They say ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ and that’s true, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take your own trash and turn it into treasure once again. By repurposing your old furniture, you can add a lot of charm to your home decor. Not only that, but being able to reuse furniture is actually a lot of fun. From cabinets to dressers, old doors and countertops, anything can be reused. All it takes is a little creativity. So the next time you’re ready to toss that old side table you’ve been clinging to for years, check out these 12 Clever Ways to Repurpose Your Furniture before you do. You might get some inspiration.

1. Use an old door as a headboard

If you have an old wooden door lying around, why not try repurposing it as a headboard for your bed? By sanding down the rough edges, your bed will have an added rustic touch. Also, it is very easy to do. All you need is a sander (or just sandpaper) and some putty.

2. A bookstore can become a bar
Have no idea what to do with that old antique bookcase? The answer is simple: make a bar! By using the shelves to store glasses, spirits, martini shakers, and maybe a couple of books, you’ll have a first-class bar in your study, basement, or living room. Complete the look by adding wine racks and wine glass holders.

3. Turn a window into a closet door
If you have a window that is intact with a lot of character but too old to use, try making a cabinet door out of it. You can make a closet or find one without a door. Either way, put a handle and hinges on the window, attach it to the cabinet, and you’re done. Simple and easy.

4. A dresser turned bench
Do you have an old chest of drawers that you can’t find a use for? Just turn it into a bank. A little bit of cutting, sawing and screwing and you’ve got a nice seat for one or two. If you seal it and paint with outdoor products you can even place it outside.

5. A buffet cabinet turns into a coffee station.
Converting a buffet cabinet to a coffee station is the easiest thing to do. All you have to do is remove the top of the cabinet and replace it with a kitchen counter. This will look great in the kitchen as a coffee station. Put your mugs, coffee pot, creamer, and sugar here for a high-class look.

6. Turn a chair into a nightstand
Have a chair that you love but doesn’t match your other chairs? Turn it into a nightstand or (if it’s big enough) a table. All you have to do is remove the backrest and use the seat.

7. Turn old side tables into stools
A nightstand or side table can easily be converted into a stool by simply adding a cushion on top. This is particularly useful if you have a lot of side tables for some reason.

8. An easel becomes a TV stand
A large, sturdy artist’s easel can easily become a TV stand if it’s strong enough. Plus, it adds an interesting dimension to your living room and makes a great conversation piece. Just put the TV on the bottom shelf and lower the top one as if you were supporting a canvas.

9. Turn a secretary desk into a linen closet
Secretary desks, especially those with a tall cupboard, can be repainted and placed in the bathroom or hallway as a linen closet. Best of all, hardly any fuss is required.

10. A trunk becomes a coffee table
If you have a sturdy wooden chest or trunk that is the right height, you can easily convert it into a coffee table. Just use a caulk on top or put in a glass panel. If you’re pretty handy with tools, you can make the top part open like a garage door.

11. Turn a dresser into a bathroom vanity
If you have a sideboard you want to get rid of, don’t. A sideboard can make a great bathroom vanity. All you need to do is carve a hole in the top for the sink and make sure there is plenty of room for the plumbing. Add a mirror to the wall above and you’re all set.

12. Turn a headboard into a coat rack
Don’t have a place to hang your coat? Do you have an old header that you no longer use? Then turn that headboard into a coat rack by screwing hooks into the face and hanging everything on the wall. Instant success.

I am a cabinet maker in South Florida. By far the most popular color that people choose for kitchens is white. Much of this trend has to do with flipping houses. Before the mammoth housing crisis, Florida ranked second in the nation for the largest increase in home values. No wonder there was so much buying and selling.

One of our clients over a two year period during the real estate boom bought, remodeled and sold thirteen houses. Every kitchen cabinet remodel was the same, white cabinets. The wife would always arrange the houses so potential prospects could see more than just empty rooms.

He had excellent taste and a lot to invest in making kitchens look very attractive. She used things like bright green vases and colorful flower arrangements to make kitchens look lively. Whenever she had a high bar area to decorate, she would always set out yellow plates, black placemats, decorative wine glasses, cloth napkins with colored rings.

I would almost always choose MDF, raised panel cabinet doors, and a nice mid-tone Formica pattern for the countertops. They weren’t fancy houses they were remodeling. They were more for people who fell into the middle income bracket. He had developed a system that worked. All the houses we remodeled for her and her husband had kitchens with white cabinets.

Here are some ideas on how to decorate.

• Contrast with countertop colors, but not too dark
• Accent cabinets with attractive handles or knobs
• Install stained glass backsplashes in the kitchen between the counter and the bottom of the upper cabinet
• Decorate with brightly colored flowers, teapots, and hand towels.
• Small appliances like toasters or can openers can be purchased in various pleasing colors.
• Accent with Formica Wall Backsplash or Wall Mica
• Accent the base of the fingers and the edges of the countertop with a beautiful color
• Install real granite countertops
• Paint the ceilings or walls with bright colors
• fruit sneakers
• wine bottles
• cookbooks

Kitchens with white cabinets are not everyone’s cup of tea. I have had at least two clients out of three to four hundred tell me that white reminds them of being in a hospital or a doctor’s office.

Here’s the thing though, if you plan to sell in the next five years, install white cabinets and then accent colors around them. For many years, clients, realtors, and contractors have shared with me the importance of staying neutral with color selections when planning to sell your home years from now.

High-end homeowners seem to fit into a different group when they think about resale. People with money tend to buy things and remodel them according to their personal tastes. I installed bright red Formica cabinets with bright lime green countertops in a seaside home near the Gulf of Mexico. I guess the house would be worth at least two million dollars.

Contrasting flooring goes well with kitchens that have white cabinets. I personally like to see a nice natural oak color on the floors. You will have endless possibilities when it comes to decorating around white cabinets. If you take a moment to visit our site via the link below, you’ll find plenty of photos that you can get ideas from.

For whatever reason, many people have a hard time finding the right lighting solution for a deck or patio. The standard light designed with the house is too bright, although it offers good security and the low voltage lights that would be used out front along the driveway would not work. Now the question is what kind of landscape lighting fixtures would provide the perfect brightness, security, and look for this particular outdoor area.

One of the most popular solutions is garden chain lighting fixtures. These lights come in thousands of options, some producing more light than others. String lights are also sold in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and designs, so no matter what final look you want, you’ll have no trouble finding the right system. Also, garden chain lighting fixtures are inexpensive, though some look luxurious.

One of the biggest benefits of landscape lighting fixtures like this is that they literally take a very short time to install. Even if the deck or patio area does not have any type of awning or lattice top, the string lights can still be hung using various configurations. For example, these lights could be crisscrossed over the patio, hung on the railing of the terrace, etc.

Most people think of landscape string lighting fixtures as fun and quirky, something that would only be used to entertain family or friends, but in reality, this type of lighting solution could create any desired look. With so many design options, you can go for something unique that would make a great conversation piece, or choose a stylish design that would add a special vibe to your outdoor space.

Because garden chain lighting fixtures have a softer glow than other outdoor lighting solutions, the space is calmer and more relaxing. If you want a space with a romantic feel, you could go for a muted color with a simple or contemporary style, but if you prefer something a little livelier, flower or butterfly shaped lights in vibrant colors would be an option.

Although some people leave garden lights on year-round, for homes in regions with harsh winters, the lights are easy to remove and store until next year. In fact, many people remove the lights in the winter and display them in a family room or child’s bedroom until spring. These lights are easy to install and maintenance is virtually zero.

As you search for various specific options for garden string lighting fixtures, if you prefer something that produces a brighter glow, we suggest considering those designed to work with LED lights. In this case, the bulb is smaller than a traditional bulb, LED lights last longer, don’t get hot like other bulbs, and best of all, the bulbs consume very little energy. Because of this, you’d have a well-lit deck or patio, never worry about a fire hazard from a hot bulb, and spend fewer months than with other landscape lighting fixtures.

You could also consider solar powered garden string lighting fixtures. Obviously this is the most cost effective solution with the solar system recharging during the day so you can enjoy your deck or patio in style at night automatically. You’ll even find some solar string lighting systems that are programmable to come on at dusk but then off in the morning. Regardless, solar garden lighting fixtures typically provide a full 12 hours of illumination and are great.

Drawer pulls can draw a lot of attention to a large set of drawers, and if you want to paint them, you need to do it right. Painting does not have to be boring and we can turn it into a fun time while doing something. We will discuss the proper way you can paint your glass drawer pulls for the best results.

Before you do something you’ll regret with your glass drawer pulls, make sure the color you’re painting them matches the color of the drawers. Obviously, if it’s the same color as before or the same color as the drawers, you don’t have to worry. On the other hand, if you’re the type of person people make fun of because of your color choices (clothes, for example), you may want to get a second opinion. Doing so will help you be confident in your choice and make sure that you are choosing the best color.

When you decide to paint your glass drawer pulls, be sure to remove them from the drawers. If you try to paint them while they’re in the drawers, you could do something you’ll regret later. It only takes a few minutes to remove the knobs and pulls, but try to make sure that when you put them back, that’s where you took them from. Over time, handles can develop grooves in them that will wobble if you put them in a different spot.

Before you start painting your glass drawer pulls, now is your chance to clean them. Knobs and pulls don’t get cleaned very often and there may be some areas you won’t get to when you clean them while they’re still attached. Cleaning the handles can also help make the paint job go smoother, as cleaning will remove any debris, dirt or dust that will be covered by the paint. Painting over dust and dust can prevent the paint from applying evenly and therefore make the paint job look poor.

In short, painting your glass drawer pull hardware can be fun and can help you eliminate the cleanup at the same time. A new color of sweaters can add a bit of brightness to a dull room and make it lively again.

Sliding doors are unique devices that many people love to have in their homes, but you may not realize how efficient and inexpensive they are to use. If you plan to make any changes to the doors in your house, you may want to consider doors that are easier to maintain over the years.

These are the benefits of using sliding doors.

1. It takes up little space.

A sliding door can be installed as a front door, terrace door or side door. They just slide into a slot that was cut into the wall. It doesn’t open to a place that takes up more space like normal doors do, so you don’t have to scramble around the door when trying to get in or out. Sliding doors save space and are ideal for areas of high foot traffic. Also, if you have tables or decoration around that area, it won’t obstruct the entrance. You may have thought about buying a different size door, but it makes more sense to install a sliding door that doesn’t open at all.

2. It is ideal for patios and terraces.

Install a sliding door next to the deck so you have the easiest way to get in and out of the house from the backyard. You may have a lot of gatherings where people come in and out of your house and this type of gate makes it more convenient when you have parties or gatherings in your backyard.

3. Less mess and less hassle to install.

A standard door needs the wall to be broken to the specified size, while a sliding door can be installed along the wall through a slot to replace the current door that used to swing open. It is much easier to install the sliding door and there is less mess.

4. It locks securely.

These types of doors usually have two locking functions. One on the handle that locks the door and a pin at the top of the door to lock it securely. The sliding door has a simple but effective locking system and closes much more tightly than a normal door. This locking system is also very clean and tidy, which does not take away from the aesthetics of the glass panels.

5. You can choose glass, wood or metal.

It can be glass, wood or sheet metal. It can have patterns or designs to make it unique to you. It can be cut to a specific size if you wish. Glass doors can be tinted. Wooden doors can be carved with interesting designs or they can have glass panels. And those glass panels can have custom shapes or different colors. You can choose clear glass or a tinted option. You have the freedom to create your own masterpiece and let your imagination run wild during the design process.

One of the newer trends among the aging population is known as aging-in-place, or AIP. Many people no longer want to retire in a warm climate, preferring to stay, at least part of the year, where their children and extended family are. More specifically, they often want to stay in their own home. This is the first in a series of articles on ways to prepare a home for a simple lifestyle for an extended period of time.

In family situations where this may be the case, it makes sense, when undertaking any renovation, to look for ways of designing that allow an older occupant to more easily adapt the home as circumstances change.

The most common places where problems occur are bathrooms, kitchens, and walkways, including stairwells, doorways, and other areas where elevation changes occur, such as the home garage or front driveways.

This article will focus on bathrooms. Obstacles here can include the type of handles on fixtures, ease of getting on and off the toilet, general slippage that water can cause, and steps or curbs in bathtubs or showers. Preparing a bathroom to accommodate a wheelchair or walker is also worth thinking about when renovating.

Some solutions are extremely easy. All faucet companies have extensive lines of ADA approved faucets. Lever handles provide the ability to easily turn on and off, even with the wrist, if hand strength decreases. The faucets come in top-of-the-line styles and finishes, and can be used in the bathroom at any time. Lever handles are also a good idea on doors.

One of the most useful (and easy) ideas is the installation of reinforcements in walls for the future placement of support bars. Grab bars are typically located next to and behind toilets and around showers or tubs, and bracing typically consists of a piece of plywood or metal firmly attached to studs along the wall, typically 32″ apart. and 38″ from the floor for a horizontal bar, hidden behind the tile.

If you are changing the door, you may want to consider the opening width. A “usable” door that accommodates a wheelchair needs a 32″ clearance opening. This can usually be achieved with a standard installed 2′-10″ door.

Space is needed not only to open and through doors, but also to turn around and maneuver from the wheelchair to the toilet, bathtub or shower, or under a sink. Accessibility guidelines have been established over the years through federal laws, and these guidelines provide excellent standards when looking for design solutions. A wheelchair basically occupies 30″ x 48″ of space, so a circle with a diameter of 5 feet (60″) is considered to be the correct amount of clearance to allow a wheelchair to turn, either in the U of a U-shaped kitchen or bathroom, and a 30″ x 48″ area must be provided in front of any appliance where a wheelchair must go. Orientation will depend on how the person approaches the appliance .

In this situation, sinks can be installed on a countertop, without a base, or with retractable cabinet doors, to allow a user to slide under the sink. A minimum width of 2′-6″ is needed, with 3′ being the optimal width. Cabinet manufacturers have complete lines of cabinets designed to meet the growing need for accessibility in both the kitchen and bathroom.

A toilet should be located where there is a minimum of 33″ between a wall and the nearest fixture, with the toilet 1′-6″ from the wall to allow for the most efficient use of a grab bar along the side for get help if you want. . Most toilet accessory manufacturers now produce so-called “comfort height” toilets that have the equivalent seat of a chair, higher than the traditional toilet, that are easier for any age to sit on and get up from.

Finally, let’s talk about bathtubs and showers. If floor space below a shower area allows, a shower can be recessed so that its entry is flush with the bathroom floor for wheel-in access. “Wet area designs”, where the shower floor functions as the entrance to the bathtub, can use space very efficiently and basically allow a tileable part of the room to act as a a shower. Trench drains at the edge of the tile can prevent water from running away. If a shower cannot be built in, nor a “wet area” is desired, there are collapsible rubber water barriers, which will allow wheelchair access to the shower, keeping the water in, although this is not such a solution. desirable. At a minimum, a shower should be 36″ deep to minimize uneven surfaces and allow enough space for grab bars and a seat so one person can safely and comfortably use the facility.

This article is intended as an introduction to some solutions to common problems that arise in homes based on the age of the occupants, and the writer suggests that you contact your architect or contractor for more specific information on the possibilities in your home.

You’d like to remodel your bathroom or kitchen and have a pretty good idea of ​​how you want it to look, but where do you start? Who do you call first? Do you find someone in the Yellow Pages or on the Internet? Stop pulling your hair out, because I’m about to share five of the most important things to consider before starting any home remodeling project.

1. Go to the library and get some books? If you are going to remodel your bathroom, find some books on bathroom remodeling and start looking at the pictures, learn about the different styles, and then get more books. More books generally means more images, and more images lead us to our next tip.

2. A picture is worth a thousand words. It doesn’t really matter what section of the house you’re remodeling, if you don’t know exactly what you want it to look like, you’re going to have to start looking at pictures and look at as many pictures as possible. , until you find something you really want.

3. Will this design work well in my home? It will never be a good idea to install Spanish tiles in a contemporary bathroom. Make sure your remodeling project matches the style of the rest of your home.

4. How much is this going to cost? You can get prices for all the items you plan to install and this should be a good start. For labor prices, you’ll need to contact a contractor, but only do so after reading tip number five.

5. How do I find a good contractor? This is not as difficult as most people think it is, but you will need to look for three very important things. Make sure you get along with the contractor, have enough experience to complete the project, and of course make sure they actually have a contractor’s license.

To sum it all up, if you don’t really know what you want, start looking at pictures and if you don’t know how much things are going to cost, start reading some books on construction costs. If you don’t know who to hire, start asking your friends for referrals.

Good luck and I hope this helps on your next remodeling project.

Professionals like celebrity chef Pete Evans will attest to the fact that a kitchen is so much more than beautiful cabinets and a stunning backsplash. Whether you have a small space in the suburbs or a large kitchen in a high-rise, a well-designed kitchen creates minimal clutter and is highly efficient. If you are designing for a commercial kitchen, it is recommended that you consult the Australian Business Licensing and Information Service (ABLIS) to verify what compliance requirements you are expected to meet in terms of standards, permits and approvals.

Integrate the following thoughtful tips and ideas when planning your kitchen renovation for a space that is easy and enjoyable to work in, as well as highly functional. Remember, when it comes to designing your kitchen, form follows function.

Identify Your Kitchen Design Focal Point

Select a focal point in your design and balance that particular area with several other quieter and softer eye-pleasing fixtures. Bright cabinets, sleek kitchen flooring, expansive range hoods, and attractive countertop designs will give you plenty to look at.

Consider your countertops

When planning your renovations, keep in mind that those who tend to cook more frequently may need more counter space, especially between the sink and the stove, than people who only cook occasionally or prepare simple, undemanding What Pete Evans would need for a TV commercial kitchen would be more complex compared to a kitchen that only serves five members of a family. Consider incorporating two different counter heights to make baking less strenuous and accessible to children who might be helping prepare meals.

Eliminate wasted steps

Think about how to reduce unnecessary physical movement in the kitchen. For example, store your breakfast bowls and food near the family breakfast table. Locate major dinnerware and cutlery near the dishwasher to facilitate the unloading process. Keep plastic wrap and containers in a convenient location near your work surface for quick and easy wrapping of leftover food.

Design walkways that are wide and convenient

Ideally, pathways through your kitchen should be a minimum of 36 inches wide. Within the cooking zone, pathways must be at least 48 inches wide for a 2-cook configuration and 42-inches for a 1-cook kitchen configuration. As you plan, adjust your kitchen peninsulas and islands accordingly. Master Builders Association of the ACT have developed a particularly useful design resource, ‘Housing for Life, 2001’ from which you can collect some useful design ideas and advice.

Direct your kitchen traffic

For a kid-friendly kitchen layout, keep the range away from normal traffic areas so your kids don’t accidentally or (or even intentionally!) get caught in the running handles and cause dangerous spills. Also, make your refrigerator easily accessible to everyone who may be using the kitchen and other household members.

Use colors appropriately

If you’re designing a small kitchen, keep in mind that color schemes that are dark will tend to make the small space appear even smaller. Use natural light and soft tones in your kitchen cabinets to give a visual impression of extra space.

The allusion that seems to be made, that the natural stone installed in your home is hazardous to your health, is mentioned repeatedly on the website and on a recent local Houston television news program.

It is interesting to note that the two main contributors to this non-profit organization are engineered stone manufacturers. One of those contributing manufacturers has a marketing executive on the board of directors of this particular organization.

From what may be perceived on the surface as perhaps another “go green” ad campaign, appears to be a different take on the ongoing battle of engineered stone manufacturers against natural stone.

Keep in mind that granite, like most natural components found in building materials, allows the passage of vapors that may contain trace amounts of radon. Very small amounts of uranium are found in trace minerals such as biotite in some natural stones. When mining from a quarry, if a large clump of biotite is exposed, the initial result would be a radon reading. However, once a piece of granite or natural stone exposed to a large amount of uranium-rich ore in the ground is removed from the source and exposed to air, the radon vapor transmission would be drastically weakened and then dissipated. . Simply put, think of natural stone as a very dense sponge that allows water, air, and radon to pass through the stone. Once the stone is removed from the radon source (the soil), the stone has no radon to filter through.

We support testing for radon, but to suggest that natural stone is a major contributor seems ridiculous.

Here are some facts about radon:

WHERE DOES RADON COME FROM?

“Radon comes from the natural radioactive decay of radium and uranium found in the soil under the house. The amount of radon in the soil depends on the complex chemistry of the soil, which varies from house to house. Levels Radon in soil varies from a few hundred to several thousand pCi/L.The amount of radon that escapes from the soil to enter the house depends on the climate, soil porosity, soil moisture, and suction within the house. home”.

HOW DOES RADON ENTER THE HOUSE?

“Houses act like big chimneys. As the air in the house heats up, it rises and filters through the attic openings and around the upper story windows. This creates a little suction at the lowest level of the house. , drawing radon out of the ground and into the house (much like natural stone filters out radon emission, as mentioned above). You can test this on a cold day by opening a top-story window an inch. You’ll notice that the Warm air from the house is blown out through that opening, but if you open the basement window an inch, you’ll feel the cold air from outside coming in. This suction is what pulls the radon out of the ground and into the house. which will stop caulking cracks and openings in the basement floor.radon from entering the home.However, scientific studies show that it only takes enough unsealed cracks or holes in the caulk to equal a 1/2 hole ” in diameter to let in all the radon. Caulking accessible cracks and joints is unlikely to permanently seal the openings that radon needs to enter the home. Radon levels will likely remain unchanged.

Fortunately, there are other extremely effective ways to keep radon out of your home. Across the country, several million people have already been tested for radon. Some houses tested up to 2000-3000 pCi/L; however, there hasn’t been a house that couldn’t mitigate to an acceptable level. The difference in reference to natural stone is that once the stone slab is removed from the source and exposed to the atmosphere, the radon is vented out in the same way that home ventilation mitigates radon emissions in the air. floor.

The radiation levels of granite products, which are technically measurable, are in fact small fractional values ​​of established thresholds for environmental safety. The truth of the matter is that granite is a safe product. It has been used for thousands of years and the relationship between granite and radon has been studied for years and years. How safe is granite? Mathematical models have been developed showing that one could live in an all-granite house or building, even sleep on granite, for an entire year and still be within very safe levels of exposure.

Calculations show that if an average countertop traps an average uranium concentration of four ppm (parts per million), the concentration of radon emitted by the countertop into home air would be 270,000 times lower than the level of radon in outdoor air. The maximum contact level you would receive in a year if you were sitting on a counter all the time would be about a quarter of the annual radiation from all sources. If it were only a few inches from the granite (like when you wash dishes), the dose would be too low to measure.

To quote Donald Langmuir, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Geochemistry, Colorado School of Mines, and President, Hydrochem Systems Corp.

“To show just how laughable the concerns about radon emitted by natural stone are, the typical granite countertop in our example will release 7.4 x 10 -7 pCi/L of air. This corresponds to 2.7 x 10 -8 decays of atoms per second (dps).” This represents 0.85 disintegrations per year. In other words, the hob produces less than one atom of radon in a year. This is not worth getting excited about. I would suggest that a good way to reduce our exposure to radon in the outdoor air would be to build an airtight house with granite countertops! There are certain properties of rocks that can increase their radon emanation efficiency, or in other words, increase the release of radon from a given weight of rock. the exposure of internal or external rock surfaces to water or air, allowing radon gas to escape. This is probably true, however, a granite with such properties would be too brittle to make into a countertop and too open to polish, so it would not be marketable as a countertop unless the pores in the rock were first filled with a product. chemical. sealant. Such sealing would also eliminate any potential radon release issues.”

In a more recent study by LL Chyi, Ph.D. and professor of geochemistry and environmental geology at the University of Akron, Akron, Ohio. Dr. Chyi studied 13 of the most popular granites used in the United States as determined by an industry-wide survey. Due to their popularity, these 13 granites are believed to account for up to 85% of the granite countertop market in recent years. The types of granite are the following:

1. New Venetian Gold, Brazil; medium-grained yellow-beige gneiss with many dark red garnets

2. Uba Tuba, Brazil; A medium to coarse grained olive green granite

3. Santa Cecilia, Brazil; A coarse-grained, greyish-yellow gneiss with pie-sized red garnets

4. Tropic Brown, Saudi Arabia; medium grain brown granite

5. Absolute black, India; black basalt

6. Tan Brown, India; A dark brown igneous rock with large, shapeless, reddish-brown feldspar crystals.

7. Giallo Ornamental, Brazil; coarse-grained, yellow-brown granulite with some reddish-brown garnets

8. Cream Bordeaux, Brazil; Juparana Burgundy Cream (Brunello). A coarse to very coarse grained, pink to red granite with areas of quartz, alkali feldspar and quite a bit of mineral.

9. Baltic Brown, Finland; brown-black granite

10. Giallo Veneziano, Brazil; medium to coarse grained gneiss, ocher yellow to golden brown, also light pink

11. Mahogany Dakota, USA; medium to coarse grained, reddish brown granite

12. China Black, China, a fine-grained plutonic rock

13. Yellow Star, China, a medium grain yellow to pink granite

The test methodology was designed to measure the amount of radon each type of granite would add to the interior of a 2,000-square-foot, normally ventilated home with 8-foot ceilings. The results show that Cream Bordeaux (the most active in terms of radon emissions) would contribute a component concentration of less than 0.28 pCi/L, or less than 7% of the EPA recommended actionable level of 4.0 pCi /L. This amount of radon is well below a level that could cause health problems. Tropic Brown and Baltic Brown, ranked second and third in radon release according to Dr. Chyi’s tests, amounted to only 1% of this action level. The other granites tested added almost immeasurable amounts of radon to the house. Radon atoms in pore spaces and fractures are of minimal concern for granite countertops.

Dr. Chyi’s test results show that granites currently on the US market are negligible contributors to radon levels in the home. “Based on EPA test results and standards, we can conclude that the most popular granites used as countertop surfaces do not pose a health threat to homeowners. If proper sealing is applied once a year or with other frequencies determined by the industry, radon emanation can be further reduced.”

Daniel J. Steck, Ph.D., also ran a test on indoor granite and radon, and here’s what he said.

“The average radionuclide content of their building material samples is similar to that of other average samples of granite and other common earth-derived building materials, such as bricks and soil. Therefore, the amount of gamma radiation emitted by masses similar of these building materials will be approximately the same;

There is little sample-to-sample variation in the concentrations of radionuclides of the radon family; the radon flux is somewhat higher for counter squares than for smaller samples. This indicates that the effective diffusion length is only on the order of the thickness of the countertop samples, ie several centimeters. Therefore, material thicker than 2″ (5 cm) will most likely emit no more than countertop samples.

While we believe that health safety is a great concern, especially in our homes, it is reprehensible for an industry to attempt financial gain through “scare tactics” or under the auspices of “Ecology.” We urge the consumer not to be fooled by these scare tactics.

If you have bed bugs at home, an integrated pest management (IPM) approach is best for solving the problem. Bed bugs are difficult pests to control. However, there are things you can do to treat the problem before treatment is applied.

Once bed bugs in your home are identified and confirmed, there are certain pre-treatment steps you need to follow. Preparing the room for bed bug inspection is essential to successful bed bug control.

A thorough inspection before any cleaning allows you to determine the extent of the problem. Prevent bed bug disturbance and spread prior to treatment application.

bed bug inspection checklist

A. Remove window shades and drapes and place in plastic trash bags and seal tightly.

b. Remove all bedding, pillows, and covers from the bed and place them in plastic bags. Seal the bags well before transporting them to the laundromat.

against Empty drawers, cabinets, nightstands, cupboards and tables and place your belongings in plastic bags. Seal the bags well.

d. Put clothes, coats, and shoes in plastic bags. Seal the bags well before taking them to the laundromat.

my. Place all loose clothing (eg items outside the dresser) in plastic bags and wash according to the washing instructions below.

F. Remove all items from under the bed and on the floor and place in plastic trash bags and seal tightly.

gram. Place all items that cannot be washed (eg, plastic toys, books, electronics) in plastic bags for inspection and seal them tightly.

H. Remove all fabric and plush items, except plush furniture, place in plastic bags and seal tightly.

Yo. Remove and wash pillows from plush furniture if possible.

d. Pull all furniture a minimum distance of 18 inches from the wall.

k. Remove electrical outlet covers, wall switch plates, telephone jack plates, and light switch covers.

I. Remove all wall hangings (eg picture frames, mirrors) and clean and treat items.

Mister. Remove the TV from the wall unit, if applicable. Keep all electrical equipment in treatment areas.

No. If there are heating or air conditioning units near the bed, remove the front panel to inspect it.

and. Get rid of rugs at the junction of the wall and floor. Do not remove the rug from the room.

p. Remove all wall-mounted items and place in a plastic bag for inspection.

Q. Remove covers from electrical outlets and switch plates.

A. Place books, magazines, notepads and files, etc. in a bag for your inspection.

s. Remove everything from the floor to allow for a thorough inspection.

t. Pets and humans must leave the area during treatment and wait outside the area for at least 4 hours after treatment.

You If you have a fish tank at home, cover it with a towel or plastic because it is extremely sensitive to pesticides.

v. Clean all bedding and other items and isolate them until the bed bug problem is resolved.

w. Make sure you have access to the bed, closet, all furniture, and baseboard to inspect and treat.

X. Remove the baseboard from the wall when possible.

and. Dispose of all plastic bags used to transport infested items in an outside trash can.

Washing instructions

Wash all washable items (eg, bedding, pillowcases, plush cushions, etc.) in hot water (>60°C or 140°F). [thermal death point rate]) and then place the washed items in the dryer and set the temperature to thermal death point for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Put the items in plastic garbage bags after drying and seal the bags tightly. Keep all laundered items out of the infested room until the infestation problem has been resolved.