How to find the best water purifier for your home

The benefits of a water purifier are many. These days everyone demands pure, clean and safe drinking water. Everyone is much more aware of the quality of the water running through their drinking and shower systems. As homeowners, it is our responsibility to be informed and aware of the danger of contaminants in our water systems. The level of chlorine in our tap water, for example, can have harmful effects in the long term for certain people. Bottled water is certainly an option, but in the long run, a water purifier is the most economical and practical solution. Water purifiers will filter your water system and guarantee that the water you drink is crystal clear and clean.

Low maintenance water purifiers

Water purifiers are low maintenance systems, Once installed you basically forget about them. All you need to do is change the filter cartridge every six or so months for unlimited clean and healthy water supply.

Water purifiers on the market

There are many types of water purifiers available on the market. In short: the better the water purifier, the better tasting water you'll have. Water purifiers come in many varieties. They can be portable or whole house or filters installed under your kitchen sink. You can even purchase a filter for your shower.

How to choose the best water purifier

A better quality water purifier is based on the absolute latest developments in purification technologies. Before you purchase your system, talk to friends, family and colleagues who've already installed a water purifier. The best information is gleaned from those who have already used a purification system themselves. You should also speak to in-store sales people. They can answer all your technical questions. Ask about the filtration and purification technologies used on the air purifiers on sale. Visit manufacturer's websites and study product features and specifications. There is a lot of choice out there and choosing the best purifier depends on how much you know.

Is spring cleaning or easter eggs the health hazard

What is it about spring that brings the goodness out in people, could it be waking up to our feathered friends whistling their morning tune? Is it to do with the buds on the pink cherry blossom trees or the lemon daffodil trumpets standing tall with pride? How about the spring lambs or the hatching of yellow fluffy chicks. Could it be the coming of Easter bonnet parades - is our sense of feeling on top of the world encouraged by chocolate Easter eggs or is it the rising of our lord Jesus Christ that gives us all the reason behind why we feel as good as we do bringing out the goodness in us all?

All these pleasant happenings and events contribute to how we celebrate the spring seasonal months. How do we do this? By spring cleaning of course where no stone is left unturned, it is where every inch of the house is cleaned right through from top to bottom - no cobweb goes unnoticed or scum mark on the bath ignored.

Spring cleaning can be a health hazard if you take on to much at once or it can have its advantages where you can treat it as a form of exercise workout. Who knows you may get to enjoy it to an extent where it gets done on a regular basis, therefore you keep in shape and into the bargain a spotless home.

Spring cleaning is time consuming so the best thing you can do is to sit down and plan a time schedule for each job in advance. Allow yourself tea breaks in between. Spring cleaning can be very fulfilling and rewarding if not rushed. If there are certain parts of the house that need more attention than others then direct all your energies on those rooms. Get the heavy work out of the way so that you do not have to face these as you begin to tire from other tasks performed.

The only ammunition you need for this battle against dirt and grime is a checklist carefully mapped out. Allies, bleach - disinfectant - feather duster and a little elbow grease then you are well on the way to winning this war. Choose a day preferably when you are not likely to have visitors, if kiddies are on the scene call the grandparents to baby sit. Older children send to the cinema in another country if need be. Take one room at a time do not have two or three on the ago at the one time you may lose control.

Consider doing the laundry a couple a days before i. e. sheets curtains. If your list of your jobs on your checklist are followed through the way you intended then all should run smooth. Cutting corners can cause misery.

Throw open every window in the house to let some fresh air in. Have your favourite music playing in the background and sing along at the top of your voice to let the neighbours know you are feeling on top of the world as you dust away. As the day draws to an end run a hot bath, fill with bubbles, light a few candles and relax. Send out for a take away meal pizza or curry we don`t want to dirty the pots now do we.

Are sun rooms safe

Most Americans prefer having a roof deck in their homes just so they can have their private tanning sessions. Others opt for sun rooms or solariums to get that sought-after tan.

The concept of a solarium or sun room has changed over the years, from the rooftop solarium of a house as it is known in Rome to the castle roof solarium as it was known during the medieval period. During the olden times, solariums were typically located at the upper floor of the house, usually with large windows surrounding the room to welcome sunlight.

Solariums were not really made for tanning then, because medieval women used the solariums as their nook where they spend hours gossiping and exchanging pleasantries.

During the modern times, the sun rooms became more extravagant and elegant. Today, sun rooms are built surrounded by window glasses. Some sun rooms are even built with walls made of glass. Sun rooms today are also used by the family members as a relaxation area where they can entertain visitors or host parties. Today, sun rooms are also built to serve as greenhouses where exotic plants are kept and grown.

The concept of using sun rooms as tanning rooms is relatively new but it has attracted homeowners who find the idea practical. Instead of going to tanning shops or spas, there are home owners who buy use the sun rooms for personal tanning sessions.

Solariums or sun rooms are more popular during summer when the whole household can avail of in-house tanning services. Some get their own portable beds and stay in their sun rooms the rest of the day.

Having your own sub room can be practical and cost effective. It can save you time and money in going to tanning salons. However, people who use sun rooms for tanning purposes should be aware of the dangers of too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Even if you are just in you sun room, you have to make sure you are protected by wide-brimmed hats. To be more practical about it, use sun protecting creams or sunscreens with higher protection level. The common belief is that a person does not need sunscreen if he is jus tin the confines of his home. Of course, a sun room is just within your home but you are getting more sun exposure there so you have to protect your skin and your eyes.

You can enjoy your sun rooms but do not endanger your health by enjoying your sun rooms without proper protection.

Selecting your carpet

We've all done it. Every time we invest in new carpet, we take an internal oath and solemnly swear we will take care of this brand new carpet, and rightfully so. It doesn't take a mathematical genius to know that for most folks, the third largest investment after the purchase of our home and cars is the home's interior.

So we read the manufacturer's warranty and notice that it says to vacuum often. Daily might be the frequency in the high traffic areas. But who has time any more to spend maintaining carpets on a daily basis? The only time you see people vacuum that frequently is in the hotel and motel industry.

Rarely does one actually see the carpets being replaced at the hotel and motel industry unless there is a major remodeling project happening with new color schemes to match. So it would serve one well to learn from the hospitality business.

How do we usually buy carpet? In most cases it comes with the home already installed. It will either be a newly built or a previously owned re-sale home. If a new home was built, if you are in the beginning stages of construction, you have a choice to upgrade to the better carpet and padding offered. Or you can choose the cheapest carpet known to mankind commonly referred to as 'builder's grade' materials which also includes the cheapest, thinnest carpet pad also known as 'FHA grade' 2 lb. rebond.

Sure the carpet is fuzzy and comes in a light color and the padding might as well be called foam because it easily crushes to the sub-floor when any weight is applied on the carpet's surface. After all, carpet is just carpet and pad is just pad, right? WRONG. Once again the old adage "You get what you pay for" still rings true.

DuPont, one of the top four major fiber producers, conducted a study years ago about the behaviors of the consumer as related to the way they make a purchase decision when it comes to picking carpet. I suppose human behavior still has not evolved that much since. Please note that the following results are not a misprint.

They rank from number one to number five in order:

1. Color

2. Color

3. Color

4. Texture

5. Price

While not disclosed, the first three might have been trying to color match the hard surface flooring like tile, hardwood flooring or stone. The second might be for the paint in a given room and the last color match to compliment the home's other furnishings such as window treatments, and furniture.

Texture refers to the 'feel' also known as the hand of the carpet referring to how it feels when you touch the carpet by hand. It would also take into account the weight of carpet measured in ounces. For example, a carpet weighing 32 oz. per square inch has more carpet fibers then say a 16 ounce carpet. A good way to test this principle is to go to carpet a retailer and ask to see two different swatches.

For example with all things being equal, such as the same Carpet Fiber Producer manufactured by DuPont, same carpet fibers milled at Shaw Industries, same color dye lot, etcetera, you can perform this simple comparison test side by side.

Simply form your fingers like a claw and push directly straight down from top to the bottom of the fibers using your fingertips only. You should notice an immediate difference in carpet density. It will also reflect in the price per square yard. The difference is the number of stitches per square inch. On a much more dense carpet, it will be difficult to see down to the primary backing where the carpet is stitched in.

Here's the benefit:

If there are more carpet pile fibers, then each carpet fiber actually supports one another side by side on all four corners of the fiber forming a nap. The less pile there is opens up the potential damage for gritty soil to 'cut' the fibers at the base of the pile where the primary backing is. This cutting effect comes with every step, pivot and turn on the carpet nap's surface. This also causes thinning, pitting and marring of fibers making carpets dull in appearance even after restorative cleaning.

It is also worth mentioning that 60 percent of the soil that falls into the carpet can be removed safely and effectively with routine dry vacuuming of high traffic areas such as halls, stairs, entry ways and traffic paths in front of furniture. This single process alone can greatly extend the performance and life use of the carpet. Remember the hospitality industry housekeepers?

The second most fatal mistake a carpet purchaser can make is ignoring the quality of the carpet pad. Padding for the subfloor is like the spine of the carpet. It provides support to aid in preventing indentations left by heavy furniture legs after re-arranging a room.

It also has the job of holding water like a sponge whenever a copious amount water floods the room such as a broken water pipe. It provides the comfort under our footing so our feet and backs don't ache. This is the one place you don't have to worry about the color matching as the carpet will cover all the pad.

Pad is also measured in ounces and pounds. Once again, the higher the number, the more dense the pad. The density can range in feeling. By using a pinch test between the top and bottom of the pad you can compare densities. There is foam all the way up to feeling like a large pencil eraser. The higher the better.

Try to stay away from rubber based products like a waffle print as they have been known to dry rot where hot water pipes run through the concrete subflooring. They also don't provide any absorption for collecting water spills. In fact in a typical flood scenario, the water just continues to migrate further by saturating a greater area of carpet space.

It would also be wise to choose the right carpet for the right application. If you were born during Baby Boomer era, you would have ran into carpets that were made from polyester. Those fibers were dyed first before they were extruded as fiber. They never faded from the sun or bleach spills and lasted forever but were harder to clean.

Nylon came around and was softer to the hand and cleaned up better but spills could permanently stain the fibers and due to costs, generally come in lighter colors. Almost all darker colors will be more expensive to produce due to more dye in the process. More dyes prevented stains due to the lack of dye sites available.

Fourth Generation carpets removed the nuisance of static electricity when walking across a room and touching anything conductive to release a jolting shock.

Fifth Generation carpets involved the incorporation of stain resist carpets. The key to this technology was to create a transparent dye. Normally after dyeing half of the carpet's dye sites in a light color the remaining dye sites would be open for stains once installed. The solution was solved by re-dyeing the remaining dye sites with a transparent dye. Dye sites are like skin pores on your arm.

Benefit:

If all dye sites on a fiber are filled, then no stains could penetrate immediately. This would give the end user time to remove the stain later even if it dried on in many cases.

The last point to consider is the primary backing of carpets. For a number of years, India exported to the United States jute which is what ropes are made of. An unfortunate deadly industrial accident involving chemicals at Union Carbide's battery plant, cause strained relations between both countries and jute stopped being exported.

Jute backed carpets also occurred when they became wet from flooding. The natural fiber made of plant (organically)based material released a tannin dye similar to coffee and bled into the carpet's surface; thereby causing it to permanently discolor the carpet and ruin it.

It was also a food source for mold and mildew and if not treated quickly, it would dry rot causing the primary and secondary backing to delaminate and destroy the carpet.

Since the mid 1980's polypropylene backing has become the norm. It's a tough as fishing line and can hold up to most abuse end users give it. It's also cheaper to produce. In fact, 70 percent of all carpets involved in a clear water food damage loss can be dried, cleaned and re-engaged with no evidence of a pre-loss condition.

Good luck on your next carpet purchase as you now possess more knowledge than most of the carpet cleaners and retailers in the industry. And don't forget to vacuum!

Vacuum cleaner reviews reading the right ones

Vacuum cleaner reviews are a great way to get a glimpse into the way a cleaner works before having to shell out the money to see it in action. Consumer reviews of vacuum cleaners in particular give you the inside scoop on how ordinary people, just like you, rated the effectiveness and ease of use of the cleaner you’re thinking of purchasing. The Internet has made finding vacuum cleaners reviews easier than ever before, but be careful what you believe – not all vacuum cleaner reviews are created equal.

Many types of consumer are turning to the ‘net for information before they purchase any number of items, including that all-important household tool, the vacuum cleaner. And while there are many great genuine vacuum cleaner reviews available online to help consumers find the right home cleaner for them, there are others written with a more disingenuous purpose in mind. So before you trust what the expert or consumer reviews of vacuum cleaners have to say, be sure you find out who’s saying it.

Internet marketers have employed the web to create more subtle marketing strategies than we’ve ever seen before. Whether you are looking for vacuum cleaner reviews or anything else, they have planted their product testimonials all over the ‘net in the guise of unbiased reviews. This is a great way for companies, whether they sell fitness equipment, office supplies or vacuum cleaners to get great publicity by hiding themselves as fellow consumers.

There are undoubtedly a huge selection of genuine vacuum cleaner reviews available on the Internet, but because you don’t know the consumers posting the reviews, you can’t be sure whether the vacuum cleaners reviews you are reading are valid or not. Always make sure that you read the consumer reviews of vacuum cleaners at a reliable review site, and ensure that the web page you pick is not affiliated with any vacuum cleaner manufacturer.

Vacuum cleaner reviews can be a great way to get some shopping advice, but always read with caution to ensure that the reviews you read are reliable.

The right tool - venetian plasters

It has been said that for every job there is a tool. That is the case with the tools used to apply the product commercially known as Venetian Plaster. At a seminar on Marmorino hosted by Rivesto-Marmorino© several months ago, there was an old plasterer from New Castle, Penn., that looked at these trowels and said, “What are these things?” He couldn’t understand their shape or why they where so flexible and the end was curved.

At a seminar on Marmorino hosted by Rivesto-Marmorino© several months ago, there was an old plasterer from New Castle, Penn., that looked at these trowels and said, “What are these things?” He couldn’t understand their shape or why they where so flexible and the end was curved.

Facts

But in a conversation with him recently, he sounded like a changed man; he loves these Venetian plaster trowels designed for use with Rivesto-Marmorino©. Altthoug he mentioned that he couldn’t use them with regular plaster, he said they where well-suited for Marmorino. Marmorino is a marble product with a lime base that needs to be worked very gently. With traditional plastering, you are required to put on a lot of material very quickly and a rigid style trowel is desirable, whereas with Rivesto-Marmorino©, a flexible trowel is required.

No one before us had asked for a trowel like this one, designed for use with a full mineral product. If you work with synthetic or half-synthetic material you do not need trowels like these; rigid stainless steel is sufficient.

In further speaking with this plaster, he did not get dark stripes. With a lot of trowels these days, if there is any rust on the trowel or the steel isn’t of good quality it can leave discoloration on your wall. This never occurs with these new trowels. If you accidentally leave them in water or with material drying on them, the blade will not discolor.

The reason for this is not found by looking at the trowel; it’s found in what you can see on the trowel. The manufacture tempers the sheet steel in the raw material stage and again at the trowel factory, when they form the trowels. It is this procedure that takes the rigidity from the blade so that they become flexible. Then, they are delicately polished; witch is expensive because is done by hand.

Trowel Shape

Now the shape of the trowel raises a lot of eyebrows because it is in the shape of a trapezoid. If you see and old workman’s trowel in Italy, it starts off in a rectangular shape and after several years it start taking a trapezoid shape. This is because you work on the full length of the blade the whole time and one end becomes more narrow as a result. Many craftsmen in Italy would prefer to work with old trowels they inherited, as opposed to working with a new tool because it actually becomes better with age. For this reason, it was decided in a joint effort with Rivesto-Marmorino© and the manufacturer of the trowels to design the Venetian Plaster trowel with this shape to begin with. One of the most experienced toolmakers in Europe manufactured this trowel. The only thing that could not be manufactures was the worn edge on the blade that has to come over time with use. The trowel also has round corners to protect the finished Marmorino.

Ligth Weigth

Last but not least, these special trowels have a light weight handle assembly; the manufacturing procedure holds an international patent. The handgrip is made of wood witch makes it more expensive, but the craftsmen appreciate it because it is extremely comfortable to hold. The original trowel designed with Rivesto-Marmorino© has been emulated by other manufacturers; witch is tribute to the inspired design of the original.

To complete the Rivesto-Marmorino© we use a smaller trowel; witch never touches the raw product. At just the right time this “polishing trowel” is worked over the product to give it that lustrous shine and feel of marble. This is important because in its natural state, marble is not polished.

When an artist picks up a brush or pen or sculpting tool, the object becomes an extension of his hand, his arm, his eye and his mind. In creating truly beautiful decorative finishes with Marmorino, choosing the right tool for that extension is crucial. For every job there is the right tool.

White picket living - build your dream fence

People employ fences for many reasons. There are those who do so for security, noise reduction and boundary definition purposes. There are also those who feel that well-designed fences are stylish additions to the landscapes of their homes. Whether for security or for aesthetic reasons, fences are the best way to go. Adding fences to a particular property can definitely enhance your quality of life and the value of your home.

1. Fence Material 101

There are many types of fences that can be chosen from by those who are thinking about acquiring their own. These include wood fencing, vinyl fencing and ornamental fencing. Wood fencing is traditional, functional and aesthetically pleasing while vinyl fencing has timeless styling and is more intricate than wood fencing. Ornamental fencing, in turn, is high quality, elegant and high in toughness and strength. Among these three, it is wood fencing which is the most popular. This is because it combines both function and fashion in one single entity. There used to be a time when fences such as these were built entirely from scratch by those who want white picket fences for their homes. These days, however, preassembled fence panels which make fence construction faster and easier can be availed of from the market with no hassle at all.

2. Fence Panels And Styles

The market has many different fence panels available to suit all tastes. These fences differ in detail and are uniquely designed so that not one is the same with the other. There are, however, three major preassembled fence panel styles for people to choose from. These include the solid, the spaced picket and the shadowbox fence panel styles.

3. Solid Style

The style referred to as solid is that which is used as containment fencing. This style allows for complete privacy and is commonly used to surround swimming pools and divide property lines. The solid style is also used to hide unsightly areas or major roadways from view. Fences with solid styling generally use very closely-spaced pickets that vary in style, two of which include the basic dog-ear style and the pointed top or elaborate design.

4. Picket Style

The style referred to as spaced picket is that which is ideal for keeping children and pets in defining boundaries. This style also allows fences to wear a distinctive look and aesthetic appeal. Fences that sport the spaced picket style are generally shorter than those that sport the solid style. The advantage this styling has over all the others is that the fences which it employs do not completely block view from the surrounding area.

5. Shadowbox Style

The style referred to as shadowbox uses alternating panels across the back and front. This is to be able to give the fence the same look on both sides. The shadowbox is an ideal fence style for the reason that people from the other side have a pleasant view of the fence as well. Fences that sport the shadowbox style are taller than usual and have the look of full containment while allowing more air circulation.

6. Durability

In buying durable fences intended to endure all storms, it is important to pay special attention to the materials that the fences themselves are made of. The mark of quality found in these materials hold a very special bearing on the fences that they make up. For wood fencing, it is important that the fences themselves are made of the right kind of lumber. Wood fencing treated with paint, stain or waterproofing sealer as well as those which employ weather-resistant galvanized nails and exterior screws are those which should be considered by people who want to acquire fences that are meant to last for eternity.

7. Make It Last And Save Money In The Long Run

Perhaps the most excellent bit of generic advice that anyone can be given as far as buying fences is concerned is that one should buy the best he can afford. Paying a significant premium for the best and the real top of the range stuff allows one to own fences that will not wear or break much faster than intended. This is particularly true for wood fencing, because it is more popular and has the tendency to be particularly abused. Wood fencing is that which is much more consistent as far as standard is concerned and is assured to outlive those which purport to be stylish but do not have the capacity to last a day anyway.

Your style your budget

Tired of ogling the latest styles in brand name home furnishing stores and catalogues, only to find that the price of one little coffee table equals more than half your monthly salary? Don’t be discouraged — with a little ingenuity, your home can be as beautiful and stylish as a Hollywood celebrity’s, for just a fraction of the cost.

* Start with the walls. It’s easy to forget that sometimes just adding a fresh coat of paint or changing the color of your walls can give your living room, bedroom, or dining room a brand new look and feel.

Wallpapering is another way to jazz up a room — but don’t break your budget hiring a contractor. Consider wallpapering just one wall, or only wallpapering borders.

* Create atmosphere with Light. Don’t overlook the power of a lamp. The right lighting can transform any room. Forgo overhead lighting for lamps, and stay away from halogen unless it fits into your modern decorative scheme.

Wall sconces are another great way to add a stylish touch to any room. Look for the type that lends itself to easy, self-installation.

* Accessorize. Another inexpensive way to create a designer look is to buy a few key accessories, like silk pillows, chenille throw blankets, and fresh-smelling candles. Choose an elegant centerpiece for your dining room table or coffee table, like floating white candles, fresh flowers, or a ceramic or glass fruit bowl.

Pictures, photos, prints and paintings can be hung around a room to create whatever look or feel you desire. Shop flea markets and thrift stores for prints and interesting photographs, or go to a discount store for frames and hang some of your own creations.

* Buy furniture that won’t break the bank. Shop smart for couches, lamps, tables, entertainment centers, and more. Estate sales, consignment stores, flea markets, junk and thrift stores can be gold mines for second hand but stylish furniture.

If you don’t want second hand, shop clearance sales or online. Online furniture stores can be treasure troves for good deals, since they generally have little overhead and therefore don’t pass those costs on to you, the consumer.

* Can’t afford a new couch? If you are somewhat handy with a sewing machine, use discounted fabric or beautiful sheets to sew yourself a couch cover. Still have energy? Create more cheap but beautiful "new" furniture by sewing upholstery covers for your armchairs or dining room chair seat cushions.

If you can’t sew, buy a shabby chic slipcover or tuck in a large beautiful sheet or blanket for a homemade slipcover. Finally, consider simply rearranging your furniture — finding a different wall to put your couch against can create a whole new look for your living room.

Use any or all of these tips to achieve the style you want at a low, low cost. Amaze your friends and family with your stylish home, then dazzle them with the shoestring budget you had to work with. Go ahead! It’s your home and you deserve the best without having to spend the most.