Category: Home Improvement

The oak building tradition in the UK is a long one and people love the character and rich colour of this wood. It is equally at home in both vintage and modern homes but there remain some myths about building with oak. The following are a few questions that people ask before choosing oak frames:

Is it difficult to get insurance for oak framed buildings? Is oak more at risk of fire?

There is no additional risk of fire with oak-framed buildings. Every single structure must comply with Building Regulations whether they are built with steel, brick or oak. Rumours of problems with fire risk and insurance dates back to the Eighties when the rules were not tight and there are problems with softwood construction.

Oak is extremely fire resistant and, in the event of a fire, the wood will char on the outside and protect the core. By choosing a reputable oak supplier should mean there are no problems with finding insurance. For more information on Oak Garages, visit https://www.timberpride.co.uk/oak-garages/

Is oak more expensive?

Building with oak does not have to be expensive. It depends on the amount of oak you use, and you can mix it with other types of wood to keep the cost down. Perhaps you could introduce a bit of warmth from oak by adding traditional oak beams in the living room and then different wood throughout the house?

If you suffer from allergies, are there benefits to building with oak?

Oak frame contains no chemicals or preservatives so can be used in any area of the home, including the flooring.

Anyone with a garden will tell you there is nothing worse than finding that your prize growers have been attacked by pests. Slugs, snails, ants and aphids have decided to feast upon whatever it is you want to grow whilst seemingly avoiding all the weeds. What are the worst offenders and what can be done about them? At least you know that the lawn can be kept in check, especially if you give http://www.briggsbits.co.uk/ a visit when you need some Briggs and Stratton Parts.

Snails and slugs are the worst. Even more so as they don’t seem to have any predators (they do). They just seem to engage in a slew of wanton destruction. The best way to beat them is to put out a large 500g yoghurt pot with beer in it. They cannot resist it. Don’t bother trying to grow Clematis and Hostas.

Vine weevils.  Tiny little aphids that just suck the life out of the plant near the flower. Spraying the plant with soapy water will help for a bit. Otherwise just rub your fingers down the stem. Wear a glove as it can get messy.

There are plenty of others, Pigeons after seeds, Foxes causing general mess. It’s enough to make you weep.

Buying a new boiler is a big consideration because it is an expensive purchase for your home. This is why it is very important to get the best boiler for your needs, at the right price. Here are some things to consider when you want to buy a boiler:

Efficiency

A gas central heating boiler means will be responsible for approximately 60% of the CO2 emissions of your home. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint and bills, then this will be a major consideration for you when looking at the choices of boiler.

Installation

Never be tempted to install the boiler yourself. This must only be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. For Boiler Repair Cheltenham, you can get Help with Boiler repair in Cheltenham from HPR.

Size

Size is very important when choosing a boiler. This size affects the ability of the heating boiler and whether it fit the space available. As for heating, it depends on each home, such as how many bathrooms you have and how many inhabitants.

Reliability

Of course, with this major purchase, you want to know that you can rely on it. When looking at the boiler, be sure to check out the score and a review of reliability. A good source to check out is Which? Website where you will find the information useful comparison of various brands.

Type

Most households have a gas central heating system and if so, you have 3 types of boilers to choose from: the combination, the system or just heat. If you are not sure which one best suits your needs, consult a professional for advice.

If you feel like cooking up a storm in the kitchen then you need the right equipment. Confident cooking is all about having the best things to make the preparation of food simple, efficient and even fun. Here are a few of the must-have items for a modern kitchen:

The Veggie Bullet

If you are desperate to get on board with healthy cooking, then the Bullet is very suitable for making healthy food fun. It is a 3-in-1 appliance that allows you to easily cut vegetables into spirals, sliced or shredded to make adding vegetables to your meals super easy.

Quick Egg Cooker

Eggs are a source of protein and this cooker is way to quickly improve your egg intake simply. It allows you to create hard-boiled or medium eggs, omelets cooked and boiled well.

Now all you need is a stunning new kitchen to show it off in. For Fitted Kitchens Norwich, visit a site like https://www.graysfittedfurniture.co.uk/kitchens/

Garlic Chopper

Garlic is tasty as a versatile material but will fall apart and smell when trying to crush or chop without assistance. The garlic chopper takes the complexity out of the task as you pop in the peeled cloves and the knife does the job for you.

Slow juicer

If you want to make your very own juice with the biggest amount of juice possible, then a slow juicer is exactly what you need. Instead of rotating extremely quickly the juicer spins at 45rpm providing the best nutritious part of fruits and vegetables in a much more effective way.

If you’re thinking about installing new doors in your home then have you considered the benefits of sliding doors? A sliding door, to be precise, is a door which opens horizontally by sliding which can be mounted on top of a track or be suspended from a track. Some clever sliding doors even disappear into walls when they are opened. They are often seen being used as shower doors, screen doors, glass doors and wardrobe doors. Bifold doors also fit into this category of door.

They slide due to a sliding door gear, either bottom rolling or top hung. To make the motion as smooth as possible, brush seals are often used. You’ll most likely see the top hung version, for example in wardrobes and they come in a whole variety of designs and mirrored. Two trolley hangers at the top run in a concealed track and take all the weight so the door is easier to open. To prevent damage from impact, a track stopper is employed to hold the door open or closed if slammed. There is also a bottom roller to prevent the door from swaying and the rollers have safety locks to prevent the door from jumping out of its track.

If a door is too heavy then a bottom rolling system will be needed with two rollers running on a track and two rollers running at the top. As there is more weight at the bottom of the door, this results in the need for a more forceful closing and opening action. There is also something called a lift-and-slide door gear which allows the door to be lifted out of the frame during opening and closing. This gives a better seal and better soundproofing.

The benefit of sliding doors is the amount of space that is saved. There is almost no room needed to open these doors. The mechanism is sound as it cannot be lifted out of its hinges and they are easy to automate. Sliding doors are a great idea if you only have a small space available as there is no restriction on where furniture can be placed as they don’t open into or out of the room. Sliding doors will also make a room look bigger, even when closed, as there is little between you and the great view of your back garden. The provide a wider exterior view and let in much more natural light than other types of doors. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that sliding doors have been used as early as the first century AD in Roman houses. Archeological findings in Pompeii, Italy have found early versions of the sliding door concept.

Automated sliding doors are commonly seen in shops, hotels, offices and airports.  Automated doors contain a motor and activation system to operate them. They contain a magnetic locking mechanism that can unlock automatically in the event of an emergency. Normal sliding doors are used for wardrobes, patio doors and room dividers.

 

If you notice there is a strange smell in or around your home, you may have bigger problems than just an unpleasant odour. It is best to have a professional to investigate the situation as soon as possible, because the problem might be worse than you think.

Here are some of the most common unpleasant smells:

1. Dead Animals

If you smell something like manure, pet dander or a dirty litter box type smell, and you don’t have pets, it could be a dead animal somewhere. However, if the smell if sickly, you may well have insect nests or dead animals somewhere in the pipe or duct system.

Trust your instincts with this one: if you smell a dead animal, there probably is one. Sometimes, people think they can smell sewage, but regardless, it will be a strong and obvious odour. A plumbing professional should look at the pipes and arrange for it to be taken care of as soon as possible!

2. Fishy Smells

Unless it is a fish, this strange smell could be coming from burning electrical components. When some electrical cables and plastic get too hot, they can emit a fishy or urine-type type odour. If you notice this type of odour, look around your house and look for outlets and other electrical equipment that are visibly burning or melting. Also, make sure that plastic and other things that can burn are kept away from heat sources, including light.

3. Sewage or Rotten Eggs

If either of these horrible smells are present in your home, this may be caused by a dried-out P-trap. P-traps that trap water, create an air block for every sewer gas that may rise. However, if you do not use your channel for a while, the water in your P-trap can evaporate, paving the way for poisonous sewer gas to infiltrate your home. Water should run on all your channels at least once a month to prevent this from happening! For any plumbing problems and bad smells from Kent Blocked Drains, you’ll need help to Unblock drains in Kent through 3flowdrainage.

4. Mouldy and Musty

Should you notice an unpleasant musty or mould odour, chances are this problem exists somewhere in your home. Walk around the property and keep an eye out for any water leaks, damp objects, and humidity to locate the root of the issue. Mould varies in severity from merely cosmetic for hazardously toxic.

For small areas of mould, you can clean this yourself. However, if the problem is bigger than you can handle, call in the experts.

You may need recaulk plumbing fixtures to prevent water from entering the area between the fixture and the wall, which can cause water damage and mould to grow. Improved ventilation might also be necessary in areas of high humidity such as bathrooms and kitchens.

 

Ivy makes buildings look full of character and offers a pleasant visual break in the monotony of brickwork, but is it damaging to your walls? The answer is not so straightforward. A lot depends on the type of material the ivy is growing on. Ivy will take root in cracks but isn’t normally strong enough to cause cracks itself. Most solid masonry can support ivy perfectly well, but less stable structures can be damaged extensively by such an invasive plant. It may require the replacement of the wall exterior or the rendering and this should only be done with the appropriate equipment such as scaffolding to allow you to safely work on the outside of your building. A Scaffolding Essex company can help out with any of your needs.

If you want to grow ivy, here are some places you should avoid letting it take root:

• Weakened Brickwork:Ivy should be prevented from growing on crumbling mortar or where loose bricks are present. The ivy can cause existing cracks to widen which lets moisture inside.
• Dry-Stacked Walls:Any walls constructed without mortar run the risk of collapse if you attempt to remove ivy from it. There are lots of natural crevices where ivy can take root, so dislodging the plant could very well mean dislodging the stones too.
• Older Homes:Mortar quality is better now than it used to be. The older the property, the weaker the mortar will be. Houses built before the 1930s used a softer mortar.
• Wood Fences:The roots of ivy can easily infiltrate cracks in wood grain, leading to rot. It’s also a common place for pests and wood-destroying insects to inhabit.
• Paint: Any painted surface can suffer damage when pulling off ivy roots.
• Weakened Structures:As ivy is heavy, it can easily be responsible for pulling down badly-built or weakened structures.

If you want to include ivy in your landscaping, stick to these areas:

• Solid Masonry:Keep ivy limited to growing on well-built and strong masonry walls with no gaps or loosened bricks.
• Correct Species:English ivy is banned in some places due to its invasiveness, so try to introduce a less threatening species.
• Containment:Train the ivy only where you want it as removing it can leave behind hard-to-clean residue on brickwork.
• Avoid Wood:Prevent the ivy from coming into contact with wooden trim, windows and guttering.

If you need to remove ivy from your building:

• Pull on the ivy extremely gently in case the roots have penetrated any cracks. Pulling could damage your mortar if this is the case.
• Don’t leave the roots too long as they will only get harder to remove.
• Scrape loose roots and stems until only the tendrils remain.
• Get a scrubbing brush and remove as much dry material as you can. Stubborn tendrils might be removed with some water and detergent.
• If you’re not having much luck, call in the professionals to try to remove the unsightly residue from your masonry.

 

People tend to think of asbestos as something found only in the ceilings of old, abandoned buildings. However, there are some unusual places that have tested positive for asbestos, which causes us to think: what other everyday objects could we potentially find asbestos?

1- Car Parts.

Because asbestos has the ability to retain heat, it was a material often used in automobile components to stop fires from occurring. Items such as brake pads, brakes, clutch linings and transmission plates are all prime examples of this, as well as many other high-friction car parts.

2- Household.

From crockpots to hair dryers, and from popcorn machines to cooker hoods, a variety of home appliances manufactured before 1988 are known to contain low levels of asbestos. Some stove parts and ironing board covers also contained small amounts so you could be putting yourself at risk if you are still using these older products from the 20th century in your home.

3- Fuse box.

Before the ban on asbestos came into effect, boards containing asbestos were used for insulation at the back of fuse boxes in the home. Fortunately, the fuse box was only rarely accessed so this isn’t a major concern as asbestos fibres only cause a hazard when they are airborne as a result of an object being damaged or disturbed. Any damage around your fuse box should always be checked by a professional. For Asbestos Removal Essex, visit a site like https://www.sperion.co.uk/

4- Protective clothing.

Ironically, various protective clothing contained some amounts of asbestos in their manufacture. Items like gloves, aprons and trousers used commercially in the past were known to contain asbestos but, perhaps more surprisingly, so did face masks, dust masks and respirators! Disease caused by asbestos are from microfibres being released into the air. You can see why having asbestos in a helmet or mask was very dangerous.

5 – Toilets.

Yes, even the humble bathroom toilet might be harbouring some asbestos. Old style cisterns often had a tiny amount of asbestos in their materials to make them sturdy and able to cope with weight. Thanks to the sturdiness and negligible quantity of asbestos utilised, if the cistern remains in a solid condition, it should not pose too much of a risk.

6 – Makeup.

Asbestos ended up in makeup products because of poor regulation surrounding one of its main ingredients: cosmetic-grade talc (ie powder). Talc and asbestos both naturally occur together. During commercial talc mining, there is a risk of the powder being mixed with the asbestos that occurs naturally beside it.

If you are worried that you may have asbestos in your home, office or work place, doing the right thing and consult with experts.

Are you looking for a new home but can’t seem to find a suitable one? Or have you always dreamed of building your own home from scratch? There are many advantages to making your own home, although many argue that it is not worth the cost and complexity. Building your own home can actually save you money, and also a number of other benefits that you might not have considered.

A fresh start

There is a great opportunity to save money by building your own home, even though it may not feel that way right away. You have complete control over every upgrade, new equipment and adjustments – which means that you don’t need to upgrade or buy new equipment, plumbing or electrical equipment for years to come. You might not even need to renew anything during your entire stay at in the home.

This is truly a clean slate and a new beginning, designing and decorating how you need it and with the choice of electrical and plumbing layout, which while requiring initial outlay, may be good for decades to come.

Yours to adjust

When you build versus buy, you can call the shots and have everything designed around your specific needs rather than a compromise. You can adjust your home and don’t need to redecorate or remodel again in the future. The way you design your interior and exterior is your choice and you don’t need to make concessions or compromises on style. Instead of trying to adjust the property to fit your ideas, you get everything you want right away. To find a Builders In Hertfordshire, visit https://www.ashmereconstruction.co.uk/

Energy saving

When you build from scratch, you can make decisions about how efficient and sustainable the energy inside your home is. You can explore all options, including solar panels and other energy saving equipment. Instead of having the hassle of trying to fix these things to an existing property, these elements can be immediately incorporated into your design.

Personal

The level of privacy in and around your property is also determined by you. Maybe you miss the open garden where you can easily hang out with neighbours or prefer a very secluded and closed house. Buying an existing property means you have to compromise with this, with privacy seen as a bonus and not an automatic right of home ownership.

All yours

Although this positive aspect is more of an emotion than something you can see, it is one of the most important benefits. This building, that will become your home, has all your dreams, money and time invested in it and you’ll be the first to ever dwell in the property. Therefore, huge value and emotion is attached to your new build that you just don’t get with an existing property. This is your dream, your project and you are the one of is going to make it happen.

They are one of the most typical elements of Christmas decoration. And that does not stop us from liking it. The Christmas wreaths are a classic for hanging on the front door, or as a table centerpiece.

Today we are going to give you the keys to make a DIY Christmas wreath so that you can give that handmade touch to your home. An activity that you will see that is much simpler than it seems. (more…)