Green Carpet Cleaning Tips

Posted on by
Reply

Looking for a way to keep your households clean, without the use of harmful chemicals which can cause undesired reactions in your pets or kids? There are a number of environmentally friendly carpet cleaning methods that use items that you more than likely already have in your household. These natural items help you maintain your healthy household without the harmful side effects of chemical cleaning agents. Using various natural methods can get rid of almost any common household carpet stain, from spilled juices and foods, to potty training accidents with your kids or pets.

The first natural item to use for green carpet cleaning is baking soda. While most commonly used as a leavening agent in your baked goods, or as a deodorizer in the refrigerator or laundry, baking soda is a powerful, but all natural cleaning agent that can help get rid of stains as well as freshen your carpet. You can pour baking soda directly over fresh stains to soak up any moisture and remove odors. Simply vacuum up the powder after a few hours or overnight. You can also sprinkle a light dusting of baking soda over the carpet in an entire area of a room prior to vacuuming to remove smells and refresh your carpet.

Another all natural cleaning ingredient is vinegar. Not only does vinegar remove hard water stains from your showers and faucets, but its acidic properties also make it an effective stain lifting tool. Use a spray bottle and brush to apply the vinegar to the affected area. Follow this with a warm water mist, or baking soda application. Make sure to only use white vinegar, as others may leave stains.

The last green carpet cleaning item that you can use in your household is club soda. The effervescent properties of club soda will loosen stains and other dirt and grime embedded in the fibers of your carpet. You can then dab the stain with a towel or terry cloth until the color is removed completely.

Using items that you already have in your household is a great way to get rid of unnecessary and harmful cleaning chemicals. Natural items such as vinegar and baking soda contain chemical properties such as acidity which will help fight stains, and absorb foul smells around your house. Opting for these green chemical free cleaning alternatives will help keep your household healthy and clean without the drawbacks of other commercialized products. You can use the above tips in a variety of combinations to find just what you need for your particular situation. If one method on its own does not take care of the issue such as using vinegar, you can add a second one such as using baking soda to complete the job.

This article was brought to you by Andrew Almendinger, an expert in carpet restretching denver.

The Ultimate In Building Green A Smaller Home

Posted on by
Reply

The Ultimate in Building Green A Smaller HomeA home’s energy usage can be reduced by simply building a smaller home.  And a smaller energy bill is just the beginning, there’s also the need for fewer building materials and maintenance in a smaller home.  A smaller home doesn’t have to appear or feel small.  In creating a smaller home that really works, avoid downsizing everything in a large home to a smaller space; doing so just makes everything seem smaller.  Downsize by using the space more efficiently while creating an open plan using these easy tips:  Eliminate little used rooms.

 

 

  • Examine how much time will be spent in formal rooms, such as the formal living and dining rooms. If the answer is a few hours a month, consider eliminating these rooms and transferring their uses to other rooms.
  • Create multiuse rooms.  A casual eating space can be used formally if it’s large enough for a dinner party and has a level of detail that enhances a special occasion.  The added bonus is that you get to enjoy this room every day instead of twice a year!  Also think about combining uses, such as laundry and closet space, or guest room and study.
  • Design small niches for designated activities.  With the growth of personal computing devices, it makes more sense to create a small office niche than to dedicate an entire room to a computer.  Additionally, a window seat makes a great place to get away while only added a little space.
  • Use built-ins.  Nothing creates a sense of claustrophobia more than clutter.  Analyze where your clutter collects and provide storage in those places.  The place where you commonly enter the house is one of the most critical.  Providing a place for shoes, coats, and backpacks is obvious, but also think about where you’ll sort the mail, charge the phones, and keep the all-important junk drawer.
  • Minimize dedicated circulation spaces.   One key element to designing an efficient home is a centralized stair location.  Also, informal circulation paths can run through the edges of rooms, making rooms feel larger and the plan more open.
  • Include an outdoor room.  The spaces you create outside can have a huge impact on the way your house feels on the inside.   A well designed outdoor space should have some sense of boundary, either at the edges or above.  A railing or low wall can provide an edge, while a roof or trellis above create a sense of privacy and enclosure.

The Growth of Green Construction

Posted on by
Reply

Green LightbulbIn 2011, it has been reported that the amount of construction spending has increased 1.5%. Construction is beneficial to the economy for many reasons. There are several jobs and career opportunities that are necessary for completing a construction project. A construction site requires people with many different talents to perform different tasks. There are jobs from managers, accountants, and engineers to drivers and laborers. Cities that are in an economical growth are building houses, schools, factories, bridges, and many other industrial buildings

The Growth of Construction

The United States will build over $600 billion in new construction every year. It makes sense that the construction industry is in the top ten reasons for growth in the United States. With the continuous growth every year, the construction industry will have to train over 200,000 new professionals to keep up with the demand for construction.

Handling the Demand

The reason why the industry has to hire so many workers is because they need to build a new structure, prepare the site, or make modifications to the site that is already there. They also need to maintain, improve, and repair the structures. Constructions sites such as bridges and highways use a power grid to utilize less energy.

Interest in Green Construction

Green construction is growing in popularity every year. Buildings are becoming more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Construction uses recycled products and products that will no harm the environment. Approximately one in every three architects will take on a green construction job. By dividing that down it can be estimated that green construction makes up for over 650,000 jobs in the United States. With the growth of construction this number is estimated to grow even larger as the years pass.

Manufacturing Green Products

Green products and jobs do not only affect the construction industry. The popularity of green products has helped the growth of manufactured products. Anything from windows and insulation to piping supports and structural frames and be constructed out of green materials.

Growing Green into the Future

Green construction represents a quarter of the construction going on in the United States. The amount of money in construction is expected to double by 2015. It has been documented that from 2009 to 2010 the green movement in construction almost doubled. Now more than ever, shopping malls, libraries, museums, hotels, hospitals and many other buildings are adopting green construction to create more sustainable buildings.

PHP (Portable Pipe Hangers) Systems/Design is the source for piping supports systems in the construction industry.  PHP Systems/Designs engineers equipment supports and rooftop support systems for energy effecient buildings and construction sites.

Five ways to ‘green up’ your workplace

Posted on by
Reply

Making sure that your workplace and its associated operations are environmentally friendly is not only a good way to help you sleep better at night, knowing you’ve done your bit, it’s also an opportunity to save money for the business and of course show to customers and clients that your take corporate responsibility seriously. Most of the ways in which you can do this are relatively easy, and the key lies in making them standard procedure for all staff.

Wrap down
Packaging is often hugely wasteful, so bringing down the amount that you use for own products and day-to-day business can add up to a significant saving. If you’re not the sort of company that has products to package however, there is also the usage of things like postage bags and envelopes that can be used more sparingly.

Cut down
Cutting down on waste in the office is both essential and easy. Offices waste a lot of things like paper and stationary, and in most cases unnecessarily. Moving as many processes as possible to an electronic system should cut down on some paper usage, and fuel consumption can be reduced by opting for calls and video conferencing instead of face-to-face meetings where possible.

Use it again
After cutting down as much as possible, re-using and recycling what you can’t get rid of is the next step. In recent years recycling has become the norm in domestic situations, and it’s now more unusual if people don’t recycle everything they possibly can in terms of their household waste. Some companies are behind the curve in this area however, despite the fact that many office waste mainstays such as old computer equipment and used toner cartridges are accepted by a lot recycling organisations, as well as the usual things like paper, and food/drink waste from cafeterias and lunch-area bins. Different coloured bins for different recyclables is an easy way to prompt this sort of behaviour in staff.

Save your energy
With energy prices spiralling across the board, it’s not just the environment you’ll be saving when you reduce the power and heating that you use in the office. All electrical equipment should be powered off when not in use, ideally at the plug if this won’t erase any settings. Lights are also a big offender, and leaving them on through the night is a big no-no if not absolutely necessary.

Global thinking
Thinking about the impact your corporate purchases make on other countries and the eco-system as a whole is something that Is often overlooked, as it’s not just the immediate surroundings of the workplace that are affected by a company’s activity. Non-dyed toilet paper, lead-free paint and wooden furniture from sustainable forests are examples of changes in buying habits that could be made, and things like fair trade food and drink can go a long way to supporting not only the eco-systems, but also the fragile economies of some foreign exporters.

Daniel is a UK-based blogger who writes on a wide-range of topics including business, finance and green issues. He is currently working on behalf of cardboard box suppliers Rajapack

To Buy or Build a House – the Debate

Posted on by
Reply

To build or to buy, that is the question! While many can argue the pros and cons for either buying a home or building it yourself, which one is ultimately the better option? Would you prefer to create your dream home as you see it in your mind? Or live in a home with a story behind it, knowing other people and families have grown and lived their lives there?

Only you can decide which one is right for you, but we have listed a couple factors you should take into account to ensure that you make sure you make the right decision.

Location, Location, Location !

The area where you plan to live is a deciding factor for most homeowners. If you are a buyer, you have the advantage of checking out the area around the home and getting a feel for the neighbourhood and its suitability; and whether or not you and your neighbours are going to get along. When building your home you don’t get these advantages necessarily; the area around you might yet to be properly established or you may end up with buildings around you being built, that you didn’t realise were going to be built there.

On the upside, many of those who build their homes generally have the opportunity and freedom to live in much more scenic places that have a special meaning to them personally.

Design

Building a house gives you the freedom to design pretty much anything you want. You can choose from internal oak doors or Victorian doors for the living room, if you want a bath or shower or even both in the bathroom and everything in between, all down to the last detail. You also have the advantage that all fittings and fixtures are new, whereas existing houses may need some upgrades or renovations.

Yet these improvements would end up costing much less than the price of creating the interior of a whole house.

Time

When it concerns either building or buying a home, neither can be done overnight; both options take time and patience. Yet generally, buying a house is a lot less time consuming than building one.

Of course it can take time finding the perfect house, once it is found though, you can start living in it in a matter of months. Building a home has to have some factors to take into consideration, whether or not planning permission is needed, organising builders, sourcing materials and gathering finances to pay for everything.

Money

In the long term, building a house tends to cost more than purchasing one. However, building a home gives you the freedom of setting a price limit and sticking to it, whereas a buyer has to pay what the seller asks.

However, the costs tend to add up when building a house due to unforeseen circumstances and buying a house gives you the chance to shop around and get the most for your money, bargaining and working prices down if the opportunity comes up.

This post was written on behalf of UK Oak Doors who supply Victorian doors and internal oak doors. To find out more about Victorian doors and internal oak doors please visit the website.

DIY Essentials: What’s In Your Tool Kit?

Posted on by
Reply

Everyone should have a tool kit. Having a handy set of tools available for quick jobs or big DIY tasks is a must for any home owner. You never know when you’ll need tools to do a quick fix before calling in a professional.

But what should be in that tool kit? Which tools are good to be kept convenient and which can be forgotten?

Here’s a list of the essential tools you should have stored away for those dire circumstances or whenever a spot of DIY takes your fancy – as well as what those tools should be used for.

Screwdriver

The most important tool anyone could own is a screwdriver. Screwdrivers are used for all sorts of projects, and almost any item will have a screw in it somewhere.

There are two types of screwdriver and it’d be a good idea to get a set of each in different sizes so you’ll never find yourself without. The two types are the flathead screwdriver and the Phillips screwdriver.

Flathead screwdrivers are, as their name implies, flat. Flathead screws are used in all sorts of products, but mostly older items will need this screwdriver. They’ve also got alternative uses, like prying the lid off a tin of paint.

Phillips screwdrivers are slowly replacing flatheads as they allow for more force to put on a screw without damaging it. They have 4 points that fit into the screw, rather than the flat head of the other screw driver. Both are essential tools.

Hammer

Hammers can be used for all sorts. Most commonly, you’ll use one for sticking a nail into a piece of wood. Go for a claw hammer if you can – the claw on the back is great for getting an inconvenient nail back out of the wood you’ve just hammered it into.

A hammer with a synthetic handle will last longer and is less likely to break than one with a wooden handle.

Tape measure and level

Two very important tools for any level of DIY are the trusty tape measure and a handy level. While a tape measure can help you get whatever work it is you’re doing in the right place, a level makes sure that it’s flat and on the right level much better than the eye can see.

Tape measures are also used for making sure you’ve got room for something before you buy it or beginning making it, whether that’s a new TV or flat pack furniture.

Pliers

Pliers are great tools. They come in all different types, so different ones would also be useful.

Pliers are handy for holding things in place and gripping things such as wires when you’re doing work too them. They can pinch much harder than your fingers can as you can put the full force of your hand into it. They’re also great for pulling out a nail a bit when it’s fully inside the wood, allowing the claw hammer to do the rest.

This post was written on behalf of Toolorders who supply a huge range of tools including Teng Tools. To find out more about Teng Tools please click here.  http://www.toolorders.co.uk/

What is Double (and triple) Glazing?

Posted on by
Reply

Double glazing is common in most modern homes these days.  Most people know that having double or triple glazing is a good idea from an energy efficiency point of view, but have you ever stopped to wonder how your double-glazed UPVC windows work?

Double glazing is a glazing process in which a window is made by two panes of glass with a space left between the panes.  That space is held open by some non-conductive spacers, and air (or inert gas, in the case of higher-end double glazing) is trapped in the gap. This air creates a layer of insulation, making the window more effective at insulating your home.

Double glazing must be airtight.  If you can see condensation between the window panes, this means that the seal is not working, and the entire window pane must be replaced.  It’s not practical to repair double glazing, so if you see condensation, don’t accept a simple seal repair, make sure that the entire window pane is removed and replaced.

Why Is Double Glazing So Useful

In most homes, more than half of the heat loss comes from standard, single pane windows.  Replacing those windows with UPVC windows that feature double or triple glazing can prevent a huge amount of that heat loss.  Many people see heating costs fall by ten or twelve percent as a result of getting double glazing installed.  Depending on your heating bills, you could see double glazing pay for itself over the course of a few years.

For the environmentally conscious, there’s a secondary benefit to reduced heating bills.  The less energy you use, the lower your carbon dioxide emissions.

As well as reducing energy usage, double glazing can also reduce noise pollution, and reduce internal condensation too.

Is Triple Glazing Worthwhile?

Triple glazing isn’t quite as common as double glazing, at least not yet, but it is becoming more popular. Triple glazing costs more than double glazing, but it is generally accepted that it’s more effective.

Triple glazed windows have much better insulating properties.  The rate at which heat escapes is measured using the “U-Value”, with lower values meaning slower heat loss.  Single glazed windows often have a U-Value of 5.  The earliest forms of double glazing had a U-Value of 3.  Today, double glazing tends to have a U-Value of 1.6 or 1.8.   While that might sound impressive, triple glazed windows often have U-Values as low as 0.65 – that’s only slightly higher than the U-Value of a wall!

This means that triple glazing is popular in passive or “zero-carbon” homes.  If you want to have a uniform temperature throughout your home, then installing double glazing will ensure that you don’t feel drafts or cold spots near windows.

Glazing technology is always improving, and it’s likely that in a few year’s time UPVC windows will be even more efficient than they are today.  However, the windows currently available more than meet any current standards for energy efficiency, so there’s no need to wait for them to improve even more.  You will still get great return on your investment if you buy double or triple glazing today.

Things Homeowners Can Do to Save on Energy Costs

Posted on by
Reply

As people stay in their homes longer, many of them are looking for ways to save on rising utility bills. There are a few reasons for this. Some people simply want to save money. Others want to use less power to reduce their carbon footprint and live a greener lifestyle. No matter which category you fall into, making changes to your house can pay off big time and it doesn’t have to cost a lot to get started.

Choices, Choices and More Choices

Rising utility bills seem inevitable but the good news about improving your home’s efficiency is that just about anything you do is going to be an improvement over what you have. The choices range from full-on replacement of HVAC systems to simple acts such as turning off lights when they’re not needed.

Reduce Your Energy Costs Today

Every saved kilowatt makes a difference in your bill. There are several small steps you can take starting today to decrease your expenses. Here are some ideas:

  • Install a programmable thermostat. When used correctly, a programmable thermostat saves you money by keeping the house temperature to your desired level when you’re home. When you’re not home, the thermostat can be programmed to a lower (or higher) temperature. Set it once and never have to worry about waking up to a cold house or heating a house that sits empty while you’re at work. Many thermostats offer daily settings so you can have different weekday and weekend settings.
  • Install compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFL). Make sure they carry the Energy Star ® label to gain the greatest cost savings. Remember to turn off lights when rooms are not in use for even more savings.
  • Let your dishes air dry instead of using the heat cycle on your dishwasher. While you’re at it, consider line-drying your clothes, if possible.
  • Use power strips for your electronic devices. Even when turned off or in sleep mode, TVs and computers use power. By turning the power off at the power strip, you can stop wasting energy.
  • Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to the lowest setting you need. Most homes find 120 degrees to be an acceptable level. Remember to lower it to the lowest level when you’re going to be out of town for several days. Also, showers save water and, consequently, energy over baths.
  • Only run the dishwasher or washing machine when you have a full load. No matter if the loads are full or not, the same amount of energy will be used by the machine. You may as well get your money’s worth and make sure you’re washing full loads.

Long-Term Investments

For more aggressive savings, you can upgrade appliances, HVAC systems, add insulation, seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors or even replace them. Many factors go into making these decisions such as your budget, your home’s needs and the ages of your appliances and systems. In most cases, the money you save will offset the cost of the upgrade over the course of its useful life.

Sheila Konecke is a real estate investor with We Buy Ugly Houses Washington DC who buys and sells investment properties throughout the Washington DC area.

Green Construction Materials

Posted on by
Reply

Many people are now opting for using green construction materials when building a home in order to lessen the impact on the environment. These materials can either be used partly in the construction of a home alongside other, more standard building components or green construction materials can be used entirely to build low impact homes.

A low impact home must make use of natural construction materials that are native to the area in which the home is being built. In doing this, less energy is wasted transporting materials long distances and less energy has to be used converting such materials into usable construction tools for a home.

Low Impact Housing vs. Standard Homes

The principles of building low impact housing involve using as little energy as possible, using green construction materials that use little energy to resource and the use of materials that conserve heat and enhance the natural environment. These principles can be taken to extremes when building new homes or they can be used in moderation to build standard homes that are more eco friendly.

Factors to take into consideration when building an environmentally friendly home include how to provide higher levels of insulation to the home in order to conserve heat and reduce the need for heating within the home, in which direction to build the home in order to make the most of natural light from the sun and including green construction materials such as energy efficient lighting and other electrical appliances.

Low impact homes may be built with triple glazed windows, high levels of insulation such as cavity wall or loft insulation and may include features such as solar panels mounted on the roof. Some low-impact homes have been built with no heating system in place and thus must be built with every care and attention to conserve heat within the home.

Mostly, using green materials during contraction and building low impact homes is far cheaper than building standard homes where little consideration is given to the environment. It is also important to think about the position of the home in relation to public transport routes or the distance away from work or the centre of town and local amenities.

Considerations when Choosing Materials

When choosing which materials to invest in when building low impact housing it is necessary to consider the cost, both in money and energy, of extraction of any material and how long such a material will last. Green construction materials are chosen for their long-life span such as hard woods. It is also important to avoid using materials that are non-renewable.

It is imperative to use materials for use within construction that are easily recyclable and that have been sourced locally as far as possible when building a home. This reduces energy consumption when delivering materials.

There are many examples of homes that have been built entirely using green construction materials. These include homes that have been made solely from wood and straw, mud and constructions made from recycled tyres that have been filled and packed together with mud or clay.

5 of the World’s Most Magnificent Trees

Posted on by
Reply

You don’t have to be a tree hugger or an arborist to appreciate the beauty of trees.  You will be in awe when you’re standing in front of a beautiful tree!  Every single tree contributes to the beauty of our landscape and our environment, creating a beautiful masterpiece.  With so many trees in the world, only a handful are able to stand out from the rest.  Check out these 5 magnificent trees throughout the world!!  They are nothing like you’ve seen before (that is unless you actually have seen them).


1. The Lone Cypress
Cypress trees are commonly found on the central coast of California.  Currently, these species of trees are naturally found in only two regions of California: Monterey and Carmel, California.  The Lone Cypress has been growing along the Monterey Peninsula for over 250 years.  This Cypress stands out from the rest of the bunch because it is the most prominent and only tree growing on a cliff along the “17 mile drive”.  


2. Circus Trees
Axel Erlandson an American farmer who had an interesting hobby of shaping trees.  Erlandson was a skilled horticulturist and devoted much of his life to creating and crafting trees that were extraordinary.  While driving through California, Erlandson got the idea of creating weird trees to attract tourists and visitors.  He decided to open his roadside attraction featuring “The Tree Circus” in 1947.  
Erlandson’s trees made multiple debuts in Ripley’s Believe it or Not! and attracted many visitors later on.  One of his most famous trees was the Basket Tree.  The Basket Tree was created by planting 6 sycamore trees in a circle and grafting them together to create a diamond pattern.  The landscape construction and shape of the trees are definitely worth seeing.  They attest to both natural and artistic beauty!


3. The General Sherman Sequoia
These trees are only native to the US and grow only specific to Sierra, Nevada and in parts of California.  The biggest sequoia tree is named “General Sherman”.  It grows in the Sequoia National Park in California.  The “General Sherman” is a 2,200 year old tree at about 275 feet tall and weighs over 6000 tons.  


4. The Trembling Giant
The Trembling Giant, also known as Pando (“I spread” translated from Latin) is native to the Fishlake National Forest located in South Central Utah.  Pando is a collection of trees that is one single living organism.  This means that the many individual trees all stem from one single root.  Collectively, The Trembling Giant weighs at around 6,600 tons.  The root system of the Pando is around 80,000 years old, making it one of the oldest living organisms that we know of.  


5. The Baobab
The Baobab is also known as the monkey bread tree.  They are very unique trees native to Madagascar, parts of Africa and Australia.  These trees are distinctive because they have swollen trunks that are able to store plenty of water perfect for desert conditions.  In fact, these trees can store over 31,000 gallons of water.  The biggest cluster of baobab trees can be found in the Baobab Ave located in Madagascar. 

Emily Li works for The Premiere Tree Services of Chapel Hill, SC, providing the best tree service in Chapel Hill NC.  Emily’s favorite tree out of the 5 has to be the baobabs.  They are funky and fun all on their own!