As a qualified duct cleaning contractor I have discovered that most homeowners feel that they are very uninformed when it comes to understanding what size vacuum should be used to clean their air duct system.

We are continuously asked weather we use a portable vacuum or a truck mounted vacuum and 90% of the time the customer really has no idea why they are even asking this question except for the fact that they have been told that either a portable is better or that a truck mount is better.

Of course most Duct Cleaning companies that you call will inevitably tell you that their vacuum is better than the other guys…They are after all trying to get your business.

The truth is that any vacuum that produces at least 2000cfm (two thousand cubic feet per minute) of air flow will be enough to extract the dust from your duct system provided that the duct cleaning contactor uses standard tools and procedures set forth by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association.

I can appreciate that from a customer’s point of view it would seem that the vacuum would be the most important piece of equipment in a Duct Cleaners arsenal, however, the vacuum really is last on the list.

The importance in equipment is as follows: First would be the Technician and the skills he or she processes, Secondly would be the Air Compressor that is used (this is where bigger is better) Third would be the host of agitation tools used to dislodge the debris and move it toward the vacuum and Last but not least is the vacuum itself.

So next time a Duct Cleaning company tries to sell you on their service strictly on the type of the vacuum they use, I suggest you ask some serious questions pertaining to their level of competence and rate of customer satisfaction.

Duct Cleaning Could be the Healthiest Home Improvement You Will Ever Make!

Pat Johnson – President of Enviro-Pure Air Care
ductcleaningottawa.com/ Duct Cleaning located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Pat has many years experience in the Duct Cleaning Industry and has written numerous articles about Duct Cleaning practices.

One day last week my kitchen sink got clogged, while frustrating I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal.

I just grabbed the Liquid Plumber I had bought for just such an occasion, and then presto. Nothing.

So we head off to Wal-Mart, my daughter in her jammies since she was just about to go to bed. I found the Draino, my daughter suggested to get two just in case and after the Liquid Plumber hadn’t worked I though maybe I better.

Tried it and it didn’t work, so then I decided to let it really have some time to work over night. Still in the morning a clog.

So I call a plumber and he had the clog fixed in no time, and he gave me a bit of advice that I am going to be using now.

He told me once a week to fill up both my sinks and then let the water out on both at the same time. He said the cyclonic action of the water would continue all the way through my pipes and keep me from having a clog.

He said as long as you don’t put a lot of grease down your drain you should never have a clog.

So I thought I would share this tip with all of you. I figure it doesn’t cost anything and takes less than 5 minutes so why not.

Another tip someone else had given me that I forgot to ask the plumber about is to take a can of salt every month and flush it down your toilet. They told me it would keep tree roots from growing toward your pipes. So since I have trees in my backyard I salt the toilet once a month too.

About the Author:

Robin Reckard, co-founder of jorbins.com/ Jorbins.com Lifestyle Magazine, keeps busy producing, writing, and editing for the magazine as well as raising and enjoying her six year old daughter. Be sure and visit Jorbins jorbins.com/baby-nursery-magazine/ Baby and Parenting Section for other great parenting and child development articles. Lots of great jorbins.com/baby-nursery-magazine/parenting-advice.html Parenting Tips can be found there too.

Copyright 2006, Jorbins Inc. – Reprints of this article can be made as long as the article is in it’s entirety, unchanged, and the resource box with links and urls remain unchanged.

When you want to add value to your home there is probably no better place to start than with a well done bathroom home improvement and kitchen repair project. Many home improvement plans include one room or another, but as this article will discuss it can be extremely valuable to consider combining both the bathroom home improvement and kitchen repair as one larger project. You may find that you save money by doing both at the same time too.

The kitchen and bathroom are two of the most heavily used spaces in the entire home. The kitchen is often considered one of the primary places in the home. Perhaps, the most beneficial improvements you can do when consider a bathroom home improvement and kitchen repair project is to start with the kitchen and bathroom counter tops. Many people start with the bathroom and kitchen cabinets, but often times you can make a change to the counter tops, and then get by with just touching up the cabinets to cleverly save a couple of hundred dollars.

Stop and plan before you rip those countertops out

When choosing your countertops you will want to decide on three very important factors before you get too far involved with this project.

One – How easy do you want to make them to clean?

Two – Will you use any tile on your counter tops?

Three – Could you possibly add an additional sink?

If you are thinking about selling your home you may want to strongly examine more closely the look of your counter tops rather than how easy they are to clean. If you are considering tile accents for your counter tops this could rapidly involve a little more expense, but if your home is in the higher value range it may be a smart way to go. If you have the space it would be wise to consider definitely adding an addition sink in the kitchen. Maybe you could even add a vegetable sink.

Saving money with a little bartering

Since you will be doing both a bathroom home improvement and kitchen repair you can buy both countertops at the same time, and perhaps save a little money with some bartering. You might get a better deal with this method by visiting your nearby building supply and dealing with the owner of the store directly rather than a larger corporate building supply company. Your next bathroom home improvement and kitchen repair project should be a success if you plan ahead and think about the matters discussed in this article.

Find more helpful best-home-improvement-projects.com home improvement tips by visiting best-home-improvement-projects.com best-home-improvement-projects.com where you will find helpful home improvement tips, advice and resources including information on easy home improvement projects, kitchen repair and best-home-improvement-projects.com/Bathroom-Home-Improvement-and-Kitchen-Repair.php Bathroom Home Improvement and Kitchen Repair

Installing hardwood floors is one of the best things you can do for your home. There is something about hardwood floors that simply make a house feel homey. While the feelings that hardwood floors seem to add to a home are rather difficult to describe, I’m sure that if you’ve ever been in a home with these types of floors that you understand exactly what I’m talking about.

These wonderful floors are also a great idea when it comes to design and décor. These floors go a long way towards making a house feel like a home. If you are in the market for a new house, you may want to seriously consider those homes that already have hardwood floors, as they will be more valuable over time than those homes without them. Keep in mind that hardwood floors do in fact add value to a home that is on the market and will gain a lot of interest on the part of potential buyers. Hardwood floors are in fact a major selling point when it comes to the homes of today.

Another thing to keep in mind about hardwood floors is the fact that there is a huge selection of woods from which you may choose the one that is best for your home. This means you can choose many woods that will not only match the design of your room but also any color scheme that you are hoping to achieve as well. You should not have to compromise on the look you are hoping to achieve in order to have hardwood floors in your home.

You will find that your home is served for many years by good quality hardwoods that are well maintained and properly cared for. These floors will create a great setting for a warm and cozy home, which is preferred by many who want their home to be an inviting place for friends and family to visit. In fact, wood is appropriate for all kinds of décor and design plans, the biggest question almost always lies in what colors you will go with for your flooring.

Yet another great advantage to hardwood floors is the ease with which you can clean them. In fact, the last few years have brought great advances in the technology of floor cleaning. This means that there are new products on the market, which make the prospect of floor cleaning much less painful than they have been at any other time in the past. In addition to the wonderful cleaning products in today’s market there is the fact that wood seems to collect less dust and dirt than other flooring materials. You should also notice that keeping hardwood floors clean is much easier than carpet and you won’t have to worry with the allergens that are known to collect in your carpeting if you aren’t diligent with steam cleaning and daily vacuuming.

If you happen to be in the market for new flooring there are a few bits of information that may help you make the final decision about the floors you will ultimately choose. First of all, you should find out how much the floors you are considering will cost. You should also find out if there are any special maintenance requirements or issues. Expensive maintenance requirements can add a huge expense once the floors have been installed and you should be aware of those before making your final decision. There is one thing I can tell you that is a near certainty: if you have quality hardwood floors installed in your home you will have floors that should remain beautiful and durable for quite a long time.

Thinking of installing hardwood floors? Already enjoying the benefits of a hardwood floor? Learn more about refinishedhardwood.com/installing_hardwood_floors/index.asp how to install laminated floors, refinishedhardwood.com/Refinishing-Hardwood-Floors.asp refinish hardwood floors and refinishedhardwood.com/How-To-Properly-Clean-Hardwood-Floors.asp how to care for hardwood floors.