/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

What Is Caltex Mold Removal and How Does It Work?

[ad_1]

Not all mold remediation solutions are the same. Find out how cleaning mold off works with the Caltex system, and how it’s different from other methods.

There are as many different methods for home mold and mildew removal as there are types of mold and mildew. However, there is one innovative system that stands apart from the others in terms of its ability to thoroughly eliminate mold, and to preserve the integrity of the surface in question at the same time. Read on to learn how the Caltex system works, and what it offers that other mold cleaning systems don’t.

The basics of solving home mold issues are the same regardless of what system you turn to. You need to get the existing mold cleaned off, you need to restore the room or surface to as close to its original condition as you can, and you need to locate and resolve any moisture sources that may have contributed to the mold problem in the first place.

Mold can grow on any organic surface. All it needs is a food source and a little bit of moisture, and it’s good to go. Sometimes it grows on surfaces you can see, and sometimes it does its work behind the scenes. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to identify a mold problem in your home via sight. If you’re not, you may end up suffering from mold-related symptoms (allergies, difficulty breathing) for weeks before you determine that you have mold growth on the back side of your drywall or the underside of your carpet.

If you think you have a mold problem, call a pro so that you can get your home tested and can get the problem dealt with as quickly as possible. It can be dangerous to your health and to the integrity of your home’s structure to leave mold issues untreated. When you choose a mold professional, you have the option of choosing a certified Caltex technician. This can be an excellent choice for many reasons.

Caltex mold remove action involves a specialty low volume, low pressure (LVLP) application system, as well as USDA-approved, environmentally friendly cleaning solutions. To remove mold, a Caltex technician will apply a fine spray solution to the affected area, which allows the solution to gently but comprehensively cover and penetrate the affected surface. Because the application is LVLP, there’s minimal streaking, surface damage, or runoff.

Whereas other mold removal systems can actually damage your home by using high pressure liquid solutions to force the mold off, Caltex’s LVLP application is exceptionally gentle and seeks to preserve your surfaces while removing the mold. And, while many companies use bleach-based solutions or other harsh chemicals, Caltex uses proven, environmentally safe cleaning solutions to accomplish the same end.

If you need mold remediation in your home, looking into what a Caltex technician has to offer is a great choice. The Caltex system is gentle, yet effective, and can remove mold growth safely.

[ad_2]

Source by Aglaia Rara

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

What Are the Characteristics of Styrofoam Insulation?

[ad_1]

Styrofoam insulation is not a type as much as it is a brand name. But its wild popularity causes folks to associate the name with rigid insulation much like people associate the brand name of Kleenex with tissues!

Styrofoam is actually a brand name produced by the Dow Company and is best known as an insulation product, although you will also recognize this product for its use in flower arrangements as well as in crafting supplies, such as the backing for a homemade wreath, for example. You’ve more than likely recognized the foam used in cups, plates, and for packing material as well.

What is Styrofoam? It is actually an expanded form of polystyrene foam that is effective as insulation because of its unique properties. Besides having a closed cell structure, which gives it a high R – value (highly desired in insulation as it will resist the conduction of heat), Styrofoam insulation is also lightweight and water-resistant, making it a great choice for a building material. You’ve probably heard that insulation will lower your heating and cooling bills. That’s because its ability to prevent drafts and resist heat transfer will keep your abode cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Because it is rigid and closed-celled in structure, the material is strong and thus resistant to both water and insect damage. This makes it very popular in construction, both for the outside foundation of a home as well as its usefulness for both floor and roofing insulation. It is most often cut into blocks or sheets, and may be referred to “blue board” in construction circles.

Its durability easily lends itself to reuse, which can be a plus when it comes to environmental concerns. Styrofoam insulation is a popular choice for home energy savings and its popularity is likely to continue because of its inherent energy-saving properties.

[ad_2]

Source by Li Thomas

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

The Catacombs of Cibara [Introduction Chapters to "The Cardaverous Planets"]

[ad_1]

The Catacombs of Cibara

Part I

The Forbidden Planet

The planet Cibara is just beyond the Asteroid Moon Ice Cap, which is which orbits the cold planet called Moiromma, just beyond our solar system–if one is to call Pluto, the last planet within our solar system.

Malsi, High Priest of Cibara

In the dreadful passages which one would scarcely choose to walk alone in, much less, for long periods at a time, dwells the catacomb of Cibara. Unseen by other species–other phylum, other than the Cibaralites, that is, or its inhabiting demon, or hybrid [Hybrids: implying as half-Cibara and half demonic, originally brought to Cibara from earth, via, by angelic-renegades, such as, Crick’el and Amasras].

These hybrids sleep underneath the top soil of the crust of the planet Cibara–underneath its tons of ice, that leads into the subterranean graveyards of 90,000-years past. In this labyrinth of caves, tunnels and cavities, resides a city of dead corpuses: mostly hybrids (which would be considered on earth: morphological innovations of evolution through mutations, and recombination, thus connecting possibly two species together at one time, making one); some pure Cibara, and still others from nearby planets, to include earth, and Moiromma. A sanctuary of and for evil spirits, familiar spirits as some have called them, all in decay, and exceeding foulness. And so Opus guards the main entrance as the gatekeeper as Malsi the High Priest walks the halls.

–Opus is a pure demon, and Malsi is a hybrid; Malsi being the last of his kind. But this little impetuous story started long ago, let me update you. Malsi was born from a Cibara woman who cohabitated with a demon, he of course is the offspring of this demise. But back when it was prevalent for Cibara, when hundreds of demons were cohabitating with the flesh of the planet that is, birth was given to countless, nameless offspring. But this ungodly act was not to last. Let me back track a little, and explain:

when Malsi surfaces for air, fresh cool air–for the catacombs can become quite suffocating–and still one must remember the High Priest, carries the blood of the Cibara people, and is in need of such un- nauseating relief. However, what he does is moderately magical in a Habilis way with a spell; he surfaces above ground by a big Cyprus tree (and I say Cyprus, for on this planet I do not know what else to call it for it resembles one), one with gigantic roots, roots as huge as pythons, and seemingly not all that far from the entrance where Opus guards. These great roots are a tunnel of sorts; for the shape-shifting Malsi, who must transfer through them in a mist like form, as he will come out the upper end to the surface of the planet; for they hang down into the emptiness of the underground halls, creeping deep throughout the planets subterranean soil; the roots sink right into his little grotto.

Within his mouth, he has sharp and pointed fangs with poisonous juices that spray out along their sides; and a mist covers his body, as he shape-shifts out of the roots: as they are extended and ready for combat should he need them. The facade of mist protects him from would be assassins. And within his body, he carries a soul: yes, like all physical beings, or half physical that is, phylum in character: a living and dying soul, one that is in decay, not the unfilled souls of demonic beings, for there is light, not much but illumination nonetheless.

On this desolate and half frozen planet, forbidden to visit by space travelers because of the death curse that seems to surround it: thus, they live isolated for the most part, yet yearning to rule the two solar systems theirs [the one Moiromma is on, which it is on the rim, the edge of both]; and the one earth is in–the Milky Way, with its cloudy like milk containing many luminous bands of stars in the midnight sky.

The Catacombs of Cibara

Havoc in the Catacombs

Part II

In the days that are now far in the past, there was what was known as “The Old Ones,” angelic beings, originating from a bygone era on earth, which was called the Pre-Satanic Era, (these Old Ones, now angelic renegades), demonic as they are known now, were a happy race, until a holy angelic-being called Lucifer, wanted to rule heaven and earth, he being the champion of the lot. In point of fact, in time rebellion took over, and Lucifer turned evil, and thenceforth, was called the Adversary [or Satan, the Adversary for short]. Therefore, the other angelic beings: beings with wings and supernatural capability: abilities that exceeded all other beings in the Universe, save for the fact of the sacred beings, at the request of their friends–their friends now being called demons and by some species and races within certain species, demigods, paid a handsome price with their cohabitating with females, hiding them for the angelic beings, and selling them for a free ride out of earths atmosphere. Whereupon, they found another planet to infest: Cibara; beyond Moiromma.

In the meantime, the angelic renegades were cast into a pit; consequently, no more could be taken out of earth’s gravity belt, at this point and time. Two of these so called supernatural-beings (referred to as: transporting angelic beings) by the names of: Crick’el, and Amasras were the sole providers for as previous mentioned, transportation to other planets, the list of names is larger by far, but it would do little credence to list them all now. All in all, things seemed to work out well for the demonic-race and the hybrids (the hybrids being of course, of the physical and supernatural); alas, this was not a good set up for the original inhabitants of the planet, the Cibaralites, I speak of.

Suru’el

Malsi had taken his daily breath of air, as he appeared outside of the roots of the great Cyprus tree, filling his lungs up with the cool breeze of the surrounding semi-arctic climate, and this being the warmer part of the year. There landscape was not as deadly or severe as Moiromma, as they had some where around 90% surface coverage of ice sheets, glaciers, and mountains covered with icecaps, and snow just about wherever one would glance in the far distance, as well as not nearby. But then, their planet was only half the size of their planet of Moiromma, yet it could sustain life better, and had many more living animals, where as, Moiromma, had but a few worms, fish, and rodents to choose from (thus, cannibalism took place). But many things could grow on this little planet in spite of the coldness; the plants seemed to store its needed nutrients within its own system, like a camels hump, and thus, survived all seasons.

But what I was about to say was that Malsi was filling his lungs up with the coolness of the spring air, it was possible about 35F [above ground], a warm spring day indeed–and with such days one wanted to take advantage of them, for they were far and in-between. Whereas, Moiromma’s spring at this time was below zero, and of course earths was a mixture of different tempters according to the hemispheres.

There he sat on the root he came out of: transferred like a seeping mist lifting up over a mountain. Then he simply looked about, gazing to and fro, enjoying the life of spring; one might say optimistic about life he was, generally speaking; but when Suru’el appeared: just like that, a sight to behold, a holy gigantic being, brighter than the suns rays, should a human-being look at this being with the naked eye for longer than a moment, surly his eyes would burn to crust–but he stayed his distance, and was covered mostly with white linen to offset the brightness, except for his face, hands, neck and feet. It shook him a bit, the suddenness of Suru’el’ appearance–matter of fact he froze in fear for that moment, eyes cast wide open like large hail balls, not moving, not sure if he should try to move. He thought: no holy angelic-being would come unless he had a task, a message, a mission of sorts, from the Godhead Himself, the Almighty God of the Universe, the Creator. He tried to swallow, but his mouth went dry, Opus could not see him, he was sure of that, but somehow he felt he needed to warn him, not sure why he had to warn him, what could either he or Opus do, not a thing should the angelic-being want a conquest, a battle, but he worked on the fact: holy angels do not strike first–thank God–should that be the dilemma, he was a dead creature at that. Again, he found himself stationary for the moment, and a very dramatic moment at that:

then from this angelic-being, its hands cast a flame, a hissing flame, a twisting and bolting flame, that sucked into the roots of the tree, and into the crust of the earth, all the way to the catacombs. As the tree shook, and the ground wobbled, Malsi stood up, his eyes as big as tennis balls, almost in shock, he looked towards the gates, the entrance where Opus was: everything was cascading in and around him; and Opus could not be seen or be heard. And the ground opened up, and lava filled the underground tunnels, reminiscent of a flowing river. There was nothing really to be said, it was as if it was all overdue.

Said Suru’el, “Should you or your kind [meaning the demon on the planet] cohabitate with the women of Cibara again, I will come back and like the Old Ones from Earth [for there were many legends], I will chain and bind you to the abyss, just like Ura’el did on Earth. Do you understand?”

Thus, ever since that day, so many years ago, the demonic forces that came from earth, to live among the residents of Cibara, now were restricted to body possession only. And should their dirty minds want to cohabitate they would have to do it through possession of another person, and so they did.

[ad_2]

Source by Dennis Siluk Dr.h.c.

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

How to Develop a Forex Trading Winning Mentality

[ad_1]

For every Forex trader a successful trading depends on certain variables. It can be the trader’s skill level, the schedule formulation of the currencies, the experience level and the quality of the training the trader has undergone. However there is one variable that seem to be overlooked when people have assessed the overall strategy for trading. There are many traders who already lost the game much before than they have executed their strategies. It is all in the human mind. The psychology of a trader is the most important and many a times has been overlooked by traders, trainers and experts.

Once a Forex trader has the right frame of mind, they are a way ahead of other traders and seem to win trades consistently. However, the problem lies in understanding and learning on how to develop the right mental attitude for trade. Therefore, apart from the learning the techniques and fundamentals of trading, developing he right psychology is most important than anything else.

Check these out.

9 out of 10 people are looking for quick profits; rather they are looking for shortcuts. But in Forex millions of people trade but only number of people earns the biggies because they know the right approach towards the market. Start trading with a mentality that you are at a four year university and here you will not be expected to gush out all learning from schooling within 120 minutes. Therefore go slow and let the opportunities come your way. However, according to experts building a mentality for learning is the best way to approach Forex trading.

[ad_2]

Source by Mark Crisp

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Reduce the Energy and Cost of Your Lighting Needs

[ad_1]

Making the decision to change over to pin energy saving light bulb products can be a step towards improving your environment, improving your lighting, and reducing your energy costs. As you learn about what these products offer, you will be encouraged to use them. They pay for themselves with the money you save in future bulbs and lowering your energy bills.

Number of Pins

As the demand for pin energy saving light bulb products increases, so does the various of products. Don’t let it be intimidating to you as you shop around. Instead, consider it a means of ensuring you get what you want. Identify the number of pins so you can get a product that fits. if it isn’t going into the slot easily, don’t force it. Double check you have the right number of pins.

Some of them only have two pins and others have three. The largest selection of pin energy saving light bulb products out there have four pins. Such information should be easy to locate for any given type of product you are interested in. If you aren’t sure though, you should ask to confirm before you place your order.

Wattage

Most of these products are offered both with the frosted and the clear colour. You can choose the style of pin energy saving light bulb you want. You can also pick the wattage you want. They are as low as 15 watts for an area that doesn’t need much light at all. Since the LED never gets hot, you can with a high wattage bulb and never have to worry about it getting too hot.

Estimated Hours of Life

Before you buy any pin energy saving light bulb, find out what the estimated number of hours of life will be for it. You certainly want the product you pay for to be long lasting. Most of them offer you thousands of hours. Yet there are those that can have a life up to twice as long as other similar products.

Brand

Finding the best brand out there with this type of product works in your favour. It is essential for you to get a brand you can rely on. The only way for that to happen is if they have a wonderful reputation. Evaluate what consumers have to say about the brand and about the specific pin energy saving light bulb you are interested in.

This will help you to avoid paying for something that falls short of your expectations. It will also help you to compare prices and to find the very best product out there for your money. You don’t want to pay too much and you don’t want to get a cheaply made imitation bulb that doesn’t do well up against a great brand name product.

Cost

You also want to compare the cost of such products. Typically, you will get a lower per unit price if you buy more than one at a time. Buying enough for your entire home or business to be swapped over at the same time is a good idea. Some consumers only buy a few to start out with and then when they see the benefits they will buy more.

Make sure you get a great value in regard to the price you pay for the products. Remember, it also means you pay more for them than a regular bulb but the savings starts right away. When you get your next electric bill, you will notice a difference in what you owe! That will continue every single month!

[ad_2]

Source by Jill Thomson

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Decoding the Ductwork Design Process, Methods and Standards

[ad_1]

Today, one of the significant objectives in MEP engineering design for HVAC design engineers is to improve energy efficiency, maintain air quality and thermal comfort. Energy efficiency, air quality and comfort in a building depend on how heating, cooling and air distribution systems are designed and this is where careful ductwork design plays a significant role. Ductwork and HVAC system design are important as it ensures indoor air quality, thermal comfort and ventilation. If the HVAC system and ducts are not designed accurately, it could lead to poor air quality, heat loss and make the conditioned space in the building uncomfortable.

The primary function of the ductwork design system is to ensure a least obtrusive channel is provided through which cool and warm air can travel. When designed accurately, HVAC air distribution systems will play an important role in countering heat energy losses, maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ) and providing thermal comfort.

To understand how ductwork can be designed in a cost-effective and efficient manner, this article decodes ductwork design and provides a brief outline of the design process, methods and standards.

What is Ductwork?

The basic principle of ductwork design is to heat, cool or ventilate a building in the most efficient and cost-effective way. The primary function of ductwork is to design conduits or passages that allow air flow to provide heating, cooling, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).

In the duct design process, the basics of air flow must be understood. Return air goes into an air handler unit (AHU), through a filter and into the blower and with pressure it goes through the A coil or heat exchanger and then it goes out into the supply air system. If the ductwork is designed correctly it enables the AHU to produce the right amount of air through the heat exchanger. In a typical air distribution system, ducts must accommodate supply, return and exhaust air flow. Supply ducts provide air required for air conditioning and ventilation, return ducts provide regulated air to maintain IAQ and temperature and exhaust air flow systems provide ventilation.

For ductwork design to be efficient, MEP engineering design teams need to have designers with a mechanical and engineering background. Ductwork design specialists or building service engineers must also possess thorough knowledge of other disciplines such as architectural, civil and structural concepts to ensure HVAC systems are clash free.

The Ductwork Design Process

The ducting system design process is simple, provided that the specifications are clearly mentioned and the inputs regarding application, activity, building orientation and building material are provided. Based on the information provided calculations can be completed to create an energy-efficient and clash-free design. Typically, air conditioning and distribution systems are designed to fulfil three main requirements such as:

• It should deliver air flow at specific rates and velocity to stipulated locations.

• It should be energy efficient and cost effective.

• It should provide comfort and not generate disturbance or objectionable noise.

The process of ductwork design starts once architectural layouts and interior design plans are provided by the client or MEP consultants. Building service engineers then require specification requirements such as application, the number of people, the orientation of the building and architectural characteristics to make calculations on heat load and air flow. Before any calculations are carried out, single line drawings are drafted to showcase the flow of ductwork in the building. Once they are approved, calculations for heat load and air flow are conducted. Once the heat load calculations are complete, the air flow rates that are required are known and the air outlets are fixed. With the calculations, specifications and layout, the ducting system design layout is then designed taking into consideration architectural and structural details of the conditioned space and clashes with other building services such as electrical, plumbing (hydraulic) and mechanical services.

To start the ductwork design process there are inputs required regarding details about the type of application, specification requirements, building orientation, architectural characteristic and material.

• Application type – Ductwork design will vary based on the type of application the building will be used for such as manufacturing, data centres, medical applications, scientific research and comfort applications such as restaurants, offices, residences, institutional building such as schools and universities.

• Specification requirement – To create an efficient duct design, designers need to know what type of activity will be conducted and the average number of people that will use the conditioned space. This will help in calculating the air flow, velocity and heat load required to maintain temperatures and IAQ. In comfort applications, for instance, an office or restaurant will require different duct design and air velocity than a residence.

• Orientation and material of the building – The orientation of building and material used plays a key role in gauging heat absorption which will help determine the cooling and ventilation requirements. Based on whether a building faces north, south, east or west, and where it is geographically located, heat absorption can be calculated. The type of material used for construction also affects the amount of heat gain and loss of the building.

The challenges of incomplete inputs or non-availability of required inputs are discussed in an upcoming article on Ductwork Design Challenges and Recommendations.

Ductwork Design Methods

Ductwork design methods are usually determined based on the cost, requirements, specifications and energy efficiency standards. Based on the load of the duct from air pressure, duct systems can typically be classified into high velocity, medium velocity and low velocity systems. There are three commonly used methods for duct design:

1. Constant Velocity Method – This method, designed to maintain minimum velocity, is one of the simplest ways to design duct systems for supply and return air ducts. However, it requires experience to use this method as the incorrect selection of velocities, duct sizes and choice of fixtures could increase the cost. Moreover, to maintain the same rate of pressure drop in duct runs, this method requires partial closure of dampers in duct runs (except index run) which could affect efficiency.

2. Equal Friction Method – This conventional method used for both supply and return ducts maintains the same frictional pressure drop across main and branch ducts. This method ensures dissipation of pressure drops as friction in duct runs rather than in balancing dampers. However, like the velocity method, partial closure of dampers is required and this could lead to noise generation.

3. Static Regain Method – This method commonly used for large supply systems with long ducts is a high velocity system that maintains constant static pressure before each branch or terminal. While this is a balanced system as it does not involve dampering, longer ducts may affect air distribution to conditioned spaces.

While different duct design methods used vary from application to application, duct system performance and system balancing and optimisation need to be considered. After the air handling unit (AHU) is installed, the system needs to be balanced and optimised to enhance performance. In system balancing and optimisation, air flow rates of supply air outlets and return air inlets are measured, and dampers and fan speed are adjusted. Especially in large buildings, balancing air conditioning systems may be expensive and time-consuming, but it is required as it provides benefits that outweigh the cost incurred in installing the system. To minimise total and operating cost, many optimisation methods are used as such as the T-Method Optimisation described in the DA3 Application Manual of AIRAH (Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning).

To design air distribution systems that are energy efficient and cost effective, HVAC system designs must include basic engineering guidelines and adhere to certain design standards. Let us consider some of the guidelines and standards used in the industry in different countries.

Ductwork Design Standards

When designing air conditioning systems, HVAC design engineers must be knowledgeable about the basic methods, guidelines and standards applicable, from the type of units used, calculations required, methods of construction, type of material, duct system layouts, pressure losses, duct leakage, noise considerations to optimisation using testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB). Listed below are some of the standards organisations and associations in the U.S., U.K., Australia and India, that provide manuals, codes and standards for the HVAC industry.

U.S.

• SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association) – It provides a manual on HVAC systems duct design that includes basic yet fundamental methods and procedures with importance on energy efficiency and conservation. While the manual does not include load calculations and air ventilation quantities, it is typically used in conjunction with the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook.

• ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) – It is an association that emphasises on the sustainability of building systems by focusing on energy efficiency and indoor air quality. The ASHRAE Handbook is a four-volume guide that provides the fundamentals of refrigeration, applications, systems and equipment. Updated every four years, the handbook includes international units of measurement such as SI (systems international) and I-P (inch-pound).

U.K.

• CIBSE (The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) – is the authority in the UK that sets standards for building services engineering systems. The Codes and Guidelines published by CIBSE are recognised internationally and considered as the criteria for best practices in the areas of sustainability, construction and engineering.

• BSRIA (Building Services Research and Information Association) – is an association that provides services that help companies enhance their designs to increase energy efficiency in adherence to Building Regulations, mock-up testing of systems and BIM support.

Australia

• AIRAH (Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning) – provides technical manuals for professionals in the HVAC industry and information ranging from air conditioning load estimation, ductwork for air conditioning, pipe sizing, centrifugal pumps, noise control, fans, air filters, cooling towers, water treatment, maintenance, indoor air quality and building commission.

India

• BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) – is a national authority that provides standards and guidelines as per the International Organization for standardisation (ISO). The handbooks by BIS stipulates the code of practices applicable to the HVAC industry such as safety code for air conditioning, specification for air ducts, thermostats for use in air conditioners, metal duct work, air-cooled heat exchangers and data for outside design conditions for air conditioning for Indian cities

• ISHRAE (The Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) – provides indoor environmental quality standards and testing and rating guidelines based on common IEQ parameters standards and criteria for the classification of buildings based on energy efficiency.

While HVAC design engineers must keep relevant standards in mind and ensure that local codes are applied in designs, energy efficiency is a primary objective as well. Ductwork design plays a significant role in regulating indoor air quality, thermal comfort and ventilation. The key function of ductwork design is to provide the least obtrusive channel through which cool and warm air can travel in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

Inaccurate duct designs could result in poor indoor air quality, heat loss and uncomfortable conditioned space in the building. A well-designed air conditioning HVAC system will ultimately optimise costs. By regulating pressure loss, selecting the right duct size, balancing air pressure and controlling acoustics, ductwork designers could optimise manufacturing, operational, environmental and commissioning costs.

[ad_2]

Source by Kuldeep Bwail

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Heating and Cooling Your Log Home

[ad_1]

Needless to say, our forefathers didn’t worry too much about heating their log cabins. Big fireplaces had no problem warming up the one or two rooms they lived in. Of course now that log homes are family-sized, people often have the impression that there is something different about how they are heated, and the good news is that a standard system will work as well in a log home as a traditional structure.

Almost all log homes are built with at least one fireplace. Initially, we thought that our beautiful soapstone woodstove would heat the whole house, and we would use our forced-air propane heat as a backup. Alas, we were all wrong. Because we have a cathedral ceiling with a big loft, the heat from the stove goes directly upstairs, requiring two ceiling fans to recirculate the warm air. We expected this, but we also thought the heat would expand sideways into the rest of the open floor space (dining room and kitchen). Not on your life! Even sitting on the couch about 15 feet from the stove, I need a coverlet. I’m uncomfortably chilly in the kitchen. I think that if we had a regular ceiling, the heat might have gone where we expected it, but the volume of the cathedral ceiling threw off our calculations. Also, the soapstone stove is designed to be run 24/7, and because we both work for a living, the stove doesn’t get fired up until the evening. This woodstove needs to be heated up slowly at the risk of cracking the stone, so by the time it’s really cooking we’re ready for bed.

Old-fashioned fireplaces traditionally sucked all the warm air out of the room, but modern designs are more efficient at recirculating the heat. The most energy-efficient fireplace is built in the center of the house, so the stack heat is not lost to the outside. Outside stacks can create back drafts if the fire is extinguished, making a new fire more difficult to light. If you are planning multiple fireplaces, putting two of them back-to-back (facing adjoining rooms) will give you the opportunity to build one chimney with two flues. Or you could put a fireplace above your furnace, again allowing two flues in the same chimney. A direct-vent fireplace will eliminate the chimney, but you’ll have to figure out how to hide the vent on the outside wall. Or, if you use a wood-stove, you could run the pipe through the wall and straight up the outside, building a box around the pipe to simulate a chimney. Depending on the look you want, you may want to leave the pipe inside the room and send it through the roof. This will give more heat.

It’s a good idea to consider your heating and air-conditioning needs early in the design phase. Although log homes are naturally energy-efficient, it’s not wise to skimp on your system. You may be able to heat your whole house with a huge fireplace or wood stove, but the township will probably have minimum standards to meet before they issue a building permit. Also, you need to consider resale value. I know of one person who tried to sell a million-dollar handcrafted log home without a furnace, and as you might suspect, the buyer never came along. The house was listed as unfinished, and installing the heating system after the fact was too daunting a task. A similar problem exists if you try to get away without central air conditioning. Yes, log homes do stay cooler in the summer, but those “dog days” of August can give you a perfectly miserable night’s sleep, and a potential buyer will probably not be as tolerant as the original owner. Indeed, our mortgage company would not consider granting a construction loan if we didn’t include central air conditioning.

If you want to preserve ductwork space, you can use forced air heat, with the same ductwork serving the air conditioner. Propane or oil are usually the fuels of choice in rural areas. If your interior wall space is limited, there are companies that specialize in very small, high-pressure duct systems that fit into tight angles; these systems usually require a much higher initial installation cost. When using traditional ductwork, you want to keep the angles at a minimum, so it helps to design first floor walls that will conveniently carry the air straight up to the second floor. An open floor plan offers a challenge, because you must bear in mind that the upstairs rooms need to be heated somehow, and you will need both supply and return vents to create an efficient air flow. If you want to use full log interior walls, you’ll have to find another way to run the ductwork, electric, and plumbing. We made that mistake, and there are not enough return vents in our bedroom. The air is stuffy in the summer time, even with the windows open.

Where do the vents go? Since all our exterior walls are full log, many of our vents were placed in the floor. If your interior walls are sheetrock or tongue-and-groove, you can put the vents where they normally go. One thing I wish we had done was go over the plan with the HVAC contractor, because he put the vents in places I found most inconvenient. Some times it can be helped, and some times it can’t.

If you are energy-minded and prefer to leave your thermostat at a minimum, you will find that the southern-facing side of the log home tends to be warmer than the northern exposure. Because the sun tends to sink closer to the horizon on a winter afternoon, it’s advantageous to arrange your large windows facing south; during the summer, the sun will cross over the roof, so it won’t overheat your house. However, you may find that the northern side of your house – which won’t get direct sun at all – could be noticeably cooler. The best solution is to install radiant-floor heating (if you can afford it). Although this system requires a boiler instead of a furnace, the in-floor heating spreads the warmth evenly throughout your home, eliminating the northern-facing blues. With radiant-floor heating, you need to keep the thermostat steady all the time; the system is not designed to be turned down when you go to work. Additionally, you can use the boiler to heat your hot water as well, eliminating the need for a hot-water heater. On the other hand, you will still need to install ductwork for the air conditioning.

Overall, the same considerations apply as in regular construction. We thought we could get by with only one zone of heating and cooling, but in retrospect, two zones would have solved a lot of problems. In the long run, it’s cheaper to do it correctly in the first place. Retrofitting a log home is not going to be a breeze!

[ad_2]

Source by Mercedes Hayes

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Building a Safe Home Playground

[ad_1]

The squeals and shouts of our rambunctious, healthy kids enjoying their outdoor fun in the yard are reassuring and comforting for parents to hear – as long as those shouts don’t become screams of pain or an accident. The backyard is supposed to be a fun place for outdoor play and exercise, not a danger zone. Young children need the physical benefits of exercise, motor skills development, and fresh air, not to mention a place to work off their boundless energy.

Unfortunately, each year families of about 200,000 children confront injuries associated with unsafe playground areas and equipment, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. An estimated 51,000 involve home playground equipment, the rest occur at public playgrounds. Most of the injuries are the result of falls. Tragically, about 15 children die each year, most because of strangulation.

You Can Keep Your Kids Safe

Fortunately, these tragedies are preventable. Combined with careful adult supervision, proper playground construction and maintenance can greatly minimize the risk of injury to young children.

Practice Playground Safety at Home, at School, and at the Park

This quick-course has been written to help alert you to the danger signs in play areas. You can take control at home by taking precautions with your own play area. And you can take a new look at other playgrounds for the same hazards. These include lack of proper surfacing to cushion falls, lack of guardrails to prevent falls, head entrapment hazards, and other injury-causing hazards.

Cushion Falls With Protective Surfacing

Since almost 60% of all injuries are caused by falls to the ground, protective surfacing under and around all playground equipment is critical to reduce the risk of serious head injury. And because head impact injuries from a fall can be life threatening, the more shock absorbing a surface can be made, the less likely any injury will be severe.

Of course, all injuries due to falls cannot be prevented no matter what playground surfacing material is used.

What to Avoid

Do NOT Use Concrete or Asphalt. Falls on asphalt and concrete can result in serious head injury and death. Do not place playground equipment over these surfaces.

Avoid Grass and Dirt. Grass and turf also lose their ability to absorb shock through wear and environmental conditions. Avoid earth surfaces such as soils and hard packed dirt. Always use protective surfacing.

What Should You Use?

Loose-fill surfacing materials. These include double shredded bark mulch, shredded tires, wood chips, fine sand or fine gravel. The greater the depth, the greater the shock-absorption. Loose-fill materials should not be installed over hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete.

Manufactured synthetic surfaces. These include rubber or rubber over foam mats or tiles, poured-in-place urethane and rubber compositions. The initial cost is higher but less maintenance is required. Be sure to ask the manufacturer for test data on shock absorption. Some materials require installation over a hard surface while others do not.

How Much Should You Use?

If using loose-fill material at home, maintain a constant depth of at least 6 inches of material. 9 or 12 inches is recommended. The cushioning benefits of fine sand and gravel increase at 12 inches, according to the CPSC.

What’s the Buffer Zone?

Create a buffer zone, covered with a protective surfacing material, under and around all equipment where a child might fall. The protective surfacing material should extend a minimum of 6 feet in all directions from the perimeter of the equipment. To prevent further injury from a fall, this area must be free of other equipment and obstacles that might strike a child.

Dig a Pit

Loose-Fill (sand, fine gravel, mulch, wood chips, etc.) material requires a method of containment such as a retaining barrier or excavated pit. It also requires good drainage underneath the material, periodic renewal or replacement, and continuous maintenance (e.g., leveling, grading, sifting, raking) to maintain its depth and to remove foreign matter.

Replace Loose-Fill Periodically

Wet weather, freezing temperatures, normal use over time, and contamination will decompose, pulverize, and compact material. Be sure to renew or replace it before it turns hard.

The Nitty Gritty on Sand and Gravel

Although cheap, sand is the least desirable option. Sand can scatter easily outside of your containment area. It also hardens quickly when wet, is abrasive to floor surfaces when tracked indoors, and attracts animals as a litter box. Gravel is more difficult to walk on and can present a tripping hazard if scattered.

Swing Safety Zones

Swing sets should be securely anchored. Swings also should have a buffer zone with protective surfacing extending a minimum of 6 feet from the outer edge of the support structure on each side. The use zone in front and back of the swing should be even larger, and extend out a minimum distance of twice the height of the swing as measured from the ground to the swing hangers on support structure.

Rules on Swing Spacing

To prevent injuries from impact with moving swings, swings should not be too close together or too close to support structures. Swing spacing should be at least 8 inches between suspended swings and 8 inches from the support frame. The minimum clearance between the ground and underside of swing seat should be 8 inches.

That’s how to create the best buffer zone between your child and potential injury. Now, read on for more equipment safety guidelines.

Consider a contractor if you are not handy. Poorly installed playgrounds can be an added hazard.

Playgrounds should be inspected on a regular basis. Inspect protective surfacing, especially loose-fill, and maintain the proper depth. The following conditions should be removed, corrected or repaired immediately to prevent injuries:

Exposed equipment footings.

Scattered debris, litter, rocks, or tree roots.

Rust and chipped paint on metal components.

Splinters, large cracks, and decayed wood components.

Deterioration and corrosion on structural components that connect to the ground.

Missing or damaged equipment components, such as handholds, guardrails, swing seats. 1. Install Guard Rails – Platforms more than 30″ above the ground should have guardrails to prevent falls.

2. Avoid Unsafe Openings – In general, openings that are closed on all sides, should be less than 3 1/2″ or greater than 9″. Openings that are between 3′ 1/2″ and 9″ present a head entrapment and strangling hazard.

3. Remove Pinch or Crush Points – There should be no exposed moving parts that may present a pinching or crushing hazard.

4. Never Wear Bicycle Helmets on the Playground – Bike helmets can get stuck in openings on playground equipment, resulting in strangulation or hanging.

5. Avoid Dressing Children in Loose or Stringed Clothing on the Playground. Clothing strings, loose clothing, and stringed items placed around the neck can catch on playground equipment and strangle children.

Remember to supervise, and teach your child safe play. Teach your child not to walk or play close to a moving swing, and never to tie ropes to playground equipment.

It’s not hard to make your playground safe, when you work from the ground up.

Install protective surfacing on the ground, use safe equipment, and maintain your play area.

With this game plan, the call is “safe at home!”

American Homeowners Association (AHA)® [https://www.ahahome.com/cgi-bin/oec.cgi?p=CN_kiosk/CN_kiosk&c=CN_kiosk/CN_kiosk2_129&acct_code=AH261]

[ad_2]

Source by Richard J. Roll

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Making Palm Wax Candles – 7 Things You Must Know!

[ad_1]

Have you made candles before but are now thinking about making palm wax candles? There are a few things you need to know before you start. This information will help you to make a safe and quality candle.

1. AIR HOLES Whether you are making pillar or jar candles, you must ALWAYS poke for air holes during the cooling process. When palm wax cools it forms a layer on top while the middle is still liquid. Air is usually trapped in that liquid and it makes bubbles in the wax. Those air bubbles form around the wick or wick pin (if you are making pillars). Those air pockets can cause problems when the candle is burning. When the melt pool reaches down to one of those pockets, the melted wax drains into the pocket and exposes more of the wick. If you have a large pocket and it drains all of the melted wax, your burning wick will be out of control. The candle is burning fine one minute and you leave the room only to come back to a huge flame. I am not saying that every palm wax candle you make will have bubbles, but it is not worth taking the chance. You must poke holes when a top layer has formed and the wax is starting to get cloudy. Timing is everything in this process. You do not want to wait too long to poke holes. It does not matter what you use to poke the holes as long as you mix the juicy slush enough to be sure all bubbles have risen to the surface. Poking holes in the wax is a time-consuming process, especially when you are making hundreds of candles. I believe that this is one of the reasons why you do not see palm wax candles being made by the large candle companies.

2. CURE TIME I have tested several hundred fragrance oils from over 30 different manufacturers/distributors. I can tell you that if a fragrance oil is going to have a good hot throw when lit, it will usually have a good cold throw. If you cannot smell any cold throw after 24 hours, chances are pretty good that it is not going to have much hot throw. I have never experienced any improvement in fragrance by waiting days or weeks. Remember this is not soy wax. This big difference with palm wax compared to other waxes is that it will get noticeably harder over time. Do a test and you will see. Make three candles without fragrance oil or dye. Make candle #1 and let it sit two weeks. After two weeks, make candle #2. Wait another 2 weeks and make candle #3. When candle #3 is totally cooled, burn all three with the same type/size wick and you will see the difference. This is very important to know because if you wick the candle without taking the curing process into consideration, you will surely wick it too small. I believe that a month after making is a good time to start trying to figure out the perfect wick size. There is nothing wrong with making a candle and burning it right away. You just won’t get the longest burn time that you could have if you let it cure. If I am testing a particular fragrance, I do burn the candle right away. If the fragrance is OK, then I make more test candles to cure so I can get it wicked properly. There is no sense in waiting a month to let the candle cure if the fragrance is not what you are looking for.

3. COOL DOWN How you cool your candles is also something that is important to making beautiful palm wax candles. The slower you cool the wax after pouring, the better the crystalline design your candle will have. I would recommend testing on this issue. You can get a beautiful design without doing anything. You can pour your wax into a room temperature jar or mold and get a nice results. I would try heating the jar and molds and see if it looks better to you. Also, you could cover your jars and molds to hold the heat in. Put something insulated under your candle (like a thick book or magazine) because it will help with even cooling. Your final product will show if it had uneven cooling. It really is a matter of how much attention you want to pay in trying to get the best crystallization on your candles. Just so you know-if you pour melted palm wax into a cold or frozen jar/mold, you will not have any crystallization at all. It will look like soy wax.

4. FRAGRANCE OILS Be prepared for the fact that some fragrance oils will not work in palm wax. I fairly good rule of thumb is that if it works in soy, it will work in palm. Many places that sell fragrance oils usually state whether they are compatible with soy. For every 10-15 fragrance oils you test, be prepared to have maybe one that works great. Again, this is my opinion and what has been my experience. You might experience something different. Be prepared to test and test. You will know when you have a winner. Your candle will smell awesome! I would start with 1 oz. of fragrance oil per 16 oz (1 pound) of wax. I wouldn’t worry about getting a digital scale so you can measure 1 oz (weight) of fragrance oil. Just get a shot glass and measure 1 oz. (volume). It will vary with the actual weight of the oil but not enough to worry about. If the candle smells great and performs good, go with it. Palm wax has the ability to hold more oil. If you plan on making large amounts of candles, then I would consider getting a scale and doing it the other way.

5. BURN CHARACTERISTICS Palm wax is a hard and brittle wax. It does not get soft and bendable when heated like paraffin wax. If you dropped a palm pillar on the ground it would dent and crumble. Let me save you money and time trying to find the perfect wick to burn in your candles. Wedo is a company from Germany that makes wicks just for palm wax. The CSN series wicks can be purchased at several places online. Palm wax is tough on wicks and will reduce a good flame to almost nothing within an hour. I have boxes full of wicks that were suppose to be the best and “work great with palm”. Go with the CSN line. They really allow for a clean burn that is almost required from an all natural wax. Remember that wicks in palm wax burn down then outward. Palm pillar candles pose an interesting challenge. Making a self consuming palm wax candle is even harder. Wick too small and it tunnels and barely burns half the wax or if you wick too large it blows out the side and wax goes everywhere. Let’s assume you wick it to have a melt pool a quarter of an inch from the edge, you are relying on everything being perfect. You can’t control whether the person will burn the candle for 10 minutes or 10 hours. Will the candle be level? Will there be a breeze? What if the wick is never trimmed? All of these factors can change the way a candle burns even if you have it wicked properly. Factors like these can make a precisely wicked pillar candle into a candle that has a blow through after only a few hours. Also remember tunneling flames are not attractive in a thick diameter candle. The candle will not glow and you will hardly notice the candle is lit unless standing over it. Bottom line you have to wick the pillar with reasonable consideration for variations in burning. Most people light candles and forget about them until they blow them out. Just a thought.

6. MIXING WAXES Combining other waxes with palm wax can create some interesting results. Remember that the more you add other waxes to palm it will reduce the crystallization accordingly. If you are going to attempt mixing enough wax to eliminate poking holes, I would make enough test candles to really see and be confident that the air pockets are eliminated. I would cut the candle length wise along the wick.

7. FURTHER INFORMATION One of the most important things when making candles is to remember that any changes you make can alter how a candle performs when burning. Adding or changing the amount of fragrance oils, dyes or additives can have noticeable differences when burning. Always take notes! You will never remember everything. Palm wax is my favorite wax because of its performance. It can be a headache working with it, but in my opinion, it is worth it. Hey, if everybody was doing it, it wouldn’t be fun. Happy testing.

[ad_2]

Source by Steve Pattison

/ By edd / spiral-freezers/ / 0 Comments

Crawl Space Ventilation – Vents Below Grade

[ad_1]

With an unconditioned crawl space (usually dirt covered with a plastic vapor barrier and open foundation vents) a home inspector does not want to see the vents below the level of the soil. When vents are below grade, rain and runoff water are likely to enter the crawl space — which can attract wood destroying organisms or lead to fungal issues such as rot or mold.

If vents are far enough below grade, the dirt can block the openings so air will not circulate. The vents will not ventilate! When home inspectors see this condition, if vents cannot be fixed by removing or grading soil, the inspector will probably recommend that the client put in vent wells. The most simple vent wells consist of frames made from pressure-treated lumber. However, metal or plastic vent wells, specially made for the purpose, can be purchased at building supply stores. The well is dug into the soil, in front of the vent and deeper than the vent, so there is an opening in front of and below the vent. Personally, I like to see the well dug a few inches deeper than the vent, then the space filled with pea gravel up until about 2″ below the vent.

Another issue is that often people block the vents in an unconditioned crawl space. Although this is sometimes justified in winter, when there is a danger to pipes from severe temperatures, in Washington State blocked vents in an unconditioned crawl space are defined by the Washington State Department of Agriculture as conducive to attracting wood destroying organisms. A state licensed structural pest inspector should, in most cases, site blocked vents as a conducive condition. In the Pacific Northwest, if pipes are wrapped, foundation vents can be left open year-round most years. This basic information might not apply in severe climates or in partially heated or “conditioned” crawl spaces.

[ad_2]

Source by Steven L. Smith