Home Insurance - Give Your Home a Winter Health Check

As winter sets in and the weather worsens, one of the issues homeowners will face is ensuring their home is protected from the elements.

With the risk of high winds and winter storms ever apparent throughout the winter season, it's worth giving your home a winter health check in order to reduce the risk.

Here are a few essential checks - both inside and outside your property - you could carry out in order to prepare for any bad weather:

5B5
• Check the condition of your roof, checking for cracked or broken tiles and any chimney damage. If any repairs are needed, hire a professional roofing contractor as soon as possible to ensure your home is protected against the elements.
• Clear gutters and drain pipes of debris and leaf litter in order to reduce the risk of blockages and overflows.
• If you use a fireplace in your home, be sure to check any chimney flues for blockages - such as leaves and birds nests - debris can become a health risk when the fire is lit if left unattended, if you're not sure contact a qualified chimney sweep in your area.
• Trim back any low hanging branches to reduce the risk of damage in high winds
• Ensure you have your boiler serviced by a CORGI registered professional at least once a year, as well as checking your central heating and gas fire to ensure they are working efficiently.
• During cold weather, keep the central heating set to at least 10 degrees in order to prevent pipes from freezing
• Check that the loft is properly insulated and has adequate ventilation
• Thicker curtains can help reduce heat loss in the home

With an increasing number of weather-related claims over the last few years, getting the right home insurance deal could make a real difference if your p5B4roperty should sustain weather-related damage.

Colder weather means we rely on a variety of sources to help keep us warm and cosy inside, from central heating to candles. According to research carried out by a leading home insurance provider, it is estimated that nearly half the adult population of the UK will use some other form of heating appliance -such as electric blankets and additional heaters - in their bedrooms in order to help keep warm during the winter.

However it is important to be careful when using these extra appliances, here are a few tips for avoiding that phone call to your house insurance provider:

• Ensure that candles are placed on a suitable heat-proof surface away from curtains and not placed under shelves or on top of television sets.
• Don't leave candles to burn unattended.
• Ensure any electric blankets are in good condition and working properly, only use overnight if they have a specially-designed thermostat.

Compare a range of house insurance providers to find a cheap home insurance deal that suits you.

Fallbrook Organizing

A Guide To Real Life Fire Places And Some Interesting Historical Facts About The Humble Fireplace

The fireplace is designed to contain the fire, and then the decorative part is to make the fire a feature in the room. The fire is normally for warmth however it can also be used for cooking. The place where the fire is inside of the fireplace is called a fire pit or firebox and these can be made to measure. Since the fire emits smoke, it is essential to then have a chimney or other type of opening to let toxic gases escape from the building, we will get more on to chimneys in a moment.

Framing Square With Stair Gauges

Five Deadly Sales Letter Mistakes

To be effective your sales letter must be opened, read, believed and acted upon. In order to do this it must attract attention, warm the interest of the reader, create a desire for your product or service and cause your prospect to take positive action.

An effective sales letter, not surprisingly, achieves the same objectives as an effective salesperson. And just as there are certain mistakes a salesperson wants to be sure to avoid in the selling process, the same holds true for the writer of sales letters.

So today I present Five Deadly Sales Letter Mistakes. Eliminate one or more of the common blunders described here and it's a good bet your response rates will improve.

Deadly Sales Letter Mistake # 1 Writing Your Letter For the Hundreds or Thousands of People You Will Be Mailing It To Instead of One Special Person. One sure way to generate an apathetic response to your sales letter is to write for the group or list of people you will be mailing it to.

Approaching your letter with a crowd mentality instead of focusing in on a single, real, living, breathing prospect will greatly impair the ability of your letter to make a genuine connection with the reader.

The sales letter is the most personal, one-to-one form of advertising there is. As is often said, it's the only form of advertising that begins with the word "dear." So it should read like one person sitting down writing to one other person. And heres a crystal clear example of exactly what I mean by that statement. Its from a letter by the brilliant copywriter and nonpareil advertising man, Maxwell Sackheim:

Thank you very much for having written to me for my latest catalog. A copy is being sent to you in another envelope and should reach you in a day or two.

When my catalog arrives I hope you will give it as friendly a welcome as if I were visiting you myself. Ive tried to put into it just the words I would say to you if you were to come here personally, or if I were to come to your home and spend an evening with you.

Deadly Sales Letter Mistake # 2 Thinking that Your Prospect Wont Read a Long Letter. The key question is, what makes for a long letter? To which the answer is, any letter that is uninteresting is a long letter! Even the one-page letter that many salespeople and amateur marketers arbitrarily limit themselves to can seem long.

For example, a number of years ago Kevin Costner made an interminably boring and bloated movie entitled Waterworld that the critics panned and audiences ignored. On the other hand, Stephen Spielbergs inspiring and unflinching film about the Holocaust, Schindlers List, was more than three hours long and it was a huge critical and financial success.

Heres my point: People read long books, take long trips, and watch long movies and plays. And evidence abounds that people read long letters. But people wont read boring letters, dull letters, obviously self-serving I-me-we-product-oriented letters.

Offer the right product or service at the right price to the right audience and if you have enough to say and say it interestingly enoughyou can make a five-page letter pull a better response than a two page letter.

Deadly Sales Letter Mistake # 3 Being a Slave to the Formal Rules of Correct Grammar. When you were in school, teachers and professors were paid to read your work and they dutifully corrected your writing according to the formal rules of grammar.

In the real world its a different story. When writing a sales letter you want your work to have a conversational readability to it. And in most instances that means writing in an informal style. Because thats how the vast majority of buyers and sellers communicate with one another.

As a result, youll break a number of formal grammatical rules. Youll start sentences with and or but. Instead of complete sentences youll sometimes use a sentence fragment. But thats OK. And every now and then youll dangle a participle or end a sentence with a preposition.

If all of this seems totally against the grain consider this true story. Winston Churchill, a Nobel Prize Winner for literature, was corrected by one of his proofreaders for ending a sentence in a preposition. To which Mr. Churchill replied, That is the type of nonsense up with which I will not put!

Your objective is to generate a lead or advance or close the sale. Not one of your prospects is getting paid to read your letter. This time your grade will be determined by how well people respond.

Deadly Sales Letter Mistake # 4 Giving The Reader a Reason For Not Reading. Beware of the so what reaction of your typical prospect. Simply stated, they dont care about you, they dont care about your product or service and they dont care about your company.

Indifference is the order of the day. So you must grab hold of your5B4 prospects mind with a startling statement, a provocative question; some volley of words that will stir them from their apathy and make them pay attention to your letter.

But capturing the prospects attention will do you no good unless you hold onto it. And you do this by focusing your copy on one or more of the fundamental urges which motivate people fear, exclusivity, greed, guilt, the desire for love, beauty, health, salvation and so on.

Among these you must find or create the symptom or symptoms which your product or service cures. If your letter does not clearly and convincingly articulate your cure you have given your prospect an excellent reason for not reading it.

Deadly Sales Letter Mistake # 5 Not Offering Proof That Your Product or Service Does What You Say It Will Do. Not only is your typical prospect indifferent, in the vast majority of situations he is also highly skeptical. Thats why you always want to offer the reader proof that your product or service will do what you say it will do. This will serve to validate your claims and minimize your prospects skepticism. Most important, it will establish your salesperson the sales letter as a more credible and believable source of information.

The proof you offer up in your sales letter can take several different forms. Here are two forms of proof that I have found to be very effective:

1. Customer 5B4Testimonials A testimonial from a satisfied customer with a well-known, well-respected company is some of the most valuable proof you can offer. But make sure that the testimonial copy speaks to specific and relevant issues and concerns your typical prospect is likely to have.

For example, you sell training services and you know that one of the biggest concerns your prospect has is whether or not the training will produce meaningful, measurable results. So you go through your thick packet of glowing testimonials and find a statement that speaks directly to the prospects concern. This is what it says:

When you compare 6 months of results prior to your training with the 6 months after, we have improved our market share by $2,261,000 and have established numerous new dealer relationships. Thanks to you, we are the only district in our region to experience any type of retail growth."

2. Tell A Success Story As a salesperson you know that stories sell. Thats because, as skeptical as the typical prospect may be, she knows that few people will stoop so low as to fabricate a story.

Like any good story yours has to have some drama to it. And of course the hero of the story is you, your company and your product and/or service. Heres an example of what I mean. Its from a letter I wrote for a broker at a commercial real estate firm and this is exactly how the letter opens:

"They hadB3C accepted our purchase price. But when the building inspection revealed many small details that needed repair their response was, No way, this is an as-is purchase.

"My clients just did not have the time to "lock horns" on this issue. Fortunately, they didn't have to. As their representative it was my job to get them what they wanted.

"I persisted. In phone callafter phone call after phone call. In meetingafter meetingafter meeting. I met with the broker. The property manager. The corporate ownership's management. Their attorneys (ugh!). I persisted. And, I negotiated.

The bottom line? My clients got everything they wanted; every repair they asked for. Some $40,000 worth!"

Stories sell, in person and on paper. They sell because they offer the prospect believable and credible proof that your product or service will do what you say it will do.

Your sales letter is the pen-and-ink embodiment of YOU, the professional marketer or salesperson. So when writing your sales letter think of yourself first and foremost as a salesperson, not a writer. And that means communicating with the prospect in much the same way and selling to him or her using many of the same tools as you would in a face-to-face meeting.

2006 Ernest Nicastro

About the author
Ernest Nicastro, a direct marketing consultant, copywriter and lead-generation specialist, heads up Positive Response, an award-winning marketing firm specializing in B-to-B marketing and lead-generation. He also publishes a free monthly newsletter, AIM For Positive Response. For more information visit http://www.positiveresponse.com. Contact Ernie directly at ENicastro@positiveresponse.com. or by phone at 614.747.2256.

2006 Ernest Nicastro
You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).

Rancho Santa Fe Remodeling

EZ Go Golf Carts - Will They Meet Your Needs?

Ez Go golf carts are some of the most popular golf carts today, both for on and off course use. Many people are not only using golf carts on the golf course nowadays, but also purchasing them for simple use around the home.

Ez Go golf carts have long been a leader in the golf cart history, and would surely make a great purchase for you. Here are some important tips and information help you find out whether not easy go golf carts are good for you and your needs.

One of the best things about Ez Go is that they allow you to customize your golf cart to meet your needs. You don't have to simply purchase a mass produced one; there are many options you can purchase to improve your golf cart. No matter what, your Ez Go will come backed by warranties, factory authorized parts and accessories, and also support.

Here are some important capabilities that Ez Go golf carts have to assist you in your work. They have computer aided design expertise, enders, laser cutting, milling machines, etc. Again, these are just some of the things you can do with your EZ cart.

In fact, here's a list of the some of the customizable options you can purchase for your golf cart; built-in toolboxes, custom design brush guards, electrical system upgrades, ladder racks, light bars, snowplows, etc.

So what is the best way to buy Ez Go golf carts? Simply going online will help you find a lot of websites that sell these golf carts. Another great type: avoid buying new golf carts, as you can often times find use ones that are just as good quality for much cheaper price.

Also, check on eBay. You can often times find many things much cheaper on eBay that you can often find it a local dealer or even in the paper. This would be a great way to help you find golf carts that will match your budget and your needs. Use these Ez Go golf carts tips to help you find the best one for your needs. Whether for the farm or the golf course, you can find an Ez Go that meets your needs.

For tips on finding Titleist logo golf balls, visit onlinegolfinformation.com, and learn about custom golf balls and much more.

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7 Tips For Building Koi Fish Ponds

Are you thinking of building a koi fish pond? Keeping these magnificent fish in your garden can be great fun and it is not as difficult as you might think. With the right care koi can live for decades and some can become almost a meter long. Follow these tips to plan your pond properly so your koi will live long and happy life.

1 Depth is important

Depth of your pond is crucial. The minimum recommended depth is 4 feet, however it is much better to give your fish six or even 8 feet deep pond. This will ensure that your koi are protected from raccoons, cats and other animals who love a fish dinner. Deeper fish pond also helps to keep water cool in hot summer days

2 Make your pond as large as you can

Small ponds are not suitable for koi. Remember, with time koi can grow quite large and they will need a lot of room. Also there are so many color variations of koi, that with time you will probably want to add more fish to your pond. So it is better to create a large pond from the start than rebuild it later. About ten thousand gallons is a good size for a koi pond, bigger would be even better.

3 Use fish pond heater in colder months

Unlike tropical fish, koi don't suffer much from cold; however you should never let your pond freeze completely. Installing a proper pond heater will always keep an opening in the ice. Also keep in mind, that koi only grow when the water is warm, so with a heater your fish will grow faster

4 Plan some shade for your koi

When selecting a spot for your pond, make sure it is out of direct sunlight. Also keeping water plants like water lilies in your pond are a good idea - not only they add beauty to the overall design, but they also provide shade for the fish. However, you should avoid building your koi pond under trees. Cleaning a fish pond of fallen leaves is no fun.

5 Plan to install a bird net

There are many birds of prey that would love to steal your koi. Don't give them the opportunity; plan your pond location so it is possible to cover it with a net.

6 Keep insecticides away from your pond

When landscaping your pond keep in mind that you should not use any insecticides or herbicides near the water. Even a small amount of common garden poison can kill your beautiful fish.

7 Get proper equipment for your pond

Several accessories are absolutely essential for a healthy koi pond. Ideally you will have to invest into a water pump, filtration system, water aerator and an ultraviolet sterilizer. If the water in your pond is still, your fish might get sick and eventually die. Koi pond filtration systems are expensive, so as an alternative you can make your own homemade filters.

There is much more to building a koi fish pond Visit Koi Fish Ponds for more information about installing and maintaining koi ponds.

Home Mold Test Kits

Sales 101: Asking for the Order

Ask, and you shall receive, a biblical principal that offers some of the best sales advice for beginning salespeople and experienced sales professionals alike. The best sales presentation imaginable generally will not yield the desired results unless the salesperson asks for the business.

Is this advice just for persons who make their living offering products and services to others for a commission? Yes, of course, but it is actually for all of us. After all, everybody sells! Surprised? Everybody does sell, although many people may not realize it at the time or think of themselves as salespeople. We sell ourselves and our ideas everyday.

In the job interview setting, we are selling the potential employer as to why we are the best person for the job. The boy who desires to date the girl he is enamored with must sell her as to the benefits of going out with him. The man proposing marriage to his sweetheart is selling her as to the lifelong benefits of being with him only. We all sell, in one manner or another, although possibly not in the traditional sense.

Selling, distilled down to its most basic roots, is simply the matching of benefits to needs and desires. The salesperson acts as the broker who is simply bringing the product or service to the table so that the buyer can be shown the personal benefits of ownership or use. Under ideal circumstances, the salespersons purpose is simply to help the buyer purchase what he needs or wants. It is a win-win scenario for both. There is no coercion.

What is missing in many sales presentations however, is the final close asking for the order. I have witnessed countless sales presentations during my career where the salesperson has done a magnificent job in making her presentation. She answered all of the objections. She probed and used trial closes along the way. At the peak of the presentation, the crescendo she says have a nice day or Ill see you next time or call me when you are ready or some other lame comment and then turns to walk away. She never asked for the order!

My sales motto has always been, Ask, or the answer is always no, and it really is. We must always perform the next natural step in the progression of our wonderful sales presentation, after the objections have been answered, and that is to ask the customer to make a buying decision now. This is the reason why there are salespeople. We would not be needed otherwise.

After all, an interested potential customer can go to the internet these days and learn just about every fact imaginable concerning our products or service. He can also examine our competitors. The customer is better educated than ever before. The salesperson must be at least as well educated as her customer as to the features, advantages and benefits of her own products and services, as well as those of her competitors. Keeping these facts in mind, what then is the role of the salesperson? Salespeople exist to close the sale. That is all.

As salespeople, if we fail to ask for the order, seldom will we actually receive the business and related commissions we desire. So... "Ask, and you shall receive."

Daniel Sitter is the author of the breakthrough e-book, Learning For Profit, the revolutionary how-to book providing simple, step-by-step instructions to teach people exactly how to learn new skills faster than ever before. It is what the author calls a skinny book, a new generation of e-book designed for busy people. Containing no filler or fluff, it gets right to the point with no wasted time. It can be read easily and quickly on a computer, a PDA or printed for later reference.

Visit http://www.learningforprofit.com/ or contact the author directly. This e-book is currently available from C|nets download.com, the authors web site and a variety of online book merchants. Mr. Sitter is also a contributing writer for several online and traditional publications.

Home Mold Test Kits

Adult ADD - Why Can't Somebody Else Do It?

When you're bored, and you have ADD, you procrastinate about doing boring things and become frustrated, and well... they just don't get done. There are many things that you can do. Weve already really beaten into the ground the fact that, as soon as you can, you need to start outsourcing and delegating them one at a time to other people.

However, when you have to do the boring taskswhen youve got to do the dishes, take out the garbage, or some kind of accounting if your accountant is sick or you havent hired an accountant yet and you have ADD, what can you do?

One thing is to go out and exercise right before doing something boring. You can do 10 minutes of jumping jacks. You can go take a jog around the block. You can run up and down the stairs a few times to get your heart pumping.

Whatever it is, you want to get the blood flowing to your brain, and get your ADD brain active so that you have the power to be thinking about something else while youre doing that boring task. You already know youre good at multi-tasking. You already know youre good at shifting gears and switching from thing to thing. People with ADD just are.

So, give your ADD brain the fuel it needs to occupy its thoughts with something interesting, while youre doing something boring. It sounds simple and thats because it is simple. This is one of the most important things that people with ADD can do to immediately to engage their bodies and their minds, and to start getting things to move forward.

All of us have to do boring things once in a while.

If those of us with ADD can systematize a boring task, we stand a much greater chance of being able to ask someone else to help us with that boring task. For example, lets say that you get up every day and, while its necessary, you really find it boring to feed your dogs in the morning. Well...

What if you have kids? Do you think that you could maybe delegate that task to the kids? Do you think that maybe you could write a system that says, Put the food in the bowl. Put the wet food in. Give them a pill. Check it off when youre done, and make a little checklist that would be fun and exciting for them, that would get your task done. It would get the boring task off your plate

Or, if your kids have ADD, too, that's OK. In fact, that's great! You can start teaching them how to deal with boring tasks early on so it won't affect them so much when they're older. They'll already know how to bring in other senses to stimulate their ADD minds and make boring things less boring.

If they're older kids, you let them know that they can crank whatever music they want to at the top of its volume while theyre doing it. Its interesting for them in the process. If they're young children, reward them in some way. If they aren't old enough for an allowance for tasks completed, they might love a special sticker. In fact, give them a card to fill with stickers because with ADD, they probably love to collect things. When the card's full, they've earned something, right? So, decide what that is, and there you go.

You're alleviating the boredom from your ADD brain and not feeling a bit guilty about it. You aren't just avoiding boredom, you're teaching your ADD children the value of money, too.

If you don't have kids to delegate things to, when you absolutely have to do a boring task, a great thing to do is set a timer. Your ability to sit down and fill out an application, fill out a formor some of those things that ADD people get bored by, like dealing with money or whateveryou may be able to deal with all those things if, you look at them and say, Okay, Im going to do 15 minutes, and in that 15 minutes, Im going to fill out this one form. Go! Make it a game. Lets see if I can beat the clock.

Or, turn up the music, get a candle going, involve all the senses, make things happen so that your ADD brain is actually a little bit more stimulated than just sitting there trying to focus on one thing. Otherwise, whatever it is might not get done. Don't allow your ADD to control you. Take control of your ADD.

Tellman Knudson is CEO of OvercomeEverything, Inc. Stephanie Frank is an author and an Internationally known speaker. They have put together an awesome resource for adults with ADD/ADHD and for parents of children with ADD/ADHD in http://www.instantaddsuccess.com The extensive library includes regularly updating articles, a daily blog posting, videos, and a very active forum. Find ADD - ADHD support at InstantADDSuccess.com.

Structural Systems
What Is Structural Analysis

Vacuum Cleaners - How to Make the Best Choice When Purchasing

A vacuum cleaner is one of the most vital cleaning tools for your home or business. Therefore it is very important when purchasing a new vacuum cleaner that you make the correct decision.

With such an ever increasing selection of different models, types and styles of vacuums available today, selecting the right one for your needs can soon become confusing.

The following is a breakdown of the main types of vacuum cleaners which will make choosing the right one a little easier.

Upright Vacuum Cleaner: This is the most popular type of vacuum in the United States. An upright vacuum cleaner will provide you with greater suction power than other types, and is generally easier to use. Upright vacuum cleaners are ideal for cleaning large carpeted areas and rugs.

Canister Vacuum Cleaner: A canister vacuum is ideal for bare floors, and also great for cleaning upholstery, drapes, and blinds. Canister vacuum cleaners are light and more maneuverable, and are the best option if you have a staircase in your home.

Bagless Vacuum Cleaner: A bagless vacuum does not have a bag, so this is very convenient when you need to empty the dust compartment. You simply take out the filter, empty it into the trash, and then put it back into the vacuum. The suction power of a bagless vacuum cleaner will last regardless of how full the dust compartment may get.

Robotic Vacuum Cleaner: A robotic vacuum is set to automatically move around the room, and is powered by a battery. When it has finished cleaning, it returns to the charging base.

Central Vacuum Cleaner: This is installed in your home or business, and has the suction motor and bag located in a central place in the building. Vacuum inlets are placed at various points throughout the building, so only the hose and attachment is needed to be carried from one room to another. Central vacuum cleaners are typically more expensive, and you will need to consider the cost of installation as well as the design.

There are also the handheld vacuum cleaners which are typically used for spot cleaning. These are small, light and usually cordless.

When choosing a vacuum cleaner, make sure you consider what types of surfaces you will be cleaning. If you have to deal with pet hair, the power head brush types of vacuums are best. Also take into account the size of your house, the type of carpet, and whether you will be cleaning stairs, curtains, upholstery or cleaning beneath sofas. Taking the time to ponder these things will help you to make the best choice.

For more complete information on vacuum cleaners and cleaning tips visit Vacuum Cleaners

What Cleaning Contractors
Mold And Illness

Freelance Writers Create Success with High Tech Clients

Like the contestants on TV's "Beauty and the Geek," I too have found a lot to love about working with technology clients. Every technology company needs marketing communication and public relations services, and freelance writers who can handle technical material will remain in demand.

High-tech marketing projects are often intellectually challenging and require strong writing skills. Technology continually offers new subjects to learn and the opportunity to build expertise that attracts loyal, long-term clients.

And, you may never hear higher praise for your work than from an engineer whose barely coherent draft you have transformed into polished prose.

Can You Talk Tech?

Serving technology clients takes a commitment to working largely--even exclusively--in this field. In most types of technology, the subject matter is increasingly complex and it changes rapidly. You won't impress a prospective technology client by saying, "I'm a quick learner." Instead, you will need a level of technical knowledge sufficient to build a good rapport and work productively with subject experts.

To develop this technical depth, focus on a particular technology area and seek out the relevant Web sites, trade publications, dictionaries, and other resources.

After you have developed knowledge and experience in one technology, you can often extend it to others. For example, my primary focus is telecommunications and most of my clients have been equipment vendors or phone companies. But this focus opened the door at a semiconductor manufacturer that sells the chips used in network equipment. It also got me into a major computer systems company, and once I started writing about systems sales, I became the right writer for a medical systems company.

Breaking Into the High-Tech Market

Successfully marketing your services to technology companies requires consistent and persistent targeting.

Target your services. Instead of being an "I do it all" writer, increase your credibility with potential clients by offering targeted services for specific project types, media, or technology areas.

Target your clients. Look for prospects in both high-tech companies and agencies with a technology practice. Former clients and colleagues may show up in your future at another company, so make sure your relationships are positive.

Target your self-promotion. Use successful completion of one project to sell the client on another: "Now that we have written this product brochure together, what about white paper?" Look for add-on projects for the same product or with other marketing staff in the company.

A Match for Success

Writing for technology companies won't necessarily give you the kinds of projects that other writers will envy. But by matching your writing skills to an engineer's need to communicate clearly, you can find many opportunities for building and sustaining a successful freelance business.

And I promise, you too may come to love (or at least enjoy) working with geeks.

Copyright(c)2006, Janice M. King. All rights reserved; used by permission. Janice is an award-winning freelance copywriter who helps technology companies around the world produce clear, compelling sales and PR materials. Her latest book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech, has been called "a superb guide to great copy for any technology-based product or service." Learn about the book and find many valuable resources for high-tech marketing at Janice's site: http://www.writinghightech.com.

Broken Concrete Used To Build
Broken Hip Roof Tile

Do-It-Yourself Laptop LCD Repairs

Laptop LCD repairs usually entail a replacement of the LCD. One option is to look for a broken laptop to serve as a donor for the LCD. Or you can buy a new one from your laptop's manufacturer.

If you are bold enough, you can take the whole matter of laptop LCD repairs into your own hands. You can ask the manufacturer of the LCD to give you a manual that has instructions on LCD replacements. With this helpful tool, you should be ready to do your own laptop LCD repairs. Read on for some helpful instructions.

The first step replacing an LCD is to remove the power cable and the battery. Next in line are the rubber grommets around the bezel. Make sure that you are using the right size of bit when working on the removals.

After you're done removing the grommets, work on the bezel itself. Be extra cautious though. These bezels easily break as they are made of thin plastics. Also, bezels have a property that allows for an easy snap. This basically means a difficult job on unsnapping.

After a successful bezel removal, turn your attention to the metal frame at the laptop's top lid. You will have to remove 14 screws before you can release the metal frame. After this step, you now work on the LCD. You have to lower the LCD panel into a resting position after which you remove 4 screws. This should release the LCD from the frame. Finally, unplug the wire connections ands remove the LCD panel.

It's time to install your new LCD panel. Again, be very careful especially when handling your LCD panel. You didn't buy a new one only to damage it. For a better protection, make it a point to lay down the panel on a soft surface. You can use a towel as buffer. Attaching the replacement LCD is actually doing the whole process of laptop LCD repairs I just mentioned above.

If I may reiterate, in laptop LCD repairs first thing to do is to reattach the four screws you removed from the old LCD panel after which you reattach the metal frame. You then lift the lid over the frame, just where you unattached it. You then reattach the 14 screws. Finally, you snap the delicate bezel back. This should be easier than the painstaking unsnapping process. Don't forget to replace the rubber grommets and of course the bezel screws.

Now test try your laptop and celebrate all the benefits of doing laptop LCD repairs yourself. You get to save a lot of money and frustrations from dealing with sometimes impertinent technicians. And of course there is the prized benefit in the form of a sense of accomplishment.

Be careful not to turn the whole thing into a false economy. Be very careful in handling the delicate parts and be very meticulous with the instructions. You don't want to turn a simple problem of LCD defect into a laptop overhaul. Remember that you intend to save money, not waste some.

Francisco Segurata owns and operates http://www.howtoreplacelaptop.com and How To Replace Laptop

Round Wood Shingle Siding Over

Wall Mounted Solar Lighting

Solar lighting has joined heating and electrical production as popular solar platforms. Wall mounted solar lighting is a particular niche product that people are turning to in droves.

Wall Mounted Solar Lighting

Solar lighting is the new way to light up your home and property. While you have many choices to illuminate your house, the most economical and ecologically sound way is to use solar power. Even if you don't want to use solar power to run your entire home, you can still help lower your energy costs and use less non-renewable resources by using wall mounted solar lighting.

When choosing solar lighting for your home, you have a few options. Electric lights may seem like the logical choice, but they can require other modifications to the outside of your house. You may need to run wires or extension cords so that you can power these lights and your electric bill will increase. Battery powered lighting doesnt need cords, but they can be more expensive and time consuming to maintain. Wall mounted solar lighting is an excellent choice for the homeowner who doesnt want to have to hassle with wires or expense, or go through the trouble of having to constantly take care of the equipment.

The solar cells built into solar lighting products are strong enough to obtain a charge even on cloudy days, though that charge may be less than what you would get on a sunny day. The solar cell can obtain enough solar energy on a sunny day to run the wall mounted lighting for eight hours at night. Many models also turn on automatically when the sun goes down, making them even better for safety and convenience. The LED bulbs contained within can last for many years without replacement, and using solar energy insures that your energy bill will not increase. Weather resistant materials, which are used in most wall mounted products, also ensure that the lamps will have a long life.

If you are choosing wall mounted solar lighting to beautify your home, or even if you just need them for safety, this is the perfect choice. You can save money while adding value to your home by keeping it lit at night, and you can also feel good about your contribution to helping the environment. Even a small use of solar power cuts down on our dependence on fossil fuels and other resources, so choosing this type of lighting should make you feel good. If nothing else, it will also cut your electric bill and every little bit helps these days.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies.

Home Mold Test Kits

How Does Creatine Help A Muscle Building Program?

The long sought after muscular physique is obviously not achieved overnight. With the endless publications on "how to build muscle", many of them fall short of really explaining what it really takes to reach your goal with an effective muscle building program. One of the most popular additions to a muscle building program, in the way of supplementation is the very popular "Creatine". We hear of it all over the bodybuilding and fitness world and it's known to be very effective... because it is!

Believe it or not, creatine occurs naturally in the body by way of the spine and in non-technical terms is helps to supply skeletal muscle (muscle attached more directly to your bones) with energy to perform stressful muscular functions, ya know like working out.

Since most of the creatine our body stores comes from foods that we eat, our muscle building program should have a good supply from reliable sources like meats and fish (Sorry vegeterians, your levels tend to be lower due to this fact).

With this in mind you may still be wondering how or why does you body benefit from using creatine from an outside source if our bodies already produce it? Good question.

Now stay with me.

Just imagine, your ready to roar because today with your muscle building program you have good quality heavy sets to perform and your energy levels are high and you just can't wait to hit the steel because your going to put that "eye of the tiger" you've got to your advantage.

Upon stepping up to the weights and psyching yourself for the battle ahead, you grin because you know you've already won. You blast off you first three or four treacherous reps and your creatine levels have spiked... Awesome!

But wait... it's been only about 30 to 40 seconds and sadly your major, useful creatine output is now... GONE.

Sorry, but that's all you naturally get right now. This happens every time you engage in you shirt ripping, muscle building program but you obviously can use a heck of a lot more.

This is why the absorption of creatine in a slightly higher quantities from an outside source can greatly increase performance energy, healing of muscle tissue which means faster gains, etc. But first and foremost, with any muscle building routine is the quality of the workout itself and then what you do before and after that counts the most, and not the supplementation you take or spending hours in the gym.

Too many people have this flipped around.

Learn as much as you can about what a true muscle building program is before you waste your valuable time and energy.

Dan Gonzalez DansReviews.com/musclegaintruth

Home Mold Test Kits

Modern Outdoor Furniture - More than Folding Aluminum Chairs

The calendar is busily at work, announcing to the world that summer is just around the corner. A wave of nostalgia washes over me. In my minds eye I am traveling back 50 years, going from snapshot to snapshot. We were a typical middle-class family living in suburbia. Everything was simple and people were happy.

Within this frame of happiness, we did a lot of things together as a family, using the best of the outdoors. No matter where my minds eye went, it seems to me that some form or another of outdoor furniture figured prominently. At the beach watching the waves. On our asphalt driveway, my father, following his weekly ritual of barbecuing while he and my uncle would cheer at the Los Angeles Dodgers game tinnily blaring from a transistor radio. Probably my favorite snapshot was sitting on our backyard patio, talking with my grandfather or just sitting there, watching him smoke his beloved cigars and thumb through his foreign language newspapers. We cannot forget the fabric and aluminum hammock taking the place of honor on our screened-in porch. What a haven that was. I read countless books while occupying that hammock, hiding from sweltering summer afternoons. It was such a treat when Mom allowed me to sleep there overnight when the heat was simply too much for a person to endure inside.

And what was the common denominating factor tying all these experiences together? Folding aluminum outdoor furniture. There seemed to be a folding aluminum chair tucked away here, there, and everywhere, from our garage to the far corner of our huge backyard.

Now, 50 years later, the array of outdoor furniture is positively staggering. The choices have metamorphosed from the basic aluminum folding chairs and chaise lounges to whatever your mind can conceive.

In the 21st century, outdoor furniture has become quite sophisticated. The materials used are endless. Do you want as chair of bamboo or of teak? Perhaps you might wish for a more countrified or natural look. Woods filling this bill include cedar, redwood, and maple. Or, in a flight of whimsy, you would like to experiment, using some very less known woods such as balau, ipe, jarre, or kempas which are known for their resistance to warpage and rot, are fairly hard, and have a fine grain. All of a sudden your backyard is no longer mundane but filled with all sorts of textural and visual delights.

How about metal-based lawn furniture? At one time, metal chairs were made of aluminum. That was your sole choice. Rather in a rut? Now, not only is basic aluminum used; it is available in extruded, cast, and wrought forms. It is such a popular metal because of its exaggerated lightness, and is so strong it is used in the construction of jets, as well as being corrosion resistant and durable. Wrought iron is another popular material for outdoor furniture. It is lovely to look at with its intricate filigree work but horrendous to lift because of its tremendous weight. Once a piece of wrought iron furniture has been set in its place in your yard, it is wise to plan upon leaving it there permanently unless there are mitigating circumstances.

The last major group of materials that might be of interest in the construction of outdoor furniture is truly miscellaneous. It is here that the design of your furniture is only limited by your dreams. Plastic or vinyl give a casual look, decidedly appropriate for use around your swimming pool. Inflatable vinyl can be blown up to make child-sized chairs. Beanbag chairs can be fun, too. Wicker is slightly more formal, depending upon which plant material is used in the weaving. Benches can be made from concrete but again, once they are placed, it is doubtful you will want to rearrange them. Hammocks can also add a different look, from tropical to being simply fasted between two trees, swinging gently in the breeze.

See much more on outdoor furniture at Niftygarden.com Outdoor Furniture. Terry Kaufman is also Chief Editorial Writer for Niftykitchen.com and Niftyhomebar.com.

2007 Terry Kaufman.

Home Mold Test Kits

The Start-to-Finish Guide To Using Concrete

Nearly 2000 years ago, the Romans constructed a temple of a size and design that engineers still look upon with awe. It was a massive circular building, 143 ft. in diameter, covered by a monolithic dome. The building still stands. It's called the Pantheon--and it's made of concrete. Whether you dream of creating your own temple or just a pad to plant the grill on in the backyard, knowledge of how to create and work with "the moldable stone" is very valuble--and right here.

Probably one of the most important steps and pieces of information is finding the right contractor for getting some or all of the job done.

I know many of you are handymen and would prefer to do it yourselves but you must remember that you're not going to be able to do everything. Try not to waste time, money and resources on getting things done (like plumbing or electrical work for example) that you know you cant do.

This is how I personally conduct business with contractors. I always bring multiple contractors and get multiple bids for the work to be done on the property. I hire a general contractor that hires all the sub contractors and gets permits on his own. The benefit is that I can spend more time going to other properties and getting other work done with out having to be at the job site each and every hour. On the down side, I'll probably be losing a bit of margin and some profit that I could of possibly made. However, if you've done your homework right, having a general contractor should enable you to get the job done quicker, more efficiently and done right the first time which will in the long haul save you more money.

Even if you have a best friend that is a contractor make sure you still interview multiple contractors and get multiple bids. This is a business transaction with several thousands of dollars going back and forth so you definitely want to make business worthy decisions. Plus, you always have to keep the flame under your main guy just to make sure he doesn't slack off or get too comfortable. Contractors have a tendency to do that once they see the business coming in.

Always sign an agreement and a sworn construction statement. A verbal agreement is just asking for a disaster. The agreement will specify exactly what work will be done for what price. It should have a detailed list of the changes to be made, the updates that will be completed and the length of time it will take to finish the project. The sworn construction statement will have a break down of costs showing you where all the money is going from your rehab loan (or cash if you choose that method).

You hear it all the time that contractors ran with the money and never showed up again. If you're paying cash make sure you never pay all the money upfront.

If you're getting a rehab loan through a bank, they will disburse the money in three phases (depending on the bank). They require the contractor to finish each phase before he gets paid. Then they ask you or a representative from their bank to check the work and finally allow the disbursement of funds.

To find good contractors ask friends and family that have experience or have had someone do a job for them. Ill repeat this again, make sure you tell each contractor that there will be multiple bids on the property. Quality of work is important so find a reputable company. Reputable not as in high price heavy duty guys, but someone that you can rely on that will be at the job site every day. Make sure the general contractor will be at the job site or will have a supervisor overlook the procedure of the work. Get references and contact them if you have to and due your homework!

I've seen many times that a contractor will easily go over the time allotted to them to finish the property. There are special situations when this occurs like finding additional items that need to be taken care of or waiting for permits. But primarily its because the supervisor or the manager wasn't on site and the workers just aren't working and getting paid by the hour. So now I add a clause to my contract that has the contractor pay for every day they're late on finishing the property. I have it set to where they at least make the daily interest payment for the mortgage that way I avoid having to cough up more money for a mortgage payment and the contractor has some sense of urgency in getting the job.

Read more articles and learn more on the The Home Flipping Guide

Ali Mirdamadi is a Branch Manager and Mortgage Consultant for Royal Financial Mortgage Minnesota. Ali is the founder of The Home Flipping Guide and The Loan Officer Database. He is also a contributor and author to the Scotsmanguide mortgage magazine which gets sent out to over 70,000 members each month.

The Importance of Roof Ventilation

Trapped heat and moisture can raise energy costs, cause ice dams, and damage roof system components as well as structural and personal items located inside the attic where temperatures can easily reach 150 F (65 C). Condensation that forms inside attics can be caused by the use of washing machines, dish washers, bath tubs, showers, and tumble driers unless these items are properly ventilated through the roof. In some cases the condensation can be bad enough to be mistaken for a roof leak.

Here are some problems associated with an improperly ventilated attic space. Sumps between rafters (deck deflection) can happen because after awhile (sometimes several years, sometimes only a couple years), a plywood roof deck can warp or deteriorate and become spongy and dangerous to walk on. This occurs because one side of plywood decking needs be able to "breathe" by being exposed to circulating air. The adhesives used in the plywood can deteriorate or Dry Rot can occur because of condensation.

Water vapor will condense first on anything metal inside the attic; this will eventually cause the metal to rust. Heads can rust off nails, metal plumbing straps or straps holding HVAC ducting can rust in two causing the ducting to crash down on top of the ceiling joists or through a suspended ceiling. This problem is more common in humid climates.

In colder climates generally where the average January temperature is 32 F (0 C) or colder high inside humidity (40% or greater) combined with low outside temperatures can cause frost to form on the bottom of the roof deck. See Dry Rot in the glossary.

Insulation can trap moisture which will reduce the R-value of the insulation and create a nice environment for the propagation of certain molds, spores, and fungi which will also cause problems. See Dry Rot in the glossary.

There is also the problem of mildew which is both damaging and can cause health problems. The roof system itself will deteriorate prematurely.

Cooling units will need to be serviced or replaced prematurely because of excessive use. Ice Dams - ice dams are the result of melting snow continually refreezing at the roof perimeter and then backing up under the shingles and causing leaks. Proper ventilation used in conjunction with heavy insulation and an air barrier can create a Cold Roof Assembly which will help eliminate ice dams.

There are many types of attic vents available today. There are static vents, power vents, ridge vents, turbine vents, soffit / cornice vents, gable vents, starter vents, and cupola vents. These all come in a wide variety of sizes, styles and shapes. Some will ventilate better than others depending on the roof configuration, attic size, climate, etc.

To properly ventilate an attic, two types of vents are needed. Intake vents, which are located at the downslope edge of the roof (a.k.a. eaves) and allow fresh air into the attic; and exhaust vents, which are located near or on the ridge line of the roof and allow air to leave the attic. The use of an exhaust vent in conjunction with an intake vent uses the natural forces of wind pressure and thermal effect, collectively known as the Stack Effect, to ventilate the attic space. HINT: Make sure your attic insulation doesn't block the intake vents. If necessary, use baffles to keep the insulation back from it.

instantroofingservices.co.uk

Home Mold Test Kits

Building Credit After Bankruptcy: Three Strategies

Here are three "Building Credit After Bankruptcy" strategies you can use to increase your chances of being approved for auto loans, credit cards, and home loans if you have a bankruptcy on your credit report:

Building Credit After Bankruptcy Strategy #1

Apply for credit where you have a high probability of getting approved, and make the payments on time. Sounds simple, but most people go about applying for credit the WRONG way and make it more difficult than it needs to be.

By the way, dont go overboard when applying for credit. The whole purpose of getting a credit card or loan is to rebuild your credit history after bankruptcy - not to get in to debt up to your ears!

Be careful about the inquiries. When it comes to some types of inquiries, too many can hurt your credit score. Other types dont matter.

Building Credit After Bankruptcy Strategy #2

Another way to rebuild your credit after bankruptcy (one my favorite) is to add years of positive credit history to account. You can literally add a number of new positive items to credit your report. Its 100% legal but the technique is not widely known. When it comes to building credit after bankruptcy, this is a strategy you will want to consider. I don't have enough room to go into detail on it here, so I'll save it for another article.

Building Credit After Bankruptcy Strategy #3

Of course, cleaning up inaccurate and obsolete negative information on your credit reports is critical when building credit after a bankruptcy. And you dont need to use a credit repair company to do it. You can do it yourself and save a few hundred dollars. Just remember that you need to know exactly what to do.

For example, there are three ways to dispute information on your credit report. If you want to correct errors on your report FAST then theres a certain way you need to request your reports.

Heres another example: There may be some collection accounts or charge offs on your credit report that don't belong there. You need to know what to look for to determine if that's the case or not - and how to dispute such an item if it is. Most people would look at these items and not even realize they dont belong there.

Remember: When it comes to building credit after bankruptcy you don't want any inaccurate or obsolete information on your credit report!

I can keep going but I think you get the idea. There are a number of pieces you need to pull together when you are rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy.

But its worth it. After all, if you can increase your credit score, and building credit after bankruptcy plays a key role, then you could literally save up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in extra interest and other finance charges when it comes to future loans and lines of credit.

================================================================

Copyright (c) 2006 Innovative Solutions Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

DISCLAIMER:

This information is designed to provide only a general overview of the subject matter herein.

This information is provided with the understanding that neither the publisher nor author is engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a professional should be sought.

Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss or damages, including but not limited to special, consequential, incidental or other damages, caused by the information contained herein.

================================================================

About the Author: R. Lawrence Anderson is author of After Bankruptcy Credit Solutions, which shows individuals how to qualify for credit and loans after bankruptcy. For details visit: http://www.bankruptcy-credit-solutions.com

Round Wood Shingle Siding Over

7 Tips For Building Koi Fish Ponds

Are you thinking of building a koi fish pond? Keeping these magnificent fish in your garden can be great fun and it is not as difficult as you might think. With the right care koi can live for decades and some can become almost a meter long. Follow these tips to plan your pond properly so your koi will live long and happy life.

1 Depth is important

Depth of your pond is crucial. The minimum recommended depth is 4 feet, however it is much better to give your fish six or even 8 feet deep pond. This will ensure that your koi are protected from raccoons, cats and other animals who love a fish dinner. Deeper fish pond also helps to keep water cool in hot summer days

2 Make your pond as large as you can

Small ponds are not suitable for koi. Remember, with time koi can grow quite large and they will need a lot of room. Also there are so many color variations of koi, that with time you will probably want to add more fish to your pond. So it is better to create a large pond from the start than rebuild it later. About ten thousand gallons is a good size for a koi pond, bigger would be even better.

3 Use fish pond heater in colder months

Unlike tropical fish, koi don't suffer much from cold; however you should never let your pond freeze completely. Installing a proper pond heater will always keep an opening in the ice. Also keep in mind, that koi only grow when the water is warm, so with a heater your fish will grow faster

4 Plan some shade for your koi

When selecting a spot for your pond, make sure it is out of direct sunlight. Also keeping water plants like water lilies in your pond are a good idea - not only they add beauty to the overall design, but they also provide shade for the fish. However, you should avoid building your koi pond under trees. Cleaning a fish pond of fallen leaves is no fun.

5 Plan to install a bird net

There are many birds of prey that would love to steal your koi. Don't give them the opportunity; plan your pond location so it is possible to cover it with a net.

6 Keep insecticides away from your pond

When landscaping your pond keep in mind that you should not use any insecticides or herbicides near the water. Even a small amount of common garden poison can kill your beautiful fish.

7 Get proper equipment for your pond

Several accessories are absolutely essential for a healthy koi pond. Ideally you will have to invest into a water pump, filtration system, water aerator and an ultraviolet sterilizer. If the water in your pond is still, your fish might get sick and eventually die. Koi pond filtration systems are expensive, so as an alternative you can make your own homemade filters.

There is much more to building a koi fish pond Visit Koi Fish Ponds for more information about installing and maintaining koi ponds.

Home Mold Test Kits

How to Build a Fire Pit

Building a real wood fire pit can be a relatively easy task if you follow these simple instructions. With a little sweat equity, you can be roasting marshmallows and cooking hot dogs over the open flame that very same evening. Here are the instructions for How to build a fire pit:

1. Choose a location that is away from all structures and over hanging branches that could start on fire. The location must be level and free of any underground cables or wires.

2. Mark your fire pit location by driving two stakes in the ground at approx 2ft diameter and create a circle outlining your fire pit using a can of spray paint.

3. Remove the sod inside the circle and create a hole about 12" in depth x 6" wide and fill half full of pea gravel and the second half full of sand.

4. Add approx 3" of sand to the circle. The sand will help with leveling and will prevent the fire from spreading to the roots below.

5. Surround the fire pit with 3 rows of pavers. Gaps between the pavers will help to ventilate the fire pit.

6. Sit back relax and enjoy your first fire in your new fire pit.

I hope the instructions for How to build a fire pit were useful in building your dream fire pit. A fire pit can make for endless hours of good times and family togetherness. Dont miss our fire pit safety tips & warnings. It provides good information to help you keep it safe around your fire pit.

Fire Pit Safety Tips & Warnings When learning how to build a fire pit it is not only important to focus on the construction details, but you must be aware of a few safety precautions before you get started.

Make sure to check with your local codes because some municipalities do not allow open fires. Most do have distance restrictions that you need to beware of before you start plotting your location.

When your fire pit becomes operational use designated fire starters and not gasoline or lighter fluid that could lead to an explosion.

Have a 5 gallon bucket of water or a garden hose near your fire pit in case the fire were to spread outside the fire pit.

Do not start fires when your surroundings are dry. A simple spark could start a grass or brush fire.

Be careful not to stack the wood too high. The wood can shift leading to the wood falling out and starting an unwanted fire.

These are just a few tips from how to build a fire pit that you should keep in mind when building your fire pit and enjoying great times around your fire pit. Remember safety first and fun second.

How to Build a Fire Pit Information

Propertyinspection

A Dash Of Class With Stylish Bath Cabinets

Bath Cabinets - Ideas and Priorities

Are you an individual who likes to experiment with dcor? Is your home a style statement in itself?

If you want to add a signature of your style and class in your bathroom, then there is no better way to do it than with bath cabinets. Glass, wood or steel name it and you will find it in a bath cabinet.

You can experiment beyond limits and create a bathroom that you can be proud of. Consider your bathroom to be a personal retreat where you can go and sink away your stress with a hot bath.

Do not look at it as a utility room where you simply go to perform a chore once or twice a day.

Ideas

When it comes to bath cabinets, you will never really run short of ideas. Glass cabinets have several elegant designs but if you want to experiment, then you can try wicker or bamboo. There are porcelain cabinets as well but these are very heavy and are not recommended.

A lot of people only look at the aesthetic appeal of the cabinet and compromise on the utility aspect of it. But you should never neglect the utility of a bath cabinet.

With a little bit of research, you can easily strike the right balance in aesthetics and utility.

Priorities

Eventually it all comes down to priorities. While some people want to have an extremely lavish setting in their bathroom and have leather coated vanities with high quality polished metal finish, there are others who are looking for an economic deal.

Work out your priorities and then zoom down on a few choices. Keep the design and setting of your bathroom in mind and try to visualize the bathroom with the new cabinet.

The cabinet should look natural and blend with the rest of the bathroom design. It should not look like an entity and stand out.

For more info visit : Bath Cabinets

Home Remodeiling Ideas

Residential Fencing

Although there are many different types of residential fencing perhaps aluminum is the most popular. This is a galvanized steel product with a hard wearing powder coat finish. It is designed to add beauty and value to residential homeowners. There are a wide variety of styles and colors to select from and any of them will complement any color that you may have on your home. This type of fence is designed with the residential person in mind and provides a level of quality and resilience that the home owner needs. This fence is made for durability to withstand the elements and it is possible to have a special formulated powder coating made to suit your needs.

This power coated system of polyester resin prevents early rusting. This type of fencing comes in eight-foot sections to cut down on time and labor. The posts that are provided will hold the pickets firmly in place and will adapt to any contour of slopes in your landscape. The panels can be secured to the post without any welding and there are brackets provided. Most of these come with a 12 year warranty.

You can find these available from 4 foot to 6 foot high and there are many different colors to choose from. This fence carries very low-maintenance which can free up your time for other things. Whether you need a picket fence or a privacy fence, this fencing can provide what you need. If you have animals that you want to keep in or animals that you want to keep out, this is the fence that can provide the security for you. With its low maintenance, durability, and appealing look this fence will be a welcome addition to your home. No matter what your needs this fence can provide what you're looking for.

For lots of information on remodeling your home and other related topics, visit Fences Guide at www.fencesguide.com

How Using The Right Ladder Can Make Those Jobs Easier

Ladders come in a variety of styles and heights, and it's important to choose one that meets the needs of the task you're performing. Safety should always come first when using a ladder, so it's necessary to make sure you use the right ladder for the job. For instance, an extension ladder is suitable for reaching those high spots when decorating or cutting tree branches. But trying to reach up too high on a step ladder can be hazardous and lead to accidents. On the other hand, step ladders are ideal for those odd jobs round the house, from changing a light bulb to hanging curtains.

Extension ladders are used for all kinds of outside jobs, from professional window cleaning to painting gable ends of buildings. Aluminum ladders are commonly used, being lightweight and easily portable. However, a fiberglass ladder, although much heavier to move, is safer to use in the vicinity of electrical cables. Well-known manufacturers that sell a range of quality ladders include Werner Ladders and Wing Enterprises.

Inside the home, ladders come in handy in a number of situations. For instance, if you have high book shelves, fitting a rolling library ladder makes it quick and easy for you to reach those top shelves. Library ladders are generally made from wood, and come in a choice of colors and finishes to blend in with your dcor. Another place where a fitted ladder comes in useful is in a loft hatch. An attic access ladder makes it simple for you to utilize that extra storage space in the roof.

Whatever your requirements, from doing DIY in the home or garden, to reaching high shelves, there's a ladder to meet your needs. Choosing the right ladder for the job can help make your task much simpler.

Caroline Smith is a regular contributor to GetLadders.com - an online resource offering a range of ladders including attic ladders, the Little Giant Ladder and more.

Upper Handrail Problem

Residential Fencing

Although there are many different types of residential fencing perhaps aluminum is the most popular. This is a galvanized steel product with a hard wearing powder coat finish. It is designed to add beauty and value to residential homeowners. There are a wide variety of styles and colors to select from and any of them will complement any color that you may have on your home. This type of fence is designed with the residential person in mind and provides a level of quality and resilience that the home owner needs. This fence is made for durability to withstand the elements and it is possible to have a special formulated powder coating made to suit your needs.

This power coated system of polyester resin prevents early rusting. This type of fencing comes in eight-foot sections to cut down on time and labor. The posts that are provided will hold the pickets firmly in place and will adapt to any contour of slopes in your landscape. The panels can be secured to the post without any welding and there are brackets provided. Most of these come with a 12 year warranty.

You can find these available from 4 foot to 6 foot high and there are many different colors to choose from. This fence carries very low-maintenance which can free up your time for other things. Whether you need a picket fence or a privacy fence, this fencing can provide what you need. If you have animals that you want to keep in or animals that you want to keep out, this is the fence that can provide the security for you. With its low maintenance, durability, and appealing look this fence will be a welcome addition to your home. No matter what your needs this fence can provide what you're looking for.

For lots of information on remodeling your home and other related topics, visit Fences Guide at www.fencesguide.com

Patio Covers

Bathroom Cabinets

Earlier bathroom cabinets or medicine cabinets were terms used to refer to a plain white box that were usually mounted above the sinks in bathrooms. A small cabinet for you to store your soaps, tooth paste, tooth brush, cosmetics, shaving razors, shaving creams and some medicines. Those were the days when bathrooms were plain and simple but nowadays people are making their bathrooms look more elegant and many are spending a fortune trying to make their bathroom look and feel perfect. The bathroom cabinets used nowadays tend to have a lot of varied functional uses and have become more stylish and functional.

Bathroom cabinets in recent times are used to describe any cabinet that we can have and use in a bathroom. They can be as large as normal wall cabinets used in other rooms or can even be a tall storage cabinet. In luxury bathrooms, a bathroom cabinet can be a combination of a medicine cabinet, a bathroom vanity, a bathroom countertop and also other varieties of cabinets all as a single unit. Some of the bathroom cabinets measure even more than 32 inches height, 21 inches deep and 30 inches wide.

There are two basic styles of bathroom cabinets available in the market. They are the traditional American-style bathroom cabinets and the European style bathroom cabinets. The traditional American style cabinets are found in most homes and are commonly called as framed cabinets. The framed cabinets use face-frames to cover the front edges of the cabinet that are raw. The European style cabinets are found mostly in European countries and are commonly known as frameless cabinets. In frameless cabinets, the raw edges are concealed using very simple trim strips.

The latest bathroom cabinets can also be classified as custom, stock and modular cabinets too. This type of classification is based on the manufacturing process of the cabinets. Stock bathroom cabinets are mass manufactured and are available only in a few standard sizes and shapes. They tend to be the least expensive bathroom cabinets available and can be picked up from any home improvement store.

Modular bathroom cabinets like stock bathroom cabinets are also mass produced. But they offer more flexibility in their design. Their style and structure can be modified in different ways as per your needs. Most modular cabinets are Do it yourself cabinets and are easy to put together. So you can be creative with what you got and make the modular bathroom cabinet as unique as possible.

Custom bathroom cabinets as the name suggests are not mass manufactured. Hence each custom bathroom cabinet will have its individuality, but getting a custom bathroom cabinet could mean that you will have to hire a cabinet maker or visit the custom cabinet making stores. The advantage of custom bathroom cabinets is that you can design the cabinet in a way to make maximum utilization of the space available. You have the option of using any material that you want to while designing your bathroom cabinet. But since they are custom made, they are also the most expensive of the bathroom cabinets.

Bathroom cabinets are no longer a simple box to store your personal stuff. They are additions to your bathrooms that will add style and functionality to your bathrooms.

Read more information about bathroom cabinets.

Home Remodeling Ideas

Glass Sinks

The newest additions to the family of high end bathroom sinks are glass and crystal. Glass sinks can be the best choice for those who want to turn their ordinary bathrooms into a stunning piece of art work.

Glass sinks seem to work very well in both traditional and contemporary bathroom and kitchen settings. Most glass sinks come in as vessel bowls, but they are also available in over-the-counter, wall-mount, pedestal, under-the-counter as well as countersink models.

It is a very common misconception that glass sinks are not durable. They are much more durable as anyone can think. Most of them can withstand temperature changes of about 20 degrees, and most of them are resistant to minor accident breakage, such as accidentally dropping your toothbrush or your plastic bottle onto it. It is true, however, that heavy objects falling into normal glass sinks will cause them to shatter. Tempered glass based sinks, however are more resistant, they can withstand the force caused by heavy objects: they might crack or break, but they do not tend to shatter. Laminated glass behaves similarly, but is more resistant than tempered ones.

Laminated sinks consist of an interlayer made of resin or tough plastic that are bonded together between two glass panes. They are sealed together, behave like one single unit, and looks like a normal glass. When hard object fall on them, they may crack due to too much pressure but the fragments tend to adhere to the interlayer so that they do not cause injury. Glass sinks come in a wide variety of designs, shapes and sizes. Some of the common ones are:

Textured Glass They are moulded into different shapes and textures, or bas-relief motifs at very high temperatures.

Colored Glass Glass sinks now come in various colors; the common ones include blue, green and red. These colors are usually achieved by adding some metal oxides and incorporated into the hot glass melt.

Frosted or Etched Glass These types of sinks have an opaque look. It usually gets transparent when it gets wet, but goes back to its opaque, frosted look when it dries.

Polished Glass These sinks have a polished finish so that the exterior looks very smooth.

Care and Maintenance Glass sinks might be durable, but it must be properly maintained to make sure it lasts a long time.

You should clean it with plain water or with a mild glass cleaner regularly and wipe the sink dry every after use so that water spots do not develop. If your sink is textured, make sure that you wipe the outside area regularly. Never use abrasive bathroom cleaners as they can scour or full the glass surface.

Do not ever allow metals, steel or other glass objects to come in contact with the glass as they can chip or scratch its surface.

Never allow boiling hot water to flow into the sink as it may cause the glass to crack.

Remember that once your glass sink gets chipped, cracked, or worse, broken, there is no way to fix or repair it like new.

Art Copper is an expert of kitchen renovation projects. Please visit his websites Kitchen Sinks, Glass Sinks, Double Bowl Kitchen Sinks and Triple Bowl Stainless Steel Sinks for more information regarding kitchen and bathroom sinks.

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Famous Skyscrapers

Architectural design has advanced to a phenomenal stage where every modern city would like to boast having one of the tallest buildings. While criteria defining the tallest buildings or skyscrapers differ widely, listed below are the ten most popular architectural marvels of our time.

Empire State Building
A world famous New York City landmark and sky scaper, it rises above the island of Manhattan, about a quarter of a mile into the sky. The observatory is located on the 86th floor, 1050 feet above the ground and offers the most breathtaking and panoramic view of Manhattan and beyond from within a glass enclosed pavilion. Besides the observatory there are several tourist attractions, including, restaurants, shops and banks. It also has a New York SKYRIDE an independently owned and operated simulated helicopter ride and virtual-reality movie theatre. William Lamb, an architect at Shreve, Lamb and Harmon was chosen to design the Empire State Building in 1930

Petronas Towers
Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lampur lay claim to being the tallest twin towers of the 20th century, standing at a height of 1483 feet. They were designed by architect Cesar Pelli and completed in 1998. The 88-floor towers are constructed largely of reinforced concrete, with a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art, a reflection of Malaysia's Muslim religion. The towers feature a sky-bridge between the towers on the 41st and 42nd floors which is 170m high and 58m long.

Sears Tower
Architect Bruce Graham designed the Sears Tower of Chicago in 1974. At 1450 feet, and 110 stories, it is the tallest building in the United States of America. The construction system consists of steel fram with bronze tinted glass curtain wall. The Sears Tower Skydeck observation deck and tourist attraction is on the 103rd floor, 1353 feet above the ground.

Bank of China Tower
Located in Honk Kong, in addition to being one of the famous skyscrapers in the world, it is one of the most outstanding achievements of modern architecture. The construction was started in 1985 and completed in five years by the architects I. M. Pei & Partners and Sherman Kung & Associates. The building standing at 1205 feet, is a grouping of four triangular glass and aluminium towers of different heights, all emerging from a single granite podium. The changes rising from a square base to a single spire results in a magnificent faade of angles and profiles that reflect the light and seem almost crystalline in composition. On the 42nd floor is a sky-deck providing a panoramic view of the northwest Hong Kong.

Chrysler Building
Rising at 1046 feet, it was considered to be an engineering marvel and the tallest building in 1931. However, it still remains the tallest brick building in the world. The tower is a beautifully tapered stainless steel crown supporting the famous spire at its peak. A quintessence of skyscraper design, the Chrysler Building is a perfect example of Art Deco and has a lobby clad in different marble, onyx and amber.

Taipei 101
At a height of 1671 feet, this high-rise building has surpassed all to become the tallest skyscraper today. Taipei 101 holds the world record in three of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's height categories: tallest to the structural top, tallest to the roof, and highest occupied floor. The 89th floor has an indoor observation area while the 91st floor has an outdoor observation deck, known as the highest in the world. The pagoda shaped design of this building is inspired by traditional Chinese architecture. The sectioned tower is also symbolic of the bamboo plant characterizing strength, resilience and elegance. The towers design specifications are based on the number 8, considered lucky in the Chinese culture.

Jin Mao Building
This building in Shanghai symbolizes the progress and advancement made by the Chinese. It boasts of being the first tallest sky scrape in the country and the third tallest in the world. A great blend of East-West architecture it denotes aptly the emergence of Shanghai as a modern global city. It follows the versatility model by offering retail at it base, offices above and the Grand Hyatts Worlds highest Hotel occupying the upper 38 floors. The magnificently designed building combines the elements of traditional Chinese architecture and a vastly Gothic influence.

Burj Al Arab
The Burj Al Arab rises to a level of 1053 feet, and is known as one of the worlds tallest structure with a membrane faade, 24-meter wide helipad. This is the tallest operating hotel building in the world and the design is influenced by the profile of an Arabian sailing ship. The Al Muntaha restaurant is located 200 meters above the Persian Gulf offering a panoramic view of Dubai while the atrium is situated at a height of 180 meters.

CN Tower
At a height of 1815 feet, the CN Tower in Toronto is the tallest building and freestanding structure in the world. It is considered to be the signature icon of the city and hosts almost two million visitors a year. The view from the exterior glass floored observation deck located 342 meters above ground is breathtaking as it is exciting. It also has the Space Deck at 447 meters, the worlds tallest observation deck with a 160 km view and the revolving 360 Degree Restaurant.

Hancock Place
A reflective obelisk sky scrape at Boston is an architectural marvel. It is regarded as icily magnificent wherein the surface changes as the day changes, each side reflecting the color of the sky it faces. Moreover, this dramatic effect is highlighted by the parallelogram shape of the prism, which provides uniquely differing reflections on adjoining surfaces.

The architectural buildings mentioned above are famous creations and literally considered architectural works of art today.

William Brister - http://www.architecturaldesign.tv - All about architecture

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