Why is blown in insulation becoming so popular?

I think that one of the reasons why blown in insulation is becoming more popular is the fact that it is so easy to put in. This is especially true if you are trying to retrofit a home with insulation (i.e., after it has already been built) -- you will not have to do extensive tearing out of walls or ceilings or floors -- all that is really needed is enough of an opening for your contractors machinery to insert a flexible tube to blow in the insulation particles.

Which areas of my home can be insulated in this way?

Actually, you can use blown in insulation in many different areas of your home -- floors, ceilings, walls, attic crawl spaces -- all of these are good places to use it. Often times insulating your home can turn out to be a big expense if you have to insulate large areas -- because larger areas require more material. But blown in insulation is made from recycled material, which is much cheaper -- and it certainly doesn't take as many people to install this type of insulation in your home than with, let's say, fiberglass or rigid foam insulating blocks.

Advantages and disadvantages?

As I mentioned above, blown in insulation is very inexpensive -- and safe. It is also very environmentally friendly. Certain types of materials are rated as a Class I fire safety material (your insurance company will love that!) -- and insulation that is blown in can be done very simply by drilling a hole, pumping the stuff in, and then sealing the hole -- nothing could be easier.

But there are a few downsides as well. For example, if you need to seal up very small, restricted areas such as around electrical junction boxes or plumbing structures, this method will not work as well as expanding foam insulation will. Another thing to be aware of is that over time the materials which are blown in to your wall cavities or above your ceiling can settle -- and this can cause some loss in insulating effectiveness (not to mention the fact that the extra weight can cause your walls and ceilings to sag).

What types of materials are available?

A common material used as blown in insulation filler is cellulose. To make it safer, most cellulose insulation products that are sold in the US have been treated with a substance -- aluminum sulfate -- which acts as a fire retardant. You must make sure to keep this type of treated cellulose dry, as the effectiveness of the aluminum sulfate as a fire retardant will be lowered if it becomes wet.

If your contractor offers the option, you can select wet-spray cellulose as your filler material. Wet-spray cellulose has water mixed in with a special adhesive -- and the adhesive will help the small pieces of cellulose to adhere to each other once they have been blown in to your wall or ceiling cavity.

Other types of materials used candy fiberglass, vermiculite, slag wool and perlite, hemp, granulated cork, wood chips -- even corncobs! You must be very careful if you choose to use an all-natural material (such as wood chips or corncobs) as over time they may deteriorate or even rot -- especially if they become wet.

Can I install blown in insulation myself?

While there is nothing inherently difficult about installing this type of insulation, you probably do not have the necessary blowing equipment to get the job done. As your local building supply store probably does not have those units for renting, your best bet is to rely on the services of a professional installation contractor.

They not only have the necessary equipment but the added experience of having done perhaps hundreds of these insulating projects over the years, in many different types of homes and buildings. You should seek them out, ask for references and always get a written estimate before agreeing to allow them to do the work for you.

By: Simon Harris
This article provided courtesy of http://www.better-insulation.net.

There are two kinds of paint to use for your interior and exterior painting jobs, and both have their advantages. Oil based paints are thick paints mixed from resins and oils. Latex or acrylic paints are thinner, water-based paints. How do you know which kind of paint is right for your next painting project? Acrylic paints are increasingly popular because they are not as toxic as oil paints and hence do not smell as bad. They are also quicker to dry and it is easier to clean up their mess. However oil paints have the advantage of lasting longer, especially in high traffic areas like on the trip of doorways. Trim is an ideal thing to paint with oils. The thick paint will protect the surface and it will be easy to wipe if the surface gets stained. Oil based paints also work well on the exterior of the house because they hold up well against the elements.

Painting with oil can be difficult because the paint is thicker and harder to stir and spread. You cannot shake oil paint like you can latex paint. It tends to bubble up when you put it on the wall. When you paint with oil, you need to wash your brushes in paint thinner. This is in contract to brushes that have been painting with acrylics; they can just be rinsed with water. Yes, oil paints are harder to remove from not only brushes, but also skin. While acrylics may stain your clothes, they can easily be wiped off your arm, face, or wherever else they happen to splatter during your painting project. Oil paints can also be troublesome because they are considered hazardous waste. You cannot just through a can of oil paint in the trash. You need to take it to an appropriate facility.

Many families prefer to paint with acrylics inside, because the smell of acrylics is less toxic and it fades much faster than oil's lingering scent. However, no paint is exactly safe for children, particularly when ingested, so make sure to clear the painting space of children and adults for a few hours to a few days while the paint dries.

When painting surfaces that are ideal for oil based paints, such as interior doors and trim, remember to prime the surfaces carefully. A good primer is essential for making the paint last. You do not want your paint to start peeling, which it can if the surface is not properly primed, or even if you are painting oil paint over another layer of oil paint. To primes a surface for oil paint, first wash the area. You can paint on primer with a brush, just like you would a regular paint, or spray it on. If you are going to be putting your coat of primer on top of a dark color of oil paint, then it might help to get the primer tinted slightly. This will save you time in the long run, because you will probably not have to apply several coats of oil to cover up the darkness beneath it and will also not need tools like air compressors to do the job.

By: Ray L. Walberg
Focusing on informing about portable air tanks, the columnist wrote for the most part for insidewoodworking.com You can find his articles on portable air compressors at http://www.insidewoodworking.com and many different sources for portable air compressors tips.

So, you need to either replace or install gutters on your home. This is not a very complicated job even though it sounds as if it is quite extraordinary. There are a couple of decisions that have to be made before you can install it though.

First you will need to decide if you are going to use pvc or metal guttering. Vinyl guttering is very easily installed but the brackets and clamps are exposed on the outside of the guttering for everyone to see. It doesn't look that bad but you have to decide if this is what you want. Metal guttering on the other hand is as simple to put up and you can hang it with spikes that are pretty well hidden from view. You will have to also decide on color as there are a variety to choose from now.

Once you have decided on your type and color the next thing to do is to measure your house in order to determine the amount needed. You want to measure across your house at the bottom of the pitches of your roof. Remember water will free flow down hill and you want the gutter to catch it here and divert it to the downspouts. After you have this measurement you divide this number by the length of each piece of guttering and round up to the next whole piece. This is the number of pieces of guttering to buy. The next thing you need to calculate is your downspouts.

Downspouts are what your gutter diverts the rainwater into. You will need at least one if not two on a straight run. The way you determine this is by figuring the pitch or slope on your guttering. Gutters have to have one quarter inch slope every ten foot in order for the water to drain. That is one inch every forty foot. So, in a nutshell, if your guttering is going to be 40 foot in length you put a downspout on each end. In the middle of your run make a mark where the gutter will mount. At each end make a mark one half inch lower than the center mark. This is a one quarter inch drop every ten feet. Now make a chalk line and install the gutter starting at one end or the other and work the opposite way. This provides the slope evenly in both directions and makes it less noticeable to the eye of the viewer. After you have connected the guttering across the fascia board now you install the downspouts on each end and use the clamps to clamp them to the wall.

Remember gutter channels come in either 4,5, 0r 6 inch channel and the 5 inch is the most commonly used. Downspouts come in either 2x3 inch or 3x4 inch and are usually corrugated. If you live where there is a lot of rain or snow, or there are alot of trees around your house then go with the 3x4 inch. This will accommodate more runoff and will not stop up as quick from leaves. The downspout is corrugated in order to slow the running water a bit to keep it from gushing out the bottom of the downspout.

Once your gutters are installed you need to place a diverter under your downspout and this is usually plastic and fits right under the downspout with the higher end of it next to the house. This points the drain water in the direction of flow without it creating a hole in your lawn from the rainwater. Some people and you may consider underground drain pipes to divert the water even further.

Even though this may sound complicated you don't need a lot of technical expertise. A pencil, paper, tape measure, small saw or snips, hammer, or screw gun, ladder, and a chalk line are all the tools you need. This is a job you can do yourself but is easier with a helper.

By: Stanley Roberts
http://www.lovingall.net
I am a 44 year old male that likes to promote my opinions on different things. Be it politics or the sociological aspects of life on Mars. What ever you want to discuss I'll be there. I have just recently started writing articles and posting on the internet but I feel I have shown my ability to discuss several different topics. For a true layman's point of view you should check me out.

The least expensive are about $20.00, cheaper than a pair of Levi's jeans. You will not be forgiven if fire breaks out because you forgo a $20 fire alarm system.

What is worse than burglary and theft in your property? The only candidate would be fire. If a robber enters your home, the most likely worst outcome is that your valuables will be stolen. Cases of fire will not only decimate your valuables, your property will be razed. That is the most horrific nightmare of households.

True enough, property owners (households and offices) invests more in fire security and prevention than in thievery, even banks and holdings of valuables. Why, because fire is now also an element that burglars and thieves use as an accompaniment for their sting. Of course, burglary is still an important factor.

In effect, most total security units now include burglary and fire alarm system. Such systems supervise doors, windows and large spaces that would require such devices, e.g. theft prone areas (entry areas) and high fire risk areas like the library and the living room, especially above the carpets. Some total security units also include a 24 hour monitoring service that charges monthly dues.

Due to their relatively high cost, these total alarm systems are only found on homes that clearly could afford such. Smaller conventional households will make do of a smoke detector and a tank of fire extinguisher. But do no tbe hasty to discredit smoke detectors. Though very cheap, they are very, very reliable and often would warn the earliest signs of fire.

Thus do not give up the possibility of safeguarding your residences. For just around $20.00 you can equip a single room with the ability to fully deal properly with fire accidents. (Actually, it only goes off, you still have to manually operate the fire extinguisher). Of course these type of fire alarm systems goes hand in hand with a fire extinguisher, which is yet another essential. Why, most fires can be extinguished with water (or cushion or mat, as long as it smothers the fire) but some fires DO get bigger with water, in fact grease fires are really dangerous if applied with water. Thus, fire extinguisher should it be.

There are two types of smoke fire alarm systems, and each one has a design specific to the area. Ionization smoke alarms are the least expensive ( the type I have discussed) and are simple to set up, require easy maintenance but may cause more false alarms because of their high tech sensitivity to smoke. Ideally, ionization detectors are to be installed on rooms having volatile materials and photoelectric for rooms having heavy furniture that smolders before bursting into flames.

While most fire alarm systems is use today are smoke detectors, other models make use of heat and temperature to detect the presence of fire. In some cases like gasoline and alcohol burning, these fires produce little smoke which may not trigger the smoke detectors immediately. Accordingly, these types are to be used.

Fire is one serious household accident that may or may not come during your lifetime. Just because there where no such incident before does not mean your home is immune. The cheapest is about $20.00 , way cheaper than your Nike. You will not be forgiven if fire breaks out because you forgo a $20 fire alarm system.

By: John A. Leo
John Leo has managed companies in the low voltage products industry. Home theater audio cable, fire alarm, coaxial, and security alarm cable have been the focus of his thirty year career. webmaster@worldwide-products.biz http://www.worldwide-products.biz.