Free DIY Home Improvement

Flooring Options for Every Room – Living Room, Bedroom, Bathroom, Kitchen

Many people get confused when it comes to selecting flooring options for every room. The best options must be economical, safe and healthy, Eco-friendly, scratch-free, moisture and water resistant and durable. The flooring option must offer design and style choices and should need little maintenance. The best flooring product must also require little glue, varnish and other waterproofing products and chemicals during installation and repair or maintenance to be healthy.

So, which are the best flooring options for every room? I explain below:

What is The Best Flooring Option for Living Room?

The living room of a home is one area where there is more foot movement and traffic. Guests and visitors are often welcomed in the living. Hence, the floor in the room must be tough, durable and stylish. The best flooring option for this room would be cork, linoleum, wood and carpet. All these flooring options are available in wide range of varieties, styles and budget. They can add durability and beauty to the living room. However, I recommend not to install carpet flooring in the living room because it attracts too much dust.

What is The Best Flooring Option for Kitchen?

The kitchen is one area which is too much exposed to moisture, water, oil, and foot movement. Hence, the best flooring option for the kitchen must be resistant to water and scratch and must require little maintenance. The best flooring options for the kitchen are – Ceramic Tiles, Stone and Linoleum. All these flooring materials offer resistance to water, moisture etc. They are also easy to clean and require little maintenance.

What is The Best Flooring Option for Dining Room?

The dining room is an area in the home where people gather and have get-together and enjoy food. It must have flooring that is durable and stylish and must add to the décor of the room. The air quality in the room must be healthy. Hence the floor must be Eco-friendly and healthy. Wooden floors are the best choice for this room. Wood adds natural beauty to the room. Engineered wooden flooring and laminated wooden floors are available in wide range of style and designs and is also healthy and durable.

What are The Best Flooring Options for Bedroom?

Bedroom is one area where people sleep and relax and spend most hours of their life. Therefore, the flooring must be extremely healthy, durable and Eco-friendly. If the bedroom is for adults, install wooden flooring. Engineered wooden floorings are available in wide varieties and choices and are Eco-friendly, healthy and durable.

If the bedroom is for children, linoleum is the best choice. It offers resistance from scratch and is easy to clean. Remember, children can create lot of mess in their room. Also use products that are free from VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) for better air quality.

What is the Best Flooring Options for Bathroom?

All bathrooms are too much exposed to water and moisture. Same is the case with basements. Hence, flooring in these rooms must be moisture resistant and durable. Ceramic tiles and stone are the best choice for bathroom and basement.

Flooring Options

Posted in Basement Improvement, Bathroom Improvement, Bedroom Improvement, DIY Home Improvement, Flooring, Home Improvement, Interior Home Improvement, Kitchen Improvement, Living Room Improvement | Santosh Das August 5, 2013 | Comments (0)

Eco-Friendly Flooring Options

Eco-friendly flooring or environmentally friendly floors are one that are safe, healthy, green, free from toxic substances and volatile organic compounds (VOC) and last long to avoid frequent re-installation and reduces waste. Eco-friendly floors and flooring material are safe for both human and nature.

Below I discuss some of the best available Eco-friendly flooring options.

Naturally Available Stones like Granite, Marble and Slate: These flooring materials safe for both human beings and the environment. These materials also don’t need any harmful chemicals for installation. They last long that prevent frequent repair or re-installations that reduces waste.
Marble Flooring

Ceramic Tiles: These tiles are made from clay but many of them are also made from recycled material such as glass. Ceramic tiles and tough and durable and doesn’t need frequent repair or too much maintenance. This reduces the production of waste material.
Tile Flooring
Wood Floors: Wooden floors environmentally friendly and preserve ecosystems. Just take keep in mind to use wood from only from certified forests and not just from any forest.
Wood Flooring
Engineered Wooden Flooring: These flooring materials are made from hardwood from certified forests and are very durable. These flooring materials are made of several layers and the decorative layer can be varnished and re-varnished again and again. This reduces production of waste material.
Engineered Wood Flooring
Bamboo Flooring: Bamboo flooring made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests are very eco-friendly. These plants are renewable and can get mature in about 10 years or even less. Just make sure to select a low VOC product.
Bamboo Flooring
Linoleum Flooring: These are made from recyclable and biodegradable material and are very safe for the environment. Linoleum flooring materials are strong, durable and water-proof. They are also very easy to install. They also restrict the growth of bacteria and decrease allergic reactions.
Linoleum Flooring
Cork Flooring: These materials are manufactured from bark of cork-oak trees and by-products of cork stoppers. Oak trees can be harvested in about 10 years. Make sure to use adhesives with low Volatile Organic Compounds.
Cork Flooring

* Try to avoid vinyl flooring and carpet flooring are they are not Eco-friendly. Most people use vinyl and carpet flooring because they are cheap. But these are not very environmentally friendly floors.

Posted in Basement Improvement, Bathroom Improvement, Bedroom Improvement, DIY Home Improvement, Flooring, Home Improvement, Interior Home Improvement, Kitchen Improvement, Living Room Improvement | Santosh Das | Comments (0)

Flooring Ideas, Options and Tips

Floor of a room be it the kitchen, living room, bathroom or bedroom or even the garage, are important par of any home. The look and feel of a home as well as its value depends a lot on the type of flooring it has.

Different flooring options are available today – Laminate Flooring, Vinyl Flooring, Commercial Flooring, Wood Flooring, Tile Flooring, Carpet Flooring Rubber Flooring etc. The type of flowing you can have depends on several factors like your budget, your living style and you needs.

Below are some expert tips and ideas of different types and options for flooring.

Laminate Flooring

What is Laminate Flooring?

Laminated flooring materials are hybrid material laminated together for flooring purpose. Laminated flooring is generally transparent and moisture-resistant and scratch-free. So, this type of flooring is good for your home if you have pets like dogs and cats.

Laminated flooring materials consist of following layers starting bottom to top:

Underlayment that helps installation.
Melamine resin that offers stability and moisture resistance.
Fiberboard core that offers stability and durability.
Decorative layer that can stimulate almost all flooring materials including hardwood marble and stone.
Protective and transparent layer that provides resistance from scratch.

Is Laminated Flooring Durable?

Yes, laminated flooring is extremely durable. It is scratch-free and offers resistance to moisture. In fact, laminated flooring is more long lasting than any vinyl, carpet or hardwood flooring.

Is Laminated Flooring Economical?

Considering the durability and other features, laminated flooring is comparatively cheaper and economical that other flooring options.

Is Laminate Flooring Easy to Clean and Maintain?

Yes, because laminated flooring material is scratch-free and moisture-resistant, it is quite easy to clean and maintain. There is no need to wax or varnish.

Is Laminated Flooring Eco Friendly?

Yes, laminated flooring is very much eco-friendly. They are made from natural resources like wood chip fiberboard are recyclable.

How To Install Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring is quite easy to install as compared to any other flooring option. There is no need to use any fastener or glue to the sub floor. Simple installation method called “lock and click” and “floats” is used to install the material. Most suppliers do the installation.

Laminate Flooring

Vinyl Flooring

What is Vinyl Flooring?

Vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride and plasticizer. The material is flexible,

non-porous, shiny, tough and washable. Vinyl flooring sheets and tiles are available as flooring options. It can be applied on almost any floor surface including concrete, wood, linoleum, resilient floors etc. Vinyl flooring is also called resilient flooring.

What Types of Vinyl Flooring Options are Available?

Vinyl flooring is available as vinyl sheets, tiles, planks and vinyl wood flooring. Vinyl flooring sheets are available in 6, 9 and 12-foot-wide rolls. Vinyl flooring tiles are available in standard 12 inches square but it can vary.

Is Vinyl Flooring Durable?

Yes, vinyl flooring is durable enough. Most manufacturers will offer good warranty and even lifetime warranty because of long life and durability of the product. Commercial vinyl flooring is hard-wearing and last longer.

Is Vinyl Flooring Economical?

Yes, vinyl flooring is very cheap and economical. In fact it is one of the cheapest flooring options. Vinyl flooring is much cheaper than hardwood, tile, and stone.

Is Vinyl Flooring Eco Friendly?

Yes, modern vinyl flooring is safe, non-toxic and eco-friendly. Vinyl flooring material is also recyclable.

How To Install Vinyl Flooring?

Vinyl flooring can be installed by 3 different methods depending on the type of material – Full spread method, Perimeter adhered method and Floating flooring method. However, you must remember that installation of vinyl flooring is not easy. It is not a DIY project and must be done by professionals.

Vinyl Flooring

Commercial Flooring

What is Commercial Flooring?

Commercial flooring is for buildings and construction meant for commercial purpose. E.g. – manufacturing units, stores, offices, school and college etc. Commercial buildings are prone to large traffic and movement. Hence the floor has to be very rough and tough and durable.

What Types of Commercial Flooring Options are Available?

Different flooring options for commercial buildings are available. Most common of them are – Concrete flooring, Resilient or Vinyl flooring, Hardwood flooring, Carpet tiles and Epoxy flooring.

Is Commercial Flooring Durable?

Durability of commercial flooring depends on type and traffic. Generally, these floors and made for durability. Concrete, Vinyl and Epoxy flooring are most common and very durable.

Is Commercial Flooring Economical?

Budget of commercial flooring depends on the type of material. While concrete and vinyl flooring is cheaper, hardwood, epoxy and carpet tiles can be expensive.

Is Commercial Flooring Eco Friendly?

Yes, material like concrete, vinyl, wood, carpet tiles, epoxy is all made out of safe and non-toxic material. Most of them are even recyclable. Because of government rules and regulations, commercial institutions are bound to use Eco-friendly material.

How To Install Commercial Flooring?

Installation of commercial flooring depends on the type of floor to be installed. Most of them are not DIY projects and some professional has to be hired.

Commercial Flooring

Wood Flooring

What is Wood Flooring?

Wood flooring is any material or product made from wood or timber for flooring purpose.

What Types of Wood Flooring Options are Available?

Wood flooring is generally of two types:

Solid Hardwood Flooring – These are planks made from solid wood and milled from a single piece of timber. Solid hardwood flooring materials are available in wide range of styles and dimension. There is no standard size and they can be custom-made.

Engineered Wood Flooring – As the name suggests, engineered wood flooring is a material engineered for flooring purpose. It is made from two or more layers of wood plank. It is the most common type of wood floor used worldwide.

* Bamboo Flooring is also considered as wood flooring.

Is Wood Flooring Durable?

Wood flooring is sensitive to moisture and is subject to expansion and contraction. Hence, it is not very durable as compared to other flooring options. Durability of the floor also depends on the type of wood used. Most common and durable wood used for flooring are – Brazilian cherry, Hickory, Oak, Maple and Mahogany. Engineered wood flooring is more durable than solid hardwood floors because they are engineered and designed for durability.

Is Wood Flooring Economical?

Compared to other flooring options, wood flooring is not cheap. These floors also need proper care and maintenance.

Is Wood Flooring Eco Friendly?

Yes, wood flooring is Eco-friendly. But if you are conscious about forests and trees, try to avoid wood flooring.

How To Install Wood Flooring?

Woof flooring installation is not a DIY easy task. Wood is subject to expansion and contraction, hence proper care has to be taken while installation. It needs all kinds of tools. It is better to get the job done by an expert professional.

Wood Flooring

Tile Flooring

What is Tile Flooring?

Flooring material made out of ceramic, stone, rubber, plastic or glass. Ceramic tiles are painted and glazed for flooring purpose. These tiles are laid on the floor in various patters for a beautiful floor.

What Types of Tile Flooring Options are Available?

Tiles for flooring are available in different material, design and sizes. Materials used to make flooring tiles include porcelain, ceramic, stone, rubber, plastic, glass travertine, marble, slate, cork etc. These tiles are available in different designs and sizes.

Is Tile Flooring Durable?

Durability of tile flooring depends on material of the tiles. Material like rubber, plastic, marble, slate and travertine are very durable and long lasting. Remember that tile resists scratching and is fire-resistant.

Is Tile Flooring Economical?

Again this depends on the material of the tiles. Tiles made from vinyl are cheap and affordable while marble can be expensive. But there are so many varieties of tile flooring material available that anyone can find the tile for flooring that suits his budget.

Is Tile Flooring Eco Friendly?

Yes, tile flooring is Eco-friendly. They are made from safe and non-toxic material. Many manufacturers are now making flooring tiles from waste material that could otherwise fill landfills. Many floor tile materials are also recyclable.

How To Install Tile Flooring?

Installation of flooring tiles depends on the material of the tile. While installation of tiles made from vinyl is easy to install, other tiles may need some professional to install.

Tile Flooring

Posted in Bathroom Improvement, Bedroom Improvement, DIY Home Improvement, Flooring, Home Improvement, Interior Home Improvement, Kitchen Improvement, Living Room Improvement | Santosh Das August 4, 2013 | Comments (0)

How to Install Hardwood Floor

Before proceeding to explain how to install hardwood floor, let me tell you that hardwood flooring installation is not very hard if you have prior experience in some DIY home projects. Most experienced Do-It-Yourselfers can install hardwood floor themselves. But if you don’t have any prior experience in any DIY home project, then I would suggest you to hire some expert for the job. Home owners with no such experience can make things messy and damage the floor.

Things Needed To Install Hardwood Floor

Hardwood Floorboards
Felt paper (Non-tarred)
Saw to cut
Snap Line (Chalk to mark straight line)
Measuring Tape
Nailer (To drive nails into wood)

Surface Preparation

The first step to start with is to prepare the subfloor for installation of hardwood floor. The subfloor must be level and firmly fastened to the floor joists. Check and Recheck. Fix screws if required. This will add strength to the subfloor and prevent creaking. Leave the hardwood floorboards for few days in the room where you plan to install it. This will allow the wood to adjust to the room temperature.

Step-By-Step Instructions to Install Hardwood Floor (wall-to-wall nail installation process)

Make an underlayment of felt paper by stapling it to subfloor. This will prevent the hardwood boards from moisture and also reduce footfall noise.
Check the space below the base of the door. There should be enough space to insert the wood planks. If required, cut the base of the door frames. Remove all edgings, quarter-rounds, baseboards and the door threshold.
Decide the layout direction for the floor planks. As a general rule, planks should be laid at 90 degree or 45 degree to floor joists. It is upto you to decide how you want your floor to look.
Using measuring tape, take measurement of the width of one plank. Note it down and add 3/4″.
Based on the above measurement (Step-4), draw a guide line parallel to the starting wall using a snap line. Make sure the starting line is straight and square.
Decide on arrangement of the planks. Use different shades and grains for different rows. This will give better look to the finished floor.
Lay the first plank along the guide line. Select the straightest full planks for the first row. Measure the length of the second plank needed and cut if required. Keep in mind that wood is subject to expansion and contraction. So, leave a gap of about ¼” from the wall for expansion.
Start laying the second row with the length left over from the end of the first row.
Starting from the grooved side of the plank facing the wall, nail the first row. Keep a distance of about 5-6” between nailing.
Align the first plank along the guide and nail.
Lay the following rows and nail.
When you reach the last row, leave a distance of ¾” for expansion. Cut the plank if required.
Install the baseboards and quarter-rounds and you are done.

* Tips:

Nail the first and last row by hand.
Drill holes and fixed distance of 5-6” for nailing.

Hardwood Floor Installation

Video : How to Install Hardwood Floors

Posted in DIY Home Improvement, DIY Installation, Flooring, Interior Home Improvement | Santosh Das August 1, 2013 | Comments (0)

How to Install Ceramic Floor Tiles

Ceramic floor tiles are easy to install. In fact, installation of ceramic tiles on floor is an easy DIY home project.

Requirement to Install Ceramic Floor Tiles

Before proceeding with the installation, it is important to make sure that the sub-floor is smooth and rigid. If the sub-floor is rough or too thin, then ceramic tiles can crack. Also make sure that the sub floor doesn’t block the openings the doors.

Most often, ceramic floor tiles are installed in the bathroom and the kitchen. If you plan to do so, make sure to remove the toilet. In the kitchen, you need to remove everything from the floor.

Ceramic Floor Tiles

Tools & Material Needed:

Ceramic tiles
Grout to fill voids, and seal joints
Spacers
Ceramic tile adhesive
Measuring tape and ruler
Notched trowel to apply adhesive and grout
Pail
Pencil and chalk line
Rubber float
Rubber hand gloves
Rubber mallet
Snap-line
Sponge
Square
Ceramic tile cutter
Tile nippers / tile saw

Step By Step DIY Instructions to Install Ceramic Floor Tiles

Determine the Layout – The first step is to determine the layout you want or expect. To do this, you will have to lay the tiles without adhesives to see how they fit and look. Start by drawing lines with a chalk line. Lay the ceramic tiles on the floor along the marked lines. Start from the centre. Use spacers between each tile. Remember that most modern ceramic tiles have spacers on the sides. If your tiles have no spacers, then you can use plastic spacers. Remember that you may have to cut tiles when you reach the walls. Once you are satisfied, make all the required marking using chalk line and then remove all the tiles.
Apply Ceramic Tiles Adhesive – Apply ceramic tile adhesive to the sub-floor using a notched trowel. Start by applying adhesive to the first 2-3 rows.
Lay Down the Tiles – Now is the time to lay down all the tiles on the adhesive. Jiggle tiles to make sure they set in to the adhesive. Use the spacer in between tiles. Gently tap the tiles using the rubber mallet to help them set properly.
Remove Spacers – Remove the spacers as you move to the next rows. Do this before the adhesive gets dry. If any of the spacers are stuck, just leave them where they are.
Allow the Adhesive Set – Repeat all the above steps until the whole area is covered. Leave the room for about 18 – 24 hours so that the adhesive can set properly. Once the adhesive is set, it is time to install the border tiles.
Cutting Tiles for Boarder – Mark the height to cut. Using a tile cutter, cut the tile. Use a tile saw or tile nippers if required.
Install Boarder Tiles – Install the boarder tiles in the same way as you did with the full tiles.
Apply Grout – Before applying grout, make sure the adhesive is completely set. Before grouting, wet the tiles with water. This will help the grout to spread better. Read the manufacturer’s instructions and mix the grout. Slightly pour the mix over the joints. Using a rubber float, help the grout to fill the spaces. Remember that grout mixture will dry very quickly. So, it is recommended to wipe of any excess grout after about 5-6 minutes after it was poured on the tiles. If possible, keep someone for help. Wipe off all excess grout using a damp sponge. Make sure not to use too much water.
Seal the Grout – The grout may need 8-10 days to cure. Leave the room for 8-10 days and then return back to seal the grout. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If there is no instructions the apply silicone sealer using a brush.
Leave the room for about 20 hours and then clean the room properly.

Posted in Bathroom Improvement, Bedroom Improvement, DIY Home Improvement, DIY Installation, Home Improvement, Interior Home Improvement, Kitchen Improvement, Living Room Improvement | Santosh Das July 30, 2013 | Comments (0)

Spring Wedding Flowers, Ideas and Arrangements

Spring is a popular wedding season, and spring flowers are a must. Learn about spring wedding flowers, ideas and arrangements.

Spring is green and full of lovely and beautiful flowers. This is one reason why spring is such a popular wedding season. There can’t be anything better than starting married life by holding the wedding in the beautiful season of spring.

A beautiful bride is the attraction of a wedding. Beautiful and well arranged spring flowers can add more beauty to this very special. No wedding is complete without floral decoration.

There are a number of flowers available during spring that can be used for decoration.

Some of the most common spring flowers used during weddings are lilies, daffodils and tulips.

Spring Wedding Flower Ideas

There are limitless ways to decorate a wedding venue with spring flowers. The

Spring Wedding Flower Arrangement

first and foremost thing to consider is wedding planning. It is advised to hire a florist well in advance. Florists are well informed about spring flowers and can help to make the right decisions and choose the right flowers for wedding decorations. When buying spring flowers, make sure to choose colors that match other decorative element of the wedding venue. There should be a color scheme. Without any color scheme, it may become difficult to do the floral decorations successfully. Matching spring flowers and decorative elements will blend with each other and will together offer a beautiful and pleasant look to the venue.

While buying spring flowers for the wedding, try to get the ones that are blooming during that time and are at the peak. These flowers can be bought at very economical prices. While preparing bouquets and centerpieces with these flowers, use few other decorative materials such as lemon leaves, ribbons and maiden’s hair. These decorative materials will add beauty to the bouquets, centerpieces and other decorations. Centerpieces made from these spring wedding flowers will add beauty and attraction to the tables. To add more beauty to these spring flowers, one can use other decorative materials such as candles, vases, baskets, pebbles etc.

Spring Wedding Flower Arrangements

Proper and creative arrangement of spring flowers is the secret to add beauty and charm to any wedding venue. All spring flower decorative pieces such as the bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, centerpieces, ceremony flowers and reception flowers should all be prepared and presented sensibly. Choose flowers to match and complement the dress of the bride. Flowers for the flower-girl are also very important. Fill the basket of the flower-girl in a creative manner with flowers. A pomander can also be used in place of a basket. Decorate the pomander with ribbons. Centerpieces are another important decorative element for any wedding. Prepare elegant centerpieces with a combination of all the flowers. Centerpieces are needed for guest-book table, gift table, buffet table, main table, and other important tables.

Spring Wedding

This article can be useful to people worldwide. Please note that the wedding season may be different in different parts of the world. Similarly, the blooming season for different flowers may also be different geographically. In any case, a wedding is a wedding and beautiful flower arrangements can make the occasion more beautiful.

List of Spring Wedding Flowers
Anemone: Color – blue, red, pink, white	Bells of Ireland: Color – green
Boronia: Color – pink	Casablanca Lily: Color – White
Daffodil: Color – yellow	Delphinium: Color – Violet
Hyacinth: Color – purple, pink, white	Lilacs: Color – violet and white
Narcissus: Color – whitely	Peony: Color – pink and whiter
Ranunculus: Color – white, pink, red, orange, yellow	Star Gazer Lily: Color – pink and white
Sweet Pea: Color – white, pink, red/coral, lavender/purplish	Tulip: Color – white, pink, yellow, red, purplish
Wax Flower: Color – pink, purple, white

Anemone Flower

Bells of Ireland Flower

Boronia Flower

Casablanca Lily Flower

Daffodil Flower

Delphinium Flower

Hyacinth Flower

Lilacs Flower

Narcissus Flower

Peony Flower

Ranunculus Flower

Star Gazer Lily Flower

Sweet Pea Flower

Tulip Flower

Wax Flower

Video – Wedding Floral Arrangements : How to Make Spring Flower Arrangements

Related Posts:

Tags: Arrangements, Ideas, Spring Wedding Flower Ideas, Spring Wedding Flowers, Wedding Floral Arrangements

Posted in Decorating and Furnishing, Gardening | Santosh Das July 21, 2013 | Comments (0)

Top 10 Rare Dog Breeds / Rarest Dog Breeds

Here I list the top 10 rare dog breeds with facts, information, pictures, videos, and useful resources.

Dog breeding over thousands of years has resulted in a wide variety of breeds, hybrids and types of dogs. These include small breeds of dogs, such as toy poodles and Chihuahuas; large dog breeds like pugs and beagles.

There are sporting breeds of dogs such as Labradors and golden retrievers; dog breeds with protective behavior, such as chows and rottweilers; Herding breeds, such as border collies and shepherds.

Many of these breeds of dogs have now become rare due to some reason or the other.

Chinook – Chinook, a descendant of one famous sled dog, is one of the most rare god breed. After the death of Perry Greene in 1963, the founder of this breed, this breed went into rapid decline and is now a rare breed of dog. Some group of dog lovers have dedicated their efforts and worked hard to restore this breed. The Chinook that we see today are basically house dog and not sled dogs, although some are them are used as sled dogs.
Chinook, a rare dog breed
Stabyhoun – Stabyhoun, a national treasure in the Netherlands is another most rare dog breed. This dog is both a pointer and retriever. There are only about 100 of these rare dogs in the United States. Trying to save this rare breed, the Dutch Dog Registry carefully monitors breeding of this breed.
Stabyhoun, a rare dog breed
Otterhound – Otterhound, is a rare and very noble hound breed. It was first traced back to the 1100’s. Otterhound dogs were primarily used hunt otter, hence the name, Otterhound. Hunting otter was banned in England in the late 1970’s but this breed became rare. According to estimates, there are only 350 Otterhound in North America.
Otterhound, a rare dog breed
Azawakh – Azawakhis African sighthounds, now a rare breed of dog. They are favored in the United States with about 100-200 dogs. It is used for hunting gazelles and other fleet animals of the African deserts. In Africa Azawakh are rarely treated as pets or companions. Outside Africa they are primarily appreciated for their companionship. The Azawakh Club of America, Inc. (AZCA) was founded by Corine Lundqvist in 1998 to promote the Azawakh.
Azawakh, a rare dog breed
Tibetan Mastiff – Tibetan Mastiff, is a rare breed of dog and a descendent of Mastiff dogs. The powerful Tibetan Mastiff is a naturally protective and territorial dog. The Tibetan Mastiff exhibits an extremely independent, stubborn nature and a wondrous depth of intelligence and character. Tibetan Mastiff focuses on his working abilities which include guarding, alerting through barking, patrolling and basic territorial/dominant behavior.
Tibetan Mastiff, a rare dog breed
Carolina Dog – Carolina Dog, is a rare breed of dog also known as the “American Dingo”. Carolina Dogs are wild dogs and are still not a fully domesticated breed. They are genetically linked with primitive dog breeds such as the Australian Dingo and New Guinea Singing Dog. This versatile breed has a single estrus cycle during the year. Carolina Dogs are self-sufficient, intelligent and “pack” oriented. They can be slightly reserved with strangers, but grow more outgoing over time. Carolina Dogs are great workers, herders and outstanding playmates for children. Carolina Dogs can live as long as 15 years with relatively few genetic health issues. They are fairly easy to groom, needing only an occasional brushing.
Carolina Dog, a rare dog breed
Norwegian Lundehund – Norwegian Lundehund, also known as the “Puffin Dog”, is one of the rarest breed of dog. These dogs are very flexible and have double dewclaws on all four feet. This makes them suitable for hunting. Even though, this breed of dog has some extraordinary characteristics, unfortunately, it has serious problems in their digestive system that makes the absorption of nutrients from food difficult. This further shortens their life spans.
Norwegian Lundehund, a rare dog breed
Thai Ridgeback – Thai Ridgeback, are primitive breed and good with children. Evolved from the Asian wolf, this breed has a wrinkly-face, primitive paw pads, and pigmentation on their tongues. They are available in four colors – Red, Black, Blue and Yellow. Thai Ridgeback have a strong will power and are still used in their native home as livestock guardians and protection dogs.
Thai Ridgeback, a rare dog breed
Mudi – Mudi is a medium-sized rare breed Hungarian herding dog. Because of its superior herding quality, the Mudi is still favored by shepherds to work sheep and cattle herds in Hungary. Mudi dogs have dense and wavy to curly coats of black, white, red, brown, and cifra, a rare color of blue-merle. They are very intelligent, courageous and powerful. They make good guard dogs but are gentle to family members. Mudi enjoys swimming and playing in the water. In the United States the breed is extremely rare. Mudi is very versatile that makes it a contender in many active dog sports.
Mudi, a rare dog breed
Catalburun – Catalburun is a rare Turkish dog breed with distinctive “split-nose”. Catalburun are well known for their hunting abilities. Catalburun are the only native pointing breed of Turkey. The term “Catalburun” refers to the breeds’ most distinctive feature – its split nose. The term “çatal” means fork and “burun” means nose.
Catalburun, a rare dog breed

Posted in Pets | Santosh Das | Comments (0)

Hot Water Dispenser Repair | How To Troubleshoot and Fix Instant Hot Water Dispenser Problem

Like any other home appliance or kitchen appliance, an instant hot-water dispenser too needs proper care and maintenance. If cared properly, it can serve you for ears without any problem. Following are some of the tips to take proper care of your instant hot-water dispenser to extend its life:

Before doing any repair or maintenance work on the unit, make sure to unplug it from the power supply.
The water has a very high temperature and can scald or seriously burn anyone. Keep children away from the unit or monitor them when they use the unit.
Keep the unit clean.
If you not going to use the unit for a longer period of time,, make you disconnect and empty the unit.
If the dispenser has a faucet screen, use a small brush and vinegar to remove hard-water deposits.
Repair or replace a leaky hot water dispenser immediately.

Following DIY information should help you repair your hot water dispenser. The information applies to most makes and models including: General Electric, JC Penney, Kenmore, Kitchen Aid, Montgomery Ward, Sears, Whirlpool, and other brands.

There is no hot water coming out of my instant hot water dispenser. What is wrong with the unit and how to fix this problem?

If there is no hot water coming out from your instant hot-water dispenser, check following:

Power: Under-the-counter hot water dispensers are plugged into a standard wall socket that supplies power to the unit. Check and make sure there is proper power supply. Also check the socket if it is working or not. If there is no power coming to the socket, check fuse or circuit breakers.
Overload Switch: If there is power in the wall socket, check if there is any overload switch on the housing of the hot water dispenser. Reset the switch by pressing it and wait for about 15 minutes. Now switch on the unit and see if hot water is coming out or not. If there is no overload switch, there must be a fuse inside the housing of the unit. Unscrew the housing and find out the fuse. Replace if it is blown.
Heating Element: If everything is fine but the unit is still giving out hot water, chances are that the heating element is burnt out and needs to be replaced. Check with the manufacturer for repair or replacement instructions.

The faucet leaks hot water. What is wrong and how can I fix this problem?

A little hot water leaking from the faucet from time to time is normal. This is

Hot Water Dispenser Diagram and Parts

because volume of water increases when it heats. This increased volume leads to dripping of little water from the faucet in order to relieve the pressure inside the water tank under the sink.

If the leak is continuous for a longer period of time, most probably the shut-off valve needs to be repaired. You can take help of a qualified appliance repair technician.

Water from my instant hot-water dispenser is too hot? Is there something wrong? How can I solve and fix this problem?

The temperature control on residential hot-water dispensers is normally factory-set. Still you can set it to a different temperature. Refer to your owner’s manual to learn how to change and set temperature of the thermostat of the unit.

The water pressure from my instant hot-water dispenser is poor. What is the problem? How to fix this problem?

The pressure at which water comes out from a hot water dispenser is determined by the amount of water entering the tank below. If the water flow is unusually slow, the incoming water may be obstructed. Check if the valve is open properly all the way. Make sure there is nothing blocking the tank output or the faucet.

Posted in DIY Home Improvement, Home Appliance Repairing, Plumbing | Santosh Das | Comments (0)

Central Vacuum System Buying Guide and Review for Consumers

Learn how to buy a vacuum system and what are the points to consider while buying a central vacuum system.

The best choice with a central vacuum system is “built-in central vacuum system” of its easy installation and you are easily able to vacuum your house quickly and quietly, without dragging around a vacuum cleaner. With a central vacuum system, all you have to carry is a lightweight hose and a wand with a cleaning head.

The 30-foot-long hose of the in-built vacuum system allows you to vacuum two or three rooms from a single inlet (Please note that cost of a central vacuum system increases with every additional inlet). If the area of your house of 2,500 to 300 square feet, three or four inlets are usually sufficient for the whole house. And because the vacuum motor is located outside the living area, therefore, you can vacuum quietly without disturbing TV viewing or phone conversations or studies.

If you are sensitive to airborne dust, blow them back into the air because most portable vacuum cleaners cannot trap fine dust particles.

Size of a Central Vacuum

Size of the central vacuum to buy depends on size or area of the house. Most central vacuums have twice the power of portable

Central Vacuum System

vacuum cleaners. When deciding on a unit to buy, take into consideration the square footage of the house and the length of pipe required to service the system.

Most central vacuum manufacturers offer several models of different range in size, power, and price so as to accommodate various sizes of houses. Vacuum is rated by air power, air flow, and horse power. But these measurements are not good indicators of effective suction. The most reliable measure is “waterlift.” Water lift is established by a factory test of a sealed vacuum system’s sucking power.

Smaller vacuum systems have a waterlift rating from 105 to 120 inches. This is sufficient for a house of area 2,500 square-foot. Some manufacturers offer literature explaining which size of central vacuum will be suitable for a house of specific area. Check the manufacturer’s literature to choose the right size model for your home.

Power Unit of Central Vacuum System

Power unit of the Central Vacuum System is the main component. Power units of equal strength do not vary much since most of them are made by the same manufacturer. Consider the price, service and warranty before selecting a brand to buy.

Central Vacuum Accessories

A wide range of optional accessories are available for central vacuum systems. These accessories include – flooring, dusting, upholstery brushes, crevice tools, and electric and turbo-powered types of power beater-bar carpet brushes. The ones with electric heads are the strongest but they require installation of an electrical receptacle near each vacuum receptacle so that you can plug in a power cord to operate it. On the other hand, turbo heads spin the beater head by utilizing the air rushing through the head.

Central vacuums cost from $500 to $1,500, depending on the power unit and the amount of pipe, fittings and accessories. Most of the dealers often quote a price for both installation and materials, but if you can install the system yourself, you can request a price for only the materials.

Posted in Buying Guide, Home Appliances | Santosh Das | Comments (0)

Dehumidifier Buying Guide and Review for Consumers

Several well known brands of dehumidifiers are available in the market – Danby dehumidifiers, Delonghi dehumidifiers, Whirlpool dehumidifiers, Maytag dehumidifiers and LG dehumidifiers.

Some of these dehumidifiers are cheap, some are expensive and some claim to be the best. Some of them claim to be the best for rooms while others claim to be suitable for the basement.

But how to choose and buy the best dehumidifier?

If you are planning to buy and install a dehumidifier in your home or basement, here is dehumidifier buying guide that should help you in making the right decision and choose the best dehumidifier for your home and get value for money.

Before buying a dehumidifier for your home, you need to do some homework. Make note of the place where you intend to use / install it and the area of the space / room. Measure and note the square footage area of the room. Is this room too much humid? Make an estimate of the moisture level in the space.

Almost all dehumidifier manufacturers offer a chart to choose the right dehumidifier based on area of the space where it has to be installed and capacity (how many pints of water it can remove from the air in 24 hours) of the dehumidifier.

In case you are confused with all the above calculations, you can take help from AHAM Selection Guide. AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) sets the standards for sizing dehumidifiers to match a homeowner’s needs.

Once you are done with all of the above workings, you are ready to select the best dehumidifier for your home.

Capacity of Dehumidifier

There are smaller dehumidifiers available that look beautiful and you may feel like buying it. But the point to be noted here is

Dehumidifier

the smaller units of dehumidifiers may keep running but they do not bring the humidity level to normal. I suggest you buy a humidifier little more than the capacity needed. Humidifiers with higher capacity are not going to do any harm. These dehumidifiers can handle any damp area and control moisture/ humidity. If you live in an area that is too humid, you should always choose a dehumidifier with a capacity higher than what is needed for the area of the room you have. Again there are other factors that add moisture in a room such as dishwasher, shower, clothes dryer etc. A higher capacity dehumidifier can take care of all these excess moisture and bring the humidity level to normal.

Dehumidifier controls

Choose a dehumidifier with automatic controls. This will help you monitor and control all the settings and humidity level. Do you know what is the desired RH (Relative Humidity) for a normal home? It is 40 – 50% in summer and 30 – 50% in winter. Dehumidifiers with built-in hygrometers measure relative humidity and display all the number. Adjustable humidistat allows you to dial a desired humidity level and the unit will automatically maintain the set level.

Dehumidifier Bucket Size

Larger tubs or drip pans will hold more water and will have to be emptied less often and a smaller tub or drip pan size will need to be emptied too often. At the same time dehumidifiers with larger tubs or drip pans will cost more and vice verse. Dehumidifiers with front-loading buckets are easy and convenient to empty manually. The choice is yours.

Most portable dehumidifiers are equipped to be self-draining and come with a drain-hose connection. You can connect a garden hose with the tub.

Other features to look for a good dehumidifier

Defrost: Consider buying a dehumidifier with automatic defrost and that can that can function at low temperatures. The heat-exchange coils on a dehumidifier can frost over when indoor temperatures drop below 65–60 degrees Fahrenheit. This causes the dehumidifier to work less efficiently or even stop removing moisture altogether. A dehumidifier with automatic defrost may cost more but it is going to be beneficial in the long run. Also look for Energy Star units.
Noise: Make sure the dehumidifier you choose is quite. Noise can irritation and disturbance mainly if it is ion the bedroom or the study room. Dehumidifiers with two-speed fans run quietly at lower humidity levels and also save energy. Test the dehumidifier’s noise before buying.
Portable: Make sure the new dehumidifier you select has casters so that it can be rolled from room to room easily. It should also have a long power cord so that it can be plugged just anywhere.
Automatic shutoff: A dehumidifier with auto shutoff feature can be useful in energy saving.
Dehumidifier Filter: Make sure the filter of the dehumidifier can be removed easily for cleaning. These filters need to be cleaned and washed at least twice a month for better results.

Posted in Buying Guide, Home Appliances | Santosh Das July 20, 2013 | Comments (0)

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