Home and Garden

Ideas to Improve Energy Efficiency in the Home

Article by PC Walls

Everyone has a temperature they feel most comfortable at, and most of us are willing to spend at least some of our hard earned dollars to try and achieve that. Air conditioning and heating are one of the greatest modern achievements, but energy has become increasingly expensive over time. It’s no longer cost-effective to run the HVAC all day long. A better alternative is to explore some options you have around the house to regulate the temperature and prevent hot or cold air loss. Here are just a few of the recent improvements consumers have access to, and how they affect your home.

Replace Doors and Windows

If you walk the house during the cold season, you’ll notice that some parts of the house are draftier than others. This is because of small gaps that appear over time, like gaps in the paint or worn down weather stripping, that leak hot or cold air from our space. Sealant can help, but replacing windows can be especially effective if the windows are older than ten years. New improvements have made windows even better at regulating temperature through heat loss.

Replace HVAC Filters

The filters of an HVAC unit are important to replace on a regular basis. They can help improve the air quality in your home, but they also protect the internals of your heating and air conditioning unit. These filters are easy to replace, inexpensive and they will improve the long-term sustainability of your AC unit.

 

Upgrading Your Farm’s Electric Fencing

Homes use fencing primarily for privacy, but farm fencing serves an entirely different (and more necessary) function. Farm fencing must be durable to protect against threats from animals and wildlife, and it must be able to withstand the harsh elements where farmers sometimes need to grow crops. In addition, fencing must protect from other wildlife, either those who seek to invade the vegetable garden for a tasty treat or those that stalk cattle and chickens.

Upgrading so much fencing is not a simple project.

Plan the Layout

In most cases, an electric fence offers the psychological deterrent a farmer is looking for when trying to create a safe space for crops and livestock. The first step in this process is to go over the grounds with an agricultural specialist and have this person draw up some plans for how you might divide the land. Try to make sure there is direct access to the farm house, and that roads do not exceed 16 feet in width. 10-12 feet should be ideal, as you can safely move supplies from a truck within that space.

It’s also best if you keep your paddocks in a square or rectangle shape, which helps in topping and fertilizing the land. It’s also a very efficient method of land use.

Choosing Posts and Wiring

A Gallagher fence offers a pen for livestock, especially horses, while creating a safer environment for them. You don’t need to spend two or three times the cheapest kind of fencing, but you should be prepared to pay for value. If the fencing is treated in creosote, and the wiring is properly galvanized, you should be able to get multiple years of life from your system easily. Mild steel wire will hold a charge, and may be great for small animals in small enclosures, but it doesn’t tend to withstand the strains of extended use.

Tips and Tricks

It’s expensive to provide a charge to a large fence line, but you can do some things to help cut costs. Try trimming away excess vegetation, with the system turned off, to reduce wasted power. Good insulation and proper earthing are also key components.

Smaller gardens and pens may also benefit from a solar powered electric fence, which is cheaper to run and just as easy to set up. Solar powered fencing is recommended only in areas that receive strong sunlight.
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Livestock Fencing for farms

Livestock fencing used in farms work by acting as a psychological barriers. This ensures that farm animals know where the limits of the farm are and at the same time helps to keep wild animals and predators away from the farm. Some electric act over quite long distances. These fences work by receiving a pulse charge from a ground based charger. Any animal coming in close contact with the boundary would be receiving a sharp but safe shock which will train it to avoid the boundary.

Electric fences act as psychological boundaries but they do not require a considerable amount of power in order to effective. The system needs to be well designed to prevent any power surge and in order to absorb pressure from weather elements and the animals themselves. Depending on the volume of the animals contained and the size of the farm, the fencing charger would need to have an adequate power charge.

When it comes to enclosing animals, livestock fencing is one of the most economical solutions as they also keep away undesired predators. These fences are easy to set up and have a longer durability than regular fences. Electric fences are able to last longer as farm animals would be avoiding them after the initial shock. Vegetable farmers also used these types of fencing to keep away rabbits.

Farm Supply Store is a leading provider of wire fencing to be used in farms. They also provide accessories such as electric fence tester.

Aluminum Wire in Electric Fences

Throughout the world, vegetable and fruit gardeners face the issue of losing their precious produce to other animals or predators. If you are facing such a problem, installing electric fences in your garden might be a good deterrent to these animals. Installing electric fences do not usually take long. Depending on the scale of the garden, the installation can easily be completed within one day. In the case that your garden is huge, seeking the help of other people might be most welcomed to get the job done quicker.

The first step prior to the installation would be the measuring of the area to be fenced. This measurement would be helpful in calculating the number of aluminium wire and stakes that would be required to fence the garden. An expert in electric fencing would then need to be consulted in order to determine the amount of material required.

The next crucial step would be the installation of the metal stakes. These would need to be adequately spaced at a distance of three to five feet from each other. Either a pile driver or sledgehammer can be used in order to secure them. When the stakes are firmly fixed, the aluminium wire can then be threaded. Once the wire is properly threaded, the electric connection can be set up. At this point the electric box should not be plugged. After a careful inspection of the wirings to ensure that everything is safely secured, the electric box can then be plugged.

Jason Governo has extensive hands-on experience in marketing farming fences. Farm Supply Store sells electric fence wire for gardens and farms.

Cozy Bedroom Tips for the Winter

By BeddingStyle

Our bodies try to regulate temperature at night, so if the bedroom is too cold and uncomfortable then our sleep is disrupted. A bed in a bag contains a comforter and sheets, but is it enough to keep you warm this winter? Keeping a warmer room doesn’t mean you have to crank on the heater. Read on for some tips to warm the room without raising the heating bill.

Bedding

Duvet cover sets offer reasonable warmth in the bedroom, and they don’t add too much weight or heat for those who sleep cool. Memory foam toppers can be another idea to help insulate your body. The dense cells trap body heat and make you warm throughout the night.

Windows

One of the best improvements you can make to your home is adding double-pane windows that help insulate the room. Dress them in curtains to keep out the colder temperatures. Thick curtains do this well, but beware that sun-blocking curtains are designed to repel light and don’t usually help warm you. Natural light, when available is another excellent source of warmth in the home.

Flooring

Those with hardwood flooring might benefit from an oversized area rug under the foot of the bed. Rugs will get cold, but not as cold as the wood. That extra bit of warmth is often just enough to help you transition into the rest of your morning.

From designer bedding to insulated curtains, these simple and effective methods will help warm your bedroom without cranking up the heat.

Electric fences in farms

Electric fences when used in farms act as psychological barriers ensuring that farm animals are kept within the bounds of the farm and wild animals are kept at bay. Some Electric fences acts over long distances. The electric fence works by receiving a pulse charge from a charger which is found on the ground. When an animal comes in contact with the boundary, it receives a safe but sharp shock and is thus psychologically trained to avoid that boundary.

Since the electric fence acts as a psychological boundary, it does not need a great amount of power to be effective. The electric fencing system would however need to be well designed in order to effectively absorb any pressure from the elements of the weather and the animals themselves. The fencing charger would need to be powerful enough to provide current for all the length of the fence and the volume of animals being contained.

Livestock fencing is one of the most economical solutions for enclosing animals while at the same time keeping undesired predators away. Electric fences are easy to install and would tend to last longer than regular fences. Since the animals would tend to avoid the fencing after the first shock, the fencing would be able to last longer. Electric fencing are also used by vegetable farmers seeking to protect their plants and vegetables from rabbits.

Farm Supply Store is one of the leading suppliers of farm fencing equipment and accessories. They also provide horse fencing solutions for farmers.

Installing Artificial Grass Where Natural Grass Won’t Grow

Homeowners install artificial turf for a variety of reasons. Some people love the idea of almost completely eliminating the maintenance needed to have a beautiful lawn. Others see the financial and environmental benefits of switching from a natural grass lawn to a synthetic lawn. But for some people, installing artificial grass is more of a necessity than a preference.

This is because they have areas in their homes where natural grass won’t grow or has trouble growing properly. This means that they need to consider alternative methods if they don’t want to have dirt-filled patches or spots in their yard. Synthetic turf provides an outstanding solution that gives them a great looking lawn no matter what time of year or where it is installed.

There are many reasons why artificial turf might be a needed replacement for natural grass:

Shady spots: It’s tough to grow grass in areas under trees and overhangs or other spots that are usually shady. Without enough direct sunlight, the grass won’t reach its full growth potential.

Wet areas: Whether it’s specific spots that get frequent water or whole yards in wet climates, high amounts of water can ruin lawns. Installing artificial grass can ensure that the lawn will look great and avoid muddy footprints indoors.

Acidic lawns: Some lawns have high levels of acidity by nature. This can make it difficult to successful grow natural grass and lead to some extreme steps in order to attempt to grow a lawn.

Overused yards: Parts of the lawn that receive a high level of foot traffic can have the grass worn out over time.

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Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division provides delivery of high-end artificial grass to customers at home and work sites from 130 supply centers nationwide. Find out more about their shipping and products by visiting their website.

Artificial Grass for Children’s Backyards

If you have children, you want to give them the best play areas possible. This includes making sure that your yard has everything they need to run, explore and enjoy the outdoors. You want your yard spaces to be fun but also safe for your children and their friends to enjoy any time.

One way to do this is to install a synthetic lawn at your home. Many people know that artificial turf lawns offer several benefits versus traditional natural grass lawns including lower maintenance needs, fewer costs associated with upkeep and helping the environment by using less water. What they might not know is that artificial turf is also a safe and popular choice for yards where children will be playing.

Some of the reasons that synthetic lawns make sense for children include:

Less Mess: Kids love rolling around on the ground and digging up grass when playing outside. This is great for them but can be a major headache for you. Kids are extremely messy and often bring their messes into the house with dirty and muddy footprints. This mess can also extend to their clothing when they are rolling in the grass. And if your kid decides to “dig for pirate treasure” in your lawn, this can mean costly repairs and unsightly holes.

Replacing your natural grass with artificial grass eliminates these problems. You never have to worry about how dirty your kids will get, since there is no dirt or mud with a synthetic lawn. Kids — and pets — also can’t dig holes in artificial grass lawns.

Safety: The last thing that a parent wants to happen is for their child to get hurt while playing outside. It’s impossible to make any outdoor area completely safe but installing artificial grass lawns can make a difference. Many artificial turf lawns come with a shock-absorbent bottom layer that is ideal for areas where kids will be playing. If they fall down, the padding makes it a softer — and hopefully safer — fall. This is in contrast to natural grass that can get hard because it is dry in the summer or cold and frozen in the winter.

You’ll want to use some precautions when installing and using an artificial turf lawn. Try to select a lawn that uses a natural in-fill like sand instead of rubber pieces that small children might dig up. In addition, artificial turf can get hot when exposed to direct summer sunlight for an extended period of time. Watering down the yard periodically can immediately cool it down while making sure it gets shade from trees or awnings can keep artificial turf cool in the first place.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial and Residential Division has more than 130 nationwide locations to provide artificial grass to homeowners and business customers. With coast-to-coast representation, the company can ship fake grass anywhere in the nation or have products available for next-day pick-up.

Help the Environment By Switching to Artificial Grass

Making a commitment to “go green” with your home makes sense in a variety of ways. A home that is environmentally conscious is not only good for the environment but also can save homeowners a significant amount of money with factors including reduced power and water bills. Doing things like installing solar panels or using energy efficient appliances area are great for the environment, but did you know that switching your lawn to synthetic grass can also be a big help?

There are many reasons why a synthetic turf lawn is a significant improvement over a natural grass lawn for the environment, starting with water conservation. According to the EPA, the average household uses 320 gallons of water a day, with 30 percent of that used outdoors. Much of this comes from the need to constantly water lawns to keep them fresh and green. Switching to an artificial grass lawn eliminates almost all need for watering, meaning that you can potentially save thousands of gallons of water in a year.

Along with saving water, switching to an artificial turf lawn has other benefits for the environment. Artificial grass doesn’t require chemicals and pesticides, which can run off from the lawn and into the street and sewer. You also don’t need to use equipment such as lawnmowers and edgers which run on gas and emit carbon dioxide into the air. These are just some of the reasons why switching to an artificial grass lawn makes environmental sense along with helping you to save money.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division is the wholesale division of Artificial Turf Supply. Visit their site to browse through the latest selection of high-quality artificial turf.

Tips on Buying Outdoor Artificial Grass

Do you need outdoor artificial grass? Outdoor artificial grass is a beautiful, water-wise alternative to natural grass lawns and landscaping. It can be used to enhance your home or business. It can be used to landscape pools, gardens, and even roof tops. So how do you know you’re buying the right stuff? Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division offers the following tips on how to purchase outdoor artificial grass.

UV-Resilient

Harsh UV rays can damage the fibers of synthetic turf, especially if the product is not made for the outdoors. However, one of most important features of outdoor-ready fake grass is its protective coating against UV rays. Look for synthetic turf that is UV-resilient so that you can install fake grass anywhere in your home or business without worrying about it getting damaged by the sun.

High-Traffic Turf

Today’s advanced synthetic turf comes in various traffic levels ranging from low to high. Depending on where you plan to install the turf, you might need to purchase high-traffic synthetic turf. High-traffic turf is better suited for outdoor projects such as lawns and dog runs and will last longer than the lower levels.

Natural Colors

Outdoor synthetic turf should look like natural grass, which means it should be more than just one color. Some of the best synthetic turf on the market comes in a variety of hues such as a few different greens and some brown. Look for tri-color turf, ideal for landscaping projects such as lawns.

Artificial Turf Supply Commercial & Residential Division provides synthetic lawns for homeowners and businesses. Visit the website to learn more about synthetic turf solutions that are right for you.

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