Archive for September, 2009

The True Value Of LED Bulbs Vs Incandescent Bulbs



Author : Thomas Metscher

Some people continue to have a misconception that LED lights (Light Emitting Diode) are very costly and this is far from the truth With this assumption you would only be scratching the surface of this comparison

A major push over the past five years has resulted in the near distinction of incandescent bulbs Australia has nearly phased out heat seeking incandescent bulbs and many U S states have made major thrusts towards energy efficient LEDs Overall cost of operation and harmful emissions are the two primary criteria to consider

Let us examine the price concern that seems to labor even further acceleration of the LED bulbs Sure, LEDs cost more up front as the initial investment is higher than incandescent or fluorescent lights Some high end LED bulbs as a matter of fact will cost many times more than an incandescent bulb at the check stand or on your internet shopping cart So if initial cost is the only criteria to consider then advantage incandescent and old school would continue to rule

But what good is a bulb without the electricity that makes it work You can not drive a car without fuel So here is where you have to consider the actual cost of a light bulb Unless somebody else agrees to pay your power bill, your choice in bulbs must also take into account the Total Cost of Ownership So what would be the Total Cost of Ownership for a 100-watt incandescent bulb that produces 50,000 hours of light?

This 100-watt incandescent bulb uses over 101 watts of electricity So for 50,000 hours of operation this bulb will need to be replaced over 50 times with a new bulb That is a lot of changed bulbs and dangerous material for our environment Back to Cost of Ownership, these 50 plus bulbs will use about 5,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity resulting in about $500 in cost for electricity

Not only that electricity cost our old incandescent bulb will emit over 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions into the environment Can you say climate change and global warming? We will not mention the release of mercury from the extreme energy usage as most of our electricity on the planet is derived from coal fired power plants emitting toxins into the atmosphere

So the Total Cost of Ownership for a 100-watt incandescent bulb is well over $500, including power and bulb costs, to produce 50,000 hours of light!

Now let us get modern and refocus on our sleek little 10-watt eco-friendly LED bulb We acknowledge the up-front cost for the bulb will be about $100 It will use under 11 watts of electricity adding up to 540 kilowatt-hours to cover 50,000 hours of light That is a sleek $58 in electricity!

Now that is savings compared to $500 in electricity needed for the incandescent bulb Additionally, the LED bulb reduces carbon-dioxide emissions by 9,000 pounds as just over 1,000 pounds is emitted from the LED bulb

So the Total Cost of Ownership for a 10-watt LED is $100 for the bulb and $58 for the amount of electricity needed for 50,000 hours of light It is awfully easy to now evaluate the true value of the LED bulb compared to the incandescent variety $158 vs $550

The harmful emissions and environmental damages notwithstanding, the LED bulb has great value So in this case out with the old and in with the new

Thomas Metscher is the owner of http://www.solarselectives.com. Shop quality solar accent lights for your home landscaping needs and eco-friendly rechargeable lights with many home and outdoor uses. Get lighting products at great prices and a free Solar Power ebook. http://www.solarselectives.com

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Miami AC Air Duct Cleaning



Author : Nir Dotan

Fresh air the most important element required for breathing and breathing is most important for living Certain pollutant like mites, pollen, and other dust particles makes it extremely difficult to breath We are hardly aware of the harmful affects of these pollutants, which can be life taking and we constantly are exposed to these pollutants at our home

If you are staying in Miami, no matter how clean our home is, the presence of these pollutants is inevitable until and unless we carry out our AC air duct cleaning properly

Save yourself from allergens

If your ac air ducts and opening get dirty or are infected with bacteria, pet dander fungus, moulds or any other air pollutants, then the vents or the openings are bound to carry these elements into the air of your home thereby hindering the breathing process of your entire family Everybody is well aware of the potential hazards these pollutants can cause such as common cold, bronchitis, and asthma or dust allergy If you do go for an ac air duct cleaning in Miami then you are subjecting your family and yourself to one of these diseases

To ensure a healthy family you should regularly carry out an AC air duct cleaning from a professional It is believed that 50% of the illness is caused because of these contaminants So it is absolutely logical that you should clean air ducts or vents to provide a better environment for living

Benefits of AC air duct cleaning

Other then health advantages of keeping the ac air ducts clean many other benefits The AC will certainly run better if the ducts and vents are spic and span If the AC runs better, then it will consume less energy and thereby we can provide a better world for coming generations As less energy will be consumed you will have to pay less to your utility company Also the longevity of clean machines is more than the unclean ones Make certain that the AC air ducts are properly maintained so that it lasts longer

The ac air duct cleaning also depends a large extent on your life style It is in accordance with you lifestyle that you can increase or decrease the ac air duct cleaning If anybody in your family or you are a smoker then you should see to it that the ac air ducts are cleaned are cleaned regularly

If your pet’s hair falls, then you should clean it frequently, as, dander and hair can amass in the air duct, prevent the functioning of your AC, and can led to health problems for your family Apart from hair and smoke, water in the air duct is also very dangerous as water deposits will lead to the growth of mildew and moulds

If you are staying in Miami then you should always hire a professional cleaner for your air vents and air ducts The professional cleaners use large vacuum cleaner than can draw in germs and dirt from the air vents and ducts At times, the contractor of the cleaner uses his truck to give electricity to the large vacuum cleaner, so you will not have to use your electricity Barring the air ducts and vents the professional cleaners will also clean the other gear of the AC

In Miami, once your air ducts and air vents are cleaned then you can be at ease and enjoy the pollutant free air of your home

Nir Dotan is a writer and promoter of
Duct Cleaning Miami
services, and
Duct Cleaning Miami Preferred source for the latest airduct cleaning services in the area of south Florida as well as Miami.

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Making The Switch To Green Safe Cleaning Products



Author : Al Haneson

It’s hip to be “green” these days People are moving into green, environmentally friendly homes They’re working in green offices, and they’re driving green cars It makes sense, then, that more people are turning to green cleaning supplies to keep their homes and workplaces clean

Today, most department stores and grocery stores stock green cleaning supplies on their shelves Shoppers can easily find everything from environmentally friendly counter cleaners and toilet-bowl cleanser to green dish washing soap and window washer fluid

The good news is that green cleaning products don’t have to be any less effective than traditional, chemical-based ones And natural ones often leave your home or office with a fresher smell They don’t rely on harsh chemicals, so don’t leave behind the sometimes overpower odor of disinfectant

Too many homeowners, though, have the misconception that natural cleaning stuff won’t stand up to tough stains, grease or messes This, though, is simply not true There are plenty of green cleaning supplies that are every bit as powerful as are their more chemical-laden cousins

How do you know if a particular green cleaning product is powerful enough to keep your kitchen or bathroom sanitized? There are several ways First, ask your family members, friends or co-workers With more and more people interested in leading a green, environmentally friendly lifestyle, a growing number of consumers are turning to green cleaning products They can provide suggestions or recommendations to you

You can also do some quick online searches for specific environmentally organic products The odds are good that you’ll stumble across blog posts or messages on online forums about these products People who’ve used them on tough stains, spills or messes will report on whether they were up to the task or were instead duds

You’ll probably have to experiment, too, to find out if specific ones work for you As with anything, you’ll quickly find that you have certain favorites when it comes to green supplies Some products you’ll like and want to use over and over: others you’ll want to avoid after trying them once

Just don’t get disheartened if the first few kinds you try aren’t your favorites Some products work better than others And it might take some time to find the right green cleaning products for you and your home

If you’re truly committed to green living, give these cleaning products a try You’ll be helping the environment, furthering the green movement and keeping your house not only clean, but healthy, too What’s not to like?

Al Haneson gives more information about organic gardening at his site about green cleaning products and more.

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Document Records Of Wet Damage For Future Restoration Jobs



Author : Isolde Werry

Corporations all over the world are functioning every single day Staff, supervisors, and owners alike are all busy carrying out their specific duties and are not having thoughts regarding any additional component of the company as a whole They hardly ever, if ever, dedicate any thought to what would occur if a disaster hit the area that they occupy There were are some occurrences of floods the last several years that business all over the place should probably mull over creating a catastrophic event strategy in the event that a problem should occur The files that many businesses, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and federal offices save are critical to that business functioning They are also confidential and in some cases upheld as historical accounts for the patrons, patients or citizens For instance, what will occur if the IRS didn’t save the whole lot of their tax reports, an infirmary or doctor’s office lost every single one of their patients reports, or your attorney lost all the files for a client’s lawsuit? These things would have disastrous outcomes that may bring the running of any one of these entities to a halt

Businesses of every type should have a way for how to deal with keeping the holdings of their records and all other paperwork safe and secure if water damage should take place A bit of preparation may prevent a company from folding if they misplaced all the files that are vital to the running of the company Keep duplicates of every single one of the documents that are required to be kept, on computer external hard drives or memory apparatus and have them stored at a separate location

Have all files that aren’t new but cannot be destroyed on microfilm and store them in a secured area not near the place you work

Put every one of the paper records where you work stamped so it is easy to verify which ones are crucial to maintaining the business and so they would be recovered first after a flood Have the paper files gathered in meta} file cabinets that are locked every day and that are kept nowhere near the floor as all things on the whatever is on the floor would be water damaged at once in a flood Examine your business insurance policy to be certain you have essential document insurance as part of your insurance coverage to be sure the expense of recovering or having to replace damaged paperwork will be something you are covered for in the event of a flood Have a system for labeling and establishing priorities folders for rescue from a flood

Get a camcorder or a regular camera and film pics of all the water damage as quickly as you are able to re-enter the premises following a flood This will help with your insurance claims Meet with a company that focuses on document drying so that they will be familiar withes your likely requirements and can retrieve your records in an appropriate way The process of document drying is what will save your organization in the event of flooding and the resulting water damage It is necessary to be aware of the experience of the document drying business you are using as the document drying business, just as other water damage fields are wrought with amateur wannabes

Isolde Werry speaks about homeowner issues for wet document drying and Long Island Document Drying and Restoration

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How Appliances Are Destroyed By Water Damage



Author : dror klar

So many of the household appliances we use everyday are so essential to us that we are at a loss when one quits How can we cope without an air conditioner when it is hot outside? All of our stored up food can be lost when a freezer or refrigerator shuts down out of the blue Any of these appliance problems are distressing anytime, especially if the warranty is no longer valid

Appliance failure is enough to deal with, but water using appliances causing a flood is even more tragic Sometimes the appliance has not stopped working, but when an appliance that works with water suddenly has a connection to burst or come loose, it might be a big problem The best and easiest way to stop this particular issue is to keep a check on their connections

You may have several appliances that have a water line that helps them function Hot water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, garbage disposals, and refrigerators are all appliances that operate using water Each one of these items will have to be on an inspection list of the things in your home where water is allowed in and goes out

This list is a serious matter Every time water is out of control in a residence it can create problems The damage can be more than you realize and cost you a lot of money if you might have been gone away for a few days

Check that all the hoses are attached correctly If they contain rubber seals or washers, inspect them for deterioration every once in a while and your rubber hoses as well When the place you live in is known for a lot of frigid weather in the winter season, you can shut the water to them off entirely on really frigid nights if you think a specific appliance may be affected, such as washing machine in the basement Insulating pipes is necessary to stop pipes under the house from freezing that connect into any appliances that use water

Hot water tanks must be set in a plastic pan made especially for them Having a drain positioned close by is a good idea also Besides the hot water heater water connections having problems, the bottoms of aging hot water heaters occasionally may get rusted holes in them and cause a considerable amount of leaking or flooding

Washing machines and dishwashers are the largest threats for flooding in a home They are likely to be used very regularly and usually break down and need checking the most often In a large household, if either of these appliances are not working or create a flood, it is more than an annoyance It will keep you from cleaning up daily laundry and dishes and might cause a new, even greater mess from water also

Dror Klar is a writer and promoter of
Water Damage Restoration and
Chicago Water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.

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