Design Concepts For New Bathrooms

Remodeling your bathroom doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank or taking out a second mortgage on your home, but what it does mean is a well thought out master plan, some drawings and a calculator. Think in terms of an artist starting out with a blank canvas, he or she has their own unique design concepts for what they perceive as art. Creating your dream bathroom takes on a similar approach in that we must first decide on look we are trying to achieve.

With several design platforms to choose from starting with the century old Victorian bathroom that were characterized by claw-footed roll top baths, sculpted pedestal basins, free standing showers enclosures and sometimes a matching bidet.

Today’s modern bathrooms are depicted by the ever changing styles from year-to-year.  Recent modern designs include sleek, straight and geometric lines with white remaining the prevalent choice in bathroom furnishings sporting ultra mod bath and basin mixer taps in polished chrome.

Depending on the size of bathroom, keep in mind that less is best in the way of accessorizing. Over powering the look of the bathrooms with numerous accessories tends to make a small room appear even smaller unless you are utilizing bathroom mirrors which lends way to a more open space. On the other hand when working with a large area, modern bathroom accessories are a welcomed addition to give the bathroom a finished look.

Traditional bathrooms tend to focus more on architectural details bringing nature inside. With the inspired look of wood such as oak, maple, and beech shelves and cabinets, wood finishes enhance the mood by giving the bathroom a warm earthy tone, similar to a country or rustic looking bathroom.

Once you have selected the style of bathroom, think about how you will be using the space. When it comes to function and space planning, calculate the dimension of the bathroom this will also help you to decide on the type of bathroom furniture pieces you can place within a designated area. Assess your bathroom storage needs, will you need a bathroom cabinet, shelving or vanity. For smaller bathrooms a minimalist style means honing in on crucial space and utilizing it in order create a clutter free bathroom ensuring the bathroom furniture has strong clean lines and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Look at several bathrooms designs, with several hundred bathroom design ideas available on the internet choosing a style that fits your style, space and budget can be simple and a pleasurable task. The key element that has to be taken into account is budget, keeping in mind if you are not a do-it- yourself (DIY) person, then it is best to leave the job up to a professionals even though this will cut into your bathroom budget, you are guaranteed the job will be done right. For the DIY’s, making mistakes can be equally costly not to mention frustrating if your plans were not carefully thought out especially when it comes to the plumbing and electrical supply within your bathroom space. According to renovating and contracting firms when homeowners decide to remodel their bathrooms themselves they see a bathroom suite they want, purchase it, and get it home only to run into complications. People forget when transitioning from a standard bath to a whirlpool bath there are several critical factors that must be considered like plumbing, hot water heaters, and floor supports. Bathroom floors are built to bear the weight of a standard bathtub not whirlpool spa baths. Today’s custom homes will accommodate most luxury tubs, but floor joists may require reinforcement in older homes if the tub is oversized especially whirlpool baths. Whirlpool baths have the water capacity of up to 80 gallons, if the proper hot water tank is not installed it will result in tepid bathwater taking away the enjoyment and purpose of a whirlpool bath.

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Your “Dream Kitchen” should be spacious, convenient, easy access to any cooking utensils, durable floor, easy to clean, energy efficient appliances, modern gadgets, modern plumbing, sufficient lightening, and easy access to counter tops. Additional space maybe required for a pantry, hallway, or an adjacent room. Kitchen ventilation system is very important to exhaust rather than re-circulate air, and operate quietly. During the renovation, health hazards could be reduced or eliminated: Remove any asbestos, lead based paints, install water filters, and purchase a fire extinguisher. Some kitchen remodeling plans will move the kitchen, to a better location in the home. Investing money to upgrade a kitchen will definitely increase the resale of your home. According to Remodeling magazine, in 2002 minor kitchen renovations average cost $14,773, and major renovations cost $43,213.

Remember, before remodeling a kitchen: Cover doorways into other rooms with plastic, to avoid dust from entering into other areas of the home. Pack everything including dishes, cups, and utensils into boxes, for temporary storage. Purchase plastic cups, forks, knives and plates for easy dispose, since the kitchen may not be suitable for usage during the remodeling time. If dishes or utensils need to be used, then a bathroom sink or bathtub may serve as place to wash those items. Set up a microwave and refrigerator temporarily in another room. Good time to use restaurant coupons or order out your meals.

When choosing a plumber, electrician or contractor, check their business reputation with the  Better Business Bureau, get references, and see previous work. Make sure all necessary city or county permits are obtained. Make sure these contractors or sub – contractors are insured, and licensed. A Contractor should be paid at most: One Third the cost before any work is started, and should make appoints for city building inspectors to check their work, before continuing onto a new project.

The shape or layout, of the kitchen should be designed according to the efficient use of space, equipment, and how many, using facility of the kitchen. A variety of kitchen shapes have advantages and disadvantages, depending the owner’s preference. Corridor Shape Kitchen: Uses a minimum amount of space, convenient for low traffic corridor thoroughfare, and a minimum of nine feet and five inches between cabinets required, for wheelchair access.  U – Shape Kitchen: Allows, short distance between work centers, and eliminates traffic through work area, and two corner installations have more difficult access for storage. Corridor Shape Kitchen: Useful for more then one person using the kitchen, and difficult access for storage. Island or Broken U – Shape Kitchen: Minimum counter space for island is two feet and six inches by three feet. Also, space between island and stationary cabinets, should be approximate 36 to 42 inches wide. Island Space provides additional work – space for any additional shelving, optional plumbing, titled cooking center, additional electrical appliances, second dishwasher, warming oven, or small refrigerator. Multi – Level Island Kitchen: Combines food preparation, eating areas, wine racks, cookbook shelves, bar sinks, deep fryer and other amenities. Multiple Islands: Each Island is designated for a specific use, such as food preparation, or eating convenience. Portable Island provides versatility, and convenience to a kitchen with a freestanding or rolling worktable.

Finished materials are applied when remodeling a kitchen. Have a unique style, configuration, and protect the existing cabinetry from further damage. These finished materials are used for cabinets, countertops, flooring, kitchen sinks, and appliance, which can be purchased or custom built. A contractor or interior kitchen designer can provide samples and pictures, for consideration. Generally there are three finished material options: Plastic laminates, rigid thermofoils (RTF), and wood veneer. Plastic Laminates are sheets of synthetic material that is hard, smooth, resistant from scratches, available in a variety of solid colors, and wood grain looks. Rigid Thermofoil made from medium density one – piece fiberboard wood door. Covered on the front with Rigid Thermo Foil (Formica). These doors are good for applying onto the surface of cabinets, because matching material is available to adhere to cabinet faces, and sides. Wood Veener applied to cabinet surfaces by peeling off the protective adhesive, and carefully line up the veneer onto a surface. Always add an extra inch to wrap around the edge of the surface. Adding a little pressure to the center of the piece will firmly adhere to the application. Also, easy to trim back any excess veneer material.

Preparing meals takes time, and our feet appreciate a comfortable surface to stand on. Standing on tile, may feel very comfortable, but during wintertime or cold climates, the tile becomes ice cold. Installing an electric floor warming will solve this problem. Easy to install, and you can program a thermostat to keep the floor warm any time of the day. ‘WarmYours’ is a floor heating system: Cost: $1000 to $1,800 a kitchen floor. Information regarding this system by sending an E-mail to: info@warmlyyours.com Or Writing to: WarmlyYours 1400 East Lake Cook Road, Suite 140, Buffalo Grove, Illinois 60089.

Variety of light fixtures, can illuminate one or more areas of a kitchen, provide better lightening when preparing a meal, and set the mood for a romantic meal. Suggestions for convenient kitchen lightening: Placing one or two track lights over the sink, with energy — efficient compact fluorescent tubes. Installing under — cabinet task lightening, and low — voltage mini — lights over, under or inside cabinets. Dimmer controls provide range of high to low intensity lightening for casual or intimate setting. Also, dimmers extend the life of incandescent lamps and sold in a variety of controls.

When remodeling a kitchen, least expense methods to highlight cabinets: Paint the outside cabinets with splashy colors or use stencil to highlight one or more areas. Upgrade Door Knobs, and locks with a modern or classic design. Remove cabinet doors, for open look inside, and place on the shelves lace or doilies, that flap over the edge, which enhances a new design. Also, consider wall papering the inside of each cabinet.

Trend in kitchen remodeling, turned the kitchen into the heart of the home. Place where family spends time, and entertains. The popular Food Network Channel, and other similar television programs, has encouraged many to spend more time preparing their own meals, and since many kitchen appliances have become easier to use. Appliances are purchased with “Energy Star” label. These products exceed the minimum standard for energy conservation standards by 15 to 20 percent, and save money on electricity. Some kitchen remodeling projects, kitchen walls are taken down to provide an open entrance way into the living room. Restaurant quality appliances are being equipped in modern kitchens, including easy — to — clean Cook Tops with multiple burners, griddles, dishwashers, and food warmers in drawers. Installing better kitchen lightening including recessed lightening, cabinet lightening, task lighting, and under the counter lightening fixtures with a master control panel. Kitchen appliances such as dishwasher and stove are raised four to five inches from the ground, to avoid having to bend down or prevent back problems. Consider adding child safety locks for appliances, and cabinets. Visiting Kitchen Design Centers or Home Improvement store will provide new ideas, and outline costs for remodeling or upgrade kitchen area. Bring a floor plan to discuss and review design ideas.

The Hardware Hut –  It is our goal to bring you one of the widest selections of cabinet knobs, cabinet pulls, door hardware, bath hardware and other types of decorative hardware to help you with you home improvement or construction projects. We have access to thousands of other products not displayed on our website. If you cannot find what you are looking for on our website, feel free to contact us and we may still be able to supply it for you.

Getting Rid of Runoff Water

Water can be detrimental to your home. Any rain and snow falling on your roof is your home’s enemy, and should be eliminated as efficiently as possible. Accumulated water can easily seep into the structure of your home, whether on the roof or the foundation, and result in serious damage.

Preventing water from damaging your home is the first step towards a happy home. All that is needed for good surface drainage is a properly angled roof, gutters, downspouts, and downspout extensions.

The roof is the first step to eliminating runoff water. It should be appropriately angled according to the environment in which it stands. Higher pitched roofs are common in areas where there is heavier snowfall, as falling snow can easily slide off the roof. In areas where there is a lot of rainfall, it is important that roofs be pitched in a manner that allows rainwater to flow into the gutters. This will prevent water from accumulating on the roof and destroying it. Therefore, most homes in North America are not flat, as it is more difficult to eliminate runoff water.

Your roof angles runoff water into the gutters attached along its perimeter. It is important that with faster and heavier rainfall, gutters be larger to accommodate all runoff water. If gutters are too small, water will splash over the sides and still be able to cause damage to your home.

Gutters should be checked and cleaned on a routine basis. Any leaks should be sealed with caulking, while debris clogging the gutters should be removed. It may be a time consuming task, but it will save you the grief caused by severe damage that could potentially destroy your home.

The vertical piping connected to the gutters are the downspouts. Downspouts forge a path for runoff water to be able to reach the ground. Like your gutters, they should be sized appropriately so that all water can be collected without spillage and be cleaned and checked routinely for leaks. Normally, downspouts are attached at the corners of a house. For surface drainage, a curved connection at the end to angle draining water away from the foundation is common. However, this is not sufficient to prevent water from leaking into your basement and adversely affecting the foundation of your home.

Which is why downspout extensions are required. Downspout extensions simply attach to the bottom of downspouts. Extending a few feet away from your home, they collect runoff water and direct it well away. A good downspout extension will also disperse the pressure of draining water so that it does not hit the ground heavily.

Hot New Towel Warmers

The origins of cast iron water heated towel warmers referred to as radiators, dates back to the 1920’s, but were quickly phased out during the Depression era and when the economy eventually picked up never made a strong comeback until recently. When the mid 90’s approached, homeowners began incorporating new technologically advanced towel warmers into their bathroom remodeling projects due to the warm luxurious nature both electric and water heated towels rails bring about in today’s bathrooms. The feeling of wrapping yourself in a warm toasty towel after stepping out of a bath or shower provides a soothing sensation rather than a cold damp just used towel.

With the reintroduction of the heated towel warmer spawned a vast selection of styles and finishes not only for the bathroom, but are now being installed in bedrooms, mudrooms and basements for added heat and as a way to reduce moisture and mildew. Hydronic heated towel warmer models use hot water from either your domestic hot water heater or hydronic system which requires the use of a circulating pump in order to warm the towel rails. Electric self-contained rail warmers are oil filled, once plugged it the oil begins heating and since they have low wattage heating elements they are a safe and economical way of bringing warmth to any room. The beauty of these paneled radiators whether electric or hydronic are great for those chilling winter months for warming blankets and drying wet winter clothing.

Fashionable Heated Towel Rails

The combination of design and practically are both appealing with a wide variety to choose from that take up little floor and wall space making it easy to custom coordinate the sleek look of these towel heaters in to any bathroom décor. Contemporary column designs to the traditional radiator styles have been ingeniously recreated to look more like a fashion piece of furniture adding to ambiance of your bathroom. The craftsmanship and design of the heaters allows pipes, radiator valves and fitting to be concealed for a clean uncluttered look as are electrical towel rails equipped with only a plug. The innovational architecture from spiral, curved or ladder types, the towel warmers are available in a number of dimensional sizes, colors and rail designs with chrome finishes leading the way for an aesthetically pleasing display.

With plenty of heating power, the decorative railed towel warmers are a possible alternative for warming any room in your home. Along with a multitude of styles and designs comes the offering of power, the BTU’s, British Thermal Unit, and power wattage are far more efficient and economical than typical base board heaters making them a hot ticket item for both bathroom manufacturers and retailers.

Low Voltage or Solar Outdoor Lighting

The efficiency of the solar panels including the reduction in their size coupled with the quality of the batteries they charge and the length of time they last has made the purchase of solar lights very economical.

The Old Way

Once upon a time if you wanted outdoor lights, you had to assemble the lights, dig ditches, run wires, find and outlet for the transformer(these were low voltage systems using 12 volts), connect the light connections to the main cable, cover the ditches and set back to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Assembling the lights could be a major effort in some of the less expensive kits. The tolerances allowed are great and the manufacturers take advantage of this. Then you need to have the strength of Hercules to attach the wiring system Solar Outdoor lighting has made improvements by leaps and bounds over the last decade. Digging the ditch can be an affair if you have a tight soil. If there was a sidewalk or driveway involved, then the work had just begun, trying to get your main cable across these obstacles. They worked great until the bulbs started getting older, then they would fade a little, burn out or their connection would corrode and need occasional cleaning and reinserting. Looking for a bad connection can and does require a lot of time and effort on the do-it yourselfer.

The New Way

In the beginning, solar lighting only had one color. This was a bluish white which looked very artificial. They have evolved and include an amber color which is less artificial looking and more pleasing to the observer. They still are available in the original color for the person who likes that effect.   They can be purchased individually or in sets. If you only want to light up a feature in your yard such as a tree or a corner of your house, you can purchase the lights singly to do it. But if you want to light up the walk to your front door or the edges of your driveway, you can purchase lights in sets to accomplish this.

Installing outdoor lights has never been easier. All you need to do is decide where you want to install a light, stick it in the ground and you are done. If you decide you don’t like that location, just pull it up and move it. No new wiring to run or move. No timer to set and no difficult connections to worry about.

Overall

For the person with a lot of time to spend on installing all the components involved with the old system and the maintenance they require, they are less expensive and dependable to a point. For the person who is busy and likes instant gratification, is not exactly sure where they want to install lights and may want to change the location of their lights to gain different effects, solar lights are the way to go.

Beautify Old Plaster Walls And Ceilings

In some parts of the United States, the most popular wall textures are NO TEXTURE. Smooth. Same goes for ceilings. This means a perfectly flat and blemish free surface.

But out here in the wild and woolly Pacific Coast where I live, plaster and drywall textures are popular. Some will say that is because textures tend to hide a bad plaster or drywall job.

In some cases, could be. But it could also be that people LIKE the look of a textured surface. Some wall and ceiling textures are gorgeous.

In my work with old plaster and drywall, I find the demand for wall and ceiling textures to be high, and so I have my bundle of texture sample boards to show clients.

Most of my jobs involve either matching an existing texture or applying one of my own unique patterns.

And sometimes my customers like to watch as I put on the texture they have chosen. I may hear comments like: “Hey, that looks like fun!” and “How hard is it to do that?”

And my answer to both kinds of questions is, “Yes, it’s fun and I bet you could learn to do this, too.”

Sometimes I may recognize that I am not being 100% honest when I say this. After 35+ years, it’s not ALWAYS fun, and yes, some textures take some practice to do well — but behind my response there lies a strong kernel of truth: this is essentially a fun project that a motivated do-it-yourselfer can master with practice and patience.

And that may mean you!

But before you jump in with both feet, allow me to give you a few hints to get you started right. These are things I have learned over the years, some by trial and error.

Because … I don’t always get it right the first time. And you probably won’t either. Hence the need, once you get going, to EXPERIMENT and PRACTICE.

The easiest texture materials to use are those designed for drywall. They work for plaster as well. They will stick to both painted and unpainted plaster and drywall.

Standard all-purpose drywall compounds can be thinned and used as texture. Or you can buy boxes of pre-mixed texture compound. Texture compound also comes as bags of powder. (At least true for the U.S.)

Pre-mixed texture mud may need to be thinned. Same goes for pre-mixed all purpose muds. If you mix your texture compound from powder, keep track of your powder-water ratio so you can duplicate it anytime in the future.

The only way you will know if your mud is the right thickness is by experimenting with your tools and textures until you get the effect you like.

Some effects need thicker mud, some thinner. If you are mixing from powder, remember that it is easier to thin your inital mix than to thicken it. In any case, when mixing from scratch, let soak overnight to soften lumps and get it smoother.

Texturizing tools can run the gamut from taping knives to trowels, to various kinds of brushes, to texture rollers and even to commercial texturing tools.

I have even used my hands, ala fingerpainting in grade school. What fun!

Several words to emphasize: EXPERIMENT, CONSISTENCY, PATIENCE.

By experimenting, you discover the thickness of mud that is easiest to work with. You find what tools you like best. Consistency of application is your goal.

(For example, there are some absolutely stunning texture effects I can do, but I have a very hard time getting them to be consistent over the whole wall or ceiling, expecially if these are large.)   And patience will insure that you don’t give up easily. Give yourself time to learn.

You will need to practice your technique before you tackle that wall or ceiling. Scraps of drywall or heavy cardboard or even painted plywood will work as a substitute surface.

One thing to remember – once you go for real, you are committed. That is, once you start, you will have to go corner to corner, the whole thing. With many textures, there is no leaving off in the middle.

This is why you probably need to start small. Try a small ceiling, or a small room of walls. When you can do that to your satisfaction, then you may be ready for something bigger.

When you are all done, and ready for paint, be sure to apply a good coat of drywall primer (PVA) first. This will lock up the porosity of your textured surface and provide the foundation for a much better paint coat later.

Now go have some fun!

Stand Your Ground When Choosing Hardwood Flooring

Tiles, carpet, or laminate? These days, it is not enough to just have floor in your house; you simply have to have the best floor. Why not consider a hardwood floor then?

A hardwood floor is a handsome and durable substitute to carpeted or laminated floor. Due to its warm tones and distinctiveness, wood dramatically changes the appearance and atmosphere of a room.

Exclusive. Your wooden floor will be truly exclusive to you, not only because of the natural grain, which is unique, but also because you have the option of designing your own floor. When you do, you get to choose the exact pattern you would like on your floor. Mixing woods together gives a remarkable effect and endless pattern can be created. Hardwood floors even add more market value to your home so the next time you put up your home for sale, you are confident your home will fetch a good price.

Elegant. For centuries, wood has been used in the home and many of the homes for sale in Australia have opted to use wood to bring warmth and character to every style and décor. Nothing beats a wooden floor when it comes to enduring quality and touch of class it brings to any home. Buyers of real estates and homes for sale will be more than willing to shell out the additional price for the elegance of a wooden floor.

Healthy. Dust, dust mites, fleas and other nastiest can be trapped in carpet pile. Unlike carpets where even the most powerful vacuum cleaner cannot remove all traces of dirt, a wood floor helps end allergy and respiratory problems, precisely because it is easy to clean and free of dust. Also, a real wood floor retains warmth and keeps draughts at bay. This can be added selling point to your real estate property should you want to put your home for sale in the future.
Sensible. The wear and tear of everyday life can take its toll on a carpet, but a hardwearing wood floor will last for years if looked after properly. It requires minimal maintenance to keep it looking good.

Economical. Unlike carpets, wooden floors are durable and will pay for itself in a few year’s time. Furthermore, a wooden floor may not cost any more than a superior carpet, and better still, it will probably even turn out to be the cheaper alternative.

So there, stand your ground when choosing a hardwood floor for your real estate. At the end of the day, you will be glad you did!

The Greenhouse that Wouldn’t Lie Down

On my travels, I met a guy who had just built his own greenhouse. It had taken him two years! We got talking and I mentioned my Greenhouse web site. He could hardly wait for me to finish my sentence before launching into his tale:

“Building a greenhouse is one of the most frustrating projects that I have ever undertaken. I have been involved in doing home repair kinds of things for years, so I am no stranger to the difficulty of making everything fit together, but I swear, I will never build a greenhouse again. I had honestly thought that building a greenhouse would be just like building a shed. Just assemble the frame and install the walls and, bingo – all done. Boy was I mistaken. I had no problem when I made my shed, but the greenhouse was a real nightmare.

D.I.Y. Fundamentalism is a Form of Mentalism. ”I should have listened to my friends who said that I should hire an outside contractor instead of building a greenhouse myself, but I was sure that I was up to it. Let me tell you, it was one nightmare after another. Think installing windows is a pain in the neck? Try building a greenhouse, where every wall is made of absolutely nothing but windows and window frames! But that is not even the half of it. Oh no, not by a long shot.

“If you are building a garage or a shed, you have some leniency in terms of how things fit together. Sure, you assemble the basic frame as accurately and precisely as you can, but a millimeter here, half an inch there, and you’re still good. But it’s not the case if you are building a greenhouse. Not the case at all. Imagine assembling your whole frame and finding that your window frames don’t fit. Imagine trying to recut them,- an expensive waste of time and money that does nothing at all to fix the problem – and then having to dig out your foundations and start again. Imagine burning it down for the insurance and calling it a day. Such is the nightmare of building a greenhouse from scratch. Never again, my friend. Never again.

Plant Lovers Unite and Take Over. ”I had always thought that building a greenhouse was the ultimate project for a plant lover. It’s sort of like decorating the nursery for your kid. It’s the process of making a safe place for something that you love and treasure to glow and blossom. Now I realize the horrible truth. Building a greenhouse did just the opposite for me. It was six months before I could look at a plant!

“But now a year has gone by. I’ve begun to wander in and out of my greenhouse. After all the trials and tribulations, I have to admit that I now have something that I’d been wanting for a long time. It’s still standing, and it is no longer empty. Not by a long way.”

Telling his story put this guy in a much better mood, and we yabbered on long into the night. But I couldn’t help wondering if building a greenhouse could really be so difficult. I’d never even considered the possibility of designing and building one from scratch. There are simply too many good kits that are easy to buy off the shelf, take home, assemble and admire through the glass of a tart Chardonnay to worry about the whole D.I.Y.extremo thing.

Cheers.

Vent Free Heaters Are Safe And Economical

As a distributor of several leading brands of vent-free gas heaters we’re often asked “are vent free heaters safe?”, “are vent free heaters efficient”? do vent free heaters require a flue?”, “what are the benefits of vent free heaters?” and so on.

Vent free gas heaters were introduced in North America over 30 years ago. Since then hundreds of studies have been conducted and numerous articles have been written on the subject of vent free heaters to help dispel many common misgivings home owners and installers may have about using vent free heaters inside living spaces. The good news is that the vent free heater market continues to experience huge growth every year and is poised for continued growth for years to come. As for the above questions, let’s get to it.

Why are these heaters called “vent free”?

They are called “vent free” because they are unvented. Vent free heaters have no flue to vent the hot gases outside. All of the heat energy, including by-products of combustion, are vented inside the dwelling.

Why are vent free heaters so popular?

Vent free heaters are 99.9% efficient! That’s enough to get anyone’s attention. With such a dramatic rise in fuel costs over the past decade, people are looking for solutions to lower their monthly fuel bill. What better way to reduce your heating bill than to install a nearly 100% fuel efficient heating appliance. Unlike a central furnace system, which puts heat into every room in the house (whether those rooms are occupied or not), a separate room heater, often called a zone heater, heats only the room being occupied at the time. This room is typically the family room or great room of the house where home occupants spend a vast majority of their time. With a room heater, heat energy is not being wasted in empty or unoccupied spaces. Therefore, homeowners can turn down their central furance and only heat the room they are occupying. And by using a vent free heater, virtually all (99.9%) of the heat energy is being utilized. BTU input equals BTU output because there is no flue.

What are the effects of the combustion by-products emitted by a vent free heater?

Combustion of gas, either natural or propane, produces carbon dioxide, water vapor and trace amounts of other elements. A very small amount of carbon monixide (measured in parts per million) may be emitted, but well, well below standards of safety set forth by regulatory agencies. A burning cigarette sitting in an ash tray emits up to 10 times more carbon monoxide into the air than a 25,000 BTU vent free heater.

Vent free heaters are by design very clean burning when properly installed and cared for. For optimum combustion efficiency and operational safety, 1 square inch of free outside air per 1000 BTU input is sufficient. This amount of air is normally pre-existing in most homes through natural infiltration from doorways, windows, connected spaces, etc. In unusual circumstances, it may be necessary to crack open a window to allow for adequate combustion air.

A little higher room humidity is the most notable difference between a vent free heater and one that is vented to the outside. Water vapor occurs through the combustion process of the gas. Most people find a little added humidty to be a valuable benefit during the heating season where the relative humidity indoors compared to outdoors is quite low. No need to add a humidfier to the space when operating a vent free heater. Installing the heater in a laundry room or any other already humid environment may produce more humidty to those rooms than is desired.

But are they safe?

Yes. All vent free heaters for home use must have an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS), a safety mechanism built into the pilot assembly. This feature shuts off the appliance should the oxygen level in the room become insufficient for complete combustion of the gas. In any case, vent free heaters over 10,000 BTU’s are not recommend for bedrooms, and in some states not allowed in bedrooms at all. And we should point out here that there are still a few states across the U.S. who do no approve vent free at all. This does not necessarily mean they are illegal to own and operate, it just means that they are not yet approved and a building inspector and/or gas utility may “red tag” the appliance. Alwyas check local codes.

Keep in mind that a vent free heater is a “secondary” heat source to supplement your primary heating system. It’s not a good idea to use vent free heaters in every room of the house and operate them simultaneously. Doing so may produce excess levels of condensation forming on windows and other cold surfaces. Excess moisture can also be a source of mold growth, which is unhealthy.

What You Need to Know about Innerspring Futon Mattress?

Futon mattresses with springs are becoming more and more popular these days. Although, they’re mostly used in Japanese beds, American markets have caught-up with this type of mattress and now offer innerspring futons to US consumers.

Although memory foam mattress, latex or air mattresses are more popular, because they provide much more comfort, some people still prefer Western-style futon mattresses with springs. Even in Japan, Western-style futons are becoming increasingly popular, because they’re softer and provide better body support than original Japanese futons.

First, let’s see what innerspring mattress is made of…

Innerspring futon mattress is usually constructed of many springs and multiple foam layers. Each of these parts is important and will affect your night’s sleep. So it’s suggested to pay attention to these components when buying an innerspring mattress for yourself or someone else.

Futon Spring Mattress Cover Layers   Usually, futons are covered in cotton. But they can also contain wool or polyester. So the covering layer staple can be natural or synthetic.

Natural is usually more expensive to produce, so the cost of a futon is higher. Synthetic innerspring futon mattress may not be preferred by some people, because of possible toxins and health risks. But the price can be lower. Most common synthetic material used in creating futon or innerspring mattress covers are latex or polyester.

You should of course see for yourself what’s better for you. Is it your health? Or is it your money? Actually, you should not save money at the expense of your health. So in such case, it’s recommended to spend more money on innerspring futon mattress that’s made of natural fiber, than risk your health with some synthetic futons.

Inner-Spring Futon Coils

Coils are just as important, or maybe even more important, than top layers of innerspring futon. There are different mattresses on the market. Some have higher number of coils, others use less coils in a mattress. Naturally, you would assume that the more coils there are, the better the mattress would be. However, that’s not necessarily true. Here’s why:

These days, it doesn’t matter how many coils there are used in the innerspring futon mattress. It’s all about the system of the coils that is used in the mattress.

Most mattresses come with 300 to 800 coils or so. Of course, it all depends on the size of the mattress. The bigger the mattress, the more coils there are. So it is considered that if the mattress has more coils, it will provide better support and will be more comfortable to sleep on. But you should take into consideration that there are different types of coils. A futon mattress with springs may have about 300 coils, but provide the same amount of comfort if the size of those coils is larger than normal.

Another myth is that the firmer the futon, the better support it will give. Earlier, most doctors said that you should get a firm mattress. It’s because sleeping on firmer mattress will result in less backaches and will keep your back straight.

These were the days when we had to adjust to the mattress. Now it’s different. Mattresses have to adjust to our bodies. The problem was that some statistics said that majority of people slept on their backs. So doctors recommended to sleep on back or tummy to keep your back straight.

But these days, statistics are different. Most of us sleep on side. And people don’t want to change their habits. So mattresses have to adjust to our habits and sleeping positions. That’s why firmer futon spring mattresses aren’t good.

When you sleep on a side, your head and spinal column are not in comfortable position, so you experience aches. In such case, softer futons are much better. They’ll adjust to your curvatures much better and you’ll be able to have a more comfortable sleep during the night.

In Conclusion

Let’s wrap it up and see what are the most important points you should look at, before buying an innerspring futon mattress. First of all, you should choose quality spring futon. Natural staple is better for your health than synthetic, so you should choose natural fiber instead.

Second, don’t consider a mattress bad, just because it has fewer coils than the others. A structure of coils is more important. Besides, larger coils, but fewer in number, can give you just as much comfort as 600 or 800 smaller coils in a mattress.