Thursday, June 28, 2007

Home Automation Technology – Selling Your Home in a Buyer’s Market

With the current real estate bubble bursting homeowners are eager to find a way to move their home faster. Home automation is a proven way to stimulate the interest of potential buyers, in many cases reducing the number of days or weeks a home remains on the market. I was surprised to find out that less than 1% of homeowners in this country have the technology in their home to make selling easier.

Surprisingly this technology remains a niche usually reserved for high-end new homes. I think that the reason behind this statistic is the large investment required in a complete home automation package. The cost can be prohibitive, that is why I came up with new, more modular solutions. I can offer two automation solutions based common internet technologies (TCPIP) using the home’s data network for communications.

Utilizing these systems I have developed a way that homeowners and builders alike can invest a small amount into their home to promote a big return. I would suggest that homeowners and builders need to start with a solid technological foundation of wiring.

For many years high-end homes have had structured wiring installed. Structured wiring is a planned wiring method by which all services (phone, data, television, music, and security) originate from a central location or hub. Structured wiring is still an extremely desirable feature; however, one facet of the structured wiring methodology is beginning to overshadow the others in its overall importance. As the technologic world moves toward online programming and distribution of media (streaming media), so does the automation market. The data network is becoming the most critical and resalable components of the home. Investing the time to design a solid wiring backbone for a home can increase the attractiveness of your home to a prospective buyer. This strategy helps both the homeowner and the builder make their homes stand out from the crowd.

If you start with a foundation of structured wiring and a solid data network backbone this makes your home easily upgradeable. I feel that home automation is obviously the wave of the future and this plan enables the homeowner of today to start small and upgrade in affordable pieces. After the foundation is laid you can then decide at a later date what type of systems you desire, such as home security. All you need to decide is how big of a system you need. All systems run through you new upgradeable home, therefore, you can keep it simple or the sky is the limit.

You build the system to fit your needs and to make your life easier, the technology itself makes your home more profitable and easier to sell.

Outdoor Christmas Decorations

Simpler is better when it comes to decorating outdoors. Outdoor Christmas decorations should be centered around your theme, rather than picking and choosing among several themes.

Decorating outdoors can be done many different ways. The choices in outdoor Christmas decorations are overwhelming and you can see this in many people's outdoor displays. When it comes to decorating outside, sometimes you need to remember that less is more.

Fo example, you will be overdressed if you wear your formal gown along with seven diamond bracelets and four diamond necklaces. In much the same way, you want to refrain from overdoing your yard during Christmas. Showing your Christmas spirit is great, but too many Christmas decorations can possibly detract from your outdoor decoration.

It begins to be a problem when you start picking and choosing among all of the different choices available. It is best to have a few related outdoor Christmas decorations than many unrelated items, because it makes the whole yard look uncluttered and too busy.

I have seen yards with revolving reindeer, Santa, his sleigh, lighted palm trees, icicle lighting, and even several of those blow-up decorations. This yard was overshadowed by all of these outdoor decorations and ended up looking busy and disturbing, rather than giving you that Christmas spirit.

You may want to jump into your decorating with both feet, but with outdoor Christmas decorations it is best to refrain. You can use restraint in your outdoor Christmas decorations choices and help to make your yard festive, without turning it into the brightest spot in the neighborhood.

To help yourself stay on track it is best to choose a theme and then stay with it. You don't want to put the Grinch on top of a manger scene. If you choose the nativity as your theme then choose traditional decorations over the characters. It will make the yard more cohesive and more interesting to your friends and family.

Another thing to remember is that just because you have a certain decoration does not mean that you have to use it every year. You may love the Nutcracker fiber optic Christmas decoration that you have, but you want to do your yard in a more traditional nativity theme. You can just not use the Nutcracker set this year and save it for another Christmas.

It is very exciting to decorate for the Christmas season. It can be difficult to tone it down because all of the decorations are so fun and interesting to look at, but you need to keep it simple. Keep in mind that the people passing your home only have a couple of seconds to see your entire yard. Simpler is better, especially when we are discussing outdoor Christmas decorations.

Make A Statement By Adding Stylish Custom Wood Blinds

Window or door wooden blinds are an integral part of decoration in any office or house. Many interior designers use customized wood blinds prepared of wood or some other blinds which showcase a wood-like appearance to create an air of relaxation and comfort. Also, wood comes first in the priority list f those who wish to decorate their office or home.

These blinds create an inviting air in and around the room where they are used. They also enhance the beauty of the other furniture present in the room. In addition to these, they also give privacy to your family as well as you.

You can always select a customized wood blind to enhance the interior decoration of your place. Its rest assured that such blinds would not only increase the beauty of your place manifolds but it will also create a very comfortable atmosphere.

Maintenance of wood blinds is much easier as compared to other kind of blinds. You can clean and maintain them easily without putting in a lot of effort. All that you would need is a wood cleaner and a piece of dry cloth in order to clean and make the blinds tidy.

In case the blinds on your doors as well as windows are in tune with the furnishing of you room, the beauty and style-quotient of your room will get a huge boost. You can get such customized wood blinds in various texture, shade and colors to gel well with your taste. These wood blinds can open on the side or middle, can be horizontal or vertical, or even bottom-up or top-down.

Custom wood blinds which are vertical give much more protection from extreme climatic conditions in comparison to horizontal wood blinds. This is due to the fact that you can open or close such blinds either from any side or the middle. These blinds are most suitable for square windows. They also give your room very contemporary and stylish look. In certain aspects, they are a far better choice than the commonly used curtains or shutters. These blinds can be designed according to the customer’s wish and can be set into position easily. They can also be cleaned and maintained easily. Various materials like metal, plastic, wood and fabric are used to make vertical blinds.

Custom wood blinds of horizontal nature give your room a very warm and improved appearance. In case of windows having a length more than that of its breadth, such blinds are the perfect choice. These blinds are the best bet for any category of room. These blinds are available in stain woods or paints, can gel easily with any kind of style and have the capability of getting noticed by the people present around. If you are considering purchasing a horizontal wood blind, you should first decide what your priority is – to get more light or more privacy. E.g. you can invest in a horizontal blind made of bamboo having a privacy lining or without it. In case you opt for a blind with privacy lining, the blind will make your room darker and thus provide you the required privacy.

Kitchen Faucets And Maintenance

Faucets in your house will not cease to function properly at a very frequent pace, but when a faucet packs it in it can cause quite a mess in your home. The most important part of preventing a really bad faucet accident that can cause considerable damage to a house is proper faucet maintenance. In other words, make sure that you take care of the problem as soon as you see kitchen faucets start to drip, instead of waiting to see how much water damage your kitchen cabinet can take! Most indoor plumbing problems are easy to remedy, even for the novice handyperson. There are some common leak problems within homes, and this article will help you decide how to deal with them.

The first common problem is leaky pipe joints within the kitchen. In the average house, the kitchen sees as much water flowing through it in a given day than any of the bathrooms. It is not surprising, then, that joints will spring leaks as time passes. In order to repair leaks, first locate the valve that controls the water output in the sink. Once you have located it, shut the water off. Next, remove the joint that is leaking and hold it up to the light. You should see light filtering through any holes or cracks in the line, and these need to be replaced. This can be done with plumber's tape, but make sure to wrap it tightly around the damaged portions. Once this is done, replace the joints and turn the water back on. If there is still a leak, you might have to repeat the process and check other areas, such as the fittings.

Another common problem area, especially in colder climates, is that pipes may freeze. This problem can be pretty annoying, as home owners will not always know which pipe it is that is frozen and is causing the problem. First, turn on all the faucets in your house. The ones that are not putting out water are the ones where the frozen pipe is attached. Shut off the faucets that are producing water and leave the other valves open. Now you will have to turn off the valve that brings water into the house.

There are several ways to thaw a pipe once you have located the frozen one. Determine the material the pipes are made of; a blow dryer or a heat gun can be used to thaw them out, but too much heat on a plastic line might melt it. If the ice plug formed due to a hole or crack in the pipe, you will want to repair it before your job is complete. In order to prevent more frozen pipes in the future you should consider wrapping them with insulation or heat tape, or building a heated space for the pipes to run through.

What Is Hepa In An Air Purifier

An air purifier is an appliance used for cleaning air indoors and they are used in homes, commercial buildings, industrial workplaces etc. The application of air purifiers is usually in places which tend to have unhealthy air due to pets, molds, pollutants, smoke or industrial work, hazardous materials etc. Air purifiers are also popular in homes of allergic people and asthmatics who wish to keep the air healthy in their homes. They are also popular due to the fact that the air inside homes is less healthy than the air outside.

Since people spend a significant amount of time indoors having an air purifier is healthy.

Allergic applications

Air purifiers are most popular for asthmatics and allergic people and they work by keeping allergens and triggers out of the air in homes. Allergens or triggers can be dust, pollen, mold spores, fungus, pet hair, smoke particles, airborne gases etc.

Functioning

Air purifiers employ various techniques for air purification like absorbents, ionizers, mechanical filters etc. Absorbents can be in the form of activated charcoal and ionizers can be in the form of electrostatic chargers. Some air purifiers have additional systems like germ killing UV light, ionizer for neutralizing contaminants.

HEPA filters

HEPA is an acronym for High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters are very popular for air purifiers. Before being designated as HEPA, air purifiers must meet very stringent requirements as laid down by the Department of Energy. HEPA filters should remove at least 99.97 % of air borne particles of 0.3 micron size at 85 liters per minute rate. However HEPA filters are very expensive and replacing the filter in the purifier may cost as much as the purifier itself. Further HEPA filters cannot remove gases or odors from the air. For removing gases absorbent type of air purifiers are suitable.

Ozone

Some Ionic air purifiers produce ozone in the delivered air. Ozone can be dangerous at higher concentration, which is the cause of a controversy. However ionic air purifiers are associated with healthy air environments such as waterfalls, mountains etc, since these places have a negative ion concentration as in ionic air purifiers. An ionic air purifier in conjunction with an air filtration system is suited for most purposes.

What to look for

Customers usually look for aesthetic appeal, noise levels, size of the equipment, frequency of filter replacement, electricity consumption, air delivery rate etc. Most of the filters can be cleaned easily by vacuuming, by water or by hand. The filters may need replacement anywhere between months to a few years depending upon the type of air purifier.

An Introduction To Memory Foam

The first memory foam material was invented in the 1970’s by NASA. At that time, NASA was trying to come up with a material that could cushion the astronauts when taking off due to the high G levels. The material was invented yet never made it to any space program. Instead, several medical companies saw the potential of memory foam material and adapted it to be used in the medical industry to help relive bed sores.

When memory foam was first used, though it was effective, it was also very brittle and was not suitable for long term use. However, Tempur-Pedic, the swedish tempurpedic manufacturer was the first company to came up with a new version of memory foam material that was not only effective in the medical industry but also had a longer life span. Tempur-Pedic was also responsible for introducing tempurpedic mattresses and other related tempurpedic products to the average consumer.

Needless to say, it was a hit with the consumer market as there was nothing like it on the market prior to Tempur-Pedic’s entry. The ability to conform to your body and body temperature and pressure relieving properties soon made tempurpedic products the market leader in memory foam industry.

Lately on, other memory foam companies join in the fray and came up with many other varieties of memory foam products. However, they could not duplicate the success of tempur-pedic products.

Part of the reason for this is most other memory foam has a lower density per foot than tempurpedic. Typically, tempurpedic products has 5.3 lb/cubic density while other memory foam products are in the range of 2.5 to 4 lb/cubic density.

The higher the density of memory foam material, the more cushioning effect it has. The higher density is also one of the reasons why tempurpedic products cost more than other memory foam products.

Another property of tempurpedic products is its visco-elastic ability. The visco-elastic material will soften and conform to your body contours and temperature. The lower the temperature, the more rigid the memory foam material.

Tempur-Pedic has also perfected the memory foam technique, something other companies have not done. The memory foam manufacturing process is inherently complicated and not easily duplicated. This has enable them to produce better quality memory foam mattress and other products.

Though many companies have tried to imitate the visco-elastic and density of tempurpedic memory foam, none have come close to it and this is the reason why tempurpedic products continue to be well liked by consumers even though the cost is higher than other memory foam products. Consumers have come to associate better quality with tempurpedic products.

Plant Hardiness - Your Guide to Selecting the Right Plants for Your Climate

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is an essential tool for all landscapers and gardeners, whether professionals or weekend do-it-yourselfers. This simple and free tool will help ensure you select only the correct plants, shrubs, or trees for your region. If you do not follow this guide you risk the health of your plant, and ultimately your time and money.

The Map was designed to show the average annual minimum temperature range throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There are 11 different zones that describe the minimum temperature that can be expected. The zones were divided based on a 10 degree Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature.

It is important to understand the zones in order to select a plant that will survive the winter in your region. This is called the plant's winter hardiness. The winter hardiness of the plant is one of the most crucial factors for the survival and environmental adaptation of the plant. A plant's hardiness indicates the lowest temperature the plant can sustain and still survive.

Most plants purchased at commercial stores will have their hardiness level indicated on their tag. Determine the Hardiness Zone of the area in which the plant will be located, and make sure the plant's hardiness falls within the correct zone.

Zone 1 contains areas that see an average minimum temperature below (-) 50 degree Fahrenheit. Example locations include Fairbanks, Alaska and Northwest Territories in Canada.

Zone 2 contains areas that see an average minimum temperature of (-) 50 to (-) 40 degrees. Example locations include Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and Pinecreek , Minnesota.

Zone 3 ranges between (-) 40 and (-) 30 degrees. Examples are International Falls, Minnesota and Sidney, Montana.

Zone 4 ranges between (-) 30 and (-) 20 degrees. Examples are Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota and Northwood, Iowa.

Zone 5 ranges between (-) 20 and (-) 10 degrees. Examples are Des Moines, Iowa and Mansfield, Pennsylvania.

Zone 6 ranges between (-) 10 and 0 degrees. Examples are St. Louis, Missouri, and Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

Zone 7 ranges between 0 and 10 degrees. Examples are South Boston, Virginia and Little Rock Arkansas.

Zone 8 ranges between 10 and 20 degrees. Examples are Dallas, Texas and Gainesville, Florida.

Zone 9 ranges between 20 and 30 degrees. Examples are Houston, Texas and Fort Pierce, Florida.

Zone 10 ranges between 30 and 40 degrees. Examples are Victorville, California and Miami, Florida.

Zone 11 is for annual minimum temperatures above 40 degrees. Examples include Honolulu, Hawaii and Mazatlan, Mexico.