Why LED Lights are a Great Choice for the Home

LEDs are a super energy efficient and increasingly popular form of lighting. An LED or Light Emitting Diode is a kind of electronic circuit that sends out rays of light when an electric current is passed through it. They are commonly known as ‘cold lighting’ as they produce little to no heat, unlike the filament bulbs you may have in your lights at home.

LEDs are already keeping our nights bright; you’ll find them all around in street lamps, spot lights and in floodlights. But they are also becoming an affordable and eco-friendly option for the home, and you’ll already find them in your digital alarm clock or remote control. Here are some of the benefits of making your house an LED haven:

• A traditional filament bulb, the rounded kind commonly used in lamps, only uses about one fifth of its energy to make light. The rest is wasted on heat. An LED light uses up to 90% of its energy to make light and stays cold to the touch. They’re non-toxic as well, and won’t break when dropped, which is a real bonus if you have young, and curious, kids running around the house. This energy efficiency will also save you plenty of money on your electricity bills.
• LED lights may cost a little more to buy, but they will run for up to 10 years. That’s about 50 times longer than filament bulbs and more than three times longer than fluorescent ones, so you’ll certainly save money in the long run and won’t need to have a constant supply of bulbs for changing.
• An LED is made up of a chip on a circuit board so there is nothing to break if you drop them, making them a popular choice for any kind of outdoor lighting. They are super durable in cold weather, so it’s not so surprising that they were invented in Russia in the 1920’s.
• LED lights come in a rainbow of colours. They are already commonly used in Christmas trees and garden lighting, but you can find different shades to suit your front room, bedroom or kitchen. The brightness of the light can vary according to the colour so it’s easy to find the right mood lighting with an LED.

The brightness of an LED also varies according to the power source supplying it and the frequency of current. You can maintain the brightness of your LED by using an LED Driver – an electrical device that regulates the amount of power that goes to single or multiple lights. A driver will ensure that a constant amount of power is going to each light to stop them flashing or dimming, for instance if the temperature around them drops, but you can also buy ones that work as dimmers to control brightness. It’s important to use the correct voltage driver for your lights and always check that you are not overloading the power supply with too many lights.

Top 5 ways to add warmth to your bed

Being cold in bed is a horrible feeling. Warmth and comfort are the two things we need most to ensure a decent night’s sleep so a lack of either could result in disturbed slumber, leaving you tired and ill-prepared for the day ahead. One of the easiest ways to ensure warmth is to leave your heating on through the night but this can be very costly so here are a few alternative (cheaper) suggestions:

1. 1. Use a higher TOG duvet
The TOG rating of a duvet relates to its thermal insulation properties - the more heat the duvet is able to stop escaping out of the bed, the higher the TOG rating. In the UK we generally consider anything with a TOG rating over 10 to be a winter duvet – this is great starting point for keeping warm in bed.
2. 2. Add a mattress topper
In addition to adding comfort due to padding, mattress toppers can also help to keep you warm while you sleep. While most of the heat we lose in bed escapes through your top covers, you also lose heat through your mattress. Adding a topper reduces the amount of heat escaping thereby keeping you warmer. As with duvets, the more thermally insulating the topper is the more heat will be retained.
3. 3. Flannelette bedding
Flannelette (or brushed cotton) bedding is made from 100% cotton and is exceptionally warm. The cotton itself is fluffed up using a process of brushing, giving it a fleecy texture, which adds warmth. Using flannelette sheets and a flannelette duvet cover will give you significantly more comfort and warmth as you sleep.
4. 4. Buy an electric blanket
Electric blankets have been around for years and are an obvious addition to this list. Modern electric blankets are very efficient meaning they don’t cost a lot to run. The most efficient way to use an electric blanket is to heat up your bed before you get in and use some of the ideas above to ensure that heat remains in your bed for as long as possible.
5. 5. Layers
Lots of layers does a similar job to a higher TOG duvet – providing a thermal insulating barrier that stops heat escaping. If you don’t want to invest in a new duvet add blankets, bedspreads and throws to your top layer instead. There is a downside to this option however - it can get quite heavy meaning you could feel claustrophobic, so if you are prone to claustrophobia we’d recommend the new duvet option.

http://www.yorkshirelinen.com

Be a DIY Pro

If you have dreams of reclaiming your house with a DIY project, you can take comfort in knowing that you’re part of a growing surge of homeowners who take a hands-on approach to renovations. However, you should also verse yourself in the potential mishaps that come along with these kinds of projects. Here’s a list of helpful tips that can help you avoid everything from mesothelioma claims to putting out your back while you work on your home. Afterward, you’ll be a DIY pro.

Know what permits you need. For small projects, you won’t need any permits, but if you plan to tackle a job that requires demolition or building an addition, you should check with your local planning authority to make sure you’re within the legal guidelines for building. This will include a planning permit, but you’ll also need regulation approval to make sure that your project meets safety guidelines.

Get a home inspection to find hidden dangers. Even if you’ve been in your home for a decade or more, you should get an inspection to find out what you will be facing once you begin knocking down walls and ripping out insulation. Dangers such as asbestos, faulty electrical wiring or corroded plumbing could end up multiplying the time and money that it takes you to complete your project, not to mention putting your life in danger. Hiring a contractor with experience in dealing with asbestos can be especially helpful. It may cost more than a regular contractor, but paying £1,000 now can keep your from having to hire mesothelioma lawyers later.

Make sure you have the tools the get the job done. You should find out what specialty tools, if any, you’ll need to complete your project. Trying to build when you don’t have the tools that you need could mean that your project doesn’t look the way you imagined it would by the time you finish. In addition, using the right tools is also the best way to keep yourself safe while you realise your home improvement goals.

Don’t take ‘DIY’ literally. For some projects--or for parts of some projects--you’ll need an extra set of hands to help you finish. If you’re installing cabinets, putting together a kitchen table or transporting old housing material after demolition, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It could keep you from hurting yourself or someone else.

Make your timeline flexible. This may be the most important DIY tip, and it has everything to do with planning. Before you begin your project, you should think of all the scenarios that could alter your plan, from a delay in planning permits to the discovery of an underlying problem once you begin demo work. You should also add an extra ten percent to your original budget to cover unexpected costs. Mishaps and surprises are inevitable in most DIY projects, but knowing what to do when they arise can help you pull off your home improvement project like a pro.

SOUTHPORT COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW DIY PRODUCT

Southport Company RADWRAPS has a genius new product due to be launched shortly. This product will change the way we design our homes. After 5 years in development and a long patent process this company have developed what seemed impossible. A radiator cover with no heat loss what so ever, that can be fitted in seconds without any DIY knowledge, being child and elderly friendly and best of all with any pattern or image you prefer, even a favourite photograph, and it gets better RADWRAPS costs less than the wooden box type alternatives.

RADWRAPS is based in Birkdale Southport, today a spokesman for the company revealed RADWRAPS is made from a specially formulated magnetic sheet; it is then treated with printing technique that can be cleaned with a damp cloth. At last Radiators are set for a whole new makeover, no longer will that bland white space spoil our rooms, and the variations are endless, from sunsets to city sky lines or a Leonardo da Vinci in the bathroom, to your own customised design. RADWRAPS is set to cause quite a storm in the DIY world and with orders coming in from across the UK the Birkdale based company is looking to DIY markets overseas.

http://www.radwraps.co.uk

How to Warm up Your Home

The first day of spring is getting closer every day – it's the 20th March for anyone who isn't aware – but for now the weather in the UK is fickle, and largely chilly.

If you don't have the luxury of double-glazing, roof insulation, and central heating in every room, you might be finding the inside of your home isn't really a whole lot warmer than the outside at the moment.

Sure, four walls prevent wind, rain, and snow from getting at you, but having to wear several layers in front of the TV to avoid losing toes to frostbite can stop you from being comfortable during the colder months.

So, what to do? Well, if your heating isn't brilliant, the best way of retaining warmth in your home is to stop the cold from getting in and prevent what little heat you have from getting out. Furthermore, you shouldn't underestimate the power that making a room seem warmer can have.

Your three main weapons against the cold – draft excluders, cosy cushions, and sofa throws.

A jolly sausage dog draft excluder, for example, can stop drafts from sneaking in under your doors, and a union jack cushion could really brighten up the place. Not feeling patriotic? How about a stripe cushion? Pick whatever you like – just make it colourful!

There are a variety of places you could go to locate these items – but to find them all in one place, visit Pure Home Designs. If you're feeling extra fancy, you can even buy a fragrance lamp from this place – they've got it all!

The Best Green Ideas for Each Family Member

When you make the decision to move onto a more environmentally friendly way of living you might wonder what green ideas are right for your family.

By taking some time to think about each one of them you can work out what would suit them perfectly and help the planet at the same time.

Keep the Grandparents Warm

Keeping warm in the winter months is vitally important for the older generation and there are some green ways of doing this. For a start, you could check whether anything they need to use more in the cold months is out of date and needing upgraded. Better heating systems and a new energy efficient boiler are great investments and will help them use their energy more efficiently. You could also have a look at their current level of loft and cavity wall insulation as well as see whether their windows and doors are currently letting too much hot air escape and too much cold air enter. 

These changes needn’t be too expensive as companies like Help-Link can provide help with financing such projects.

Get the Kids out Cycling

The younger members of your family can also contribute to your family’s green approach to life. For example, if you often take them to school or to their out of school activities in the car then perhaps they can cycle there instead now. Of course, if you want to go with them and make sure that they stay safe on the journey then you will need to get a bicycle for yourself as well.  Being more active and avoiding the car as much as possible can become a way of life which you all get to enjoy. This can lead to greener holidays and all sorts of other plans. In fact, getting the kids involved in your more environmentally aware lifestyle is one of the best ways of getting more fresh ideas which you can all carry out.

Even the Babies Can Join In

If you have a little baby then you might think that there is no way of getting them to join in on your family’s green life. This isn’t true at all. One great start is to use washable cloth nappies over disposable ones. During the first few years of their lives babies go through an incredible number of nappies and they are products which take a long time to decompose. In fact, it has been suggested that it can take up to 500 years (that’s right; 5 centuries) for a nappy to decompose. A reasonable figure for the number of nappies a baby uses in their early years is around 6,000, so you have every reason to look at cloth nappies for both environmental and financial reasons. Other ideas to help your baby get a green start in life include avoiding jars of food, breast feeding and sticking to organic clothing.    

HotPrice Competition

The online fireplace retailer, HotPrice is offering you the chance to win a FREE MULTI-FUEL STOVE. Boasting 5kW heat output, this stunning stove will make a great feature in any home. The model up for grabs is DEFRA approved, meaning even homes in smokeless areas are able to burn wood.

This great prize, worth over £600, also includes a one metre length of stove pipe, steel register plate, fire cement and a heat resistant glove.

 

To enter, all you have to do is ’like’ the HotPrice Facebook page and share the photo of the beautiful wood burning stove on your wall, it's that easy! 

You’ll find it all at www.facebook.com/HotPrice. The winner will be drawn at random on 1^st of March, 2013. Good luck!