Keeping Your Cool – Doing Your Own A/C Ductwork
Fibreglass Bath RepairKeeping Your Cool – Doing Your Own A/C Ductwork
We rarely give our homes A/C and heating ductwork much thought and really only notice a problem when the heat stops working and
It’s 10-below or the temperature outside is causing the asphalt on the roads to melt. Unfortunately that’s when most of us learn about
One of the most important systems in the home. Though it’s hidden beneath your feet and over your head, it may be wasting a lot of
Your energy dollars. Your home’s air ducting system, a branching network of tubes in the walls, floors, and ceilings, carries the air
From your home’s furnace and central air conditioner to each room. Ducts are typically made of sheet metal in more recent times and
Fiberglass or other materials being found in some older homes.
Unfortunately due to poor installation techniques and lower standards of quality, many duct systems are poorly insulated or not
Insulated properly. Ducts that leak heated air into unheated spaces can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating and cooling
Bills. Insulating ducts that are in unconditioned spaces is usually very cost effective. If you are buying a new duct system, consider
One that comes with insulation already installed.
Sealing your ducts to prevent leaks is even more important if the ducts are located in an unconditioned area such as an attic or
Vented crawl space. If the supply ducts are leaking, heated or cooled air can be forced out unsealed joints and lost. In addition,
unconditioned air can also be drawn into return ducts through unsealed joints. In the summer, hot attic air can be drawn in, increasing
the load on the air conditioner. In the winter, your furnace will have to work longer to keep your house comfortable. Either way, your
energy losses cost you money.
Although minor duct repairs are easy to accomplish, ducts in unconditioned spaces should be sealed and insulated by qualified
professionals using the appropriate sealing materials. Here are a few simple tips to help with minor duct repairs.
Helpful Tips and Hints
Check your ducts for air leaks. First look for sections that should be joined but have separated and then look for obvious holes.
If you use duct tape to repair and seal your ducts, look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories logo to avoid tape that degrades,
cracks, and loses its bond with age.
Remember that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder. If both the ducts and the basement walls are
uninsulated, consider insulating the basement walls and the ducts.
Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture buildup.
Get a professional to help you insulate and repair all ducts.
I hope this article provides some help when the heat is on =).
Fibreglass Bath Repair
Tips for Choosing The Right Bathtub
Fibreglass Bath RepairTips for Choosing The Right Bathtub
Many people spend a considerable amount of time in the bathroom.
Some people feel that spending time in the tub rejuvenates their energy and revitalizes their spirit.
Whatever the reason for spending some time in the bathroom, one thing is certain, the bathtub is one of the most important aspects of the bathroom.
If you are building a house, or if you are renovating or redesigning your house or bathroom, you shouldn’t just choose any bathtub. Apart from considering the color that will go well with the color of the bathroom, or the latest design, or the manufacturer, there are other things that should be considered.
* Size of the tub
Aside from the obvious point, that this is important in checking how the bathtub will fit the designated space, this also needs to be considered for other reasons. Should you go for a one-person or two-person bathtub? Remember that if you choose a two-person tub, this will consume more water than a one-person tub.
The bathtub size is also interdependent with the capacity of the water heater. A bathtub usually requires 65% hot water. For some bathtubs, the hot water content may require up to 40 gallons. Consider then if after dispensing 40 gallons of hot water, will your water heater still have sufficient hot water for the rest of the household, or will it have enough time to reheat some water for consumption.
In this case, you may have to choose a smaller bathtub or upgrade your water heater so it will be able to supply enough water for a bigger bathtub. Another option is to install an instant water heater to the water source leading to the bathtub.
Also make sure that, with the bathtub’s size, you get enough support for your head, neck and back.
* Material
Choosing the material for your bathtub depends on several factors: on how often you will use the tub, durability, ease of maintenance and budget.
Fiberglass is a cost-effective material, however, it doesn’t have the durability of acrylic or porcelain bathtubs. Wooden and marble tubs are good-looking but these require much maintenance and may not last long. Cast iron tubs are the most durable, although these cost a little more than other materials.
* Depth
The bathtub’s depth is important if you are considering using the bathtub for therapeutics. Many people enjoy soaking in a warm bath to rejuvenate the lost energy and to ease the pain in tired muscles. Soaking in a tub even reduces the stress levels that most people resort to a warm bath before going to bed.
However, few people know that there are special tubs designed for this purpose. Soaking tubs are designed to allow a person to immerse the whole body with comfort unlike that with a standard tub that is only designed to soak the lower part of the body.
* Functionality
Tubs with jets, such as whirlpool tubs, look very enticing, but will you be using the jets often? Consider the importance of the additional features and how will these features impact your power and water consumption.
* Features for the handicap and the elderly
People with handicap and the elderly rarely use the standard bathtub due to risks for additional injury. Check bathtubs that have features that allow easy entry and exit from the tub. These tubs also have grab rails and grab bars to prevent accidents while soaking in the bathtub. Check for ADA compliance if you want these features for your bathtub.
* Design
Most bathtubs come in cream and white, but are also available in other colors such as brown, maroon, pink, green and blue. Shapes are usually rectangle, oval, and round, but heart-shaped designs and corner styles are also offered.
These are important so the bathtub will match the color and the design of the bathroom. It also makes the bathtub inviting and makes soaking a comfortable experience.
With these tips, you can surely choose the bathtub that fits you.
Fibreglass Bath Repair
Hotels’ Bathtub Refinishing – Hotel Bathtub Repair and Resurfacing Saves Money
Fibreglass Bath RepairHotels’ Bathtub Refinishing – Hotel Bathtub Repair and Resurfacing Saves Money
Hotels bathtub refinishing or hotels bathtub resurfacing when combined with tub repairs, save many hotels money in their total bathroom renovation. With bathtub refinishing, old dingy, dull bathtubs can be refinished at a fraction of the cost of tub replacement. Hotels are saving up to 80% of the cost of bathtub replacement by repairing and resurfacing their bathtubs. Such savings are welcome by many in the hospitality industry who are cutting costs in renovation and maintenance. Others hotel owners still, are not sure whether bathtub refinishing is better than bathtub replacement.
Bathtub refinishing Vs Bathtub replacement
Not every bathtub can be refinished. Some will have to end up in the landfills while others can be resurfaced. Bathtub replacement is expensive and messy. Here are the reasons:
Older bathtubs are not the same size as the new ones made today. That poses a problem in trying to get the tub fit into the exact same spot as the old tub. New bathtubs may be bought for less than 0, but the total price for complete replacement may run up to 00. Walls have to be demolished and tiles may have to be replaced. In addition, a plumber, a tile setter and perhaps an electrician will be needed in order to put the fixtures back together. Another problem with tub replacement is that the old tub, tiles and walls end up at the landfills.
Bathtub resurfacing saves time because it is completed in a day and the tub can be used 24 hours or 48 hours later depending on the coating used by the refinishing company. The whole bathtub restoration process is done in the bathroom and there is no trip to the landfills. The price runs between 0 and 0. With volume discount, hotels get considerable savings.
Bathtub Repairs
Bathtubs, sinks, or showers with cracks, chips, burns or dings can be repaired and resurfaced instead of a complete tub refinishing or replacement. Smoking rooms in many hotels have cigarette burns. These burns can be repaired and refinished instead of replacing the whole tub. During new construction, bathtubs are chipped and cracked. New construction tub repairs save contractors money instead of replacing a new tub simply because it has a chipped surface.
Other Bathtub Resurfacing and Repair Services
o Repair of rusts, cracks, leaks, and chips.
o Refinishing of porcelain, fiberglass, cultured marble, and tile.
o Installation of safety strips – to reduce the risk of slip and fall.
o Sink repairs and refinishing.
Why bathtub refinishing is better than replacing:
o Hotels save up to 80% over the cost of tub replacement
o Tubs look good in just days, not weeks.
o No old fixtures end up at the landfills.
o Refinished bathtubs can last up to 15 years.
Bathtub refinishing saves money, time and the environment. If your hotel is serious about saving money in this depressed market, contact your friendly, professional bathtub refinishing company.
Fibreglass Bath Repair
Do Salt Water Swimming Pools Work?
Fibreglass Bath RepairDo Salt Water Swimming Pools Work?
By their nature, "salt" is sodium chloride. The method by which a salt chlorine generator that uses a process of electrolysis of salt dissolved in water passing through the filtering system of the pool. This eliminates the electrolysis of salt "sodium" and part of what remains is chloride or chlorine. This form of chlorine is very natural, not normal by-products, there are other types of chlorine. red eyes, strong odor, etc.
WHAT ARE THEBenefits of a salt water?
What makes this great system for owners of swimming is that because the chlorine is produced and dispersed into the pool on a consistent basis, is much more difficult for the water is cloudy or develop algae, and as we all know, algae or the failure of the property because they enjoy swimming. This consistency in the levels of chlorine also makes it much easier to keep the pool to the fact that you need to check that chlorinelevels on a daily basis, nor is adding of chlorine tablets or weekly “shocking” of the pool water necessary. I can personally attest to these benefits considering my ownership of a composite (fiberglass) pool in my yard with a salt-chlorine generator. In fact, I did not have to add any chlorine or shock this past summer, despite the fact that our pool had up to 19 children at one time and was used every day by my two children as well as the rest of the neighbors. No one complained of red eyes and my water maintained excellent clarity throughout the whole season. Never was there a trace of algae. My pool is roughly 17,000 gallons and we only added two bags of salt the entire season. Our chemical cost for the entire year was less than ! Needless to say, my wife thinks that salt chlorinators are the greatest thing since sliced bread and I would tend to agree.
ARE THERE ANY DRAWBACKS TO USING A SALT CHLORINATOR IN MY POOL?
Although there are very few drawbacks to salt-water chlorination, I’ll list here what I’ve been able to observe. The initial investment one will spend on a good salt system will fall somewhere between 00-00. Although this may sound like a lot, it really isn’t when you figure that it will save on average over 0 a season for those using a different method in sanitation. The system will quickly pay for itself over just a few swimming seasons, but even if there weren’t monetary benefits, it certainly is worth its weight in gold when one figures the time and stress that are alleviated with its implementation.
One other drawback with salt is that it does not work as well in a concrete/gunite pool. This is because studies have proven salt-chlorine to be five times more abrasive than regular chlorine on concrete surfaces. This means that a concrete pool owner will have to replaster their pool at a quicker rate if salt water is used. This principle does not apply to composite(fiberglass) pool owners though, with salt water having no negative impact on the longevity of the pool’s structure.
DOES THE POOL WATER TASTE LIKE SALT?
Yes, the water does taste like salt, but the salinity levels are very low, and just slightly noticeable. I would certainly not consider the salt levels to be uncomfortable nor distracting.
Fibreglass Bath Repair
Pool Slides
Fibreglass Bath RepairPool Slides
A swimming pool is a great addition to any back yard and the small space that it occupies returns a huge volume of fun when it is designed correctly. For many people who are going through the decision making process of having a pool installed in their backyard, what the final decision in the end often comes down to is whether to have a diving board or a slide installed on the side of the pool.
The fact is, that for many people their first experience with a swimming pool is at their high school where the pool has a diving board installed so they tend to gravitate to what they are familiar with. However; what many people don’t know is that a pool slide can and will provide hours of fun and entertainment for both then young and the young at heart.
The Zoomerang above ground pool slide is a great example of a pool slide that is both solid, reliable and at the same time much safer than a diving board. It retails for around 0 which is also cheaper than a diving board. Another pool slide that is less expensive than the Zoomerang is the Cyclone which sells for around 0 less than the Zoomwerang.
The great thing about pool slides is that they can be set up in the shallow end of the pool, so even the very young in the family can have loads of fun using them. Also, another benefit of having a pool slide installed is that they don’t require a very deep deep end such as a diving board requires. So when all things are considered for most people who are having a pool installed in their backyard a pool slide makes so much more sense then a diving board, is less expensive and is also so much more safer for the whole family to use.
Fibreglass Bath Repair