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Thursday, January 9th, 2014

People across the world start the New Year by setting goals they hope to achieve. A great way to improve is by planning your budget and finances for the upcoming year.

In planning and tracking your money, you can protect yourself from extraneous spending. By scaling back on purchases that may not prove to be beneficial, money can be saved for other important things. Here are a three powerful steps that you can take on as financial resolutions this year.

Separate Savings Accounts

When creating a budget, identify which assets will be saved for different situations. By allocating funds to a set number of accounts, you will be less likely to use that money for extraneous spending. Some great examples to begin saving for are retirement, college, and emergency funds. Continue to add and monitor each account so that you will be well-equipped for the future.

Track Your Spending

One of the best ways to cut extraneous spending is to keep track of what you do on a daily basis. Mark down your food, gas, clothes, and other expenditures. By writing and analyzing spending patterns, you can better determine what is beneficial and what is wasteful.

Examine Future Expenses

Sit down and look ahead at where your money will have to go this year. Categorize your fixed expenses, such as the mortgage, vehicle payments, and other bills. By assessing what you will have to spend money on in the future, you can plan better on how to use it today.

Assess Your Financial Goals

If you’re having trouble in planning and meeting your goals, contact a financial adviser. To find the one that is right for you, use TalkLocal. We will connect you with the most reputable financial advisers in your area who can help you get the most out of your money. TalkLocal will help you find the right professional who can provide the guidance you desire.

Posted in Accountants, talklocal | No Comments »

When Porch Columns Are Warped

Thursday, January 9th, 2014

Many people consider wood to be one of the most beautiful and versatile options for porches. However, it requires more time and attention to maintain than other materials to keep it in good condition. Without proper maintenance, wood can rot, become stained, crack, or warp.

Warping is not just unsightly; it can be unsafe, too. Warped floorboards create an uneven walking surface, which makes nasty falls very likely. When porch columns are warped, the structure they support is in danger of collapsing onto the porch. So it may be best to replace the warped posts.

What Causes Wood to Warp?

Moisture and heat are the two factors that bring about warping in wood. First of all, the general facts are that wood absorbs moisture and that it will dry out when the weather is hot.

Remember that timber is made up of long fibers that allow water to move through the tree. When timber is newly cut, it still holds a lot of moisture. In order to use timber, it needs to dry first. With the high demand for wood, however, some timber products are not dried properly, so they are not very stable.

As wood dries out, it will often bend and warp. It could be that your porch columns are warped towards the direction where they are more exposed to the sun and have already dried out on that side more than on the other side.

Prevent Your Porch Columns from Warping

To keep your wood porch columnss from warping, they must be sealed periodically. In general, it is recommended by experts that a wood porch be sealed every few years so that water will not re-enter. This will keep the wood’s natural oils replenished. Use a paintbrush to apply penetrating sealer to the wood every couple of years.

It’s also better to purchase high-quality timber from a commercial supplier, and make sure to buy wood that has been kiln-dried after being treated (labeled KDAT),so the chances of warping can also be minimized.

Need Help Fixing a Warped Porch Column?

Whether one or all of your porch columns are warped, a reputable handyman will know how to turn your porch around so it’s not only beautiful and inviting, but safe, too. Seva Call can connect you to qualified local service professionals in just a few minutes. Try our free service, and have your porch problems straightened out quickly.

Tags: Porch Columns That Are Warped
Posted in Handyman | No Comments »

Types of Outdoor House Paint

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014

Any painting project needs good quality paint, but it’s particularly important when painting exterior surfaces that are exposed every day to varying weather conditions. Outdoor house paint must be able to withstand the harsh elements outside. Because of this, it is offered in various formulas that are specially designed to work with a particular substrate.

By being aware of the different types of outdoor house paint, you would know which one would be appropriate to use for your project.

Water-Based and Oil-Based Paint

Most outdoor applications use water-based paints, however, there are specific conditions when oil-based paints are preferred. The latter adheres and blocks stains better, so they are more suitable for surfaces that are chalky or stained. They are also ideal to use on corrosive metals and woods that bleed.

The downside of oil paints is they take much longer to dry, anywhere from 8 hours to a full 24 hours, while water-based paints dry completely in 6 hours at the most. Water-based outdoor house paint is great on house sidings since it expands and contracts and does not retain moisture. It also doesn’t crack and peel.

Types of Paint Based on Use

– Floor or Porch Paint: Used on porches, garages, decks and other concrete surfaces to protect them from the weather; Get superior results when you use 100 percent acrylic latex; Oil formulations are also available.

– House or Siding Paint: Withstands the adverse effects of severe weather; Specific paints for regional climates are available; Comes as oil or latex paint.

– Masonry Paints: Best for concrete and cement surfaces as well as stucco and shingles. Typically, latex and most other types need special bonding primer or pretreatment before application.

– Roof Paint: Can protect the roof from mildew and algae; Go for acrylic-latex paint; Do not use for sealing roof leaks or waterproofing the roof; Can be mixed with tint to match existing color of roof.

– Gutter Paint: Excellent adhesion to aluminum and galvanized steel; Available as oil and latex paints; Use oil-based paint for tin gutters for better results; Apply a primer suitable for galvanized metal prior to painting.

– Pool and Marine Paint: Choose paints that offer resistance to stain and abrasion. Use a polymerized and cement-based paint for concrete or granite swimming pools; Check that the paint is compatible with your pool or pool deck’s surface.

Need a Professional Painter?

Having quality outdoor house paint is not enough to ensure a smooth painting job. Get quality results when you hire an experienced and reputable painter. Seva Call can locate up to three qualified painters in your area to handle your painting job. Give us the details of your job and we’ll get you in touch with the best local professionals within a few minutes!

Tags: Outdoor House Paint
Posted in Painters | No Comments »

Cheap Ways to Heat Your Home

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014

The month of January has brought record-shattering low temperatures to many parts of the United States. Many families are struggling to find cost-effective ways to heat their homes without breaking the bank. As the weather continues to worsen, you could consider using these cheap ways to heat your home this winter.

Seal Around Your Doors and Windows

Covering areas around your door with towels or a makeshift draft dodger can make a big difference. Preventing cold drafts from entering can drastically raise the temperature in the areas of the home near that door.

You can also hang blankets and towels around your windows, or tape the frames, to keep drafts from leaking through the windows.

Put Down a Rug or Carpet

Rugs and carpets items help prevent heat loss through the floor. They offer a warmer surface to walk on and are a great way to stay comfortable on wood or stone floors.

Install Insulation in the Attic and the Crawl Space

Warm air rises, so a lot of heat escapes through the attic. By losing this heat, you could continue to raise the thermostat. However, this would cause you to lose a lot of money and still not sufficiently heat your home.

Speak with a Heating Expert

Does the house you live in have enough insulation to make it through the winter? Seva Call can help you track down the right professional to make sure your home is prepared for the many cold days ahead. Call now, so we can connect you with a reputable professional who can help you stay warm for the remainder of the season.

Tags: affordable, heating
Posted in Heating and Cooling | No Comments »

Andersen Storm Windows

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014

If you’re looking for ways to insulate your house to prevent heat loss during the cold season and to keep down the temperature inside during summer, you might consider installing Andersen storm windows. These types of storm windows are an energy-efficient solution that will help you protect your main windows and reduce your electricity bill.

Andersen Storm Windows: Quality and Efficiency

Manufactured by Andersen Windows, these storm windows have become very popular due to their quality, features, and efficiency. The manufacturer also installs and replaces the storm windows you purchase from them in case this is necessary. Products are accompanied by warranties, so you can return or replace them if you’re unhappy with their performance.

Andersen Storm Windows Offer Versatile Insulation Solutions

Unlike other storm window vendors, Andersen Windows offers multiple options for hardware replacement, which allow you to customize your storm window to fit the particulars of your house, according to your needs and taste.

Andersen Windows use technology to increase energy efficiency when designing their products. Moreover, style plays an important role in product design.

Storm Window Repairs and Replacement

If you need to repair or replace your storm windows, you can find the parts you need on the website of the company. Andersen manufactures and sells hundreds of window hardware components at affordable prices. You can find parts for both interior and exterior Andersen storm windows.

Storm window repair or replacement is best handled by an expert. So, if your Andersen storm window needs to be repaired, you can contact the manufacturer, and they can send a technician to fix it.

Need Help?

Having trouble with your Andersen storm windows or need to buy new parts but don’t know exactly what? Seva Call can help you out by connecting you with a window expert in no time. Our service is fast, effective, and free.

Tags: Andersen Storm Windows
Posted in Window Replacement | No Comments »

Carpet Cleaning Made Easy

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014

When the majority of people think about cleaning their carpet, they only consider running a vacuum quickly over it. Unfortunately, a vacuum can’t get rid of all of the microscopic bacteria that get brought in from outside and cling to your carpet.

Deep cleaning your carpet regularly can eliminate any unwanted guests, instead of inviting them in with their perfect living environment.

Carpet Cleaning Made Easy

Keeping yourself and everyone around you in a healthy environment is very important. Everyone’s heard of dust mites, and no one wants them around. Just the fact that they leave traces of feces all over your carpet alone causes a large amount of disgust. The feces these dust mites leave around contain common allergens which aren’t good for anyone’s health, so just a quick clean can eliminate these unwanted guests in no time at all.

Sadly, dust mites aren’t the only thing lurking about where you can’t see, and they obviously aren’t the only things causing your allergies. Pollutants also get caught in carpet, and vacuuming alone can’t get rid of these particles. Simple activities such as walking can cause these pollutants to be freed into the air, leaving you exposed to certain allergens.

Due to the moisture in the air, as well as the humidity and warmth, your carpet has the ideal living conditions for mold growth. Moldy carpets are a much more common occurrence than most may like to believe.

Outdoor Pollutants

You’ve cleaned the house spotless, made sure your carpet is clean enough for little hands to be placed all over it, and you’re pretty confident that you haven’t missed a single spot.

Children are very active and love to run around, inside and out. This allows bacteria from outside to be spread into your home and thrive and multiply in ideal conditions. Toddlers especially spend a lot of time on the floor crawling around.

The germs on these items will be dramatically reduced when there is a lot less bacteria on the carpet to be transferred onto toys and anything else that they might get their hands on.

Restoring Older Carpets

As time goes on, it’s only natural that the color of your carpet darkens but because it changes gradually, so that the carpet you once bought is a completely different color to the carpet you have now. Restoring the original color of your carpet isn’t as difficult as it seems however, and steam cleaning your carpet can improve the color by lifting the dirt away from the fibers in your carpet.

There is a variety of different machines you can buy or rent that are designed to give your carpet the best clean. A different option is to hire a cleaning company that specializes in carpet cleaning. Find the best carpet cleaning companies in your area with TalkLocal, your free connection to the best local professionals.

Guest post provided on behalf of: http://www.cleanngone.co.uk/central-london/carpet-cleaning-ec2a-shoreditch-cleaners.html

Posted in Carpet Cleaners | No Comments »

Vehicle Body Repairs

Wednesday, January 8th, 2014

As a car owner, you know that at some point, you’ll have to face that uncomfortable moment when you need to take your car to an auto repair shop for vehicle body repairs. Accidents, vandalism, or collisions can do more or less damage to the body of your vehicle.

To make it less stressful, and solve the problem as quickly as possible, it’s best to be prepared and know what to do in case you need vehicle body repairs. Below you can find some tips on how to handle this situation to minimize inconveniences.

Consult Your Insurance Company

If you need vehicle body repairs, it’s best to be familiar with the terms and conditions of your insurance company before you make any claims. This way you can avoid unrealistic expectations, and know exactly which repairs are covered, and which are not.

Get Estimates

Find several reputable auto repair shops in your area that handle vehicle body repairs, and ask for quotations. If you do your homework early on, you will avoid experiencing the pressure of finding a repair center at short notice.

Check References

Knowing that other people have been in a similar situation and have solved their problem is reassuring, and helps you relieve much of the stress associated with vehicle body repairs. Ask around and see if family or friends have had any experiences with a auto repair shop specializing in body repairs. Check online reviews and see how drivers rate their experience with a particular repair center.

Don’t Take the Cheapest Offer

Although you might be tempted to entrust the body repairs of your car to an auto shop that gives you what seems to be the best quotation, weigh your options before you do that. You might save some money, but what matters is to be happy with the result. If the repair shop botches up the job, you’ll have to spend more to correct it.

Looking for Vehicle Body Repair Shops?

If you need to find an auto repair shop specializing in vehicle body repairs right away, and don’t know where to start, Seva Call can assist you. We can connect you with professionals in your area who can solve your problem immediately.

Tags: Vehicle Body Repairs
Posted in Auto Repair | No Comments »

Housekeeping Cleaning Services

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

There are many types of housekeeping cleaning services, including companies, freelancers, maid services and “mother’s helper.” Cleaning services can be residential or commercial, targeting homeowners and businesses, respectively.

Among all these types of housekeeping cleaning services, professional, licensed companies, such as maid services for residential or domestic cleaning, and commercial cleaning service providers, follow the highest quality standards. When it comes to cleaning services, you want service excellence and reliability.

Residential Cleaning Services versus Commercial Cleaning Services

Residential cleaning services, also called domestic or consumer house cleaning, include window cleaning, housekeeping, carpet cleaning, and others.

Commercial cleaning companies, on the other hand, provide full-range or specific cleaning services for businesses of all sizes. Janitorial services, which come under the umbrella of commercial cleaning, are cleaning and maintenance services offered by professional agencies to big companies or corporations.

Housekeeping Cleaning Services Include:

– Floor and carpet cleaning

– Window cleaning

– Furniture and upholstery cleaning

– Waste disposal

– Pest control

– Building Maintenance

Whether you are a business or homeowner, when you decide to use a house cleaning service, there are many options to choose from. You can hire a particular cleaning service or a professional company providing comprehensive cleaning services. This means that you can delegate part or all of the cleaning to someone else who handles it for you. It all depends on your needs and budget.

However, when it comes to housekeeping cleaning services, you need to keep in mind that not all of them are created equal. You want impeccable reputation and high-quality work. Before you hire any cleaning company, make sure you check their background in the field. It is advisable to work with companies, which employ trained staff, and have an up-to-date license.

Need Professional Housekeeping Cleaning Services?

If you want to hire a housekeeping cleaning service, but are confused about all the offers that flood the market, let Seva Call make it easier for you. We handle the screening process, and put you in touch with up to three professional cleaning services in your area, that meet your criteria and expectations.

Tags: Housekeeping Cleaning Services
Posted in Maid Services | No Comments »

How to Apply Roof Coatings to Metal Roofs

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

Prolong the life of roofs and significantly lower cooling costs by applying elastomeric roof coatings to metal roofs. Doing so will make the roof sustainable, requiring only periodic recoating, and delaying the need for costly roof replacement.

It is important that the person who will perform the job have some experience and knowledge about roof coatings, metal roofs, and working safely on a roof.

Before starting the job, the type of roof should be considered. Is the roof suitable for elastomeric coating? Bare metal roofs at least three months old offer better adhesion. Also, what is the condition of the roof, fasteners, and seams? Are there problems with corrosion, leaks, or drainage? Can these metal roof problems be resolved easily?

Once you’ve sized up the work to be done, follow these basic steps to applying roof coatings to metal roofs.

Step 1: Prepare the Area.

Clean the surface of the roof by pressure washing it using a strong cleansing product to eliminate contaminants. Then, rinse the area thoroughly and leave it to dry.

Step 2: Make Necessary Repairs.

Tighten any loose metal fastener or replace if necessary. If you have an older roof, apply a generous layer of crack and joint sealant over flashings, seams, joints, and fastener heads.

Put polyester roof fabric (4 to 6 inches) into wet compound and recoat with the sealant. Fix all gaps following the same steps.

If there are any panels, flashings, or other hardware with more than half an inch of a gap, these should be replaced. Any surface corrosion must be removed.

The appropriate metal primer should then be applied.

Step 3: Apply the Coating

Once you’ve finished cleaning and repairing the roof and the sealant has been completely dried, you can then apply the elastomeric coating.

First, apply a primer, or basecoat, and then a topcoat that offers excellent durability and resistance to dirt. In most cases, the application is done with the use of an airless spray designed for elastomeric roof coatings. A gallon of basecoat covers around 120 square feet while a gallon of topcoat covers around 100 square feet.

You want to coat the roof evenly and coat all flashings and seams well. Any areas that collect water should be given an extra coating. It is advised to hire an experienced roofer for consistent spray application.

Steps 4: Inspect the Roof

When the coating has dried adequately and you can walk on it, carefully go over the roof to check for any areas where the coating is thin or for any seams or flashings that were not properly sealed. If you find these problems, correct accordingly.

Hire an Expert!

Seva Call can assist you in finding a professional roofer who knows all about roof coatings for metals roofs. Contact us, and we’ll locate up to three of the most capable local roofers and put you directly in touch with them. Find the professional help you need now.

Tags: Roof Coatings to Metal Roofs
Posted in Roofers | No Comments »

Where Can I Recycle Batteries?

Tuesday, January 7th, 2014

Every once in a while, homeowners are forced to get rid of unwanted items that gather dust in their homes. Their eco-friendly attitude stops them from discarding them anytime, anywhere. Therefore, some of them may be wondering: where can I recycle batteries? Below you will find a set of guidelines, showing you how to dispose of used batteries properly.

Alkaline Batteries and Carbon Zinc Can Be Thrown in Your Trash Can

Alkaline batteries usually power flashlights, toys, smoke detectors, and lots of other common gadgets that we use on a daily basis.

You don’t have to worry about no longer useful alkaline batteries, as they can be mixed with your everyday trash and sent to the landfill. They are cataloged as standard municipal trash, just like carbon zinc (also known as heavy-duty) batteries.

There is one exception worth mentioning: people who live in the state of California should comply with a strict set of policies on waste disposal.

Button Batteries Should Be Brought to Your Local Collection Site for Hazardous Waste

Button batteries are utilized on a large scale to produce watches and hearing aids. Unfortunately, they contain elevated levels of toxic elements, including mercury, zinc-air, silver oxide, and lithium. This is why they should be handled with maximum care and deposited in a collection site that gathers and manages hazardous waste.

Take Your Old Lithium-Ion and Lithium Batteries to the Closest Recycling Center

Lithium-ion and lithium batteries do not pose any health risks. They are utilized to power a long list of appliances. The old ones can be brought to your local battery-recycling center or left at one of the many battery collection points, available in supermarkets and stores.

Where Can I Recycle Batteries? Ask an Expert!

Don’t know how to sort and dispose of your trash the right way? In this case, discuss your options with competent garbage removal experts. Find the best ones in your area with Seva Call, your number one service created to help you track down real pros in no time.

Tags: Where Can I Recycle Batteries
Posted in Garbage Removal | No Comments »

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