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• Understanding And Rectifying Plumbing Issues In The Home
• Restoring A Property To Its Former Glory Using 4 Simple Processes
• 4 DIY Troubleshooting Solutions In And Around The Home
• Four Ways To Integrate Oak Into Your Property To Add Character
• Closed Gate Policies

Understanding And Rectifying Plumbing Issues In The Home Posted: 09 Jun 2013 03:36 AM PDT Property maintenance can sometimes be a real burden. In a time when most people are struggling to meet their monthly expenditure requirements, having an unexpected bill for property maintenance can simply add to the stress. It is worth breaking down where money is being spent. Many times, individuals could actually be fixing their plumbing issues on a DIY basis. Even doing a job that would take a plumber 2-3 hours could end up saving you £100 or more. Tooling And Guides In order to rectify any type of issue, you are going to need the correct supply of tools and some guides. For instance, if you are fitting pipe work then you are going to need a soldering kit, pipe bender and pipe cutter. This will make an incredibly complex task incredibly simple. If you are fairly new to DIY, find a guide from a book store. Most plumbing DIY books will cover all the basic steps to fix simple problems. Common Plumbing Issues In The Home Water supply issues The water supply in the home is actually a fairly simple system. That is not to say that it won't develop problems over time though. The water system will switch between hot and cold water as and when you need it. They both use the same system, but when you use the hot water, the system heats it. You might find that there are issues with the heating or pressure in the system. If the system is gas and you are going to be messing with the boiler, it is always worth calling in a professional. Leaks Most water systems will develop leaks over time. This will be due to corroded pipes backing up the pressure in the system. It could also be related to seals and components not working correctly. If you have leaks in taps, then a replacement seal can sometimes do the trick. If the leak is coming from a connector, then wrapping plumber's tape around the thread of the connector will usually block the leak. Of course, the main problem is if the origin of the leak is actually the pipes. Figuring out that there is a leak is not a problem, but actually finding the leak can be incredibly difficult. If the leak is in the pipe work, it might be worth calling in a professional. Drainage Issues Over time, drains will become blocked. This might be the drain in a sink or bath tub. Generally though, the drain that gets blocked the most is the main drain to the exterior of a property. A lot of times, this is due to people flushing the wrong things down the toilet, or pouring things like oil down the sink. Once they get stuck in the drain, everything else that usually flows through effortlessly backs up the system. Before long you have a drainage system that is completely blocked. For basic blockages you can use a drain rod system. If the problem is extremely severe, then you might want to consider using exterior plumbing services; call in the professionals. Bio Alex is an online blog writer. Since 2007 he has been helping blog owners to create some useful resources on a range of subjects. This has included things such as property renovation, plumbing issues, using contractors and even how to raise finance to purchase a dream home. He has had over 100 articles published.

Restoring A Property To Its Former Glory Using 4 Simple Processes Posted: 09 Jun 2013 03:34 AM PDT There are very few character properties left in the UK. Many of these properties occupy a fairly large piece of land which means they end up being perfect for use as development land. If you own a unique property that has plenty of character, then restoring it to its former glory might seem like a huge challenge. In fact, you shouldn't be overwhelmed because the process is actually fairly simple. Restoring Wooden Window Frames The easy route might seem like window replacement, but it is also going to be the most expensive one at the same time. If you really want your property to improve on the level of character that is has now, the restoration is should not always mean replacement. There are plenty of guides on the internet which will give you everything you need in order to restore window frames, rather than purchasing new windows. Once you have created the frame, make sure you replace the seals that connect the glass to the frame. If you use high quality durable seals, then they will last a lot longer, but also help to keep your house insulated. Adding Character To Your Garden If you have not spent much time working on your garden over the last few years, it is likely to need some tender loving care. The gardens surrounding the property help to set the scene, so it is a part of the property that is worth spending some time on. Try and use wood where possible, as this will help to improve the look, feel and character that the garden possesses. As an example, you can use oak wooden barrels are small tables for when you are able to entertain guests outside. Alongside this, consider constructing things such as raised flower beds and even steps using old railway sleepers. There is no need to hire a landscape gardener as these are all fairly basic DIY projects. Beam Restoration Most character properties will have exposed beams. These are the parts of the property that really help it to have that rustic feel, so you want to try and enhance these features where possible. Although there are plenty of companies that offer a beam restoration service, it might be worth considering doing this without any external help. Most DIY stores will have specialist cleaners that are designed to help restore beams. Of course, once you have finished, ensure that you protect the beams using a specifically designed solution. This will ensure that they last for decades to come. Brightening Up Your Brickwork Brickwork is usually the most noticeable part of a property. If brickwork looks old, mouldy and dirty, then it is going to ruin the overall feel of a property. Freshly cleaned brickwork will completely change the look of the property, making it much more aesthetically appealing. This is a fairly complex job. If you don't clean the bricks correctly, you could produce scaring, which will ruin the look completely. If you are not confident enough to do your own cleaning, consider calling in an expert that offers a brick cleaning service. Bio Alex is an online writer that has been working for dozens of blogs since he originally started writing way back in 2007. Since he started his online writing career, he has had over 150 pieces published online. Although he writes a lot of articles relating to the property industry, he also enjoys writing about business and finance.

4 DIY Troubleshooting Solutions In And Around The Home Posted: 09 Jun 2013 03:32 AM PDT Saving money is certainly a topic that gets a lot of attention these days. The majority of people think about comparing their car insurance, buying cheaper groceries or not going out for fancy dinners. What a lot of people don't consider is that things in and around the home can end up costing a lot of money. This might be car servicing, dishwasher issues, computer repairsor a leak in a water or gas pipe. Each of these services will be charged at around £40 per hour from a professional, even though they are simple enough to do on a DIY basis. Car Servicing Although most people actually need their cars in order to get themselves to work, most people wish that they didn't. Motoring is a huge expense. Combine insurance, fuel and repairs and you could easily be talking about thousands every single year. The great thing is that you can save money by doing your car servicing yourself. A basic service is going to consist of checking lights, replacing oil and replacing an oil filter. The parts can be purchased extremely cheaply and with a manual, almost anyone can complete a basic service with a few simple tools. Dishwasher Issues For the modern day household, dishwashers are overused. They give us the ability to save 20-30 minutes washing up every single day. When electrical products such as this are used regularly, they are bound to develop issues. If you are having trouble with a dishwasher, avoid calling an engineer. If they spend more than 3-4 hours fixing the appliance, it would have been cheaper to buy a new one. You can use online troubleshooting guides relating to the float switch, door catch and power supply to try and determine what the problem is before buying a new system. Computer Repairs Most people spend over 30 hours per week on their computers. This means computers are being worked hard day in and day out. If your computer is developing issues, then there is no need to call a PC doctor. There is range of guides online to assist your troubleshooting your PC. For instance, if your computer has become slow, check that your anti-virus software has been updated and consider de-fragging the memory. If your computer keeps switching off or freezing up, it is likely that the fan has stopped working or is clogged up; a replacement might be needed. Leaks If you have noticed the smell of gas or the floor being damp, it is likely you have a leak of some kind. For gas related leaks it is always wise to call in a professional. If the problem is not located and fixed quickly, then it could cause health related issues for anyone that enters your property. If the leak is water based, then you do have a few options. Using a ground penetrating radar, you will be able to figure out exactly where the leak is coming from. Obviously this means that you will not have to rip up all the floors and this will end up saving you hundreds in the long run. Bio Alex is an online writer that has been writing for blogs across the world since 2007. He has written for blogs in the UK, USA and Australia. Over the year he has had over 100 pieces published on over 50 websites. His favourite topics include DIY, business and personal finance issues.

Four Ways To Integrate Oak Into Your Property To Add Character Posted: 09 Jun 2013 03:29 AM PDT Although the build quality of newer houses is still fairly high, there is a distinct lack of both design and character. Walk into most new properties and you will feel the potential, but you might not see it. The construction industry has taken huge blows over the last few years, so most developers are reducing their risk by cutting their budget when it comes to the finishing touches that really help to add character to a property. Whether you have a brand new property or a property that is 150 years old, oak is a great way to add extra character. Here are some ideas of ways to integrate oak into your property. Flower Beds And Steps Heading straight into the garden, raised flower beds and steps are an easy way to get oak involved in your outdoor spaces. If you go to any garden centre you will find that they supply reclaimed oak. Try and find old rustic beams as these will add the most character. Using a basic set of tools, this is a project that should not take any more than a few hours. Both raised flower beds and steps will help to add some class to your garden and you won't even have to pay a landscaper! Fire Places Fire places are usually the central point of a lounge, especially in older properties. Having an oak fire place will help make that even truer than it already is. You have two options; DIY or pre-made. The DIY option is going to cost you around 30% of the price of a pre-made product. That being said, if you purchase one from a carpentry company then they are likely to be able to carve the fire place to your liking which means that this is going to be completely unique to your property. Retaining Walls If you look around the property, you might find that the garden areas seem messy. Retaining garden walls using oak beams will help to add a little bit of structure to the garden. Instead of having a messy flower bed, line it with oak beams to keep it in shape. The same goes for the front of the property. Set some boundaries around the areas at the front of the property using retaining walls. Furniture The final step is to start introducing pieces of furniture that have been carefully crafted from oak. There are hundreds of different items that you could incorporate into your property. Try not to go overboard. Think about each individual product that you are purchasing and where it will go. Size is obviously incredibly important. If you get a piece of furniture that is too big, you will make a space feel crowded. On the flip side, if the furniture is too small for a room, the room will feel empty and cold. The best thing you can do is get online and start comparing products and prices. Check out sites such as www.cranleighfurniture.co.uk that offer everything from wardrobes to coffee tables. Bio Alex is a professional writer that spends his time writing for a range of high profile blogs. Over the years he has written for blogs that have had over 500,000 visitors a month. He has had over 150 pieces published on subjects such as interior design, DIY, gardening and personal finance.

Closed Gate Policies Posted: 09 Jun 2013 03:24 AM PDT Electric gate automation is a fantastic solution for many business and domestic properties alike.  Commonly found at important military, government and industrial properties, electric gate automation systems are also now common on gated communities and at many private residential properties.  Modern technology is also helping to make electric automation simpler and easier to both install and use.  There are a number of different types of automated system and a number of factors to consider when installing automated gate and access systems. Commercial Considerations For commercial premises there are a large number of factors that may influence the type and style of automated access systems required.  For hotels and conference centres, there may be a requirement to install systems which are suitable for (and compliment) the building itself.  Apart from the need for a gate or access control system to suit the nature of the building, there may also be planning requirements and regulations.  In many settings, particularly in the case of historic buildings, it may be sensible to consider bollard systems which are recessed into the ground to limit or open up access for vehicles to specific areas.  Bollard systems are increasingly common in town centres and the traditional manual operated version is gradually being replaced by automated varieties.  Offering a low impact visually, they can be ideal where the aesthetics of a building or premises is a key part of its character. Domestic Options In domestic settings the type of electric gate automation will also need to take the finished look of the gates into consideration.  There’s little point in installing a system that would not look out of place at your local military base, unless of course you live in a converted military base!  In most cases the style of the property will dictate the style of gate, from ornate wrought ironwork to simple, lightweight gates made from more traditional materials.  Electric gate automation can be retro-fitted in many cases to existing gates.  In both domestic and commercial settings the operation of the gates will also be a factor.  While in commercial settings an intercom/push button entry system may be the most suitable this may be less the case in most average domestic properties.  Intercom/push-button entry may be suitable for allowing visitors to access the property but a wireless automatic system, fitted to your car, should be considered for family members.  The more ‘traditional’ alternative is the use of a code/keypad system.  These can be good options but detract a little from the convenience of electric gate automation. Power Options and Back-up Power supplies are a crucial part of your automated gate system.  The majority of automatic gate openers will be wired to a mains supply.  In the case of domestic properties this type of power option may well be the most suitable and all that is needed.  In larger properties and some commercial settings – hotels with lengthy drives for example – a solar powered system can be a better option.  Solar power can also offer an excellent back up option for systems where mains supplies are vulnerable.  While solar back-up can also be added to most domestic systems it’s perhaps less of a concern; although a manual override option can be useful. Safety, Security and Convenience Ultimately security and convenience are the two factors that make automated gates an attractive option for many property owners and managers.  Combined with other security measures they can help reduce risks to your property and possessions.  In terms of convenience automated gates have obvious advantages over the more traditional kind and allow you to easily access and secure your property with minimum hassle and maximum comfort. Author Bio Nick Thorping is a writer who has a keen interest in home security. He believes that electric gate automation is a valuable addition to many homes as it offers security and convenience to property owners.

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