Preventing Falls on the Stairs

There are a lot of areas of the home that are dangerous or present a risk. Often this depends on your age group. For instance, a child might be at risk when playing around the stove, while an elderly individual is likely to be more at risk when using the stairs. Identifying and dealing with these issues is paramount to staying healthy and injury free.

Among seniors, a fall can be a very serious thing. It is often harder for an elderly individual to catch themselves before they fall. The recovery time for a senior is also a lot longer and the process can be quite difficult. Many times, due to osteoporosis, even a small low impact fall can result in a broken hip or fractured wrist, so it is far better to prevent them before they happen.

One of the most common places for a fall is the stairs and other areas that change elevation. Sometimes a home will have a step down into the living room or perhaps even into the kitchen, so making sure all of these types of areas are clearly marked is a good idea. Using a piece of brightly colored textured tape is a good idea. On the stairs, you should use the same color tape for all of the steps, with the exception of the first and last step. On the first and last step, you should use a color that sharply contrasts the tape on the inside steps. This way it is easy to quickly pick out the top and bottom step.

Some people also choose to install a stair lift, which is a medical lifting aid. These devices are used to help a person up the stairs and are great for those who find it painful or otherwise difficult to use the stairs. Many accidents are caused by a lack of balance, so those that are at all unsteady should consider using some sort of lifting aid.

One of the great things about a stair lift is that it can be installed to most straight staircases quickly and easily. There is rarely a need to modify the home, with the exception of securing the stair lift track to the staircase. A curved staircase is not quite as easy to outfit with a stair lift though.

It is also a good idea to remove loose carpets, especially around the stairs. A loose throw rug not only can slip, but even if the rug has a non-skid backing, the corner can become turned up, making it possible to trip over it. Instead, carpets should be tacked to the floor and remain firmly in place and otherwise removed.

Having adequate lighting can also be very important to prevent falls. For outdoor use, installing motion sensor lights can be a good idea. These lights come on if they detect motion, but they can also be turned on like regular lights, usually by turning them off and back on again in rapid succession. You can also adjust how sensitive the motion detector is, so make sure you adjust it to turn on as soon as you drive up or come outside. For inside, having good light is important in all areas of the home.

For a senior, it can be difficult to recover from a fall. It is a good idea to take steps to make your home as safe as possible.

Sean Noughtly is a writer that is familiar with many types of mobility aids, such as stair lifts. The stair lift is a very popular device that can make using the stairs possible again. Many who thought they would have to completely avoid the stairs, have found that they are able to independently and safely use the stairs with a stair lift.

AmeriGlide is one company that offers many types of lifting aids, such as stair lifts and also dumbwaiters. A dumbwaiter is like an elevator, but is not used to carry people. Instead it carries items throughout a home or other building. This can make using the stairs much safer, because it is no longer necessary to carry heavy objects up the stairs. Instead, it is possible to simply place them on the dumbwaiter and let it do all the work.

I Have A Squeaky Floor

Repair Cracks in a Concrete Foundation

Leaking cracks in concrete foundations are a common problem for many homeowners. While the cracks are caused by the natural process of concrete curing and shrinking, the cracks can be an annoyance for the homeowner. That is because many homeowners want their basements to act as an added living space with carpeting, finished walls and furniture.

Concrete Foundation Shrinkage Crack Causes

First, all residential foundations crack. Concrete has water as an ingredient in the mix. As the concrete cures, it goes through a chemical process that causes it to harden into a solid. As it hardens, the concrete actually loses volume; that is it shrinks. In fact a concrete wall 100' long can shrink by as much as ".

The shrinkage process causes stress forces to develop in the concrete and to relieve the pressure, it cracks. This is okay because a concrete foundation has steel reinforcing bars inside that maintain the strength of the foundation wall. It is common to see cracks develop in the middle of a long wall, under a window or where the foundation steps down.

You will notice that the cracks are usually wider at the top of the foundation and get narrower as you go down the wall. Again, this is normal. You should rarely see the reverse and if so, it may be signs of structural problems with the foundation.

Water Penetration into a Foundation Crack

Water can enter a foundation crack from two directions, from the top of the crack or horizontally from the sides. If a foundation crack occurs at the corner of a basement window, it is possible for rainwater to enter the crack from the top where the window sits back from the edge of the foundation. The water will run down the inside the foundation wall and be forced out to the interior surface somewhere below where the crack gets narrower.

Also, improper grading can cause water to enter from the top. Low spots in the yard or sloping towards the house will cause water to enter at the top. A home with improper grading can cause rainwater to pool against the foundation and enter the crack.

Another way for water to enter a crack is horizontally below the ground (called below grade.) As it rains, the rainwater saturates the soil around a foundation and water enters the foundation crack. Again, the water enters the crack and begins running down inside of it until the crack narrows and is forced out to the interior of the basement. The homeowner will then see water seeping down the wall and onto the basement floor.

Repairing the Foundation Crack Leak

There are several ways to stop the water from entering a foundation crack and leaking into the basement. The first and most expensive way is to excavate along the foundation wall and exposing it. A contractor can then apply one of several different waterproofing membranes to the foundation wall.

This is the most expensive repair process since a large machine must be employed to excavate the foundation wall. It is not a feasible solution for most homeowners because of the time and expense of the repair. A typical repair process may take 2-3 days, depending on how much must be excavated. The excavation requires a large area around the home to place the removed soil. And any landscaping around the home must be removed.

Interior repairs are much more common and feasible for a homeowner. They can be done quickly and for little expense. A traditional interior repair entails a contractor chiseling out a vee-notch approximately 6" wide on the interior surface of the foundation wall and 4" deep. This notch narrows as it is made to about 1" in width at the back of the notch. The vee-notch is made the entire height of the foundation wall.

Once the notch is made, the contractor will then fill the crack with hydraulic cement. This cement actually expands a tiny amount and bonds to the existing foundation walls. The disadvantage to a vee-notch repair is that water can still penetrate halfway into the crack; that is the other 4" of foundation wall width.

As the water evaporates out and into the basement, it leaves behind salts that were dissolved in the water. These salts build up along the bond between the hydraulic cement and the foundation wall. Eventually these salts will cause the bond between the cement and wall to fail and allow water to enter again.

Also groundwater exerts a horizontal force called hydrostatic pressure. This pressure can be transferred directly to the cement in the crack and cause it be forced out of the vee-notch.

Crack Injection Foundation Repair

A better solution is to perform a urethane foam injection. For over 15 years urethanes have been used to stop water from leaking into a basement. The repair is performed by a technician inside the basement. The urethane enters the crack as a two part liquid that is mixed by a static mixer as it enters the crack.

The liquid urethane fills the crack completely, from front to back and bottom to top. When the urethane encounters water that is already in the crack or placed there by the technician, it begins to foam. This foaming process greatly increases the volume of the urethane and it fills the crack.

Since the crack is completely filled, no water can enter the foundation crack. So there is no problem of the dissolved salts breaking the bond of the urethane to the concrete foundation. Also the hydrostatic pressure can't force the urethane out because its bonding strength is much higher than hydraulic cement.

A typical repair can be done in one hour per crack.

A Dry Basement

With the foundation crack filled, the basement area will be dry and free of water. The outside landscaping is not disturbed and for little expense the basement becomes a usable area. Now the homeowner can safely install drywall, carpeting and furniture.

This article is written by Aaron Kuertz with Applied Technologies. Aaron has been in the waterproofing industry since 1998. Applied Technologies is a manufacturer and supplier to professional waterproofing contractors and homeowners in the United States. To learn more about concrete foundation crack repair visit Applied Technologies on the web.

Simple Light Switch Replacement

Leveling Your Floor - Home Repair Tips

If you've ever been in a building where you feel like you are getting pushed to one side and you can't seem to stand up. You have either been drinking too much alcohol or the floor could be sloping. I was just in a store the other day that was full of antiques and glass but I could hardly stand up because the floor was sloping enough to create what I would consider a liability issue to the store owner.

Sloping floors are not going to be that easy to fix and repair. Repairing these floors will require a little skill and it would be a good idea to hire a professional to repair the damage. This is not going to be a simple fix and this is probably the main reason most people never choose to fix their sloping floors.

Fixing these floors will require either pouring a new concrete slab, replacing the wood floor framing members or replacing the actual building foundation itself. No matter how you look at it the sloping floor is going to be a costly item to repair.

What causes a sloping floor? Termite damage or dry rot destroying the wood framing or it could be as simple as a water leak over a long period of time causing the building foundation to sink and become out of level. Poor soil conditions with either too sandy or an expansive clay soil could be the culprit also.

Sloping floors can be damaged from incorrect landscape drainage. This would involve water settling around the foundation of your home and over a period of time the weight of the house along with soil problems can create the building to start sloping to one side.

The number one contributor to a sloping floor again like most damage done to a house is going to be water. Do your best to keep the water away from the house using roof gutters and landscape drains. These items are relatively inexpensive compared to the costs involved in repairing sloping floors.

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

Find out more about Water Damage.

Structural Garage Door Header

Turning Your Basement Into a Wine Cellar Using Air Conditioning

Owning a period property can be a nightmare when you want to repair it or have any other building work done. You will often find that if you want to maintain the look and feel of the building, then you will need to hire specialist heritage restoration contractors. No matter which part of the house you are working on you need to get a balance between modern living needs and traditional style and feel.

A property that has a disused basement is a good example of the type of heritage restoration building project. First off all you need to look at what sort of brickwork was originally used, what sort of building is required and what is possible. Once you have a clearer idea of what is required then you can discuss the best options for the job. If you wanted to turn the basement into a wine cellar or a children's playroom then you may need to make rather different changes.

Floor tiles can make a major difference to any room so making sure you get the right type of floor tile to suit your needs is vital. Natural stone or ceramic floor tiles would be the best for a wine cellar as they are easy to maintain and clean. Natural stone floor tiles don't absorb much heat so they will help maintain the correct temperature to store the wine.

When you are storing wine for a long period of time then it is vital that you create the right atmospheric conditions. The best way to achieve the right temperature and moisture levels is by installing an air conditioning system that allows you to control the environment. Most air conditioning installers will put in a special control system for wine cellar cooling that helps keep the temperature at around 12 degrees with 50% relative humidity. The wine cellar cooling system will allow the environment to be maintained at a constant level reducing moisture in the air that may damage corks and cause labels to decay.

If you are interested in converting your basement into a wine cellar then you may want to contact AFMAC, an Air Conditioning Installation company.

If you have a historic property or live in a listed building and require the services of a restoration building contractor then you may want to contact specialists Heritage Restoration

9 Ways to Increase Your Home Value

There are many ways to increase the value of your home. Some of these can be done on the interior and some on the exterior of your house from hiring a contractor for the large jobs to doing the smaller things yourself. You can do a little at a time or all at once. Most people cannot afford to have the whole thing done all at once so they can work on it in stages until the whole process is complete.

Your home is your largest investment and needs to be kept in good condition. Current market conditions will play a large role in the price of your house but there are several things you can do to improve your home value.

1. One of the greatest investments you can make is updating your kitchen. New cabinets, countertops, and flooring can have a dramatic effect on the value of your house. If you cannot afford those things, sometimes just painting the cabinets and putting new handles on the cabinets and drawers will give your kitchen a fresh, new facelift.

2. You can add decorative moldings to the doors, windows, walls, and floors. They are not that hard to install and can greatly add to the look of any room.

3. Adding a new roof is a good way to increase it's overall market value. There will usually be a 10 or 20 year warranty on the new roof and will add considerably to the value of your house.

4. You can replace your old wooden windows with vinyl windows. This will not only conserve energy but will make the house more beautiful.

5. Painting the inside and outside of your house can completely transform it. For resale value it is better to be conservative in your paint color choices as your taste might not be the same as others.

6. Adding vinyl siding is another great way to update and beautify your house. If you already have vinyl siding you can have it power washed to freshen it up and make it shine.

7. New appliances in the kitchen can make a big difference in the value of your home. A new refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove would be one of the best investments you can make in your remodeling. Also a new washer and dryer, new central air and heat, or a new water heater will also add a lot of value.

8. Replace old carpet. Use new, more modern tile for your kitchen and bathroom floors. It is getting very popular now to put down tile floors in the family rooms also.

9. Good landscaping can also increase your home's value. Weed your flower beds regularly and remove all dead plants and leaves. Keep your lawn well-maintained and manicured.

You can browse through magazines or visit a home improvement store to get ideas for remodeling your home. Remember this is your largest investment and take good care of it.

For more real estate tips please visit http://www.realestateabcs.blogspot.com

Building Contractor: Choosing the Right One for the Job

Whether you need a building contractor to build an addition on your kitchen, or you want someone to build your new custom home, you may be worried about making the right choice. You are going to be working with the building contractor closely, and you want to job to be done just right and on time and within budget-this is your home after all. So, before you start looking in the classified section of the newspaper or flipping through the yellow pages, here are some tips to help you get a good building contractor.

The yellow pages are great for many things-choosing a building contractor is not necessarily one of those things. Most contractors who are really good dont have to advertise-especially in the yellow pages-because they get all of their advertisement by word-of-mouth. If you would like an idea of the kinds of things that are available in your area you can look through the phone book or newspaper classifieds, but this should not be your first choice for finding a building contractor.

So, how do you find a contractor? The best advice is to ask around. Find people who have had similar work done and find out who they used and if it was a good experience or not. Ask questions about any problems that came up and how they were resolved. Did the building contractor listen to their questions and suggestions? Were they on time and did they charge a fair price? You can also ask a potential contractor for references from former clients. A first hand account is always a great referral tool.

You can also go online to find a building contractor through a referral or matching service. You post the type of job that you want done and the contractors who use the service can get your contact information if they pay a fee to the service. It is good practice to let any building contractor who contacts you through a service to at least bid for the job.

Once you have chosen at least 3 potential contractors, have them come and give you a bid. A good bid will not only have a dollar estimate, but it will also outline what the contractor will do and what each step will cost and how long it will take. There are always factors which may change when the job is actually done, but this is to be expected. As long as you keep asking questions and getting satisfactory answers you can feel confident.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Building. If you would like more information about choosing a building contractor visit reedbuilding.com

Cliche Marketing

There is an old saying "that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." I hate to use cliche's like this but the time is appropriate with an Industry like the Internet has made with Digital products. Internet commerce has taken on some very imposing proportions in all respects, and the populace is so far behind the advancement many may never catch up. With the current economic situation more people are turning to the Internet for a solution and opening a door to something they no nothing about. There is a breed of business man on the net who will sell you, then up sell you, and keep it up with out ever knowing your needs. You should be cautious in all business dealings and opportunities on the net.

There are many things to remember when searching the Internet for a way to make money, purchase a product, or build your first website. Here are a few thoughts on how to get your bang for the buck on the Internet.

Money on the Internet

There really are no overnight successes, and achievement is always in direct proportion to the consistent actions of the person.

Nothing is as easy as it is advertised except a few rare exceptions. This means a learning curve with the possible purchase of additional products to attain full functionality of the one just purchased. For instance Adobe products are awesome but if you have one like Dreamweaver you will soon want Fireworks or the whole suite.

Finding value in products online is easy once you know what to look for. Good products are sold through normal avenues and not a series of revolving doors and locked up browser instances. Anytime someone is rude enough to take control of your browser with a series of pop ups just shut it down.

Never succumb to the temptation of using OPM as a source to fund a new online business. The Internet is full of scam artists who will lay out a great hypothetical plan for you of tremendous proportions, one gets two then they get two and so on. The plan will be to put it on one of your credit cards for a month or two till the money starts rolling in.

Business is not hap hazard affair or gambling it is simply a formula. The favorable result in any business is profit. My recommendation on business dealings of any type would be to first learn the basics of business itself, especially the laws of the land where you live. The other possible solution would be to find a teacher or a mentor to help you past some of the learning curve that is sometimes very difficult.

Digital Products

Digital products as you know to come in every type and price range. By utilizing the same no hype approach, as with making money on the internet everyone can be assured to minimize their potential loses. We are bombarded with media and hype from every angle but the simple rule of "if it sounds to good to be true" holds true 90% of the time.

Negative out of the way let's focus on the positive.

- Digital products are as green as it gets being delivered in seconds via download.

- Digital products give the average person amazing income opportunioties through affiliate programs such as Google, Clickbank, Commission Junction, and others.

- Digital products are the future of information commerce and should be utilized for everything from software to literature.

Building Your Website

The do's and dont's of website construction can leave the average person scratching their head. The technology behind the Internet is so vast that even an accomplished programmer would have some trouble keeping up with it all. Website construction is a science in every way from the domain name to finish coded live site. There are tried and true steps to follow that will produce a great website. Doing business on the Internet demands a fully optimized website that is pleasing to the eye, and not necessarily full of functions. Sometimes all of the gadgets people use on their site cause internal scripting issues that make the site display oddly in the browser window.

Website Construction

Whether using a site for business or for pleasure following these simple rules will get you on the road to a great site.

Learn the basics of HTML and CSS. By learning these basics and getting the cheat sheets online you won't always be at the mercy of a misbehaving website.

Starting assembling your site before you even think about a domain name. This step will require many hours of thought and layout. Make sure your sales copy is well written utilizing the proper amount of keywords.

Keep image use low and optimize the sizes. Make sure there is alternate text on every image used.

Keyword your site throughout in a relevant and fluid manner.

Pick a domain name that contains one of your main keywords.

Make a search engine friendly sitemap.

Pick a good host that has great stats and load your site.

Register with Google and other search engines.

Set up all of the Google tools you think you can use but especially the Webmaster tools.

Never expect your first site or any site to be the perfect product so don't be afraid to add content or build a new site. One thing to avoid is putting up a site then changing the structure, add to it but don't change the basic word structure you originally submitted. It is important that the search engines find the pages and content you originally submitted. Should you decide to delete pages make sure to do so in the Google Webmaster Tools as well.

I opened this article with a cliche and would like to explain it in closing. The Internet is truly an almost magical place full of knowledge, entertainment, and yes danger. Believing in the impossible is OK, doing the impossible is OK, but buying it from a Snake Oil Salesman is just stupid. Buy tangible things like the bird in the hand, and you will attain the improbable like the two birds in the bush.

"There will never be a better day than today to follow your dreams. It is only through living your dream that you can achieve it." William Muncrief 2008