Month: June 2013

Difference Between A Hardwood And Bamboo Flooring

Many people nowadays choose a bamboo floor over its other popular counterpart, the hardwood floor. You will often see a hardwood and bamboo flooring comparison on numerous websites so people would know how they can benefit by choosing the latter. Aside from the bamboo flooring price, there are numerous advantages on why you should purchase a bamboo floor for your next home renovation. Below are some of the reasons why many home owners choose a bamboo floor.

Most of us are becoming more conscious about nature, which is why choosing bamboos is a much better option. Bamboos are very regenerative, new bamboo plants will grow within three to seven years unlike most hardwood trees, these trees usually take at least 15 years to regenerate. Although bamboo is a plant, studies have shown that a bamboo is even sturdier than most hardwood variants. Search the web for hardness comparison chart to see which types of hardwood floors are less durable than a bamboo floor. Also, bamboo floors are laminated with a clear film to prevent decay and moisture build ups, that is why many spa businesses use this type flooring aside from its natural and calming look.

Advantages Of A Portable Air Conditioning Unit

Centralized and conventional air conditioning units come with a hefty price tag along with a huge energy consumption, this is why there are so many of us looking for a great alternative for indoor and outdoor cooling units. All thanks to the efforts of certain manufacturers and technological advancements, we can now enjoy the same cooling properties less the costs through a portable air conditioning unit. Some of these portable units even come with unique features such as dehumidification for water damage restoration for homes that are affected by storms or floods.

Portable air conditioners costs half the price of a conventional air conditioner, also, it works just as efficiently as the traditional ones. Since it is compact in size, it will not take too much of your floor space, it can also be easily moved around as most of these units, if not all, are built with wheels at the bottom. There are also portable air conditioning units sold in the market that are battery operated, this way, you can reduce your monthly electricity expenditures as well as keep your home cool even if a power shortage has occurred. It is very easy to operate, in fact, you won’t need to read lengthy instructional materials nor have any technical skills to make it work.

Article submitted by MovinCool. MovinCool is one of the leading suppliers of an industrial air conditioning unit as well as various portable AC perfect for residential and commercial use.

Why You Should Choose a Floor Heating System

 Many people use a floor heating system to keep their homes warm even if they are located in the coldest part of our planet. Nowadays, there are a lot of heated flooring types and brands available in the market. What you need to do is do your own research before you go out an purchase a hydronic floor heating system so you would have an idea which brands and types will work best for your home.

Though many people are accustomed in using the typical home heaters, many are now switching to a floor heater type due to several benefits. First, the heating system evenly spreads the heat all around your house, this means that you will never experience a cold spot even in your bathroom. Speaking of bathrooms, you will notice that your bathroom floor will dry quickly as the warmth will help in evaporating the moisture and water on your floor. Many of us complain about the floor space most equipment takes up, with a floor heater, you will not need even a foot of floor space because it is installed right next to your floor.

Article submitted by EZ Floor Heat. Do you want to install a premium radiant floor heating system at your home? Look no further as EZ Floor Heat has got you covered. They offer cost effective and comfortable floor heating systems that will instantly warm up your house to make you feel comfortable when the winter season kicks in.

Tips In Purchasing Bed Linens

Bed linen can be bought in various types, designs and sizes. You need to make sure that you only purchase high quality beddings for optimum comfort and durability. Nowadays, there are a lot of bed linens, feather quilts, mattress protectors and related items readily available in the market. Though you should never skimp on bed linens, it is also not a bad idea to shop smartly. Here are a few tips you can follow when shopping for bed linens.

Cotton is by far the most comfortable and best thermal sheets out in the market. When buying cotton, always check for the thread count, these usually are sold within the 200 thread count range, while more expensive ones could go up to 350. Just remember that the higher the thread count is, the more durable and softer it will be. If you would want to buy a flannel sheet, always see that it has a preshrunk label. The flannel sheet has a tendency to shrink after washing, thus, sheets that are not preshrunk may not fit in your bed anymore. If you have a pillow top mattress, find deep bed sheets enough to fit and cover the added thickness of the mattress.

Article submitted by Home Linen. Home Linen is a UK based supplier of high quality home linens. Browse through their vast catalog to see all your linen needs from bedspread, curtains, kitchen towels, bath robes, animation beddings, blankets, mattress protectors, feather quilts, brass curtain poles and a lot more.

Super Warm DIY Foam-Lined Clothing

In extreme environments and perilous situations, quick-thinking and creativity may be what people most need to get by, not a pre-packaged solution. While traditional parkas, fleece, and down-filled jackets fit the bill for shoveling the driveway or walking the dog, some individuals revel in pushing their boundaries with adventures few others would attempt.

For these adventurers, cold-weather endurance is one of the greatest measuring sticks of outdoor know-how and ability. Days and nights spent in freezing temperatures are dangerous, no matter your experience level. This makes picking the right equipment incredibly important, and to survive in areas where mass-produced apparel isn’t going to doesn’t get the job done, some enthusiasts have turned to creating their own survival gear, with open-cell foam sheeting as their secret insulating ingredient.

By those who swear by DIY foam clothing, open-cell cushioning foam is said to retain heat better than even the costliest apparel. Foam minimalizes heat transfer through the clothing, so while the body stays warm, the outside of the material doesn’t melt ice and snow around the wearer. This is very important, especially when sleeping or resting, because the moisture of melted snow can quickly get an individual sopping wet. Water draws heat away from the body quickly, which makes moisture dangerous, in addition to being simply uncomfortable.

Layering foam under breathable outer fabrics creates a protective layer that individuals claim dries quickly from generated body moisture, while retaining heat. This concept may be applied to custom, foam-padded sleeping bags as well, with the right cushion creating the same effect of warming you, but not the surrounding areas.

Most importantly, you should never place yourself in a potentially dangerous situation without the knowledge and preparation to confidently handle it. Also know that accidents can happen to even the most prepared individuals. But for those with the right combination of skills, custom foam-filled gear can help them push their limits.

Enjoy the Sound Improvement of Decoupled Speakers

A top notch home theater or stereo system can produce sound quality so clear and crisp, you may feel like you’re in the studio with your favorite band or film. But managing a premium sound system is a precise and delicate science, with plenty of variables factored into the interpretation of audio, many of them invisible, such as room vibration, sound reflections, and even your listening position. One helpful step you can take to improve sound in your space, even in a modest multi-speaker setup, is decoupling subwoofers.

Decoupling breaks the hard bond between two things, and in the case of audio, that means separating the speaker from the room’s physical structure. This is often done with an acoustic treatment material that absorbs the vibrations of the subwoofer, keeping them from reaching the structure of the room. This vibration isolation is important for sound control, because vibrations rolling through a room can rattle doors, windows, and loose objects, creating extra noise and annoyances. Breaking the bond between the room and the vibration source, decoupling foam reduces the ability of vibrations to travel. Decoupling is also useful if you have neighbors complaining, because sometimes the issue isn’t the actual sound produced from a system, but the transition of vibrations through a structure.

Because these products need to be non-resonant and strong, decouplers often involve a two-item construction of non-resonant MDF board and firm open-cell foam. They can also be purchased pre-made, but are quite easy to make on your own as well, with only a few inches of foam thickness needed. Cutting up old foam packaging sheets and stacking them under MDF can give you performance that’s as good as a store-bought solution. Depending on the quality of the materials however, your DIY decouplers may lack the aesthetics or the stability of a professionally-made piece.

If you love the big sound of your audio setup, do yourself a favor and improve it further by decoupling your subwoofers, giving you better quality and less distraction.