Author: Admin

By Morgan Hamilton

A straw bale is usually sane as something that has little or no use. But if you were to take a closer look you would see that a straw bale is durable it can be sold for the bedding for animals, landscape supply, and used in construction. They are also on and burned to either get rid of them or provide warmth.

The straw is the plant material that is dry caused by it being left in the fields after a plant has fully matured. Upon the maturation of the plant is harvested and anything that is not used is tossed aside. That is usually the genesis of a straw bale.

One of the main uses for this type of material is construction. A straw bale can actually provide excellent material for constructing low-cost walls that are quite durable and are excellent insulators. The use of bales for construction purposes was used by the states of the plains in the late part of the 19th century and early part of the 20th century. These structures are sturdy and many of which have stood the test of time and are still standing. Straw bale construction can and is used to build just about anything you can imagine including homes, schools and businesses.

Of course the attractive aspect here is the affordability of the material. The cost of a straw bale varies though as it depends on what time of year it is. During harvest time is when they are the least expensive as the added cost of storing the bales is factored out. A straw bale must be kept dry otherwise it’s rigid integrity will be compromised. One of the main advantages of constructing buildings this way is that it’s resistant to fire. The straw is packed very tightly which constrict the movement of oxygen and therefore is very difficult to set on fire.

It is also highly pest resistant. Once again the straw is packed so tightly that pests are unable to pour into it. The plaster that is put on the outside layer makes it so that pests can not penetrate it. The outside layer of plaster also helps to keep out small animals and rodents. Also, that straw has little if any nutritional value so it isn’t all that appetizing to the little critters.

You may not have considered it but this type of material can make a very strong and well-built home. The pioneers and settlers on the plains used straw bale or construction of homes and barns for many years with great success.

About the Author: Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning gardening. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting

groovygardening.com/gardening-information/gardening-tips/great-use-for-straw-bale.html

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byAlma Abell

Finding suitable property managers in Santa Clara for your rental home or commercial building can be a great investment to consider. Perhaps you have multiple homes for rent, but don’t have enough time to properly list them and then handle everything when it comes to getting a tenant in there. Or years of experience and all of the resources for closing a deal will get your property rented fast.

High Amount of Rental Exposure

Getting your house or commercial building listed for the public to see is the only way you are going to get a tenant inside. Having it listed locally on flyers and newsletters, online with virtual tours and photo galleries, as well as on the MLS which can link a dozen sites or more if applicable to your rental will go a long way to getting it seen and rented quickly.

Thorough Tenant Screening Process

Once a potential tenant is found, they go through a thorough screening process to be sure they are reliable and mature. Past landlords are contacted for references, employment and income history is verified, and their driver’s license is checked. This helps to guarantee any tenant in your house or commercial building will keep it in good repair while staying current on their rental or lease obligations. Should a tenant not meet those goals once they are in a rental, the managers will handle any eviction process that may be needed. You never have to deal with it!

In-House and Outsourced Repairs when Needed

Inspections are done on your property every six months to ensure a tenant is not damaging your house or commercial building. Should any minor maintenance issues arise, managers can usually fix these immediately without having to bother you. If any major damage needs repaired, outsourcing to local reliable and trusted vendors with insurance and proper licenses will get your rental fixed and back to earning an income. There is never a need for you to have to attempt repairs yourself or try and find a company to do them for you. It’s all covered by your property managers.

byAlma Abell

While a forklift is a popular piece of equipment in a warehouse environment, there are certain occasions where they make a simple task more cumbersome and reduce the overall efficiency of employees. An Electric Pallet Jack in Los Angeles is designed to fill in the gap and makes it easy to raise and lower small loads onto and off of shelving units. Before buying a pallet jack, be sure to consider the following items, which will ensure the device will meet a companies needs now and for years into the future.

Device Weight Limit

One of the most critical, yet overlooked, aspects of purchasing a pallet jack is determining the weight limit of the unit. It is a good idea to weigh a typical load of items that the device will be used to transport to determine the average payload the lift will be handling. Once the requirements are identified a company will then be able to select a unit that will safely and quickly tackle any job thrown its way.

Self Propelled Units

An Electric Pallet Jack in Los Angeles is either manually moved or is equipped with a motor that aids in the transportation process. While self-propelled lifts are a great option, they usually require additional maintenance and come with a higher upfront cost. If the weight of items being lifted will exceed 100 pounds, most manufacturers recommend selecting a unit with a motor that will reduce the likelihood of employee injury and reduce the time required for warehouse tasks.

Space Constraints

Another important detail to consider is the size of the warehouse where the device will be used and stored. Devices that are designed with self-propulsion are much larger and may be hard to maneuver in small spaces. It is also necessary to determine the type of electrical connection that is required for charging and make sure that one is readily available and that there will be adequate room to store the pallet jack without creating a safety hazard.

A pallet jack is an invaluable tool for a warehouse environment. The team at Select equipment offers a full selection of electric-powered devices and will work with a business to determine which model will best suit their needs. Visit Selectequipment.com to learn more and start browsing their complete inventory today.

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By Alyssa Davis

Fireplaces can be the best part of a room’s decor or they can be the worst. There is nothing like an unattractive fireplace to make decorating a nightmare. One of the main fireplace faux pas styles is the bright red brick fireplace. Not only is this style outdated, but it is also very difficult to coordinate with other aspects of the room’s decor. Instead of lamenting the fact that the fireplace is not all you want it to be, think outside the box. There are many different ways to cover up that unattractive brick finish and install something better. One of the best ways is to reface the brick with a concrete finish. Not only will it change the look of the fireplace, it will also change the look of the room.

Concrete?

When you think about concrete, the first thoughts that come to mind may be no more attractive to you than the bricks that are currently there. Take heart in the fact that concrete is now a lot different than it used to be. It is commonly used for kitchen and bathroom countertops and makes the old, tired finishes come alive. It can easily do the same for your tired, brick fireplace.

First Steps

Before you rush out to the home improvement store to purchase bags of instant concrete, take a few minutes to think about what you want the fireplace to look like. In most cases you will just be finishing or covering over the area that is already bricked. If you are planning to move beyond that area, you will need to prepare the area and make sure that the concrete will adhere to the surface. You must decide whether you want the fireplace to be ornate or simple in design. This will determine any prep work that you have to do beforehand. It is also a good idea to think about the finish of the concrete. Determine if you want it colored, flecked with mica or adorned with river rocks before the concrete sets completely. The additions that you want to add will determine how long the project takes and what types of materials and tools you will need.

How To

Once you have decided on all of the details and you have a firm picture in your mind, and possibly your sketchpad, of what you want the fireplace to look like, it is time to begin. Purchase some quick-setting concrete from your local home improvement store. Before you mix it up, be sure that the brick surface is cleaned and ready for the concrete. Spread it on evenly and smoothly with a trowel. It may be easier to work in small sections, so that the area does not dry before you have a chance to add any adornments that you have chosen. Once the concrete is applied, let it set and dry completely before lighting up the next fire.

By refacing your old, brick fireplace, you add new depth to your room. A brilliant focal point is instantly created and you have the ability to match it to any type of decor you desire. Even if your brick fireplace is extremely unattractive, you can still make it one of the most beautiful parts of your home by refacing it with concrete.

About the Author: Author, Alyssa Davis, is Metal-Wall-Art.com’s number one design specialist on decorating with

welcome signs metal wall art

and

metal wall coat racks

.

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byadmin

Building your own house is sometimes a mixture of excitement and anxiety. You never know whether your contractor will keep his promise of delivering your specific kind of house. Roofing is one major area that most homeowners are keen on. The roof speaks volumes about the beauty of your house. The least you can do to ensure that your house becomes beautiful is to hire competent roofer in Oklahoma City. Before hiring any roofer, you should ask him the following hard questions.

• Will he accept liability in case he messes up during roofing: This is important to know so that you can be ready for misfortunes that may occur. The acceptance of the roofer to take liability should not be merely verbal. It should be put in writing and preferably signed by you and him in the presence of witnesses.
• Can he substantiate his claims about the quality of his work: You should not always buy the stories that the roofers will tell you regarding their competence. A serious roofer will direct you to some of his previous clients from whom you can find out about the quality of his work.
• How much he will charge, you and the forms of payment: The roofer need to tell you clearly the amount of money his services will cost you. He should come out clearly on whether you are required to pay a down payment or not. The cash transfer methods should also be discussed and agreed upon.
• Duration of the service: The roofer should come up with a reasonable schedule of his work. The schedule should be free from vagueness or mischief. The schedule should preferably be independent of the amount of money payable.
• How to prepare your house for roofing in case it was already occupied: The roofer should be in a position to tell you how to protect your household items in readiness for the roofing process. Some of this items could include clothing and electrical appliances.

Clearly, finding a competent Roofer in Oklahoma City is not a walk in the park. You should strive to ensure that you get tour roofer from a reputable company.

For more information, contact a roofer.

By Kenneth Echie

What is a bail bondsman? Unless we watch one of the many shows that feature bounty hunters or the television news shows that hint towards a bail bondsman, it can be a mystery as to what they actually do. A bail bondsman is somebody who arranges payment of bail for a criminal.

A bail bondsman can also be a bounty hunter if they work for themselves. The term bail bondsman is not just limited to men in this profession. Women can also be bondsmen. This profession is only practiced in the United States.

What does it take to become a bail bondsman?

You’ll need to be licensed by the current state you live in. You should check with the Department of Insurance because you will need to be appointed by the insurance company as a bail bondsman. Some states require classes to be taken regarding the insurance license.

After you’ve obtained a bail bondsman insurance license, you can start posting bond within a few days. There are limits on your surety license so be sure to check what those are. Bail can even been done over the phone and with a credit card. A bondsman is usually available 24 hours a day.

Is there any danger in becoming a bail bondsman?

Yes, if you also couple this with bounty hunting. You are basically hunting down somebody who doesn’t want to return to jail or for their arraignment. Bondsmen get shot at and threatened but if they don’t return their fugitive back to court the insurance company has to pay.

Bail agents, as they also called, collect their funds by apprehending fugitives. A bail agent has a standing with the insurance company. It is in the best interest to capture the person so that the bond can be paid.

When a bondsman post bail for a criminal defendant it is usually charged as 10% of the bail. $10,000 would be a $1,000 bond; this is usually done in cash if available through the courts. If the bond is higher such as $100,000, it would be $10,000 and if the defendant owns a home a mortgage would be taken out on the home. The 10% fee is not refundable.

Why would you want to choose this as a career?

Many people who decide to become a bail bondsman do so because of the interesting work and flexible hours. Those who start as a bail bondsman also move into bounty hunting. With the popularity of the show on A&E titled ‘Dog’ The Bounty Hunter, many people have seen this type of work glamorized. But reading about what a bail agent does, the other times can seem quite tedious.

There is a lot of paperwork and waiting by the phone or in front of someone’s home. The upside is that it can be very lucrative and a great retirement choice. A bail bondsman is just helping people to be reunited with their families while a trial date is pending. It is only temporary, but families are usually very grateful to have a little more time with their loved ones.

If you like bringing such temporary happiness to families, then become a bail bondsman. I encourage you to do more research on the profession. You just need to visit websites that cover the profession in more detail.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are live links.

About the Author: Copywrite Kenneth Echie. Kenneth is a writer for

Criminal Justice Schools and Degrees

. Get free scholarship report and learn to become a

Bail Bondsman

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When it comes to home repairs, undertaking DIY electrical projects constitute one of the most important aspects which have to be carried out with the utmost caution. If you are a home owner you must be facing minor electrical defaults in your house periodically which is why it is important to have a sound knowledge of safety guidelines when undertaking DIY electrical repair tasks.While fixing small DIY electrical repair work around the house is very cost efficient home owners need to be very careful when undertaking such projects. Listed below are some important safety guidelines to keep in mind in order to ensure a safe and successful DIY electrical repair work by the home owner:1.Prepare a circuit map If you are thinking of taking up DIY electrical work preparing a circuit map is the most important step to begin with. By switching off each circuit at one time note down all the switches and appliances that are powered by each circuit and tape the list below them. This way you will be able to switch off the power immediately whenever there is an electrical default in your home.2.Turn off the main power outlet Before undertaking any DIY electrical projects or repair works always turn off the main power. Turning off the switch of a particular appliance that you are working on is not sufficient as there can be invariably a leak even when the switch is turned off which can lead in a serious accident.3.Cover live wires and unused receptacles Never keep any live wires in the house exposed. Always cover them or at least use masking tapes. Having exposed live wires in the house can be a grave threat especially for children. Also cover up any unused receptacles with tight protective lids which are easily available in the market.4.Use dry hands Always dry your hands before undertaking any DIY electrical repair work. As water is a very good conductor of electricity, be extremely cautious while working in places near water and especially doing electrical repair work in the washroom and garden area.5.Inspect your premises If you have small children at home make periodic inspections and replace any defective plug points as well as cover up any unused receptacles to avoid any mishaps.Whether you are trying to replace a fused bulb or fix a faulty electrical appliance you must always proceed with great caution. So go ahead and follow the above guidelines to undertake DIY electrical projects safely and successfully.

Be It Pool and Spas Construction, or the Maintenance, Here It Is All You Need to Know

by

Tom Thoma

Have you had a dream of having a pool or a spa at your home? May be for these years you harboured it as a dream now we say time has come to transform it into reality. Today there are a number of swimming pool builders, all you need to do is just contact them, be it

swimming pool construction

or pool remodel, these companies provides all the facilities related to this arena. And believe us these companies today are well equipped with the modern technologies and the latest designs of pools and spas, so they will not only transform your dream into reality but in addition will help you get the latest designs in each categorisation.

May be you are tired with the outdated look of your already existing pool, so why not opt for a remodelling? Just go in for a contract with these swimming pool builders

, for they not only help you in building a new one but they even help in cases of remodelling. Go in for a swimming pool contractor, explain to them about the remodelling designs that you have in mind, but remember never to weigh them down by your orders, welcome their suggestions, consider them logically before going in for the final designs, these companies will always guide you in the right way, be it pools with waterfall, or pebble or quartz interior surface conversion, they will suggest the best complementing your home ambience. So always balance your views as well as those of the contractors, proper understanding can really evolve the perfect balance of good designs and latest equipment suitable for your house.

Be it a Custom New Pool and Spa Construction

, or a remodel,

Pool and Spa Maintenance

forms an important aspect in both cases. Proper maintenance is needed in each case in their own manners to keep it clean and help it function best in its own way. Firstly ask your contractors to guide you with the maintenance schemes, devise suitable ways to keep the pools and spas closed during winters for it saves a lot of your work. Understand which automatic cleaner or the vacuum would be right for your pool. So remember to keep these intrinsic details in mind. Today getting a pool and spa is not enough, what you should strive for is its proper maintenance.

Infinity Pool is Southern California’s Premier Pool Company. We can help you enhance your residential or commercial pool. Contact us for an appointment at

Swimming pool builders

and Infinity Pools will help you re-design your pool or spa area.

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By Frank Yaconis

Dr. Mehmet Oz is becoming a world-renowned expert on keeping the body healthy. He has a television show and numerous books out that help people learn the important parts of maintaining health.

That’s why when he praised the benefits of the prickly pear cactus; the world sat up and took notice. He included the plant as one of the seven natural wonders of the world during one episode of his show for its ability to help people with diabetes.

On a smaller level, he talked about how the cactus can help with the symptoms of a hangover. Dr. Oz, a Columbia University surgery professor and director of the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital, knows what he is talking about.

Nopalea Juice, made from the prickly pear cactus, is becoming more and more popular as the benefits of the cactus become more widely known.

On his program, ‘The Dr. Oz Show’ the esteemed doctor did a demonstration with an hourglass test-tube showing how the fibrous nature of the prickly pear cactus filtered sugar into the bloodstream. Because of this, eating the plant can help regulate blood sugar levels, therefore helping people with diabetes.

In a recent issue of the free magazine, ‘Diabetes & You’ Dr. Oz gave seven important tips to keep a healthy heart. Let’s recap their basic ideas here for you. These tips are not just for people with diabetes, but are everyone with health problems:

1. Baby aspirin. The first tip he gave was for people to take two baby aspirin daily. The aspiring helps reduce inflammation and helps with blood circulation. He said that people with stomach issues should not follow this tip.

2. Use dental floss. People who floss daily work to stave off inflammatory disease and it also helps prevent gingivitis.

3. Make friend with your pharmacist. Well, you don’t need to be friends, so to speak, but Dr. Oz recommends you have a relationship with your pharmacist so you can ask for, and receive advice from the about the medications you take.

Mixing the wrong drugs, such as blood pressure medicine with other medications, can create dangerous interactions that can even be deadly. Pharmacists are professionals who can help you prevent this.

4. Get your blood pressure taken. Dr. Oz says know what your blood pressure is. He says that it is the number one cause of aging. High blood pressure actually scrapes away the lining of your arteries. Oz says your pharmacy can check your blood pressure for the high and low numbers or you can even buy your own monitor to keep at home.

5. Work out. Exercising enough to sweat at least one hour a week will help you lower blood pressure level and will help your heart health.

6. Be a social butterfly. Friendships and family relationships actually lead to better health.

7. Pop fish oil pills. DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid in these supplements will help with heart healthy, especially if you have experience irregular heartbeat.

So, these are just seven tips to improve heart health. They are all easy and inexpensive ways to stay alive longer.

About the Author: Frank Yocanis has been researching and writing about helping people with swollen ankles for the past decade. He has even traveled to the Sonoran desert half a dozen times to study how Nopalea contains amazing properties that help with foot pain and other swelling and joint pain in the body. He is excited to share how this antioxidant-rich drink can change your life.

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Online sports betting is probably the best option for those who are interesting in trying it for the first time. If you have never tried online sports betting, you are missing so much fun and excitement, and it can all happen in the comfortable surroundings of your home! The art of sports betting can seem confusing at first, but once you are familiar with some of the jargon that is used to explain the concepts and logic behind each type of bet, it is all much easier to understand.

One of the best ways for you to experience this engaging way to bet on your favourite racing and sporting events is to get acquainted with online sports betting. However, in order to best take advantage of all that sports betting has to offer, you need to know a little more about it.

Sports Betting – The Odds

How does online sports betting work? You should start by studying the odds for the sporting event you are most interested in placing a wager upon. When using online sports betting, you can find these odds in the various online sports books used by Internet gamers everywhere. You must open an account with an online sports book before you can place your bet, but this is simple to do.

Once you have chosen where you are going to do your sports betting, you need to decide how you are going to place your bet. There are many different ways for you to wager your chosen amount of money, but first, let’s talk about the spread and how it can affect the amount you bet.

Sports Betting – The Spread

The spread is a point advantage in sports betting, which is usually given to the team that is generally expected to lose a particular sporting event. If you decide that you will bet on the team that is expected to win, they will have to win by more than the spread number and cover the spread before you are considered to have chosen correctly. If you choose the team that is expected to lose, that team will have to lose by less than the spread number in order for your pick to be considered correct. If by chance the team wins by the number of points that were chosen as the spread, the game is called a push.

No one who engages in sports betting wins a thing if a game is called as a push, but you do get the amount of your original bet back. The point spread is done in order to make the all of the bets come out even for the sports book, and is usually done for sports such as basketball or football.

Sports Betting – The Bet

If you were to bet against the spread, most likely you would place a type of bet called an 11-10, or spread bet. By betting $11, you win $10 if your team’s score covers the spread. This is another way that the online sports book makes its money.

An over-under bet is also an 11-10 bet. With this type of bet, the total score of the two teams that played will be either over or under the total score that was listed before the game was played. Betting on the score being over is called ‘betting on the ball’. Betting on the score being under is called ‘betting on the clock’.

A proposition bet is a type of bet where the online sports book chooses what the odds and the conditions of the bet are going to be. This type of bet can be most interesting, even a little fun at times, for the conditions can be as unusual as which of two football teams will make the most touchdowns, which of two basketball teams will score the most three pointers, or even which individual player will make a certain move for the team. The odds for this kind of bet are sometimes 11-10, but can be better or worse depending on the circumstances.

A parlay bet happens when you are betting on more than one event, usually three. This type of bet gives you a much higher payout if you should win, but the catch is that all the events you bet on will have to win. If even one of them loses, they all lose, and you lose the amount that you bet.

A money line bet seems rather formidable, especially to someone who is just getting into online sports betting, but it is really one of the simplest bets of all. It is also called a Straight Up bet, and there is no point spread to consider. You will just choose your sport, and then the team you think will be either the underdog or the favourite. In a money line bet, the sports book will have numbers listed that are in the hundreds, with either a plus or a minus sign beside them. These numbers are considered the ‘money line’, and are the multipliers for the bets.

If the money line for your team is listed as 100, you will make an even bet. This means you will wager the same amount that you will get back. If the money line reads -110, then you must come up with the amount of money you have decided to bet, plus 10%. This extra 10% is known by the name of ‘juice’. If the money line for your team is listed as +110, then you simply place your bet with the amount you choose to bet. If you win a money line bet, you get the amount of your bet plus 10% back. For example, if you bet $10.00 and $1.00 in juice on a -110 money line and it wins, you get $21. 00.

A teaser bet in sports betting is actually a proposition bet that allows you to change the odds for the bet in either direction so that the wager is in your favour. You can go up or down in points, and must choose at least two teams, as is done in a parlay bet. You can have as many as 6 separate teams included on a teaser bet, but all of the teams chosen have to win in order for your bet to be declared a winning one. Once the games are over, the points from the teaser bet are added or subtracted from the final scores. The odds for teaser bets can be different each time, so it is a good plan to always check the sports book before placing your bet.

A tip to remember is that generally, when placing a wager on any sport that can finish with a high score, such as football, you will have a spread. Sports where the ending score is low, such as in baseball will have a money line. Remember also that favourable odds on a game can sometimes work in your favour. Online sports betting allows you to easily go from sports book to sports book to find the best odds.

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