A Fireplace Turns A House Into A Home
By: Christine Loxley
Having a fireplace in your home is a great way to heat your home... and it can look great while doing it. But when choosing a fireplace there are some important aspects besides the aesthetic beauty that you must consider in order to maximize efficiency for the heating of your house. A good-looking fireplace is useless in a cold room!
One thing that must be looked at is the efficiency rating of the fireplace. This is measured by the heat that is produced by the fireplace. Generally fireplaces have an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. The higher the AFUE rating the more efficient the fireplace. Make sure that when you compare fireplaces that the numbers used for the ratings are on the same scale.
In choosing a fireplace you need to look at which one will be the best fit for your home. It depends on the model type and the space you have for the fireplace in your home. There are three main types of fireplaces which are inserts, direct vent and vent free models. Generally most of the gas models can be converted so they will run on propane and many fireplaces that are wood burning can have gas jets added to them to add to the desired heat.
You will also have to look at the cost of the form of gas or wood to factor in what you will use as fuel to heat your home.
Once you have the right model in terms of heating capability, you can decide on the look. The fireplace that you choose must match the décor of the room you wish to put it in. But there are literally thousands of styles of fireplaces so there is bound to be one that fits your style needs.
Fireplaces can be a great addition to any home as well as a very attractive part of your house.
About The Author
Christine Loxley writes for http://fireplace-focus.com , a website full of fireplace articles and resources
Sunday, March 9, 2008
4 Hot Tips for Replacing a Garage Door
By: Steve Dolan
What Kind of Garage Door should I buy?
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When looking for a garage door, you notice that there are two major designs: tilt-up doors and sectional roll-up doors. Sectional roll-up doors are more expensive than tilt-up doors, but the extra cost is well worth it.
Tilt-up doors consist of a single panel of material. To open the door, you have to pull it out and pivot it up to slide it along the roof of your garage. Sectional roll-up doors, on the other hand, are made of a number of horizontal sections. Each section is hinged to the next section, allowing the door a certain degree of flexibility. Because the door is mounted on rollers, to open a sectional roll-up door you just have to lift the door and it will roll into place along the roof of your garage.
Sectional roll-up doors are superior to tilt-up doors. From a purely practical point they take up less room. Because you don’t have to pull the door out, there will be more room in front of your garage door for things like your car. The door will also take up less room in the garage, since it can be placed higher up than a tilt-up door.
What should my Garage Door be made of?
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Garage doors, both tilt-ups and sectional roll-ups, are primarily made from wood or steel. Of these two materials, wood is the cheaper and – arguably – more attraction option. If you decided to get a wooden door please keep in mind that just like your deck, a wooden garage door will be more easily damaged by the weather than a steel door. If you live in a particularly hot or cold climate, you may find your self with a warped or damaged garage door.
Steel garage doors are more expensive, but you will not face the same problems that you would encounter with a wood door. If you decide to get a steel door the main thing to check is that it has been properly prepared to prevent rust.
Garage doors are also occasionally made with aluminium or fibreglass. While both of these materials are less expensive than steel doors, you should be careful when using them. Neither material is as strong as steel so they will not hold up to the usual wear and tear of a garage door. And once again depending on your climate, they will not be as energy efficient as a steel door if that is a concern to you.
How do I look after my Garage Door?
-----------------------------------
Just like any other exterior surface on your house, your garage door will need periodic maintenance to keep it working smoothly and looking as good as the rest of your house. You’d be surprised how the look of your garage door not only affects the overall look of your house, but the perceived value of your house too.
No matter what material your garage door is made of, it should be washed regularly. If you have a wood door, you should repaint the door every other year to ensure that the wood stays protected. If you have a steel door, you can give it a yearly shine with car wax
To prolong the life of the mechanical parts, you should lubricate all moving parts with motor oil whenever the door starts to feel sluggish.
Safety Concerns with Garage Doors
---------------------------------
Every year, children are seriously injured from accidents involving garage doors. To avoid these preventable accidents, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you should only use automatic garage door openers if they have an automatic reverse function. This will reverse the closing of the garage door if an obstacle is encountered.
About The Author
Steve Dolan is a homeowner and DIY enthusiast. Go to http://www.allgaragedoorsweb.com for articles and resources for all your garage door needs.
What Kind of Garage Door should I buy?
--------------------------------------
When looking for a garage door, you notice that there are two major designs: tilt-up doors and sectional roll-up doors. Sectional roll-up doors are more expensive than tilt-up doors, but the extra cost is well worth it.
Tilt-up doors consist of a single panel of material. To open the door, you have to pull it out and pivot it up to slide it along the roof of your garage. Sectional roll-up doors, on the other hand, are made of a number of horizontal sections. Each section is hinged to the next section, allowing the door a certain degree of flexibility. Because the door is mounted on rollers, to open a sectional roll-up door you just have to lift the door and it will roll into place along the roof of your garage.
Sectional roll-up doors are superior to tilt-up doors. From a purely practical point they take up less room. Because you don’t have to pull the door out, there will be more room in front of your garage door for things like your car. The door will also take up less room in the garage, since it can be placed higher up than a tilt-up door.
What should my Garage Door be made of?
--------------------------------------
Garage doors, both tilt-ups and sectional roll-ups, are primarily made from wood or steel. Of these two materials, wood is the cheaper and – arguably – more attraction option. If you decided to get a wooden door please keep in mind that just like your deck, a wooden garage door will be more easily damaged by the weather than a steel door. If you live in a particularly hot or cold climate, you may find your self with a warped or damaged garage door.
Steel garage doors are more expensive, but you will not face the same problems that you would encounter with a wood door. If you decide to get a steel door the main thing to check is that it has been properly prepared to prevent rust.
Garage doors are also occasionally made with aluminium or fibreglass. While both of these materials are less expensive than steel doors, you should be careful when using them. Neither material is as strong as steel so they will not hold up to the usual wear and tear of a garage door. And once again depending on your climate, they will not be as energy efficient as a steel door if that is a concern to you.
How do I look after my Garage Door?
-----------------------------------
Just like any other exterior surface on your house, your garage door will need periodic maintenance to keep it working smoothly and looking as good as the rest of your house. You’d be surprised how the look of your garage door not only affects the overall look of your house, but the perceived value of your house too.
No matter what material your garage door is made of, it should be washed regularly. If you have a wood door, you should repaint the door every other year to ensure that the wood stays protected. If you have a steel door, you can give it a yearly shine with car wax
To prolong the life of the mechanical parts, you should lubricate all moving parts with motor oil whenever the door starts to feel sluggish.
Safety Concerns with Garage Doors
---------------------------------
Every year, children are seriously injured from accidents involving garage doors. To avoid these preventable accidents, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you should only use automatic garage door openers if they have an automatic reverse function. This will reverse the closing of the garage door if an obstacle is encountered.
About The Author
Steve Dolan is a homeowner and DIY enthusiast. Go to http://www.allgaragedoorsweb.com for articles and resources for all your garage door needs.
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