5 Ways to Decide if a Bathroom Remodel Makes Sense

Have you considered remodeling one of the bathrooms in your home? If so, then youre definitely not alone. In fact, over 60% of the homeowners who visit Remodel or Move have expressed interest in remodeling or adding a bathroom.

But just because you want a new or improved bathroom, doesnt always mean its the best idea. There are times when i5B4t makes sense to go ahead with your plans. And there are also times when you should consider other options. So how do you know when the time is right for you?

Three reasons to move ahead and not look back:

1. You have a 1 bathroom home in a 2+ bathroom neighborhood.

A 2nd and even a 3rd bathroom are among the most basic requirements people have when looking for a new home. If all of your neighbors have two or more bathrooms and you only have one, it would be a good investment to add another. If you use good sense in the design and placement of your bathroom, you will most likely recover your costs and even make some money when it comes time to sell.

2. Your bathrooms are an eyesore.

Living with a bathroom that has broken fixtures, stains and unreliable plumbing can be miserable. In this case, an appropriate remodel is a good investment of your time and money. This is even the case if youll only be staying in the home just a few months and then moving.

An appropriate remodel is one that results in a room that fits the scale and style of the entire home. It should not be too large or result in a completely different look and feel from the rest of the house. The materials should also be equal to what can be found in the rest of the housenot significantly cheaper, no more expensive.

3. You really like your home, but dont like your bathroom style, size, or features.

If it just makes DB1you feel better, your tastes can sometimes dictate remodeling or adding a bathroom even if it may not be the wisest financial investment. But only up to a point.

Make certain that you really do like much of your home, the location, floor plan, and yard. If you dont like several aspects of your home, it may be smarter to move then to fix several items to suit your needs. You should also accept that it may not necessarily be a great investment. Surprisingly, it is entirely possible to remodel a bathroom and not have your home appreciate in value at all. This is the case if you are changing the style of a perfectly good bathroom

Two reasons to carefully consider before plunging into a bathroom remodel or addition:

1. Your bathroom is in good condition, and you only plan to stay in the home for less than two years.

Bathroom remodels can take several weeks, they are generally intrusive, and unless you are going to live in the home for several years and enjoy the results it may not be worth living through the inconveniences.

2. You already have the largest and nicest home in the neighborhood.

If your home has three bathrooms and four bedrooms, more than other homes in your neighborhood, and youre considering adding a fourth bathroom, you should definitely think twice. You may be building a home that is desirablejust not in your neighborhood.

When you go to sell, will people who are interested in a 4 bedroom / 4 bathroom home want to live in your neighborhood or a neighborhood filled with similar homes? In this case, your addition may not add any money to the value of your home.

There are many things to consider when youre thinking about the addition or remodel of a bathroom. Some of them may not seem as obvious to you, but they can have a significant impact on the value of your home. To get a quick and easy estimate of the cost to remodel or add a bathroom visit www.remodelormove.com.

Dan Fritschen is the creator of www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner support organization that helps homeowners become better informed so that they can make the right decision on whether to remodel or move. He is also the author of the book Remodel or Move? Making the Right Decision, available from ABCD Publishing, LLC. He can be reached at dan@abcdpublishing.com.

Copyright 2005 ABCD Publishing LLC

Dan Fritschen is the creator of http://www.remodelormove.com, a homeowner support organization that helps homeowners become better informed so that they can make the right decision on whether to remodel or move. He is also the author of the book Remodel or Move? Making the Right Decision, available from ABCD Publishing, LLC. He can be reached at dan@abcdpublishing.com.

Stucco Between Concrete Stair

A Guide To Handyman

A handyman is a person who has a lot of skills that you may not even imagine. Most people cannot do all the jobs required for maintaining a house. We always look for some people who will do these little chores for us. For example, we look for a person to fix the shower or repair a broken cabinet. Little tasks like these will be on the list that we have on the door of the refrigerator. You may not have the time 2238to do such small work or you may not know how to fix them. In such circumstances, the handyman is the right person to just do that.

A handyman is competent and proficient enough to do those odd small jobs for you. Without him, you will find it difficult to maintain your house or your garden. Nowadays you hire a handyman through organized services that are available throughout the country. All you have to do is to contact a company offering such a service and request a handyman to do the task you want. When you approach a professional service you get a lot of benefits. The handyman who arrives at your home would be in proper uniform and arrives on time to do the task. Since they are company employees it is easy to track them and you get satisfactory service from them.

Some of the areas in which a handyman can work are maintenance of doors and fences, cleaning of gutters, maintenance of tubs and showers, and locks & deadlocks. Repairing the walls, decks, siding, grout and tiles can also be done. Odd jobs like pressure washing, weatherproofing, tile work, and some carpentry works can also be done through these professional handyman services. All you have to do is to call the company and tell the task that you want to be done. They would give you an estimate and you can request for the service. Payment can be made through cash, check or credit card after the work is completed.

Handyman provides detailed information on Handyman, Handyman Services, Starting A Handyman Business, Handyman Tips and more. Handyman is affiliated with Home Remodeling.

Sunroom Enclosures Styles

Sunroom enclosures are visually appealing due to their unmatched style and design. There are four different kinds of enclosures that you can choose from conservatory, curved, cathedral, and straight. Finding the right design for you and your home is very important. Then you are ready to choose your materials, color, and more.

Sunroom enclosures are not made all of the same. The different designs and styles give you an option to determine which one will look best with your homes design and style. Straight enclosures work best if you are enclosing your patio. They are normally constructed of aluminum on the inside and outside and they may have wooden beams that make up the ceiling. There are a wide range of different ways that a Straight sunroom enclosure c5B4an be built. Solid or glass roofs are one option that you will have, as well as aluminum or wooden framing. If you want your enclosure to mess with your house that has vinyl siding, then you can even have the enclosure vinyl sided if you so choose. The options and designs are endless.

Curved Eave sunroom enclosures feature a more symmetrical look that gives added visual appeal. One side of the enclosures wall curves up to form the ceiling and roof. Glass that has a special coating is used to help make the room more energy efficient.

A Cathedral enclosure has a vaulted or sloped roof with a beam that runs down the center. Many different materials are commonly used, including aluminum. The aluminum makes up the outside and inside walls with a roof that is insulated to help make the entire room more able to handle the different weather situations. There are big ranges of different windows to choose from for your sunroom, including windows that can be raised and lowered or fixed windows. It is entirely up to you. Doors are an important part of your room and you can choose to use French Doors or sliding doors, whichever you prefer.

Conservatory enclosures feature glass panels that make up the roof that come together at a bean in the center. This is the most light-filled of the sunroom choices. There are many different styles that you can find in this style, including the Georgia, Mediterranean, Pavilion, Vict4FDorian, and Edwardian. These are made to be energy efficient with the glass choices and the thermal panels. You will also be able to add details like finials, molding, and windows.

Choosing the design of your sunroom enclosure will take you some time and thought, but you will be amazed at the extra floor space and the added value that it can add to your home.

Adam Peters is the editor of different articles published at http://www.allsunrooms.com with reference to DIY . A website with tips on sunroom enclosures.

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Electric Space Heaters and Gas Space Heaters

- What's the Difference?

In today's modern homes, electric as well as gas space heaters are a must. This convenient device helps one to do a multifarious activities including heating. An electrical gadget for converting electrical energy into heat, the electric heater has a heating element inside that is mainly an electrical resistor. It operates on the laws of Joule heating theory. In spite of their following the identical physical rule to create heat, electric heaters vary in the process they carry the heat to the surrounding.

The Radiative heater's heating element achieves a high temperature. The heating element is generally boxed in a glass cover like a light bulb. There is a reflector to convey the heat away from the heater's body. The infrared radiation emitted by it goes through space or air till it gets a surface for absorption, where it is partially reflected and converted to heat.

The heat directly warms the objects and the people in the room directly. This kind of heater is good for areas like garages and basements where spot heating is needed.

They are silent by nature. At the same time these are the heaters that too a large extent is pollution free. They possess the biggest threat to fire because of the focused strength of their output and as they lack overheat protection.

The convection heater heats up the surrounding air through conduction. Since warm air is less thick than cool air, it goes up because of buoyancy, thus permitting more cool air to occupy its place. This process builds up a persistent flow of hot air that heats up the nearby area. They are good for heating up a closed space. They have silent operation and are less prone to making fire. These are safer and have less chances of causing burn injury.

A convection heater having an electric fan to speed up the airflow is called the Fan heater. Its way of operation allows heat to be transmitted relatively quickly. The fan makes some noise. They possess a modest risk of fire. They are ideal for fast heating of closed spaces but they must not be left switched on.

A space heater is used for maintaining a comfortable temperature for men, animals, or even trees. Space heating usually heats up a small area, and is mainly contrasted with central heating. It excludes water heating, in general. The term space heater is meant for smaller heaters, particularly the wall mounted and portables. They are most usually electric. They are devoid of the dreaded carbon monoxide poisoning. They are light on the pocket. They often incur high maintenance and running cost.

The newly introduced NewAir AH-210E s5AFpace heater comes with ionic air purification and oscillating heat along with sleek European styling. It has a high end LCD display and a state of the art remote control. This efficient heater conforms to regular electric outlets and uses 750 watts to 1500 watts of electricity.

What is a good point about all these heaters is that they in the long run, these gadgets are best used for heating as well as other activities like cooking. All of these gadgets are environment friendly and at the same time the gadgets are also best used by anyone and everyone who has a life where there is a minimal requirement for energy.

For a review on one of the top most effiecient electric space heaters or the latest available gift gadgets, please visit GiftGadgetGateway.com.

How Does A Power Inverter Work

?

People always ask us "exactly how does a power inverter work?" The answer to this question often surprises our customers. Car power inverters work much more simply than mysteriously, and the learning curve required to understand them requires no more than a very basic knowledge of electricity. Essentially, there are two forms of electrical power in the Universe: Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC). Direct current flows continuously from the positive electrical pole to the negative electrical pole. Alternating current flows back and forth between the two poles. DC current occurs in Nature and batteries, while AC current is man-made and supplies power through the public utility grid that supports human industry and infrastructure. Car batteries presented a problem in the past when people realized they needed to operate traditionally AC-powered devices in their cars but could not do so because of incompatible current requirements. Manufacturers like Vector stepped up to solve this dilemma by working to design car power inverters that would safely and efficiently convert DC to AC. Their successful engineering has resulted in a wide range of compact, rectangular devices that connect to batteries and output the resulting alternating current safely through one or more standard electrical plugs.

Two factors determine how a power inverter works: wave output and wattage output. Wave output describes the physical appearance of electrical signals as they move across an oscilloscope. Square waves appear exactly as their name specifies: like squares on a grid. Pure sine waves, also called true sine waves, appear as visible waves on the screen. Sine wave car power inverters work better than square wave power inverters when uninterrupted power flow is a critical issue. In fact, true sine output is sometimes slightly superior to that of public utility power grids! Because of this, they are also the most expensive devices of their kind on the market. Recent advances in technology have accommodated users on a budget with a hybrid design generally referred to as either a modified square or modified sine wave power inverter. The technical differences that determine how a true sine car power inverter works and how a modified sine power inverter works are too minor to produce any noticeable effects with standard electronics. Only the most high-end equipment requires true sine output, and the cost of these devices may justify the additional investment in pure sine technology to deliver maximum quality and reliable performance.

Another new development that allows car power inverters to work with even more reliability than ever before is the sophisticated Soft Start Technology, branded "SST" by manufacturers such as Vector. SST is the next step in the evolution of how power inverters work. The very first power inverters for cars would only work intermittently during cold engine starts. Because they could not pull enough power from the battery, they would shut down from current underload and require a manual restart. SST resolves this issue by gradually increasing voltage ramp up during engine startup. If the output dips for any reason, SST makes instant adjustments to compensate and will prevent most shutdowns. If in the rare event a shutdown does occur, the newer car power inverters work automatically to restart themselves without distracting the driver from the road.

Red Hill Supply delivers only the best and most reliable power inverters that will work in virtually any situation requiring DC-AC conversion. Learn more about how power inverters work in our Resources section, and browse our online catalogue to obtain the most high end.

Jason has been in the construction equipment and industrial sales business for over 10 years. He owns and operates Red Hill Supply to better serve the automotive and industrial industries. - Automotive Tools

The Dangers of Modern Convenience

EMF's -

We are immersed in a world of technology, unable to escape from the moment our electronic alarm clocks awake us in the morning until the moment we snuggle under our ele5B4ctric blankets at the end of the day. We have been raised with the luxuries of modern appliances to simplify our lives. Few and far between are the days of manual labor, as there is a machine to do just about everything for us. We live in amazing times, so different from just one hundred years ago. Life is better, right?

Yes in many ways there’s no disputing that life is, at the very least, easier. Yet unfortunately, today we are faced with illnesses that were rare if not completely unheard of just a short century ago. While our technology continues to advance us to new heights, very little attention has been paid to the toll that such feats are exacting on our health. And it was not until very recently that a focus has been placed on the dangers associated with the very “conveniences” that were intended to improve the quality of our lives.

In the 1970’s researchers established a link between childhood leukemia and electrical power lines, creating an uproar in rural communities across America. It was found that power lines, like all electrical devices, emit electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that had the ability to cause cancer in children. Since this discovery, more researchers have devoted their attention to determining the full extent to which EMFs impact our health. While the research is relatively new, the findings thus far are frightening.

All power operated appliances and machinery, both alternating5B4 current (AC) and direct current (DC), emit electromagnetic waves. As the electromagnetic waves radiate away from their origin, they decrease in strength rapidly, dropping off almost completely at about 4 feet. Such electromagnetic fields are measured in terms of Gauss (G) or milligauss (mG), 1/1,000 of a Gauss. The electrical wiring in your home, when operating properly, emits between 0.5 and 0.9mG. The EPA's recommended safety standard is 1mG.

EMFs have been linked to a host of health concerns, including miscarriage, birth defects, breast cancer (in both men and women), adult and childhood leukemia, depression, suicide, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and ALS.

Researchers believe that, rather than causing direct harm, EMFs create subtle changes within the body that lead to serious diseases. Extensive research has been conducted examining the effects of EMFs on a hormone in the body called melatonin. Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland in the center of the brain and controls the sleeping and waking cycles, enhances the immune system, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure and is a potent antioxidant that plays a part in preventing cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and heart disease.

Studies indicate that EMF exposure can shut down melatonin secretion in the body. Researchers at the University of North Carolina believe that the decreased leve5B4ls of melatonin stemming from EMF exposure may cause depression and suicide. When they compared levels of EMF exposure and rate of suicide among more than 5,000 electrical workers and an equal number of non-electrical workers, they found that the suicide rate of the electrical workers was twice that of the control group.

Robert P. Liburdy of Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory found that exposure to 12mG EMFs can suppress the ability of both melatonin and the hormone-emulating drug tamoxifen to shut down the growth of cancer cells. Tamoxifen is a synthetic estrogen that prevents cancer cell growth by blocking the cell’s estrogen receptors. In the breast, this can starve most cancer cells of the estrogen that normally spurs their growth. An exposure to EMFs interferes with the drugs ability to bind to the estrogen receptor, thus opening the door for the cancer cells to proliferate.

Further research indicates that EMFs actually have the ability to alter the hormones estrogen as well as testosterone. Charles Graham, an experimental physiologist at the Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City, MO, found that women exposed to 200mG EMFs overnight had significantly elevated levels of estrogen. Elevated levels of estrogen over many years have been shown to increase a woman’s risk to breast cancer. In the same study, Graham exposed men to 200mG intermittently over a 3-night period (on for 15 seconds, off for 15 seconds)5B4 and found that it reduced their levels of testosterone, a hormone drop that has been linked to testicular and prostate cancer.

A study released in January 2004 in the Environmental Health Science Perspectives journal, indicates that exposure to EMFs from everyday household appliances has the ability to alter brain cell DNA. Additionally, EMF exposure increases the number of free radicals in the body, which wreak havoc on the damaged DNA cells. Researchers, Henry Lai and Narenda P. Singh, found that rats exposed to 60Hz fields, standard for AC (alternating current) power in the US, for 24 hours had significant DNA damage. Those exposed for 48 hours had even greater damage. Both groups experienced “cell suicide” in which a cell self-destructs because it cannot repair itself. Most interestingly, their research suggests that even brief exposure can pose a problem, as it appears damage builds up over time.

In 2001, Dr. DeKun Li who led the study team at Kaiser Permanente’s research division, conducted a study on EMFs and their link to miscarriage by analyzing a group of pregnant women in their normal everyday environments. Arming each woman with a tool to measure their EMF exposure at different points throughout the day, he tracked their pregnancies, focusing on the number that resulted in miscarriage. His findings revealed that women who were exposed to 16mG or more had 80% more miscarriages than those exposed to l5B4ess than 16mG. Of the 159 women who had miscarriages, 132 had exposures of 16mG or higher, and of these, 95 said that they had taken measurements on a typical day. Additionally, his research found that for the pregnancies lost during the first 10 weeks of gestation, the risk was close to 6 times that of less exposed women. For women who were judged to be more susceptible to environmental assaults- those who already had 2 or more miscarriages or who had fertility problems- the miscarriage risk was 3 times higher when exposed to 16mG or more.

So what can you do to protect yourself from EMF exposure? The first step is to understand that your house and office are filled with EMF emitting machinery. Ordinary household appliances tend to generate larger cumulative EMF exposures than power lines. The reason is proximity. As magnetic waves radiate from their source, they become weakened. However, within a home or office the appliances and electrical equipment create a combined field that often times exceeds the 1mG standard, creating the potential for serious health consequences.

You might be surprised to know that some of the most common appliances that you use emit EMFs hundred of times higher than the EPA standard. While EMFs from appliances drop off at about 4ft, most people stand or sit closer than this distance. At 12” away, microwave ovens emit 40-80mG, washing machines emit 2-30mG, electric ranges emit 4-40mG, fl5ADuorescent lamps emit 5-20mG and televisions emit .4-20mG. Ironically, the hairdryer, which is generally held closely to the head, emits between 60 and 20,000mG at 1.2” away. Electric clocks, usually located on a bedside table, can emit as much as 10mG up to 3 feet away. So for the 8 hours of sleep that you are getting each night, you are being continually assaulted by 10 times the EPA’s recommended standard.

It is impossible to live your life without exposure to some EMFs. The EPA recommends “prudent avoidance”, which essentially means, put distance between yourself and the EMF sources. The electric alarm clock next to your bed is most likely sitting right next to your head. Move it to the other side of the room. Electrical blankets lie directly on top of your body and their EMF fields can penetrate the body up to 7 inches. Just get rid of them all together. Don’t sit too closely to the television set or stand in front of the microwave while your food is cooking. Hold your blow dryer as far away from your head as possible, or scrap it all together. And most importantly, stay on top of the research on EMFs, as knowledge is power. If you are not able to get answers from your local government about EMF fields around your home, demand answers. The more that you know about the dangers, the better you can protect yourself and your family.

For more information about Dr. Connealy or products please visit her website at http://www.perfectlyhealthy.net/.

LEIGH ERIN CONNEALY, M.D., M.P.H. received a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Texas and her M.D. from the University of Chicago. She did her postgraduate training in family practice at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Connealy began practicing medicine in 1986. More and more of her patients started asking about alternative treatments and this prompted her to learn everything she could about nontoxic protocols. In 1992, she founded the South Coast Medical Center for New Medicine in Tustin, California, where she serves as Medical Director. Her practice is firmly based in the belief that strictly treating health problems with medications does not find the root cause of the illness. Her goal is to empower and educate individuals and their families through her treatment plans, lectures, newsletters and articles.