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fairfieldcarpetcleaners · 4 years

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Hire a Carpet Cleaning Company in Fairfield

Have you been searching for a local company that can clean carpets in Fairfield California? You have come to the right place. We will discuss the things you need to look for in a carpet cleaning company before hiring them. This article is also written to help you save time and money while cleaning your carpets. These tips are coming from https://www.fairfieldcarpetcleaningpros.com/

The first thing that you should consider is the reputation of the company. Do they have a license to operate in the area? Are their workers properly trained? The best and most reputable companies provide great training for their staff, and most are happy to give you a free quote so you can compare their prices with other companies.

Hire a Company that uses state of the art equipment

It is very important to hire a professional company that uses the latest equipment. If you have an older carpet, then we would advise you to hire a company that uses steam cleaners, or hot water extraction as it is the safest method. These chemicals do not damage your carpets or furniture. Hot water extraction is also more expensive than steam cleaning, but it is usually reserved for top of the line carpets and furniture.

Take a look at the types of carpet they will be working on. Do you know if you will be getting a carpet that has already been cleaned or a new one? A new carpet can last a lot longer. We would recommend that if you have a carpet that has become worn from overuse and is in need of a thorough job that you get a company that offers a guarantee. This way if there is a defect in the carpet the company is liable for replacing it for you.

Do a due diligence check on the company

Check with the Better Business Bureau for any complaints that have been filed against a company. This is a good indication of how the company operates. If there have been many complaints then it is probably a good idea to avoid that company. On the other hand, if the bureau doesn't find any issues with the company then it's probably a company that does an excellent job.

Ask for a free inspection. Ask if they do an inspection of the premises before they commence work. They should have no problem with this. Most companies do. It lets you know that they are doing their best to ensure that you don't have any concerns with your carpet.

You may even be able to purchase your cleaning materials at the company. Ask if they can give you a discount if you buy them from them. Some places offer really great discounts for things like carpet shampooers and floor buffers. You may even be able to buy the chemicals used to clean your carpets from the place if you hire them.

By keeping these tips in mind when you are looking for a company to hire we can make sure that our carpets are cleaned properly and safely. We can also feel confident that our home is remaining as fresh as possible. I'm glad that all the smoke has been cleaned off my carpets. I feel much more comfortable knowing that the next time someone drops by that my carpet is nice and fresh.

Clean in place or out

When you hire carpet cleaning company in Fairfield, you can rest assured that your carpets will remain as clean as they were the day you brought them home. You will have the confidence that your home will sparkle with cleanliness. The next time you think of your carpet, you will be happy about it. You will think about it long after the event.

For many people, they worry about leaving their carpets outside. This is where hiring a carpet cleaning company in Fairfield becomes an option. The professionals who come to your house will take the time to vacuum your carpet and check for dirt. They will take the time to steam clean your carpets.

If you do not have time to do this yourself, they will steam clean it for you. They will also use a truck with special equipment that will move your furniture to the area that needs it. Then the truck will take the carpet into your home for you. You can rest assured knowing that your carpets will look great.

Benefits of Hiring Professional Carpet Cleaning Service

There are many benefits of hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. For one, the company you hire can make sure that your carpets are cleaned using eco-friendly cleaning products that do not harm or wear down your carpets. Professional carpet cleaners can also ensure that the traffic lanes and other parts of your house are well-cleaned so that there is no worry of mold building up or mildew forming. There are also many companies that offer stain removal services so that you won't have to worry about any unattractive stains on your carpets.

Carpet cleaning services are also excellent for those who have allergies. With dust mites being so prevalent in our homes, it can be difficult to stay clear of them. However, with a professional cleaning, you can be sure that no allergens will build up and neither will any other germs and bacteria. This will allow you to live in your home without having to worry about the health of your family.

Other benefits of hiring professional cleaners include the fact that you will save money in the long run. Carpet cleaning usually costs between three hundred US dollars and five hundred US dollars. Hiring one for an entire house cleaning can cost up to ten times as much. Most homeowners do not have extra funds lying around which they can use to pay for the service. Hiring a professional cleaner means that you will save on costs and have a clean carpet that you can enjoy for years to come.

Can Professional Carpet Cleaners Do a Better Job Than You Can?

There are many reasons why people choose professional carpet cleaners. If you have old furniture in your home that is not looking quite as good as it did when it was new, it might be time for a professional cleaning. If there is some type of allergic reaction to your carpets or furniture that is causing you trouble breathing, there are cleaners out there that can do a much better job for you than you could do on your own. If your carpets are bleeding or looking dingy and you do not know what to do with them, calling in a professional service is a great idea.

When calling professional carpet cleaners out you need to first talk with them about the type of cleaner they would prefer to use. Some companies like to make their customers clean their carpets using their company chemicals while others prefer to make their customer do it themselves using their product. There are many options that you have when making this decision. Make sure you talk with the professional carpet cleaners about this and if possible see pictures of what they will do for you.

Some things to consider when hiring a professional carpet cleaner is whether or not you want your carpet cleaned by the company or if you want them to come in and clean inside of your home. If you hire a company to do the home cleaning, you should expect them to clean the floors, the stairs, washrooms, windows, and other areas. If you hire a professional carpet cleaner to come in and do the interior of your home, expect them to clean the furniture and the walls.

Carpet Cleaning Improves Air Quality and Health

When you think about cleaning carpets, the idea of spending money comes into your mind, but you must not forget to consider the other side of it which is how the cleaning improves air and health in your home. There are some products out there that can make the carpet look cleaner and feel softer, but they also have adverse effects on health and the environment. A vacuum cleaner with chemical-laden cleaning fluids may be convenient and quick, but it can be bad for your health and the environment as well. A better choice is to clean your carpet by hand and use only natural products that are safer for you and the environment.

Carpet cleaning improves air quality because it eliminates allergens and dust mites that are trapped in the carpet fibers. Allergic reactions are common with those who suffer from asthma or allergies, and the more allergens present, the more dangerous it can be for you and your family. Dust mites are another big enemy of people who suffer from allergies and breathing problems. They find carpets a perfect place to live and breed due to their wet and warm environment which allows them to multiply and spread. The use of a steam cleaner eliminates allergens and dust mites as well as allergens on the surface of the carpet.

You might be thinking that you do not need to invest in a steam cleaner if your air conditioner or dehumidifier will take care of the problem. This may be true for some people, but remember that there are times when both a carpet and air conditioner cannot help improve the indoor air quality. In such cases, the only option left is to use a high-end air filter machine to filter the air. Cleaning the carpet regularly and giving it a thorough washing once in a while also improves air quality. The best thing you can do for yourself is to invest in an air filter machine and clean your carpets at least twice a year, especially if you live in an area that has pollen and allergic reactions.

Is It a Good Idea to Call Carpet Cleaners Often?

There are many things to consider when thinking about the question, "Is it a good idea to call carpet cleaners often?" Many people who are experts in this field recommend that homeowners call in carpet cleaners at least once per year. This seems like a lot and there is nothing wrong with calling in at least one time each year. After all, who wants their home smelling like urine or having a bad odor coming from under the carpets that were not cleaned properly the first time around? If you are considering getting the carpet professionally cleaned call up a few companies in your area to find out how often they clean the carpets.

Another thing to consider is the length of time that it takes for a carpet cleaner to get to a home. Many homeowners want to know if it is a good idea to call carpet cleaners often, because they want to have their carpets professionally cleaned as soon as possible. Carpet cleaning companies have a minimum amount of time that they take to clean carpets, so it is important for homeowners to ask how long the cleaners will take to get to a home. You also want to make sure that any carpet cleaners that you choose offer guarantee on their work.

Most carpet cleaning companies will offer some sort of guarantee, and many of them are even affiliated with a local hotel or other local business. This means that they do go the extra mile to ensure that customers like their services so much that they will provide a reference to use. Before homeowners set out to call carpet cleaners to clean their carpets, it is a good idea to check into the references of the company, talk to the owner of the location and ask them about the guarantees that are offered with their services.

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lovemychinchilla · 4 years

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Ideal Humidity for a Chinchilla: Stats & Tips

Every chinchilla care guide addresses the most common care issues—but what about humidity? If you get your chinchilla's humidity level wrong, it could have severe consequences...

What's the ideal humidity for a chinchilla? A rough limit of 50% is optimal, while lower is better. Higher humidity levels cause damp fur and damp bedding. Measure humidity with a hygrometer and use air conditioners or dehumidifiers to lower the humidity. If that's too expensive, move the chinchillas to a less humid room, provide frequent dust baths, and spot clean damp bedding.

Excess humidity causes damp fur, which is a nightmare to fix, and can cause severe health issues. It also facilitates bacterial and fungal growth so is best avoided without exception. Follow the guide below to learn how to measure and correct humidity problems for good!

How Humid Should a Chinchilla Cage Be?

Humidity is a measure of how much water is present in the air. It is created by plants and animals as they breathe, or by water sources. Some places are much more humid than others. Meanwhile, chinchillas live in the Andes, near the Atacama Desert. This region is very dry, and chinchillas have adapted to it well. They are used to low humidity and low amounts of available fresh water.

As such, you have to keep them at the appropriate humidity. Otherwise, they can get sick (e.g. with damp fur or eye infections). The optimal chinchilla humidity level is below 50%. If you notice the humdity rising above that level, you should take active steps to lower it, like using a dehumidifier.

How to Measure Humidity in a Chinchilla's Cage

Image courtesy of Sally Hunter.

You shouldn't rely on weather reports to tell you how humid it is. That's because weather reports tell you how humid it is outside, not inside. You can keep a room at 0% humidity while it's 100% humidity outside, or vice versa. The most relatable example is if you have AC: the humidity will be much lower inside than out.

Instead, you can measure humidity with a tool called a hygrometer. This is like a thermometer, but for humidity. You place it inside the chinchilla's cage and it will tell you how humid it is in there. These are common in the pet trade as there are lots of animals, chinchillas included, that have strict humidity requirements.

Some hygrometers come packaged with thermometers as a two-in-one tool. These are useful, because you should keep a tab on how warm your chinchillas are, too. Just make sure you buy a recognized and trusted brand as it's possible that a poor quality one could give you the wrong reading. A good way around this is to have two hygrometers, each of different brands.

How Humid is Too Humid for Chinchillas?

A chinchilla's fur should be perfectly dry, not damp. Image courtesy of © Salix / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 & GFDL

If the humidity in your chinchilla's cage goes above 50%, it isn't an immediate death sentence for your pet. There's no need to panic. The problem is if you leave the humdity too high for too long, your pet may develop damp fur, or a respiratory or eye infection.

Above 50%, the potential health risks become more common on a sliding scale. There is very little practical difference for your chinchilla between 51% and 49% humidity, so if there is no possible way to get the humidity down further, monitor your pet to see if it develops these problems. If it doesn't, there's no problem.

But at 100% humidity, it's guaranteed that your pet's fur and bedding will become damp, even sodden.

How Do I Protect My Chinchilla from Humidity?

Now that you've established how humid your chinchilla's cage should be, and you're taking steps to measure the humidity, you can proactively protect your chinchilla from these unsuitable conditions.

There are lots of ways to do that. Some of them are free, while some of them cost money. As is always the case with life, the more money you spend, the better time you (and your chinchilla) will have. But some of the free options do work well, especially when combined together.

1) Pick The Least Humid Room for a Chinchilla

Begin by picking the best room in your house for chinchillas to live in. There are many factors to consider like direct sunlight, levels of noise and interaction, and safety. But you should weigh these other factors against humidity, too.

Homeowners can find that basements are particularly humid. That's because they don't have windows, so the humid air has no way to escape. If you spend lots of time down there, the water you breathe out will gradually make the room more humid. You may also have household appliances like your washing machine there, or an unnoticed leak. All of these things contribute to the humidity.

As such, a bedroom may be a good choice. Bedrooms are far away from the clanking and banging of kitchens and household appliances, and you'll get good opportunities to spend time with your chinchilla in there. This is something you'll have to gauge for yourself, though, as every home is different.

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2) Should You Open a Window for Your Chinchilla?

Again, whether this will help depends on where you live. But opening a window can let hot, stuffy, humid air out and let cool air in. This would benefit your chinchillas in two ways, as they also prefer cold temperatures.

But if you live somewhere that it's hot and stuff outside like Florida, this would be a bad idea. You could be letting in more humid air than you're letting out, in which case your chinchillas stand a higher chance of getting damp fur and bedding.

3) Do Chinchillas Need Air Conditioning?

An air conditioner serves two purposes. First, it keeps the temperature low. But as a byproduct of how it works, an air conditioner will also dehumidify the air.

It works by sucking in air from inside the home and running it through a series of pipes. The moisture in the air is evaporated, and the evaporative process cools the air down (which is why we sweat). The cool air is then pumped back into your home, while the residual water is dumped outside. There are other kinds of air conditioner, but this is likely the kind you have.

As such, an air conditioner provides a slight dehumidifying effect. If you live somewhere that's only slightly or occasionally humid, an air conditioner may be all you need. So, for example, if your chinchilla's room is 55% humidity in the summer than an air conditioner will probably have enough effect to lower thatn figure below 50%. But it can't tackle, say, 80% humidity.

4) Do Chinchillas Need Dehumidifiers?

You ought to buy a dehumidifier if you live somewhere that gets frequent high levels of humidity. These can be expensive at more than $100, or far more if you want a high quality one. But there's nothing as fit for purpose as a purpose-built dehumidifier.

Owners who live in states with humid summers like Florida or New York would benefit immensely from having one—and not just because their chinchillas would be more comfortable! They're also necessary if you keep a chinchilla in a humid room like a basement. Owners also buy dehumidifiers for chinchillas if they have lots of them, as the more chinchillas you have, the more moisture there will be in the room (as chinchillas breathe out water like we do).

One caveat is that dehumidifiers raise the temperature in the room. The most effective can make the room warmer by several degrees Fahrenheit. As such, you should closely monitor the temperature as well as the humidity if you decide to use a dehumidifier. You should ideally find a setting on the dehumidifier that dries the air enough, but doesn't raise the temperature too much.

You could also use small dehumidifiers which aren't powered by electricity, but naturally absorb moisture. These contain small crystals or balls that absorb water from the air. These aren't as effective, but are a cheap solution that has a slight effect.

5) Frequent Dust Baths to Prevent Damp Fur

The most important side effect of high humidity is damp fur. Chinchillas aren't supposed to stay damp for long periods of time. As their fur is so thick, it's difficult to dry even in warm weather. As such, it can develop bacterial or fungal infections.

One way of preventing that is with frequent dust baths. Dust baths wick up any oils or water in a chinchilla's fur and leave it dry and clean. So, if you have no choice but to keep your chinchillas somewhere humid, more frequent dust baths would help.

Owners typically allow their chinchillas to dust bathe twice a week. You could consider upping that to four times a week if it helps. It is possible that bathing that frequently will cause eye irritation because of all the dust, however.

6) Frequently Change Bedding

Humidity affects your chinchilla's bedding as well as its fur. The purpose of bedding is to absorb moisture, after all; urine, or any water that spills in the cage. It also absorbs moisture from the air. This applies both to fleece and to KD pine/other beddings.

In instances of high humidity, bedding can absorb too much liquid. When it does, it becomes wet to the touch, like a sponge with too much water in it. This is bad for your chinchilla's fur and feet, as dampness makes them cold. Bacteria also multiply more quickly in the presence of water/high humidity.

As such, you should change your chinchilla's bedding more frequently than normal. This will prevent the bedding becoming sodden and having a knock-on effect on your chinchilla's fur.

7) Remove Water Sources From The Room

Bodies of water contribute to high humidity levels. That applies to ponds and lakes, but also to smaller water sources like leaks or cups of water. A leak can make a room much more humid than it would be otherwise. So, for the sake of your pets and the structure of your house, get it fixed as soon as possible.

The same applies to appliances. If your chinchilla lives in the same room as the washing machine or dryer, these will make the room too humid for your pet. Switch rooms and you should see an immediate improvement.

8) Chinchillas and Fans

Fans can help cool you down and make you feel less humid in the summer. But they aren't suitable for chinchillas as they won't have the same effect.

The only reason why fans work is that they help your sweat evaporate. As we said above, the process of evaporation leaves the surface the water evaporated from cooler. Precisely why this works doesn't matter for now; what matters here is the fact that chinchillas don't sweat.

There would be little point if they did. The sweat would get caught up in their fur, which is exactly what they don't need. If anything, your chinchilla would dislike the loud noise and the feel of the air from the fan hitting it. In short: don't bother using a fan. Use one of the other tips above instead.

If none of these tips can stop your chinchilla's fur from getting damp when it's humid, then it may be impossible for you to keep one as a pet. You should only keep any pet if you can care for it properly. If you cannot, it's at best neglectful, and at worst cruel. So, take immediate steps to check the humidity in your chinchilla's cage and correct it if you haven't done so already.

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

#chinchillas #chinchillacagesetup

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arplis · 5 years

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Arplis - News: TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show

I’m Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. TOM: And we are here to help you take on your home projects, your do-it-yourself dilemmas. Whether it’s décor, repair, remodeling, whatever is on your to-do list we are here to help. Give us a call, right now, and help yourself first by calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974. Coming up on today’s show, are you in the market for maybe some new furniture but you don’t have a big budget to buy new? Well, if that’s the case, upcycling may be for you. We’re going to have tips to help you get started, including tips on what makes the best type of upcycled find. LESLIE: And you might be noticing that the days are getting shorter and it’s getting darker earlier. Well, now would be a great time to update your home’s lighting. You know, LED offers a long-term energy savings but between understanding those lumens, watts, color temperature, there’s so much on that label today that it’s really kind of hard to figure out which one is the best one for you. So we’re going to shed some light on a solution, in just a bit. TOM: And also ahead, are you getting ready to replace leaky or drafty windows? We’ll have some tips on the best ways to get that project done for year-round energy savings. LESLIE: And we try to help you keep your projects together on The Money Pit. And today, we’ve got a giveaway that does that, as well. TOM: That’s right. We’ve got a set of four Jorgensen Steel Bar Clamps worth 140 bucks. Perfect for clamping all sorts of home projects. So, you’ve got to be in it to win it, so pick up the phone, right now, and call us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. That set of four clamps is going out to one caller drawn at random. Let’s get to it. Leslie, who’s first? LESLIE: Loretta, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you today? LORETTA: We’re in the process of building a beach house. And we have a crawlspace, no basement, because of the water level there. Basements are not allowed. Everything we’ve looked up – and just trying to find out what flooring to put in. We were hoping for 90-percent of the floor to be hardwood floor. But there’s third – everybody’s telling us no, we can’t do hardwood. So we’ve been looking around and we’ve seen different types – laminate, vinyl – and have read so many mixed things about it that we just were undecided of what to do now. TOM: OK. So, if you’re thinking solid hardwood, I would agree. There is, however, a type of hardwood called “engineered hardwood” that is much more dimensionally stable and can work very successfully in damp locations. Engineered hardwood is – if you can think of the way plywood is made, where you have different layers of wood that are glued together in opposing angles but the top surface is what you see, that’s kind of what engineered hardwood is in terms of how it’s made. There are different layers that are glued together at 90 degrees. And when you see the finished board, the top of it that is all that you see when it’s all down, is the hardwood. And the rest of it, basically, is the part that gives it this sort of structural rigidity in different conditions. So you definitely could use an engineered hardwood. But that said, sure, there are lots of great laminate products. And also, the new type of product that looks like pretty much laminate or can look like hardwood is called EVP, which stands for Engineered Vinyl Plank. I just put a beautiful EVP floor down in my mom’s kitchen for her, so we’re on a floor that was going to take the traffic and handle the moisture and the spills and that sort of stuff and the chair scuffs. And man, it looked great. It looks like an antique-y kind of an old, wood floor. And the whole thing is made out of vinyl but I’m telling you, nobody can tell when they walk in this kitchen and look down at it. Vinyl is the last thing you would guess, because they’ve done such a great job now with how these products are made and the colors that they put in and the textures that they put in. It looks just like the real thing which, in our case, was an old, wood floor. LORETTA: Mm-hmm. And it’s definitely good with humidity and … TOM: Well, it’s vinyl. You could use it underwater and have no effect. LORETTA: OK. Right. TOM: Right. So, I would take a look at those products and I think you’ll find something that is going to work well for you. LORETTA: OK. OK. How about price-wise? TOM: The EVP is going to probably be less expensive than the engineered hardwood but it’s not terribly expensive either way. LORETTA: Alright. We’ll take a look at it. TOM: Alright, Loretta. Good luck with that house. Let us know how you make out. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Michael in Louisiana is on the line with a question about insulation and the different types. How can we help you? MICHAEL: Hey. My question is about closed-cell versus open-cell foam and in a roof-deck application, the difference between using open- and closed-cell foam and roof-deck rot. TOM: So, first of all, it’s a really good product to use for any type of a roof insulation. Spray-foam insulation is really the best way to go. It’s not subjected to the same types of humidity and decay issues that traditional fiberglass would, because it’s essentially designed to be in a conditioned space. You don’t have to vent it. Now, in terms of the differences, open-cell foam characteristically is a little softer and more flexible. It has – the cells are deliberately left open. And closed cell is just as the name implies: they basically are sealed together, stiffer and harder. The R-value on closed cell is usually higher than open cell. So that means you can get more insulation in the same physical space with closed cell compared to open cell. But the other side of it is it’s usually more expensive. So what I would do is I would compare and contrast total R-value on making the assessment, not just how many inches of insulation. Because that’s what you’re paying for, right? You’re paying for the insulation value. And I will say that if it’s an area where I’m concerned about moisture more so, closed cell is probably the better way to go. For example, we see houses along the beach where the underside of the floor structure is sprayed. In those applications, I like to recommend closed cell over open. MICHAEL: So I think I understood that the industry, several years ago, was recommending closed cell for roof-deck scenarios. But then they kind of got away from that and went back to open cell due to moisture accumulation in the roof deck. TOM: Yeah, I’m not familiar with that. I mean I would talk to the manufacturer of the product that you’re deciding to work with. I did my house and I used Icynene. I was really happy with them. They’re a Canadian company, one of the biggest in the world with that product. But there are lots of good companies. It also comes down to the installer, because it’s a product that has to be mixed on site. It’s not like you’re heading to the home center and picking up some rolls of insulation. This stuff is mixed and applied right there, so the experience of their installer is really important, as well, in getting the job done right. MICHAEL: So we had our entire roof foam-insulated about a year or so ago. And I’ve noticed that the interior humidity level since then has been higher than what we had previous to that. TOM: OK. MICHAEL: So I don’t know if the overall envelope of the house – obviously, it’s much tighter. But our – the home was built in the mid-90s, so we have kind of builder-grade insulation and builder-grade windows in the exterior walls. TOM: Right. Right. MICHAEL: So, I know that the roof deck and the eaves and all that are much tighter. TOM: You know, it’s entirely – I understand what you’re saying, Michael, and it’s entirely possible because you have now less natural ventilation. You basically may have taken a home that had several air changes per hour and now cut that way back. It is possible that you could have a bit more humidity inside. But I think that that’s not a problem. I think it’s just a condition that you should manage and especially in an area like Louisiana, where you are 100-percent humidity 9 months of the year, it would seem, right? You might want to think about using a piece of equipment that’s designed specifically to reduce humidity. For example, there’s a type of product called a “whole-home dehumidifier.” Now, don’t confuse this with a dehumidifier you typically see on a lower level of a house that’s hooked up to a bucket and just dumps water out. This is actually installed into the duct system as part of the HVAC system. And it runs on a humidistat. And when it comes on, it is designed only to pull humidity out of the air. And it can do so in a really surprising volume. It can take out 100 pints of water a day. So in your area, that might be something I would consider, especially if I’m seeing excessive humidity inside the house. But I think you’re on the right path with the spray foam. MICHAEL: Very good. Thank you. TOM: Alright. Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Show. Give us a call at 888-MONEY-PIT. We’d love to hear what you are working on. And The Money Pit is presented by HomeAdvisor. You can get instantly matched with top-rated pros for any home project and book appointments online for free. TOM: And just ahead, are you in the market for new furniture – maybe a table, some chairs or a cabinet – but you don’t have a big budget to buy new? Well, if that’s the case, upcycling may be for you. We’re going to have tips to help you get started, in today’s Better Get a Truck Tip presented by Hertz, next. Making good homes better, welcome back to The Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. TOM: And the number here is 1-888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974 presented by HomeAdvisor, the fast and easy way to find the right pro for any kind of home project, whether it’s a small repair or a major remodel. And if you pick up the phone and give us a call, right now, we’ll give you the answer to your home improvement project and some extra help to keep it all together, because today we’re giving away the Jorgensen Steel Bar Clamp Package. There’s four clamps in the package and it’s worth 140 bucks. Now, these are my – first of all, Jorgensen is my very favorite brand of clamp. And I know that that’s kind of weird. Who has a favorite brand of clamp? Well, if you’re a home improver like me, you have a favorite brand because you need to have something you can really rely on and count on to get the job done. And I love the Jorgensen products. Now, these Steel Bar Clamps have this fast-acting sliding head, which basically makes it easy to adjust to whatever size project you’re working on. It’s got a big, easy-grip handle. It’s got a swivel pad. Really strong and they hold 80,000 pounds a square inch. And it has this multiple-disk clutch design. That means that when you’re trying to slide the different parts of the clamp to hold securely to any spot in the whole path, it does that really easily. So you could pretty much put any size that you need in there. And listen, if you’re trying to clamp together or maybe a bureau that the top came off on and you want to reglue it or a drawer front or something like that, you need this kind of thing. So, check it out at PonyJorgensen.com. But if you’d like to win that set of four Jorgensen Steel Bar Clamps, worth 140 bucks, you’ve got to call us right now. It’s going to one listener drawn at random. The number is 1-888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Evelyn in North Carolina, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you today? EVELYN: Yes, ma’am. I have wanted to redo my – they call it a “living room” now but it’s mostly your front room? And I wanted to know if I wanted to have it made over – the whole room – do you have any suggestions about how I could go about getting that done? The exception is I have this really big, huge desk that I have to keep in the room. TOM: So you’re looking for a decorator to help you sort of redo the room. Is that correct? EVELYN: Yes. LESLIE: Well, there is an association of interior decorators; it’s ASID. And these are folks that are registered with the Interior Decorating Society. And they’re listed by zip code. You can go to the website, ASID – I don’t know if it’s .org, .com. And that way, you can find a decorator in your area. I will let you know that pricing ranges from decorator to decorator. Some will do an hourly consulting fee, some will do a flat fee, some will do a percentage of the items ordered. It really depends on the project. I think if you start at that website and start looking for people in your area, visit their websites. Take a look at the style of work that they do; this way, you can find somebody that matches your décor. And then that’s a good way to find somebody that’ll fit well. EVELYN: OK. Well, listen, that was what I wanted to know. You think that would be worth the while? LESLIE: Oh, absolutely. I think it makes sense to start that way. EVELYN: Oh, OK. Well, thank you. TOM: You’re very welcome. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Are you in the market for some new furniture but maybe you don’t have the big budget to buy new? If so, upcycling might be for you. We have some tips to help you get started, in today’s Better Get a Truck Tip presented by Hertz. First of all, guys, some basics here. Now, upcycling is essentially a term that’s the opposite of downcycling, which is what happens when you just throw something away. Now, in between upcycling and downcycling is recycling, which still puts waste back into the environment but in a much more responsible way. But we really do love upcycling because it provides an opportunity to find useful furniture and other household items. And with a little creativity and a small budget for some supplies, it gives them a second life in your home or your apartment. And that really just does good all around. TOM: Yeah. And the idea of upcycling is really popular right now. In fact, there’s a fun and useful Instagram page that I discovered called Stooping in New York City or Stooping in NYC, where people that spot items being thrown out in the trash, they take a picture of it and they upload it to the site with its location. Now, those pics on Stooping in NYC are seen by thousands of people. And if someone thinks it looks good, they can head on over to the location to hopefully be the very first one to score a great upcycled find. Now, outside of urban areas, though, there are a lot of towns and cities that have a bulk trash collection day, which is pretty much code for free stuff. LESLIE: It’s true. TOM: And knowing when that happens in your own neighborhood, as well as the surrounding communities, that can be a good way to find a great bed frame, a cabinet, a dresser, table or chair that maybe with just a little TLC, a touch of paint, it could become a very welcome addition to your home. LESLIE: It’s funny. My sisters live out on the East End of Long Island and there, you have to bring your garbage to a dump. And at the dump, they have what everybody calls the “dump store,” which is where you bring furniture and toys and games and all things that you’re done using but really aren’t ready for the trash. And everybody goes there and waits outside and is like, “I want that dresser.” It looks like … TOM: And they watch what comes out of each truck and man, as it comes up to the dump store, right? LESLIE: I mean it’s really true. It’s free shopping and you’re allowed to loiter in the parking lot. But you can’t take anything out of a person’s hands. It’s got to physically go into the dump store – which is basically just a chained, fenced area – and then you can grab it. TOM: OK. Race for it. LESLIE: It’s amazing. Now, it’s really great. Now, guys, if you’re shopping for a piece to upcycle yourself, here’s a few things that you want to keep in mind when you’re doing your shopping. And you can’t see me doing air quotes but I’m doing it: “shopping.” So, first of all, you want to make sure that that piece is structurally sound and doesn’t need any major repairs to be able to use. Cosmetic updates like cleaning, painting, those are easy DIY projects and pretty much expected sometimes when you’re doing these projects. But if it needs a bigger repair, it just might simply not be worth it. And if you’ve got some big stuff, guys, you might need to get a truck. Because the challenge can just be finding a way to get it home. We’ve all seen things people have tried to strap to the top of their car to move. Tom even saw a picture recently where somebody tried to strap down a mattress, to a car roof, with painter’s tape. TOM: Yeah. LESLIE: Instead, guys – that’s not going to hold anything down. Instead, get a truck and move it safely. You know, Hertz does trucks and vans. And they’ve got a great selection that can help get those materials, furnishings, whatever you find home quickly, easily and safely. TOM: Now, let’s talk about what to avoid when you are “shopping,” with air quotes, as Leslie said. LESLIE: I saw them. TOM: You want to avoid upholstery and bedding. There’s no telling where upholstered furniture – like couches, bedding, easy chairs or big cushions – have been and what may be living inside, like bed bugs, right? Stay away from the upholstery. The only exception might be a wood chair that’s got an upholstered seat or upholstered back. That’ll be easy to remove and completely replace. Otherwise, it’s just not worth taking a chance. Now, upcycling, it’s a fun – it’s a meaningful way to take an item on its way to the trash heap and maybe, with just a bit of sweat equity, make it totally your own and something you can treasure for years to come. And that’s today’s Better Get a Truck Tip presented by Hertz. For any home project, store pickup or a move that needs more than your car can handle, remember HDTV: Hertz Does Trucks and Vans. Book now at Hertz.com. LESLIE: Buck in Texas, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you today? BUCK: I was calling to ask a question about a built-up roof, about 4,000 square foot. I was thinking about taking and putting a coating on top of it. No insulation in the attic. And was wanting to know if it really would actually defer the heat in the lower floor by putting a brilliant-white roof coating on top. TOM: Well, those types of roof paints do have UV reflectors in there and they’re designed to make the roof cooler. And certainly, it will be a heck of a lot cooler than the black roof that you’re starting with. So I think that that’s probably a good idea in your situation, especially being in such a warm part of the country, Buck. BUCK: Any particular product brand that you can suggest going on top of tar? TOM: No. But make sure it’s a roof paint. I mean typically, you use a fibrous aluminum paint for something like that. What you really want to look for is the UV reflectivity of it. Because the more UV it reflects, the better the job it’s going to do. And by the way, it will also extend the roof life, as well, because the cooler the roof is, that means less of the oil is going to evaporate out of the asphalt and it’ll last a lot longer. BUCK: OK. Good. LESLIE: You are tuned to The Money Pit Home Improvement Show. Give us a call with your home repair or your home improvement question 24 hours a day, 7 days a week right here at 888-MONEY-PIT. We’d love to lend a hand. Hey, have you been really wanting to change to LED bulbs at home but you’re really not sure where to start or if it’s really going to save any money? We’ve got the facts to help you make the switch, after this. TOM: Making good homes better, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. TOM: Give us a call, right now, at 1-888-MONEY-PIT presented by HomeAdvisor. Hey, do you need some new flooring in your kitchen or your bathroom? HomeAdvisor will instantly match you with the right pro for the job for free. LESLIE: Now we’ve got Elizabeth in Idaho who’s dealing with some siding that’s coming apart. Tell us about it. ELIZABETH: I have a 1970-built house and with composite siding on the entire house. But on the west side – where it gets most of the weather, the heat and the rain and wind and so forth – the horizontal siding has split where the siding joins themselves and has spread open as much as a ¼- to ½-inch. TOM: Was it just in one area or is it all over the place? ELIZABETH: It’s mostly on the west side of the house that gets the brunt of the weather. TOM: OK. So many places it’s coming apart or just a couple of places? ELIZABETH: Quite a few, quite a few. I’d say 10 places on the back of the house. TOM: I would caulk the seams. If it’s ¼- to ½-inch, I would caulk it. I would get caulk that’s colored to match the siding and I would apply a bead of caulk. Because the other thing to do, of course, is to put new siding in. You would have to cut out the old siding and overlap that space and then paint it and it’s a really big project. So, I would caulk it and call it a day. ELIZABETH: OK. We have tried that and we’ve used a product – is it OK if I say the name of the product? TOM: Sure. ELIZABETH: It’s DAP – D-A-P. TOM: Right. ELIZABETH: And we used DAP DYNAFLEX 230. And we’ve also tried DAP ALEX PLUS. And after we put that in, we went out to look at it after about two or three days and then the – that area has just gone concave. So it’s just sunk into the siding, so it leaves a big, concave area where it was once just a crack. Now, can we put something over that? Should we just keep putting layers on? TOM: I think there’s a misunderstanding with what you’re trying to accomplish here, OK? What we want to do is keep the moisture from getting in there. And when you caulk, yes, it is going to dry and it’s going to shrink and actually sort of fill in very tightly any gap that you have there. You’re not using a wood filler, OK? You’re using a caulk. And so I would not worry about small, concave gaps like that in between the caulk; that’s what I would expect it to do. Doing that, if you want to paint it over so it’s all the same color, you can probably blend it in more. But that is exactly what it should be doing. ELIZABETH: Alright. Well, it’s just kind of unsightly where it comes together; it’s just a big, concave area. But it looks better than the crack, so … TOM: Let’s hope that’s the biggest problem you ever have with your house, OK? ELIZABETH: I hope so. TOM: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT, 888-666-3974. Well, if you’ve been considering going LED at home but you’re not really sure about the cost savings, we have found that upgrading to LED bulbs really is a great way to save some money. And that’s because LED bulbs use a heck of a lot less energy and they can last for decades. LESLIE: Now, maybe you’ve been feeling a little put off by the price of LEDs. I mean I know I was when they first came out. But now the cost has come way down in just the past year. And you don’t need to buy a ton of bulbs to start seeing that savings. TOM: Yep. So to get started, you want to replace bulbs in the lights that you use most often or the ones that stay on the most. If you replace those first, they’re going to have the biggest immediate impact on your energy savings. And from there, you can replace the old bulbs with LEDs on fixtures that have multiple bulbs, you know, as the old bulbs wear out. Just update them with LEDs. LESLIE: Yeah. And finally, to make sure that you get the best results from your new LED bulbs, you want to make sure that they’re rated for the specific use or fixture that you’re working with. For example, if you’re using a dimmer, make sure it’s a type that works with LED bulbs. You’ve got to make sure things sort of pair up well together for the best results. TOM: And for the best results for your home projects, let us give you a hand. Give us a call, right now, with your home improvement questions at 1-888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Give us a call with your home repair or your home improvement question 24 hours a day, 7 days a week right here at 888-MONEY-PIT. Just ahead, between sky-high electric bills and expensive heating costs this winter, are you finally getting ready to replace those leaky or drafty windows? We’re going to have tips on the best way to get that project done, in today’s Pro Project presented by HomeAdvisor.com, next. TOM: Making good homes better, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show presented by HomeAdvisor.com. Never worry about overpaying for a job. Just use the HomeAdvisor True Cost Guide to see what others paid for a similar project. That’s all for free at HomeAdvisor.com. LESLIE: That’s right. Pick up the phone and give us a call. We’re going to help you keep your projects together, always, here at The Money Pit. But today, we’re giving away a product that does that, as well. We’ve got Tom’s favorite clamps up for grabs. We’ve got a Jorgensen Steel Bar Clamp Package. It’s four clamps worth 140 bucks. And what’s really great about how these clamps work is they’ve got a fast-acting sliding head and a really large, easy-to-grip handle. So, you can do this very easily with sort of holding pieces together and trying to assemble everything. That clamp is going to work for you. And it packs 80,000 pounds per square inch of tensile strength, so it’s really going to keep your project together while it fastens. Go to PonyJorgensen.com to view the entire Pony Jorgensen product line. And that Jorgensen Steel Bar Clamp Package is worth 140 bucks and going out to one listener drawn today at random, so make that you. Give us a call now at 888-MONEY-PIT. TOM: 888-666-3974. LESLIE: Julie in Colorado is on the line and has a heating question. JULIE: My question is regarding heat pumps and how energy-efficient they might be, because we’re an all-electric house. Our electric bill is very high. TOM: And how is your house heated right now, Julie? JULIE: It’s heated with baseboard. And actually, we don’t even really heat our house. We’ll heat one room because it’s so expensive. TOM: Right now, you’re heating with electric-resistance heat which, as you accurately stated, is the most expensive type of heat. Now, a heat-pump system would be far less expensive but it would require a duct system to be installed throughout the house. So, you would have that upfront cost of running the heating ducts. If you had that system installed – the way a heat pump works is it’s kind of like an air-conditioning system that runs all winter except that in the wintertime, the refrigeration system is reversed. Now, if you’ve ever walked, say, by a window air conditioner in the summer, you know it blows hot air out the back of it, out to the outside. If you sort of took that window air conditioner out and flipped it around and stuck it inside, you’d have a heat pump; it’d be blowing the hot air in the house. That’s essentially what happens: it reverses the refrigeration cycle in the wintertime. Now, generally speaking, heat pumps are not always recommended for very, very cold climates, because heat pumps only maintain the heat when there’s a 2-degree differentiation between what the temperature is set at – what the temperature is and what the temperature is set at, I should say. So if you set your temperature at 70, it falls to 69, the heat goes on. If it falls inside to 68, the heat pump stays on. If it falls to 67, the heat pump says to its electric-resistance backup system, which is always part of a heat pump, “Hey, I can’t keep up with this. I need some help. Turn on the heating coils.” And then you’re not saving any money. So, will it save – will it be less expensive than baseboard electric? Yes. But it has a significant upfront cost in terms of the installation because you’d need a duct system, as well as the heat-pump equipment. Does that make sense? JULIE: OK. Sounds good. Thank you. TOM: Good luck with that project. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. Well, between sky-high electric bills and expensive heating costs this year, are you finally getting ready to maybe replace those leaky or drafty windows? Window replacement is a job best left for a pro but we’ve got a few tips to help make sure it goes smoothly, in today’s Pro Project presented by HomeAdvisor.com. LESLIE: Yeah. First of all, it’s important to understand the difference between a replacement window and a new-construction window. Now, replacement windows are just that: they’re custom-sized and they’re designed to replace an old window but they fit in the exact same-size opening. Unlike those new-construction windows, there’s no need to remove any siding. TOM: Next, once you determine the pro you’ll hire for the project, it’s important to let that pro measure for the new windows. Some folks like to do this themselves but that can be a very big mistake. You know, all replacement-window manufacturers’ specs can vary. And it’s really important if a pro measures for the window and it doesn’t fit, it’s their responsibility to fix that problem. LESLIE: Mm-hmm. And you know what? Once the installation day arrives, you want to be sure to remove window treatments, clear the window-installation area as much as possible. You want to make sure that the process will actually go even more quickly. And helping make sure that your house is ready when those pros arrive truly is the best way to assure a very smooth install. TOM: And last, you’ve got to make a rain plan, right? I mean find out what your window installer’s weather policy is and decide together on an acceptable weather condition for your projects. Now, windows can be replaced one or two at a time, so you won’t have to worry about your entire home being sort of left open to the elements. But working together with the pros is going to help make sure that there are no surprises. LESLIE: And that’s today’s Pro Project presented by HomeAdvisor.com. With HomeAdvisor, you can get matched with top-rated home service pros in your area and compare prices, read verified reviews and book appointments online, all for free. TOM: No matter the type of job, HomeAdvisor makes it fast and easy to hire the best local pros. LESLIE: Bob in Louisiana is on the line with a haunted attic. Wooooh! What kind of crazy noises are you hearing from up there? BOB: Hey, Leslie. It sounds like a compressor coming on. I have searched that place from one end to the other. The house has been empty – been vacant for about two years. It’s my mother-in-law’s home. And we moved furniture out recently. We even had a plumber come out and look at it. When you hear the noise, you can reach over behind the washing machine and feel the pipes and feel the vibration in the lines. I thought maybe somebody had left a compressor upstairs but nothing doing. And it’s adjacent to one of the water heaters. I have three 60-gallon electric heaters upstairs. TOM: So, you say, Bob, that you feel the vibration in the plumbing lines when you sort of touch them? BOB: You bet. Yes, sir. TOM: And are you on city water or are you on well water? BOB: We are on city water. TOM: Sometimes, if you have a bad main valve, you can get sort of a vibration as the water forces its way through the valve, especially if it’s not completely open. I wonder if the water company might be consulted in this case and have them check the main valve, have them close it and then completely reopen it. The other thing that comes to mind that might have nothing to do with plumbing is, because you mentioned this is in the attic, is sometimes with attic ventilation – and I don’t know what kind of vents you have, whether you have ridge vents or soffit vents or roof vents. But sometimes, we’ve seen situations – in fact, in my own kitchen, I’ve got a kitchen that’s a one-story section of the house. And when the wind blows over from a certain direction, I get a noise. It’s not a whistling but it is a very low-pitch kind of hum, almost like a vibration-like sound into that attic. And I know it’s because of the vents. It’s the wind just sort of working their way over the vents and causing a little bit of friction there. And it’s leaving that sound behind. BOB: OK. I do have ridge vents in it. And so I’ll pay attention to that, too. TOM: Yeah, it could be the turbulence. BOB: The main valve is one thing that I had not even thought about. You guys are great. TOM: Alright, Bob. Well, you let us know if it worked and then we’ll accept the fact that we’re great, OK? But we’re glad we were able to give you some ideas. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT. LESLIE: Give us a call anytime 24 hours a day, 7 days a week right here at 888-MONEY-PIT. TOM: 888-666-3974. Up next, is the outside of your home, perhaps your doors or your windows, looking a bit faded and wondering how do you get them refinished without letting the elements in at the same time? We’ll have tips to take on that project, after this. Where home solutions live, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show. I’m Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. TOM: Give us a call, right now, for the answer to your home improvement questions at 1-888-MONEY-PIT or you can post your questions to us at The Money Pit’s website at MoneyPit.com, which is what Claire did. Seems like Claire is working on a door project, Leslie. LESLIE: Alright. Claire in Tennessee, she writes: “My front door is super faded and I’d like to refinish it. And I’m wondering how to sand and prep the door for the new finish. For example, do I take the door off its hinges? Can I hand-sand? Do I need a power sander? And how long can I expect the project to take knowing that that door needs two layers of finish and the first layer has to dry completely?” TOM: Those are all really good questions. And I would say, Claire, that if you hired painters, they would usually refinish the door while it’s on the hinges. I personally have found it to be a lot easier to take the door off the hinges, because I generally find that it’s not difficult to do that. And by taking it off the hinges – and you’re going to need somebody to help, especially it sounds like you have a wood door, so it could be a bit heavy. You can lay it out flat on some sawhorses and then it just becomes a lot easier for you to work on it. You can – you definitely do need to sand it. Certainly, you could do it by hand. It depends on how much material you have to take off. Or if you happen to have to have a quarter-sheet sander, a vibrating sander, that makes it a lot easier. But you want to get the old finish roughed up, at least, if not off completely. Then you can apply the first and the second layer of whatever finish you’re going to use. You want to make sure you use an exterior urethane or exterior varnish, because it’s going to have UV protection in it and won’t break down from exposure to the sun. Yep, you’re going to need a couple of coats. It does have to dry completely. But frankly, if you tackle this project over, say, a nice weekend, you can do a coat in the morning, flip it over, do a coat in the afternoon, put the door on – back on – for the overnight shift, so to speak. And then repeat the process the next day. Just work with the weather to get it done so that you’re not stuck with that door being off the hinges when you really need to keep the water out of your house during a rainstorm or a big windstorm, for example. LESLIE: Right, seriously. Water, bugs, all the things. TOM: All that stuff, yeah. LESLIE: Kind of like having a door. Alright. Next up, I’ve got a post here from Mike in New Jersey. Now, Mike writes: “I need to hang some heavy pictures and I’m wondering how to know what my walls are made of.” TOM: Good question, Mike. So, generally speaking, most homes are going to have drywall. If your home was built in the 40s or the 50s, you could have plaster lath, which is sort of the early version of drywall, where they put plaster on top of it. Those walls are very, very hard. They sound different if you kind of knock on them with your knuckles. They sound almost like ceramic. And then if you have a really old house – like one that was built, say, earlier in the 40s, maybe the 30s or 20s or earlier than that – it may have wood lath, which is where you had plaster that was pressed into wood slats. Now, depending on the kind of wall you have, if it’s something really heavy, you’re almost always better off to find the stud. And those are going to be generally either 16 or 24 inches on center. You can pick up a stud finder. That will help you find those. My stud finder is my knuckles. If it’s a house with drywall, you can knock on it and you can see them. And here’s a little trick. If you take a flashlight – like a pretty strong flashlight – and hold it at an angle to the wall, like flat with the wall, you’ll actually see where the nails are in the wall, attached to those studs. And it can tell you exactly where it is. So if you try to get the fasteners into that, you’ll be good to go. If it has to be in the middle of the drywall, between the studs, you have to use the right fastener. You know, we like this little fastener called the Monkey Hook, which is a wire that slides up behind the back of the drywall. It’s really easy to put in and it holds 50 pounds. So just choose a fastener that’s going to work for the material you’re working with. LESLIE: Alright. Well, good luck with that and I hope all the decorating goes really, really well. TOM: You are listening to The Money Pit Home Improvement Show on air and online at MoneyPit.com. Thank you so much for spending this hour with us. We hope we’ve inspired your fall projects with some tips and ideas to help you get that job done. If you’ve got questions, remember, you can reach us, 24/7, always at 888-MONEY-PIT or post your questions to The Money Pit’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/TheMoneyPit. I’m Tom Kraeutler. LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete. TOM: Remember, you can do it yourself … LESLIE: But you don’t have to do it alone. END HOUR 1 TEXT (Copyright 2019 Squeaky Door Productions, Inc. No portion of this transcript or audio file may be reproduced in any format without the express written permission of Squeaky Door Productions, Inc.) The post Now’s a Good Time To Repair your Driveway appeared first on The Money Pit. #Driveways&Walkways #TheMoneyPitPodcast

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Low-Grain Refrigerant Dehumidifiers For Water Damage

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Dehumidifiers could be a necessity for all homes as they dried the air and allow it to be a less predisposed environment for microorganisms which could ruin the health of many people. These types of techniques use the condensation theory to function, but you will find compound products as well. No matter which type you choose, I suggest that you read dehumidifier opinions before buying one. In this manner you can be sure you'll receive the proper system for the home.

If your attic surfaces are infected with mold, it's high time that you invest in a specialized attic dehumidifier. Since basements are partially or always subterranean, they're likely to be more moist than the sleep of your house. Excess humidity may invite mold, insects and a myriad of animals into your basement.

Your entire attic will have to be redesigned if the mold infects your surfaces and tiles. The most effective substitute is always to invest in a attic dehumidifier that will provide down the humidity levels in your basement. It can save you income and pay down in the extended run. I strongly inspire you to invest in a attic dehumidifier.

Here are a few recommendations to select the right attic dehumidifier...

Hose and Push - When purchasing a attic dehumidifier, always look for the one which has the capacity to create the water. It could be difficult for you really to replace the container of water physically every now and then all through the day. However, if the system comes in with a pump or associations for automatic drainage, you do not have to worry about draining the water manually. All of it is likely to be prepared for you in an instant and automatic manner.

Capacity reviews - The capability rating of the system you will select can also be important. Some models come with higher volumes and there are a few which have decrease capacities. Depending on the humidity stage and how big is your attic, you will have to select a product that will work well. Items start from 30 pint volume and get around 190 pint capacity. For some people, it's secure to opt for a product that will eliminate between 50-70 pints of water on an everyday basis.

Noise levels - The noise level of the particular attic dehumidifier can also be crucial. For attic use, I'd guide you to opt for a product that emits more noise. But you shouldn't spend money on one that is exceptionally noisy. I'd suggest that you go for a system that's moderately noisy. It will show you if the system is working or not. If you are considering using the same system in your living room or bedroom, I'd go for a more quiet unit.

Power utilization - In exceptionally moist situations (especially in a basement), it is very possible that the dehumidifier is likely to be working virtually all day along. That's why you'll need to invest in a system that uses minimal amount of power. Try to find power star records before you buy the unit. Power star licensed dehumidifiers tend to save lots of about $200 annual in energy bills. It takes care of in the extended run.

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jeremystrele · 6 years

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Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On?

There were eight hurricanes during the 2018 hurricane season and ten during the 2017 hurricane season. These storms cause billions of dollars in damage each year. If a hurricane damages your home, should you rebuild on the same spot or move to another area? It’s not a question with a simple yes or no answer. But we reached out to several experts to learn some of the factors that can help you make an informed decision.

Level of damage and insurance

Hurricanes often cause flooding. Image: JodiJacobson/Getty Images

“A homeowner’s decision to rebuild after a hurricane will likely depend on how much damage they sustained to their property, and how much of that will be covered by their insurance policy,” according to Peter Duncanson, Disaster Restoration Expert at ServiceMaster Restore. His company specializes in minimizing the impact of weather damage.

“Once it’s safe to return and assess the situation, you should call your insurance agent and begin the claim filing process for any major damages as soon as possible.” However, be cautious when entering your home for the first time after a hurricane. Duncanson recommends that you take several necessary safety precautions. “And be sure to wear protective gear, as broken debris and standing water can pose serious health risks in your home,” he says.

Another person with first-hand experience dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane is Robert Himmaugh, Manager at Acadian Windows and Siding in Kenner, LA. “Catastrophe can hit your home in many ways, but here along the Gulf Coast, our number one threat is hurricanes,” he says. “Each year from June to November, we are faced with the possibility of being in the direct line of one of these storms.”

Himmaugh also believes the two deciding factors are the extent of your home’s damage and the insurance coverage you have. “If you have a policy that includes temporary living expenses and replacement cost, then rebuilding might be the best option,” he says. However, Himmaugh warns that rebuilding could actually turn into a full remodeling job. This is because most homeowners will want to upgrade instead of just replace lost items. “If you do decide to rebuild, make sure to invest in hurricane windows, a laminated glass that holds together when hit with blunt force,” he suggests.

Flood zones

Flood insurance is not a part of your standard insurance policy. Image: orundongel/Getty Images

Your standard insurance policy may not cover everything, something that many homeowners don’t know. “Flood damage often requires a completely separate policy, and water damage can be one of the main reasons you have to rebuild,” Himmaugh says. If your home has sustained significant water damage, he warns that it can lead to mold, rot and the complete deterioration of your home. “In this case, it’s best to move on rather than take on the massive expense it will take to rebuild,” Himmaugh says.

Chelsea Allard, VP of Design at Case Design in Charlotte, NC, agrees. She says that dealing with water damage after flooding requires special considerations. “In some municipalities, it’s illegal to build in a flood zone. Or you can, but completely at your own risk as the property is uninsurable,” Allard says.

She does not recommend rebuilding homes and infrastructure in coastal areas that are constantly being hit by hurricanes. “The building standards should be much, much stricter in coastal communities. I believe that the practice of continuously building housing in vulnerable areas is immoral,” Allard says.

Other factors

Demolition on a hurricane-ravaged home. Image courtesy of Nathan Outlaw at Onvico.

Nathan Outlaw is the President of Onvico, a construction company in Thomasville, GA. However, his company frequently works in neighboring Florida. They are currently restoring several homes on the Gulf that were destroyed by the last hurricane. In the photo above, you can see where the company has started demolition on a home with water damage.

“I think a flooded home is worth rebuilding,” Outlaw says. “Usually the flood damage will not be so great that repair costs are higher than the value of the home in good condition.” He points out that since flooded homes tend to be close to rivers, ponds or the ocean, they’re often in desirable locations. “This means they will continue to be somewhere that people want to live in the future.”

Only use reputable companies. Image: skynesher/Getty Images

Outlaw’s view is supported by Richard and Judith Woods, Owners of Albany Woodworks in Tickfaw, LA. In 2005, a New Orleans home that they owned flooded during Hurricane Katrina and they rebuilt it. And then, in 2016, their family home flooded during a freak rainstorm.

They agree that the extent of the damage and insurance considerations are important. But they also point out other factors. According to Richard, the most important question is this: “Are you healthy enough to handle the stress of losing your home and the strain of navigating the tricky world of rebuilding post-disaster?”

He says the 2016 flood took a huge toll on him emotionally. Even though he never considered not renovating the home, Richard believes it’s important for people to understand the reality. Rebuilding after a disaster is not the same as a project to transform your basement or design a trendy, new bathroom.

And if you’re not in a state of mind to rebuild, Judith says it may be better to take the insurance money and move on. She also says homeowners should weigh the chances of another hurricane. They should also consider whether they can even get insurance if they rebuild in the same spot.

Additional tips

Get the water out of your home as soon as possible. Image: Onur Dongel/Getty Images

It’s often hard to think clearly in the aftermath of a hurricane. However, our experts say there are some things you need to do as soon as possible. “It can be devastating and overwhelming to process the extent of the storm’s impact on your property, but remember to take pictures of any damage you see. Also, take detailed notes for your insurance claim and personal records,” advises Duncanson. “Once you’ve assessed the damage and salvaged what you can, flood damage restoration experts at companies like mine can help you make the necessary repairs and get you back up on your feet as quickly as possible.”

Outlaw agrees that you should take immediate action to mitigate future damage. “Homeowners should go ahead and get the water out, set up a dehumidifier and remove wet drywall and insulation, if possible,” he says. “Removing moisture and preventing mold will help keep future mitigation costs more reasonable.”

He also recommends getting several quotes before any service is performed. “A natural disaster has a tendency to bring out contractors who only want to take the money and run — or who will overcharge clients for the work performed,” Outlaw warns. “Be sure to carefully go over any proposal and don’t give anyone money up front.”

The post Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On? appeared first on Freshome.com.

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owensrhodes · 6 years

Text

Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On?

Level of damage and insurance

Hurricanes often cause flooding. Image: JodiJacobson/Getty Images

Flood zones

Flood insurance is not a part of your standard insurance policy. Image: orundongel/Getty Images

Other factors

Demolition on a hurricane-ravaged home. Image courtesy of Nathan Outlaw at Onvico.

Only use reputable companies. Image: skynesher/Getty Images

Additional tips

Get the water out of your home as soon as possible. Image: Onur Dongel/Getty Images

The post Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On? appeared first on Freshome.com.

0 notes

lovemychinchilla · 4 years

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Ideal Humidity for a Chinchilla: Stats & Tips

Every chinchilla care guide addresses the most common care issues—but what about humidity? If you get your chinchilla's humidity level wrong, it could have severe consequences...

How Humid Should a Chinchilla Cage Be?

How to Measure Humidity in a Chinchilla's Cage

Image courtesy of Sally Hunter.

How Humid is Too Humid for Chinchillas?

A chinchilla's fur should be perfectly dry, not damp. Image courtesy of © Salix / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 & GFDL

But at 100% humidity, it's guaranteed that your pet's fur and bedding will become damp, even sodden.

How Do I Protect My Chinchilla from Humidity?

Now that you've established how humid your chinchilla's cage should be, and you're taking steps to measure the humidity, you can proactively protect your chinchilla from these unsuitable conditions.

1) Pick The Least Humid Room for a Chinchilla

You might like...

2) Should You Open a Window for Your Chinchilla?

3) Do Chinchillas Need Air Conditioning?

An air conditioner serves two purposes. First, it keeps the temperature low. But as a byproduct of how it works, an air conditioner will also dehumidify the air.

4) Do Chinchillas Need Dehumidifiers?

5) Frequent Dust Baths to Prevent Damp Fur

6) Frequently Change Bedding

As such, you should change your chinchilla's bedding more frequently than normal. This will prevent the bedding becoming sodden and having a knock-on effect on your chinchilla's fur.

7) Remove Water Sources From The Room

8) Chinchillas and Fans

Fans can help cool you down and make you feel less humid in the summer. But they aren't suitable for chinchillas as they won't have the same effect.

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

[ays_quiz id='9']

#chinchillas #chinchillacagesetup

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thegregorybruce · 4 years

Text

November 22, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Welcome! Are you a new subscriber? I thought so. This is an interesting issue in my opinion. Strap yourself in.

But you, yes, you! You might have been here since day one, way back in 1995 or so. That’s quite a few harvest moons ago. But now, I want you to focus on Christmas.

It’s that time of year when you drag out the extension cords. How do you SIZE one so you don’t burn down your home? CLICK or TAP HERE for the simple secrets. Size does matter!

Christmas Shopping Reminder

Do you shop for lots of Christmas stuff at Amazon? If so, you've got a fantastic opportunity to reciprocate for some of the tips I've shared with you all year.

Anything you buy at Amazon using my AsktheBuilder.com affiliate link helps keep the lights on and the server running here. It doesn't cost you any more and Amazon protects your privacy.

CLICK or TAP HERE to help keep AsktheBuilder.com running!

Thanks!

What’s it Take?

Today, we celebrate the fifty-seventh anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

I was in the 5th grade and remember being herded down to the basement of my school to watch live TV coverage. We only had one TV in the school and it was up on a big rolling stand.

I knew something serious was happening, but I had no concept of just how important it was because I didn’t yet possess enough life experience. You need, in my opinion, bushels of life experience to accurately judge historic moments in time.

Think about it. What does it take to get so angry at a leader that you want to kill her/him - and then actually pull it off? Assassinations of world leaders litter history books. Heck, here in the USA we average a Presidential assassination once every sixty-one years.

While our ancestors weren’t shooting at King George, they sure as heck took potshots at his proxies on April 19, 1775, standing their ground on Lexington Green. I’ve stood on that hallowed ground and wondered in silence what I might have done.

This is why being President of the United States of America is the most dangerous job in the world. There’s a reason the cars our Presidents travel in are fancy polished armored tanks.

I doubt President Kennedy wrote his inauguration speech, but boy, oh boy, did he nail that one sentence:

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

President Kennedy was talking about what we owe our country but he might also have been foreshadowing the massive DIY movement that would erupt just a decade later. It was already simmering in the decade after the Great WW II as many returning GIs got busy with their hands.

There’s nothing quite like self-reliance.

You might do well in these trying times to make yourself even more self-reliant than you are now. I’m serious. It's getting harder to find great people to do jobs around and in your home.

Imagine if you possessed the sweet skills to fashion toilet paper from branches. Your neighbors would be beating your door down throwing their money at you.

LED Lights Flickering

Earlier this week, I installed six new smart LED recessed light bulbs.

I can control the color temperature (soft and warm or cool and bright), make each one light up any color of the rainbow, put them on timers or turn them on and off from 900 miles away. I can do all this and more using an app on my phone. CLICK or TAP HERE to see them.

After installing them, I turned them off and left the room for hours. Later that day at dark, I turned them on. They immediately started to randomly flicker - all at the same time.

There are two 3-way switches that control these six bulbs. I quickly diagnosed the issue. One switch had a sliding dimmer feature. The dimmer switch was cool and the circuitry in the switch that controls the dimming was interrupting the flow of electricity to the LEDs.

LEDs respond instantly to the flow of electricity. Standard incandescent bulb filaments are glowing hot and have to cool down to stop producing light. If a traditional incandescent bulb is turned off for 100th of a second and then turned back on, you probably would never notice a change because the filament is still glowing white hot.

Once the dimmer switch heated up from the flow of electricity, the flickering stopped. File that inside your tiny gray cells for future use.

The Holy Grail of Razor Knives

I thought I had found the Holy Grail of razor knives a year or two ago. I was wrong. I have no trouble admitting when I’m wrong.

One wonders if Harrison Ford was right and the Holy Grail is really a simple cup a carpenter might have used. Here’s a picture of what the Holy Grail might have looked like.

You’re about to see a razor knife that will absolutely put your head on a swivel. CLICK or TAP HERE and behold!

This stunning multi-blade razor knife makes the PERFECT stocking stuffer. I’m going to order TWO MORE so I have one for my truck, my car, etc. Heck, I may get FIVE of them! You will too once you see it.

Louis and Mike

Last Sunday I shared with you my favorite books of all time. CLICK or TAP HERE if you forgot to look at them.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I added a few NEW BOOKS to the list since last Sunday.

Louis was fortunate as a child to have a wonderful mother who had the smarts to purchase the love story you see above.

Here’s what he wrote to me, and it brought the biggest grin to my face because I had the same experience growing up:

“Tim:

My Mother, Ada, died last Saturday at the age of 93. One of my earliest memories, when Eisenhower served as President, was her reading Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel to me as I fell asleep.

Thank you."

Louis

You’d do well to purchase this book - CLICK OR TAP HERE to add it to your library - and start reading it to yourself or your grands.

Heating Water With Electricity

Tony reached out to me too after last Sunday’s issue. Read his interesting short story:

“Good Morning Tim,

I changed my hot water system to a heat-pump hot-water system in October 2019. At the same time, I disconnected my basement dehumidifier system. Total cost for the system was $945, after a $750 rebate offer by Environmental Maine. This system has three settings: Heat Pump Only, Electric Only and Demand Electric Assistance. We have only used Heat Pump Only. Recovery has been quick enough for the two of us. Maybe a family with three children might need to have some electric usage, but not too much I think. My electric bill has been reduced each month by roughly $50 and my basement has never been less humid. Maybe you could do an investigation about this? I know my wife and I are quite pleased with this change.”

Tony

Downeast ME

Well, well, well … It turns out I was one, maybe two, steps ahead of Tony. I DID DO an investigation months ago and I thought I had shared it here.

I want you to CLICK or TAP HERE and listen to a fascinating short podcast I had with a top engineer from Rheem about how to save money when you heat water using electricity.

That’s plenty for the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I have lots to be grateful for including subscribers like you.

I’ll be celebrating with my immediate family. It’s my favorite meal of the year.

I’ve gathered all my fellow NH wizards and asked them to cast a protective spell on me. They’ve promised the spell will allow me to eat copious amounts of all the food and large pieces of pumpkin and pecan pie without suffering any indigestion. They've assured me the spell will ensure I'll not increase my weight measured in stones.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots of your family and friends gathered around a large festive table loaded with mounds of tasty food.

Tim Carter Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com Red Wine Spill Cleaner - www.StainSolver.com Telegraph Operator - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Did you brush aside my advice on the best razor knife of all time? Silly you!!! For the love of God, CLICK or TAP HERE now to look at this marvelous thing you MUST HAVE!

The post November 22, 2020 AsktheBuilder Newsletter appeared first on Ask the Builder.

from Home https://www.askthebuilder.com/november-22-2020-askthebuilder-newsletter/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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jovialsoulinfluencer · 6 years

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Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On?

Level of damage and insurance

Hurricanes often cause flooding. Image: JodiJacobson/Getty Images

Flood zones

Flood insurance is not a part of your standard insurance policy. Image: orundongel/Getty Images

Other factors

Demolition on a hurricane-ravaged home. Image courtesy of Nathan Outlaw at Onvico.

Only use reputable companies. Image: skynesher/Getty Images

Additional tips

Get the water out of your home as soon as possible. Image: Onur Dongel/Getty Images

The post Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On? appeared first on Freshome.com.

from https://freshome.com/rebuild-after-hurricane/ via Should You Rebuild After a Hurricane or Just Move On?

#Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Magazine

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arplis · 5 years

Text

Arplis - News: TOM: Coast to coast and floorboards to shingles, this is The Money Pit Home Improvement Show

Arplis - News source http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Arplis-News/~3/CEeFZMJgb6g/tom-coast-to-coast-and-floorboards-to-shingles-this-is-the-money-pit-home-improvement-show

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technologyreviewsgadgets · 6 years

Photo

New Post Air Conditioner (AC) Buying Guide 2018 - Points to Consider before Buying it has been published on http://www.reviewcenter.in/7668/air-conditioner-ac-buying-guide-2018-points-consider-buying/

Air Conditioner (AC) Buying Guide 2018 - Points to Consider before Buying it

Researching about the perfect air conditioner can be a hectic task considering, first, the consumers don’t know which one to buy, and second, they don’t know how to pick one over the other. What tonnage you should buy or what features to look for in an Air conditioner? There are so many questions that one needs answers before finalizing a model. So, here I am to help you with that, by explaining what things to consider before buying an air conditioner along with some brand recommendations at the end of the article:

Air Conditioner (AC) Buying Guide 2018 – Points to Consider before Buying it

Window or Split AC

This is the easiest decision to make. Choosing between Window or split AC depends on the layout and size of your room and whether you have space outside to install the outdoor unit, if in case if you’re considering buying a Split AC. If there is a possibility for you to install the Split AC, consider it as your first choice. But if you’re a tenant or someone who keep moving from one place to another, Window AC is the best option for you or consider same if you don’t have an appropriate space of installing the outdoor unit outside of Split AC.

The reason why you should consider buying Split AC as the first choice is because they run almost silently and you don’t have to make a big hole in your room for installing it. Split AC looks better and suits the room decor as well. It’s a myth that cooling of Split AC is better, both are good for cooling, however, with Split AC, your room might cool down faster because it has a wider opening to throw air into your room than a Window AC.

Installing a Split AC only requires a small hole behind the AC and the same area can be used for installing the upgrade, means if you’re upgrading from 1 to 1.5 ton, you won’t need a bigger hole in the room, unlike Window AC, whose size and shape can vary as per the tonnage and the design of it.

Tonnage Requirement

Buying the AC with correct tonnage is a very important point, considering some people end up buying bigger ACs with more tonnage than required. That is not a good idea as staying in extreme temperatures are bad for health and it also consumes more power and you would feel discomfort at night. Also, purchasing a less tonnage AC for a bigger area again would cost you more in energy bills as the AC has to work longer in order to reach the desired temperature, thereby costing you the money which you saved previously while buying the AC.

Hence, it’s crucial to pick an AC with correct tonnage. Now the question arises, how to calculate the tonnage required for a room? Here’s the method which you can use:

Find out your room floor area like (10 ft x 10 ft = 100 ft2)

Divide it by 600. So, this gives you basic AC capacity. And you have to add 0.5 ton for every 5 people.

So, it’s like 100 divided by 600 = 0.167. Add 0.5 ton for 4-5 people living in that room which results as (0.167 + 0.5) = 0.667.

So, for 10 ft x 10 ft room, usually a 0.8 Ton air conditioner is enough.

Still, this is not a foolproof calculation. You can follow this standard table provided below for deciding tonnage required for your room:

Floor Area (Room Size) Capacity Required Up to 100 ft2 0.8 Ton Up to 150 ft2 1 Ton Up to 250 ft2 1.5 Ton Up to 350 or 400 ft2 2 Ton

If you live in a place where the weather touches the extreme level, like in summers if temperature typically crosses 40-50 deg, you must consider adding 0.5 Ton extra with the required tonnage for an effective cooling.

Star Ratings / Inverter AC

Since the launch of Inverter ACs, star ratings have become a thing of past. Although yes, Inverter ACs also come in star ratings, I always recommend consumers to buy even 2-3 star rated Inverter ACs as per your budget. Inverter ACs are the present and future of air conditioners and unless if you’ve only 3-4 hours usage of AC daily, you can consider buying non-inverter 3 or 5 stars rated AC. As per 2018 norms, it is now mandatory to have star ratings on every air conditioner being sold in the Indian market. This is why most brands have now launched their Inverter air conditioners with star ratings (ISEER).

There is a fear among consumers that their energy bills might skyrocket upon buying an AC, while in reality there’s nothing like that. An air conditioner consumes electricity at full rated power only if you run AC at extreme temperature (like at 18 deg) all the time and not letting the compressor to cut off anytime. If you keep the AC running at an idle temperature range of 22 to 28, not only it’ll consume less electricity while running, compressor cuts upon reaching the desired temperature also saves a lot. And always use a ceiling fan to circulate the cooling in the room, that’s very important.

Now, there is a big difference between the normal star rated air conditioners and the Inverter ACs. Inverter ACs are designed to work at a variable voltage and they consume very less voltage during regular usage compared to a normal star rated air conditioners. If you’re planning to buy an Inverter AC, just pick any star rated model whether 2 or 3 as per your budget, don’t wait to make a budget for 5 stars rated model.

Why Pick an Inverter AC over Non-Inverter AC

When you turn on an Inverter series air conditioner, it’ll first start consuming the full rated power for few minutes and then eventually the voltage consumption will keep lowering to even 1/6th of the rated power consumption e.g. if the rated power is 1500W, within half an hour or less, you’ll find that the AC is consuming only 300-400W of energy per hour and for overnight 8 hours running, the AC shall consume only 3-4 units of energy. Keep in mind that this energy consumption usage pattern you’ll get to see only if you keep the temperature range between 22 to 28, if you keep the temperature lower, the AC shall adjust the power consumption accordingly.

A non-inverter AC does not vary much at energy consumption like an inverter AC. It relies on the compressor to cut off upon reaching the desired compressor, but overall, an Inverter AC saves you a lot more in energy bills in the long run. And now in the market, Inverter Window ACs are also available to buy from LG 2018 models.

Energy Efficiency Ratings (EER)

Since the launch of 2018 models as per 2018 norms, the efficiency of these models has improved a lot. Although some people take EER into consideration while making a buying decision, I won’t give that much weightage to it. For me or consumers, it is better to have some features than to compare ACs with higher EER. Higher the star ratings, higher the EER will be & most brands ACs EER differences are marginal, and if they’re following the norms, we shouldn’t worry much about EER, but must prefer having features in an AC.

Copper vs Aluminum coil

First of all, it’s Aluminum alloy, not just simple aluminum and is very sturdy. This is a myth that condenser made of aluminum alloy lifespan is less. I have one LG split AC at my home, with aluminum alloy coil and one window AC with copper coils. Both are working fine without any issues and thankfully no repair has been needed till now.

But at present which one to consider? I would suggest preferring to buy the AC with Copper Coils as those have better heat transfer capacity and are easy to repair & maintenance. Although the cost of ACs with copper coils shall be higher and if your budget is restricted, just trust the brand and you can buy the one with Aluminium alloy coil as well.

Features Not to be Missed

There are lots of features which consumers don’t know of but eventually need them once they buy it. There are some popular features like Mosquito Away by LG, PM2.5 filter in Daikin or Panasonic, Auto cleaning of the filter by Hitachi which one should get in their ACs. So here are some features you should look for while buying an AC:

4-way swing if you’re buying it for drawing room otherwise 2-way is ok for the bedroom.

Air Purification (like having 3M or PM 2.5 filter) (Optional but preferred)

Showing current room temperature on the AC itself (optional)

Quick cool, Jet cool, Himalayan cooling (naming varies with different manufacturers) like features comes handy when you require quick cooling in the room.

Mosquito Away (LG exclusive feature) (Optional)

Auto-restart (in case of power cut, it must resume automatically)

Dehumidifier (comes handy in rainy seasons or for the people who live in nearby coastal areas and face high humidity) (Optional)

Night-glow buttons and backlit display in the remote controller (backlit option is hard to find, hence optional)

Hot and Cold AC (Very important for me who lives in a place like Delhi, I run my LG hot and cold AC in winters as well for room heating purpose)

Which Brands to prefer:

In the following list, I’ve added links from Paytm mall website as they provide consumers in their app with some of the best offers. They have a campaign going on – #BenefitsAreFree till 15th July, 2018, during which Paytm Mall is offering the following additional benefits, apart from the huge cashback up to Rs. 10,000. These include:

Free delivery

Free installation

No Cost EMI

100% cashback on voltage stabilizer purchase up to Rs. 1500

But the best thing of all, only at Paytm Mall you’ll find “brands authorized dealer with a verified logo” sellers which offer peace of mind to consumers that they’re buying from a verified seller and they shall receive legit/original product only. You can also select to buy extended manufacturer warranty from Paytm Mall.

About the recommendations of brands, I’ve been taking feedback from consumers for various brands who are using AC for many years and have made a list of preference and the brand I suggest:

LG – is the best brand when it comes to product quality, features, and after-sales service. I strongly recommend checking out their 2018 series ACs as those are dual-Inverter copper coils only models and are loaded with features.

Daikin – is almost equal for me as LG. They’re also the pioneer when it comes to product quality and features. Their pricing is competitive compared to LG as LG dual-inverter models are bit expensive.

Whirlpool – If you’re tight on budget, prefer Whirlpool over Voltas as their product quality and after sales service is better.

Blue Star – Another very old brand in India for various refrigeration products and have been selling some good quality energy efficient ACs for years. Their pricing is also competitive if you’re tight on budget.

Panasonic – Another popular brand with deep roots in India and can be preferred.

Samsung – Samsung is a well-known name in home appliances and they also offer good quality ACs. After sales network of Samsung is huge and their Digital Inverter ACs are really good.

Carrier – Another good brand whose only positive feedback I have got till now.

Although there are many more brands who perform well in the market, for one reason or another, those didn’t make it to my preferred list like “General” being such an old brand, offers average after sales service and they are yet to catch up in making energy efficient ACs. I also do not recommend Voltas and Hitachi because of their poor after sales service.

0 notes

clapyourhandsrec · 7 years

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14 Savvy Ways to Spend your Leftover Man Cave Budget

Of course, saving extra money helps you out in the long run, but what if you already have enough in the bank and want to treat yourself? Let’s talk about 14 savvy ways to spend your leftover man cave budget and treat yourself for a change! With your biggest project—the man cave—all taken care of, the extra money in your pocket just begs to be spent. Before you dash to the nearest store and go on a spending spree, check out these different ideas that

1) Snack Attack

Everyone loves snacks. With a brand new man cave to stock up, buy ingredients for charcuterie, nachos, sandwiches, homemade French fries, pizza, and so on! Throw some beer and soda into the cooler for good measure. Whenever you need a little snack, your fridge contains the solution. The rest of your family will also appreciate the sudden influx of treats. After all, with a lot of money going into the man cave, they might feel neglected! Treat both them and yourself with these delectable treats.

2) Books, Games, or Movies

Entertainment helps keep stress at bay, and when you know you can afford it, spending a little bit to treat yourself works wonders. Sit down with a favorite book and enter the realm of fiction. Or, if you prefer, step into a new game (or even game console!) and enjoy some multiplayer fun. Go out to that new movie you look forward to! More than anything else, keep your mind stimulated so that you may enjoy life to its fullest even as you work.

3) Machines

Since this covers quite a broad range of items, I want to specify what sort of machines I mean. The cost of tools eats at your wallet, especially when you need a lot of them. A real man knows that there are more tools out there than anyone can afford. So, using your leftover budget, think about the next essential tool to put in your shed. A fancy cordless power drill? A new circular saw? A leaf blower? Or maybe an Ohmmeter, for the electrically inclined? Whatever you choose, it will help you for years to come!

4) Tickets to the Game

If you live in a small town, hop in the car and drive to the city. A game awaits you! Football, soccer, hockey, and baseball all provide hours of entertainment and relaxation for an affordable price. Use your extra money to spend a night out, grab as many snacks and t-shirts as you want, and pick your favorite seats in the house! A very savvy person’s wallet may even afford a season pass to your team of choice! A whole year (or more, depending on your team and sport of choice) of guaranteed game seats more than makes up for the cost.

5) Small Vacation

If you have the money for a vacation, then take it! But I don’t expect anyone savvy to have a monumental amount leftover. After all, your budget should match the actual price of your man cave as close as possible! While a cross-country vacation extravaganza pushes the limits of ‘extra’ cash, perhaps a small vacation works for you! Go to your nearest tourist spot—whether it’s a museum nearby, a historic park, or even just downtown. Whether you know the area or not, enjoy it as a brand new tourist. Forget about your worries and relax for the whole day! At the end, return home to your recently finished man cave to top off the day.

Upgrade the House

As I previously mentioned, your family probably wishes some of your man cave money went to them instead of your own fancy room. Use any extra cash to appease them and upgrade parts of the house that they desire. Replacing an old microwave, buying new furniture for the living room, upgrading your TV, or installing a patio in the backyard all help even out the attention to your man cave and the attention to your house. Your family will appreciate it, that’s for certain!

A New Suit

Buy a sharp new suit to match your inner self. A custom tailored suit evokes both wealth and wisdom and shows everyone how accomplished you are. Furthermore, suits with a good fit just feel great to wear! Use your extra cash to improve your first impression on others and your appearance in the work place. Of course, outward appearance only goes so far to express your inner self. That’s why you make sure to match your savviness to your style before you put on the clothes!

Nice Wine

Sometimes it helps to go back to the basics. Treat yourself with a bit of alcohol—but instead of going with regular beer, grab some wine and pour a glass for yourself! On top of that, never settle for your regular brands. Go out on a limb and try a fancy brand that caught your eye a few weeks ago and looked out of your price range on that day. Alternatively, grab a whole bunch of craft wine or locally made wine to round out your at-home selection. You never know when you might find a new favorite flavor!

Gym Membership

Your body and mind both benefit from a gym membership, and since I highly doubt you own a personal gym, why not use your extra money to invest in yourself? Depending on where you live and what you want, gym memberships range from highly affordable to incredibly expensive. To spend your money smartly, plan out a workout schedule and see which gyms accommodate you. In example, that huge gym down the street holds dozens of different types of machines and a whole pool, but if you only use weights and a treadmill, a mom-and-pop gym works better and costs much, much less.

While we’re discussing self-improvement, find a class for a hobby or skill you desire and pay in full! Sometimes a single class from a local college does the trick, but for labor skills, I greatly prefer learning from masters of the craft directly. Blacksmithing, woodworking, and masonry skills all passed from master to apprentice for hundreds of years, so why not dish out some extra dough to ensure you learn from a pro in the traditional way? It also helps you make friends and connections with similar people nearby.

New Haircut

Rather than going for your ten dollar trim, find a stylist in your area and try out something new! Too often we stick with the hair style we grow up with. It’s not like we’re ladies, after all—as long as it looks passable, we don’t need to worry about our hair. However, putting effort into looking sleek and stylish goes further towards making a good impression than a fancy suit! On top of that, it just feels great sporting a new look. A professional stylist ($40 and up) will identify which length, texture, color, and even sheen suits your hair best. They tell you how to take care of it and you leave their salon looking like you popped out of a magazine cologne ad.

Set Up a Garden

No, don’t plant a flower patch. Part of maintaining your perfect yard involves tending to the plants as well. Look into what sort of trees grow in your area as well as what sort of plants flourish. In my area, herbs like thyme, cilantro, and mint grow like weeds. I always keep a small garden of them in the yard so that my home meals taste better than a restaurant. Certain types of plants use less water than grass, and as droughts affect more and more areas, planting these types of things really works in your favor. Of course, rock gardens also work to save water, and the stones regulate the temperature of your yard both day and night!

Get ‘Extras’ for your Man Cave

Do you really consider your man cave finished? Just because you checked off everything on your to-do list, don’t think you finished working on your man cave! Sometimes, we only realize the most essential part of our cave after we sit down and start using it. In example, a rustic basement man cave works great…but needs some serious air filters and dehumidifiers to prevent the room from smelling like soggy hay all the time. Those both cost a bit of cash. Use your man cave for at least a week before you call it done. In the meantime, every savvy man will keep the extra cash in his pocket for the moment he finds out what he missed!

Donate to a Good Cause

Hands down, the best way to spend your hard-earned cash is to give it to those in need. If you truly see no way to improve your man cave with it and can live just fine without your extra cash, then consider giving it to a charitable organization of your choice that could really use the money. Starving children, homeless mothers, and even sick stray animals rely on people like us to support them in their time of need. You find them everywhere—both inside and outside the United States—and it’s up to us to help them.

If you don’t like giving to people, then perhaps causes suit you better. Conservancy groups, medical programs, mountain climbing clubs, and so on all could use the money. Treating yourself is great, but have you considered how to help others, since you already find yourself satisfied with what you have? While it probably won’t affect you—even in the long run—the feeling of helping others tops everything else on this list.

No matter how you spend your money, look at it as an opportunity to live the high life—even momentarily. Someone who used a conservative budget and still came out ahead deserves to keep a little bit to themselves. Now, indulge yourself, and remember to relax in your man cave once you finish!

The post 14 Savvy Ways to Spend your Leftover Man Cave Budget appeared first on True Man Cave.

from True Man Cave https://www.truemancave.com/14-savvy-ways-to-spend-your-leftover-man-cave-budget/

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malibootie · 7 years

Text

14 Savvy Ways to Spend your Leftover Man Cave Budget

1) Snack Attack

2) Books, Games, or Movies

3) Machines

4) Tickets to the Game

5) Small Vacation

Upgrade the House

A New Suit

Nice Wine

Gym Membership

New Haircut

Set Up a Garden

Get ‘Extras’ for your Man Cave

Donate to a Good Cause

The post 14 Savvy Ways to Spend your Leftover Man Cave Budget appeared first on True Man Cave.

from True Man Cave https://www.truemancave.com/14-savvy-ways-to-spend-your-leftover-man-cave-budget/

0 notes