Garden renovations are a common practice for homeowners all over the world, whether it’s turning a jungle of a garden into a neat, clean living space or it’s just bringing your outdoor area up to date. Everyone has an idea of what they want their renovated garden to look like – what plants are going to take which spots, where the pond might go, how big the patio is going to be – but knowing the materials required for certain aspects of the project is a different matter.
In this piece, we are going to detail why you might concrete for different aspects of your garden project and why they are necessary. (Different types of concrete have different pricing, so please ensure you understand the costs of each concrete before you begin):
External pathways:
For external pathways, we recommend C30 concrete. This concrete is designed for lighter applications, like paving in gardens. The PAV 1 mixes of C30 concrete contain an air entrainment additive, used to create standard air bubbles that help to protect the concrete from freeze-thaw cycles.
Swimming pools:
As swimming pools are obviously heavy, the concrete that they need to be built upon needs to be strong. C40 concrete is ideal for this purpose. It’s used commonly for support beams and structural support, including footage and foundations. C40 concrete is also used for septic tanks.
Fence posts:
In order to ensure your fence posts are secured in the ground, they need to have solid foundations. C20 concrete is the ideal choice for this, as it is designed for lightweight domestic applications.
Patios:
For seating and socialising in your garden, you can’t go wrong with a patio. But the patio needs a solid base to ensure people are sitting comfortably. C20 concrete is the material for you.
When it comes to comparing the different mini excavators, there are some main factors that need to be taken into consideration. These include the operating height, dump height and digging depth. These 3 aspects will always have an effect on the size and type of machinery that you will obtain as they impact directly on the productivity levels when it comes to job sites.
Before deciding on one model, make sure you are pairing your requirements with the capabilities of a machine in order to ensure they are matching up. Choosing an excavator that is undersized will not provide enough functionality or power in order to accomplish your job requirements in an effective manner. And even when the bigger excavators may seem like a better choice they can risk causing unnecessary damages on a job site as well as using significant amounts of fuel.
Factors To Keep In Min When Comparing Diggers
Below are the main factors that manufacturers make use of to compare diggers to their competing models. Some of the machines can fall outside of the ranges, they still represent an average of the availability currently.
Bore
These are mainly utilized for installing cables or conduits and underground-utility construction. The directional bores are able to drill in a horizontal manner underground with average diameters of between 3.7 to 4.5 inches in relation to diameter for the mini excavators.
Net Power
This is a representation of the “total output” these machines are capable of. The lower end machines are designed for lighter duties such and handling of materials and landscaping and the higher end machines are designed for mining applications, heavy-duty construction, trenching and stump removals. You can expect these machines to feature horsepower of between 10hp and 50hp.
Swing System
This design will allow the operators the ability to hydraulically-shift their boom in specific ranges of degrees to the right or the left. These are utilized for trenching and digging in a parallel way to the tracks of the machine. The typical swing speeds range between 9.2 and 11 RPMs.
Engine Fuel
In regards to the horsepower required even with the light-duty tasks, each mini digger uses diesel fuel and will feature tank sizes that vary from as little as 3.6 gallons onto 33 gallons dependent on the output and size of these machines.
Maximum Governed
With the intention to maintain torque loads placed on the engine which occur with varying demands, a typical maximum when it comes to governed RPM is about 2200 RPM.
Maximum Digging Depth
This should be one of the main considerations to keep in mind before purchasing a mini excavator. This is because it will dictate the depth of the trenches. When it comes to mini diggers you can expect a 5.5 to a 12 feet deep range.
Max Dump Height
Another important consideration, particularly when the machine will be used to handle materials on a job site. The maximum dump height varies between 6 to 13 feet.
Operating Weight
Often referred to as “compact” or “mini” this portion of the excavators weigh anything from 2,000 to 18,500 lbs and will be chosen according to the least impact it will have on the working environment.
from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/01/buying-mini-digger.html
For a lot of homeowners there’s something appealing about personally taking care of jobs around the house. While there are definitely times to leave it to the professionals, there’s something satisfying about using your own hands to fix up your home when you can manage it.
Of course, much of your ability to take care of home repairs depends on the job itself and your skill as a handyman, but it’s not all up to skill. Sometimes having the right tools for the job can have you well on your way to a professional approach to basic projects. Here are a few specific tips to keep in mind.
1. Learn The “Hacks”
There are usually more than a few easy ways to simplify small repairs around the house. Remodeling Expense wrote up a helpful list of home “life hacks” that dealt with everything from fixing scuffed floors to hiding the wiring for a mounted television. Learning some of these tracks can have you well on your way to being more handy around the house and maintaining it like a pro.
2. Upgrade Your Tools
For a lot of homeowners a toolkit typically means a few basic handheld tools that have probably been lying around for years, maybe with a set of wrenches thrown in. But upping your tool game can help you do a far more thorough and professional job when addressing a lot of home repairs. A power drill is one of the essentials for any home collection and Screwfix has neatly catalogued a number of drills to make it easy for you to find the perfect one for your home. We recommend finding a decently powerful cordless model with a reverse setting to get yourself started.
3. Have a Home Starter Kit
In addition to a solid power drill there are also a few other must-haves for any home starter kit. A hammer is something of a no-brainer but you should also have two types of manual screwdrivers (a flat head and a Phillips head), a set of hex wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a measuring tape, and a level. With a set of tools at your disposal that covers the basics you’ll be well on your way to fixing up your home in no time.
4. Find Ways To Practice
From fixing electrical wiring to repairing a hole in a wall, home upkeep can present a lot of jobs that you may have never tried before. That can be a bit intimidating, but as with most everything else in life, practice makes perfect. That means one of the best ways to set about becoming a professional-caliber home DIY’er is to find ways to gain some more experience. You might want to try your hand at finishing or remodeling a basement or some other out-of-the-way room just for practice, or build a workshop or garden shed on your property. Projects like these can expose you to all kinds of jobs that you’ll learn valuable lessons from and help prepare you for future problems.
5. Remember To Be Organized
It’s tempting to look at home repair tasks as being all about hands-on work, but the best repair jobs tend to be the most organized ones. That means you’ll also want to keep things clean and maintain records of your progress. This isn’t particularly complicated, but you may want to have a notebook set aside for jobs around the house. In it you can record a list of things that need doing, materials you need, and progress on various ventures. Additionally, you should always keep adequate cleaning materials nearby—it’s pretty easy to make a mess otherwise.
6. Know Your Limits
Finally, it’s important to know your own limits. Optimism, hard work, and a will to learn can take you a long way, but The Huffington Post points out that there are some projects you probably shouldn’t try on your own unless you happen to have the necessary expertise. Even the handiest of homeowners still recognize the need to call a professional from time to time!
As a home heating device, radiators operating via steam have been around for many decades. In fact, they predate central heating systems relying on hot water-based radiators. Granted, in many homes up and down the UK, hot water-powered systems have long been favoured over their steam counterparts, yet in some instances (and certainly in homes outside the UK; for instance, in the US) the latter remains very common. But why?
Well, the advantage with a steam system is it drives heat through pipes and to radiators without the need for pumping, which makes heat distribution easier – and cheaper – through large, tall buildings, such as inner city apartment blocks. However, there is a drawback. Relatively speaking, a steam-based central heating system may be considered more dangerous than a hot water-based one – if it’s not properly maintained, that is. Obviously, these dangers can be avoided so long as inspection takes place regularly and worn out and faulty parts are repaired and replaced.
Old radiators, systems and boilers
So what goes wrong with steam systems? Well, as many are ageing nowadays, some are at the mercy of wear and tear; specifically corrosion inside their pipework and boiler, usually unseen and unnoticed, thus potentially causing pipes to burst, blasting steaming vapour into rooms or even causing explosions.
Additionally, there can also be pressure build-up within the pipes and so stress on the entire system because ageing boilers are not being turned on and off automatically due to faulty thermostatic controls. Or because a boiler may have become clogged up with chemicals and minerals or because radiator relief valves have worn out and refuse to open. In such aged and compromised systems, valves may also simply break off if they’re worn out, resulting again in a room filling with steam and suddenly resembling a piping hot sauna.
It’s worth mentioning too that should a system be leaking a large amount of steam or generating a lot of humid air via its radiators, it’s likely to foster mould in a room, which can prove to be a health hazard for young children, the elderly and people afflicted with allergies and respiratory conditions. Again, however, it should also be stressed that, although the wearing out of components is common, these worst case scenarios are rare because steam systems are, by and large, effectively maintained.
Maintenance is crucial
If you’re responsible for a steam system then it’s crucial you ensure it’s regularly inspected and kept in good condition. This should involve a professional expert examining the boiler, its radiators, its exposed pipes and its release valves, specifically for any worn or broken components. They also should check the guide marks to be found on the boiler’s sight glass; these will inform them whether or not the boiler contains the correct amount of water. Moreover, they should insist on the area in which the boiler’s stored be kept free of all dust and debris – allowing the latter to build up here is just asking for trouble as they could become potential fire hazards.
All that said, there is, of course, an alternative to maintaining an old steam system. Depending on the constraints of the building it serves, it may be possible to upgrade it; that is, replace it with a more modern and (relatively) safer hot water-powered system, which would also be a good excuse for installing new, stylishly designed radiators. And why not? Given there are so many different smart and elegant types to choose from today, including the likes of the towel rail radiator and the mirror radiator.
Rarely dangerous
If installing a whole new central heating system isn’t an option, though, then it’s certainly possible to keep a steam system going; irrespective of its age, so long as it’s been well looked after. To that end, such a system is unlikely to pose significant dangers to home occupants. Indeed, most injuries from a radiator tend to occur because children have foolishly touched its piping hot, metal surface rather than because steam has escaped or exploded out of the radiator owing to a broken or worn out valve or any other system components.
It is true, of course, that steam can burn skin worse than hot water because it may be superheated; however, children tend to get burned much more often by scalding bath water than by steam, while the severity of steam burns are often lower than those caused by fire. Unlike steam systems and radiators then, fire – that potentially highly dangerous component found in every home – is surely the main one every household should remain ever vigilant about.
There’s a variety of reasons for why your garage door may not be functioning properly. The causes range from dead transmitter batteries to something blocking the door’s path. Fortunately, the answer is usually something easily resolvable.
Some common garage door problems — and how to fix them — are:
A Tentative Door
When the garage door starts to lower and then stays down for about a second before coming back up, it’s likely a sign that there is something blocking the door’s path. Since the door attempted to go down, that suggests there’s nothing wrong with the batteries or transmitter.
Garage doors are designed so they don’t crush objects in their path. Otherwise, it would present a very dangerous prospect. Check the area around the door to make sure nothing is blocking it. If it’s all clear, the issue could also be a buildup of debris on the tracks that’s preventing the rollers from moving forward. Dirt, mud and rocks can build up there, and if a door hits that debris, it will go back up, resulting in this tentative door.
The resolution to a garage door that’s reopening is either something blocking the path or debris build-up. The latter may require a step ladder to view the tracks on the top part of the system, but otherwise this issue can be resolved fairly easily by moving whatever is blocking the door.
A Non-Responsive Garage Door
If the door isn’t responding at all, it’s likely that the door’s transmitter batteries are dead. This prevents a strong enough signal being sent to the receiver to open the door. You might still see the lights on the receiver light up, or it may try to open. But, if the door remains shut when you push the buttons, try replacing the batteries in your handheld transmitter.
Changing the battery is a simple process that requires sliding the door open on the back of the transmitter, removing the old battery, then replacing it with another. Make sure the plus and minus signs are lined up, like conventional batteries, and test it. The door should work now.
Misaligned Photo Eye
If your garage door is refusing to open or opens a bit and then stops, it also could be due to a misaligned photo eye. Garage doors developed after 1993 have two tiny photo eyes that transmit an invisible beam to detect if anything is in a garage door’s path. If the door keeps stopping, yet clearly nothing is blocking it from closing, the eyes could be misaligned or dirty.
Be careful not to scratch or damage the photo eye when cleaning it, since it’s only a few centimeters in diameter and can be fragile. Use a soft cloth and a mild cleaner to wipe away any dirt or residue. After this, make sure the alignment is correct — the eyes should be pointing in the same direction and at the same angle. They need to register each other to accurately detect if anything is in the garage door’s path. A level can also be used to ensure they are pointing directly at each other.
Broken Torsion Springs
Another potential cause of a garage door failing to go up is broken torsion springs. When these break, there will be a loud bang, so if you hear that and the door stops working, it’s likely broken torsion springs. Doors typically have one or two of these springs.
While some garage door solutions can be resolved at home, broken torsion springs require the work of a professional. A broken spring, and the springs in general, can be dangerous to work with because they are under an extreme amount of pressure. Make sure not to attempt to open the door until a professional gives it a look. Springs expire after significant use, so this can happen to anyone.
Tension springs and cables could also break, and they require the attention of a professional as well.
Check the Disconnect Switch
If the door doesn’t move but you can still hear its motor, your disconnect switch may be enabled. This switch allows you to open the garage door without power, in case you need to get something out of the garage, such as your car, during a power outage. The switch is sometimes attached to a hanging rope.
If you used the switch during a power outage, you will have to reattach it to automatically open and close your door again. You’ll need a step ladder to reattach it.
Issues for garage door owners are fairly common. The garage door might keep re-opening, not close or not stay down. The various explanations above can usually remedy the issue, with many of them entailing simple at-home repair. However, you can always contact a professional as well should something with your garage door be beyond your realm of DIY abilities — such as changing the torsion springs.
No matter your garage door situation, though, by following these tips, you’ll be fully prepared next time your garage door gives you difficulty.
Is your bathroom in dire need of a pick-me-up? Bathrooms and kitchens are notorious, money-sucking renovations for a home. However, this post will share a few secrets to redoing a small bathroom on a budget.
Alicia from DIY Home & Health recently did a bathroom renovation that only cost around $150 and in the post below she’s going to reveal her hacks for renovating a bathroom on a budget!
Disclaimer: This post is based off of Alicia’s original article on DIY Home & Health which is sponsored by HOMAX®. Homax sent Alicia their improved formula for their TOUGH AS TILE® Brush-On Epoxy Refinishing Kit. All opinions expressed in the post below are Alicia’s.
If you have an ugly bathroom and are just looking for a way to spruce it up without breaking the bank, these renovation tips are for you!
When most people start to plan their new bathroom look, the first thing they think about is paint. Paint is an easy way to give a room a whole new look! That’s why I’m not sticking it in my list of hacks. This post isn’t to give you the obvious (like a fresh coat of paint) but to help you think of ways to improve your bathroom’s appearance that you may not even know exist!
Hack #1: Use stick-on flooring.
Bathrooms can be one of the toughest areas to put down new flooring due to the toilet and other weird curves. If your bathroom has vinyl, which most old, cheap bathrooms do, not only will you have to scrape up the vinyl tiles, but you will need to also scrape up the glue layer which usually sticks the vinyl to the wood beneath. This can be a messy and long task. So instead, just leave the vinyl as is and cover it up with stick-on flooring. Use the stick-on vinyl wood flooring that is thin enough to easily cut through with a razor knife. This will make cutting those weird curves easier than if you go for thicker floors like floating vinyl wood floors. Ollie’s carries stick-on flooring around $20 for about 20 square feet (this pricing and availability is an estimate and it may not be carried in a store near you).
Hack #2: Use stick-on tile for accents.
I’m sure you’re starting to see a trend here. The secret to renovating your bathroom on a budget is to simply cover up the old with something new. Stick-on mosaic tiles or even stick-on stone looks great on mirror edges, as a backsplash, on the outside of the tub, or as certain wall accents. I got my stick-on anti-fungal tile on Amazon for $15 a sheet. To complete a large mirror trim, I needed two sheets.
Hack #3: Use the Homax Tough as Tile Refinishing Kit.
Easily mask older or discolored sinks, toilets and tubs with Homax. My bathroom had a fake marbled countertop and sink that I was dying to get rid of. However, purchasing a brand-new sink and vanity would cost me upwards of $400. Since this is a secondary bathroom, one we really only use if there are guests or if our master bathroom is taken, using this product to paint over the ugly laminate countertop and sink was a great solution. You can find it at The Home Depot and Lowe’s and the brush-on formula, which I used, is just under $40 (price may depend on where you live). It also comes in a spray that may be easier to use depending on your project.
Watch my video on how to apply Homax Tough as Tile.
Hack #4: Replace hardware and light covers.
This hack you may not be needed depending on how old your bathroom looks. Mine had mustard yellow, cracked light switch covers and a gross looking floor vent. The hardware on the cabinets was rusty and out of date. Even though these are small items in the bathroom, they affect the overall appearance of the room. They are also relatively cheap to switch out. A new floor vent cost me $10, outlet covers $3, and new hardware for the cabinet $4. If you are looking for an easy hack to fixing mismatched outlets and covers, use a decorator wall plate. I’ve even painted my light switches with nail polish to get it to be the same color as the plate!
Here are my before and after shots of the bathroom:
Keep in mind, these are DIY hacks, which means they won’t necessarily add tremendous value to your home like doing a proper renovation with real hardwood, actual tiles, and a new sink and counter. But if all you are looking for is for a prettier bathroom without spending thousands of dollars, then these tips will work for you.
First rule of farming: Don’t name your livestock. You shouldn’t get too friendly with an animal that is going to end up on somebody’s dinner plate. Yes, the most profitable farm animals are often the ones that generate income by being sold for their meat — but not always.
It’s important to note, however, that if you’re planning on selling the meat from your livestock, it helps to make sure there is a market for what you’re selling. For example, you could raise ostriches, but if no one is buying ostrich burgers, then you’re not going to be in good shape. You also have to think about those “final stages.” Will you be doing the butchering or merely selling off the livestock?
Once you have those issues worked out, you could consider the following livestock choices that are profitable, even if you aren’t simply selling them for meat:
Chickens
Chickens are probably the most popular low-maintenance farm animal. They can also generate three potential revenue streams between their eggs, meat and their poop — yes, we know, but it makes great fertilizer for vegetable gardens once it’s composted.
One chicken needs about four square feet as their own “zone” in the coop. The more space they have, the better off they’ll be — and so will you. Stress can reduce egg production.
The chickens will also need the coop to be dry, and they’ll require a fresh water supply as well as plenty of feed. Fortunately, feed for your chickens is relatively easy to come by — it can be just about anything from compost, veggie scraps or store feed.
Once the coop is up and running, your job will be to keep it clean and keep the chickens safe from predators.
Honeybees
A farm for bees? Why not? Once you set up the hive boxes, all you need to do is provide some water and then sit back and watch all that honey get made. Best of all, bees are free. You’ll just have to invest in the boxes as well as bee suits and honey-collecting gear, but there will be no requirements for day-to-day feeding!
The hive box you’ll set up will have sugar water to attract the bees. Once they move in, there will be no stopping their growth.
Placement of the hive is key, too — you don’t want this box right outside your kitchen. However, if you’re looking for a cost-effective, low-maintenance animal for your farm, honeybees are certainly a way to go.
Goats
A cow is going to take up a lot of room. You would also need several cows to generate any kind of decent profit. On the other hand, a few goats can prove to be profitable without eating you out of house and home. They work great as roving lawn mowers. Their milk is easier to digest, and goat cheese can be fantastic.
Ironically, though, goats themselves have tender tummies, so you have to keep an eye out for stomach problems that can quickly deteriorate. Also, make sure your fences are secure. Goats love to roam and aren’t above making a “leap” to freedom.
As you get comfortable with these low-maintenance farm animals — and bees — you’ll be able to expand your existing collections and add more variety. Of course, you can make life simple and just stick with the chickens and the bees. Note to self: Look for honey glaze chicken recipe for dinner.
As a home heating device, radiators operating via steam have been around for many decades. In fact, they predate central heating systems relying on hot water-based radiators. Granted, in many homes up and down the UK, hot water-powered systems have long been favoured over their steam counterparts, yet in some instances (and certainly in homes outside the UK; for instance, in the US) the latter remains very common. But why?
