Home Purchasing Checklists Provide Protection

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.

If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.

There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.

The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.

The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.

This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.

A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.

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

By Greg Vandenberge

What is a Three Way Home Electrical Light Switch?

A three way home electrical light switch is a special light switch that can be used in your hallways, large rooms and stairways. These light switches are specially made to operate one light or a group of lights from two different locations.

They are most commonly found in hallways and provide a homeowner with the option of turning the light on at one end of the hallway and turning it off, when they are finished walking through the hallway and are about to enter into another room.

Before three way home electrical light switches were made, people would turn the hallway light on and leave it on or they wouldn't turn the hall light on at all, because they knew that after they walked down the dark hallway, they wouldn't be able to turn the light off at the other end.

Three-way light switches are also used in stairways. It makes a lot of sense, to be able to turn your stairway light on, at the bottom of the stairs and then after you have walked up the stairway safely, you can simply turn the stair lights system off.

As homes become larger, it's not going to be uncommon to find three way light switches being used at either end of large rooms. If your living room or family room was located within the center of your home and had an entrance at each end, it wouldn't be a bad idea to install a light switch at each end, for travelers who are simply walking through these room.

Remember that three-way light switches, are used to operate lights from two different locations.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Great Home Repair Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Encinitas Home Remodeling Contractors

Greg Vandenberge 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.

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Building Codes - Stairway Construction

The stair building code was created for building safety. Before the building code and local city enforcement (Building Inspectors), anyone could build a house. This meant Uncle Earl who had just watched a couple of his friends build a house down the street construct some sort of a dwelling. The next step for Earl would be to help these guys for a day and now he is a professional home builder. You get the point.

Stair Building Codes create the safety needed for one of the most hazardous areas of your home. You might know someone who has fallen down a stairway?

I lived in a house I built for 15 years and I redesigned the stairs from a winder design to a T shaped set of stairs. Both sets of stairs were built using the local stair building code for my city.

Wow I could not believe how many times my family members fell down the stairs. I even fell down once. I was amazed. When I switched from the winder to the T shaped stairway there were less accidents. My point is that even using the stair building codes this is a dangerous part of your house.

Having a professional stair builder install your stairs is great advice. Take it. For example this happened to me on quite a few jobs. I get a set of plans from a architect who has been designing houses for over 40 years. I looked at the stairway to find out that he has designed a stairway that is too small for the length of this part of the home. If I build the stairs using the plans that by the way were approved from the local building department, I could have a problem.

You are probably asking yourself how does this happen. Aren't these people experienced professionals. Of course they are. They probably have the U.B.C. (Uniform Building Code) in their office somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes here and there but this is one area of the home where safety is a big concern.

Just look at it like this. The stair building code was designed to improve the safety and reduce the number of accidents while using the stairs. Over the years I have seen stairs poorly designed and constructed. These stairs create problems for the owners of the buildings not just the people that use them. Did I mention lawsuits. This is one area where a lawyer will have a field day.

As a building professional I advise you to use the stair building code first for safety and second to avoid lawsuits. Get an idea from some of the pictures I have taken over the years on problems with stair building.

Use common sense while building or remodeling your home. It goes a long way.

Greg Vandenberge 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. Stair Building Articles

Retaining Walls Suffer From Moisture Problems

Whether you're driving down the road or through a neighborhood and you notice a retaining wall that has large cracks in it, or is severely discolored, or one that has white calcium deposits from moisture covering the entire wall, you've got problems with moisture.

The retaining wall is designed to hold the dirt back, that's it's sole purpose. It's not going to hold any moisture back unless someone has installed a waterproofing membrane to separate the soil from the concrete block wall. If the soil isn't ever going to get wet, then you probably don't need to waterproof the retaining wall.

However that's normally not going to be the case. So we need to waterproof the interior of our retaining walls to eliminate future moisture problems that could eventually, deteriorate as moisture starts to accumulate, inside of our block wall for a longer periods of time.

If you don't know anything about waterproofing, I would suggest that you hire a waterproofing expert. Waterproofing looks easier than it actually is, and might be out of your scope of work.

I'm not going to suggest that you use waterproofing paints, because I haven't seen great results with these products. However, if you're not that concerned about your retaining wall and are looking for a cheaper way to apply any waterproofing materials, these paints might not be a bad idea. Sometimes, Something is better than nothing.

If you live in a relatively dry climate, it might not be necessary to waterproof your retaining walls. But if you live in a damp or moist area, especially an area where the ground is moist all year round or more than six months out of the year, I would suggest that you waterproof the back of your retaining walls.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link House Basement Repair Ideas. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Dryer Vent In Basement Window.

Greg Vandenberge 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.

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Don't Let This Happen to You - Home Computer Electrical Damage

If you've read any of my other articles, you know that I am always coming up with great ideas, tips and even a couple of stories that can save homeowners lots of money. Here's another one of those stories, that involves a friend of mine who asked me if I could fix his outdoor electrical outlet.

I was over at his house one day, and told him that I could probably fix the electrical outlet and if we needed any parts, we could run down to the lumber yard and pick them up and his problem would be solved within a few hours. This two hour repair was about to cost him the hard drive on his computer, but neither one of us had any idea what was about to happen.

We each agreed to give it a shot, I told him to go over to the electrical panel and turn off the breaker that went to his outdoor shed. He proceeded to turn off the breaker and yelled out," It's off, try it." I plugged in an electric drill and it was still working, as he was walking around the corner, towards me, I showed him that the drill was still on and he hadn't turned off the right electrical breaker.

He went back and turned off a couple of more electrical breakers and the drill was still running. Now he frantically started to turn off one electrical breaker at a time, until I yelled out," It's off, the electrical power is, off you can stop."

I repaired the electrical outlet and he went back to turn every electrical breaker back on that he had turned off. We were proud of ourselves and he now had electrical power, back to his shed and he was happy.

Now for the bad news, his computer was running and when he turned the electricity off and on, it must've done something to his computer hard drive and it now needed to be replaced.

The moral to the story, isn't that you shouldn't help your friends. It's that you should, make sure that your computers are safely off, before you attempt to do any electrical work to your home.

It wouldn't be a bad idea, to have a battery backup, for your computer, if you use it often, just in case there is an electrical failure or something happens like the story above.

If your really interested in saving money on your home electrical bills - Energy Saving Books

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Advice. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

10 Things a Homeowner Won't Tell a Contractor - Common Courtesy

I've been a contractor in the state of California for over 20 years and there are some things that a homeowner won't tell a contractor. These are a few things that a contractor might want to hear, but a reluctant homeowner, might have second thoughts telling their contractors how they really feel.

1. We are happy with all of the work that you did in a timely manner and we appreciate your services.

2. We are happy with the way you performed your construction tasks, efficiently and we appreciate your services.

3. The work was done by a true professional and we would recommend you to any one of our friends.

4. The payment plan that you created in the contract worked out perfectly and never made us feel uncomfortable. It never seemed like you had too much of our money or we were putting you in a bad spot financially.

5. Thanks for keeping the job clean, it meant a lot to us, because we have seen other construction jobs that look like a tornado ran through them.

6. Thanks for helping us with our design. Working with your contractor on a daily, weekly or monthly basis can be frustrating or joyful. Let the contractor know either way how you are really feeling.

7. You and your crew are extremely hard-working and we appreciate the simple fact that you didn't come to work late or leave early.

8. Thanks for the reasonable priced estimate on our project. You helped us say a lot of money and we appreciate that sincerely.

9. Thanks for doing the extra work at a reasonable price. You could have gouged us at certain times, but you chose to be fair and work things out, in a way that would benefit both of us.

10. This one is the most important and often overlooked by homeowners and it's simple and easy to do. Thanks for doing what you said you were going to do and actually doing it.

Just a simple thank you and paying them on time, for a service well done is enough for most contractors. However, a little common courtesy can go a long way, even in the construction industry.

If You Live in Northern San Diego County or South Orange County, and You're Looking for a Great Contractor, Click on This Link Home Remodeling Contractor

Greg Vandenberge 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.

Click here if you're looking for additional Homeowner Contractor Advice. If you're interested in gathering more information on how to hire a good contractor, make sure that you visit our website.

Take Pictures of Your Growing Foundation Damage Or Cracks

I champion people and try to get them to look at their house, at least once a year. One of the easiest ways to inspect your home is to use a home inspection checklist and if you really want a good home inspection checklist, there's a good chance that you are going to need to purchase one. You get what you pay for and don't ever forget that.

Foundation repairs usually start with a small crack and that's no joke. If you notice a crack, take a picture of it and save it somewhere. If you think, that the crack is actually getting a little bigger or starting to separate, you can simply take another picture and compare the two photos.

I would like to give you an example of what I'm talking about. Sometimes we look at something and we think that it's getting larger, but we don't have anything to compare it to. As time goes on, we think that the crack is still getting larger, but our mind is creating an optical illusion. This happens to a lot of people.

If you had a picture, from a few years ago, you could refresh your memory and this could be very helpful in reducing your anxiety or jumping to conclusions about foundation damage. Trust me, sometimes, I'm like a medical emergency crew, going to visit a homeowner to relieve their foundations stress. People panic over foundation cracks and I'm the doctor they call for any one of their home emergencies.

I would also advise you to take pictures of the rest of your home. How hard would it be to take about 300 pictures of your home each year and store them on your computer or on a disk, for easy access later? A picture is worth a thousand words and don't ever forget that.

Click Here for Some More Great Foundation Repair Solutions.

Greg Vandenberge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If you're really interested in basement remodeling and repairs, you should click on this link Home Repair Problems. Get some great home repair advice that can make a big difference on any of your home remodeling projects.

Why Bathroom Remodeling Will Add Life to Your Home

There are many ways to remodel a bathroom and depending on how extensive of a remodel project you want, you could spend three or four times the normal amount if you are doing a lot of tile work, granite counters, new cabinetry, etc. Usually the older the bathroom the more extensive and expensive the remodel project will be.

There are so many things to consider when renovating your bathroom. Replacing the current window with a larger one will add light and also give you an opportunity to add a more energy efficient window. Maybe you can add a skylight, this is an excellent way to bring in more light and increase the feeling of spaciousness. Replacing fixtures with modern designs can make a bathroom more decorative and style that not only looks good, but is functional. There is a wide price range for light fixtures, so you can easily pick one that fits your budget. Replacing a toilet can be a simple thing if you avoid the most common mistakes made by many homeowners.

Remember, the door fixtures will be the first thing you see when you enter any room so you might want to start here! Remember, if you don't fell 100% comfortable with or confident in the possible outcome, stop and meet with your contractor immediately and discuss an alternative route. Piece of mind is priceless especially with a project of this importance. After all, it is your sanctuary.

A shower remodel is also a perfect time to experiment with shower heads. There are many types, styles and brands you can choose from. The type of concrete used for shower walls and floors is highly engineered and a must if your looking for the perfect job. Tiles are generally durable, and you won't have to worry about replacing them if you choose the right material.

Tile is also an area where you have a wide range of choices. From sheet linoleum to ceramic tile the choices are numerous. Tile mosaics are especially popular in Mediterranean style bathrooms. Tile can also be used as decorative design pieces (glazed, glass mosaic or quarry styles).

Bathroom flooring, more than anything else, can have a stunning effect on the overall look of a bathroom; choose bathroom flooring wisely and you will achieve the bathroom of your dreams? Many homeowners like to install below floor heating, which is recommended with a stone or concrete floor.

You can install hardwood floors on the floor of your Bathroom, provided that they are coated with a water-proof finish. Many people will opt for this type of flooring in this part of the house because it provides warmth and has the effect of creating a soft relaxing atmosphere.

Neutral colors are probably your best bet and will last for many years to come. Some contractors will recommend using self leveling cement but good old poured concrete screened floors is the only way to get that perfect job. Selecting a contractor by referrals is also the best way to choose the right company for the job.

DiCicco Building Company has been doing Home Additions Macomb for over 20 years. We are also leaders in Macomb Remodeling along with being an award winning custom residential home builder. We also specialize in Finished Basements and home additions.

Simple Light Switch Replacement

Do it Yourself Garage Remodels

With the current credit crunch, households around the world are coming up with an unexpected source of additional income: they simply convert their garage into an apartment and lease it out. Garages are no longer repositories for the family car.

Thinking of it, that's not a bad idea, is it. Even if the idea of leasing out your garage does not sound very good to you, there are still ways of taking advantage of the garage extra space and put it to some productive use.

An apartment garage plan is pretty easy to design, and with a bit of know-how, to build.

What is it for?

Obviously the first question to be asked is what will the garage future use be. Traditionally, garages have doubled as storage space for anything from gardening tools to old books. It is also being used as workshop, office or even as an additional room for the boys. With a bit of imagination, there is no limit to the good uses one can put his garage to.

Once you have made up your mind about the intended use, you are in a better position to design the garage layout.

Here are a few design tips:

• If you plan to use the place as storage space, a good idea is to place wall shelves to accommodate gardening tools like the lawnmower, brooms, hoses, shoes etc. Try also to group these in categories, based on their respective frequency of use: normally the most used items should be of easy reach.
• Place hooks. These will allow you to gain as much space as possible on the the wall and even on the ceiling.
• Remember accessibility. If the intended garage apartment is located next to your house, try to create a direct communicating door between them.
• Create autonomous units. If you intend leasing out the space, integrate a small kitchen, a bathroom and a maybe couple of additional rooms.

Can you do it yourself?

If the idea sounds interesting, you may choose to hire the service of a prefab contractor to build an apartment garage for you. While their technical expertise is valuable, designing your own garage plan is easy, provided you apply some basic design factors.

In general an apartment garage plan should provide for one or two doors, and depending on the number of rooms, a few windows too.

How about the budget ?

The cost of building home additions depends largely on the region where you live.
Once you know exactly what suits you best, you are in better position to work out the financial side of the project.

The building materials

The building materials to use will also influence the overall cost as well as the durability of the construction. I have found that prefabricated kits that come with an instruction manual often cost less.

Finally, remember too to take into account aesthetic considerations. A good apartment garage plan should not only look nice on paper, but it should also be practical and usable once build.

Additional Apartment Garage tips can be found at Homes By Olga.

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Fixings Squeaky Stairs - Home Repairs

Oh yes the common problem of squeaking stairs in an older house. This could become very frustrating and annoying as you walk up and down the stairs. There seems to be one or two stair treads that are always squeaking. That annoying sound as you walk as softly as you can on your way down to the kitchen in the middle of the night to grab a quick snack.

The number one cause of squeaking stairs is when the nails used to fasten the stair tread to the stair strainers has worked its way loose. Over time as the lumber shrinks in the stair treads and the stairs stringers. You will start to develop a separation or a gap between the stair tread and the stair strainer.

The stair stringer can shrink as much as 3/8 of an inch in just a few years. I was building a home and went to measure the stair stringer that was 11 1/2 inches wide originally. Then I measured it after two months outside in the summer sun it now measured 11 1/16". I was amazed that the lumber could shrink that much in such a short period of time.

As the stair stringer shrinks it starts to pull away from the plywood or hardwood stair tread. As it starts to separate from the stair tread the nail will stay in its original position until the stair tread starts to put pressure on the nail eventually lifting it up a little bit higher than its original position.

As you step on the stair tread the squeaking sound you hear is the nail rubbing against the stair tread. There are a few ways to fix a squeaking stair tread. If you have access to under the stairway you can apply some adhesive along with a 10 inch 2 x 4 under the stair tread and attach it to the stair stringer.

First apply adhesive to two sides of the 2 x 4. The adhesive will be used to glue the stair tread to the stair stringer. You can use screws to screw the new 2 x 4 onto the side of the stair stringer.

If you cannot access the underside of the stairs and you have carpeting you can actually locate the stair stringer and drive a 2 inch screw through the carpeting in to the stair stringer. This will pull the stair tread down and will not allow it to rub up against the nail making that awful sound of a squeaking stair case.

If you have a finished wood stair tread you will not be able to screw through it into the stair stringer without damaging the finish on tread itself. It will be easier to access the stair stringer from below somehow and apply the 2 x 4 with the adhesive to stop the stair squeak.

You can apply these methods to as many stair treads that are squeaking without taking apart the entire staircase and rebuilding it.

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.

Stair Building

Pocket Door Problems

Provide Protection For Your Entrance With a Porch Enclosure

A porch enclosure is usually an enclosure built around the main entrance of the home to protect it from the elements of weather. It usually has one or two entrances and a square or curved top. Quite often such an enclosure is built between two offsets on the front of the house, but it can also be a bay extending out from the house. The size of the enclosed porch depends on how you plan to use it. You will need to have a larger porch if you want to place chairs there so you can enjoy the outdoor scenery without having to go outdoors.

Generally an enclosed porch is a fabricated unit made of glass panels. The doors are specially made to fit in the aluminum rails. There are many different designs in shapes and sizes of these on the market and you can have one custom designed to meet your needs.

Some of the benefits of using such an enclosure for a porch include:

* keeping snow and ice away from the direct entrance to your home, which will in turn keep moisture from seeping in
* preventing water from leaking in through the door in times of heavy rain
* added security for the home
* serving as a buffer that prevents heat from escaping during the winter
* offering ventilation during the summer

When you have an enclosure around the entrance, you can have a wooden door instead of having to opt for a steel door. If you do have a steel door, the protection of such a porch will ease your concerns about the warranty on the door. The addition of a porch will add a touch of class to the home and increase its resale value.

It is not hard to install such an enclosure after you have the exterior of the home complete. The glass panels are designed so that they fasten together to form a wall and the doors are mounted to this base. Some of the enclosures also have the ability to adjust to uneven walls and floors so that nothing will look out of place.

For more information on porch railings, screened porches and related topics, visit AboutPorches.com

Architects And Home Design

5 Reasons Not to Have a New Roof Installed Over an Old Roof

So you need a new roof and are trying to decide whether or not to try and save some money by having the new roof installed over an existing layer of roofing. This technique is quite common in many areas and many roofing contractors don't see any problem with this method and have no problem trying to sell homeowners on a lay-over or go-over as this technique is called. They are wrong.

5 Top Reasons A Lay-Over Or Go-Over Is A Bad Idea When Re-Roofing

1.) Areas that have or had leaks can't always be addressed properly

There is a good chance that your old roof had some problem areas including possible leak spots, whether you noticed them or not. Without tearing off the old roof and properly identifying these types of trouble spots and determining where the leak was coming from and traveling to it is impossible to tell what areas of your roof may need some special attention.

2.) Any rotted wood under the existing roofing will only get worse

There could be areas that have rotted wood hiding under the old roofing. These rotted areas need to be identified and replaced before a new roof is installed. Obviously if your roofing contractor is only doing a lay-over roofing installation then these rotted areas will remain covered up and only get worse as the years go on. Also the nails holding down the shingles in areas with rotted wood cannot properly do their job and you have a much higher risk of shingles blowing off in those areas.

3.) Eaves, rakes and valleys need special treatment

This is a big one. The eaves, rakes and valleys of your house need special attention when your home's roof is being installed. This is especially important in colder climates like Massachusetts, where we are located. In the winter time the eaves of your house are under attack by Mother Nature, whether it is through ice dams, snow build up, or just the constant freezing and thawing that occurs throughout the winter season. When a new roof is properly installed the roofing contractor needs to put new aluminum drip-edge around the entire perimeter of your roof.

Next they need to apply a 3 foot wide section of ice & water barrier around the perimeter as well as in any valleys on your roof. Then they can begin to install the new roofing. Without tearing off the original roofing there is no way to properly install the new drip-edge or ice & water barrier. On a lay-over type of roofing install, the roofing contractor is counting on the existing products on the home's roof to still be up to par and be able to handle the winter conditions. All too often the old products fall short whether it was because they have outlived their lifetime, were sub-par to begin with, or maybe they were never there to begin with (all to often the latter is the case with ice & water barrier).

4.) Extra roofing weight is no good for old rafters

One of the more obvious problems with a lay-over re-roof is the added weight of the extra layer of shingles. On most newer homes this is not an issue, however many older homes have rafters that are considered undersized by today's framing standards. It is not uncommon to see 26 rafter systems on many of these houses. Now in most situations a 26 rafter is undersized to begin with and you certainly don't want to be adding the weight of a new roofing layer on top of an old roofing layer to these already undersized rafter systems. With newer roofs using 210, 212, engineered trusses, etc. the weight isn't always as much of an issue.

5.) Shorter roof life expectancy

Most responsible roofing contractors agree that a lay-over roof will decrease the new roof's lifetime by about 25%. This fact alone means that any money you might have saved by doing a lay-over, as opposed to a tear-off and new roof install, was only a short term savings. In addition, you now have 2 layers of roofing that will need to be removed the next time your roof is done and that will also add more cost to the job

Tear-Off Then Re-Roof Is Always Superior

Well, I just gave you 5 very good reasons to tear off your old roofing and then install your new roof. Yes it can be cheaper in the short term to do a go-over on your old roof, but, in the long term it will cost you more. We never recommend this technique to our customers. We always recommend completely tearing of the old roofing, fixing any underlying problems, then installing a fresh, beautiful new roof that will outlast any lay-over roof as well as better protect our customers' homes.

Josh Johnson is part of the team at BCI Contracting, Inc., a Massachusetts roofing contractor, and he would be happy to provide you with more information about their roofing, siding, and seamless gutter installation services if you visit the website. You can also visit Josh's roofing blog which focuses on the roofing and siding industry, particularly in Massachusetts.

Resolving Home Remodeling Anxiet

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.

Concrete Patio Gofer Damage

How to Weld Metal

The average person's impression of how metal is welded is that you simply fire-up a blow torch and run it along the edge of a metal seam to weld it together. Or they probably think you can just run that same torch across any kind of metal and cut through it, like in the safe-cracker movies. But the reality is that professional welding actually involves some fairly extensive knowledge, and is somewhat of an art form that takes many years of experience to master. Even so, if you are wanting to learn, you can start with a few simple techniques. Once you've mastered the basics and have a beginner's idea, you can then move on to the more complicated skills that take longer to master.

Safety Precautions

Before you ever start any project, always think about safety precautions first. Equipment and supplies can be replaced; you cannot be replaced. You may think that getting burned is the worst thing that can happen in a welding accident. However, damage to your eyes can occur from the intense light that comes from the process. Some metal welding techniques make use of high voltage electricity to create a weld, which always raises the possibility of electrocution or death if the you are careless. As you start any welding project, be sure to wear a proper helmet to protect your eyes, head and hair. And don't forget protective gloves and clothing. Lastly, be sure to read and follow all safety precautions written by the manufacturer of the particular metal welding equipment you are using.

Oxy-Acetylene Welding (also known as Oxyfuel Welding)

This is the type of welding that the average person is most familiar with, and which is often casually described as a "blow torch". However, even though oxy-acetylene welding is the most commonly-known type, it is actually the least used technique among professionals. On the upside, it is less complicated and less expensive than other types of welding. However, oxy-acetylene is less common nowadays because it is less accurate, doesn't produce a weld bead as cleanly as other methods and can result in weaker weld joints due to the slower cooling time it involves compared to other welding techniques. Even so, if you are interested in learning how to weld metal, you may want to practice oxy-acetylene welding in addition to other types of welding. It will be a handy skill to have because it's the best type to use on certain common welding projects, such as pipes or tubes, and when you have to use welding equipment to do repairing, bending and cutting.

Arc Welding

The most common technique used these days is "Arc Welding". If you're learning how to weld metal, you will definitely need to practice arc welding. Rather than using a gas torch, arc welding involves using high voltage electricity passing into the piece of metal. In Arc Welding, a spark (or "arc") jumping across from one piece of metal to the other causes enough heat to melt metal and form a weld. This process is more desirable in most cases because it is more accurate and produces a cleaner, stronger weld. Within the category of "Arc Welding" there are actually several different methods to choose from, depending on the type of metal welding work you need to do.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) may be best when you have large welds or metal welding in unusual positions, where a rough weld is acceptable. With this method, the electricity runs through an electrode rod (or "stick") which actually melts, producing the welded joint. On the other hand, MIG Welding, also know as Metal Inert Gas Welding, or Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), may be better if you are involved in a metal welding project that requires more speed. With this welding technique you don't use rods that you have to keep replacing as they melt. Instead, you use equipment that sends the electricity through a metal tip that doesn't melt, and a separate piece of continuous wire is fed to the tip which melts and forms the weld. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) Welding is somewhat similar to MIG welding, but is better when working with thin materials where you need a high-quality weld and speed is not important. As you learn you will also hear of other methods, such as Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), Submerged Arc Welding (SAW), Plasma Welding, etc. But don't worry too much about remembering all of the various techniques. Just focus on one method at a time and get to the point where you are comfortable that you know how to weld with that method before you learn something new.

Other Welding Methods

Although you will primarily be concerned with Arc Welding and Oxy-Acetylene Welding as you learn how to weld, you might hear about other types and wonder what they are, such as Resistance Welding, Energy Beam Welding and Solid-State Welding. Don't let that overwhelm you right now. Many of those welding methods are primarily useful in large, specialized industrial applications and don't really affect you as you learn how to weld.

Conclusion

Hopefully you now know a little more about the basic concepts that will be important to you as you learn how to weld. As you can see, although there are numerous methods, each with it's own unique set of equipment, procedures and purposes, there are actually only a couple of basic methods you need to remember and practice. To get started learning, start practicing with an inexpensive arc welding setup. Get yourself a machine and just start experimenting with it on some scrap pieces of metal (after reading all instructions and taking all safety precautions, or course). Figure out what works, and what doesn't. You will soon begin to develop a style that is most comfortable for you. Also, get yourself some oxy-acetylene equipment and try that type, too. With a lot of practice, you will become a good novice fairly quickly and will be able to master just about any common project you may encounter.

Want to know more about welding? Visit my blog at http://WeldLikeTheWind.com

Green Homes - Ugly Ducklings Or Beautiful Swans

A "green" home is a home that is highly energy efficient, has excellent indoor environment, and is built to exceed local building codes. So are they ugly then?Look like the Jetson's space-age house? So obvious they would stick out like a sore thumb?No. No. and No.A green home looks just like conventional construction inside and out.

The beginning of a green home is a set of plans that starts with a conventional floor plan and elevations. Then an experienced green home building will modify the systems of the house to accommodate green home features and energy saving devises -A geothermal system rather than air conditioning; in-floor heating rather than a conventional natural gas forced air system; a grey water recapture system; energy efficient windows, doors, appliances, and water heater; and high quality, high 'R'rated insulation.

The best part is that these systems work very different from their conventional counterparts, but are invisible to the homeowner and their guests. The home will be quieter and cleaner without the dust and noise of conventional forced air heating. And the energy cost savings are substantial, depending on your particular situation.

Energy Star appliances sip electricity but are similar or identical to your current appliances. And cabinets and trim can be identical to conventional houses or use recycled material or earth-friendly woods for a more eco-friendly alternatives.

The cladding and shingles on the outside of the home are no different than a conventional home making the home blend in to its neighborhood seamlessly. However, the market value is probably higher than the surrounding homes due to its energy saving advantages and tax incentives.

So a green home is a beautiful swan, not an ugly duckling, at all!

Kim Ward is Marketing Director for Green Earth Energy Homes at http://greenearthenergyhomes.com

Marc Wachter, Kim and Dan Ward, and Dennis Batdorf have teamed up to offer affordable, practical, LEED and Energy Star certified homes. Save thousands on energy costs and qualify for thousands in government tax incentives and benefits.

Based in Yorkville, IL, we currently are building the only LEED certified GOLD home in Illinois. Call Marc at 630-730-8592 for more information about our green homes or to schedule a showing of our model home(s). Email Marc at mwachter@greenearthenergyhomes.com

What You Need to Know to Get Perfect Ceramic Tile Installation

Ceramic tile installation is usually left to the pros. That often is a good idea too because there are quite a few tricks to laying ceramic tile. But people having been installing tile for many hundreds of years. Tile setting isn't exactly rocket science. If you get the general idea right, most anyone can complete a tile project.

Tile installing is mostly the same no matter what the project. If you can lay floor tile, you can set wall tile or tile a counter top for that matter. The really trickiest project is building a ceramic tile shower pan. But even that just requires an understanding of a few tricks. Getting started on a tile project just requires getting the basics done right.

Often the first stumbling point is the base itself. The surface on which the tile is laid must be right. Now there are many surfaces that are a fine base for tile. Why you can even lay tile over tile itself. But whatever the base, it must be solid. That means no moving around is allowed. If the base moves, the tile or grout will crack. So a solid foundation is the place to start a tile project. Once you have a solid base you can lay that first tile.

Before the first tile gets set though, do some careful measuring and marking. Decide where you want the tiles that will be cut so they are least visible. That may determine where the first tile goes. Then you'll want a way to mark lines to guide you in setting the tiles. Straight tile joints are key to a professional installation. Get the tile started right and half the job is done.

Pros hurry because time is money, but you can take your time. With care you can carefully align tiles and get an installation that's straight and level. It just takes time and care to put each tile in exactly the right place. There are quite a few tricks for cutting tile and getting the spacing just right. Plus there are several tricks to help you keep tiles aligned just right.

Ceramic tile installing may be a project that you want to do. With the right tools and some instruction, you can install tile like a pro. Tile installation depends on getting a few basic steps right. Get the basics right and the only thing separating you from a pro is speed. If you can learn a few tricks even the speed will come with practice.

Get access to video tutorials showing the professional tricks of ceramic tile installation on our ceramic tile website.

Al Bullington invites you to visit http://InstallingCeramicTile.net for answers to your tile questions.

Major Remodel and Home Additions

Whether you are planning to do a major remodel or you want to do a major home addition, there are going to be so many different things to keep in mind. After all, many people don't realize what they are getting into when they start a room addition or a remodeling addition to their home. You'll find that there is much to think about before you get started and as the addition or remodel occurs. There are quite a few concerns, you have the remodel or home addition cost to think about, and there are various issues that can crop up. So, it's important that you know about these things before you get started. Here's a closer look at the costs associated with a remodel or home addition, some of the top concerns when you are remodeling in your home, and a few remodeling and addition issues that you'll need to keep in mind.

The Costs of a Major Remodel or Home Addition
First of all, when it comes to a home addition or even a major remodel on your home, you'll find that there are a variety of different costs. It's best to find out about them up front rather than to be shocked about them in the future. If you are going to have someone design the addition or remodel, then you'll have to pay for the designing. Permits to do the house addition are also going to cost you once the project has been appraised. Site preparation, foundation work, plumbing, electrical work, and cooling and cooling are all going to cost as well. Don't forget you'll have to pay for sheet rock, shingles for the roof, siding, flooring, and more. Of course the windows, doors, appliances, fixtures, and the finish work is going to cost you too. So, as you can see, there are definitely some major costs that you'll need to be aware of.

Top Concerns When Remodeling
When it comes to a remodel addition, there are many concerns that you should be keeping in mind as well. Here are some of the top concerns that you'll need to have when you are going to add a new addition or a remodel to your home.

- The Cost - Of course as mentioned, the cost of the home addition is definitely going to be a concern. In fact, many people find out that the addition they wanted ends up costing them so much more than they ever planned on. This is why it's important to take care of this concern by coming up with a budget that you can stick to when you are doing this type of home project.

- Finding the Right Contractor - Another important concern to keep in mind is finding the right contractor for your needs. You need to insure that you get a quality remodeling or addition contractor that can help you complete your project. Of course there are many things to consider when it comes to picking out a great contractor. Insurance, license, experience, and price are all important things that you should be considering.

- Environmental Concerns - Environmental concerns should also be kept in mind when you are getting ready to do an addition to home. Whether it is a small addition or a large room addition, you want to consider how you are going to affect the environment of your home with the addition that you want for your home.

- Integrity of the Structure - The integrity of the structure should also be kept in mind when it comes to home additions as well. You want to ensure that nothing is done to the home that is going to cause a problem with the structure of the existing home.

Remodeling and Addition Issues
Whether you are doing a remodel or an addition in the Twin Cities, there are several different issues to keep in mind that you will definitely need to consider. Make sure that you consider these issues carefully no matter whether you are doing a small addition or a remodel on your home.

- Plenty of Storage Space - Make sure that you have plenty of storage space. This can be a major issue whether doing a remodel or an addition. If you don't have enough storage space, you are going to regret this in the future. So you should take careful measures to ensure that you have enough space to provide excellent storage for you.

- Adequate Floor Space - Adequate floor space is another issue that you should keep in mind when it comes to your home design. No doubt you want to make the best out of the floor space that you have if you are doing a remodeling project. However, if you are doing a home addition, you'll want to make sure that you design in enough space for your needs.

- Having the Needed Permits - Last of all, the needed permits for building home addition is going to be imperative. Without the right permits, you could end up getting fined. So, do your research. Find out what kind of permits you are going to need to complete the project.

If you are looking to obtain mortgage financing for a remodel of a home or second home in Minnesota, please vist our Minnesota mortgage brokerage at http://www.VentureLoanApp.com John Mazzara is involved with financial services in the Twin Cities, MN. Officing out of Edina, Minnesota-John is centrally located within the 7 county MN metropolitan area. John owns three separate businesses-a licensed real estate broker associate selling Minnesota real estate since 1986-affiliated with RE/MAX Associates Plus http://www.MinneapolisStPaulHomes.com , an independent CFP-certified financial planner since 1989 with an independent Minnesota financial planning firm-Financial Planning Associates and the owner of a Minnesota mortgage broker firm-Venture Development Inc-specializing in residential, commercial and investment mortgages for purchases of single family homes, investment properties and commercial property. Venture brokers FHA, VA, Conventional loans and lines of credit. If you are looking for someone to help you in the areas of real estate sales/purchase, mortgages, or and/or financial planning and insurance you should call John for a free 1 hour consultation to see if he can meet your needs. 952-929-2577. RE/MAX Associates Plus and Venture Development are located at 7300 France Ave S, Suite 410, Edina, MN 55435

Solar Panels For the Home Reduces the Homeowner's Energy Cost

Solar energy is a great renewable resource that is growing in popularity with the average consumer. As energy prices skyrocket and the average income stagnating, if not falling, consumers are looking for a way to reduce their costs of living in any area possible. The rise of renewable energy, and the desire to wean our society off of fossil fuels, makes using solar panels for the home a great alternative for power.

Solar power kits save energy for the homeowner because they allow the homeowner to generate their own electricity to power their home. In some cases, the homeowner can go completely off-grid and even sell additional electricity back to the power company. What a powerful concept to be able to take an expense and turn it into an asset.

What are solar panels?

A solar panel is a packaged interconnected assembly of solar cells that are cased in a housing unit to protect the cells from the weather and from physical damage. These panels generate electricity, which is then used to directly power devices in the home, or charge battery cells to store the power for nighttime use. A solar power kit typically includes solar panels, an inverter and interconnection wiring to connect the panel to the electrical system in the home. For those that want to live off the grid, batteries are included for continuous power during the day and night. The use of infrared solar cells also allows the homeowner to generate electricity at night, thus increasing the efficiency of these cells.

The technology of solar cells continues to advance with time. Currently, the efficiency rate of solar cells range from 5% to 19% depending upon the technology. The reason is that the solar cells (or photo-voltaic cells) only convert a limited range of sunlight frequencies into electricity. The renewable energy industry is experimenting with advanced technologies that will raise the efficiency of these solar cells by a whopping 50%.

A new technology for solar cells, also called thin film or third generation solar cells, is being researched. The benefit of this new generation is that they have a higher efficiency and they cost less. These brands are both rigid and flexible thin film modules. The differences between the rigid thin film module and the flexible thin film module are due to differences in the materials that are used to make the modules and differences in the production of the modules.

Solar modules can last anywhere from 10 to 25 years while still operating at 80% of their original capacity. Every year the number of panels sold to consumers continues to grow. In 2007 over 4 million solar units were sold. There are a number of manufacturers that produce solar panels for consumer use, however the average consumer can create their own solar panels using materials from their local hardware store.

Solar panels for the home can provide renewable energy for the consumer. The initial costs can range greatly if the consumer chooses to build their own solar energy kit or have another company install a solar power kit. As the technology improves, the homeowner will have more options available to them to completely power their home with renewable solar power energy.

Discover how you can power your home with solar energy for under $200. You only have to have the right information. The reviews on these popular DIY solar panel info guides that show you how to create solar panels for home, will help you make an informed decision. Get more information on solar power and solar energy at this solar power resource page

Your Royal Stairway - How to Achieve One

More often than not, most items found in your home serve primarily the purpose of decoration. Take your vases, paintings, and carvings, among others, as examples. However, some items serve for particular functions but may also serve as a decoration. Take your crystal chandelier (it is primarily to give light to your home but also serves as dcor to your ceilings) and your antique mirror for instance.

One thing that is not actually furniture which can be both useful and decorative in function is the stairway. Oftentimes, they serve as pathways from one level of our house to the next. Obviously, this is really a great help in houses with two or more floors. There are also houses which opt to put a stairway's platform in direct vision of a person entering the house from a front door. It gives out this appealing impression. Given this, it is therefore necessary that a stairway is not only sturdy and secure (for purposes of safety) but also must demonstrate "grandiosity" in its own right. Usually, this is attributed to the entire design of the stairway, but can also be tracked down to the specific stair parts, too. You have to remember that even the smallest detail, in this case part, can affect the totality of a whole structure to function and serve its purpose. This goes the same for the stairway and its stair parts.

A stairway may be built in different fashions. It can be helical, straight, or sectioned with a balcony. These final structures usually depend more or less on the materials used for the stair parts. Colossal mansions and castles usually have marble staircases of regal grace and elegance. Suburban homes have staircases of wood. For high buildings and skyscrapers, they have cemented or stone-made staircases. There are also some which have more than two or more materials mixed.

Some stair parts may be made of wood, while the others with cement or steel or other materials. For example, the steps are made of cement, the balusters from steel and the handrail from wood. However, when a staircase is made of marble, it is almost always the only material used for its stair parts, too. Oftentimes, the color of these stairways is usually the same with the rest of the house. This is because a stairway is a part of the entirety of the structure of the house.

There are various designs and materials of stair parts which when combined properly may produce a great look for the stairways. The general consideration is on the structure of your home. Also, consideration is also given to your budget to achieve the one which you like and is fit for your home. Most construction stores and depots offer various stair parts with affordable and reasonable prices.

Stairways, just like any general structures, rely greatly on their stair parts to achieve the final look to be visually stimulating to your guests and visitors and also for its solidity. Be certain that you only get what is best for your stairway to produce the effect of a royal pathway, to the next floor that is.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company

Energy Aware and Waste Wise

Constantly bombarded with negative information about the environment, finances and natural resources? Feeling overwhelmed? Each and every one of us can do something to help our world - starting right where we are, right now. Though not everyone can afford to donate cash or time to a cause, there are endless tactics that will decrease an individual's contribution to the landfill and their resource consumption.

Mirrors, placed strategically in a room can be used to make use of natural lighting more efficiently, and reduce energy use as well. When placed near indoor plants, mirrors act like a second window creating better growing conditions while giving the illusion of increased space and greenery to the ambiance of a room.

When loading the clothes dryer, fluff the wet and tangled laundry before tossing into the machine. This allows for immediate and more efficient use of dryer energy. Very hot settings (which can actually shrink clothing) can thus be avoided.

Typically, the heated air from a clothes dryer is pumped outside and wasted. Consider purchasing a dryer vent converter - available at most hardware stores. These are little boxes that divert the heated air from the dryer into the house during the cold and dry winter months - making better use of your energy dollar while saving a little on heating costs. Be warned that this air is moist, and this may not be appropriate in all situations. Homes with dry static air or wood heat would benefit from the moisture, but buildings that already have a moisture problem (evident by mould and mildew or sweating and frosted windows) will only have their issues compounded by doing this.

Instead of buying disposable dryer sheets for static control, consider using a liquid fabric softener with a reused rag or sock. Pour a Tablespoon of the liquid on the rag, roll it up and squeeze (to soak up all the softener) and toss in the dryer. Wash the rag periodically by throwing it in with a normal load. Just imagine the number of dryer sheets, the packaging they came in, along with the costs, energy and resources to produce them that can be avoided by this one simple act.

There are many other little things we can do around our home, to save money and reduce waste. Instead of purchasing a plastic drip tray for potted plants, reuse plastic lids from peanut butter or mayonnaise. Often, just the right size of lid can be found for each potted plant, and most of these are dishwasher safe. Foil food trays also serve this purpose.

Plastic containers that fresh herbs are sold in make useful storage packages in the kitchen. Dried herbs and vegetables store well in these containers as long as the seal is airtight. We once bought some very nice fresh ginger in Vancouver's Chinatown and could not use it all in one recipe. Dave placed the peeled and sliced root in the herb containers covering it with red wine vinegar. Stored in the refrigerator it kept for months this way and made it easy to add fresh tasting ginger to any dish.

These are just a few ideas to demonstrate how easy it is to make a difference while saving some money. Imagine how many other small things you can do around the home or office. Once the ideas have begun to flow, they will cause a ripple effect cascading into other aspects of your life. Then, hopefully, you will think twice before throwing anything into the trash.

~ Dave & Lillian Brummet:Authors of the books Trash Talk, Purple Snowflake Marketing and Towards Understanding; co-host of the Conscious Discussions radio show (http://www.brummet.ca)

Freelance Writing Coaching

Getting started as a freelance writer is tough stuff. You have the desire, sure. You maybe even have some innate talent for writing Good for you. Unfortunately, neither of these things can help guarantee the success of your freelance writing business. You need expert advice and the perspective that comes with success.

What a Freelance Writing Coach Does for You

Hiring a freelance writing coach gives you just that. It allows you to tap into the wealth of knowledge, information, wisdom and experience that can usually only come from years in the field. When you hire a freelance writing coach, you're likely to:

- Hone your writing craft
- Gain a fuller understanding of the freelance writing market
- Learn the common pitfalls of the freelance writing business
- Discover the ins and outs of finding and landing freelance gigs
- Propel your freelance writing business forward by weeks or even years.

The Cost of Not Hiring a Freelance Writing Coach

You can go it alone. You can start your freelance writing business, and feel your way blind, in the dark. If you're lucky, you'll weather the hard times and, eventually, learn everything you need to know on your own. Along the way, you'll get stuck working for peanuts, make mistakes that ruin your reputation and hurt your business, and get some serious bumps and bruises.

Hiring a coach doesn't keep you from making mistakes, and it doesn't guarantee success. However, it does help you make sure you get paid what you're worth, sharpen your skills, and help you to protect your reputation as a writer.

When it comes down to it, you can't afford not to hire a coach when you start your writing business.

Bob Younce is a professional freelance writer living in Linwood, Michigan. Bob loves helping new writers improve their craft and fully realize their dreams.

Subscribe to his blog for free at http://www.writing-journey.com and check out his Roadmap for starting your freelance writing business.

Popular Alternative to Boring Windows

Considering the popularity of mini Tiffany stained glass windows, it is clear that there are all manner of individuals who are more than happy to utilize these types of products in their homes. With so much emphasis on beautifying your home and creating an aesthetic value, it is easy to see that there is no end in sight of individuals making the effort to create a beautiful effect in their home. With mini Tiffany stained glass windows available, it is easy enough to install these types of products and create a tremendous level of beauty for the home itself.

With so many people from around the world making this effort, the popularity of mini Tiffany stained glass windows continues to rise well into the modern day. While the practice of installing this product in the past was fairly common, in recent years, there has been less and less emphasis on this type of effort overall. Largely due to the perceived expense of stained glass windows, there are less and less individuals utilizing this type of product until recently.

With so many new manufacturing processes in place, the cost of these products has come down substantially, making it a simple matter to install and not have to worry overly much about the installation process or the cost of the product. With the low prices in place, the popularity of these products has shot up considerably. Whatever it is you might require, you can very likely get it at a much lower price than you might suspect.

With so much effort to beautify the home, there are all manner of individuals who are trying their best to install the popular products and make their home more attractive than their neighbors. With this focus on beautification in the modern day, it is clear that there is no end of individuals who are concerned with the looks of their home and the belief that mini Tiffany stained glass windows can increase the aesthetic value.

Anyone who is proud of their home and enjoys the aesthetic value that they can build into their house would be well served to utilize mini Tiffany stained glass windows for those areas of the home that are available for this purpose. With so many individuals looking to improve the looks of their home, it is only natural that so many of them would turn to stained glass windows in order to provide what they need.

With the use of mini Tiffany stained glass windows, it is a simple matter to install this type of product and create a completely different look for your home. With all this effort involved, you can ensure that there is no stone left unturned in the effort to beautify your home. From windows around the front of your home all the way around to the back, the addition of stained glass windows can not only beautify your home but create amazing displays of color inside the home as well.

As the popularity continues to rise for these types of products there are all manner of individuals who are happy to utilize the beautifying effect that mini Tiffany stained glass windows offers, allowing them to create a large range of colors and lighting in their home when the sun shines through these particular windows. With stained glass windows in place, there is no end of the exciting and dramatic changes that occur to the beauty of the home as well as the lighting of the interior.

With more and more individuals looking to use stained glass windows to spruce up their home, it is not hard to see that there is no end in sight for the ongoing effort to beautify otherwise bland homes with the use of mini Tiffany stained glass windows. Simply by installing these types of products, the homes themselves can increase their curb appeal and the level of enjoyment that people have when viewing them. Anyone who might be concerned with the beauty of their home would be well served by utilizing stained glass windows in order to complete the aesthetic appeal of their greatest investment.

Shop our large selection of Tiffany Lamps and Windows Mini Tiffany Stained Glass Windows all at affordable prices.

And for all your lighting needs from lamps to windows go to lotsoflamps.com

3 Home Solar Power Solutions

Many people are under the impression that installing home solar power solutions are difficult and best left to the professionals. You will be happy to know, despite misconception, these solutions are quite cheap and easy to install. In addition, you will drastically cut your power bill and be doing your part to save power and ensure a better future for the next generations.

In this article you will find a few options for home solar power solutions.

Solar Heating Systems: The installation of a solar heating system for your home will significantly reduce your power bill, along with saving the world's quickly-exhausting power resources. If you're worried about the price, rest assured that your wise investment will return you absolutely free service within 3-4 years.

Solar Lighting Systems: A solar lighting system stores converted solar energy in cells. The electrical energy taken from the solar cells is what powers the home lighting system. When you install a solar lighting system in your home, you can stop worrying about your electricity bills.

Cooking with Solar Energy: A solar cooker uses no fuel what so ever. The only drawback is the amount of time it takes to cook. You can cook food for up to 5 people in the small box, you will also be surprised to know that you can boil food items, roast and bake! This free energy source is a great way to reduce those high bills and save some power at the same time.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill.

Get our complete guide at Modern-Trends.info/Energy.

Consider Basement Renovation to Increase Value to Your Home

You can increase the value of your home with a good basement renovation. When you consider renovating your basement you need to determine why you want to renovate it. Maybe you want to make a basement room into a work out center, convert it to a television room, and make it into a kid's playroom or any of a number of other things.

Your project may be as simple as a new coat of paint on the dull walls or as extensive as a complete makeover into a new room. In any case there are some basic things you will need to consider and think about before you begin.

You will need to decide if the renovation to your basement will be easy enough for you to do yourself or if it will require the services of a professional basement contractor. Either way, you will have to prepare a budget.

One aspect in basement renovation that is extremely important is evaluating the quality of the air flow in the existing basement area you want to renovate. If your basement is moist, it will be prone to mildew. You will need to focus on getting the basement dry so it will be a place that you to go instead of a smelly place you avoid.

If your primary goal is to make your home a more comfortable place with the addition of quality space or improving the existing space, you need to consider basement renovation to accomplish this goal and add value to your home.

Considering basement renovation? Discover practical basement remodeling ideas online and turn cheap basement ideas into dream basements at a budget.

Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels - Free Energy!

Did you know that there are do-it-yourself solar panels available? That's right. Remember those old school huge unwieldy solar panels from back in the day? Could you imagine having to install those things? That was then and this is now and now you can install your own do it yourself solar panels and start reaping all the benefits of harnessing the Sun's power for all your electrical needs. Back in the day you would have needed a crew of solar experts to install a solar energy system in your home. And, you would have needed a lot of space to do it in.

When solar energy transmission first came on the scene the idea of do-it-yourself solar panels would have seemed absurd. The panels themselves were huge, the batteries just about required their own building to house them and figuring out how many panels produced the correct amount of power just about required a Nobel Peace prize winner to figure out. Today, do it yourself solar panels are smaller, easier to use and locate and produce enough solar energy to power anything in your home. And very importantly, they are a lot more affordable than the old solar panels from back in the day.

The cost benefits to do-it-yourself solar panels are huge. First, you obviously don't have to pay anyone to install them. That's a huge savings. The panels are less expensive than they used to be. And, once you have installed your do it yourself solar panels, there are no further costs. Last time anyone checked the Sun isn't sending out electric bills! This is a great way to harness and use a safe, renewable and powerful energy source without any cost except buying the panels and batteries. Imagine all that energy for nothing. It beats the heck out of using traditional fossil fuel energy.

And, let's not forget that when you use do-it-yourself solar panels there is absolutely no adverse effect on the environment. Using solar energy contributes nothing to your carbon footprint and is as green as you can get. So, you can use the Sun's energy for free and protect the planet with do it yourself solar panels. That certainly is a win win situation for everyone involved, except the electric company of course! Look into solar panels today and start saving money and the planet now.

Do you want to know how you can build your own Home Solar Panels to reduce your electricity bill for under $300? If you are good with hand tools, start a Do It Yourself (DIY) project to construct a residential solar array to harness free energy from the sun. What you will need is a step by step instructional guide. Get a comprehensive Solar Power For Homes guide at http://www.create-free-energy.blogspot.com.

Craig Shockman

Copper Chimney Caps Are an Aesthetically Pleasing Addition to Chimneys

Not only is a copper top a useful feature for homes and buildings in any climate, it is also a distinctive and beautiful adornment for any roofline. The beauty of copper is obvious regardless of how it is taken care of and care and look are actually based on the personal preference of the property owner or resident. Some homeowners and property owners love the look that a shiny copper chimney cap has to offer. On the other hand some people prefer the natural look of copper as an aesthetically pleasing addition to their roof and chimney.

Natural copper chimney caps do not require any maintenance to maintain their appearance. On the other hand, shiny copper, unlike natural, requires a great deal of maintenance. It needs frequently cleaning and shining to retain its glory, otherwise the copper patina into a green color that some people may not enjoy.

There are several benefits to copper chimney tops. Some of these benefits include keeping unwanted items and creatures out of a chimney, preventing water damage and lessening a chimney draft. In fact, a copper cap is often the least expensive way to fix and prevent problems in a chimney.

A copper cap has many uses because a chimney itself is a multi-functional item. One of the most popular reasons that chimneys are used in a home or building is as an accessory for a heating device, like a fireplace, a palette stove or a wood stove. The smoke from these heat sources escapes out of the chimney and keeps the house or commercial building clean and smoke free.

A copper chimney top works well when installed by a professional. While these caps are best when installed by a professional; they can be installed by a homeowner with the right precautions, especially if the homeowner is experienced or knowledgeable in the area of roofs and chimney care.

There are a few things that should happen prior to purchasing a copper chimney cap it is imperative that a chimney is measured properly and the flues are accurately counted. These measurements and counts are essential in obtaining the correct chimney cap for a specific chimney. The wrong measurements can result in the inappropriate size of a chimney cap. The wrong size will result in a poor functioning cap or top.

The measuring and description process require a trip up to the roof to examine the chimney closely. This trip requires the proper safety precautions for walking on the roof. Roofs can be steep and therefore are easy to fall off of. If a homeowner is unenthusiastic about traipsing around the roof and chimney, a chimney sweep or other chimney professional should be called out to take accurate measurements for copper chimney caps.

There are many sizes for copper chimney caps. Different sizes fit different types of chimneys and is important for them to fit properly. Proper fit ensures the right functions and uses for the chimney caps.

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for Web sites on gardening, biking, fashion, and home decor. Her background also includes running, yoga, and tattoos. For more of her useful information on chimney tops visit Copper Chimney Caps.

Termites Can Ruin Your Home

There are three conditions that attract termites to an area:

Water is the first condition that attracts termites to an area. Termites generally cannot survive without a source of water present. Termites will always seek some source of moisture to survive whether it is in the form of a leaky faucet, sprinkler or rain.

Wood is the next thing that will attract termites. Termites will consume any material that contains cellulose. Since wood contains a great deal of cellulose, termites eat wood like no other. If a single piece of wood touches the ground, a colony of termites somewhere will know about it. Some subterranean termites will consume other materials such as vegetation, dung, and humus, but their primary source of food is wood.

The last thing that termites are attracted to is soil. Termites are subterranean, so they build their colonies in the ground. They love soil and will build elaborate tunnel systems, called galleries up to three feet below the surface. Termites will use soil to create mud tubes leading from their underground colonies to above ground food sources such as the wood in your home.

Being aware of the three conditions for termite survival can help you to keep destructive termites away from your home. Termites cost over $1 billion in damages to homes each year. They are one of the biggest contributors to home destruction. With the importation of the Formosan termite from East Asia, the amount of termite caused home damage continues to rise. A termite colony consists of anywhere from 250,000 to a million termites. A single termite queen can live between 30 and 50 years and can lay thousands of eggs per day. That means that a queen can repopulate her colony even after tremendous devastation. The best way to fight termites is to prevent them from ever touching your home.

So if you want to find more about pest control or even about New Jersey pest control or pest control Monmouth new jersey, please click these links.

Energy-Star Appliances Can Help You Save Money

Your household appliances are responsible for a large percentage of the energy consumed in your home. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approximates that kitchen appliances account for almost half of the $2,000 that most average families spend on utilities each year. In addition, appliances that are over 10 years old use more energy than their newer counterparts.

The Energy Star classification system was created by the EPA and the US Dept of Energy (DOE). This system identifies home appliances that decrease energy consumption, lower your utility bills and improve the air quality in your home. Energy Star appliances are usually more expensive than traditional models but the savings in daily energy usage will help them pay for themselves in the long term. Some Energy Star appliances can even save you up to half of the energy you use each day.

Understanding Your EnergyGuide Label:

All Energy Star appliances are required to have an EnergyGuide label. This label displays the model number, features, size and capacity of the appliance. In addition, the label estimates the average energy usage and operation costs of the model per year.

Each label also displays a range of energy used per year by similar models so that you can comparison shop and determine if this particular model meets your needs.

Standard Features of Energy Star Appliances:

Refrigerators:

Use up to 40% less electricity.

Savings of up to $150 each year.

Dishwasher:

Use 50% less water.

Use over 40% less energy.

Save $90 over the lifetime of your dishwasher.

Clothes Washer:

Use 50% less water.

Reduce drying time by extracting more water in the spin cycle.

Less wear and tear on your clothing.

Use up to 40% less electricity.

Savings of up to $110 each year.

Dehumidifier:

Use between 10 - 20% less electricity.

Savings of approximately $30 each year.

Household Air Conditioner:

Use 10% less energy.

Save approximately $250 over the lifetime of your air conditioner.

Investing in Energy Star appliances will help you save on monthly utility costs and reduce emissions in your home and the environment. It's an easy way to save yourself some money plus do your part for the environment.

Gwen McIntyre is a Marketing Manager for PartSelect.com. PartSelect.com is a provider of appliance repair parts to help repair your home appliances. Partselect has a full selection of appliance parts for all major appliance manufacturers.

Kitchen Fire Damage - Carlsbad Home Repairs

Kitchen fires are possible and they happen a lot every year around the world. Kitchen fires can be started from the stove, oven, cooking in general, wires, and other things. So it is good to keep a close eye on your cooking and the appliances you use. If you buy a house, you need to check if there has been any fire in the kitchen because if it is not checked out fully, it can cause it to happen again. Wires can still be burned or be exposed or melted that may have been left there after the fire that no one found.

You also need to check if there is any fire damage left behind the walls because that is not good to have in the house. Those areas might be weak. Make sure all the walls and boards to the floor have been changed so there is not charring and danger to you. When you are cooking, keep kids out of the room so they will not get hurt, and you need to watch every pan you use and watch how you cook. Because if you don't, things can happen, such as fires, flames shooting out, which can burn the wall, and it can run the wires to the burner. Also if you do not watch what you are doing and how hot the pots can get, the metal to the pot can form a hole in it and can shoot sparks everywhere.

This can happen whether there is something frying or boiling and it can melt the burner as well. If you are frying something you need to watch the oil because it can splatter out and get on the floor, which can cause you to slip and fall. If it causes you to get burned by the oil, it will cause fire damage to your skin. You have to keep all plug-ins away from the oil because the oil can get in the plug-ins and cause it to spark. Watch your appliances because they can cause fire by malfunction in the cords and if the appliances do not work right. They can cause shorts on the cords and start the plug-ins on fire, which can cause melting and damages to the wires.

This can cause a fire in the walls, and it can start the appliances on fire as well. You need to watch what you cook in the oven because if it cooks for too long, it can start the food on fire, causing smoke to come out of the oven. You need to have a fire extinguisher. It is very important that you do just in case a fire comes up and it is burning your house. To prevent a fire, you can turn the stove on low or medium-high so it will not get so hot and you might not burn your food. Check all appliances before using them, watch everything you do, and check all plug-ins as well.

Adyan Corkern is a writer for bogalusa blog and water damage virginia.

Build a Wind Generator - Make Your Own and Save Money

Wind generators are getting very popular these days and no wonder due to the overwhelming advantages to them. The trend to build a wind generator is only going to continue because of the cost of energy is only going to get more expensive as time goes by.

The process on how build a wind generator might not be as hard as a lot of people might think. I'm really happy to be able to give you a run down now.

To build a wind generator you can use a lot of different materials but the basic materials are outlined below and you can certainly get them from local hardware stores or you might find them lying around the home or garage.

1. Get your self some PVC pipe with the diameter of at least 10cm and about inch thick and at least 50cm long, this will be used to make the blades.

2. Draw on the pipe four rectangle 50cm sections, this will allow you to cut it into four pieces for the blades. This is the difficult part, you need to put the pipe in a vice and cut it with a hacksaw into the strips.

3. Once you have cut out the pieces, cut out a rectangle piece at the bottom about 5 cm to the left or right, the non-cutout section will let us attach the blade to where it is needed. You should also paint it with UV protective paint to make sure that it will last longer.

4. Drill two holes in the plastic end section so it will be able to be attached to two metal round plate sections.

5. You simply need to strap the turbine to a piece of wood or metal with screwable clips like what's used to clamp a radiator hose on a car so it will stay fixed while the generator turns in the wind.

6. At the end of the tail section we needed to put in a metal fin section so that when the wind blows the wind powered generator is kept facing into the wind and has a direction.

*A 30 volt motor is enough to make approximately 200 watts of power.

This is the main process to building a wind generator, just remember that once you have built the wind generator you don't have to build it again.The main idea is that you will start saving a lot of money and also you will save a lot of energy.

Hi, I'm David and if you want to get more information and tips on alternative energy just head on over to our site http://www.alternativeenergyadvice.net/.

Are Your Basement Walls Bulging, Bowing Or Cracked

Are your basement Walls BULGING, CRACKING, or BOWING?

Want to Weed Out The Gimmicks and Outdated Basement Repair Strategies offered Nationally?

Local Basement Expert and National Basement Author Reveals Insider Tips Secrets and Proprietary Repair Strategies, Custom Designed To Solve Your Basement Problems!!!

Hurry, Act Now!

A Structural Basement Problem Left UNTREATED Can Dramatically Skyrocket The Price< and ROB YOUR CHECKBOOK BLIND!

READ ON To Discover How To Permanently Erase Your Basement Problems! Discover why Innovative Mortar-less Methods Have Been Nationally Tested 5X Stronger

When it comes to treating a bulging cracked or bowing basement wall most of the basement companies are completely in the dark! They may have a few different band-aid type approaches but most are ignorant of the basic causes which create the underlying conditions to allow the walls to crack, heave, shift and buckle.

I am going to let you in on a SECRET. Most Basement Wall Problems Are A Result of Bad Framing ... NOT BAD MASONRY!

That's Right, Bad Framing.

You see with a concrete block or other stacked masonry unit wall, the wall derives its strength from the EVENLY DISTRIBUTED weight of the house applying pressure and pushing directly down on the top of the walls. This even distribution ensures that the heavier the house, the stronger the lateral load capacity of the wall.

When the house is applying direct pressure on top of the walls, the evenly distributed load makes the walls very strong. This is hugely important. The way that the load transfers onto the wall is via a board called a sill plate. The sill plate's job is to transfer the load of the house directly onto the top of the wall.

When the sill plate is as wide as the top of the top block the distribution is even. When the sill plate is smaller or partial there is an un-even distribution of the load; resulting in a wall that is weakened and that will begin to bow bulge and crack. A partial sill plate only covers a portion of the top block and does not come to the inside edge of the wall!

A partial sill plate will put all of the pressure on the outside edge of the block wall. This creates a very unstable wall. When other forces and complicating additional factors or problems are added to the wall, it can create huge problems!

Other factors include things like: a nearby tree with branches over the roof line (means roots pushing on wall) or roof downspouts that discharge to the base of the wall or a little bit of slight negative grade towards the house, when coupled with a partial sill plate: the result is often in total wall failure. The simple action in a northern climate of the soil freezing and thawing against the wall often results in a long horizontal frost line crack developing. This is extremely aggravated when it is coupled with a partial sill plate issue.

The sad truth is that even though many contractors will claim to know how to do a wall-rebuild or an Underpinning job, almost none of them would ever even consider correcting the underlying issue, the partial sill plate. I have seen countless numbers of walls that homeowners just like you paid tens of thousands of dollars to rebuild just to watch their money go up like a puff of smoke because the contractor rebuilt the wall in the exact same fashion as the one that failed already and was being replaced. In fact they will lay brand new blocks right up to the partial sill plate which caused the problem in the first place! Can you imagine paying good money for the exact same thing that broke already?

There is good news...

The sill plate problem can be inexpensively remedied when the wall repair is being performed. This means you can eliminate the underlying cause rather than just putting a band aid on it like a beam or wall anchor system.

When a wall has become destabilized due to uneven load distribution (or other factors), there is only one way to truly rectify the problem, which is to remove the earth on the other side of it and straighten and repair or rebuild it.

The Truth About Wall Anchors and How To Use Existing Wall Anchors and Make Them Effective

There are some companies who install wall anchors in an effort to stabilize the wall. I have stacks of these wall anchor plates at my shop from walls I have rebuilt that failed after being anchored. The reason these walls fail every time is that the plate on the inside wall is only roughly 12" by 12".

Since the mortar joints are often broken on a bulging wall, the plate will only draw back the blocks it touches. The companies that install them give you a wrench and tell you to make a turn every 6 weeks. This draws back virtually nothing. It is just a scam based on human nature and knowing that the homeowners won't give up on the wall ever straightening till long after the money is spent.

A way to utilize the wall anchor system is to remove the plate and jackhammer a pocket into the concrete floor slab. Then in place of the 12" by 12" plate you substitute a heavy duty 8" c- channel beam and cement it in place beneath the slab and tie its uppermost portion into the framing creating three anchor points catching all the courses.

Of course the wall anchor system fails to address the underlying cause of the whole issue, as well as failing to do anything to address water or mold issues it is simply a band-aid for a much more serious problem.

Internal Piers or Pilasters and Why They Don't Work

Some masons will tell you that they can straighten the wall and will use internal pilasters of re-bar and cement every so many feet down the wall. First of all, it is just about impossible to actually fish and thread a piece of re-bar all the way down to the first course of block. This is especially true if the blocks are three cores which are absolutely impossible to get more than two foot sections. The city of Medina, Ohio has a code in new construction that all masonry walls be double rodded with wire ties and grouted every 24" on center. I have re-built many walls in the city that were both bowed and shifted off their foundation. In all cases, BAD FRAMING was to blame! If you hope to stabilize a straightened wall, you need to correct the framing and / or re-enforce with beams.

The rebar you see sticking out of the pier was put in at point of construction, yet this wall in medina still failed

Why Rebuilding A Bowed Wall The Mason's Way Can make It Much Weaker than Before!

When an average, ordinary mason or contractor re-builds a wall they inevitably actually end up making a new but weaker wall. That is because when an ordinary wall re-build or under pinning is done, the new wall has a gap left at the top. That gap is typically shimmed and then tuck pointed. This changes the load on the wall from direct pressure to a point load system.

Since the wall derives its strength from even load distribution... it results in a much weaker wall! That means you're just throwing away your money. It also leads to long term plaster cracking and wall failure. Some years ago we discovered mortar-less wall rebuilding which is uniquely suited to wall rebuilds. In fact, we can even remove our jacks as soon as the last block is set in place and you can too!

Did You Know That the Pyramids Were Actually Built Without ANY Mortar At ALL and have been speculated to be over 10,000 Years old!

Over 12 years ago I stumbled onto one of the greatest basement wall rebuilding secrets, literally by accident. I discovered how to "glue" concrete blocks together without using any mortar between the blocks. The technique was developed in ancient Roman architecture some of which stands to this day. In fact there are 2000 year old Roman roads being driven on in Europe even still today!

Owens Corning Fiberglass spent millions of dollars testing and proving this ancient Roman technique and getting it put into nearly every major building code authority in the late 1960's. They did tests proving that a mortared block wall is up to five times weaker than a surface bonded wall. Or, to put it another way, our walls are five times stronger than ordinary mortared walls, which means you and your family can sleep safe through the night knowing that they're as strong as a fortress!

I began working with the process twelve years ago and have perfected structural repair strategies that employ the amazing benefits of the use of this revolutionary process

The biggest single difference is the immediate ability to apply pressure to the wall prior to completing the process. This comes from the fact that there is no mortar to squish out from between the blocks. Ordinary masons must build the new wall and leave a gap between the sill plate and the top of the block. They then beat shims in every couple of feet and lastly tuck point the gap. This is a horribly ineffective mess and does several things which guarantee the new wall will fail like the old one.

Why Dry Stacked and Surface Bonded Walls Are 5 X Stronger

The concept is very simple. Ordinary mortared walls are weak and have mortar trowelled in between them to level the courses. Many mistakenly believe mortar to be glue. This however is simply not true. A mortar joint is called a cold joint. A cold joint is a very weak porosity only, bond. Everyone knows that when new concrete is applied over old it doesn't bond, it doesn't adhere, and it doesn't stick.

Actually, anyone who has ever seen a bowing basement wall will note the walls can be cracked all over but still don't give in. That is because the downward pressure of the house exceeds the pressure exerted from the soil. The concept behind a surface bonded super-wall is simple.

Just imagine a wall made up of 8 a,b,c wooden kids blocks. Stack them up in your minds eye. Now just imagine that you apply pressure evenly from the top. The more pressure you add the stronger the blocks get. Next, imagine putting your hand on the top but only covering half of it.

See the blocks go shooting across the room. You See Even load distribution is EVERYTHING!!!

Now Imagine those same abc wooden kids blocks were stacked up, but with duct tape going up both sides of the blocks.Now, add imaginary pressure- that's right; incredibly strong! By applying a surface bond you are in effect turning the whole stack into a bond beam. Amazing!

In real life, when dry satcking the first course is laid traditionally in a bed of mortar to level the it and the rest of the blocks are stacked on top in staggered courses just like traditional masonry, called a "running bond." Once the walls have been completed up to the last course, this superior process comes into play. At the top course cut the top blocks a 1/16 of an inch over the gap between the sill plate and the next course. Then take a bottle jack and lift just enough pressure to get the block in, in this fashion. This is something that could not be done with mortar. Move, cut, lift, set. We: move, cut, lift, set.

Finish the last course, and by the time you are done... voila! Now the house is again resting its weight and transferring it directly from the sill to the footer. Of course we always recommend that you correct any sill plate or FRAMING issues before beginning the repair. Now once the entire wall has been rebuilt, then trowel a skim coat like stucco all over the outside and the inside of the wall. This slurry has tens of thousands of "cat hair" fibers, which used to be made of fiber glass but today are made of nylon.

This process of mixing a fiber matrix into a cement mixture goes all the way back to Egypt where they mixed straw with mud before making bricks of them. In more recent times, cement plasterers of the twentieth century used horse hair in plaster to strengthen it. Today's nylon fibers are the modern space age equivalent. And when they are mixed into to a high strength waterproofed surface bonding cement, which has chemical bonding adhesive mixed in that make it chemically "glue" to the wall - the end result is a super-bonded high- strength bond-beam. This makes it incredibly tuff and gives you a real guarantee of piece of mind knowing your new wall is now 5X stronger against lateral or sideways loads.

Bowed Walls Can Be Straightened and Saved TOO!

It is not always necessary to Re-build the wall. If the blocks are mostly intact they can be saved in many cases. The process involves first excavating the exterior wall all the way to the footer base. Then we grind out any joints in the interior that are broken. Then, a series of planks are set up against the bulging walls. Using baords and evenly applied skill and pressure, slowly force the walls back into place.

It is possible to successfully repair the most incredibly bowed walls you've ever imagined. And make them stronger than new!

The way to do this is by repairing the FRAMING issues that contributed to the failure and then by reinforcing the walls either using beams or carbon fiber strips.Traditional beams are cemented in place below the floor slab and tied into the wooden framing at the top thereby securing all the courses and keeping the wall in place. More recent technological advances have brought the carbon fiber wall reinforcing systems into being these eliminate the loss of space created by beams and are more for cosmetic effect. The wall is ground with diamonds and strips of high strength carbon fibers are "glued" to the wall with resin. This technology is being used in modern aviation and stealth technologies.

Both do the exact same thing... strengthen the wall in place.

Buy now if you have a structural problem, I am sure you can see why you need to turn to the experts. Over the years we have tested, innovated, and improved every type of foundation system available , with this knowledge you can't be ripped off by one of the "our-system-fits- all -problems" contractors out there.

How Do I Know If My Basement Is Actually Waterproofed?

Chances are if we didn't do it... It probably isn't. ...You See, Tar Has Never Been Rated as Waterproof!! Did you know that in the building codes, there are actually two separate definitions for damp-proofing (tar) and waterproofing?

Damp-proofing, by definition, means "something that helps to slow the penetration of water into the substrate". HHMMM "helps to slow" sounds quite different than the definition of waterproofing: "something thatpreventsthe penetration of water", and not only prevents water, it further must pass a bending test where the membrane must be able to be bent around a cylinder. This requirement eliminates all crystalline and cement based sealants.

Water proof sealants are almost all exclusively used and installed COMMERCIALLY...(that's because they are more expensive). The extra costs are what stop the average contractor from offering you, the homeowner, a product that is effective and will last and "stand the test of time".

I recommend using a MULTI-STEP EXTERIOR WATERPROOFING SYSTEM which uses a cement-based fiber re-enforced wall resurfacing system and NO LESS than TWO waterproof rated sealants. This is by no means the cheapest of methods, however, and it may or may not be the BEST system to put into place. Which system you should use depends entirely on the specific nature of YOUR problem. There are NO miracle systems than can solve ALL basement problems. The thing I can guarantee is if you use a multistep outside waterproof system , it will actively drain water away from the foundation, and the water leak will be a thing of the past, not only that, but waterproof sealants will outlast the wood on your house GUARANTEED!

Charles Boday
CMI, CMRC, CMLCC
800-948-4947
http://www.safemoldsolutions.com
http://www.superdrybasement.com