Show Notes: Start Your Spring Home Overhaul – On the House
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Show Notes: Start Your Spring Home Overhaul

By on April 1, 2017
garage

The annual springtime home overhaul is here. Do your landscaping or garage door need some improving? You can up your year round curb appeal with some planning. Trade up to the latest designs and technology in garage doors to complete the curb appeal package.

 Thank you to our guest:

Peter Daich CEO of Daich Coatings: http://www.daichcoatings.com

 

Charge Devices Anywhere Within A Room, Without Cords

Researchers at Disney Research have developed a safe way to turn an entire room into a wireless charging area, according to Phys.org. The new method, called quasistatic cavity resonance (QSCR), wirelessly transmitts power throughout a room and enables users to charge electronic devices as seamlessly as they now connect to WiFi hotspots, eliminating the need for electrical cords or charging cradles. The room fills with safely generated near-field standing magnetic waves that can power several cellphones, fans and lights simultaneously.

“This new innovative method will make it possible for electrical power to become as ubiquitous as WiFi,” said Alanson Sample, associate lab director & principal research scientist at Disney Research. “This in turn could enable new applications for robots and other small mobile devices by eliminating the need to replace batteries and wires for charging.”

The QSCR method involves inducing electrical currents in the metalized walls, floor and ceiling of a room, which in turn generate uniform magnetic fields that permeate the room’s interior. This enables power to be transmitted efficiently to receiving coils that operate at the same resonant frequency as the magnetic fields. The induced currents in the structure are channeled through discrete capacitors, which isolate potentially harmful electrical fields.

https://phys.org/news/2017-02-wireless-power-transmission-safely-devices.html

 

Spring Is Ideal For Replacing Garage Doors

Spring means spring cleaning for many homeowners and that means cleaning out the garage, a chore that no one likes. Yet homeowners always forget one task: checking on the condition of their garage door.

Aside from making sure the garage door opens and closes smoothly, homeowners don’t look beyond the fact that eventually the door will need replacement. Home remodelers should remind their clients that spring is the ideal time to replace garage doors, what to look for, and why it’s necessary.

Security is Important
Homeowners secure their windows and have up-to-date locks and alarm systems for their front and back doors. The garage door is an important area of access that gets the least attention when it comes to security.

Garage doors should be replaced for the sake of security when a non-functioning or damaged door makes access to the home easier for criminals with a little elbow grease. They can enter the home in less than six seconds.

Garage doors are a common weak point when code-grabber devices lock into the signal and memorize a code to open the door. Emergency release systems are easy to break into, and open windows provide insight to when a client is gone from home. Families travel more in milder seasons, and in colder seasons, they tend to be at home with family. Many clients also make the mistake of leaving their garage opener in the car!

Wear and Tear: Springs Wear Down by Spring
Many moving parts go into making a garage door open, and a client who tries to DIY a fix is headed for trouble. The wear on garage springs is one of the most common garage door issues a client faces with a malfunctioning garage door.

A failing spring will make the door heavier to lift and doesn’t seem like a big deal to the client at first. Replacing a few springs will save the client money now, instead of having to replace the entire lift down the road as tension on the system builds. Wear and tear on the physical garage door will be visible, with scrapes signaling imbalanced springs caused by friction.

Colder temperatures aren’t the best time to work on garage doors, but spring is the perfect season to call on repair specialists to fix those springs. Just like car tires misalign, temperature has an effect on the wearing down of springs, and this season is the best time to check for this imbalance and make repairs. As temperatures increase, the imbalance only gets worse.

Spring is Easier for Repairs
Seasonally speaking; it’s common sense to get major repairs done when there’s a balance in the weather and less tension on moving parts and equipment. During inclement weather, the garage is used as a shelter for vehicles, and the summer weather presents its own challenges.

Imbalanced temperatures and temperamental weather make it more difficult to access conditional weaknesses and make repairs. Yet, these are the occasions when clients experience repair and remodeling emergencies. Encourage clients to get a consultation when the season is right to prevent a major hazard.

A Malfunctioning Garage Door is a Major Safety Hazard
When a garage door fails, it poses risks to the lives of families and property. The full weight of a crashing door can be fatal to both humans and pets. Every year, hundreds and thousands of people report serious injuries related to a malfunctioning garage door, such as lacerations from window glass, being hit with the spring, and the door falling. Garage door injuries are no joke, and clients shouldn’t race to beat the door.

Educate your clients about garage door safety standards and how to check for malfunctions in case that a garage door needs repair or replacement. Encourage clients to perform a monthly inspection of their garage door, check their owner’s manual, and keep the opener out of the car and away from the hands of children.

It’s important for clients to learn how to check up on their garage doors as they do spring cleaning, preferably monthly. Inclement weather and temperature changes work against the life of the garage door and its parts. A malfunctioning garage door presents a serious security and safety threat for the whole family. Spring is the ideal time to encourage clients to make repairs and replace a garage door.

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/products/exteriors/why-spring-is-ideal-for-replacing-garage-doors_o?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=Article&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=REM_020317%20(1)&he=42e20f0c9743c70076f31b576d8d28f5924e8fa8

 

Home Ladder Inspection Time

Before using a ladder:

  • Make sure to use the right ladder for the task.
  • Check the rails for cracks, holes or deformities. If a ladder has a crack or hole, remove it from service.
  • Check for missing or broken rivets.
    Make sure all working parts move properly
  • and the connections are secure.
  • Carefully check spreaders, extension ladder locks, flippers and the “safety feet.”

Maintenance and care:

  • Keep ladders free of oil and other slippery materials.
  • Lightly lubricate moving parts.
  • Tag broken ladders and take them out of service. Only a qualified person can repair ladders. Ladders that cannot be repaired should be destroyed and discarded.

https://www.sfmic.com/res_cat_doc/five_min_ladder_maintenance.pdf?t=1490999522699

 

Up Your Curb Appeal

Planning your landscape will help ensure a thriving yard and lasting curb appeal.

Install a Strong Edging: It’s very important to have barriers between your lawn and your garden. You want to have a strong edging that can be of any material (and price) from cheap plastic all the way up to steel or stone.

Install a Simple Irrigation System: A big mistake people make is not watering enough. Get a simple drip-irrigation system that can be attached to a spigot with a timer. Simply set the timer and it gives the plants all the water they need.

Add Some Mulch: Mulch is primarily used to help maintain the soil, but it’s also decorative. The darker the mulch, the more the color of the plants will stand out.

You Need Good Soil: If the roots of a plant can’t penetrate the soil, then it simply won’t grow. If your soil is really poor quality, you may need to remove it and bring in new soil.

Keep Your Yard Colorful: Look around your yard and see what’s thriving and you’ll have a good idea of what to plant. Don’t get flowers that bloom only during one season. Get a variety of colors that bloom at different times of the year.

Make Sure There is Drainage: Use soil to build up low areas of the garden so water doesn’t pool in one spot. This is especially true if you have dense clay soil because it allows very little drainage.

 Consider the Amount of Sunlight: When choosing plant material, it’s very important to take into consideration how much sunlight the plants will receive. Too little light and they won’t thrive, too much light they may burn.

Know Your Maintenance Level: Decide how much you can devote to maintenance. Ask yourself if you’re willing to upkeep a pool, wood deck or big vegetable garden. Ask a professional about the pros and cons of each project before you decide.

Know Your Landscape Budget: The planning stage is the most important, and the actual planting part should be the very last step. Landscaping can be a big investment. Research before you buy to determine what fits your budget.

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/landscaping/10-things-you-must-know-about-landscaping-pictures

 

Spring Is Prime Time For Home-Improvement Scams

The Better Business Bureau reminds consumers to use caution when hiring a home-improvement contractor.

Scams abound, especially following a major storm, flood or other weather event when many homeowners are trying to repair damage to their homes. While these scam artists are prevalent after inclement weather, contractor scams can happen any time. So be wary of high-pressure sales tactics, up-front fees and fly-by-night businesses. Con artists will take homeowners’ money and deliver shoddy work – or no work at all.

It’s important to use a home contractor you can trust, so watch out for red flags from those just looking to make a quick buck. Remember, failing to thoroughly research a company before hiring them could cause your property and your wallet to take a serious beating.

How The Scam Works

Home-improvement scams can start with a knock on the door, a flyer or an ad. The contractor may offer a low price or a short timeframe. One common hook is when the scammer claims to be working in your neighborhood on another project and has leftover supplies.

Once started, a rogue contractor may “find” issues that significantly raise the price. If you object, they threaten to walk away and leave a half-finished project. Or they may accept your upfront deposit and then never return to do the job. Following a natural disaster, scammers persuade homeowners to sign over their insurance payment.

Tips To Spot This Scam

Watch out for “red flags.” Say no to cash-only deals, high-pressure sales tactics, high upfront payments, handshake deals without a contract and on-site inspections. Not all “storm chasers” are con artists, but enough are that you should be cautious any time a home contractor contacts you first – especially after a natural disaster.

Ask for references and check them out. Bad contractors will be reluctant to share this information, and scammers won’t wait for you to do your homework. If you can, get references from past customers, both older references to check on the quality of the work and newer references to make sure current employees are up to the task. Check them out at bbb.org to see what other customers have experienced. And always be sure to get a written contract with the price, materials and timeline. The more detail, the better.

http://www.tylerpaper.com/TP-Blogs/277039/spring-is-prime-time-for-homeimprovement-scams

 

Website Mentions:

Kampel laminate repair, caulking solutions, laminate flooring repair
http://www.kampelent.com/seamfil.php

 

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