Category: Home Improvement

Selecting the Right Cleaning Agent for Your Artificial Grass

This article was written by Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division.

After investing time and money on an artificial grass installation, you want to make sure that your lawn lasts for years. And it will as long as you perform some basic maintenance and care for your turf properly. This can include using cleaners to remove stains, gum or pet waste materials from your artificial turf lawn. However, using the wrong cleaner can damage your lawn and potentially void your warranty.

Here are some things to keep in mind when selecting a cleaning agent for your artificial turf lawn:

Never use harsh chemicals on your artificial turf lawn. Harsh acid or alcohol-based cleaning agents aren’t recommended for use with artificial grass. They can simply be too powerful and cause permanent damage to your lawn. Specifically, they can cause the blades of grass to become weak, leading them to break and not stand up correctly.

Rinse thoroughly after any cleaning. Even after using a mild cleaning agent such as laundry detergent, it’s still important to rinse your lawn completely with water. You’ll want to rinse it enough so that the detergent passes through the infill and goes all the way down into the ground.

Don’t use rough brushes or cloths when cleaning your lawn. A rough material can fray the blades of grass over time. Instead, choose a soft brush or cloth and gently clean the lawn to remove stains or perform basic cleaning.

A good rule of thumb is to consult the installation manual provided when you purchased your artificial turf. This will give you information about what the manufacturer recommends for cleaning your lawn.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division can help you find the perfect artificial grass for your business or residential property. Visit their website to browse through their large selection of synthetic grass and to read advice on installing and caring for your turf lawn.

Swimming Pool Noise Control Solutions

Written by : Home and Gardens

Indoor pool construction should consider acoustic cancelling solutions to control noise from dives and from people inside. Apart from that, materials and the architecture should be designed to reduce reverberation or echo. Solution to these acoustic problems includes the following;

Baffles and banners

When you can’t alter existing building structures and make them soundproof internally within the walls, the easiest way to solve noise and echo is to install fabric or acoustic baffles and clouds on the ceiling. These are used mostly on open lobbies, malls, and parking spaces and indoor gyms. Economical and artistic, it also improves speech intelligibility and reduces sound levels on high noise decibel areas.

Acoustic Foams

Acoustic foam panels are used as sound barrier in commercial and residential structures. Carlo Badalamenti of The Foam Factory recommends neoprene sheets as sound deadening foam solutions in between walls, ceilings and even on floors. It’s commonly used in multi-layered construction schemes and can be designed to various shapes and thickness. Acoustic foam manufacturer like Canada Foam by Mail can deliver custom sizes for any architectural requirements.

Wall Panels

Acoustic wall panels are flexible materials that you can install on existing room walls. These can come in planks or sheets and can be applied on curved walls in an auditorium, gym or indoor swimming pool walls to reduce sound reverberation. Effective and versatile solution, most interior architects use this on existing structures that needs to be remodeled. For residential structures, home owners who want to sound proof rooms can make use of wall panels to absorb and control outside noise.

For sound proofing solutions, you can check out Canada Foam by Mail products for both residential and commercial needs. They can supply acoustic foams in different shapes, thickness and bass absorbent grades.

Artificial Grass Maintenance Tips for Fall

Fall is nearly here, which means it’s time for cooler temperatures and possibly some rain. Fortunately, if you have fake grass, there’s not much you have to do to prepare for the coming season. Fake grass has been created to withstand outdoor elements, including rain, wind, and cold temperatures. Still, there are a few things to consider when taking care of your fake grass in the fall. Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division offers the following tips on how to maintain fake grass during the fall season.

Eliminate Leaves and Debris

The fall season is when leaves do more than change color; they eventually drop off and get blown by the wind into your lawn. If you have synthetic grass, this means you will need to know how to properly remove these leaves and other debris that the breeze might bring. To get rid of leaves without destroying your turf, use a push broom to broom the turf against the grain. You can also use a rake or blower.

Stabilize the Fibers

It’s recommended to stabilize the fibers of fake grass at least every three months, so a new season is definitely a great time to do this task. The good news is that if you cleaned the turf with a push broom, you accomplished two tasks with one. The push broom not only cleans the turf of leaves and debris, but also stabilizes the fibers.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division provides synthetic lawns for commercial and residential projects, including artificial lawn products for pets and playgrounds.

Ideas for Refinishing a Door

Refinishing a door is one of the most satisfying and achievable projects that anyone can do. Even the most originally beautiful wood door will suffer after years of facing the elements. With pre-planning and assembly of tools you need, plan to start early and enjoy the fruits of your labor by late afternoon to early evening. Ask a friend to help in taking the door down to refinish it. Some doors are quite large and heavy! Here are some ideas for refinishing a door:

Tools

Consider your hands, eyes, and skin before starting a refinishing project. Make sure you’ve got goggles, rubber gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt and long pants to wear.

Plan to use a work bench or a couple of sawhorses to stabilize the door while you’re refinishing it.

Remove stain or old paint

Start with a light coat of remover. A two-inch bristle paint brush should work well. Wipe remover from the edge of the door as you apply it. Some removers drip. Paint removers shouldn’t be allowed to dry so, as the solution is absorbed by the wood, continue to apply more until the wood is visible. Most paint removers should perform the job in about thirty minutes. Use a scrubbing brush to remove any finish that isn’t automatically dissolved in this step.

Sand, stain, and seal the wood

Use fine grit sand paper to remove all traces of the finish. Then, use a natural stain to restore the beauty of the wood. Use a foam brush, working one section at a time. Wipe any excess with a paper towel, rubbing in the wood grain direction. If applying urethane to add shine, do this right away. The stain doesn’t need to dry first. Optionally, use stencils or appliques to give your door a custom look.

Rehang the door

The results of your handiwork are complete, so it’s best to ask your friend for assistance in rehanging the door. Then, stand back and admire your work!

 

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ETO Doors offers a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty on every door it sells. ETO Doors is dedicated to total customer satisfaction. See ETO Doors reviews for every door online at their website.

Should I Add a Pool to My Property?

By Al Donohue

If you own Ridgewood, NJ real estate, you already have it made. Of course, there’s always more you can do to make your property better, even if it’s located in such a beautiful place.

One way many people augment their home is with a swimming pool. It’s tough to beat this option for a number of reasons. First, it will automatically increase your property value. There’s no doubt about it, people will objectively pay more for a property with a swimming pool for all kinds of reasons.

The second very obvious reason is that a pool is just a lot of fun. Summers in New Jersey can certainly heat up so having a pool on the property is a great way to cool down. Every one of your child’s birthdays can be celebrated at home thanks to that swimming pool and no one will complain.

Plus, a swimming pool is great for fitness. Swimming will supercharge your cardio in the safest way possible thanks to the low impact exercise. And having it in your backyard means it’s never any more than a few steps away at any one time.

For all these reasons and more, consider a pool for your property.

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Ebergen County Homes are experts in the Ridgewood real estate market. So if you’re thinking about making the area your new home, you’ll want to rely on the expertise and experience in the area to ensure you get the house of your dreams in the perfect location.

DIY DOOR RESOURCES- REPAIR, PREP, and PAINT

ETO Doors is one of the largest e-retailers of residential and commercial doors in the United States, but in additional to providing high-quality, reasonably priced doors throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico, ETO Doors also prides itself on supplying the DIY consumer with relevant information to make their DIY door project successful, and less expensive than hiring a professional.

While all doors have a lifespan, sometimes there are adjustments that can be made to existing doors to avoid a full replacement.  Other times, there are portions of a door installation that usually require a carpenter, but with the right tools and information, any person with reasonable handiness could complete the task.  Here are summaries for three DIY videos on the ETO Doors website (http://www.etodoors.com/diy-videos) that can help you with your DIY door needs.

  • Door Painting.  Painting a door isn’t always as easy as it sounds. While ETO doors offers, paint-ready (primed) doors for purchase, you can also prime your existing door through a series of steps outlined in this video.  It’s important to speak with a paint specialist and your local home improvement store to ensure you’re selecting the correct paint.
  • Hinge Routing.  If you’re installing a door for the first time, you may need the hinge spaces routed, which  is the carving of the hinge space with a tool to ensure the hinge rests flush with the rest of the jamb.  This process sounds complicated, but the video walks you through the process step-by-step.
  • Door Gap Fixing.  Wood doors can change shape over time, and other times, despite ordering the correct size, a small gap will remain between the door and the jamb.  Fear not!  This video provides detailed instructions on the door gap repair, including a brief discussion of materials used and the reasons behind the same.

 

ETO Doors DIY videos are a great supplement for your DIY project, and because you can pause at anytime during the video, it’s like having a professional alongside you during your DIY project.  If you have more suggestions for DIY videos call 888 DOORS ETO or go to the Live Chat function online at www.etodoors.com  and let the team know what you think!

Inspecting a Garage Door

If you own a warehouse, or anywhere that needs a garage door, routine inspection is crucial to making sure the apparatus runs well. Failure to check the mechanism could lead to unintended closures, gaps that let in the elements or potential security breaches. These tips are designed to help anyone on the factory floor inspect a garage door, spotting potential problems before they develop.

Manual Release

The garage door should have a manual release lever that is easy to spot. Begin with the garage door closed, then look for it at shoulder level from the floor. It will usually be a big red lever, and it functions as a manual release to detach the door in the event of an emergency.

Panels

The panels of the garage door must withstand the natural elements, and are subject to degradation over time. It’s important that you check to see if the panels are holding together, with no visible cracks or gaps in the housing.

Warnings

There should be several warning labels that will be visible from the inside of the garage. A spring warning label warns you about the spring assembly, a general warning label about the safe method to operate the door, a warning label near the control button, and multiple warning labels at the base of the door.

Hardware Inspection

Check that all of the tension springs have a secure cable that runs through the middle. These springs are part of a counterbalance system that prevent the door from hurling shards of metal into the warehouse floor if a mechanism breaks.

Electric Eyes

Modern garage doors must be equipped with a set of photo-electric eyes. The purpose is to spot potential hazards that may prevent the door from closing. These eyes should be placed six inches above the ground on each side of the door near the floor.

 

Founded in 2002, ETO Doors sells high quality doors at low prices.  You can find ETO Doors reviews online at their website.

Tips for Hanging Replacement Doors

This article was written by Eto Doors.

Hanging a new door in your home might seem very intimidating. However, in most cases this couldn’t be further from the truth. Modern pre-hung doors make it easy for anyone to quickly install a door in their home with little experience necessary or the need for specialized tools. Within a short amount of time, you can have the door hung and move on to your next home improvement project.

If you have your old door handy, this will make the job of hanging your replacement door much easier. Your first step is to match up your old door with the new door so that the measurements will be exact. You can do this by matching the top and hinge edges of both doors. Clamp them together lightly using commercially available clamps.

Your next step is to make the correct markings on the new door slab. You can transfer the hinge locations from your old door to your new door by using a sharp pencil and a speed square. After this, you can unscrew the hinge from the old door and hold it in the correct place you have marked on the new door. From there, you can trace the outline of the hinge, making sure to keep the same distance from the edge of the door to the edge of the hinge as on the old door.

After you’ve traced out the hinges, you can cut them out by using a chisel and an Exacto knife and then bore out the lockset holes. You then simply cut the bottom of the door to match the size of your old door and mount it.

Bio: Eto Doors has a wide selection of interior and exterior doors available at their easy-to-use website. Visit it to see more and to read Eto Doors reviews.

Inside and Outside

Farms have been around for many years now and although many advances in technology have been made, farms still exist using mostly traditional and organic ways of growing crops and livestock alike. Following traditional methods, certain parts of the soil must be subject to animal feces and some parts must be kept away from livestock. Livestock too, must be kept in a safe containment area as not to get lost in the vast area of the farm lands. Older practices make use of garden fences to establish the borders between the territories of neighboring properties. This would normally be sufficient given that people agree to respect each others’ borders of territories, however, that might not be the case all the time. In some scenarios, bandits or looters can simply go over the ordinary fence, on to your property and take something without permission. Sometimes, animals are persistent enough to force themselves between the gaps of the fence and run away. These examples show that ordinary garden fences may not be sufficient. Electric fences are available on the market these days and it’s simply a wire fence that runs a current through it and can potentially run a current through a living object enough to deter future contact. It’s a simple upgrade and it keeps your property secure. You can be rest assured that with electric fences, you not only keep the bad elements out, you are also able to keep your investments securely inside your premises.

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Article submitted by Farm Supply Store. Electric fence testers are available here for proper maintenance of your farm fencing equipment.

Tips for Cleaning Door Handles and Hardware

Door handles and other pieces of hardware go a long way in determining the overall look of a front door. Clean and attractive door handles, knockers and other items add a sense of character to a front door. But if these items are dirty, rusty or oxidized, it can make your entry door look drab or run down and reflect poorly on your home as a whole.

If you have older hardware, it might be time to refurbish your pieces. Even if they don’t need a complete refurbishing, it’s a good idea to clean them on a regular basis. Here are a few tips on how to clean your door handles and hardware:

Remove the Hardware From the Door: Leaving the door handle or other hardware on your door as you clean it exposes your door to harsh chemicals. This is especially true for wood doors, as industrial cleaners can cause serious damage to wood. In addition, removing the hardware will allow you to get to small nooks and pieces.

Use the Right Type of Cleaner: In most cases, you’ll need to use more than soapy water to completely clean your door’s hardware. The type of cleaning product you use will be determined by the hardware’s material. Diluted vinegar works on many metals and woods, but you’ll want specialized cleaners for materials such as brass.

Consider Paint: If your hardware still looks dingy after a thorough cleaning, you might want to consider applying a coat of paint. Adding paint to metal hardware can help it to complement the overall look of the door by either blending in with the door’s color or by providing a contrasting color.

Bio: This article was created by the door experts at Eto Doors. The Eto Doors website features countless doors, handles and accessories for sale. Visit the site to browse the collection or to read Eto Doors reviews.

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