Indoor air quality is an increasing health concern. Pollutant levels (airborne particles, gases, chemicals, and volatile organic compounds) are actually higher inside the home than they are outside. Poor quality indoor air affects people to different degrees, depending on an individual’s age and relative health. There are different ways of protecting yourself and your loved ones against indoor air pollutants.

Indoor air mold
A most common indoor air pollutant is air mold. Mold exists wherever moisture and oxygen are present. Inside your home, molds can often be found in damp basements, closets, bathrooms, air conditioning systems, humidifiers, and any humid place. Here are some steps on how to improve the quality of air in your home.

Improving indoor air quality

• The first step in improving indoor air quality is to attempt to control the source of the pollutant. If it stems from indoor air mold, smoke, or some type of chemical, you can actually remove it from your home through a thorough cleansing. On the other hand, some indoor air pollutants such as dust or pollen are not so easily eliminated.
• The next step is to improve the ventilation in your home. Bringing fresh air into the house by opening windows is not only helpful but also very simple. However, opening a window on a high pollen-count day or in a smoggy city will probably worsen the air situation in your home.
• Finally, you can purchase an air purifier. There are numerous types of air purifiers on the market–be sure to buy one that is well suited for the dimension of your home.

Types of air purifiers
Air purifiers are designed to clean and purify the air people breathe. They can reduce odors and airborne pollutants that contribute to poor air quality, and filter common allergens such as pollen, mold and dust. Cleaner air benefits everyone, especially those who suffer from allergies or asthma. Air purifiers can be conveniently portable or permanently installed.

Tips on choosing an air purifier
Area Coverage – Make sure the square footage recommended for the air purifier is close to or slightly greater than the square footage of the room where you intend to use it.

Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) – This number informs us how frequently the air purifier can exchange all the air in a given room in an hour. If you suffer from allergies or asthma, you will want a higher ACH rating.

Filter Replacements – Filters have to be replaced on many types of air purifiers. Be sure to find out the cost of the filters and how often they must be changed.

Noise Level – Some air purifiers are very quiet, while others can be quite loud. Ask for a trial demonstration of the unit before purchasing it.

Energy Usage – Because air purifiers operate on energy and run continuously, the amount of energy they consume will be reflected on your energy bill.

Gary Martin is a freelance writer specializing in health and allergy research for the Mold Removal Unit – http://www.moldunit.com website.

Everything you wanted to know about soapstone

Soapstone is natural rock that is quarried, just like granite and marble. They started forming hundreds of millions of years ago and are sourced from countries as varied as Brazil, Spain, Italy, the United States, and France.

The natural variations in soapstone countertops are what give them character. Their colors range from whites to greys to even blue. You can be assured of having a soapstone counter that’s unique to you because of the different patterns that nature has created. Soapstone can have patterns ranging from veins similar to what you see in marble to tiny flecks.

It’s named soapstone because of this material’s feel to the touch. When you rub the surface of a soapstone countertop, it’s just like touching a piece of dry soap. In fact, it feels a bit soft. Despite this, there is no discounting the durability of soapstone countertops.

The hardness of soapstone actually varies, and there are types which are extremely soft. However, those used as home structures are very dense and can withstand pressure, heat, and scratches in more ways than one.

This material has only recently been used as material for kitchen countertops, but it has been used for centuries to construct sculptures, vases, goblets, urns, tools, and fireplaces, as well as for building blocks and sinks. This is why people who opt for soapstone countertops today are those who wish to bring a rustic, Early American feel into their homes.

How to care for soapstone countertops

This stone is chemically neutral, which means that they’re not as prone to damage when exposed to acids as Silestone or granite are. You won’t have to worry about spilled vinegar, salad dressing, coffee, or wine. Simply wipe the liquid off or use mild detergent to wash it away.

Although it doesn’t have to be treated with a sealant, you can apply oil to lift your countertop’s character and make the colors more vivid. There are no fixed rules on the amount of oil you have to use or how often you should treat it. The first time oil is applied to the surface, you will observe a darkening.

After a few days, the mineral oil evaporates – a sign that you must re-treat it. The soapstone countertop will be able to achieve its true patina after several treatments. To apply, spread the oil on the surface and rub it with a soft cloth. You can simply keep the oiled rag in a Ziploc bag for future use.

Don’t apply too much, as you can’t expect oil to be absorbed by soapstone. If there is too much oil on the surface, the countertop would tend to be too slick, which you wouldn’t want. Always rub off the excess oil.

Scratching, which soapstone is prone to because of its relative softness, canbe remedied by applying mineral oil to the damaged surface. For scratches that are more noticeable, purchase a 200-grit sandpaper and rub vigorously in a circular motion on the surface, accompanied with water. When the scratch is gone or less obvious, clean the area to remove the debris and after drying, apply mineral oil on it.

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Properties of silestone countertops

What are the characteristics of this man-made stone that makes it one of the most-preferred countertop materials?

Durability – This stone is said to have four times the flexural strength of granite, making it less prone to damage during transport, fabrication, installation, and daily use. This refers to the stone’s degree of flexibility coupled with its resistance to damage.

Like granite, it can stand up to stress from objects being heaped on it and from slicing and chopping directly on its surface. You can even knead dough or use a rolling pin directly on the surface of silestone countertops.

Heat-resistance – These hardy countertops can take anything, from piping hot soup pots to freezing cold ice cream tumblers on their surfaces. Unlike other synthetic materials such as formica or laminates which can easily warp or get burn stains from extremes in temperatures, silestone doesn’t show any signs of buckling no matter how hot or cold an object put on top of it may be.

Stain-resistance – Granite needs to have sealant applied on it to make it impervious to spills and staining. Silestone countertops, on the other hand, are engineered to keep any sort of chemical from penetrating their surfaces. Thus, you won’t have to fuss about accidentally spilling juice, oil, coffee, tea, or wine on your beautiful countertop.

Scratch-resistance – A Silestone countertop is also guaranteed to resist scratches from household utensils and other objects accidentally scraped on its surface. As there are only three other minerals (diamond, topaz, sapphire) said to be tougher than its component, quartz, you can expect a Silestone countertop to look as good as new after years of reasonable use.

Luster – This refers to the sheen you’d find in Silestone countertops. It is actually caused by the natural minerals found in it, which synthetic materials cannot duplicate. While quartz is this material’s main ingredient, manufacturers have included other colors to ensure that you’ll find the particular slab you’re looking for. Silestone colors can be of a solid color, or mottled and textured just like granite.

How is Silestone cleaned?

A countertop made of this material can be cleaned regularly with mild soap. Avoid using abrasive cleaning agents or those that have harsh acids. Also use a soft absorbent cloth rather than Brillo pads which may scratch the glossy surfaces, making them dull over time.

Some brands even have antimicrobial products incorporated in the stone so you’ll get protection in every slab you buy. This innovation safely fights the proliferation of odor-causing bacteria, mildew, and mold. With it, you’ll get countertop surfaces that are easy to clean and that stay sterilized longer in between cleanings.

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Granite slabs used for countertops can come in different finishes. The most common is a smooth and glossy finish, which is achieved by intensive polishing at the fabrication factories using huge sanders for smoothing the surface and rotating pads for buffing it.

Some people prefer a matte look for their granite slabs. This is often used for flooring and for use in bathrooms where it is unsafe to have stone that is extremely smooth. Matte is achieved by using rougher, larger-grained sanders.

You will also come across flamed granite varieties. These countertops are subjected to a torching process, which makes for a textured look. The tumbled look, on the other hand, features edges that are more rounded than the others.

To protect whatever finish you choose for your home, you should always make sure that the slab is properly sealed.

Sealing granite slabs to make them last a lifetime

Acids can be very harsh and could wreak havoc on the sealer of your countertop. In the kitchen, there are a lot of substances that are acidic and whose spills, therefore, should not be left unwiped on the countertop. Some examples are vinegar, juice, and even coffee.

Over time, these spills could eat away at the sealant applied on the surface of the countertop. When this erodes, the liquid may find its way into the stone itself and through the spaces between the particles, making stains permanent.

To clean spills, use a sponge to dab the spill, as wiping it spreads the damage on the surface. Use a mild cleanser or detergent to safely remove any harmful chemical substances left behind by the spill. Most importantly, never use harsh chemicals and abrasive scouring pads to clean granite slabs with. Always use only a pH-neutral chemical to disinfect and sanitize your countertops.

When you have done a good job of properly sealing granite slabs, you won’t need to worry about burn stains from hot pots or scratches from knife chops. Granite is one of the hardest materials you can ever find for a countertop, and they can even withstand the abuse that careless children heave on them.

Granite slabs – the whole ones, not the granite countertop tile variety – can cost you an arm and a leg and should thus be properly taken care of. Despite the price, sealing granite slabs is much easier than maintaining the integrity of granite tiles because the latter has a lot of joints and spaces you need to always seal off. As long as the sealant of a granite slab or tile countertop is preserved, you will be assured of an eternally shiny countertop that’s going to be the envy of your neighbors and friends.

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If you desire to make a gift or a special curio for your house in your home woodworking workshop, then a pattern might be right for you. You can download woodworking plans for free online, get them from specialty magazines, or purchase them at a hardware or home improvement store. Plans are ideal for the novice woodworker, because they take care of the details and remove a lot of the guessing from your project. Nothing kills a project faster than bad measurements, or not having the right tools for the job. A great woodworking plan or pattern will not only tell you exactly what you need to complete the project, but it will also provide all the measurements for the work and offer step by step instructions. But plans do not work just for the novice. An expert woodworker can innovate the plan, and personalize it for his or her own use. For example, a chest with three doors in the plan can be transformed into a chest with five doors in the hands of a capable woodworker. Yes, plans are for everyone, and here is what you can look for when selecting one that is right for you.

Plans are usually graded by difficulty level. If you are a beginner, be sure to be humble and select a plan made for beginners. You do not want to lose confidence by failing at an expert project. It is better to start small and simple with something like a birdhouse or a little jewelry box, rather than leap into a complex design. Once you have gauged that the difficulty level suits you, then inspect the plan for details. Does the plan tell you what tools you will need for the job? You do not want to obtain a plan that requires a table saw when you do not own one, or a drill bit that you lack. If you are a beginner craftsman with a sparsely populated woodshop, you want to forego the plans that require jigs and mitre cuts. You do not want to invest in hundreds of dollars of machinery for one project. The best DIY projects require basic tools and machinery that you already own.

Next, notice if the plan is written in your language, and if not, decide if the picture diagrams are clear and easy enough to follow? We have all experienced the frustration of trying to put a Swedish piece of furniture together using the foreign, do-it-yourself booklet that comes with the pieces. Be sure that you will be able to follow the directions before you purchase or download the plan. Woodworking plans tend to be surprisingly easy to follow, especially if you have struggled with one of those “some assembly required” projects in the past.

Lastly, make sure that the plan offers explicit measurements. You do not want to be stuck with drawers that are bigger than the cabinets they are made for. If you are sure that all these factors are present in your ideal project, then go ahead and get the plan and start woodworking. Your task from here on out should be easy.

Being specifically interested in machinery and furniture projects, Kurt Schefken edited lots of detailed papers on the matter. Recording his experience in detailed publications such as http://www.insidewoodworking.com/projectsplanspatterns/index.html the reviewer established his expertise on things similar to woodworking plans.

A home consists of many different rooms: kitchen, dining room, living room, bedrooms, family room and bathrooms. Notice how bathrooms always seem to be listed last as though they are the least important? Many people don’t consider bathrooms as important rooms because there is really no activity that takes place in this room. In addition, a very small room is not given much thought as far as home improvement or remodeling. When undertaking a remodeling project for the bathroom, however, there are many small details that people tend to forget. There’s actually much more involved in remodeling a bathroom than people realize.

Before you begin the remodeling or building project for your bathroom, you need to plan what you are going to do. Although many think of a “bathroom” as a place to take a bath, it is actually so much more than that. Depending on whether you’re doing a “full bathroom”, “half bathroom” or “3/4 bathroom”, will determine what you will need to purchase and plan. A full bathroom will have a bathtub, shower, sink and toilet, whereas a half bathroom will only have a sink and toilet. A ¾ bathroom will consist of a toilet, sink and shower. Many homeowners like having one full bathroom for family and a half bathroom either for guests or as an additional room near the bedrooms.

A bathroom home improvement project is when you are installing something in the bathroom, such as adding a bathtub where there previously was only a shower. Other additions to the bathroom may be a vanity, fan, shower door, medicine cabinet or even new flooring. You may choose to do a lot or all of it yourself or you may hire a contractor. Although some contractors are often expensive, a bathroom is a small room that won’t usually cost that much to remodel. Although a bathroom is a small room that many don’t give a second thought to, it’s an important room when trying to sell your home. Prospective
buyers seem to always pay the most attention to the kitchen and bathroom.

Many online stores carry many of the supplies you’ll need for your bathroom, whether you do the work yourself or hire someone. As long as you are remodeling your bathroom, take this opportunity to make any additions for any elderly or disabled friends or relatives. Some of these additions may be bathtub safety bars, non-slip bathtub surface, or a higher toilet seat. While these additions may not seem like much to you, your guests will certainly appreciate them. In addition, they make great selling points should you decide to sell your home.

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Many people own a ranch home, and if you do then you will no doubt already have some ideas how you would like to improve your home. You will have to spend a long time renovating your home, so it’s important to make sure that it achieves what you want. In order for your project to be a success you should think long and hard about what you want to achieve.

Ranch Renovation Projects

There are virtually an unlimited number of options available when you are considering renovating your home. In fact there are so many that it’s easy to get carried away with it. There are a few projects in particular which are more popular than the others.

A typical ranch has an asymmetrical exterior and is a single story structure commonly in a rectangular or occasionally an L shape. If your home isn’t already in an L shape then you could consider extending it in order to get yourself more space.

Most ranches are decorated with simple wood panelling on the walls, stone fireplaces, built in storage, and picture windows so you can view the beautiful garden. When renovating your ranch home it is a good idea to use natural wood where possible, although this is quite expensive it’s certainly worth it. It not only makes it look better, but it also makes your home more valuable.

There are people that buy a ranch home in poor condition, renovate it and sell it on for a profit. The people that make the most money will be those that implement good improvements. There are also people that renovate their own ranch home that they just happen to sell, these are two very different types of houses and you should be careful when deciding.

There are hundreds of houses out there, by presenting yours in the best way possible it will make yours more desirable. If your home is in poor repair, not only will that put some buyers off but it will also bring the price down. By renovating your home windows you can encourage people to be interested in your property, because there’s not as much expensive work to e done. If you’re trying to sell a house on for a profit then you should be careful when deciding which improvements to make, ideally you want to spend as little as possible while adding as much to your house value as possible.

No matter which improvements you plan to make on your home it will involve a lot of effort on your part. This means it’s very important to make sure you’re doing the right renovations in order to add as much value to your home as possible.

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Stones can give off that polished and sophisticated look on your patio designs. Unlike any other type of material, stones are solid, durable, can withstand extreme temperature and weather conditions, and can last for more than a lifetime.

Some questions to ask when planning on patio stone designs.

1. Is natural stone the best material to use?

Using natural stone for patios is great. Since you may want to preserve and maintain your patio for a long time, then stone is the best material to use. A lot of patios are already built using stone as main component in the design.

Another great thing about stone patio design is that they blend well with whatever theme or environment. You do not have to pattern the colors around you with the stone that you will be using because whatever stone type or texture, the result will always look good.

2. What are some stone suggestions to use?

1. Limestones – Limestones are the best stone to use not only in your patio but in any part of the house. Majority of limestones have a soft earth tone color. It may also have a speckled grain, a swirl throughout and can contain fossils. Limestones are relatively new in the market. But it is the material widely used in architecture designs, homes and commercial establishments. They are also available in many textures and finishes.

2. Granites – Granites have swirled or spattered grain and they come in a variety of color. Granites are known to have “busy” looks. But nowadays, the trend is for manufacturers to flame and hone them to produce a much more stylish surface. The only downside to granites is that they tend to be slippery.

3. Marble – Marble is more or less the same with limestone in the sense that it grows more beautiful with time. It is also very much available in every size, color, texture and finish preferred.

4. Slates – In the past, slates are only used for billiard tables, chalkboard and roof tiles. Over the years, it has become popular for residential and commercial applications. Slates are considered as the perfect material for patios. They also come in many colors and sizes.

5. Travertine – Travertine are marbles with holes. People used to think that travertine cannot be used for homed because of its holes. But then, once the holes are filled with grout, it gives off a unique look and can add vibrancy to the design.

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Landscaping and gardening can be a challenge on its own, but when
the space is small the challenge can become greater. May times we
can think the small space and lack of room simply has no
potential. Remove that thought right now! Gardens can be created
and enjoyed in almost any size space; the only thing required is
imagination!

Using containers give those with limited real estate the easiest
way to create a garden, add color and interest to small spaces.
For example, hanging multiple containers of different sizes
filled with flowers or ferns in front of a window can bring
nature indoors. A basket holding multiple plants that trail
downward instead of upright creates interest with its own picture
frame. Many different types of ivy can be used to create texture
and color as they spill over the hanging pots edge creating
hanging beauty.

A window box garden gives you another way to enjoy beautiful
flowers or herbs in limited areas. Window boxes usually attach to
an outside wall just under the window and create an excellent
accent for homes or apartments although living on the 4th floor
could cause some planting problems!

Window boxes come in a variety of sizes large and small but can
be found to fit about any sized window. When planting a window
box use colorful annuals to brighten things up, but make sure you
do not select plants, which outgrow the space quickly.

You can also use window boxes on a patio, porch or balcony by
putting the window box on top of railings or sit them on the
ground. These can make an interesting colorful accent while
sitting outside reading the paper or along an entryway.

Going the container garden route gives another excellent way to
landscape small areas with beautiful flowers complimenting
interesting container designs. Containers and pots come in so
many shapes and sizes with enough select to meet the demands of
almost any area large or small.

One big plus container gardening allows is for easy movement of
containers. This let’s you rearrange for fill your inner design
itch. Don’t rule out vines in your container gardens. A trellis
can allow you to take advantage of the vertical space you have,
and get some flowers along the way. Do not think only horizontal
space long at the vertical space available too. It is even
possible to create some interesting lighting effects with the use
of landscape lighting on a balcony or patio by placing a few
lights behind plants and containers to bounce light.

Finally even with limited space take advantage of windowsills and
shelves in your home. You can find plenty of small and miniature
plants and palms that use very little space and easily fit in a
bright yet small space. Small plants also give a great
opportunity to learn more about plant care such as try
sub-irrigation to water your plants.

Thomas Fryd gives tips on how to get more from your landscape with landscape lighting, Tom regularly covers the world of plants and landscape at http://www.Plant-Care.com where you find can get the inside scoop on landscaping and house plant care.