DIY Home Improvement at the Tip of Your Busy Fingers

Do it yourself projects should be doable, easy and ultimately useful. The following are some practical DIY tasks that you can try if you have free time at home.

Wiring a plug

Wiring a plug only requires basic know-how to carry out. First off, why would it be necessary to wire a plug? Sometimes, appliances' plugs become brittle, and break. It is dangerous to use broken plugs. Broken plugs can result in electrocution and in some rare instances, death.

In some cases, the wires inside the plug becomes disconnected. The first thing to do is to unplug the device to be repaired from the power source. With a screw driver, remove the cover of the plug and proceed to clear the terminals of any dirt.

This applies to new plugs. The only difference would be the insides of new plugs are clean. Proceed to separate the three distinct wires. The neutral wire, the earth wire and the live wire. All three are important, don't leave anything behind.

Attach the three distinct wires to the proper terminals inside the plug. Most plugs are uniformly built, so you won't have any trouble carrying this step out.

The brown wire, which is the live wire should go to the portion of the plug marked "L". The neutral wire, which is often coated with blue plastic should go to the "N" terminal. The third wire, the earth wire goes to the topmost region of the plug.

The copper wires should be wound around the proper terminals, or they should at least pass through. Some plugs require wounding while others do not.

Be careful with the fine strands of copper wire. Any loose strands should be fixed. Remember, loose strands can cause fire from shorts once you plug in the appliance.

Fixing a leaking faucet

You do not need a plumber to fix a leaking faucet. Often, leaking faucets can easily be remedied with the right tools. The first step to fixing a leaking faucet would be to turn off the water valve.
Leaky faucets are often due to brittle or broken rubber washers. These rubber washers are simple enough to be installed by anyone. Unscrew the top of the faucet after the water supply has been turned off.

Remove the broken washer and inspect the area. Clean the top portion of the washer of any kind of dirt. Molds should be removed with a clean sponge.

Place the washer and proceed to re-install the handle of the faucet. If all goes well, you would be able to screw the handle quickly. If the washer's size is right, the leaks would no longer appear. Turn off the water supply once again and test. A clean stream of water should appear.

In case this approach does not work, there is a possibility that there might be cracks or fissures on the faucet itself. Turn off the water supply once again, and inspect the faucet for minute cracks.

If there are minute cracks, purchase generic sealants. The sealants do not have to be expensive. Sealants like Epoxy Steel can be used.

The author of this article is Benedict Yossarian. Benedict recommends Roof Bond Foam Roof Insulation and Dekorbeton Concrete Stamping for your DIY needs.

Mold On Lower Wall Area

Ghana Could Lead the World in Sustainable Building

A Ghanaian's heart seems always to be with Ghana. Though many of Ghana's citizens leave their native country for the purpose of earning money to support their families, many still dream to build their homes in Ghana. Being exposed to certain building technologies, Ghanaians may take more than money back home.

One of those technologies is the use of insulated concrete forms or ICFs. ICFs are a stay in place foam block that stacks to form foundation and structural walls. Once rebar is placed, concrete is poured into the cavity creating a 4 inch solid concrete wall with 2 inches of insulation on each side. At 6.5 pounds each, the ICF straight block is 4 feet long and 1 feet high covering 5.33 square feet.

Organizations such as Energy Star rate the ICF block as meeting sustainability and energy efficiency goals having an effective R-value of 32. Manufacturers report consumers as experiencing a 50 - 80% reduction in energy costs annually. Thermal imaging shows homes built with ICF blocks as having a temperature change of less than 2 percent. This means that during hot months, once the ICF home gets cool, it stays cool for longer periods of time as compared to a conventional built home. This feature further reduces the operating time of cooling or heating units. Conventional built homes show temperature changes of 11 - 20 degrees. The ICF home in Ghana would use roughly half of the energy as needed for conventional built homes. This is a necessary benefit in a country known for its fledging infrastructure.

Until now, concrete or sandcrete block has been the Ghanaian building material of choice. This is a Ghanaian age old tradition that has changed little over the years. In the age of the Sustainable Revolution, Ghana may be poised to make the transition to building with ICFs quicker than developed countries.

The insulating concrete form is a concrete product. The skill set to build with concrete block is easily transferrable to stack ICF blocks. Crews accustomed to the weight of CMUs can work with greater speed with the 6.5 pound ICF block. Not only is the ICF block lighter, it also replaces 6 concrete blocks and covers 5.33 square foot of exterior wall space. That's no small benefit to the Ghanaian owner who would in turn save on the cost of labor.

New construction technologies takes a strong market demand before becoming common in the marketplace. With the scarcity of ICF block manufacturers in Ghana, the transition may be a little slow. However, Africans in America are increasing becoming aware of the ICF block and wish to build with ICFs should the cost prove to be cost effective with the additional shipping charges.

Ghana has been called an underdeveloped country when compared to countries such as the United States or Canada. However, because of their customary concrete building practices, Ghana and other West African countries may very well become the leader in sustainable building.

Lakisha David, construction manager with Light Ready Construction, LLC. and supplier of ICFs to Ghana. http://www.lightreadyghana.com

Roofing Options Continued

We previously explored roofing options such as asphalt shingle and ceramic tile, weighing the pros and cons of each. Considering the importance of a well-functioning roof, we will continue the discussion of roofing options here.

Wood shingle is a relatively inexpensive option for roofing. First it might be helpful to distinguish the difference between shakes and shingles.

A shingle is cut with a saw, and has a smoother finish than a shake. Shakes are split, and the wood is more rippled. The rippling in shakes actually encourages water to run down them quickly.

Most often, cedar is the wood of choice for shakes or shingles. This is due to a naturally occurring oil in the wood that discourages rot and bugs, making it far longer lasting than other woods. Shingles and shakes can both be applied over old asphalt or cedar shingles. Shakes require an open sheathing underneath them, so that air can flow and dry any dampness in the shakes themselves. Because of their irregular surface, it is recommended that shakes be layered with a course of felt material, and on solid sheathing, which will fill in any gaps and completely weather-proof.

The only major con to shakes or shingles is that they are not fire-proof. Also, the water collected off them is undrinkable for up to 6 years because of the same volatile oil that deters bugs and rot. After six years, however, it is usable water. Cedar shakes or shingles can last up to 25 years.

Slate is another interesting, and very attractive, option for roofing. Slate's biggest downfall is its high expense. However it is extremely long lasting-a 100 year old slate roof is not uncommon. It is also fire-proof, rot-proof, and a very low maintenance roofing material in general, resistant to acid rain and fading. Also, because it is also all natural, collecting water from your slate roof is very viable.

Metal roofing is probably the most light-weight roofing option. The cost of metal roofing is moderate, about mid-range compared to the other options discussed. It can easily be installed on top of older roofing, and is known for being very low maintenance. Modern metal roofing is usually made of aluminum or a steel alloy. It is then coated with a rust-resistant coating, available in a variety of nice colors. The biggest caution is that this coating is not scraped off during the installation of your metal roof.

Written on behalf of the Orlando real estate team at OrlandoMLS.com. Visit them if you are looking for an Orlando Realtor, or want to search the Orlando MLS listings.

Realistic Rustic Looking Vinyl Log Siding

Thanks to innovative new advancements in vinyl siding, a house can look like a show place. Vinyl siding was first introduced in the 1950's, and the improvements made over the years are simply amazing. Vinyl siding offers a wonderful way to give a home a beautiful face lift.

For those who like the log cabin look, there is the very popular vinyl log siding. The biggest advantage in choosing to use log siding is the fact that it is maintenance free, and easy to install. Traditional real wooden log homes, while quite appealing require a lot of exterior maintenance as well as take quite some time to construct.

Unlike the vinyl siding from the past, today's siding is realistic looking, and requires no maintenance. Log siding gives a home the look of a real log home, at a much lower price, and saves time over traditional log home construction.

Traditional real wooden log homes require a lot of routine maintenance such as staining, sealing, and insect protection in order to preserve the wood. With that in mind,vinyl logsiding is the more attractive choice. This makes that charming rustic look much easier to achieve today than it has been in the past.

Another advantage to using vinyl siding is the weather-proofing factor. Yes, siding is a great way to weather proof a home. It provides total protection from various climates and weather conditions.

While the afore mentioned advantages are all valid and appealing reasons to choose vinyl log siding, there is more! The many choices of wood styles like cedar, cypress, and redwood just to name the most popular choices available, is yet another great reason to consider vinyl log siding.

I personally prefer the rustic log cabin look. The fact that that look can be produced by vinyl log siding that is maintenance free, and can also save me on energy bills, is a big plus. Until I saw that this siding was being used in areas where one would expect to see real traditional log homes, I would not have believed it could look so real.

It looks real because it is embossed with rich natural looking grain textures. The advancements in recent years to vinyl siding, especially vinyl log siding, is astounding. If this is the look you would like to have for your home, consider this option as an alternative to real wood log construction and save time and money.

Learn More about Vinyl Log Siding

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

Turnkey Website: Turn The Key & Earn The Benefit

There are many people who are making website and getting online to sell their produces. This has been a great business for many people who are in the field of Internet business. But what about the people who dont know how to create website and get online or who dont know how to access an Internet but want to get into the online business. I know the confusion starts from here for most of the people. But not to worry because that is the place where the term Turnkey is applied.

A turnkey website is mainly meant for e-commerce and shopping website building. It is basically a website that takes just a single day to build the whole website and made the entire online business opportunity easy and simple. Remember, just a single day! With the help of turnkey website, you can quickly establish your site from day one as creditable and professional. You dont have to worry about any part of its designing, development and hosting. All you have to do is to approach for a turnkey.

A turnkey website is sold as a completely functional, operating site with hosting and pre- installed interactive script for forms, shopping cart (products, images, description and prices), affiliate programs etc. All the buyers need to do is to turn the key and earn the benefit. In other words with turnkey you are ready to do business in the field of e-commerce.

Turnkey website solutions are becoming more and more popular for webmasters who would like a customized website, without having to do it themselves. Until turnkey solutions were brought about, webmasters were faced with the problem of hiring coders to privately customize their pages for their website. And, the services of a professional coder can be very expensive, the cost of paying someone to customize a website can be anywhere very costly. A customized website done this way can cost a few thousand dollars at best.

However, the turnkey website also enables you to harness the power of word of mouth promotion form the visitors of your site and generate the free traffic and free one way links to your site. It does not involve any costly network to support and there is no need of expensive technology staff to hire. Therefore, the whole infrastructure and technology of your business starts with a very low expense and comes under your budget.

Today, Turnkey websites are the hottest selling items on the Internet. With this there is no longer a question of worry about all the issues that comes along with setting up a website, such as where/how to host the site. You just need to turn the key and earn the benefit.

REPRINT RIGHTS statement: This article is free for republishing by visitors provided the Author Bio box is retained as usual so that all links are Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Author Rajesh Srivastava is associated with website builders. Turnkey Websites Provider provides complete website designs solution.

Insulating Basement Wall Problems

Your basement is directly in contact with the earth. Not only that, it is prone to excessive moisture due to its surrounding water and piping systems. Taking this into account, it is therefore necessary to include insulating basement wall, floor, and ceilings in your basement design plan. This is will not only help keep your floor warm upstairs, it will save you from the trouble of unnecessary and troublesome air conditioning repairs.

Here are some of the important tips in insulating basement wall foundation:

1. Use fiberglass or specialty plastic products such as closed-cell foam. The advantage in using these type of materials is that it's light weight and strong. It's also cost effective and versatile. But before using it, take note of the different types also. There are those that are flammable. The best recommendation is to cover it with drywall to prevent flames to spread fast. The best insulating basement wall materials of these types should also be weather-resistant and durable.

2. Know a little bit of the theory in heat transfer. This is called thermodynamics. This knowledge may help you in figuring out some concerns not anticipated in insulating basement wall manuals. You might have a unique heat insulation issues that requires a more profound approach in finding the best solution. Understanding the principles in thermodynamics is one big help.

3. Check your foundation walls if there are cracks. This is where leaks of moisture and unwanted air flow passes through. Usually you can find them in wall joints between the ceiling and the floors. Moisture seeps into the wall and floor. Not only does it affects your basement room temperature, it also looks ugly. When you do find them, insulating basement wall materials should then be applied in these areas.

4. Prioritize your foundation walls. You don't need much heat insulation for the basement ceiling since this is not in contact with soil. The earth is open to moisture and is a bad insulator. When in contact with your basement wall, it transfers the heat inside your basement interior. The floor may also need some insulation. Insulating your ceiling is okay but it's not practical and will prove to be inefficient. Insulating basement wall is more important.

5. Work your insulation with other basement damage prevention control scheme. The closest to this is the waterproofing of your basement. They are closely related and share the same objective - to prevent future damage of your basement walls and fixtures. They also share the same enemies - moisture. Also, if you get these two damage control preventions done ahead, you'll save time and money.

There could be more. The best person to give an advice on this is someone who had experienced the hassles of not having any insulation. One of the many reasons why there is the need in insulating basement wall is because of safety. Neglecting this can translate situations into worse case scenarios such as in health and emergency issues.

Preventive measures are not to be dismissed. Otherwise, it can get you into more trouble in repairs along with expensive solutions. Your home is a major investment. Insulation should not be compromised.

Find more information on insulating basement wall. Get the latest offers on basement insulating products.

Iron Gates - As Good As It Gates

Gates are pretty simple they must allow anything that is worthy of passing through and must block anything that is not. And it can't get any simpler. That is why, today, we design gates that do just that or probably a bit more. Just the thing that must be kept in mind is - that they must be sturdy. So sturdy that a gate is a guard, all by itself, all the time.

When the matter comes to sturdiness, there is, probably, no element to match the goodwill of iron. Iron gates have been in use since ages. And they will be, until a better element is discovered. Iron gates are made, pretty obviously, of iron. The choice of iron is made because of its sturdiness, ability to resist weathers of any season, and its visual beauty. Iron gates stand all extreme conditions and come out as winners all the time.

Cast iron is obtained by melting pig iron, along with considerable amounts of scrap steel and scrap iron. Various steps are then taken to remove any unwanted contaminants like phosphorus and sulfur. Later on, other elements are mixed into the melt before finally obtaining a form that is a produce of casting. This process, as is obvious, provides iron of a very superior quality. Such superior quality reinforces the trust needed to build iron gates. Due to its low melting point, excellent match inability ,cast ability and good fluidity, cast irons are famous with a wide range of applications, that include gates pipes, car and machine parts. Nowadays, cast iron gates are a common sight everywhere.

Wrought iron is commercially pure iron, with a tiny amount of carbon , but it generally contains some amount of slag. Wrought iron gates can be easily welded together and are very tough, malleable, and ductile. This however comes with a price. Wrought iron is quite soft, and hence, wrought iron gates are not a common sight today. Wrought iron is so called as it is wrought from a mixture of porous iron contaminated with slag. Wrought iron is not as strong as compared to its counterpart and is, hence, less used than cast iron. Although there may not be a visible difference between the two different types of irons, their differences in sustaining various conditions are obvious. Hence care must be taken in deciding upon the type of iron to be used for the iron gates. Generally, wrought iron scores a couple of brownie points over cast iron in terms of endurance.

Gate fences too are similar in nature they compliment the iron gates. Gate fences provide added security and more power to the iron gates. Generally gate fences are made out of iron, although whether to use cast iron or wrought iron solely depends upon the owner. Both cast iron and wrought iron gate fences are a common sight. These Iron Gate fences are generally barb-wire fences that are put around the iron gates to provide extra level of security.

Rob Hargreaves - An American Locksmith, living and working in New York City, for NYC Locksmith company - Mr-Locks Inc. To learn more about iron gates and other types of security gates - please visit: http://www.mr-locks.com and browse through our catalogue of iron work, call or email for additional inquiries about Iron Gates.

Rusting Handrailing Nails

Room Acoustics & Home Cinema Rooms

Room acoustics play a huge role in creating a successful home cinema. The best home cinema hardware in the world will fail to perform at its best in a badly designed room.

The main issue in a home cinema tends to be excessive reverberation time - this is the time taken for a sound from a speaker to decay by 60dB below its original level - i.e. the amount of time it takes for a sound to dissipate in the room.

If you can imagine standing in a completely empty room with hard floors and ceilings and clapping your hands, the sound will echo for quite some time and therefore take a long time to decay (it reflects off the walls and floor). Now imagine standing in a carpeted bedroom and clapping your hands, the sound would not echo as much and disappear quite quickly (the bed and the carpet would absorb some of the sound). The bedroom has a lower reverberation time than the original room.

In a home cinema it is generally good to have a shorter reverberation time as if the reverberation time of one syllable overlaps the other it can be difficult to make out speech. The same thing happens with sound from the surround sound speakers - one effect overlaps another resulting in a muddle of sound.

Home Cinema Treatments

There are several ways to treat excessive reverberation time - changing the shape of the room is one. Imagine a square box, a wave comes out of the speaker hits the back wall and comes back 180 degrees on itself - muddled sound. Now imagine a complex shape like Octagon, some waves will still bounce back at 180 degrees but the majority will bounce off in different directions - the sound still exists but all the bouncing will reduce its energy quite quickly (and therefore volume) and keep the sounds distinct.

The other way to treat excessive reverberation is to absorb the wave - acoustic panels consist of acoustic substrate finished in fabric. This tends to be the most practical way to improve the sound in your room and the finishing fabric can be almost any design - improving aesthetics at the same time as the sound. Manufacturers such as Cineak and Cinematech have products available in a variety of sizes and shapes to cater for most situations.

Written by: Dave Chester

Custom Controls

http://www.CustomControls.co.uk

Custom Control & Entertainment Solutions - Home Cinema, Multi-Room Audio Video, Home Automation & Lighting Control. Premier Dealers for Crestron, Kaleidescape, Lutron and Bowers & Wilkins.

Long Dryer Vent Problems

Renovating an Attic

If you want to do remodeling on your house, you're probably aware that the space that you can work with is quite limited. When you have a small house, there are methods out there that you can use to make it seem like it's bigger. In some cases, renovating and remodeling the attic can be the answer to this problem.

If you want some extra space to live in, storage spaces like the attic are the perfect place to start from. You can turn that attic into a playroom, a bedroom, a library, an office or a gym.

Checking the amount of space that you can convert should be the first thing you do at the beginning of your project. If you want to avoid getting bruises and bumps to your head, you should make sure that all walls have a minimum height that will allow you to walk around freely.

When the wall height isn't big enough, you have the option to convert the roof into an upward slope, or to change it and make it a gable roof.

If your house is too old, you might want to consider strengthening the joists of the ceiling. These joists will take the role of supporting the extra weight that you put in the attic, like TV's, beds, couches or anything else you might want to put there.

Renovating and remodeling your attic also means that you should make sure that the ventilation, insulation and lighting are properly designed into the plan. Add extra layers to make sure that the temperature is good and the insulation appropriate. Air ducts might be another good idea if you want the temperature to be controlled. Adding windows and maybe a skylight can take care of the lighting in the room, while also decreasing your electric bill.

If you want to add a bathroom in that space, make sure you connect it to the source that is closest.

Something else that needs addressed is how easy it is to access the attic, and that is done best by installing a staircase. In the case of a staircase that is straight, its size should be 3 by 16 feet. If you choose a staircase that is in spiral, the diameter should be 5 feet. Using a ladder is not allowed if you're putting a bedroom in the attic, but if you're making a loft it's OK.

Talk with an architect or with the building inspector if you're not entirely sure if the renovation or remodeling of the attic is possible. If it can be done, start doing the plans for it and go to a contractor when it comes time to actually do it.

Finding a good contractor means that you should contact a few of them. Try comparing the rates, while also checking out their history and background. The good contractors need to have people that are licensed to do the job. If their client history is good and they have insurance, you should put them on your shortlist.

Because you're renovating or remodeling such a small part of your house, the costs shouldn't be too large. When you're done with the renovation, you will see how right you were to do it and how much better it looks.

Home Improvement Tips - Visit BestHomeImprovementProjects.Com for more articles and tips on garbage disposal maintenance

Subfloor Joist Reinforcing

Change Your Thinking About Life

What do I do when I get down and out. Well that use to happen to me often and I seemed to suffer with some minor depression. It would seem like time would stand still. I would look at the clock and notice the time. Let's say 2:23 in the afternoon. I would look back to see what time it was about fifteen minutes latter and it would be 2:26. Wow what in the heck is going on with this clock.

I just couldn't believe it seemed like the day would never end. I would just sit there and think about all the stuff going on in my life, good and bad of course. This seemed to last until I was in my early twenties. I just didn't want to feel like this any more. I made a Conscious design not to get depressed period. I never wanted to feel like that again.

I read a book on ESP and in the book it described visualizing a rose as you went to sleep. I started doing this every night and while I was doing the exercise it seemed to make me feel relaxed in a way I never had felt before. The reason for the exercise was to teach you to visualize something peaceful. This in turn would put you in a peaceful state of mind.

Then a thought came into my noggin. What if when ever I start to feel bad or seem to be going into a sort of depressive state of mind I change my thoughts. It worked... I would start to visualize something else that made me feel comfortable and give me a peaceful feeling. Man was I surprised with my results.

Keep in mind I didn't think of this all on my own but I did put the pieces of the puzzle I needed to together that I needed to change my life. It seemed like I could use this form of self control in different parts of my life. If I was at work and someone made me mad.... Well this didn't work all the time... I still got mad. Let's pick something else OK.

I would worry about something on the job that wasn't going right. Then I would get irritated over something else that wasn't even related to what I was worrying about. Why did I take it out on the other person when what I was really mad about was something else. We do this all the time in our lives. We seem to get mad, get even or give up. Why do we do this and what can we do to stop it.

My main point to all of this is we can change our thinking and change our lives. We can learn new things to change our thinking. We don't need to give up hope that we will always be like this. Change the things you don't like about yourself. Do it today. If you need some help there is a great book that will help you change your life for the better.

You can find it at http://www.live.spiritualideas.com This book has a lot of tools to create the change in your life you want to have a more full filling life.

Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown. Ross Perot.

Start Living Your Dreams Today and Create a Wonderful Life For Yourself And Your Family. Greg Vanden Berge is one of the best inspirations on the planet. You will be hearing a lot about this guy in the future. You can count on it.

Bird Poop On Concrete Porch

Professional Advice on Home Building

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.

Paint Mistake On Wall Register

Window Header Framing Problems

As a building contractor it is my job to assemble the house to meet the specifications from the architect and the structural engineer. I do this by looking at the building plans and installing the specified lumber sizes. I can take it upon myself to install a larger size wood beam or window header adding an additional cost to the job of course. I don't think so.

It's not uncommon for a framing contractor that has an additional 5 foot scrap piece of 4 x 8 left over that he now has no use for. He can then choose to use the 4 x 8 instead of a 4 x 6 for the window header. This type of building is common and acceptable.

If the structural engineer calls out for 4 x 6 window and door headers do not take it upon yourself to replace the 4 x 6 with a 4 x 4. I have seen too many framing contractors or carpenters make an on-the-job judgment like this.

A good example would be a single story house with 2 foot wide windows that require a 4 x 6 window header. As the carpenter builds homes over the years he can come to his own conclusion that a 4x4 will work fine for this application. Again keep this in mind as a framing contractor and a carpenter you are assembling the home not designing it.

Do not change the sizes of any headers or beams.

A long time ago carpenters used a standard rule of thumb, you could go up two sizes larger than the window opening for your header. Let me give you an example of what I'm trying to explain.

A 4 foot wide window opening would require a 4 x 6 window header. A 6 foot window opening would require a 4 x 8 window header. This should give you an idea of what I mean by going up two sizes larger than the window opening to figure out the lumber necessary to use for your window header.

This rule of thumb does not necessarily apply in today's building industry. The reason for this is structural changes from earthquake damage. The structural requirements that are required for building a home require a lot more metal bracing and strapping. Therefore some of the lumber requirements for beam sizes and window headers will be different.

This message is for general contractors, framing contractors and carpenters. When installing a window header and you take it upon yourself to change the size you also assume the responsibility if the building fails. This type of mistake is common and you guys know what I'm talking about.

It's not worth it. Keep in mind you are the assembler and not the designer of the building you are working on.

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 House Framing Structural Repairs

One Step Away From Success

Do it Yourself Shower Faucet Replacement

If you are not a plumber you will be one after reading the do it yourself information on shower faucet replacements. Contrary to popular belief replacing shower faucets is not a mammoth task. It can be very simple provided you follow the correct steps.

There are many kinds of shower faucets available in the market today. Some are washer type faucets and some are washer-less. There are different reasons why you will need to replace shower faucets. The washer might have worn out, stem may be corroded or the problem may be in washer seat and cartridge. Whatever may be the reason, with the correct set of tools the job can be done in a jiffy.

To replace washer type faucets shut off the water supply of the entire house. Then remove the faucet handle by turning the screw clockwise. This can be done with the help of screw driver. After that remove the stem and examine the threads. If they are corroded or worn out then take them to a retailer. If the stem is dirty clean it. If the brass screws are corroded you can replace them too. Take a look at the washer seat. If they are worn out you can reface them using seat dress tool. As faucets are available in various shapes and sizes do remember to install the correct faucet washer. Some stems use O ring. In such cases replace the rings too.

If it is a noisy faucet then the problem may be in the loose washer. In such cases remove the faucet and tighten the washer. The faucets might be noisy due to poor design and construction also. When threading the stem back in faucet body try moving the stem up and down. If it moves then entire faucet may have to be replaced.

In washer-less faucets you will need to replace the working parts. Pre-packaged kits are available. Just follow the instructions carefully.

The diaphragm type faucets are similar to washer type faucets. Here instead of washer you will have a disc. To replace these you need to remove the handle and the stem. If the rubber diaphragm does not come out with the stem it may be still inside the faucet. In such cases, use pliers to peel it from the faucet. Then replace the diaphragm around the disc.

In ball type faucets there will be a ball inside to control hot and cold water. Due to improper ring tension the handle may be leaking. In these cases you will have to replace all the working parts of the faucet. You may need the help of spanner or hex wrench. If the ball is coated with scale you will need to clean it.

For cartridge type faucets you will need to remove the handle. Then there will be a swing spout which needs to be removed. Using a screw driver pull out the retainer clips and then cartridge can be pulled with the help of pliers. While replacing the cartridge, use silicon-grease to lubricate the cartridge.

Remember to :

• Always read the installation manual.
• While soldering copper pipes make sure you remove the cartridge. This is because the excess heat generated may damage the smaller parts in faucet body.
• Clean out the faucet body with a wet cloth after you finish soldering to remove the flux.
• Always have an access panel on the opposite wall behind the faucet. This will make it easier to install a new faucet in the future.

Learn exactly how to generate 100's or even 1000's of positively *BRILLIANT* Bathroom Remodeling Ideas ... F-A-S-T ! And here are 25 Dirt Cheap Home Improvement Ideas that could increase the value of your home by several $1000's ...

Metal Strap With 4 X 6

What Does a GFI Do? - Electrical Problems

In your bathroom you should have a GFI electrical outlet. Most new homes or newly remodeled homes require you to have GFI electrical outlets in the kitchen. Most older kitchens do not have GFI electrical outlets. GFI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter.

Why not call it a GFCI instead of a GFI electrical outlet? Well it is called a GFCI in some instances. GFI is short and is the most common name used by most electricians and builders for this type of outlet.

GFI 's come in 15 amp and 20 amperage outlets. GFI outlets must be wired properly. Make sure you're using the proper wire size when hooking up the GFI outlet.

How do I know which size wire to use? This all depends on how far away you are running it from the electrical panel. There are charts you can use to figure this out. If you are not running the electrical wire more than 80 feet from the electrical panel you can use 12 gauge electrical wires for a 20 amp GFI. This is a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

If you're going to be using a 15 amp GFI and you are going to be less than 80 feet away from the electrical panel you can use 14 gauge electrical wires. Again this is just a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

A GFI is a light duty electrical plug used in bathrooms, kitchens and the exterior of your house. The sole purpose of the GFI is to shut the breaker off faster if there is any moisture or light load problems.

Let's say for instance you have your hair dryer plugged into the GFI outlet. The hair dryer somehow falls into the sink while it is on or plugged in. The GFI outlet will instantly shut off because of the sensitivity of the breaker inside of the plug it self.

The GFI plug has a test button and a reset button on it. If you are continually resetting the GFI you will wear it out eventually. I have had GFI plugs after resetting the button about 10 times break and no longer able to use them.

The GFI electrical plug is a great idea and if you don't have them in your bathroom or outside of your home it would be a great idea to have an electrician install them for you.

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

San Diego Termite Damage

Living With What If In Your Life

RROD Xbox 360 Repair Tips - Do it Yourself

Are you having the RROD problem on your Xbox 360? Well the RROD Xbox 360 problem can get a bit frustrating especially when you are not sure why are those rings present.

So let me tell you some RROD Xbox 360 Repair tips. These tips can help you fix your problem forever.

The tips for RROD repair are:

The problem might arise in your Xbox due to overheating. Your Xbox does not have a cooling system and hence shows the red ring of death. It is very common in the Xbox consoles. About 30 - 35 % of the users have this problem.

So try cooling it.

The other option is to contact Microsoft and request for a service repair. But the problem is that Microsoft charges around $140 if your Xbox was out of warrant for the RROD repair. If your Xbox is in warranty, you can get it fixed but you will have to shell out shipping costs.

It also takes about six to eight weeks to get the RROD problem fixed at Microsoft.

The other option is to consult an online manual that can help you fix this RROD problem permanently. These manuals are designed by Xbox Techies who know in detail about How the Xbox works.

But you should also be aware that there are many sites out there that are bogus and their tricks simply don't work. One common trick that does not work is the Towel Trick. These tricks are just online myths.

You should consult a guide that offers video tutorials and offers support for all Xbox repairs. If you choose a good guide then you can have your Xbox fixed in under an hour like it did for me.

Read more about Xbox 360 Red Lights. Read about Xbox 360 3 Red Lights Fix.

Alex Turso is a professional gamer and a Pick up Artist.

Wood Rot From Stucco

Food and Cooking

We can never live without food. Some peoples have much food and some others have only some food, but it is always around when one needs it. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the main squares, are what we always have daily. We can also have them in restaurants if we want to.
There are fancy restaurants which serve expensive and not-so-big dishes and wines. They remind me of a movie about a cartoon rat who loves cooking all the time. There are also bars that obviously serve liquor and appetizers. Foreign restaurants, like Mexican, Chinese, and Italian, that serve their own dishes people love all the time. Finally there are fast food restaurants that serve famously named food and people love it all their lives.

Dishes and meals can take a lot of know-how, work, and time to prepare. The quality of a dish depends on the recipe, ingredients chosen, and precise timing so if it is done wrong, the dish is considered a bad one by the taste and appearance. For some eateries, the look may not matter, the costly ones focus on both look and taste. The fancy restaurants want to make their dishes perfect and flawless, which is kind of snobby in my opinion.

There are also cookbooks which allow families to prepare mostly dinners. These cookbooks would have more or less than one hundred recipes by chapter alphabetically. There is spaghetti, pizza, hamburgers, steak, and many more. Each person has dishes of his or her own to enjoy. There are those for the children as well.

If you want to know mor about food, then go to http://www.bill-findyourdream.blogspot.com

Simple Window Repairs Using Wax - Home Repair

If you're having problems with your Windows opening and closing, you can apply a little wax on the tracking. It's been a long time since anyone has used this trick, I thought I would share it with homeowners and professionals alike. My grandfather was a master Carpenter and he always had a small candle in his nailbags or toolbox.

I personally have tried wax, grease, silicone lubricant, oil, vegetable oil and wax seems to work about the best. I sprayed silicon lubricant on my windows and within a few months there was a nice collection of dirt, where I had applied the lubricant on the tracking and it was gummed up around the operating parts of the window. The dirt eventually made the window harder to slide and needed to be disassembled, cleaned and reassembled.

I've used silicon lubricant on quite a few things and had the same results. Wax can also attract dirt but somehow doesn't seem to collect as much of it as oil, grease and other lubricants.

Wax used as a lubricant often works best on horizontal sliding windows, these are windows that slide right to left and you will need to lubricate the tracking that the wheels roll on. Some windows have teflon inserts on the section of the window that slides. Either way you can apply the wax to the bottom of the window track and soon you will have a window that slides back and forth with ease.

If you apply the wax and it doesn't help the window slide easier, you could have a problem with the rollers on the window, teflon inserts or the tracking. Sometimes the window tracking and rollers just need to be cleaned in order for the window to slide effortlessly.

Home Window Ideas

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

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 advice to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

Plywood Beam Repair

Energy - Reduce The Costs of Gas Line Repair By Not Having to Destroy the Pavement

If you work with an industrial work and repair crew that does a lot of city work, there are a couple of things you can do to win more contracts than the competition:

1-Get better results

If you don't get great results, you're probably not going to get as much return business, that's economics 101. But let's be honest, this is the city government we're talking about, here. If we could rely on politicians to always make smart choices, we wouldn't be stuck in the middle of a gas crisis right now. So step two might actually be more important...

2-Do it for a lower price

If you can cut costs without sacrificing quality, then do it. No matter how skilled you and your crew are, there are plenty of city officials who only look at the bottom line. If you can work quickly and cheaply, you've got an Ace up your sleeve in securing contracts for industrial work and repair.

When it comes to repairing gas lines, you may want to consider cutting cost and hours by switching to adhesives.

The main benefit of using adhesives to repair cracks and put gas lines together should be obvious. You don't have to rip up the entire sidewalk (or pavement depending where in the world you are) to remove huge chunks of pipe. Once you've determined where the problem is, you only need to dig until you've found what needs to be repaired, apply some industrial strength adhesive to it and call it a day.

Whether you're using sealant tape or adhesives, it's a lot easier, a lot cheaper, and a lot safer to repair and assemble gas lines this way. Using any kind of torch or soldering kit might not be safe, even if the gas has been turned off (which is why a lot of gas lines are made of plastic alloys these days). Any worries about there being some gas still floating around in a damaged pipe are greatly reduced when you're using adhesives or sealant tape instead.

Really, it just doesn't make sense to replace huge chunks of pipe that could easily be sealed with adhesive and it doesn't make sense to tear up the sidewalk to make room for more complicated repair methods. If you're offering to fix gas lines with adhesives, you can offer to do the job for a fraction of what you might require otherwise, allowing you to win more contracts, and without spending too much time on each individual job, so you can quickly move on to the next one.

Another benefit of using adhesives and tapes for repairs is that the price of production materials like PVC pipe and so on is undeniably rising all around the world. This is thanks in large part to the current cost of oil. Heavy materials cost more to move around. Adhesives on the other hand, have retained a pretty low price because they're less cumbersome when it comes to shipping and handling.

Permabond is a leading manufacturer of engineering adhesives, supplying high-quality industrial adhesives to customers worldwide. Permabond has offices in The Americas, Europe and Asia and a worldwide network of distributors to assist you with your specific bonding and sealing requirements. To learn more, please visit Adhesives.

Drywall Repair For Damaged Walls

Solar Powered House - Decrease Electricity Cost With a Solar Powered Home

Are you interested in saving money? Well there are certainly a lot of ways to do this, but why not take it out of your own electricity bill instead? Solar powered homes give you the ability to generate fresh, renewable electricity for any home. Electricity is one of the most expensive utilities that we all must face. While there are a lot of skeptics that say powering a home with solar energy is complex. The systems can be installed and maintained with ease.

A solar powered house uses a lot of the sun's energy which is obtained through a solar array. For those that do not know what a solar array is; a solar array is created through solar cells that are molded together in a series. Solar cells are created from the semiconductor resources that have the power to create an electric current when exposed to sun light. The most popular solar arrays are installed on roof tops. In order to change the suns energy into a use-able electric resource, the solar array is connected to battery extension, through a charge controller. The controller charges the batteries, while making sure the current doesn't flow back to the solar array.

With the way the economy is and the known benefits of using solar powered energy to power your home, many individuals, companies, and families are beginning the process of converting their homes into solar energy. Solar energy is the next step towards advancement in our economy, and lifestyles. If you have a discomfort when you open your electricity bill, then maybe solar energy is just what you are looking for.

Are you sick and tired of high electricity costs? Are you interested in converting your own home to use Solar Energy? The author has created a review site that provides you with the best DIY Solar Power Energy guides on the internet. Start saving money today!

http://www.SolarPowerProductsReview.info/

The Importance of Having Business Insurance

When it comes to insurance, every small business has individual needs. Events and items to be covered for a restaurant, for instance, will be significantly different than those that a salon or a home office needs. There are, however, broad areas of coverage that apply to all types of businesses. The important thing is to make sure you have insured every aspect of your business that you need to. To demonstrate the number of important aspects business insurance covers, here is a list that will help you be aware of what may need covered.

Events to be covered:

• Flooding
• Fire
• Windstorm (often requires additional policy in hurricane areas)
• Hail
• Lightning
• Earthquake (almost always requires additional coverage)
• Damage caused by aircraft
• Explosions (origins internal or external to business property)
• Arson
• Theft (by employee or non-employee, may require additional policy)
• Check fraud (by employee or non-employee, may require additional policy)
• Embezzlement (may require additional policy because of difficulty of proof)
• Death or disability of key employee or partner (often called "Key Man" insurance)
• Civil Authority losses, such as closure of airports and train stations in emergencies
• Errors and Omissions ("E & O"--often requires additional coverage)
• Property damage, bodily injury, or death caused by employees while on- or off-premises
• Vandalism
• Mudslide
• Sinkholes
• Roof collapse or damage
• Foundation collapse or damage
• Broken glass or damaged buildings and structures caused by riots, war, or terrorism (may now require separate coverage for terrorism)
• Termite/insect/vermin damage
• Mold/fungus damage

Items to be covered:

• Buildings, roofing, internal walls, foundations, attached structures
• External structures, fences, signs, improved roads, bridges, etc.
• Carpeting, furniture, drapes, decorations, etc.
• Office equipment owned and leased (often requires additional coverage for expensive computer systems, phone systems, etc. Check to make sure that damage by lightning and power fluctuations is covered.)
• Security systems (Yes, these can be damaged too, or even stolen.)
• Communication equipment other than telephones, including two-way radio systems and satellite dishes
• Vehicles, machinery, spare parts for machinery, maintenance supplies
• Furnaces, air-conditioning equipment, ductwork, boilers (boilers often require additional policies)
• On-site and off-site stored records
• Cash on hand, bonds, and stocks
• Business inventory (on display or in storage)
• Intellectual property such as trademarks and copyrights (usually requires additional policies)

Also to be included, of course, are loss of income and loss of use caused by any of the events listed above.

All Franchise Insurance (http://allfranchiseinsurance.com/cosmetologyquote.html) offers competitive pricing and fast quotes on salon insurance. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.

The Importance of Regular Home Improvement

Home improvement, by definition, is making changes to one's home by making improvements on the house's looks. Home improvement is usually done by professional contractors, handymen, and even the house owner himself. Home improvement is important because real estate's value appreciates more if a property is well-maintained. Home improvement is seen by many as unnecessary cost. However, losing value of a real estate is usually caused by neglect in a property's maintenance. Therefore, in the long run, regular maintenance is crucial for the property's value to appreciate.

Regular home improvement jobs and renovations will surely make your current living conditions more favorable. People do not easily notice that some areas of the house need improvement. In the long run, regular maintenance will reduce the serious structural damages to your property. It is also important to note that there are different maintenance schedules for different areas of your house. For instance, plumbing should be checked monthly. Ovens, heating systems, smoke detectors, and the like should also be checked monthly to prevent unfortunate disasters. The garden area should be maintained regularly and should undergo rigorous maintenance every four months. This is to prevent insects and termites infestation which can cause significant damage in infrastructure. The landscape of a house should also be in good appearance to help preserve your property's value. Refrigerators should be checked every three to four months. Check for faulty or loose wiring and avoid energy overload. The roof, on the other hand, should be checked at least every six months. Check for shingles and leaks and take care of them right away. Watch out for blocked gutters as this can lead rainwater to go inside your house. If your house is made mainly of wood, have a regular termite exterminator team visit your house.

Aside from these standard areas in the house that need improvement, remodeling or renovating is also a good idea. It can also add value to real estate. Remodeling can be as simple as changing the paint color in your living room or laying a different color of carpet in your bedroom. Something this simple can make significant changes in your house's ambience. Renovating can be as major as tearing down the common wall of two rooms to make them one big room. Tearing down walls creates a bigger space which can be used for many purposes. Additional extensions can also be done. Additional space that can be used as garage space is useful. Home improvement tasks that require massive construction should be done by professional contractors. Make a list on what you want changed inside your homes and consult with a team of contractors. This way, you will have an idea on the costs that will be incurred as well as the extent of the repairs and improvements you can do.

Home improvement is important because essentially, it is considered taking care of your home. Aside from the additional value it gives your property, preventive maintenance and remodeling is always good to decrease future damages in your property.

If you are looking to purchase any real estate in Vernal Utah, please feel free to contact us any time at Vernal UT Real Estate

Jaxson Smith - To learn more about Vernal Real Estate opportunities, feel free to follow the link Vernal Real Estate

Any Advice Will Be Helpful

How would you like to help other contractors, home improvement specialists, builders, real estate professionals and anyone else involved in home remodeling. If you have any tips or home improvement advice to you would like to share with our readers, it would greatly be appreciated. Leave all comments below.

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Bathroom Remodeling Made Easy

Ok, you have made the decision: Your bathroom is in need of a face lift! The next question is "Where Do I Start"? This very simple question creates the basis for your project.

This article provides a "road map" to help you make sure your bathroom remodel is a success. By careful planning, you will save money, time and (more importantly) grief and frustration. The following issues should be determined before hiring a contractor. This way (if you are getting multiple estimates) you will have "apples for apples" estimates as each contractor will know exactly what they are bidding on.

There are numerous decisions to be made when remodeling your bathroom. These decisions will not only determine the cost of the project, but will have direct a impact on the success (or failure) of the final product. It is crucial that you spend sufficient time addressing theses issues prior to commencing work. As with any home renovation, the key is in the planning.

One of the best ways to begin planning is to draw up a simple floor plan of the bathroom space, including the size of each wall. From here, you can begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Here are some basic questions you need to ask yourself:

What is your proposed budget? If you can answer this question first, the material selection process will be much easier. Case in point: Tile (material only) is priced anywhere from $1.50 to $30.00 per square foot! Considering an average tub enclosure is around 80 sq.ft., just the price difference in tile selection can change the cost of the project by thousands of dollars.
Are you keeping the same configuration of the bathroom as the existing layout? When moving walls or changing the layout requires framing, electrical, plumbing and drywall work. Replacing existing components (without relocation) is the most cost effective way to remodel your bathroom.
Tub or Shower: Are you replacing the tub? Or are you converting the tub into a shower? When converting a tub into a shower, additional costs incurred will be in re-locating the plumbing drain, shower valve, building and sealing the shower pan among other things.
Shower or Tub Enclosure: Do you want a tile or fiberglass enclosure? If it is a shower; do you want a fiberglass shower pan or tile. Prefab fiberglass units are (of course) more cost effective than tile however tile is much more aesthetically appealing.
Tile Selection: Stone, tile (ceramic or porcelain), marble? Same tile for floor and enclosure? Any decorative tile additions? Shampoo nooks? Shower seat? Material and color choices are almost as infinite as the price points.
Floor Covering: Using same material as tub/shower enclosure? Wood or tile base board? Wood base is more cost effective, however tile has a much classier look.
Wall Covering: Paint, wallpaper, tile or a combination?
Vanity Cabinet: Type of wood? Painted or stained? Low profile (31 1/2" height) or regular (34 1/2" height)? Master baths usually have the 34 1/2" height while hallway or secondary bathrooms typically use the low profile cabinets.
Vanity Top: Granite, tile, prefab unit?
Sink: Surface mount or undermount?
Toilet: Round or elongated? White or special color? Prices change dramatically for "designer" toilets and even the color choice can change the cost for the fixture.
Lighting: Wall mount or recessed lighting? Re-locating lighting (requiring electrical and drywall work)? Installing or replacing exhaust fan? Keeping fixtures in the same location will (of course) save you money.
Shower or Tub Door: Same configuration as existing (sliding or hinged)? Again, choices of doors "run the gamut" with regard to pricing.
Replacing a Window? Retrofit or standard replacement (standard window replacement involves stucco/siding and drywall repair)?
Bathroom Door: Replacing the existing bathroom door? Same style? Paint or stained? Hollow core or solid core? Pre-hung or replace door use existing door jamb?
Hardware: Style and finishes for shower door, vanity cabinet knobs, sink faucet, towel bars? Pricing for fixtures changes dramatically when it comes to design and material choices.

Below are some basic space guidelines provided by the National Kitchen and Bath Association:

Lavatory

15" (38 cm) or more of clearance space from the centerline of lavatory bowl to a wall or similar obstruction.
30" (76 cm) or more of clearance space between the centerlines of double-bowl lavatories.
At least 30" x 48" (76 cm x 122 cm) of clear floor space in front of the lavatory.
Toilet / Bidet
16" (41 cm) from the centerline of a water closet or bidet to a wall or similar obstruction, or fixture adjacent to it.
At least 48" x 48" (122 cm x 122 cm) of clear floor space in front of the water closet or bidet.

Bathtub / Shower

Shower size large enough to comfortably use, at least 34" x 34" (86.36 cm x 86.36 cm).
Tub size large enough to comfortably use.
At least 60" x 30" (152 cm x 76 cm) of clear floor space in front of shower/tub.
General Information
The bathroom entrance door swings so that it does not interfere with people in front of fixtures.
Fixtures located so that more than two people can use the space comfortably.
Water closet and bidet in separate compartments or shielded from entrance view.

Safety Requirements

Non-slip flooring used throughout the space.
Ground-fault circuit interrupter electrical receptacles used.
Electrical switches placed away from tub or shower.
Grab-bars at shower/tub entrance and inside enclosure.
Tub and/or shower easy to enter and exit.
No steps at the tub or shower.
Safety glazing on glass used for shower doors.
Shower door swings into bathroom, not into shower enclosure.
Bench/seat included in shower enclosure.
Pressure balanced water control valves used in shower.
Temperature regulating water control valves used in shower.

Storage Requirements

Adequate counter or shelf space around lavatory.
Adequate storage for grooming equipment, toiletries, linens, etc., 15" - 48" (38 cm - 122 cm) above the floor.
Towel bars /rings located within reach of fixtures.
Bathroom linen and paper product storage space provided.
Storage space for shampoo and such in the shower/tub area, between 15" to 48" (38 cm - 122 cm) above the floor.

Mechanical System Requirements

An efficient ventilation system is part of the plan.
Bathroom heating system will keep the space comfortably warm.
Task lighting provided at every functional area.

In closing, remodeling your bathroom is an exciting endeavor and one (with proper planning) which can provide you and your family with years of enjoyment; not to mention improving the value and re-sale potential of your home.

Steve Frick
Paul Davis Restoration, San Diego, CA

If this article has been helpful and you would like more information on our kitchen remodeling services, please visit our website at http://www.pdremodelingsandiego.com

For a free estimate, simply send us an e-mail at sfrick@pdr-sd.com and we will be happy to give you a free consultation. We service all of San Diego county

Wood Beam Repairs - Home Repair Tips

If you live in a moist climate in the winter and a dry climate in the summer and you have exterior wood beams exposed to these elements. You could develop wood beam problems over time. If wood beams are properly maintained and painted often they could last for a long time. Wood beams can last many years if properly taken care of.

Exterior wood beams that are used to hold up roofs, patios and decking can suffer from wood rot if not taken care of. Let's take for example a wooden beam located in a patio holding up a section of a large roof. The span of the roof being is only 10 feet long. As we look at the exterior wood beam. We noticed the upper corner of the beam is soft and rotted.

The beam damage is roughly the size of a baseball. The wood beam itself is a 6 x 10. Do we need to replace this beam even though the damage is not real big. The answer to this question is yes, any amount of damage to a wood beam takes away from its structural strength.

If you have a wood beam holding up the roof and the beam fails you could end up replacing a large section of your roof as well as the damaged beam. Replacing the damaged beam is usually a difficult task. The beam is usually sandwiched between two walls and will have siding or stucco around it.

If you're lucky enough to have the wood beam sitting in a saddle or on top of a wood post this will make your job easier and will require less skill. If however the beam is located between two walls this will require shoring up the roof and removing the beam.

Beam replacement should be left to professionals. This is not often as easy as it looks and could create a safety hazard if not done properly. I have seen beams replaced by homeowners or handyman and the damage that was done after the repairs, was worse than just leaving the beam alone in the first place.

The biggest problem with exterior wood beams is that they are usually holding up large amounts of weight. If the beam is removed without the proper bracing and shoring of the roof or floor area you could have a larger problem than you started with.

Exterior beams over time seemed to develop large cracks or splits in dry weather. These large cracks and splits weaken the structural strength of the beam adding more stress to the beam itself leading to structural failure eventually.

Extreme climates where temperatures very over 40 in one day seem to suffer the most damage to exterior wood beams that are not properly maintained. Beam maintenance will require painting and keeping moisture away from them.

Be aware of structural beams in or around your house. A little painting now and then can save you thousands of dollars over the life time of your house.

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 Vista Home Improvement.

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