Home Improvement Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Home Cleaning’

For most people condensation conjures up pictures of bathroom walls running with moisture, windows steamed up and water on the window sills. These more easily recognizable forms of condensation can be temporarily cleared up with a little time and effort devoted to moping up. But there are ways of helping to prevent condensation forming in the first place.

Condensation is caused when moisture in warm air comes into contact with a cold surface and turns to water. Kitchens and bathrooms are the obvious place to suffer, but condesation will often occur in patches on walls or ceilings in living areas too.

Windows
Single glass windows are undoubtedly one of the worst offenders in causing condensation. In damp winter conditions few homes escape the problem – and bedrooms in particular suffer from its effect. This is the result of lower night temperatures reacting with the warm air we breathe out or warm air
circulated by heating equipment.

The problem is made by worse by the introduction of new moist air into a room by cooking, using hand basins or running baths. Probably the worst effect of condensation is the damage it can do in a short time to window frames and paintwork. Even when frames are correctly painted 3mm in on the glass pane, the lower beading quickly breaks down and allows moisture to attack the timber or metal beneath.

One remedy is the installation of good quality double-glazing. Although condensation may not be completely eliminated, the build-up is reduced sufficiently to prevent moisture being a problem. Read the rest of this entry »

Whichever type and size of bed you choose, you will probably have to reconcile yourself to the fact that this piece of furniture will cost more than you expected. It is a major investment and one you might not have thought about in years, so the price is bound to come as a shock. Even so, bear in mind that even a top quality model will wear out in about ten years, so  make a mental note to examine it periodically to make sure it is still in good condition. You will get more wear out of your new bed if you take a good a care of it, so follow a few simple rules to keep it at its best.

• Never put a mattress directly on the floor. It needs proper ventilation so if you want the exotic effect of low bed, raise it slightly by placing it on a plinth drilled with large holes.
• Don’t leave the protective wrapping on a new mattress or divan base. When you sleep on it, the warmth from your body traps moisture inside the bag and leads to a damp bed, mildew and eventual rotting.
• When you get up in the morning, throw the bedclothes back so the bed can air for at least 20 minutes. This will get rid of some of the dampness that may have accumulated during the night.
• Don’t make a habit of sitting on the edge of the bed – pressure concentrated on the same small area weakens the edge of the mattress and the base.
• Turn the mattress over and swing it round the bed to reverse head and foot ends every week for the first month, then at three-month intervals to help the filling settle evenly. Try not to bend the mattress when you do this (and make sure when you move house the movers do not roll and tie it to cram it into the van).
• Check your hot water bottle frequently to make sure it has no leaks. If a young child or an incontinent adult is to use the bed, protect it with a rubber sheet.
• Don’t let children bounce up and down on any bed. It is dangerous for them and very bad for the mattress.
• Clean the bed every few months with a soft brush to remove dust and fluff. Don’t use vacuum cleaner unless your mattress is made of foam since this can disturb the filling of mattress.

Presented By : payday loan

A number of fungi cause wet rot, which normally remains in the original area of attack although dry rot can take the hold nearby. Wet rot is revealed in its early stages by discoloration around decayed wood.

The difficulty in spotting wet rot is that all the damage may be taking place under what appears a sound surface – a skin of paint, for example – and will not be discovered untill the skin finally collapses or is prodded with a sharp knife. Timber attacked by wet rot may also supporting dry rot. Even wood that has dried out sufficiently to kill wet rot could still be harbouring dry rot. So always suspect the presence of dry rot. Areas to associate strongly with wet rot are bathrooms, kitchen, the roof, cellars, fence posts, sheds and garages. Read the rest of this entry »