Thursday, April 30, 2009

Easy Way to Repair a Large Hole in Your Wall

Great video on how to fix a hole in your wall .

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.

Light Falling Off Wall

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Xbox E74 - What Causes it and Can I Repair the Problem?

Xbox e74 problems are highly frustrating for gamers all around the world who have had to put up with faulty Xbox 360 consoles that just act like big, white paperweights. However, you don't have to put up with this any longer- today you are going to learn what causes these errors, as well as the steps you need to follow to fix them.

The cause of Xbox e74 problems is actually overheating, believe it or not. What is harder to understand is why does this problem occur in the first place with such a modern, well-built piece of gaming equipment? This is simple, that heat is easily able to build up rather rapidly inside the case, due in part to a lack of sufficient cooling devices such as fans and heat sinks. This heat then disrupts your components such as the graphics processor, hard drive or DVD drive, and causes them to malfunction eventually. Your console is then forced to display the e74 code as a warning that something quite major has gone wrong with your console.

This may also be accompanied by three red flashing lights in the "power ring" of your console. These ominous looking lights are where the term "the red ring of death" comes from.

Due to the potential expensive of having a third-party repair your Xbox 360, the best Xbox e74 repair method is to fix the problem yourself.

This might sound absolutely crazy, but it really doesn't any where near as much work as you might think. It really isn't that hard to fix your Xbox 360 console yourself- thousands of other gamers worldwide have done it, so there's no reason why you can't. All you will need are basic tools such as a screwdriver, as well as an Xbox 360 repair guide.

Xbox 360 repair guides are basically collections of video files that show you how to fix the Xbox e74 error problem safely and reliably. You really do need one if you want to fix your Xbox 360 without risking damage to it or yourself. When purchasing one, to ensure you get the best deal you should look for free customer support, a money-back guarantee, free updates, step-by-step video and a price of less than $40.

Click on the link to learn what the best Xbox360 fix and repair guide is for fixing the red ring of death. Get free customer support, high quality videos, a money back guarantee, an amazing price and more. Fix e74 errors permanently and easily in under 2 hours.

Broken Electrical Outlet Cover

How to Install Ceramic Tile - Proven Steps to Success

You can quickly learn how to install ceramic tile and have stunning success with your project. Sure installing tile is usually left to the pros. But with the right tips, most people can build beautiful surfaces. It's just a matter of getting the right tools and learning how to prepare the surfaces and put the tile in place. Following are the four basic steps for getting tile installed the right way.

Gathering the materials is the first step. Now materials includes getting the few basic tools required for tile installation. There are just a few special tools required. The most important tools you don't already have are the tile cutting tools. That would include tile nippers, maybe a tile cutter board and usually a tile saw. You can rent a saw or start with a very inexpensive saw too.

The other part of gathering materials is deciding on the tile you will use and how much tile you need. That may be the hardest part of the whole project. That's because you have so many tile choices. After you decide how much tile you need, you'll know how much tile adhesive and grout you'll need too. Your tile supplier can help you figure quantities of all the materials. Once you have your materials you're ready to get started with the installing.

An important preparation step is getting the base for the tile solid and clean. A surface that moves will cause cracked tiles. Often the easiest way to get a solid smooth surface is to put down cement board. But that's not necessary since tile can be installed over many different materials. Once you have your materials and your surface preparation done, the actual installation is not very hard.

Laying the first tile is the hardest part. That's because the position of the first tile determines how much cutting of tiles you'll do. It also determines how straight the joint lines will be. Getting the tiles lined up correctly will make for a neat installation. The best way to get the lines straight is to use your chalk line early and often. Actually setting the tiles involves some art. Setting tile is easiest if you gently twist the tiles into position. You don't want to drop the tiles into place or slide the tile into place either. Make sure you have enough mud on the tile so you have a little extra so you can bump the individual piece into place.

Once the tiles are in place, the grouting of the joints goes quickly. Grout does come in several types. Whether you choose sanded or unsanded grout depends on the size of the joint. Another option is using epoxy grout where the tile is in a constantly wet place. After the grout sets briefly, it is easily cleaned to finish the job.

You can learn how to install ceramic tile with the right instruction and some practice. There's no reason why you can't do a professional looking job on your first project. There are quite a few tricks to learn to make it easier to lay tile.

Video tutorials showing how to install ceramic tile can be found at our website.

Al Bullington invites you to visit http://InstallingCeramicTile.net for answers to your tile questions.

Roof Truss Repair

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

French Country Cabinet Knobs For a Fresh Look

This year has been a year of change. Some of these changes, such as Olympic records broken and our newest President, have been positive. Others, such as the unemployment rate, housing market and current economy, have room for much improvement. Remaining consistent with this year's theme, why not change your kitchen designs? Just like any other aspect of life, the current trends in home renovation are changing, as well. The past few years, style guides and magazines decreed that stainless steel was the way to go. Nowadays, kitchen remodel ideas are changing-but to a more traditional approach.

It's All French To Me
While Americans like to pride themselves on being innovators and originators, we've borrowed more than a few concepts from our French friends. In addition to greasy, fried comfort food, French country-inspired kitchen renovations are, well, hot. The French style is open, warm and friendly, achieved through well matched colors, architecture and textures. But don't worry; even beginner kitchen remodel families can mimic this cozy design with a few simple guidelines.

Begin with Furniture
A kitchen remodeling project can easily become overwhelming, exhausting and emotionally, physically and financially draining. By literally starting with the largest home hardware elements first, you'll stay on track to achieve this fresh country design quickly-without the headache. French-styled kitchens have the same focal point as most European designs. Can you guess what it is? The kitchen table.

Of course, gathering friends, family or even strangers to enjoy a meal together is of the utmost importance. Replacing or updating your kitchen table, therefore, should be at the top of your "to do" list. Generally, French tables are made of heavy woods such as pine or walnut and come with thick, heavy benches, high-backed chairs and kitchen cabinet hardware. While this may seem cumbersome, it illustrates that the focus of the kitchen is on togetherness at the table.

Get the Right Goods
No matter what style kitchen, the minor details can easily make or break the overall design. Keep the theme consistent. If you are going to employ a French theme, also include French country cabinet knobs. Cabinets and drawer pulls are most often made of solid wood that matches the kitchen table. Shy away from shiny cabinet knobs in chrome and nickel and keep the finishes muted instead of satin.

If you want to add color but don't want to buy loud kitchen cabinet handles, express yourself with ceramic tiles or pottery. Similar to the kitchen table, the French style incorporates a natural, rustic feel. For budget-conscious renovators, simply try hanging a few copper pots and pans (make sure they shine!) over your backsplash or above your island. Adding a few artistic elements to your own kitchen such as homemade artwork a inherited antique will continue the theme of a natural gathering place deeply rooted in history.

Touch of Class
As mentioned, French country styles also incorporate a smorgasbord of textures to evoke a sense of history and timelessness. Walls are typically of textured plaster, adorned with handmade tin accessories that glisten in the sun. Wood materials -including the kitchen table-retain their natural color, feel and finish, so you won't have to bother with sanding or staining your existing or new furniture.

While most of the textures and colors seem to be muted, do not hold back when it comes to fabrics. Curtains, seat cushions and even hand towels are often in a variety of bright, bold colors. The color palette matches the summer sun: deep, rich reds, bright oranges and stark whites suggest a fresh, vivacious feeling. Imagine pairing these colors with a dark cherry wood table. It doesn't take a home remodeling professional to tell you that strong, competing elements equal a makeover disaster. Allow the color to really accent all other areas of your kitchen.

Jim Richardson is Vice President of Your Home Supply (YHS), the definitive website for Home and Garden products and information on a variety of home improvement products. Your Home Supply offers a wide range of French country cabinet knobs to help you create a French Country feel to your kitchen, or bathroom. Visit them now at http://www.YourHomeSupply.com

Corrosive Metal Conduit

Do-It-Yourself Kitchen Design

Remodeling the kitchen has become one of the most popular projects that home owners undertake to improve their home. One of the reasons is that, along with bathrooms, redoing a kitchen has the highest return on investment of any home improvement project. There are many parts of a remodeled kitchen that a home owner can manage themselves. All it takes is a little research and a little knowledge. However, although hiring an independent contractor is risky and expensive, there are some things best left to a professional.

What You Should Leave To The Pros

There are some parts of remodeling a kitchen that are NOT recommended for the DIYer. One main component is any electrical work. Not only is electrical work difficult and dangerous, improper wiring can lead to fires and can damage expensive appliances. You also risk voiding the warranty on many electrical items if they are not completed by a certified electrician. Be sure and see your warranty for details. Planning with electricity is simply not for the amateur, not even for a contractor who is not a certified, licensed electrician. This isn't to say that your general contractor or even you cannot handle the job. In many cases the work is not really that difficult. It just simply isn't worth the risk and liability involved.

While some plumbing can be easily tackled by an amateur, such as replacing an existing faucet, rough-in plumbing should also be handled by a professional. If you are relocating a sink or adding a dishwasher, soldering of the pipes may be required. This task is technically difficult and potentially dangerous. Incorrect soldering can even lead to a fire. Working with installing or replacing PVC pipe is also tricky business. If not installed correctly, you could have potential leaks that can cause significant damage as well as costly repairs.

Most other jobs that will be required in a kitchen remodel are easy enough to handle yourself. Even difficult installations such as cabinetry can be tackled by the do-it-yourselfer who is motivated and educated. Hiring a contractor is going to cost you at LEAST as much in labor as you plan to spend on materials, and quite possibly more. Do some research, take your time, and you can actually enjoy creating a new kitchen by yourself.

Simon Burke has worked in the home decorating field for many years and loves to share his interior design experiences and ideas with home owners everywhere. Another article on do-it-yourself kitchen design - click here.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Asphalt Shingle Roofing - The Facts

Is it any wonder why almost 80% of homes in North America use asphalt shingles as the roofing material of choice. The prevalence of asphalt shingles has created a vast assortment of fittings and fixtures designed to work with them. Items such as a multitude of flashing configurations, edge products, and almost every skylight manufactured has an appropriate base configuration for a weatherproof connection with asphalt shingles. All of the material that you need for a proper installation, such as the shingles, tarpaper, nails, vent boots and chimney flashing are available at any home improvement retailer.

The primary attributes of asphalt tiles are:

  • reasonably priced (economical),
  • require very little maintenance,
  • versatile,
  • provide excellent protection on steep sloped roofs,
  • are weather and sunlight resistant,
  • easy to cut,
  • can be nailed by hand or with powered nailers.

There are two different types of asphalt shingle base material construction - composition and fiberglass. Composition shingles use a base material termed organic felt, which is a blend of paper and wood fibers. Fiberglass, on the other hand, uses a base that is comprised of a fiberglass mat. In both cases, once the base material is produced it is soaked in an asphalt compound. In numbers sold, fiberglass leads the market. They are less expensive, weigh less because they are thinner, have a longer wear life and have a better fire rating than the composition base shingles.

Average cost of a shingle roof is $50 to $150 per square, installed. Removal of old shingles will cost between $30 and $50 per square.

Both types of asphalt shingles are manufactured with embedded mineral granules. Seeing the granules in your eaves trough (after the initial installation) is a sure sign that you need to repair or replace the shingles.

Where just a few years ago asphalt shingles were only available in simple tab configurations in blacks, grays and browns, the manufacturers have expanded their product lines to include a vast array of colors, profiles and with the use of laminate coatings have created as assortment of eye pleasing textures. Special chemicals are also being blended into the shingles to make them mold and algae resistant. Although these additional features do increase the price per square, asphalt shingles are still the most economical roofing material available.

Drawbacks:

The serviceable life of asphalt shingles is the lowest of all the roofing materials. Although they are available in numerous grades designated by the expected life, from 15 to 50 years they often need repair or replacement long before their supposed life has expired. The hotter the climate, the shorter the life of asphalt shingles. Many of the asphalt shingle problems that are encountered by homeowners are a direct result of two factors:

  • poor initial installation
  • damage due to sever weather

Poor installation usually occurs in the area of deck preparation, and not providing adequate flashing around items that are protruding through the roof such as vent pipes and chimneys. Other poor installation methods are not using the required amount of nails per shingle and nailing in the wrong area of the shingle. There are many fly-by-night roofing companies that will quote low prices, because they won't be around to stand behind the workmanship. Choose a roofing contractor carefully.

Roof Repairs:

You should inspect your shingled roof and all the flashing at least once a year and after any major storm such as a hurricane. Hurricane winds will remove entire shingles and lift others. Sun and rain can cause asphalt shingles to crack. You should also go into the attic and look up, any sign of daylight means that there is a hole. When inspecting the roof look for shingles that have lost the granule minerals - bald spots, cracked and/or curled.

If you have to make a roof repair, choose a warm day so that the shingles will be flexible and unlikely to crack when lifted. The roofing cements also spread easier in warmer temperatures.

You will know when you have a roofing problem when you see beige spots appearing on ceilings and walls close to the ceiling. Beige spots are a sign of water damage.

Maintenance:

Roofing cement is the equivalent of duct tape for roofs. It will repair most leaks, cracked or torn shingles, patch flashing around vent pipes and chimneys. You can also use the roofing cement to cover nail heads that have been exposed.

Shingles fade with age so any replacement shingles used will most likely be visually obvious. Shingle over damaged ridge shingles, by nailing down all the corners of the old shingle first - do not remove them.

If you have to replace an entire shingle, lift each of the tabs and pry the nails out of the shingle of the one that needs to be replaced. Remove the top corners of the replacement shingle and very carefully, without damaging the tarpaper, slip it under the existing shingles.

Use roofing nails (large head, galvanized) to fix the new shingle to the roof decking. Use roofing cement to cover the nail heads.

Planning and knowledge are the keys to any successful home improvement, remodel or landscaping project!

For additional information on roofing materials for your home or other renovation projects, including landscaping, visit Renovation Headquarters

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Starting Your Search For a Home Site

Youve decided that you are going to buy a lot to build a future home on! Its a great time and can be a lot of fun. However, to make your search, and your life, a bit less stressful and frustrating, do one simple thing before you jump in the car. Establish a budget first. Sounds obvious, I know. However Ive seen more personal and marital stress caused by skipping this little step than I care to comment on.

I can almost guarantee the lot you, or your spouse, falls in love with at first sight, and absolutely must have, is one thats way over your budget. Do not window shop for lots. Heres what happens that causes the real problems. Every lot you look at after that one perfect lot will be compared to it. And since youll be looking at lesser priced land that first one may keep looking better and better and better. This drags on your search because nothing looks quite good enough and nothing is quite as nice as the first one. This generally causes stress and some hurt feelings as well. Not a good way to start out.

Heres the other thing that happens. That first lot that you or your spouse falls in love with is way more than you can, or want to spend, so you eventually purchase a different lot. A fine lot. A lot perfect for your needs, in a great area, within your budget and with a great view or whatever. You or your spouse will never forget that first lot. Ever. How often do you care to hear or think, Well, I do like this new house, but it would have been even better on that first lot I liked. Establish your budget, including the taxes, before you start your search and only look at lots within that budget. If you and your spouse only see lots that are in a comfortable price point, youll find a great one without the, Gee, I wish factor.

The Perfect Lot Myth: Heres the typical method your average person uses when looking for a lot. They may jump in the car on a Sunday afternoon with the newspaper classifieds section and go driving around. Or they may contact a real estate agent, jump in their car and go driving around. The goal? Find the perfect lot. Maybe the perfect lot for you is one with a big oak tree in the front yard, or with a stream running through it, or close to a school or in a specific neighborhood or any number of things. The chances of finding a perfect lot, one with no issues, challenges or problems, is slim.

There could be one small issue, or several big problems, but there is usually something that needs to be, or at least should be, addressed. When looking for a home site in a planned community or development, do not fall into the trap that many do. It is very easy to get lulled in by a community with the new homes, the fancy landscaping, the big front yards and so on. Dont do it. Everything may look great and neat and well presented, however do no let this cause you to buy without doing your homework.

And if the lot does look perfect, and its available at a great price, but only til the end of the week, and there are 3 other people looking at it today, and they dont think it will be on the market long?! Slow down. Take a breath and see past any hype or sales pitch. Id rather you buy a $70,000 car than a $70,000 lot without doing your homework first. Why? Because you can fix a bad car. You very often cant fix a bad lot. You'll be out there looking for the perfect lot and, due to some human nature quirks, you may "force" a lot to be perfect in your mind. You'll see on and think, "This is it! Perfect! I'll take it!" and that's when you get in trouble. Add in time pressures, sale pitches and, perhaps, an impatient spouse and you'll find yourself leaping before you look.

Please take your time when looking at and purchasing land. You'll be glad you did!

After over 40 years in the custom home business Bill now maintains a website on New Construction Advice and enjoys sharing his knowledge, answering building questions and helping people through the building process. Thanks for reading!

Tile And Wood Shingle Roofing

Stair Building Video For Decks

Stair building tips for installing lights and decking, handrail tips and some deck advice.

For more helpful home improvement information visit: http://www.gregvan.com

Stair Building Tips

House Lighting Books
House Renovation Books

How Do I Build a Sunroom?

If you love the idea of being out side and enjoy the sun but you don't want to deal with bugs, hot or cold temperatures, or allergies, building a sunroom definitely makes sense. It's a great place where you can enjoy the feeling of being outdoors without having to deal with all of these problems. You'll find that a sunroom is a great place to relax and enjoy yourself and it will also increase the value of your home too. If you want to build a sunroom on your own, here are some simple steps that will guide you as you work to build your own beautiful haven.

Step #1 - Find the Sunroom Site - The first thing that you need to do is to find the sunroom site. Take a look at your home, the area around your home, and where the sun is most of the time in relation to your home. Usually your sunroom should face as close to solar south as possible so that you get sun in the room all day long. Once you have decided where to build the sunroom, you're ready to go on to the next step.

Step #2 - Come Up with a Design - Now it is time for you to come up with a great design for your sunroom. If you're not sure where to begin, then consider looking online or in magazines at some pictures of sunrooms to get a good idea of what you may want your sunroom to be like. While you'll want to think about the appearance of the sunroom, remember that you'll have to build it, so you want to think about how difficult it will be to build as well.

Step #3 - Pick Materials - Once you have a design in mind, you'll need to consider the materials. Many times when you build your own sunroom, it won't be quite as energy efficient as sunrooms that are professionally built. So, you'll want to make sure that you go with materials that are energy efficient.

Step #4 - Decide on Windows Carefully - The windows that you choose to install in your sunroom should be carefully decided upon. Make sure that you know how energy efficient your windows are going to be and you you'll also want to check out the U-value of the windows as well. Consider going with windows that are especially treated to keep out harmful UV rays from the sun.

Step #5 - Get Some Professional Help - When you decide that you are going to build your own sunroom, there are many things that you can do on your own; however, in some cases you are probably going to need some professional help. You'll need to have a professional help you with the plumbing and electricity installation, since you probably are not a professional with these skills. So, don't be afraid to have some professional help with these important parts of sunroom installation.

For lots of sunroom ideas as well as information on sunroom windows and related topics visit TheDiyHomeGuide.com

Stairs Without Carpeting

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Cost Effective Home Improvements

Many people make the mistake of assuming that home improvements will be cost effective because they will add value to their homes when they come to sell them. Unfortunately this is often not the case.

Thousands spend on a new conservatory, for example, may well end up being wasted if the cost of the conservatory is not even covered by any increase in the value of the property. The most famous, or possibly infamous, example of this is when people install swimming pools in their home or garden.

It may seem like a good idea and one which sure to add value to the home, but it's unlikely to be a cost effective solution. In reality, it can actually have the opposite effect.

Many potential buyers with young children would actually be put off buying a property if it included a pool. This is because of considerations surrounding the safety aspects of having young kids around such a hazard.

Others may also be put off, mainly due to the maintenance costs that are involved.

So what sort of home improvements do represent value for money? You need to think about what potential buyers are likely to be attracted to. A new look bathroom or kitchen may well be selling points, so those are two rooms of the house that you could look at.

Consider how much they might increase the value of your home by. Don't simply have a guess - do some research and closely examine property prices in the area where you live.

The golden rule is that a home improvement won't be cost effective if it costs you more to carry it out than you could ever hope to get back as a result of your efforts. Aim to spend your time and money wisely.

Other improvements that you might consider would include a feature for your living room, such as a fire. This could act as a centrepiece for the room, transforming the entire feel of your living space.

Improvements made to the exterior of the property can also pay dividends. Don't forget that time can often be well spent in the garden, where dramatic results can be achieved through hard work and often without spending too much money.

If ensuring that you are being cost effective is important to you then always do your research and always know your budget. If you don't have a budget then you could find that you'll lose control of the costs.

Be sensible and you could add real value to your home.

More on Electric Fire Suites is available online, as discussed by Keith Barrett. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.

Return On Investment For Window

Why Homeowners Should Hire a Home Painting Contractor

Homeowners are often faced with the dilemma of whether or not to hire a professional contractor to help with the home improvement projects they may have on their to-do lists. When they try to do the project themselves, they often end up regretting the decision, wishing they had hired a professional to help them through the job. This professional advantage usually comes in handy when unexpected problems arise throughout the job that should be left to professionals with the appropriate training.

Hiring a home painting contractor to help with the exterior painting work is usually a good move by homeowners looking to get the most out of their fresh coat of paint. When they get the professional advantage in their painting jobs, homeowners usually notice a major difference in the work of a professional and the work of an amateur, or their own work the last time they attempted the project. A home painting contractor may even be able to offer more than the physical act of painting the house, as many offer assistance with the planning of the project.

This is an added bonus of hiring a home painting contractor, as many homeowners struggle with laying out a well-thought out plan. A job that is planned well usually turns out going much more smoothly than a job that is put together at the last minute, or on the fly. A professional contractor will understand the importance of planning the project and may even offer assistance in the planning and development phase. An amateur may not fully understand how important planning is in exterior painting and may struggle because of it.

More information on home painting contractor is just a click away.

Introduction To Woodworking

Friday, April 24, 2009

Your Homes Will Sell Like Hotcakes in the Real Estate Market

Granite and marble are extensively used by people for home construction. These are the latest trends in the real estate market as well. The houses designed with these materiel normally justifies to the good real estate value even during the recession period. It is for this reason, the builders use marble and granite to construct flooring as well as interiors on their projects.

Marble and granite flooring are use widely in the construction of many houses. They provide a touch of elegance to the homes because of their attractive and vibrant look. They are durable because of their tough and rough nature. Marble and granite flooring are more stable and very resistive in nature. They are also cost effective on a long run as you do not have to worry about their maintenance and coloring. Since the marble and granite are natural products, they exhibit a wide range of stain resistance. Many professionals recommend the use of sealers for both marble and granite flooring. These sealers can be procured online or from the local home stores. These sealers will need to be applied on a regular basis depending upon the foot traffic the granite is exposed to.

Granite and marble countertops are very popular and are used in almost all the commercial and domestic purposes. They are not only useful in enhancing the beauty of the kitchen but they are also easier in maintenance. Marble countertops assist in resisting even significant temperatures. These do not get easily damaged with the use of hot pans, knives and exposure to stains. Many companies provide custom design finishing to their customers. A smooth polish can reflect and highlight the finest hues of marble.

Granite and marble are the most recommended material for kitchen counters. You can get to choose from a variety of colors for your kitchen counters. They also add richness and texture to your kitchen. Granite and marble countertops can change the outlook of the kitchen space at an affordable cost. Granite kitchen counters have a natural beauty and are the most durable, because granite absorbs the least amount of heat. They can transform the entire look of the kitchen with their unique and different designs and patterns.

Call or e-mail Marble City Company for an estimate to your kitchen counter top, the leading countertops installer and fabricator in the Bay Area, California.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

How to Select Granite Color?

Granite is one of he hardest stones available on the earth and is found across various countries and continents. Another value proposition held by granite is its color which adds on or matches to the standard of aesthetic elegance as desired by designers. It's not a hidden fact that granite is the ultimate choice for kitchen counter tops, bathroom vanity counters and has also made its way into the floorings, fireplaces and many other such applications.

The most critical issue faced by most of the designers or individuals is the choice of granite color. As granite has a wide array of color options starting from the blacks, whites, browns, blues, greens and the variations thereof. With such subtle variations it increases a challenging task to freeze upon the right granite color and hue. It has been often seen that black and blue granite is much more in demand and so are its prices. Brown and beige on the contrary give you a lot of variety to work with the combinations in your kitchen. Dark counters for light color cabinets and light counters for darker color cabinets is an accepted norm. What would be the factors which one would need to bear in mind while choosing granite color for a kitchen counter top?

Beginning off the first factor would be to walk in to a near-by granite supplier or warehouse which stocks, imports and deals with a large selection of granite slabs and not just a few samples of granite stuck on to a board. Ideally you would like the granite color to match up with your kitchen's cabinets, hence it would be advisable to carry a cabinet sample along. The same would apply in case of your granite color having to match with your existing flooring. In case of new house you could have your granite counter top selected first and then decide on the flooring, the flooring too can be of granite. Ideally run through the slabs which are a near match or a perfect combination before you intend to freeze on the granite color, as it is an one time affair and you need to make the most perfect selection which won't make you repent later.

Once you have done with your color selection you could request the granite supplier to draw out a couple of similar slabs to check for variation in color tones. Few of these granite warehouses also are efficient and expert granite installers. So you could always get the right measure of the kitchen and select the pattern. Prior to running through this exercise it would also be worthwhile to visit a few online granite stores which display granite colors along with the names or the codes and the country of origin. With a bit of online search and local market granite supplier or warehouse visit, you would be able to get hold of the right granite color that you are looking out for.

Marble City Company is the largest importer of granite slabs and offer multiple granite color options to choose from black granite, blue granite, green granite, brown granite, beige granite etc.

Peek into the online gallery and get insights to the various natural stone colors, country of origin and application. For details visit : http://www.marblecityca.com/stones/

Hiring Contractors Books

Instructions For Building Efficient Wind Generators For Your Home - Here Are the Easy DIY Blueprints

Traditional energy sources are on their way out. Fossil fuel costs are shooting up because we are running low on them, so we need to prepare for the future. We need to change the way we think about how we get our energy and how much we are using to change our lifestyles into sustainable lifestyles.

There are some people who have already started thinking this way. New scientific breakthroughs in renewable energy are allowing us to create sustainable energy at lower and lower costs. Using the right set of plans even homeowners who don't know anything about construction or electricity can build their own alternative energy sources right in their backyards, such as wind power generators.

Wind turbines can be made to reduce the average home's electricity bill by as much as 70%. They can be built, using economical plans, for as little as $200 using pre-used parts. The most expensive part might be a DC motor which can cost as little as $30. They can be built with basic tools and parts from a local hardware store. You can estimate the amount of power a generator creates using the following formula:

Power(Watts) = (Wind Speed)^3 * (Blade Diameter)^2 * 0.00478

The speed of the wind makes the most difference because its value is cubed, then the blade diameter because its value is squared. Example calculation using a decent wind speed of 10mph and an 8 ft blade diameter:

W = (10*10*10) * (8*8) * 0.00478 = 305 watts/hour - x 24 hours and you can calculate 7.3 kWh generated per day by a wind power generator.

On average, an American home might use 14-20 kWh per day. If you start conserving your power, you might use much less depending on the size of your home. Even with little wind speed in your area, you should be able to build a wind turbine that can significantly reduce your power bill for as little as $200. Wind power generators are cost-effective, to be sure.

Me and my colleagues have researched and reviewed 17 top blueprints that show you how to make wind power generators for your home inexpensively (but keeping top efficiency standards). See how to build wind turbines easily at RenewableEnergyAtHome.com.

Double Roof Dormers

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

When to Hire a Home Painting Contractor

When dealing with home painting, it is often best to consider all options before choosing the best way to go about accomplishing the goals the homeowner has set for him or herself. The homeowner can either hire a professional to handle the work, hire some buddies to help out or can do the entire project alone, without any help from anybody. The last option is often where homeowners get into trouble, but realizing when to hire a contractor can save a good deal of time and money for the homeowner.

Being honest about how complicated a project may be and hiring a home painting contractor to help with the work is often the first step in ensuring a beautifully painted home. Unfortunately, not all homeowners are wise enough to make this decision and instead make poor decisions that end up hurting the quality of the project. Knowing when to hire a contractor and avoid any mishaps that may come about as the result of amateur work will not only save time and money, but can save the homeowners sanity as well.

With less mishaps or mistakes, homeowners will feel less stressed out by the entire project. A home painting contractor will be trained in how to deal with many of these mishaps and can act accordingly when they present themselves. Being able to effectively manage a project and deal with unforeseen problems that may arise may be the best thing for the project. Only a professional contractor has been properly trained in this manner and can offer this skill to his or her clients. A good home painting contractor will truly care about the project as well, putting in the extra effort to ensure that the client is satisfied with the work being done.

Hiring friends to help out with a project is an option that many homeowners choose when deciding to get work done on the house. While this may save money in labor fees, as many homeowners do not pay their buddies to help them out, they will often pay for it by sacrificing quality. Bonding with their friends should be done at a barbecue, and not on ladders when dealing with a complicated home improvement project. If nobody knows what they are doing, then the project will not get done in a way that is satisfying to the homeowner. This can cause even greater frustration and annoyances and can make the experience a negative one.

A home painting contractor will also be able to offer helpful advice when the homeowner is planning the project. Deciding what type of paint to use and what colors complement each other nicely can be a great help to homeowners that may not have had any experience in this aspect of home improvement. Their experience often comes in handy when dealing with the planning phase and can be a great help to the homeowner as he or she develops their ideas. Deciding where they want the project to go is important and involving the contractor will help the two parties get on the same page.

More information on College Works Painting home repair for your home is just a click away.

Winter Weather and Your Water Pipes

If you live in a region that gets freezing weather, your water pipes are at risk of freezing in the winter. What's the big deal about frozen pipes other than the fact that you can't flush the toilets, brush your teeth, or take a shower? When water freezes, it expands which can cause the pipes to burst! And burst pipes lead to major water damage and costly repairs.

Because of the risk of significant water damage to your home, it pays to protect your pipes from the dangers of freezing temperatures. Below are some tips to protect your pipes from winter weather:

Insulate all exposed water pipes by wrapping them in pipe insulation. Pay attention to pipes in unheated areas such as the attic, garage, and basement.

Learn how to shut off power, gas, and water at their primary source as well as any local shutoff valves.

When the temperatures drop below freezing, keep your thermostat set to at least 55 degrees, even if you are away from home.

Caulk the entry points of any pipes where they enter the home. In the winter, close ventilation vents in the foundation to minimize cold drafts.
Drain and remove outdoor hoses before winter weather arrives. Shut off any separate valves for outdoor faucets and then drain those pipes by turning on the faucets.

For outdoor hose bibs without separate shutoff valves, insulate the pipes. Shut off the water supply to the outdoor sprinkler systems.

Indoor pipes that are located against interior walls need special care. Wrap these in pipe insulation and open cabinet doors to allow heat to circulate.

During sub-freezing temperatures, allow one faucet to drip cold water. This keeps water slowly circulating throughout the water pipes.

If a water pipe bursts, immediately turn off the main water to the house to minimize flooding.

If a pipe does burst, prompt action on your part is critical. After turning off the main water supply, some water will remain in the pipes and eventually make its way to the burst pipe. To minimize the amount of water that leaks out, start flushing toilets or running water (preferably downstream of the broken pipe) in an attempt to drain the water that's currently in your home's water pipes.

Once the water stops flowing, let the mopping up begin. You may have extensive water damage requiring the help of a water damage professional. In addition, structural repairs such as replacing damaged drywall or cabinetry may be required. Extensive water damage may require filing an insurance claim, depending on your coverages and deductible amount.

Contact a water damage company and your insurance agent to start the process right away because time is of the essence. Prompt repairs and completely drying the area ASAP are necessary for minimizing the damage and preventing an unpleasant side effect of burst pipes: mold.

As winter approaches each year, take the time to take care of your pipes. Preventing pipe bursts and water damage is well worth the effort.

By: Mr. Mark Decherd

For more information and other articles by Mark Decherd go to:

Dryout Inc.
1415 Colonial Blvd.
Fort Myers, Fl. 33907
http://www.dryout.net
239-437-7100
Water Damage

Dryout Inc Emergency water damage restoration, drying, deodorization, decontamination, disinfection, mold removal, water damage repair, restoration and reconstruction of commercial and residential properties damaged by fire, water and other disasters by a network of trained specialists, technicians and restoration professionals across the USA and Canada.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Time Get Out The Mobile Home Remodeling Plans

There are many mobile homes sitting in parks and private land across the country. There may not be as much money in a mobile home as a traditional home, but doing some remodeling projects is still a great idea for many. This article will examine some possible mobile home remodeling ideas for you to consider.

Give Your Bathroom a New Look

One problem that many mobile home owners face is a bathroom that is smaller than they would like. You may be able to expand this space by adding a few shelves that go near the ceiling. You can then possibly put in some mirrors along the walls to give it new look.

Adding a Storage Area

Do you need more space? You could possible add a storage unit to your possibilities on the mobile home remodeling project list. Storage is usually one of the problems that many mobile home owners deal with regularly. You could look at some corner unit to possibly solve this problem. They will be nice looking, but extremely compact for your needs.

Try Adding Some New Flooring Material

Flooring is one of those projects that can really add to a room. Mobile homes are famous for not using the best of flooring material in many of their homes. Perhaps new laminate flooring in the bathroom or kitchen is in order for your mobile home remodeling plans. You should be able to find many ideas at your local flooring supply outlets. Make sure they are aware that you are planning your project for a mobile home remodeling job.

Mobile home remodeling jobs can be easier if you make some solid places before you start. Bathrooms and Kitchens are your two best rooms for making improvements. You may want to stay away from replacing cabinets and stick more to refinishing and flooring or adding attachments.

Find more helpful remodeling tips by visiting http://best-home-improvement-projects.com where you will find helpful remodeling tips, advice and resources to include Mobile Home Remodeling.

Creating Your Own Home Electricity

Creating your own electricity and generating your own power has always been one of my dreams. Having a self sufficient home, not only a house that takes care of itself by generating its own electricity through windmills or solar panels but the satisfaction knowing that no matter what happens to the electrical companies you will always have electricity at your home.

What a wonderful feeling it would be to get a check back from the utility company instead of paying them every single month. I don't know about you but my utility bills are ridiculous and seemed to be going up in price constantly. I can't believe all the fees they have been charging for years to all of their customers. If you add all the fees for every person in the city or county this comes to a large, a very large number and it's getting worse not better.

Generating your own electricity with solar or wind power is definitely green thinking. This is going to be the wave of the future as fuel used to create electricity continues to rise in price. I really can't imagine what the price of electricity is going to be like in 10 years as the mass consumption continues to rise in developing countries.

We have got to start taking care of our own needs through solar or wind power. We have got to start creating our own electricity to become self reliant. The more self reliant we become as a nation the less dependent we will be on major corporations, especially large power conglomerates.

Creating our own electricity can also be used for electrical cars that can be purchased in the future. Think of the money you will say in fuel costs as the price of gasoline continues to increase as well as less pollution into our environment.

This is definitely the wave of the future and common sense tells us this. I suggest you read this article again if you haven't figured out some of the problems coming our way in the future.

Think green and together we can start saving the planet.

While searching for new alternatives and trying to get some advice on creating your own electricity I came across a book you can purchase in digital format. This book seems to have quite a bit of information on creating your own electricity for a totally self sufficient home.

This book has been created in digital format to reduce the consumption of trees and the waste involved in creating a regular book. What a wonderful idea for helping our environment in quite a few ways.

While searching for new alternatives and trying to get some advice on creating your own electricity I came across a book you can purchase in digital format. This book seems to have quite a bit of information on creating your own electricity for a totally self sufficient home.

This book has been created in digital format to reduce the consumption of trees and the waste involved in creating a regular book. What a wonderful idea for helping our environment in quite a few ways.

For more information visit http://www.gregvan.com and look for Get Earth4Energy Here Create your own electricity! Save 1000's with Earth4Energy

Home Basement Books

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Help When Buying Replacement Windows

When is the Best Time of Year to Consider Buying Replacement Windows?

Buying replacement windows can be a big project. Here are some tips to get you started on the right track to a successful window replacement.

The best time of year to consider buying replacement windows is around spring or fall. Buying replacement windows and having them installed will leave your home open to the elements for a day or so. You want to avoid hot, cold and rainy times of the year if possible.

The first thing anyone should do is budget for the windows. This can become a big factor in your choice. Prices of windows vary greatly. Your budget may or may not allow you to get into higher design options. This is one of the most important tips.

You need to know which windows, if not all, have to be replaced. Look at the type of window and decide on whether you want to replace it with a new style or use a style just like your old ones. You'll need to evaluate how your original windows were installed as well as note any potential problems with tear-out and preparation for the new windows.

Buying Replacement Windows

Once you have a good understanding on what you need, call around and get estimates on the installation. If you are able to, it is possible to install the windows yourself and save money. But make sure you have enough and experience and expertise to be able to perform this project. An improper window installation can cause many problems.

If you need an installer after buying replacement windows, make sure to go over your different options with them. Make sure they understand what results you want from your new windows. Before choosing a contractor you should get several bids and compare them. Getting a guarantee and signing a contract is important when buying replacement windows and hiring an installer.

Another important aspect of hiring someone to do a remodeling job is the need to feel comfortable around him or her. Whoever you choose will be working on your home, and you'll want to feel at ease about letting them work. If you are not sure about any given contractor's credibility, ask them for references and have them checked out.

For further satisfaction do not pay for the job until the job is done right. A deposit may be necessary but try to keep it as low as possible.

This article was written by Gregg Hicks of http://www.reliableremodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. Offering homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Advice on Repairing Your Home

Repair jobs which require special knowledge and skill should be done only by a qualified person. Others can be performed by the householder who is handy with tools. Perhaps the majority will find the making of small repairs and improvements enjoyable and have some degree of skill in this direction.

If you are making additions to your home, such as a steam shower installation, you might want help there too. A steam shower could present difficulties if you don't know how to build a steam shower. You should probably know a little bit about wiring and plumbing, for example.

An easy do it yourself project would be to build a patio of some sort. These are more difficult to screw up, and if you do happen to mess something up, it is less likely to be fatal. In this case, you would mostly only be working with paint, cement, and wood on the ground level. Don't attempt anything more complex like a balcony until you have a little more experience.

Another simple addition would be something like a hot tub installation. Although hot tubs do require a bit of electricity, hot tubs and spas are far less complicated because all of the wiring goes to the control panel, and you don't need to mess with your pilot light as you would with the steam shower.

If you don't feel that it is necessary to add anything to your home, then any project you choose to undertake is probably feasible for an inexperienced individual. Painting obviously isn't too complicated. If you already have a balcony and only need to replace a few planks of wood, you will most likely be able to follow the plan of the rest of the balcony. Things like this generally don't require assistance or qualified supervision.

It is highly advisable to seek help when replacing a regular bathroom mirror with an antique bathroom vanity. You'll need to fiddle with wiring, so bathroom vanity installation could be dangerous. When installing bathroom vanity units, it might be a good idea to have an electrician do the part dealing with wiring.

There are many simple things you can do to your house that won't require you to hire somebody, and will go a long way in making your house look fancy. You can polish your own wood floors, or if you have carpeting, you can rent or even buy a carpet shampooing machine or a steam cleaner. It is hard work, but it is cheaper than hiring workers to come and do it for you.

You can also use these machines on most cloth furniture like couches and chairs if it seems like a simple vacuum job won't do the trick. For wood furniture, you can sand down the rough spots and refinish them with varnish and wood polish. It really doesn't take all that long and it's safe to do on your own as long as you are in a well ventilated area, and protect your eyes and skin.

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in home improvement, remodeling, and interior design. For the perfect steam shower or bathroom vanity for your home, please visit http://www.mybath.biz/.

Extended Garage Door Header

Basement Flooring Types

When it comes to choosing a floor type for your basement, your options are somewhat limited. Basements are generally below grade, meaning below ground level. While some floors are suitable for below grade installation, others are not. Floors that have a higher level of water resistance, such as rubber, linoleum and most tile types, are generally suited for basement floor installation.

If you want to install hard surface flooring in your basement, concrete, tile and stone are best. Despite concrete's hard surface, they can still be damaged by spills and must be sealed periodically. Less permeable stone floor types such as flagstones, granite and slate can make for a perfect basement floor. Slate tiles, stone tiles and ceramic tiles can all be installed below grade, but like concrete, also need to be sealed.

When installing flooring over a concrete subfloor, make sure that the concrete is completely level and free from holes and cracks. You should never install over a concrete subfloor unless it passes pH alkalinity and calcium chloride tests. These tests can usually be found in most hardware stores. Sometimes concrete floors can emit moisture over time that can negatively affect the adhesives used in floor installation. You may need to have the concrete subfloor sealed and/or install a moisture barrier (e.g. plastic).

Floor types that are not generally suited for basement installation include floors made with wood materials such as bamboo, hardwood and cork. Wood floors have a tendency to expand or contract when exposed to extreme changes in humidity. In some cases, cork floors may be approved for basement installation if proper precaution is taken. Before installing a wood floor in your basement, make you sure you verify with the manufacturer to avoid voiding your warranty.

If you want hardwood floors in your basement but don't want the hassle of constantly repairing moisture-related damage, consider installing high-laminate flooring (HPL). Laminate flooring that can handle high levels of foot traffic can be manufactured to resemble the exact hardwood floor type you like.

Linoleum and rubber floors are usually approved for basement installation as they are durable, antimicrobial and resilient. This means that in addition to bouncing back upon impact, their surface naturally deters mold and fungi. This is an ideal characteristic for those who suffer from allergies to bacterial growth.

If you want a basement floor that can withstand a below grade environment and is also eco-friendly, look no further than ceramic tiles. When properly sealed, ceramic tile floors can hold up well to moisture exposure. They can also be made with up to 70% recycled materials such as windshield and used glass bottles. In addition to being as strong or stronger as tiles made with newer materials, green ceramic tiles are often cheaper.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Building a Porch

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you probably don't want to call a contractor to build a porch onto your home; not when you know that building one is something you are perfectly capable of doing yourself. After all, it is something anybody can do, provided that they have the right tools, a high patience level, some people to help with the lifting and a good set of instructions or plans.

Building a porch is a fantastic project, but it requires a lot of work. It is a lot different than building a simple front stoop. After all, it is going to serve as an extended entry way to your home. You want it to be well built and have some character.

You will need to decide how big you want it to be. Go outside and measure out just how much square footage your porch will need. You will need to know this information when it comes time to buy the materials needed to complete the project.

Before you start building one, however, you will want to make sure that you have the legal right to do so. Adding anything onto your home usually takes permits from the city and sometimes the county. There are regulations that will need to be followed and you will need to have your property inspected before you even begin your materials shopping.

When you go to buy the materials make sure your materials are pressure treated or is wood that has been given some elemental protection so that it will be able to stand up to the weather for a long time. You might also think about getting some protective paint or stain. In addition to the flooring, you will also need to buy enough wood to build the frame and supports. This will take wooden beams in various dimensions. If you do not have experience in this sort of thing, a call to a contractor or an experienced lumber person will be able to tell you what you need.

Another option when it comes to building a porch is to build a concrete floored one. Of course, in order to do this you will want to have had some experience with mixing and pouring concrete. If you do not have experience with this, you will want to enlist somebody who does have experience to help you.

Depending on the size, building a porch can be a huge undertaking or merely a weekend project. Small side ones shouldn't take long, but one that is larger takes time, effort and a few permits. You will still be able to save a lot of money by building it yourself. After all, anybody can do it. It just takes the right materials, the right tools and a few people to help you lift the heavier materials. When you are done, you will have a porch that your family will enjoy for years to come.

For more information on how to build a porch and other porches related topics visit The DIY Home Guide at http://www.thediyhomeguide.com

Don't Make This Mistake When Buying a Home

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for consumers with useful information for future home repairs or current home repairs that will need to be done before the home is sold. Home inspectors often use checklists like these, while they're inspecting the home.

If more home shoppers used home inspection checklist while shopping for houses, we would probably have more satisfied homebuyers than dissatisfied ones. Recently just purchasing a home, we had our real estate professional, the previous homeowner's real estate professional and a mortgage lender, involved in the purchase of the property.

There was a home inspection report from the current homeowners, available for us to look at. It provided us with the damaged parts of the home that were repaired or replaced. Some of these repairs were from termite damage and it was stated so on the report. This was helpful information for us as we walked around the home inspecting it for damage.

The work that was repaired to look satisfactory and the rest of the home had minor damage. Listening to one of the real estate sales people that were involved in the transaction, you would've thought we would get in the deal of a lifetime and they had nothing but good news to say about the product they were representing. I easily understood that, this person could have influenced some one into believing that the home was in great shape, if they didn't have a home inspection checklist with them.

The home had been re-carpeted, painted and was in generally good shape. The problems with the home, were the old windows that were hard to open, the heating unit leaked gas, the tile flooring that ran through the kitchen and a large room addition looked great, except for one thing, they installed the tile over linoleum.

This eventually will have to be replaced as the tile starts to separate from the linoleum. While I'm writing this article, there's about 40 square feet of tile that needs to be replaced, because it's popping up and cracking.

A home purchasing checklist does not guarantee that you will find everything but can't eliminate some of the things that homeowners have the biggest problems with. If you could just eliminate one of these problems, the small price of purchasing, one of these checklists would be worth it.

Home purchasing checklists provide protection for the shopper and I would recommend, never shopping for a home without one.

If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas.

By Greg Vanden Berge

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Future of Alternative Fuels

THE NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Since the 1970s, America's fuel imports have almost tripled. The country is now importing over 12 million barrels of crude oil a day. That's just over half of the oil we are currently using in America -- over 20 million barrels a day. The majority of this fuel is going to power transportation, most of which is used in consumer motor vehicles. The more America increases its dependence on petroleum, the faster oil reserves become depleted. We are only decades away from the point at which there is too little petroleum left to make gasoline a feasible fuel. Americans cringe at $4.00 per gallon gas prices, but cringe is all we do. We continue to pay the asking price for the only fuel that can make our cars run. But what happens at $10.00, or $25.00 per gallon? The rate that gas prices have raised in the past couple years show us that these extremes are chillingly close [1].

While several fuel alternatives have begun to show promise, they all seem to also have distinct drawbacks. Some fuel alternatives could be too costly to become a commercially viable alternative to gasoline. Other more cost effective fuels do not appear to meet the range of requirements demanded by consumers. Few of these sources currently appear to be capable of matching the energy output of gasoline. Best estimates suggest that within 40 years, crude oil resources will be sufficiently depleted as to render gasoline commercially unviable. It is crucial that we quickly find an acceptable replacement for gasoline.

In addition, it takes no stretch of the imagination to understand what levels of pollution are being created by our nation's oil addiction. One only has to look at the skies above New York City or Los Angeles to see where we have come in past century of automotive transportation. It is easy to see that alternative fuels will be needed very shortly to replace gasoline. Still, it is equally important that the next fuel we rely on does nothing more to pollute the environment. In the best-case scenario, our next national fuel should assist in alleviating our current levels of pollution.

WHY SHOULD ENGINEERS CARE?

Because of the booming industries that alternative fuels are creating, many more engineers will be required for research and development. These engineers will play principle roles in the biggest breakthroughs in alternative fuels in our lifetime. Furthermore, engineers will be needed to design the new infrastructure that will be used for the transportation and delivery of new fuel systems. With this in mind, it is imperative that engineers continue to invest time and intellectual capital to further scientific developments of alternative fuels. The research of today will be the answer of tomorrow.

WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS?

Research in the field of alternative fuels is a booming industry. There are dozens of potential fuels that show some potential as a viable alternative to fossil fuels. For the purposes of our paper, we will review the six fuels that we believe to have the greatest likelihood of replacing traditional fossil fuels. These are: biodiesel; hydrogen; methanol; ethanol; electricity; and natural gas. Each of these fuels has had extensive testing to demonstrate substantial potential as an answer to America's quest for a replacement of gasoline.

DIMENSIONS OF COMPARISONS

For a credible comparison, it is important that a standardized basis for evaluation be created and applied equally to each of the six fuels. To of this, we will be evaluating the fuels on the following criteria:
-Power output
-Cost and ease of production
-Environmental effects
-Renewability

We have rated each fuel in each of these categories on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest. This will allow quantitative comparison. Renewability is double weighted in our comparison due to its importance in solving the energy crisis in a sustainable manner. Continuing below is a full analysis of these six alternative fuels on the abovementioned dimensions of comparison.

BIODIESEL

Biodiesel is a fuel created from organic oils, such as vegetable or seed oils. The production process uses chemical reactions to create the liquid fuel. Biodiesel is an alternative to petrodiesel and can be substituted for petrodiesel in most diesel engines with little or no modifications to the engine itself. The fuel is already commonly added to diesel fuel in small amounts. B20, a common fuel mixture, is 80% petrodiesel and 20% biodiesel. Many countries already have laws requiring specific percentages of biodiesel additions to petrodiesel [2].

Biodiesel: Power Output

100% pure biodiesel (B100) has a power output of just slightly less than that of standard petrodiesel. B100 has a power rating of 118,296 Btu/gallon, about 8.5% less than petrodiesel's 129,500 Btu/gallon rating. B20 (20% biodiesel) has a power rating only 1.73% less than petrodiesel. Because pure biodiesel has slightly less energy density as compared to its petroleum-based counterpart, a slightly larger volume of biodiesel is required as compared to petrodiesel to travel the same distance [3]. Because of the relative energy density of biodiesel as compared to petroleum-based fuels, we have assigned biodiesel a rating of 7 for power potential.
Biodiesel: Cost of Production

Biodiesel is most commonly and efficiently produced using a process called transesterification. Through transesterification, the alkoxy group of an organic ester compound is replaced by another alcohol, usually methanol or ethanol. The process of creating biodiesel is relatively simple, but not nearly as cheap. Best estimates put B100 at about $3.50 per gallon [4-5]. Even though $3.50 is currently comparable to gasoline prices, the efficiency ratio of biodiesel to petroleum fuels must be taken into account. A gallon of biodiesel just doesn't go as far as a gallon of petrodiesel. Therefore, it would cost more to travel a set distance using biodiesel as compared to gasoline. For these reasons, we have assigned biodiesel a value of 5 for cost.

Biodiesel and the Environment

Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly fuel. The liquid fuel itself is biodegradable, and therefore does not pose the risks associated with petroleum based oil spills. Biodiesel is actually 10 times less toxic than regular table salt, which makes the fuel much safer to handle than gasoline.

The combustion of biodiesel produces significantly less harmful emissions than petrodiesel.

Emissions from B100 have reductions of 67% unburned hydrocarbons, 48% less poisonous carbon monoxide and 47% less particulate matter, as compared to gasoline. However, biodiesel has around a 10% increase in nitrogen oxides, which are a large factor in the creation of smog [6]. Because of the reduction in poisonous emissions, we have rated biodiesel an 8 for environmental effects. Biodiesel has many environmental advantages, but the increase in nitrogen oxide emissions has kept us from rating it any higher.

Biodiesel: Renewability

Biodiesel is an excellent example of a renewable resource. The material components used in the creation of biodiesel are entirely organic. In addition, there are hundreds of diverse plant species that have known potential in biodiesel production. As long as there are oil-producing plants in existence, as well as the organic material needed to create alcohol, there will be the means for producing biodiesel. We have therefore given biodiesel a 9 for the category of renewability.

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen powered fuel cells have often been touted by advocates of alternative fuel. In fact, when one thinks of alternative fuel possibilities, often the first image to come to mind is a hydrogen car. However, hydrogen fuel has problems under the surface, which could limit its use as a fuel in the future.

Hydrogen: Power Output

There are two ways to harness energy from hydrogen. The first, and less efficient method is through combustion of hydrogen, similar to the internal combustion of gasoline or diesel. The more efficient use of hydrogen is in a hydrogen fuel cell, in which the hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce water and electricity. The electricity is then used to power electric motors that propel the car. Through this method, a hydrogen fuel cell would have 25% greater power efficiency than gasoline [7]. Because of this high efficiency, we have rated hydrogen a 9 for power.
Hydrogen: Cost of Production

Hydrogen can be produced in various ways. Most production procedures for hydrogen gas involve fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and petroleum gas. A more renewable method for creating hydrogen is through a process called electrolysis, which releases hydrogen from water. This is also a much cleaner process for collecting hydrogen [5].

Hydrogen production is prohibitively expensive. To make matters worse, the cheapest method of producing hydrogen is through using fossil fuels. Using renewable resources for hydrogen production is a very inefficient process, around 25% efficiency at best. In addition, fuel cell costs are enormous due to the fragility and the high cost of rare materials, like platinum, which are vital to their construction.

Some non-fuel cell type hydrogen cars are already on the road, thanks to the efforts of a small number of private entities. There are a few small companies that sell custom internal combustion engine hydrogen cars with fees well into the six figures. For example, one start-up company offers to convert a Hummer to hydrogen power via the less efficient internal combustion method for $60,000, not including the price of the Hummer [8]. Because of the inefficiency of hydrogen production, as well as the price tag for the fuel alone, we have assigned hydrogen a 3 for cost.

Hydrogen: Environmental Impact

A car running on a hydrogen fuel cell releases no harmful pollutants in its emissions. In fact, the only compound leaving the tailpipe of a hydrogen fuel cell powered car is pure water. As good as this sounds, one needs to asses the 'cradle to grave' effects of hydrogen on the environment. The easiest and most common process for the production of hydrogen, which is through fossil fuels, actually creates more pollution than just running a car on that same fossil fuel. Therefore, a car running on hydrogen would produce more pollutants than a car running on gasoline [7].

On the surface, hydrogen might appear to be the best alternative fuel for the environment. However, it will take a significant technological breakthrough before an efficient process for hydrogen production can be developed to eliminate harmful emissions. Because of the total pollution caused in the hydrogen process, we are rating hydrogen a 4 for the environment. One day there may be an environmentally friendly and cost effective way to produce hydrogen. For now, that day is not in sight.

Hydrogen: Longevity

Hydrogen is a basic and common element on this planet. It will always be around in some form or another, and thus, will always be a possibility for fuel. However, the most common collection processes for hydrogen utilize fossil fuels. This means that there will come a day where the only means for hydrogen production is through the very inefficient and costly renewable process of hydrolysis. At that point, it will be much more advisable to put that energy into more efficient methods of transportation. For these reasons, we rate hydrogen as a 6 for sustainability.
ETHANOL

Over 100 years ago, Henry Ford described ethanol as "The fuel of the future." His famous model T was originally designed to run on pure ethanol. However, because of oil reserves discovered in Texas, ethanol soon took a back seat to the less expensive and better performing petroleum based gasoline. But because ethanol has been used as a fuel for so long, the benefits are well understood. With gasoline's days numbered, ethanol is beginning to look much more attractive, and is one of the front-runners in today's race for alternative fuels [9].
Ethanol: Power Output

Testing shows that ethanol has a lower fuel density than gasoline by about 33%. That means that a car capable of achieving 30 miles per gallon on gasoline would only get 20 miles per gallon using ethanol [10]. However, the production and costs associated with ethanol could help to offset this lack of energy potential. This will be covered in more detail in the next section. We have assigned a value of 5 to ethanol for power output.

Ethanol: Price and Production

Ethanol is most commonly produced in the United States using domestically grown corn in a process where sugars from the plant undergo fermentation with yeast. The process is around 40-50% efficient. However, the amount of farmland needed to grow enough corn to supply our country's fuel needs is enormous. Estimates suggest that about 70% of America's farmland would need to shift to corn production, with the entire crop going to ethanol instead of human consumption or animal feed. While corn is the predominant plant for use in ethanol production in the United States, there are several foreign plants that yield much higher levels of ethanol. For example, Brazilian ethanol production is much more efficient than American ethanol production, as their Brazilian sugar cane produces five times the organic sugars found in corn [5].

While efficient, in certain climates it can be difficult to run a car on 100% pure ethanol because the fuel is not volatile enough to start an engine at low temperatures. To combat this problem, ethanol is often sold as an 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline mixture known as E85. E85 costs about $2.50 per gallon, though the price will most likely fluctuate as corn prices fluctuate with demand for ethanol [11]. The $2.50 per gallon figure is already substantially less expensive than gasoline, and the cost margin will only increase as gasoline prices rise. We have rated ethanol a 7 for production and costs.

Ethanol: Effect on the Environment

Ethanol is a small, simple biodegradable molecule and therefore does not pose the same threats as petroleum-based fuels, or the crude oil they are derived from. Ethanol emissions consist of two main products, carbon dioxide and water. While carbon dioxide is not a poisonous gas, it does contribute to global warming through the greenhouse effect. Ethanol combustion however does reduce many of the harmful emissions that are created from gasoline combustion. As compared to gasoline, ethanol creates 40% less carbon monoxide gas, 20% less particulate matter, 10% less smog forming nitrogen oxides, and 80% less sulfate emissions [12].

Even though ethanol combustion emissions are lower in mostly all of the toxic gases found in gasoline emissions, ethanol production releases air pollutants. This has to be factored into the overall environmental effect of ethanol use. All things considered, we have assigned ethanol a 6 for environmental concerns.

Ethanol: Renewability

Ethanol is a good example of a renewable resource. Created from plant sugars and fermented with yeast, the production of ethanol is an organic process that can be repeated as long as these basic biological building blocks are available. So for as long as we can grow corn, we have the ability to produce ethanol. We have rated ethanol as an 8 for renewability.

METHANOL

Methanol is an alcohol fuel similar to ethanol. The fuel is produced primarily from methane gas, which is the chief constituent of the fossil fuel natural gas. Recently though, there has been considerable research into using various forms of biomass to create methanol in a renewable fashion. This would increase the renewable production of methanol.

Methanol: Power Potential

Methanol's energy storage is only about 60% of the energy capacity of gasoline. However, it does have a higher octane rating (123) as compared to premium gasoline (93). This allows for higher compression ratios of the fuel in the engine cylinder, making the fuel burn hotter and more efficiently. Because of the significant difference in potential energy between methanol and gasoline, we have rated methanol a 5 for power potential.

Methanol: Production and Expenses

Methanol is most commonly produced from methane gas, often coming from natural gas. However, it is also possible to produce methanol from a "Biomass-To-Liquid" process using renewable resources with efficiencies reaching 75%. Similar to ethanol, methanol is not sufficiently volatile to ignite at low temperatures, so an 85% methanol and 15% gasoline mixture (M85) has been developed to solve this problem [13].

Methanol currently costs about 40% less than gasoline (assuming a national average of $3.50 per gallon of gasoline) in equal amounts, but because the fuel is also about 40% less efficient, the price saving is negated. That is to say, $1.00 will buy a greater volume of methanol, but it will take you about as far as $1.00 of gasoline. This simply means that for a car to travel as far as one could with gasoline, the same car would have to store a larger volume of methanol onboard [5]. Methanol was assigned a 6 for cost in our rating system.

Methanol: Environmental Concerns

Methanol fuel in its liquid form is extremely poisonous -- four times as toxic as gasoline. Less than a cup is enough to cause blindness or death. The fumes can be inhaled during the pumping process, and methanol can even be absorbed through the skin directly into the bloodstream. The fuel can also be very corrosive to vital engine parts such as hoses and injectors, meaning that a revamping of engine components is required to convert a gasoline powered car to operate on methanol.

Emissions testing of M85 have shown that it does perform well in reducing the toxins produced by gasoline emissions. As compared to gasoline, there is a 36% reduction in nitrogen oxides, 53% reduction in carbon monoxide, and 74% fewer hydrocarbon equivalents [14]. Even though methanol does perform well in emissions testing, the extreme toxicity of the fuel has to be taken into consideration. We have rated methanol as a 5 for environmental safety.
Methanol: Renewability

Because methanol is currently being produced through the use of the fossil fuel natural gas, the process is not renewable. However, there are alternative production methods that use biomass and fermentation to create methanol in a renewable way. The biomass used in this process can even come from consumer waste, such as sewage and landfill gas. Further research needs to be performed to continue to expand the base of materials that can be included in this "Biomass-To-Liquid" process, but at 75% efficiency so far, methanol could become a viable renewable resource [13]. We have assigned methanol a 7 for renewability.

ELECTRIC ENERGY

Electricity powered transportation isn't new. The first electric trolley was built in 1835, with an electric carriage following a few years later. The technology is well know, and constantly improving. In the past two decades, several concept and production cars have been created by large car companies such as GM, Honda and Toyota to demonstrate the feasibility of electric cars. In the future, electric power could be one of the most sustainable alternative fuels [15].

Electric Power

The power of an electric car is directly related to the power of the battery. Battery power is measured in kilowatts, with 100 kW approximately equaling 135 horsepower. Historically electric cars have received criticism for having poor range on one battery charge. Many earlier electric vehicles released in the 1990's had ranges of only 50 or 60 miles on a charge. New innovations in batteries, with the most recent being powerful lithium ion batteries, promise to drastically increase the range of electric vehicles. Some of the newest batteries have storage capabilities of over 120 kW, and can allow a car to travel hundreds of miles. We have rated electricity an 8 for power potential [16].

Cost and Generation of Electricity

Most electricity in the United States is still being produced through coal-fired power plants. However, there is an increasing amount of electrical energy being created through completely renewable resources such as solar, wind and hydropower. Electricity production through electric companies is low cost in the United States. Last year the average price of electricity was under $0.10 per kWh. The cost of electricity to power electric vehicles is only about 25% of the cost of alternative liquid fuels. In addition, electric motors that are responsible for providing the mechanical power for electric vehicles achieve around 90% efficiency [17]. Because of the high efficiency and low cost of electric power, we are rating it a 9 for production and cost.

Electric Power: Environmental Effects

Electric vehicles produce no emissions. The only emissions created from the electrical process are from the production of electricity. Electricity produced from coal burning power plants continues to release toxic sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, when electricity is generated from renewable resources, there are no emissions in either the production process or the use of electricity in the electric vehicles. That means that a car can drive any distance with absolutely no emissions of any kind [5]. Because of the increasing amount of clean electricity being generated as well as the lack of emissions from electrical power, we have rated electricity a 9 for the environment.

Electricity Doesn't Grow on Trees

Electricity still has to be generated in some form or fashion. The best hope for electric cars will be to continue to invest time and resources into research of renewable sources for electrical energy production. Because of the lack of emissions of electric cars, they could pose the best possible replacement for gasoline. It will only require the development of more renewable electric energy to have a completely emission free means of transportation. We rate the renewability of electricity at 9.

NATURAL GAS

Natural gas is another alternative to gasoline that has already seen some use in cars today. Honda created a Civic GX in 2005 that runs on compressed natural gas, and can be refilled at home with a compressor. The fuel itself does indeed represent a viable alternative to gasoline, but there is no disguising the fact that it is still a fossil fuel doomed to extinction [5].

Natural Gas: Power Efficiency

The power generated by natural gas is just below that of gasoline, by approximately 1%. However, the higher octane rating of natural gas (120) allows for higher compression ratios in combustion engines, which contributes more efficient burning of the fuel, and generates more power. This helps to make natural gas combustion slightly cleaner as compared to standard gasoline combustion as well [18]. We have rated natural gas as an 8 for power effic

Natural Gas: Costs and Production

Natural gas can be obtained from several sources. It primarily comes from underground oil fields in either a dissolved or isolated form, but also from its own separate natural gas fields and from coal beds. The gas then goes through a processing plant where several of its natural constituents, such as acids, mercury, sulfur and water are removed. The gas can then be pipelined for delivery.

The cost of natural gas in the United States is currently around $7.00 per 1000 cubic feet. This is roughly equal to 1 million BTUs. The cost per gallon equivalent to gasoline would put natural gas at about $1.50 per gallon equivalent [19]. The relative ease of purification and transport of natural gas, combined with the cost equivalent to gasoline leads us to assign natural gas an 8 for production and cost.

Natural Gas: Environmental Aspects

Natural gas has mixed benefits and drawbacks when it comes to emissions. The benefits are that many of the smog and global warming compounds that are generated from gasoline combustion are found in much lower levels in natural gas. To start, natural gas emissions produce about 25% less carbon dioxide levels, 75% less nitrogen oxides, and almost no sulfur or mercury compounds. However, burning natural gas produces slightly higher amounts of carbon monoxide gas than gasoline [18]. All things considered, we have rated natural gas a 7 for environment effects.
Natural Gas: Renewability

There is no escaping the fact that natural gas is a fossil fuel. Once natural gas has been depleted, any engines that ran on natural gas will have to be modified for use with other combustible gases if their use is to be continued. There are no processes known to exist that are capable of producing synthetic natural gas. For this reason, we have rated natural gas as a 0 for renewability.

THE RULING

After thorough research and careful analysis, we feel comfortable in making a prediction as to the potential future of these fuels, as well as their sustainability in the long run. We have concluded that while each of these fuels may have advantages that make them appealing in one form or another, the next couple of decades will show a shift towards cars that operate on biodiesel and electricity. Eventually, we believe that electric cars will become the most commonly used form of transportation, surpassing biofuel cars as the mainstream used in daily driving.

However, we also predict that for many years there will be a combination of fuel sources powering transportation. We feel that it is possible that a typical family might have several differently powered cars for separate purposes. A smaller electric car could be used for the daily commute or to pick up the groceries, while a biodiesel powered SUV might take the family on vacation or perform other long range driving tasks. Differences in these fuels result in niche markets in which they perform well for their given duty.

SUSTAINABILITY: THE FUTURE

We predict that biodiesel will continue to undergo development as an alternative fuel, and will catch on in the next decade or so as a viable option for a versatile fuel based on its good performance and environmental benefits. B80 will probably become a common fueling option, as its power output is close to gasoline, and its price will continue to become increasingly attractive as gasoline costs rise. However, our country will not be able to produce enough biodiesel to establish it as the sole fuel to power our nation. Because of the limit on the amount of biodiesel we can produce, it will not be able to independently replace gasoline as our nation's sole transportation fuel.

Hydrogen powered fuel cells would be a great way to power cars -- if the technology were available. Use of hydrogen will continue to undergo research and development, but it will be at least 10-20 years before fuel cells are commonly sold in cars, and even then the high prices will keep most buyers away. Slow incorporation of hydrogen fueling stations as well as the cost of hydrogen fuel will also be a deterrent to hydrogen-powered cars becoming commonplace. We acknowledge that, in theory, hydrogen fuel cells are a highly efficient method of fueling transportation. Because of this, it is only a matter of time before the technology catches up. However, by the time fuel cells are simple and affordable enough for the daily driver, electric cars will have become everyday vehicles on America's roads, and by then their efficiencies could even be better than that of hydrogen.

Ethanol and methanol are both potential fuels, but limited supplies of source materials and limited power output will not allow these alcohol fuels to be used as a primary consumer fuel. However, they may live on as specialty fuels for buses and other forms of public transportation due to lower demand and the ability of their vehicles to carry more liquid fuel on board.

Electricity will most likely be powering the transportation of the future. In 1996 GM introduced the EV1, a two-seater electric car that could be charged at home in 8 hours and driven for up 150 miles on one charge using the batteries available at the time. While not commercial successes, as only about 1000 cars were built, the EV1s proved that electric cars could be produced and used effectively for daily travel and were a strong competitor to gasoline powered cars. New battery developments will dramatically increase the range of electric vehicles while keeping the efficiency and low cost benefits of the cars intact [20].

Natural gas works well for powering cars today. A few cars have been produced that run on natural gas, as well as a line of city buses. The technology works well, and the emissions are an improvement as compared to gasoline. However, natural gas won't last. It will eventually meet the same untimely end as gasoline, and thus does not provide a sustainable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. Natural gas may, however, provide a grace period during the transition away from gasoline.

Finally, we cannot be certain as to what the future will hold for alternative fuels. There are a number of other unpredictable factors including climate change, industrial research and political instability that could play key roles in the great fuel race. However, based on what we know now, we feel that our conclusions represent reasonable conjectures for the future of alternative fuels. One thing is certain, engineers will definitely be at the leading edge of this exciting and important period in history.

Thank you for your time. If you'd like to learn more, cruise by my website http://www.DisasterRebuildingSolutions.com or my blog at http://www.micahtoll.blogspot.com

House Preservation and Renovation - - Home Repair Tips

Owning your own home comes with several advantages. Aside from having the wonderful feeling of living in your own property, there's no rent to worry about and you're free to do as you please with it. Homeowners have their share of headaches of course- property taxes, insurance, the normal problems of aging of building materials and everyday wear and tear.

Maintaining one's home in order to keep its original looks and value takes dedication and a bit of money. A lot of folks get caught up in the daily grind and overlook the responsibility of home maintenance. A lot of beautiful homes have been lost after incurring irreparable damage due to neglect.

The more common forms of time-related problems are issues with the roof, plumbing and cracks in the walls. Missing or damaged shingles should be checked every six months along with possible leaks in gutters and downspouts. Holes in the roof should be patched up right away to prevent them from getting bigger and avoid water damage to your furniture and appliances.

Walls, bricks and woodwork should also be checked for deterioration. Cracks in walls are pretty normal due to earthquakes or settling in old homes. To ensure historical integrity, the materials used in repairing old homes should be the same as the original. Plaster is usually used for walling in homes with some age. Aside from settling, plaster gets cracked because of deterioration due to poor quality and water damage also.

The first step in repairing cracks in walls of plaster is clearing them up and making sure dust and loose chunks of plaster are cleaned out. This can be done easily with a carpenter's 5-way scraping tool specially designed for this task. There are two steps to applying new plaster to cracks in old walls. Applying the base coat plaster to bind and fill-up the cracks, and the top coat finish for a smooth finish. In preparing the new plaster, make sure to follow instructions by the manufacturer to prevent back-jobs which can cause significant waste of time and money.

Another common and usually recurring problem in homes is the toilet bowl. Since these have a fair amount of moving parts, the necessity to do minor troubleshooting is quite expected. When the handle for the flush becomes tight or sticky, it's just a matter of cleaning the mounting nut (after accessing it by removing the tank cover, of course). A handle that is loose or one that doesn't flush means the chain is either too slack or has been broken. Remedy this by adjusting the chain, using different hole or replacing it in case of breakage.

When the toilet becomes clogged and a plunger won't help, it's time to call in the big guns. A "snake" otherwise known as an auger can reach inside the drainage deeper and unclog whatever is blocking the water and waste from being flushed.

A leaking toilet if left unchecked will inevitably flood your floor and cause expensive damage to your subfloor and woodwork. It could just be a problem with the bolts or couplings around and inside the tank. If after checking you can't find any problem with those, most likely the sealant around the base has to be replaced or worse, there's crack somewhere and you'd have to replace the whole thing.

If you encounter problems or remodeling issues that you think is way beyond anything you've experienced or read in those DIY manuals and videos, it might be a good move to look around for a good contractor. House and building contractors although more costly, can save you loads of time and effort as well as take care of issues with permits and such.

Jo is a writer for 'EBL Group Limited' (http://www.eblgroup.co.uk), a family managed, recognized and accepted house insurance repairs outworker stationed in Runcorn Cheshire. If you need home insurance repairs because of storm, flood, fire, malevolent or accidental damage or any other reasons or if you have house and commercial buildings upgrading needs then you should check out EBL Group.

First Steps To Home Remodeling