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This article was written by Gregg Hicks of http://www.reliableremodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. Offering homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors.
Wood burning stoves have become highly efficient over the years and are still in demand. Every time gas prices rise more people are turning to wood heat. The cost of heating with wood is relatively inexpensive. The cost of buying and installing a wood stove can be the same or slightly higher than buying a new furnace. Where the savings comes in is in the cost of operation. Even if you purchase firewood the cost is much less expensive than heating with oil, propane or natural gas. What makes a wood stove more efficient?
A wood burning stove is called a stove because it allows you to slowly cook the firewood. That’s right cook the wood! Once the stove is heated to temperature you are able to close the air controls down to minimum intake and close the damper to minimum output of smoke. Some stoves that have catalytic combustors allow the smoke to be channeled through them when the damper is closed down. When the catalytic combustor heats up to an average internal temperature of 1100 degrees it re-burns the smoke output producing less smoke in the air and more heat in your stove. More heat for your stove and a slowed down air intake allows the firewood to slowly cook down to a fine white powder rather than just burning it in a fireplace, loosing heat up the chimney and having a pile of coals and as left over. Continue Article also directory of wood stove manufacturers
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http://www.thelograck.com
http://www.catalyticcombustor.com
The New York Times of Sunday, Sept. 3 reported on the Homeland Security Department’s failures in applying more efficient, cutting-edge technologies to screen U.S. airports for bombs. The report blamed ‘poor management for stumbles in research, turf fights, staff turnover and underfinancing. Some initiatives have also faced opposition from the airlines or been slowed by bureaucratic snarls.’
No one who has followed public interest stories for any length of time is surprised when any government - federal, state, local, or foreign - fails to accomplish its goals as quickly and efficiently as planned. Government and its Siamese twin, politics, are not designed, nor have they evolved, to follow the principles of the marketplace. Whether you applaud or fret over the government’s approach - whether you want it run ‘like a business’ or prefer it to serve as a counterweight to ‘unbridled capitalism’ - the fact is that the political balance of power invariably creates tensions and conflicts that keep it from operating like the ordered marketplace.
By contrast, the real marketplace, with its unending competition for customers and the search for the perfect balance of price, quality, and volume - all aimed at maximizing profits - usually operates with stunning efficiency. And once we admit there’s not much you or I can do to ensure greater security in our national transportation system, we’re free to turn our attention to the security we can control: protecting our own homes or businesses.
With the exception of bomb-detection, nearly every sort of security screening device imaginable is available to protect your family, employees, and property. Some systems, such as electronic scanners and key-card readers, have become so common they’re almost taken for granted. Others, like retina and fingerprint scanners, are not yet in widespread use but are available to those who want (and can afford) them. A third group of home security devices that were unheard of a generation ago are now common in cars: electronic locking systems, touch-key entry, and even ignition lock-down systems that register a driver’s alcohol content (using technology similar to that in police departments’ Breathalyzers.
For home security today, the most efficient access control is an electronic entry system that uses keypad coding. No one can copy a key code that’s kept in your head, and you don’t have to carry a key if you have keyless entry. It’s very simple to change your code, eliminating the need to have new keys cut to block access for someone who previously had it. It’s also a relatively simple matter, in most communities, to tie your system in to local law enforcement and fire departments, ensuring that unauthorized entry, attempted or successful, or an unexpected disaster will alert officials whether you’re home or not.
Coupled with window break-in sensors and good outdoor lighting for visual security, a keyless entry system offers invaluable protection for your home and family. For most families, even in vulnerable neighborhoods, it’s not only an ideal option but likely to be all that’s needed to ensure peace of mind. (For those who want an even higher level of safety, Vertex Security carries a full range of other home protection systems.)
For the office or business, among the most popular systems are those that use magnetic stripe cards. Like keypad systems, these are simple to reprogram to add new employees or deny access to departed ones, and they simplify the process of gaining entry to limited-access areas ranging from parking lots to sensitive-document storage rooms. These systems can also make it easy to track employees’ comings and goings, alerting the owner or manager of inappropriate activity. For example, by tracking key-card use through a central computer monitoring system, a business owner can identify (and take appropriate action against) an employee who consistently takes long lunch hours or slips out to do errands, pilfers from the supply room, or even is engaging in industrial espionage.
The drawback with magnetic stripe cards is that they can be used by an unauthorized person. I have used a friend’s card to ‘borrow’ free space in his employer’s parking lot downtown; the access reader accepts the card regardless of who is driving in to park. In an office, if one employee asks another, ‘Would you open the supply room door for me? I need to grab a ream of paper and I left my card at my desk,’ the computer will register the card owner, not the borrower, as the person who gained access.
In situations like that, higher level security systems become especially valuable. Fingerprint or retina scanners using biometric identification, which can’t be borrowed by an unauthorized user, are worth the investment for businesses with high security requirements.
Whether or not Nero fiddled while Rome burned, whether you roll your eyes at or give a thumbs up to Homeland Security’s fumbles, you can at least ensure that your home and business are secured against people you don’t want coming in - without forcing them to arrive two hours before an appointment or remove their shoes, jackets, and belts every time they stop by.
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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE.
Andrew Reed grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. He moved to New York in 1970, and following his undergraduate studies at Columbia University he became a marketing specialist with National Broadcasting and other companies. He returned to the WNC mountains in 1993, where he works as an editor, freelance writer, and marketing consultant. He operates a web-based editing and marketing company, http://www.myowneditor.com, and specializes in writing for web sites.
February 3, 2008
It is a pretty common sight in a home office. You have a rolling chair on top of a chair mat. The mat is there to keep your carpet safe from the damage that the chairs rollers can cause. But do they do more harm than good?
There is no question that rolling chairs can quickly wear out your carpet. Because of that you should never place a rolling chair onto your carpeting. They should only be used on a hard surface. To solve this problem most people buy a floor protector which is basically a sheet of plastic that you lay on the floor to protect it. They do protect the floor from the damage of the chair but they also cause an entirely new problem. For starters the carpet underneath the mat is protected to the point that it does not wear at all. When you go to move the mat you have a new piece of carpet surrounded by worn carpeting. Cleaning will help but chances are that the carpet will never match again. Another problem they can cause is yellowing. Because the mat does not allow air to pass through it can trap gasses underneath the mat. These gases which are produced when new carpeting and padding off gas can actually turn your carpet yellow.
So what can you do? The best thing to do is not use a rolling chair at all. Buy a regular chair with legs and do not use a mat on your floor at all. if you must use a chair mat, pull it up often and vacuum underneath it. When you put it back, reposition it slightly. This little bit of effort might just save your carpets.
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The author operates a website about the best carpet cleaning in Atlanta. Learn about protecting your carpet and upholstery investment.
February 2, 2008
I’m sure it sounds weird. Denting your carpet. How do you dent a soft textile material like carpeting. Well it can be done. Learn how it happens and how to prevent it in this article.
The backing of the carpet is much more rigid than the plush surface that we walk on. This layer of latex can be easily dented by heavy furniture that lays on it for a long period of time. Furniture such as pianos, wardrobes and large entertainment centers can leave permanent dents in your carpet. Over time these dents may improve if you move the furniture but they will likely never come out all of the way. So how do you prevent these dents.
The easiest way to prevent dents in your carpet is to place your heavy furniture on pads. The pads will distribute the weight over a larger area and will prevent it from crushing and denting your carpet. Another benefit of using furniture pads is that you can purchase slider pads. Furniture sliders work the same way as pads but have a smooth surface on the bottom. This allow it to be moved easily. With sliders in place even a small child can move a 200 pound entertainment center. This makes it convenient to move your furniture around for cleaning or just to rearrange it from time to time.
If you would like to protect your carpet from damaging dents you can purchase sliders and furniture pads at almost all home improvement stores. If you can not find them locally you should be able to find them online. Just Google the term ‘furniture pads’.
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Find information on quality Chicago carpet cleaning at the authors website. Learn about carpet, area rugs and upholstery care and protection.
February 1, 2008
Mud stains. Sooner or later you will get them on your carpet. Either your dog will come barreling into your home after playing in a muddy backyard or your kids will forget to take their shoes off before entering your house on a rainy day. Don’t panic though. Mud is one of the easier stains for you to remove.
The worst thing you can do is grab spotter and try to clean up the mud stain right away. All this does is spread the stain and allow it to penetrate deep into your carpeting. So resist the urge to go straight for the spotter. So what should you do?
First you should get a dull instrument like a spoon. Go to the spot and gently scrape as much of the mud off of the carpet as you can. Be careful not to push the mud into the carpet. Instead gently scrape what you can off of the surface.
Next is perhaps the hardest part. Walk away from the spot and don’t do anything else. You need to leave the spot alone so that the mud can dry. Once it is dry it will be easily removed with simple vacuuming. So leave the spot along and come back the next day.
After the spot is completely dry you can vacuum the carpet and most of the mud (which is now just dirt) should come out easily. If it doesn’t want to detach from the carpet you can gently brush the dirt to loosen it. After you have thoroughly vacuumed and brushed the area and no more dirt will come out you can use your spotter and remove the rest of the stain.
That is all there is to it. As you can see it is a simple stain to remove that just requires a little patience. So don’t panic and you and your carpet will be just fine.
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The author’s website has information on carpet cleaning companies in Houston. Learn about carpeting, carpets, rugs, upholstery and textile care.
January 31, 2008
The blending of durability with elegance has made wrought iron a part of the daily lives of commoner and king down through the centuries.
Wrought iron graced the homes of ancient Rome, and the intricate wrought iron railings of Westminster Abbey date from the thirteenth century. The ornate Baroque style, imported from France, became positively de rigueur in British country houses of the early eighteenth century.
But our fondness for wrought iron is hardly surprising. In fact, it shows our good sense. To begin with, it is eminently practical. Not only is iron so strong and durable as to be child-proof, but also, it will endure long beyond the time when that child will have children of her own.
And yet, wrought iron has been used to create works of truly startling intricacy and grace. For example, the castle gates and palatial ornamentation of such artists as Robert Bakewell and the
Davies Brothers inspire awe to this day.
Perhaps that is why early blacksmiths were thought of as sorcerers with magical powers. It was even believed that they had an affinity with the gods, especially the powerful Hephaestus, or Vulcan, husband of the lovely Aphrodite (Venus). It seems only appropriate, since this divine couple, like wrought iron itself, represents a marriage of strength with beauty.
As a rather comical side note (although perhaps not so comical to the blacksmith of that era), during the Middle Ages, blacksmithing was feared as an ‘enchanting and satanic art,’ the practice of which could be punishable by death.
Fortunately, the art of wrought iron survived nonetheless. By the time of the Renaissance (in the 15th and 16 centuries), the blacksmith was considered to be on a par with the artists and architects of the period. In the 1700s, refinements in the art led to such elaborate creations of stunning complexity and beauty that the French Master Blacksmith, Jean Tijou, was knighted for his work by William III.
Even so, another obstacle soon appeared on the horizon. This time, it was not the fear of progress, but rather progress itself that threatened the ancient art.
With the coming of the Industrial Age and mass production,
finely-crafted wrought iron shaped by hammer and anvil gave way to cast iron pieces made from mild steel, which not only lacks the delicacy of wrought iron, but also often showcases this comparative crudity with obvious welding at the joints and early rusting due to its greater tendency to corrosion.
Of course, accommodation must be made to the availability of materials. The earliest wrought iron pieces were forged from what is known as ‘charcoal iron,’ the extremely limited supply of which would make the delights of wrought iron unavailable to most of us living today. However, the very progress that created the threat also created the solution.
Thanks to England’s Henry Cort, who invented the process in the 1780s, we now have puddled iron, which, with its similar properties, guarantees the continuing beauty and durability of twenty-first century wrought iron craftsmanship. Or should we now call it ‘craftspersonship’?
In any event, while there are not many of us who would choose to commission a castle gate, the enduring pleasure of a lacy chandelier, sinuous table base or graceful bookcase remain available to us today, be we commoner or king. And, inspired by Hephaestus, they will surely remain of service in our homes for generations to come.
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Gregory Kerwin, raised in a world of antiques in his grandmother’s houses in Paris and Southern France, has spent the decades since gathering still more beautiful and unusual things for his TK Collections . . . including intricate and graceful examples of the art of wrought iron, crafted into fine furniture for your home. Like TK Collections’ authentic French caf? chairs and antique reproduction furniture, these wrought iron pieces are hand-crafted in France. Find them at http://www.tkcollections.com
January 28, 2008
Do you know what is going on when you are not there? When you are not at your business how sure are you that everything is okay? That no one is stealing from you-money, inventory, or both. When I had my restaurant there were ONLY three groups trying to steal from me; customers, suppliers, and employees-everyone else was honest! My fianc?e has a restaurant now and is going thru the same thing. She can’t be there all the time. What she needs is another set of eyes to watch the watchers. Remember TRUST BUT VERIFY.
When you hire a babysitter (hopefully someone who has been thoroughly vetted) to watch your most precious children how do you know the babysitter is doing his/her job?
How do you know the babysitter is watching your kids instead of talking on the phone or off somewhere watching TV or drinking your bar dry? Let’s face it there are an awful lot of temptations out there for teenage babysitters. What you need is another set of eyes to watch the watchers. Remember TRUST BUT VERIFY.
You have a hard week and decide to take your wife out for dinner at the last minute. It’s too late to get a sitter so you decide to leave your nearly teenage kids home alone by themselves. When your kids are home alone of course you trust them but how do you know their friends they invited over are okay? How do you know that everything is okay behind your back. What you need is another set of eyes to watch the watchers. Remember TRUST BUT VERIFY
Remember TRUST BUT VERIFY. And the only way you can do that is with another set of eyes –a HIDDEN CAMERA. So if you are not sure what’s going on when you are not at home or at your business-get a hidden camera and find out.
If you think crime can only happen to the other guy you are wrong. The ‘other guy’ is thinking the same thing and YOU are that ‘other guy’. There is a reason why they call it self defense. You have to protect yourself, your family, your home and business.
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Chances are very good that you are reading this because in some way crime has touched your life or you want to be proactive and protect yourself, family, home, or business from the ravages of crime. That is the first step.
NOW the next step is for you to take action TODAY and purchase a hidden camera and find out what is going on when you are not there. Look at our selection of self defense/ home security products at http://www.secure-at.com/hidden-cameras.htm and http://www.aaa-safetyfirst.com/cybereye.htm both of which provide real ‘Security Solutions’.
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January 27, 2008
We all love the smell and feel of natural beeswax candles. But paraffin candles are so much cheaper. Why spend the extra money on beeswax candles?
Paraffin wax is made from petroleum sludge at the bottom of oil refinery barrels. When it burns it emits nasty black smoke that stains your walls and ceiling. But did you know that burning paraffin creates the same pollution as a diesel engine? That diesel exhaust with all its carcinogens doesn’t just stain your walls and ceiling; it gets into your lungs, too.
Most paraffin candles use cheap wicks that contain lead and other heavy metals. These also go up in flames, and into your lungs. High quality beeswax candles will use cotton wicks.
The EPA has said that indoor air pollution is often far greater than outdoor pollution. With so many pollutants in our environment that we can’t control, why add to our chemical overload if we don’t have to?
Natural beeswax candles are the healthful alternative to paraffin. Instead of creating indoor air pollution, beeswax candles emit beneficial negative ions that actually clean the air around them as they burn!
When kept out of drafts, beeswax candles burn about three-times longer than similarly- sized paraffin candles, and with a brighter flame. A small beeswax votive candle can have a fifteen-hour burntime!
Beeswax is a natural by-product of honey production. Even when they’re not burning they smell wonderful, like honey. Beeswax candles aren’t made from foreign oil and their manufacture doesn’t add to environmental pollution.
For all these reasons, natural beeswax votives, tea lights and pillars are the ultimate candles for aromatherapy oil warmers and general home use.
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About the Author:
Siri Amrit Kaur is a cancer survivor and proponent of alternative medicine and natural health. She created Tigerflag Natural Perfumery at www.tigerflag.com to give people healthful alternatives to synthetic perfumes, soaps and candles. You can find many useful resources at both her website and her Natural Perfumery and Health Blog.
You may print or publish this article as long as you use it in its entirety, with credit to the author and Tigerflag Natural Perfumery, LLC.
January 26, 2008
Several years ago James Dyson revolutionized the vacuum industry with the release of a new line of vacuums that do not lose suction over time. This line of vacuums, like all Dyson vacuums to follow, uses a patented root cyclone system whereby dust and other debris is literally thrown out of air using centrifugal force. The dirty incoming air is spun rapidly in a circular pattern until nearly all particles are thrown out of the air and into the vacuum’s collecting chamber. Unlike regular vacuums, where the bag gets more and more clogged with the addition of more debris, the dyson air flow is never obstructed, leading to even and sustained suction power.
Now, Dyson has introduced another revolutionary feature: ‘the ball.’ Instead of resting on wheels like conventional vacuums, Dyson’s DC15 series of vacuums actually move about on top of a heavy ball at the base of the vacuum that contains the vacuum motor. This keeps the center of gravity quite low, allowing smoother and easier handling. The ball allows the vacuum to twist and turn around nearly any piece of furniture and into small tight spaces. The maneuverability of the ball vacuum is simply unmatched by an vacuum using the standard wheel system. This is an especially important advancement for Dyson vacuum cleaners that tend to put strain on some users due to their weight and suction power. The ball helps the vacuum overcome its powerful and slightly cumbersome nature.
The DC15 ‘The Ball’ series currently contains four vacuum models: the all floors, animal, total clean, and full kit. The all floors model is somewhat the bare bones options, containing no extra or add-on tools. All the other vacuum models come with the very popular mini turbine head, which is simply wonderful at removing unwanted pet hair from furniture upholstery. The animal, which is typically the best selling model of the four, sells for about $559 and also contains the low reach floor tool and effective carpet cleaning kit.
When considering purchasing a Dyson vacuum cleaner, we highly recommend you take a look at one of the DC15 ‘The Ball’ models. They may cost a little more, but they are certainly easier to handle than your average vacuum. They really do make vacuuming as much of a pleasure as it could possibly be.
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