Welcome to Tinley Park! The Best Resources for New Tinley Park Homeowners

Welcome to Tinley Park! The Best Resources for New Tinley Park Homeowners

Welcome to Tinley Park! This beautiful Chicagoland suburb has a lot to offer to any family looking to set roots down. Additionally, because it’s so close to Chicago, it’s a perfect place for professionals to build their career. Here’s what you need to know to get settled into your new home!

Getting Your Utilities in Order

• ComEd Electric Service

• Nicor Natural Gas

• Garbage Removal and Curbside Recycling

• Internet Providers in Tinley Park

• Top Cable Providers in Tinley Park

• Call Kevin Szabo Jr. Plumbing for All of Your Residential and Commercial Plumbing Needs, Including Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

Disability-Friendly Activities

• Wheelchair Accessible Things to Do in Chicago

• Experience Chicago Online: Virtual Tours & Digital Experiences

• Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association

Getting Your Car Ready for Illinois

• Tinley Park DMV Locations

• Illinois Car Insurance Guide

• Best Auto Repair Services in Tinley Park

How To Properly Move a Business to Another State

• Important Marketing Strategies for Relocating a Business to Another State

• Understanding Cost and Legal Concerns of Moving Your Business

• Understanding Tax Classifications by State

• Utilizing USPS for Mail Forwarding Services

• Logistics of Moving the Business to Another State

• Learn About Ways to Set Up Your Illinois LLC

Sometimes, finding services can be a problem, especially when you’re in a brand new area. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of resources to help new homeowners connect with the services they’ll need to feel at home in Tinley Park.

Guest Contributor: Patrick Young

CFL vs. LED vs. Incandescent Light Bulbs

About 5% of an average household’s energy bill goes to lighting. For many years, the only style of light bulb available to households was the incandescent bulb. The Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs would come into the scene before the light-emitting diode (LED) was introduced. The main aim behind the development of light bulbs over the years is to use as little energy as possible while getting the best light possible.

The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy advises households that “Switching to energy-efficient lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut [their] energy bills.” The same department advises that making changes to your home’s frequently-used bulbs and fixtures could see you saving up to $45 a year.   

In response to advice from such organizations as the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, some households leave incandescent bulbs behind and embrace two major alternatives: CFLs and LEDs. But there is an important question we need to answer if government departments and pressure groups are to convince everyone to switch: What is the difference between CFL, LED, and incandescent Light Bulbs? 

In this article, we provide the answer to the question above. We will focus on different lighting choices. We compare these bulbs based on brightness, lifespan, power, heat emission, mercury hazard, the annual cost of operating each of them, and environmental impact.

Incandescent Light Bulbs

The History of Incandescent Bulbs 

Forty-four years before Thomas Edison first patented the incandescent light bulb, British inventors had tested the first constant electric light in 1835. It wasn’t until Edison, and his Menlo Park researchers tinkered with the light bulb filament that a breakthrough was made with the incandescent light bulb.

Edison experimented with a carbon filament, then a platinum filament, before reverting to the carbon filament, using an uncoated cotton thread. The result was a lightbulb that could produce light for up to 14.5 hours. 

Edison and his team continued to improve on the filament and came up with one made from carbonized bamboo. This proved to be a massive success as it took Edison’s light bulbs from lasting 14 or so hours to a lifespan of 1,200 hours. This feat became possible with the discovery that creating a vacuum inside the glass casing surrounding the filament made the bulb last longer.  

How do Incandescent Bulbs Work?

An incandescent bulb comprises a glass casing surrounding a tungsten filament. It works by using electrical energy to heat the filament to the point that it generates light. About 95% of that electrical energy is lost as heat, and only 5% of it produces light. 

Attempts to Phase-out Incandescent Bulbs

Over a century after the first incandescent bulb, the United States’ federal government passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) into law. The aim of the act was to outlaw most incandescent light bulbs, starting in January 2012. However, the implementation of this law was delayed due to budget cutbacks in 2012.

The law banning the production of incandescent bulbs was finally scrapped in 2019. Several reasons were given for scrapping the ban, including that the more efficient bulbs were more expensive than incandescent bulbs. The government also admitted that the ban had been a misinterpretation of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.  

Reasons People Still Use Incandescent Bulbs

People still use incandescent light bulbs for many reasons, including:

Cost: Incandescent light bulbs cost about 70 cents apiece, as opposed to compact fluorescent light (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs, which cost $2 and $10 to $20 apiece, respectively.

Force of Habit: People sometimes habitually buy an incandescent light bulb simply because it is what they are used to. Others may not yet understand why they need to stop using something that has worked for so long.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

Compact Fluorescent Lamps, also known simply as fluorescents, are a modern alternative to incandescent light bulbs. CFLs are a more energy-efficient substitute for incandescent light bulbs and have an average lifespan of 8,000 hours.

The History of CFLs

Experiments with fluorescent lights began as far back as the 1890s with Edison and Nikola Tesla. It was not until 1934, however, when General Electric’s Nobel-laureate, Arthur Compton, successfully experimented with fluorescent bulbs, that the technology was fully commercialized. 

By 1951, fluorescent light bulbs were a bigger light source in the United States than incandescent light bulbs. 

How do CFLs Work?

A CFL produces light when its argon and mercury vapor-containing tube receives an electric current that produces ultraviolet light. The fluorescent coating inside the tube gets excited by this current and produces visible light.

Pros and Cons of CFLs

Even though CFLs came as an improvement of the incandescent light bulbs, GreenAmerica.org, the non-profit that works towards growing a green economy, provides an idea of the merits and demerits of this light source:

Pros

• They last about 10,000 to 15,000 hours, which is ten times longer than incandescent light bulbs.

• Even though they cost more than incandescent light bulbs, their longevity means they cost less in the long run.

• CFLs are more efficient than incandescent light bulbs, meaning they produce more light while using less power.

Cons

• Mercury, a neurotoxicant (a substance that can harm the sense organs and central and peripheral nervous system), is a component of CFLs. However, mercury in a CFL light bulb is minute, making it not much of a concern.

• CFLs cannot be dimmed, making them unsuitable for use in certain situations.

LED Light Bulbs

LED means Light Emitting Diode. Currently, there are no light bulbs that are more energy-efficient than LEDs. LEDs have two electrodes called a cathode and an anode, which allow electricity to flow through them. These electrodes make up an electrical device called a diode. When electrons go through an LED’s diodes, they generate visible light.

History of LEDs

Nick Holonyak, Jr., of General Electric, is credited for inventing the first visible-spectrum LED in 1962. The first LEDs produced were red diodes, with pale yellow and green diodes appearing next. Constant improvements on diodes have continued ever since.

Pros and Cons of LEDs

While LEDs are rapidly becoming the preferred style of lighting, they also have pros and cons:

Pros

• LEDs are the most efficient light bulbs right now.

• They last longer than CFLs and incandescent light bulbs.

• LED bulbs can be made to look like regular bulbs.

• Great at direct light (when light from a source falls on a precise object or area)

Cons

• LEDs tend to be more expensive, even though they are getting cheaper over time.

• They produce blue light. Blue light is the type of light present in natural light. This type of light is also produced by screens on devices like televisions and cellphones. It can temper with sleep schedules.

• Their brightness depreciates over time.

Comparing CFLs, LEDs, and Incandescent Light Bulbs

Now that we have an idea of the three main styles of light bulbs, let’s look at the seven key areas in which the three types of light bulbs differ.

The figures below are not always exact as products are different, making it impossible to give a specific measure for all LEDs, CFLs, or incandescent bulbs for any specific element. We provide general approximates based on research we have conducted: 

Guest Contributor: lampsplus.com

12 Tips for Choosing the Best Flooring Options in Every Room

Whether you are building a new home or buying one that has been around for years, flooring will be an integral consideration for the interior design. If you consider the space taken by the floors in a home, you will realize why flooring has a significant impact on your home's aesthetic. It can determine whether a space looks relaxed, luxurious, warm, intimate, cozy, small, or large.

Whether you are a professional or a homeowner who wants to find the best floor for any room, you will realize that getting the right floor type for each room can be overwhelming with dozens of materials available. Having realized this, we have put together 12 tips for choosing the best flooring in every room.

Even though there is no one-size-fits-all when selecting the right floor for your home, you will realize that specific tips, like considering what a room will be used for, the location of your home, your budget, and your style are universal. This article looks at these elements and others, hoping that you will have a better idea of what will work for you by the time you read to the end.

1. Take Hints From Your Daily Situation 

The best place to start when considering the flooring type you should choose for each room is to step back and look at your unique situation. How many rooms do you have in your house? Who uses each room? Do you have pets or children, and which rooms do they frequent? How often do you clean the floor? What do you want to spend in each room?  

With the answers to the above questions, you will be able to look at each flooring type and see how its strengths and weaknesses will work out based on your unique situation. For instance, if you have children and pets that spend most of their time in the living areas, you may want to go with a type of floor that is easier to clean.

Some floors are not suitable for families with allergies like asthma or rhinitis; you may want to be careful when selecting a carpet or synthetic flooring that releases gases that can worsen asthma.  

If the room is going to be used by seniors, you may want to consider slip resistance, comfort, and shock absorption (in the event of a fall). You would also want to ensure that your flooring option allows aids, like walking frames, crutches, and wheelchairs, to move easily. Preferable options for such rooms include carpet and rubber. You would want to avoid hard materials like natural stone.     

2. Consider the Location of Your Home 

Writing for the websites that provide tips to small business, TheBalancesmb.com, Erin Eberlin, advises that “the area of the country in which your property is located can also have an impact on the best type of flooring to use.” Eberlin continues: “In areas that are hot all year round and those with a lot of humidity, tile is often preferred over hardwood or carpet.”

Apart from the property's location, you will also need to consider each room's location in the property. For example, there will be more traffic in your home entrance than would be the case in an en suite bathroom. So, you may want to consider tiles in such an area as opposed to carpet or wood.

3. Keep the Future Value of Your Property in Mind 

As a homeowner, one of the factors that you’ll always need to keep in mind is your property's value. Many people want to get the best price possible if they decide to sell their property later on. Therefore, you will need to ensure that you select floors that will make your house look more expensive and attractive to future home buyers.

In an article published by the news website USAToday.com, Samuel Weigley cites data from the National Association of Realtors. He reports that “Some 25% of buyers under the age of 35, and 28% of those between 35 and 54, considered hardwood floors ‘very important’ when looking for a home.” Weigley reports that homebuyers are willing to pay $2,080 for a home with this type of floor.

4. Select Flooring Based on Room Function 

As much as you consider a room's function before you furnish it, you will need to determine how the flooring in each room will impact that room's activities.

For example, you are likely to spend a lot of your time standing when you are in the kitchen, possibly getting the floors oily. Therefore, you may want to select a flooring type for the kitchenthat is non-slip or easier to clean. Various types like vinyl, laminate, or tile would be suitable.

Let’s look briefly at the main rooms in a home and pair them with the best flooring options for their functions.

Kitchen: Consider safety, cleaning, and kitchen traffic and go with vinyl, laminate, and ceramic tile.

Family living rooms: The family living rooms will be some of the most popular places in your home for both your family and guests. The most popular types of flooring in family living rooms in contemporary homes, as identified by ConsumerReports.org, are solid wood and engineered wood. Carpet is still a popular choice because it’s warm and inviting.   

Bedrooms: Each family member will spend a considerable amount of time sleeping, working, or relaxing in their bedroom. Carpeting is the best option for this room because you will be spending a lot of your time barefooted. Wood, laminate, and vinyl are also great options for bedrooms.  

Kid’s playroom: The floor in the kid's playroom is likely to take much abuse; thus, it needs to be durable while remaining comfortable. This is why rubber flooring comes to mind when we think about this room.

Porches, mudrooms, and entryways: The floors in these spaces will be used by almost everyone who arrives at your home; therefore, you will need something durable but still beautiful. Consider tile flooring, mainly ceramic and porcelain, because these tiles are strong and easier to clean. Natural stone will also work well in this area.  

Bathrooms: An average human being will spend around 416 days of their life in a bathroom (translating to over 23 minutes a day); therefore, the bathroom should have a durable and beautiful floor. Some of the best tiles for this room include clay, stone, sheet vinyl, and linoleum. 

Home office: With many people increasingly working from home, this room is getting more attention. Thus, the floor in this space needs to be durable, practical, and comfortable. Consider carpet, wood, ceramic tile vinyl, and laminate for it. 

5. Keep Your Personality in Mind

Some people want to radiate warmth in keeping with their characters, yet others want to come across as serious. Your home, or rooms in your home, can be used to show your personality. For instance, someone who wants to show a connection with nature may want to go with solid wood or stone. Yet, someone looking for a more contemporary look may want glossy finish porcelain.

6. Choose a Color Based on the Mood you Want to Create 

Distinct colors create different atmospheres and moods in a room. For instance, selecting red flooring can make a room feel cozy. Still, you would want to avoid this color in the bedroom because it’s stimulating. However, if you wanted to choose a flooring color for a child's bedroom, you may want to go with something bright and bold.

The color of your flooring can also be a statement about your personality. For instance, a more outgoing person may want to go with bright colors like yellow, while a more reserved person may want something darker or green. So, you will want to consider the personalities of different members of your family before you determine the type or color of flooring to put in their room.

7. Watch the Trends 

As much as you decide what to wear based on the fashion trends of a given time, your home will also need to adapt to change. For instance, new technologies are coming up all the time. Flooring that may have been a no-no in bathrooms a decade ago may now be suitable to use in these spaces. This is because technology has made such flooring safer or more water-resistant.

An example of a trend that some people consider when buying anything now is whether the product is environmentally friendly. If you fall into this category, you may want to look for natural and recyclable flooring options like cork or bamboo flooring.

8. Seek Consistency

If you decide to use different flooring options in your home, you would want to ensure that your home has a continuous flow when looked at as a whole. If you don't plan this correctly, the different flooring options will create an eyesore. This is the reason why we advise homeowners to follow the 'Less than Three' Rule, which stipulates that you should not have more than three kinds of materials per floor in a home.

Look at the other items in the room before you settle for a flooring option. For example, the color of the room's furniture, the lighting, or the plants in a room can determine whether you go with something more contemporary like glossy finish porcelain or hardwood.

9. Ensure You Can Meet Installation Requirements 

Are you planning to hire a professional to install your flooring, or do you want to make it a DIY job? If you plan to do it yourself, you will need to ensure that you choose a flooring option that you know how to work with. People will likely see if a job has been done by someone who doesn’t have the skills.

Laminate and engineered flooring are considered the easiest type of floor for DIY. However, you will need to ensure that you have the right tools and assistance you need to do a job you will be proud of.      

In case you decide to use a professional's skills, you would want to ensure that there are skilled people where you live to do a proper job. If you live in a remote area, you may discover that only a few people can do a specific flooring type. So, you may want to choose an option that you can easily get someone to come and install for you.

10. Focus on Maintenance

Some flooring options, like tiles, can be cleaned with ease, while some, like carpets, will require more work once in a while to maintain. Also, some wooden floors may need to be sanded and varnished now and then. If you don't want to be worried about all these things, you may need to consider something that needs less maintenance, like stone or ceramic tiles.

11. Decide for how Long you Want to Keep the Floor 

If you renovate your home often, your flooring choices may differ from someone who wants to keep the same look for an extended period. For example, you may want to attract tenants to your property by responding to trends in the flooring market. This would mean changing your flooring style more often.   

Durability may not be a factor if you know that you will change the flooring in a room after a short period. You may also want to select a flooring option that will be easier to remove, like a carpet.

If you want to keep the floor for a long time, you’ll want to ensure that your flooring option is resilient. Sheet vinyl, natural stone, ceramic, and porcelain will be your best option if you don't plan to change your flooring soon. 

12. Consider the Budget 

Some options, like marble and granite, can be quite expensive, with installation easily costing up to $3,000 for an average home. Apart from the installation, you would also want to consider the cost of keeping the floor in the best condition. For example, wooden floors may require more maintenance when compared to ceramic tiles. Carpets may be cheaper but require more effort to clean.

It is, therefore, essential to start by deciding what you would like to spend. Knowing what you want to spend will ensure that you don't end up going over budget when choosing your preferred flooring option.  

Guest Contributor: flooring clarity.com

Should You Build Your Home?

When you browse the market, it’s rare to find a house that includes all your dream features within your budget. For some, the answer lies in building a custom home. While this is a significant undertaking, it offers the possibility of having your housing fantasy come to life. However, before jumping headfirst into this commitment, you should evaluate whether it’s the right choice for you.

Here are five things to consider when deciding whether to build a home.

1. Is It Better to Build or Buy a House?

Building a new home from scratch allows you to customize the design to suit your needs. You’ll be able to determine everything from the number of rooms to how many electrical outlets to have in each room. By building new, you have the chance to install eco-friendly appliances and frame out space for future features or additions. When making custom selections, you’ll end up with the products you love.

In comparison, a preowned house may need upgrades and renovations to suit your lifestyle. Even then, the existing dwelling’s square footage represents a limitation unless you build an addition. Ultimately, it boils down to location, budget and time. Is there an empty lot in your preferred neighborhood or somewhere nearby? If there is, do you have the time and money to build your dream property?

2. Is It Expensive to Build Your Home?

Typically, building a new home is more expensive than buying one prebuilt. The National Association of House Builders reported that the average total cost for constructing a home in 2019 was $296,652, and they predicted that number would rise in future years. While expenses vary based on size and location, the sale price breakdown — including sales commission, construction costs and the finished lot cost — was approximately $485,128.

As a homeowner, these estimates provide a glimpse into the expected costs associated with constructing a new build. However, it’s crucial to note that these will differ if you own the land already. The overall expenses will also change based on the size and complexity of the house design.

3. How Long Does It Take to Build a House?

It takes time to build a home, though modular and kit houses can come together faster than starting from scratch. It’s best to ask for an estimate to determine how quickly the builder expects to complete the project. You can save time by beginning construction when the weather is reliable, such as in the summer or early fall. Wood begins to rot if the moisture content is too high, so keep that in mind when choosing a construction season.

It’s also possible to save time by choosing a premade house plan and adjusting it to suit your needs. Hiring an architect to draw up brand-new plans may take several months, which will affect your overall timeline and budget.

4. How Much Are You Responsible for as the Owner?

As the homeowner, it is your responsibility to make all challenging decisions concerning your build. That means you need to be available to answer any questions that may arise. You’ll also be in charge of signing off on the design plans the architect creates. Your construction manager may act as the point of contact between you and other team members, but you will likely still interact with these people as well.

Besides making decisions and answering questions, you’ll need to reach out to a real estate agent and lender to secure financing and obtain a lot for the building.

5. Can You Build a House?

Most adults — even DIY-savvy people — do not have all the skills required to build a traditional house by themselves. At a minimum, they’ll need to hire specialized workers to pour the foundation and inspect the property. However, people can build nontraditional buildings, like tiny homes on trailers, without a licensed contractor’s assistance.

As with conventional homes, many companies offer premade kits to assemble and build tiny houses. It’s even possible for DIYers and inexperienced builders alike to build small dwellings if they have the time and determination.

Pick up Your Paintbrush

Now that you’ve considered these five essential facets of building a home, do you think it’s time to make the leap? While building a house can be costly, there are numerous ways to keep costs low. With this in mind, if you’re interested in renovations, offer to pitch in and get to work on the projects within your skill level. You’ll probably be surprised by how much money you save and the positive experiences you gain!

Guest Contributor: Rose Morrison

Decorate your house with zodiac sign personalized posters

A house becomes a sweet home when all the people stay happily together and a lovely home is a dream for most people. You also want to decorate it as per your taste. Every belonging to your house should depict your taste towards life. People often say that a living room is the heart of the home. It is over here where you spend happy moments with all your loved ones. So you should decorate it with the customized posters that will genuinely depict yourself. The posters also allow you to show off your design aesthetic sense.

Here are some of the posters that can help you to decorate your home uniquely:

1. Personalized Baby Board Poster

Source – Artsybucket.com 

For every parent, the birthday of their child is the most memorable one. All the parents love to decorate their room with a picture of their beloved baby. If you want to make it unique, you can surely try this "personalized baby board poster." It is a black and white sketch of a newborn baby and states all the necessary information such as birth date, weight, and height. In the height and weight field, you can fill the height in centimeter and gram, respectively. Lastly, you will fill in the birth date of your child.

2. Aquarius personal zodiac sign poster 

Source – Artsybucket.com 

If you are Aquarius born, then you hang this poster on your living room wall. Hanging this on your wall will portray that you are shy and quiet and eccentric and energetic. Whoever visits your home will automatically become aware of your character. Just combine this zodiac sign photo frame with your other favorite pictures and show off your skills.

3. Personal date board illustration poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Each of us has a particular date in our life that always smiles to our faces. It can be a birthday, or a special date with your loved one, or the birthday of your baby. This black and white picture can make a particular date much memorable. This poster's layout looks like the page of a calendar with your name, date, year, and week. This is available in all sizes so you can buy it according to your own choice. 

4. Cancer Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Do you love your family and home very much? Are you Cancer-born? Well, then you can surely add this zodiac sign poster on your living room wall. This "PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER" portrays a graphic image of the constellation of the Cancer sign. We all know that crabs are very sensitive and emotional, so if you want to show off this characteristic of yours through an image, you can surely hang this on your wall. You can also gift this poster or make a nice collage with all your pictures. 

5. Capricorn Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Many of you may like to decorate your living room with a poster of your zodiac sign. Well, then you can surely buy this poster to personalize yourself through a poster. For instance, if you or your loved one is Capricorn-born, you can surely buy this "CAPRICORN, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER." Capricorns are very energetic people and also hardworking and trustworthy. People visiting your home will get an idea of your trait and will come to know you properly.

6. Scoprio Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Is your partner Sagittarius-born? Are you in search of a unique gift for your loved one? Well, then you can surely gift this stylish poster "SAGITTARIUS, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER" to your loved one. This picture shows the constellation of the sign Sagittarius. This particular zodiac sign is also known as Archer, is the half-human and half-horse, whose brilliant nature forms a bridge between Earth and Heaven. You can gift this poster along with a nice collage of many of your pictures. 

7. Taurus Personal Zodiac Sign Poster

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Are you searching for an exclusive gift for your Taurus-born friend? Well, your friend can surely get many gifts but this "TAURUS, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER" can be the most special one. Taurus people are very stubborn, and this stubbornness acts as a blessing in their life. They tend to use their determination positively and can achieve anything they want to. You can also combine this poster with some of the other pictures and make a collage and gift your friend. 

8. Scoprio Personal Zodiac Sign Poster 

Source - Artsybucket.com 

Some people are passionate and positive-minded towards life. They are the Scorpio-born persons. If you are a part of this constellation, then you can surely gift yourself a beautiful personalized poster of "SCORPIO, PERSONAL ZODIAC SIGN POSTER." You can hang this on your wall, and people will come to know that you are a born leader as that is the main trait of a Scorpion. They hate dishonesty and should learn to adapt to new situations quickly. 

Decorating your house with the same handicrafts is not a new concept anymore. Try these innovative posters and make your home a unique one. 

Guest Contributor: Silvia Watson

Explore the Amazing Benefits of Using Vinyl Banners for Business Promotion

Advertising and promotion are done in numerous ways and diverse forms. Banners are supposed to be a far more effective way of approaching your target audience when compared to print media, radio, or television. Placing advertisements in print and commercial media could prove to be pretty expensive. 

As per https://www.entrepreneur.com, outdoor advertising proves to be quite effective for promoting your brand or business in specific geographic locations. Several companies firmly believe that vinyl advertising banners are popular and affordable. These are not only cost-effective, but they also have great aesthetic appeal too. They are robust, durable, and attractive. Vinyl advertising banners are unbeatable in terms of promoting and advertising your business’s events and special offers. Here are some of the advantages of promoting your business with vinyl advertising banners,

Easily Customizable

Vinyl banners could easily be custom-tailored as per the unique requirements of your business. You have the liberty to fully customize your colors, logo, and incorporate unique designs on your company’s banners for promotion and advertising purposes. These banners could be modified as well so they are great for showcasing whatever concept you are having in your mind. It helps you to obtain greater control and grip over your signage. You do not have to compromise on costs, materials, or designs while using vinyl advertising banners.  

Incredibly Impressive & Eye-Catching

Vinyl advertising banners are utilized for effectively connecting with your target audience or potential customers. A well-designed vinyl advertising banner could grab instant attention of the passersby. A vinyl banner in vibrant colors and striking design could attract your attention from quite a distance. These banners could prove to be effective and immensely fruitful provided you are able to project strategically valuable information about your company to the prospects. It could be beneficial to consider reinforcing your branding endeavors.

Truly Cost-Effective

You could drastically minimize your advertising and promotional costs once you decide to promote your business using reasonably priced vinyl advertising banners. These promotional banners are known for being affordable. Even startups who have little resources to devote to advertising could promote their business well using these incredibly affordable Vinyl advertising banners. These banners are the cheapest way of getting your message seamlessly across to your prospective clients or to your precise target audience. 

Versatile

The raw materials that go into the making of vinyl promotional banners make them inherently versatile. These lightweight banners could be transported from one place to another easily without any hassles. They could be used repeatedly for promoting your brand or business. These banners could be kept away for later use without any worries of losing quality. 

Durable

Vinyl advertising banners are weather-proof and incredibly sturdy. They are even resistant to sun damage and water hence; they are incredibly useful for outdoor advertising. You could rest assured that they would be going strong despite snow, rain, or harsh sunlight. They would last for several years without losing out in terms of quality. They could be reused whenever necessary. Using these vinyl advertising banners could be helpful in decreasing your marketing expenditure for your business.

Conclusion

Once you have come to realize the multiple benefits of using vinyl advertising banners, it is a good decision to include these cost-effective advertising tools in your business’s marketing and promotion strategy. You should focus on choosing the best banner print & production company to avoid additional costs and extra charges.

Guest Contributor: Sujain Thomas

Applications of Access Doors in Construction Engineering

Applications of Access Doors in Construction Engineering

When talking about construction engineering, it would refer to the professional discipline of designing, planning, building, and managing various infrastructural projects. Engineers working in this field have to supervise construction activities and ensure that everything is doing well throughout the whole process. With the latest innovations, it is now much more comfortable to provide solutions for civil engineering applications. One application includes access doors and panels to reinforce protection and provide convenient access to internal building systems.

These days, various access doors are primarily-designed to access the critical areas behind walls, floors, ceilings, and even roofs. One popular application is HVAC access doors, which are essential to allow convenient inspections and maintenance on HVAC and HVAC systems. With a variety of designs and materials that access doors are using now, it is vital to know which one is ideal for specific purposes that you need.

Here are the different types of access doors and their role in construction engineering:

Security Access Doors

Maintaining the facility’s security is essential for any commercial buildings, especially highly controlled ones. By using security access doors, you can have additional protection on the critical components of the infrastructure. These panels use heavy-duty materials with tamper-proof locks that will prohibit unauthorized access. They come in various levels, such as medium, high, and fire-rated ones, and ideal for prisons, hospitals, and detention facilities.

Fire-rated Access Doors

Many building requirements that engineers need to comply with for permits rates the fire safety in the building. To assure that the infrastructure will gain more points, contractors use fire-rated access doors to protect while giving convenient access to building components. The right materials prevent the heat transfer from the entrance to the system behind it during a fire incident. Most fire-rated doors feature self-closing and self-opening mechanisms with one up to 4-hours fire rating. It indicates the length of time that the material can withstand temperature rise. When looking for the right one, make sure to find those with good access doors and panel reviews and NFPA-compliant.

Acoustical Access Doors

Fire is not the only thing that you want to protect your building from. If you own a commercial facility that tends to produce loud sounds and cause a disturbance, it is essential to ensure its sound rating. In these cases, it is ideal to use sound rated access doors to provide accessibility to building components while reducing noise and improving privacy. These labels use top-grade insulation to meet the Sound Transmission Class (STC) requirements for buildings. Acoustical access doors are applicable for facilities with music and performing arts rooms, healthcare, and offices.

Exterior Access Doors

There are some cases where you will need convenient access to your building components outside. However, it is essential to ensure that you will only install exterior access doors that will work well against outdoor elements. It needs to use durable materials that are weatherproof and will not rust right away. They may be aluminum, galvanized, or stainless steel. Moreover, the insulation should be top-notch to avoid water infiltration in case of heavy rains or storms. It will also help prevent dirt and dust from getting inside your building components and damaging them in the long run.

Airtight/Watertight Access Doors

If your building has laboratories, operating rooms, and clean rooms, it is essential to use airtight and watertight access doors. These rooms usually require an airtight/watertight seal to avoid contaminated or unwanted airs and liquids from coming inside the facility. The door and frame of the panel should be fully welded and gasketed. It is also vital to check the type of insulation that it uses. To check if it can prevent anything from coming inside. You can also use airtight/watertight access doors for exterior applications if you wish.

Choose the right access doors!

Smooth construction and installation need to know which access doors are ideal for the application that a building requires. There are many types and classifications of panels that you will see in the market, and it may include plaster, plastic, stucco, drywall, and walk-through doors. However, not choosing the right access door may turn into a safety hazard for your building components.

It would be best to look for high-quality ones from companies with fair access doors and panel reviews such as Access Doors and Panels. Check if customers and industry professionals leave them with remarkable feedback to see if the company is reliable. An ideal access door should be economical and can answer the requirements of your projects.

Guest Contributor: Chris Jackson

Detecting Sneaky Leaks: How to Find a Plumbing Leak at Home

So, you do your best to conserve water, and you put your money where your mouth is by installing water-efficient toilets, showerheads, and faucets.

However, you’d still be wasting a lot of water if you have a sneaky water leak or two at home.  

In the United States, close to 900 billion gallons of water are lost to leaks annually, a staggering figure by any standard.

To make sure that you’re not wasting water yourself, you should check your plumbing for leaks. You can also opt to hire leak detection experts to get the job done more smoothly and quickly.

If you have a nagging suspicion that there is, indeed, a plumbing leak in your home, you can make initial efforts to locate it and confirm its existence. Here are some tips to help you find plumbing leaks in your home if any.

Check Your Water Bill

Before you begin any physical effort to locate a suspected leak, check your water bill first.

If you live alone or with two other people at the most, and you have been getting huge water bills for the past few months, then you may have a plumbing leak somewhere.

Do The Water Meter Test

If your water bills are astronomical, checking your water meter will help confirm if you do have a leak.

You can start by turning off faucets, showers, toilets, and washing machines, then look more closely at your meter and watch out for signs of movement.

When you see the meter change before your eyes, even when no one’s using the water, then you have a fast-moving leak somewhere.

If you don’t see any immediate movement from your water meter, check it again a couple of hours later.

If there’s even the slightest change in the meter when you get back, then you have a plumbing leak, but a slow-moving one.

Check Kitchens and Bathrooms For Puddles

Once your water meter inspection confirms the existence of a leak, proceed to look for puddles and other signs of moisture under the kitchen and bathroom sinks.

While you’re at it, check around the bases of showers, toilets, and tubs for puddles. Do the same for areas beneath your washing machine, dishwasher, and water heater tank.

If you find puddles in any of the spots mentioned above, shut down the water supply to those fixtures and appliances right away as a precautionary measure.

Put Your Toilet Through The Dye Test

Of all the water-using fixtures in your home, it’s the toilet that tends to waste a lot of water, often without us noticing.

One of the easiest ways of confirming if your toilet is leaking is the dye test.

All you have to do is drop a dye tablet or some food coloring into your toilet tank. Leave it for about 15-30 minutes, then check if the water in the bowl has any hint of the dye color you put in the tank.

If you find colored water in the bowl, then there’s something wrong with your toilet’s flapper, that rubber stopper meant to keep water from entering the bowl until someone flushes the toilet.

The flapper could have gone brittle over time, allowing water to bleed into the bowl and wasting it.

See If There Are Damp Areas In Your Lawn

Check your lawn and see if there are patches that seem to be wetter and have so much growth compared to other spots. A lawn that has much damper or thicker patches often indicates that a pipe is leaking underground.

Check Walls, Floors, and Ceilings

Water stains on ceilings, warping, peeling, or bubbling paint on the walls, and damaged floors may indicate a plumbing leak in their vicinity.

Keep in mind that the tips above are for finding signs of plumbing leaks that are readily apparent. Some plumbing leaks are hard to find. You could do all of the above and still not locate the leak.

If your water bills remain sky-high after failing to find any obvious sign of any plumbing leak, call in a professional plumber to identify the source of a water leak in your home as accurately as possible and fix it.

Guest Contributor: Anthony Quinn

Common Kitchen Layout Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Having a kitchen with a good layout is an essential part of the overall impression of your home. Furthermore, a nice, convenient, and well-designed kitchen will inspire you to spend time there and enjoy cooking. Sometimes you can’t even pinpoint what the issue with your kitchen may be. For this reason, we will go over some common kitchen layout mistakes and how to avoid them.

When remodeling their house, most people focus on the kitchen's appearance. While choosing the color of your tiles and appliances is important, sometimes people disregard the question of functionality. Although your kitchen's visual appearance influences its appeal (and your desire to spend time in it), it is essential to take into consideration the layout, too.

Therefore, let's look at a few common mistakes that will help you plan out your kitchen remodeling quickly and easily.

Poor Ventilation

Not paying attention to your kitchen ventilation system is perhaps one of the worst mistakes you can make while planning your home renovation. Just think about it - no matter how tasteful your tiling and design are, inadequate ventilation will significantly worsen the entire feel when the heat and smells from your cooking linger.

Also, over time, poor ventilation can make the kitchen feel as if it was an eternally pungent furnace. It can even be unhealthy as the smells, dirt, and piled up dust mixed together make for a potential cradle of bacteria. 

So, be sure to place the kitchen in a room that has access to fresh air. Having a big window in your kitchen will not also make the space more fresh, light, and enjoyable, but it will also save you money that you would otherwise have to invest into an expensive ventilation system. If this is not an option, you should consider buying a quality range hood that will suck in your cooking smells. Also, a well-designed ventilation system will minimize the potential risks of fire. 

Inadequate lighting

Lighting is also a crucial element that you need to take into consideration. The sources of light in your kitchen can be easily overlooked since people sometimes have the impression that anything will do the trick. A poorly lit kitchen can significantly ruin the overall functionality, especially since people bring in additional light sources such as lamps. 

The most common approach to designing a kitchen lighting system consists of having three principal sources of light. They are professionally referred to as: 

• accent,

• ambient,

• task.

Accent lighting is an umbrella term for additional supplementary light sources that enhance visibility alongside the lighting on your ceiling. 

Ambient lighting serves a similar purpose, but it is more oriented towards creating clean, aesthetically pleasing lighting in your kitchen. 

Last but not least, task lighting is most often overhead, neon lamps that allow you to clearly see what you are doing. For instance, range hoods usually have task light bulbs incorporated into the appliance. If you do not have a range hood, then try to make up for not having task lighting by paying attention to accent or ambient lighting

Of course, if you are moving house and you already have kitchen appliances, there is no need to invest in new, better appliances to solve this problem. So, if you are more inclined toward transporting the kitchen appliances and countertops that you had purchased for your previous home, make sure that you hire a dependable moving company that will have your kitchen inventory ready to go in no time. 

Not organizing your kitchen as a ‘Workflow Triangle’ 

A good layout is vital for establishing a good workflow in your kitchen. Interior designers refer to this aspect of kitchen design and remodeling as a workflow triangle. This means that the cooktop, sink, and fridge are placed to form a triangle that will make movement and placement of other elements logical and convenient. 

Make sure you avoid one of the biggest kitchen layout mistakes and follow the workflow triangle principle. Even a small kitchen can accommodate it.

You may notice that you find it hard to enjoy cooking when you are running back and forth to reach the food, grab the pots and pans, throw away things, regulate the temperature on your stove, etc. Instead of having everything placed in a line, it is more convenient to have one of the mentioned workflow elements standing outside the line. In this way, you will be able to simply turn and get what you need instead of making unnecessary steps that will confuse you and make the entire experience somewhat chaotic and tedious. 

Wasted Space on countertop surfaces 

If the amount of space available in your kitchen allows you to incorporate a kitchen island, it might be worth investing in this additional kitchen element. The main reason for this is that you will have more storage space alongside a clean, big surface where you can prepare your meals.

A kitchen island will make your kitchen more efficient.

Of course, although additional storage space will improve the functionality of your kitchen, you have got to be mindful of the workflow triangle we have mentioned above. If the island makes your kitchen tighter, then organizing and placing your groceries into a pantry might be a better solution.

Hopefully, this short article has helped you recognize the common kitchen layout mistakes and how to avoid them. With these mistakes in mind, you should be able to visualize and organize your kitchen effectively, so you and your family can enjoy the time you spend there together

Guest Contributor: Sophia Perry

Common Heating Problems You Can Avoid with Professional Maintenance

No matter how hard you try to cuddle up in a warm blanket during the winter, nothing still compares to the comfort you get from a well-functioning HVAC system. Unfortunately, heating problems are inevitable, and they can make your home completely unbearable and uncomfortable. That’s why we are here to save the day.  

Here are the common heating problems that you can avoid with the help of an expert.

Sudden Heat Loss

If you notice that your indoor space is not getting warmer no matter how you turn up the heat, chances are there’s something wrong with the heat pump. If there are hot and cold spots, the culprit could be poor insulation.  

Check for leaks and cracks around the doors and windows and use weather stripping to seal them. Call a professional HVAC technician in Clark, NJ to diagnose your system and make the necessary repairs. Doing so could help prevent expensive problems. 

Restricted Airflow

Due to extended use of your furnace, more dust and debris accumulate in your system over time. As a result, the airflow in the vents and air ducts is restricted. We strongly advise that you keep your filter clean and replace it regularly to prevent poor airflow. 

As a rule of thumb, replace your air filter every two to three months, or as specified in the manual. You may also need to bring in a professional for an air filter replacement or air duct cleaning.  

Short Cycling

If you notice that your furnace cycles on and off frequently, then you can put the blame on a malfunctioning thermostat. In this case, replacing your thermostat is the best thing to do. However, another possible reason is a faulty part. When the components quickly heat up due to restricted airflow, the emergency stop system gets activated. If you are using a battery-operated thermostat, it’s best to check if it’s low on battery and replace if necessary. 

If you can’t correct the problem by replacing the battery, then it’s best to call an HVAC heating maintenance in Clark, NJ professional for a thorough inspection of your heating unit.  It will help ensure that your issue will be resolved with the right tools and trusted experts.

Carbon Monoxide 

Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas that is hard to detect, hence its name “the silent killer”. Gas furnaces that are already more than 10 years old are advised for annual inspection to ensure that there’s no carbon monoxide leak. When there’s a smell of rotten eggs, it is a sign of a gas leak. 

You can safeguard your health by investing in a carbon monoxide detector for your home. The health of your loved ones and pets is something that you should not take for granted. Call an expert immediately to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other health and safety-related issues. 

Why You Need Regular Maintenance?

Your heating equipment is essential, especially during the cold weather. That’s why it is just right to invest in proper care and maintenance. Any HVAC problems imaginable can be avoided with regular maintenance checks and tune-ups. Plus, don’t you know that you can save at least 30% of your utility bills if your HVAC is well-maintained?

If you need help staying warm and cozy this winter season, talk to an expert HVAC contractor in Clark, NJ. Whether you need heating installation, tune-up, repairs, or simple maintenance, Blue Air One Heating & Air Conditioning can provide you the best service you need.

Guest Contributor: Dennis Grizzle, Blue Air One Heating & Air Conditioning