Month: February 2017

Points to consider while choosing the best air purifier for pets

air purifier

It is quite common to have a pet at home. It brings a lot of advantages, from adding to the love and harmony of the family to building up the security of the house. However, maintaining a pet at home also has certain considerations that are needed to be addressed.

Choosing the best air purifier for pets is often a hectic job. The owner has a range of option to choose from, which makes the task all the more confusing. Click here for anĀ air purifier is best at controlling pet dander. To provide effective assistance in this matter, here is a list of features that needs to be look out for in an air purifier before making a choice:

General information

Means of filtering hair and dander

air purifier Firstly, the air purifier needs to have the option of purifying pet hair and dander. Pet hairs can be easily seen. However, dander, which is constantly produced small flakes of dead skin, is not. It contains proteins that cause asthma and allergy symptoms. Moreover, the filter must be effective to get rid of air pollutants. Therefore the air purifier must be effective in filtering particulars as big as a hair to particles with sub-micron size as dander and pollutants.

Odor removal

When it comes to pets, the odor is one of the most persistent problems. If the pet spills some liquid on the ground and the owner is oblivious to it, the spillage will dry off after some time. However, the foul odor remains for long. The air purifier must be efficient in getting rid of the foul smell and replace it with a hint of freshness in the house.

Time of coverage

Another important point that is needed to be considered is the time of action of the air purifier. The pet remains active almost the entire day, and the air purifier also needs to be functional during the entire time period. It is important to consider a motor with the highest rating for its long life and efficiency to address this particular purpose.

Durability of the machine

This is an important point to consider especially when pets are around. The machine needs to be tough, preferably encased in a steel housing. This makes it impossible for pets to chew off pieces or cause any damage to the machine. Moreover, plastic purifiers sometimes let off gas fumes when the motor gets heated up; a steel housing does not have any such related issue with the only product being fresh, pollutant-free air.

HEPA technology

air purifier  for dogsOne of the latest advancement regarding an air filter is the HEPA (High-efficiency particle arresting) technology. This technique, which is commonly used in hospitals and research laboratories, gets rid of about 99.97% of air pollutants. An air purifier with advanced HEPA technology will certainly be a good option for maintaining the quality of air at home for the pets.

Conclusion

These are some of the valuable considerations that are needed to be taken into account while choosing the best air purifier for pets. An air purifier with all these attributes will ensure longer and healthier life of the pet animal.

The Importance of Making Your Home Radon Free

apartment

Radon is a lung cancer causing gas formed by the decay of uranium in the soil. Radon gets into houses through cracks or holes on the floor. When proper ventilation is lacking, high concentrations of the gas can reach critical levels.

Radon is invisible, odorless, and tasteless. Unlike some of the other gasses, it does not have a smell and so can go undetected for a period. Whether moving to a new house or staying in your old one, it is important to have it tested for Radon.

Benefits of making your home radon free

pipeOne of the principal reasons to keep your house radon free is because it is a leading cause of cancer in the United States. According to National Environmental Health Association, radon is second in a list of substances that cause lung cancer. The risk is even higher for smokers.

1. Ensure the safety of your children

Studies have shown that children are more sensitive to this radioactive gas than adults. They have a higher rate of respiration, and their cell division is rapid and is thus very vulnerable to this gas.

Any house, whether new or old can have a radon challenge. It does not matter whether a home is well-sealed or not. Whether it has a basement or not. In fact, most radon exposures occur inside your homes when you and your family is resting and it is hard to identify radon symptoms as they resemble those of lung cancer. Therefore, you should not assume your home is safe. Get it tested for radon and keep your family safe.

How to estimate radon levels at home

home areaIt is also not possible to estimate radon levels in one house by using local or neighborhood radon measurements from other homes. Houses can be next to each other and have very different radon measurements. Therefore, it is not appropriate to use other radon readings to estimate concentration levels in your home.

Indoor radon levels vary depending on the day, temperature and season. Radon levels go up significantly especially in winter and during the night. Additionally, It is common for people to close their windows during this time and so are at an increased risk of exposure. It is usually recommended that a radon test is done at intervals of at least three months to ensure your family is safe.

The only way to determine radon levels is by testing. Essentially, there are no immediate signs that can warn you of the presence of radon. It can take years before any radon-linked problems are detected. Therefore, test your home and ensure it is radon free.

How to find a reputable electrical contractor

electrical contractor

Introduction

Electrical jobs and other installation works are best handled by qualified personnel. Giving such jobs to cost-efficient handymen can leave you with a facility that is incomplete and full of code violations. No matter how small a job may be, it is always important to hire the right people for the job, and you can rest assured that your family, employees, or tenants are safe from any hazards.

Finding the right electrical contractor can prove to be a nerve-racking experience if you do not have any leads. Some of the simplest ways include web search and phone book. However, the much you can get from these sources are short descriptions that are mostly not sufficient. The following few pointers will help you land a qualified and licensed electrical contractor.

How to find a reputable electrical contractor

Get referrals from family and friends

electrical contractor The names of contractors you get have already done satisfactory jobs and will probably do the same for you. Also, when you get referrals, you also get to know how much they charge and you can prepare yourself adequately.

Ask your local professionals

Your local builders, contractors, and developers have probably worked with good electrical contractors. Therefore, you are not likely to go wrong with referrals from them. Such local professionals have a strong incentive to point you in the right direction since they want you to be happy with them.

Look for posters and signs in your neighborhood

Electrical contractors that put up their names and contacts in posters or signs are confident of their services. In most of the cases, the contractors that display their name in this way have already been vetted by several homeowners in the area. Quacks and unqualified handymen would not want to expose themselves in this way.

Check with Better Business Bureau

electrical contractorBetter Business Bureau contains all the information that you need about business. You can get the ratings and any complaints posted about the contractor. Good electrical contractors have an excellent rating and handle any complaint against them in the right manner.

The contractor should be ready to give you free estimates

Professional contractors should be able to give you an estimate of the total cost even before they start the job. If they refuse to give you a quote, then that indicates that they don’t have the necessary experience and professionalism to handle the work.

Benefits of hiring a property management company

town

The real estate industry is among the few industries that have shown an unshaken growth even during the world economic turmoil. Most of the lucrative business caved to the economic adversities and crumbled leaving many people unemployed and indebted. The real estate industry has continued to attract investments that are unmatched by other sectors. This has been evident even in developing nations that were hit severely by the economic crunch. The growth of this industry has inevitably seen a sprout in the number of property management companies.

Property management companies are firms that are charged with the responsibility of property management companymanagement and administration of properties that include industrial properties, commercial properties, and residential properties. Management entails various responsibilities comprising the collection of rent from tenants, advertisement of vacant houses, supervision of daily activities and maintenance of the property. The owner of the property is thereby entirely excluded from the management of his property. However, the property manager maintains constant communication and consultation with the property owner.

You should hiring a property management company and enjoy the numerous benefits of hiring a property management company. The primary benefits are highlighted as follows;

Screening of tenants

One of the biggest fears of a property manager is an antagonistic tenant. Some tenants are unbearable, and this is historically recognized to be among the greatest challenges in real estate business. It is also a factor that has seen the rise in the number of property owners seeking the services of property management companies. A property manager has the experience to detect red flags in a potential client and prevent his entry because they are trained individuals with great eyes for detail.

Vacancies and retention

Prtownoperties that are not necessarily in prime locations suffer the possibility of a house remaining vacant for a lengthy period. This could be from the onset or after a tenant has moved out leaving the house vacant. In this regard, the property manager is crucial because they have the requisite experience to entice and attract new tenants. They employ various tactics that entail advertisement and marketing. Also, good property managers are able to keep units occupied and ensure that the good tenants are retained.

Legal headaches

Tenancy is based on a lease agreement that is drafted by lawyers and property law experts. It is unlikely that real estate owners are conversant with the legal dimensions of tenancy. Therefore it is beneficial to hire a property manager since they have the legal expertise to handle any legal issues. Also, property managers are conversant with government policies like land rates that they will be able to pay on time.