Do You Live Life on Default Or Do You Participate in Your Life

It's incredible the number of people who do very little or no planning in their lives. Who is in charge? What is there to be gained from wandering about life from experience to experience without having any idea of where you are going? I like to think of it as though there is an auto-pilot flying your life - sometimes you'll get something that you really want or arrive somewhere you really want to be, but most of the time, you are simply going to get what you get.

In order to live your life with a sense of direction, you have to make some decisions. You have to decide:

• Where you are going
• What you want to be, do and have
• How active you are going to be in pursuing your goals

I'm a firm believer that there is no pre-determined purpose to our lives and that ultimately, it makes no difference if you live your life set to default, or if you take an active role in your life's direction and purpose. I do get the sense that to live our lives set to default is to miss out on some of the wonderful journeys we are able to create for ourselves. If you constantly find yourself arriving at a new destination, that you didn't pre-plan or intend to arrive at, then surely you've simply been a passenger in your life and not the driver. Ultimately though, if you understand that you have the choice to participate or sit back and let it happen, then you make the choice from an informed position. There are many people who are unaware that they do have the choice to participate in life and it is these people who have the most to gain from reading these words.

So rather than being a passenger, decide where you wish to go, who you wish to be and what you wish to have in your life, and then take action and make it happen.

Dan O'Neil offers Life Coaching and personal development training services in the UK. He specialises in helping people improve their confidence, self esteem and work-life balance. Dan also writes a popular personal development blog.

Ice Dams - House Remodeling Ideas

There is nothing like winter in Michigan when 12 or 14 inches of snow pile up overnight and its Saturday morning with nowhere to go. But soon there looks like an ice flow from an Antarctic glacier hanging over the edge of your house. Now you start to worry about the gutters you didn't clean last fall because the freezing temperatures came even before the leaves fell. Well good news: Full gutters do not cause ice dams!

Ice dams are caused for two reasons: Heavy snowfall and poor design, insulation and ventilation of the roof and attic of the home. When snow stacks up on the roof and temperatures remain well below freezing, the snow melts from the bottom next to your roof. The heat lost from the house through the roof causes the snow to melt and run down under the snow pack to the eves where it refreezes and starts to stack up and hang over the edge. Water will pool behind this wall of ice and eventually work its way under the shingles and leak into your attic, through your ceilings and even down the walls into the basement! During the winter your gutters are filled with snow and ice and do not drain at all. Many people experience water in the basement when we have a sudden rain in the winter before their gutters have a chance to thaw. The water runs right off the roof, over the gutters and drains down the basement walls.

Many houses were built over the years with short eves, or that portion of the roof that overhangs the wall. Some houses have no eves at all! This type of design does not allow for much soffit ventilation. Look under the eves to see if you have grates or vents installed. Generally the more you have the better. These vents let cold air get sucked into the attic by the warm air heated because of poor insulation in your attic. This air is then vented through roof can or ridge vents. Now look at the roof of your house. How many can vents do you see? A ridge vent instead looks like very thick shingles along the peak of the roof. "Can" style vents are now being thought as better than ridge vents that have been popular recently.

So here are two things you can do to lessen the impact of ice dams: First, check your attic insulation. This is not complex work but very demanding physically. You'll have to be able to crawl and scoot your way around the attic without putting your foot through the ceiling. Lay the rolled, bat or loose insulation carefully but do not block the soffit vents from the inside! Go into the attic and turn off the lights and you should be able to locate the vents by the light coming up through the grates. Wear protective clothing and a breathing mask. Second, increase the number of soffit vents under the eves. This may be a job for a contractor and is not that expensive considering the utility costs you'll save.

So OK, you'll get to that insulation and venting thing ASAP but you have water dripping trough the ceilings now. You need to act right away: First, drill or push a sharp tool through the ceiling where ever you see water stains. This will drain water into a bucket and decrease the amount of damage to the ceiling. The small hole can be patched latter and touched up with paint. Next get some calcium chloride to put on the roof. (Calcium chloride is a salt that will not damage your shingles and be easier on the plants below) Spread the calcium along the top of the ice dam concentrating it in several places to melt a "trough" to drain the water away. You can also pack panty hose with the calcium chloride and lay them across the ice dam (and no, this is not the time to make jokes about your wife's skinny legs! She's mad enough about the ceilings already)

Never go on the roof or allow anyone else to go up there; this is lunacy! Roofs are dangerous, even deadly on a warm dry day, don't take the risk! It will be a mess but throw the salt up from the ground or step ladder if necessary. Never use an ax, hammer or hatchet; this will damage the roof for sure. And never, ever use a torch! (Beyond lunacy!)

Because ice dams are caused by certain weather patterns everybody and his dog is buying snow or roof rakes after a heavy snowfall. If you are lucky enough to find one of these light-weight tools at the hardware you can rake the soft snow from the roof too. This is also a good preventive measure if it can be done soon after a snowfall.

Mother Nature will have the last word but taking action now and being prepared to deal with ice dams quickly and safely will reduce much of the damage and danger to you and your home.

Frank Kalinski is a licensed builder in the State of Michigan and has run a gutter repair service for five years. Now doing home residential rental inspection for property owners he has seen many homes and how people live in them. He sees many products and designs years after construction; some things work well and some not. Simple, basic, tried and true generally last the longest and are most economical. Please visit my new web site at http://frg-s.com/

How to Refinish Coffee Tables

Coffee tables, due to their size, are great to keep around and use for many years. They receive a good deal of punishment, though, as they can be used for a variety of activities. Serving drinks, playing cards, and eating while watching television are all suited to coffee tables. A quality finish will stand up to regular wear and tear, but you may find that the day comes to strip the old finish and apply a new one. Coffee tables are good to work with as they usually don't have a large surface area and are fairly simple in design. Many of them don't feature tricky corners or ornaments.

The first step is to remove the old finish. A bristle brush, a good mask, and a chemical strip will be necessary. The chemicals will give off powerful fumes, so be sure to invest in a high quality mask. Apply the strip with the brush and scrub vigorously. Most coffee tables will require this step to be repeated once or twice.

After letting the fumes evaporate, move in with a paint scraper. Be careful here, as you do not want to damage the wood. Doing so will create another problem that is not remedied quite as easily (coffee tables can be fixed with filler, usually). After the old finish is stripped completely, you can start the next step.

You have a lot of freedom here, as there are a number of stains and finishes that can be applied to modern coffee tables. Determine what look you want for the table, and decide on a product that matches it as closely as possible. Some even contain a finish and sealant together. These can be very useful. Whatever you ultimately choose, determine if a sealant will be necessary. If the finish you use does not contain one, purchase and apply it separately. Follow the instructions on the product label, as there are specific methods for various substances. Some are even designed for coffee tables.

FeelMoreHuman.com offers a wide selection of coffee tables, console tables, and other coffee tables at great discount prices. Visit RogueStatus' blog for details.

Considerations When Building a Backyard Pond

Liner ponds are probably the most widely used as you can create the size and shape you want (within the constrictions of the chosen site). The pond is dug out and an underlay is put down first to protect the pond liner from sharp objects that could puncture it and cause a leak. A concrete 'collar' needs to be constructed around the shape of the pond to give rigidity to the area if people are likely to stand on the edge of the pond. The paving or other material you chose to put around the edge of the pond will camouflage the concrete and the pond liner.

Rigid pond shells offer a convenient and trouble-free method of creating a pond. There are several different shapes to choose from and are light enough to enable you to move it around until you find a suitable position to place it.

Make sure there are no tree roots or drains nearby that can interfere with the pond. Check for any damage i.e. holes or cracks before putting it in the ground.A patio pond can be created using any form of rigid shape and a wall can be created around it. There are new shaped materials on the market that can be used to create the walls making job this much easier. The materials can be dry laid and this means you can move the pond in the winter. As you lay the walling ensure that it is level and upright as it would be unstable and could be dangerous and even fall over. If you want to add lighting or a fountain it's a good idea to site it close to power points.

You can learn more about wildlife and fish ponds by visiting my site http://www.backyardponds.info

Practical Affirmation - Focused Action

Everybody knows what an affirmation is, right? A little recitation you say a few times in the morning to make the mirror happy. Positive thinking. A gimmick. A cynic might perceive affirmations as naive self-deception or even as lies.

Sometimes it seems that way, doesn't it? You've chanted the phrase, "I am abundance and prosperity" a boatload of times and still have trouble paying the bills. You've affirmed, "I am the possibility of energy and vitality" and still you're exhausted. You've ranted, "I love and believe in myself!" with the best of 'em, but your self-esteem just doesn't take off.

Yet we also hear the magnificent success stories. Is there a trick to this affirmation game?

Yep. Sure is. And you're about to learn what it is.

Besides the actual language of the affirmation, there are a few more things that need to happen in order to bring the deal to life. Today, we'll be looking at action. Sometimes people get this part backwards, as I hope the following snippet will illustrate:

Me, to wellness coaching participant: So how has your self-image project been coming along?

Participant: I haven't done anything.

Me: We wrote out your action steps for the past week in your planner. Did you follow them?

Participant: Nope. Haven't even opened it.

Me: Why not?

Participant: Low self-esteem.

No amount of affirmation is going to overcome the refusal to take action. The average person, once they say they're going to do something, will set an internal expectation that they're going to do it. Sometimes something happens and it doesn't get done -- ever.

Typically, at that point the person will make up a story in their head about why they didn't do it. Next time a similar situation comes up, something like this will begin to play on their internal tape loop: "I didn't feel like doing it last time, so I didn't. I'm still alive. I survived without doing it last time. Guess I can survive without doing it again now. I'm off the hook!"

Off the hook, yes. Happy? Not a chance.

The person who gets caught in this feedback loop has just conclusively proved to himself that he is a liar. He said he was going to do something, and then let himself off the hook without following through. He is still alive, but he feels like a schmuck.

He also doesn't have the tangible outcome that the action would have produced.

This is what happened to Joe, who was recently laid off from his job as a carpenter. Things are tight. But his sister told him not to worry. She even helped him out by suggesting a calming affirmation:

"My family is securely provided for. All our needs are fulfilled."

Joe started saying the affirmation, just like his sister told him. The next night while spacing out in front of the TV, Joe got a brainstorm. "We've got a big backyard," he thought. "I'll plant a vegetable garden! At least we won't be hungry."

Next time Joe was at the store, he picked up a few seed packets. When he got them home, he read the directions on the back. Plant in well-prepared soil.

Joe, not being an experienced gardener, wasn't sure how to prepare the soil. He never got around to figuring it out and didn't plant the seeds. Now, 2 months later, he's short the cash he spent and has nothing to show for it.

"These affirmations don't work!" he moans. "I said it and nothing happened! Still no job, and we've about tapped out our savings."

As I tell the story here, it's pretty obvious that the affirmation really could have worked. Joe had the insight he needed. He just didn't follow through with action. To make matters worse, his mind is now telling him, "You're a guy who doesn't follow through. No point thinking up any more bright ideas, is there?" The door to creative solutions has slammed shut.

Oh yeah. Joe's job counselor says he has low self-esteem.

Had he planted the garden, chances are that Joe's self-esteem would have weathered the storm just fine. How come? Well, instead of eating frozen chicken nuggets and popcorn for dinner, he'd be fat and happy on fresh garden produce. The nutrition alone would have given him a boost. But that's just the beginning.

Had he planted the garden, Joe would have earned the right to think of himself as a resourceful individual who seizes inspiration, trusts his instincts, and follows through. That mental state would most likely have him think of a few other things, too, beyond the garden. He would most likely have followed through on some of those inspirations as well. Might even have gotten himself another job by now.

Focused action is one of the key factors that brings affirmation to life. Why not make a plan and try it?

Elizabeth Eckert coaxes, cajoles, and gently guides the creation of healing intent. She's the founder of http://www.wordcures.com and author of Word Cures: How to Keep Stupid Excuses From Sabotaging Your Health. Align your whole self for health ... starting today! Share "Arielle's" real-life success story and optimize your own natural healing energy.

Frozen Pipes - Home Advice For Repairs

First, it's important to know which pipes are frozen. If your water will not drain, this means your drain pipes are frozen. If no water comes out of the faucet, this means that your supply line pipes are frozen.

DRAIN PIPES:

What to do: If your sinks, toilets, showers or tubs will not drain, this means that your drain pipes could be frozen. If your drain pipe is frozen, open cabinet doors or cut into your walls or ceilings to allow the heat from your home to get to the pipes. To heat your pipes faster, a hair dryer is a great way to warm them up. Please use the hair dryer with care - if water starts leaking out, the hair dryer can short circuit.

Why it happens: Many times pipes freeze due to finishing off a basement. When the basement was unfinished, the pipes were exposed to the heat of the home. Once the basement is finished, the sheetrock and insulation blocks off the pipes from getting heat from the home. If the pipes freeze, the could cause damage to newly finished basements.

How to prevent it: A simple precaution for preventing frozen drain pipes can be as easy as cutting a 6x9 return air grate in the area to allow warmth into the joyced cavity. Always remember to insulate your pipes from the cold, but not from the heat in the house.

SUPPLY LINE PIPES:

What to do: If your water will not come out of the faucet or shower head, this means that your supply line could be frozen. Your pipes could be burst, so first you must shut your water off at the main. You will want to get heat to your pipes. The best way to heat them is to open cabinets and doors, cut holes in the walls and use fans or hair dryers to warm them up. Again, please use care when working with the hair dryer, if it gets wet, the hair dryer can short circuit. Warming the pipes is important, and the extent of the damage cannot be determined until they are mostly thawed.

Why it happens: Many times pipes freeze due to recently finishing off a basement or a change in insulation. The pipes in your home need to be insulated only from the cold on the outside, but not from the heat on the inside. If your pipes are insulated from the heat inside your home, they have no way of staying warm.

What do do after the pipes are thawed: If after the pipes are thawed, there are non leaks, many times full operation is returned. Sometimes scale and sediment move through the lines because of the glacial-like action of ice, which pushes sediment into blocked pipes. Because of this, ariators and shower heads may need to removed and cleaned for them to work completely.

If a leak develops because of burst pipes from ice, turn the water off again, and call a plumber. It is helpful to know exact location or even cut open walls to identify the exact location of a split pipe.

How to prevent it: If you are worried your supply lines are going to freeze because of past history or evidence to support that, some plumbers may recommend letting run to keep the water flowing - similar to a water tower. Please do not do this! This can be just as dangerous. The water usually cannot go down the pipes fast enough and it can develop layers of ice and plug the pipe, causing an unattended running faucet to overflow the sink. Another way to prevent a freeze is to take care of those leaky faucets. The dripping into the drain can cause an ice buildup and eventually cause a frozen pipe.

Amanda Klecker - Zell Plumbing & Heating

http://www.zellplumbing.com

Self-Awareness - The 3 Keys to Achievement - Attitude, Action and Acknowledgment

"Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want." ~Anonymous
Most people want to achieve success but it is important to be mindful that the definition of success may be different for each individual. In order to achieve what you want there are three important elements - attitude, actions and acknowledgments.

Attitude

The first step is to assess your attitude and how it helps or hinders your achievements. If negative beliefs keep popping up, it generally results in an unproductive outcome. Negative thinking can consist of constant worry, "what if" scenarios or not trusting yourself to manage and cope. Constant negativity tends to block creativity. When you assume the worst it is hard to think and complete things. Have you ever had one of those days when doubt keeps cropping up. Eg. "I'll never complete this project on time." or " I don't think my boss believes I am capable." With these kinds of thoughts on your mind, how effective will you be in completing your work?

A positive attitude contributes to a belief that you have the ability to handle situations. It does not mean that you always have a "happy, nothing can bother me attitude", but rather when stuff happens you are able to deal with it. You want to make sure that you do not magnify the positive and minimize the negative and thereby don't see the reality of a situation. As you move up the career ladder you will need to be able to accurately assess both the positives and negatives and then make decisions.

Actions

Actions are your behaviors, the things you do which move you toward your goals. Taking action is an important step towards achievement. People sometimes assume that only big things count as taking action. However it is often the small, steady actions which contribute to you reaching your goals.

Inaction is paradoxically a form of action. If you have difficulty or avoid making decisions because you want to be sure you only do the "right" thing, you often end up doing nothing. You may also choose to do nothing because you have determined that it is the right decision at the time.

Sometimes fear may prevent you from doing or trying things that will lead you toward achievement. Perhaps you have a fear of public speaking, but you need to develop the skill in order to move your career or business forward. It would be important to begin to take small action steps, doing things that will make you more comfortable with speaking in public.

Maybe you have difficulty saying "no" which results in you constantly taking on additional assignments leading to being overwhelmed. Your action might be to begin saying "no" or a variation of "no." This might be something such as, "that would mean two projects to be completed at the same time, which would you like me to work on?" or "In order to do that I would have to delegate some of my other work. Is that OK with you?"

Acknowledgments

Paying attention to what you have completed or accomplished and expressing gratitude for what you have and towards others are powerful strategies for moving you forward in your life.

There may be people you know who have difficulty accepting a compliment. They might either ignore or minimize it. This generally relates to someone's self image. If you do not consider yourself "worthy" of positives then you tend to discard them. This may be a remnant from childhood when perhaps you received a lot of criticism. It is important to remember when you disregard positive feedback, you are conveying a message of disrespect towards the person who is offering it.

Acknowledging and expressing appreciations is also important. Walking down the street and saying hello to people, holding a door open or saying thank you are small ways of acknowledging others. When you do things for others or have them done for you, how does it impact your mood?

Evaluate your definition of success. The three components of achieving the life you desire are your attitude, your actions and acknowledgments. Perhaps now is a good time to become more aware of how you use these qualities in your daily life.

Copyright 2008, Gail Solish. All rights reserved.

Visit http://www.actualizeyourgoals.com for more tips and information on communication skills and developing positive business and personal relationships. You can also subscribe to the monthly newsletter, Actualize Your Goals.

Garage Presents A Golden Opportunity

The garage is a wonderful storage area. Even though the space is limited, it still presents great storage opportunities.

The garage is a great choice when it comes to improving on storage space. There are many ways to go about this task.

One way is to purchase a modular storage kit that has parts and components that you can switch up to assist in solving many storage issues. Another choice is to add to the garage. If you have too much stuff stored in your garage, a modular storage kit may not give you the needed solution. Reduce the clutter of seasonal items and items by placing some of them in a basement.

Some of the solutions that are available are cabinets, storage units and more shelving. . If items need to be protected from dust and moisture then cabinets are perfect. Shelves will give you more space and they are less expensive than some of the other options.
Nifty clear containers for storage can be purchased for very low prices.

Think of how great it will be the next time you are thinking about pulling out your bike and you don't have to search for it in the garage. Consider what it would be like not having to get up an extra hour early just to locate your fishing equipment in the garage. Just think about how great it will feel to walk into the garage and know exactly where things are. Imagine all of the time and stress you can eliminate by cleaning out the garage.

Put like items with like items. This is the best way to keep things in their place. By separating everything into categories you will be able to go into the garage and know that whatever you are looking for will be in a certain spot.

Use you imagination when deciding what to do with your garage. It is a great place for storage but it can be so much more. Clean out the garage and find that extra space you have been longing for. Change it into a place of relaxation or a neat storage area.

When you are cleaning out your garage, toss out those items you never use. Do not flip through every magazine or search through old bags of clothes you haven't seen in years. All of the stuff that you have not used in the past year should be thrown out. If you have not seen it in a year, you really do not need it. This can be a difficult part of the organizing process but once you do it, you will feel so much better. Months later you will have forgotten all about whatever it was you threw out.

Focusing on latest developments in woodworking benches, he works almost entirely for http://www.insidewoodworking.com . You might see his contributions on garage writings bench plans over at http://www.insidewoodworking.com/workclam/workbenchplans.html and various other sources for garage contributions bench plans knowledge.

Kitchen Backsplash Tile Designs - Home Tips

Creating breathtaking kitchen backsplash tile designs is not something that can raise one's hackles. Right? Quite the opposite, actually. With the staggering array of designs in glass, metal, ceramic and stone to choose from, your rather cavalier approach to this very serious task could prove to be the harbinger of gloom. To add to your consternation is the deluge of fabulous colors and spectacular finishes that demand their pound of flesh, a la Shylock.

Discard That Antiquated View

Most homeowners don't really care a fig for the kitchen backsplash, and treat it with an air of disdain. You may like to dismiss it rather nonchalantly as just another too-generic-to-be-effective, functional feature of the kitchen, but the fact remains that this small but supremely significant space can actually transform your kitchen from dull and dreary to dazzling and delightful.

Today's tile designs are more than just the protection that your inanimate wall deserves. They can become the supreme inspiration behind the most artistic of all creations.

Challenge The Natural Order

The best part about tile designs is the simply mind-blowing choice that's available to homeowners. Thankfully, you are liberated from the constraints of the ceramic tile designs. Here's how you can bring about a Renaissance of sorts in your vapid space:

• Metal tiles: Copper, tin or stainless steel, you are treated to the dual benefits of style and substance. And the fusion of a metal backsplash with other metallic features of the kitchen like the faucets and cabinet handles is a marriage that leaves a sterling impact. Retro, modern or country, kitchens will never be the same again.
• Glass tiles: It's their sheer brilliance that causes a flutter. These tiles are ideal for those that are keen to look beyond their inherent advantages of ease of installation and low-maintenance, and want their kitchen to shine and sizzle.
• Stone tiles: Your research on tile designs for the backsplash is incomplete without their redoubtable presence. They leave no stone unturned in sweeping you off your feet.
• Ceramics: The numero uno choice that seems to have carved a niche for itself in the world of tile designs. With a gargantuan range of colors, sizes and prices to choose from, they have made unimaginable leaps to the frontline.

These tile designs certainly have what it takes to gladden the hearts of many.

See exactly how you can easily generate 100's of BRILLIANT Kitchen Backsplash Design Ideas ... F-A-S-T ! See http://www.TrulyLovelyHome.com

Asphalt Shingle Roofing - The Facts

Is it any wonder why almost 80% of homes in North America use asphalt shingles as the roofing material of choice. The prevalence of asphalt shingles has created a vast assortment of fittings and fixtures designed to work with them. Items such as a multitude of flashing configurations, edge products, and almost every skylight manufactured has an appropriate base configuration for a weatherproof connection with asphalt shingles. All of the material that you need for a proper installation, such as the shingles, tarpaper, nails, vent boots and chimney flashing are available at any home improvement retailer.

The primary attributes of asphalt tiles are:

• reasonably priced (economical),
• require very little maintenance,
• versatile,
• provide excellent protection on steep sloped roofs,
• are weather and sunlight resistant,
• easy to cut,
• can be nailed by hand or with powered nailers.

There are two different types of asphalt shingle base material construction - composition and fiberglass. Composition shingles use a base material termed organic felt, which is a blend of paper and wood fibers. Fiberglass, on the other hand, uses a base that is comprised of a fiberglass mat. In both cases, once the base material is produced it is soaked in an asphalt compound. In numbers sold, fiberglass leads the market. They are less expensive, weigh less because they are thinner, have a longer wear life and have a better fire rating than the composition base shingles.

Average cost of a shingle roof is $50 to $150 per square, installed. Removal of old shingles will cost between $30 and $50 per square.

Both types of asphalt shingles are manufactured with embedded mineral granules. Seeing the granules in your eaves trough (after the initial installation) is a sure sign that you need to repair or replace the shingles.

Where just a few years ago asphalt shingles were only available in simple tab configurations in blacks, grays and browns, the manufacturers have expanded their product lines to include a vast array of colors, profiles and with the use of laminate coatings have created as assortment of eye pleasing textures. Special chemicals are also being blended into the shingles to make them mold and algae resistant. Although these additional features do increase the price per square, asphalt shingles are still the most economical roofing material available.

Drawbacks:

The serviceable life of asphalt shingles is the lowest of all the roofing materials. Although they are available in numerous grades designated by the expected life, from 15 to 50 years they often need repair or replacement long before their supposed life has expired. The hotter the climate, the shorter the life of asphalt shingles. Many of the asphalt shingle problems that are encountered by homeowners are a direct result of two factors:

• poor initial installation
• damage due to sever weather

Poor installation usually occurs in the area of deck preparation, and not providing adequate flashing around items that are protruding through the roof such as vent pipes and chimneys. Other poor installation methods are not using the required amount of nails per shingle and nailing in the wrong area of the shingle. There are many fly-by-night roofing companies that will quote low prices, because they won't be around to stand behind the workmanship. Choose a roofing contractor carefully.

Roof Repairs:

You should inspect your shingled roof and all the flashing at least once a year and after any major storm such as a hurricane. Hurricane winds will remove entire shingles and lift others. Sun and rain can cause asphalt shingles to crack. You should also go into the attic and look up, any sign of daylight means that there is a hole. When inspecting the roof look for shingles that have lost the granule minerals - bald spots, cracked and/or curled.

If you have to make a roof repair, choose a warm day so that the shingles will be flexible and unlikely to crack when lifted. The roofing cements also spread easier in warmer temperatures.

You will know when you have a roofing problem when you see beige spots appearing on ceilings and walls close to the ceiling. Beige spots are a sign of water damage.

Maintenance:

Roofing cement is the equivalent of duct tape for roofs. It will repair most leaks, cracked or torn shingles, patch flashing around vent pipes and chimneys. You can also use the roofing cement to cover nail heads that have been exposed.

Shingles fade with age so any replacement shingles used will most likely be visually obvious. Shingle over damaged ridge shingles, by nailing down all the corners of the old shingle first - do not remove them.

If you have to replace an entire shingle, lift each of the tabs and pry the nails out of the shingle of the one that needs to be replaced. Remove the top corners of the replacement shingle and very carefully, without damaging the tarpaper, slip it under the existing shingles.

Use roofing nails (large head, galvanized) to fix the new shingle to the roof decking. Use roofing cement to cover the nail heads.

Planning and knowledge are the keys to any successful home improvement, remodel or landscaping project!

For additional information on roofing materials for your home or other renovation projects, including landscaping, visit Renovation Headquarters

Stair Building Codes - Home Building

The stair building code was created for building safety. Before the building code and local city enforcement (Building Inspectors), anyone could build a house. This meant Uncle Earl who had just watched a couple of his friends build a house down the street construct some sort of a dwelling. The next step for Earl would be to help these guys for a day and now he is a professional home builder. You get the point.

Stair Building Codes create the safety needed for one of the most hazardous areas of your home. You might know someone who has fallen down a stairway?

I lived in a house I built for 15 years and I redesigned the stairs from a winder design to a T shaped set of stairs. Both sets of stairs were built using the local stair building code for my city.

Wow I could not believe how many times my family members fell down the stairs. I even fell down once. I was amazed. When I switched from the winder to the T shaped stairway there were less accidents. My point is that even using the stair building codes this is a dangerous part of your house.

Having a professional stair builder install your stairs is great advice. Take it. For example this happened to me on quite a few jobs. I get a set of plans from a architect who has been designing houses for over 40 years. I looked at the stairway to find out that he has designed a stairway that is too small for the length of this part of the home. If I build the stairs using the plans that by the way were approved from the local building department, I could have a problem.

You are probably asking yourself how does this happen. Aren't these people experienced professionals. Of course they are. They probably have the U.B.C. (Uniform Building Code) in their office somewhere. Everyone makes mistakes here and there but this is one area of the home where safety is a big concern.

Just look at it like this. The stair building code was designed to improve the safety and reduce the number of accidents while using the stairs. Over the years I have seen stairs poorly designed and constructed. These stairs create problems for the owners of the buildings not just the people that use them. Did I mention lawsuits. This is one area where a lawyer will have a field day.

As a building professional I advise you to use the stair building code first for safety and second to avoid lawsuits. Get an idea from some of the pictures I have taken over the years on problems with stair building.

Use common sense while building or remodeling your home. It goes a long way.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry. Stair Building Articles