Author: benjamin

Epoxy Flooring Coatings Guide

Flooring•by benjamin•Posted June 20, 2020June 20, 2020

How Do I Know Which Type of Epoxy Flooring Is Best For My Floor?

How Do I Know Which Type of Epoxy Flooring Is Best For My Floor?

This is a question many customers ask us along with why is your epoxy better and what does it cost. The following information will answer those questions and help you make the right purchase for your particular floor application. There are different types of flooring you can use in addition to an epoxy coating such as Interlocking Tiles or Rubber Garage Floor Mats. There’s a good discussion here Epoxy vs Tile vs Mats about the pros and cons of each of these different products you can use.

But if you’ve set your heart on a super high gloss epoxy floor coating then stay on this page and we’ll tell you everything you need to know. From being one of the largest epoxy installers in the Tri State area we’ve learned over the years exactly what works and what doesn’t. There’s so many choices today it can be down right confusing and frustrating not to mention easy to make a mistake. The problem is that a lot of the products you’ll see don’t live up to their marketing in real life. They’ll state they are heavy duty, commercial or industrial grade floor coatings and will last a lifetime when they’re no such thing nor capable of any such thing. Know the facts before you buy! If you think you can get a floor that looks like the beautiful red floor above by just going down to your local store or ordering some epoxy online without knowing what you’re buying, you couldn’t be more wrong!

The best way to avoid buying the wrong epoxy flooring is to know the basic facts and learn what causes epoxy coatings to fail or look like they failed. Reading and learning to understand the specifications of each epoxy you’re considering is an important factor. The specifications don’t lie and they tell you exactly what the coating is or isn’t capable of. It’s actually very simple once you know what to look for!

Picking the right epoxy floor coating is a four step process with certain questions you have to answer:

The cost of applying a high quality multi layer epoxy floor coating system as compared to off the shelf water based or hybrid one coat type epoxies can be relatively much more expensive.

So do you need a quality epoxy coating or is a cheap epoxy paint good enough for your floor?

What type of look and finish do you want. Solid color, clear finish or colored flake finish?

What level of durability do you want and or need. Is your floor an industrial application or residential application or somewhere in between? And how do you know an epoxy is really industrial or commercial grade? Many epoxies call themselves industrial or commercial grade until they’re on your floor and you wear right through them. At that point the damage is done, this page will hopefully help you avoid being in that situation.

What condition is your concrete floor in? Is it new, is it old, is it pitted, is it oil stained, does it have a moisture issue? Your floor may need special attention to avoid a failure down the road.

These are some of the questions we will answer in the discussion below. Not addressing these questions prior to your purchase is a more likely than not going to lead to disappointing results.

The first thing you need to determine is what kind of finish you want/need and what your budget is. Whether your coating an industrial floor or just your garage floor or something in between. If your budget won’t allow you to use an epoxy coating system that is equal to or greater than the traffic loads you will run on the floor, then our best advice is don’t epoxy paint your floor. You’re better off going to your local home improvement store and purchasing a sealer and simply sealing the slab to protect against corrosion and to make it easier to clean.

Tips for Choosing the Right Epoxy Floor for Your Project

Deciding to install an epoxy floor in your home or business is a big investment. You want to be sure you choose the right finish and color, helping to give you a great-looking space that’s also easy to maintain

Think of Your Needs

If you’re putting a new epoxy flooring finish in your sleek office building, for example, choosing a big, bold color with a shiny metallic finish might not give off the impression you’re going for.

While you may love that muted overall tone with bright chips in it, depending on where you’re putting the floor and the feel of the rest of the space, it may end up being more distracting than attractive.

Choose Your Finish

At Armor Tough Coatings, we offer two types of epoxy floor finishes: Metallic and standard, or matte. Metallic epoxy floors finish to a lava-like pattern that offers visual interest and can distract the eye from a mess, such as on a shop floor. This finish also is more shiny than a standard epoxy floor, adding extra brightness to the space.

Choosing a Color

Color can make or break the look of your finished epoxy floor. If you choose the wrong color for your room, like choosing the wrong carpeting, it could impact the look and feel of the space. However, the right epoxy floor in the right color can elevate a space to give it a sleek, modern feel.

How do you choose the best epoxy floor coating?

Picking the right epoxy floor coating is a four step process:

The cost of applying a high quality multi layer epoxy floor coating system as compared to off the shelf water based or hybrid one coat type epoxies can be relatively much more do you need a quality epoxy coating or is a cheap epoxy paint good enough for your floor?

What type of look and finish do you want. Solid color, clear finish or colored flake finish?

What level of durability do you want and or need. Is your floor an industrial application or residential application or somewhere in between? And how do you know an epoxy is really industrial or commercial grade? Many epoxies call themselves industrial or commercial grade until they’re on your floor and you wear right through them. At that point the damage is done, this page will hopefully help you avoid being in that situation.

What condition is your concrete floor in? Is it new, is it old, is it pitted, is it oil stained, does it have a moisture issue? Your floor may need special attention to avoid a failure down the road.

First off, you understand why you need it for. Then you talk to professionals, who can tell you if epoxy is a right decision for your location and which one to go with

Choosing the Right Epoxy Flooring for Your Needs

When it comes to giving your floors an overhaul, there are many different options available. One of the most popular for commercial, industrial, and institutional applications is epoxy flooring. However, there are also several different choices available, which means you need to know which one will work best for your needs. The following information will help you determine the best option for your application

high build Epoxy Coatings

High build epoxies are a great choice for areas where durability, slip resistance, and easy maintenance are most important. These are designed for industrial wear applications

Self-Leveling Epoxy Flooring

Self-leveling epoxy (SLE) is a great option for industrial flooring applications, including chemical and battery plants, loading docks, ramps, and other high traffic areas. It can be used to either replace or restore concrete floors that have started eroding. SLE is a strong, durable 100% solids epoxy that provides a dense surface that is skid resistant, and can provide different degrees of shock, thermal, and impact resistance. It also prevents dirt and chemicals from penetrating the surface, which results in a longer lasting flooring option. There are also several different polyurethane and epoxy topcoats that can be added to provide even more durability and chemical resistance.

Lumiere Designer Epoxy

Lumiere designer epoxy flooring is a premium coating that provides enhanced shine, color, and three-dimensional depth that comes from its ability reflect light via metallic pigments. This high shine option is perfect for businesses that want to ensure that their prestige and quality permeates every inch of their establishment, including showrooms, nightclubs, offices, health care facilities, gyms, spas, salons, and any other locations that want to project a high-class image

Additional Epoxy Uses

In addition to these epoxy flooring options, epoxy can also be used for wall coatings. This type of system uses 100% solids epoxy for use in commercial, residential, and industrial settings that require high chemical and impact resistance, ease of maintenance, high durability, and protection from mold and bacterial growth, all with high reflectivity. With different topcoats, this coating system can also become antimicrobial, and withstand exposure to strong acids, alcohols, and solvents.

How to Choose Best Epoxy Floor Coating

Are you thinking about changing the floor of your living room, kitchen, or walking path? Epoxy floors are an affordable and seamless option as there is no space for bacteria or other contaminants to grow. It is also a perfect choice for food processing and restaurant businesses. But don’t forget, it is also great for residential building especially for kitchen or toilets.

So, if you want to gets a shiny, glossy, long-lasting, and non-slippery floor, then contact with a Mesa, AZ epoxy flooring contractors to avail the best option. You can conduct DIY epoxy flooring installation wok just by following some easy instructions or hire an expert to do so. There are several epoxy flooring options, you can choose the best based on how much traffic passes on your required area and how often you will have to clean or touch up. Definitely, the cost is the most considerable factor while choosing the epoxy floor coating.

Water-based paint

Water-based epoxy flooring is easy to apply, least toxic, durable, and cheapest option for you, if you want something economical for your home. It is a great and user-friendly option for domestic buildings but not so good for industrial purposes that have problems with dampness. Water-based epoxy flooring paints often need annual touch-ups. Some people don’t believe that water-based paint is a real epoxy resin since it does not come with two separate parts like other kinds of epoxy materials. You will not need to mix the hardener with the resin chemical before the application. It is pre-mixed paint that is why it is easy to apply.

Two-parts solvent-based paint

The epoxy floor paint is stronger than water-based paint but it is a more toxic option. You have to mix both the parts of the paint before application. You should be cautious and meticulous while applying it. Professional painters claim that it is not user –friendly option for many reasons. But on the opposite side, it is durable and lasts longer than others. Also on the positive side, it is easy to clean and maintain.

Two parts 100 percent epoxy solids

It is a perfect choice for you if you want a durable floor. This type of epoxy coating is created through multiply chemical processes that make beautiful, hard, and strong surfaces. Some epoxy flooring experts have claimed that it is more durable than concrete flooring as it is five times stronger and thicker than water-based paint

How A Dimmer Switches Installation Can Save You Money

Electricians•by benjamin•Posted June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

factors for finding the perfect switch for your application

The process of selecting switches does not always receive the time and attention it deserves. Given the relatively low cost and simple nature of most switches, often they are selected without full consideration of the features and functionality they offer. Depending on the application, there are certain parameters that will guide a designer to choose a particular switch, but amidst the myriad of options that are available it is all too easy to be led astray.

Driven by Data

The advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) is generating vast amounts of data across all sectors. This data needs to be stored or, more often, communicated. The necessity of accommodating the required antennas, transmitters and additional circuitry can have a drastic impact on the space available for operational, detection and data collection components, such as switches. Despite this, switches must still interface with the user, while also withstanding harsh environments and aggressive interaction. Manufacturers of medical equipment, for example, are increasingly focusing their investments on developing the systems and platforms to store, correlate and analyze this data. Designers must therefore carefully select switches that are capable of meeting demanding specifications, including miniaturization and low power consumption.

Meeting Physical Demands

With the growth of wearables, the demand for switches is growing. While wearable devices have been around for some time, there are different philosophies when it comes to designing devices for different industries. Components within medical wearable devices, for example, need to be resilient against rough treatment and environmental challenges, while also working the first time, every time. The challenge for designers is to ensure that every individual component is fit for purpose within the demanding environments in which these machines operate. Switches are a vital part of the interface between a user and a device, so when it comes to ensuring consistent performance, long life and quality of the switches, making the correct choice is crucial.

Form Factor

Within the industrial sector, for example, switches are used in a variety of applications including CNC machine controls, safety and position sensors, battery chargers, power supplies and gas detection equipment, to name but a few. One thing they all have in common is that space is limited on the PCB, both when it comes to height and footprint. This form factor is becoming increasingly important as the functionality of devices increases, making the real estate on the PCB even more valuable.

Electrical Rating

Another crucial consideration for switch choice is the required signal current. There is a great variety in electrical requirements depending on the product design, with some switches needing to handle low signal currents for PLCs and microprocessor inputs, while some need to handle higher currents in order to actuate relays.

Choosing Electrical Switches & Outlets

How to choose switches and outlets while avoiding pitfalls.

Choosing electrical switches and outlets for a remodeling project or new home addition can be daunting. There are so many features to consider including style, color, finish and usage. The last thing you want to do is to select the wrong devices and delay the completion of your project.

Make A List

In each room requiring devices sketch and list each device location and shape. Alternately, put a numbered sticker on each one and add to a list. Miscounting is a VERY common mistake so carefully review your totals and discuss it with your electrician. Make sure you haven’t forgotten a switch around a corner that would look odd if not coordinated with the rest of the devices in an adjoining room, or missed an outlet hidden behind a piece of furniture. You might not see it now, but that device may be visible in the future if you redecorate or move

Be Familiar With Device Descriptions

When choosing devices, have a clear understanding of what terms mean. Often people will select an outlet not realizing that these come in several variations. Do you need a Decora outlet (the large, block style rectangular opening for two receptacles) or a duplex outlet (for two slightly rounded plugs on one device)? Is your electrician installing Decora rockers or toggle switches? A “switch” could refer to either.

Consider Updating Your Current Devices

The trend in devices is to use “Decora style” decorator switches, outlets and dimmers. There are several benefits to selecting these. First, all devices fit into the same size opening, limiting the variety of plate shapes needed. A light switch, an outlet or a dimmer could easily be interchanged allowing more flexibility if last minute changes are required. Decora rocker switches are also easier to use for the elderly or mobility challenged. Visually, Decora devices give a more cohesive look because of the standardized shape.

Access and Usability

If it would be convenient to turn on a light from more than one location, then a 3-way or 4-way switch would be required. Devices that control a single location are referred to as single pole devices. A three way device allows a light to be controlled from two switch locations. A four-way device allows control from three separate switch locations. Be sure to confirm with your electrician whether multi-pole devices can be installed in the desired locations. Another popular option is to install dimmers that allow lighting to be adjusted according to mood. Many dimmer switches have preset buttons to easily retain desired settings.

things to consider before installing smart light switches

When turning your old, dumb house into a smart home, one of the best places to start is with lighting. For starters, you can test the waters with a single smart bulb or set of lights — letting you dip a toe in the smart light pool before diving in head-first.

Smart bulbs, switches or plugs?

First, make sure you’re getting the right kind of smart lighting for your home. Smart switches are one of the more common options when it comes to smart lighting. You can find them at pretty much every big box home improvement store

Smart bulbs, for instance, not only let you remotely control the lights or put them on a schedule, they often also let you change the color of the lighting on the fly. Smart plugs keep things simple while letting you turn an existing lamp with a regular light bulb into one you can turn off and on from anywhere. They sometimes let you track energy consumption, as well. Both of these options come with a plug-and-play installation. If you don’t like it or want to move it later on, you can with little to no effort.

Smart switches, on the other hand, are the modest midpoint between the other two and the most natural to use. You can still control the lights from the wall switch like you always have, but you’ll get some added benefits, like dimming or a pop-out remote that will still give you easier manual control of the lights. But they’ll also work with existing light fixtures that may not accommodate a smart bulb. That said, installation is much more hands-on and permanent.

Alexa, Google, Siri and more

When choosing which smart switch you should go with, consider what the switches are compatible with. If the smart switches you choose can communicate with Amazon Alexa, Google Home ($99 at Crutchfield), HomeKit or SmartThings, the possibilities for how you can control your lights or what you can do with them are virtually limitless.

Tips for Identifying Light Switches in Your Home

Being able to identify the designs and types of light switches around your house will help you choose the best replacements. Here’s a quick look at the most common light switches.

Single-Pole Switch. Single-pole switches are the most common. These switches use a simple on-off toggle to turn lights, devices, and receptacles on and off from a single location. Flipping the switch on single-pole models connects or disconnects the circuit. Most single-pole switches are marked with on and off settings. It’s important to wire your single-pole switch in the correct direction to ensure the markings match the position of the switch. A single-pole switch will have two brass screws on either side of the switch. These brass terminals house the incoming and outgoing hot wire. Some switches also come with a green ground terminal.

Double-Pole Switch. Double-pole switches also utilize an on-off toggle and can only control lights, devices, or receptacles from one location. But with four brass terminals, double-pole switches can house two hot wires, which means that double-pole models can switch to a 240-volt circuit. Double-pole models also utilize a green ground screw.

Three-Way Switch. Three-way switches come in pairs and allow you to turn lights on or off from two locations. This makes them ideal for controlling long hallways. Three-way designs are more complicated than single- and double-pole switches; the hot wire in three-way designs is connected to the common screw (COM). The remaining terminals are used to wire the leads for switches. Three-way switches also come with a green ground screw.

Four-Way Switch. Four-way designs are combined with three-way switches to control lights from three or more locations. You can identify a four-way switch by its four terminals.

Factors to Consider Before Choosing Enterprise Switches

Nowadays, to set up an enterprise network, network switches for enterprise are necessary, connecting the users in local geography such as an office, departments or buildings connected to each other and allowing data transferring to the assigned devices. It is an indisputable fact that Ethernet switches matters a lot in an enterprise network, no matter it is small or large-sized. Before you make your choice of buying enterprise switches, here are some criteria you need to consider.

Map out the Enterprise Network

The most critical thing you should make clear is your requirements including the network size, the purpose of the network, the devices which will be connected to the switches and the future network planning.

After identifying the network size and the future needs of your business, the switch function and features are what you should pay attention to. If you are running a small-sized enterprise where there are fewer than 200 users and no need for future expansion, the network model can be two-tier internetworking architecture. For mid-sized to large enterprises, the three-layer hierarchical network model is needed. Based on the three-layer hierarchical network model, the switches in the enterprise can be divided into access layer switches, distribution layer switches, and core layer switches. Choose enterprise switches according to the three layers can be a good way for each layer has its functions as well as characteristics

Evaluating Enterprise Switches

After deciding the enterprise network architecture, you should get some information about enterprise switches which will help you better choose the switches you will deploy. If you are aware of the switch specifications, you can skip this part and go directly to the next which will give your suggestions on evaluating switch suppliers.

Port Speeds and Cabling Connections

There is a wide range of network switches available in the market. 1 Gigabit Ethernet, 10 GE, 40GE and 100GE ports are all supported by the modern enterprise switches. These interfaces can be a combination of RJ45 ports for copper connectivity and SFP or SFP+ uplink ports with higher speeds for fiber connectivity. In terms of the cabling connections, Ethernet connections with standard RJ45 ports can be more economical. Sure the network switch interface selection is influenced by the installed cabling. If you have already installed Cat6 or Cat6a cabling, then choose switches with RJ45 ports; If multiple fiber cabling is installed, then choose switches with SFP, SFP+, or QSFP+ ports. Despite the fact that Cat6 cable running from the access closet may be less expensive, the distance it can reach will be limited.

Installation Environments

Based on the environment where you are going to install switches, the switch size, the operating temperature, relative humidity are all your considerations. In a place where space is limited, you must examine the switch dimensions and ensure the rack space is adequate for the switch deployment. If the temperature of the installation environment is either too hot or too cold, it is necessary to check and choose the switch which can operate in a harsh environment. Also, be careful about the moisture migration and penetration caused by high humidity which will impact the operation of the devices.

Benefits Of Post Construction Cleaning

Cleaning•by benjamin•Posted June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

Tips For Post Construction Cleaning Projects

So here you are, the construction contractors have moved out, and it’s time to clean. Dust, dirt, chunks of drywall and dirty window seals mount a mighty offensive against your team of cleaners. What can help you take down this task in a safe, professional and efficient way? Here are three tips for post construction cleaning services to help make your project a success!

Safety First

Post construction cleanings are different from other types of cleaning in many ways. One of the biggest differences is they can have hazards not found at a typical client site. For example, power tools, carts, ladders, and lifts may be found on site. You may even have active construction nearby. It’s not hard to imagine how some of these can become a hazard to an unsuspecting cleaner. Thus, just like the construction project, the cleaning job must be completed in a safe manner.

It’s vital to become acquainted with the site before you bring in the entire cleaning crew. Inform your cleaning team about objects and equipment that may have been left behind. Instruct how to deal with them. Feel free to talk to any other contractors you may run into on-site. Chances are they can tell you about specifics you need to look out for.

Supplies and Equipment

Do you have standard vacuums you use at typical office cleaning settings?  Well, don’t bring them here! Post construction cleanings can be taxing on equipment.  If you bring your office vacuum to a construction cleaning site, it may become hundreds of dollars worth of broken parts and plastic. It’s important to invest in industrial-grade equipment. Large and powerful shop vacs handle chunks of drywall and obnoxious amounts of dust much better than standard equipment.  Furthermore, utilize an auto-scrub machine for large floor areas.  It can greatly increase productivity.

Use a Phased Approach

In our tips for post construction cleaning discussion – let’s dig into the details of a phased approach. When it comes to phased approach cleaning – what does this really mean? A phased approach is a method of cleaning that takes larger tasks and breaks them down into smaller manageable chunks.  Furthermore, no matter how well you clean during the first phases at a construction site, dust will settle, and this dust must be removed for the space to be business-ready.  Thus, the only option is to allow time to pass to allow this dust to settle and then be cleaned between phases.

POST CONSTRUCTION CLEANING TIPS

Construction work can be a messy job and the last thing you want to do is to leave your newly completed space looking like it’s still a work in progress. A thorough post construction cleanup is the finishing touch you need to wrap up your project and give it that clean, brand new feeling. But what exactly does post construction cleaning entail? The truth is, cleaning up after any sort of building project or construction work is entirely different from your regular everyday cleaning. Whether you’re dealing with renovated apartment spaces or a newly built commercial office building, post construction cleaning requires certain tools and specific techniques that can be tough to tackle. If you find yourself stressing over all the dust and debris goes hand-in-hand with cleaning after construction, here are some post-construction cleaning tips and tricks to get you started!

Make All Your Surfaces Sparkle

Take a look around any freshly completed construction space and chances are that there’s dust and debris particles over most, if not all, of the surfaces. Countertops, desks, mantles, windowsills and even baseboards all are going to need a full wipe down after any sort of construction project. When you’re ready to actually start cleaning, ditch the old rag and paper towels. Microfiber cloths can’t be beat when it comes to cleaning these messy construction site surfaces because they are designed to attract dust particles. Wipe down all of the surfaces in your site to get rid of dust, and then consider cleaning them again with a disinfectant to make sure your new space is as clean as possible. One last tip before you get to making your construction site surfaces shine: don’t forget about smaller surfaces and other places that collect dust like between blinds, above cupboards and high shelves, and the tops of door frames!

Don’t Forget About Your Floors

All of your construction site floors are going to need a thorough clean before your space is officially ready for business. Dust, dirt and all kinds of messy particles tend to settle and collect on the floor. All hard flooring will need to be swept and all carpeting will need to be vacuumed slowly and maybe even repeatedly to ensure a deep and complete clean. Be sure to use the right techniques and tools, you don’t want to make a bigger mess by moving dust to hard to reach areas or by creating any dust clouds. Go through with a mop after sweeping on hard floors for an added shine, and remember that your floors might need to be cleaned repeatedly if dust continues to settle.

Remember the Small Details

It might be tempting to call your post construction cleaning a wrap once you’ve cleaned all of your surfaces and floors, but there are some other easy-to-forget areas that need to be dealt with first. Take a look at your air vents, they might need to be dusted and vacuumed out to prevent dust from recirculating back into your cleaned space or clogging up your A/C system. Also, take a look at any new features like windows and inside any spaces like cabinets and drawers. They may have collected dust, but also they may have some labels or stubborn adhesives that still need to be removed. Lastly, don’t forget about your electric outlet covers. They can collect dust and need to be carefully wiped down to prevent becoming a safety hazard. Paying attention to these small details might seem like no big deal but it’s a big part of construction cleaning and remembering to handle all of them will make a huge difference in the safety and sparkling appearance of your new space!

Post Construction Cleaning: What to Clean After the Dirty Work is Done

Once a big construction or renovation project is complete, there’s always just as big a mess leftover. Besides the basic cleanup involved of removing large debris and returning tools and equipment, a critical part of post construction cleaning is removing all the dust that was produced. Construction projects generate an immense amount of dust from what lays on the surrounding surfaces to what’s floating in the air. These particulates will embed themselves in all corners of the new building and will make the space appear dull and dingy, as well as negatively affect its indoor air quality.

Wipe Down All Surfaces

This is the first and most obvious part of cleaning after construction. Dust will settle on top of any surface, including the walls. It is best to dry dust to prevent damaging the lacquer or paint of the surface, but a damp cloth can be used if you test a small spot before proceeding. Make sure to check the tops of cabinets, the baseboards by the floor, interior shelves and inside drawers

Vacuum or Clean Carpets and Upholstery

If you conducted a renovation project to an existing building instead of something entirely new, it’s possible that dust or debris crept into other areas of the building. Dust can easily become embedded in the fibers of the carpets and upholstery nearby including furniture, curtains, couch cushions or other fabrics. Vacuum all carpeting or upholstered items thoroughly and as deeply as possible. You may want to consider hiring a professional carpet cleaner to steam clean the carpets to prevent further damage to the fibers if they experienced a large amount of dust accumulation. Having the upholstery professionally cleaned may also be a good option if it was heavily affected by dirt and debris from the project.

Replace Air Filters

It is more than likely that all the dust and debris floating in the air made its way into the air vents. Replace any air filters exposed to the dust with new ones and clean out the vents with soap and water. This is a very important step as breathing unfiltered air after construction can lead to respiratory problems for the building’s occupants.

Outdoor Pressure Washing

If your construction project involved a brand new building or an outdoor extension to an existing one, you may want to consider pressure washing the exterior walls and sidewalks. This will keep the outside appearance of the building bright and welcoming after its completion.

Post Construction Cleaning Up: Tools, Supplies, and Equipment

Providing post construction clean up services can be demanding and challenging, even for the seasoned cleaning veteran. But providing this type of service can also be rewarding. Construction companies, for the most part, won’t score many points when it comes to cleanliness. That’s why businesses that have undergone new construction or remodeling seek professional cleaning companies to prepare their facilities for occupancy.

Tools, Supplies and Equipment needed

Post construction clean up services requires the appropriate cleaning tools, supplies and equipment in order to provide the customer with the best quality outcome.

This type of cleaning can be tough and exhausting, to say the least. It usually involves long hard hours of demanding physical activity and heavy lifting, all of which require paying close attention to the details. That’s why experience, know how, and a broad selection of the correct tools, supplies and equipment is vital to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible

The post construction cleaning process and completion times can range from a single day to several months, depending on the scope of work. You have probably heard the phrase; “the right tool for the right job”, it’s true when it comes to production and providing quality cleaning.

Following is a list of some of the tools, supplies, and equipment that may be required to perform post construction cleaning efficiently and effectively:

heavy duty trash bags

brooms (preferably both corn broom and push broom)

dust pans

shop vacuum, heavy duty vacuum cleaner and/or back pack vacuum

upholstery cleaning tools

mop bucket and wringer

mop heads

buckets

hoses

scrub brushes and scrub pads

rubber gloves

protective eyewear

dust masks

hard hats

safety signs

microfiber cloths

putty knives

window washing equipment (window bucket, golden glove or strip washer, squeegee, extra rubber blades, scrapers or razor blades, #0000 steel wool, extension poles)

step ladders

extension ladders

ladder bumpers

brute

tilt truck/utility duty cart (5/8 cubic yard capacity)

industrial garbage bins

cleaning chemicals (neutral cleaners, stainless steel cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, wood, metal, stone, window cleaner)

hard floor and carpet maintenance supplies (floor stripper, floor finish,  carpet pre-spray’s, detergents, spotters, protectors, rinses, deodorizers)

A Guide For Choosing The Right Construction Cleaning Company

Post construction cleaning is a must when it comes to property development, home renovations or even smaller jobs such as kitchen and bathroom renovations. Though a lot of construction companies try to clean up after they are finished with a project, they are not able to do it to the highest standards mainly because their employees are not qualified to offer cleaning services.

Hiring a construction cleaning service is a necessity for the sake of your home’s aesthetics as well as for the safety of you and your family. Choosing a construction cleaning company however can be a difficult task because of their high number in the market. You should not rush into choosing a construction cleaning company since you could end up making the wrong choice. To help you make the right choice, this article seeks to look at some of the factors that you ought to consider when hiring a construction cleaning company.

Firstly, ensure that you look at the reputation of a company. The right construction cleaning company will be spoken of highly by the people you now as well as by those that give reviews online. Before you settle on a company, ask your friends and family to give you recommendations for the best companies since they cannot lie to you. You can also visit different companies’ websites and look at their previous customers’ reviews so as to know whether or not they offer quality services. If your friends, family and customer reviews concur that a certain company provides high quality services, then you should consider hiring it since chances are high that you will get quality cleaning services.

The second factor that you ought to consider is whether a company is insured or not. Companies that have taken up insurance covers for their employees are the best to work with because the workers are usually in danger of getting hurt when cleaning because of the debris that is left around after construction. Working with an uninsured company may mean that you have to shoulder the medical bills pf all employees who are hurt while cleaning your property. If you want to have peace of mind during the cleaning process, it is best to work with insured workers.

Ask about the services offered by a construction cleaning company before contracting its services. This is so as to avoid hiring companies that only clean interiors if you want something more. Be sure to ask for clarifications where you do not understand a company’s terms so as to avoid paying for services you do not really want. If a company does not offer what you are looking for, you can ask them to customize their service options and if they are not willing to do so, then you can look elsewhere.

Common Services Of A Pest Control Company

Pest Control•by benjamin•Posted June 18, 2020June 26, 2020

Tips On Choosing The Right Pest Control Company

With the current environmental changes, pest infestation has posed challenges to most individuals here in Singapore. This has necessitated the intervention of professionals to curb the situation. Unfortunately, residents have never had an easy time while looking for the ideal professionals. You will bear me witness that there are hundreds of pest consultants who dupe themselves as experts while they cannot deliver. The question is, which criteria should be use in identifying the right pest expert. We have conducted a research and here is what we came up with. Everybody should make use of these criteria is he/she should get the best from the pest experts.

Experience

It takes some time for one to gain experience in every field. Of course you would not love to be experimented on by green practitioners. Establish the number of years that the company has been in business. How do they train the new recruits? Do they interact with experienced employees? On the other hand, it is important to confirm the experience that the firm has in dealing with problems like yours

Reputation of the company

What do other customers say about the pest control firm? Are the customer reviews positive? You should never rely on the company’ advertisements since they will never post anything negative about their services. You should also request the company for customer reference so that you can verify their true picture

Value and quality of work

It is important to find out if the company is able to offer quality services at affordable rates. The quality of services that they offer should match with their charges. It is also important to carry out a comparison with other companies so that the rates can be compared. If the company will request you to sign-up for a long term contract, what will be the costs? Can the company offer guarantee for its work? What terms are involved?

The customer relations

The best company is the one that is willing to adhere to the requirements the customer. It should be willing to address the customers’ issues with understanding and due respect. Some of the issues that should be clarified include, the degree of pest infestation and details of the pests e.g. behavior

How to Choose the Right Pest Control Company

Do Your Research

When looking for a reputable pest control company, it’s very important to do your research. Pest control should always be done by a professional exterminator who has the years of experience and proper equipment to offer comprehensive and reliable pest control services

Take Your Time and Do Your Homework

Discovering that there is a pest problem in your home will surely make you want to eliminate the problem immediately. The longer these pests are allowed to roam free on your property, the more damage they can potentially cause. However, most problems can wait a few days so you have time to select a competent company. This includes asking all of the right questions to get a better feel about them and their skillset

Questions You Should Ask…

How many years have you been in business?

Would you provide me with a list of references?

Will the person(s) performing the services be a certified, licensed pesticide applicator or a licensed technician?

Be Aware of Companies That….

Do not have a working telephone number.

Say they have a secret formula. (All pesticide products must be registered by the U.S. EPA and the United States Department of Agriculture.)

Pressure you to sign a contract and suggest that your house is structurally unsound and may collapse if not treated.

Say they have excess material left over from a previous job and offer a reduced price.

How to Choose the Right Pest Control Services?

Pest control is the need of the hour. With the growing population, the menace of pests has also grown. The pests create a lot of nuisance; few create minute negligible damages whereas few create major damages. The main problem starts when you let the pests to multiply in numbers. If you hadn’t taken steps earlier to prevent the pests or if you are moving to a new place that has a lot of pests, you need not worry about clearing them; as there are a lot of pest services to do the work for you. But, the main task lies in finding the right pest control services.

Ask for the credentials

It is always better to go for the companies that are registered and possess the required licenses from the government. There are several reasons as to why you need to go for the pest control services that have genuine certifications. The main reason is that they might not use branded chemicals. The pesticides that are not actually accredited by the government are not good for human body. The bogus companies generally do not use good quality products. So, before you choose a company, ask for their credentials

Get reviews both online and offline

It is not just enough to check for the review of the pest control company online, it is also recommended to ask for reviews to people who live in your same locality too. For instance, if you are looking for pest control services in Adelaide, then google for Pest Control services Adelaide. This will provide you with the list of pest control services in Adelaide. Pick the one which is near to your home. Your neighbors would have definitely used any of these services at least once. So, ask reviews from them. Moreover, if you choose a pest control services that are not too far off from your place, you can contact the company if in case there is any problem.

Never prefer door to door services

If you happen to come across any pest control company that provides door to door services, it is better to avoid. Only those companies which do not have proper customer base would go on looking for customers door to door. It is not advised to go for such services

Compare the price and quality

While you are planning to call up a pest control services company, just don’t stick on to a particular company alone. Compare the price and the quality of the services of two or more firms. Never compromise with the quality for the price and vice versa. A thorough background check of the company is also appreciable.

How to Choose the Right Pest Control Service

When you’ve got bugs in your home, you don’t have time to waste – you need a pest control service who’ll be there on the double! But how do you choose the right pest control service for the job? Taking time to ask the right questions can make a huge difference in the quality of the service you receive.

Research local exterminators– Take a look at local companies offering indoor and outdoor pest control services. Find out as much as you can about the providers. Make sure each one has proper licensing.

Talk to each company – Take time to call each exterminator to ask about their service. Ask about their credentials and about the types of products they use. Only work with a service that uses federally approved and environmentally friendly products.

Inquire about their experience – While discussing credentials and products, make sure to ask about pest control companies about their experience. The more experience they have, the better quality work they’ll provide for your home or business.

Find references & read reviews – Ask an exterminator for a list of client referrals. Additionally, look for online reviews to get an idea of how a pest control service treats their clients, as well as their success rate.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE BEST PEST CONTROL COMPANY

Pest infestation is one of the most irritating experiences that most individuals face in their homes or farms. It is unfortunate that if you are a victim of the pest infestation, you will never have an easy time while you are looking for the best pest control company. Many pest control companies are available in the industry today and picking the best requires you to be smart in distinguishing their differences. Not all the companies will guarantee you the best and reliable services; you need to be considerate of the major factors that will lead you the best choice of for a pest control company. The following are the major considerations when choosing the best pest control company.

THE REPUTATION OF THE COMPANY

It is important to check the reputation of a particular pest control company before you hire them for eradicating the pest infestation in your home. You need to determine what other customers are saying about the company that you intend to choose. Visit the official website of the pest control company and see the reviews of the past customers. You cannot rely on the advertisement of the companies because everybody will want to give insights about their services. If you are not satisfied with the reviews on the internet, you should ask the Better Business Bureau for a report of the services offered by the pest control company that you want. This will help you to identify the most reputable pest control company that will meet your requirements, such as Nature’s Own Pest Control.

EXPERIENCE

Experience is an important consideration when looking for a pest control company. You would want to choose a company with professional skills and diverse knowledge n how to eradicate all types of pests in your home or farm. Experienced companies will guarantee you the best pest management because it is what they have trained to do best. With their many years of experience in the business, the pest control company will guarantee the most reliable services because they might have dealt with a problem like yours before. Similarly, the highly trained staff will ensure that they have placed the prevention methods for the pests.

THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Customer service is a determinant of whether the pest control company is ideal or not. The way the staff responds to the customers portrays the clear image of the entire company. Ensure that you choose a company that puts the customers a top priority and pays attention to solving your problems effectively. On the other hand, the company that you want should be able to respond instantly especially when you have an emergency.

THE SAFETY MEASURES

Safety is mandatory in pest management; therefore, you need to choose a pest control company that has a trained staff to handle the hazard situations of pest infestation. Similarly, the company should be able to communicate about the toxicity of the control measures to keep your family and property safe. The staff should have equipment that will help them take measures over risky situations when handling the pests in your home.

How Payroll Service Could Help Your Company

Accounting•by benjamin•Posted June 16, 2020June 24, 2020

Considerations to Make While Choosing A Payroll Service

Determining how to choose a payroll service for your business can be difficult. There are many payroll software providers and features from which you can choose.

Whether this is your first time looking for payroll software or you want to switch software programs, you need to know what to consider. Knowing what to look for in a payroll service can help you make a good purchase.

We want you to make an excellent payroll service choice the first time. That’s why we created affordable payroll software that is easy to use. But, we also want you to make superior business decisions, which is why we created a guide about how to choose a payroll service

A few of the points you can learn about in this guide include types of payroll software, software costs, and software security.

In each of the 10 sections, we provide you with a list of questions to ask yourself. The questions are helpful tools to assist you in thinking about your needs and what type of software will work best for your business.

The Most Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Payroll Provider

Let’s be honest—most payroll companies seem like they’re doing the same thing. That’s why it’s SUPER overwhelming to figure out which company to go with. Beyond looking at the basic features and price tag, what else makes a payroll service stand out?

Over the years, I’ve helped many small business owners weigh the pros and cons of providers to find their perfect payroll software. In my years of research, I’ve looked at A LOT of providers and seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. After reviewing nearly every provider out there, I’ve learned that a few things can make or break your payroll experience.

Easy to use

Some payroll platforms look like they haven’t been updated since 2004. Think small, barely readable text, menus nested within menus, and the saddest, drabbiest grey you’ve ever seen.

Made for small business owners

Some payroll companies are geared towards accountants, and the language within the platform reflects that. Jargon. Technical language. Words you’ve never heard before. After your first payroll run, you can feel so overwhelmed that you never want to do it again.

Grows with your business

Any time you invest in financial software, choose the option that will grow with your business. This means looking for the features you need right now and the features you’ll need one, three, and five years down the road (even if you’re not there yet)

Choosing a Payroll System: Factors to Help You Decide

If you’ve decided you want to use software to run your business’s payroll, you might worry about the difficulty of choosing a payroll system. To weed through the many services out there, you need to know what to look for.

Choosing a Payroll System

Using payroll software can save you time and money so you can focus on growing your business.

Online vs. desktop software

There are two types of software to choose from before you compare payroll services: online and desktop software. What you choose depends on the type of business you have, your lifestyle, and your personal preference.

Online software: Online software, or cloud payroll software, means you can access payroll anytime and anywhere. All you need is internet access to run payroll, which is beneficial if you are constantly on the go. With online software, you can access your payroll records from more than one device. Log in to a computer at your business or your mobile device at home.

Desktop software: For desktop software, you will download the software program onto your computer. You can only run payroll on the computer that has the software. You do not need internet access to run payroll with this option. 

How to Choose a Payroll Service for Your Business

There are a lot of options available when choosing a payroll service. You may be researching everything from payroll software to bookkeepers. When selecting a provider, consider the size of your business and the complexity of payroll operations. In our list, we explain the different types of payroll services available, so you can make the right decision for your business.

Learn What Different Payroll Providers Do

To make the best choice for payroll, you’ll need first to understand the different types of payroll outsourcing services that are out there. This list defines payroll software, bookkeepers, PEOs, and local payroll services.

Payroll Software

Payroll software are systems that you can use to help manage your payroll or some aspects of it—paychecks and payroll taxes (payments and filing). There are both online options and those you can install on your PC; please note, many employers today prefer online providers for the convenience and ability to access it from anywhere. Some of the more quality software has a team of professionals who will assist you with setup, compliance questions, and one-off issues

Bookkeepers

Bookkeepers are the obvious choice for some employers when they already have one keeping their financial records in order. The important thing to consider is the bookkeeper’s level of payroll knowledge. Some are experts in compliance and stay abreast of federal and state laws governing how employees and taxes should be paid; they may offer a guarantee to cover any penalties that arise. Others are more accustomed to the financial side of payroll, calculations, payments, and maintaining records; these bookkeepers can ensure your employees are paid but may run into some legal snags along the way.

Professional Employment Organizations

Professional employment organizations (PEO) are companies that partner with you on employing your workers. While you manage day-to-day operations, the PEO handles payments, taxes, deductions, and makes sure you don’t break any payroll laws.

How to Choose the Best Payroll Service for your Company

Every company has to pay their employees. Sometimes the most experienced business owners can find themselves spending a large amount of time trying to process payroll monthly. Outsourcing this function to a payroll provider can be very beneficial and help reduce costs. However, finding the right one, can be challenging.

Checklist: Before choosing a payroll provider, you will want to make a checklist of what your company needs. This will help you prepare questions to ask a provider once you start researching your options. Some questions to ask yourself are: Do you need a payroll provider that can process multi-state payroll and handle different state taxes? How many employees will they be processing payroll for? Do you need additional HR services such as benefits, onboarding, etc.? It is important to be open to other options. They may offer a service you didn’t know you could benefit from.

Ask a lot of questions: It is important to ask a lot of questions when researching a payroll provider. You will want to essentially interview them to make sure they are the best fit for your company. Review your checklist and make sure you are asking questions that cover all of your company’s needs. Make sure to ask questions that touch on the provider’s pricing, software capabilities, taxes, reports, customization, etc.

Consider the Benefits: Using a payroll provider can help you in many ways.

Reduce Cost/Risk: By being the employer of record, the payroll provider will reduce your company’s risk.

Offload Duties: The payroll provider can assist with the onboarding process, benefits and payroll processing. Offloading these functions will allow your HR team to focus on other functions & projects that are important to your organization.

Regulation Changes: Payroll providers stay up to date with changes in government regulations and will avoid any cost/penalties.

Payroll Knowledge Risk: If you have one person doing your payroll and they end up leaving, this could cause a lot of risk. Using a payroll provider, you will not have to worry about that burden.

Benefits Of Hiring A Party Planner

Events•by benjamin•Posted June 16, 2020June 16, 2020

How to Find the Right Wedding Planner

If you’re a brand new bride-to-be, you’ve probably already discovered that planning a wedding involves a tonne of organisation. We’re talking over 100 hours of planning for the average wedding. That’s probably a little more than you anticipated, right?!

From creating your wedding budget (and sticking to it!) through to sourcing quotes, liaising with vendors, and creating your seating chart. There’s definitely a whole lot of work required in the lead up to your wedding.

And let’s not forget about the big day itself. Who exactly is going to set up your furniture, meet with suppliers, and be able to deal with any last minute emergencies that might arise? Wet weather, power outages, last minute guests…are you feeling a little bit panicked just yet?!

No matter how organised you might feel, wedding planners are honestly worth more than their weight in gold. Hiring the right wedding planner might just be one of the best investments you make in the lead up to your day.

Do you need a wedding planner?

Are you unsure if you really need a wedding planner in the first place? After all, wedding planners come with a price tag so it’s just going to mean another expense for your big day, right?

Party planning checklist: A step-by-step guide to putting on an awesome event

Planning a party but don’t know where to start? Take the guesswork out of your planning with our easy-to-follow party planning checklist. Our venue experts have set out the essential steps to help you host a memorable event without breaking a sweat. Leave the stress behind with our comprehensive party planning checklist and get the party started!

Select a date and time

Keep a date in mind, but don’t narrow yourself down to just one day. Be flexible and check whether the most important guests are available for your chosen date. If you have a favourite place where you want to organise your event, it’s also good to check with the venue beforehand to see if they are available for hire on your selected day.

Hire a venue or host it yourself

Choose whether you’d like to host your party at a specific venue or at home. Bear in mind the number of guests you plan to invite and the activities you will organise. Hosting at home can save you a lot of money, but hiring a venue can also make your life easier and alleviate the pressure

Book entertainment and extras

DJs, bands and photo booths are all popular options – just be sure to let the venue manager know what you’re planning in advance.

Organise home cooking or hire a caterer

Consider everyone’s needs. Do your guests have allergies or special dietary requirements? If you’re taking charge of the cooking, devise a menu that’s easy to prepare and will also accommodate all your guests. If you’re using external caterers, be sure to let them know all the important details before they begin proposing a menu

Tips for Choosing the Best Event Vendors

Every successful corporate event relies on a combination of trustworthy vendors. It can be a challenge finding the right vendor you need for each piece of the event you’re planning. If one vendor makes a mistake, it could reflect on you and damage the relationship you have with a client or other vendors. This is why vetting vendors and knowing exactly how to negotiate with them is such an important part of the event planning process

Determine your needs

First, have a brainstorming session and come up with what you want each vendor to provide on the day of the event. Sometimes, it’s as simple as an individual running an activation; other times, it’s an entire team armed with truckloads of theming or AV equipment to transform an entire venue. If you have a solid list of things you want the vendor to do and provide, it’ll be easier to judge their proposal.

Google isn’t your only resource

When Googling, don’t be surprised if some vendors’ sites aren’t very stylized or responsive. You’re looking for an industry expert, sometimes a one man band, who may or may not have the resources to keep a nice website up-to-date. The best way to get the information you need from the vendor is to simply reach out to them directly to find out their capabilities. Of course, reaching out to tons of individual vendors can be a daunting task… and really, who has that much time? Event planners sure don’t. To narrow down your options, look into familiarizing yourself with Yelp, event industry blogs, and other sites related to events to help you find the perfect vendor for your event.

Make a connection

When first approaching a vendor, make sure they meet your predetermined requirements and first see if they have availability for the day(s) of the event you’re planning. There’s no point in wasting anyone’s time, and if they aren’t available, they can probably give you suggestions for other vendors.

Request multiple quotes 

Don’t get a quote from just one vendor. Even if you’re sure you’re going to use a specific vendor, getting more than one quote is a great best practice. These quotes will serve as a benchmark for comparing vendors now and in the future. You’ll also get to see what the industry price standards are by looking at multiple vendors. The quote from one vendor you may not like might have some inclusions that your preferred vendor overlooked.

Party planners: questions to ask when choosing yours

First, set your goals and expectations.

Before you pick up a phone or send an email, you should set down your expectations for your event: what must there be? What final impression do you want to leave on your guests? What is your budget?

Can your party planner arrange the right venue as well as the catering?

Do they organise transportation or accommodation for guests?  Can they source lighting as well as security? Make sure you’re clear where their service begins and ends.

How do you charge?

There should be no ambiguity around how much you are paying and what you are paying for. To find out if they work on a cost-per-person, flat fee, hourly rate, percentage basis. Make sure you’re also clear if expenses will be included or billed separately.

Who will my day-to-day contact be?

It’s essential that you meet the party planner you’re talking to. If they are your main contact during the planning phase then you need to like them and establish a working rapport. If they’re not going to be your go-to man or woman, then who is? Find out and meet them, too.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

Whilst no-one likes to think about things going wrong, it’s important to be prepared for all eventualities. So get clear on what happens if you have to cancel your party, change it dramatically from the original brief, postpone or move it to a different date. Will you be charged? Will your party planner handle vendor cancellation costs? Will they supply cancellation insurance for you?

Questions to Ask a Wedding Planner

In the first flush of joy after your engagement, you probably began browsing wedding websites, social media sites like Pinterest, and magazines. If you soon felt buried by a blizzard of checklists and a daunting array of decisions, you and your fiancé might want to think about hiring a professional wedding planner.

Depending on your budget and needs, you can contract:

a full-service planner to arrange every detail

someone to assist you only in choosing your wedding location and vendors

a day-of coordinator (which really means 30 days before your wedding)

Getting to Know a Planner

Do you have our wedding date open? If so, do you anticipate any issues with the date such as weather, travel for our guests, difficulty booking a venue, etc.?

What made you want to be a wedding planner?

Describe the most challenging wedding you planned and how you handled the problems that came up.

How would you rate your problem-solving skills?

How would you rate your communication skills?

Are you a certified wedding planner? If so, where did you get certified? What is your educational background?

Are you a member of any wedding association(s)? If so, does your association require you to satisfy yearly education requirements?

How long have you been in business? Do you have a business license?

How many full-scale weddings have you planned? When was your last one?

How many wedding clients do you take on in a year? How many do you expect to have during the month of our wedding?

How To Spot A Professional Residential Roofing Contractor

Roofing•by benjamin•Posted June 13, 2020June 13, 2020

How to Choose the Best Roof for Your Home

While roof replacement has numerous benefits, choosing a new roof is definitely not a simple process. There are many important aspects that may influence your decision, so take a look at what they are and choose the best possible roof for your home.

Home Style and Architecture

When it comes to the type of roof on your home, it is important to take into consideration the style and architecture of your property.

Roof Installation – New or Replacement Roof?

One of the vital factors to consider during your search for the best roofing system for your home is the application, i.e. the installation of the roof. This process will vary depending on your current roof and property.

Roof Slope

When it comes to roof slope or pitch, it is also a vital aspect that will affect your roofing material choices. Certain roofing materials require more or less slope than others, which is why your options will be limited depending on your existing structure.

The Climate

There are more and less resistant roofs on the market today, which, naturally, vary in prices as well. What you need to consider here is your local climate and the weather that you usually get.

Choosing the right roofing material for your home

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) is pleased to provide you with this information as part of our ongoing effort to educate home and building owners about roofing and roofing contractors. We hope this information will make you a more knowledgeable consumer and, when the time comes, a smart roof system buyer.

All steep-slope roof systems (i.e., roofs with slopes of 25 percent or more) have five basic components

Roof covering: shingles, tile, slate or metal and underlayment that protect the sheathing from weather.

Sheathing: boards or sheet material that are fastened to roof rafters to cover a house or building.

Roof structure: rafters and trusses constructed to support the sheathing.

Flashing: sheet metal or other material installed into a roof system’s various joints and valleys to prevent water seepage.

Drainage: a roof system’s design features, such as shape, slope and layout that affect its ability to shed water.

Choosing a roof system

There are a number of things to consider when selecting a new roof system. Of course, cost and durability head the list, but aesthetics and architectural style are important, too. The right roof system for your home or building is one that balances these five considerations. The following roofing products commonly are used for steep-slope structures.

Asphalt shingles possess an overwhelming share of the U.S. steep-slope roofing market and can be reinforced with organic or fiberglass materials. Although asphalt shingles reinforced with organic felts have been around much longer, fiberglass-reinforced products now dominate the market.

A shingle’s reinforcement has little effect on its appearance. Organic and fiberglass products are available in laminated (architectural) grades that offer a textured appearance. Zinc or copper-coated ceramic granules also can be applied to organic or fiberglass products to protect against algae attack, a common problem in warm, humid parts of the United States. Both types of shingles also are available in a variety of colors.

How to Choose the Best Residential Roofing Contractor

When it comes to choosing a residential roofing contractor, it’s important to select an experienced contractor who will give your roof the detail quality it needs to keep your family and personal belongings safe from the outside elements. When selecting a roofing contractor for your roof replacement project, you must seek out contractors with the proper licensing, insurance and great business reputation in your area

Verify that the roofing contractor you hire has the required applicable business licenses for your state or local area. If you are unsure of the business licenses required for roofing contractors in your area you can contact the State of Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation at www.dllr.state.md.us Maryland Home Improvement Commission Division.

Ask the roofing contractor to provide you with proof of insurance, including Worker’s Compensation and General Liability coverage. The State of Maryland (MHIC) requires minimum $500,000 General Liability coverage; however you may want to hire a roofing contractor with higher coverages.

Ask your roofing contractor for proof that shows they have been approved or certified by the roofing manufacture to install the products you have decided to use. The roofing contractor should have certification such as GAF Certified Roofing Contractor or CertainTeed Shingle Master.

Read the warranty information for your project in full and check for understanding with the roofing contractor regarding any actions or expectations that may possibly void the manufacture warranty. Manufactures of roofing materials such as GAF or CertainTeed have upgraded warranties that can be offered to the homeowners; only if the roofing contractor is certified by the manufacture to install the products

Tips for Choosing the Best Roofing Contractor

The roof is one of the most important parts of your home. In fact, a home is not a home without a good roof. That’s because aside from playing a huge role in your home exterior’s appearance, your roof should be able to protect you from the sun, rain, wind, hail, dust, and other elements and so keep you, your family, and your valuables safe and comfortable.

That’s why for any roofing projects such as replacing a roof or fixing storm damage in Albuquerque, you have to make sure that you get not just “a” roofer but “the” right roofing contractor for the job. When it comes to quality roofing products and services in Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Edgewood, Los Alamos, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, you can count on Goodrich Roofing.

Fully Licensed and Insured

For your personal protection, make sure that the roofer you’re going to hire is fully licensed and insured. A valid license issued by the state should help you in weeding out dubious and incompetent roofing contractors. As for the insurance, it will protect you from any legal and monetary liabilities should any unforeseen accidents happen while the contractor is working on your property.

Experienced Roofer

If you’re looking for a true roofing pro, one of the qualifications you have to closely look into is experience. Goodrich Roofing, for instance, has been serving communities around the area since 1946. This means that for nearly seventy years, we’ve been providing residents with top-notch roofing products and services

Certifications from Top Roofing Manufacturers

Leading manufacturers such as GAF and Owens Corning have been conducting continuous trainings all over the continent for years. If a roofing company passed the rigorous training and exams, which focuses on properly installing their products and ensuring great customer relations, then the roofing company shall receive a certification. It means that when you hire a certified GAF or Owens Corning roofer like Goodrich Roofing, you are assured of professional services every time.

RESIDENTIAL ROOFING CONTRACTOR: HOW SHOULD YOU CHOOSE ONE

RESIDENTIAL ROOFING CONTRACTOR

Are you bothered by storm-related damages, planning for new home construction? Well, then this may be the perfect time for you to thoroughly plan to get or hire an experienced residential roofing contractor. If you get a professional residential roofing contractor, it gives you more confidence to decide properly for your home repair and beautification.

A residential roofing contractor is a company who knows how to handle your roofing concerns. These are the professionals who can extend practical advice and solution to your concerns. Getting a roof repair is inevitable. It is something you should attend because it poses serious consequences when neglected. You need not wait for your roof to have severe damages, you have to assess when to have your roof a repair carefully. Taking care of your roof as part of your shelter means you also care much of your family because you feel safer, secure, and protected when your roof is well maintained and in good condition.

All these factors will give you an answer that is to hire a roofing contractor. Of course, it is not easy to identify just one contractor; it is important to select an experienced contractor who can offer roof the quality it requires to keep your family and personal belongings safe from the outside elements and incidences. Therefore, canvassing the market first is recommended.

BACKGROUND OF ROOFING CONTRACTOR

In choosing a roofing contractor, it helps to check the business license if it is in place. If you are unsure, try to go to any department or offices in your area or state to verify the authenticity of the roofing company.  You can also visit the website featured by the contractors for you to have based on your criteria in choosing the good one. You can also ask for their physical business address, email address, and complete contact numbers. In getting references from past clients, you can also get the assurance that you will have a wise and right choice of the roofing contractor.

INSURANCE

One area to check when in search of a residential roofing contractor is insurance.  Residential roofing company or contractor must have liability insurance and workers’ compensation. In the event of an accident or damages, you as homeowner and roofing company’s employee gets hurt, liability protects you caused by the roofer during repair or replacement. You need to ensure that workers’ compensation insurance is in place. Because you will be held responsible for medical bills and other expenses related to the injury if there is no insurance to cover the services.

Why Should You Hire An Unloading Services

Movers•by benjamin•Posted June 13, 2020June 13, 2020

Useful Tips for Unloading a Moving Truck and Unpacking Goods

The day of Moving is always the most stressful but despite that you need take deep breaths and calm during moving. Once you arrive at your new residence it becomes very important to unload your moving truck in an organized way. You can call your family members or friends to help you out with the process of unloading the moving truck. More the people for help in unloading the moving truck the quicker the process of unloading will be accomplished. Also you need to remember and consider that unpacking process is not necessarily to be done in one day.

You need to decide in advance that in which room you desire to place appliances and furniture before you make any start in the procedure of unloading the moving truck. Also make it sure that you have big enough hallways and door ways that lets you to move your items inside your new residence and then into the rooms

For a hassle free unloading and unpacking of goods you need to consider that labeling the boxes with their contents and the room they belong to during packing is very important. You can simply place labeled boxes in the room they belong to without opening each of them while unloading. This allows you to be organized.

It is very important to assure that there is a safe pathway from the truck leading to the house and also inside the house. If there is any obstruction or debris then clear it before unloading goods

Always be cautious or careful when you are about to open rear gates of moving truck as momentum can let packing boxes press on the gates and thus it can fall over you very easily

Close-up Of Two Young Delivery Men Carrying Cardboard Box In Front Of Truck

What to Expect from Full Service Movers

Not looking to do any work for your next move? You’re in luck. Professional full service movers can handle all the tasks associated with your move so that you can sit back, relax, and watch your to-do list dwindle down without having to lift a finger. It’s a great option for people who’d rather not take on the enormous job of moving or for those who, for whatever reason, cannot handle the tasks of moving on their own. And while it’s certainly not the cheapest option, the amazing convenience provided by full service movers is pretty much always worth it. Below, we’ll go over what to expect from full service movers, including what sorts of things they’ll do for you and how much you’re likely to spend.

What exactly do full service movers do?

Simply put, full service movers will do everything associated with your move

Supplying all packing materials and supplies. No need to make endless trips to the store for boxes, packing tape, paper, and bubble wrap. Full service movers will supply everything that your move requires, including shipping supplies like furniture blankets and additional padding.

Packing up your belongings. Packing is one of the most difficult and time consuming parts of moving, but it doesn’t have to be. Full service movers will pack up your entire house for you with trained packers who can get your belongings safely boxed up in a fraction of the time it might take you to do it yourself. They’ll also be able to expertly and securely pack up fragile and valuable items, such as glass and artwork.

Furniture disassembly. Full service movers will make sure all of your large, unwieldy, and/or heavy furniture makes it to your final destination intact. Part of this includes partial or full-disassembly of furniture as required (and reassembly when the time comes).

MOVING LABOR VS TRADITIONAL MOVERS

TYPES OF MOVERS

You can divide the moving industry into two groups, moving labor and full service

Moving Labor

Professional movers without the truck. Our movers load and unload rented moving trucks, portable storage containers, freight trailers, containers, pickup trucks, etc. Essentially we provide the muscle to physically move your items and the expertise to load or unload them correctly. A moving labor company, like ours, is used if you are completing a do-it-yourself move and have rented a truck, trailer or container to transport your items.

WHY MOVING LABOR?

A full service mover is obviously the more convenient option, however, they cost a lot more too. On average, you can expect to save 40-60% on the cost of your move by combining moving labor with a rented truck, trailer or container.

QUALITY OF THE MOVERS

Most major van lines and full service moving companies hire career movers, also referred to as “lumpers”. While they are without a doubt experienced, they are usually not friendly or polite, and they certainly are not “Elite”. Moving labor companies, on the other hand, pay their movers more than two times the industry average. This is because moving labor companies are smaller and typically don’t have the big government and commercial contracts that the full service companies have, which means the performance of our movers is absolutely vital.

VERSATILE EXPERIENCE

Full service moving companies, and their movers, are experienced in loading and unloading their trucks – not rental trucks, containers or the hundreds of transportation solutions that come in different shapes and sizes. Moving labor companies, however, provide loading and unloading services for a wide variety of containers, trucks and trailers. We don’t just know how to load or unload, we have experience with all types of DIY moving methods and their variable sizes.

How to choose the best removals company

Hiring a removals company vs moving house yourself

Unless you live in a small house or flat, it’s always worth hiring a professional removals company to help you move. Although packing up and shifting your stuff may not sound that difficult, there is an art to packing fragile items so that they’re properly protected and do not break in transit.

How to choose the best removals company near you

The Which? Trusted Traders endorsement scheme can help you find a reliable removals company near you. All removals firms granted Which? Trusted Trader status have passed our rigorous assessment process, which involves credit, reference and administrative checks, as well as an interview from a trained assessor.

How much does it cost to use a removals company?

A number of factors will determine the cost of using a removals company. The amount of goods being transported is a key consideration, but the distance travelled, size of crew and speed of packing will also play a role in deciding the total cost.

Getting quotes from removals companies

Get at least three quotes from removals companies, preferably from firms that will visit your property rather than just estimating the cost over the phone.

Removals insurance 

Be sure to ask what would happen if the move is delayed and you can’t get into the new property in the afternoon or the next day.

LOADING AND UNLOADING LABOR SERVICES

With this labor-only service, you rent your own rental truck or container, and we help with loading or unloading your belongings. This saves you the hassle of doing it yourself, while speeding up your move and saving you money.

MOVERS YOU CAN TRUST

With the Carry Crew service, you get moving help from our professionally-trained, background checked, and drug tested move teams. They handle your items with care, while loading or unloading the rental truck or container you’ve arranged.

What Are The Top Brands of Circuit Breakers

Electricians•by benjamin•Posted June 12, 2020June 12, 2020

How to Choose the Right Circuit Breaker

Circuit breakers are a very important part of electrical safety. They control the amount of electricity that flows through a building’s electrical wiring system. If your home suffers an electric overload or a short circuit, a properly functioning circuit breaker will detect the issue and cut off the electrical supply. This will protect your wiring and appliances until you take care of the problem and restart the electricity. However, in order for a circuit breaker to do its job properly, you have to match the right circuit breaker with your exact needs. Read the following simple explanations and you’ll be ready to choose the appropriate circuit breaker for your home.

Capacities of Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers are available in 3 different voltage capacities. Each is made to accommodate a specific amount of electricity.

Low-voltage thermal magnetic circuit breakers are best suited for most single-family homes. They allow for electrical currents that measure only up to 1000 amps.

Medium voltage circuit breakers are used in larger buildings, such as apartment complexes and businesses, that use up to 72,000 volts on a regular basis

High-voltage circuit breakers are used alongside power lines and in other places that use more than 72,000 volts regularly.

Selecting the right circuit breaker for your application

Most designers have a pretty good idea of what a circuit breaker is and what it does; if you need a refresher, here’s a quick definition:

A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. It detects a fault condition and interrupts current flow

Specifying the right breaker early in the design process can lead to a more robust design, avoid redesigns, decrease development costs, and add value to the end product. Seems pretty simple, right? But selecting the best circuit breaker for your application is a multi-step process. The basic functional parameters—voltage, current, and number of poles—are just the beginning. To refine your selection, you then have to consider mechanical and environmental factors, regulatory and safety issues, size and cost constraints, and more

Circuit Breakers 101

Let’s begin with a review of key circuit breaker parameters. A number of technology options are available to accomplish the circuit breaker function, each with slightly different performance characteristics. Table 1 gives an overview of five; depending on your precise requirements, several types may be suitable for your application. Circuit breakers using different technologies will exhibit subtly different performance characteristics under overload conditions. Figure 1 shows these variations. The horizontal axis (current) shows multiples of the continuous current rating for the breaker; the vertical axis (time) shows how long it will take the circuit breaker to trip at the given current. The widths of the curves indicate typical tolerances. It’s recommended that you consult a data sheet for more information.

Derating Factors

The specifications of a circuit breaker are only valid under the conditions quoted in the data sheet; a frequency of 60 Hz in an open-air environment at 40ºC ambient, for example. If the real-world conditions differ from those under which the specifications were derived, derating factors must be applied

Typical temperature-derating table

Similarly, operation at higher or lower frequencies than specified may also require modification of the specification. On the one hand, eddy currents and iron losses at the higher frequency cause greater heating within the thermal-trip components, requiring the breaker to be derated. At the low end, even DC operation can cause issues with extinguishing the arc that occurs when the contacts are separated in high-current applications.

Selecting the Right Circuit Breaker

A circuit breaker, to most design engineers, is thought of as a low-cost commodity component that usually doesn’t get much attention when designing a new piece of equipment or system. In fact, on many occasions I have heard someone say, “It doesn’t matter; I just need a circuit breaker.” Yet a circuit breaker is an extremely important system component, and should not be handled in such a cavalier fashion. They are used to protect valuable equipment or devices from damage or more importantly they are used to prevent a life-threatening system disaster such as fire. It is important to take the time and make sure that the circuit breaker you are selecting is not only the right type for your application but it is also of high quality.

Today, there are many circuit breaker choices to fit virtually any industrial DIN rail application. However, even with so many choices available, selecting the proper circuit breaker can be an easy task

DIN rail circuit breakers are available in different package configurations ranging from a high-density space-saving size of 13mm per pole to 26mm per pole for a high-current type. Over the last few years, the price of a high quality circuit breaker has dropped below $10.00 per pole. This transition has allowed many more DIN rail mount circuit breakers to be used in place of fuses and fuse holders. In addition to being a cost savings, the circuit breaker is much more convenient; when a fuse blows, it has to be replaced by a new one; when a circuit breaker trips, it simply has to be reset.

Supplementary Protection

Supplementary circuit breakers, often referred to as UL1077 circuit breakers, are protectors that are typically used to provide protection to a device. Usually a branch UL489 circuit breaker is already installed up stream of the supplementary circuit breakers to protect the circuit wiring. Most supplementary circuit breakers are available in one, two and three poles with the option of short (B), medium (C) and long (D) trip curves. They typically can handle a minimum rating of 1A and a maximum amp rating of 63A. For convenience and ease of use the circuit breakers selected should have a reliable wire connection and have an on/off indicator to minimize troubleshooting time.

DC Protection

The DC circuit breakers are used in applications to provide protection where direct current or DC voltage is used. DC circuit breakers are available in both UL1077 and UL489 versions. Generally the DC circuit breakers are available in one or two poles with the short (B) or medium (C) trip curves. They are available with current ratings ranging from 1 to 63 Amps

Circuit Breaker Selection Tips

Circuit breakers are used in the following:

In power plants and substations, they protect the main equipment from overloading, short circuit and thus, partial or total damage which costs very much.

In branch circuits, they protect mainly the cables from overloading and breakdown also they protect the load from overloading in some cases.

They protect you from leakage current in case of earth leakage circuit breakers. As in case you touched a live wire, the breaker senses the leakage current though your body to ground and then disconnects the circuit.

There are many types of CBs, here are some of them:

Miniature Circuit Breaker: for low power applications and low short circuit level.

Molded Case Circuit Breaker: can bear higher power up to 630 A and also can reach 100 kA as short circuit level.

Air Circuit Breakers: used in many application in low voltage systems and is called Air as the insulating medium is Air.

Vacuum Circuit Breaker: can bear higher voltages than the Air as it implements vacuum as the insulating medium and is used in medium voltage systems.

Oil Circuit Breaker: used in medium and high voltage as oil is very robust insulating medium and has good capabilities in arc quenching.

SF6 Circuit Breaker: the most common type and used in medium and high voltage due to the high dielectric strength of SF6, thermal stability and thermal conductivity.

As we briefly showed the common types of circuit breakers and where they are being used, now we will discuss how to select a circuit breaker on the scope of medium and low voltage. But to properly do such a thing you need to be aware of some aspects which are shown below.

Load Classification:

1. Dynamic Load: the unique aspect regarding this type is the electro-magnetic field to operate. So obviously we are talking about motors and transformers which draw higher current than rated at starting.

2. Static Load: normally it draws the rated current when operating at full power and never draws more than it. It’s mainly the resistive load, such as heaters.

How to Determine Amperage of Circuit Breaker

Each circuit breaker has a specific rated amperage, or amount of current. When that amperage is exceeded, the circuit breaker shuts down the flow of current in that circuit to prevent damage to the wiring and appliances. Learn how to calculate the actual amperage of devices on the circuit and compare it to the rated amperage, so you can avoid unnecessary power interruptions and fire hazards.

Examine the electric panel. Each circuit breaker should have its amperage marked on the handle. This is the maximum amperage that the circuit can take before the circuit breaker trips.

Multiply the amperage by 0.8. For everyday use, it’s a good idea to expose the breaker to a maximum of 80% of the rated amperage. It’s fine to exceed this for short periods of time, but continuous current above this amount could cause enough heat to trip the breaker

Understand double-pole breakers. Some high-voltage devices may be wired to a double-pole circuit breaker — two standard circuit breakers sharing a handle. Do not add together the amperage of the two breakers. Both circuits will be tripped simultaneously by the amperage displayed on one circuit breaker handle

Compare this to the current on the circuit. Now you know how much amperage your wiring and circuit breaker can handle. To find out whether your circuit exceeds this amperage, continue to the next method.

Enriching Your Snakes Life

Pest Control•by benjamin•Posted June 12, 2020June 12, 2020

Ways to Keep Snakes Away from Your Home and Yard

Snakes are fearsome and frightening creatures. They’re so frightening, that science claims that Ophidiophobia – or the fear of snakes – is one of the most common phobias around. While one might think they’re safe from snakes because they live in urban areas, there are still some instances of snake sightings in Indonesia. Some have even recorded incidents of large snakes slithering inside housing units or coming out from the toilet bowls!

Keep the rodents away

Rats are one of the major food sources for snakes, so make sure you don’t have any in your home garden. Thanks to the snake’s hinged jaws, they are natural predators of mice, rats and other kinds of rodents. Snakes use their tongue to “sniff” out and track prey, so catching the scent of a rodent inside your home might lead them there.

Keep grass short and trimmed

If you have an outdoor or garden area, always make sure to keep the grass short as this will discourage snakes from crawling about near your house. Snakes often use tall grass to avoid being seen by predators like large birds and stray cats or dogs. And since snakes are cold-blooded, they use the shade from shrubs as a resting place to stay cool when the sun is out, which is a good reason to avoid letting grass grow tall enough to be used as snake cover.

Seal up cracks

Cracks and crevices are also an opportunity for snakes to enter homes. Since snakes have flexible bodies, they can easily fit themselves through even the flattest crevice without anyone noticing and might even use these cracks as their entry point.

Place fitting fences or walls around your residential as a deterrent

If your house is located near forest areas, then you are more at risk when it comes to snakes, since snakes love forested environment and most of the time make their nest there.

Best Snake Repellents To Buy Now

What Is Snake Repellent?

Snakes frequently wind up around homes because they provide ample food and shelter. Many of them catch pesky pests like slugs, mice, and other rodents.

They can be beneficial creatures, but sometimes they might pose dangers and risks if they bite humans or start to terrorize pets. To combat them, manufacturers developed snake repellents.

What Is in It?

Many snake repellents include or are based around Naphthalene. Naphthalene comes from black walnut trees and is a strong chemical which can cause nerve and retinal damage. The ingredient smells of mothballs and is supposed to be unpleasant for serpents to cross.

Chemicals vs. Sound

As mentioned earlier, chemicals have distinct scents designed to be unpleasant for snakes. While serpents have nostrils and a typical nose, they don’t use it often. If they find something interesting, they will sniff it and then flick their tongues.

What Are the Risks of Snake Repellent?

Some repellents are toxic to animals and cause serious problems or death. Ingredients such as naphthalene damage the nervous system. It is also considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be a carcinogen for humans

HOW TO HELP PREVENT SNAKES ON YOUR PROPERTY

In general, snakes get a bad rap. These slithering reptiles are an important part of their ecosystems, as they help keep other pests at bay. In addition, snakes don’t start their mornings thinking, “It sure would be fun to creep out some humans today.” In fact, they’re often likely to hide if they sense you coming

Keep your yard clear of clutter.

Snakes like clutter for a couple of reasons. First, it gives them a good spot to hide from predators. Second, snakes are reptiles, which means they need warmth to survive. Clutter like compost piles or stacks of wood can make a nice, cozy den that protects snakes from the elements. Look for alternatives that are less attractive to snakes

Cut Your Grass

You’ve heard the expression “a snake in the grass?” Well, there’s a reason that came about. Snakes like tall grass. It’s where their prey lives. It provides the perfect cover for hunting, and also keeps them protected from predators. Keep your grass trimmed, and snakes will be more likely to look for areas in which they’re not as exposed.

Learn about the snakes in your neck of the woods

Reading up on the snakes that are local to your region gives you a better idea of what their habitat is. Once you understand what conditions create the ideal environment for different snake species, you can purge your yard of the elements that make it a snake haven.

Secure the perimeter of your home

One of the main issues with having snakes in your yard is that they can find their way into your house. Nobody wants that.

Snakes are natural pest control

As a top-end predator, snakes are essential balancing agents in your garden, yard or farm. Rather than killing them, we should deliberately create habitat. Rock, stick and log piles create good places for these vermin destroyers.

I can hear some of you now: NO! Creating snake habitat is… SCARY! I mean, what about rattlesnakes??? C’mon, don’t be a wuss. Seriously. Unless you have rattlesnakes around your property, you’re probably going to be fine. Their favorite place to live is generally gopher tortoise burrows.

What you want is to leave space for good guys like rat snakes, black racers, garter snakes, ring necks, king snakes, etc. They’ll manage your pest control, plus add some slithery beauty to your homestead. I recommend you get familiar with the good guys and start letting the natural pest control happen shovel-free

SNAKE MANAGEMENT

Snakes range from being an unsightly irritant to deadly pests that can plague commercial spaces, warm storage units and factories. Ensuring the removal and prevention of snake infestation is vital for safety.

HOW DOES THIS WORK?

PCI uses a non-lethal chemical which acts as a repellent when applied on surfaces and the periphery of structures, creating a barrier to entry.

ADVANTAGES

Designed to act as a preventive measure, stops snakes from entering the premises thereby stopping the problem at its source.