Thursday 18 June 2009

D.I.Y Bathroom remodeling in older homes

Why remodel a bathroom?

Remodeling a bathroom is very much like renovating a kitchen, as the bathroom is a key part of the home. Old homes have bathrooms rarely larger than 5 feet by 8 feet. Investing in older homes can be tricky if it is grade 2 listed or it has tricky or awkward spaces. Lower ceilings and beams may result in bespoke showering areas at reduced widths and a more compact bathroom suite. The reason people choose to remodel a bathroom is largely due to the fact it will increase the resale value of the property. If the location of the bathroom is the same this will help the process as pipework etc will already be in situ to work with. Any radical changes to the layout will have to be considered carefully if it involves any large structural changes.

The cost of a bathroom remodel

Remodeling a bathroom can be costly and one of the more expensive projects you will ever do. This largely depends on the amount of work you wish to carry out and the budget in which you work too. A complete bathroom remodel project will cost around the same as a small car, if not more depending on personal preferences. If money is an issue you can always update the bathroom with new faucets and accessories to update a traditional design. Hiring a contractor for larger design projects can increase the overall cost, so take this into consideration. The best steps when finding a reliable plumber/contractor is too listen to friends and family’s recommendations. Always ask for samples of there work so you can see their workmanship.

First Step – Clean and Unclutter

Before anything the best option is to have a good sort through the bathroom. Clean the bathroom and rid yourself of any clutter and tired elements of the bathroom design. This will give you a clear definition in your mind of what you want to achieve. Consider the best storage solutions in the bathroom especially if you have plenty of toiletries and a small space.


Energy Efficiency

Traditional homes which have not been modernised in any way are not as energy efficient as newer builds. A bathroom remodeling project enables you to add all those energy efficient measures like lighting, windows and ventilation fans. Larger bathroom projects may result in opening walls which will give the opportunity to add insulation and air sealing materials which will benefit the whole house. Bathroom suites that offer pop up wastes and water saving features will create a more eco-friendly bathroom design.

Research the options

If it is a large remodeling project consulting with professionals may help you to realise the bathrooms full potential and how you can maximize the available space. The internet is a valuable tool so use it to gain design ideas and prices.

About Author : Wilson Dobson Bathrooms are a Sheffield based company, now in their seventh year of trading and specialise in internet bathrooms sales. Offering quality bathroom ware including showers, bathroom suites and shower enclosures we offer speedy delivery to any UK location or collection from one of our depot in Sheffield. With our new and improved website shopping online for your bathroom could not be easier or safer and if you are not sure about what products you require and need extra reassurance about your choice of product, you are welcome to call one of our helpful team who are always happy to assist and provide friendly and knowledgeable advice.Call Us On 0114 2571715.

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Home Water Filtration System - The Top 2 Reasons Why It's Better Than a Reverse Osmosis System

When it comes to selecting a water purification technology to install at your home, there is a lot of debate about the advantages and disadvantages of using a water filtration system versus using a reverse osmosis (RO) system.

In this article, I hope to shed some light on the issue, by highlighting the top two (2) reasons why I personally think that it would be a better decision to select the water filtration system.

Chlorine removal

As you probably know, public water utilities use chlorine to disinfect our tap water. Numerous medical studies
dating back to the1960s that have been published over the years, all seem to agree that long term exposure to this yellow-green compound through drinking tap water, can seriously harm our health.

In addition to the findings that chrorine is linked with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries leading to heart attacks), what's even more terrifying is that it is also found to be linked with certain form of cancers such as bladder, rectal and breast cancers.

Now, coming back to our water purification discussion, you should know that RO systems simply cannot remove chlorine.

This fact has to do with the way that this technology works: It uses high pressure to push tap water through a membrane that has very small pores. Whatever substance contained in the water happens to have larger molecules than the size of the pores is left in the input side, while the rest (including water) passes through.

While it is true that RO units manage to remove a large range of pollutants, nevertheless they are not successful with chlorine, simply because its molecules are physically smaller than water's.


Unlike RO units, a water filtration system is capable of removing chlorine. This is done through entrapping (either through mechanical or chemical action) it on the medium inside the filter, which is usually carbon.

Removal of minerals

Another serious disadvantage of RO systems is that, again because of the way they work, they strip our tap water from the essential minerals (like potassium, calcium and magnesium) that it contains.

As studies have shown, long-term consumption of demineralized water poses a threat for our health.

You see, this kind of water tends to be acidic, having a pH lower than 7. This has two very harmful effects:

First, responding to the lowering of pH, our body tends to pull minerals from our teeth and bones to neutralize the acid. Thus, our body is gradually stripped from minerals that are essential for our well-being.

What's worse, scientists claim that cancer cells grow only in an acid environment. Therefore, long-term consumption of water without minerals will probably be responsible for cancer incidents.

Water filtration systems, on the other hand, do not perform any kind of demineralization as part of the water treatment.

About Author : Nicos Stylianou is a long time researcher and an expert on issues relating to healthy nutrition. To find information and what he recommends you should do to have healthy, pure water at your home, visit his website now at: http://www.your-nutrition-guide.com/pure-water.html

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Solar Pool Covers and Reels for In-Ground Pools

With today's concerns about the economy and the environment, the use of solar power to heat in-ground swimming pools is becoming increasingly popular among pool owners. However, while many people may wish to use the sun to heat their pool, they may not want to expend the time and money required to replace their entire heating system. In such circumstances, solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools provide an excellent compromise. In-ground solar pool covers use heat from the sun to increase and maintain a pool's temperature, allowing pool owners to enjoy significantly reduced heating costs as well as several other benefits.

In-ground solar pool covers appear similar to bubble wrap in that they feature thousands of tiny air pockets. However, these covers are constructed from far more durable and specialized material than bubble wrap. The tiny air pockets on solar pool covers magnify the effects of the sun's heat on the water and also serve as insulators. Some in-ground solar pool covers feature a special silver bottom layer which reflects sunlight back into the swimming pool and works together with the clear top layer to maximize the cover's heating effects. Certain brands of solar pool blankets also utilize a unique hexagon design of the air pockets which minimizes the space between the bubbles, thereby further enhancing the cover's heat retention and transference capabilities.


The design of the best available solar pool covers for in-ground swimming pools not only incorporates advanced technology but remarkable durability as well. Constructed from tough resins with UV stabilization, these covers are built to last and to provide solar heating year after year. In addition, high-quality solar blankets feature reinforced, flat-lying seams that will resist wear and tear and withstand repeated folding for many years of use. Since these covers are available in a variety of different thicknesses, it's also possible to have the benefit of further enhanced durability as thicker covers offer greater strength and toughness.

Since pool covers can be quite large and cumbersome, especially for just one person, the easiest way to deal with them is by attaching them to in-ground solar pool reels. There are several different types of in-ground solar pool reels available including manual reels, electronic reels and water-powered reels. Water-powered pool reels attach to a standard garden hose and feature water-driven pistons that will automatically reel your solar cover in or out. Many in-ground solar pool reels are on wheels and can easily be moved out of the way whenever necessary. All types of these pool reels allow pool owners to use and handle in-ground solar pool covers easily and conveniently.

Solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools provide a long list of benefits and advantages. Perhaps most notably, in-ground solar pool covers help to raise and maintain water temperatures. In fact, using a solar pool blanket can raise the temperature of your pool up to 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, by preventing heat from escaping your swimming pool at night or whenever it's not in use, solar covers can keep your pool warm while reducing your heating costs by up to 70 per cent. At the same time, you will also be helping the environment by relying more on the sun's energy and less on non-renewable energy sources.

Using solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools also makes it easy to prevent water and chemical evaporation. By significantly lowering the amount of chemicals lost through evaporation, you will be able to save money on chemical costs and will have to spend less time balancing your pool's chemical levels. Another great advantage of using solar pool covers is the fact that they prevent leaves and other debris from getting into the swimming pool. When a pool cover keeps your water cleaner, you won't need to spend nearly as much time and effort vacuuming and skimming your pool before you swim.

With so many great advantages to be enjoyed, pool owners will be happy to know that solar pool covers and reels for in-ground swimming pools can be used with pools of all different shapes and sizes. Solar pool covers are available in a wide variety of sizes and many can be easily cut to fit the shape of any pool. Whether you have a kidney shaped in-ground pool or an unusual, custom shaped pool, you can still take advantage of the many benefits of solar pool blankets. Best of all, in-ground solar pool reels and covers provide an excellent and very economical way for pool owners with many different budgets to invest in solar power.


About Author : Brenda Masten is an experienced pool owner. She provides information about solar pool covers and reels for in-ground pools. She explains how to save money on pool heating by using solar pool covers and reels for swimming pools.

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