Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Which is Best?  

If you are looking to add beauty and warmth to your living space, then nothing compares to genuine hardwood floors. Solid and engineered hardwood flooring are both made from one hundred percent real wood. However, there are still some significant differences in their overall properties.  

As a matter of fact, engineered hardwood flooring behaves a little differently than hardwood flooring is solid. In addition to that, they tend to be much easier to install and they are often more affordable compared to solid hardwood flooring materials.  

But, not all hardwood floors are created equal. Basing on the species or type of wood the floor is made from will actually determine what kind of performance qualities as well as durability it has. Understanding these primary differences will definitely go a long way in order to help you decide what type of hardwood flooring material is right for your residential property.   

Solid Hardwood vs. Engineered Hardwood   

Solid hardwood flooring is just that – they are solely made solid hardwood. Every board of solid wood flooring is actually from a hardwood’s single piece that is about ¾” thick. Since it is so thick, it can be easily sanded down as well as refinished according to your preference or for however long the floor is in the home.  

Engineered hardwood flooring, on the other hand, is a resilient and versatile flooring option, which can be installed in almost any area of your home. Since engineered hardwood flooring is also made of genuine wood, this type of floor can definitely give your house an updated feel and look. Furthermore, engineered hardwood flooring is primarily made of a core of plywood or hardwood with a hardwood veneer layer affixed to its top surface. What’s good about engineered hardwood flooring is that it is resistant to heat and moisture compared to solid hardwood flooring.  

Recommended Areas in the House Where You Can Install Hardwood Flooring  

Solid hardwood flooring contracts and expands in reaction to changes in temperature and moisture, which means solid hardwood flooring is only recommended for rooms that are only at ground level or above.   

On the other hand, the engineered hardwood flooring’s unique construction creates a structure that’s less likely to gap, buckle, or even react to changes in temperature and humidity. As a matter of fact, you can be able to install engineered hardwood flooring on almost any level, including areas below the ground. Certainly, it is a really great choice for bathrooms and finished basements.  

Engineered Hardwood Flooring vs. Solid Hardwood Flooring Performance  

Both engineered and solid hardwood flooring is primarily designed for durability and beauty. Their very tough and durable surface can definitely stand up to active houses. But, both engineered and solid floors also have different performance attributes.  

Engineered hardwood flooring has enhanced stability that provides more resistance to daily wear and tears as well as to rippling or buckling. On the other hand, solid hardwood flooring is prone to expanding or shrinking based on humidity levels, which is why they are permanently nailed to the subfloor.  

No matter what hardwood flooring material you choose to use in your home, it’s important that you only hire a professional and skilled flooring contractor to install or repair your hardwood flooring. 

Smart Tips to Keep your Air Conditioning System in Top Shape 

   Our air conditioning system is definitely one of the luxuries that we enjoy in this modern time. Our air conditioning system gives us the benefit of comfort when the temperature or environment outside is very harsh. It either keeps our home environment cool in summer, and it can make it warm when it is winter outside. 

     With the importance of our air conditioning system, we have to maintain its good condition. Not only for the sake of doing so but because it gives us a lot of benefits. Maintaining the good condition of the components would allow them to work more efficiently, saving you money on bills and also, it preserve and prolong its life. To help you do this task, here is a list of smart tips to keep your air conditioning system in top shape.  

1. Turn off the machine

One of the easiest way to preserve the good condition of a machine, it to turn it off and cut off the source of electricity if it not used. Anything that works because of the energy of electricity must be handled with caution, and you have to decrease the chances of accidents related to this by plugging out components like the air conditioning unit. This will also save you money because when an appliance is plugged in even without being used, it is still eating away electricity. 

2. Removing Debris

Another smart way to maintain your air conditioning unit is by removing debris, particularly in the exterior compressor. Remove the fan grill by using a wrench or screw driver; it is better to also clean this component afterward. Examine the insides and remove by hand any debris that seems to be stuck, like small stones and leaves. 

3. Maintain the Fins

Another important component to take care is the fins of your air conditioner. It is located outside and is near the compressor; it is called fins because it looks like a grill of metals. Metal fins are an integral part of the condenser, and they are important to maintain because they help disperse heat quicker, hence, helping the air conditioning unit to work more efficiently. 

To maintain the fins, clean by using the brush attachment of vacuums, to remove the outer dust and dirt. Then clean the insides by spraying it gently with a garden hose, using a commercial cleaning spray alongside the water from the garden hose would do well. 

Fins also tend to acquire damage from flying small debris, which causes the grills to bent sideways. Straighten this by using a butter knife, so that the air would flow more freely. If you feel that the fins are too damaged, feel free to call for help, contact professionals like Spring Hill air conditioning repair.  

4. Protect the Unit

Aside from doing minor repairs and cleaning the unit, it is also important to protect it from further damage or dirt. Do this by clearing the area that surrounds your air conditioning unit; cut branches or any vegetation with a meter away from the unit. It is also better to place a square piece of plastic or plywood on the top of the unit, to prevent debris from going inside. 

Why Hire a Professional Car Accident Lawyer 

If you are a car owner, you must know the different struggles that you get to experience when driving a vehicle. No matter how careful you are, there will always come a time when you will have to experience accidents on the road. If you do, this is the time that you need saving, after having your life spared from the immediate danger of the accident, from the law. If you have been involved in a road accident and you have suffered some injuries, regardless if it’s major or minor, you need to hire a professional car accident lawyer to get what you deserve.  

If in the accident that you have been involved in, you have become the victim and you have experienced physical damages in your body or in your vehicle and other related properties, you need to understand that hiring a lawyer is a must. However, you need to ensure that you hire a lawyer who has a good reputation and someone whom you could trust such as car accident attorney Orlando. If you have yet to be convinced in hiring one, here are some of the benefits if you get your case saved by a professional lawyer: 

1. They Know the Law 

One of the most notable benefits that you could experience while working with a professional car accident attorney is that they know the inner workings of the law, especially concerning on car and road accidents. Are you aware that even if you are partially at fault of the accident that occurred, you could still ask for compensation for the injuries and other related damages incurred from the unfortunate event? Yes, you have read it right. This and other ways on how you could get compensation legally could be discussed to you by a professional lawyer who is well-versed in the law.  

2. Fair Reimbursement 

After an accident, you might think that your insurance company becomes your best friend as they will save you from potential expenses for the repair of your vehicle after you have experienced an unfortunate accident. Think again! Some insurance companies will certainly not provide you with fair reimbursements, especially if you are someone who doesn’t know the law. Therefore, if you want to make sure that you get everything that you deserve from the insurance that you have religiously paid, hiring a good lawyer will certainly fight for your right as the vehicle owner.  

3. Edge in Legal Fight 

If you hire a professional attorney, you are ensuring yourself that you got a fight against the one who has caused you injuries and damages in your vehicle. Although you could always opt to fight for your rights on your own, what you need to understand is that hiring an attorney will ensure that you have an edge on the said fight. Therefore, if you want to push through with the reimbursements from insurance companies and compensation from people who did you wrong, one of the best solutions is to hire a professional car accident lawyer.  

 

Giving Your Basement a New Style and Decoration

A lot of people would be having a hard time when it comes to considering the basement as a place for a new room since you need to do a lot of cleaning job here and at the same time, some people need to change the overall structure and all you can do sometimes is to hire the best interior repair service Ashlieadam so that they can give you the ideas about what you really need to do here. Another thing here is that it could be a nicer way to consider them as they can plan everything and that includes the materials that you need to do in case that you are decided to have this one like your own small office or an entertainment room where you can enjoy most of your time and the bonding with your family members and even with your friends.  

Others would think that this could be very hard to start but it is actually simple if you are going to have some ideas in mind like what you need to do first and the second step until you are ready to reach the final stage of the decoration processes. If you are worried about the color, then you can ask the suggestions of the professional people so that you won’t be afraid to add something here and you can definitely achieve something that you really want to get here. Of course, if you don’t have the choice and other options here then the experts can help you and they can do all the things that you want to see here and they can even suggest you of the facts that can help to maintain this place for future usage and to be able to get the outcome that you are dreaming here.  

You need to have a careful planning when it comes to what you really want here and that includes the possible set up of the room and the things that you want to include here. Of course, don’t forget the possible price that you can have here and the budget that you can accept only so that it would not be very hard for you to sustain the needs here. Don’t forget about the possible fees for the labor and the materials that you need to use here.  

Of course, you need to think about the furniture and appliances that you can put there and make sure that it is something that you really need and you won’t buy those unnecessary stuff. If there is a way where you can repaint them with the color that you want and will match to the accent of your room, then that would be very nice so that you can accept things like this. Others would consider to have some plants as it will add a different kind of atmosphere and it will improve the total feelings that you have for that room. It is not about the size but it will always be about the way you decorate it.  

Common HVAC Misconceptions and Myths

Given that most residents in the United States have a heating and cooling system in their house, it isn’t a surprise that a lot of misconceptions and myths have sprung up around these systems and how they operate. Unluckily, these misconceptions lead to homeowners experiencing installation problems, encountering system issues, and wasting energy.

Today, as a quality HVAC Daly City professional, we are going to talk about the most common HVAC misconception and Myths.

It’s a Lot Better to Have a Big System

Purchasing a furnace or an air conditioner is not the same as purchasing your home. It is like purchasing your clothes. Of course, when buying clothes, you always go for the ones that have the right fit, right? This can be applied to HVAC systems as well. The truth is that an HVAC system that’s extremely big for your house is probably going to experience a lot of efficiency and performance issues. The same can be applied for a system that’s extremely small for your house.

Setting the Thermostat to 50 will Make Your House Cool Quicker

All heat pumps, furnaces, and air conditioners have a maximum speed with which it can regulate your home’s temperature in any direction. Turning the dial all the way in a particular direction does not make any difference in how fast your house will heat up or cool down.

If you’ve got a smart thermostat, you can see the estimated time until your room reaches the wanted temperature. You will see that even minor adjustments require 10 up to 15 minutes on average.

Turn Off Your System Whenever You Are Away

This might make sense at first. However, it is really less energy efficient if you turn off your AC whenever you are away on a hot day. Nowadays, modern AC systems are quite efficient at keeping temperatures. However, they use a lot of energy whenever they have to greatly change the temperature of your whole house.

You Need to Close Vents to Save Energy

This isn’t the case. You are basically blocking the warm and cold air from getting to your room if you close registers and vents. But, your HVAC unit still has to work to heat or cool that space. It will still utilize the same energy as before. It might even use more.

There are also other impacts if you close the vents. First, your unit requires the right air intake to operate. It can lead to problems like frozen coils if you block off air intake channels. Next, you can negatively impact the comfort of your house.

It’s Optional to Tune-Up Your System

This is not the case as well. Yearly maintenance is vital. It helps keep your heating and cooling systems running efficiently and effectively. It can also help improve the lifespan of your unit. You are basically putting your heat pump, furnace, and air conditioner at risk if you don’t schedule yearly tune-ups.

A lot of professionals suggest homeowners schedule a tune-up during the fall season. This will help make sure that your unit is ready for winter.