Category: Garden Maintenance Dublin

Word Count:
586

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Tips to buy materials for your ceramic tile installation project. Before you start shopping for ceramic tiles and other bathroom accessories for your ceramic tile installation, here are some tile project shopping tips for you. Read them carefully and save yourself some cash and trouble.

ceramic tile installation

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Before you start shopping for ceramic tiles and other bathroom accessories for your ceramic tile installation, here are some tile shopping tips for you. If you read them carefully they could save you some cash and trouble.

A budget is usually a consideration when installing ceramic tiles yourself.

A reason that many people become DoItYourselfer’s is to reduce the cost of ceramic tile installation.

Make a list with all the Tiles and accessories you require for your bathroom tile installation. Put them in a table of items with the various places where they are available, the quality of material and the price you have to pay for it. This way you have all the information together and can easily compare before you decide where you’re going to buy your ceramic tiles and accessories.

You’ll probably need to consider such things as; ceramic tiles, ceramic soap holders, ceramic toilet paper roll holders, ceramic bathrobe hooks, ceramic towel hangers, ceramic shelves etc. You don’t need all the accessories to be ceramic but they look nice when combined tastefully.

You should decide the overall color scheme: There are a huge variety of colored ceramic tiles and accessories on the market as well as different themes to combine with the colors

The Internet has given a new meaning to window-shopping for a ceramic tile installation. You can see the hundred of ceramic tiles, compare the prices and find the ones that suit your ceramic tile installation best. However, you should only use it as an information tool. You need to see your ceramic tiles with your own eyes before deciding which ones you want in your bathroom.

When you visit a dealer, you want to be able to get the feel of tiles and other accessories. It’s worthwhile viewing the ceramic tiles and accessories in natural light and artificial light such as tube lighting. Some tiles and accessories may look different in natural light than when under artificial light.

If you don’t have any idea what the bathroom tile installation will look like when completed, you should go through the manufacturer’s catalogue for some ideas and help.

When choosing the product, take your time shopping around to compare the alternatives available. Very often you’ll see something you like but soon find something better so don’t worry about changing your mind, just remember it’ll be worth the effort when you see your new bathroom tile installation finished just to your taste.

If you are still not satisfied then some manufacturers may be able to make a special design customised for you. However that can be rather expensive.

The bathroom size and the size of the tiles should be carefully considered as they are closely linked. The size of ceramic tile and the design of the tile make a big impact on the finish to the bathroom ceramic tile installation. Did you realise that in small bathrooms big tiles and large designs make your bathroom look even smaller so smaller tiles are more suitable?

One consideration for floor tiling may be slip resistance or polished finishes.

A certain percentage of extra tiles are always required beyond your ceramic tile installation requirements. This is due to breakages, wastages, and damage in other ways. You should order a minimum of an extra 1 % of plain tiles and 2 or 3 extra pieces for future replacement. This is important as tile manufacturing is a batch process and there are minor variations from batch to batch so it’ll be impossible to get matching tiles from the same manufacturer later.

Word Count:
424

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Early lanterns were not decorative at all, but rather utilitarian only. They were primarily square shaped and their designs very plain. The only reason for their existence was to shield the flame of the candle from extinguishing due to wind or breeze. Most early lanterns were rudimentarily designed, and made from sheet iron or tinplate. These were cheap metals and it was rare to find any lanterns made from anything more costly. During the American Revolution, fore example, th…

lanterns

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Early lanterns were not decorative at all, but rather utilitarian only. They were primarily square shaped and their designs very plain. The only reason for their existence was to shield the flame of the candle from extinguishing due to wind or breeze. Most early lanterns were rudimentarily designed, and made from sheet iron or tinplate. These were cheap metals and it was rare to find any lanterns made from anything more costly. During the American Revolution, fore example, the more expensive pewter and brass needed to be kept for the forging of guns and molded into ammunition. To use these high-end metals for lanterns was considered a waste.

Early colonists simply retired to bed when the sun went down or lighted a fire for visibility as well as warmth. The first lantern was actually referred to as a lanthorne. Unlike those early years, today’s lanterns are not only used for added visibility but for d cor as well.

Lanterns hanging in doorways were the only lighting on city streets in the United States a couple of centuries ago. Few towns had any other sort of lighting on its streets. Boston started public lighting during the first years of the eighteenth century. These weren’t lanterns initially but iron baskets or cressets that would hang from poles. Fuel came from pine knots. These were found only at busy cross roads and night watch men tended these, keeping them lit. Shortly after towns and cities began to pass legislation that required every sixth home to post a lantern or torch outside for street and sidewalk illumination.

Post lanterns became a prominent part of 1770’s Boston. These were generally lit with whale oil. Benjamin Franklin was responsible for the initiation of public lighting in Philadelphia. This took place with the 1751 lantern introduction. The resourceful Franklin realized that two tubes of wick that burned next to each other produced more light than two separate lanterns. He also studied the effect of camphene as a lantern fuel. This turpentine and alcohol combination, though it gave off a considerably brighter light, was very flammable and dangerous.

Gas lanterns came about around 1800, although Europe and most specifically London made the switch to gas lanterns before the United States did so. Paris was lit by gas lanterns as of 1818.

Gas lantern lights were greatly enhanced several times thanks to important discoveries such as the invention of fan shaped gas lantern tubes, a gas an air mixture before lighting the lantern, and a metallic oxide mantle made of cloth to surround the lantern flame.

Word Count:
479

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Shaw laminate flooring offers you a lot of options for your laminate flooring

shaw laminate flooring, shaw hardwood floors, shaw hardwood flooring

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Shaw laminate flooring offers a lot more options when it comes to choosing laminate flooring than other manufacturers. The revolutionary product that Shaw has brought to the market allows you to install new flooring with the look of hardwood in record time. This is the ultimate in glueless laminate flooring so that you don t have any mess to clean up nor do you have to wait before you can walk on the floor. You can install Shaw laminate flooring and walk on it right away.

Shaw laminate flooring and Shaw hardwood flooring are manufactured to last into today s busy households. With the wide ranges of colors available, guests to your home will find it difficult to determine whether you have hardwood floors or whether it is engineered hardwood in the form of laminate flooring. Shaw hardwood floors are available in prefinished and unfinished boards and you can get a large variety of different kinds of wood.

With Shaw laminate flooring, you can have the look of hardwood without the expense. Visit the Shaw website to get tips about choosing your laminate flooring and how to care for hardwood flooring. You can browse the showroom from the comfort of your home as you look at the different flooring samples. This feature helps you make up your mind about whether you want to choose Shaw hardwood floors or choose from the many colors of laminate flooring that Shaw has available. Learn about the changes that have occurred in laminate flooring so that you are no longer able to claim that it is fake with just one look.

When you are considering Shaw hardwood flooring, knowing what to ask for when you visit the showroom will put you one step ahead. In order to help you choose the best flooring for your needs, the sales person will ask you about the room, how you use it, the style of your furnishings and whether or not you have children or pets. The answers to these questions will help the salesperson give you the best advice about the type of hardwood flooring that would be best for you. Depending on your circumstances, Shaw laminate flooring may be the best option.

In order to get the proper amount of Shaw laminate flooring, you do need to have precise measurements. Many of the retailers that sell Shaw flooring will do a free home estimate for you if you sign a contract that you will buy the laminate or hardwood flooring from them. This way you know that you will get the proper amount and not run the risk of needing only one or two planks to finish your room. If you are not sure what color of Shaw laminate flooring would go well with your furniture, you can even take home a few samples to help you decide which one you like the best.

Word Count:
457

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

As the world looks to alternative fuel sources to save the environment and money, solar energy has come to the forefront. Sharp solar is known as one of the leading manufacturers.

solar, solar energy, solar power, sharp, products, fuel, energy, heating, environment

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
As the world looks to alternative fuel sources to save the environment and money, solar energy has come to the forefront. Sharp solar is known as one of the leading manufacturers.

Sharp Solar Solar Energy Manufacturer

Solar energy has become increasingly important in today s world. With fuel prices skyrocketing and other forms of home energy being impractical, solar energy is the Earth’s best solution to powering our lives. Solar products are a great way to collect energy from the sun and harness its power to run our households.

Sharp solar products are a great choice in the solar market place. Sharp is the number one manufacturer of solar cells, manufacturing more than its three nearest competitors combined. Sharp solar products are a convenient, safe and economical way to absorb solar energy and convert it into a usable form for household use. Sharp has led the solar industry for over 45 years now, and they have installed solar product systems everywhere from houses to office buildings to even on satellites.

There are four basic parts to the Sharp solar energy production system. The solar modules collect the sun s rays in their solar cells and convert it into usable energy. The inverter converts the electrical current that s created from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current), which is the type of electricity used in homes. The Sharp monitor allows you to see how your system is doing in terms of output and performance. The final part of the system, the electric meter, shows you how much power you are using.

In 2003, Sharp introduced their residential solar systems for use in the United States. These systems, used throughout the world before coming to the US, have allowed Sharp to be named the number one solar cell producer in the world every year since 2000. Sharp solar products are now also being produced in a clean factory in Memphis, Tennessee, which represents an investment on the part of Sharp into the future of solar power.

Sharp offers their solar power systems for sale through their own Sharp Solar department, or through an independent Sharp Solar Certified Installer. The installers are able to come to your home and help you decide on your own solar energy needs. They then they can quote you a price on the amount of work and materials needed to make your house a solar powered one.

Whether you want to cut down on your energy costs or cut down on damage to the environment, Sharp solar products are a great way to achieve your goals. Solar products are cost effective and, once installed, easy to use and maintain. Solar energy is a great way to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels and other Earth-harming energy sources.

Word Count:
303

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Placing other types of rugs by home entrances, sinks, or in other areas where the flooring is likely to get wet is your best bet of reducing the chance for falls. Additionally, the softness of shag area rugs offer great cushioning for the first steps of any baby.Shag area rugs come in a large variety of both bright and pastel colors. They are easy to care for if you follow the instructions properly.

shag rugs, area rugs, floor covering, rugs, shag area rugs, shaw rugs,

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Placing other types of rugs by home entrances, sinks, or in other areas where the flooring is likely to get wet is your best bet of reducing the chance for falls. Additionally, the softness of shag area rugs offer great cushioning for the first steps of any baby.Shag area rugs come in a large variety of both bright and pastel colors. They are easy to care for if you follow the instructions properly.

Shag area rugs are one of the most popular floor coverings around.

Caring for your shag area rug properly can extend its usable life indefinitely.Typical maintenance can include regular cleaning with a vacuum and occasional cleaning with a steam machine. Using your vacuum on a regular basis is important with shag area rugs because the vacuum picks up particles that can damage the carpet fibers. As well as reducing the level of dirt caught under the fibers, vacuuming helps to keep up the look of the shag area rug. It is essential to vacuumat least once a week. You should vacuum twice per week in areas that have heavy foot traffic.

Additionally, it is important to keep your vacuum in good working order to maintain a higher level of clean.Because the vacuuming can only catch surface dirt, your shag area rug may need another method of cleaning periodically. A wet cleaner, like a steam machine, is best to remove deep carpet soil like oil or grease. This can be done through a small rental machine or through a professional service. The level of frequency you complete this type of cleaning depends on the shag area rug you have purchased. For most, though, you should complete a deep cleaning every one to two years. Shag area rugs are a nice addition to any home with the proper care.

Word Count:
419

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Most of the electricity used in a home is produced by burning coal, oil and natural gas, which release carbon dioxide – the world’s largest contributor to global climate change – into the atmosphere. As a result, it is the energy choices people make at home that may have the greatest effect on the environment.

Seven Tips On Saving Energy in Your Home

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Few people realize that the energy used in a home causes more greenhouse emissions than a car.

Most of the electricity used in a home is produced by burning coal, oil and natural gas, which release carbon dioxide – the world’s largest contributor to global climate change – into the atmosphere. As a result, it is the energy choices people make at home that may have the greatest effect on the environment.

The typical household spends $1,400 a year on energy bills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. By following simple energy saving tips and purchasing products that are Energy Star-qualified, a typical household can save up to 30 percent or more than $400 per year on utility expenses and accompanying pollution.

Following are seven simple tips that will help keep the environment on the up, and energy bills on the down:

* Dirty air filters in a home’s heating and cooling system can lead to higher costs and early equipment failure. Clean or change these filters monthly.

* Energy Star-qualified windows and doors can help reduce home energy bills up to 15 percent. Many manufacturers, such as Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors, offer a variety of attractive Energy Star-qualified products for significant energy cost savings.

* Air leaks can overwork a home’s heating and cooling

system. Seal air leaks in walls, ceilings, and around windows and doors, and add insulation to the attic or basement to improve the comfort and durability of your home.

* Replace the most frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Look for the Energy Star logo. These use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than normal bulbs. Changing just five can save more than $60 a year in energy costs.

* Make sure to turn off all lights and electronics when you leave a room, and don’t keep the refrigerator door open any longer than needed.

* When buying heating and cooling devices, shop during the off-season to take advantage of many manufacturers’ seasonal sales promotions and rebates.

* Planting a tree for shade can reduce cooling costs by up to 25 percent. For best results, plant leafy shade trees to the south and west and evergreens to the north. Trees also help to reduce the greenhouse effect, not to mention beautify a front or back yard.

The less energy people use, the less energy power plants need to generate, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves the quality of our air. Energy efficiency helps the economy, too, by saving homeowners up to 30 percent in energy costs each year.

Word Count:
549

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Hanging drywall is almost an art. Just ask anyone who does it professionally and they’ll tell you that it takes years of practice to do a perfect job. If you’re lucky enough, you might even get a few drywall finishing tips out of the conversation.

drywall tips, finishing drywall, home improvement, renovating

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Hanging drywall is almost an art. Just ask anyone who does it professionally and they’ll tell you that it takes years of practice to do a perfect job. If you’re lucky enough, you might even get a few drywall finishing tips out of the conversation. If not, don t worry. Here are some drywall finishing tips that everyone can benefit from!

Make Sure You Have Everything Before You Start

Drywall finishing tip #1: You need to have at hand a taping knife spreader, application knife, joint tape, joint compound, bread pan and a corner taping tool.

Get Secure About What You’re Doing

Drywall finishing tip #2: Drywall demands that all your measurements are accurate and that every panel is tightly secured to the supports that it’s nailed to. Could there be anything more embarrassing than to complete a drywall job – only to have it unexpectedly fall down during dinner or entertaining guests?

Make sure that your nails are long enough to keep the panels on their supports. If you’re more comfortable with using screws, then use them instead. You could even use a second set of nails as reinforcement. The important thing as that you feel as secure about your project as they’re secured to its foundation!

Beware A Muddy Mess

Drywall finishing tip #3: When mixing your cement (or mud), strive for a consistency that resembles icing on a cake – not too stiff and not too loose. Essentially, you should be able to scoop some of this mud onto a trowel, hold the trowel upside down, and not lose any of the cement. At the same time, you should also be able to easily apply this cement into drywall joints without too much effort.

While mixing, take care not to “whip” the cement. A whipping action will inadvertently attract air – air which will form bubbles in drywall seams.

Mesh Your Work Into A Smooth Finish

Drywall finishing tip #4. Use mesh tape instead of paper tape. Because mesh tape is porous, it allows the cement to seep through it. The end result is much smoother than paper which is sometimes visually apparent.

Use More Glue And Save On Nails

Drywall finishing tip #5: Use an adhesive to hold panels in place. Although this technique can’t and should never be used on the ceiling, you’ll only need to insert nails at the edges of drywall panels.

Give Your Drywalls A Little Dimple

Drywall finishing tip #6: You can hid the heads of your nails by hammering them in just below the surface of the drywall. This might take a little practice beforehand, as you don’t want the nail heads to show, but on the other hand, you don’t want to break the surface of the drywall either!

Patch Like A Pro

Drywall finishing tip #7: Stuffing a hole with newspaper tends to leave weak spots on a wall. Instead, cut a sizeable circle around a hole that needs patching. Insert a support piece that will fit behind the hole, and then glue it in place with cement. After about three hours, use even more cement to adhere a small piece of drywall to the support piece you inserted earlier. When dry, cover the hole with more cement and tape. You want to continue this process in the same manner as if you were concealing a joint.

Word Count:
410

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Most rural homes are not connected to a mains sewage system. These homes rely on a self-contained sewage treatment plant called a septic tank.

sewage system,septic system, septic tank, sewage remediation

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
Most rural homes are not connected to a mains sewage system. These homes rely on a self-contained sewage treatment plant called a septic tank.

If you have a septic tank, or are considering the purchase of a home with one, there are life-saving facts you need to know about septic tanks.

A septic tank takes the sewage from the house, the solids settle out and grease floats to the top. Between the two layers is a clear watery layer that is piped away to an absorption area where it is allowed to percolate away, through the soil. Soil bacteria break down any nutrients before the sewage reaches the water bearing rocks, or any streams.

Septic tanks are usually buried in the ground. There are three main types, all of which cause different concerns.

Steel tanks rust, especially when buried in the ground. A steel septic tank can be so corroded that it can lead to someone walking over it falling through and into the tank. The hapless person is suffocated by the methane generated in the tank, or drowns.

Concrete tanks may be damaged internally, leading to permanent and expensive to rectify damage to the absorption drain-field.

The worst tanks are those built from concrete blocks on site. Sometimes the blocks are just laid and not cemented together. Even if they are cemented together years of attack from acidic sewage will dissolve the mortar. These tanks can collapse without warning and probably fail to meet local planning and environmental protection regulations.

How do you tell if your septic tank has problems?
If there are ANY areas of sunken ground around it STAY AWAY. Call in a contractor immediately. If you step on these areas you could fall through, into the septic tank and die. These are signs that your septic tank has partially collapsed.

Check for signs of solid sewage material in the drain-field area. If the drain-field has been contaminated because the septic tank has not been pumped out regularly, this can be very expensive to rectify.

If you are buying a home with a septic tank, you should insist on the tank being pumped out and an investigation by a septic tank contractor carried out. It is not possible to examine a septic tank properly while it is full.

You may have to pay for a contractor to give you a report, but this will be a tiny amount compared to the cost of any necessary remedial work

Word Count:
777

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

Septic system design secrets that can save you thousands of dollars and prevent major problems down the road.

septic system design,septic tank design

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
First and foremost, hire a good septic designer to do the necessary tests and drainfield design , BEFORE you design the house!!! Go out with them and tell them where you would like to situate the house, but let them give their input. Sometimes just moving the house a few feet in one direction will make the difference between a regular, gravity fed system and a more expensive pump system.

I had some friends that were going to build and I tried advising them on this, but wouldn t listen. The irony is, if they would have listened and moved the house about 10 feet to the west, they could have gone with a gravity fed system for about $3,500. As it turned out, they spent more than $8,000 because they put the house right where the drainfield should have gone.

Also, if they say you cannot go with a regular septic system design, ask them about ALL the different types of systems you may be able to go with and the advantages/disadvantages of each type. If they are pushing you toward one type of septic system design it may be because that is the only type of system they do. You may want to take your copy of the site/soil conditions (make sure to get a copy) and call/visit a few other contractors to get their opinion.

When you buy property and are going to put in a septic system, there are safeguards that are supposed to protect you. The way the process is supposed to work is, you, as the property owner, hire a septic designer to assess the site and design a system that will meet the needs of the home and will work with the existing site/soil conditions. They then present this plan to the local agency in charge of septic systems, usually the health or zoning office. They approve or disapprove the plan. Then a septic installer installs the system according to that plan. Then the building inspector comes to the site and inspects the system to make sure the system was installed properly (according to the plan).

This is the way it is supposed to work in theory…but it doesn t always go according to plan. The skill level of designers, installers and inspectors varies greatly from state to state. Some states, such as Massachusetts, are very progressive. They require the contractors and inspectors to be well trained and certified if they are going to be dealing with septic systems. They are also open to new technologies available to solve problem sites.

However there are areas where the contractors and the government inspectors are way behind the times. In some regions anyone that has a dump truck and a backhoe can dig a septic system. Some of the agencies will still allow systems to be installed that will be illegal in a few years when the local regulations catch up and are enacted. An example is the use of deep systems like cesspools and drywells. These systems have outlawed in most areas of the country but there are a few that still allow them today. What this means is, you can have a cesspool put in now, but in a few years the codes will change and you will have to put in a new system- at your own expense, of course.

The end result is that some of the systems going in are failures waiting to happen. This is why you as the homeowner must take an active role in the septic system design process.

When you know where you want to buy, talk to neighbors that have built in the area in the last few years and ask them what kind of system they installed (don t rely on what someone had a system installed 20 years ago- the codes have probably changed and there is a good chance that their type of system is no longer acceptable. Your local Board of Health can also be a valuable resource. They can not tell you who not to use because that is preventing someone from making a living, but they will often point out the better ones because they know a bad contractor putting in bad systems will make their job tougher.

You may also want to hire a contractor that can also do your other dirt work (the basement, footings, landscaping, etc). If you are using several different contractors the contractor that is digging your footings will often drive over the area where the septic system is supposed to go and damage it. If you have one doing it all they will protect the area when they are working.

Word Count:
406

For the best Garden Maintenance in Dublin, call Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.

If you are like many people in the world today, you may from time to time undertake an overhaul of your home. In this regard, you may take steps to purchase new home appliances — including those in the kitchen and in other parts of the residence.

To find the best Garden Maintenance Company in Dublin, click here for Leaf2Leaf Landscapes.
If you are like many people in the world today, you may from time to time undertake an overhaul of your home. In this regard, you may take steps to purchase new home appliances — including those in the kitchen and in other parts of the residence.

Oftentimes when a person sets out to remodel a home, he or she owns appliances of different types that actually are in decent working condition. Nevertheless, a person wishes to replace these items because they do not fit in with the new plans for the home d cor.

Should you now find yourself the owner of different home appliances that you would like to get rid of, you may be wondering what to do in this regard. Of course, you may be aware that there are services that will come to your home and cart away these items for no charge. But, in a similar vein, they simply do not pay you any money — in most cases — for the home appliances that they are taking off your hand. In other words, these services believe that they are doing you a favor by hauling away home appliances that you no longer are using. (Of course, on some level this is true. There are strict rules and regulations in many communities around the world dealing with the removal and disposal of home appliances that no longer are being used.)

One option that you might want to explore if you find yourself with appliances on your hand that you simply no longer need or want is the Internet. There are a number of reliable and useful websites that you can utilize to sell appliances that are in working condition but that you no longer need in your home.

By way of example, there are a number of ever growing and widely accessed auction sites on the Net through which you can post a home appliance for sale. In doing so, you can establish a base price for the home appliance below you which you will not part with a specific piece of equipment.

There are some other types of websites at which a person can post different items for sale — in addition to auction sites — including home appliances of all types. In short, you no longer have to throw away usable and functioning home appliances. You can make some money when you are trying to dispose of home appliances you no longer need.