Tag: PVC

Guidance for selecting a great garage door

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With today’s high energy costs, garage door insulation is equally as precious as anyplace else in your house. The amount of uninsulated garage doors sold continues to decrease as consumers demand energy efficiency for cost savings and relaxation, which is more significant than ever as more individuals use their garage as a work place or social gathering spot, and not just storage./p>

Garage doors made from aluminum and glass offer a contemporary, sophisticated appearance. The aluminum frames are offered in several colors as well as finishes and you may choose from a wide variety of glass options including clear, obscure, and tinted. Aluminum garage doors are relatively maintenance-free, however they may not possess as much insulation as other doors, so they may not be perfect for areas with extreme temperatures.

Can the largest moving object in my house be dangerous? Make sure it is not.

Safety is a concern with any product, and garage doors are no different. Since it is a big moving thing that lots of family members interact with, it will have as many safety features as potential.

Pinch-resistant garage doors feature a layout that pushes fingers out of harm’s way should they accidentally be placed too close to a closing door.

Tamper resistant bottom brackets moderate the chance of injury from garage door parts under tension. The polyurethane insulation even provides better fire safety because this kind of insulation reduces the number of smoke and flames in case of a fire.

The thermal property of insulation is expressed as an R-value. A higher R-value reduces external noise and aids the door work more quietly. Many insulated doors are constructed using polystyrene or polyurethane foam.

Most polystyrene insulated door could be thicker but have a lower R-Value than polyurethane. Should you be looking for thermal efficiency as well as a high R-Value, avoid being deceived by the depth of the door!

A polyurethane insulated door might appear thinner but really offers a much higher insulation R-value. That is because of the way the insulation expands through the manufacturing process to tightly fill the cavity between the two steel panels as it bonds to the skins of the door.

Not only does this make the door better insulated, in addition, it makes the door incredibly strong and helps decrease noise as the door functions.

How long your door will survive, what sort of punishment it can take, or even how much annual maintenance it will need is powerfully influenced by the material used to make the doorway.

The Classic Steel garage doors and Carriage House Steel garage doors are durable with just occasional demand for cleaning or touchup. Vinyl garage doors can continue even longer, especially in environments with harsh weather conditions, and are more resistant to dents, are rustfree and never should be painted.

Counterbalance springs are how your door is really lifted and shut. It is not the opener that really lifts and closes your door. That just provides the force to get the door going. It is really the springs, which are wound tightly when your door is shut. As the doorway moves up, the springs unwind, which provide the force required to lift the doorway. As the door closes, the weight of the door actually winds the springs back up until it closes fully. At this point the springs have their full tension again. These springs are typically exposed and when they’re under full tension, can be extremely dangerous.

Everyone has a budget. Well, most of us anyway. However, many of us are surprised by how affordable garage doors can be. Most guess twice as much as what it really comes out to be.

Usually, premium wood doors are the priciest, then fiberglass doors, steel doors with and without vinyl or PVC overlays, and then uninsulated, single sheet steel doors and lower grade wood doors.

When considering what to spend though, consider this purchase will never be made again for many, many years, if ever. And what you put in your garage now will have a huge effect on the garage itself and maybe even more significantly, to the rest of your residence. A couple extra dollars now could provide a benefit of a life, and raise the value of your home to a new level.

In case you have ever wondered if you needed information for choosing the best garage door then this post may help.

Just click here for more information on choosing the best Garage Door.

Installing Laminate Flooring

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Once you have decided that it is time to install new flooring throughout your home, why not consider laminate flooring instead of traditional wood.

Laminate flooring was introduced into the market due to a number of reasons like the fact that trees are now protected as they are becoming more and scarcer. Another reason is that wooden floors are very expensive to source, install and maintain. For people that still want the look and feel of wood but are sensitive to the environment will be more prone to choose laminate wooden flooring.

The laminate wooden flooring industry has become so big that there are many different reputable brand names that you could choose from today. All of them strive to provide top quality products at reasonable prices and all include installation into their flooring price. This will leave you with less stress in hiring the services of a contracting company to do the installation for you.

When compared to the features of any other floor covering on the market, laminate flooring has proven to far outreach advantages. Here are some reasons why it is better to make use of laminate flooring for your home, office or school:

Laminate flooring is very easy to maintain. Simply wipe with a wet cloth on a regular basis and you will not get a build up of grime. If there is a stubborn stain, the use of a cleaning agent like a Handy Andy and a wet cloth will suffice. There is no need for sanding, varnishing or painting as it is made from coated PVC.

The surface of the flooring is sealed so as not to catch dust, dirt and stains. Wood and tiles on the other hand have spaces in between which do the above.

You get various degrees of quality within the range of laminate flooring. The cheaper one is very thin and perfect for areas where there is not a lot of traffic. The more expensive one has been treated with anti-mould and water proof layers at the bottom and is much thicker in texture, resulting in a better durability especially in high-water or high traffic areas.

Laminate flooring has a beautiful wooden look which, like wood, will suit any room and give a classic feel wherever you have it installed. The colour of wood blends in to any theme and room colour.

Regarding the installation process, laminate flooring is much easier and also cheaper to install. The planks are fitted with teeth that fit into each other to form a perfect seal. The end result will look like planks of wood attached together as with a traditional wooden floor.

So when you are next looking to add style to your room at the fraction of the cost, why not call in the professional services and knowledge of a laminate flooring Gauteng shop.

The Differences Between PVC And HDPE Pipe

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Plastic piping has been used for over 60 years in a wide variety of applications. It is significantly easier to work with than traditional metal piping and can be used almost anywhere metal is and some places it cannot. There are two types of plastic piping, PVC and HDPE. If you are getting ready to begin a project that involves plumbing it may benefit you to understand the differences between the two.

PVC is a rigid plastic pipe. This makes it strong but also somewhat brittle. It can be manufactured in long lengths and large diameter making it ideal for buried piping. It can withstand large temperature extremes, all the way down to -40 degrees Celsius.

As compared to metal piping, PVC is much more resistant to the elements. It will also never run slow of become clogged because of corrosion, scale or rust build up. However it can be easily scratched if items other than fluids run through it. These scratches can catch debris as it flows past leading to a clog over time.

HDPE is just as strong as PVC but without the rigidity. This flexibility means that this type of piping cam be used in many different schemes and it can be used in areas with heavy vibrations without fear of it springing leaks. It can be used in warm environments but it does not stand up to temperatures below zero.

Like PVC, this piping will never rust or clog due to corrosion. However, it is more resistant to scratching. The inside of these pipes will remain smooth for many years after installation which means many years of care free flow.

Perhaps the most significant difference between these two types of plastic pipes is in their effects on the environment. PVC piping uses both chlorine and dioxin in its manufacture. Both of these have been show to be carcinogenic. HDPE piping contains neither of these, nor any other chemical that has been show to cause cancer and so is considered more environmentally friendly.

If you are in the planning stages of a plumbing project it would be wise for you to take a bit of time looking into both PVC and HDPE piping. Once you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each you will be able to make an informed decision as to which will best fit your needs. Making the correct choice from the outset will save you time, energy and money.

Floor Care

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Tips on how to take care of your floors to keep them looking newer longer.

Carpet Care

Let’s start by saying that the most important thing you can do to prolong the life of your new carpet or rug is to vacuum it. Regular vacuuming removes those nasty dirt particles that leave it looking dingy over time and abrade the fiber, which shortens its lifespan. Use a vacuum that has a rotating brush or beater bar, which stimulates the carpet tufts and loosens the dirt and soil. (Plus, schedule regular professional cleanings to remove soil accumulation that your regular vacuum can’t reach.) If your area rug has a fringe, make sure it’s sewn on well, and use the vacuum carefully.

If you have a thick carpet and want to remove any tracks the vacuum makes (it’s called shading), you might try vacuuming in one direction, and then smoothing the carpet surface by hand.

You can help to reduce wear in your carpet by occasionally alternating your furniture placement to change the “traffic lanes” and allow the carpet to wear more uniformly. Be sure to vacuum these specific areas more often to reduce dirt particles, which can lead to matting too.

Vinyl Flooring Care

Caring for a vinyl floor is fairly easy, but there are some general rules.

Vacuum regularly to remove grit and sand, and wash your floor occasionally with the manufacturer’s recommended floor cleaner. (Never use abrasive cleaners, soaps, paste waxes or solvents, though.) Also, to keep sand and grit from being tracked onto the floor, non-staining walk-off mats should be placed at every outside entry to the room.

Dull-looking vinyl floors can be restored to their original gloss with the manufacturer’s recommended floor polish – but first, try cleaning to make sure a film on the floor isn’t causing the dullness. With inexpensive PVC floors, you should consider using 2-3 coats of polish – any vinyl floor with a PVC wearlayer (that’s a fancy name for surface) shows scuffs, scratches, and other marks very easily and by adding those coats of polish you’ll make the floor easier to maintain.

When moving heavy objects across a vinyl floor, place plywood sheets down first and move the object over them.

Area Rug Care

Let’s start by saying that the most important thing you can do to prolong the life of your new carpet or rug is to vacuum it. Regular vacuuming removes those nasty dirt particles that leave it looking dingy over time and abrade the fiber, which shortens its lifespan. Use a vacuum that has a rotating brush or beater bar, which stimulates the carpet tufts and loosens the dirt and soil. (Plus, schedule regular professional cleanings to remove soil accumulation that your regular vacuum can’t reach.) If your area rug has a fringe, make sure it’s sewn on well, and use the vacuum carefully.

If you have a thick carpet and want to remove any tracks the vacuum makes (it’s called shading), you might try vacuuming in one direction, and then smoothing the carpet surface by hand.

Double Glazing Quote

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Energy usage is often determined by how much heat is transferred to and from a building envelope via inadequate insulation and air leaks around doors and windows. Adding insulation to the attic and walls is good, but double-glazed window and door glass contributes greatly to the reduction in heat transfer.

An insulated glass unit is fabricated from two pieces of glass, an aluminium or vinyl separator filled with a desiccant and a sealant that holds it all together. This double-glazed unit may be glazed into doors, windows, skylights and other fenestration products. The energy loss through conduction is reduced by as much as seventy percent, depending upon the type of glass used and the depth of the dead-air-space between the pieces of glass. As well standard annealed glass, there is also low-emissivity glass that uses a microscopic metallic film to reflect heat either back to the inside or outside, depending on which surface the film is applied to. Inert gasses may be added to the unit for further reduction of heat transfer.

The energy transfer ratings of glass are as follows: Single glazing, 5.0 Double glazing, 3.0 Triple glazing, 2.2 Double glazing with Low E glass, 1.7 Double glazing with Low E and Argon, 1.2 This means that the heat transfer of the glazing in windows and doors may be reduced by more than seventy percent.

Leaky windows and doors are another contributor to energy transfer. Modern advances in weathering technology; weather-stripping, tighter manufacturing tolerances, new materials and improved technology; have produced window frames that all but eliminate heat transfer around sashes and through gaps in frames. Coupled with double-glazing, window units are now quite energy efficient.

Modern window designs allow for glazing for up to one inch in depth, so coupled with the tighter seal around sashes, these windows greatly reduce energy loss, enough so that they will usually pay for themselves in three to five years by the reduction in energy bills for both heating and cooling. When new windows are installed in a properly prepared opening, modern caulks and flexible sealants are used, thus the entire building envelope is tighter with less drafts and energy loss.

In addition to the benefit of lower energy costs, the new windows produce little or no draft. Also, the outside noises are reduced by up to forty percent. New window in a residence or commercial building are energy efficient, better for one?s health and contribute greatly to the quietness of the building interior.

Modern window frame material also contributes to the energy use reduction by diminishing the heat transfer through the frame material as well as in the better weather-stripping. Polyvinyl fluoride, PVC, is often used in residential windows because of the non-conductive nature of PVC. Where aluminium commercial windows are used, they have a non-conductive material poured into a pocket in extrusions, which is then ?debridged,? the conductive aluminium on the bottom of the pocket is removed.

It is a wise choice to select double glazed window units when upgrading any building for both aesthetic and energy related reasons. The new windows add to the appearance and value of the structure and provide a healthy, quiet, energy efficient environment for homes and offices.