The Importance of Ventilation in Your Home

[ad_1]

If we sealed our home completely, we should only get fresh air inside when we opened a door or window. We need ventilation to exhaust unwanted smells, water vapour and pollution, and replace them with fresh air, but we also need to control ventilation so that we can turn it on and off as we need it, and direct it where it is necessary. In this way we can prevent the waste of heat in the way that water is wasted through dripping taps. We then only lose the heat in air allowed to escape for ventilation purposes.

Conventional wisdom has established that an average-sized room requires at least one air change per hour when occupied. However this varies and is dependent on such factors as the number of occupants and the number and nature of the sources of pollution. Traditionally, ventilation was achieved with the use of air bricks and infiltration; however, as our energy conserving becomes more sophisticated, we need to develop a correspondingly more sophisticated ventilation strategy. Before listing the possible measures in a strategy, we shall look at ventilation for combustion and heat exchangers.

Permanent ventilation for combustion

It is a statutory condition that heating appliances which require air from inside a room for safe operation should have a permanent ventilator. The danger is that the fuel does not burn efficiently without sufficient oxygen; if toxic products of combustion are not exhausted, they can build up in a room and possibly prove fatal. In old houses the original ventilators are often papered over and it is obviously important that either they are unblocked or an alternative route is found for the incoming combustion air. One way of providing this alternative route is via a purpose-built duct delivering air directly to the appliance. Many modern appliances overcome this problem by having a balanced flue which draws air from the outside and expels it through the same fitting.

Heat exchangers

Is there any way we can save the heat lost through controlled ventilation? Heat exchangers are designed to do just this. They are a relatively new method of recovering the heat from warm air before it is exhausted to the outside, and are being used increasingly as part of an overall strategy for ventilation and energy conservation. The principle is simple: the outgoing air is extracted through a matrix of hollow tubes and fins which warm the incoming air contained within them. In larger systems, warm air is collected via ducts from various places around the house, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and the warmed fresh air is delivered to the living rooms. The heat exchanger can be placed anywhere in the house but the roof space is the usual location. Expert advice is essential if you are thinking of installing a heat exchanger.

Your ventilation strategy

Once you have identified individual problems in each room of the house, such as a heater requiring combustion ventilation or a room with too much humidity, it is necessary to draw up a ventilation strategy. Perhaps the most important decision you should make at the very beginning is whether to install a heat exchanger with ducts to various parts of your home. If you decide this then the problem is more or less solved in one go. This should be the most energy-efficient option. If not, consider all the measures below and try to balance the air flow in each room of the house so that you have an inflow and an outflow. If this seems complicated, persevere and find ways of simplifying the problem in your mind: for instance, if you fit controllable trickle ventilators to all your windows, leave gaps round the internal doors and install extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen, this would be suffi¬cient. You will of course always have the option of simply opening windows as required. It is up to you how sophisticated a system you devise. Remember that in a tall house in very cold or very windy weather, whatever system you have will need to be closed right down as the pressure differences will force air through much smaller openings. Whatever you decide, it is important to develop a ventilation strategy that fits your home the way you use it. These are the possibilities for you to consider:

o Decide whether to install a heat exchange system.

o Fit controllable trickle ventilators in each room to obtain cross ventila¬tion (the ease with which these can be fitted to existing windows varies with the type of window).

Ventilation strategies.

o Install mechanical extractor fans in kitchen and bathroom, controlled by a timer or humidistat (moisture control switch).

o Install permanent ventilation for combustion appliances which rely on a supply of air from inside.

o Use defunct chimneys as channels for ventilation or ducting. This may be particularly useful if it is difficult to fit ventilators to the windows. Consider also using your chimneys to recirculate warm air to upper storeys or vice versa.

o Install air-cleaning measures: either mechanical or biological, ionisers or filters. If the main problem is humidity then consider using a dehumidifier and if lack of humidity then consider a misting humidifier or again the use of plants.

o Opening and closing windows as necessary: if external doors are constantly being used, this may provide sufficient ventilation for much of the day.

[ad_2]

Source by Tauqeer Ul Hassan

Arowana Food

[ad_1]

Arowana Food: Crickets

There are many types of food you can feed your Arowana. From insects to amphibians, from worms to different sea creatures, and even artificial feeds, there’s a whole lot of food available for this type of fish. In this article, however, you will find everything you need to know about one type of bug that Arowanas like to eat. In this article, crickets as Arowana food will be the main topic of discussion.

A spectrum of nutrients is provided to an Arowana when a cricket is fed to it. Illnesses and disorders are also rare occurrences when feeding an Arowana this type of food. However, one must remember to take off the tough shell protecting the cricket when feeding it to an Arowana when it is still in its infantile stage so that stomach problems may be circumvented. Making sure that the cricket is farm bred is also important due to the fact that a wild cricket may have been already sprayed with insecticide, thus making it quite dangerous for the health of your Arowana. The measure of the cricket should also be suitable to the size of the Arowana it will be fed to. As Arowana food, freezing a cricket may also be done to promote an untroubled meal.

Additionally, making a cricket consume vegetables with vitamin A, such as carrots and squash, could also be done before the bug is given to the Arowana so that there could be a transmission of sustenance. Arowanas benefit from vitamin A in such a way that its color receives a boost, especially in cases of red Arowanas.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to using a cricket as Arowana food. However, one must always keep in mind that in feeding an Arowana, variety is always needed so that alimentary deficit may be prevented.

Arowana Food: Cockroaches

Another Arowana food that could be easily found everywhere is cockroaches. This insect has the same value as crickets when it comes to feeding your pet Arowana. However, one should always keep in mind the dangers of letting an Arowana eat a dead cockroach. A reason behind this is the fact that it is unsanitary. Also, it may have died due to pesticide, thus making it unhealthy for your pet to eat. Therefore, always choose farm bred cockroaches if you’re going to feed them to your Arowana.

As previously stated, cockroaches are just like crickets when it comes to feeding your pet Arowana. This type of Arowana food has the same nutritional value as crickets do and just like the latter, cockroaches could also be given nutritional supplements containing vitamin A so that when it is their turn to be eaten by the Arowana, the sustenance is passed on. It is good to feed the cockroaches with squash, carrots and other vegetables containing vitamin A before they are fed to the Arowana because the said vitamin causes an Arowana’s color to improve. On another note, just like crickets, the size of the cockroaches you feed your Arowana should also be proportional to the length of your Arowana. Lastly, because they are just the same as crickets, you could also freeze them before letting your Arowana eat them, and it is also advisable to quarantine them for a couple of days before feeding them to your Arowana to ensure that they are free of any ailments.

So if you plan on using cockroaches as your Arowana food of choice, keep in mind the information found on this article and you’ll surely be trouble free in the health department of your pet Arowana. However, you should also always remember that diversity should always be present in your Arowana’s diet to keep it healthy at all times. Hang on to these reminders and your Arowana will surely live a long life.

[ad_2]

Source by Robert Khaw

Top Five Appliance Repair Problems and Their Solutions

[ad_1]

As durable and dependable as they may be, household appliances occasionally break down and require repair. Here are the five most common problems appliance repair technicians encounter.

1. Stalled Washing Machine

Have you ever gone to transfer a load from the washer to the dryer only to find it soaking in a soapy bath? Although the machine may have broken down in the middle of its cycle, the more likely explanation is a damaged lid or door switch. Because your washer relies on a door sensor to ensure that its lid is closed, it may stop running if there’s a problem with the switch. In most cases, the switch is damaged by rough use, such as slamming the lid after dropping in a load.

The Fix: Have a service technician replace the door switch.

2. Cold Dryer

As you are undoubtedly aware, clothes dryers use heat to remove moisture from wet garments and accessories. If your dryer ceases to perform its primary function, there’s a good chance the problem is a blown thermal fuse. When this component breaks, the dryer will not produce any heat at all.

The Fix: Replace the thermal fuse and check the cycling thermostat. If the heat returns, the machine should operate as expected.

3. Leaky Freezer

Modern freezers periodically complete defrost cycles to save homeowners the trouble of defrosting the entire unit from time to time. During these cycles, melted water moves to the drip pan via the defrost drain. But when this defrost drain is clogged with food and debris, water will begin to leak out onto the lower shelves. In most instances, the melted water will freeze, forming a sheet of ice on the floor of the freezer.

The Fix: Have an appliance repair technician clean or replace the defrost drain.

4. Washer Won’t Wash

All top-load washing machines rely on a component called an agitator that is used to swish, swirl, and spin clothes through the entire cycle. When this part won’t move, the appliance cannot perform its function. In most instances, a stalled agitator will continue to make noise while it struggles to move. Because they often assume the problem cannot be repaired, many homeowners simply replace their old washer with a brand-new one. This is often a mistake, as the repair costs are generally only a fraction of the price of a new unit.

The Fix: Have the motor coupling replaced.

5. Silent Dishwasher

When a dishwasher turns on but does not run, the problem often involves a part called a float switch. Used to control the amount of water that enters the appliance, the part ensures normal operation. But because it is accessible from inside the unit, it’s possible for a knife, fork, or other object to jam the component, locking it in fixed position that prevents it from releasing the water needed to run the machine.

The Fix: Nine times out of ten, a service technician can remove the object that is jamming the float switch without damaging the part.

An experienced appliance repair technician can address any of the aforementioned issues.

[ad_2]

Source by Alfred Ardis

Food Additives Exposed – What’s in Frozen Pizzas

[ad_1]

Cheap Pizza

Ferrous Sulfate:

Is a waste product of steel after being washed with sulfuric acid. It was given to slaves in the 18th and 19th century to “cure” them of aliments. Many slaves died from this practice, its also used in Inks and Wool Dyes.

Ferrous Sulfate is used to treat iron-deficiency anemia, people after treatment felt nausea & epigrastric (Epigastric problems may cause tension with Asthma)

Mozzarella Cheese Subtitute:

Is made with (See hydrogenated oils) partially hydrogenated oils.

Sodium Aluminum Phosphate:

Autopsies on a large amount of people who have died of Alzheimer’s disease showed accumulations of up to four times the normal amount of aluminum in the nerve cells in the brain, especially in the hippo campus which plays a central role in memory. Also increased aluminum can cause low **reproduction development of the ovarian lesions.

Aluminum in the body can cause kidney damage this is because it can interfere with phosphate metabolism.

Things to look out for in Aluminum based products

Antacids (There is some without check the labels) Antidiarrheal Products (There is some without check labels)

Buffered Aspirin (Regular Aspirin does not have aluminum)

Containers (Aluminum coated waxed containers, used especially for orange and pineapple juices, causes juices inside to absorb aluminum. Beer and SOFT drinks that are stored in aluminum cans also absorb small quantities of aluminum. Bottled beverages are better.

Deodorants (Natural Deodorants do not add Aluminum) Douches (Natural Douches do not add aluminum you can also use vinegar and water)

Food Additives (Like The processed cheeses used on cheese burgers at fast food restaurants, which contain aluminum, which is added to make the cheese melt better. To self-rising dough and processed cheese food.)

Shampoos (Some add aluminum some don’t check labels to make sure)

Potassium Chloride:

The chemical compound potassium chloride (KCl) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. In its pure state it is odorless. It has a white or colorless vitreous crystal, with a crystal structure that cleaves easily in three directions. Potassium chloride crystals are face-centered cubic. Potassium chloride is also commonly known as “Muriate of Potash”.

Potash varies in color from pink or red to white depending on the mining and recovery process used. White potash, sometimes referred to as soluble potash, is usually higher in analysis and is used primarily for making liquid starter fertilizers. KCl is used in medicine, scientific applications, food processing and in judicial execution through lethal injection.

You can also find Potassium Chloride in waters as well, although Potassium Chloride is a used substance in the human body, consume it naturally!

From personal experience potassium chloride in my water caused irregular heart beat when I worked out, it also caused retained ear-pressure.

Sodium Benzoate:

Benzene in soft drinks (and food additives) has received some scrutiny because benzene is a carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. Its levels are regulated in drinking water nationally and internationally, and in bottled water in the United

States, but only informally in soft drinks. Within recent years, some soft drinks have been found to contain high levels of benzene. Benzene contamination of soft drinks is a public health concern and has caused significant outcry among environmental and health advocates.

In combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, E300), sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate may form benzene, a known carcinogen. Heat, light and shelf life can affect the rate at which benzene is formed. Other factors that affect the formation of benzene are heat and light. Storing soft drinks in warm conditions speeds up the formation of benzene.

Sodium Phosphate:

Some foods contain phosphate but are not labeled as such (i.e. dehydrated onions). Other symptoms of phosphate intolerance may include severe and sudden diarrhea, vomiting, skin eruptions, bladder infection, bloating and abdominal cramping.

(common)

Phosphate additives have also been linked to ADD in children in Australia.

Retrieved from:

Wikipedia

Titanium Dioxide:

Used as a white food colouring it also acts as a pigment to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, coatings, plastics, papers, inks, foods, medicines (i.e. pills and tablets) as well as most toothpastes.

Its also used in sunscreens & if you are not aware most cases of skin cancer are formed from the Sunscreen we use in combination of not being able to absorb energy from the Sun which is very important, recently I heard there is more suicides in the winter because there is a lack of sunlight and the energy is like a anti-depressant so to say keeps your psychically and mentally healthy, so if you ingest Titanium Dioxide it could settle in your skin and you be putting on a shield against your Sun energy (which I believe is a certain vitamin D).

Magnesium Oxide:

May cause irritation in eyes or respiratory tract May lead to muscle weakness, lethargy and confusion. This is in its real form why would you want to eat this?

Sodium Nitrite:

Recently, sodium nitrite has been found to be an effective means to increase blood flow by dilating blood vessels, acting as a vasodilator. While this chemical will prevent the growth of bacteria, it can be toxic for mammals. A principal concern is the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines by the reaction of sodium nitrite with amino acids in the presence of heat in an acidic environment. Sodium nitrite has also been linked to triggering migraines.

Recent studies have found a link between high processed meat consumption and colon cancer, possibly due to preservatives such as sodium nitrite. On top of this I believe Sodium Nitrite acts as a catalyst (from the dilation is does to your veins) which aids in all these other nasty ingredients to hurry themselves through your body just like Cayenne pepper and other foods with sculville units in them (hotness).

BHA, BHT & TBHQ:

In high doses, it has some negative health effects on lab animals, such as precursors to stomach tumors and damage to DNA. A number of studies have shown that prolonged exposure to TBHQ may induce carcinogenicity. Other studies, however, have shown protective effects for TBHQ and other phenolic antioxidants.

BHA, BHT & TBHQ are petroleum based that’s why it keeps food preserved (it will preserve your body which is bad times).

Partially Hydrogenate Oils:

Trans fats are neither essential nor salubrious (useful) and, in fact, the consumption of trans fats increase one’s risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. 1 gram of trans fat a day has been linked to a 33% higher chance of catching the coronary heart disease. A 6 piece of chicken nuggets has 6 grams of trans fat, fries have 4 grams of trans fat.

Its common name is monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat.

The human lipase enzyme is ineffective with the trans configuration, so trans fat remains in the blood stream for a much longer period of time and is more prone to arterial deposition and subsequent plaque formation. While the mechanisms through which trans fats contribute to coronary heart disease are fairly well understood, the mechanism for trans fat’s effect on diabetes is going to find that it increases symptoms.

Monocalcium Phosphate:

Calcium dihydrogen phosphate (also called mono-calcium orthophosphate) Ca(H2PO4)2 is a chemical compound. It is commonly found as the dihydrate, Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O, which releases a water molecule before it melts at 109 °C. It decomposes at 203 °C.

Phosphorus is an important nutrient and so is a common component of fertilizers Calcium dihydrogen phosphate is also used in the food industry as a leavening agent to cause baked goods to rise. Because it is acidic, when combined with an alkali ingredient – commonly sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate

– it reacts to produce carbon dioxide and a salt.

Xanthan Gum:

(Allergy Warning)

Some people are allergic to xanthan gum, with symptoms of intestinal gripes and diarrhea. Workers exposed to xanthan gum dust exhibit nose and throat irritation as well as work-related illness, with symptoms becoming more prevalent with increasing exposure.

Also, since xanthan gum is produced by a bacterium that is fed corn to grow, some people allergic to corn will also react to it.

MSG/Natural Flavors:

The 1987 Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization placed mono sodium glutamate in the safest category of food ingredients.

A 1991 report by the European Community’s (EC) Scientific Committee for Foods reaffirmed mono sodium glutamate safety and classified its “acceptable daily intake” as “not specified”, the most favorable designation for a food ingredient. In addition, the EC Committee said, “Infants, including premature, have been shown to metabolize glutamate as efficiently as adults and therefore do not display any special susceptibility to elevated oral intakes of glutamate.”

A 1992 report from the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association stated that glutamate in any form has not been shown to be a “significant health hazard”.

A 1995 FDA-commissioned report acknowledged that “An unknown percentage of the population may react to mono sodium glutamate and develop mono sodium glutamate symptom complex, a condition characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:

Burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest Numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back Tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms Facial pressure or tightness,Chest pain, Headache, Nausea, Rapid heartbeat, Broncho spasm (difficulty breathing), Drowsiness, Weakness Sweating.

A 2002 report from researchers at Hirosaki University in Japan found rats fed on diets very high in glutamate (up to 20%) suffered eye damage. Lead researcher Hiroshi Ohguro said the findings might explain why, in eastern Asia, there is a high rate of normal-tension glaucoma.

Monosodium glutamate has been shown to indirectly cause obesity in lab rats by down regulating hypothalamic appetite suppression and, thus, increasing the amount of food the lab rats consumed Because glutamate is absorbed very quickly in the gastrointestinal tract (unlike glutamic acid-containing proteins in foods), glutamate could spike blood plasma levels of glutamate.

Glutamic acid is in a class of chemicals known as excitotoxins, high levels of which have been shown in animal studies to cause damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier and that a variety of chronic diseases can arise out of this neurotoxicity.

The debate among scientists on the significance of these findings has been raging since the early 1970s, when Dr. John Olney found that high levels of glutamic acid caused damage to the brains of infant mice.

Updated Information 04/02/09:

Keep in mind that the MSG/excitotoxins also contribute to addictive behaviors (gambling, overeating, violence, mood swings, depression, etc.) since the excitotoxins stimulate other hormones in the brain. when they’re stimulated, your dopamine and other hormone levels go haywire.

changing your diet is all it takes to snap out of it. its amazing how simple it is, but so many are hooked on junk food and processed foods.

Sorbitan monostearate (also known as Span 60):

Is an ester of sorbitan (a sorbitol derivative) and stearic acid and is sometimes referred to as a synthetic wax. It is primarily used for emulsifying water and oils together. Sorbitan monostearate is used in manufacture of food and health care products, and is a nonionic surfactant with emulsifying, dispersing, and wetting properties.

It is also employed to create synthetic fibers, metal machining fluid, brighteners in the leather industry, as an emulsifier in coatings, in pesticides, and various applications for the plastic, food and cosmetics industries.

[ad_2]

Source by Nathan Scheer

Is it Possible to Eat the Medifast Way Without Buying the Food?

[ad_1]

I recently had someone contact me and tell me that she was very impressed with what she’d been reading in her research about the Medifast diet. She felt that something similar might work for her, but she hesitated to spend the money on the diet’s food. She wanted to know if it was possible to eat similar foods with items she was able to buy from the grocery store. This is a relatively common question that I had myself. And previously, I did try to accomplish something similar. I will discuss this more in the following article.

What You’d Need To Accomplish If You Were Trying To Eat The Medifast Way On Your Own: One big reason for the success that most people have on this diet is that it is able to get you in ketosis where you are rapidly burning your own fat. You’re typically able to do this because the calorie to carb to protein ratio is so specific and favorable. I know from experience that it’s quite a challenge to come up with foods that are going to meet this criteria. And, if you are able to do so, it’s generally pretty expensive and time consuming.

Also keep in mind that you’ll be eating six times per day. When you’re on this diet, you eat five of the plan’s prepackaged meals and then you make one larger main meal on your own. This is necessary for a couple of reasons. First, eating so often helps to keep hunger at bay and it keeps your metabolism humming along for ketosis purposes. And yet, while you’re eating so much, you’re also only taking in around 1,000 calories per day. Not only that, but the carb to protein ratio is mostly kept at even.

If you’ve not yet researched the foods that you’re going to use to accomplish this, I can tell you that the “safe” goods under this umbrella are difficult to come by. Many will have way too much sugars and carbs which isn’t friendly to ketosis. It’s common to compensate for low amounts of calories and fat with additional sugar so that the taste is still pleasant.

I’ll look at Medifast’s new brownies as an example of what you’d need to accomplish. This product has only 110 calories and 2 grams of fat. There are 15 grams of carbs, but this is balanced out with a very high 11 grams of protein. There are only 8 grams of sugars and 4 grams of fiber. Even if you look at health food stores, it’s going to be quite difficult to find a comparable product with so much protein and fiber. And, even if you do, you’re likely to find that it’s more expensive and you’d still have to come up with four similar meals for the day.

I know that many people research DIY Medifast because they think that by “doing it themselves” they’re going to save some money. But in my experience, this just isn’t the case. If you use the good Medifast coupons, your cost per meal for Medifast is just over $2 per meal. It’s extremely difficult to come up with meals that costs less than this, especially since you will need a lot of specialty ingredients. I tried something similar when I was on the zone diet. Not only do I think that I never ever got close to the calorie to carb to protein ratio of Medifast, but I also know that I spend a lot more than $10 per day for 6 meals.

That’s not to say that if money isn’t an issue and you just like to cook that you can’t come up with something that has a low amount of calories and carbs while packing in high amounts of fiber and protein. I’m sure that this probably is possible for at least a few meals per day. But, I also suspect that it would be quite time consuming, expensive, and challenging. However, I’m generally someone who doesn’t have a lot of patience and who prefers convenience.

[ad_2]

Source by Lindsey Price

A Brief History of Refrigeration and Food Preservation

[ad_1]

In the days when humans were hunter-gatherers, subsistence consumption was the only way humans knew for gathering food. There was no technology to store anything for long periods of time, so people were forced to hunt or collect only what they could eat immediately. With the advent of civilizations, the concentration of so many people created dedicated farming classes that could support people who spent their excess leisure time thinking of ways to solve problems such as this. The solution to this problem would eventually become our modern refrigeration systems.

Early refrigeration systems were simple pits lined with ice and snow, then covered with straw for insulation. Many cultures had come up with ingenious ways of combating food spoilage, but the most impressive solution to this problem was the one designed by the ancient Persians in about 500 BCE. This civilization build large domed structures called “yahkchals” which kept ice to a temperature equivalent to that of modern refrigerators. This is a clear case of necessity being the mother of invention, as the Persians required large amounts of ice to preserve food in the deserts that they lived in and around. These yahkchals were marvels of engineering, yet surprisingly simple. They achieved what they did simply by creating these buildings with thick walls made of a resilient, water-tight mortar known as sarooj. This material was made of sand, clay, animal hair, egg, and other substances in specific proportions, and it yielded a very thick material that could be built into an effective refrigeration system due to sarooj’s resistance to heat transfer. While food preservation was a necessity, the yahkchals were also used to preserve luxury foods for the Persian royalty because they were often the richest people who owned the largest and most numerous refrigeration systems.

Throughout the European Industrial Revolution, modern refrigeration systems began to be constructed that employed gas compression in order to preserve food for long distances. This brought forth a qualitative shift in shipping that opened up an entire industry when people realized food could be moved from any part of the world to another. This movement began in New Zealand when in 1881 a large merchant vessel named the Dunedin was fitted with a large cold storage unit to transport frozen meat to Great Britain. Despite the tremendous distance, this early foothold in what would quickly become a massive industry ensured New Zealand would dominate the meat shipping business in England for a hundred years. This method would not have worked with regular ice storage because merchant ships cannot deliver the same stable conditions as a Persian yahkchal. Gas compression became the wave of the future.

Today nearly all modern refrigerators employ gas compression technology. Throughout the past hundred years various innovative steps have been taken in improving the technology of refrigeration systems that generally caused quantitative leaps by allowing new transportation methods to be refrigerated, such as trucks and planes. The final quantitative leap yielded safer chemicals that allowed for commercial refrigerators to exist in smaller spaces such as households across the united states.

[ad_2]

Source by Dan S Thaler

How to Repair Blast Freezer Concrete Floor Damage

[ad_1]

Daily operation of a blast freezer, also known as a shock freezer, can cause significant damage to the surrounding flooring. These types of freezers are often seen in the food industry where food needs to be preserved but the damage from freezing needs to be minimal. This means food is frozen suddenly in order to reduce the amount of large crystallized particles to enter the food. The smaller the frozen particles are, the less the damage. However, it is this severe fluctuation in temperature that stresses the concrete foundation and leaves business owners with additional expenses.

Despite the overwhelming appearance of deep damage in the concrete flooring, there are affordable and manageable repairs available. Concrete sealants can be applied beforehand to minimize damage as well as after the fact in order to repair and strop further blast freezer damages. Contractors are available to give estimates to frustrated business owners and solutions to their damaged property.

There are generally three different types of professional sealers available to business owners in order to repair a damaged floor. These repairs range from 0mm to 3mm in thickness, 4mm to 10mm in thickness and from 10mm to ΒΌ inch in thickness. The required amount of seal coating depends entirely on the current condition of the concrete floor slab. These types of repairs would generally concern issues like cracks other imperfections in the concrete flooring.

Other extensive repairs such as floor sagging and problems with the sub-flooring require more extensive repairs that require a complete analysis by a professional concrete flooring technician. A professional analysis will allow business owner to understanding the challenges they are facing and the most cost-effective and efficient method of remedying the problem.

For business owners that are advantageous and prefer to reduce costs by performing the repairs themselves, there are ways to resolve some of the more minor damages personally. Thawing out a blast freezer for repairs is not only aggravating it is costly, because it jeopardizes the products in the freezer. For floor damage that is slight, repairs can be done by performing the following steps:

– Wash the floor muriatic acid

– Dry the floor through afterwards

– Utilize an epoxy and mix accordingly with dry sand

– Apply and smooth with trowel

– Allow appropriate drying time (approximately 6 to 8 hours).

Make sure that before performing any repairs that all safety precautions are taken. Muriatic acid is a highly dangerous substance and proper ventilation is required to ensure the safety of the person(s) using it.

To patch and repair blast freezer floor damage and keep the cost minimal, perform regular inspections and reviews and reviews of the flooring. Always consult the advice of a professional if uncomfortable with do it yourself repairs. Regular maintenance and inspection of the flooring can help business owner in prevent more extensive damage such as sagging and issues with sub-flooring.

[ad_2]

Source by Charles Vibbert

The Seven Principles of Resistance Training

[ad_1]

When focusing on resistance training, and overall athletic performance for that matter, there are seven overriding principles that govern improvement. When training, try to keep these principles in mind when looking for improvement. Often people find that they reach performance ‘plateaus’, however if they review their program, they will find that they are most likely neglecting one or more of the following principles:

1. Principle of Overload

2. Principle of Progression

3. Principle of Specificity

4. Principle of Variation

5. Principle of Individuality

6. Principle of Diminishing Returns

7. Principle of Reversibility

Principle of Overload

This is one of the fundamental basics of resistance training. It basically means that if you want to get stronger or make the muscle grow, you need to work or ‘overload’ the muscle. When you overload the muscle, you are actually tearing the muscle tissue at a microscopic level. When this occurs, the body tries to over-compensate, anticipating that it needs to be done again. In doing so, more muscle tissue is laid down, causing muscle growth.

Principle of Progression

Again, this is one of the basic principles of weight training. This means that as you get stronger, it is no point continuing to lift the same weight – you need to ‘progress’ by lifting heavier weight, or pump out more repetitions. If the progression is too great, the weight will be too heavy to lift, however if there is no or little progression, there will be no performance improvement.

Principle of Specificity

The concept of specificity is that if you want to improve your performance in a certain area, train in that area. In other words, train how you play! If you want to improve athletic performance in basketball for example, there’s no use running laps around an oval – Do athletics based on basketball, such as suicide runs, ball drills etc. Resistance training is the same – if you want to improve your push-ups, do push-ups and exercises that mimic that movement.

Principle of Variation

Some people get confused that variation and specificity conflict each other. In fact, they absolutely do not! The idea of variation is that you mix up your training routine so your body doesn’t adapt too efficiently to what you’re trying to achieve. Again, using the push-up as an example, you can vary your push-up workout by changing it to incline or decline push-ups, putting a clap in the middle or moving your hand closer to make it a triceps push-up. Alternatively you can try a bench press – Biomechanically it’s nearly identical.

Principle of Individuality

The principle of Individuality covers the differences of people with the ‘X’ factor -and those athletic freaks who seem to get stronger just by looking at weights! More seriously, individuality acknowledges that all people train at different rates. This individuality can be influenced by age, gender, race, nutrition, genetic predisposition and sleep factors. This is why it is important people follow their individual training routine rather than copy what everyone else seems to be doing.

Principle of Diminishing Returns

The Principle of Diminishing Returns means that as someone gets fitter or stronger, it takes more effort to continue to get fitter or stronger. A beginner who is morbidly obese will lose a significant amount of weight when they begin, but as they lose more and more weight, it becomes more and more difficult to continue to lose the weight. Strength gains are the same. This is why world class athletes train for hours and hours every day to try and gain a 1-2% improvement!

Principle of Reversibility

This is the ‘move it or lose it’ rule. It means that exercise needs to be continued to maintain athletic and strength bases, or the results will be reversed. Generally speaking, the elderly are not as strong as when they were in their youth, partly because they are not as active as when they were young. It has been estimated that an athlete at bed-rest will lose approximately 10% of cardiovascular performance per week! This is why many sportspeople will maintain their strength and fitness in the off-season – It’s much easier to maintain fitness and strength than lose it and try to get it back.

These are the seven principles of resistance training. Try to remember these and take them into account when writing your next training program!

[ad_2]

Source by Shaun Ahearn

Carpet Installation Issues in Apartment Buildings

[ad_1]

There are several new condominium buildings that are having issues with the installation of carpets on the common corridors in their buildings. Third party carpet inspectors are generally the people who end up having to make the decision on why the carpets are failing. By the time a carpet inspector finally gets involved with one of these claims the carpet has been subjected to move-ins, steam cleaning, vacuuming and atmospheric issues.

The very nature of the hospitality style carpet used in condominium common areas can invite problems. Proper installation and maintenance procedures are extremely important if there is any hope to maintain a beautiful appearance for over ten years.

Carpeted common corridors in condominiums often have stylized borders and irregularly shaped hallways that require several carpet panels to be seamed together to complete the installation. The manner in which carpet seams are expected to be constructed has changed dramatically over the last five years. Unfortunately no one seems to have informed the carpet installers. There is just no mechanism in the industry that keeps the carpet installers and retailers informed on industry changes.

According to the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Standard for Carpet Installation 2011, glued down carpet is supposed to have all cut edges seam sealed with a thermo plastic adhesive or something similar. Then a third bead of seam sealer is supposed to be applied to one edge of the seam to “weld” together the carpet panels. Most carpet installers and retailers are unaware of this requirement. It is no wonder that seams are fuzzing in so many buildings.

Unfortunately the blame for fuzzing seams gets placed on the carpet manufacturer, the carpet cleaners, the vacuum cleaners and the latest one is the new LEED approved carpet adhesive. There is nothing further from the truth. The reason the architects and the carpet manufacturers insist on all cut edges of the carpet be encapsulated with a seam sealer is that they need it. The construction of carpet and the adhesives used to bind the primary and secondary backings has changed for a number of reasons, primarily to make carpet a carpet “greener”.

Another installation related issue creating havoc with installations is lack of adhesive being used to hold the carpet to the substrate. If there is one place where corners can be cut it’s by cutting back on the amount of adhesive used to hold down the carpet. You can double the “savings” if the carpet is a double-gluedown installation. This type of installation is when the carpet is affixed to the underpad and the underpad is affixed to the concrete. There are charts that clearly outline what kind of trowel to use to apply the adhesive on different styles of carpet backings. Unfortunately it’s rare that installers to abide by this chart. The rule of thumb for a properly affixed carpet is that it would be extremely difficult to peel back a carpet and if you could that there would be legs in the adhesive. Legs in the adhesive means that the where the glue separates from the concrete there are strings of adhesive between the floor and the carpet backing.

The last major issue with corridor carpets that is often seen is when wall to wall carpet is replaced by new carpet tiles. Carpet tiles are installed with a pressure sensitive adhesive. This adhesive must be applied to a clean concrete surface free of all contaminants including adhesive from previous carpet installations. If pressure sensitive adhesive is applied over the old carpet adhesive then it mixes in with it, moisture is trapped and as the moisture eventually tries to escape around the edges of the carpet tiles and lift or the new adhesive emulsifies. Again this issue is usually blamed on the manufacturer and the carpet supplier will often try and gluedown the lifting edges using adhesive that they should not be using in attempt to keep the lifting edges down on the concrete.

The dilemma for most condominium corporations is the assumption that carpeting is being installed by spec. When a company who does things properly quotes against a company who does not the price difference is quite substantial. Inevitably the companies who make short cuts or don’t know the standards get awarded the contract. Unfortunately the sad truth is very few companies are installing according to standard.

So what is the solution? It’s very simple:

• Ensure that all seams are constructed with three beads of seam sealer

• Ask that the appropriate amount of adhesive and the necessary number of trowels be included in the shipment from the carpet manufacturer

• Always ensure that the concrete substrate is prepared properly according to the manufacturer’s specifications

• There are certified carpet inspectors available in the marketplace who can be hired to confirm that the carpet was installed according to standard

[ad_2]

Source by Lee Senter

What Are The Relocation Perks Given By MNC’s To Their Employees And What Can They Do Better

[ad_1]

Multinational corporations a.k.a MNCs whether foreign or Indian have their branches spread all over the globe and often produce tremendous relocation opportunities nationally as well as internationally for their employees. With these relocation opportunities they also provide certain services, to make the employee and their family feel comfortable. When a company relocates its employees, it is not an overnight decision, it involves a lot of discussions and calculations.

Therefore when an employee relocates, a company provides certain perks to keep the employee motivated, but with changing times requirements are also changing. To understand it better let us look into the current relocation facilities offered by Multinational corporations and in the latter part what can be done to make it better.

• When an employee is relocating abroad, the company arranges for their visa interviews, and visa fees, plane tickets for the employee and his immediate family.

• When an employee is being relocated within the country, the company pays for the packers and movers.

• When relocating to another city, companies also pay a lump sum amount in the name of transfer cost, to cover the miscellaneous expenses which occur due to relocation.

• There are some companies who also provide accommodation.

These are just some of the basic amenities provided by the multinational corporations, but there are also certain perks that can always be considered, which will definitely reap positive results in the long run. These facilities that we want to highlight are not a major expense for a company but are certainly major gestures which if done diligently will enhance loyalty and motivation in an employee.

What are the Perks that can be offered to make life better for the relocated employee and his family?

Once the packers and movers finish unloading the stuff there are loads of thing to do from setting up the house to knowing the new neighborhood, it is quite a long process. Family of the relocated employee at such times often feel ignored because though the employee is having new experiences and making new acquaintances at his new workplace, the family is still struggling to know the neighborhood and trying to socialize. Let us delve into some of the suggestions put together by us which if undertaken by the companies can really make the journey post relocation memorable, in a good way.

• Arrange a career counselling session for the supporting spouse, though this may seem like an unimportant point, but these days where both husband and wife are working and when one gets relocated, the working spouse most of the times leave the old job and follow their better half. This adjustment gradually over a period pf time starts taking a toll on the supporting spouse because, they start feeling unfocused in life because they often do not know how and where to restart the career. At such times a career counselling session and also certain tips with looking for a job is welcomed like a breath of fresh air not only by the spouse but also by the employee because one of the most common reasons for an unsuccessful relocation is familial dissatisfaction.

• At such a time if the company arranges a dinner or an off site where all the families (New and Old) are invited, then the relocated employee’s families get to meet and also make new acquaintances.

• The companies can prepare a relocation kit, which can include a pocket guide with all the emergency numbers for e.g: hospitals, gas stations etc.

• For companies who do not provide accommodation, they can arrange a meeting of the relocated employee and the spouse with professional estate agents and also give them a leave for a certain number of days for house hunting

All the multinational corporations with the amount of resources available to them can surely ensure the application of these things without incurring too much cost. More than perks these are just soft gestures which really aid in enhancing the experience of not only the relocated employee but also their families.

[ad_2]

Source by Agarwal Anand