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Why There Is Damp In Your Home?

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Having damp in your property is a serious problem and one that most people underestimate. While it might not seem like the end of the world to have moisture on your windows in the morning, this can actually be a sign of much more severe problems and can lead to a number of other issues. Here we will look at why there might be damp in your home, where it comes from and what you can do about it.

Cold

One of the biggest causes of dampness in the home is cold. While the cold doesn’t actually attract moisture as such, it can cause it to condense in the air thus meaning that a slightly damp atmosphere can become wet walls and windows. In this form the moisture is much more noticeable and much more likely to cause problems – and it can quickly become a vicious cycle too as the moisture on the walls and windows begins to ‘steel’ heat energy from your property in a bid to evaporate.

If you want to reduce moisture in your home then, one of the most important things to do is to make sure that you are using your heating properly and not trying to save money by leaving it off for too long.

Integrity

The integrity of your property can also be the cause of moisture problems, and there are many ways that dampness can get in from outdoors. For instance, if you have a leak or some kind of seepage in any of the walls or ceilings, then this can of course allow water to directly enter your rooms where it can begin to cause damage.

If you have any such problems, then the best thing to do is to use a waterproofing service which will help you to stop such leaks and seepage. Note as well that certain aspects of your property might be making it more likely to develop leaks – for instance a flat roof can encourage water to collect and pool which can then create a lot of weight. Likewise single glazing is less effective at keeping out cold and water.

Steam

Not all the moisture in your property is necessarily coming from outside though – some of it may be coming from indoors and from the way that you are living. If you often have hot baths and showers for instance and don’t then open the windows or run an extractor fan, the steam created can settle all around your property.

Likewise you can also generate steam in a number of other ways – whether that’s boiling the kettle or even just breathing. This is why it’s so important to occasionally open the windows in order to allow your property to ‘air’. As you get some movement in the air you will find it helps to clear moist patches that form in ‘air pockets’, and that it prevents the formation of mould as well.

Make these changes and you should find that you start living in a drier property. If this doesn’t help, add a dehumidifier and consider calling in the experts.

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Daniel Lorenzo is a freelance writer and blogs about a number of home improvement techniques. He writes on behalf of City Wide Group, a leading waterproofing company and suggests that they are the most reliable companies in the field.  He likes to take part in different sports activities like football and rugby.

Keeping Your Pool Area Safe, Comfortable And Fun For All The Family!

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There’s no denying just how inviting a nice, clear swimming pool can be, especially for children, which is why it is absolutely vital to make sure the area around your pool is safe and the rules around who can use it and when are strictly imposed. Domestic pools are a worryingly high cause of death by home accidents especially in the under fives, and an unsecured pool can also lead to issues with pets and adult guests. Here are some tips for keeping your pool area safe without compromising on fun!

Don’t Even Consider a Pool Without a Fence

Even if you are a single adult or adult couple who feel relatively confident that you can avoid falling into your own pool and drowning, don’t consider having a pool without a high, secure fence. This is because other people, including neighboring children, can wander into a pool area where they don’t have permission to be and get into trouble, and if somebody is harmed on your premises you may be legally liable even if they are technically trespassing. It isn’t just people, either – dogs and other pets can come to harm if they can get to your pool, and again, you may be held to blame.

Have a Lockable, Self Latching Gate

As well as a good, strong fence that people aren’t going to be able to climb, make sure the gate to your pool area is very secure and latches shut behind people. This is especially important if you have kids or other family members and friends who are likely to be coming and going all day in summer – it can be easy for a child who is trusted to use the pool to forget to close the gate.

Keep the Area Tidy and Free of Trip Hazards

Put away all pool toys and other potential hazards every day after using the pool. A pool surrounded by fun looking noodles and inflatables is far more appealing to a young trespasser than a neat, tidy area with no toys, and you’ll also be removing anything people could potentially trip over (as well as keeping pool toys clean). Repair any damaged paving or decking around the pool, as well as pruning any plants or trees that can also present hazards.

Have Clear Rules Everyone Who Uses the Pool is Aware Of

Make a sensible list of rules, similar to the ones municipal pools use and make sure everyone knows what they are before using the pool. What you allow may vary depending on the swimming ability and ages of your guests, but you must always make sure people don’t run, don’t dive in shallow areas, and babies and toddlers are always supervised and wearing life vests. You may also consider having policies for older pool users around banning alcoholic drinks by the pool and making sure cell phones and other electrical devices are kept away from the edge.

Make Sure You Cover Your Pool Securely When Not In Use

Whenever your pool isn’t in daily use, make sure it is well covered with secure fasteners holding the pool cover in place. This will stop people and animals being able to fall in and can also keep your pool free of dangerous contaminants and normal debris.

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Marshall Stinson, the author of this post, is a blogger who likes to blog about home improvement tips and techniques. He works at a shop that plumbing and pool supplies shop. He likes sports and outdoor activities such as swimming.

Home Security – Where Are The Key Places On Your Property To Use Security Cameras?

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More and more people are choosing surveillance cameras as an addition to their other home security measures, and these can give a real sense of peace of mind particularly if you have a large property which you can’t easily monitor from one place, or you live in an area with a high crime rate. You can also set up your cameras to feed to one central viewing room or computer, so that you can watch what is going on in and around your property if you are concerned, without having to go outside or open your door.

Deter and Catch Criminals

Cameras don’t just help you fight crime by allowing you to identify intruders and gather evidence against them more easily; they also deter criminals from targeting you. Knowing there is a good chance they will be filmed will make many criminals think again and target another address, because disabling camera systems is difficult and not a skill the average opportunist thief will have.

However, while the appearance of cameras does a lot to protect your home on its own, you still want to make sure they are doing a good job of filming the areas that are most likely to be targets, and where they are most likely to film something useful to police (for example getting a good shot of an intruder’s face). Here are some tips for choosing where to put your home surveillance cameras:

Entry and Exit Points

The most important places to capture activity are at the main entry and exit points from your home and any other buildings on your property, such as you garage or pool house. Don’t just consider the front door, although this is a good place to put a camera, but also think about entry points like windows which someone trying to break in might see as a weak spot.

Guard your Most Valuable Items and Areas

There’s not much point in having a CCTV camera system if it isn’t set up to protect the things and people most likely to be targeted by thieves, attackers or vandals. You should therefore consider where an intruder might look for valuables, and where trespassers may be most likely to gain access.

An outdoor pool area, for example, may be an easier place for opportunist trespassers to gain access to than your house. While there might not be much there people could steal, you probably don’t want unwanted guests in that area, so set up visible cameras there. You may also want to consider your garage if this is where your car is kept.

In your home, use cameras to protect the entry points to things like the bedrooms of children or elderly people, and rooms where valuables are kept.

Outdoor Spaces

If you have a lot of outdoor space, cameras can help you catch intruders who may hide in shady areas and also investigate any strange sounds or lights you can see or hear outdoors without leaving your house. Consider putting cameras in your driveway area, along with your gardens.

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The author of today’s post, Kate Harris, is a security consultant at AAA Satellite, one of the leading manufacturers of security cameras and other security equipment in KS. She believes that workplaces, these days, need to be well-equipped with adequate security systems and cameras.

The Serious Damage That Might Be Waiting To Happen To Your Home (And What To Do About It)

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The main role of our homes is to keep us safe from harm and to make sure that we are warm, dry and sheltered from the elements. What a home is not meant to be then is a death trap, or a calamity waiting to happen – but that’s often precisely what real estate is. You might not know it, but there are countless ways that your home might currently be at risk and if you don’t do something about them you may well wake up one morning to find your front room leveled. Here we will look at the biggest threats to your home, and what you can do about them.

Gas Explosion

If you have a faulty boiler or oven then this is a serious issue that needs to be attended to. Even if it’s just very old or you occasionally smell gas, don’t ignore it or you may one day turn on the light and find the whole kitchen goes up in flames. Have your gas equipment checked regularly, make sure to be aware of leaks, and invest in a carbon monoxide alarm to make sure that you aren’t quietly poisoning yourself in your sleep.

Falling Trees

If you have any big trees in your garden, then you should recognize these as a potential threat. A strong wind, or rot setting in, can cause trees to collapse in your garden and this could lead to them falling into your property and causing massive destruction again. Even if a falling tree doesn’t hit your home itself, it could collapse on your car or just destroy your fencing or sheds.

The solution is to make sure to check on any large trees to time to time to make sure that they’re strong and healthy. If you notice rot setting in, or they don’t feel overly stable, then bring in a tree surgeon and just remove the top of it so that it won’t pose such a risk.

Flooding

Flooding is a serious problem that many properties face and which can completely ruin not only your home, but also all of your belongings. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do to prevent a flood if you are living on a flood plain, so the only solution is to try and avoid choosing a property that is at risk. On top of that, you should also make sure that you plan for this eventuality if there’s even the remotest possibility of it happening. This means looking for insurance that will cover you against flooding, and it means keeping your most valuable things above ground level.

Leaks

Flooding doesn’t just come from being on a flood plain though, it can also come through your walls if you’re unlucky or seep into your basement if you haven’t waterproofed it. Deal with any leaks or seepage with waterproofing early on, because otherwise it could progress and seriously damage your belongings and your property. And even if it doesn’t – while it’s there it will still be filling your lungs with moisture and your home with mold.

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Today’s guest author, Phil Ryan, works for a waterproofing company in Toronto. In his leisure time, he enjoys writing on a variety of topics that interest him.

Hassle Free Birthday Fun – How To Throw Your Child A Birthday Party Without Wrecking Your House

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Some parents love having their homes full of happy, laughing kids and planning fun party games, but for others, the kids’ birthday party can be something of a nightmare. Whether you don’t have the space, get nervous when other people’s children are tearing around all your expensive furnishings, or simply don’t know how to keep a gaggle of children entertained, the idea of having a more professionally organized birthday party for your child on somebody else’s premises can be an appealing one.

Here are some ideas to help you come up with a fun day out or party for your son or daughter and their friends without having to spend weeks covering furniture in plastic and planning games!

A Family Friendly Restaurant

One of the easiest things to do is simply take everybody out to a family friendly restaurant where there are already games and entertainment for the children. This can be really fun for your child because they always make a big fuss of the birthday boy or girl, and if they’ve been to parties like this for their friends, they may well have been just waiting until it was their turn to be the one in the spotlight! These places are very used to dealing with large groups for birthdays, and you will probably just have to reserve an area for your group. However, in some cases you may have to give your food orders in advance from a specific menu.

An Activity

There are all kinds of great group activities you can organize as a birthday party event. Whether it’s going to a water park, bowling, skating, dancing or even something more high octane like go-karting, paint-balling or zip lining (for older children), you can usually get good rates when you book for a group and may get some special gifts or discounts because it is a birthday. Of course, it can be tricky finding an activity all of your child’s friends will like, but the most important thing is finding something your son or daughter really wants to do.

An Organized Event

Depending on the timing of your child’s birthday, you may be able to make a trip with all of their friends to an organized event. Whether it’s a show, a circus, a concert or a sporting event, group bookings can be heavily discounted and there may be some special things thrown in for the birthday boy or girl. Baseball teams especially often give out a lot of great freebies to people (both kids and adults!) who come along on their birthdays, so make sure you make it clear it is a birthday celebration when you make the booking.

Depending on what your child is into, there are fun events going on all year round, so even if they can’t go and see their favourite sports team or a show they want to see because the season is wrong, with some creative thinking you may well be able to give them a really fun and special day by looking out for something appropriate that is going on at the right time.

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Today’s feature writer, Arnold Rebello, is an expert in organizing charity events. In his spare time, Arnold likes to share tips on how to raise funds for charity events.

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