Wednesday 29 December 2010

Beautify Your House With Glass Balustrades

In this day and age, many people are now more adventurous when exploring new materials for design. Glass is slowly becoming one of the most sought after materials that evoke a modern appeal and a touch of elegance. Glass balustrades are no exception. Used as a balustrade for staircases, balconies, or terraces, a glass balustrade maximizes a persons view and initiates a sense of excitement. Balustrades are created to keep people from ever falling off a balcony or a staircase. With glass balustrades, you can make them feel a pleasant thrill of being unsupported, while at the same time, maximizing their views of the lower levels.


Originally and historically, balustrades were once only made of metal or wood. The advancements in technology and architecture has allowed the usage of glass as efficient and extremely durable balustrades perfect for commercial or domestic use.


Glass balustrades are created with vertical or horizontal sheets of glass. Now used commercially, you can see glass balustrades in malls and shopping centers, allowing light to flow freely and giving the venue a sense of sophistication. For a modern take on design, why not take these glass balustrades into your own home and line your staircases with balustrades made of glass? Frameless glass balustrades can be beautifully simple, but they can be intricate and ornate as well. Using frosted glass with intricate designs based solely on your own preference, you can add to your homes beauty and sophistication.


Today's innovation in manufacturing has made it extremely easy for glass to be made as a balustrade, even for your own home. These types of balustrades can now be used for your landings or your staircases. Ready-made kits are even available for you to patch the glass balustrade by yourself, or if you find this process too difficult, you can hire a specialist to help you with constructing it.


When it comes to creating these balustrades, you need shoe moldings, rails, panel clips, and glass panels. Choosing your glass panels is very significant for you need to choose toughened glass or Plexiglas for safety. The shoe molding provides the ground support of the balustrade, securing it in place and making sure it doesn't wobble or fall out. These moldings can be made of different kinds of metal, but for added foundation, aluminum is often used. To recreate the handrail, cap rails are used to line the edge of the glass. Cap rails prevent the sharp edges of the glass to prevent injury, and they come in various forms and designs as well.


Glass balustrades are very easy to maintain. Using a glass cleaner or solvent and a piece of rag, you can wipe unwanted hand prints and dust in a jiffy. If you're living in a small house with a staircase, glass balustrades are a great way to create the illusion of space and make your house look vaster. They also allow light to travel and flow freely, giving your house a lighter, more vibrant appeal. Very affordable and easy to acquire, a glass balustrade can be a very good investment for improving your home's design.


Tag : home,glass balustrades,home depot,home improvement


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Mueller

Tuesday 21 December 2010

Are Tankless Water Heaters A Good Purchase?

Tankless water heaters are quite widely used today. The truth is, regular heaters use up about 35% of your total energy costs, which is obviously a huge expense, and tankless systems are designed to save you money as well as be more efficient. When it comes to heating H20, there are two ways to do it-tanks or tankless systems. Tankless work by heating the water either via an electrical current, or natural gas, and the gas systems tend to be quicker, because they do not require the use of electricity. Either way, both are cheaper than their tank counterparts are, because you are just heating the amount of water you need.


With a tank system, you have to keep a certain amount of hot water on hand at all times, whether you need it or not. For this reason, there is a lower energy requirement than standard heating with tankless systems, and therefore your energy costs will be lower. There are two kinds of tankless systems, the whole house variety and the individual faucet kind. To install the latter kind, all you have to do to put them in is put fixtures on your faucets, which enables the liquid coming through the faucet to heat up at the point of attack. You have to put these same features everywhere that you require warm liquid, like the bathroom, mudroom, etc.


The other option is to simply get a whole house tankless system, which does not require you to put fixtures on your faucets. Instead, the liquid is simply heated when it first enters the house, and then is redirected to each individual outlet. Therefore, this option is better if you will need hot water at every faucet. Obviously, the whole house systems are pricier, because they require you to heat a larger amount of liquid. For this reason, if you only need hot H20 at certain outlets, you might want to opt for the individual faucet variety.


The best thing about tankless systems is that they can heat up as much liquid as you need, and therefore there is no limit. In other words, you will not have to worry about the hot water running out in the middle of your shower. On the other hand, this can cause energy costs to go up as well, if you use a lot of hot water. Therefore, if you do, you might want to consider tank systems to limit yourself.


In conclusion, tankless water heaters have a high rate of efficiency when compared their tank counterparts, because they limit waste. They only heat up the H20 you need, and nothing else. Before you buy one, just make sure you read reviews of the different residential systems, as this will help you find the best. Whether you opt for a GE tankless water heater or some small company, you have never heard of, reviews will help you find the best. Make sure you focus on finding a reliable heater, because the costs for replacement can be extremely high.


Tag : home,home improvement,Tankless,water heaters


Monday 13 December 2010

Bedroom Design Ideas For A Small Space

You can use your curtains to make the windows appear higher and larger. Do this by hanging your curtain rods a foot to sixteen inches above the window. Be sure to use light, flowing fabric to get a look that is soft and romantic. If you use dark, heavy drapes, it will make it seem as if the room is closing in on you, causing your space to appear smaller.


When you are picking a paint color, look for one that will reflect the light and look nice in your small space. When we were painting our bedroom in a small townhouse, we chose Benjamin Moore's Algonquin Trail (#1055). For reds, blues, and greens, this is a great choice. It makes a nice backdrop for lots of different styles, and it doesn't make the room appear dark.


If your room is small and boxy, set your furniture at angles or place it in alcoves to add points of interest. When you select a bed frame, be sure that it is roomy underneath. This will give you some extra storage space. To achieve terrific ambient lighting, you will want to add some lamps. Be sure, in the interest of space, that all of your side tables include some storage capabilities.


Get a nice, large, floor mirror and mount it on the wall. This will give you the appearance of spaciousness. Beside the mirror, place a tall lamp. This will give more light and the illusion of open space. By doing this, you will make your room seem to be larger, but you won't have to add extra furniture to get this effect.


Take advantage of your beautiful hardwood floors by enhancing them with a pretty rug. This will make even your floor a point of interest. Set the rug at an angle with the furnishings.


The addition of wall shelves will create storage. Set your books and knick-knacks up in an interesting way on the shelves. By doing this, your bookshelves will be decorative rather than merely functional. Cut down on clutter by making the most of your closet space. Add shelves and use baskets to maximize its storage capacity.


If you use these tips, your bedroom will be pleasant and inviting. You will find yourself looking forward to the time you spend there each night.


Tag : home,home design,home improvement,home depot

Tuesday 7 December 2010

Steel Doors

Strengthen your security using solid Steel Doors

Worried about your security measures? See weaknesses in your existing security measures? Need stout security solutions that can send out clear warning messages to would-be thieves? One way you can strengthen the security of the entranceways to your building is by furnishing them with Steel Doors. Wooden doors are weak, they are easy to break through but Steel Doors are an altogether different prospect. Thieves won't have the time or the energy to break through Steel Doors; they'll have to try their luck elsewhere. Fitted by specialist shutter companies, a set of Steel Doors could greatly enhance your current security measures.


Blend the Steel Doors into their new environment

They don't have to stick out like a sore thumb. Powder coating means you can have the doors painted in any colour that you like, and they'll blend in seamlessly within their new surroundings. Want Steel Doors fitting to an interior office? Specify a door that is painted to match your existing colour plan and not only will it look fabulous, it'll provide your office with prime protection. It pays to think about security measures, and you could be doing your business a huge favour if you have Steel Doors fitted to the front and rear of the property. They're strong, they're durable, and they're great value for money. Are Steel Doors the security features that your business is lacking at the moment?


What makes Steel Doors so secure?

Apart from the material that goes into their construction the Steel doors also benefit from full length security hinges and sturdy Chubb locks. Thieves can't break through the Steel Doors, they can't prise them off their hinges, and they can't fiddle with the locks either. It's pretty pointless trying to work a way to get through the Steel Doors as they really do provide premium protection once they have been fitted. Get rid of those old wooden doors if you think they might be a weak point in your security measures. Give yourself the peace of mind that Steel Doors can provide and speak to a specialist supplier about the installation process.


Tag : home,home improvement,home decor,steel doors

Friday 3 December 2010

Solar Water Fountain

Do you love water fountains? Get solar water fountains for your gardens decor. Elegance of solar water fountains will fascinate you immensely. These solar fountains are dependant on sunlight. Earlier, using solar power was both unusual and pricey. Only several heavy duty devices and big industries used solar power but now the price of solar panels is very limited and hence its even used to run solar powered water springs.Here are few common utilities of solar powered water fountains.

It is a fact that luxurious items consume more power. A good quality water fountain demand equally good supply of power. This factor makes impact on surroundings, as high demand of power increases demand of contaminants like coal. Thus, polluting power toll is rising constantly and we need to do something to save power.

Solar power comes as a great help and if you switch to solar powered water springs from other kinds of fountains, you are contributing towards green surroundings This might be a small step but it is definitely an effective one.

Power consumption is heavy during the spring and summer periods. This is the time when the usage of electric devices and appliances are on top. Summer needs massive run of highly power consuming devices like air conditioners and hence there is a serious effect in the power supply. We must also take initiative to save power and make a small but effective difference.

Installing solar water fountains instead of other water springs is an effective step to save power. Solar fountain runs on solar energy and hence there is no question of power consumption.

Maintenance and usage of these solar water fountains are so easy. There is no need of establishing link with a power point in your house or purchase a weather-resistant extension cord. Changing position of solar water fountain is comparatively much easier than the other variety of fountains. What you need to do is just drain the solar fountain and move the cords and solar panel in the right manner. You must keep the fountain in direct contact with sunlight to enjoy its excellent benefits. Solar water fountains are very handy and you can move them as per your requirements.

Cost of these solar fountains is not very high and hence these fountains are economical compared to other fountains. There are wide ranges of solar outflows available in the market and these fountains come in diverse prices. Solar panels are needed to run these water fountains and the price of the panels are reasonable. There is more to solar water springs than outdoor gardening.

Apart from outdoor solar fountains, there are indoor varieties also. You can mount a good solar fountain in the interior portion, if there is proper sunlight exposure there.

Tag : home,solar water,home improvement

Sunday 28 November 2010

Customized Solutions Search For Glass Railings

Customized Solutions Search for Glass Railings

Adam Peters

Glass railing is really a choice for those who love the distinction and modernity. Light will be your honor guest when you install glass railings.

Glass railing is really a choice for those who love the distinction and modernity. Light will be your honor guest when you install glass railings If you need a special effect and a touch of class, you must be thinking of glass railings. Glass panels are currently used by designer and architects to multiply the light available on a places like commercial malls and shopping centers. Using the most efficient natural light is not just a matter of beauty but also energy saving. That is the reason why glass is star in many modern buildings and even in many houses. Sites as important in international commerce as Dubai gold mart takes advantages of glass. Gold makes its incomparable brilliance and multiplies in infinite shades thanks to good lighting and the effects of glass, present even in the railing of the building. Using metallic railings or wood never can accomplish such effect. Customized Solutions: Search for Glass Railings Glass railing can be customized to the buyer desires but there are always some limits and considerations to be made. Glass is the excellence to accentuate atmosphere through light distribution in the area covered by the glass, then it is wise to look at the whole fact as a unity and apply the suitable measures as well as the appropriated previous studies to get the most benefits out of the light conditions. Such studies are not very complicate but you should know how many hours of light are in your location in you summer and winter period.and where is desirable to install the light to reinforce good effects among other things. Glass Railings - No Maintenance Absolutely The main advantage of the glass railings is that it helps you to save time and money, they are practically maintenance free. Forget the requirement of polishing or the chance of climate oddity attacks, as high humidity inconvenience like fungi, or rust, no degradation of quality of the glass railing make them reliable, apart from the current cleaning, the glass railing remains to look new and bright all the time and replacement is relatively easy when broken by accident. Note: remember to handle carefully to avoid possibility of breaking, tender care is needed when manipulating glass railings, this adds safety when you are installing or even cleaning the railings. For commercial reasons, the people visiting shopping are attracted by the glass merry appearance and the trend is that they increase their shopping, a very important point to highlight if you have a shop or a commercial activity and you are thinking to use glass railing.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Drop Leaf Dining Tables at Mom's House

When my mother got married, she outfitted her home with a complete coordinated set of furniture-a matched master bedroom set, a cocktail table and end tables, a desk for my dad. But the pride and joy of her home was her dining room table. It was Colonial style, pine with a maple finish, and round, 70 inches across. It came with a leaf that would make it oval, and it was easy to seat twelve guests for Thanksgiving dinner.


We never lived in a large house, so how did this grand piece of furniture find a place within our modest home? Mom had some foresight, and when it was time to pick furniture, she chose a drop table that gave her exactly the seating she was looking for but with built-in features that made it ideal for a home that might have limited space.


What are drop leaf tables? They are tables with a fixed center section on the tabletop, and hinged sections on either side that can be dropped down when the table is not in use. When you raised the hinged sides of the tabletop, they are supported movable gate legs, arms, or brackets.


On most days, Mom's dining room table was pushed up against the wall; it projected less than two feet into the room. If we needed a little more space-for homework or a craft project-we would lift one side and slide the movable table legs to support the tabletop. Clear off the table when we were done, drop the side, and the dining room would have a clear passageway again.


It's not surprising that an Early American furniture suite would include drop leaf tables. The design dates back to sixteenth century England. The design remains in use today for dining tables, sofa tables, and end tables. A special design for drop leaf tables-a tripod table-is has three legs, and the round table top has three hinged sides. Drop the three hinged sides, and the round table top converts to a triangle, and it can squeeze into a tight corner. With a similar design, a secretary desk with an drop leaf top provides a full-size desktop when necessary, and then can be folded down to accommodate a tight passageway.


The drop-leaf design has not been lost on today's furniture designers. For people who live in apartment and condos and who like to entertain, the drop leaf table provides an excellent solution for a dining room table in a limited amount of space. You can find a variety of drop leaf tables-bar-height or standard size--that you can place at the end of a galley, and turn a small space into an eat-in kitchen. Some drop leaf tables even have storage space for folding chairs built into the base.


Most people who sew or do crafts don't have a space dedicated to those activities. Instead, they end up setting up on the kitchen or dining room table and putting away their work at the end of the day. Today's furniture designers have integrated the function of drop leaf tables into specialized pieces of furniture. You can buy a portable sewing and craft cart that incorporates a drop leaf tabletop and integrates storage underneath. If you can't find drop leaf tables that perfectly suit your space, your style, or your needs, search the Internet for plans for a custom-built table.


It's hard to keep a good idea down. Drop leaf tables have been around for centuries, and we keep coming up with new ideas for turning the design into something useful for our modern lives.


Sunday 14 November 2010

The Popularity Of Wood Railings Today

The Popularity Of Wood Railings Today

Adam Peters

Elegance and distinction are the foundation of wooden porch railings.Learn why the wood is a superior option for your home.

Benefits Of Selecting Wooden Porch Railings Elegance and distinction are the foundation of wooden porch railings. They lend to contemporary and Victorian style homes the best of their virtues, highlighting their style.Traditional railing generally are made wood rather than metal or other modern or industrial materials. The consumer can gain benefits by using wooden instead of metal or other style railings available at the market.Here you have a short list of benefits of using wood reported by homeowners, architects and designers:

Railings crafted of wood reinforcing their houses styles add value. Supplies for wood railing are most common to get rather than other materials supplies, thus supplies including the most current parts like top rails, bottom rails, balusters, posts, post caps and finials and more are easy to come by and inexpensive. Easy to maintain and easily customized to meet a homeowners preferences, wooden fixtures are favorite by many house owners Balusters can be cut into many different shapes not only square but including flat or round pieces, these variation make details more evident. The Popularity Of Wood Railings Today Why are wood railings so highly appreciated by the consumers today? Let's see good reason for it: You must consider that wood is an inexpensive and easy l to acquire. Railings made out of wood are also more easily handled and constructed, installing a wooden railing takes in no more than a couple of hours. Most wood materials are easily weatherproofed and maintained over time, unlike their wrought iron fellow railing, wood railings are also more easily handled and constructed even by the least skilled consumer, you can often install a wooden railing easily within a couple of hours Weatherproofed woods can acquired and the required maintained over time is minimal. Unlike their wrought iron fellows, wooden porch railings don't face troubles like, rust, paint blistering, and other repairing due to the corrosion,;other factors that make faithful consumers to wood it is the possibility almost unlimited to create wood parts that match their home style and if they have enough imagination, it is possible to design their own creation and send them to manufacturers that provide that kind of services.Handmade porch railings made from wood created by yourself can be securely install them into place. You need the typical nails or woodscrews to secure a wooden railing in place. The most popular accessories for a wood porch railing: Wicker chairs, they give a country touch traditional Porch swings Wicker or wooden furniture, may include rocking chairs Natural plants, trees, and ethnic and decorative handmade pieces on wood, stone, wicker. Choose To Get The Best of Wood Railings

Saturday 6 November 2010

Choosing Energy Efficient Windows

Energy efficient windows can not only lower a homeowner's utility bills but can also be a step toward saving the planet. Most earthlings are aware of the ongoing depletion of our planet's natural resources. If steps aren't taken to preserve the bounty of resources naturally available in our environment, all of the world's citizens will be sorry. When selecting appliances, timber and building products, it is just as easy to choose an energy efficient product as a fuel hog.


Here are some tips to aid homeowners in selecting environmentally friendly windows:


- Look for the words "Energy Star" on the items. The "Energy Star" rating means that the products have met strict codes that classify them as green and efficient.


- Energy Building Codes must be met. Every state or city has adopted a set of building codes to make certain that new buildings, both commercial and residential, meet certain standards. For example, they must be fire safe, weather safe and accessible for people with disabilities, especially in the case of commercial buildings. They must be set back from the road specific distances and must be properly hooked up to gas, electric, water and sewer lines. They must also meet certain environmental stipulations in terms of energy efficiency -- just how stringent will depend on the municipality.


- Climate codes are also a consideration. Different regions of the country experience more severe weather than others. The United States have been divided into sections with climate codes numbered from one to seven, depending on the average local temperatures in the region throughout the years. Milder temps will need less protection built into the building components. Hot weather will mandate different needs for maintaining comfortable household temperatures than those with extremely cold weather.


- Directional orientation is important. The positioning of the house and the direction that each plate of glass faces will impact how much solar heat will enter the home naturally. Cold climates want to take advantage of as much solar heating as possible while warmer climates want to take the opposite approach. South facing windows allow the most sunlight to enter the building while north facing lets in the least. East and west positioning have a negligible effect.


- Shading has an effect as well. Planting trees or positioning other buildings in a way that shade will spill onto a home is another way of saving energy. If a climate is very hot, the more shade the better. If the region is frigid, the opposite is true.


- Components of windows have a large impact. The most fuel saving of the group have components such as proper frames to keep the inside temps contained, double panes, gas filled, protective coatings to control solar effects, and weather-stripping. These details will add up to utility bill savings every month. Single pane windows of the past are like an open door to heat and cold from the outside.


Homeowners who follow the above guidelines, as well as having the energy efficient windows properly installed by a professional, will be glad they did. Whether building a new home or retrofitting an existing one, the initial money outlay will be repaid every month due to decreased fuel consumption.


Saturday 5 June 2010

How to Buy the Ideal Window Exhaust Fan

Window fans are easy to incorporate in any interior design as much as windows are a natural, energy-saving way to sustain proper ventilation. They are fans intended to be placed within the frame of a window, and a lot like their natural precursors, they have been designed to circulate cool air, as with a window cooling fan, as well as clean air, as with a window exhaust fan. For today's severe summer heat and temperature fluctuations, these fans provide a cost-friendly, energy-efficient solution.


While a heater keeps rooms insulated and an air conditioner cools them down, a window exhaust fan expels stale air to make sure the cool air you are breathing is actually fresh. Unless your home or office interiors require absolutely cold temperatures, an exhaust fan creates a cool breeze at a fraction of the cost of an air conditioner. Industrial fans generate greater centrifugal action for carrying cool air all throughout.


Consider a window fan that can be switched between intake and exhaust modes. Nice features your fan should have, because they are common enough, include two or three sleep-friendly quiet speeds, an automatic shut-off thermostat or timer, and easy to see lighted controls. Invest in an exaust fan with a 360 degree dual-axis rotation, if within budget, so it rotates horizontally and vertically.


The typical window exhaust fan has an electricity powered motor but a solar powered portable fan comes in handy for producing a cool breeze wherever you are. A window fan doubling as a table or floor fan would be another smart investment.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rudolph_Clausell

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Getting the Right Window Cleaning Service

Ever since glass was used for windows, window cleaning has been an essential part of a building's maintenance.


Window cleaning is a necessary expense for both businesses and domestic buildings. Many high rise buildings nowadays are mostly built from steel and glass and most of the buildings are covered with windows. As time passes, building administrators need to maintain the cleanliness of these building windows, so that's why there is a need to hire cleaning companies to do the job. Residential buildings also need cleaning providers to maintain cleanliness.


When looking for a reliable service provider, make sure the company that provides the service has years of experience cleaning commercial and residential types. A service provider with no experience will only give you problems rather than providing a good service. It will take a lot longer for them to finish and work may be of low quality. Experienced and expert window cleaners use the right cleaning tools that can produce better results than using regular cleaning methods like using a newspaper or a cloth.


Here are some tips to help you save time and money on getting a cleaning service for your windows.


1) Hire someone local. Since cleaning windows is regular maintenance work, getting your usual cleaner who is located within your locality can help make the job easier. They already know what to do with your windows and you'll be assured of getting the usual quality service.


2) Search online. Use your favorite search engine and type in keywords like "Melbourne window cleaning" or "window cleaning services Melbourne" so you can get the closest search engine result for the services you need. Some search results may not give you what you are looking for right away but don't give up until you find the right provider.


3) Ask around. Make sure the company is accredited by well known health and safety organizations and have been providing quality service to both commercial and residential establishments for years. Ask your friends, co-workers and other businesses who their cleaning service is.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Remy_Lebeau