If you’re wondering about the levels of radon in your home, you’re not alone. There are serious dangers associated with continuous exposure to radon. In fact, statistics show that about 6% of homes throughout the United States have homes that are either at or above the EPA’s action level. It’s important to know that homes with high levels of radon are extremely dangerous. Considering that, it’s important to have radon testing conducted within your home. With that in mind, here are three tips to follow while preparing for a radon test.

1. Leave Windows and Doors Shut Before Testing
   While many learn the importance of keeping home openings closed before a radon test, there are misconceptions. One of the biggest misconceptions is how long to keep windows and doors shut. Experts recommend that you leave these openings shut for at least 24 hours be

There are a lot of things that can blast your glass, and glass door manufacturers are always looking for the best way to make high impact glass for hurricane sliding glass doors. Here’s why glass door manufacturers are so busy, how impact glass doors and windows work, and what you need to think about before you buy.

Why Hurricane Glass Doors Are Crucial

During the 20th century there were 158 hurricanes that hit the United States. Florida saw the most hits, with 57 impacts, and Texas was second with 26. But hurricanes can and do strike all along the lower East Coast and Gulf regions, especially during hurricane season, which runs, officially, from June 1 through Nov 30 each year. As if hurricanes weren’t enough for glass door manufacturers to have to plan for, it’s also not uncommon for a hurricane to spawn a tornado. In 1992, Hurrican

Father’s Day is a funny kind of holiday. After another full year of providing for their families, many wives and children give gifts that only encourage more work!
From lawn mowers to bags of mulch, there are many families who are convinced that Dad wants nothing more than to spend another day outside working in the yard. Other families, however, are taking a different approach, and instead of expecting their Dads to do even more work are planning for the work to be done by someone else.
In fact, by purchasing a gift card for barkdust specialists to come out and take care of the work, a family is giving a real gift. Landscape improvements are a great achievement, but if you want to make sure that your Dad really has a great day, instead of giving him another tool or power toy, instead pay for an expert like a barkdust specialist to come out and help upgrade

Every home remodeler has been there. After rushing home with a brand new remodeling magazine and finding dozens of ideas that are just perfect, they add up the cost and wind up with a heavy case of sticker shock. The fact is that remodeling magazines are full of fantastic ideas put together by professionals on an unlimited budget. The average home remodeler has no such luck. So how can the average homeowner replicate the ideas found in her favorite remodeling magazine? It’s not so unattainable as you might think. Rule number one is to work with what you’ve got. The major renovations required to replicate the dream bathroom you just found in your favorite remodeling magazine might be a little out of reach. Perhaps knocking out an entire wall to make room for a tub the size of your bed just isn’t feasible. However, that skylight above it just might not be. Choosing a few elements from a design that will work in your space without requiring major, difficult renovations can make a huge difference without sending you into debt. Rule number two is to go bargain shopping. Its will come as no surprise to anyone who has picked up a magazine about remodeling that the featured products are usually reserved for a small fraction of the populations with millions of disposable dollars. Thousand dollar carpets, solid marble tubs, and complete layout restructuring may not cause remodeling magazine designers to bat an eye, but they’re out of the realm of possibility for the majority of readers. Fortunately, many affordable, similar products are out there for any buyer who is willing to do a little scouring of local stores and the internet. Wholesale retailers sell designer pieces for reduced prices, and home hardware and home decor stores often carry a wide variety of styles at a wide variety of prices. Even if you can’t find the same exact piece you saw in a remodeling magazine, you can probably find a similar product at a much more affordable price. The third rule is to DIY what you can. While magazines about remodeling can afford to hire trained professionals for installations, the average homeowner can save a significant amount by putting in the labor themselves. That mosaic backsplash you saw in your magazine was probably designed and installed by a trained professional, but you might be able to create one on a budget with hardware store ceramic tiles and grout. Look for DIY blogs and television shows for ideas and tips that can help you recreate your favorite remodeling magazine looks with your own time and resources. Though most remodeling magazine readers don’t have resources equivalent to those who create for the magazines, they can still use magazines about remodeling for inspiration. With a little creativity and determination, the looks in remodeling magazines can be created for less.

According to data from the federal government, the electrical grid of the United States loses power 285% more often than it did back in 1984, which was when the first efforts were made to collect data on blackouts. In 2014 alone there were 130 reports of outages on the grid in just the first six months, and power outages cost the businesses of America about $150 billion every year.

It’s not just businesses that have to worry, though. Private residences have a lot to lose when power outages strike, and that’s good reason to consider installing whole house generators to protect our families and our investments.

Whole House Generators: Why You Need One

1. Protect your food If the power is out for four hours or less, then the food in your refrigerator or freezer is generally safe to keep eating. If the power is out longer than that, though, you run the risk of either losing lot of your food or, even worse, possibly making your family very ill. <

Every year, thousands of people purchase new houses and apartments across the country. Many families regard this purchase as one of the most exciting moments in their lives. Now, perhaps for the first time in their lives, they own a dwelling that they can call their home. They have a place which is isolated from the rest of the world. They have a place in which they can relax. They have a place in which they can raise a family without being troubled by the influence of the outside world. Although many families love the fact that they are purchasing a new home, they are often frustrated to discover that owning a home is not all fun and games. In other words, many families discover shortly after purchasing their home that it does look quite as good as it did in the list photos on the website which is owned and operated by the real estate company. Many families decide that the kitchen looks very old and out of date. Or they discover that the house has ugly popcorn or cottage cheese ceilings which were clearly installed during the 1960s and could possibly contain asbestos. Or perhaps they discover that the walls are a gaudy shade of blue that desperately needs a fresh coat of paint to cover up dings and other imperfections. At these moments, many families run to the local supermarket or bookstore or magazine stand in order to purchase one or more remodeling magazines. Each issue in these magazines about remodeling often contain one dozen or more articles describing various styles of homes that are currently in vogue. By providing these articles, these remodeling magazines help families pick a remodeling job that is current and up to date; the authors who write for these remodeling magazines know that no family wants to spend thousands of dollars updating their homes only to discover that they installed last year’s style. In addition to describing the current trends in the world of home remodeling, these remodeling magazines also describe how families might install their upgrades by themselves; the authors who write for these remodeling magazines know that no family wants to spend thousands of dollars remodeling their homes if they can remodel it by themselves for a fraction of the cost. However, the authors who write for these remodeling magazines also know that modern American families are extremely busy. Between work, school, and other activities, many families simply do not have time to remodel their homes by themselves; in fact, for many families, it is hard to find time to purchase a magazine about remodeling. The authors who write for these remodeling magazines know this. To help these families remodel their homes, these authors who write for remodeling magazines write reviews describing local remodeling experts who can renovate the families’ homes for low, low prices.

Insulating concrete form or insulated concrete forms (ICF)is a building system of construction where reinforced concrete is poured in metal rebar between rigid foam exteriors. That may not sound exciting, but what should motivate you is that you can expect high performance from icf products, particularly in energy savings, cost savings, durability, and strength. Also, if you’re looking for green construction, icf products are your answer since ten fewer trees will need to be cut down to build your new home if you rely on insulated concrete form construction instead. How ICF Provides you with High Performance Green Building Materials Insulated concrete buildings blocks provided superior protection from either air escaping or coming in as you have insulation on both sides of the wall with the concrete/steel rebar in the middle. A study conducted by the Department of Housing a

This time of year, finding air conditioner repair services are important, but is it worth it to get a professional to take a look at your A/C unit even if it isn’t malfunctioning? There’s no doubt that it is, with more than 80% of all of the homes in the United States having some kind of air conditioning or HVAC services. Calling a professional to take a look at these units even before the system breaks down could reap multiple benefits for the homeowner, which are outlined below.

• Routine Maintenance
It is estimated that when it comes to routine maintenance on the A/C unit, only approximately 40% of homeowners choose to call a professional. Most people only think of calling that professional when the unit breaks down, but air conditioning

Your energy bill has skyrocketed. Your home is drafty. No matter what repairs you make, it seems that you just can’t get ahead when it comes to efficient windows. Why?
The answer is because you thought repairing was the answer when, in fact, your windows are probably due for a window replacement. Installing windows can be a daunting task, but here’s the first three steps you should take when looking to upgrade your home windows.
Step One: Consider Why Your Windows Need Replacement It can be easy to believe that windows last forever. They’re just glass, right? People live in hundred-year-old Victorian homes and the windows are just fine—or, they just appear that way. High quality windows that receive regular, proper maintenance only last for around 20 years at minimum, so if your home was built around 1995 or earlier, the life of your windows is cause for concern.
Glass doesn’t last forever! Windows are prone to slight warping and disfiguring over time, especiall

There are many components that play into the overall upkeep of a home and many decisions surrounding those components. Regular servicing of all of the systems, particularly that of heating and cooling systems, is crucial. It is also ideal to have as efficient a heating cooling system as possible, such as a ductless system. Heating and cooling systems vary, and not all are created equal. Choosing a ductless system is likely to save the typical home owner a considerable amount of money on the yearly amount of their energy costs, and the ductless system to becoming more popular and more commonplace in homes all throughout the United States. If you have questions about potentially pursuing a ductless system, a general contractor is likely to be able to answer them. Contacting a contractor to conduct servicing and repairs, is not required but is hugely r