Humidity Meter: 3月 2012

2012年3月14日星期三

Diabetes Management Tips - Achieving Accurate Blood Glucose Readings

People living with diabetes test their blood glucose anywhere from weekly to three to seven times daily or more. When performed properly, regular and frequent testing is an important diabetes management tool that can help people with diabetes avoid long-term risks and complications. However, even slight environmental variations can skew results and lead to problems including costly retesting and inaccurate adjustments to blood glucose levels.

Marc Wolf, a registered pharmacist with more than 28 years of experience helping patients with diabetes management and founder and CEO of Diabetic Care Services offers supply storage, usage and testing procedure tips to ensure accurate glucose readings for improved diabetes management.

Diabetes Testing Supply Storage

- Avoid storing meters and test strips in areas that experience varied temperatures, including heat, cold, sunlight or moisture. This can cause glucose meters to produce error messages or damage chemical reagents on test strips, which can cause inaccurate readings and disrupted diabetes management.

- Only use test strips within 30 days of the date you first open the vial. Write the expiration date in permanent marker on the outside of the vial to help remember the date.

- Always store strips in their original vial and replace the vial cap immediately after removing the strips to avoid damage to strips, exposure to airborne contaminants and inaccurate readings.

- Never use strips that are stored in cracked or damaged bottles.

Diabetes Testing Supply Usage

- For accurate diabetes management, always use the test strip that is specific to your blood glucose meter to ensure compatibility. Some strips are physically but not chemically compatible with other meters, and will produce inaccurate readings. Follow meter instructions carefully for proper coding. Also, check that your meter batteries are fully charged, as low batteries can skew results.

- Ensure the glucose meter is prepared to receive a blood droplet before drawing the sample.

- Avoid testing for diabetes management near rooms where there may be high levels of humidity-like the bathroom-as this can alter readings.

- Change lancets for every test, to avoid irritation from dull needles.

Blood Glucose Test Site

- While some new meters allow for alternate site testing, the fingertip is the most accurate test site for diabetes management because it registers changes in blood glucose more quickly than the rest of the body. To avoid calluses, soreness and infection, prick the finger on the sides-not the pads-, alternating between different sides and all ten fingers.

- Properly clean testing site with soap and water before drawing a sample. Even the smallest bits of food, sugar and glucose tablet residue can alter a reading. Make sure the site is entirely dry because even water can affect results.

- Try to test at approximately the same time each day, which will make it easier for you to identify patterns or sudden changes in your results.

Blood Glucose Sample

- Dehydration can cause false high glucose readings, so make sure you are properly hydrated before testing.

- Washing hands in warm water before testing can improve circulation and make it easier to obtain a sample. Pointing hands downward below heart level will also increase circulation.

- Gently squeezing and massaging your finger before pricking can increase blood flow, but do not squeeze finger immediately after prick, as this will actually decrease blood flow. Instead wait a moment and then gently milk the finger.

- When applying blood to the prepared test strip, avoid allowing your finger to touch the strip, as it may cause contamination. Make sure to fill the strip entirely; you may receive an error message if you do not.

After Blood Glucose Testing

- Record results to compare levels before and after meals and between days. If you have trouble remembering to record results, use a meter that stores results in its memory to assist with your diabetes management.

- If the test numbers do not coincide with how you are feeling, a personal indicator of where your general numbers should be, then test again. If you are still unsure, use an alternate meter. Do not ignore your intuition just to avoid retesting. It is important to check every detail for successful diabetes management.

The WaveSense Jazz no code meter, available exclusively at http://www.diabeticcareservices.com and http://www.diabeticexpress.com, can hold up to 1,875 readings.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

My Trip to Gansu Province Part Three - Dunhuang - One Major Stop on Ancient Silk Road

After about an eleven hour bus trip from Zhangye I finally arrived in Dunhuang. Going to Dunhuang is like sailing through a vast desert. Along the way there is little to see, but an endless sea of sand. It's amazing how the roads are well-paved! Anyways, arriving there at 7:00 PM doesn't seem late as the sun was still far from touching the horizon. With that in mind, after checking-in, I immediately set out to see the city sites. I found a small local restaurant and tried some of the very hearty local noodles, complimented with skewers of large juicy, peppery lamb. The sun sets so late there and it was well past 8:00 PM before the sun finally sank behind the horizon.

OK, so what's with Dunhuang? Well, it's actually a main stop on the Silk Road serving as a hub of cultural interchange between China and the west during ancient times. It is located at the west end part of Gansu Province. There are so many places to go to, but we only got to go to the two most famous ones. The first thing that I checked out in Dunhuang was the sand dunes, the second time I have visited sand dunes after my experience in Sha Potou. The sand dunes were only about 200 meters high, but for every forward step you make, you always seem to take a step back. It took a while to reach the top drawing in deep breathes of the dry air. The view at the top of the dunes was once again amazing views over endless seas of golden sand dunes. Living in the green humid south seeing this dry arid landscape for the first time was truly amazing.

The dunes are called Mingsha Shan (Whistling Sand Dunes). There are several explanations for the sounds. One story goes that an army was defeated there and their corpses formed a huge pile; during the night a strong wind blew and their bodies were buried instantly; however, their drums and horns are still audible. Another story says that when two armies were fighting, a great wind arose and all the soldiers were buried alive by the shifting sand. The whistling is the sound of their continued fighting. Still, another legend has it that a village here was buried by the drifting sand during a Spring Festival when all the people were celebrating the new lunar year; so the whistling sound is said to be the music of their beating drums. Like Sha Potou in Ningxia the sand is extremely hot and a collared shirt, water-bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses are all essential.

Another spectacular place is the Cresent-Moon Spring just a few meters from the foot of the sand dune we just climbed. It's a never-drying spring in the shape of a half-moon, hence the name. It has very clear waters and the people even made a pagoda next to it along with a small restaurant for weary climbers to grab something to eat. Just like the desert tourist destination in Ningxia the sand dunes of Dunhuang are filled with camels, dune-buggies, sliding sand-boards and long boardwalks that help you avoid the sweltering sand.

I also checked out Mogao Grottoes also known as the Thousand Buddha Cave. It is hewn out of a steep cliff 25 km southeast of the city. It is the largest one of its kind in China being the site of one of the most priceless collections of Buddhist art the world has ever known. According to a Tang inscription, the carvings began in 366 AD by a monk named Le Zun who was traveling past the area and saw a vision of a thousand golden Buddhas. He collected money from all around and was able to carve out the first grotto. The news spread fast and passing merchants and travelers all donated money for the construction of grottoes in hope of a safe journey. Over the next 1000 years, hundreds of caves were carved out of the steep sandstone cliff in a layered honeycomb pattern and connected together by wooden walkways and ladders. Having been included in the World Heritage List, the government made sure they were well protected. Each cave now has an identifying mark with number, date, and dynasty. The interiors of all the caves have been severely damaged by wind and water erosion and today only 492 grottoes are still standing.

Of the 492 caves, there were like only 20 open to the public when we went there. What's worse, a terrible sand storm swept over the place blowing sand everywhere. Sand storms often are whipped up around the caves making visiting them difficult. When I went there was a light breeze that whipped up what blew a light haze of sand into my face and eyes. The first cave I went to didn't look much like anything except polished stone. As I came closer and looked up, I was dumbstruck at the magnificence of the carving. It was a Buddha statue 45 meters high. From the outside, I guess all I saw was his huge belly. What's more amazing about these carvings is that on the ceiling are murals each with a story to tell.

Finally, Dunhuang is also known for its luminous cups or Moonlight Cups. These are cups made from a kind of jade-like rock bearing beautiful patterns of green and black shading. They are paper-thin and almost transparent. What's so amazing about them is that they can be magnetized and they make a glass-like sound if you gently hit two of them together. Don't ask about the price!

Dunhuang is the most accessible of all the places I visited along the Silk Road, it even has its own airport located around 15kms east of the town, it has a small town commercial hustle that is missing in both Zhangye and Xiahe making more comfortable, however, it loses some of that small town magic and sense of wonderment that exists in the small towns of Zhangye and Dunhuang. Travelling from Xiahe to Dunhuang is a special if not challenging route for those keen on exploring the Silk Road, Xiahe with its unrefined natural beauty and wonderment, Dunhuang a development township with amazing desert scenery and Zhangye, which sits in between and offers a little bit of both. It was truly an unforgettable summer holiday!

If you want to know more information on China Travel, welcome to see our website:
For more China Travel Guide at http://www.visitourchina.com/guide/
For more China City Tours at http://www.visitourchina.com/city/

We are your friends in China. Let's discover China together!

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月13日星期二

How Sometimes Ignorance In Tennis Is Bliss!

fter trashing Guillermo Canas 6-0, 6-3 in the MUTUA MADRILENA MASTERS MADRID 2007, Federer made the following comment; "I was especially disappointed with the Miami loss, so to beat him later in the year after two tough losses is nice."

To me that answer did not make one bit of horse sense! Why would Federer be upset to have lost in Key Biscayne, Florida (U.S.A.)? when the altitude is about only 3 Meters (9 Feet) above sea level, the courts are relatively slow, the balls do not move at all, the humidity and heat are unbearable, breathing is a torture, the wind blows from every direction, all in all conditions that highly favored a marathon type player from torrid and humid South America like Cañas, with an extremely low unforced error percentage (the so called "paparra"*).

Roger's more honest answer would have been "Yep, Miami hurt but Indian Wells hurt even more because I was playing under conditions that favored me, with an altitude of about 500 FT (167 M) and weather identical to my city of birth, Basel 853 FT (260 M), on pretty quick courts, with fast high bouncing topspin shots, rather low skidding balls on my slices and volleys, but in the end Canas still nailed me!"

In conclusion to the question, Roger Federer could have said; "Even though those two defeats hurt me, in Madrid at an altitude of about 1,969 FT (656 M) with all other conditions in my favour, fast moving balls high boucing on quick tennis courts, very low skidding balls on my slices on my attacks and volleys, plus the key factor of playing on an indoor tennis court which virtually and effectively reduces Canas defense capabilities by about 50% when the defense is indeed the core of his game, I knew that no matter how bad I played, chances were 95% in my favor that I would win." (Note- The 5% left in Canas favor would be in case of a Federer injury!)

This would have made plenty more sense to me, what about you?

In reference to "high altitude play" 1,800 FT (600 metres) is not a real challenge even though it does affect play, but anything at the 3,000 FT (1,000 M) and above sea level should be approached with much respect and longer then a 3 day preparation should be planned. As a tennis player here are some places to watch for; Mexico City, Mexico 7,349 FT (2,240 M), Quito, Equador, 9,200 FT (2,800 M), Johannesburg 5,751.3 FT (1,753 metres), Lima depending on location up to 5,079 FT (1,548 M), Gstaad 3'150 F (1,050 M) and a few others.

Altitude play can be a real curse or a blessing depending on how well you adapt and the type of game you play. Altitude training (sometimes simulated altitude in pressurized systems) is a blessing because, done the right way** and at the right times in the year, can lead to the natural gain of red blood cells which are so much in need for top performance.

The more an athletes body is at the top of its fitness, the greater care you have to take with it. In some ways an athlete's body is like the strings on a violin. As you fine tune it, the sound produced can be sublime, but, with the increase in sound quality, the risk of breaking the strings is much higher as well.

Of course there is a lot more to it then what meets the eye in tournament play. Knowledge of the conditions and quick adaptation to the environment you are going to play in; court surface, court size, back-drops, colours, wind patterns, tennis balls, lighting, sun position, shoes, racket string tension, clothing, sleeping plus drinking water, nutrition, mental preparation, regeneration and more...are all fundamental.

An early arrival of 2 to 3 days before the tournament begins allied to proper nutrition, physical and tennis training, can definitely make a huge difference in the outcome of your performance in a tennis tournament. The no respect of this rule at ATP/WTA professional level, many times leads to injuries and often to the surprise early exit of seeded players, who were late arrivals due to overloaded schedules, final play in a previous tournament and a myriad of other reasons.

In the tennis high altitude tournament play the scenario is no different, even though some believe if you can't train at altitude for at least two or preferably four to five weeks, prior to the tournament, your next best choice appears to be to compete immediately. But, since most athletes compete at their worst 24 to 48 hours after arriving at altitude, in my opinion you should keep in mind that everyone is in the same boat (exception, the ones born and who lived many years in high altitude) therefore an early arrival of at least 3 days before the tournament should be enforced and give you a small edge by passing the 48hr threshold.

As far as Federers comment, of course he knows what's going on, but he has to say something to the hungry press and certainly it will not be the real truth that he keeps for himself in the only place he can have true privacy for his pains and tribulations on the tour, his heart!

*In South America a tennis "paparra" is "el que passa mil y una pelotas (bolas)" the one that gets a thousand and one balls over the net without making a mistake. In short, "the tennis players nightmare"!

** For example, living at high altitude 6,000 FT (2,000 M) or above and training at lower altitude between 3000 FT (1,000 M) and 4,200 feet (1,400 M), with proper medical supervision (iron intake, VO2 max, lactates and other important controls), should bring the best results.

- NOTE WELL, this is NOT a training plan, nor advise for unsupervised athletes or anyone else. An individual professional training plan, professional advise and medical supervision before, during and after training is a must! DO NOT and I repeat, DO NOT try high altitude training alone, trying it alone can put YOUR LIFE AT RISK, so DO NOT DO IT without a highly qualified professional training team and medical support!

For quick access to all links or vidoeo to the referenced articles please go to http://www.tenniscruz.com

Sergio Cruz is an ex # 1 National Champion, Davis Cup Player from Portugal and former Coach Jim Courier ATP World Ranking # 1

http://www.tenniscruz.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Corn Snakes

Corn snakes are the most popular pet snake there is, and for a very good reason. These are snakes with a very good temper, and they are very easy to keep in an enclosure. Their adult size will usually be between 4 to 6 feet, and they have a very slender body type. The "original" corn snake has a black and white checkered pattern on their bellies that resembles a corn cob. I say original because corn snakes have been bred to get the most amazing colors and patterns; spotted, striped, no pattern, and all kinds of colors. Even pet shops usually have a wide variety of these "morphs".

Corn snakes live for a long time, around 15 to 20 years, so keep this in mind when buying one. In this care sheet I will try to explain the most important sides of having a pet corn snake.

Setup

When you get your first corn snake, it is important that you have its setup ready.

First they need a tank to live in, a ten gallon tank is a good size for a young one. Then you increase the size of the tank up to 20 or 30 gallon when it reaches adult size.

At the bottom of the tank you need substrate. You could use newspaper or plain paper, but a better choice is aspen wood shavings. The snake might burrow in it, it's very easy to clean and it even helps the snake shed by allowing it to rub against it. There are also specially designed reptile carpets you can get, but whatever you choose just remember that cedar is poisonous to snakes, and pine can dehydrate their skin. Most stores have aspen, and it's cheap and easy so I would say go with that.

One of the most important things, especially for a young corn snake is a hide. A lot of people forget just how important this is. The snake needs to feel safe, and a large empty tank will make the snake very stressed. I can guarantee you that the hide will be the one thing that your snake will use the most. For a hide you can use a box with a hole at the side, a flower pot with a hole at the bottom turned upside down, or you can buy a more fancy one at a pet store. Even an empty toilet roll will work! You should have at least two hides, one on each side of the tank; one on the cool end, and one on the warm end.

This leads me to the heat source. Unless you live where it's very warm you should have some sort of heat in your tank. Snakes need heat to properly digest their food. A good choice is an UTH(under tank heater). This is a mat specifically designed for reptiles, and you put it underneath on one side of the tank. This will give the snake a gradient in its tank, a difference in temperature on the two sides. Alternatively you could use a heat lamp, but this option will not give the snake any belly heat, so an UTH is the best option. It's important to remember that the UTH can get very hot, if left without a thermostat it can reach up to 120 fahrenheit! This is of course too hot, and will cause severe burns. So make sure you have plenty of substrate to prevent the snake from laying right on the glass. If you buy a thermostat, a meter that will control the temperature you will save yourself a lot of worries as even with enough substrate on the bottom the snake can still burrow down to the bottom. Snakes are "stupid" in the way that they will not notice that they burn their skin until it's too late. $40 will give you an OK thermostat, and is well worth its price. If you live in hot areas you'll probably be fine without a heat source, but for most you should definitely get one.

A meter to measure the temperature and humidity is also important. Humidity is vital for a healthy shed, so when you see that your snake is going to shed increase the humidity to around 65-70%. A simple way to do this is to mist the tank with a spray bottle, or to put a wet towel over the lid. The wet towel will quickly increase the humidity, when it reaches the level you want simply replace it with a dry towel covering 3/4 of the top. This will help keep the humidity in, without getting 100%. Extended periods of high humidity can lead to sickness, so keep the humidity high only when its shedding.

Water must always be available, and the size of the water bowl should enable the snake to soak its body in it. You can buy one from a pet store, but a kitchen bowl will work just as well. Just make sure that the snake does not tip it over. This should be placed on the cool end, opposite of the cool hide.

A secure lid is of course a must-have. Petco has clips for $3 that you put on both sides of the lid, and they work perfectly. A runaway snake is VERY hard to find, especially when its young. And even baby snakes can escape through the smallest gap. Our first corn snake managed to escape once, although this was because I forgot to put the lid back on its cage. Needless to say we turned the whole apartment upside down looking for it, seeing as there were three cats trying to get it before we did. Luckily hours later it showed up underneath the vacuum cleaner. So be careful, get the clips and remember to put them on.

A branch to climb on, or fake plants for decor is also something you might add to your setup. Just remember that anything you bring in from outside, or if you buy it used put it in the oven for a couple of hours on 200 degrees (fahrenheit). This will kill any parasites on it. For plastic plants, rinse them out in a weak bleach solution. If you have these things set up, you should be ready for the snake!

Bringing the Corn Snake home

When acquiring a corn snake you have several possibilities. Pet store, breeder or the classifieds.

A breeder will always be the best choice, as you are dealing with people who love the snakes. Corn snake breeding does not take in a lot of money, so you can be sure that the breeder has a passion for these animals. You'll be able to know it's history, sex, date of birth, its feeding records etc. Also you are more protected against parasites. Pet stores usually have a lot of different animals, and their main goal is to make $$. Some stores do take good care of their animals, but unfortunately they are in minority. a lot of people do get their snakes from pet stores, but I would strongly advise you to support the community and buy from a breeder. Buying from the classifieds you never know what you're going to get, you have no guarantee that the seller is telling you the truth. But the choice is yours.

When you bring home the corn snake there will be about a week where you cannot disturb it. The snake needs to get used to its new home, and in the mean time you must leave it alone. By giving the snake a week to settle down, you ensure that you will end up with a healthy, comfortable snake. After a week has passed, take it out on a regular basis, and let it get used to you. At first it might be a little shy and nippy, but don't worry. With handling and time it will settle down and be a wonderful pet.

To pick up the snake try to scoop it up from underneath. A big hand coming directly towards its head might feel threatening, so go in from the side as opposed to from above it. Be careful though, a young corn is very skittish and might try to jump right out of your hand. A fall might seriously hurt it, so be cautious and don't let young children hold the baby snake. If there are young children in the family, wait till the snake has calmed down before they hold it.

Feeding

A week after you brought it home, it should have gotten so comfortable that it will eat. If the corn is stressed or the temperatures are wrong it might not want food, but hopefully this is not the case.

For feedings provide a separate box of some sort, it can be cardboard, tupperware or whatever you have handy. Feeding in the tank is not a good idea, as the snake might digest the substrate which can kill it. Also when feeding in a separate container, the snake won't associate its tank with feeding, so when you go to pick it up you won't be mistaken for food. Hatchlings, that is baby corn snakes, eat one pinkie mouse every four or five days. These newborn mice can usually be bought frozen at pet stores, or you can go online for better deals. Put the pinkie in some hot water for around ten minutes, and make sure that it's completely thawed out. When the snake is in the feeding box, slowly dangle the pinkie in front of it. When the snake strikes, let go and let it eat without interruption. When the the pinkie is swallowed and you can see the lump a good way down its tummy slowly pick up the snake and put it back in its tank.

Now it needs 48 hours to digest the food. Heat plays a crucial role in digestion, as well as leaving it alone for two full days. Digestion takes a lot of energy for snakes, so much that if it doesn't feel safe or is stressed out it might regurgitate the food.(throw up) This is its basic instincts, if it needs to make a safe escape from a dangerous situation (from the snake's view) it cannot do this while digesting, hence the regurgitation. After a couple of days the food should be digested, and you can continue handling until next feeding.

There are problems that might come up with feeding that I will address. Hopefully you won't have to worry about this though. If the snake will not eat, wait five days before trying again. Trying sooner will just stress the snake out even more. A snake is not going to be hurt by going a few weeks without food, so just be patient.

There are different techniques you might try if it really won't eat. First, make sure that the temperatures are good, and that you're not handling it too much. If so, you can put the pinkie and the snake in a brown paper bag, roll up the end so it won't be able to get out and leave it overnight in the tank. You can also try cutting a hole in the pinkie's head hoping that brain matter will lure the snake to eat. Alternatively, soak the pinkie in chicken broth before trying to feed it. If it's been over a month you should consider taking your snake to the veterinarian to check for parasites.

If you experience regurgitation something is wrong and you must fix it. Check your husbandry, look in water bowl for mites, and leave the snake alone until next feeding. Also, make sure that you are feeding appropriately sized mice. When the snake gets bigger, increase the size of the mouse and days between feeding. You can also feed rats; adult corns can have either two adult mice or a small rat every two weeks. If feeding rats, you need to make sure that the snake does not get fat. Rats are a lot more fattening then mice, so if you see that your snake starts to develop hips you should switch to mice.

Other Facts to Remember

Snakes shed as they grow, and it's important that they have good sheds. If the snake has not fully shed its skin, try giving it a bath in luke-warm water, or hold a wet towel around it. You can also put wet paper towels inside its hide to help the snake shed.

If your snake soaks in the water a lot, look for mites. Most often you will be able to spot them in the water. They are small and black or red, with legs. Mites are not because of a dirty tank etc, they probably got it from another reptile. Pet stores have mite treatment that work good, and both the snake, the tank and everything in the tank need to be treated. Also if you have other reptiles, they might have it too. Mites are harmless to humans, but can be fatal to snakes so be sure to treat them as soon as possible.

Wash your hands after touching the snake.

Take lots of pictures, have fun and enjoy your new pet!

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月12日星期一

Reducing Fuel Bills And Saving The Planet

Reducing fuel bills

Heating costs are spiralling. Global warming is beginning to be obvious even to the most sceptical. Now, more than ever it makes sense to reduce your fuel bills and reduce carbon fuel emissions at the same time.

It seems almost too obvious, but the first thing we need to understand is why we need to heat our homes.

Apart from supplying plenty of hot water, the principal reason that we have central heating is to make sure the family is provided with an appropriate , comfortable level of warmth. It is important therefore, that proper control systems are an integral part of the heating system. Equally important is a well designed and efficient heating system.

Your heating system should provide suitable levels of 'thermal comfort' for everyone that uses the property.

So what is 'Thermal Comfort'?

This is the measure of a person's satisfaction with his or her surroundings. Thermal comfort is achieved when there is an appropriate and desirable heat balance between the body and its surroundings are met.

Thermal comfort can be considered to be achieved when;

o The air temperature at the level of your feet level is no greater than 3°C below the temperature at the level of your head.

o Airflow past the body is horizontal and is between 0.2m and 0.25m per second. - Generally speaking we prefer a variable air speed rather than a constant flow of air.

o Room surface temperatures are at or below the air temperatures.

o A relative humidity of between 40% to 60% is maintained.

o The air temperature is between 16-22 °C. - Obviously, this will be dependent upon the type of activity being carried out at the time.

Remember - The age of occupants and what they are wearing at the time will also be a factor.

Additional factors such as insulation, reducing drafts, controlling condensation/ventilation and providing controlled heating when it is needed, are all recognized as having an effect on the occupier's personal comfort.

It is possible to be able to have a level of control on all of these in order to give the correct level of thermal comfort and most probably, and more importantly, reduce your fuel bills at the same time.

These seem to be the most asked questions when discussing reducing fuel bills,

Is it cheaper to run the central heating all day or use the timer?

Can I set the controls to reduce my running costs?

Is it economical to shut off my radiators?

In summer is it cheaper to heat hot water all day or heat the water for short periods as required?

What settings should my boiler thermostat be at?

I have a boiler back unit. Is it cheaper to run the boiler or the fire?

What savings can be made if I

- Insulate the loft

- Have cavity walls fitted.

- Fit double glazing?

Let's answer them one at a time, firstly;

Is it cheaper to run my central heating all day or use the timer?

The more control you have over the time your central heating and hot water are on or off, the more you should save on fuel costs.

It is usually better to only use the heating when and where you need it.

Heating systems that run all day will raise the average internal temperature of the property. This will normally cost more than operating a selective heating programme.

Most modern systems are designed to be operated this way but if you have an aging heating system, it is best to check will your local plumber or plumbing consultant. They will be able to advise you if you need to upgrade your controls or heating system.

There is a way that you can test out whether it is better to be selective in your approach to using the heating - by reading your meter and then operating the system as a 'full on' system for a selected period - say a week, and then read the meter again. Then, for the next week, operate a 'selective' approach and read the meter again. The difference in readings will indicate the most efficient method.

Remember - this will only be a guide as there will be many variables - not least the weather!

You can try the same test on the domestic hot water.

Can I set the controls to reduce my running costs?

The simple answer is Yes.

The easiest and most obvious way to do this is to reduce the temperature settings on your thermostat. Temperatures at which people choose to set their controls will vary according to their own needs. However, the normal recommendation is that your hot water cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C (140°F). The room thermostat should be set between 18°C - 21°C (65 - 70°F).

However, remember that with young children or elderly people in bed, the room temperature should not be allowed to fall below 12 C° (55°F).

For disabled people or babies, a room temperature of 23°C (73°F) would be more suitable.

It soon becomes obvious that just by turning your room thermostat down 1°C can make a significant saving on your fuel bill - which could be up to a 0% saving!

If you don't have them, consider having thermostatic radiator valves fitted. These allow you to set individual radiators to lower settings in rooms where you may prefer a lower temperature, such as in bedrooms or rooms you only use occasionally.

(To test Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV's), try setting them on middle numbers and if too hot, turn down one notch - if too cool, turn up one notch. Its obvious really isn't it?)

You could even turn them off completely when a room is not in use. If you do, remember to close the door, otherwise warm air will escape into there from the adjoining hallway or landing and reduce any savings.

You will need to watch out for condensation/dampness occurring in these rooms though.

Another way to save energy and reduce your fuel costs is to reduce the time the heating is on.

You will probably find that you can save energy without loss of comfort by setting the system to "come on" about half to three quarters of an hour before you get up, and to "go off" half an hour before everyone goes out.

Set it to "come on" again half and hour before you get home and to "go off" again half an hour before going to bed.

Is it economical to shut off my radiators?

Yes, you can make savings by turning off radiators during periods when some rooms are not in use but remember to close the doors otherwise warm air will escape into these rooms from the adjoining hallway or landing and therefore reduce any savings. Again, you must also keep an eye on unheated rooms to guard against dampness or condensation. It may well be wiser just to turn the radiator down rather than off.

Remember - do not turn off the radiator in the same room as the room thermostat. The radiator would give wrong information about the temperature of your home to the room thermostat and affect the heating in the rest of the house. Once more, you could consider fitting thermostatic radiator valves in rooms such as bedrooms, which will enable you to maintain individual temperatures perhaps to lower settings than the rest of the house and so make savings in this way. Your plumbing consultant will be able to advise on the cost of replacing your existing valves.

What settings should my boiler thermostat be at?

If your system has a room thermostat and a thermostat on the hot water cylinder, set the boiler thermostat on maximum and use these other thermostats to set comfortable room and hot water temperatures.

I have a boiler back unit. Is it cheaper to run the boiler or the fire?

It will only be worthwhile using the fire on its own for heating when you don't want to heat the whole house. I tend to use mine between seasons such as early spring or autumn when outside temperatures are less predictable.

The boiler will produce more heat and use more gas but of course, heats the whole house including the hot water.

What percentage savings can be made if I:

Insulate the loft?

Insulating your loft is one of the most worthwhile places to spend money to prevent heat from escaping.25% of the heat lost in homes escapes through the roof.

Have the cavity walls filled?

Up to 35% of the heat in a home is lost through walls. Filling cavity walls reduces heat loss from 35% to 10%.

Fit double glazing?

Even if windows are properly draught-proofed about 20% of heat is lost through a closed single glazed window. Installing double-glazing would halve heat loss through windows. The cost of double-glazing varies greatly from a cheap and fairly temporary method, such as fitting cling film (i.e. temporary secondary glazing), to having complete windows and frames replaced. This is the least cost effective method of saving energy and reducing bills - but hey - what price the planet?

In summer is it cheaper to heat hot water constantly or heat the water for short periods as needed?

It is generally cheaper to heat hot water only when you require it. If a cylinder is properly insulated, hot water will keep hot for up to 12 hours, so set the boiler to operate at times when you need to draw off large amounts of hot water. Modern cylinders are pre-insulated with expanded foam and can be extremely efficient. Your airing cupboard should not get hot from heat leaking from pipes and the cylinder.

If you do not have a cylinder thermostat, ask a plumber to fit one, you will recover the cost though savings in a relatively short space of time.

Remember - saving money on fuel bills will always mean a little effort but can give great returns in the longer run. The spin off from this is that we will be putting less carbon fuel emissions into the atmosphere and be helping to save the planet at the same time!

Article by Philip Ray

©

Whilst this article endeavors to contain up to date and accurate information, the article can only be considered as a guide. The author would always recommend that you take local independent professional advice.

After many years working in the construction industry, Phil now teaches in the UK. He has written many articles for web sites like Householders Guide, ukhomeonline.co.uk and yourhomeonlineuk.co.uk. His wide knowledge of the Construction Industry and Housing Markets makes him a popular author on Buying Real Estate.c

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

The Great Pyramid

According to standard orthodox Egyptology the pyramid complex on the Giza plateau are funerary structures of the three Pharaohs from the fourth dynasty approximately 2575 - 2465 BC. The Great Pyramid is attributed erroneously to Khufu (Cheops) - with the other two being those of Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaura (Mycerinus).

Author Miroslav Verner writing in The Pyramids stated:

"To suppose that the pyramid's only function in ancient Egypt was as a royal tomb would be an oversimplification."

This is now more true than ever and I am of the opinion that if the pyramids, or more specifically the Great pyramid, was built solely for burial purposes of the given King (Khufu/Cheops) then it was and will remain an unprecedented farce. It is simply unimaginable that so much effort be placed into building a structure of such gargantuan proportions, with such amazing astronomical alignments, with such perfect precision, by thousands of human souls, all for the one purpose of burying their God-King.

In all the pyramids in Egypt, not one has delivered the full body of a Pharaoh. There have been parts - a supposed mummified foot at Djoser; fragments of a mummy in the pyramid of Unas and Pepi; an arm and shoulder at Teti and a skeleton of a young woman in the coffer of the pyramid of Menkaure. But never a full mummified body of a pharaoh that was supposed to be buried within. The Egyptologists claim that this was due to the tombs having been raided over the vast period of time. This may be true, but alternatively it may be that pyramids were used for other purposes as well, or instead of. These body parts discovered within the pyramids may be pharaonic remains, but they could just as easily be more modern burials, placed within the pyramids at a later date. A similar thing is found in the burial mounds of Europe and elsewhere. Here, the burial mounds, as sacred images of the primordial mound, womb of the mother earth or world mountain were Gateways to the Otherworld and for centuries progressive generations would cut into them and make fresh burials. This did not take away the purpose or meaning of the mounds as Gateways. In fact this use utilised the main purpose.

Were these great feats of human ingenuity and skill just for the purpose of encasing the carcass of one man? No. I will show in the book and DVD Gateways to the Otherworld that there was much more to the whole thing. In fact, if they were built for just one man then why did Amenemhet III have two pyramids built, one at Dashur, which contained his granite coffer and one at Hawara with a quartzite coffer? It is claimed that one of these was a cenotaph, which comes from the Greek kenotaphion, meaning "empty tomb". Of course, this is even more remarkable, that a tomb should be built empty, and the reason given by Egyptologists is simply that it would confuse the "tomb raiders". So thieves were stupid then?

The only so-called evidence that the Great Pyramid was built for Khufu is scant to say the least. Herodotus, the infamous Roman historian visited the pyramids in 443 BC and claimed that Khufu was buried underneath the pyramid, not in it. This was two thousand years after the supposed event. We simply cannot trust what we read today in our newspapers, let alone believe Herodotus and his interpretation of what he was lead to believe.

The next piece of "evidence" is extremely controversial as it relies upon some difficult to see, let alone decipher "inscriptions" on a funerary complex near the Great Pyramid claiming to be "in the time of Khufu." Again, and lastly, in the pyramid itself the hieroglyphic symbol for Khufu himself as a quarry mark was discovered by archaeologist Richard Howard-Vyse who is now believed to have forged it under pressure of competition from contemporary foreign archaeologists - namely the Italian Caviglia.

So, we are left with an inscription "near" the pyramid, a fake hieroglyph and a two and a half thousand year old text based upon hearsay. This is hardly evidence for it to be the burial place of Khufu, let alone for anything else, although it is perfectly possible that Khufu was buried at this "special" place where later or earlier a pyramid was constructed. The pyramid however remains an enigma; regardless of what we are led to believe.

This unproven nonsense has pervaded Egyptology ever since, regardless of any other reason for the existence of the pyramids.

Now there is another reason.

The Great pyramid of Giza is to be found arguably at the centre of the earth's landmass (30 degrees north, 31 degrees east) - both north-south and east-west. It is in the perfect location - at the centre - for collecting the "earth energy" as Tesla proved with his experiments on resonance as we shall see, it is also the perfect shape and size. To add to this, the two materials used were also perfect, as I shall explain. But first we need to take a foray into the world of Tesla.

Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was an eccentric and brilliant inventor who managed to harness the alternating current we use today as well as radio, fluorescent lighting and much more. Tesla believed he could send waves of electricity directly to our homes through the earth and/or ether without the use of wires and without harming anybody along the way by simply applying a subtle push-pull resonator. In 1901 Tesla said "my next step was to use the earth itself as the medium for conducting the currents..." and he did.

Tesla successfully sent electricity 26 miles and extracted it using a "magnifying receiver". This is an incredible thought that energy waves, even extremely low frequency waves, could be sent around the globe and then with a magnifying receiver they could be picked up and understood or used. In fact Tesla even "tuned" in his pyramid shaped magnifying transmitter to the resonance of the earth and found that his co-workers were becoming ill with symptoms of "extreme tension of the nerves."

Tesla discovered that "The Earth was found to be literally alive with electrical vibrations, and soon I was deeply absorbed in this interesting investigation." Tesla continued and revealed his feelings; "My first observations positively terrified me, as there was present in them something mysterious, not to say supernatural." This remarkable supernatural energy will be explained fully in the new book and it has incredible ramifications for us all, and the future of mankind.

"It was some time afterward when the thought flashed upon my mind that the disturbances I had observed might be due to an intelligent control."

It would be many years later that Schumann would discover the resonance of the earth and prove that it had its own wave-particle pattern and that it can be altered by the surrounding universe and any number of other external influences. How does it do this? The chaotic beginnings of the big bang are still very much in the realms of theory and there is another theory, which goes that the universe is a standing wave being pushed and pulled by some impulse. This impulse pushes and pulls the standing wave, which then does the same to its neighbour and hey presto light can travel across the universe as a wave cascade, without loss of energy - a perpetual motion.

Tesla had discovered "intelligent" signals by pure accident and stated the case. Unfortunately through circumstances outside of his own control he never did get around to seriously working on the phenomena and nobody since him has had the intelligence or will to see the issue through. What Tesla discovered however was found within the ELF (electro-magnetic frequency) field, the low frequency band widths. Many people are out there, not least of whom are SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) looking on the megahertz level, when they should be redirecting their search back down to earth and to the extremely low frequency, before the mobile phone masts completely engulf us.

What struck me though was, Tesla's receivers were great towers with pyramids on top and Tesla's insistence that to be at the centre of the land mass (dependent upon where you are) would be far more beneficial to the purpose of the machinery.

So, Tesla discovered the resonance of the earth and that this resonance had intelligent or supernatural attributes. The resonance of the earth is in the same 0-40 Hz as the human "mind", the same mind, which is constantly emitting signals into the environment around it. These signals are much more than just waves, they are also particles - they are therefore "matter".

We see stars in the sky, little lights flickering billions of light years away. Many of these lights are no longer there; they are stars that have died, and yet we still see the light. This light, we now know to be wave-matter-particle; we know it is the continued life of that star. We ourselves, as part and parcel of the whole universal constants and laws of chaos and order, are nothing different to those stars. We are also putting out signals, which will continue as wave-matter-particles, even after we have died.

Amazingly Tesla described these electromagnetic signals as stationery parallel circles forming on the surface of the earth. These are no different to the circles mankind has been perceiving and materialising here on the earth for thousands of years, as stone circles, rock art and all manner of mysterious artefacts. And where would the most powerful, collective electromagnetic current collect other than at the centre of the landmass. As the great and mystical saying Om turns from a circle into a square as it reaches "mmm", so too this great collection of human thought and quantum emotion turns into a square base at the great pyramid in Giza.

So, the Great Pyramid, at the centre of the earth's landmass and as a perfect shape for receiving the resonance of the earth, simply must have a better reason for existing than as a large coffin for one man.

Lets break it all down and move through the various elements one piece at a time.

Great Pyramid

Made up of mainly solid mass with the interior spaces being the Descending and Ascending passages, the Grand Gallery, a subterranean chamber, another chamber unnamed and the King and Queens chambers. The King's chamber (so named by Arabs who attempted to raid the tomb, but found it empty) is 10.46 meters east to west; 5.23 meters north to south and 5.81 meters high. This is an architectural 3 dimensional representation of the Golden Mean or Phi - a sacred geometry well before Pythagorus.

The sides of the Great Pyramid line up almost exactly with the cardinal points (NWSE) on the compass, with an accuracy that would defy today's builders, leaving a fifth point on top. The dimensions of the earth's size and shape can be calculated using the dimensions of the pyramid, it being a scale model of the hemisphere with information on the latitude and longitude of the earth. Adding to this the element of the earth's pre-historic tilt of very approximately 22-25 degrees being built into the whole structure, then we have a truly powerful mathematical building.

The very foundations of the pyramid also defy modern building techniques as it rests perfectly level with not one corner of the base more than 13mm higher or lower than the others. When we remember that the base covers 13 acres we can suddenly understand just how this was an incredible feat of human engineering.

The King's chamber is made of solid red granite transported from the quarries of Aswan six hundred miles away.

In the chamber itself there is a coffer, thought by Egyptologists to be the remains of Khufu's sarcophagus. Nothing was ever found in the coffer, neither was there a lid. It is too big to take out of the corridor leading to and from it - indicating that it must have been laid inside as the building was erected around it, which is opposite to the funerary custom of the period. There is not the slightest piece of evidence to suggest that Khufu be ever laid to rest in this 3 ton granite container. There is nothing, not even any funerary implements or embalming materials, not a scrap. And yet, short of any other ideas, the orthodox situation remains that a building with 2.3 million blocks, weighing between 2.5 and 50 tons each, of perfect size and orientation was built for one man to be buried within. To add to this not one of the fourth dynasty Pharaohs put their names upon the pyramids supposedly built for them, whereas from the fifth dynasty onwards official inscriptions are in their thousands. No wonder I am constantly told by academics that they don't believe the pyramid was a tomb!

So what is the truth of the Great Pyramid? Well, firstly I decided that I should run through some of the theories that have been put forward and some of the more esoteric beliefs, which related to my own quest.

There are legends and traditions that claim the King's chamber to be a place of initiation. I would in part go along with this theory, especially in relation to the rituals required or made surrounding the Gateway mythology. There are also many stories of individuals who have felt peculiar presence's or had mystical experiences within the chamber. There is also the tradition that Napoleon himself actually refused to express what happened to him in that enigmatic place, saying, "You would not believe me if I told you".

According to these modern popular folk tales the coffer itself is the centre of the process or "energy vortex." Writer C. Dunn in his book The Giza Power Plant: Technologies of Ancient Egypt (Bear & Co, Santa Fe) goes so far as to say that the Great pyramid was a huge geomechanical power plant that responds to the earth's vibrations or resonance and transforms it into energy. Dunn conjectured that the geometric and physical design of the chamber inside the pyramid turned it into a large transducer and has produced a highly scientific analysis of the subject. So there is now scientific experimentation behind these folk tales - but with a very different purpose.

On the medical and scientific side there are stories of amazing healing and sharpened razors. In the 1920's Antoine Bovis discovered that the heat and humidity of the King's chamber reduced the decay rate of dead animals - something denied by orthodoxy still today. Bovis went on to construct a small-scale pyramid and oriented it in the same fashion. He placed a dead cat inside and found the result to be the same. Following this in the 1960's US and Czech researchers repeated the process and achieved the same results.

In the ancient Egyptian language of Khemitian (black people or people from the black) the pyramid was known as Per-Neter, which can be translated in two ways - House of Nature, or more importantly the House of Energy, remarkably like "pyramid", which means Fire in the Middle. It is interesting of course to note that Nature and Energy are interchangeable in this way, indicating that the Khemitians truly saw the energy as from nature itself (herself). Not to mention that the word Neter (NTR) also means neutral, which is the position one supposedly has to be in to gain entry into the Otherworld - i.e. between the gates. Another title of course for the Giza area is Rostau, which means Gateway and is sacred to Osiris and his progenitor Sokar, the God of the Underworld. In the Book of Am-Duat, Sokar inhabits a place of the dead that even Ra, the sun god cannot access - this is therefore a place of darkness or black. Sokar can also be seen in the representations of the fourth and fifth hours of the Duat, standing upon his mound within what seems to be a hill topped by a black conical symbol of some sort. Incidentally and perfectly related, the only way that Ra can traverse this mystical realm is by taking the form of the snake!

According to Reginald Aubrey Fessenden - author of The Deluged Civilisation of the Caucasus Isthmus (1927) - The term 'Rostau' is again a literal translation of E-kur or Akur - meaning the "great mountain" or "great house."

Ak is the first half and comes from Akh, which is "one of the five elements forming the human being seen as an aspect of the sun, the link between the human and the luminous life force. It left the body at death to join the circumpolar stars." Ur is the second half and means city. And so, the location of Akur, where the pyramids are situated means simply the city where the dead leave the body to join the stars. Add this to Rostau, meaning gateway and we truly do have the Stargate.

Writer Zecharia Sitchin tells us that the Sumerians also called their Ziggurat temple in Nippur - (a truncated, stepped-pyramid) - Ekur, a "house which is like a mountain" - but quotes a poem which exalts the goddess Ninkharsag as the mistress of the "House with a Pointed Peak" - a perfect pyramid. This is interesting in that the Sumerian goddess Ninkharsag is synonymous with the Egyptian Goddess Isis. The Inventory Stele - said to have been written by Khufu - states that the monument (Great Pyramid) was dedicated to Isis.

It's possible then that Akur and Akhu both come from the same root words, as does the name Aker, which, according to the studies made by Egyptologists, is also connected with the Sphinx - being the "guardian of the entrance of the Underworld."

The Akhu or 'Shining Ones' - variously named 'Ancestors,' 'Sages,' 'Ghosts' or 'Spirits,' can also mean 'Astral spirits' as associated with the stars.

As for the serpent link, there are many ancient Egyptian illustrations showing human figures on the backs of 'feathered serpents' about to ascend to the stars.

So, why would all three meanings of the Giza area and pyramid, and the myths, relate to both a gateway and to illumination? And why would the people associated with this area be deemed to be special "bright" or "shining" people if not for their seeming ability to access the illumination and hence go through the Rostau or Gateway.

The truth of the Great Pyramid from its history, folklore, legend and language is that the ancient Egyptians saw it as the portal to another world. Not a world of aliens or a parallel universe, but as the perfect ancient machine to enable and to even magnify an internal altered state of consciousness. For thousands of years the tribal shaman would be the guide to the life-after and bring back fortune. He would access caves, holes in the ground and eventually man-made mounds such as Newgrange in Ireland. Over time the shaman became priest, leader, king and pharaoh. He alone could contact the gods and the pyramid is the ultimate extension of this very humanly evolved process.

But this is just the beginning of an amazing tale that will lead us into a world of wonder. For there is something much more amazing about a world full of gateways to the otherworlds.....

Taken from the book and dvd Gateways to the Otherworld by Philip Gardiner

For more about Philip Gardiner see http://www.gardinersworld.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月11日星期日

Microfiber The most Advantageous Fiber Of The Age

Invention of Microfiber

After years of trialing, Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto scientist of Japan at Toray Industries, invented the world's first microfiber in 1970 and later his coworker Dr. Toyohiko Hikota improve a new practice and modify Dr. Okamoto's invention into an remarkable new fabric - Ultrasuede - a non-woven material and the first commercial production of microfiber commenced in 1989, in U.S by E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company, Inc.

Microfibers: Very fine fibers

Microfiber is a variety of polyester that has exclusive and advantageous properties compared to other traditional fibers.Microfibers are heavily formed, polyester and polyamide fibers and are one hundred times finer than human hair. The diameter of microfibers is one-quarter of fine wool, one-third of the cotton, half of a fine silk fiber and the density of the material consent it to grip six to eight times of its weight in water.

"Denier" is the word used to describe the diameter or fineness of fiber. One denier measurement means a 9000-meter length of fiber or yarn in the weight of grams. Falling in the category of microfiber the size must be less than one denier i.e. minimum 0.9 denier requirements. Though, many microfibers are available in the size of 0.5 - 0.6 denier or even in less diameter.

Microfibers - User-friendly fiber

Generally, microfiber is a mixture of polyester and polyamide (a nylon by-product) available in a mixture of 80/20, 75/25, or 70/30 etc polyester and polyamide ratios. Microfibers can be available alone or mixed with usual denier man-made fibers as well as with natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk even rayon too. Micro-fibers are made from polyester, nylon, rayon and most recently acrylic. They also can be blended with other fibers including Lycra spandex. These mixtures improve the look; adorn and the performance of the fabric. Micro-fibers can be woven or knitted into a wide range of fabrics such as satin, faille, crepe, twill, taffeta and broadcloth. A variety of microfibers and its finishes improves the appearance and experience like silks, sand washed, or a leather and feather look.

Properties & characteristics of Microfibers

. Lightweight and flexible

. Good stability and shape retention

. Anti-wrinkle property

. Have a wicking ability that permits perspiration

. Comfortable to wear as they are more spongy

. Doesn't water stain - superior water repellency is available

. Woven or knitted into a very high quality fabric construction

. Formerly commenced as a polyester microfiber, today you can find nylon, rayon and acrylic microfibers too.

. Strong and durable, water repellent and wind resistant -so tightly woven, that the fabric can't be penetrated by wind, rain or cold

. Lightweight, resilient or resist wrinkling, have a comfortable array, preserve shape and resist pilling

. The positively charged microfibers draw dust; the tiny fibers are capable to enter the microscopic surface voids most materials

. Washable, dries quickly and also washable in at the water temperatures up to 200 degrees and their characteristics will remain intact.

. Electrostatic effect - Hair, lint and other dust particles are attracted and grabbed by the microfibers without lifting dust

. The density of the material allowable it to grip six to eight times its weight in water hence high absorbing power capacity

. The attraction capability of the microfibers is so sound, even absorbs bacteria and germs - hence can be use as germ or bacteria free purpose

. The fabric consists of millions of small tiny conduits that carry oil and grease too.

Benefits of microfibers

Comfortable - very soft, texture like silk, lightweight

. Due to its fineness and superior fiber surface area making deep, rich and bright colors achievable

. Less "sweaty" in warm weather than usual synthetics

. Quickly cleanable - clean just with water

. Highly intense and shrink-resistant

. Presents insulation and breathability

. Change without help - to establish lovely drape

. Very fine - finer than the most precise silk

. More reusable for cleaning alternative - compared to other mops more efficient and long life

The use of microfibers: Endless

The straight and strong fibers of polyester and nylon - microfibers provide flexible and silky performance because of its extensive fiber surface area. Microfibers are used in diverse fabrics ratios to make different textile garments, apparels and used most regularly in dress making.

Today it is used at the optimum level by sportsmen, popular for outerwear and body wear and became a very popular alternative tool of cotton apparel, because due to their properties of air intervenes effortlessly through the fabric, body's humidity is wicked away immediately from the skin's surface to the outer face of the fabric and it keeps the athletes cool and dry.

It is also used for making suit jackets, rainwear, outdoor fleece and wind-resistant sportswear, as well as tents, sleeping bags, track and jogging suits and many more uses like automotive, household and health & beauty etc. Endless uses for micro-fiber fabrics covers men's slacks and ties, women's silk-like blouses and dresses, hosiery and lingerie, evening wear, children's wear, intimate apparel, luxurious upholstery fabrics, sheets and pillow cases, high performance filters, artificial blood vessels, sanitary and towel products etc. Even microfibers use to make stockings for men, women and special high length anti-embolism stockings too.

Products such as microfiber towel or napkin are available in the blend of 80% polyester (the scrubbing and cleaning fiber), and 20% polyamide (the absorbing and quick drying fiber, this blend is expressed as "80/20") or 70/30 or in various blends. Several credible reasons to use microfibers towel are:

. Not generating any problems with those suffering from allergies due to its hypoallergenic properties

. Microfiber absorbing over six to seven times its weight in water - super absorbent

. Microfiber dries in 1/3 the time of regular cleaning towels.

. Microfiber is environmentally friendly washable with just water, have no need of soap or any kind of chemicals.

. Microfiber is over four to five times more effective than ordinary cleaning towels

. Microfiber is totally lint free and non-abrasive compared to other cotton towels

Microfiber became a tremendously efficient cleaning material because of their characteristics of dust appealing and the capacity of entering the microscopic surface which pores of most materials due to their positively charged microfibers. It uses as janitorial and all purpose cleaning and wiping tools or cloths. Even it develops very small cutting boundaries that smash ups and easily sucks up dirt of particular surface, also eliminate oils and other grimy substances immediately. Due to its tremendous washable properties it is also used to clean equipment such as monitors, printers, plastic sheeting, metal surfaces, office & lab equipment and many more.

Today it is considered as a good alternative of cotton mop because it is reusable many times compared to other mopping device or clothes. In hospitals microfibered mopping are widely used due to its electrostatic effect - Hair, lint and other dust particles even bacteria and germs are attracted and grabbed by the microfibers without lifting dust and acts as effective pollution, dust bacteria control device. Without the application of any chemical or a cleaning agent microfiber wipes any surface and can disinfect bacteria/germs up to 99.95%. The result shows that its reduces 95 % chemical cost related to mopping tasks , saves 60% lifetime cost for mopping and saves labor cost about 20% per day.

Taking care of microfibers

Microfibers can usually be treated similar to that of the usual fibers manufactured from the same fiber group or type. For example, fabrics prepared from polyester and nylon microfibers can most likely be cleaned and dried out comparable to fabrics produced from usual polyester and nylon fibers. Viscose rayon functions well when dry-cleaned. Polynosic or high wet modulus rayons are washable in machines.

According to the fiber, whether it is polynosic or viscose-type rayon, rayon microfiber the right treatment of washing the fiber is needed. During dry winter, when heating systems are turned on and the humidity is low static charges may built up in fabrics from synthetic microfibers and temporary spots from unnecessary heat in the dryer may generate on the microfiber, take care during this instance.

. Because fibers such as polyester or nylon are very fine or small in diameter, heat enters the fibers faster than other fibers and due to heat sensitive properties, hence glazing, melting or scorching can arise quickly; a few cares should be required for microfibers.

- Work with a cool iron, do not put down the iron on the fabric too long, don't pressure too much.

. Bleach smash down the polyester and polyamide microfilaments, representing them not as much of useful hence microfiber products do not required bleach.

- Avoid the use of bleach.

. Coating of "softener" clogs the microfibers.

- Avoid the use fabric softener

. Washing microfiber with other cotton products grab and hold other cotton fibers.

- Avoid washing with other cotton products.

. Microfibers are tremendously fine, putting the garments with jewelry could scrape garment easily and widespread abrasion.

- Avoid making garments with jewelry that is violent or sharp

It is the comfortable experience and appearance of the fabrics which makes microfibers so special for many product lines they can carry their marvelous performance to an extensive and countless uses and today it is considered as the most advantageous fiber of the age.

Fibre2fashion.com - Leading B2B Portal and Marketplace of Global Textile, Apparel and Fashion Industry offers Free Industry Articles, Textile Articles, Fashion Articles, Industry Reports, Technology Article, Case Studies, Textile Industry News Articles, Latest Fashion Trends, Textile Market Trends Reports and Global Industry Analysis.

To read more articles on Textile, Fashion, Apparel, Technology, Retail and General please visit www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article If you wish to download/republish the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source?. Also, you have to make it hyperlinked to our site.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Five Container Veggie Gardening Mistakes to Avoid

So you want to grow your own vegetables in containers? Good for you! This rewarding and beneficial hobby has so much to offer our bodies and minds. Whether you are just starting or have been container gardening for awhile, it's always good to remind yourself of best practices...And what better way to avoid common mistakes than to learn from the ones others have made?

Let's look at some of the most common container veggie gardening mistakes so we can be sure to avoid them!

Overwatering

Overwatering may very well be the top reason why container plants die. There are three common reasons behind this trend:

* Not knowing how often to water plants. For novices, just follow this simple rule of thumb: resist the urge to water your plant if its soil is not dry. Use a moisture meter to be more accurate about when you need to water your plants.

* Not watering plants the right way. Some plants need to be watered lightly on a frequent basis. Others need to have their soil dry out completely before being soaked with water. Knowing your plants' watering needs will go a long way to keeping them happy and healthy.

* Not making sure the pots have enough drainage holes. It is absolutely crucial that your vegetable gardening containers have enough drainage holes to let the water drain out easily. Either purchase pots that already have holes in them, or drill 2-3 holes on the bottom of the pot, yourself. It is also a good idea to mix some sand in with your potting soil, which makes the soil looser and easier for water to drain through.

Underwatering

On the flip side, underwatering is another usual suspect for unhealthy container veggies. Although you never want the soil to be soggy, keep in mind that in a container there is less soil and therefore moisture escapes more quickly.

The first defense is to know your plants' individual watering needs. Then group plants with the same watering requirements together. Lastly, make it a daily habit to check soil moisture. It should never feel extremely dry. There is a handy tool called a "moisture meter" than can take away the guesswork.

Not Ensuring Your Plants Get Enough Light

Every type of plant has its own light requirements. Make sure your plants get the minimum amount of light they need for growth. This is especially true with vegetable container gardening. Rotate your plants so they get their share of sunlight regularly and on all sides.

If you are growing your container vegetable garden indoors and you have less than 6 hours of direct sunlight, you may want to install an artificial lighting setup.

If you are only growing low light vegetables like radishes or lettuce indoors, simple fluorescent growing lights should be enough. If you want a full grown fruiting tomato plant, on the other hand, you might need HID growing lights, such as high pressure sodium or metal halide to provide the light requirements needed. Know your plants' foot-candle requirements and purchase a light meter if possible.

Using Outside Garden Soil for Container Veggie Gardening

No matter how rich your garden soil is you should not use it for indoor vegetable gardening or any kind of container gardening. Soil from outside may contain bacteria and can harbor diseases which may prove more difficult to control in a closed environment. You might also end up bringing pests and weeds into your home garden even before you even started planting.

Use special container gardening or potting soil. This will be more sterile than outdoor soil and contain a more appropriate pH balance. Try to get a high quality potting soil containing compost.

Forgetting About Companion Planting

Yes, even though they are in containers, plants should still be grouped together according to light, water and - if growing an indoor garden - temperature and humidity preferences.

And if you are growing several plants together in the same container, there is more to think about than how their foliages complement one another. You need to know if they are mutually beneficial or detrimental to one another.

With a little research you can learn which plants grow well together and which don't, to ensure a happy and harmonious indoor container veggie garden.

To learn more about Container Vegetable Gardening in small spaces and Indoor Vegetable Gardening, sign up for the FREE Mini Course "Indoor Gardening Success" at http://www.ContainerGardeningCenter.com.

Becky Sheldon is a container and indoor gardening expert and enthusiast who wants everybody to be able to grow their own delicious food, no matter where they live!

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月10日星期六

The Geography and Climate of Israel

Israel is sometimes mistakenly categorized as part of Europe, likely because of its history of European Jewish immigration, its alignment with the West, and the Arab boycott of Israel which has prevented it from developing cultural ties with the Arab World through arts, sports, and commerce.

In reality Israel is located in Western Asia, in the region commonly referred to as the Middle East. It is on the Mediterranean Sea, lying northeast of Egypt. Egypt is usually classified as being in Africa, but the Sinai Peninsula that borders Israel is a part of Western Asia. The border between Asia and Africa is usually considered to be Egypt's Suez Canal.

When most of us think of the Middle East we probably imagine rolling sand dunes or hot, dry desert. Those types of landscapes do exist in Israel, but Israel's geography shows stunning diversity for such a small country. The basic topography of Israel consists of a coastal plan with sand dunes that blend into lowlands while moving inland; rolling hills and mountains in the center of the country, and a deep valley at the eastern border. This pattern more or less applies to Israel at any longitude. But there is of course variation moving from the more fertile and wet north to the more arid and dry south.

The Negev Desert in the south borders Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, and they are geographically speaking two parts of the same entity. The Negev is dry, hilly, and rocky, just like it's Egyptian counterpart. At the northeastern edge of the Negev lies the Judaen Desert, which descends deeply and rapidly into the Jordan Rift Valley, the lowest point on Earth that contains the Dead Sea.

In the area of Jerusalem and the southern West Bank (which is under partial Israeli and partial Palestinian control) the rolling Judean Hills dominate the landscape. This is a region of steppe vegetation and forests, a result of Jewish reforestation efforts.

The West Bank north of Jerusalem is referred to as Samaria, and the landscape is dominated by the Samarian Hills, rolling hills that rarely reach over 800 meters. East of the Samaria Hills is the Jordan Rift Valley, though the section east of Samaria is considerably more fertile than the area of the rift valley that lies further south near the Dead Sea.

North of the region of Samaria and outside of the disputed West Bank lies the Jezreel Valley, the gateway to the fertile Galilee region. This northern region of

Israel receives the most rainfall out of anywhere in the country.

The central and northern coastal plain to the west and northwest of Samaria, extending all the way to the Lebanese border, is a fertile area housing 70% of the country's population. It has a very humid subtropical climate with hot humid summers with no rain, and cool to warm winters with rainfall but no snow.

The hilly and mountainous central areas of the country occasionally receive snowfall in the winter, typically once or so per year. They are hot and dry in the summer.

The Eastern area of the country in the Jordan Rift Valley as well as the Negev, are typically warm in the daytime during the winter but cool at night. In the summer, temperatures are blistering hot at all hours of the day, with night time bringing little relief.

The only place under Israeli control that consistently receives significant snowfall every winter is Mount Hermon, which is actually part of Syria that was captured from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War. The southern slopes of this mountain along with the Golan Heights have been annexed by Israel, but much of the mountain is still under Syrian control.

Israel as a whole has two seasons. They are a hot, dry summer extending from May to October, with almost zero rainfall; and a mild, wet winter extending from November to April.

For more geographic profiles of various places around the globe, visit Free Printable Maps

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Lab Equipment for Clean Rooms and Critical Environment

There are some facets of medicine, industry and scientific research where there is a need for an environment as completely free as possible of any outside pollutants or substances that could bring in unwanted factors or variables to whatever procedure is being investigated, developed or operated on.

For this purpose, laboratories with critical environments called 'clean rooms' have been developed. There are a huge variety of types of facilities and apparatus and clothing designed and available for a very wide range of research and control laboratories. Cole-Parmer stocks the equipment you need for a clean room as well as all the usual laboratory equipment and all the glassware you require.

A clean room's level of contamination has to be a controlled one, with a specified level of contamination, which is the number of particles per cubic meter. For instance, the air in a typical urban street contains approximately 35,000,000 particles per cubic meter.

An ISO 1 clean room may have no particles at all of a size above 0.5 microns, and only 12 particles per cubic meter or smaller than that.

The critical environments developed may be as large as a whole huge factory premises manufacturing sensitive foods or materials, biotechnology, electronic technology, medicines, or they can be as small as a pre-term baby's incubator. Obviously, the degree of sterility will vary greatly.

Some 'clean rooms' may be moderate, such as an ICU hospital ward where all instruments and equipment is sterilized but protective clothing may be limited to a face mask and sterile gloves. In an operating theater, sterile gowns, foot and head coverings are usually added. The room is generally isolated from entrance by anyone who is not involved in the actual surgery or medical procedure.

In very critical environments, more sophisticated clothing is sometimes worn, even to the extent of helmets and separate breathing apparatus. Cole-parmer have a range of protective clothing, pro-clean overalls, gloves, head and foot covers, and masks to prevent contamination.

Everything inside the clean room is sterilized and/or decontaminated. Even cleaning materials and tools are specialized for use inside the controlled environment, and kept sterile. Cole-Parmer supply all the necessary specialized cleaning agents, mops and brushes you need. Airflow, filtration, air pressure, humidity and temperature are generally also controlled.

The entrances and exits are where the highest precautions are normally taken, with a 'gray room' where clothing is changed before entering a vacuum chamber, air lock, or air shower, where even the sterile clothing is decontaminated before entrance into the clean room itself. Cole-Parmer provide extremely useful layered adhesive-coated mats that capture dirt and dust so you don't track it into the clean room. When the top layer is dirty, you peel that layer off to expose a fresh surface underneath.

As you can see, there is a whole industry devoted to the production of conditions for sterility and decontamination, ranging from architecture, building and engineering, to protective clothing manufacture, as well as machinery, apparatus, tools and equipment. You will find most of the apparatus and equipment you need at Cole-Parmer specialists.

For Lab Equipment needs
Visit http://www.jms-cp.com.au/

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

History of the Computer - Cooling, Part 2 of 2

Computer manufacturers specified the heat load required to be handled, the required flow of conditioned air, and the temperature to be measured at the cabinet entry points. Most systems were installed on false floors, with a space of about 1 meter or 3ft below the floor. This allowed the air conditioning to be supplied under the floor, and exhausted through the false ceiling. This space was also used for cabling the systems. An air lock was often provided for entry and exit.

Other components of the computer system, such as disks, also generated heat and had to be considered. Tape drives were particularly large producers of heat. It was common, on large scale systems, for the tapes and disks to be installed in a separate room, or partitioned off from the mainframe, so that air conditioning requirements could be better controlled. (Printers were also partitioned, but mainly for noise, dust, and publishing requirements.

For instance disks are sensitive to rapid changes in humidity, as condensation forming on the disk surface can cause head crashes, due to the small height the head flies at. Tapes produce a lot of heat due to the powerful motors they use, but are more tolerant of temperature changes.

Integrated circuits, or chips, introduced at the end of the 1960s, produced a similar escalation in heat generation and tolerance. As they became more sophisticated, and LSI (large scale integration) was common the escalation continued. This problem is still with us today - have you tried using a laptop on your lap lately? Apart from ever more sophisticated fan design, coupled with heat sinks and air flow funnels or plenums, another approach has been used from time to time. This is the system we mentioned above, water cooling.

The computer user already provides a close tolerance power supply, sometimes at different frequencies, such as 400Hz instead of 50 or 60. He must also supply air conditioning with temperature and humidity gradients specified within tight limits. Now he is required to supply chilled water, also to tight tolerances.

The computer logic circuits were assembled on multilayer PCBs (or PCAs - Printed Circuit Boards or Arrays) which were 'plugged in' to the backplane. The Backplane was a large multilayer printed circuit panel, of varying size, depending on the system, but normally around one metre or 3ft square. Approximately 60-100 PCBs would be plugged in to this panel via a multipin connector, with several hundred pins, on the board.

The multilayer PCB or backplane had been necessary since the early 1970s, due to the incorporation of many more circuits on the board. A single two-dimensional plane could not hold all the interconnections required for this multitude of circuits. The multilayer board incorporates circuits on each layer, with links through the layers, to accomplish the required connections.

For water cooling, the PCB consisted of a large heat sink, around which the circuit components were assembled, through which the chilled water flowed. When the PCB was plugged into the backplane, it also connected via special leak proof connectors to the chilled water supply flowing in the backplane. In turn, the backplane was connected with larger leak proof connectors to the customer supply.

Today's systems are usually physically smaller for the same computing power, and are designed to have a larger tolerance of air conditioning requirements, some in a so-called 'office environment'. They are designed with a wind tunnel approach, and require all doors to be closed.

Tony is a retired computer engineer, with 40 years experience, building on his previous electronics engineering on radar and automatic controls. He is now working from home on the internet. This article, brought up to date, with diagrams and illustrations, forms part of his latest book. For further information and details, please visit the website Computer Fundamentals

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月9日星期五

Why is My PDA Tougher Than Yours? Because It's Got Armor

If you have a PDA ask yourself a very important question. Is it safe from unforseen hazards on the road? When I asked myself this same question the answer scared me. NO, it's not protected. It's why I've taken steps to make my PDA as tough as possible. Let's face it, like Murphy's Law if something can go wrong, it will. Instead of waiting for the accident to happen I assumed it would and imagined the panic that would ensue without my PDA. That was enough to scare me into action.

What I've done in the terms of the industry is to "ruggedize" my PDA. It's now one tough cookie! A protective armor surrounds the PDA so it can withstand the natural elements like dust and moisture. Plus, the PDA is protected if in the event I accidentally drop or bump it against something else.

What are some of the pros and cons of a ruggetized PDA?

A ruggetized PDA does weigh and cost more than a consumer PDA. But the weight and price are worth it, considering it delivers needed protection for the PDA and it's data. The ruggetized outer cases made by Ottobox look like they're built for battle and rightfully they should be. These things are rock solid.

For quick data entry most ruggetized PDAs come with barcode or card readers as an option or built in feature.

If you're strictly looking at a rugged PDA and not the ruggetized outercase like with Ottobox, you'll find the software is a bit behind the times. I'll explain this more under the section called Options For A Rugged PDA. Briefly, most rugged PDAs in the marketplace run on older versions of Pocket PC software.

What is it like using a ruggetized PDA?

My friend Joe, who is a reporter, has a ruggetized outercase for his PDA. It's made by Ottobox. Joe's carried it with him as he's covered battles overseas and natural disasters from hurricanes to floods. His ruggedized PDA has performed well in dirt, rain, humid conditions, as well in jeep rides when he's been in the war zone and in the outback in Australia. It's got rocked around, knocked into and still functioned without missing a beat.

According to Otterbox, the protective armor is made from indestructible, reinforced ABS plastic. Joe uses the OtterBox Armor 3600. It's the same one I use. It is designed for use in the field. Even if the field, in my case, is a convertible car and survey work as a landscape architect.

When it comes to high-end function and safety it is not always about looks, but the Ottobox does look very cool. It reminds me of the Xterra car. Mine is in fluorescent yellow, but the Otterbox 3600 also comes in midnight black.

The pins on the case are Marine Grade 316 stainless steel, which is ideal for salt and freshwater situations.

My rugged PDA case is waterproof too. I accidentally tested that when I knocked over a cup of water as I was driving. Dumb move, I know. I had a near panic attack over it, but then remembered the thing was waterproof up to three meters in depth. Naturally, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The Otterbox Armor 3600 has what they call a "through-the-Box" connectivity Kit, which allows you to use a variety of cables and still keep the unit sealed from harmful weather conditions. You can add on GPS receivers, barcode readers and other accessories.

What about the mobile signal strength?

One of the unexpected benefits of a ruggetized PDA is that it actually protects the signal strength. I noticed this with my Bluetooth GPS connection. The PDA is no longer just left open to the elements. Instead of natural conditions causing an interference with the signal strength the PDA is insulated.

Which is more cost effective a rugged PDA case or a ruggetized PDA?

A rugged PDA case is much more cost effective than the ruggedized PDAs in the marketplace. The Ottobox PDA case is nearly a third the price of a rugged PDA. Plus, if you need to upgrade its easy. Simply switch to a different PDA and keep your existing case. You save money without compromising on the protection of your PDA.

What options are there for a rugged PDA?

My friend Larry, who is an engineer and former Navy Seal, uses Raytheon's Agama's ultra-ruggedized Pocket PC. This unit is designed for military and commercial use and includes: Intel's StrongARM 206 MHz processor, 64 MB of RAM, 32 MB of flash ROM, a color touch screen, and a single Secure Digital card slot. Options include: Bluetooth, GPS, GPRS, or CDMA, and single and dual card expansion modules. It runs on the Pocket PC 2002 software.

There are many other rugged PDAs on the market. My friend Carl, who works for the U.S. Department of Fish and Game, uses the Recon PDA by Tripod Data Systems (TDS) http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon. This ruggetized PDA meets MIL-STD-810F military standards. It is built to withstand harsh weather conditions and is waterproof. The Recon PDA runs on Windows Mobile 2003 and comes with either 200 MHz or 400 MHz XScale processor, 64 MB of RAM and 64 or 128 MB of flash storage. This high allocation of storage secures the data from resets and loss of power. It comes with a color display and a front light. With Recon's PDA running on Windows Mobile 2003 it's convenient to use the pocket versions of Word, Excel, email and calendar.

Symbol's MC9000-Gruns on Windows Mobile 2003 (or Windows CE.NET) software and has 64 MB RAM and 64MB flash. Like the other rugged PDAs it too is designed to withstand the harmful effects of dust, water, and being accidentally dropped.

What's the upkeep like on a PDA rugged case?

It's easy to clean. I use a Q tip and wipe away the dirt and grime from the outer case and seal.

Can you lock the PDA Case?

Yes. On the latch of my Otterbox there are holes, which are real handy if you want to make the unit tamper proof. These holes can be locked if you install screws in the openings. Otterbox says to use a 3.0mm x 6.0mm long Socket Head Cap Screw (SCHS), which uses a 2.5mm hex wrench.

Can you hook up external antennas for GPS?

Yes. To get signal strength you need the antenna to be in the best possible position and pointed skyward. Sometimes this can look a little humorous. A few months ago, I saw a colleague with a pole mounted antenna. It seemed like he grew an extra head.

What my colleague had on his back is a pole equipped backpack known as a Garmin 17N. The GPS receiver is built right into the dome, that's what I had jokingly called an extra head. The Garmin 17N is widely used by survey workers in the field. With the Garmin 72/76, known as a quad-helix antenna, the top edge of the unit needs to point skyward.

There are other smaller antennas. For instance, the Garmin 27C is slim and black much like tape a cassette. You can attach it to a baseball cap, a pole, or a backpack. An added benefit of this unit is that it can improve signal strength for your PDA.

Connectivity is easy. With these external antennas you simply connect the GPS with a cable to your PDA and use the PDA software to view maps and conduct fieldwork. If you don't want to worry about getting cables dirty or lugging them around you may want to look into wireless Bluetooth GPS units that connect to your PDA.

Is it easy to use a ruggetized PDA in the field?

Yes. The recessed plastic is very visible. The adjustable velcro strap is easy to grip if you have gloves on, or if your hands are sticky or sweaty from work in the field.

I like the handy stylus holder on the outside of the case. There is no fumbling around and asking myself where did the stylus go? It's right there wherever I go!

If you work in the field, like me, and need to bring your PDA into dusty, humid, or unstable weather conditions be sure to ruggetize the case. It's the needed protection that will give you peace of mind. Verizon wireless offers a reliable national wireless Internet service called Wireless Sync.

Copyright © Rene Tse, the owner of the website: Free cellular Phone Deals is thoroughly addicted to finding information to help consumers on which: free camera cell phone and cell phone accessories are the best for protecting your cell phone, PDA or Pocket PC.

I grant permission to publish this article, electronically or in print, as long as the bylines are included, with 2 live links, and the article is not changed in any

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Installing Hardwood Flooring Over Concrete and Wood Sub Floors

Expansion & Contraction of Hardwood Flooring

"The flooring shop said to leave 10mm for solid wood floor expansion at the walls...now the boards are lifting off the floor." Ill informed advice like this often leads to floor problems. Many flooring sales people unfamiliar with solid wood flooring assume expansion is the same as laminate flooring. In reality that 10mm is not enough for solid wood flooring.

What Is An Expansion Area? Why Do We Need It?

Expansion areas are spaces left around the perimeter of rooms, against fixed objects such as columns, thresholds, hearths, skirting boards, and other stationary items built or secured into the framing structure of the home. Even though Hardwood flooring used is no longer living and breathing it still reacts to moisture changes in the environment. The cells in the solid wood will take on or absorb moisture when the relative humidity is high, or when exposed to water. Expansion takes place, and the hardwood grows, for lack of a clearer term, across the grain (width) of the plank (see below, not all will react this way). Conversely when air moisture levels decrease, moisture content evaporates, shrinking of the solid wood will occur.

When we say spaces, they are defined as installing the hardwood flooring up to and away from the fixed objects. For example; "we recommend at least 15mm small to medium area-18mm expansion on larger areas at the skirting board or wall if new skirting to be fitted."

Hardwood flooring can react to the presence of moisture. In the dry winter heating months, moisture can leave the wood flooring causing the floor to contract slightly in size, which can leave slight gaps between each floor board. In the summer months when the humidity is higher, the hardwood flooring will expand and the gaps will disappear. If there is too much moisture in the subfloor it will cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. Nearly all problems related to hardwood flooring are due to improper installation and sub floor preparation. This is why it is important when installing hardwood flooring that you follow the correct recommended installation methods by the manufacturer.

Direct Glue Installations

A direct glue installation requires the use of a flooring adhesive applied directly onto the subfloor (never directly apply to the boards). This method can be used on concrete and wooden subfloors. When done correctly this is the most stable method for fitting solid wood flooring as the elastic flooring adhesive allows the floor to expand and contract with no problems.

If you are laying over a concrete subfloor you will first need checked the concrete moisture, if the floor has a moisture content of over 4% then either wait until the sub floor dries to meet this level or use an appropriate moisture barrier, we recommend Sika Mb Primer to ensure no damp rises up into your new floor.

Also note that new concrete slabs require a minimum of 60 days drying time before covering them with a wood floor.

All Concrete sub-floors must be dry, smooth, level and free of structural defects. If the concrete sub floor is uneven we recommend using sika latex self leveling compound to level the subfloor. The concrete must also be free of contaminants i.e. paint, oil, wax grease, dirt and curing compounds (the reason for this is that you need the self leveling compound to bond to the sub floor).These may be removed chemically or mechanically as your local hardware store and they will sell you the correct floor cleaner, but do not use solvent-based strippers under any circumstances. The use of residual solvents can create problems with the bonding of flooring adhesives. It is important to ensure a proper bond between the adhesives and concrete and wood panels.

If you have a wooden subfloor you will need to lay a plywood base over the existing floor boards (we recommend using 4mm -6mm exterior grade plywood and screw down every 15cm along the edges and at 20cm intervals throughout the rest of the board using the 1 inch deck screws) before installation, this will then give you a smooth and level surface for you to install you hardwood flooring onto.

You will need to leave a 15mm expansion gap around the perimeter of the room for large areas over 6 meters in length we recommend 18mm expansion gap. To maintain this gap during installation spacers are provided in the kits. After you have installed the hardwood floor you can cover this expansion gap with scotia or new skirting boards The 15mm expansion gap also needs to be left in doorways where the hardwood floor follows through from one room to another we sell on this website a full range of door profiles available to match your floor.

Nailed Down Installations

Nailed down installation is the traditional way to install hardwood floors and can be done either directly onto wooden subfloor or on a concrete subfloor with the use of battens. When fixing battens onto concrete you will need a power-actuated nailer to drive through the battens and fix directly into the concrete, firstly lay out polyethylene moisture sheet then plywood over the battens to create a new sub floor. We recommend 12mm exterior grade plywood and 2inch x 4inch battens. Lay battens around perimeter at ½ inch from the wall, leave ¼ inch gap at each end. Position the first batten so its centre is 16 inches from the outside edge of the perimeter batten. Lay out the remaining battens across the area 16 inch intervals. Always check you battens are level using a level gauge you may need to use cedar shims to level out dips in the concrete, slide the shims under the battens until level. (If in doubt we recommend consulting a professional fitter for this method).

Wooden Subfloor

Hardwood floors can be nailed into existing wooden subfloors such as floorboards or plywood but not into chipboard floors as these are not strong enough to hold the nails. The floorboards must be in good condition and level if not it is advisable to lay 6mm exterior grade plywood down first.

To avoid creaking, check over the subfloor and securely fasten any loose floorboards. For added soundproofing it is also advisable to use a standard foam underlay.

When you nail down a solid wood floor you use a Porta Nailer to drive a nail at a 30 degree angle through the tongue and into the subfloor. Porta Nailers can be hired from any good hire shop but are expensive to buy.

Again you will need to leave a 15mm expansion gap around the perimeter of the room. To maintain this gap during installation spacers are provided in the installation kits.

After you have installed the floor you can cover this expansion gap with scotia or new skirting boards.The 15mm expansion gap also needs to be left in doorways where the floor follows through from one room to another; we sell full range of door profiles available to match your floor on this website.

WASTAGE

When ordering your new floor we recommend you allow for some wastage due to cuts a professional fitter would add on an extra 2%-5% of flooring needed to finish a job. We recommend non professional fitter should add on 5%-10%.

for futher information visit our website where you can also buy the wood flooring online at http://www.ukflooring4less.co.uk/

written by Mr David Kitto
http://www.ukflooring4less.co.uk/

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

2012年3月14日 星期三

2012年3月13日 星期二

2012年3月12日 星期一

2012年3月11日 星期日

2012年3月10日 星期六

2012年3月9日 星期五

2012年3月14日星期三

2012年3月13日星期二

2012年3月12日星期一

2012年3月11日星期日

2012年3月10日星期六

2012年3月9日星期五