Green Party U.S. – Green Technology, Recycling & Alternative Energy News & Information

Improve the Sound of Speakers with Cabinet Fill

November 28, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

For people who have a habit of turning everything into a DIY project, building your own set of speakers is one of the more advanced projects that can be taken on. There are numerous potential designs for speaker cabinets, some of which can make a speaker sound terrific, while other designs, though attractive and cool in concept, can make a great speaker sound terrible. But once you’ve designed an acoustically proper cabinet and selected your horns carefully, one easy way anybody can improve their setup is with polyester batting speaker cabinet lining.

 

One of the reasons speakers are housed in cabinets is to reduce the bouncing, echoing sound waves that are generated from rearward sound waves. This can’t always do the trick however, and sometimes secondary sound waves escape and detract from the sound. Adding fiberfill upholstery batting helps scatter the sound waves and break up air movement, helping the speaker to perform like it is in a bigger box; generating deeper, crisper bass. More typically used to fill pillows or throw cushions, the fibrous polyfill is an excellent sound insulator because the material’s fine strands provide enough resistance to diffuse the bouncing sound waves without reducing the airflow within the cabinet too much. Polyester fiber batting is easily ripped apart by hand into clumps for a loose filling, or left in sheets and attached to the inside of the box for a tidier design.

 

The general rule of thumb when using fiberfill stuffing is to add a pound of material for every cubic foot of airspace the cabinet possesses. Even with that, trial and error is often the easiest way to find the point where sound is at its best. Some individuals use fiberglass in the same way, but in ported boxes, the movement of air from the speakers can blow fibers into the room. Polyester fiberfill stuffing is nontoxic and won’t degrade over time either, making it a smart and affordable addition to your speakers, whether they’re made at home or in a store.

Save Money on Your Energy Bills with Ceiling Fans

November 25, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Having craftmade ceiling fans in your home greatly reduces the cost of your heating and cooling bills. They are not only energy efficient but really add a cozy feel to your home. Most fans have a button where you put them in reverse. This pulls the heat off the ceiling and circulates it through the rest of the room. This cuts down on heating bills. During the warmer months you can set them in the regular position to pull cooler air off the floor and circulate it through the rest of the room.

 

There are many different types of fans such as attic ceiling fans. They come in a wide variety of styles and colors and even have remote controls. You can buy them with or without lights depending on your preference.

 

One of the most popular brands in ceiling fans is craftmade ceiling fans. You can find them at most home improvement centers in many different styles and colors. Another popular brand is Casablanca ceiling fans. Again, they come in a variety of styles and colors to suit any type of décor. You can find these and other brands of fans. They have a huge inventory of all types of ceiling fans for any type of use. Just browse the site to find one that fits in with your décor. You can also Google “fans” to bring up a search of all the websites that sell ceiling fans. You can find one for any size room such as small fans for a baby’s room to large fans for country kitchens.

Bathroom Remodeling Chicago Residents Can Take Advantage Of

November 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Posted by: Chicago Remodeling Solutions

When you decide that you want to take on a remodeling project, there are many things that you must consumer.  Bathroom remodeling Chicago residents usually take on involve bathrooms that have been built for city living. Chicago is one of the most famous cities in the world, and you end up with a lot of bathrooms that really need a lot of work as they have been built in small areas due to the dense living environment within the city.

There are a few key things to take into account when you decide that you want to remodel.  The first thing you have to do is to make a design of what your bathroom currently looks like and how you want it to look.

You then need to have measurements and a layout completed so that you can get an idea in terms of how everything is going to fit in the bathroom.

Next, you need to establish your budget, and get some samples so that you can see what you will be able to spend and what you will be able to get for your money.  Finally, it is installation time.

Remodeling contractors Chicago residents can trust is a pretty short list.  One of the more respected contractors though www.chicagoremodelingsolutions.com has been known to come up with some of the more creative ideas for spaces.  They also do fantastic roof repair Chicago work for those in need and are certainly worth checking out.

Bamboo Flooring Price, The Flooring Cost May Really Surprise You

November 12, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

There are many different options out there for people who want to put a new floor into their home.  One of the options that many people will not consider is that of bamboo flooring.  Everything about this type of flooring, including the bamboo flooring price may really surprise you.

The first thing that is pretty impressive about bamboo flooring is that bamboo flooring can be ready to be placed in a home in far less time than traditional hardwoods.  Bamboo can be ready to be placed in your home quicker as it is a grass.  The growth patterns of bamboo make it reliable and allow farmers to maximize what it has to offer.

Bamboo flooring comes from bamboo stalks that can reach full growth maturity after just around 90 days.  They do not reach their full potential in terms of their strength until five or seven years goes by.  This is still a huge upgrade over hardwood which can take over sixty years before it is ready to be placed on the floor of your home.

Bamboo flooring is really starting to become far more popular than ever before.  The folks all over have put together a great resource site to educate consumers about the benefits of bamboo flooring.  The bamboo flooring installation is easier than many consumers think, and bamboo flooring durability will really surprise you when compared to hardwood floors.  Bamboo flooring is certainly the new fad when it comes to modern home décor.

Hire LA home builders To Build Your Next Home

November 11, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

If you’re thinking about building a home in the Los Angeles area be sure to get a quote from a few LA home builders. You can find home builders in the Los Angeles area by searching online. Contact a few of them and get a quote from each one. Be sure to get at least three quotes so that you can compare prices and the materials that will be used. Be sure the quote includes the amount of time it will take to build your home. You will also want to ask about what brand of materials they will be using.

 

The Los Angeles area has something for everyone; there are great restaurants that range from casual dining to fine dining, boutiques and some of the best night life in the county, each built up by various famous contractors. Home builders have their sites, where one can get information on each project giving the details of each home from before they started renovations to after the renovations were completed. You can also read some of the testimonials of customers they have done projects for. All of the contractors are experts in their field and can answer any questions you have about building a new home or remodeling your present home.

 

If you don’t want to build a new home and only want to make renovations on your current home, consider Mega Builders. This company can do anything from building 2nd story additions to custom home construction at affordable prices. They offer a wide variety of services including custom cabinetry and solar panels.

BP agrees to pay record sums to settle worst oil disaster in the Gulf

November 8, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

In early November 2012, the oil giant British Petroleum (BP) has agreed to admit charges and to pay a record $4.5 billion including a $1.26 billion criminal fine over a five year period to the U.S. Department of Justice to settle charges stemming from the April 2010 oil platform disaster that killed 11 employees and released estimated 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.  Even with a record fine this may not be the end of the story.  More claims and civil fines for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and other statutes costing many more billions are yet to be settled.  Court trials against individuals of BP scheduled for February 2013.

Of the total amount, $2.39 billion will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for environmental cleanup.  Another $350 million will go to the National Academy of Sciences to conduct research environmental damage to the Gulf.  These amounts are in addition to already spent $14 billion for cleanup and $9 billion for civil payouts to individuals.  BP has set aside $42 billion to cover claims stemming from the disaster and already paid out $36 billion.

Practical Uses for Scrap and Leftover Foam

November 6, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Keeping pieces of scrap foam on-hand around the home can help you out in pinch, as the uses for these remnants and leftovers are innumerable. Here are just a few of the ways it can help!

 

  • Upholstery: If you have a flattened throw pillow, stuffing the casing with extra foam scraps can fluff it back up to the fullness and softness it once had. You can do this on a larger scale, filling things like beanbag chairs, or go small, filling something like a stuffed animal.
  • Painting: Are you trying to paint a hard-to-reach area with a tiny brush that just isn’t getting the job done? A small piece of scrap foam is compressible, trimmable, and can be fit into corners and edges to get an even coat in the tightest of spaces. Larger pieces can also be cut into fun and creative stamps for painting patterns on walls or ceilings.
  • Foam Pits: On a grand scale, foam scraps have been used for years in the making of safety pits for fun or exercise. A gymnastics or motocross pit filled with foam is a common sight in those sports and can help a gymnast or biker practice with confidence. Rubber cushions for tumbling are soft but stable flooring materials as well.
  • Comfort Padding: Braces, splints, and casts can take time to get used to and occasionally have hard or rough edges causing discomfort. A small foam rubber pad can soften and protect those problem areas by fitting into place without impacting the performance of the support structure.

 

These are just a few reasons out of many that keeping some foam scraps around the house is a smart idea. As life happens, you’ll surely find even more uses!