Tag Archives: Yourself

Sprinkler Systems Do it Yourself

“Sprinkler systems do it yourself” at first sounds like a good idea. I mean hey,whats involved? You run some pipes, connect some sprinklers, Bada-Boom, Bada-Bing, no problem!

WRONG.

Without knowing how to properly configure your lawn irrigation you will end up over watering some parts of the landscape and under watering others. What you will end up with is weeds and dead plants. There is more involved than just “throwing water” around your yard. What you are striving for with any irrigation system is one thing: equal precipitation. Equal precipitation means that areas of your yard, and the specific plants in that area receive the same amount of water based on need. Here is an example. Lets say zone (area) #1 consists of St. Augustine grass surrounded by Swedish Ivy. The water requirements or St. Augustine grass is different than the landscape co-efficient for Swedish Ivy. Yet, the sprinklers must be set for the St. Augustine because it uses more water. What happens? Lots of weeds in the drought tolerant Swedish Ivy beds. And it can get worse. What if the Swedish Ivy is under some trees and the grass is in the sun? You could actually drown the Ivy trying to sufficiently water the turf.

So, how do you deal with these different types of plants needing different amounts of water? Proper sprinkler system design. It a nutshell this means more zones or separately irrigated areas. “Hydo-zoning” means calculating the water need based on plant type and conditions (sun or shade) and varying soil conditions. Bada-Boom Bada-Bing it ain’t.

After determining your hyro-zone requirement, we now get into sprinkler head type and friction factor (pipe sizing) limitations and pressure fluctuations. All of these factors affect the amount of water applied to your specific landscape requirements.

Bada-Boom Bada-Bing it ain’t. You want to save money money by doing the labor yourself, yet you need a step-by-step blueprint to follow so that you put your sprinkler system in correctly. Luckily for you, I “know a guy”. I actually DO know him. We are both certified Irrigation Contractors in Florida, and my friend wrote an easy to follow, non-technical “blueprint” for the homeowner about Sprinkler Systems Do It Yourself. As a licensed sprinkler contractor, I’ve reviewed his blueprint I can tell you that if you follow this easy to implement plan, you will end up with a better sprinkler system than the “lowballers” will install at half the price. It’s certainly worth checking out. Click the following blue link in the author box to claim you’re easy to do “Sprinkler System DIY” eBook:

Craig Borglum CIC/CID/CLIA is a Certified and Licensed Irrigation Specialist in Central Florida. More information and articles on how-to irrigation solutions, click on sprinkler systems DIY.

Tire Repair – Do it Yourself

Tire repair, nowadays, does not need to be done by the motorists themselves. There are a lot of tire repair shops in every locale you would be driving to; besides, there is always that good old spare tire available in the trunk of the car or in the undercarriage of the truck you’re driving. But come to think of it, there are times that you may pass through a remote area that does not have any repair establishments nor any residents to help during a flat tire occurrence. Worse is, the car or truck you’re driving does not have a spare tire, and you have to get out of that spot as soon as possible for any reason at all.

Well, simple tire problems like a nail hole in the tire tread can be repaired by the motorists themselves if they are in the above situation. They only need to have a pair of pliers to remove the nail that punched the tire tread, a jack to lift the vehicle up, a wrench to remove the tire, a small tire pump, and a tire repair kit  (you may purchase a repair kit from any of your neighborhood hardware or automotive part stores). Tire repair kits may vary in packing. The typical ones have a rasp tool, an inserting tool, and a few strands of plug strips/repair strings (others have a tube of rubber cement – an adhesive for the plug strips). 

The first thing to do is to park the car in a flat surface on the road shoulder, then make sure that the engine is shut off and parking brakes are engaged before lifting up the side where the flat tire is with a jack. If you can find anything handy to block any of the wheels other than the flat one to make sure that the car won’t move especially when it is already jacked up, better do it. Be safe. You are not doing this kind of thing every day, so you have to move with caution. Remove the flat tire by loosening the lug nuts with the tire wrench and try to remove the nail from it using your pliers. Get the rasp tool in the tire repair kit and scrape the nail hole to widen and remove some obstructions. Squirt some rubber cement into the hole before inserting a repair string/plug strip with the insert tool. Insert the strip all the way to the hole and pull out the insert tool. There might be a residual string protruding from the surface e of the tire tread that must be cut by a sharp blade. The plug strip must be flushed with the tire tread surface. This will prevent possible removal of the strip when driving. After this repair the tire is now ready for inflation with your handy motorized pump of even a foot operated inflator. Finally, you may now install the tire, lower your car, remove the jack and the wheel blocks, then leave the area with good tires and a smooth drive.

It is an advantage to have a tubeless tire repair kit and a handy tire pump with your jack and tire wrench whenever you drive out especially in remote places. Be prepared for this kind of situations. Tire repair – you can do it yourself.

Jonathan C. Tumalban manages a bus fleet maintenance shop for a tours and travel company in Saipan, CNMI. He spends a lot of free time in enhancing his other skills such as writing and web site design. He believes that writing, as well as a lot of reading, is not only an excellent past time but also a strong mental excercise. Jonathan writes about anything within the grasp of his understanding; with the intent to share these ideas, and to learn more whenever readers give comments and offer rectifications to any errors they may find in the articles.

Do it Yourself Hardwood Floor Repair

If you have a natural wood floor that has become damaged over the years, you do not have to keep it covered up with rugs or carpets, all you have to do is engage in some simple hardwood floor repair. It really only takes a few moments to replace the damaged planks and have your floor looking brand new again. In order to undergo this project you will need the following tools: a circular saw, hammer, chisel, construction adhesive, mallet, flooring nails, scrap wood, and wood filler.

Remove Damaged Planks

The first thing you need to do when repairing hardwood floors is to remove the planks in your floor that have been damaged. In order to remove a plank you must first carve a hole in the middle with your circular saw. Next, simply hammer out this center part with a chisel. Now it should be easy for you to pry out the remainder of the plank. Repeat this process for each of the remaining damaged planks. Also make sure that you remove any nails that remain in the floor. If they are too difficult to remove, you can always just drive them completely into the subfloor.

Replace

The next step of hardwood floor repair is to cut a new plank to replace the one you have removed. Your new plank should be slightly smaller than the one you removed, roughly 1/16 of an inch. This is important to do because the wood will naturally expand a little as time goes by. Next, you will want to place some adhesive on the backside of your new plank. This will help to keep it stationary after it has been installed. Next, you will place the plank into the floor, starting with the tongue side. You may find that you will have to tap it into place with a mallet. If so, make sure you place some old wood over top of your new plank in order to keep it protected.

Secure and Hide

The next thing you need to do when repairing hardwood floors is to use your flooring nails to secure the new plank to floor. You may also want to use your nail set to keep the nails hidden; it also won’t hurt to use wood filler to keep the screws out of sight. Now, the final step is to apply finish to the new plank, trying to match the tone of the other original planks as best as possible. It is often difficult to do this, so you may have to decide whether you should simply refinish the rest of the floor or have a plank or two of a slightly different shade.

As you can see, hardwood floor repair is not as difficult as you may have once thought. All it takes is a little effort and you can have your old floor looking as good as new.

Pieter West travels the world on a regular basis and have written about numerous subjects. He has an extensive knowledge about, finances, DIY, parenting advice and many more subjects.

Do it Yourself Basement Finishing System

A basement finishing system can be very costly and impractical especially now that the economy is not doing well. Hiring a contractor can cause $ 20 to $ 25 per square foot. People are lucky to be employed these days and as responsible individuals, we want to hold on to our savings as much as we can. If you want to finish your basement but you’re afraid that you can’t afford to hire a professional to do it for you, then you’re better off doing a DIY project. The basement can provide you with all kinds of extra living space that is definitely valuable. Compared to building a small house, a basement is pretty much less expensive because it already has walls, floor and a ceiling. If you work on this project on your own, you will save a lot of money.

If you don’t have enough experience, it won’t hurt if you will make a research online about basement finishing systems. There’s too much information out there and what’s critical is filtering what’s helpful or not. The first step in finishing a basement is planning. You have to decide what you will use your basement for, whether it will be a theatre room, guest room, bar or a kitchen, make sure it will suit your family’s needs and activities. Different functions have great impact on the design and the materials to be used so you better be careful in planning. Being fickle minded is not an option when it comes to your basement finishing system. Measure your basement and the height of your ceilings. This will have to include the distance from the floor to the bottom of the floor joists and the floor to bottom of any ductwork as well.

Determine which parts of the basement finishing you can do and which ones should be dealt by a professional. For a DIY basement project, you’re probably looking at 6 months of completion and you may have to sacrifice weekends. Your written plan should include existing doors, windows and the obstructions like plumbing, stacks and ductwork. Make a count of the electrical outlets, switches, light fixtures and other plumbing materials you will need. Lastly, you have to know whether your area would require you for a building permit. Make sure you follow the guidelines set by your local municipality, this is for your safety anyway.

You can get exciting basement ideas here or you can go to http://www.basement-bar-ideas.com/ for more information.

Driveway Pavers – Do it Yourself

A perfectly manicured Driveway Pavers, right after the entrance of your home, has the power of converting your home into a mansion. It has been observed numerous times, how this can alter the overall looks and the beauty of your home.

Earlier, you always needed a professional to make such an elegant arrangement. However, in case the total area to be paved is not more than 500 square feet, you can yourself initiate the construction process. Just that you need some sort of practicality to your approach, little bit of mathematics, few weekend hours and of-course a set of tools. Your driveway is ready!

The first step in the construction of Driveway Pavers is to make a proper planning. Make a diagram of the area which needs to be converted into a driveway. You should carefully note down the existing building, or any structure which needs to be altered.

Second step includes arranging the proper materials such as construction tools and the stone/granite which will be finally used in the paving.

Excavation is the third step. For the vehicles to pass comfortably, you need to excavate close to 9′ to 12′ of land. Once excavated, you can use a leveler to level the land.

A single layer of sand is always recommended just above the excavated land and below the pavers. This is the fourth step.

The next step includes arranging the driveway pavers: mostly stones or granites. You should cut these accordingly, as per the need and arrange them as per the plan. The pavers must be either diagonally or in the diamond pattern arranged on the sand bed. The ends should be at 90 degree to each other. If required, the stone also needs to be cut using the stone cutter. Wearing of the safety glasses is always recommended

That’s it. The paved driveway is ready. Let the sand and the paved stones for few days to be properly set in.

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Do it Yourself Coffee Spa Treatment

It’s always wonderful to have an excuse to pamper yourself, and even better if it smells like a delicious cup of Joe! Coffee has truly popular flavors and aromas, which is precisely why you will enjoy making this luxurious spa body scrub using the natural beauty benefits of coffee itself.

Did you know that coffee is chock full of antioxidants? This is precisely why it is a wonderful ingredient to use in any beauty treatment because the antioxidants can be topically absorbed into the skin so that they have the ability to neutralize free radicals. Just to update you, free radicals do have the potential to damage many of your cells below the surface, contributing to premature age and disease. To stop these problems before they start, use the natural antioxidant benefits of coffee in your spa treatments to keep your skin looking as fresh and as young as possible. Your skin will thank you!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1 tbsp. Olive oil
• 2 tbsp. Vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Coffee beans
• 1/3 cup Brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Ground cloves

To execute this easy beauty recipe, all you have to do is put the whole coffee beans, ground cloves, and brown sugar into your coffee grinder. Grind at the coarse setting to thoroughly mix the ingredients together, and then place them into an empty container. Mix the ingredients together again well to make sure that they are completely blended. Add the vanilla and olive oil to the mixture, and again, mix well. You can add more olive oil to your liking, but make sure to do it in small increments so that you do not ruin the consistency of your scrub.

For a more coarse scrub, you ultimately want to use less olive oil, and for a softer scrub, you can use more. Now, you can slather it all over your body and use it to exfoliate any dead skin. This is a perfect natural treatment to use, and it will leave your skin feeling soft and delicious – almost good enough to eat! On top of that, you can count on the natural coffee aromas to wake you right up if you are using this spa scrub in the morning when you shower.

Consider one more interesting beauty fact. Coffee does contain caffeine, which is a natural vasodilator. This will work to constrict blood vessels in your skin, making it immediately tighter and firmer. What you have within your spa pampering scrub is a natural anti aging treatment! When you use this scrub, you can count on your skin tightening and feeling younger right away. This is also something that is gentle enough to use on your face, so it will immediately firm your complexion and have you feeling fresh. You can also count on this scrub to slough off dead skin cells all over your body so that you will be glowing from head to toe. And you have your cup of Joe to thank!

For the best Commercial Coffee Makers with a great selection, check out Mark Ramos’ website, The Coffee Bump.

Traffic Analysis – Do it Yourself

How many companies are there out there that will offer to supply your website traffic analysis to you, it will cost you a few dollars though. I almost took up one of their offers, almost, because I found out how you can do it for free!

Once you do a search on your favourite search engine of sites that will do some free traffic analysis for you, you will quickly see how many companies there are out there. To get rid of a lot of non relevant results from your search, try enclosing your search phrase within quotation marks.

Traffic analysis is something that you must do constantly to check your websites performance. It is much better to keep your money by doing this simple job yourself instead of farming the work out. At least until you are making a decent profit.

On the first page of your websites cpanel (control panel) there is a file called ‘Awstats’,once you click through this icon you will be taken to choose which domain or sub domain you will to find the stats on. The awstas folder normally resides in the “log’ area of your control panel.

Once you have clicked through the Awstats icon you will then have a choice of which domain or sub domain you want to view the stats on. Once you have chosen your domain by clicking on the ‘View’ button you will see the fantastic statistics that are now available to you.

It is quite amazing really, there is such a detailed view of your web site statistics. You now are able to monitor the progress of your other ad or traffic campaigns to double check their accuracy. You will also be able to find more traffic analysis tools on Google’s site. There are a host of free tools for you to use.

Rob Hillman is a Traffic Analysis enthusiast, for more information on Free Traffic Analysis, please visit http://www.getsitetraffic.me/traffic-analysis/

Do It Yourself Home Security

Proper and safe home security doesn’t have to involve hiring a professional to install the most up-to-date security system on the market. There are numerous DIY home security options out there; you just need to be familiar with them and choose what precautions you should take to keep you, your home, and your family safe. DIY home security involves everything from teaching your children what to do when at home alone to installing a state-of-the-art, DIY home security alarm that allows the homeowner to perform the installation and set up.


DIY Home Security Basics


Homeowners often overlook simple, yet effective, DIY home security projects. If a home looks difficult to break into or a burglar believes there is a good chance of getting caught, he will usually bypass that home and move on to another. The most important aspect of home security is creating an atmosphere that isn’t conducive to a burglar being able to enter your home. The following DIY home security projects create this type of environment. Install exterior lights and include either a timer or a motion detector, Secure all exterior doors and windows with well-built, steadfast locks and Trim back trees and shrubs in your yard, especially around windows and doors.

These do it yourself home security tasks are easy and fast projects, yet they offer you and your family paramount security.


DIY Home Security Systems


Installing a DIY home security system is a bit more difficult and time-consuming than replacing locks and adding a few lights. Before taking on this task, you need to be prepared to spend some time and money, but the advantages are well worth the costs. DIY home security systems are usually wireless and can cost as little as $ 100 or as much as several thousand dollars.


Installing a DIY home security system in your home offers a wide range of benefits. DIY Upgrades, Mobility, Ease of Use and No-Cost Installation.


Just as hardwired, professionally installed home security systems can be fit with many different accessories to meet your individual security needs, so can DIY home security systems. The majority of DIY home security systems come with a basic keypad, control panel, and window/door contacts, but the list of accessories available for purchase is virtually endless. Some of the most commonly purchased.


Additions are: Sirens, Strobe Lights, Motion Detectors, Surveillance Cameras, Smoke Detectors and Glass Break Detectors.


Integrating these accessories into your DIY home security system is an easy process, and tailoring your system to fit your needs is extremely important. DIY home security systems also allow you to upgrade your system as needed; as technology advances and the needs of your family change, you can easily install the additional security accessories you feel necessary.


From the most menial tasks such as trimming trees to the more advanced job of installing an entire home security system, Do it yourself home security is a great way to ensure your safety.

Ralph Winn writes about Do It Yourself Home Security Systems and other related topics.

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Do It Yourself Air Conditioner Repair

Before you call a heating and cooling technician to take a look at your unit, there are a few simple repairs you can try yourself. This is especially handy if your a/c conks out on a Sunday morning. These simple repairs are also a good part of your annual maintenance plan. With regular cleaning, dust, dirt, and debris can clog your cooling fins, your coolant level can become low, and your blower may get dusty and dirty. While you can handle most of these maintenance and repair tasks in about an hour, only a professional Phenix City, AL heating and cooling professional can check your coolant levels.

The first piece of your cooling unit you want to check is the condenser. Begin by turning off the power, either on the unit itself or the main power switch for your home. Locate the condenser fins, which are small metal blades located around the unit. These fins accumulate dust, dirt, leaves, grass and pollen, which blocks the air flow into your home. If the airflow is blocked, your unit has to work harder to cool the home, using more power, which costs you more money.  Vacuum the fins with your household vacuum cleaner. You may want to use an attachment to reach some of the fins. You can then remove any remain debris with a soft brush. If you have are bent, you can gently straighten them back into shape with a butter knife.

Once the outside of you condenser is clean, unscrew the fan to gain access to the inside of the unit. Vacuum the inside of the unit, if you can reach. You may find that mice and other small animals like to winter in there, so be prepared for any animal debris. Use a hose to rinse of the fins and then check the motor to make sure it is properly lubricated. Add five drops of electric motor oil and then replace the fan.

Head inside your home and replace your dirty air filter and remove any particles and debris in the grill of this unit. You can use a vacuum or a soft cloth or brush to scrap away caked on dirt and dust.  Now you are ready to see if your maintenance and repairs worked.

Turn the power back on, and set the thermostat to cool, and select a lower than normal temperature. After about fifteen minutes, check the insulated tube- it should be cool. If it’s cool, you’ve fixed your problem and increased the energy efficiency of your unit. If you need a professional to take a look, there a number of HVAC specialists in and around Phenix AL. You will pay for both parts and labor if you need some professional help.

If you prefer to have a professional come out and complete a full diagnostic of your heating and air unit, be sure to make you appointment right around spring break or the beginning of the summer. Heating and air units in Phenix City, AL get a lot of use once the first heat wave heats, so make sure yours is running well before the temperature starts to rise.

If you are looking for information on heating and air phenix city al, click on the link. Or you can visit the website at http://dnahvac.com/heating-and-air-phenix-city!

Do It Yourself Air Conditioning Repair

Air conditioning repair can cost a lot if you don’t find yourself a reasonable contractor. And sometimes, they can even disrupt you from earning money because technicians often do house calls on your work hour. In spite of this though, homeowners should not forego the opportunity to acquire maintenance services, especially this summer. After all, they wouldn’t want their system to crash in the middle of the day because of some unchecked mechanical problem. Moreover, inspection could also help you minimize the risk of AC fires as well as excessive electrical consumption. Now, if you are eager to make sure your air conditioners are working properly but are not too eager to spend, here are some tips on how you can correct certain AC glitches on your own.

 

When the air conditioner is not taking out as much warm air as it should or if there is a foul odor released from your unit, you might be having some filter issues. If such is the case, then there’s no need to consult a specialist. You can just open the AC unit yourself from the inside of your house and change or clean the filter so it does not block air circulation. It’s expected for the filter to accumulate dust after prolonged use. So it would be best to check on the filter every month to avoid freezing up the condenser fins.

 

If the air conditioner’s performance does not improve, might as well proceed with clearing up the condenser from debris since any residue could potentially promote clogging and keep the AC from doing its job. You should also check your refrigerant containers since its depletion can also cause a decline in function. Afterwards, you ought to investigate the condition of the outside fan considering that it is responsible for getting rid of warm air. If there are leaves or dirt blocking it, the unit may not be able to cool down the room as well as it should.

 

If you notice that the air conditioner does not respond efficiently to temperature changes, check out the thermostat if it is still functioning. Because it’s highly likely that the AC is still working but the temperature gauge isn’t. What you could do to correct this setback is to, again, clean the sensor with a soft, clean brush, and then align it with the evaporator coil.

 

Now, if you perceive that your air conditioner is leaking, it is possible that the coils have some blockage or holes. To preclude overworking your unit and condoning further water damage and the growth of molds, you should open up your unit and check through the tubes. You could blow through it to get dirt out or check for air pockets. And if there is actual damage, you could replace the tube with another to preserve optimum function.

 

As you can see, air conditioning repair is something you can do on your own. If you are not as confident, there are more elaborate tutorial write ups and videos you can refer to for better results. However, if you have done all of the above and still are not able to improve your AC’s status, might as well call in specialists to solve the problem.

 

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