Benjamins Yarn

Kids and quality go hand and hand. Kids will be kids. They are often rough and tuff on furniture. So when it comes to furnishing kid rooms it’s wise to make quality purchases that will not only last but will grow right along with them.

Take for instance, double and triple function furnishings. This kind of kid room furniture is a real blessing as it can take your toddler right through to his teen years.

One of my favorite kid room furnishing ideas are 3-in-1 one units which feature a sleeping area, storage space and a place to study.

Multiple purpose furnishings can save floor space and enhance the play value of a kid room. You no longer have a need for extra furniture that takes up valuable space. A further bonus is that it’s usually less expensive to buy one opposed to two or three separate pieces of furniture.

Great 2-in-1 designs like bunk beds that reassemble as single beds and seating units with concealed storage are also ideal.

When looking to make such a large purchase it’s best to comparison shop. Also give some thought to how the piece of furniture will serve your child’s needs in the years to come.

Convertible furnishings start with cribs. Today’s baby cribs often come as a combination crib and storage unit. Features may include a standard crib with rails attached on one side to a multiple drawer chest. Here, both the crib and chest would sit on a foundation of dual blanket drawers.

Once out of the crib, your toddler can sleep on an extension mattress (and spring) that is added once the rails and chest are removed. On some models this is standard. Other models have this as an option only. Consider the price difference of both.

Such a configuration offers up years of usefulness - a single bed and a freestanding chest of drawers. Other chest/crib combos feature a detachable change station on top of the storage unit. If considering this design, give some thought as to the most comfortable height for changing your baby. Most are between 30 to 40″ high.

Trundle beds (with a roll-out sleep unit) are ideal for sleepovers, extra storage and additional play opportunities. You can remove the bottom mattress and use the frame for off season storage or for a train or car track set up.

Foam futons are another multiple function piece of furniture. Originally of Japanese origin these lightweight mattresses fold in half or thirds to provide comfortable seating when not used for sleeping. Today’s futons come in various shapes and sizes including child sized recliners and sofas. Futons are known to be lightweight and easy to flip.

Don’t let bold colored or patterned futons discourage you from making a purchase. Instead, recover the mattress with a sheet that matches the décor of the room.

For more tips on buying kid room furniture visit: http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net/kid-room-furniture-childrens-room-furniture.html

Sherrie Le Masurier is an organizing consultant who helps parents organize and decorate their children’s rooms. She is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and co-owner of http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net - Copyright.

Wood boilers take the idea of the traditional wood stove and improve on it, solving some problems inherent in wood burning and making wood a clean, safe, and efficient source of heat.

Wood stoves have been used for centuries; a very famous American, Benjamin Franklin, invented the Franklin stove in the 1700s as a safe alternative to fireplaces, which were dangerous - likely to catch the mainly wooden homes standard back then on fire - and not particularly efficient. The stove provided radiant heat in a relatively safe manner compared to the open fires of fireplaces.

While wood stoves were supplanted by central heating decades ago in urban and suburban environments, in the country many people continue to heat their homes, as well as cook their meals, partly or entirely with wood. But problems remain in the use of wood as a fuel; while a properly maintained and operated wood stove is relatively safe, the build-up of creosote in stove pipes and chimneys can still result in dangerous fires.

Another problem is time. In an era when at least one person in the family spent the majority of the time at home, feeding a hungry wood stove was not a big problem; now, however, with adults working outside the home at least forty hours a week, if not more, having a fire go out means coming home to a cold house and, in extremely cold weather, dealing with the possibility of frozen and burst pipes. Also, walking away from a house with an active fire burning in the wood stove doesn’t necessarily inspire a lot of peace of mind.

Enter the wood boiler. Designed to burn cleanly, with a minimum of creosote build-up, a boiler can be loaded with enough wood to burn for hours without having to replenish the wood supply. The boiler, which can be located inside or outside the home, heats water which can be used in hot water heating systems and, combined with a hot water storage system, can be stored for long periods of time (from seven to ten days) between firings.

Some boilers are constructed to be used with a variety of fuels, including wood, oil, and gas, offering a lot of flexibility to the homeowner, particularly with the fluctuations in the availability and pricing of different fuels. Other boilers are designed to burn corn or wood pellets, two more fuels which are increasing in popularity as alternatives to traditional fuel oil or natural gas.

With more consumers waking up to the problems inherent in heating with oil and natural gas, people are looking with renewed interest at alternative sources of fuel for heating their homes; and more and more are choosing wood boilers as a safe, sensible, and moneysaving solution.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and regional publications on a wide range of topics, including business, education, the arts, and local events. Her feature articles include an interview with independent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison in Concord. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com

Are you considering a home remodeling project for your property? Most remodeling projects involve either structural or aesthetic aspects which might require several specialized technical skills. If this is the case, you may want to enlist the services of a general contractor.

A general contractor negotiates a contract for the entire remodeling project, and either completes the specialized work with his own crew, or sub-contracts to other various house remodeling contractors. Some of the specialized areas might include planning/architecture, concrete, plumbing, electrical, roofing, dry wall, cabinetry, or painting.

The Planning

To get an accurate bid from a potential general contractor, it is very important to plan carefully, with much thought and consideration. You may want to involve an architect or draftsman to generate the blueprints for your project. Remember that any home remodeling features not included in the plans will not be included in the bid.

Once you have detailed plans for your project, you need to start the selection process for a general contractor. Canadian residents can go on-line to Handy Canadian.com for a list of qualified, licensed contractors.

The Contractor

It is a rule of thumb to get at least 3 bids from separate remodeling contractors. Provide each with an identical set of plans. Be upfront about your expectations, and request they be realistic about time, cost, and interruption factors. It is wise not to make a selection based on price alone; other considerations are equally important.

Before you accept a bid from a contractor ask questions: What experience and references do they have from projects similar to yours? Will they be working on other projects simultaneously with your own? If they will not be personally working at your site, how much time each day will they spend supervising? Will they use their own crew for some or all the work? How available will any sub-contractors be? What licenses and insurance do they carry? And what is the time line of the project, start to finish? These are questions any reliable, qualified general contractor should answer and outline in the contract.

The Contract

When negotiating the contract for your home remodeling project, be thorough and accurate. Include complete names and addresses of both parties, a detailed job description, material specifications, start and finish dates, any warranties on work or materials, and payment options.

It is fairly common for a general contractor to ask for 10-33% of the estimated cost in advance; most contracts provide for payment as work progresses.

A reliable, reputable contractor will agree to contract terms which help protect the interests of both parties.

By being thorough in your research, planning, and contracting process, you can look forward to enjoying the results of your home remodeling project for many years to come!

Max Sheppard is Co-Owner of Handy Canadian.com at http://www.handycanadian.com and Handy American.com at http://www.handyamerican.com Handy Canadian.com and Handy American.com is your one-stop renovation information web site: where homeowners locate professional contractors, businesses connect with commercial contractors, and qualifying contractors acquire new leads.

Americans love having options. Options allow us to select the outcome of a particular situation. An option may be a small as what to have for lunch or as large as how to heat a home. Americans looking to heat their homes have a number of home heating options and that is something that is very pleasing for many.

With the high cost of gas there are many individuals who automatically eliminate it as a home heating method. With gas eliminated that leaves coal, wood, and electricity. There are a number of benefits to heating your home with electricity, but there are also benefits to heating your home with wood or coal. For this reason, there are many homeowners who make the decision to purchase a wood furnace or a coal furnace. What if there was an option that would allow you to have both? That option is what is known as a wood and coal burning furnace.

A wood and coal burning furnace is a combination of each individual furnace. Many times the furnace is used as a wood furnace, but there is always the option of using the coal.

Most wood and coal burning furnace owners use the coal only as a secondary backup. If coal is never used in a wood and coal burning furnace it is still nice to have the option to use it if need be.

Having a choice may be the greatest benefit of owning a wood and coal burning furnace, but there are additional benefits. Another one of the most popular benefits of owning a wood and coal burning furnace is the money that could be saved. Using wood and even coal to heat your home is often drastically cheaper than the cost of heating a home with gas. A wood and coal burning furnace can provide cheap home heating for houses of all sizes.

Another benefit of owning a wood and coal burning furnace is the safety that it provides. Since wood and coal burning furnaces are outdoor furnaces they are likely to reduce the risk of a house fire. It is possible for an outdoor furnace to be installed close to the home, but it is often safer when it is a small distance away. The chances of a fire occurring in an outdoor furnace is slim, but if one should occur it can’t spread to the home if it is not right next to it.

As you can see, there are a large number of benefits to owning a wood and coal burning furnace. In fact, the above mentioned benefits are just a few of the many. If you are interested in learning the additional benefits of owning a wood and coal burning furnace then you should get browsing. Simply by reviewing product descriptions and pictures you should be able to see why there are an unlimited number of benefits to owning a wood and coal burning furnace.

Erik Holden
Get a great deal on a wood and coal burning furnace

I heard that gel candles are more dangerous than regular wax
candles.

I counted all 82 candle recalls on the Consumer Protection
Agency website, but of those, only 5 were for gel candles. Gel
candles do burn hotter than wax candles, so great care must be
taken by the candle maker to insure that the glassware used to
contain the gel be of sufficient strength so as not to explode
when the candle is burned. Gel candles also burn 2-3 times
longer, so the glassware can be exposed to greater heat for
longer periods. It is important that the consumer purchase gel
candles from a reputable retailer, who appreciates these issues
with the glassware. Be sure to follow the instructions that are
included with every candle and that you purchase them from
reputable candle makers. Gel candles are 95% common food grade
mineral oil and 5% resin.

Gel candles cost more than wax.

Sometimes gel candles may be higher in price, but keep in mind
that these candles burn 2-3 times longer than wax so you are
getting quite a good deal. Plus, the unique designs that can be
made with the various embeds makes gel candles quite special.

I have heard news reports that say gel candles are using lead
wicks.

I make gel candles and would have no idea where to even purchase
lead wicks. All of our candles use a zinc or tin wick and that
goes for both gel & wax candles. I heard that some foreign
countries use lead wicks, but I can’t confirm this.

The roof is one of the more prone areas of your house and it is vital that you not only have quality roofing installed but that regular checks and repairs are carried out to ensure it’s long life. Consider the fact that all roofing is subject to wind, rain, snow, sun and any other element that can be thrown at it and you should realize that your new roofing and subsequent roofing repairs would need to be top notch to avoid any nasty accidents or surprises. Having new roofing installed can be a pricey affair but only regular check ups and minor repairs when needed can prevent the worst from happening. If you haven’t had your roof checked for ten years then it is highly advisable that you get it seen to as soon as possible. It may not be leaking yet but if you leave it much longer it could be.

Age.

The biggest roofing killer is the age of the materials. When shingles begin to look worn this usually means they are. Even shingles that have a 40-year warranty should be checked every few years. Roofing contractors will perform a relatively inexpensive check up of the whole of your roofing and if you pick a reputable company they will tell you exactly what needs repairing now and what is likely to need repairing in the future.

Repair or replace.

Sometimes shingles can be blown off and merely need replacing but if this is happening more and more often you need to consider that they may need replacing. Repairing your roofing may cost less but if you have to repeatedly repair it then it is a much more cost-effective solution to have new roofing. A contractor will be able to help you assess the best option for your roof.

Protection.

Roofing is the thing that protects the rest of your home from the elements and the damage they can cause. As such your roofing is facing this damage itself and it should be given all the ammunition possible to complete its job. Shingles are available in a wide variety of sizes and costs, but the cheaper shingles are virtually useless and you should spend as much as you can possibly afford on buying top quality roofing shingles that will stand up to more than a light shower and a gentle breeze.

Cost of re-roofing.

Having new roofing costs money, but by continually paying for repair work to be done you should consider that there may be an underlying problem with the wooden sheathing underneath. The only way to tell whether this is the case or not is to have the old roofing shingles completely ripped off and have the underneath inspected and repaired properly. Once this is done you can pay for top quality roofing that may set you back a little more than the repair work would have done but will undoubtedly last you much longer. That said, if a shingle blows off during high gales there is no need to rush out and have your entire roofing replaced without seeking advice first.

Steven Briesemeister who is the owner of http://www.roofer911.com has 33 years experience in all types of roof repair problems and new roof installation for residential and commercial accounts. As a Long Island and Northern Virgina roofing contractor, we believe, “Quality Doesn’t Cost…It Pays! For more roof related articles, kindly visit: http://www.roofer911.com/roofing_articles.htm

Using fabric to decorate a room is an inexpensive way to add color, pattern and charm. Use fabric to soften a room, add romance, and give a room a finished feel. Fabric can be used in any room style, and on any budget! Follow these great guidelines for using fabric in home decorating without breaking your budget!

1. Inexpensive sources for fabric for decorating a room include using flat sheets from discount stores, quilts and tablecloths from yard sales (or your own linen closet!) or the discount table at any fabric store.

2. If you want to add pattern to a room with fabric, here is a no fail guideline. Use a solid, and stripe, and a small-medium scale pattern. Let each of the three fabrics share at least one color. Finally, distribute the pattern throughout the room following the 60/30/10 rule…Use your primary fabric, (usually the solid) in 60% of the room, the next fabric in 30% of the room, and the last fabric throughout 10% of the room.

3. Heavy pinch pleat draperies are long since passé. Use lighter rod pocket curtains to soften your windows. Twin flat sheets can fit most average windows with nothing more than a rod pocket sewn in! Make sure the curtains draw completely clear of the windows to let the most possible amount of light into the room. Also, consider hanging the curtain rod near the ceiling line instead of right above the window…it adds height and dimension to a room, making it look larger!

4. Simple throw pillows are easy and cheap to make, and can even be changed out with the seasons! Use them to add comfort to any room in your home…even the outdoor ones! Add a simple throw, and any corner of your room becomes a hideaway.

5. Stitch up placemats, tablecloths, and runners to soften the hard furniture in the room. If you don’t sew, you can use iron on hem tape to make your creations. It’s inexpensive, and can be found in the sewing aisle of any discount store, or at your local fabric shop.

6. Use existing fabrics such as pretty quilts and unused sheets to create layered table covers. It adds instant romance to any room! Check out thrift shops and yard sales, or learn to make them on your own. Do a google search and find dozens of sites ready to help you learn to sew and quilt.

7. Use cheap muslin to add natural and romantic statements in a room. Twist and wrap yards of muslin around a curtain rod and let drape to the floor for a wonderful organic window treatment. You can simply tie a knot in the end to finish. If your budget is really pinched, you can use muslin to make your window treatments, then just add borders of your favorite fabric to save on yardage.

Use creative sources for fabric, develop a plan, and add romance, color and style to any room using fabric!

For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas, visit www.TheBudgetDecorator.com. Also visit their other websites at www.Women-on-the-Net.com and www.StressLessJournal.com.