What Size Chandelier?

In choosing the size of a chandelier, there are no concrete criteria of evaluation. Interior designers always advise to stay away from buying a small-sized chandelier for a large room. On the other side, the use of candelabras or small chandeliers allows, in certain cases, to attain an interesting compositional effect. Every-thing depends on your taste and wants.

In choosing chandeliers as the source of light, some certain ratios exist, but they should not be used unthinkingly. The overall configuration and design of your room must be considered, as well as the style of the chandelier which you are about to buy. The recommendations listed below should be applied only for residential places.

One-level living rooms and bedrooms

The ratios presented below are true for rooms with total area of 100 – 250 sq. ft. For the approximate determination of the chandelier’s diameter, measure the length and width of the room in feet, add the two numbers together, and you will get an approximate diameter of the chandelier in inches.

So, for example, if the room has the size of 13 x 15 ft., add these two numbers together and you will get the number 28. This is exactly the approximate diameter of your chandelier in inches – 28 inches.

If the room has a high ceiling, then you can also add 6 inches to the final number. If the ceiling is very high, you can add additional 6 inches.

Yet, you should not use this formula for determining the chandelier for a very thin room. In this case, it is best to select two chandeliers of smaller size.

Dining rooms

 

For the dining room, the diameter of the chosen chandelier should be approximately half of the width of the dining table, above which the chandelier will hang.

For banquet type tables, in a long or large dining room, instead of one large chandelier, it is preferred to use two or more smaller chandeliers.

Foyer, large and two-level rooms

The lowest brim of the chandelier should be located at the distance of no less than 2 meters away from the floor, but if the ceilings are high, this distance can be even larger. Even in that case, one should be temperate and not place the chandelier too high under the ceiling.

The location of the chandelier in the room must be harmonic with the room’s dimensions. If in the room there is a staircase, then the location of the chandelier must be considered with additional care.

If the room has a staircase leading to the second floor, then think, what is more important for you – how the chandelier looks from the first or from the second floor? If the staircase is significantly wide, the chandelier will look attractive if looked upon from the foyer, but will not look attractive from the view of the top part of the staircase. We assume that the view from the foyer is more important.

Some homeowners want for the chandelier to be visible from the outside through the tall stained windows. In that case, the chandelier will be attached too high under the ceiling. Ac-cording to us, the view of the chandelier from the inside of the house is more important than how your house is viewed by your neighbors.

If you have to hang the chandelier high under the ceiling (due to the presence of the second floor), then pay attention to the reconciliation of the chandelier’s levels and the second floor. If it doesn’t work, turn to us to get a special ordered model. We can design and manufacture chandeliers of a length sufficient enough to look good to an observer located on multiple levels.

 

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RETRO Music Distribution and Intercom Systems

No more wondering what to do with your outdated, single-function antique intercom! The RETRO Music Distribution and Intercom Systems are designed to update pre-existing in-wall home intercom systems – using your existing 3, 4, or 6 wire systems – for a quick and easy upgrade to a state-of-the-art multi-source music distribution system.

 

• FEATURES
• COMPONENTS
• PACKAGES

The RETRO system offers a modern design that complements any décor, and delivers more features than existing intercoms:

• Built-in AM/FM radio with ten (10) preset options
• Portable Music Player (PMP) Bay to plug-and-play a wide variety of MP3 devices such as iPods, Zunes or hand-held satellite radios – either from downloaded or streamed music
• USB or Firewire connectivity to charge MP3 devices as they play
• Room adaptor and trim plates that allow installation of new stations into existing intercom wall openings without requiring drywall repair, even if the fit is not exact
• Choice of two (2) music source options in every room, enabling different music sources to be played in different rooms
• Automatic selective call technology that broadcasts voice calls throughout the home, but only broadcasts between the stations in use once the call is answered
• Hands-free communication for the party receiving the call
• Capability to monitor single or multiple zones
• Hands-free operation at Master Station with IREMOTE control (available as an option)
• Expands up to thirteen (13) zones
• Option to connect to ceiling or in-wall speakers from Master, Room, and Patio Stations
• Door communications with optional door release feature

 

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Lower Your Budget Requirements With These Energy-Saving Tips

Are you in need of some effective energy-saving tips? To stay comfortable through a Southern Alberta winter, with its harsh winds and frigid temperatures, homeowners have to use their heating systems a lot. And while higher energy bills are a reality for homeowners in our region, you can control heating costs, at least to some degree, by incorporating the energy-saving measures below throughout your home.

§ Set your home temperature lower. According to the government of Alberta, each degree you setback your thermostat will translate into a 2 percent savings on your utility bills. Over the long winter, saving 2 percent (or more) on your energy bills will add up to significant savings.

§ Ensure that your heating system operates efficiently. This action involves two steps. First, you should change your system’s air filters regularly. A clean filter improves airflow, and adequate airflow is the key to efficient operations. Second, scheduling fall maintenance (or scheduling maintenance now if you missed it) keeps your system clean, and experts agree that regular service is the primary factor that will guarantee efficiency.

§ Avoid unnecessary energy consumption by dialing back your water heater’s temperature. Most manufacturers preset water heaters higher than necessary. Forty-nine degrees is an energy-saving setting, and you won’t notice a difference in the temperature when you use hot water to shower. However, some home appliances, like dishwashers, require a higher temperature setting, so consult your user guide or talk with an HVAC expert to explore your options.

§ Seal air leaks throughout the home. A tight home that doesn’t allow outside air in, or inside air out, is a low-cost measure that greatly enhances home efficiency.

§ Upgrade equipment. While high-efficiency heating equipment is a significant investment, it translates into bigger energy savings, and that’s savings you’ll reap over the life of the equipment.

 

www.ImproveYourRoom.com

What Size For A Chandelier

In choosing the size of a chandelier, there are no concrete criteria of evaluation. Interior designers always advise to stay away from buying a small-sized chandelier for a large room. On the other side, the use of candelabras or small chandeliers allows, in certain cases, to attain an interesting compositional effect. Every-thing depends on your taste and wants.

In choosing chandeliers as the source of light, some certain ratios exist, but they should not be used unthinkingly. The overall configuration and design of your room must be considered, as well as the style of the chandelier which you are about to buy. The recommendations listed below should be applied only for residential places.

One-level living rooms and bedrooms:

The ratios presented below are true for rooms with total area of 100 – 250 sq. ft. For the approximate determination of the chandelier’s diameter, measure the length and width of the room in feet, add the two numbers together, and you will get an approximate diameter of the chandelier in inches.

So, for example, if the room has the size of 13 x 15 ft., add these two numbers together and you will get the number 28. This is exactly the approximate diameter of your chandelier in inches – 28 inches. 

If the room has a high ceiling, then you can also add 6 inches to the final number. If the ceiling is very high, you can add additional 6 inches.

Yet, you should not use this formula for determining the chandelier for a very thin room. In this case, it is best to select two chandeliers of smaller size.

Dining rooms:

For the dining room, the diameter of the chosen chandelier should be approximately half of the width of the dining table, above which the chandelier will hang.

For banquet type tables, in a long or large dining room, instead of one large chandelier, it is preferred to use two or more smaller chandeliers. 

Foyer, large and two-level rooms

The lowest brim of the chandelier should be located at the distance of no less than 2 meters away from the floor, but if the ceilings are high, this distance can be even larger. Even in that case, one should be temperate and not place the chandelier too high under the ceiling.

The location of the chandelier in the room must be harmonic with the room’s dimensions. If in the room there is a staircase, then the location of the chandelier must be considered with additional care. 

If the room has a staircase leading to the second floor, then think, what is more important for you – how the chandelier looks from the first or from the second floor? If the staircase is significantly wide, the chandelier will look attractive if looked upon from the foyer, but will not look attractive from the view of the top part of the staircase. We assume that the view from the foyer is more important.

Some homeowners want for the chandelier to be visible from the outside through the tall stained windows. In that case, the chandelier will be attached too high under the ceiling. Ac-cording to us, the view of the chandelier from the inside of the house is more important than how your house is viewed by your neighbors.

If you have to hang the chandelier high under the ceiling (due to the presence of the second floor), then pay attention to the reconciliation of the chandelier’s levels and the second floor.

As a diamond on a necklace, the right chandelier is like a jewel for your house. Setting the ambiance, providing light, it is important to pick the right one – both in design and in size. This article has sought to develop a rough guide for choosing the right size for your type of room.

 

www.ImproveYourRoom.com

Preventing Wintertime Floods

A flood in your home is a very expensive headache to deal with. In colder climates one of the most common causes of home flooding is frozen pipes. If the heat goes off, either due a broken furnace or power outage, the water in the plumbing pipes will freeze. Water expands when it freezes and as a result it will split the copper supply lines. When the heat comes back on, the pipes thaw out resulting in a flood. More often than not, this happens you are away on vacation as no one is aware that the heat has shut down. To give you an idea of what can happen: a ½” pipe rupture will discharge approximately 1500 gallons of water in a half hour. This translates to 12 inches of water in a 10′ x 20′ room in or 2.5 inches in a 1000 square foot basement in only 30 minutes.

Fortunately there are a few precautions that you can take to prevent this from happening. If you are leaving your home for an extended period of time, take the following steps to safeguard against a potential flood:

• Turn off the main water valve (where the water enters your house from the city supply).
• Drain the system by turning on a tap on the top floor and a tap in the basement. If after a few minutes the water continues to run, that means the main shutoff is not holding.
• Flush all the toilets. The toilet tanks will not refill since the water main is closed.
• Pour a little bit of windshield washer antifreeze in each sink so that the water in the p-traps doesn’t freeze.
• Pour a little bit of windshield washer antifreeze in each toilet bowl (not the tank) so that the bowl doesn’t freeze.
• If you have an electric hot water heater make sure to turn off the power to the heater at the panel.
• Remember to close all the taps before you turn on the main water valve on your return.

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LED Lighting: 10 Things to Know

Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are becoming increasingly popular and more high-quality LED lighting products are being manufactured and sold in the marketplace. LED lighting is an attractive alternative to incandescent or fluorescent lighting in both residential and commercial lighting applications because they are very energy-efficient, have very long lives, are very small in size, do not have any re-strike time, can be dimmable, generate relatively little heat, have a slow failure rate, are shock resistant, work well in low temperatures, their light can be easily focused, and they contain no toxic mercury unlike today’s popular energy-efficient lighting product, the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). Here are 10 things that you should know about this newly-emerging light source.

1. Colored and White LEDs LEDs can be red, green, blue, or amber. The color emitted by an LED is dependent upon the materials used to produce it. For example, a red LED is made from the chemical elements of aluminum, gallium, and arsenic. White LEDs are created by covering a blue LED with a yellow phosphorous coating. A white LED can also be created by using a red, blue, and green LED in close proximity to each other. At this time, there is not an LED that can emit white light. Producing an LED that could emit white light is the “holy grail” of LED light research.
2. LED Brightness A single high power LED can produce about 80 lumens of light. In comparison, a standard 60 watt incandescent light bulb produces about 900 lumens. Thus, a single high power LED is only about 1/11th as bright as a 60 watt incandescent light bulb. In order to produce adequate lighting, therefore, an LED fixture must contain groups of LEDs. However, the future is bright, pun intended, for LEDs. The lumen output of LEDs has almost doubled in the last two years.
3. LED Color Temperature Color temperature is a measure of the color appearance of a light source which helps describe the apparent “warmth” (reddish) or “coolness” (bluish) of that light. Light sources below 3200 Kelvin (3200K) are considered to be “warm;” while those above 4000K are considered to be “cool” light sources. For comparison, a traditional household incandescent light bulb is 2800K. The color temperature of a light source is not related to how hot the light source will get or how much heat is given off by the light. White LEDs vary in color temperature. Some white LEDs can be as “warm” in appearance as 2600K but most white LEDs are slightly “cool” in appearance. This is because most white LEDs are created by putting yellow phosphors over blue LEDs.
4. LED Color Rendering Color rendering index (CRI) is the ability for any light source to render colors accurately. The CRI scale goes from 1 (low pressure sodium) to 100 (the sun). A CRI of 75 is considered to be good, a CRI of 85 is considered to be very good, a CRI of 95 is considered to be excellent, and, of course, a CRI of 100 is considered perfect. LEDs in a warm white color temperature are currently available with a CRI of 80.
5. LED Efficacy As with all light sources, the efficacy of LEDs is measured in lumens/watt, the amount of light produced by one unit of power. Warm white LEDs produce between 25-44 lumens/watt while cool white LEDs are more efficacious by producing 47-64 lumens/watt. In comparison, the typical household incandescent light bulb creates 10-18 lumens/watt while compact fluorescent light bulbs produce 35-60 lumens/watt.
6. LED Drivers Fluorescent light bulbs require a ballast in order to function. The ballast provides a starting voltage and limits the electrical current to the light bulb. LEDs also require a similar electronic power source. For LEDs, this electronic power source is usually called an LED driver. The LED driver converts line power to the appropriate voltage (usually between two and four volts DC for high-brightness LEDs) and current (typically 200-1000 milliamps or mA), and may also include dimming and/or color correction controls. LED drivers are generally about 85% efficient. Thus, the efficacy of LEDs should be reduced by 15% to account for the LED driver.
7. LED Heat Generation It is a myth that LEDs do not generate heat. In fact, all light sources generate heat and LED lights are no different. Thus, it is important that an LED fixture is well-designed with “heat sinks” to adequately dissipate the heat that is created.
8. LED Lifespan LEDs do not burn out like an incandescent light bulb. Instead they get progressively dimmer over their lifetime until they no longer emit enough light to be useful. An LED is generally considered to be no longer useful when it is emitting only 70% of the original amount of light the LED produced. The time that this takes is often referred to as the “rated life” of an LED. While some LEDs may have a rated life of 100,000 hours, this is usually only under perfect laboratory conditions. Under real-world conditions most LEDs operating in light fixtures might last up to 60,000 hours. The rated life of an LED is often much less when the LED is operating in a light fixture as opposed to the same LED operating outside of a light fixture due to the buildup of heat inside the fixture. The typical LED inside of a typical light fixture may have a rated life of 35,000 to 60,000 hours.
9. OLED An OLED is an organic light emitting diode. It is an LED that also contains carbon. OLEDs are generally manufactured as flexible lightweight sheets. Today, OLEDs operate at significantly lower efficiency than inorganic (crystalline) LEDs. OLEDs typically generate less light per area than inorganic, solid state LEDs, which are usually designed for use as point-light sources.
10. Infrared and UV Radiation White LEDs do not emit infrared, or heat, radiation like an incandescent light bulb. In addition, white LEDs do not create ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) like a fluorescent light bulb.

     

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Winter Chiminey Mortar Repairs

Cracked mortar and concrete around your chimney can make for a dusty ride down for ol’ St. Nick. So, seal them up. But how? And which products should you use?

Cracks Come…

But they don’t just go away on their own. Wind, rain, snow, sleet, hail, changes in temperature, reindeer on the roof – they all stress the mortar between the bricks or stone on your chimney and can lead to leaks. Make sure the smoke is going up your chimney, not out the sides. Seal up those cracks in the mortar with Sashco’s Mor-Flexx® textured caulk. It comes in colors that match standard mortar and concrete colors but easily stretches and compresses to move with your home. And once it’s there, it won’t let go. It really sticks, and since it’s textured, it blends in with the look of your concrete, mortar and other similar surfaces.

Leaks Anyone?

Leaks will naturally occur at the same time the concrete cracks. It’s easy to seal those leaks and keep your mortar repairs looking nice, even when the weather isn’t perfect. Just apply Sashco’s Through the Roof!® clear flexible, waterproof roof sealant. Like Mor-Flexx, it has extreme elasticity. But Through the Roof! is also ultra clear, which means people (like Santa) will see your chimney, not ugly black asphalt. It’s available in cartridges, for sealing gutters, flashing and smaller jobs, and brush-grade for repairs to shingles, vents and more!

Keep Cracks and Leaks from Coming…

Let Mor-Flexx and Through the Roof! help keep your chimney in tip-top shape year round.

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You Might Need An HVAC Contractor If You Have These Problems

Most of the time, your home will sail through the seasons without as much as a hiccup. It’s helpful to know, however, when a situation requires an HVAC contractor and who to call. If you see evidence of any of the problems below, you should call an expert as soon as possible:

Attic problems

Having the right insulation levels and efficiency is critical in your attic. Without it, you not only lose valuable heated air through the attic, but the potential for ice damming increases. Since it’s common to experience Chinooks in Calgary, those warm days can melt the snow on your roof, which leaks down to your eaves and gutters, and freezes when the temperatures dip again. The best defense against ice damming is to have effective attic insulation.

Additionally, if your home exhaust systems are directed into the attic space, it’s more likely to experience problems, as excess moisture can lead to wood rot and wet, ineffective insulation.

Furnace problems

A dirty furnace filter can lead to an inefficient furnace. It’s important that you change the filter regularly to ensure proper airflow for the furnace, as well as to keep pollutants out of your home’s air. Leaks in the ductwork can contribute to energy losses. If you haven’t had the ductwork evaluated recently, it’s important to do so now to ensure that they don’t waste energy all winter long.

Crawl space problems

The main contributors to problems in the crawl space are moisture and a lack of insulation. If the space is musty, you most likely have moisture problems. If it’s not insulated, you’re likely to lose a lot of heat over the winter.

While problematic situations in your home can often cause financial stress and discomfort, using a highly reputable and knowledgeable HVAC contractor can offer peace of mind.

 

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List of Improving Housing Markets Nearly Doubles in January

The number of housing markets showing measurable improvement nearly doubled in January with the addition of 40 new metros to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released today.  The IMI now boasts 76 improving markets, up from 41 in December, with 31 states and the District of Columbia represented by at least one entry.

The index identifies metropolitan areas that have shown improvement from their respective troughs in housing permits, employment and house prices for at least six consecutive months. New entrants to the list in January include the following (listed alphabetically by state):

Florence, AL
Tuscaloosa, AL
Fayetteville, AR
Denver, CO
Greeley, CO
Bridgeport, CT
New Haven, CT
Cape Coral, FL
Jacksonville, FL
Punta Gorda, FL
Honolulu, HI
Ames, IA
Des Moines, IA
Dubuque, IA
Elkhart, IN
Indianapolis, IN
Lafayette, IN
Lake Charles, LA
Worcester, MA
Grand Rapids, MI
Lansing, MI
Monroe, MI
Minneapolis, MN
Columbia, MO
Joplin, MO
Fargo, ND
Manchester, NH
Cincinnati, OH
Oklahoma City, OK
Tulsa, OK
Corvallis, OR
Erie, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Chattanooga, TN
Clarksville, TN
Nashville, TN
College Station, TX
Dallas, TX
Victoria, TX
Madison, WI

“The fact that the list of improving housing markets nearly doubled this month shows that a significant, positive trend is developing, and is even more relevant when you consider the expanding geographic distribution of the list – which now includes 31 states and the District of Columbia,” noted NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev.  “This trend could be even stronger if not for the numerous impediments that continue to slow a housing and economic recovery, including overly restrictive lending policies and the growing inventory of distressed properties in certain markets.”

“While relatively small metropolitan areas continue to dominate the list of improving housing markets, it’s important to note that several major metros in diverse parts of the country have now joined the field as well – including such metros as Dallas, Denver, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Nashville and Philadelphia,” added NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “This is an encouraging sign that gradually strengthening economic conditions are starting to take hold across a broader swath of America.”

“The substantial gain in the number of improving housing markets in January shows that more consumers are looking favorably at a home purchase in light of today’s historically low interest rates and attractive prices, particularly in areas where job growth has picked up,” added Kurt Pfotenhauer, vice chairman of First American Title Insurance Company.

The IMI is designed to track housing markets throughout the country that are showing signs of improving economic health. The index measures three sets of independent monthly data to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The three indicators that are analyzed are employment growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, house price appreciation from Freddie Mac, and single-family housing permit growth from the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB uses the latest available data from these sources to generate a list of improving markets. A metropolitan area must see improvement in all three areas for at least six months following their respective troughs before being included on the improving markets list.

Only five metropolitan areas dropped from the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index in January. These included Anchorage, Alaska; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Canton, Ohio; Scranton, Pa.; and Charleston, W. Va. A complete list of all 76 metropolitan areas currently on the IMI is available at: www.nahb.org/imi.

Editor’s Note: The NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) is released on the fourth business day of each month at 10:00 a.m., ET, unless that day falls on a Friday – in which case, the index will be released on the following Monday. A full calendar of future release dates can be found at www.nahb.org/imi.

 

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Glam, Gorgeous and… Green Entertaining

So you’ve made the environmentally conscious choice to be green this year… but how will this decision impact your entertaining? Maintaining environmental self-discipline can be difficult while entertaining. However, maintaining a green focus doesn’t have to mean bland food and brown, recycled napkins. Organic food can be delicious – special enough to serve at parties – and sustainable table linens can be glamorous. Green choices can actually enhance your guests’ experience in your home; rather than inhibit it.

“Green products are far from plain and unattractive. The ‘green movement’ has been embraced by the architecture and design community – so there is an abundance of smartly styled, design-forward items that are also eco-friendly,” said Judy Riley, vice president of design, Moen Incorporated.

Here are some suggestions to keep in mind as you plan this year’s parties, starting with the two rooms your guests are sure to see – the kitchen and the powder room. Some changes are quick and simple; while others have a longer-term impact that you can enjoy long after your guests are gone.

A Gorgeous, Green Kitchen It’s a fact – whether you’re entertaining two guests or 20 – the one spot they’ll most likely congregate is the kitchen. And fortunately, making a green impact in this room is one of the easiest. A few of Riley’s tips for updating your kitchen to be friendlier to the planet include:

• If you need to purchase a new table and chairs to accommodate a large dinner party, look for second-hand tables and refurbished chairs with character.

And if you’re looking for a green kitchen remodel, Riley suggests:

• Installing cabinetry or built-ins made with certifiable, eco-friendly wood (meaning they were not made from rain forest materials or endangered woods).
• Using Zodiaq® quartz counters, which are more eco-friendly than granite and are available in a palette of beautiful colours.
• Installing bamboo wood flooring, which provides the natural beauty of wood while also being environmentally friendly.
• If you’re setting up the bar for guests, a Moen Canada AquaSuite® filtering faucet in the kitchen will provide filtered water at your sink – virtually eliminating the need for bottled water.

The Perfect Powder Room After the kitchen, the next most-visited room at your dinner party is the powder room, or guest half-bath.

To add green flair here, Riley recommends:

• Enhancing the mood of your soiree with candles – not only do they soften the lighting and add a festive flair; but they also are electricity-free!
• Incorporating ceramic tile in floors, countertops and walls. Some ceramic tiles are made from recycled products, such as discarded bottle glass.
• Installing electronic faucets or faucets certified to meet WaterSense® criteria to conserve water. The hands-free Destiny™ electronic powder room faucet from ShowHouse® features a sleek, minimalist design and a distinctly-styled spout that produces a sheeting water flow -providing water only when it is needed. Another earth-friendly option, Moen Canada’s Rothbury™ bath faucet, allows water to flow at an optimized 5.7 litres per minute (L/min), versus traditional aerators that flow at 8.3 L/min. This faucet, certified to meet WaterSense criteria, not only reduces water usage by up to 32 percent, but it also is extremely stylish and available in a number of on-trend finishes.

Earth-Friendly Entertaining Once your decorating is complete, it’s time to add a few, final green touches to your event:

• Invite an acoustic guitarist to play at the party – it not only will give your event a more intimate feel, it will also conserve energy.
• Buy beverages in aluminum cans and glass bottles that can be recycled; and create a ‘festive’ reminder for guests to dispose of these items in recycling bins.

Finally, remember that every little bit counts – and by showing your guests a glamorous -and green – experience, you can empower them to follow in your eco-conscious footsteps.

 

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