House Help Desk

With the number of domestic burglaries on the rise, investing in home security is becoming a priority for more and more British home-owners. Here are five top reasons to invest in a monitored alarm system for your home.

Burglars Avoid Home Security Systems

Anyone who is considering breaking into a house and stealing the owner’s property is likely to take all precautions to ensure that he or she doesn’t get caught. While some criminals “case” a property for several weeks, others may be opportunists, who see the chance and grab it.

Typically, thieves will avoid any property which has visible home security equipment, and homes which are obviously occupied. Additional things you can do to reduce the risk of burglary include being vigilant for odd behaviour from people you don’t recognise as living in the neighbourhood, and keeping doors and windows closed to prevent access to your home.

Some Items Are Irreplaceable

I once heard a sad story about a family who returned after a holiday to find that their house had been broken into, and the thieves had removed not just valuables, but every item in the home, including personal photographs. It is those items which can’t be replaced that cause the most grief and stress to the victims of a burglary. According to police statistics, it is very unlikely that stolen goods will be returned to you, which means those special personal items are lost forever.

By fitting a quality home security system such as a burglar alarm and window locks, you are protecting not only the expensive items like TVs and laptops, which you worked hard to earn the money to pay for, but also ensuring that someone doesn’t make off with your precious memorabilia.

Reduce your house insurance quote

Investing in a home security system does involve initial expenses for installation and equipment, as well as an ongoing subscription fee, however these costs are offset by possible reduction in your house insurance. Whether you will get a discount on your insurance quote for fitting home security will depend on the broker you use. Remember, to get a discount you will need to buy a quality system and follow the advice according to the individual insurance policy. 

Peace of Mind

Having a quality home security system fitted in your home will immediately give you peace of mind. If you have ever gone out on holiday, and found yourself worried about the security of your home, you’ll find having a system like this invaluable.

Police Assistance When Required

Although the number of burglary incidents which take place while someone is in the home are fairly low, this is a concern particularly for women and elderly people who live alone. A quality monitored home security system will include a feature which will assist you to contact the police in case of a breach, as well as a panic button which can be used if an intruder enters the house.

We can’t all live in stylish country mansions but even if your home is as suburban and modest as mine you can still enjoy some country elegance. How? Let’s take a look and see how it can be done with a few simple ideas you might be interested in.

Add a Conservatory

One very popular way to add a touch of timeless style to a house in the suburbs is to add a conservatory. The best Victorian conservatories are very practical but they are also incredibly pretty. If you want to instantly make a rather dull semi detached property look like something a big grander then this is one of the top ways of doing it. Of course, it also gives you a great place to spend some cosy winter days.

Play Some Croquet

Maybe you have never thought about playing croquet at home. In fact, there is a good chance that you have never really thought about playing it anywhere. However, this is actually a fun game which certainly isn’t as boring as you might think. You can buy sets to play at home and since it has been popular since at least the mid 19^th century is seems fair to say that it must have something to recommend it to you.

Choose Heritage Colours

A very simple way to make your property look more distinguished is by choosing the right colours. The big paint brands tend to all offer a range of heritage tones which will give you a classic look. These often strongly feature reds and greens in the range.

Improve the Garden

If your garden is a little sad looking then this could be the perfect moment to add a dash of elegance to it. Even if your outdoor space isn’t all that big you can still make the most of it by planting some classy flowers and organising everything as neatly as possible.

Use Wallpaper and Carpets

You may like having painted walls and trendy wooden floors but it’s all so, well, modern. If you want to get a timeless country feel to the house then you should step back a few decades and get some wallpaper and carpets. The really top quality designs will cost you a lot of money but if you shop around you can get a decent look for a reasonable price.

Steal Some Ideas

What about taking some time out to go on a trip to a local country mansion? You will want to make sure that it is open to the public of course, as you don’t want to go barging in as the colonel is taking his tea. With so many top quality country homes open to the public you should find one reasonably near you. Once you are there you should see plenty of ideas which you can use, from the style of the conservatory to the colours on the walls and the floors. You can make a day of it and wander round the gardens and you might even find a maze or a boating pond.

I recently read a statistic from Lloyd’s Pharmacy, which stated that around one in six people never clear out old and out-dated medicines from their bathroom cabinets. Add to that the fact that many women don’t realise that make-up and beauty products have expiry dates, and it seems that the typical bathroom cabinet could be teeming with nasties that could have negative health effects.

As I read these articles about the various bacteria that multiply in an open mascara tube, and the loss of effect of certain medications, I thought quite smugly to myself that you wouldn’t find any thing harmful in my bathroom cabinets….although perhaps it would be a good idea to check…

I headed off to the bathroom and opened the doors of my bathroom cabinets. The first thing I noticed was that someone in the family has a terrible habit of not replacing the bottle-tops after they have used a cream or hair gel! Obviously, this means that dust, air and goodness knows what else can make their way into the container, so those all had to be tossed into the rubbish bin. I also got rid of any lotions, potions and products which looked “off” – a good rule to stick to here is that if it has changed in consistency(texture), fragrance or colour, get rid of it!

Next, I focused on medications – we had the usual non prescription items such as paracetamol and aspirin, along with some leftover cream that had been prescribed when one of the kids had a skin infection and some tablets which my husband used to take for a stomach complaint. Now I was starting to realise that my bathroom cabinets had a few secrets to hide – it had been at least a year since the cream was prescribed and the tube was looking worse for the wear. As for the tablets, the expiry date was long passed by. Rather than throwing unused and expired medication into the general rubbish, I bagged it all up to take to my local pharmacy, as they have the means to dispose of these things safely.

Finally, I hit the make-up, and I think most women will agree with me here when I say that throwing cosmetics away is not a habit! Make-up provides a perfect environment for bacteria, while certain ingredients can become unstable as they are exposed to air over a long period of time. I steeled myself to be strict and again, was shocked at what I found. Lipsticks dating back five years (how could I ever have worn that shade!), mascaras that were so dry that they were useless and foundation which had separated – all destined to the garbage. Again the rule to follow here really is, if in doubt – throw it out!

The outcome of all of this – very tidy looking bathroom cabinets, with nothing to harm my family lurking inside – and I’ll certainly be keeping a closer eye on the contents of my cabinets from now on!

For any landlord or tenant damp problems are the most annoying ones and, at the same time, the most common and repeating ones too. Water leaking and condensation are the two major reasons for damp problems in most places. They can occur in all parts of the house, however, the most often attacked places are the basement and roof. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no damp problems in other parts of the house. Ignoring the first signs of dampness is the worst step you could take here as increased and continued dampness can affect your health.

The initial signs of dampness in a building are the wet patches on the walls and mould or puddles on window seals and walls. It is common scene where people ignore removing the dirt on the roof of the building and let dirt accumulate on the gutters and holes that otherwise would have allowed the water to pass. Continued presence of water in these places affect the roof, making the water pass through the bricks creating dampness. The best remedy is of course removing all the dirt from these gutters and paths to let water pass through. Cleaning once in a while is in fact prevention of the dampness and as you know prevention is always better than cure.

Water in the basement is even more dangerous for it can affect the foundation of the house. The reason of the dampness could be again dirt or clog accumulating in the gutters and downspouts of the house. After a heavy rain the water seeps into the basement and refuses to leave as the ways out are covered with dirt. Cleaning the basement and the gutters is the best remedy in this case too.

While treating the dampness in your property, diagnosing the right cause is crucial. Treatment has to be for the core reason of the dampness and not for the obvious dampness seen on the walls. Just like in the case of diseases affecting human being, dampness on the house can also be effectively removed if detected on time. However, if it has gone beyond control it is better that you consult a professional.

The advantage of entrusting professional specialists for removing the dampness is that they would be aware of most damp problems that affect a house and the remedies to remove it with minimal damage to the house. While saving your efforts and time it makes sure that the dampness is removed completely making your shelter damp proof again.

Article Source: http://www.homedesignhelp.com

Rendering is done for a house constructed or renovated to give its walls a finished appearance. It has been done in different ways in different countries since centuries. Though not considered a part of beautifying the house, it is exactly what rendering does. Rendering is done by mixing cement, lime plaster and sand and giving a coating of that mixture to surfaces of cement, brick or mud. Rendering is given to both the exterior and interior walls of a house.

Before the mixture is applied any old rendering is scraped away. When coating the walls with the rendering mixture two coatings are provided. While the first coating is to cover the cement or mud surface, the second coating gives the finish that the rendering is meant to provide. The surface where the rendering is applied is even more roughed to improve adhesion. After coating the surfaces with the mixture different finishes are given so that the walls have a unique look. Mostly this depends on the look that the property owners would want to give the walls. This can be different looks like coarse, smooth, textured, etc. After applying the rendering it takes around 28 days for it to dry, especially if it is the traditional rendering

Once the walls are rendered there is usually no further need for painting, however, this depends on what people wish for their walls. Sometimes they are left plain or sometimes painted. To bring differences to the walls various tools like sponges and brushes are used over the coating and given different finishes like sand stone, marble, stone chip, lime wash or clay.

Today, it is quite easy to find rendering service providers. If earlier you had to wait for a long time to get hold of an experienced rendering provider, today it is quite easy as you can find them online. You could easily look up these services and send your enquiry immediately. Also, you can expect quality service with guarantee and often even post finish maintenance. So if you are planning for a renovation of your walls rendering of walls could be a wise decision.

Article Source: http://homedesignhelp.com/homedesign/rendering-walls-%E2%80%93-inexpensive-way-of-beautifying-your-home/

It was towards the end of our journey that we landed in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It was 2030 yet here the people were living the authentic lives of the Berber tribes. It seemed strange to be amongst people who had not changed in hundreds of years while the rest of the world had left their village lives behind long before. Of course this was not to last much longer as tribal wars escalated with the interference of the larger Atlantic colonies.

We always have our vehicle on ‘mirage’ setting when we land in hot places so that it appears to be but a shimmer on the burning soil. This time we landed just after the first snows came so we were glad to find the sun’s effect on snow was much the same and hid our vehicle from sight. Of course if anyone had walked in that direction they would have walked straight into it.

This was one of five regions where Moroccan rugs are made which stretch from the Atlas Mountains to the Atlantic plains. We found that they used the same techniques of knotting or flat weave, the former being shaggy in style but all of them having bold colours and simple motifs. It was impossible not to stand out here, as strangers were uncommon. We had to leave this place in a hurry as, though we had disguised ourselves as tribesmen and women, some small details gave us away. They thought we belonged to a neighbouring tribe and apparently, though neighbours, they didn’t usually drop in on each other as casually as we had, unless they were arranging a marriage.

Our time in the 21st century was fruitful; we learnt much about textiles, their use and manufacture and as much about the people of the time’s reverence for traditional skills in this field. Martine, who was studying governance as a major but ‘consumerism’ as a minor, spent much time discussing the retail trade with anyone who seemed to be selling consumer goods or services. For our convenience we insisted that ‘rugs for sale’ was his focus until we could move on. It would be terrible to be lost in another time and this has only ever happened once with the earliest time travellers. Now we all wear location chips under our skin so that we cannot lose them or have them taken from us but still the trauma of being separated from the group may cause a traveller to accidentally give away their identity and be seen as a unlawful immigrant and the studies of law enforcement throughout history has not proved that true justice was achieved until well into the 24th century.

The retail trade in rugs seemed to range from the thin cloths used by the poorest that were of no use as rugs or strong traditionally woven rugs with good design that was the choice of the wealthiest. In between there were modest, usable rugs and plain bright things but as I’ve noted before, bare polished floors, when seen in the North, were a sign of affluence yet in the southern hemisphere were often a sign of poverty.

Rugs and Carpets

Is a lacquered floor easier to maintain than an oiled floor?

Solid oak flooring which is oiled is very easy to clean and, like oak flooring which is lacquered, will not attract dirt. It will, however, need to be re-oiled from time to time, and a waxed floor will need to be waxed. Do not let this affect your selection of oak flooring because it does not take long to oil your oak flooring and need not be done more than once a year under normal use and wear.

One important factor with oiled oak flooring is that it can look like a new floor forever. Should your oiled flooring receive a scratch, it can simply be sanded away with a small piece of sandpaper before applying new oil. Alternatively lacquered oak flooring to be sanded and lacquered again in its entirety.

Which type of oak flooring is better for kitchens, bathrooms and conservatories?

We believe that engineered oak flooring is a better solution than solid oak flooring, for all of these areas of the home. Though, be aware that your floor will require ongoing maintenance in these areas to ensure its stability and performance.

Will my wood floor change colour after it is laid?

Most oak flooring will darken as it ages and take on a deeper, richer colour as it reacts with light. The degree of contrast within the boards is determined by the grade of the floor chosen. Rustic oak flooring will develop the greatest contrast.

A real wood floor is a natural product and will react to various conditions.

Can I enjoy under floor heating with real solid oak flooring?

A solid oak floor can be laid with under floor heating so long as it has been properly acclimatised and installed to allow for such extreme heat variations.

We always recommend the use of engineered oak flooring with under floor heating and not a solid oak floor. Please refer to our UFH Fitting Guidelines for correct procedures. We recommend our Self Regulating UFH system for use with Oak Flooring because it can never overheat.

Whether it is a huge calamity like a flood or a small inconvenience like a pipe burst, the part of the house that gets damaged first and most is the floor. Also, it’s the repair of the floor that takes the most time and effort and creates the largest inconvenience. So how do you manage a situation like that? Well, there are always options. You could restore the floor by yourself or entrust the job to a professional floor restoration company.

There are several websites and booklets that help you in repairing the floor. However, there are even more reasons why it’s a better idea to let the professionals do the job. Here are a few of them:

Better knowledge

A professional floor restoration company invariably has a superior knowledge of the most effective ways to repair an old or damaged floor, whether it is made of wood, concrete, marble or granite. Floor restoration involves many factors like decontamination, dehumidification, and many more. With its wide experience and skilled workmen, a professional company is expected to bring the former glory back to your floors.

Latest and quality techniques of restoration

When there is a leak in the washing machine or a pipe, the water that comes out normally gets soaked in the minute cracks within the floors. Normally when you repair the floors yourself you might not find this stagnant water or might not know how to remove it. But a floor restoration company would have the suitable techniques and facilities to find this surplus water and remove it. Also, they would also know the correct and best equipment to do the job effectively.

More Safety

When water remains on the floor for an indefinite period, it leads to the growth of mould, fungus or bacteria. An expert would know how to remove this without contaminating the rest of the area and without creating any risk to the health of the people in the vicinity. Another very important reason why you should employ an experienced company to repair the floor of your building.

Less hassle

Needless to say, a professional floor restoration saves you a lot of hard work and money. You could avoid a lot of unnecessary dust and dirt and also save the money for hiring the necessary equipment to renovate the floor.

As in other areas of household, in the care of floors also prevention is always better than cure. Keep the floor clean always. Get it checked by an expert once or twice a year, especially if your premises are prone to chemicals and water leaks. Even in the case of domestic environment, occasional checks are essential for a healthy living atmosphere.

To many of us our garden sheds are the place to store little more than a shovel, a rake and a lawnmower but for one New Zealand based movie fanatic, the garden shed was the place to store something of infinitely greater value, he just mightn’t have know quite how valuable it would be.
It was in a humble garden shed that the earliest known film of legendary British director Alfred Hitchcock was discovered; and the movie will now screen in Los Angeles for the first time in more than 80 years. Incredibly the film might have been lost forever had it not been for an eccentric hoarder in New Zealand.

The only known print of the 1923 feature “The White Shadow” lay in a garden shed in the North Island town of Hastings for many decades, alongside hundreds of other films from the silent era.

The collection was assembled by Jack Murtagh, a cinema projectionist who New Zealand Film Archive chief Frank Stark described as a “magpie”, unable to throw away the prints that passed through his hands.

Murtagh died in 1989, but his print hoarding instinct has left behind a rich legacy for film buffs, including shorts, newsreels and features from the early days of Hollywood that were bequeathed to the film archive.

Nowadays a garden shed can mean infinitely more than a hardwood box holding some gardening implements, it can be a playroom, a working environment and even a place to store items of great value. The modern garden shed comes in many shapes and sizes, and can be built for safety, security and reliability. What you choose to hold within, is entirely up to you.