Falling leaves clog your gutters and downspouts. This can cause problems. When your gutters are full, the rain water that runs off the roof spills over the side and on to the ground next to the foundation instead being drained away from the foundation. In some homes, this can cause the foundation to leak. When gutters can not drain run off water in the winter, this can result in ice damning. Ice damning is when you get a large amount of ice at the bottom of your roof where the gutters are. The ice will push its way up under the shingles and cause the roof to leak. Cleaning your gutters is a cheap but very effective maintenance item.
When you look through a brochure or walk through a showroom, you see sofas and armchairs in their finished state, their frames and upholstery hidden beneath attractive fabric covers. What goes on underneath the covers is just as important as their surface appearance, though, so don’t be afraid to ask how particular models are made when making your choice. Upholstered furniture is generally made up of four parts: the frame, suspension, filling, and covering.
In part two of this two part series, we offer some tips, advice, and ideas for decorating apartment bathrooms stylishly…
Furnishings
If you are choosing new plumbing fixtures, you can take advantage of lots of new ideas and innovations for a sleek, up-to-the-minute look. Modern ceramics are designed to fit effortlessly into small spaces, with smoothly rounded corners and flowing lines. Bathtubs are often molded around the body to narrow at each end, saving a vital few inches. Corner sinks, semi-inset sinks that can be set into a shelf, or inset sinks to drop into a countertop all offer clever design options. For extra floor space, choose a free-standing sink on a narrow pedestal, or a wall-mounted unit that leaves the floor free. Explore industrial and catering suppliers for high-tech steel sinks to set into a countertop or vanity unit.
Ensure Proper Light. When shooting indoors, turn on all the lights in the room if possible. This will avoid graininess when your camera tries to brighten up the image. As a last resort, use an on-camera light, although it will give you a more “deer in the headlights” look compared to the natural beauty of multiple lamps. When shooting outdoors, keep the sun above your subject, or to the side. This will prevent your subject from having to squint in the sunlight, or from having the background too bright.
Turn off the Auto-Iris (exposure) if Possible. The iris is what controls the amount of light coming into the camera. Normally this is set to be automatic, so you don’t have to think about it. But this results in the video image being brightened and darkened constantly as you pan between subjects, or having your subject darkened to where you can’t see it because you had a bright window behind them. If you camera has the option of using manual exposure, be sure to turn it to manual so it stays even.
Avoid Zooming. Walk in close (within 5 ft.) to your subject whenever possible and avoid zooming, which makes your image shaky and obscures the field of view around your subject. Plus you continue to lose light as you zoom in. If you’re shooting people or children, a close up of them while you’re completely zoomed out seems as if you’re right there next to them, not some distant stranger trying to peek in. Furthermore, your audio will be much louder, cleaner, and tighter when you shoot close up to your subjects.
Frame your Subject Properly. Now that you’ve got the camera close up to your baby in the walker, now frame the shot where the head is NOT in the center of the viewfinder all the time. Always try to put the back of their head near the edge of the viewfinder. This is a much more pleasing picture to watch, instead of having faces bumped up against the edge of the screen.
Overshoot, then Edit Later. You will get far more memorable moments on camera if the camera is actually recording compared to when it is turned off. So overshoot constantly even if nothing seems like it’s happening, because eventually it will! Go back later and edit out the slow stuff. If it seems too tedious or too expensive to invest in all that tape stock, consider upgrading to a non-tape camera, such as a DVD recorder, hard drive recorder, or even a good digital still camera can shoot decent full screen video and record it to a memory card. This way you can record nonstop and delete the boring scenes instantly. The result will be beautifully composed, lighted, and entertaining home movies that your family will cherish forever.
In part two of our two part series, we look at some specific decorating tips and ideas for apartment bedrooms…
Style Pointers
WALLS AND CEILING
Fresh white walls and ceiling reflect the light and create a spacious atmosphere as well as a neutral backdrop for colorful furnishings and accessories.
ACCESSORIES
Framed posters reinforce the blue and white color theme and break up the wall space. A few well-chosen accessories - vases of flowers, bedside candlelamps, and simple knickknacks - add a personal stamp.
A simple island can provide valuable extra working space, or you can opt for something more elaborate fitted with a sink or a cooktop. The top of the island can be made from laminate, solid granite, artificial stone, solid wood, or tiles. If you plan to use the surface for food preparation, choose real or artificial stone with a solid wood butcher block inset. It’s easy to damage a laminate top by forgetting to use a chopping board and although tiles are attractive they can be impractical as a work surface. Using real or artificial stone is sensible if you want to include a cooktop. Where electricity is being run to an island, it’s a good idea to make the most of it by installing a couple of outlets, either mounted in the top or on the side, so that you can use small appliances. Top-mounted sockets must be protected from spills and liquid by a flap cover.
From my own experience most first-time homeowners would like to make their own choice on furniture, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find something that they would really love to have.
Most pieces of furniture are going to set you back quite a bit and you wouldn’t want to intrude on the homeowner’s personal preferences. They are going to feel obligated to accept what you give them but may do so with ill feelings if the style or color doesn’t fit into their decor.
Shop around and you’ll find dining-room furniture to suit not only the space you have available but the style of your home and your budget.
Dining-room furniture often outlasts other furniture in a home - a sofa and armchairs may show the strain of the rough and tumble of family life, but a sturdy table and chairs can go on looking good year after year. So work out your needs carefully before you buy a dining suite.
Unlike a torn screen or a squeaky door, plumbing and electrical emergencies demand immediate attention. Here’s how to handle common plumbing and electrical emergencies in your home.
Plumbing Emergencies
One of the best ways to be prepared for a plumbing emergency is to have a plumbing repair kit located in an easily accessible place. This kit should include the following:
A working flashlight and spare batteries
A few rolls of Teflon tape
Plumber’s putty
Epoxy putty
Pipe joint compound
Silicone caulk
A pipe repair kit
A set of plumbing hand tools:
Screwdrivers
Adjustable wrench
Sliding jaw wrench
Locking jaw wrench
Hacksaw
Tubing cutter
One of the primary motivators for the homeowner in considering a patio or deck area as an add-on to their home is its entertainment value. Cruise the neighborhood during the day and you will more than likely see only a few people using the patio or deck. However, as evening approaches the story changes. When parent(s) come home from work or when it’s the right time to plan a party for friends and relatives, the patio or deck is frequently used as the center of festivities that often last well into the night.
