor per 16
square feet of exposed wall face.
Installed wall costs generally range from $20 to $35 per square
foot of wall face for dry-laid materials. Cost will vary
considerably depending upon materials used and overall wall
height. Structural wall costs may range from two to ten times
that of dry-laid walls.
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October 21, 2007
Dry indoor air causes a wide variety of physical symptoms including a stuffy nose, dry cough, nosebleeds, dry skin and brittle hair. A warm mist humidifier will relieve these symptoms and help you sleep better. Dry air is common when the heat is turned on in the winter. If you live in a dry climate, you may need to humidify your home all year long. Excessive dryness causes wood furniture and flooring to crack and warp. Houseplants can dry out and the seams of your wallpaper could peel.
If your home is very dry and you need to add moisture to the air all year long, you may want to consider a whole house humidification system. These are installed on a forced air heating system and should be installed by a professional.
If you only need to use a humidifier in the winter weather, a single room model will be sufficient. These are plugged into any electrical outlet and can be used in the kitchen, bedroom or any other room in your home. The size of the water tank determines how long you can run the humidifier without adding water. Be sure the model you choose is large enough for the room and the amount of time it will be running.
Benefits of a Warm Mist Humidifier
A big benefit of the warm mist is the ability to put medication in the humidifier, as you can with a vaporizer. This is great for treating colds, congestion and winter viruses. Vaporizers release hot steam into the air and are notorious for causing burns in children. The steam in warm humidifiers is initially heated and then cooled just before it enters the room. This results in less risk of burns.
Because the water is heated, there is less risk of mold spores and bacteria breeding in the water. Since the mist is cooled before entering the room, mold can still grow, but happens less often than with cool mist humidifiers. Proper cleaning and maintenance can nearly eliminate mold spores in the air from the humidifier. In addition, monitor the humidity level in the room and make sure it doesn’t exceed fifty percent. Mold flourishes at higher levels of humidity.
Cleaning Your Warm Mist Humidifier
To keep your humidifier working well for years, regular cleaning and maintenance is needed. Always clean your humidifier according to the manufacturer’s directions. You will find this information in the owner’s manual. You should empty the water reservoir and rinse with clean water. Dry it out with a towel before adding new water. It’s best to do this each time you use it.
At the end of the season, give it a thorough cleaning before storing it. Use a disinfectant cleaner and dry thoroughly. You should clean the heating element at the end of the season to remove any build up that has accumulated. Doing this will help keep the air in your room cleaner.
Many warm mist machines have humidifier filters. The filter will need to be changed at least once, at the end of the season. Depending on the usage, you may need to change the filter more often. If you have hard water, the filter will need to be changed more often. Using distilled water can prevent the filter from becoming clogged with iron or other contaminants in your tap water.
Johnathan Bakers writes for www.humidifier-tips.com/warm-mist-humidifier.html . Within this website he works on topics like humidifier filters.
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October 20, 2007
There’s no need to keep scrubbing dirty dishes by hand when you can buy a machine to do the work for you. Most people equate dishwashers with the 24” size models built-in beneath the counter. But dishwasher selection is far greater than that! What do you think cleans the dishes in RVs and Boats?
If you’re looking at the selection of compact dishwashers, you will find slim 18” models available as well as countertop models. In addition, portable dishwashers in 24” size and 18” size are also available.
18” dishwashers
These machines can be very useful when kitchen space is tight. However, these machines do not necessarily offer a bargain to consumers as they tend to cost as much as a low priced 24” dishwasher, which is to say $300 to $450. For selection, Miele makes an 18” model as does Kenmore.
You can also find portable models manufactured by Danby, Equator, Frigidaire, and Haier. These dishwashers are mobile and generally include either casters or a set of wheels. To operate you need to plug in, and hook up to the faucet.
For functionality, portable dishwashers can be extremely useful when there’s no room for a built-in machine. When not in use, you can store the unit in a separate location; a closet or beneath the stairs. Additionally, portable models are equipped with a countertop which provides a nice surface for numerous kitchen tasks.
Countertop dishwashers
These compact dish cleaning machines are pretty much the smallest dishwashers available. Most are designed with microwave styling, and can be built-in or used portably.
Danby makes a nice countertop model, it includes a window and microwave styling. It also features a stainless steel interior and is energy efficient. Typically, you can wash about 4 place settings in the countertops.
Is this dishwasher your best option? These models can be very good in the right situation. However, if you have a family and kids, this appliance is far too small. On the other hand, if you have a limited number of dishes to wash, countertop models can be very useful!
Nicole Martins is author and researcher for DishwashersSelect. You can find about more about these manufacturers and others by visiting this site at: http://www.dishwashers-select.com
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October 14, 2007
The quest for more living space these days means making more efficient use of the sites available space in which to extend or develop. This invariably means building right up to the properties boundary line in many cases.
This can have major pitfalls if it is not presented or handled correctly & not just at the Planning Application stage either. You wouldn’t believe the number of on-site boundary disputes that arise during construction and it is usually the poor old builder who gets caught right in the middle of the crossfire.
Having been party to a few boundary disputes in my time there are a number of rules that I apply when extending or developing a property to ensure that the risk of a neighbour dispute is reduced or catered for when designing and building close to the properties boundary fence for example.
RULE NO. 1:- Though shall not encroach over the boundary line.
Sounds a simple one doesn’t it but you would be amazed at the number of times a site owner seems to think that it’s OK to follow the line of the original party wall for example in order to avoid a ‘kick in’ for the new works. Even if the neighbour gives their consent it still leaves room for a later dispute not to mention the tricky questions that can be asked when selling either property later on. Even though the main wall main not encroach, it is vital to ensure that the foundations or eaves projections do not overhang the adjoining neighbour.
If pushed by the site owner I do agree to complete design works that overhang the boundary & this is easily covered during the Planning application process by serving the correct Notice and signing certificate ‘B’. However, it is the during the build process that many verbal or written neighbour agreements fall apart so I ensure that that my advice not to encroach is recorded by the client in an acknowledged paper trail so that I can wash my hands of it later on - you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink.
RULE NO. 2:- Though shall never assume that the fence is the correct boundary line.
Most of the time, the fence or other demarcation dividing properties is the correct location. However, people have a habit of taking advantage or lying about such things. I had case once where a site owner re-aligned his fence by 300mm when his neighbour died. His view was that he was just making the boundary correct to a straight line as denoted on the deeds. Over the years as fences are renewed, removed for access, replaced with hedges etc., the demarcation does tend to wander often to a point where it is near impossible to re-identify the correct boundary line. If a neighbour has had the benefit of an extra 300mm for the last 15 years due to a removed or unmarked boundary line he sure isn’t going to give it up just because his new neighbour wants to reestablish a straight line to some moth eaten piece of barely legible piece of paper.
Another very common occurrence is when a rural site owner obtains an extra piece of land that is outside the residential curtilage and by encompassing with a new fence he seems to think that he now has a usable extended garden ripe for building in. Not only doesn’t he have proper permission to use the land as a garden he could be asked to remove any building works when it is discovered (and most are).
RULE NO. 3:- Though shall put the onus on the client to identify and agree boundary lines with the neighbour on site BEFORE he starts work on the project.
This is the best piece of ‘bottom shielding’ you can have. Why should I take the rap for a neighbours venom or the clients demands ‘to sort it out’ due to his unwillingness to grasp the nettle. By clearly demonstrating that your have already exercised a high degree of ‘duty care’ with precise written advise on how they were to avoid boundary disputes with their neighbour, you can at least rest easy at night or charge a good fee for sorting out their mess.
Seems a bit hard faced I know but if ever there was a re-occurring potential nightmare in residential development then this is it. It should remembered that previous case studies have shown that neighbours will go to war over two inches of land & donate thousands of pounds to solicitors fees in the process - guess who ends up really winning!
These are 3 simple rules that will help provide your own development project with unhindered progress to a great conclusion.
RULE NO.4:- Though shall inform the client of his duties under the Party Wall Act 1996.
Generally speaking, if the building owner uses the Party Wall Agreement system which is usually administered by a specialist Party Wall Surveyor then this would encompass most of the other rules above.
Having the client nursed through the Party Wall Act by someone else that knows what their doing is of great benefit to both the designer & building owner & very rarely leaves any problems in their wake.
I wont explain here when & why the client needs to obtain Party Wall Agreements with his neighbour as the legislation is quite complicated but generally only applies when the building owner is excavating within 3 meters of a neighbours wall or party fence/wall or completing works that would affect a party wall or party fence.
Our ‘Maximum Build Planning Guide’ explains further the tactics involved when extending or developing a property & what areas can be exploited for developing land or a site for residential use. How to give yourself the best chance of being granted an approval.
Our ‘Maximum Build Planning Guide’ explains further the tactics involved when developing a site and how to give yourself the best chance of being granted an approval.
http://www.planning-approval.co.uk
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