How To Choose The Best Payroll Service

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What Is Payroll Outsourcing?

In order to save time, money and effort, business entities hire an external firm so that they can look into the payroll functions of the hiring entity. Outsourced payroll solutions turn out to be more accurate as compared to the in-house results as it gets analyzed, evaluated and prepared by professionals. The key factor here is that payroll speaks about how a business entity rewards and retains its employees. To get a clearer idea, let’s have a look at the payroll outsourcing service in the UAE, followed by its benefits.

Benefits of Payroll Outsourcing

The benefits of payroll outsourcing are briefed below:

1. Saves Time

Professionals who are involved in delivering payroll services would consume less time as compared to untrained employees trying to maintain the payroll records.

2. The Overhead Costs Get Reduced

Training the in-house employees to maintain the payroll books and then proceeding ahead involves heavy cost. So, the best option turns out to outsource the payroll books.

3. Improved Data Security

The amount of risk that exists in-house is way more as compared to the payroll professional firms.

4. Guaranteed Government Compliance

Professionals do take completely the books as per the legal rules and always have updated knowledge.

5. Access to Multiple Services

Professional payroll service providers do have multiple additional services as they are specialized in the respective domain.

Manage Your Risk Better

Payroll processing for small businesses is not a very easy job if you venture into the harsh compliance requirements, as well as the legal hurdles that are expected from duly registered business enterprises. In fact, even a tiny misclassification or inadvertent error can result in a massive fine. Taking it further, mistakes in payroll processing can lead to serious class action lawsuits, fines, penalties, and in extreme cases, even jail time. This is precisely why even large companies sometimes outsource their payroll and accounting processing so that they can minimize their risk.

When you have highly experienced and dedicated experts who are suitably well-versed in all the latest payroll service companies for small businesses, then you can rest assured that you will make fewer mistakes, and your propensity for erroneous payroll processing will also go down substantially. In the long run, the smooth and consistent disbursement of payroll will keep your employees happy (which in itself is a significant advantage of outsourcing your payroll process). Furthermore, it will also get the government as well as the legal system off your back so that you can concentrate on the crucial task of expanding your brand new business.

Make Payroll Services Work for Your Business

Payroll is an important consideration for every business that has employees. Outsourcing payroll services can sometimes make it easier for businesses to focus on other important organizational matters and enjoy peace of mind, as payroll needs are taken care of. Payroll errors and compliance issues can cost money and damage employee perceptions of the company.

When selecting payroll services, however, it is not enough to simply consider paychecks and choose the lowest priced service. Other important factors, such as visibility, payment options, and reliability of the company should also be considered. By considering the following points, you can make payroll services work for your company.

Does Your Internal Payroll Burn Resources?

If your organization does not have an efficient internal payroll solution, it can waste countless labor hours. If there are no employees that specialize in accounting or have a broad range of knowledge regarding different accounting issues, it can spell disaster. If outsourcing payroll services will relieve your company of a largely time consuming burden, it may be time to consider doing so.

Do You Know All That You Need to Know About Compliance?

Federal, state, and local laws regarding payroll and labor can be difficult to keep up with. Trying to manage a business and keep up with compliance changes and needs can be taxing. Doing so may also increase the likelihood of errors. While some payroll software will help keep track of regulatory changes, a payroll service will take responsibility for making sure that your company stays compliant with laws.

Are There Different Payment Options?

Paper checks are not environmentally friendly, can waste employee time, and sometimes even hamper productivity. To make payroll services work well, you should make sure that the payroll option selected offers different ways for employees to get paid. Many payroll services offer these options and many in-house options do as well; it is important to take this into consideration when reviewing companies that offer either service.

What About Employee Self-Service?

Employee self-service is beginning to be viewed as a necessity, rather than an added bonus. More and more, employees expect that they are able to readily access their paycheck information remotely on their own time. If employee self-service is not available as an option with a payroll service, or is difficult to integrate with other HRIS employee self-service options, it may be worth considering a different company or different payroll solution.

What a Payroll Company Does

As a payroll services provider, your company is responsible for handling records on employee wages, deductions, hours worked and pretty much everything else related to compensation for your clients. It’s your job to translate all that information into paychecks or direct deposits for each employee.

You can choose to specialize in a particular area of payroll services, which might help your business cater to niche markets, but it is likely that your processors will need to be able to handle a large number of payroll-related services, including:

Pay adjustments
Processing federal and state income tax
Computing time and wages
Issuing manual checks
Voiding checks
Direct deposits
Benefits administration
Bookkeeping
Compilations services
Wage garnishments

Processing Payroll

Too many companies use an Excel spreadsheet or other manual method to process payroll.

By using an outside company, the business representative simply logs on to the outsourcing payroll services’ portal and approves salary or hourly timesheets every few weeks.

The solution provider processes the appropriate deductions and either sends the direct deposits to employees or issues the checks automatically. While the business enters the employee hours or pay rates, the solution provider keeps track of the changing tax rules or other deductions.

By using financial partners to outsource your payroll, this information can automatically be downloaded to your accounting system for easy integration into your financial statements.

Easy Access for Employees

It should be no surprise that employees have a lot of questions around payroll. By using payroll outsourcing services, they can access a portal to get all their answers without taking up company resources. (For example, when they want to know why their final check was a certain amount and question the accuracy of their deductions.)

Trusted financial partners can also keep track of employee sick and vacation time allocations and redemptions so there are less misunderstandings. They will also provide employee W2s by January 31 of each year for employee tax filings.

How To Texture Drywall Repairs

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How to Care for Plaster in an Old House

Save the plaster! This might have been the rallying cry of Julia Child, were she a preservationist rather than a chef.

Plaster walls and decorative details are high-quality, handmade finishes that give an old house character. They should not be replaced with inferior materials without a compelling reason. Plaster is worth preserving and, fortunately, easy to maintain — all you need is a little knowledge.

What is plaster

Plaster is an ancient material that goes back at least to the Egyptians. Its exact composition has varied considerably through the ages, but in modern times it typically consists largely of plaster of Paris, otherwise known as gypsum.

It is applied by hand and dries to a very hard finish that can last pretty much forever — as long as it isn’t damaged by water or cracked or separated from its underlying material by movement.

Decorative, ornamental, and architectural plasterwork goes on top of flat plaster walls and ceilings. Examples include wall moldings, crown moldings, moldings on the ceiling, plaster medallions, and fanciful floral decorations or scrollwork just below crown moldings or on vestibule walls. The most elaborate plasterwork is usually found in the parlor.

How Big a Drywall Patch Before Taping is Needed?

I’d like to cut out several 3″ to 4″ circles in my drywall ceiling, then “plug” the holes with the same size circles of new drywall, and then mud over them. Will there be a circular crack if I do not tape a patch of that size? Any better ideas? Thanks in advance.

In my experience drywall_diy_guy is correct. His link is exactly how I do it as well. Often when you tape, you have to feather out way further. Taping adds work and not necessary when there is no chance of shifting.

In my experience, you will get cracking unless you tape them. You’re probably not going to be able to put in a patch so perfectly that you could only apply mud to the crack; you’ll have to mud over the whole thing, so why wouldn’t you want to use tape?

A 2″ wide piece of wood that is at least 1/2″ thick and 6″+ long is put up on the back side of the sheet rock and secured with a couple sheet rock screws on either end to the sheet rock ceiling. Then the patch is screwed to that wood to secure it in place.

I’m with handymac. If you’re cutting the holes with a hole saw, you can even use the same pieces. Clean the drywall edges with a sharp utility knife before you mud. Gently pull a sharp blade on a 45 degree angle and they’ll clean up nicely.

Important Types of Drywall Services to Repair Damage

You don’t have to put up with damage to your home, so you can get that drywall repaired and looking as good as new again.

Furniture Scuffs And Marks

When you move into a new home, you could well find scuffs and marks on the walls of the building. These most likely come from furniture, that’s been placed too close to the wall when the previous owners were living there. This happens to you too, when you move furniture around. These marks are annoying, but luckily they’re often not too hard to deal with.

Door Holes

What are door holes? These are holes that appear in the drywall from door handles, as the door is opened too hard into it. The handles leaves a dent or hole in the wall, damaging it. These are annoying and difficult to avoid in some homes.

The drywall services needed to fix the holes include:

Using joint compound to patch over it

Sanding it the following day

Painting it to blend the repair in with the rest of the wall

Water Damage

Water damage comes from several different places, such as leaking roofs or damaged plumbing. If you start to see discolored drywall, you’ve got to move fast to find the leak and stop it. The longer it goes on for, the worse the damage will be.

Drywall Repair

Drywall repairs come in all sizes and shapes so here are few things to keep in mind. Nail holes can simply be filled with spackle and paint touched up, if needed. As holes get a bit larger we can use various size aluminum patches that then get ”mudded” with drywall compound. Most houses in our area have textured walls (and the vast majority of those are “knockdown”), so we’ll use a can of texture spray to apply it. Note that with knockdown especially, it can be pretty difficult to get an exact match with your existing texture due to a variety of factors, but after painting, it’s rarely noticeable. In fact, paint match can be more of an issue, but that is another story.

Bigger than about 6 inches and we are looking at cutting out and replacing pieces of drywall itself. We usually have to cut it to the stud width so there is something to screw into or add some pieces of lumber to provide a backing. After the repair and mudding, depending on the size of the area that needs to be retextured, we may need to use a texture spray gun instead of the spray cans. This provides a good quality texture at less cost but does require more significant tarping for the overspray compared to using a can spray. If your wall paint is a flat sheen, even the same paint can be visible as a touch-up. So especially with larger drywall repairs it often makes more sense to paint the entire wall.

Now for those ceiling repairs. There’s often damage or staining from leaks and the first thing you want to be aware of is the potential for mold. For minor leaks, you can immediately drill some holes in the drywall (whatever size bits you have handy) and even place a fan on it, if possible, to get some air circulation through there. There’s a good chance that you can dry it out before mold has a chance to grow. Then we can just do minor repairs for the holes and paint with stain blocker and your ceiling paint.

If it is more extensive or took a while to detect, we’ll want to cut out a section and examine for mold. True mold abatement procedures are involved and costly, but that is based on the area or square footage (think flooded home), so we can generally safely address mold issues associated with common size leaks.

Just a few more tidbits: your walls are usually 1/2 inch drywall and the ceiling 5/8 inch (but product is also available in 1/4 inch and 3/8 inch); green board is water resistant, not waterproof and should not be used for showers and baths (use cement backerboard there); fire-rated means it has some glass fibers that help hold it together and last a bit longer during a fire.

Drywall & Plaster

Drywall & Plaster Services:

Drywall and Plaster Installation

Drywall Repair Contractors

Metal Framing Boston MA

Plaster Repair Boston

Drywall Ceiling Repairs & installation

Blueboard & Plastering

Sheetrock Installation

Textured Drywall Installation

Popcorn Ceiling removal

Wallpaper Removal

Drywall Damage Repairs (smoke/fire/water)

Drywall & Plaster Contractors

Attention to detail, great quality of work, and competitive pricing! drywall experts in everything we do including: drywall removal, patching, prepping for the drywall, installing, taping, mudding, sanding, texturing, finishing, and ready to paint. All of our hired contractors have been trained by the best. Licensed, certified and experienced with all types of drywall projects, we work hard to be one of the best drywall companies around

Drywall and Plaster Contractors

knows that working with drywall is about both quality and time. As your top local experienced drywall contractors, and we offer a complete range of drywall services including installation and repair. nstalling drywall isn’t a simple job. There are a number of steps involved, and attention to detail is everything. With multiple products available, the best option often depends on the job at hand

How To Spend Less For A Roof Installation Company’s Service

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The Most Common Roofing Installation Errors

There are two big problems homeowners face when it comes to assessing the quality of craftsmanship invested in their roof. Firstly, they tend to trust that the company they hire knows what it’s doing. Secondly, it’s not exactly easy to get up there with a magnifying glass once the job is done. As such, good faith is often misplaced, and a roof’s inaccessibility means problems go unnoticed.

In many cases a first-rate roofing job is solely the roofer’s responsibility. Unfortunately, it’s all too common that the only thing they’re responsible for is more problems down the line. I’ve assembled a list of the most common installation errors to help you spot them from the beginning.

They ignored ice dams in gutters

Caused by backed-up ice in gutters, ice dams can cause more problems. Overspill becomes icicles, which pose a danger to anyone beneath them, and the weight of trapped ice can pull gutters away from a roof entirely. Not least of the risks is when freezing water starts to seep through cracks in the roof – or even cause them – entering your home and leading to moisture, mold and other damage.

Defending roofs against ice dams is a simple matter of adding insulating layers that cover enough of the roof’s gutter-adjacent underside, yet it’s a common-sense step roofers frequently forget. A few feet of extra insulation are typically enough to absorb any water trying to get through. My previous blog goes in-depth on how homeowners can cold-proof their gutters, and I recommend doing this well before winter hits.

They just didn’t nail it

There’s a reason why “nailing” a job means getting it done right. There’s a minimum number of nails required to firmly secure shingles to roofs, and that number goes up depending on the steepness of the gradient. It’s some simple physics a lot of roofers don’t calculate correctly.

Industrial Roof Installation

Turnkey Industrial Care

Industrial roofing requires a different level of attention than a conventional commercial system. When it comes to industrial properties, we understand that we’re sometimes dealing with toxic exhaust systems. Before every installation, we sit and speak with the building owner. This gives us the chance to analyze the surface as well as determine what solutions are most appropriate for the building.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a new installation or a re-roofing service – whatever project is undertaken, we’ll make sure that every matter is treated with immense care. At CIS, we’ll deliver a one-of-kind solution that extends the lifespan of your roofing system for many years to come.

Set Up an Inspection Today

Our professional staff prides ourselves on being the leading source for industrial roofing installation services. Before we install the system, we always examine things with from a close view. During our analysis, we will determine what products will work best for your unique situation. Whether it’s commercial or industrial care, we’re prepared to handle every task your industrial roof needs

Slate Roof Installation: Things You Should Know

Slate is one of the most durable and long-lasting roofing materials you can find. With proper care, a slate roof can last over 100 years, meaning you’ll never need to worry about roof replacement again

Underlayment

The most appropriate type of underlayment for slate roofing is the traditional, 30-pound organic roofing felt. Its main function is to protect your home in case there is a storm prior to the installation of slate. It’s important to note that slate itself is capable of shedding water and protecting your home. So an underlayment such as an ice and water guard is usually unnecessary for slate roofing.

Sheathing

Sheathing, or decking, is the wood attached to the slate. On average, it can last for 150 years, provided that the right type of material is used. Plywood, particle wood and laminated wood aren’t recommended since they are made with glue.

Nails

If you want to avoid roof repair, you should pay special attention to the nails that are used in the installation. Do not use electro-galvanized nails because they can become rusty in just a couple of years. Your best options are copper, stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized steel nails.

Sidelap and Headlap

Slate tiles should have at least a three-inch overlap on the sides, called sidelap. Each slate tile should also have an overlap at its top, called headlap. For steep roofs, three inches of headlap are required.

Tips To Get Ready For A Stress-free And Smooth Residential Roof Installation

Plan For Your Kids And Pets.

Loud noises are common to face when installation or Roofing Repair Phoenix activity is under process. It will increase the level of anxiety and may even disturb sleeping habits for young kids and your pets. It’s better to watch such activity from a safe distance and work zones turn completely unsafe for pets and kids. Either shift them to relative’s house or stay with them constantly to make them feel comfortable.

Relocation Of The Vehicles

There will be many instruments heavy and light which will be used by the roofing contractor and you need to offer then parking space keeping them. Roofing repair and maintenance or installation Contractors seek quick access to make prompt use of tools and trucks across the day. Need to offer a dedicated place to accumulate shingles and roof debris. You should remove your car or other vehicles from the parking area and keep at a safe distance or in front of your neighbor’s house. Don’t forget to take your neighbor’s permission for the same.

Takedown All Wall Arts

When it’s a roof installation process or even repair one, facing jerks and vibrations are very common to experience. Such vibrations will move through the walls and if you have decorative items hanging on the walls then it may fall and get damaged. So, take the initiative to put them down and store in a separate room till the time the work is over and you are back to normal life

Cover All Interior Items With Old Sheets

During a roof installation or repair process, numerous installers will move on your roof, hitting it with tools or hammers. It’s simple to understand that Dust and other small debris will fall on open spaces during the process. To keep your interior house belongings clean and free from dirt and debris cover them up using old sheets till the time the work is over. Light vacuuming will be needed in areas after the installation work is complete.

Cut Branches Of Trees And Grass Before Installation Of Roof

Do you have trees in your garden will tall branches that hang close to your roof? If yes, then get that trimmed before the installation contractor visit you to begin the work. This will help contractors to put drop cloths on the trimmed branches of plants and law grass in the premise of your home, to protect it from getting covered with debris. Having Short grass will make the process simple to clean the fallen debris and will make the clean-up process much faster than expected.

How To Prepare For a New Roof Installation

How Do You Prepare for a New Roof?

Having the roof of your home replaced can be an exciting ordeal. The winter gave you grief. You’ve had leaks, damage, and all sorts of trouble, but now it’s finally time to resolve those issues. Spring is finally here in Maryland, and you can feel more comfortable with your new shingle roof. However, having the roof over your head peeled off and replaced can also be a bit worrying. How should you prepare? Are there any precautions you need to take for a new roof installation? Fear not. Charm City Roofing has you covered (pun intended.)

Give the roofer access to your roof.

It seems rather obvious, but your roofer is going to need to get on to your roof! Any professional roofing contractor will come prepared, but it’s always nice to arrive at a job without having to ask the homeowner to relocate things from the perimeter of the house

Installing a new roof is a big project and takes up a lot of space. A good roofer will set up tarps and other means of catching debris around the perimeter of your home. This saves a lot of time for the clean up process. To make sure that your outdoor items are safe, and that the roofers’ cleanup is as efficient as possible, clear your driveways, sidewalks, patios, and flower beds before the crew arrives. This means move your vehicles, remove children’s toys, outdoor furniture, grills, etc. away from the house.

Make Arrangements for Children and Pets

Don’t be mistaken, pets and young children aren’t in any inherent danger when you’re getting your roof replaced. However, pets that go to the bathroom outside and children that like to run around might feel a bit stir crazy during the process.

Protect Your Valuables that are in the Attic

Experienced and attentive roofers should always try to minimize their footprint from the job, but replacing a roof is inherently a pretty dusty, dirty job. If you keep antiques, valuables, or cherished items in storage in your attic, make sure that they’re covered and out of harm’s way.

Spring Deep Cleaning Tips

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How to Deep Clean Your Washing Machine

In today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing everything you need to know in order to clean your washing machine! I’ve included methods for cleaning both front-loading and top-loading machines in this post, so no matter what type of machine you have, you’ll know exactly how to clean it by the end of this post!

How It Works

The key ingredients in both cleaning methods are bleach and vinegar (read more about the do’s and don’ts of cleaning with vinegar). Bleach kills bacteria, mold, and mildew, while white vinegar dissolves soap scum and tough mineral deposits. You will also need a measuring cup, sponge, bucket, and cloth. After using them in the steps outlined below, your washing machine will look newer, smell better, and most importantly, clean your clothes more effectively.

How To Clean Your Front-Loading Washing Machine

Step 1 – Vinegar Wash

Add 2 cups of white vinegar to your machine’s detergent tray or pour it directly into the wash drum. Run a wash cycle using the hottest water setting to get rid of mold and mildew and to dissolve mineral deposits.

Step 2 – Bleach Wash

Once the first wash cycle is done, add 2 cups of bleach to your machine’s detergent tray or pour it directly into the wash drum. Run another hot water wash cycle to remove stains and eliminate germs that may be lurking in the wash tub.

(Note: If you prefer not to use bleach, you can use 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide for this step instead.)

Step 3 – Rinse Cycle

After the second wash cycle is complete, run an additional rinse cycle to flush out any remaining grime or residue.

Step 4 – Detergent Tray

Once the rinse cycle is done, remove the bleach dispenser, fabric softener dispenser, and any other removable parts from your washer’s detergent tray.

Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water, and drop the detergent tray pieces into the bucket and let them soak for a few minutes. Clean each piece thoroughly with a sponge or cleaning rag, dry them, then return them to their original position in your detergent tray.

Step 5 – Finishing Touches

The last step involves a few finishing touches, including cleaning the rubber seal around the door and cleaning the exterior of the machine.

Best Natural Cleaners to Use

So what cleaners are we using?

Washing soda is fabulous for cleaning different surfaces around the house. This amplified version of baking soda helps to break down hard water deposits, dissolve grease and deodorize. I use it in my laundry detergent and homemade dish soap, but it’s also great for a deep clean on the washing machine.

Vinegar is an acid that helps tame mineral deposits, grease, mold, and mildew. It can be regularly used on the rinse cycle as a fabric softener, but it’s also effective at cleaning out the machine.

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that is known to kill a wide variety of mold and soften water. It’s surprisingly controversial, but after doing the research I feel safe using it as a cleaner, though you won’t see me adding it to lotion or consuming it. I’ve covered the safety of borax here, but for those who still aren’t keen on the idea, it can be replaced with a natural oxygen bleach or omitted.

Essential oils have a wide range of anti-microbial properties, depending on which ones are used. Tea tree, or melaleuca, is a potent anti-fungal to help with mold growth. Thieves blend helps to fight bacteria and viruses. These are optional, but really help to boost the disinfecting power. I buy most of mine here (use the code WellnessMama for 10% off).

Clean the filter

clean your washing machine

The debris filter is there to protect your washing machine’s pump by stopping lint, stray tissues, coins and general dirt in its tracks. That means that, like the detergent drawer, it’s a place where germs collect. It is also warm and humid so provides an ideal breeding ground for dodgy smells to infiltrate the machine… and your laundry.

The solution? Empty it regularly to remove the fluff and dirt that has gathered inside. The washing machine filter is usually located along the lower edge of the machine, behind a hinged cover. Check your user manual if unsure. Carefully free the emergency drain tube and place a bowl or pan on the floor below it.

Unplug and allow any trapped water to drain off. Replace the plug, remove the bowl and lay a towel on the floor. Carefully unscrew or release the filter cover. Any trapped debris should run out with the trapped water, but check inside the cavity to be sure. Wipe around with a cloth, clean any components and replace the cover. Check again that you have replaced the cover properly to prevent any accidental leaks.

Clean Machine Exterior, Door, and Dispensing Trays

Next, we’ll tackle the exterior parts of the machine including your detergent dispensers, all cracks and crevices, door frame and all exterior surfaces. First, clean the inside and outside of the door with vinegar and water using a microfiber cloth. You might really need to scrub well! Secondly, use an all-purpose cleaner and pre-soak really dirty areas around the washer. Finally, scrub grimy areas where necessary with a cleaning toothbrush (and baking soda, if needed) and wipe everything clean with a cotton cloth. You can also soak your dispensing trays and then wipe clean. They can get really grotty and moldy.

Extra Care Tips

Always leave the door open when you are done with your washing – always. This lets the remaining moisture evaporate and avoids mold and mildew growth. If smelly laundry is a problem, this will solve it.

Remove your clothes from the washing machine ASAP for the same reason as the last point.

And try to avoid store-bought fabric softeners. They leave a residue, not only on your clothes but also in your washing machine. As we now know this causes odors. We have some easy homemade fabric softener alternatives available.

Finally, use the correct amount of detergent, always. Too much detergent will cling to the walls of your machine and lead to odors and dull clothes. These detergents are designed to be used in small quantities, especially in HE machines.

How to Clean a Washer’s Components

Cleaning the Front-Loader Washing Machine Gasket

Pack the rubber folds and cavities of the gasket with paper towels soaked in hydrogen peroxide. Leave it to soak for a few hours before wiping down clean and dry. You may need to use a soft brush to gently scrub it.

To prevent it from getting moldy by using an old towel or paper towel to dry around the rubber gasket/door seal after each wash. You could also add some vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to the towel as you wipe it down to really scare away the mold.

Cleaning a Top-Loading Washer’s Tub Rim

Use a paper towel soaked in hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar to wipe around the opening of the machine. Try to get between the tub rim and top edges, and all the areas that the water can get to.

Cleaning a Washing Machine Dispenser

Remove the dispensers from the machine. Fill your tub up with hot water and half a cup of vinegar and scrub away. Don’t forget to also clean inside the area where the dispenser sits as this can become moldy too. If the dispenser can’t be removed, check your machine’s manual to see what you can do. If it can’t be removed, use a pipe cleaner or an old toothbrush to get into the crevices.

Information On How To Become A Chiropractor Professionnal

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Evidence-Based Chiropractors: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

One of our greatest professional assets is the opportunity to spend quality time with our patients. Our ability to actively listen to a patient’s problem and accurately diagnose their condition is also our primary new patient generator. Yes, long-term practice success is a side effect of clinical excellence.

A basic history and exam allow us to determine WHAT tissue was injured, and possibly WHY that tissue was predisposed to injury. But we will be only able to determine HOW an injury occurred by carefully listening to our patients. Complete resolution of symptoms requires an understanding of the HOW, WHAT, and WHY.

The GOOD:

Peer-reviewed research is necessary for evidence-based practice. This Foroughi paper is well-written and provides valuable insight into rehab for anterior knee pain. The author defines PFPS by what sometimes is referred to as the “WHAT”- or ICD-10 code. To be reimbursed by insurers, we need to know how to recognize the involved anatomical tissue.

The authors also go one step further to understand the “WHY” by suggesting that the “lumbopelvic-hip complex” may play a role in PFPS. We know that hip abductor weakness is common in patients with PFPS. Accordingly, the authors expand on traditional rehab with the inclusion of appropriate postural training.

Training on an unstable seat apparatus, which eliminates the influence of lower body movements on balance control, may have potential benefits for enhancing core muscle neuromotor control. The dynamic challenges of unstable sitting balance require a combined feedforward-feedback strategy in the trunk musculature to maintain spinal stability and postural equilibrium. Under such conditions, a strategy of spine stiffening through pre-activated, low-level muscle coactivation along with continuous trunk muscle adjustments in response to unstable sitting perturbations are needed to maintain trunk postural control.

Defining “WHY” means determining the causative factors behind a specific diagnosis—core instability, hip abductor weakness, scapular dyskinesis, etc. The ability to recognize the “WHY” is a skill that separates great clinicians from their mediocre peers.

The Bad

First, the bad ones (I know, it’s not the order in the title, but this is the best way to present it). These are the ones you hear about mostly, the ones who claim that correcting vertebral subluxations (misalignments of vertebrae) can cure literally any disease in the body. At that point, you should be immediately suspicious. One of the first rules I use when dealing with medical woo claims is “There is no Panacea.” A single pill or procedure that claims to cure everything is almost always bogus; the body just doesn’t work like that. Aside from that, how about the fact that there is no evidence to support their claims. As one Chiropractor famously said, “That’s why we never use double-blind tests. They never work.”

Many of these Chiropractors belong to the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), the American Chiropractors Association (ACA), the National Association for Chiropractic Medicine, or the European Chiropractors Union. They have their own distinctions within themselves, but I’m not going to bother with it. It’s just a minor difference in what brands of woo they subcribe to.

The Ugly

It is a fact that there are several misconceptions about the capabilities and strengths of a chiropractor. Several people have unreasonable expectations from them. Chiropractors are trained for relieving the pain and suffering, but they aren’t the ‘one-point solution’ for all your problems. When they diagnose the problem correctly, they deliver much higher value than expected. For that, it is also vital that the chiropractors understand the ‘what,’ ‘how’ and ‘why’ part before performing the treatment.

Once the three questions are answered, the chance of exceeding patient expectation is high. Another ugly part with chiropractors is sometimes; they do not stop the treatment and suggest the patients to meet some expert. Even if there is no significant improvement happens after a few sittings, they prolong it as much as they can. It is not that there are always commercial interests, they just don’t want to give up.

In such condition, the patient gets the proper treatment delayed, and the case becomes complex. o Stapleton Chiropractic is the experienced chiropractor in Adelaide has Over 40 year’s professional experience in neck pain, lower back pain, shoulder pain and sciatica pain with aim to provide patients with quality chiropractic care at the most cost- effective price servicing in western and southern suburbs of Adelaide.

what is Posture, Ideal Posture or an Ideal Spine?

Posture is the way your body is held in space – standing and sitting under gravity (gravitational load). If your body has proper posture, there is balance to your physical structures and your spine requires minimal effort to maintain your body in a neutral position. Certain physical structures in your body line up correctly with your center of gravity.

At Integrity Chiropractic, our doctors evaluate your posture visually from the front and the side as well as measure it on x-rays for a complete analysis. This has been extensively studied and normative values have been published.

There are over 220 published papers on CBP technique of correcting abnormal postures towards normal. Ask your CBP chiropractor to evaluate your posture according to the literature.

Typical Body Stressors of Bad Posture
Medical doctors have reported, and chiropractors agree that for every inch that your head is held forward, an additional 10 pounds of pressure is placed on the supporting tissues of your neck and shoulders. Muscles along the rear of your neck and the upper back are required to accommodate for this extra load. As a result, they’ll experience greater stress and strain.

Whenever the position of your body moves away from its center of gravity, your joints are taken out of their normal, stress-free positions and initiates abnormal wear and tear. Over time, joint cartilage erosion, bone spurs and pinched nerves are evidence of this phenomenon.

Are all chiropractors this crazy?!

Chiropractors fall into three main groups, often referred to as “straights”, “mixers” and “reformers”.
Straights
These guys are the 100% pure crackpots of the group. They really believe that all human illnesses result from subluxations. Evidence is not their strong suit. They have a philosophical outlook on medicine, not a science-based approach. About 15% of chiropractors are straights. That’s more than I’d like, but I’m thankful the number isn’t larger because these people are truly crazy.

Reformers
This is by far the smallest group. They make up about 2% of chiropractors. They believe in eschewing the subluxation theory in favour of an evidence-based approach to chiropractic. In their view, chiropractic treatment should be restricted to muscular-skeletal ailments, the only area in which it has been conclusively shown to have any net positive effect.

Mixers
This group is complicated. They make up the ~83% of remaining chiropractors. On the face of it it seems these guys should be more rational than the straights because they accept that not all disease is cured by spinal manipulation. In general they believe in the germ theory of disease and their practice is not limited to fixing subluxations. The problem is, although they promote other forms of treatment, in a very large number of cases (probably a majority, although I’m having trouble finding the numbers) they promote other alternative modalities in lieu of evidence-based medicine.
Many mixers supplement their subluxation therapies with homeopathy, acupuncture and other well known fraud-based medicine modalities. This isn’t surprising considering the anti-scientific approach to medicine that is positively rife within chiropractic circles.

Chiropractic schism cliffs
— Chiropractors range from the positively insane to the rational, but are heavily weighted towards the insane
— Straights reject the germ theory of disease and practice only subluxation therapy
— Reformers may as well by physical therapists, because that’s what they do
— Mixers are complicated but in general still believe in subluxation therapy and often compliment it with other unscientific modalities

Working Principle Of Cable Ties And Circuit Breakers

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ELECTRICITY SAVING CAMPAIGN

Before considering ways and means of reducing your electricity account one should first consider the cost of operating the various types of domestic appliances.

SAFETY INSIDE YOUR HOME

Your installation must meet the required safety standards. If you do not have a certificate of compliance, engage a qualified electrical contractor to inspect and test your installation and give you a certificate.

Don’t overload plug points, particularly where multiple socket extensions are used. The total load on any socket (plug) should not exceed 16 amps (or 3 kW). How many plugs on one socket?

Disconnect electrical appliances from the plug point before working on the appliance.

Use electrical appliances only for the purpose for which they are intended, eg. don’t hang damp clothing over heaters to dry, don’t use stoves to heat rooms, etc.

Don’t touch electrical appliances while in the bath, eg. hairdryers.

Ensure that all appliances have a plug on the cord. Don’t stick bare wires into the socket outlet.

Don’t interfere with the electrical wiring installation.

Protect your installation with an earth leakage unit.

If the earth leakage or any circuit breaker trips, don’t bypass it. It has tripped because it has detected an unsafe or dangerous condition. If you cannot reset the earth leakage after it has tripped, unplug all appliances, double adaptors and extension cords (don’t just switch off). Reset the earth leakage. If it still trips, switch off all circuit breakers, reset the earth leakage and switch on the circuit breakers one at a time until the faulty circuit is identified. Call an electrical contractor to rectify the fault.

Ensure that the electricity contractor issues you with a certificate of compliance (COC).

Make sure all plugs are correctly wired, ie. when looking at the top of the opened plug, the green and yellow (earth) wire goes into the top pin (large pin), the brown (live) wire into the right pin (marked “L” or with a brown colour) and the blue (neutral) wire into the left pin (marked “N” or with a blue colour).

Installing Circuit Breakers

Electrical Panel Upgrade: Should You Replace the Entire Box?

If you live in an older home or you just need to upgrade your electrical panel, there are some things you may want to consider before you move forward with the project. Here are some things to think about.

A panel upgrade generally requires replacement of the entire breaker box and installation of new circuit breakers. Some of the old breakers may be able to be reused but not if you are upgrading the amp capacity as well. You may have to even upgrade the wires coming into your home from the power company. This upgrade may or may not be at your expense it depends on the power company and their policies.

Basic Steps for Installing a Circuit Breaker

The main reason for installing a new circuit breaker in an existing home is to take some of the load off of another circuit breaker. If there is one circuit breaker that is connected to too many electrical devices then it may be wise to install another circuit breaker and split the burden.

The first step to circuit breaker installation is to shut off the power at the main panel. It is extremely important to make sure the circuit breaker panels or sub-panels do not have any live wires. Homeowners who are not experienced with electricity should not attempt to work with electrical wiring. When the power is shut off, unscrew the breaker panel. The large black wires that feed the main breaker will still be live so you need to test the incoming wires with an electrical tester to make sure there is no electrical current in the wires that you will be touching. This will help you make sure it is safe to begin installation.

The second step is to install a new cable clamp. In order to do this you will need to locate the knockout around the panel and use a screw driver to hammer one of the knockouts so that you can screw the cable clamp in. Next, run the new wire to the circuit panel and cut the wire off the jack to the circuit clamp.

Ways to Encourage Kids to Stay Positive During Circuit Breaker

In each passing day, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continues to increase. The government has been working around the clock to find ways to prevent the spread from growing.

In the education level, schools are now closed and are now conducting classes online. For parents, this time is tricky especially as children may want to use this time to play rather than do their tasks online. Or they may be asking you a thousand times why they can’t go out to play. If you need help in coaching your kids on their studies,

Let them know what the pandemic is all about

Children can be very perceptive when it comes to the things around them. Even if they are unfamiliar with the terms being used to talk about the virus, they know something is wrong

Have a routine

Although they are staying at home for most of the time, it doesn’t mean it is ok they lose their routine.

Balance out their classes and let them take a break

Your child will get bored easily if they will only do their classes for an entire day for days. After their classes or in between their classes, let them pursue their interests.

Safety tips for going out post circuit breaker

circuit breaker progressively lifts, you might be venturing forth for essentials like food, groceries, and even haircuts a lot more.

Now, more than ever, is the time to step up our personal safety game – so that transmission rates stay low and the far-off dream of Phase III might become reality.

Check the crowds

No need to rely on guesswork – these real-time maps can help you scope out the crowd sitch at your nearby mall or park.

An islandwide map created by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Space Out shows the current crowd levels at major malls and supermarkets, and even tracks recent trends throughout the week.

Plot your route

While leisurely window-shopping is one of life’s great joys, now just isn’t the wisest time to do it.

Pro Tips To Help Mums Stay Sane For The Rest Of Circuit Breaker

How’s it going? A good five weeks into circuit breaker, you might be finding yourself adapting, or even embracing, your newfound way of life. You may have breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that work from home will continue to be a norm for a while.

Others, however, may have groaned in disappointment, as this period and degree of isolation has proved that going to work is a blessing in disguise. The office, for example, shelters us from all the possible distractions in the world, and the travelling brings us closer to our necessities, food options and gives us some much needed downtime.

Do you happen to be one of the employees not so keen on WFH? With the school holidays brought forward to May, you might still struggling to cope with all the buzz in the house – and we’ve got some tips from experts to help you (and everyone else) settle down.

Can You Bust The Budget With The Mold Remediation Cost

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HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MOLD REMEDIATION COMPANY?

Whenever anyone notices mold in their house, the first thing which comes to mind is to get rid of it as soon as possible. You should know that the presence of mold in your house is an alarming situation, and it can make everything you love in your home vulnerable. Most of the experts recommend to not live in the house till every single inch of mold is removed from your house as it brings in various safety issues. It doesn’t matter on which scale molds have stormed into your home; one of your priorities should be to get rid of it in the most precise way possible.

Many people think that they can get rid of mold from their house on their own, but that is not a good choice because if you do not take right precautionary measures, then the mold can affect your health as well. You should never make mold removal a DIY project and leave it to the professional as they have the know-how of removing every inch of mold from your house in the safest way possible.

Most people get confused while choosing a mold remediation company as there are various mold remediation companies and choosing the best one depends totally on you. So, in this blog post, we will be looking at some of the most amazing tips which you can use to choose the best mold remediation company and get rid of mold from your house as soon as possible.

CHECK LICENSE

One of your priorities while choosing a mold remediation company is to check their license as there is no excuse for such a company not to have an official permit and insurance for your area. Before making the final decision, you should ask the company about their license and insurance, and if they are not able to provide you these essential documents, then you should immediately switch to another company. There are various options for such companies, and you are not bound to stick with the one which doesn’t have the proper documentation to carry on their work in your area.

COLLECT QUOTES

If you want to choose the best mold remediation, then you should collect at least three quotes from three different mold remediation companies. By adopting this approach, you will be able to increase your chances of choosing the best one in the market. You should know that most of the companies will be happy to provide you a quote without any hesitation as they will see you as a potential customer. Price should indeed be an essential concern while choosing such service, but this doesn’t mean that you should always go with those companies which offer the least amount as getting rid of mold is your priority.

Choosing a Mold Removal Service

Do you need to hire a mold removal service to help you with a household mold problem? Mold removal can be expensive and you’ll want to make sure you hire the right company for the job. Since your health and the health of your family rest on making sure the job is done right, it’s not a decision to be made lightly. While you probably want to get the mold removed from your home as soon as possible, and we recommend getting it taken care of as soon as possible to prevent any mold-related health problems from worsening, it’s still best to take the time you need to find the right company for the job.

Here are a few questions we recommend asking before hiring a mold removal service. Add any additional questions you may have and make sure you are satisfied with the answers before choosing a company to hire. It’s acceptable to contact more than one company, and even to have more than one company come to your home to inspect the problem and give you written estimates of the cost, before making a decision about which to hire.

We recommend against hiring companies that are unwilling to answer questions or provide references. Remember, this is a big investment. You should have access to all the information you need in order to make the best decision for yourself and your family.

How much experience do your employees have?

Can you provide references, names and numbers of other customers for whom you’ve worked? (We recommend contacting more than one previous customer of a company when checking references.)

Do you offer free in-home consultations?

Can I get a free written estimate with no obligation before I decide if I want to hire you?

I plan to file a claim with my homeowner’s insurance company to cover the cost of mold remediation. Are you accustomed to working with insurance companies? Can you provide the documentation my insurance company requires? (If you want the work to be covered by your homeowner’s insurance, check with your insurance company to see if they require you to use any particular mold removal service or if you can choose any company you like.)

Do you offer any kind of guarantee for your work? What happens if I have my home tested for mold after the mold remediation is completed and mold is still found? (And we do recommend you have your home tested for mold after the job has been completed. For a list of certified mold testers in your area.)

How soon could you begin the job if I decide to hire you?

To Find Mold Remediation Services Near You

To assist you with your search for a mold remediation service, we’d like to offer you a list of professional mold removal services in your area. While we cannot make any guarantees about any particular company, we believe these companies provide quality services. Be sure to ask questions and also request references. For a list of mold removal services near you

How to Hire the Right Mold Remediation Company

Water damage from floods or even leaky pipes can cause serious mold damage to both commercial and residential properties. In most cases, the damage goes unnoticed for long periods as it usually occurs in isolated areas such as the basement. Dealing with mold and smelly odors is a difficult situation for any homeowner.

Upon discovery of mold, fungus, or mildew, homeowners or managers of the affected property should hire mold mitigation experts at once as any further delays could cause structural damage and is hazardous for the health of the inhabitants. Once water damage has been set in, only experts armed with professional gear can completely root out the problem, eliminating foul odors and stains that decrease the value of your property

Experience Always Counts

As the owner of a mold-infested property, you should consider hiring a restoration company that has experience in mold removal services. Mold removal companies with a solid reputation and a well-trained workforce should be given priority. Homeowners should avoid contractors that visit different localities with a few tools and claim to be experts at mold removal. Well established companies should have a physical location

Insurance and License

The most optimal restoration companies should have licenses and insurance for mold mitigation. A reputable company would have insurance against any damage caused by its employees in dealing with fungus, molds, and dangerous chemicals. Homeowners should avoid going to uninsured contractors as a cheaper option because any damages by their crew are transferred to the client. This ends up causing more damage than the mold issue itself.

Prices Offers and Estimates

Reputable companies offering cleanup and restoration services will be able to give their potential customers free estimates. Homeowners are advised to get a quick quote from different companies over a call or via appointments. You shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions to get the best value for the money you are paying.

MOLD REMOVAL & REMEDIATION

“Black mold” strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners with good reason. It can cause serious health issues for everyone. Especially vulnerable are the very young and very old. There’s no reason to panic if you find this unwelcome visitor in your home, but it is extremely important that you have a professional inspection as soon as possible.

A Safe Solution

Break the Mold knows how to identify the root cause of your mold problem and eliminate the conditions that allowed the mold (black or other types) to grow in the first place. Using a safe, non-toxic treatment, we’ll treat existing mold and show you how to take steps to help keep it from becoming a problem again. Prevention is key!

Custom Treatment for Your Situation

When it comes to mold, there are no generic answers; every situation and every home is unique. This is why we always start with an inspection. This allows us to craft a plan specifically for your home

Executing the plan almost always involves minor construction work to address moisture issues. You can handle this yourself or we can do it for you using trusted and licensed contractors we’ve worked with before. The amount of work needed depends on your specific situation.

The mold remediation itself is done using a unique and proven mold removal process that effectively and safely decontaminates your home. Break the Mold uses a less labor-intensive procedure than traditional methods, making our solution surprisingly affordable.

Tips for Using Microfiber Cloths during Mold Remediation

If you haven’t included cleaning with microfiber as part of your mold remediation regimen, you’re missing out on a great method of removing mold particles. Microfiber cloths are not only ultra-absorbent, but their small fibers can help capture mold spores you might otherwise miss. Here’s more on how microfiber is a smart way to finish up mold restoration

Use Microfiber Cloths to Remove Mold Particles from Surfaces

Removal of mold involves the use of air filtration devices, which minimize the spread of airborne contamination, and fogging, which helps to better control particles. Fogging adds small droplets of liquid to the air to force mold particles to cling together, further preventing them from spreading. Though these methods do a thorough job of removing particles from the air, they can still leave behind particles on surfaces that even vacuums might miss.

Microfiber, on the other hand, does an exceptional job at removing particles from surfaces. Microfiber cloths have small fibers that lock in any and all dust, dirt, and spores. These fibers tend to be much smaller in size compared to fibers in standard cleaning cloths, such as cotton making them ideal for capturing the smallest of particles.

To put microfiber’s incredibly small size into perspective, it is at least 1/100th the diameter of a human hair. Microfiber must be smaller than 1 denier (a unit of measurement that expresses fiber thickness), and high-quality microfiber used for cleaning is often 0.5 denier or smaller, some even as low as 0.1! Mold spores are measured in micrometers (microns), 10 Micrometers (Microns) is equal to 1 Denier. Mold spores on average range anywhere from 3-100 Microns, meaning that a high-quality microfiber (5 microns or less), is effective at picking them up.

Choosing Microfiber Cloths For Mold Restoration

Not all microfiber cloths are the same. There are a variety of different weaves, types, and thicknesses that make each cloth great for different uses. Below we’ll go over what type of microfiber cloths are the best to use for mold restoration.

Reasons To Hire Professional Move In Cleaning Services

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Easy Moving And Packing Tips That Will Make Your Move Dead Simple

Get rid of everything

Okay, maybe not everything, but the more unused and unnecessary items you eliminate from your home, the less stuff you’ll have to pack up, haul across town, unload, and organize.

Sort things by category

Take a cue from your belongings by category, not by room (note that the category part only applies to the organization process, not the unpacking — that’s a whole separate ordeal).

Donate

If you’d like to donate your items, check out our guide on where to donate your old clothes, books, furniture, toys, and more.

Set aside stuff to sell

You probably have a few items you no longer want, but would love to get a little money for. If that’s the case, set these items aside and determine where you can sell them.

MakeSpace

We’ll pick up all your stuff (yep, even your heavy furniture, bike, AC unit, and luggage), store it in our secure and temperature-controlled storage facility, and create an online photo catalog so you can see everything without having to visit a self-storage unit.

How to Sort and Get Rid of Stuff Before You Move

The upside of moving is that it forces you to clean out the house by getting rid of unwanted and unneeded belongings. When you tidy up before a move, you’re saving yourself money and time––moving is easier and cheaper when there’s less to pack and less to load onto a moving truck. Here are our best tips for how to get rid of stuff before moving.

Decide What Should Stay and What Should Go

Before moving, it’s a good idea to sort through your things so you don’t end up moving stuff that you don’t need and have never really used. While this is a huge task and may seem overwhelming, there are some key questions you can ask yourself to help you decide what should stay and what should go

When was the last time you used an item? If it’s been over a year, you can probably make do without it.

Do you love the item? Particularly when it comes to clothing, we often keep things that aren’t our taste or that we don’t feel good wearing.

Does the item have sentimental value? You might not have used your wedding dress since getting married, but that doesn’t mean it’s something you want to get rid of.

Organize a Garage Sale

Now that you’ve sorted your items into what you want to keep and what you can part with, you’ll have to decide how to get rid of stuff before moving to your new home. If you have a lot of items that you no longer want and they’re in good condition, consider organizing a garage sale. It can be gratifying to see your old things in the hands of people who will use and cherish them. It’s also a great way to make a little extra money to put towards your moving expenses.

Sell Items Online to Make Extra Money

Local buy/sell/trade groups are a terrific option if you don’t want to bother packing your items and paying for shipping, but there is an abundance of resale websites for people who don’t mind taking trips to the post office to sell their stuff.

How to Clean a House Before Moving Out

Anyone who has moved house knows just how stressful and chaotic the whole experience can be. It’s important that you prepare for your move in good time to ensure that the process is as pain-free as possible. Cleaning your property is a time-consuming but essential part of the move, so make sure that you’re not leaving all the work until the very last minute.

Logistically, the best time to clean your house is when the furniture you’re moving has already been dismantled and packed. However, as some companies offer cleaning as an additional service, you can also hire a removal company to help you.

Gather Your Cleaning Supplies

Before starting, you’re going to need an assortment of cleaning supplies to ensure your property is left sparkling. Whether you’re selling the property on, or looking to impress your landlord, gathering the right equipment for the job is your first task.

How to Successfully Deep Clean Your House

When researching how to clean your house, you’ll find the phrase ‘deep clean’ banded around, but it’s often unclear what exactly this means. In the context of a home move, it means leaving the property in perfect condition for the next occupants.

How to Clean Your Kitchen

First things first, you’ll want to empty your kitchen of food before cleaning it. Removal companies generally won’t transport perishables and won’t move a defrosting fridge/freezer, so make sure this is done a couple of days in advance.

Do you really need to use a professional end-of-lease cleaner when moving out of a rental property?

How much does cleaning matter?

The Department does not hold data on the reasons claims are made on a rental bond, be it cleaning-related or otherwise.

In the case of a bond dispute – or if the bond is claimed without the authorisation of both landlord and tenant – the money is held for 14 days, during which time both parties will have the option to make a claim.

How clean is clean, anyway?

We recommended tenants hire professional cleaners for a more consistent results, as the definition of “clean” often varied.

Do you have to use the recommended cleaner?

Tenants are required to leave the property in the same condition it was in when they started the tenancy, which includes its cleanliness. Tenants aren’t obliged to use the cleaning service recommended by their property manager or landlord.

Moving in? Read Our Easy Move-In Cleaning Checklist

Start fresh in your new home by following our professional move-in cleaning checklist. Plus you’ll learn how to make your home chemical and allergen-free from the beginning, and get our top tips for preventing mess build-up in living areas and the kitchen

Should you clean your house before moving?

Your place is brand new or freshly vacated, so it should be clean, right? Not necessarily. If the house has just been built a whole home clean is necessary to remove any remaining dust or chemical residue that comes with construction

If you are moving into a previously occupied space, a whole house deep clean is even more crucial. Even if the move out requirements of the property include a move out clean, you can never be sure that the space was cleaned deeply to your standard.

What is a professional move-in cleaning checklist?

A professional move-in cleaning checklist is useful regardless of whether you choose to clean-it-yourself or use a move-in cleaning service. By referencing a checklist, you can be sure that no crack or crevice goes uncleaned.

How to clean a new bedroom

Cleaning bedrooms thoroughly before you move-into a new house is important as you’ll be exposed to any lingering allergens here when you sleep. As with all rooms, we would recommend working from top to bottom so you can easily keep track of what areas you have already cleaned and avoid transferring dirt to previously cleaned areas.

Your Guide To Tile Flooring Brands

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How to Add Personality to Your Kitchen

While I realise there are plenty of people out there who adore the look of a cool modern kitchen with everything hidden away behind a sleek exterior, I admit, I am not one of them. I find these kinds of kitchens a bit too cold and uninviting when there’s nothing in them to give a peek at the personality of the home owner. I believe that every room in your home should tell the story of you and so when there is a lack of personal items even in a space that can be as utilitarian as the kitchen, it leaves me feeling a bit cold.

If you love the look of a personality-packed kitchen, you’ll love my post today. I’m going to be sharing some of the little details you can incorporate into your own kitchen to ensure it’s one that’s not soon forgotten.

Mix Old and New

I think what makes the above kitchen so appealing is it’s contemporary good looks combined with traditional touches. Mixing a rustic farmhouse table with modern cupboards creates an eclectic look that’s beautifully warm and yet thoroughly up to date. Consider hanging some vintage artwork and adding textural accents like woven baskets to tie everything together.

Display Your Favourite Wares

While Scandinavian design may be all about beautiful function and simplicity in design, the above kitchen has loads of personality thanks to a carefully curated display of beautiful kitchenalia. From herbs and flowers to cups, plates and glasses, there’s little doubt someone who has great style enjoys this space. Consider displaying your own collections in open shelving or utilising rustic wine crates hung on the wall for a personality-packed space.

Add a Touch of Pattern to Your Flooring

This black and white kitchen gets a jolt of personal style from the inclusion of patterned tiles on the floor. By keeping the rest of the space light and bright, the addition of a bold floor can be just what’s needed to add some real personal flair to your kitchen. Check out our selection of feature floor tiles to get this look.

Go Dark

While a light and airy space may be something many of us wish for in a kitchen, why not buck the trend and go for a dark colour palette? Here, black and grey combine to create a luxurious look with splashes of colour in artwork, books and accessories. There’s no doubt this kitchen would be a unique space to entertain! A pale marble worktop and backsplash make a fabulous contrast to the darker cabinets and walls so be sure to add brighter touches to your space for the same unique look.

Bring in Art and Books

This thoroughly contemporary kitchen could lack warmth simply for the lack of colour or textiles in the space. However, the gallery wall of oil paintings combined with shelves stacked with books provides an eclectic balance for the serene space. Why not show off your personality with the artwork you love and the books you read within your kitchen? It’s clear you can still be a minimalist and yet create big style with careful details.

Kitchen tile ideas

1. Wrap the walls in chic white tiles

Kitchen tile ideas 1

Add interest to a shaker kitchen by wrapping tiles around the room. Give the white tiles a colourful lift by painting the remaining wall a punchy pink. Tiling half the wall this way is practical and will protect your walls from any kitchen splashes.

2. Add an extra dimension with hexagon tiles

kitchen tile ideas 2

You don’t need colour to make a statement, filling a white kitchen with different textures, materials and shapes will add interest. Kitchen wall tiles are perfect for doing this. This honeycomb tile blends seamlessly into the white washed walls to create a sleek contemporary look.

3. Mismatch shapes and patterns

kitchen tile ideas 4

If you decide to tile your floor and walls, don’t be afraid to mismatch the shape, colour and even finish. On the floor it can be tempting to opt for a simple design, however in this room it is the floor that makes a statement with a decorative blue pattern. Instead the walls have been tiled in a popular herringbone pattern using plain white tiles.

4. Create interest around an island unit

Be adventurous with a statement floor. These patterned floor tiles have been used to border the island unit in this open-plan kitchen. When it comes to design, the sky’s the limit with mosaic tiles, as they can be used to create a variety of patterns and eye-catching details. This patterned tile injects an exotic flavour into a contemporary kitchen by combining pale stone with a Middle Eastern motif.

5. Choose a modern bistro-style vibe with metro tiles

If you have a large wall to fill in the kitchen, consider creating an entire feature wall of metro tiles. Brick-shaped or Metro-style tiles with a distinctive bevel are a popular choice and provide a retro twist. Choose matt flat or glass brick tiles to create a more contemporary feel. Be sure to choose the right grout. Not only is it practical bonding for durability but it’s key to determine whether your pattern stands out or blends in to the overall scheme. It comes in various colours and compounds so do your research.

Work in vinyl

Vinyl flooring is hard-wearing, durable and easy to lay. It is also much softer and warmer underfoot compared to stone and ceramic tiles, more forgiving with dropped crockery and a breeze to keep clean. A recent surge in popularity means there is now a wide range of modern, trend-led designs available. Thickness is a good indication of quality, for both sheet and tiled vinyl. Cheap sheet vinyl starts at 1mm thick, which will make it easy to fit but not very long-lasting. Aim for 3.5mm upwards.

Think about pattern

Make a feature of your flooring with beautifully patterned floor tiles – they’re definitely the standout piece in this stylish kitchen. Consider your colour scheme carefully when playing with pattern – here, the pale blues and greys are the perfect complement to the painted kitchen units.

Stick to stone

Natural materials such as stone are always a popular choice and lend authenticity to a scheme. A current trend is ‘mimica’ porcelains, which recreate the look of natural materials, while offering an easy-to-care for finish. Here, limestone flags have been laid in a mix of sizes for a relaxed look that matches the style of the units and farmhouse table.

Picking the Perfect Floor

When choosing a new floor for your home, asking yourself a few key questions at the beginning can dramatically increase your satisfaction in the end.

Questions on the Floor

What’s the size of the family that will regularly use the room, and how much traffic will the floor receive? Children definitely make a difference. Any pets? Will the floor be exposed to moisture regularly? How often is the floor likely to need cleaning? How long do you hope and expect your new floor to last?

Kitchens

For kitchen flooring, durability and ease of cleaning are top criteria. Good choices are linoleum, ceramic tile–both very common–and wood. Linoleum is inexpensive and provides an easy-to-clean surface and comes in countless designs. Ceramic tiles are even better. Also easy to maintain and available in a huge range, they offer superior durability, resisting most dents, dings and scratches. There are a couple of things to bear in mind about tiles, however. One is that if installed over a floor that has structural movement, ceramic tiles are prone to crack. So if your house is very old, it’s probably a good idea to replace your subfloor while you’re at it. A second point that’s worth thinking about, particularly if your family includes children or anyone with special safety needs, is that smooth tiles can be very slippery when they get wet, so you may want to consider ones with a textured surface.

Bathrooms

Even more so than kitchens, bathrooms obviously see a lot of moisture. Linoleum, ceramic tile, limestone, marble and granite are all popular and functional flooring choices, coming with a range of different price tags and requiring various levels of expertise to install. Working with ceramic or even vinyl tiles is relatively easy, and many homeowners should be able to successfully do it themselves. Ceramic tiles look great and provide superb durability, but they aren’t cheap. And if you should elect to go with an even more challenging and higher-end material such as marble

Choose the Best Flooring for Your Kitchen

Your kitchen floor, besides being practical and durable, is a major design statement as well. The floor you choose affects every other element of your design and with the variety of materials, colors and textures available today, your choices are nearly endless.

Stone or tile is an excellent choice for heavy traffic areas. Ceramic tile is durable and available in assorted colors and styles with the option for decorative borders and designs.
Limestone is a natural stone that offers an Old World look. It’s a porous material that must be sealed upon installation and then twice a year.
Cork is a durable, versatile material available in a variety of colors. It is water-resistant and reduces impact noise.
Wood is a popular choice for today’s kitchens. It feels good underfoot and creates a warm look. Today’s prefinished wood floors withstand heavy traffic and water stains. High-pressured plastic laminates are an alternative that provide the same look for less money.
Vinyl or resilient flooring offers a variety of styles and colors in either tiles or sheets for those on a budget.

How To Have A Successful Home Remodeling Project

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How to Choose a Remodeling Contractor

Deciding to renovate your home is an exciting time, but some people get stuck when it comes to choosing the right contractor in Tampa, FL. It’s hard to know how to evaluate a company’s work and prices if you’ve never worked with a contractor before. The key is to interview multiple contractors, get verification of their qualifications and get reviews from former and current clients to find the best fit. As with any company or job candidate, the perfect contractor for your home remodel may be different than another person’s

We’ve put together an overview to demystify the process and help you choose the right home remodeler in Tampa, FL:

Identify potential contractors: The first thing you need to decide is who you’ll consider for the job. Look up home remodeling contractors in your area, ask your friends and family who they would recommend and make a list of at least 10 different companies. (Social media can be particularly helpful in times like these.) You may be able to visit their home and look at the contractor’s work in person, which is invaluable information.

Evaluate their body of work: After you’ve identified your list of potential contractors, you’ll need to compare their portfolios. Most contractors have at least some of their work posted online, so you can get a sense of their style and range. Look for a contractor with specific experience in the type of remodel you want to do.

Ask for license and insurance information: When you call a contractor to get more information, make sure you ask for their licenses and insurance information. Hiring a legitimate and insured contractor will ensure that you have recourse if the work they do isn’t up to par, and insurance will protect all of you if someone is injured on the job.

Ask for references and testimonials: Getting client references is a great way to find out more about the contractor. Did they complete the job on time and within their quote? Was the work done up to the client’s standards? Did they treat the home and the client’s time respectfully? How is the work holding up? Online reviews like Yelp and Google can also be invaluable—look for a general pattern of feedback.

Get bids on the job: Next, choose your top three to five contractors and ask them to bid on the job. When the bids are in, you can compare factors such as budget, timeline and your overall impressions of the work they’ve done.

Choose your contractor: Finally, you’ll choose a contractor—and as with any major purchase, the lowest price does not necessarily indicate the best home remodeler for the job. Once you’ve settled on the final proposal and budget estimate, you can confidently sign the contract and move forward.

How To Choose The Best Home Remodeling Contractor?

Ask For Referrals

An easy and effective way to do this is to check with your friends who have recently had their home renovated. See what they have to say about their contractor. This is the best way to find Calgary home renovation contractors for your home. Your friends will be able to tell you how their contractor handled problems and whether they would go for the same contractor again.

Do Some Homework

Before you start making calls to contractors, you should do some research on social media sites. There you will find reviews of a particular contractor which could be helpful for you. Check for any unresolved complaints with the renovation company you are looking at. You need to select the one who has little to no record of complaints or the one’s whose complaints have been resolved to the satisfaction of the consumer.

Interview The Contractors

You need to narrow down your list and set up meetings. Meeting with 3-4 renovation companies should be enough as meeting any more will leave you confused. You also need to see how well a contractor answers your questions. They should ask questions to you as well. This will let you know about their level of knowledge about the job.

Call The References Given By The Contractor

You should always take a look at the other projects done by a contractor. You can also request for references and make calls to the contractor’s former customers to get a review from them

Don’t Let The Price Be The Deciding Factor

Something to keep in mind is that the cheapest offers often turn out to be the most expensive jobs in the long run. Hence, when choosing the best home renovations, price should not be the deciding factor. You need to understand that price reflects quality. The lowest bid might not always be the best. It could mean that the contractor makes use of sub-par materials or does not have quality workers. You can always take a bid that is not too expensive and not too cheap but is somewhere in the middle.

Tips on Choosing the Best Home Improvement Company

Remodeling and improving your home is one of the few projects you should entrust to an experienced contractor. Working with an experienced team means all of your efforts will be focused on budgeting and scheduling the project instead of the more complicated technical aspects.

Work With a Company That Offers Roof Replacement

Out of all of your remodeling and home improvement projects, the roof should be the number one priority. Old and damaged roofs pose a real threat to your home; leaks, for example, can affect your home’s comfort levels and energy efficiency due to water damage.

Work With a Company That Offers Siding

Siding is a great addition. Unlike exterior wall paint, it doesn’t need reapplication and doubles as a secondary weather barrier that protects your home from rain and heat exposure. It also adds value to your home; in fact, installing new siding is one of the easiest ways to increase your home’s curb appeal.

Work With a “Green” Contractor

Energy-efficient or “green” home improvement is no longer a fad; it’s now a necessity that helps you save money on your energy bills. Eco-friendly design and materials also make your home more attractive to buyers if you decide to sell it later on. Ask the experts at Triangle Home Exteriors for our green home improvement services and their advantages

The Exceedingly Comprehensive Guide to DIY Home Improvement for First-Time Homeowners

How to Repair, Remodel and Renovate Your New Home

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as tearing up an old linoleum floor and laying down some beautiful old growth hardwood in its place, especially when you did it all yourself. But getting to that level of DIY accomplishment requires a lot of time and patience, and a healthy dollop of research.

I See a Red Door and I Want to Paint it Black

Painting is one of the easier tasks that a first-time homeowner can take on. It doesn’t require professional trade skills like electrical or plumbing work, nor does it require specialized tools. However, that doesn’t mean your first brush stroke will equal that of a professional painter. Read along and we’ll show you how to tackle any paint job around the home.

How to Prep a Room Before Painting

There’s a lot of work that should be done before you ever get your paint brush wet. This includes prepping the room that you’ll be painting and prepping the walls themselves. Skipping the room prep is a surefire recipe for drips and splatters—and therefore a surefire recipe for ruined floors, baseboards, ceilings or furniture. Not to mention the work of getting them clean again! Skipping the wall prep can mean your new paint doesn’t adhere to the wall properly, or that imperfection will show through to mar your hard work.

Protect Your Furniture

Remove all furniture from the room or move everything to the center and cover with drop cloths. Also spread drop cloths over the floor.

Remove Outlet Covers

Remove the plates covering your outlets and switches. Tape the screws to them so you don’t lose them. If you’re painting your ceiling, unscrew the cover plates of any light fixtures and allow them to slide down, then wrap the light fixture in plastic. If you have a fan in the room, you can remove the blades to make covering the fixture easier.

Renovating a House: The Ultimate Guide

Considering renovating a house? Don’t start until you have read our complete guide, covering everything from finding and buying a project to putting the final flourishes to the decorating scheme

Renovating a house can be both exciting and daunting — not to mention the potential for making a profit that it offers. From discovering original features hidden under years worth of dust or the chance to put your own stamp on something — or perhaps the best route to getting a bigger house in a better area than you would otherwise be able to afford

A Schedule of Works For Renovation

A schedule of works is essential to anyone renovating a house. It basically outlines every single job that needs to be done from start to finish of a project, in the right order. Ideally you also want to include who is doing what and how much it will cost on the list.

How to Find a Renovation Project

Whilst a renovation project might look like the ideal opportunity at first glance, further investigation may prove otherwise. Knowing when to walk away from a project is crucial if you are to avoid buying a money pit.

Whilst a quick look at renovation opportunities for sale will undoubtedly bring up many ‘houses in need of modernisation,’ not all of these will necessarily offer value for money.