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

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_E._Mcleod

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

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

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