Please, God

Gustav is coming closer to New Orleans---and I remember another day three years ago. I recall images and the emotions they evoked that I will never in my life forget. That there is also this stirring fear it could happen again that brings tears to my eyes.

According to the news this morning, Gustav may have weakened to a Category 2, down from the Category 4 that it was when taking aim for New Orleans earlier. Please let it be. Please let it be spared this time, this city that is called The Big Easy. A city that America just can not be complete without. If you have ever been to New Orleans, you will know what I am talking about. It's a place that, once you have been there, draws you back---again and again and again.

Katrina hit the city three years ago---and remembering brings back those images that one just never expected to see in America. Viewing the aftermath on television was like viewing images of some far removed third world country---leaving one with a feeling of sadness for those enduring those circumstances "over there". But it was always "over there", wasn't it?

As I write this, 2 million people have evacuated. At least this time there was enough preparation for that to happen. Maybe this time a young boy and his father can get on a bus and not worry about abandoning a beloved pet, a dog that young boy refused to leave behind. Because being prepared to leave before the storm hit---that didn't happen the last time. Not before over 1600 people died. Not before patients in hospitals were left to die without proper care and doctors, so tired and yet remaining to try to do what little they could. Not before the body of an old woman was covered by a cardboard box, remaining there on the street---dying with no dignity. Not when Katrina hit and devastated the city from the 9th Ward to the Garden District to the French Quarter. Whether the damage was physical or not, the damage was deep and lasting.

Celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey and Ellen Degeneres have tried to help rebuild--truly rebuild and not simply throw money toward the effort as some others did. K-Ville with Anthony Anderson playing Detective Marlin Boulet was a television show that reminded us of the bravery and courage and determination of many in the NOPD. K-Ville, a show that was canceled early---more than likely because there was not enough of a following to keep it alive. More than likely because we forget. That was then, it couldn't happen again, right? Move on, get over it, it's over---we don't need to be reminded of something that was in the past, do we? Sure, we don't.

That was Katrina. We can hope and pray that lessons were learned and awareness such that the aftermath of Gustav will be much different. Leaders made mistakes and learned, too. Let's hope we learned enough.

To the Big Easy and her people--

Linoleum Edge Lifting

Foundation Repair Or Waterproofing?

If you notice cracks or water leaks around your home, you may be having some foundation problems. This is a very dangerous situation because if your foundation is cracking, sinking, or shifting, it puts your whole house at risk. So, routinely check for any brick wall cracks or chimney cracks, drywall fractures and always look in your basement to see what your foundation is doing down there. If you notice any problems it's best to address the situation immediately because there are solutions available.

When it comes to repairing a cracked foundation, whether it be sinking, bowing or leaking water, two words immediately come to mind - Foundation Repair & Waterproofing. What are the differences? Which one do I do? Which one do I do first? Which one is correct for my situation?

First, as always, contact a knowledgeable foundation inspector. This generally is a civil engineer, structural engineer or P.E., or certified foundation repair contractor. These are the experts that can diagnose your problem and give well founded advice on a course of action to resolve your foundation issues. They will walk through your home, inside and out, and analyze your situation and give you a written evaluation of the current extent of damage. With this information you will then be able to make a sound judgment on what steps are needed to maintain the original integrity of the structure.

Simply put waterproofing can be defined as diverting water to a predetermined location. Waterproofing does not solve structural issues. Waterproofing does not fix a failed foundation.

Waterproofing can remove problematic water from around a structure. Waterproofing can divert water so as to not put undo stresses on basement walls. Waterproofing can stop nuisance water infiltration. Waterproofing is just one step in the process of solving your failed foundation. When used in conjunction with quality foundation repair products, waterproofing, can and will help maintain the integrity of your home.

Foundation repair can be defined as methods of underpinning or shoring your failing foundation due to unexpected forces. Using designed and engineered foundation repair products can reposition your foundation to originally designed tolerances. These products can be used to lift a structure. These products can support your foundation by changing load bearing points. Quality foundation repair methods use surrounding load bearing soils to support your homes foundation.

Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Do you waterproof first, or do you install foundation repair products first? Simply put, it depends on the recommendations of your foundation expert. Is water infiltration causing your problems? Is water collecting around your home? Are your gutters and sump pump working properly? Is your foundation settling due to poor soil support or changing soils under your home? Are there vertical cracks in your basement walls? Are there horizontal cracks in your walls?

These questions all will be answered in the initial inspection of your home. Your foundation engineer will talk you through your individual needs and suggest methods of repair. Generally you will need a combination of foundation repair and waterproofing. When used together you can be assured that your home will be restored to its original structural integrity while removing water issues that can cause future foundation problems.

Epoxy sealing a crack works great, but if you are only diverting the water to the next weakest spot on your foundation you are only chasing a problem. Super duper sump pumps with turbo charged battery backups are great, but do nothing to straighten bowed or sinking walls. A dry basement does nothing for a basement that is setting on poor or consolidating soils. If your basement is leaky, there has been damage done, and this damage needs to be addressed by foundation repair experts.

Foundation repair or waterproofing is the question; a qualified foundation expert is the answer. Call your local expert today and have your foundation issues solved by the experts.

About the Author:

Jeff Tully invites you to view his website http://www.myfoundationrepairs.com if you are having any foundation issues including bowing walls, cracks in your foundation or any type of settlement issue. On this website you will find the truth about foundation repair methods and what you should expect. There are many misconceptions about foundation piers or tie backs, get the straight answers here.

This site was designed and built with the homeowner in mind is the only true source for foundation repair and waterproofing information. From determining if you really have a structural issue to hiring an engineer or foundation expert, you will find the answers on my site.

Checking The Level Floor Framing

Winter Suggestions to Protect From Water Damage

Mike Oliveira, a local Service and Production Manager for a basement waterproofing company, and I sat down the other day to discuss what is typically needed to get your home ready for winter. Flooding, bursting pipes, snow melt and other naturally occurring things can ruin a great season for the whole family. However, a few simple things can be done in order to beat the weather to the punch:

1.) Make sure all your out door sprinklers are shut off. If you didn't have your system winterized, call your sprinkler company to find out what you can do to start that process (especially helpful if you live in the north east or mid north west.)

2.) Make sure all your out door spigots are shut off from the inside. Keeping areas like this from freezing helps to maintain water flow inside.

3.) Have your Water Heater and Boilers maintained. Keeping these pieces up-to-date can help you replace them before they wear down, or fix minor problems that can cause to gallons of water flooding space in your basement. It's not a matter of "if" it's a matter of "when".

4.) Have your sump pump maintained. Making sure that your sump pump is working properly can help to defend your basement come the spring, heavy thaw, or if exterior water pipes freeze and burst.

5.) Make sure to have your plumbing looked at and have your water lines insulated and pitched. Cleaning all lines can help to remove clogs. Clogs cause back ups, which can freeze, then cause the weakening of the pipes and bursting.

6.) If you have a generator make sure that you're up to date on your service and that things are running fine for those desperate times during some of New England's great winter storms.

7.) If you have a water/moisture control system installed, consider having your system upgraded with a battery back-up sump pump. If you're not running on a generator for back up electricity, battery back-ups are more than just suggested. Having something to remove water is essential for coming out of the winter and into spring.

Other than that, make sure to have plenty of hot-chocolate, emergency phone numbers by the phone (plumber, basement repair company, heating company, etc.) and enjoy the winter! Stay warm, stay dry!

Jacob Lee- pioneer basement
http://www.pioneerbasement.com

Wood Fence Damage

Why It Is Becoming Hard To Decrease Flood Insurance Premiums In The UK?

The last few years have seen the amount of rainfall in the UK increase and in the past few months especially there have been horrific scenes of homes devastated and in some cases entire towns cut off for weeks at a time. It is with all of this in mind we take a look at why it is becoming hard to decrease flood insurance premiums in the UK.

Over the past 5 decades the UK has seen a massive boom in the need for housing as the population of the country has grown from around 36 million people to a massive 58 million people . This has put a massive strain on the need for affordable housing and many new estates with the expansion of towns have been built on flood planes!

A flood plane would have been the land that in times of heavy rain and swelling rivers would have flooded and offered some relief to the rivers during the flooding and the waters would have drained away. Unfortunately due to the fact that there are now properties and roads built on this land the water still floods but doesn't drain away as easy.

This leaves behind it a great deal of devastation as the waters don't only cause damage as they flood the properties but the mud and the disease that the waters can leave behind can make the properties uninhabitable for months to come. This is some of the reason that getting a decrease flood insurance premium is less likely than before.

There is also the gamble of flood insurance, if you get flood insurance included in your policy then you are likely to get an increase on the cost, however you will in the next few years see an increase in the price of home and content insurance as the insurance companies continue to regain the money that it will be costing them (an estimated 3 Billion Pounds) to put right the issues that the current floods have caused.

Can you expect to see a decrease flood insurance premium over the next few years, probably not, as the climate continues to change and the unexpected weather conditions get worse and more unpredictable then the cost will more than likely rise but is it worth not getting the insurance? Personally I think you would be mad not to protect your home and belongings.

Find more valuable information from Home Flood Insurance and make sure that you are not caught by the next major weather event.

Split Stair Balusters

Self Build and DIY Conservatories

Self Build and DIY conservatories are a way of saving money on a new conservatory, but it's not something I can't recommend unless you have some building experience, are an enthusiastic and knowledgeable DIY'er or have trustworthy local builders and carpenters that can do all or some of the work with you.

Most DIY conservatories are off-the-shelf modular designs and while these may look satisfactory on a small modern building, it's unlikely that they will complement a period property or one with a distinctive design.

Similar problems will be experienced with uVPC conservatories or ones sourced from a superstore or a builders merchants catalog. Conservatories built in this way may save you money, but will probably stick out like a sore thumb on the back of your home and may even reduce the desirability of the property when you come to sell it, rather than add value to it.

A DIY Conservatory doesn't have to be a cheap looking mass-produced product if you invest in one from a bespoke conservatory designer with their own workshops and craftsmen. Contact one of these and they should be happy to discuss your self-build requirements with you and provide detailed drawings and plans. In fact they may be very happy to work with you, as they will be selling a conservatory and not have to do the installation work themselves!

However, before you get to this stage you need to choose the style of conservatory that will suit your home and your lifestyle. Take a look at conservatory websites and familiarize yourself with traditional conservatory designs such as Georgian and Victorian and the alternative modern and contemporary designs.

When you've chosen a design, you'll need to calculate the size of the conservatory. In my experience most people overestimate the size of the conservatory they need. So my tip is that you measure some of the rooms in your home and look at how much furniture you have in the space. Then go into your garden with some bricks, string or garden twine and measure out the size of the conservatory you would like on the ground in situ. Take some garden furniture and arrange it in your outlined space; mark the positions of doors from the house and into the garden so you can see the thoroughfares and then see how comfortably you can move around your furniture and how much space you need.

Then you'll need to get down to more practical matters. Find out whether any planning rules apply in your locality and what building rules there are that need to be followed. You'll also need to understand what type of foundations will need to be prepared depending on the ground conditions.

A good builder should be able to cope with these issues quite easily, but it is worth taking time to understand the processes involved so you can see what you may be able to undertake yourself and what you might find easier to sub-contract to local tradesmen. Most conservatory companies will have been through the process many times before and will be happy to advise you with href="http://www.oakconservatories.co.uk/diy_conservatory_do_it_yourself_conservatories.htm">diy conservatories

Ian Dewar, Consultant to Richmond Oak Ltd
http://www.oakconservatories.co.uk

Wood Post In Dirt

Insuring Your Fine Art Collectibles

Artwork

Art is an expression of one's thoughts and feelings. Yet, many pieces of art also have a monetary value as well.

For this reason, you should protect your artwork and your collectibles as you would any other investment. Protecting it means having a proper insurance policy on it. This doesn't hinder the beauty aspect of your paintings, sculptures or other fine pieces of art. What it does is protect you against the unknown. Some may begin to argue that they cannot afford any type of insurance on their art collectibles. But these same people should actually stop and think about what they would lose if something tragic such as a fire would occur. Their beloved art would be destroyed, most likely. Plus, they would have no money to show for their lost. No, the money from an insurance policy couldn't bring back the beauty. Nothing would bring back the beauty. Yet, the money could be a small comfort and could allow the owner to try to find another piece of art to comfort them.

If you do have a painting or collectible you think it is worth a lot of money and you wish to insure it, here are a few things to do. First, get it appraised. Go to a professional appraisal. You need to know exactly what the piece is worth in dollars and cents. Make sure you get this appraisal in writing, too. This is your proof of its worth. Now get busy and start photographing the pieces you wish to have insured. You should also photocopy any sales receipts, wills, etc to prove that you have actual ownership of the piece.

Those two things are the easiest things you can do. Of course, the hard part will begin now.

Do a budget.

Decide how much you can actually afford on insurance.

You might even want to decide on what types of insurance you want?

Do you want fire and water damage coverage? What about theft coverage? Yes, even if you live in a good neighborhood, you could very well get robbed.

Before you begin calling local insurance companies for quotes, begin with your current company that holds the policy for your home. Most homeowner's policies will have an amendment that can be added to include such assets as art. You also may get a reduction in the rates since you all ready have coverage with this company. If you don't like the quote your current company gives you, and then begins shopping around to other companies. You may also want each company to give you two separate quotes, one for fire and water damage alone and one that includes theft coverage.

What if you cannot afford to cover your collection or your one special piece of art for the full amount of its worth? Don't fret. Think about it like this. Wouldn't it be better to be able to insure the piece for half of its worth than to not have it insured? If something would happen, you would get some money. Plus, you can always increase the coverage if your financial situation happens to improve.

Once you decide on a policy, actually read it. You should also understand what it covers and its terms. Ask questions. If you want to know if it will cover a fire that is caused from an electrical problem. Ask. You need to know the answers to the questions that are important to you.

You also need to be able to understand the fine print. If you don't understand it, don't be afraid to ask. It is the insurance agent's duty to help you understand.

Finally, once you take out the insurance policy make sure you keep up with the payments.

Now relax and enjoy your precious artwork, knowing you are covered if disasters strike.

Jeffrey Meier at Jam727 Enterprises at http://www.thearticlehome.com blog offers even more detailed information on a wide variety of topics.

Insulation Damage

Lake Effect Snow

Lake effect snow can cause large local variations in snow depth with 50 cm of snow accumulate over the course of a few days near the shore and a few miles inland from the lake shore there may be no snowfall at all. Lake effect snow does occur in regions away from the great lakes (for example along Lake Baikal in Russia) but it is far more pronounced and and destructive to ground and air transportation around the great lakes.

Lake effect snow occurs when a mass of freezing air moves down from the Arctic over a body of warmer water, creating instability in the atmosphere above the lakes. As a consequence, clouds build and develop over the lakes and, as they move downwind, develop into snow showers and squalls.

The water temperature of the Great Lakes lags behind the atmosphere in cooling through early winter, as water holds its heat far more readily than land. The heating from below results in instability in the air during cold outbreaks. This instability mixes warm, moist air near the surface of the lakes into the lowest 1 to 1.5 km of atmosphere. Rising air rapidly reaches saturation, and the result is shallow cumuliform clouds, frequently aligned in bands parallel to the low-level wind. By January, ice covers most of the lakes' surface area, cutting off or reducing the heat supply.

The distribution of lake effect snowfall in the Great Lakes area depends upon several factors: the position and direction of weather systems, the lake water temperatures and its variations, and the strength and direction of the winds. Topographic differences on the lee of the Great Lakes also affect the intensity and distribution of snowfall. On the eastern and southern shores of the Great Lakes, lake effect snowfall contributes between 30% and 50% of the total winter snowfall.

Winds from the Arctic generally blow from the west or northwest, causing lake effect snow to fall on the east or southeast sides of the Great Lakes. Whether or not an area gets a large fall of snow from lake effect snow is dependent on the direction of the winds, the duration they blow from a particular direction, and the size of the temperature differential between the lakes and the air above. Cold air holds very little moisture and the low level of the atmosphere is quite unstable. Therefore clouds can form very quickly, condensation occurs and snow falls.

In late 1977 a storm hit the southeast of Lake Huron around London, Ontario. In just three days from December 7th to 9th 100cm (39 inches) of lake effect snow fell on the region. This snowfall was made worse by the 60mph winds causing huge drifts.

However the largest snowfall recorded that was attributed to lake effect occurred in January 1966. In a five day period from 27th to 31st, 259cm (102 inches) of snow fell in Oswego, New York. Half of that total fell on the 31st.

Mark Boardman BSc dip.hyp is a leading author and expert on the climate. For more information about Lake Effect Snow or a look at World Weather, go and look at these sites.

Fireplace Drywall Ceiling Damage