Portable Heater Buying Guide

Posted on June 19, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

If you’re looking for a efficient, safe, and versatile way to heat a room or outdoor space, portable heaters are a fantastic choice. However, it can be a bit difficult to figure out which heater is right for you when there are hundreds of available options.

By taking a quick look at the benefits of the various heater styles on the market, we can help to narrow the field a bit.

Simply by asking yourself four questions, we can help you determine which heater is the best fit for your room, patio, or workspace:

  1. What fuel source is the best fit for your space?
  2. What is the size of the area you’re heating (in square feet)?
  3. Radiant or convection heat?
  4. Do you need any special features or safety options?

Picking the Right Fuel Source

Our first decision will narrow the field drastically — Will you be purchasing an electric heater or gas-fueled heater (such as propane, natural gas, or kerosene)? Electric heaters are usually the best choice for heating a smaller indoor room. Electric heaters will obviously require an electric outlet, which limits some of their outdoor applications. However, you won’t need to worry about dangerous carbon monoxide exhausts with electric heaters.

On the other hand, if you are heating a larger, ventilated room or outdoor area, gas-fueled heaters may be the best option. They typically give off more heat than electric heaters, and are usually much more efficient.

Square Footage Concerns

When heating bedrooms, bathrooms, and other smaller indoor spaces, electric heaters are typically the best choice. However, larger rooms will often require the power of gas-fueled heaters. Need to know what size of heater to buy? Simply multiply the size of the room in square feet by 5. The answer you get is the BTU rating you should look for when purchasing a heater.

Convection or Radiant Heat?

Usually you’ll find heaters in two different heat styles: convection and radiant. Radiant heat is the more direct heating method. Instead of heating the air surround the unit, radiant heat warms objects with direct waves of energy. Conversely, convection heaters use heating coils and powered fans to warm and circulate the air in the room.

Radiant heaters provide heat more quickly because you aren’t waiting for the entire room to warm, but they can be blocked by objects in the room. If heating a room with an unusual layout or lots of furniture, you’ll likely want to buy a convection heater. Since convection warms air, you’ll want to use radiant heaters for outdoor spaces.

Safety Features

As you may expect, safety is a top concern when purchasing portable heaters. Be certain to purchase a heater that features an auto shut-off mechanism when tipped over. Some gas heaters feature carbon monoxide detectors that will shut off the heater if the exhaust gas reaches a dangerous level.

Be sure you read and follow safety instructions included with your heater, regardless of the style of heater you purchase. Also, you may want to check your home-owner’s policy or renter’s insurance. It’s best to do a bit of research, as some policies provide exemptions for portable heaters.

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Kids Closet Organizers – Are They Really Needed?

Posted on June 18, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

In quite many occasions, we, as parents, find ourselves being the ones looking for our kids missing items. Well, at least that is what our kids use to refer to those items which they could not find in their room. More often than not, we would find those items not really missing. They usually end up just being misplaced by the kids in some remote corner or any other place in the house. Ah, kids. Well, being the most loving and understanding parents that we are, we just tend to let it not bother us. But in all honesty, looking for those kids stuff can be quite annoying at times. For all we know, kids are just forgetful when it comes to looking for their stuff. They usually end up not remembering where they have placed their favorite toy or doll. Fortunately, there is a useful tool that can help un-clutter all those kids mess – kids closet organizers.

A kids closet organizer is just a system of individual closet components such as shelves, drawers, shoe racks, and hanging bars. This system is designed in such a manner that the individual components complement each other very efficiently. As a result, the closet space is being optimized to a high degree that using such organizer system can result into more closet storage space than you have expected. Further, all the kids stuff ranging from clothes to toys and books can be stored in the closet in a highly organized and tidy manner.

However though, to achieve maximum benefit from a kids closet organizer, the parent should teach the kids the fundamentals of organizing their things. Explain to them the benefits of having their stuff organized and follow them through until they are already self-sufficient with the task.

Going back to the question, “Are kids closet organizers really needed?” In a plain perspective, the answer would depend upon the underlying situation at the house. If you are a working parent, then you wouldn’t have that much luxury of time to look for a missing or misplaced kid stuff when you are hurrying off to work or an appointment. In that situation, a kids closet organizer would help ease much of the burden. On the other hand, if you can live with the all the kids mess and clutter that looking for a misplaced item yourself does not bother you in any way at any time of the day, then you wouldn’t need a kids closet organizer. However though, you might want to ask yourself, “I am missing something here?” If you ask me, I would get one and teach my kids some closet organization ideas and principles that would certainly benefit them as they grow up into adults, and those kids closet organizers will help you with it.

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How to Make Your Backyard Zip Line Safe

Posted on June 17, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Zip lines are incredibly fun, but can also be quite dangerous.  When you learn how to build a zip line, be sure to also learn how to incorporate safety devices into your design as well.  This will ensure the safety of all riders, and the longevity of the enjoyment you and your family will get out of your new toy.

First, consider the landing area.  This is there are where your riders will come to a stop, and dismount the zip line.  First, deciding how the rider will stop at the end is important.  If the line is short and/or now very steep, then the rider will not build up much speed.  If this is the case, the rider may simply be able to stop themselves with their feet when they get close enough to the ground.  Another easy way to stop at the end of a zip line is to use the natural sagging that occurs.  This might require you to adjust the slack using the turnbuckles on either end.  The rider will naturally come to a stop at the bottom of the sag, and can dismount there.  This method is best for long and fast zip lines where it’s not feasible for a rider to stop themselves.  Your stopping and landing area should consist of loose dirt, sand, or wood chips to make sure the rider can safely come to a stop and dismount.

An additional precaution you can take to ensure the safety of your riders is to nail old tired around the tree at the stopping end of your zip line.  This is just in case, for whatever reason, the rider goes too far, and will prevent them from hitting the tree directly.  Another way to prevent this is to incorporate a large spring system at the end up the line.  This should be far enough away from the tree that it doesn’t merely act as a pendulum point, allowing the rider to swing into the tree anyway.

If you are concerned about whether or not your riders will be able to hold onto the zip line for the duration of the ride, you can incorporate a safety line and harness into your system.  Some zip lines will utilize such a system exclusively, rather than having the rider hang on at all.  You will mostly find this in long-distance professional zip lines, but again, if you are concerned for your riders, it’s another precautionary measure you could take.

You will find many how to guides on the internet on how to build a zip line, but few fully cover the measure you should take to make it more safe.  It’s terrible when someone gets injured on your zip line, and taking some of the measures above will allow everyone to have a safe and fun time using the device.

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Cutting Your Hedge Safely With a Petrol Hedge Trimmer

Posted on June 16, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Power tools are great for making jobs quicker and easier around the garden.  Here are a few basic tips to ensure that when cutting a hedge with a petrol hedge trimmer, the job gets done quickly and safely.

  1. Ensure that children and pets are indoors and not playing in the area where you are going to be cutting the hedge.
  2. Before starting to use your hedge trimmer, check for any thick branches that might snag the blades and remove these with lopping shears or a chain saw if necessary.
  3. You should always cut both sides of the hedge before cutting the top.
  4. If you always place a tarpaulin or ground sheet in the area where you are going to be working, it will save you ages in clearing up, particularly if the hedge is thorny, or prickly.  All the cuttings can be quickly dealt with by gathering up the four corners of the ground sheet and they can then be composted or turned into mulch by putting them through the garden shredder.
  5. To cut the sides of the hedge, always start from the bottom and always swing the blades upwards in an arc.  The reason for this is so that the clippings always fall to the ground under the blade and this avoids the annoyance of having to stop work, switch off the machine and remove twigs that have fouled the blades.
  6. Before moving to the next section of hedge that needs to be cut, lower the blades so that they are pointing down, move along to where you need to start the next cut and then repeat the upward arc described in point 5, above.
  7. When cutting a long hedge, avoid the ‘battle of the bulge’, by taking a step back and look down the line you have cut to see if you are going straight.  Regular checks will save hassle in the long run!
  8. To ensure your safety when cutting the top of a hedge, particularly if you are up a ladder or on a platform, always cut away from your body.  Sweep the blades in an arc towards the opposite side of the hedge.  This will ensure that all your cuttings fall onto the tarpaulin you will already have positioned on the ground the other side!
  9. If you need a guide-line to keep the top of the hedge straight, try pulling a string taut between two poles on the opposite side of the hedge.  You should ensure it is a few inches away from the edge of the hedge to avoid snagging the line with your blades and you can check the level of the string with a spirit level before you start if uneven ground makes it difficult to judge.
  10. Finally, when you finish your job or you need to move to another part of the garden to continue, always turn your petrol hedge trimmer off and fit the guard or scabbard.  Always carry the machine by the handle, being sure to avoid touching any of the hot and ensure that the blades pointing behind you and downwards when you carry your hedge trimmer.
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Colorful and Classy Karlsson Clocks

Posted on June 16, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Karlsson Clocks are a brand that just keep you coming back for more.  Just when you think you’ve seen every clock there is to be seen, they will come out with a new one that if you are a collector, you will simply have to have.  Not just another clock, they encompass all ranges of clocks available, for instance, the wall clock, the desk clock, the bedroom clock, the kitchen clock, the alarm clock, the retro clock, the modern clock, the novelty clock.  Clocks from Karlsson are never boring and they are always very beautiful or attractive to look at.  Many clocks are functional but look cold or bland.  Not the Karlsson clock.  Karlsson has managed to make even the simplest wall clock look not only elegant but really kind on the eye.  Not to mention that they often release innovative clocks that actually revolutionise the world of timekeeping.

For instance, some of the reasons that Karlsson makes such great clocks is that they include colour.  How many clocks have you seen that tastefully included colour?  And we say tastefully here because of course you can get a Disney clock or a football colours clock, no doubt, but to find an elegantly coloured clock that would fit in with the streamlined modern home is not so easy.  Or… it wouldn’t be, but thankfully Karlsson clocks are here to the rescue.

One of the special things about Karlsson clocks is that they don’t always have numbers and yet they are some how easy to tell the time with.  The placement of the colours or shades or patterns seems to add not only movement and life to the “still” clock face, it also lends the purpose of dividing the clock face into easily recognisable parts that make it easy to say that yes, it’s 12:40, or 6:25, or whatever time it is right now.

Karlsson clocks such as the recently released “Digibell” break the stereotypes about clocks (the Digibell is a standard old-fashioned alarm clock shape with working mechanical bells on top, yet with a digital clock face that shows the time in a red LED display), thus bridging the boundary between old and new and making a philosophical statement as well as being an alarm clock to wake you up!

So Karlsson clocks are both practical and beautiful.  They are really rewarding items to own, because, not only will it meet the eye as an attractive wall piece, it will also function as a part of your daily routine and schedule.

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3 Things to Look Out for When Buying a 2 Seater Sofa

Posted on June 16, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Are you planning to purchase a 2 seater sofa but do not know how to go about the selection process? If that is the case, then make sure to take time to read through the contents of this article. Vital considerations on how to select a sofa with 2-seaters will be thoroughly discussed below.

On that note, here are three factors that you should look out for when buying 2-seater sofas.

Quality and Comfort

This is perhaps the most important parameters that you should take into consideration. Remember that looks is not the only criterion that you should use in selecting a sofa. Oftentimes, people tend to neglect comfort and quality over stylish looks. No matter how beautiful the sofa looks but if it is not comfortable to sit on, then that is not a worthy investment. Remember that the main purpose for buying a sofa is to have a comfortable seating at home and not just a beautiful decorative piece of furniture.

Sofa’s arms and legs

Whether you are looking for a 2-seater leather sofa or 2-seater fabric sofa, you have to determine what arm type would you like your sofa to have. Sofas come with different types, styles, and designs of arms. Bear in mind that the shape of the sofa’s arms can either make or break its overall look. You can go for a sofa with a curved arm, a rolled arm, or a sofa with no arms at all. Like with the arms, the same thing goes with the sofa’s legs. Their legs can be constructed from varying materials. Some sofa features bare legs, while others hid them under a material skirting.

Cushions, fabric, and color

Two-seater sofas make use of varying cushions, fabrics, and colors. There are two-seater sofas that use a single or double cushion. And there are also those that are equipped with either a loose or attached cushion. In terms of the type of fabric used, most two-seater sofa models are made from leather. Some are made from high-grade leather, while others are made from faux leather. If you are looking for a cheap sofa lounge chair, then you should opt for those constructed from faux leather. They are not actually leather but they look like one. As for the color, these sofas are available in an assortment of colors. You should choose one which will utterly match the existing room theme and decor.

Be sure to take note of the information provided in this article to allow you to end up with the most suitable type of 2 seater sofa that will perfectly match your specifications.

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The Benefits of Self Contained Shower Stalls

Posted on June 16, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

There are many reasons why people choose self contained showers.  Although they are definitely far outnumbered by the more traditional bathtubs and shower combinations, shower stalls work great as well.  The reasons why people choose to install these shower stalls differs, and there are a few different kinds to choose from.  Let’s take a closer look at some of them and reveal their benefits.

The most common reason why people install self contained shower stalls is because they look great.  While it is true that you won’t be able to soak in the tub, the reality is that many people don’t really use a bathtub much at all.  If you know that you are going to be taking a shower most of the time, why not get a dedicated shower in the first place and just do away with the bathtub altogether.

Having said that, some people have both shower stalls and tubs in their bathrooms.  There are few things in life more luxurious than having a bathroom spacious enough to include a large jacuzzi as well as a separate self contained shower stall.  The reason to use both of them is because everyone knows that it is a bit tough to wash your hair in the bathtub.  A shower is a lot easier for this task, so once you are finished soaking in the bath, you can jump out and head into the shower for a quick and refreshing rinse.

As far as styles go, the most popular shower stalls are made completely out of glass.  You have the choice of getting the glass either completely transparent or having it frosted.  The choice is purely personal.  Some people love the feeling of being able to see the rest of the bathroom.  Others choose frosted glass because it offers them a bit more privacy in the event that someone were to accidentally open the bathroom door while they were in the shower.

A popular thing to do in recent years is to decorate the bathroom like a garden.  Some homes have beautiful bathrooms that have a window that looks out on a peaceful garden outside.  Of course, a wall should be erected around the garden to ensure privacy.  In bathrooms like these, it makes a lot of sense to use a self contained shower, since it lets you feel the beauty of the room more.

One final thing to note about these showers is that you have a choice of a sliding door or one that swings on hinges.  Sliding doors obviously take up a lot more room, so if space is a factor you will probably want to go with a hinged door.  No matter which style you choose, you are sure to have a bathroom that will be admired by any guest that sees it.

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3 Helpful Packing Tips When Moving Into A New Home

Posted on June 16, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

Moving into a new home can definitely be a trying experience. There are tons of small things that one must make sure to do properly before they can even partake in the move. This can mean the scheduling of the move itself, renting trucks to transport your objects, and even packing up your materials. The fact is, packing materials is likely one of the most important aspects of moving into a new home, because without your items being packed snugly and tightly, the risk of them breaking during the move is greatly increased.

Below I will list 3 very helpful packing tips to greatly increase the chances of a smooth move, so to speak.

1) Get the proper sized boxed to hold certain items. The right sized boxes are very important for packing up your belongings. Specifically, you will want smaller boxes for books because a large box full of books will be way too heavy to move. Conversely, a bigger box can hold lots of light items such as pillows and bedding fabric, although it is recommended that you mix and match the items into the larger boxes. For instance, if you have small, fragile items, you can wrap them in bed sheets and place them in boxes with pillows, effectively making the most use of your items and boxes. There are specially sized and reinforced boxes for dishes as well.

2) Make sure you wrap your glass and other fragile items very snugly before placing them into your box. You will need to purchase special packing paper for this, although it is not very expensive. It’s very much worth it to go the extra mile and pad up your glass very well.

3) Place your padded up glass and plates standing up inside the box, with both the bottom and top being completely padded as an extra bonus to the already padded up dishes. Crumpling up 5-6 large pieces of packing paper and lining the bottom of the box is recommended. Once you have the entire bottom layer covered with glasses, place more paper on top, much like you did with the bottom, to ensure a very soft platform for the next layer of glasses. Placing something soft like a pillow on top of the box is also recommended.

If you’d like to absolve yourself of any responsibilities for a move, and get it done right, hiring Seattle moving companies is definitely a smart move. If you’re in the WA area and would like to hire a company, do yourself a favor and look into renting a Seattle moving truck as well.

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Metal Sheds FAQ

Posted on June 15, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

With all of the information out on the internet and in stores, sometimes it is easy to become overwhelmed with advertisements and suppliers with little general information. So here we are taking a minute to answer some frequently asked questions about metal sheds.

Question: Are all sheds made from metal?

Answer: No, not all sheds are made from metal. Other building material used for sheds include wood, pvc, and vinyl. Metal sheds can also be a combination of wood superstructure and metal siding and roofing.

Question: Are sheds complete units or do they require assembly?

Answer: There are three different ways sheds can be built. If purchasing one from a local supplier, the completely built sheds are fairly common. Built on skids they can be winched onto a flat bed truck or trailer and then delivered to the buyer’s home. The second type of shed is a kit. Kits come fully precut and only require assembly. The third type of shed is purchasing only the superstructure and then buying the metal siding and roofing separately.

Question: Which is the most durable type of shed?

Answer: A metal shed that is entirely metal have the longest life. Metal sheds with wood superstructure and metal shell are also long lasting, if the superstructure is made from pressure treated lumber. One vulnerable place is where the supports are exposed to the ground. Treated lumber helps alleviate the danger of rot.

Question: Are PVC or vinyl sheds long lasting?

Answer: Yes, these sheds are durable. They are usually smaller than wood or metal sheds with more limited color choices. PVC sheds are more designed for smaller spaces such as even a small patio or porch. Tall upright units are good for storing tools and things with long handles, even fishing poles.

Question: Which sheds need the most maintenance?

Answer: The metal sheds and the PVC/vinyl sheds require the least maintenance. Wooden sided sheds require the most attention. Wood, when left exposed to the weather becomes gray and rots, so keeping the siding painted or stained on a regular basis is necessary.

Metal sheds of all types are great for protecting assets and sustaining the life of things such as lawnmowers and other tools. Also, metal sheds are very good for providing an outdoor storage place. So taking the time to select either a full built one or a kit can help to remove things to be stored from your garage and move them to the shed. Building shelves and installing hooks in a shed can also help to provide organization to everything from toys to tools, fishing poles to Christmas items.

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Custom Homes FAQ

Posted on June 15, 2010 by The Home and Garden Guru

When deciding to build a custom home here are some very important consideration before you actually build this home. As builders, we are constantly confronted with they “why” of out suggestions. So here are some of our most frequently asked question—FAQ—and their answers.

Question: What is the most important thing to consider first when building a home?
Answer: Many times people are so concerned with their floor plan and type of home that they leave out the most important consideration: location. Location actually dictates to some extent what kind of home will be build and also the floor plan. Geographic area, tropical or wintery, culture and area, and call help lend to what type home you choose. For an area with warm weather a light colored ranch home may be the norm. For mountain areas a log home may be the choice. So instead of looking at the floor plan, first consider where the home will be located.

Question: Once a general area is chosen, what is the next step?

Answer: After a choice is made for location, then an eye must be paid to the setting of the lot. Wooded lots, property located next to water, and hill side building sites all have plusses and minuses. If you want a home located in the woods be sure to realize that many trees will have to be removed to build the home. So don’t rule out lots that have a clear space on them. This clearing may say lots in tree removal and stump removal.

Property located next to water may require a crawl space basement due to the water table. And land on a hill side may be great for a walk out basement. The bottom line is to evaluate your area and then make home selections compliment the home location.

Question: What if we can’t afford to add the garage right away?

Answer: That is ok. There are many homes that are built in stages. One great idea is to have the garage planned for in the blue print stage. Then finish it at a later date. One good way to do it is to have a detached garage planned for very close to the home. Then when the garage is built a breezeway can be added between the home and garage. Locating the laundry room on the side by the garage can enable the breezeway to open directly into the laundry room. This reduces the amount of dirt that is tracked around the home.

Question: Does age of homeowners have an impact on the type home they build?

Answer: Yes, very much so. A careful eye should be paid to how long you plan to reside in the home. Also the age of the children and what stage of life you are in should all be seriously considered before a home is built.

Custom homes begin with location, progress to floor plans, and end with completion with the thread of family needs strung throughout. So consider, dream, and don’t hesitate to find a good custom home builder to help you along the way.

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