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A leaky showerhead can be both annoying and costly. After a few hours, the constant dripping noise is as brutal on the eardrums as nails on a chalkboard. And, even though a singular drip is only a few milliliters of water, it doesn’t take long before that leaky showerhead wastes hundreds of gallons - adding an extra zero to the end of the water bill.

Most homeowners don’t realize that a leaking showerhead is pretty simple to fix. There’s no need to buy a new one or, worse yet, hire a plumber. You can finish the job yourself in just a few short minutes with nothing more than a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and a washer that you can buy for a nickel at any hardware store.

Now that you’ve decided to take on the job yourself, you need to understand the two most common things that go wrong with showerheads. Either they start leaking at the point where the pipe screws into the actual showerhead, or the holes in the showerhead become clogged, causing water backups and creating a leak.

First, you’ll need to unscrew the showerhead from the outlet pipe. To protect the showerhead from damage, wrap a towel around the point where the head screws onto the outlet piping. Take the pliers and remove the head from the outlet. You’ll see the washer. Pull it off and replace it with the new one. If you think you need a tighter seal, use plumbers tape across the threads before screwing the showerhead back in.

Also, if you have a rotating or swiveling showerhead, you might as well take an extra step while you have it taken apart. To increase the swivel range and flexibility, take some lubricant, preferably silicone, and lube up the interior swivel ball before you screw the head back in.

If the holes in the showerhead are clogged, take off the faceplate by removing the screws attaching it to the head. If you can’t remove the faceplate, that’s okay, just keep the entire unit unscrewed. The reason showerheads get clogged is the lime deposits that are formed and get stuck in the holes over time. To get rid of the lime deposits, take either the faceplate or the whole showerhead, and soak it in a bowl of white vinegar for at least eight hours. This will dissolve the deposits, and make them easy to remove by sticking a toothpick or small nail through the holes in the showerhead. After that, scrub the faceplate with a stiff plastic brush and screw the unit back into the wall.

Nancy Dean is a freelance author who contributes to several websites, including All Faucets . Coming from a family full of carpenters, she enjoys both doing and writing about home improvement projects.

[tags]home improvement, faucet, faucets, shower, showerhead, shower head[/tags]

Modern bedding is quite different than the bedding made 20 or 30 years ago. So much has changed in the world of bedding over the past couple of decades that many people find it hard to keep up with all the changes. Mattress sizes have changed over the years and in doing so, sheet sizes have also had to change in order to fit them. Patterns and styles of bedding have also evolved into beautiful and contemporary styles and designs that can turn your bedroom into something you’d see in a magazine.

The need for modern bedding became quite apparent when the new thicker mattresses came out. Mattress companies listened to the needs of the public and began creating mattresses with pillow tops, memory foam tops, and feather tops. Or you can just buy these bed toppers separately for the added comfort. The only problem is that once you’ve covered your bed with all these fancy toppers, your sheets won’t fit. Hence the need for modern bedding. Today’s contemporary sheets and bedding are designed to meet the needs of those people with 17 or 18 inch mattresses.

It used to be that you would need those inconvenient elastic pieces to attach to the corners of your sheet and then tuck under the mattress, but not anymore. Today’s modern fitted sheets come in a variety of sizes so that you can find one that will fit snuggly on the corners of your mattress. If you want to update your whole bed including pillow shams, duvet, sheets, and the bedskirt, then maybe a modern bed in a bag set is the way to go. Everything comes in one bag so you don’t have to worry about mismatching. Bed making has become so much easier!!

Not only have the bed sheets evolved to fit today’s mattresses, but the styles and patterns are absolutely stunning. Today’s modern bed linens are so incredibly rich and elegant looking that you can turn your room into a royal retreat. Gorgeous satins and silks, and jacquards and tapestries are just some of the materials used to make contemporary bedding. But don’t stop there. Soft flannel sheets made from extravagant Egyptian cotton used to be out of reach for most people as they were so expensive, but with the ability to do online shopping, prices for this luxury bedding have come way down. It’s now possible for everyone to enjoy today’s modern and sophisticated bed linens. Or if you prefer, perhaps something a touch more simplistic such as stripes or solid colors is the type of modern linens you’re after.

Update your bedroom with modern bed linens and you will see that just a small update like changing your duvet cover and pillow shams can really modernize your room. Toss in some decorative pillows and maybe a throw blanket and your tired bedroom will look fresh and revived. Give it a try and you’ll see what I mean!

Chris Rodriguez is the author for http://www.luxurious-bedding.com Please visit her sight to discover a wealth of information on deluxe bed linens by designers such as Ralph Lauren, Laura Ashley, Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Croscill, Waverly, and more. Find out where to get luxury bedding at fabulous discount prices!

[tags]luxury bedding,luxury linens,luxury bed linens,luxury linen,luxury,bedding,luxurious bedding,Waverly[/tags]

Hardwood Floors are beautiful to look at and expensive to install. But keeping them clean is not necessarily the easiest thing to do. Growing up in a house with hardwood floors, I know how hard it was for my Mom to keep the floors shiny, especially with four kids. With two boys and two girls constantly running in and out of the house with various forms of the “outside world” caked to our shoes, I believe my Mom finally just gave up. If she had followed even the basic rules for keeping a hardwood floor clean with the four of us tracking Mother Nature in on a daily basis, she wouldn’t have had time for anything else.

Dirt and dust is your hardwood floor’s worst enemy. Though microscopic in size, the minute granules scratch your hardwood floor’s finish and over time transforms your mirror-finished floor into a floor more reminiscent of the floors of the log cabins inhabited long ago by our ancestors. Following are some tips to keep your investment shiny and new for years to come.

Though there are many manufacturers of hardwood floors to choose from, and they all have their own rules for keeping your floor clean and grit-free, there are some basic rules you can follow to keep your floors looking good.

For surface finishes:

Always use the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning products. If the manufacturer is not known, use a generic cleaning hardwood floor cleaner.

When little Junior spills his soda on a daily basis, wipe it up immediately with a damp cloth.

For stubborn stains, lightly dampen a cloth with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner and apply directly to the stain. Do not use petroleum-based cleaners on water-based finishes.

And when the floor loses its luster and shine, it’s time to recoat. Unless you yourself are a professional floor cleaner, hire someone.

For wax finishes:

Dry mop regularly with an untreated dust mop. Vacuum, sweep or dust mop regularly to remove grit from the floor.

Junior can spill his soda on waxed floor as easily as he can on a surface finish. Follow the same instructions.

To remove water spots, use a fine steel wool and a small amount of mineral spirits.

Floors should be cleaned, stripped and rewaxed once or twice a year depending on traffic.

Preventative maintenance for all finishes:

Floor protective pads on the bottoms of furniture.
Scatter rugs at entrances will help trap the grit from shoes that is your hardwood floor’s worst enemy.
Sweep, vacuum or dust mop both the floor and rugs on a regular basis.

To put it simply, cleaning hardwood floors is not rocket science. It just requires a little effort on the consumer’s part. Dirt, grime and dust, though small and almost naked to the human eye in most cases, are your hardwood floor’s worst enemy. Keep these enemies of your floor cleaned on a regular basis and you will enjoy a lustrous, shiny floor for years to come.

You may use this article on your site as long as you hyperlink the 2 URLs.

Allen Shaw is a successful author who provides tips and information on hardwood flooring and wood flooring in general.

“I am the news director at USA News Network and have been working as freelance writer for 2 years. I’ve been published in a few magazines, newspapers and websites and my specialty up to this point has been movie and music reviews.”

[tags]floor,flooring,floors,cleaning,home,improvement,cleaner[/tags]

Annuals provide gardeners with an inexpensive way to add variety and long lasting color to the landscape. Though they will bloom all season long, annuals sprout from seed, flower, set seed and die within one growing season and need to be replanted each year, at least here in New England. What can be considered and annual here in Massachusetts may actually be a perennial in Florida so the term annual is somewhat relative.

Most annuals cannot tolerate freezing temperatures so they should be planted after the last spring frost; here in Massachusetts it’s usually safe to plant in early may. Be aware of your local conditions before you plant as well of the needs of the plant. Few annuals will thrive in the shade. Most prefer between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day, there are a few annuals, however, such as impatiens and begonias, which will tolerate some light shade. When choosing your site, avoid areas which remain water logged after summer showers.

With their impressive displays of color, annuals are able stand on their own as bedding plants. They can also add color to the herb garden or fill in thin spots and gaps in the perennial bed where they can be used to compliment other flowers.

Proper site preparation is essential. To prepare the ground for planting turn over the soil to the depth of about 1′ and add compost and peat moss. Basically, you’ll want to prepare the planting area the same way you would a perennial bed. Add compost and other organic matter to increase water retention in sandy soils. For clay soils, add compost and sand to improve drainage. To promote deep root growth water thoroughly. Let the soil dry out before watering again. Soaker hoses work well in annual beds since they slowly soak the soil while keeping the flowers and leaves dry. Nutrient rich soil will help annuals get established quickly which is critical in areas with short growing seasons. When planting, add to the soil a slow release fertilizer so the plants are fed through the entire season.

Once the annuals begin to flower deadheading becomes very important. This the process in which the past blooms are pruned or pinched off of the plant. Deadheading prevents annuals from putting all of its energy into producing seed heads; rather, the energy put forth will go into producing more flowers. Along with deadheading, be sure to cultivate the garden soil throughout the season, this will loosen compacted soil and allow moisture and nutrients to reach the plant’s deepest roots.

Light mulch, such as buckwheat hulls, will help reduce the growth of weeds in the garden and help the soil retain its moisture. Be sure to remove any weeds that do appear as annuals do not like competition for water and nutrients. Annuals can also be in competition with other garden plants. If the flowers are to be grown along the edges of the lawn, make sure that you edge the garden bed often with a garden spade. This will help keep the grass roots from growing beneath the garden and robbing the annuals of nutrients and moisture. If your planting beds are cut into the lawn, they should be at least 3 ft. wide; this will give the plants enough room to flourish.

When spring arrives, head out to the greenhouse, pick out some annuals and plant them as soon as the weather permits. Annuals tend to be a bit more labor intensive than perennials but the payoff, non stop colorful blooms from spring through autumn, makes it worth it.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

[tags]Gardening, Annuals, Garden Guides, Gardening Tips, Landscaping[/tags]

Propagating your own plants from seeds is much more rewarding and less expensive than buying seedlings from the garden supply shop. One of the first things you will need is a box or tray approximately 3 to 4 inches deep, 12 to 14 inches wide, and 20 to 24 inches long.

Once you have your planting box, fill it with a suitable seed raising mix. A good medium would be 80-85% washed river sand and 15-20% peat moss. If you prefer to buy a bag of seed raising mix, visit your local garden supply store. One you have your medium, fill the box almost to the top, and then pat down the medium firmly.

Prepare the medium for planting your seeds by making rows across the box. They should be one quarter to half inch deep and 2 inches apart.

The seed should be distributed 8 or 10 to the inch in the rows and then be covered. Move the box to a warm shaded place.

It is important to water regularly during germination, however the soil should be kept moist not wet. If the water starts running out the bottom of the box you are over doing it and the soil will become waterlogged. If this happens, the seeds could rot and fail to germinate.

If you can cover the box with a piece of glass or even saran wrap, this will hold the moisture, creating a microclimate, which will hasten germination. Once the seedlings germinate the lid can be removed and the seedlings can gradually be introduced to stronger light - next to a window would be ideal.

When the plants are one inch to an inch and a half high they should be thinned to one or two inches apart in the row, to give them space enough to make a strong stocky growth. If you wish to keep the plants that have been thinned, they must be planted two inches apart each way in boxes similar to the seed box.

When the weather becomes mild, the box of plants should be set out of doors part of the time so that the plants will harden in preparation for transplanting to the garden later. Give the seedlings a good watering just before transplanting so that a ball of earth will stick to the roots.

By raising seedlings in this controlled climate of germination, they will be hardier and flourish. You will also have the added satisfaction of having done all the work yourself.

For more information on gardening, visit the link at the bottom of the page.

For more information, visit The Garden Supply Guide and The Garden Info Center

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[tags]Garden supply, gardening, garden, planting[/tags]

Have you ever had renovations or alterations done to your property? Then you are fully aware of the amount of fine dust that is generated and manages to get absolutely everywhere even in places far removed from the actual working area. You then spend hours, days and possibly weeks attempting to remove this dust. Is there a much faster route to dust removal?

There most certainly is and it means following two or three rules if you wish to be successful.

For any pond owner, a pond pump is a mandatory requirement to circulate your water (because stagnant bodies of water are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitos). The standard pump preferred by water gardeners is the magnet-driven submersible pump. In the old days, the main disadvantage of submersible pumps was that the pump seal could rupture and release oil coolant into the water. However, this is not the case nowadays, because newer pumps are magnetic-driven, and no longer require coolant. “Mag-driven” pumps are slightly more expensive, but they have the added advantage of consuming less electricity.

The main challenge for most pond owners is to find a pond pump that adequately addresses their needs. Are you looking for a pump for your backyard water garden? Do you want to have multiple water features such as a statue, a fountain, or a waterfall? Are you raising fish? If so, you may require increased filtration (I.e. an external filter).

You may want to consider a multi-purpose pond pump. The advantage of a multi-purpose pond pump is that you can adapt them to accommodate any pond requirements. There is no need to purchase extra pumps or hardware in order to create multiple water flows because these pumps come with built-in diverter valves. The diverter provides you with the ability to alternate the intensity of water flow (through control valves) between two water flows. For example, one of the output water flows can be used as a fountain, because the pumps come complete with a telescopic riser and an assortment of fountain heads. The other water flow could be used to supply water to your statue, spitter, filter, watercourse, or waterfall. A properly sized multi-purpose pump can easily supply water to cascading filters and watercourses.

A second advantage of a multi-purpose pump is that they have built-in mechanical pre-filters to prevent the pump from becoming clogged. These mechanical pre-filters comprise of a special sponge mesh which is extremely effective at trapping pond debris. This sponge can easily be cleaned once every several weeks to maximize mechanical filtration; replacement sponges can be purchased to prolong the life of your pump.

We recommend both the Algreen SuperFlo and Shott Nursery Pro line of pumps because they are both high quality, energy-efficient pumps with excellent heads (I.e. maximum heights) of up to 15′. These pumps are sized by gallons per hour (GPH) and can sustain flow rates of 200 GPH up to 1585 GPH! (we recommend a pump with a GPH rating that is at least half that of the volume of your pond)

For more information about the Algreen SuperFlo and Shott Nursery Pro pond pumps, please go to http://www.gardenSM.com.

[tags]pond pump,multi-purpose pump,water garden, landscaping, submersible pump, fountain statue,waterfall[/tags]

Like other accessories, artwork can either be disruptive and jarring to the eye or put
the perfect finishing touch on any room. You can find many books in your local
library or home decor store loaded with the “do’s and don’ts” of artwork. However,
one author’s do is often another’s don’t, so it’s not surprising that artwork can be a
source of confusion.

There are many aspects to choosing artwork to complement your room, but if you
get the two basic considerations right, you should be onl your way to a harmonious
display.

A formal portrait in oil can look very out of place in a casual family room. Likewise,
those posters that graced the walls of your college dorm probably aren’t right for
the living rooms of your post-student years. So the first step in choosing artwork
for any room is to make sure that the piece is in harmony with the mood and style
of the room. Evaluate the artwork by asking the following questions:

Is the piece suitable for formal or casual rooms?

While the formality of a piece can be modified to some extent with the type of
frame and mat used, there are pieces which just don’t make the transition well. On
the other hand, there are many types of artwork which work equally well in formal
or casual rooms. Artwork should always enhance the mood of the room and, in fact,
can play a major role in establishing the appropriate mood.

Is the subject matter of the artwork appropriate for the room?

While many advise restricting depictions of food or dining scenes to the dining
room or kitchen, I think it is more a question of the piece’s style and that each piece
should be evaluated based on its own character. It is, however, advisable to keep
erotic art in private areas of the home, usually a bedroom. Very personal photos
should also be confined to non-public areas of the home. If the subject matter is
disturbing in any way, try to place the piece a room where the viewer has physical
and emotional distance from it, such as a hallway. Never use pieces of this nature
in dining rooms or bedrooms.

Is the quality of the piece suitable for the room?

An aspect of harmony often overlooked is the issue of quality. A room will look
much more cohesive if everything in the room is of a similar quality. It holds true
for artwork, as well. Bear in mind that the style and materials used in matting and
framing can have a major impact on the overall quality of a piece.

The second basic consideration in choosing artwork for you room is the shape and
size of the area in which the artwork will hang. If you draw a mental box around the wall space available for the piece, its shape will become immediately apparent to you. Vertical spaces should be filled with vertical artwork whose relative
proportions approximate the shape of the wall area. Horizontal wall spaces take
horizontal pieces. Square spaces can be used for square or round frames. As to
size, be guided by the size of the wall space as well as the scale of the furnishings
immediately surrounding it.

Peggy Berk is an award-winning interior decorator and certified interior refiner who
has worked with a wide variety of residential and commercial clients throughout the
New York Metropolitan Tri-State Area and Florida. Her design firm, Area Aesthetics (http://www.areaaesthetics.com), specializes in interior redesign, home staging and
full service interior decorating. Peggy is the featured designer on the Home Decor
Exchange where she answers readers’ decorating questions and writes a column for
“HDE Monthly.” Author of many articles in her area of expertise, she also writes the
monthly “Rental Redesign” column for Rental Decorating Digest.

To see before and after photos of her one-day room redesigns, read what New
York’s top real estate brokers have to say about her home staging services, or
submit your decorating questions, visit her Web site at: http://www.AreaAesthetics.com

[tags]interior decorating,interior redesign,redecorate,hang artwork,accessorizing room,home decor,how to[/tags]

The size of the main slate is determined by, the design and slope of the roof and the position of the battens to which the slates are nailed. On every roof, however, two other sizes are used. The slates along the eaves and at the ridge are the same width as those used on the main part of the roof, but they are shorter. A third type of slate, called a tile-and-a-half is half as wide again as the main slates and is used at the end of every alternate row.

Some roofs have a narrow slate, called a creasing or verge slate at the end of each course on a gable end. It is laid underneath the main slates and tilts the edge of the roof upwards to stop rainwater running off the end of the roof and down the end wall. The top course and the eaves course of slates are always held with two nails along their top edge. The main slates may be fixed in the same way or they may be nailed halfway down. If a slate roof requires repair, the new slates must be fixed in the way originally used. Check all battens before starting to lay new slates or secure old ones. Cut away any rotten pieces and replace where necessary.

Slates vary in shape, size and thickness. When new ones are fitted to replace old ones they must be the same as the existing slates to ensure that the roof remains watertight. If the exact size required is not available, buy the nearest larger size and trim it to size. Slates are also available in different colours, and can be bought singly or in bulk from a variety of builder warehouses.

A cheaper alternative, however, for repairs to the roof of a old house is to buy second hand slates from a builders yard or from a site where property is being demolished. They are usually quite a bit cheaper than new slate tiles, but they have some disadvantages. For example, as slates age they flake and powder on the surface, especially near the nail holes; hairline cracks - which can be difficult to detect develop along the grain.

Roof slates are very brittle: if they are handled roughly they break easily. Always hold them along their longer sides and tip them from the ground before lifting. Do not try to lift them flat off a pile. When carrying several slates at a time, wear canvas gloves and hold them on edge under one arm. If they are carried flat in a pile, they are likely to break.

Slates can be cut to any size or shape. Mark the size needed with a nail or trowel and hold the slate on a board. Make sure that the piece to be cut off is over the edge of the board. Chop with that part of the trowel nearest the handle. Make the nail holes in new slates before taking them to the roof. Find out which method of fixing is used and lay each slate, bevelled edge downwards, on the flat board. Make holes with a hammer and nail or wheel-brace and bit.

As a house ages, the roof slates may crack or break; or the nails securing them may corrode, and movement in the structure, or high wind, make the slates shear. Replacement roof slates cannot be nailed in place, because their fixing points are covered by the row above. They can, however, be secured with strips of lead. An indispensable tool for removing roof slates is a ripper.

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[tags]roof slates,home improvement,fixing roof slates,laying roof slates,fixing roof,diy tips[/tags]

I know, it’s disgusting to think about. But that’s what I was born to do and I’m proud of my accomplishments. I am your vacuum cleaner.

If they made quality TV shows about home appliances I’d be featured on Dirty Jobs. I get to make a lot of noise and eat a lot of different stuff, but most of that stuff is so gross you wouldn’t feed it to your worst enemy. Yet you give it to me and expect me to be happy about it. Good thing for you its built into my circuits to take your gross dirt and fuzz and really chew it up.

Sometimes I get sick and cough out some residual dust. But we all take ill sometimes, so just give me a good cleaning and a little medical repair and I’ll probably be back on my rollers in no time.

I carry around a lot of heavy baggage. “The Old Bag” hangs on my back all the time keeping my hard earned dust piles off your floor. You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff in there. Missing a wedding ring? Why not try checking the old bag first? There’s probably money in there, too.

Hollywood tried to have a human emulate me once. Mrs. Conehead seemed to be doing a good job sucking up the dirt with that vacuum hose, but she did a horrible job of containing the dust. She spit out the dirt and hair with a subtle cough that nearly made audiences around the world throw up in disgust. Listen, if you’re going to try and do my job for me, at least do all of it right. Keep that stuff to yourself or discard it in the proper manner.

I’m just your average vacuum, but I’ve got a powerful older brother named Dyson and a pet vac named Roomba. It fascinates me that Roomba can do a pretty decent job of cleaning your floors without even need assistance from you. Just let him go and he does his own thing completely without supervision (ok well maybe a little supervision). Dyson does a good job, too, but he certainly has a lot more power than I do. He has a powerful suction that I wouldn’t recommend getting in front of. He’ll suck the wind right out of your sails.

I almost forgot my younger brother Oreck. He’s a tiny little thing but has a powerhouse suction, too. I’ve seen him hold a bowling ball in his mouth (younger brothers will do crazy things).

Speaking on behalf of vacuums everywhere, we would like to request that you pay us some attention, quit sticking us in those dark stinky closets and get us a checkup once in a while to keep our parts working right. Give us fresh bags, praise us for preventing you from having to pick up the crud by hand and don’t complain when we make a little noise once in a while. We’ve heard you be louder on football weekends with your buddies. Sheesh.

The Dyson, Oreck, Roomba and Kirby Vacuum invite you to visit and check them out. Also learn more about dust mites at their sister site http://topicreviews.com

[tags]vacuum, vacuum cleaner, dyson, roomba, household, home improvement, appliances[/tags]