Blog - Home Design Plans

24Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Pest Control

What to Do About Bow Bugs

Bugs that attack violin, viola and cello bows are a nuisance but a simple problem to treat and prevent.If you play violin or viola or cello long enough it will eventually happen. You will open your case and retrieve your bow. And even though you know for sure that you have been properly caring for and maintaining your bow, several hairs on your bow are broken off and hanging loose. This is a sure sign that you have a case of the bow bugs.That is, your violin, viola or cello case is infected with an actual bug that is feeding on your bow hair. Also named "bow mites" and "carpet beetles", these bugs are common in homes. When the home in question has a violin case on the premises, it's likely that the bow bug is going to find that case and move in. Why? Because it thrives in dark, unventilate...

Mold Remediation – A Big Word For a Big Problem

24Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Heating and Air Conditioning

Mold Remediation – A Big Word For a Big Problem

Have you been noticing an odd smell in your home environment on a regular basis? Is it constantly on the damp side in certain areas of your business? Does someone in your family only sneeze and cough when they are inside your home? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a serious problem. The key to effectively eliminating it is through mold remediation.There are two food sources that these sometimes-deadly spores love most - oxygen and moisture. They gorge themselves on both until they have taken over your home environment. They can grow on almost anything such as carpet, food, wood, and even paper products.You may be wondering just what causes the moisture. Well, out-of-control humidity, construction code changes over the years, and even building materials, which hav...

Electric Underfloor Heating – Ultimate Solution To Winter Woes

24Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Home Inspections

Electric Underfloor Heating – Ultimate Solution To Winter Woes

The first time someone told you about electric underfloor heating, it had appeared Greek and Latin to you. Since you were not aware of this term, you had immediately referred this topic to some of your friends who were working with some of the top brands in electrical appliances. Obviously, you had expected them to answer your questions without any difficulty. However, horrors of horrors - instead of solving your problem, whatever information they gave actually made things more complex and puzzling for you.You aren't the first person who has reacted in this manner. There are many instances where many have reacted in a similar situation previously. But, you should be thanking your luck for having come across this article. The article will actually guide you with some of the simple methods a...

Why The PowerMax Pro Is The Ultimate Security System

23Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Security

Why The PowerMax Pro Is The Ultimate Security System

With the broadband era comes advanced home security equipment. The PowerMax Pro is an all-inclusive security system that uses wireless networks to completely take versatility to the next level, changes connectivity while boasting style in the world of home security. The PowerMax Pro lets you monitor your home remotely over the internet, through your laptop computer, smartphone or any other gadget. It's reliable and easy to use. It comes in an elegant contemporary design that everyone can admire.But the PowerMax Pro's intelligence is complicated only to the unauthorized individuals, because of the fact that it's been designed by some of the most sophisticated systems that encourage robust performance as far as security is concerned. It starts with a fast and easy installation set-up, and th...

Why Should I Do Some Travertine Polishing?

23Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Flooring

Why Should I Do Some Travertine Polishing?

Travertine Polishing is done to remove surface imperfections or damage done to installed travertine tiles or pavers. Travertine is decorative natural stone, a form of limestone which is formed near caves or hot springs. At first glance, some people think that travertine is similar to marble - a common natural stone used for buildings. Actually, it is not. Marble is metamorphic rock, formed with extreme heat and pressure. It is also more structurally solid than travertine. Carbon dioxide escapes from the stone during the formation of travertine and this leaves holes throughout the stone, giving it a somewhat fibrous appearance. The commercial value of travertine is determined by the presence of these holes left behind by the carbon dioxide evasion. The more solid-looking stones with less ho...

What You Should Know About Stock and Custom Kitchen Cabinets

22Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Kitchen Improvements

What You Should Know About Stock and Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Have you perused through kitchen cabinets from import dealers and big stores but found nothing satisfying from the selection? Perhaps you should consider custom-built one for your remodeling project. Here are the boons and bane of stock as well as custom cabinets.Stock These are pre-built ones with particular sizes. These have 2 inch increments and dealers usually resell them. L-shaped kitchens and other basic layouts usually don't post a problem when laying out cabinets. However, when putting up cabinets between a couple of walls, you are given filler pieces by a supplier. These fillers can be customized to fill the gap correctly. The real bane of stock kitchen cabinets though isn't just about the size but the quality as well.Quality is balanced out with the cost of these pre-built ones....

Floor Redesigns – Tips for Painting a Concrete Floor

22Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

DIY

Floor Redesigns – Tips for Painting a Concrete Floor

When it comes to flooring, polished concrete floors are great materials, which are more commonly used. However in homes it's not something you would want to leave unfinished or uncovered. Many people prefer to have their flooring either laminated, carpeted, or tiled with hardwood or tiles, rather than keep it with the plain old slab flooring. But on the upside of things, and for a big change, concrete can actually look quite good if it is finished properly.Tips and tricks to painting concrete.The first step before considering any tips and tricks is to figure out what type of concrete you have. Do you have polished concrete floors, or perhaps terrazzo floors? This makes knowing what type of paint to go with much easier.The tips of painting both polished concrete and terrazzo floors include ...

22Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Plumbing

Small Trees

Maybe you are looking to add more trees to your backyard but don't know what to pick. Maybe you are scared of starting a forest as trees tend to grow, and grow, and grow. Maybe you just want some little accent to a deck area or around a pool. Well, you're in luck because there are plenty of little trees to choose from that won't go totally rogue on you in a few years and that will be pretty additions to your yard.First up is the Fernleaf Fullmoon Maple, yes, it's a mouthful, but this native Japanese species gives any yard a hit of colour and texture with its dense leaves. The medium green colour gives way to beautiful red, orange red or orange yellow leaves come fall, depending on the variety you choose, and while some can grow as much as 30 feet, there are smaller versions available too. ...

Free Energy Systems As An Offgrid Power Source

22Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

Energy Efficiency

Free Energy Systems As An Offgrid Power Source

Zero cost energy systems allow you to generate electricity for your household without having to pay electricity bills. Zero cost energy systems rely on well founded technology to deliver free energy to its users. These systems are so efficient that you could always fulfill the electricity requirements for your home, without paying a single penny in terms of electricity bills.Free energy devices utilise simple and easy energy generation methods such as generation of electricity from radio waves, generation of electric current from static electricity, and conversion of radiant energy to electric energy. Whichever method is used, the modes of installation of zero cost energy systems are very similar and very easy to implement.If you want to dispense with the power grid altogether, or want the...

22Aug

By Vincent J. ThomeNo Comments

DIY

How To Renovate A Basement

This is a short article about how to renovate a basement and it contains just the basic information that you will need before you start doing it.Renovating a basement sounds rather intimidating, but really it's not much different from renovating any other room. The only difference is that a basement is a room that is below ground level, and as a result is typically rather damp and musty if it is not kept in good order with regular maintenance.The first job is to remove all rotten woodwork and masonry and clean up any moisture and dirt. Make the whole place as dry as possible.The cause of any dampness is most likely not so much the fact that it's below the ground, as because ventilation is difficult and it's easy for the air to stagnate, leading to damp and mould problems.Of course damp wil...