The World of Steel Frames
Glass Coffee Tables: 4 Options For Homes With Children
Children and glass are typically not a good combination. Glass can often shatter easily and cause potential safety hazards for children. However, just because you have children doesn’t mean you need to limit the glass in your home. If you love the idea of a glass coffee table, then you can still enjoy one in your home. By collaborating with custom glass contractors, you can have a glass coffee table created that provides the most safety options for children in the home. When the custom creation is done being created, you can add it to your living room and enjoy a worry-free time when children are around. Radius Corner Finishes Sheets of glass will typically come with sharp corners. These corners can present many dangerous hazards to children. As you plan out a custom coffee table design, it’s important to focus on the corner finishing. Custom glass companies can finish off corners in a number of ways to help remove the sharp edges. One of the best options for children is a radius corner finish. In this finish, the glass is sanded down to create a smooth and rounded corner. This means that when a child runs into the table corner, they won’t hit a hard and sharpened corner. Pencil Polished Edges Along with the corners of the glass, it’s also important to consider the edges on each side. When left untreated, these edges can be sharp and feature small glass fragments. As you plan out your custom glass order, consider adding pencil polished edges all around the glass. Instead of flat and sharp, these edges are rounded off to create a smooth design that flows evenly with the rest of the glass. Much like the radius corner finish, children can bump off the edge of the glass without getting seriously hurt or cut. Tempered Glass When creating a glass coffee table in your home, you want to have a glass that is strong and durable. The glass needs to withstand years of playing and horsing around from children. One of the best glass materials to choose from is tempered glass. Also referred to as toughened glass, the material has multiple treatments applied to it so that it is strong and long-lasting. Another big advantage is the way that tempered glass breaks. If an accident does occur where the glass breaks, it will shatter into small and dull pieces. This is a drastic difference from the sharp cracks and shatters that can occur when traditional glass breaks. Tempered glass is not only strong, but it can be purchased in a number of different finishes. For example, you can add a tint to the glass or have a pattern etched into the glass design. Choose a glass product that matches the other decor in your living room. Glass Thickness The tempered glass material may not be enough to keep children from smashing the table. Add more safety and security to your coffee table area by choosing a thick piece of glass to add durability and protection. The thicker glass is ideal for children that eat snacks, play games, or build puzzles on the coffee table. It can give your table a lot of durability and prevent a child from cracking it. Glass companies offer different thicknesses for various products. A...
read moreCreating An Ideal Environment For Your Baby: 3 Plumbing Tips To Implement In The Bathroom
If you’re an expecting parent, there’s a good chance that you’ve already scoured through your home to remove any hazards that may potentially harm your baby. Most expecting parents only check the bathrooms to see whether they are clean enough, but fail to recognize that they also need to inspect and examine the plumbing there. If you have the time, you should get a plumber to make a quick inspection to determine whether everything is safe. Here are 3 things in particular that you should do. Adjust the Hot Water Heater You’d be surprised at just how easily babies can scald, especially since their skin is very sensitive. You don’t want to run the risk of accidentally scalding your baby because of an overactive hot water heater. Ideally, you should make sure that the hot water heater is set no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Even at this temperature, adults can get scalded by the water if they are exposed to it for over 5 minutes. Still, this should give you plenty of time to react if the water is too hot for your baby. The hot water heater settings can be adjusted via the thermostat found near the central hot water tank. If you’re having a trouble finding the device, get the plumber to do the job for you. At the very least, you’ll know that the hot water heater has been set correctly. Although you might be tempted to set the maximum temperature even lower, don’t. The hot water heater needs to be able to operate at those temperatures in order to prevent bacterial growth within its tanks. Install a Water Filter on All Taps and Faucets On top of being sensitive to the temperature of water, babies are also relatively sensitive to the contents within the water. While tap water generally is rather safe since it has already gone through several filtration steps, tap water in your home may have traces of bacterial growth or other contaminants and pollutants. These contaminants may be from a deteriorating plumbing structure within your home or may be caused by leaks somewhere in the system. While all tap water from the public water system in the U.S. is generally free from any type of infectious bacteria, it’s better to be safe than sorry by having a plumber install either a central water filter or a water filter for every tap and faucet in your house. Make sure that the water filter can remove all types of contaminants and pollutants. The water filters could prevent your healthy baby from infections that most commonly target the digestive tracts. If your baby is already immunocompromised, the water filter will play a much more essential role to their well being. Have the Pipes Inspected Lead pipes will leak toxins into the water. Surprisingly, some major U.S. cities still rely on 100% lead pipes in their plumbing system. Before you bring your baby home, get the pipes inspected by a plumber. If your house still relies on lead pipes, it might be time to consider replacing the pipes with new alternatives even if the lead pipes are in good condition. It’s just best not to risk it. You’ll need to speak to a plumber to determine which alternatives are best suited for the architectural styling...
read more4 Uses For Garden Window Installations In A Child’s Bedroom
A garden window is typically installed in the kitchen of a home. It provides an ideal way to grow flowers or small edible plants like herbs by featuring an extended shelf and natural sunlight pouring in through multiple sections of window panels. Another location where you can get a lot of use out of a garden window is a child’s bedroom. As children grow older, a garden window can provide a number of uses and create a useful part of their bedroom experience. Instead of simply placing plants inside of the window, the extended window area has four fun uses inside of a child’s bedroom. Browse through each of these ideas and see the benefits of having a garden window installed in your child’s room. Solar Charging Stations It seems like children these days are constantly using all types of portable devices. Help keep tablets, hand-held video game systems, and MP3 players at full capacity by using a garden window as a solar charging station. Small solar panels with USB charging ports can be placed in the window. Instead of using up all of the outlets in the room, the solar panels can create an organized area that makes it easy to lay out the devices and get them fully charged. Not only will your children have an easy place to charge devices, but you can help teach them about renewable energy like solar panels. The use of this area can help reduce your electricity consumption and help encourage a future where alternative energy options are sought out. Fairy Gardens If you’re still looking to use the garden window in a more traditional sense, then you can make it more kid-friendly with the installation of a fairy garden. These gardens often feature miniature furniture and designs that are small enough for fairy use. The space provided in a garden window can allow you and your child to design a larger fairy garden with multiple features and designs. If the garden window has multiple shelves, then you can design multiple sections of the fairy garden. For example, the top shelf can be the living area for the fairies while the bottom area provides recreational fairy designs or extra fairy areas like small stores. The installation of a fairy garden can help your child maintain the area on a daily basis and easily interact with it using small toys. The area can even be used for special occasions like a visit from a tooth fairy or a visit from a leprechaun during St. Patrick’s Day. Reading Areas A garden window installation can create a relaxing and private area for your child. With natural light coming in from all sides of the window, it is an ideal reading area in the home. By providing your child with a nice reading chair, the window area can provide extra light and a nice way to store books inside of the window storage shelf. Along with a reading area, the increased natural light can also help create an ideal homework area for your child. There are many advantages to studying and completing work with the natural light. It can help increase both focus and overall test scores. By setting up the area, you can give your child a place to study and thrive. Holiday Decoration...
read more4 Steps For Preparing Your Furnace For Winter
Like any appliance, your furnace will often require a tune-up after extended disuse during the summer months. Taking the right steps to prepare your furnace for winter will help you avoid unexpected breakdowns, reduced efficiency, and even fire hazards. Here are three things you should do before you use your furnace the first time this winter. Replace or Clean the Furnace Filter Proper airflow is important to keep your furnace running efficiently. If your furnace filter is dirty, it will block airflow, and it will also be less effective at removing contaminants from the air that is circulated through your home. Depending on the type of furnace filter that you have, you should clean or replace it before you begin using your furnace in the winter. If you are using replaceable furnace filters, you may want to consider stocking up on them during the summer months. This allow you to change your filter each month without venturing out into the cold to buy a new one, and you may be able to find them for a cheaper price if you purchase during the off-season for home heating. Inspect the Blower Belt Inside your furnace is a rubber belt that turns the blower motor to circulate air throughout your home. A damaged belt can snap while your furnace is running, causing it to break down and possibly damaging the moving parts inside the unit. It is a good idea to examine the blower belt before you use the furnace for the first time to avoid this problem. To examine the blower belt, first shut off the breaker to your furnace. The blower belt can typically be found behind an access panel on the side of the furnace that either slides off or is held on by screws. After removing the panel, you should see a large rubber belt that is attached to a pulley on the blower motor. If you see cracks or fraying in the belt, remove it and take it to a local HVAC supply store to find an identical belt to replace it with. Inspect Your Furnace Flue Your furnace exhaust flue is responsible for removing harmful fumes from your home that are produced by your furnace. Holes in the furnace flue are very dangerous because they can allow gases such as carbon monoxide to escape into your home. You can patch small holes in the flue with foil tape, but large holes like those often caused by corrosion will require the flue to be replaced. In addition to holes in the flue, blockages in the flue can cause fumes to backdraft into your home. Animal nests, twigs, leaves, and other debris that has fallen into the flue while your furnace was out of use are the most common causes of blockages. Hiring a furnace contractor to inspect your flue for blockages and to double-check for holes is the best way to make sure that your flue is working correctly. Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector Even if your furnace flue is in good shape now, that doesn’t mean that fume backdraft is a problem you should forget about. Installing a carbon monoxide detector before using your furnace is the best way to keep your family safe from furnace fumes. While carbon monoxide is normally undetectable, there are...
read moreChoosing The Right Asphalt Shingles For The Environment
Many homes have asphalt roofs, but asphalt roofing materials are not usually considered interesting or glamorous. However, you should understand that there are many reasons why asphalt roofing is utilized so often. The shingles are typically economical, easy to install, fire-resistant, and durable. You probably do not know that asphalt shingles can be environmentally friendly as well. Keep reading to find out how this is the case so you can make the right roofing supply choices when you decide to have a new roof placed on your home. They Are Recyclable Many people are concerned about the filling of the landfills in their towns and cities across the United States. This is a real concern, because 220 million tons of waste is created each year and about 55% of this waste ends up in landfills. Unfortunately, these landfills create a great deal of methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is bad for the environment, and you can reduce your negative impact on the earth by reusing and recycling items. Thankfully for the environment, many roofing professionals now recycle the old asphalt shingles that are ripped from your roof instead of throwing them in a dumpster that is emptied into a landfill. Most of the roofing materials are ground up and used to make pavement for new highways. They may also be used to create energy or road maintenance materials. Some asphalt shingles are even made into new shingles. However, they are generally used to make rubber roofing materials. They cannot be made into new asphalt shingles due to the multiple layers that make up a single shingle. However, you can pick out varieties that feature recycled waste paper or waste wood along the matt layers of the shingles. A new asphalt coating must be placed over the matt. This material cannot be made from recycled materials since refined oil bitumen must be used to create a waterproof coating or the shingles may leak. To make sure that your roofing underlayment is also environmentally friendly, make sure that tar paper is placed. This material is a type of paper that has been allowed to absorb bitumen. The paper creates a better waterproof barrier than felt, and it can be recycled, like asphalt shingles, for road and highway uses. Asphalt Roofs Can Be Cool Asphalt roofs can be considered cool roofs, as long as the right materials are chosen. A cool roof is a roof that has a high solar reflectance. This means that it reflects ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light that hits the roof. This helps to keep the inside of your home cooler during the summer months, so the electricity does not need to be wasted when you increase the use of your air conditioner. The reflective nature of the roof can also prevent solar damage to the asphalt coating on the exterior of the shingles. This reduces cracking and dry spots that can cause the shingles to pull up and let cold air into the home during the winter. This, in turn, reduces heating costs. Typical cool roofs are white or another light color, so speak to your roofing specialist to look at shingle color samples so you can pick a light variety. You can pick a slightly darker gray tone if your desire as well. If you do this, then make...
read moreBackyard Fence Gates: 3 Factors For Choosing The Perfect Entryway For Your Family
Having a fence installed in your backyard is a great way to enclose the property, add some privacy, and create a nice look. Along with choosing the fence material, color, and size, one of the final decisions you need to make for the fencing is the fencing gate that you want to install. A fence gate offers access to the backyard area, and for many families, the type of gate you choose is important. Browse through the following three factors to help determine what type of gate is ideal for your family’s backyard. This will make your decision easier and will allow contractors to install the fencing quickly. Landscaping If your family loves to use the backyard, then it’s important to consider your landscaping needs when choosing a backyard fence gate. Think about the landscaping equipment that you own and what you will need to transport in the backyard. For example, if you own a riding mower, you will need a gate that is wide enough to fit the mower through easily. The widest part on a riding mower is typically the riding deck. If your riding deck is 50 inches wide, then you need a gate that reaches at least 5 feet wide to fit the mower comfortably. Instead of a single gate, you can have a double swing gate installed on your fencing. With a double swing gate, the gate doors can swing outward and give you a large opening to ride the mower through. Not only is a double swing gate great for riding mowers, but it makes it easy to bring push mowers into the backyard. Recreational vehicles for the family can also be brought through these gates. This includes go-carts, golf carts, or ATVs. Children When your children are playing in the backyard, it’s important to consider the type of gate that they will have access to. Gates can be installed with latches that are positioned higher on the gate. This allows you to operate and control the gate while keeping it out of reach from the children when they play in the yard. Gate latches can also be installed with lock openings built in so you can keep the gate locked while children play in the backyard. This prevents them from figuring out a way to open the gate and escape the backyard. A gate opening can also help you transport children’s equipment easily into the backyard. Ensure that the gate opening is large enough to bring in portable basketball hoops, playground equipment, or recreational items like a trampoline. Security & Safety Protecting your backyard is another important factor when choosing a fence gate. Just in your backyard alone, you may have expensive items like grilling equipment, gardening supplies, bicycles, or outdoor sporting supplies. By choosing a gate with security features, you can prevent someone from simply walking into the yard and snatching these items. The hardware of the gate can make a big difference on the durability. Choose gates with welded and bolted hardware that can make it harder to break through or manipulate. The gate and fence height can also be a factor. Along with choosing a higher fence, you can have a high gate installed that makes it hard to just hop over. Work with contractors to determine the highest...
read more3 Tips for Staying Safe While Wiring Your Landscaping Lights
As warm weather approaches, you may start thinking about enjoying different outdoor activities, some of which will be at night. Because of this, you may decide that you would like to install landscaping lights. If so, use the following three tips to stay safe while wiring your lights. Be Sure the Power Is Completely Off Making sure that the power is completely off to the lights on your porch or deck is imperative to staying safe. Even a small amount of current could create a shock that could burn you. More current could even electrocute you, resulting in serious injury or even death. Before you begin, turn off the breaker to the wiring source where you will be working. For added precaution, you may want to turn off the main breaker in case there is a short in your home’s wiring that could cross over to the wires with which you are working and make them become alive. Before touching the wires, use a multimeter to test for any current. The readout on the meter should be zero. If it is, you can safely continue with your project without fear of being shocked or electrocuted. However, if the readout shows any current whatsoever, do not continue with your light installation. There could be a short somewhere within your home’s wiring or inside your breaker box. If this happens, contact an electrician so they can inspect your electrical wiring. Have Enough Slack in the Wires After removing the light fixture that you will be wiring your landscaping lights to, gently pull the wires out until you meet slight resistance. Make sure you have enough to work with comfortably without pulling too hard on the wires. If you do not have enough slack, you risk breaking one or more of the tiny wires, creating the potential for a short that could spark the surrounding walls and possibly start a fire. Having enough slack between the wires of your home and the new landscaping wires also ensures a good connection between the two. If you do not have enough slack, the connection becomes weak and could pull apart over time. This also could result in a short, creating a fire hazard. If you do not think you have enough slack to make the proper connection, you may want to have an electrician take a look at your wiring. They may be able to extend the wires or replace them with longer ones so that you have enough to safely work with. Double Wrap Each Connection Once you have determined you have enough slack in the wires, you can proceed with wiring your lights according to the manufacturer’s instructions. However, when it comes time to complete the connections between your house wires and the lights’ wires, make sure you double wrap each one by doing the following. Since you are installing outdoor lights, there is always the chance of water seeping into the fixtures, causing a short if the wires are not properly protected. To give them extra protection, place wire nuts on each wire connection. After smoothly twisting the wires together, carefully attach the nut to them by turning it clockwise just until you feel it becoming tight. After placing the wire nuts on the connection, use black electrical tape to wrap both...
read more5 Reasons To Install Asphalt Paving In Your New Livestock Barn
Building a new barn to house horses, cows, or other large livestock is a daunting task because there’s a lot of pressure to get all the details right on the first try. If you’re still in the planning or site preparation stages for the barn construction, consider adding an asphalt floor to the space instead of packed dirt or concrete. This type of paving offers five distinct benefits, especially when it’s added as part of new construction instead of retrofitted into an existing structure. Faster Drying Times Horses and cows both need relatively dry conditions for healthy hooves. Standing in wet litter or on soaked dirt for hours at a time can lead to hoof rot and thrush, but asphalt is quick to drain and prevents pockets of hidden moisture from developing in bedding. A special mix of the paving material known as popcorn asphalt is particularly useful for encouraging drainage in a barn. It contains a higher proportion of aggregate to binder, leaving tiny gaps in the surface that wick away moisture. Proper Crowning Crowning of a paved surface is a grading technique that creates a slope towards a drainage hole or trench. Asphalt is easy to crown with the right rolling equipment because it’s relatively malleable when freshly laid. It’s much easier to plan the points of drainage and install drains and trench covers during initial construction instead of having to excavate an occupied barn when you discover a water flow issue while rinsing off a muddy foal. Crown the floor correctly from the beginning by laying it with at least 1/8th of inch of slope per foot. Installing asphalt is more reliable due to the crowning than adding drainage to a raw dirt floor or hoping gravel is enough to manage moisture. Improved Traction A slippery surface in the barn is one of the biggest dangers facing companion horses or heavy livestock like cattle and even llamas. Asphalt can prevent dangerous falls by Eliminating puddles and ice slicks due to the increased drainage Offering a rougher and more durable surface than rock dust and gravel, especially when popcorn asphalt is used Preventing holes, ruts, and bumps from developing that trip up the animals by keeping the floor level despite repeated kicking and stomping Allowing for greater contact between the hoof and the floor due to the slightly softer surface of asphalt when compared to concrete. Better Compatibility Trying to find a finished flooring that is easier to clean than packed dirt but still want to use rubber mats or interlocking shock absorbers to protect your most delicate animals? The flat and supportive surface provided by asphalt paving provides the ideal base for other types of barn flooring. Unlike with dirt or gravel, you can remove the mats every few months and fully disinfect the asphalt below to control bacteria and fungi. Neater Finished Edges Finally, it’s easier to get neat edges where the asphalt meets the walls and wraps around support columns when you lay it while the interior is still unfinished inside the barn. Building stall walls or mounting milking equipment before you finish the floors only makes it harder to get a clean installation. Make sure the asphalt paving crew has experience laying the material right up to a wall without a slope since...
read moreHow Can You Keep Your Medications Secure If A Recovering Addict Lives In Your Home?
Watching a spouse, teenager, or other close relative struggle with a powerful narcotic addiction can be devastating — especially when you find out your own prescription medications were used to fuel this addiction. After going through rehab treatment, your relative may be ready to return home, but you could be reluctant to allow your relative unfettered access to the medications you need to relieve your chronic pain, especially after a previous breach of trust. What can you do to keep your medication secure while a recovering addict lives in your home? Build a custom locking medicine cabinet If your medications are currently stored in a bathroom medicine cabinet, you should be able to modify this cabinet with a keyed or combination lock for a relatively low cost. You’ll need to ensure that this lock will still allow you to access medications when most needed. For example, if you take prescription narcotics to relieve the pain of severe migraines, trying to manipulate a combination lock (or even remember the combination itself) while dealing with blurry vision and a pounding headache may be too difficult, and a keyed lock may be a better idea. For those who tend to lose keys, having a combination lock may decrease the odds of being caught without a way to access your drugs. If you instead store your medications in a drawer or other difficult-to-secure area, the construction of a custom locking medicine cabinet in your master bathroom may be a worthwhile investment. Weekend warriors and hobbyists should already have the tools needed to complete this project, while others with less free time (or fewer woodworking skills) may opt for professional construction and installation. For more information contact a business such as Affordable Custom Enclosures. Purchase a biometric safe Another way to keep your medicine secure and close at hand is to purchase and install a biometric safe in your bathroom or bedroom. Unlike traditional safes, which can be opened by anyone with a key (or knowledge of the combination), biometric safes require the touch of a specifically-programmed fingerprint. This should be sufficient to deny access to anyone — even an identical twin, and can allow you to open the safe at a moment’s notice and without fumbling at the lock. An unfortunate reality of living with a former addict is the need to keep a watchful eye on your valuable belongings. If a craving hits and pills aren’t immediately accessible, your relative may attempt to steal and pawn or sell valuables around your home in order to purchase street drugs. The need to secure additional belongings is another benefit of a biometric safe, which can be used to store cash, medications, firearms, jewelry, electronics, and other easily sold items. Because biometric technology has expanded significantly in recent years — both improving quality and reducing price — you should be able to procure a small biometric safe for no more than the cost of an ordinary combination or keyed safe. Look into hidden vehicle storage In some cases, your relative may simply be unable to cope with the thought of available narcotics in the home. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, you may want to install some locking storage in your vehicle — this will allow you to keep your medications close at hand without actually having...
read moreFlood Preparation Tips For The Home To Prevent Damage
If you live in an area that is prone to flooding, then you need to worry about how rising waters will affect your home. Floods can cause extensive damage. Costs of over $20,000 can be expected whenever flood damage restoration is done. To mitigate these costs, you should prepare your house for flood damage. Keep reading to learn about a few important things that you should do before a flood causes damage to the home. Elevate Appliances If you have a basement that holds your furnace, water heater, water softener, and other important appliances, you will want to elevate these items. If appliances come into contact with flood water, your repair contractor will advise you to have the items completely replaced. In fact, GAMA, one of the leading appliance trade associations, indicates that full appliance replacement should always take place instead of a repair. This advice stems from fires and explosions that have occurred due to the completion of appliance repairs after a flood. To prevent the need for a new furnace, you will need to create a mounting box for it. To figure out how tall this box should be, contact or visit the website of the FEMA flood map service center to determine how much floodwater is likely to enter your home. Add at least six inches to the floodwater height to come up with the height of the mounting box. For example, if six-inch high flood waters are likely to enter your house, then build a box that is one foot tall. You will also need to measure the width of your furnace. Construct a small box with lumber from your local hardware store that has a lower base and four sides that match your dimensions. Use nails to connect the pieces together. Mix cement in a bucket and pour it into your box. Allow the cement to cure for two days. Once the cement has hardened, disconnect the vent attached to the furnace and ask two or three friends to help you lift the furnace straight up and set it onto the mounting box. Attach the vent when you are done. You can use this same process to elevate your water heater and other appliances in the basement. Consider A Backup For Your Sump Pump If you live in a flood area, then you very likely have a sump pump that is already set up in your basement. This device will be instrumental in ridding your basement of water whenever the water table rises. However, when a flood comes through, water will cause damage to both underground and aboveground electrical equipment, and outages are likely. This means that your sump pump will not have electrical power to run. You can fix this problem by making sure that you set up an electrical backup for your sump pump. One of the easiest solutions is to purchase a battery powered backup kit. This kit features a large battery that is attached directly to the sump pump that will be used by the pump if it must activate and no electricity is available. However, the battery will likely only provide your sump pump with power for several hours. You also can purchase a small portable generator and attach it to your sump pump. A generator that runs on one or two gallons of gasoline can...
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