Advantages of Gas over Electric for Heating

In most areas, consumers have a choice of using electricity or gas to heat their home. While many people worry about the safety of gas furnaces, modern furnaces using either electric or gas are extremely safe when used according to manufacturer recommendations. Propane gas from LPG gas suppliers is a very stable energy source that is regularly used on a daily basis throughout the world with few problems. Though each source of heat is quite safe, there are a number of reasons that a homeowner should choose to heat with a gas furnace instead of an electric one.

Operating Cost

In almost all cases, gas furnaces will more inexpensively heat a home than will an electric furnace. In addition to propane being a less expensive energy source, gas furnaces typically will last longer than an electric furnace. This means that the combination of lower energy bills and a longer useful life will make heating with propane instead of electric a profitable decision for homeowners for decades to come.

Installation Cost

In general, it is less expensive to install an electric furnace than a propane gas furnace. The reason for this is that a home will already have electric service to operate the furnace and an electric furnace will not need vented to the outside. With a propane furnace, the furnace will need to be vented and gas lines will need to be placed inside the home to reach the furnace. A homeowner will also need a gas bottle or tank to store propane, but most LPG gas suppliers including Plusgas in Brisbane will work with the homeowner to make the gas bottle affordable. However, the small additional cost of installing a propane furnace is insignificant when compared to the savings realized over time by heating with propane.

Heat Quality

A furnace operating on gas will provide warmer air to heat a home than does an electric furnace. This means that the gas furnace will warm a cold home more quickly than will an electric furnace. In fact, electric furnaces heat at such a low temperature that they create a cool draft in the home while in operation. With the proper equipment, both gas and electric furnaces can be used to adjust the humidity inside the home in order to keep the home as comfortable as possible. Though some older gas furnaces used to produce fumes and a small level of odor, this is no longer true. A properly vented gas furnace will produce no noticeable smell inside the home. 

Environmental Impact

Though electricity appears to be a clean energy source, the truth is much different. In the United States, most electricity is still produced by burning coal. Coal mining itself is environmentally damaging and the burning of the coal to power electric generators results in significant amounts of air pollution. Conversely, propane is derived from petroleum which is produced in a cleaner manner than coal mining. While the propane burned in a furnace does produce some pollutants, it is still a far cleaner energy source than the coal used to make most electricity. For this reason, propane is a far more environmentally friendly heating source than is electric.

Enjoy a Cup of Happiness

Coffee, tea and donuts time!

These pics captured at a café. Last weekend we spent our afternoon at this place. 

Comfy chairs

A candid shot :)

The Weekend in Black and White

A Guide to Frame Systems for Timber Staircases

If you are planning to build a multi-storey timber home, chances are that you’ll be agonizing over the type of staircase to incorporate. You should start by collecting images of timber staircases that you find attractive or think will be suitable for your home. Once you have narrowed your choices down, we recommend taking them to your architect or stair builder to have them priced – unfortunately, they can work out to be quite costly.

Types of Staircase

The most common types of staircase chosen today include: straight, L-shaped, double L-shaped, U-shaped, pie, curved and spiral. When choosing a type for your home, you must take into account several factors (including the available open space, the position of any beams or structural members, and your budget).

The most popular forms of staircase are closed and open riser. If you have opted for an open riser design, it is essential that you check with your local council for building restrictions that you must comply with. Whilst your stair builder should have an idea, it is always a good idea to double check.

·         Open Riser
These types of timber staircases don’t have risers to enclose the treads, which provides an open and airy feel. This configuration does pose some risks, however, and there may be restrictions in your local building code that you have to meet. Many homeowners find that an open design can become quite the focal point and that they can be quite dramatic when contrasting metal is used in the handrail and balustrade.

·         Closed
These types of staircases are enclosed and tend to be less attention grabbing than open ones. They are, however, quite practical and are the perfect addition to a traditional-style home. They are especially useful if you intend to use the space below the stairs, such as a cupboard or even a room, as you will hideaway any clutter and provide privacy. They can also be quite dramatic with the right accompaniments.

Basic Construction

There are actually several variations commonly utilised in the construction of timber staircases. Some variations are better suited to a particular type of staircase than others, and there are certainly a number of other variations that are utilised less frequently.

In an open tread system, for example, the stringers have a mortise cut into them and the tread itself acts as the tenon. A peg is dropped through the tenon, causing it to protrude outside of the stringer. In a closed box system, on the other hand, the treads are mortised into the stringer and do not protrude.

A third and relatively popular variation is to have cutout stringers upon which the treads rest. The treads are secured to the stringers using bolts or nails. This is actually the simplest and least labour-intensive of all the methods, but many homeowners reject it for its simplicity.

If you are in the process of building a multi-storied home and have your heart set on a timber staircase, we hope the information provided in this article enables you to choose an appropriate frame system. If you’re still having trouble deciding, we recommend speaking with your architect or stair builder; they should be able to offer advice and suggestions based on their many years of experience. Just don’t change your mind once the decision is set!

Things to Consider when Planning a Full Home Renovation

Although it is not hard to renovate by yourself but it is perhaps better to hire a crew who will help you out so that you will not have to spend too much money and effort on renovating your home. However, before starting a renovation project, it is important that you will sit down and decide on what you really want to do. This means that you will have to define what you will need and how will it go together with the rest of your room, especially if you are hiring constructors to help you upgrade your home.

Be informed

When you decide on what needs to be improved and what you will be doing, it is important that you learn what kind of noises, dust, debris and inconveniences you will be facing when the constructors arrive to upgrade your home. Moreover, you will have to make sure that your home is accessible to workers, so that they are not obstructed in anyway and that they have access to all necessities.

It is best to work out a schedule with your family so that they will know what awaits them and also work out the best solutions so that they will not be bothered too much. Moreover, make sure that your neighbors will be alright with workers coming and going and making a lot of noise.

Check the plans

Never accept blindly what the design states or what you need to buy if you do not understand. Always check and communicate with the hired construction crew so that you know exactly what is going on and what you are investing into. Furthermore, it is important that you make yourself available at all times, so that if there are any changes you will be able to immediately talk with the construction crew.

It is extremely important that you keep up good communication with the crew as it will be necessary in order to have the best results and that you do not accidentally pay for something you do not really need.

Always expect more

Although you might know the exact costs and expenses of what you spent so far and how much you will spend in the future for the improvements, always expect at least 10 to 20% more. This way you will not be surprised and you will have the extra money on hand so that you will not have to stop mid-renovation.

Moreover, if you succeed in staying within the budget, you can even indulge yourself in some luxury or use the extra money to add some extra features so that you further improve your home.

Debris

With renovation it is bound that you will have a lot of debris and garbage to take care of. It is best to hire a waste removal service so that you will not have to worry about debris cluttering up your yard. Moreover, it is important that you have the constructor crew clean up after themselves so that renovation can go according to plan without any issues.

Be open to changes

Although you might have everything planned, and you know exactly what you want, it is important to keep an open mind and to be prepared for eventual changes along the way. Furthermore, it is possible that contractors will have a solution for fixing an issue and it might go against what you agreed on. But it does not have to necessarily alter the design drastically, and you need to be ready to accept changes which might even be better.

Planning

Before you start renovating it is vital that you make clear plans and that you will be ready to accept eventual changes that might come along the way. Moreover, it is important that you hire a credible and respected contractor crew who will be able to quickly and efficiently renovate your home within the set deadline. Also, be prepared that you will have to spend a bit more than you have originally planned for as there will be always some unforeseen costs.

Remember to be polite and communicative with the hired contractor crew as a good approach might help to motivate them to give more than their best.

How to Match the Colors between Furniture and Home Environment?

Furniture occupies most of the space in home environment. Therefore, the harmonious degree between the furniture and home environment has huge influence on the integrated visual effect. The good furniture for a home not only needs to be beautiful for its appearance, but also have to coordinate with the environment. How to adjust the relationship between furniture and home environment?

The cool color as the main color, colorful but not frivolous

Some people want the colorful home environment. For instance, paint the wall by the fresh colors. But they worry about that the too bright color may make the room frivolous and vulgar. In fact, you can avoid this kind of worry if you spend some thoughts on furniture and ornaments matching.

For the bright color wall, the dark color furniture is the best choice for it. But you should know that if the wall color is warm color tone such as peach pink, the furniture should choose the warm color tone such as cherry wood material furniture. If the wall color is cool color tone such as water blue and yellowish green, you should avoid using the following material and the black walnut wood is more suitable for it. The dark color furniture presents a steady feeling, which can hold the overall atmosphere.

Convergence color, stress the tranquil and pure flavor

The urban life is too busy and noisy. Therefore, many people pursue tranquil and nature feeling for home so that they can have a rest harbor for their tired condition. Decrease the color, the light and pure color is better at bringing you this kind of home environment.

The light blue grey can relax your stressful nerve. If you put this kind of color on the wall or curtain, your room may seem tranquil and soft with a retro flavor. In this kind space, the grey white furniture or cool color fabrics are nice choices.

Echo theme, gorgeous no matter for contrast or unification

If you have a theme location for your home space in advance, it would be much easier for you to match the furniture and ornaments. No matter for harmonious unified visual affect or impact contrast effect, the theme echo for the furniture and the home environment can help your dreams come true.

For instance, if you want to create refresh and natural living room theme atmosphere, the light green and natural elements are indispensible. With light green pattern sofa can be the visual focus for the whole living room and echo with the same color curtain or all kinds of green plants, the natural flavor space is emerged. Besides, woody coffee table with carving craft, woody lamp socket or bamboo curtain can create a harmonious visual effect. Find more on melodyhome.com.