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Enhance The Looks Of Your Home & Office With Window Cleaning

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How to Choose a Window Cleaner

EXPERIENCE

•     Find out how long they have been in business.  Make sure that they have an established business, not one that was started last month.  It doesn’t take much to start a window cleaning business, but it takes hard work and satisfied customers to stay in business for a long time.

•     Make sure they wash windows all year long (when temperatures are above freezing) and are not washing windows just as a summer job or second job. 

•     Be careful about franchises, they are great for fast food but not for window cleaning. Quality, experience, and customer service vary with each owner. The original business may have been great with high standards, but your experience with the local franchise may be less than stellar

PROFESSIONAL

•     You should expect your window cleaners to be presentable. They shouldn’t be wearing jeans with holes, cut-off sleeves or other clothes that do not have a clean appearance. 

•      A professional window cleaner will not smoke on your property or smell of smoke.   

•     A professional window cleaner will have a vehicle dedicated to the business which is marked with the business name.  They shouldn’t be working out of the trunk of their car.

•      The way a window cleaner presents himself/herself is representative of how your windows will be cleaned.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

•     You want to make sure that the company or window washer you choose verifies with their  customers that they are satisfied with their windows.

•     Make sure that the window cleaner stands behind their service.  A good window cleaner will come back if you find something wrong or something that was missed.   Everyone makes mistakes and good window cleaners will return free of charge to correct the problem.

•     You want a customer focused business that has window cleaners that take the time and care to do the job right the first time, not one that will do a rush job trying to get to the next site.

PROTECTION

Before you let any window washer on your property make sure that they are insured.  In the unlikely chance of them damaging something or of someone getting injured, for example, from a falling ladder or a  moving motor vehicle, you should have the peace of mind that they have the insurance to cover any damages. They should have liability insurance, not just auto insurance.  Any professional window cleaning business will have insurance, if they don’t you should find someone else.

PRICE

•     Quotations for your home or business should be free so that you can decide based on price and other factors listed in this guide who you should hire to clean your windows. 

•    All quotations should be the actual expected cost to do the job.  They should not be low-balling the cost in order for you to choose them only to surprise you with additional costs later. If something was missed, a good window cleaner will contact you before doing any work that will cost you more money.

•    You should expect the window cleaning business to tailor the quotation to your needs and budget such as only doing the outside or only doing windows above ground floor.  

•    The old adage that “you get what you pay for” holds true for window cleaners.  The lowest quotation will probably be of lower quality and more of a rush job as that cleaner has to get to the next job as soon as possible to maximize profits.  Look for a balance of price, experience, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING A WINDOW CLEANING COMPANY

We have all been there when we try to clean our windows, and we cannot reach some parts of the windows. In the end, you notice that you still have some of the areas within the window that are dirty. How can you ensure that you get quality window cleaning services? It will be a question that you will look for its answers immediately you find out that it is hard for you to conduct this cleaning service. For you to find quality window cleaning services, you have no option rather than hiring a professional window cleaning company.

If you decide that you are going to look for an experienced window cleaning company, make sure that you identify the right factors you should put into consideration because we have various companies out there providing the same cleaning services. The first step that will help you to identify the right company is conducting research. Through your research, you are likely to know a lot of information about window cleaning and some of the reputable companies that you need to hire

Documentation

Whenever you are in search of any company, one of the things that you should never forget to check or ask is the documentation. You need to be sure that you are dealing with experts who are qualified, and they should have their certification. When we are talking about certification, we mean that a company in question here should provide all the documents that indicate whether the services it offers are legal and quality. For those companies that will not be willing to show you their certifications, make sure that you move ahead and look for other qualified companies.

Check References

Any cleaning company worth their title should be able to offer you with first-person references. But if you find out that they are not ready to provide this, then you should not think twice but move to the next company. In this case, those companies that are not proud of their services show that they are either inexperienced or new in this industry

Services

A company image is enormous when it comes to window cleaning. If a specific type of company offers quality services, be assured that many people within its neighborhood will be talking more about the quality services it provides. In this case, a professional cleaning company such as the SAS Windows Company is well-known due to the quality cleaning services it offers. A professional company should provide quality services and clean all the parts of the window, including the frames.

How to choose a window cleaner?

Coral Windows asks: how to find a window cleaner

Picture the scene, you’ve had your new Coral Windows installed, and you want to keep them looking as good as the day they were fitted. Here at coral we’re experts at helping keep glass looking its best and we’ve given you a surefire checklist to ensure you keep your new Coral Windows or Conservatory looking as good as new for years to come.

Sparkly clean windows are a sure fire way to improve the look of your home. They give your house a fresh look, a welcoming feel and allows oodles of natural sunlight to come flooding through. Doing a DIY job can take a huge amount of time, and even after you’ve managed to clean just the downstairs windows you can often find they still look streaky and patchy. This is why most people find it a worthwhile investment to have a trustworthy, reliable window cleaner who has the products, experience and equipment to do a superior job.

Safety

Safety of employees will be a priority for any reputable window cleaning company. Risks are high when it comes to cleaning windows and therefore it is essential they have liability insurance. If you are at all unsure whether they have it, request to see a copy and if they can’t produce the goods then do NOT use them.

Professionalism

The vast majority of window cleaners are professional, hard working, reliable and value their customers but as with any profession there are cowboys out there and the last thing you want is to get ripped off by shoddy workmanship and deceptive practices.

Price

There are a few things to consider when thinking about the cost of hiring the services of a window cleaner. Prices can vary a great deal according to location, frequency, size of your house and the number of windows you have.

How to Choose a Window Cleaning Company

Interior and exterior window cleaning is part of basic building maintenance. Many homeowners decide to hire a professional window cleaning crew rather than do the job themselves, in addition to other spring cleaning activities. Hiring a professional, reliable window cleaner is worth the extra time you’ll need to spend screening several companies.

Get Several Quotes

The first step in choosing a window cleaning company is to contact several window cleaning companies in your area. Each company should send a uniformed representative to your home to inspect the windows and speak to you about any specific concerns you have before giving you a written quote.

Ask for Proof of Insurance

Any window cleaning company should carry both liability and workers compensation insurance for all of its employees. This protects you in case a window cleaner is injured while working on your property. It also ensures that any damage caused by the window cleaners will be covered by their insurance.

Check References

Ask for references from several of each company’s local window cleaning clients. They should be able to easily provide a list of three to five satisfied clients for you to call. Take the time to call several references from each company you are considering. Ask them specific questions about the quality of work, timeliness, and reliability of the window cleaning company.

Make Your Own Decision

Compare each window cleaning company’s references, price, and services, and decide which one makes the most sense for you. If you are dissatisfied with your original choice, do not be afraid to cancel the service and hire another company on your list the next time you need your windows cleaned.

Tips on choosing a window cleaning company

A professional window cleaning company will save you time, money and reach those windows that you can’t reach. We all like to see the wide world, especially when doing the home duties on a clear summers day. Achieving the results you desire, may require professional assistance.

Don’t climb your ladder, without safety equipment. Hire a professional, here are some invaluable considerations before attempting to clean your own windows.

Safety – Are you being honest when you say you can clean your windows safely? Are you able to reach all the windows, even those above a roof, or extension?

Time – Do you have the correct equipment and experience to carry the job out in a safe and timely manner? Hiring a professional will save you on time and proficiency.

Quality – We have all seen the gadgets currently available on the market, firstly they are not designed for external window cleaning above ground floor. Does you equipment purchased at a local convenience store leave streaks? There is a reason professionals use professional equipment, like water fed pole window cleaning, safe and streak free

Always ask you window cleaner for credentials

No matter the tradesman you’re hiring, ask for details of their insurance, this way you know you’re hiring a profitable company with your and their best interests at heart.

Ask to see where you can read reviews from other existing clients, getting to know another persons experience of a company you’re considering to hire is invaluable.

Ask to see expamples of their quality of work, either photos on a social media or websites, or videos on youtube of their work.

Ask about other work, most window cleaners have access equipment and licences for plant equipment, this provides a good point of access for those jobs most households find difficult to complete. For example, gutter clearance and cleaning, solar panel cleaning, conservatory roof cleaning, cladding cleaning, some window cleaning companies even offer an internal window cleaning service.

Move fragile or heavy items, keep a clean and tidy work area for those who you invite into your personal spaces. Most window cleaners prefer items such as large garden furniture to be moved, providing clear access to the properties windows. Moving items will also prevent those simple accidents from taking place, move those flower pots and ornaments to prevent damage and make life easier from the operator.

The Right Way To Patch Vinyl Flooring

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How to Calculate Thickness

To find the depth of a vinyl plank you need to account for the protective wear layer, core, and the backing. To better evaluate your options you’ll need a basic understanding of how companies assemble vinyl planks. In-depth videos and diagrams explaining the process are available online.

Be careful: Vinyl plank manufacturers often display the wear layer thickness as opposed to the actual thickness of the plank. As most of these products ship from overseas, they reflect the metric measurement.

For actual plank thickness, you’re looking for measurements in mm. You’ll find a wide range here, with lower quality planks falling in the 4mm range and higher quality planks boasting 8mm or thicker.

Will there be a transition from your vinyl planks to another type of flooring? If so, you’ll need to keep that in mind when calculating the thickness of the planks. Awkward transitions between rooms will make your floors uneven and unattractive.

The disadvantages of vinyl floors

Yes, vinyl floors are remarkably inexpensive and look like they’re made of real wood, but choosing them can actually cost a homeowner much more in the long run.

Some disadvantages of vinyl flooring include:

  • Cannot be repaired
  • Can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
  • Shorter lifespan than wood floors
  • No impact, or negative impact, on home resale value
  • Difficult to remove, especially if adhesive is used during installation
  • Not eco-friendly; difficult to recycle

Types of Resilient Vinyl Flooring

There are several categories of vinyl flooring, and while all are grouped under the label “resilient,” they have very different methods of installation and some different merits.

  • Resilient sheet vinyl: This is the most common form, consisting of a thin flexible sheets of vinyl bonded with a printed design and transparent wear layer. Sheet vinyl comes in 6- or 12-foot wide rolls, which means that the flooring can be laid with very few seams. This makes it the best (and cheapest) form of vinyl for wet locations, such as bathrooms. Sheet vinyl is normally installed with a glue-down bond, although there are some forms that are installed with just a perimeter bond.
  • Resilient vinyl tiles: This product is largely the same as sheet vinyl, except it is sold in boxes of square pieces, which are either glued down with troweled-on adhesive or by a pre-applied adhesive exposed when a peel-off backing is removed.
  • Luxury vinyl: This is quite a different material, a thicker, semi-rigid form of flooring that is manufactured in either long planks (known as LVP, or luxury vinyl planks) or tiles (known as LVT, or luxury vinyl tiles). Marketed as rigid-core vinyl by some manufacturers, these products are made with relatively thick layers that give the flooring some rigidity. Either way, luxury vinyl tiles or planks are usually floating floors that snap together at the edges and rest over an underlayment with no glue-down bond. Of all the forms of vinyl flooring, this is the most prestigious, and in the right application, it can actually add real estate value to a home. The plank forms generally are manufactured to resemble wood, while the tile forms are made to resemble ceramic or stone tile.

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN MATERIALS

There are various types of vinyl flooring and each provide different benefits to home and business owners. Vinyl plank flooring provides the look and feel of hardwood without the cost, as well as its durability and stain resistance ability. Vinyl tile flooring is assembled piece by piece, making it even easier to replace one if damage occurs. This saves you money down the road. The last type of vinyl flooring product out there is vinyl sheet flooring. Your flooring expert will roll out a single sheet of LVT in the specified room and glue down the material. Vinyl sheet flooring is perfect for bathrooms and kitchens because it doesn’t contain any seams, reducing the amount of moisture underneath the material.

While one may think all flooring is the same, that’s not the case. The thicker the vinyl flooring material, the more durable and long-lasting it will be. For example, thicker vinyl flooring could last you over 25 years while thin vinyl flooring material will last you between 5 to 10 years total. Both of these ranges include normal foot traffic, which shows you just how important it is to purchase quality flooring materials from your flooring manufacturer.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Luxury Vinyl Flooring Contractor

Once you have identified promising commercial flooring contractors via your research, ask them the following questions:

  1. Are you properly insured? In the event that something goes awry during the flooring installation — whether with the installation itself, damage to the surrounding area, or injury — the insurance the flooring installer has for his or herself, any employees or subcontractors should cover these issues. If the flooring contractor you select does not have insurance, you may be responsible for covering any costs.
  2. How long have you been installing luxury vinyl flooring and can you provide references? The installation of luxury vinyl flooring requires a different skillset than other types of flooring installations. Ensure the flooring installer you hire has the experience needed by asking him or her to provide references as well as a list of luxury vinyl flooring installation projects he or she has done, ideally accompanied by photos. If the projects are within driving distance, you may even be able to visit them.
  3. How much experience do you have with luxury vinyl flooring installations that require signifigant subflooring preparation? Although luxury vinyl flooring itself is fairly easy to install, proper subfloor preparation is crucial regarding the longevity of the vinyl flooring. Renovation projects are more likely to have imperfect subfloors compared to new construction, so the ideal commercial flooring installer knows how to evaluate their condition and make them suitable prior to installing the luxury vinyl flooring.
  4. When bidding for a project do you include subfloor preparation costs? Usually commercial flooring contractors estimate projects based on a set of drawings and therefore cannot properly factor in any needed subfloor preparation without seeing the space in person. When looking at bids, only compare the estimates without any subflooring preparation costs so that you are able to compare apples to apples. By excluding the prep costs, you can compare simply the material and labor costs first and then evaluate the subfloor prep costs as a separate bid once the contractor is on site.
  5. How soon in the construction process do you recommend beginning the luxury vinyl flooring installation? It is highly advised to refrain from installing the flooring until there is a permanent working HVAC system and the windows are installed. Flooring should also be among the last finish items installed prior to furnishings being brought in so that damage from other trades fitting out the space is avoided or minimized.
  6. What is the estimated timing for installation? Based on the construction timeline, the flooring contractor should be able to provide you with an approximate installation date as well as a date for when furniture can be delivered. By reading the flooring manufacturer’s installation manual, the flooring contractor will know when furniture can be put on the floor without damaging it. For example, Parterre Flooring Systems recommends a minimum of 24 hours without foot traffic and a minimum of 72 hours without heavy or rolling traffic for our 3mm products.
  7. How will clean-up be handled? To ensure that your space is clean and organized after installation, ask the flooring installer if they will be responsible for disposing of any flooring remnants and cleaning the flooring surface prior to leaving. You may also want to ask if floor protection will be provided, as some commercial flooring installers put down heavy duty craft paper, like Ram Board, to protect the flooring until the space is ready for grand opening. Doing so minimizes the risk of damage from tradespeople who may come in after the flooring has been installed, such as paint spatters or tracking in dirt or debris.
  8. Do you offer a warranty or extended warranty? Typically the luxury vinyl flooring you purchase comes with a limited manufacturer warranty. Aside from the product warranty, most commercial flooring contractors offer a one-year warranty that covers their installation, though some offer extended warranties. You’ll want to know what warranties they offer and what exactly is covered by them.
  9. Can you work on multiple projects simultanously? If you have more than one flooring installation happening at once, being able to consult one contact for all your projects will help to simplify the process. Having a commercial flooring installer who has additional branches of their own business or can recommend another installer will save you time and possibly money.
  10. What is the payment schedule? To know what to expect, you’ll want to be aware of the flooring contractor’s payment schedule ahead of time. Knowing whether a deposit is required prior to installation, as well as when final payment is due, will help you budget properly.
  11. What are my responsibilities? Ask what the flooring contractor expects you to do in order to be able to efficiently install the luxury vinyl flooring. You may have to move furnishings and other materials in and out of the project area unless the contractor is willing to do so for an additional fee.

The Need For Garbage Disposal Management

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Even the Best Garbage Disposal Clogs Up Sometimes – What Do You Do?

Garbage disposals are a lifesaver. It gets rid of your whole household’s unwanted leftovers, peels, and stale or expired food. It’s one of those things that you just know would be there, one that you expect to work. Most of the time we take them for granted. That is, until it tries to win back our attention by getting clogged or worse, refusing to work!

Before this happens and causes a disaster, it is just more logical to make sure your garbage disposal is in tiptop shape, all the time. Here are some tips to help you keep them so:

  • Run the garbage disposal regularly, even if there’s nothing to grind. Just turn on your water and run the garbage disposal to keep the parts moving. If you forget to do this, your disposal could freeze, rust, or even corrode. Another possibility is that those leftover debris inside can harden. This will result to foul odours and clogs, too.
  • Let your disposal run longer even after it has finished grinding up garbage. Just keep the water and the disposal running for about a minute or two after it does its job to ensure everything has been flushed out to prevent any clogs in the future. It will also be beneficial if you just run cold water with a bit of dish soap down the drain to help clean it out thoroughly and remove any stink.
  • Make sure you use cold water, not hot, when you use your garbage disposal. It is true that hot water is great for cleaning and disinfecting most things. Unfortunately it does not work as well with garbage disposals. Why? It melts food that is supposed to be ground, making waste cling to the sides. In contrast, cold water hardens food and makes them easier to grind up and be pushed out.
  • Cut up waste into smaller pieces. Yes we hear your sighs. But it’s only logical to do so. Your garbage disposal has limitations and its motor and blades could only grind so much. Do not expect for it to work like a monster that would just gulp down large chunks and not be bothered at all. Go easy on it a bit by cutting your waste into ‘bite size’ pieces. That is, if you want to keep your garbage disposal longer and do not want to deal with a jammed or clogged disposal sooner or later.
  • Do not put grease or oil, potato peels, big bones, glass, metal, plastic, or paper , and expandable foods. These things can easily clog your garbage disposal.

How Garbage Disposals Benefit the Environment

One thing that is clear: tossing your leftovers in the garbage disposal is better than tossing it in the trash.

There’s no denying that disposals help reduce the amount of trash that winds up in landfills. Instead of being tossed in the trash, the humble garbage disposal grinds up the food into tiny bits that can be sent down the drain to be treated at a wastewater facility. In an instant, disposals remove food waste and keep smells from hanging around the house until garbage day.

Of course, to be effective, the disposal must be used properly. Unless you want to call Roto-Rooter every other month to fix your disposal, you need to ensure that you only put appropriate food items down the disposal. Fibrous foods, fruit pits, potato peels, grease and bones should never be put down the disposal.

Garbage disposals are the next best thing when you don’t have a way to compost your waste. The appliance helps reduce waste in landfills, but there are concerns.

Will A Garbage Disposal Clog My Pipes?

NO. A garbage disposal which is used properly will not clog your pipes. However, the key to making sure that your garbage disposal doesn’t clog your pipes requires proper installation and then usage that is compliant with your particular model. Before you install any kind of garbage disposal, you have to make sure that the drainage pipes are clear in the first place.

This is why a garbage disposal should always be installed by a professional plumber. They can check for preexisting clogs and also clear them out. Remember, a garbage disposal is supposed to be a convenience, not a nuisance. There is nothing like installing a new garbage disposal and then have it clog your pipes simply because you did not check the pipes first.

The next part of using a garbage disposal and making sure that it won’t clog your pipes is that you need to only put food particles down the drain that you feel will wash away down a sewage system. Even the most powerful garbage disposer is only capable of so much. So if you have a household garbage disposer, you need to treat it with some respect. You have to remember that anything you put down your garbage disposal will travel though your drainage pipes and ultimately need to clear them. This is why it is so important to only put food particles that can be liquefied into your garbage disposal so that any food waste that you have will reach its final destination.

Clogged pipes from a garbage disposal are totally avoidable if you follow a few simple rules. If you buy a home, make sure the pipes are unclogged from the previous owner. Make sure that you also buy a garbage disposal that is the right horse power for your situation, and then use it properly.

Garbage Disposal Use and Maintenance:

Garbage disposals should not be the place where you dump grease. This is not the place to dump your excess fat or grease from frying meat.  These items have a tendency to plug up the drain line and are sure to cause problems with the disposal. Simply collect the grease in a bowl or Ziploc baggie and dispose of it elsewhere.

Run plenty of COLD water while you are using the disposal to eliminate food wastes. If you are using it to eliminate 1 pound or more of food waste, you must plug the drain first. Fill the sink with 1/4 of the way full with cold water. Pull the drain plug out and turn the disposal on. This should thoroughly wash the drain line free of any garbage that might cause a problem. Be sure to avoid using hot water on a regular basis, because this could cause unwanted problems.

Troubleshooting Garbage Disposal Problems

Garbage Disposal Not Working, No Noise

If the garbage disposal doesn’t do anything—meaning it doesn’t hum or make a sound—it probably isn’t receiving power.

Look for a garbage disposal reset button on the underside of the disposal and press this reset button. This simple touch may be all that’s needed to get it running again.

If that doesn’t do the trick, determine whether your disposal is plugged into an electrical receptacle under the sink or hard-wired (directly connected) to an electrical box there.

If your disposal is the plug-in type, unplug the disposal from its electrical outlet and test the outlet with another appliance, such as a hair dryer. If the outlet doesn’t work with another device, go to the circuit breaker panel and reset the circuit breaker that serves the disposal. This breaker is often on the same circuit used by the dishwasher. Reset it by turning it all of the way off and then back on.

If your disposal is hardwired to an electrical box, go straight to the circuit breaker panel and reset the breaker the same way.

Garbage Disposal Hums or Is Jammed

You’ll know your disposal is jammed or clogged when the motor hums but the disposal doesn’t grind, is overly noisy, or runs and then stops before you turn it off.  Don’t continue to run the disposal when it’s jammed—this can burn out the motor.

Even when jammed, a disposal will usually drain.

The jam is often caused by a piece of bone, a fruit pit, or something similar stuck between an impeller blade and the drain hole.

Be sure to unplug the disposal or turn off the electrical circuit that powers it before making any repairs.

If the motor has burned out, you’ll need to replace the disposal. Amazon has some great deals on garbage disposals. Also please see the HomeTips Garbage Disposals Buying Guide for useful buying tips and advice.

To clear a jammed disposal:

1 Unplug the unit or turn off the circuit breaker that serves it.

2 Under the sink, look at the bottom of the disposal for a hex-shaped hole. If you see one, find a 1/4-inch hex wrench that fits the hole (often there is one attached to the disposal).

Fit the hex wrench into the hole, and force it back and forth a few times to free the impellers. (Note: Some models have a reversing switch that accomplishes the same action.)

3 If your disposal doesn’t have a hex hole or you can’t find a hex wrench, put a short broom stick into the disposal (with the with the power disconnected!), force it down against one of the blades, and try to rotate the impeller back and forth.

4 If something has been put in the disposal that shouldn’t have—such as metal, rubber, glass, or fibrous food waste such as artichoke leaves or banana peels—use tongs or pliers to pull the material out. Never use your hand.

5 You may have to remove the disposal to clear a jam. In some situations, this is easier to do than it might sound.

How To Properly Install An New Electric Circuits

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Thinking of upgrading your electrical panel or service? Some things you should know.

What Is an Electrical Circuit Overload and How Can I Prevent It?

Electrical circuit overloads happen when more amperage is transferred across an electrical wire than the circuit can handle. For example, if you plug a laser printer into the same outlet as your computer tower, and the circuit doesn’t have enough amperage to support both devices, the circuit breaker will be tripped. A tripped circuit breaker cuts power to all devices using that circuit and brings productivity to a halt.

In order to avoid overloading your circuits and the possibility of electrical fires, outlets and wiring should be upgraded to have sufficient electrical capacity. Let the licensed professionals update and install the right circuits in your home or business today.

How to Update your Electrical System?

  • The first step is to upgrade your panel by bringing more power from the utility to your home. You can replace the existing meter and circuit breakers to allow it to handle more power or replace an electrical panel or circuit breakers that are obsolete, damaged or dangerous. Doing this enables your electrical system to have more power to distribute without affecting the wiring inside the home.
  • The second step includes adding extra circuits that can distribute the power to your rooms and appliances.
  • Updating the system may also include adding new electrical outlets and replacing the used cable, old cable wires and receptacles.

Do I Need To Upgrade My Electrical Panel?

To learn about the capacity of your current breaker panel, look on the inside. There will be a tag, usually, on the door, that will list maximum voltage, current and power dissipation capability for the panel and busses. Most breaker boxes are 100, 150 or 200 amps. The average home typically requires 200 amp panels to fully operate all of your appliances and meet your electrical needs.

If you answered yes to our questions above, or find that your current panel doesn’t meet modern home electricity requirements, you may decide it’s time for an upgrade.

Tips for Upgrading the Electrical System in Your Home

The average cost of a complete wiring upgrade can range anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 for medium to large homes (those from 1,500 to 3,000 square feet). This includes the opening of walls, installing the wiring, switches, and outlets, then closing the walls back up. The bill might deter you at first, but there are well-supported reasons to make the investment. This guide will offer essential tips when considering a complete electrical upgrade.

Consult With the Professionals

First things first. The level of electricity running throughout your home has the power to kill or injure you. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, there were 136 fatal and 2,210 non-fatal electrical injuries among electricians in the workplace in 2017. If there is a risk for trained professionals, then there is certainly a risk for the noble DIYer.

Professional licensed electricians will be well versed in compliance with the National Electrical Code (NEC) as well any local code requirements and restrictions. They can better help you devise the best plan for upgrading your electrical wiring. You can find a comprehensive breakdown of the NEC here.

GFCIs Are Crucial for a Safe Home

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)—also known as residual current devices (RCDs)—are currently required by the NEC to be installed in outlets that run along your kitchen and bathroom countertops and in unfinished basements. This safety precaution is intended to protect against home electrocution in areas most likely to house electrical appliances that share close proximity to water.

These requirements were not always mandatory. If your home is older and has not had an electrical wiring upgrade, then you should consider bringing it up to code. Installing GFCIs is a task that requires electrical experience, so ensure you are well versed in what’s involved if you are considering doing the upgrade on your own. Keep in mind that this may require the installation of new circuit breakers in your electrical panel, a task best left to the professionals.

Upgrade Your Electrical Panel and Service

Older homes, those built more than 30 to 40 years ago, were designed to use an electrical service ranging from 30 to 50 amps of power. But today, a central air conditioning unit alone can require up to 200 amps to operate. The fact is clear that many older homes are simply not properly outfitted for the electrical demands of modern life.

An obsolete electric system is not only a frustration—as lights flicker and the breaker trips more frequently than is pleasant—but it is also a safety hazard. Between 2012 and 2016, electrical failures and malfunctions were the second leading cause of all reported house fires.

If you are experiencing any strange noises coming from your panel, burning odors near outlets, having circuit breaker trips more than once a month, or if your lights flicker and dim to compensate when you turn on the vacuum, you should seriously consider upgrading your electrical panel as part of your electrical wiring upgrade.

Consider Structured Wiring

Smart home technology has become commonplace as costs drop and tech advances. Keeping up with the trend, homeowners are increasingly connecting their flat-screen TVs, internet service, home security system, phones, and appliances through a fully-integrated smart home ecosystem. While many connected home devices connect wirelessly through Wi-Fi, many will continue to require hard-wired (and more secure) Ethernet connections. That’s why structured wiring and structured media enclosures have become standard fare in most new homes.

Properly outfitted with the right low-voltage wiring, networking cables, and high-capacity coaxial wiring, you can ensure connected devices are accessible from every room of the house as well as remotely. If you are interested in preparing your home for the connectivity of the future, you should consider running structured wiring throughout your home in tandem with a central structured media enclosure.

Getting the Right Size Service for your Home

The EC should quickly be able to tell you what size service you will need. Here are some examples for your reference:

  1. Home 1. The home is 2000 square feet, all gas appliances, with heating. This home would need a 60 amp service.
  2. Home 2. The home is 2000 square feet, all electric appliances, with heating. This home needs a minimum of 200 amps.

If you believe that your home needs a service upgrade, then you should know that cost difference between a 100, 200 and 400 amp size service panel are negligible. So, you need not worry about breaking the bank by installing a larger service panel.

Main Job Description Of Camera Operator

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TV or film camera operator

What does a TV or film camera operator do?

Camera operators record moving images for film, television, commercials, music videos or corporate productions. They operate film or digital video cameras, usually under instruction from the director or director of photography. On a typical job, you’ll:

  • set up and position camera equipment
  • choose the most suitable lenses and camera angles
  • plan and rehearse shots
  • follow a camera script and take cues from the director, or floor manager if in a TV studio
  • solve any practical or technical problems
  • work closely with other technical departments, such as lighting and sound

Schools for Aspiring Camera Operators

Certificate Programs

Ranging from 1-2 years in length, certificate programs in cinematography train students how to light sets for TV and film. Students also learn about point of view, filming from different positions and camera movement. Those enrolling in certificate programs may expect to use HD and RED cameras as well as 16mm and 35mm film.

Associate Degree Programs

Associate of Art in Cinematography degree programs expose students to the other roles in film production. Because cinematographers must have an appreciation for the visual aesthetic of each shot, many associate degree programs include an art history course in the curriculum.

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Bachelor’s degrees in film and video production may offer a specialization in cinematography. Schools that offer bachelor’s degree programs might have more resources available to students, including grants for student work, help in submitting films to festivals and portfolio development.

Master’s Degree Programs

With experience, cinematographers may advance to become directors of photography. Admission to a master’s degree program specializing in cinematography may be highly selective. Once admitted, students may be required to complete a research project and work as directors of photography on multiple student films. Students also gain an understanding of specialty lenses and advanced camera movements.

What does a camera operator do?

Camera operators work with a variety of technical equipment including cranes, mobile mountings, portable cameras, remote-control cameras, and digital cameras.

Camera operators capture a wide range of material for TV shows, motion pictures, music videos, documentaries, and news and sporting events.

A camera operator will typically do the following:

– work with a director to determine overall vision of a production

– discuss filming and editing techniques with a director to improve a scene

– prepare and rehearse scenes

– select the appropriate equipment, from type of camera to software for editing

– assemble and set up equipment

– follow camera scripts

– respond quickly to directions

– creatively frame and capture footage

– collaborate with the lighting and technical crews

– shoot or edit a scene based on the director’s vision

How to become a Film and Television Camera Operator

Education & Training for a Film and Television Camera Operator

To become a film and television camera operator you usually have to complete a VET qualification. Applicants may be required to attend an interview and/or submit a folio of work. As subjects and prerequisites can vary between institutions, you should contact your chosen institution for further information. You can also become a film and television camera operator through a traineeship in Media. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10. Alternatively, you can become a film and television camera operator by completing a degree in creative arts, media, screen production, or film and television. To get into these courses you usually need to gain your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with English. Applicants may be required to attend an interview and/or submit a folio of work. Institutions have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements. Contact the institutions you are interested in for more information.

How To Pick A Camera

The main thing I’ve noticed is that most people who ask, ask because they don’t know all that much about cameras; enthusiasts tend to see this as a moral failing but in most cases it simply stems from a lack of exposure, to make a feeble pun.  Nowadays most of us make pictures with cell phone cameras (a depressing fact of life of which most camera makers are aware; sales of compact cameras continue to fall every year) and most of us are perfectly happy with the results.  Still, every now and then a person sees a picture that couldn’t have been made with a cell phone, or they see a good camera and wonder what it is they’re missing.

First, the things every photographer thinks about, and that every camera may or may not let you control.

Exposure, aperture, and sensitivity are the three fundamentals of photography.  Exposure is how long the shutter is open; aperture is how wide the shutter is open; sensitivity is how sensitive the film (if you’re using film) or the digital sensor (if you’re using a digital camera) is to light.  That’s it.

What To Look For In Web Based Payroll Service Software

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Choosing a Payroll Service

All businesses with employees run some sort of payroll in order to get their staff paid. Instead of processing it on their own or outsourcing the task, many of today’s companies opt for an online payroll service to make this process simpler and more convenient. Online payroll services operate in the cloud. They don’t require any software to be installed or maintained, and businesses can manage and run their payroll from anywhere. They can be used to pay full-time and part-time employees as well as contract and freelance workers.

Online payroll typically includes a variety of services:

Payroll processing: Online payroll services automatically calculate how much employees should be paid each pay period. The systems account for wage rates, shift differentials, overtime, holiday pay and taxes as well as Social Security and benefit deductions. They then make payments to employees by direct deposit, prepaid debit cards or paper check.

File and pay payroll taxes: These services can withhold employee taxes, file quarterly payroll tax reports, and pay tax withholdings to the proper local, state, and federal agencies. They also issue employee W-2 and 1099 forms at the end of the year. Some services offer an error-free guarantee. If a mistake is made, these payroll companies will correct the error and pay any fines or interest incurred.

New hire reporting: Many payroll services report new hires to the government on your behalf.

Integrations: Online payroll services integrate with a variety of payroll-related programs businesses are already using, such as accounting software, time and attendance systems, and human resources software.

Paid-time-off management: Many of these services manage paid time off by tracking how many vacation and sick hours employees have earned and how much they’ve used. Some payroll solutions even facilitate the time off request and approval process.

Employee self-service: Typically, employees can access the online system to view pay stubs, PTO balances and year-end tax forms.

Mobile access: Many systems offer mobile apps or mobile-friendly websites that let businesses manage and run payroll from smartphones or tablets.

Payroll reports: Detailed wage and labor reports from your service can provide a deeper look at how a business operates

How Much Does Online Payroll Cost?

The cost of payroll services varies, but most follow a standard pricing structure: a flat base fee that is charged per month or per pay period. With per-pay-period providers, you are charged each time you run payroll, while per-month providers allow for unlimited payrolls each month.

Features. Besides payroll processing and the handling of all tax obligations, you should consider whether the service offers multiple pay options, like direct deposit, paper checks or prepaid debit cards. You’ll also want to see if the provider offers multiple wage rates, garnishment payments, paid-time-off management, workers’ compensation administration, unemployment insurance and detailed payroll reports.

Ease of use. The payroll service should not be too complex to understand. It should have an easy-to-use interface that allows you to run payroll and add employees into the system in a matter of minutes.

How to Choose a Payroll Service

The only thing more conventional than “keeping the books” is screwing them up. In fact, the two typically go hand-in-hand, as the IRS penalizes about one out of every three business owners for payroll errors. Choosing the best payroll service for your needs can help you to reduce bookkeeping and other errors.

Even if mistakes weren’t so commonplace, doing your own payroll can still cost you. The valuable time and energy you spend figuring out how much money you have to give away could be spent actually making money.  That’s why so many businesses are turning to outsourced payroll services.

“One of my rules is if you have one employee, get a payroll service,” says Rhonda Abrams, president of the business services site The Planning Shop and author of the guidebook Hire Your First Employee. “The penalties for screwing up are so much more expensive than the cost for payroll.”

How to Choose a Payroll Service: Where to Look

A simple Google search of “payroll service” yields about 485,000 results, and with so many options to choose from, narrowing down those results can be just as difficult as crunching numbers yourself.

How to Choose a Payroll Service: Services and Pricing

Now that you’ve narrowed down your referrals and checked out their online reputations, you need to make sure that the company offers all the services you need upfront.

Tips for Choosing a Payroll Service

When payday rolls around employees automatically assume they will not only be paid but be paid the correct amount. An easy way to ensure everyone is receiving payment and the IRS is not on your back is to use a payroll service. Use these tips to evaluate and choose a payroll company to handle your small business needs.

Recommendations:

One way to find a payroll service is to ask other small businesses for their recommendations. A recommendation from someone you know means that chances are they will be honest about their level of satisfaction with the company. Once you have a few services you are interested in ask if they can provide you with two or three references from clients who have businesses similar to your own. Recommendations are the best way to discover the reputation and quality of the firm.

Prices and Hidden Fees:

The first question on everyone’s mind and the first question that need to be asked is: How much? They may charge a flat-fee with an additional charge per check or a charge based on the frequency of payroll. You may want to pay your employees every week but find that every other week will save you money. This is something that should be taken into consideration. Also, be sure to see a detailed breakdown of the bill to discover those hidden fees that some companies may “forget” to mention. For example simply changing an employee to direct deposit or adding a new employee might accrue additional charges. You may also want to ask if the charges and fees you were quoted are subject to change and if so, do they increase frequently?

Special Services:

In addition to paychecks, payroll services often offer other special services for businesses. These special services include direct deposit, customized reports, as well as the administering of employee benefits, retirement plans, and pre-tax deductions for medical insurance or childcare. Some companies are capable of developing customized software tailored to your specific needs. If you have employees in different states you must make sure the company has national coverage capabilities.

Ease of Use and Accessibility:

Most payroll services today allow access to a secure site for employees to view their individual payroll history. Having a password-protected website to view and print pay stubs, review payroll history and keep track of sick, personal and vacation days provides a better service for your employees. Having this information at their fingertips will also decrease the number of payroll questions you have to answer.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A PAYROLL PROVIDER

Are you considering converting to a new payroll provider, but hesitant to make a change? You may be concerned about missing payroll periods or data errors during the transition, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic.

TIMING OF A PAYROLL CONVERSION

Deciding when to implement a new payroll solution is important. If you are considering a mid-year conversion, Quarter 2 is a good time to start the process. Another option is to convert at the end of the year. The ideal time to begin a year-end conversion is October so it doesn’t conflict with any year-end processing you need to handle.

DATA CONVERSION

When considering a conversion, it’s important to also look at whether the payroll system is unified with core HR and attendance. When payroll, core HR, and time tracking data are stored in a centralized database

DATA INTEGRATION CAPABILITIES

Many companies have existing business investments for benefits, such as general ledger software, point-of-sale (POS) systems, and retirement packages. The ability to integrate these existing systems with an online payroll system is a huge benefit as all of the data is accurate and up-to-date

PAYROLL TAX COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT

With payroll tax compliance rules constantly changing, it’s crucial to utilize a payroll provider with a tax compliance department that will help manage these updates. Once conversion is complete, a tax compliance team should update your payroll tax tables each year, and help with year-end processing.

How to Choose the Right Payroll Service

Consider factors like cost, features, ease of use, and more as you shop for a payroll system.

Running payroll might not be your forte, but it’s a necessary part of being an employer. To ease your responsibilities, you could try a payroll service, a type of software as a service (SaaS).

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Payroll Software

Payroll software automates your payroll-related responsibilities, such as calculating employee wages, withholding taxes, and paying employees.

How much do I know about payroll?

If you aren’t a payroll expert, you need an easy-to-use software solution. Payroll software automates a complex process, and the point of automation is to free your time, not take it up.

Which basic features should a payroll software have?

First, let’s go over the key parts of running payroll. Running payroll is the process of entering the hours employees worked during a pay period, calculating their gross wages, determining deductions, and giving employees their net pay.

Payroll software saves you from manually running payroll. Here are a few basic features you should keep an eye out for when shopping for payroll software:

Taxes: Payroll software automatically withholds taxes from each employee’s paychecks. If you want the software to go a step farther and file taxes for you, opt for a full-service payroll software.

Accuracy: Mistakes on payroll result in penalties for your business. Find a provider that guarantees accuracy.

Multiple payment options: If you want the option of paying employees with direct deposit or paychecks, find a provider that accommodates both and offers free direct deposit. According to the National Automated Clearing House Association(link is external) (NACHA), 82% of workers receive their wages via direct deposit, so try to offer this payment method.

Time and attendance integration: Some software providers offer a time and attendance add-on to help with attendance management. This lets employees enter the hours they worked. All you need to do is approve their hours.

Gardening And Pest Control Exposed

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WAREHOUSE PEST CONTROL: PREVENTING AND MANAGING COMMON PESTS

Pest prevention and control is now an integral part of sanitation for most warehousing and logistics properties – and for good reason. Contamination of raw materials and products by pest droppings, webbing and skin casts can lead to a loss of goods and revenue. Warehouses are particularly susceptible to pests as many insects and rodents will feed on goods and materials if left uncontrolled.

Potential consequences of a pest infestation in the warehousing & logistics industry, include:

  • Termination of contracts leading to revenue losses;
  • Prosecution for non-compliance with regulatory laws;
  • Customer complaints;
  • Increased costs for delayed treatments; and
  • Loss of customer trust.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WAREHOUSE PEST CONTROL MANAGEMENT

Here are some possible steps a warehouse owner can take to keep a warehouse safe from pest infestations. Initially to protect a warehouse pest evaluation is conducted in areas like rooms, utility rooms, storage, cafeterias, shipping places, janitorial cabinets, receiving places especially areas of shelters, food, and water resources are sealed to block wildlife and pest entry in these facilities. This evaluation is a critical part of effective pest control management. Further, building design is analyzed and evaluating existing structure, high traffic areas, and problem areas is the next crucial step. Areas like perimeters, water resources, dumpster, electrical conduits and storage areas are thoroughly inspected as well.

Different types of pests invade warehouses and each pest has unique habits and reaction. Therefore, treatment techniques are used accordingly, once basic information is gathered from the employees, an experienced professional knows what kind of products and techniques will be used to treat a specific pest infestation. For effective pest management program, experts further consider customized programs and different factors including building conditions, location, surrounding areas, weather and size of the building since each situation is unique and facilities in each warehouse are different from the other.

While hiring a pest control company, the warehouse owner must consider a certified and insured company that offers a quick response and follow certain standards necessary to maintain quality service. Professionals from the pest control company should have sound knowledge, experience, and history of serving warehouses

Ship Pests out of Your Warehouse

Here are some ways that commercial pest control services,  can help warehouses with pest-related protocols and procedures:

Customized treatment plans and pest solutions for warehouse facilities can be designed to help minimize operational disruptions while effectively treating pests, such as rodents, flies, cockroaches, stored product pests, birds and others, commonly found in large spaces.

In addition to treating current pest problems, proactive prevention and monitoring strategies can help keep new infestations from establishing.

Commercial pest control professionals can help you make sure warehouses meet audit and regulatory requirements in regards to pest control, as well as help prevent pests from compromising packaging, product quality or sanitary conditions for workers.

Commercial pest control services can help reduce the operational disruptions and productivity losses that dealing with constant pest concerns can bring.

Help ensure your warehouse isn’t storing unwanted pests. With increasing protocols to manage, you’ve got enough on your plate without worrying about pests and related compliance issues. It’s easy to get a free estimate for commercial pest control services that can help allow you to focus on other warehouse management priorities.

Prevention Is the Best Warehouse Pest Control

Although there is no foolproof way of preventing pests from entering the warehouse, keeping your warehouse in good repair reduces the ways that rats, mice, roaches, birds, and other pests can get in. Some basic steps include:

  1. Ensuring that the roof is tightly sealed and leak-proof, doors close fully and tightly, and that any windows are also well sealed.
  2. Doing routine maintenance of plumbing and air conditioning to prevent leaks, which keeps pests from having a convenient supply of water to drink if they do make it into the warehouse and making it more difficult for them to breed.
  3. Cleaning your warehouse of any spilled food products and keeping tight control over employee food waste by allowing food only in designated areas and ensuring that trash is removed from these areas after each meal.

These basic procedures are all part of keeping a warehouse clean. And while they will help keep pests from entering the warehouse, they won’t close off a warehouse’s biggest vulnerability: shipments of product constantly entering the building. If a pallet full of packaged foods arrives, bringing the pests along with their food supply, then they will have the means to establish themselves in the warehouse in spite of all efforts to keep them out.

Plastic pallets can help prevent pests from using this route into your warehouse. Plastic shipping pallets have far fewer crevices that insects can use to conceal themselves than wood pallets, and unlike wood, they’re not a satisfying chew toy for rodents. Plastic is also nonabsorbent, and a plastic pallet is less likely to give pests a source of water that they can use to survive. Finally, it’s possible to wash and sanitize plastic pallets, which makes it much easier to control pests. All of these features give plastic pallets a clear advantage in preventing the transfer of pests between warehouses, saving your business money on extermination fees and wasted product, and, ultimately, on your Total Cost of Business (TCOB).

Physical Barriers and Building Design

In addition to this procedure, building design and physical barriers are crucial in preventing pest infestation. We’ve created a shortlist of important physical barriers you should consider when examining your premises for pest control purposes.

  • Self-closing doors that show no light between the door seal and the jamb.
  • The major entry door should have an ante-room which serves as a buffer and control zone for any pests that do breach the initial barrier.
  • Positive pressure should also be maintained in processing and production areas. This provides a constantly outward moving air barrier to any flying insects and dust.
  • Amenities should be connected to any production or processing areas with adequate fly-screens in the passage.
  • Air curtains should be installed at external doorways and should have the capacity to move air across the entire doorway at 6m/s or faster. It is also important to check any ventilation systems or other ducts for pest ingress.

Those are just some of the physical barriers that you should either already have or be considering installing at your facility and when matched with an airtight pest control procedure should make your facility largely pest free.

Basic Methods For Refrigerant Electronic Leak Detection

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HOW TO SELECT THE CORRECT TYPE OF WATER LEAK DETECTION SENSOR FOR YOUR APPLICATION

Air Conditioning Drip Trays

Two sensors are available, the optical DTS sensor designed to sit in a drip tray, IP65 rated with no external electrical electrodes, and our leak detection cable type WDC4, this being very flexible, it can can be shaped around the tray for maximum coverage

Drip Trays underneath Water or Chilled Water Pipework 

For long runs of drip trays our water detection cable type WDC4 is best suited as it can be serpentine in the tray to give maximum coverage.

Water or Chilled water Pipes with no Drip Tray

Our WDC4 detection cable can be fixed to the underside of the pipework along its entire length so any leak will be detected. Whilst care should be taken not to over tighten, cable ties can be used around the pipe at approximately 1 to 1.5 metre intervals.

Service pits, Sump or Drain Pits

The best sensor for this application is our Optical spot probe. With no exposed electrical electrodes, this sensor is not susceptible to impact damage to the sensing part of it. Being IP65 rated, the sensor can be screwed to the inside of pit and fully submerged in water.

Room perimeter monitoring and underfloor areas.

Two sensors are available, our standard WDC4 detection cable that will report a leak found anywhere along its length, and our DMWD cable, that when used with the DMWD alarm unit gives a measurement in metres from the controller to the leak. Both types of cable should be Clipped to the floor every 1 to 1.5 metres.

Electronic Leak Detection—Four Steps to Maximize Results

Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) has become the gold standard for both integrity testing of newly installed membranes and forensic leak detection on older assemblies. While thousands of ELD tests have been successfully and accurately performed, not all tests will provide thorough and accurate information. In this webinar, we will explore the differences between different types of ELD and learn how to select the best test type for your particular situation. We will cover the proactive steps you should take to ensure the most accurate test, and discuss techniques for managing your customers’ expectations when assemblies are challenging or impossible to accurately survey. This course will be of great benefit to anyone who works in design, specification, consulting, construction, or purchase of roofing and waterproofing membranes.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the three different types of Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) and describe how to choose the most effective survey technique(s) for your particular application.

Ensure optimal ELD survey results by incorporating the best design and construction practices before your ELD survey team arrives.

Vet and select an ELD service provider that will conduct a thorough and accurate test that meets the demands of the construction schedule and all project stakeholders.

Discuss why it is not possible to find every leak, and why some assemblies are challenging or impossible to test.

The Best Smart Water-Leak Detector

Splashing the day away sounds like fun—unless the splashing is happening in your basement or kitchen, or there’s a puddle seeping from the toilet. A smart water-leak sensor can lessen the impact of plumbing problems by alerting you the moment they’re detected, whether you’re at home or away. We recommend the Flo by Moen Smart Water Detector because it’s the only device we tested that responded quickly to both water and connectivity issues. It’s wire-free, making it easy to place, and it includes temperature sensors, so you can detect when pipes are beginning to freeze, before they burst.

The Flo by Moen Smart Water Detector responded consistently both to leaks and to connectivity or power issues, and it did so faster than most of the devices we tested. It’s also cordless, so it’s easy to place without having to worry about an electrical outlet. The Flo’s main unit is droplet-shaped and has sensing probes on the bottom of the device; you can also attach a 4-foot extender probe, so you can sneak it into tight spaces. We like that the Flo also measures temperature and humidity and has an onboard audible alarm (although it isn’t very loud). Unfortunately, it doesn’t integrate with other popular smart-home platforms, like Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant, but it does work with Flo’s water shutoff system—a smart water valve that can turn off your home’s water service if it detects a potentially catastrophic leak

The D-Link DCH-S161 is a great choice because its loud, 80-decibel (dB) alarm pierces long distances in a home. It also has support for Google Assistant and IFTTT (If This Then That), which allows you to link the sensor to other smart devices, so you can ensure that alerts are noticed. The D-Link is one of the few devices we tested that allows you to silence alarms directly on the device as well as in the app, which is useful. An included 6-foot sensor cable is longer than the one used by the Flo, but we found it doesn’t react as quickly to water and connectivity issues, and it doesn’t have a built-in temperature sensor.

The Proteus Aquo Wi-Fi Water Sensor is more customizable than any other standalone device we reviewed. You can program alarm times, schedule power notifications, and integrate it with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT. This device also has the loudest audible alarm (85 dB) of any system we tested, and it is the only one that can integrate up to five sensors simultaneously (including one for a sump pump). But that customization can be complicated, there’s no dedicated smartphone app (you use a Web browser to administer it), the device needs to be plugged into the wall, and it’s twice the price of our top pick.

Expert Tips for Choosing a Leak Detection System

While cooped up at home during the coronavirus pandemic, one of the last things a homeowner would want is a leak in the pipes. Besides being a hassle, major water damage can be crushingly expensive: the average insurance claim is $10,234. If homeowners invest in a leak detection system, however, they can use the system to monitor the home’s pipes. The unit identifies leaks and alerts homeowners to the situation before it gets worse. From $100 units to systems that cost over $1500, choosing the right model for a home can be a daunting task, but one plumber shares his tips for finding a system perfect for your next project.

Water damage ranks as the third leading cause of homeowner loss, according to the Insurance Information Institute, and the third most expensive, with an average $10,234 claim, based on the trade group’s latest figures.

If you’ve had water damage in your home, or in a rental property you own, you know how disruptive and stressful the clean-up and restoration process can be. If there were a way to detect a potential problem source before it caused damage, would you try it? Would your insurer provide a discount for doing so?

The answer to the first question is probably yes. If a small cost lets you identify leaking pipes or hoses and running faucets before they create a flood, there’d be little reason not to do so. A leak detection system can help you do this. Basic models without shut-off capability start at less than $100. Professional grade systems can cost $1500 or more, which is still lower than some single year deductibles.  There are many systems in the middle of the price range, depending on the capabilities you want and need.

An Ounce Of Prevention

If you’ve had water damage in your home, or in a rental property you own, you know how disruptive and stressful the clean-up and restoration process can be. If there were a way to detect a potential problem source before it caused damage, would you try it? Would your insurer provide a discount for doing so?

The answer to the first question is probably yes. If a small cost lets you identify leaking pipes or hoses and running faucets before they create a flood, there’d be little reason not to do so. A leak detection system can help you do this. Basic models without shut-off capability start at less than $100. Professional grade systems can cost $1500 or more, which is still lower than some single year deductibles.  There are many systems in the middle of the price range, depending on the capabilities you want and need.

How To Choose A Leading Water Leak Detection Company

Does your building have perennial water leaks that never seem to go away? It could even be a recent water leak that needs to be fixed as a matter of urgency. Water leak detection companies offer professional services to help detect and fix all manner of leaks. There are numerous such companies and finding the right one can be somewhat tricky. What factors should you consider when choosing a water leak detection company?

Reliability; one of the most crucial factors to look out for is reliability. It would be pointless dealing with a very qualified and professional leak detection company that doesn’t keep time. Reliability means the ability to respond to your emergencies right away without delays or excuses.

Skills; water leak detection is a complex task that requires more than your ordinary plumber. Modern water leak detection companies rely on the latest technology like thermal imaging cameras and acoustic listening devices. With such, even the most hidden water leaks can be detected. Instead of spending so much money on a plumbing company to fix a perennial water leak, get leak detection companies because they’re best qualified for such.

Accredited; you want to be very sure that your water leak is handled by a qualified and competent professional. This gives you the assurance that the job will be done well, and that safety standards will be observed. They’re a fully licensed, certified, and licensed company. Their engineers are competent and thoroughly experienced in handling all types of water leaks. They observe the highest safety standards at all times.

Experience; some water leaks in your building will need more than just the latest technology and skills. Experience has its place too. Get a water leak detection company that has the necessary experience. Hidden water leaks, in particular, can be hard to pinpoint. You may remove tiles or chip off a wall only to find that the source of the leak isn’t even located there! To avoid such trial and error methods, get an experienced engineer to handle that.

Even For Local Moving The Right Moving Company Makes All the Difference

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How to Choose Movers that Are Right for You

When moving to a new home, hiring movers is often the best way to ensure a move is quick, efficient and less stressful. Think about it: movers do the packing, loading/unloading and transporting for you. Still, as Marcia Passos Duffy, a blogger for Bankrate.com, says, “While the right moving company can make for a smooth move, choosing the wrong mover can make your relocation a nightmare.” So how do you make sure you choose the right movers for you?

Movers that are licensed. When you’re moving from one state to another, your movers must be licensed with the federal government, which means they’ll be assigned a Department of Transportation number. You can check ProtectYourMove.gov to ensure your movers meet the necessary requirements. For local moves, every state has different licensing requirements. If you’re moving within your state, call your state moving association to check your movers’ licenses and other requirements.

Movers that give you a written, in-home estimate. In-home estimates are the best way for movers to give you a reliable quote, since they can see how much stuff you have and whether there will be any obstacles to your move (e.g., stairs, a hard-to-access location). Whenever you get an estimate from a moving company, make sure it is in writing. You cannot rely on verbal estimates.

Movers that have good reviews. A moving company may post testimonials on its site, and that’s a great starting place for your investigation. But you’ll want to do your own research. Check with the Better Business Bureau and other moving review websites to verify that the movers you’re considering have great practices overall.

Experience. Think about how much experience you want your movers to have. Sure, the new company might offer lower rates, but you have to consider what you might be giving up in professionalism and quality should you go with less experienced movers.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MOVING COMPANY

Moving this year? Hiring a moving company starts with knowing what to look for and which questions to ask. After all, you’re trusting people you don’t know with your most precious items during one of the most stressful experiences of your life! It’s important to do your research so you’re sure to hire the best moving company for your needs

START EARLY

Moving day is stressful enough without scrambling to find a moving company at the eleventh hour. Start your research early so you have plenty of time to compare companies and estimates. As a rule of thumb, if a moving company is available at the last minute, it’s probably for a reason.

READ REVIEWS — LOTS OF THEM!

Online reviews and word-of-mouth are the best place to start when choosing a moving company. Ask friends and colleagues for recommendations, and read reviews on trusted sites like Yelp, Google and the Better Business Bureau. Reviews provide a reliable, unbiased look at a company’s level of service in action.

FIND EXPERTS IN WHATEVER YOU NEED TO MOVE

You don’t want just anyone transporting your precious baby grand. If you have speciality items — like pianos, gym equipment, or pool tables — find a moving company with experts who know how to handle them properly. Usually companies will list this information on their website, but reviews are also a great place to look

GET ESTIMATES

Once you’ve compiled your shortlist of moving companies, it’s time to get estimates. As a golden rule, if a moving company doesn’t give you an on-site estimate, you shouldn’t hire them! If possible, get at least three in-person estimates before committing. This way, you’ll have sufficient options to consider when making your final choice.

steps to choosing the right movers

You want your stuff in the right hands

Many consider moving to be one of life’s most stressful and least fun events, especially the actual process of getting all your stuff from point A to point B. Once you’ve made the big decision to pull up stakes and then figure out all those important details such as where you’ll work, where you’ll live and where the kids will go to school, choosing a mover may just be an afterthought.

Can I see your license?

A moving company’s licenses and other requirements will differ depending on whether you are moving within your state or to another, notes David Hauenstein, a vice president with the trade group the American Moving and Storage Association, or AMSA.

Go local or go national?

While a national moving company is best for an interstate move, stick with a local business for a move that’s across town or anywhere within your state, says Laurie Lamoureux, founder of Seamless Moves, a moving services company based in Bellevue, Wash.

Do some detective work

Make sure you check government and independent sources — not just the mover’s website — to verify licenses and references, says Hauenstein. While the mover may boldly claim on its website to have the right credentials, that may not be the case. “We find instances of movers using the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and AMSA logo, but they aren’t members,” he says.

Get an estimate, and get it in writing

You should get estimates from more than one moving company, says Lamoureux. And make sure those estimates include everything in your home you want moved.

How to Choose a Mover

Moving Doesn’t Have to Be Stressful

Yes, moving can be complicated, but, with a little research and planning, you can avoid moving scams and eliminate much of the stress associated with a long-distance move

Talk to Friends

A good moving company is going to have happy customers eager to share an opinion. Look to social media or ask friends if they have had positive experiences with any moving companies.

Find a Trusted Advisor

Talk to local real estate agents or home improvement contractors who work with movers every day. They can offer a professional perspective.

Dust off the Yellow Pages

It is important to recognize that not all moving company websites represent legitimate moving companies. Your local phone book can help you find established moving companies with actual physical addresses and real brick and mortar offices

Check Business Credentials

Once you’ve made a list of prospective movers, contact each company and get their full legal name and ‘doing business as’ (DBA) names, the number of years in business, DOT and MC license numbers. With credentials in hand, you can reference FMCSA resources like protectyourmove.gov or SaferSys.org to see if a mover is federally licensed.

How to Choose a Moving Company

Stress is the first of these dreadful words. However, not only will you have to wear noise-canceling headphones all the time to avoid hearing it, but you’ll also need to stay away from your computer as every other move-related article on the Internet now assures you just how stressful moving is.

Chaos is another word you’ll hope to not hear while you’re getting ready to move out. Nevertheless, unless you introduce a good level of organization and order with the help of a personal moving checklist, the concept of controlled chaos will probably find its way into your head.

Nightmare is a word you’d never want to hear in relation to your upcoming house move. Waking up from a senseless nightmarish dream is no fun at all, but going through a living nightmare during the already stress- and chaos-filled days of hectic pre-move preparation is something entirely different.

Still, if you’re not careful enough, you may end up choosing a bad moving company as your professional partner, and as a result – get yourself into a nightmare-like relocation experience. And since you definitely don’t want that to happen (trust us on this one), you will need to know not only how to choose a moving company, but also how to choose the right moving company for your move.

What Mold Removal And Mold Inspection Are All About

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Picking The Right Mold Inspection Service

It takes a lot of things in order to live healthily, and one of the most important aspects is to have a healthy living environment. We know it’s pretty obvious, but that’s why proper cleaning and an adherence to hygiene really matters, even more so than having a place that looks good. In order to achieve that, you need to clean regularly and have preventative maintenance done, such as regular mold inspections.

That’s easy enough, right? You either jump online or grab your Yellow Pages, book an appointment with the first mold inspector you find, and you’ll be assured of getting excellent service and wonderful results, all at a reasonable price. Well…it doesn’t quite work like that. Just like any other type of business, there are companies you’d be delighted to work with, and then there are the less desirable ones. Read on for a few tips to help you choose the right mold inspector.

First, remember that not everyone has the same kinds of problems with mold. Some people are strictly taking precautions by having an inspection done. Others have had recurring issues, and they’re praying the problem is gone. The wise choice is to pick a company that handles numerous issues, inspections to let you know what your situation looks like, and eradication to get rid of mold once and for all.

What a company does is important, but how it does it is just as important. Specifically, the company you consider ought to have access to the latest equipment. They should have testing equipment for moisture testing, air quality testing, HVAC reports, leak testing, and microbiological testing. Once the inspection is concluded, you should expect to receive a report laying out how serious the mold situation is and what can be done to resolve it.

Next, it’s important to find a company that’s been in business for a while and has a proven track record. If an inspector has been on the job for a long period of time, they likely have gained the experience to recognize a number of different issues and have a number of solutions. You’ll also want to ask if the company is licensed and if their employees hold certifications for providing mold inspection services.

Tips of Choosing a Mold Inspection Company

There are many health problems that are associated with mold exposure. Hiring a mold inspection company immediately you notice a problem is very important. The main reason you are hiring this company is so that they can be able to identify the main source of the problem you have. The mold inspector will also provide you with advice on what you need to do about your problem. Choosing the right mold inspection company is imperative if you want your work to be done in the best way. Here, I will talk about the clues that you can use to help you choose the best mold inspection company.

As you choose the mold inspection company, you need to consider the training that they have. Hiring the best company is very important even though the industry is not regulated. You need to look out for institutions that can assist you to choose the best mold inspection company. If the mold inspector is trained, it means that they understand about building envelop. They also have important certification in mold inspection and infrared technology. If the mold inspection company has certification in water damage restoration, you can hire them for the services that you need. For Barrington’s best home inspection services, go here.

Prior settling on the mold inspection company, you must ensure that you know of the procedures that they use to offer their services. If the inspector is well trained and experienced, they will have a checklist that they follow when providing these services. It is important to hire an open company because they have the ability to explain to you the procedures that they use step by step on how they identify the areas where mold in coming from in your property. If the company has the right protocol, they will have the capacity of identifying the problem you have within a short amount of time.

The equipment and tools that mold inspection companies use can play a major role in the company that you decide to settle on. In the mold inspection industry, there are numerous tools and equipment that companies can use for inspection and detection of mold. If the mold inspection company has invested in the right technology, then you can be sure that the services that they offer you will be of high quality. The upside of having this equipment is that it can help the company detect your mold problems as well as confirm these findings. If you want to get high quality services, you need to hire a company that has trained its employees to use mold inspection equipment; this training will also help these people to offer you efficient services.

Equipment for Removing Mold Damage

There’s a lot of misinformation being spread about mold infestations in the home. Sadly, some of it can’t really be dispelled without a competent inspection and a real scientific test. However, there are some things that you can do to lessen your chances of having a mold problem, or a mold problem reoccurring after treatment.

Problems With Mold Are Often The Result Of Moisture

Mold and mildew can hardly grow without a source of moisture. In lots of homes, preventing moisture in every case can be somewhat difficult, but it’s necessary for your long term health. Not only do some kinds of molds cause serious allergies, rot boards in your home and smell bad, but some particular kinds are highly toxic.

Don’t Do It Yourself, Hire A Professional Mold Inspection Company

Searching under your sinks, the shower curtains, and around the laundry area are all easy to do and most people can. However, crawling around in your basement, crawlspace, or attic is something that requires athleticism and persistence. You should also have a good flashlight, magnifying glass and a firm knowledge of what constitutes an issue.

Should You Go With The Local Mold Company Or The Big National Chain Of Professionals?

You’ll run into all kinds of different levels of experience, education, and knowledge when looking for a qualified mold removal contractor. There are always going to be fly by night contractors that jump on the next best thing and then move on quickly when they see something better comes along.

On the one hand, it’s always better to do business with the local company, with a local address and that contribute to all the local businesses with their profits. However, you should always make sure of several important factors.

Factors To Consider When Choosing Mold Inspection Company

Mold exposure can cause health problem mainly to the young and elderly. Many of them who stay in a place where there are molds get cold and flu-like symptoms. The condition improves once they leave the area. There are many companies that conduct mold inspections. It makes it daunting to choose the best. It is essential you select the right mold inspection company that will deliver quality services. Read on to know how.

It is essential there be an initial phone call to know if the inspector will understand your concerns. You can call up at least three of them and get to know if the person can openly communicate with you. You will be able to tell if the problem needs to result to mold inspection. The field of mold and remediation is unregulated. Choose a mold inspector who is adequately trained. You need to know their level of training and see if they have the necessary certification. This is why you need to research thoroughly to identify reliable mold inspection companies. Choose a mold inspector who has belongs to associations that follow the standard of practice. Professional associations help inspectors to be the best through training and support.

Also, you need to know the number of yours the inspector has been doing mold inspections. You also need to see if it is their full-time job. Experience is vital when it comes to choosing molding expert. There are many people who do mold inspection as a part-time job, and they have no experience and proper training. This can lead to mishandling of material that is mold infested and health safety issues. It is advisable you ask the inspector to tell you the procedure they follow to handle mold issues before you hire them. A professional inspector will be well informed and even appreciate your insight.

Additionally, mold inspectors need to have insurance that covers them. It can be risky to hire one who doesn’t have insurance because it will make it difficult to recover the losses if there are any. It is essential you ask the mold inspector if they have any limitations regarding inspection. You need to know this in advance to avoid confusion much later. Choose a mold inspector who has the right tools and equipment such as a flashlight, moisture meter, humidity testers, air sampling equipment, hygrometer, and an infrared camera. It is advisable you avoid inspectors who take air samples during an inspection. The testing may not be warranted, and every sample will cost you money. Air sampling is usually taken after the full inspection is complete

Considerations for Selecting a Mold Inspection and Removal Company

Mold is a dynamic hazard that may not be easily noticeable or removable by the regular homeowner. Additionally, different techniques are utilized in inspecting, testing, removing and remediating a home that is suspected to have a mold infestation. Indeed, inspecting and removing mold from air conditioning systems requires a different technique from removing molds from heating systems. This calls for proper planning and utilization of appropriate techniques to actually detect and eradicate the mold.

As a homeowner, you are likely to come across a plethora of well-meaning mold inspection and removal contractors. Against such as backdrop, it can indeed be very difficult to choose the right mold removal company to entrust with the mold problem in your home. The lack of statewide legal reinforcement for these companies has not made it easier for homeowners. However, there are a few things you might want to consider when selecting contractor to inspect and removal any existing molds in your home

Are they legitimate?

Licenses and certificates do not always speak about the legitimacy of a mold inspection and removal company. So what types of licensure and certifications are more important? Look out for certification issued by the Indoor Air Quality Association, which offers training and certification for mold removal specialists. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning mold removal contractors obtain certification from the National Air Duct Cleaners Association. While these certifications are impressive, they do not guarantee that the contractor will offer you the best services, so look at other factors.

Are they experienced?

Mold inspection and removal can cost you several hundreds of dollars. As such, you need to find a contractor who has adequate know-how to attend to the mold problem in your home. It is always safer to work with contractors who have been in business longer. You also want to find out what others are saying about this particular contractor. The Better Business Bureau would be a great place to start in determining the customer experience offered by several mold inspection and removal service providers in your city.

Are they well equipped and up-to date?

The “mold industry” is guided by several industry procedures and standards to ensure that both the home and the homeowner remain safe even after the mold removal and remediation process. Some of these protocols include the Guidelines on Assessment and Remediation of Fungi in Indoor Environments, the Environmental Protection Administration’s Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings as well as the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Disease Epidemiology. The contractor you select should also have adequate mold inspection and removal equipment to do the job right- larger, more established companies are more likely to have the required technology or equipment.