A new year has begun and the holidays are over, but chances are, the ghosts of parties and gatherings past still haunt your carpets in the form of stains and ground in dirt. Thankfully, giving your home a deep down upholstery and carpet cleaning is actually easier than you might think. These days, you can forget about bulky machine rentals or the backbreaking work of moving furniture in and out of rooms, because professional house cleaning services provide more complete, affordable service options than ever.
While do-it-yourself carpet cleaning options might sound like a good deal, the truth is that they can't provide the same level of deep down clean that you'll receive from professional carpet cleaners. Not only is cleaning your carpets yourself a time consuming hassle, it can also leave behind moisture and residues that prevent your carpets and upholstery from being truly clean. Whereas professional carpet cleaning services utilize more advanced tools, techniques and cleaning products to provide a more thorough, longer lasting clean that leaves your home deodorized and sanitized.
In addition to carpets, a reputable carpet cleaning service should be able to help you with most of your more extensive house cleaning needs. For example, ServiceMaster Clean provides residential cleaning services that will take care of your carpets, upholstery, hardwood and tile floor cleaning. In addition to cleaning those items, they also specialize in cleaning countertops, back splashes and other porcelain or ceramic tiled areas of your home.
You can also expect a reputable carpet cleaning service to offer green cleaning options that utilize products free of volatile organic compounds .
Along with that service, a truly reputable carpet cleaning company should offer you some sort of service guarantee, like the satisfaction guarantee offered by your local ServiceMaster Clean. We work to your specifications and guarantee the job is done right or we do it over.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Creating a Bathroom Sanctuary
Dropping temperatures and dripping ice can chill you to the bone, even in Georgia. No wonder so many of us like to take long soaks or hot showers when we get home.
If we have the proper bathroom in which to take them.
“After the holidays, people are ready to remodel their baths,” says Harry Bataille of Bateille’s Plumbing on New Macland Road in Powder Springs. “Many customers are putting in separate showers, reconfiguring their baths to expand and get more space.”
Andy Swiderek of A & S Construction in Acworth says his business gets a few calls this time of year for bathroom remodeling. “People aren’t moving to new homes as much; they’re fixing up their old ones, and the bath is definitely an important part of that.”
“Many of our clients are gutting their old baths,” Cheryl Draa of Cheryl Draa Interiors in Powder Springs adds. “They’re enlarging their showers, they’re putting in prettier tile, they’re replacing standard bathtubs with soaking tubs that they’ll actually use.”
Most builders don’t spend a lot of time putting together bathrooms, Swiderek says.
“They’re using sheet rock instead of cementboard, which eventually absorbs moisture and makes tiles pop off," he says. "Some will tile right over plywood, so a true renovation really needs to start at the base. On your floors, you need cementboard mortared to plywood with the proper thinset, with an anti-fracture membrane between the cementboard and tile to avoid tile cracking.”
As for the tiles themselves, Draa says, “lots of clients are choosing the porcelain version of marble, which doesn’t have to be sealed like marble. Others are going for paler blue and green glass tiles.”
Swiderek has been seeing some brighter colors, like "aquamarine,” in his remodels. “We still see a lot of earth tones, though. It depends on the style of the house.”
Draa advises that folks who are planning to sell their home eventually stick to neutrals, “although blue and green are really considered neutral because they’re like sky and water and grass and leaves.”
She suggests using brighter colors for accents, in places where they can be easily (and inexpensively) changed, such as with towels, rugs or curtains.
"If you’re planning on living in a place more than five years, though, I say pick the colors you like,” she adds. “You’re going to be living with them, and they’ll add to your enjoyment.”
While Bataille isn’t necessarily seeing a lot of upgrades in his remodels, he says they all want one thing: “More space. More room. They don’t want to be crowded.”
Our home in Kansas had one of those “crowded” bathrooms, with a sink outside the room itself. The previous owners had cannibalized a bedroom next to the master, turning it into a huge master suite, but did nothing with the bath.
So we put up a wall at the end of the room, and turned the sink area into a dressing room with extra counter space and closet space. It still left us with a sizable bedroom, but a spacious bath.
“More bells and whistles are requested in our remodels,” Swiderek states. “We’re getting more requests for bigger shower heads, steamer/saunas, and radiant floor heating. Radiant floor heating is great on the feet. It makes the bath really comfortable because it gives heat from the floor.”
Draa’s clients are also asking for larger shower heads and easy-to-turn handles for their fixtures. “The new products are more energy efficient, so they’re really worth it.”
If you really want to go high end, Swiderek has a few suggestions. “Insert fireplaces are really big, if you’re planning to lounge and relax in the whirlpool or soaking tub. There’s also a cool product called Smart Glass that they’re using on picture windows in baths. You can turn it opaque with the press of a button, or leave it clear, so you don’t have to mess with blinds.”
But the kickiest item would have to be “the TVs that convert to mirrors,” he points out. “You can watch TV while you soak, and then turn it into a mirror when you’re done.”
Just don’t try shaving while you’re watching TV.
If we have the proper bathroom in which to take them.
“After the holidays, people are ready to remodel their baths,” says Harry Bataille of Bateille’s Plumbing on New Macland Road in Powder Springs. “Many customers are putting in separate showers, reconfiguring their baths to expand and get more space.”
Andy Swiderek of A & S Construction in Acworth says his business gets a few calls this time of year for bathroom remodeling. “People aren’t moving to new homes as much; they’re fixing up their old ones, and the bath is definitely an important part of that.”
“Many of our clients are gutting their old baths,” Cheryl Draa of Cheryl Draa Interiors in Powder Springs adds. “They’re enlarging their showers, they’re putting in prettier tile, they’re replacing standard bathtubs with soaking tubs that they’ll actually use.”
Most builders don’t spend a lot of time putting together bathrooms, Swiderek says.
“They’re using sheet rock instead of cementboard, which eventually absorbs moisture and makes tiles pop off," he says. "Some will tile right over plywood, so a true renovation really needs to start at the base. On your floors, you need cementboard mortared to plywood with the proper thinset, with an anti-fracture membrane between the cementboard and tile to avoid tile cracking.”
As for the tiles themselves, Draa says, “lots of clients are choosing the porcelain version of marble, which doesn’t have to be sealed like marble. Others are going for paler blue and green glass tiles.”
Swiderek has been seeing some brighter colors, like "aquamarine,” in his remodels. “We still see a lot of earth tones, though. It depends on the style of the house.”
Draa advises that folks who are planning to sell their home eventually stick to neutrals, “although blue and green are really considered neutral because they’re like sky and water and grass and leaves.”
She suggests using brighter colors for accents, in places where they can be easily (and inexpensively) changed, such as with towels, rugs or curtains.
"If you’re planning on living in a place more than five years, though, I say pick the colors you like,” she adds. “You’re going to be living with them, and they’ll add to your enjoyment.”
While Bataille isn’t necessarily seeing a lot of upgrades in his remodels, he says they all want one thing: “More space. More room. They don’t want to be crowded.”
Our home in Kansas had one of those “crowded” bathrooms, with a sink outside the room itself. The previous owners had cannibalized a bedroom next to the master, turning it into a huge master suite, but did nothing with the bath.
So we put up a wall at the end of the room, and turned the sink area into a dressing room with extra counter space and closet space. It still left us with a sizable bedroom, but a spacious bath.
“More bells and whistles are requested in our remodels,” Swiderek states. “We’re getting more requests for bigger shower heads, steamer/saunas, and radiant floor heating. Radiant floor heating is great on the feet. It makes the bath really comfortable because it gives heat from the floor.”
Draa’s clients are also asking for larger shower heads and easy-to-turn handles for their fixtures. “The new products are more energy efficient, so they’re really worth it.”
If you really want to go high end, Swiderek has a few suggestions. “Insert fireplaces are really big, if you’re planning to lounge and relax in the whirlpool or soaking tub. There’s also a cool product called Smart Glass that they’re using on picture windows in baths. You can turn it opaque with the press of a button, or leave it clear, so you don’t have to mess with blinds.”
But the kickiest item would have to be “the TVs that convert to mirrors,” he points out. “You can watch TV while you soak, and then turn it into a mirror when you’re done.”
Just don’t try shaving while you’re watching TV.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Tandem mold technology finding its place
Tandem mold technology, a relatively new development, is beginning to be a growth business for T-Mould, a mold manufacturer based in Bad Salzuflen, Germany with an office in Grand Rapids, MI. The company does not build the tandem molds itself, but is the inventor and developer of the tandem technology.
"Because of our growing business we wanted to have an increased presence in North America," explained Wilhelm Kliewer, managing director of American T-Mould.
A tandem mold is similar to a stack mold in that it has two parting lines. The primary difference however, is that a tandem mold operates in an alternating process. "For each parting line you have a standalone process," explains Kliewer. "The material is injected into the first single face section, then hold and pack takes place. But before the cooling process starts we activate the Compact Locking System (CLS), which locks the parting line. At that point, the barrel retracts and we shoot in the resin into the second parting line. The benefit to the Tandem mold is that we utilize the dead cycle time - the cooling phase - to injection the resin into a second parting line."
T-Mould holds the world-wide patent rights for the Tandem technology processing method, which is an amalgamating process that implements the Compact Locking System (CLS), which T-Mould's customers purchase. "We do not have repeating license fees," Kliewer clarifies. "We offer a one-time purchase of the CLS on a particular tool."
The CLS is offered in four different sizes and in different variations. "We work with customers on which locking system is best to be used for the particular tool," Kliewer says. "We're all engineers, toolmakers and process engineers, so we help our customers calculate their needs and offer technical support around the product. We also collaborate with the various suppliers such as press manufacturers, systems manufacturers to support the requirements of the Tandem tool, and with the toolmaker to design a Tandem tool. For us it is not only important that they use the technology, but more importantly that it's used in a proper functional way to receive the real benefit from the Tandem technology."
The Tandem mold concept was introduced by T-Mould in 2003. Since then, the technology has been catching on for various applications. However, Kliewer notes, applications for the technology are unique, and typically the end user is looking for greater productivity. Applications span a wide range of markets including medical, appliance, automotive and electronics among others.
One of T-Mould's customers with an expertise in building connector molds, had a requirement for a 16-cavity connector mold. "The customer usually builds 8-cavity connector tools, and with 250 critical dimensions they know how to build and balance the tool," says Kliewer. "But when they tried to go to 16-cavity tool, it wasn't possible to balance the tool properly. They sacrificed quality and it resulted in a reduced process window."
The moldmaker then went with the Tandem mold process, which resulted in increased production and higher throughput. Utilizing the Tandem technology, the moldmaker essentially had one 8+8-cavity mold in which he could use the cooling time of parting line 1 to inject into parting line 2, and can process this 16-cavity tool. "He was also able to increase his process window," Kliewer added.
Another customer needed a mold built for a housing and lid. "Usually for this type of application you need two stand alone tools or a family tool that needs proper balancing," says Kliewer. "Whenever you have a family tool with two different parts, the question is what happens if you require different volumes? With Tandem tools you can lock each parting line independently and use either parting lines as a single face tool to get different volumes."
Another application required a housing and cover for keyboards, but it also required colored resin, as well as different volumes and different surface textures. "This product couldn't be done in a family mold," Kliewer explains. "Also it needed a good profile to fill well because of a class A surface requirement. By building a Tandem tool, the customer got a perfect color match, each with its own profile as stand-alone tools, and a much lower scrap rate."
As with any new technology, educating both moldmakers and end users about the benefits and suitability for various applications, can take time. Often, people are reluctant to use new mold technology. "The customers we work with are not afraid of technology and not afraid of working at a level where they can be more competitive," said Kliewer. "We have almost 800 applications worldwide where the Tandem technology is being used. Within the U.S. in the last year, American T-Mould has worked with many different customers on a number of applications."
In deciding whether a Tandem mold is appropriate, Kliewer notes that it is important to look at the overall program and what the end user requires. "We have several customers in the appliance industry currently looking at how often they might be able to use this technology in their applications," he says. "They begin looking at Tandem molds from the outset of the design. They also evaluate shot size and weight differential, for which Tandem technology can accommodate up to 60%. In other words you can have totally different weight relations. Every second shot you can get from a larger volume of material to a smaller volume. We have developed calculation programs that we use to calculate a Tandem process vs. a stand-alone mold to weigh the cost benefit of tandem vs. stand-alone. We are very honest about what we do - we don't pretend we can achieve something that we can't, but most of the time we can achieve a significant price reduction."
"Because of our growing business we wanted to have an increased presence in North America," explained Wilhelm Kliewer, managing director of American T-Mould.
A tandem mold is similar to a stack mold in that it has two parting lines. The primary difference however, is that a tandem mold operates in an alternating process. "For each parting line you have a standalone process," explains Kliewer. "The material is injected into the first single face section, then hold and pack takes place. But before the cooling process starts we activate the Compact Locking System (CLS), which locks the parting line. At that point, the barrel retracts and we shoot in the resin into the second parting line. The benefit to the Tandem mold is that we utilize the dead cycle time - the cooling phase - to injection the resin into a second parting line."
T-Mould holds the world-wide patent rights for the Tandem technology processing method, which is an amalgamating process that implements the Compact Locking System (CLS), which T-Mould's customers purchase. "We do not have repeating license fees," Kliewer clarifies. "We offer a one-time purchase of the CLS on a particular tool."
The CLS is offered in four different sizes and in different variations. "We work with customers on which locking system is best to be used for the particular tool," Kliewer says. "We're all engineers, toolmakers and process engineers, so we help our customers calculate their needs and offer technical support around the product. We also collaborate with the various suppliers such as press manufacturers, systems manufacturers to support the requirements of the Tandem tool, and with the toolmaker to design a Tandem tool. For us it is not only important that they use the technology, but more importantly that it's used in a proper functional way to receive the real benefit from the Tandem technology."
The Tandem mold concept was introduced by T-Mould in 2003. Since then, the technology has been catching on for various applications. However, Kliewer notes, applications for the technology are unique, and typically the end user is looking for greater productivity. Applications span a wide range of markets including medical, appliance, automotive and electronics among others.
One of T-Mould's customers with an expertise in building connector molds, had a requirement for a 16-cavity connector mold. "The customer usually builds 8-cavity connector tools, and with 250 critical dimensions they know how to build and balance the tool," says Kliewer. "But when they tried to go to 16-cavity tool, it wasn't possible to balance the tool properly. They sacrificed quality and it resulted in a reduced process window."
The moldmaker then went with the Tandem mold process, which resulted in increased production and higher throughput. Utilizing the Tandem technology, the moldmaker essentially had one 8+8-cavity mold in which he could use the cooling time of parting line 1 to inject into parting line 2, and can process this 16-cavity tool. "He was also able to increase his process window," Kliewer added.
Another customer needed a mold built for a housing and lid. "Usually for this type of application you need two stand alone tools or a family tool that needs proper balancing," says Kliewer. "Whenever you have a family tool with two different parts, the question is what happens if you require different volumes? With Tandem tools you can lock each parting line independently and use either parting lines as a single face tool to get different volumes."
Another application required a housing and cover for keyboards, but it also required colored resin, as well as different volumes and different surface textures. "This product couldn't be done in a family mold," Kliewer explains. "Also it needed a good profile to fill well because of a class A surface requirement. By building a Tandem tool, the customer got a perfect color match, each with its own profile as stand-alone tools, and a much lower scrap rate."
As with any new technology, educating both moldmakers and end users about the benefits and suitability for various applications, can take time. Often, people are reluctant to use new mold technology. "The customers we work with are not afraid of technology and not afraid of working at a level where they can be more competitive," said Kliewer. "We have almost 800 applications worldwide where the Tandem technology is being used. Within the U.S. in the last year, American T-Mould has worked with many different customers on a number of applications."
In deciding whether a Tandem mold is appropriate, Kliewer notes that it is important to look at the overall program and what the end user requires. "We have several customers in the appliance industry currently looking at how often they might be able to use this technology in their applications," he says. "They begin looking at Tandem molds from the outset of the design. They also evaluate shot size and weight differential, for which Tandem technology can accommodate up to 60%. In other words you can have totally different weight relations. Every second shot you can get from a larger volume of material to a smaller volume. We have developed calculation programs that we use to calculate a Tandem process vs. a stand-alone mold to weigh the cost benefit of tandem vs. stand-alone. We are very honest about what we do - we don't pretend we can achieve something that we can't, but most of the time we can achieve a significant price reduction."
Friday, January 6, 2012
Novel polymer nanowire fabrication technology uses pulsed laser irradiation
Polymer nanowires have important advantages for industrial applications in comparison with nanowires made from inorganic materials. Because they are extremely flexible and are also optically transparent, wide application is expected in new nanodevice fields such as sensors, light-emitting devices, optical switch devices, and others. However, it had not been possible to solve two problems which were obstacles to practical application of nanodevices using polymer nanowires. One was the need to substantially reduce the size of the nanowire, and the other was addition of various dopants to impart new functions.
In the present work, the NIMS researchers proposed an extremely simple method using only a pulsed laser, which is completely different from the conventional fabrication method, and simultaneously solved the above-mentioned two problems.
Nanodevices have attracted attention because new functions that were not possible with conventional devices can be obtained by utilizing the quantum size effect, which is first manifested when the size of a device is reduced to its ultimate limit. In order to obtain the quantum size effect, it is necessary to refine the diameter of nanowires down to several 10nm or less. Molds are used in the conventional nanowire fabrication technique, but fabrication by this method had been limited to comparatively thick wires with diameters of several 100nm. Furthermore, with the conventional technique, polymer nanowires were extracted from the mold by etching (dissolving) the mold with a strong chemical agent, and it was only possible to use polymers that would not be damaged by the chemical.
In this pioneering research, the NIMS team developed a completely new technique, which is the world's first of its kind, by simply irradiating a highly-controlled laser on the material without using a mold, thereby causing a nanowire to form at the position of irradiation as though growing. It was also possible to impart diverse functions to the formed nanowires, which had been difficult until now, by adding various dopants to the starting material.
Because this newly-developed functional polymer nanowire fabrication technique can be applied to arbitrary functional nanomaterials and diverse polymers as necessary, practical application of the functional polymer materials obtained by this method is expected in the future in fields such as wiring for flexible substrates of smart phones, where increasingly active development is anticipated, and in flexible high magnetic permeability materials in antennas for portable electronic devices, where miniaturization is required.
In the present work, the NIMS researchers proposed an extremely simple method using only a pulsed laser, which is completely different from the conventional fabrication method, and simultaneously solved the above-mentioned two problems.
Nanodevices have attracted attention because new functions that were not possible with conventional devices can be obtained by utilizing the quantum size effect, which is first manifested when the size of a device is reduced to its ultimate limit. In order to obtain the quantum size effect, it is necessary to refine the diameter of nanowires down to several 10nm or less. Molds are used in the conventional nanowire fabrication technique, but fabrication by this method had been limited to comparatively thick wires with diameters of several 100nm. Furthermore, with the conventional technique, polymer nanowires were extracted from the mold by etching (dissolving) the mold with a strong chemical agent, and it was only possible to use polymers that would not be damaged by the chemical.
In this pioneering research, the NIMS team developed a completely new technique, which is the world's first of its kind, by simply irradiating a highly-controlled laser on the material without using a mold, thereby causing a nanowire to form at the position of irradiation as though growing. It was also possible to impart diverse functions to the formed nanowires, which had been difficult until now, by adding various dopants to the starting material.
Because this newly-developed functional polymer nanowire fabrication technique can be applied to arbitrary functional nanomaterials and diverse polymers as necessary, practical application of the functional polymer materials obtained by this method is expected in the future in fields such as wiring for flexible substrates of smart phones, where increasingly active development is anticipated, and in flexible high magnetic permeability materials in antennas for portable electronic devices, where miniaturization is required.
Home sick? The causes and cures for mold in your home
Every week, home inspector Lars Knobloch gets at least one phone call from someone with a potential mold problem in their home.
Sometimes they can see what they think is mold and want to be sure. Other times, they just don’t feel well and want to rule out mold as the culprit.
“It is real,” said Knobloch, who owns Nordic Home Inspection in Fargo and does real estate inspections as well as testing for mold, asbestos, lead, radon and allergens. “It’s a serious matter.”
Casey Bartz of Moorhead recently dealt with mold in a home he was purchasing and said while there are a lot of home recipes for mold removal online, he would rather deal with professionals.
“There’s a lot on the internet that can be out there to scare you,” he said. “Having an actual person I could speak to about it helped me out a lot.”
Knobloch was inspecting the home when he discovered mold along the baseboards. The air in the home also did not smell fresh, Bartz said.
So Knobloch did an air quality test, not only in the basement where he saw mold, but also on the home’s main level. The results revealed toxic black mold.
Bartz was then able to factor in the cost of mold removal when he negotiated the house’s price.
As he worked in the home before the mold was removed, Bartz noticed that he didn’t feel well. But once the basement carpet and moldy sheetrock were removed, his home smelled a lot cleaner and he felt a lot better.
Having experienced the effects of mold, he knows what to watch out for and he knows how important it is to take care of problems that could lead to mold before that happens, he said.
Indoor air quality expert, Ken Hellevang, a North Dakota State University professor and NDSU Extension engineer, said mold will grow on wet materials in 24 to 48 hours.
“In our climate, we find a lot of potential for moisture problems in homes,” he said.
In the summer, homeowners may deal with damp basements as the ground water level rises. In the winter, condensation increases the moisture level in homes, he said.
Knobloch usually finds mold where water might drain such as around a utility room, water heater, sinks, washing machines, and bathtubs, he said.
Common causes are if the soil around your home slopes toward it or if the downspouts are not angled away from your home. In those cases, rainwater drains toward the foundation, creating a moist environment where mold will thrive. Mold might then grow on the back of sheetrock or behind baseboards.
“Mold really grows well in dark areas,” he said.
Mold can be caused by the following: flooding, sump pump failure, condensation on windows, soap scum in showers, firewood stored indoors, humidifier use, venting clothes dryer exhaust indoors, line drying clothes indoors, and a leaky or poorly ventilated attic.
“No one goes up in the attic,” Knobloch said. “I usually recommend people go up there once a year to check for minor roof leaks.”
Closets, especially those on exterior walls, can also be conducive to mold.
In “Keep Your Home Healthy,” Hellevang’s guide to improving indoor air quality, he explains that closets are higher in humidity than the rest of the house in the winter because the temperature inside the closet is often cooler than the rest of the house.
Mold is found more frequently in newer homes because older homes are draftier, don’t often have finished basements, and often have plaster walls, Knobloch said.
Mold usually has a musty smell, but people might not realize they have a mold problem if it’s growing where they can’t see it.
Sometimes illness alerts them to a problem.
“Many people contact me because they’re sick,” Knobloch said. “They have one of these health symptoms and they wonder if they have mold.”
People’s bodies respond differently to mold exposure. Some might have a severe reaction while others could experience no symptoms at all.
Health risks are greater in infants and children, the elderly, people with respiratory conditions or sensitivities, and those with severely weakened immune systems, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Hellevang said research is finding people are more sensitive to mold growth than they used to be.
According to Mayo Clinic, mold allergies cause the same signs and symptoms as other upper respiratory allergies. Symptoms can include: sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, cough and postnasal drip, itchy eyes, nose and throat, and watery eyes.
With a mold allergy, symptoms generally worsen with each exposure.
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by exposure to mold spores and in some people exposure to certain molds can cause a severe asthma attack.
Mold can also cause infections, with problems ranging from flu-like symptoms to skin infections or pneumonia.
Sometimes they can see what they think is mold and want to be sure. Other times, they just don’t feel well and want to rule out mold as the culprit.
“It is real,” said Knobloch, who owns Nordic Home Inspection in Fargo and does real estate inspections as well as testing for mold, asbestos, lead, radon and allergens. “It’s a serious matter.”
Casey Bartz of Moorhead recently dealt with mold in a home he was purchasing and said while there are a lot of home recipes for mold removal online, he would rather deal with professionals.
“There’s a lot on the internet that can be out there to scare you,” he said. “Having an actual person I could speak to about it helped me out a lot.”
Knobloch was inspecting the home when he discovered mold along the baseboards. The air in the home also did not smell fresh, Bartz said.
So Knobloch did an air quality test, not only in the basement where he saw mold, but also on the home’s main level. The results revealed toxic black mold.
Bartz was then able to factor in the cost of mold removal when he negotiated the house’s price.
As he worked in the home before the mold was removed, Bartz noticed that he didn’t feel well. But once the basement carpet and moldy sheetrock were removed, his home smelled a lot cleaner and he felt a lot better.
Having experienced the effects of mold, he knows what to watch out for and he knows how important it is to take care of problems that could lead to mold before that happens, he said.
Indoor air quality expert, Ken Hellevang, a North Dakota State University professor and NDSU Extension engineer, said mold will grow on wet materials in 24 to 48 hours.
“In our climate, we find a lot of potential for moisture problems in homes,” he said.
In the summer, homeowners may deal with damp basements as the ground water level rises. In the winter, condensation increases the moisture level in homes, he said.
Knobloch usually finds mold where water might drain such as around a utility room, water heater, sinks, washing machines, and bathtubs, he said.
Common causes are if the soil around your home slopes toward it or if the downspouts are not angled away from your home. In those cases, rainwater drains toward the foundation, creating a moist environment where mold will thrive. Mold might then grow on the back of sheetrock or behind baseboards.
“Mold really grows well in dark areas,” he said.
Mold can be caused by the following: flooding, sump pump failure, condensation on windows, soap scum in showers, firewood stored indoors, humidifier use, venting clothes dryer exhaust indoors, line drying clothes indoors, and a leaky or poorly ventilated attic.
“No one goes up in the attic,” Knobloch said. “I usually recommend people go up there once a year to check for minor roof leaks.”
Closets, especially those on exterior walls, can also be conducive to mold.
In “Keep Your Home Healthy,” Hellevang’s guide to improving indoor air quality, he explains that closets are higher in humidity than the rest of the house in the winter because the temperature inside the closet is often cooler than the rest of the house.
Mold is found more frequently in newer homes because older homes are draftier, don’t often have finished basements, and often have plaster walls, Knobloch said.
Mold usually has a musty smell, but people might not realize they have a mold problem if it’s growing where they can’t see it.
Sometimes illness alerts them to a problem.
“Many people contact me because they’re sick,” Knobloch said. “They have one of these health symptoms and they wonder if they have mold.”
People’s bodies respond differently to mold exposure. Some might have a severe reaction while others could experience no symptoms at all.
Health risks are greater in infants and children, the elderly, people with respiratory conditions or sensitivities, and those with severely weakened immune systems, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Hellevang said research is finding people are more sensitive to mold growth than they used to be.
According to Mayo Clinic, mold allergies cause the same signs and symptoms as other upper respiratory allergies. Symptoms can include: sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, cough and postnasal drip, itchy eyes, nose and throat, and watery eyes.
With a mold allergy, symptoms generally worsen with each exposure.
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by exposure to mold spores and in some people exposure to certain molds can cause a severe asthma attack.
Mold can also cause infections, with problems ranging from flu-like symptoms to skin infections or pneumonia.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Despite magical experiences when studying abroad
That is how long it has been since I have taken a class in English. It has been four full months (at least) since I've taken a step on Ohio State's campus.
Coming to work again for the first time since June, I passed demolished buildings on Woodruff, a street that I had not yet seen without its orange cones. Walking into the newsroom that I haven't visited since July, I passed through hallways that had no ceilings the last time I was here. And when I came in, I was greeted by a new set of faces. Some of them I was familiar with, some of them were fresh.
I spent the last three-and-a-half months studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. Let me tell you, the whole experience was magical. Seriously, complete and utter magic. I took classes at a Spanish university, lived with a host family and created a life for myself in Barcelona. I bettered my Spanish skills, learned a little Catalan, the other official language of Barcelona, made friends and ate a lot of delicious food. A lot.
I also got to travel. I took a ferry across the Straight of Gibraltar, rode camels through the Sahara Desert, visited a medieval castle in France, ate authentic Irish potatoes in Ireland, climbed to the top of Cologne Cathedral in Germany, saw multiple cities in Spain and spent a week in Italy. In between my weekend adventures abroad, I explored Barcelona and immersed myself in its culture. It was an experience I will never forget and one that I know I was incredibly blessed to have.
Seeing all of these different places was one thing, but what really blew my mind was meeting and getting to know the people. Whether it was a cab driver in Ireland or a host at a hotel in Italy, it was incredible to meet people from all of these different countries and hear their stories.
My host mom, for example, was absolutely incredible. She was a widow and ran her family-owned ceramic tile shop on one of the main streets of Barcelona. She was a little hard to get to know, but when she finally opened up, I learned things I never would have if I hadn't put forth the effort. It was also a communication feat whenever I learned something from her, because she spoke no English. And that's how it was every day. People kept talking to me in Spanish and I kept learning. It was great.
During all of this, I sent a million postcards to my friends and family and was constantly uploading pictures to Facebook in a mad effort to let some of my friends and family at home share in what I was experiencing. I blogged, I emailed, I instant messaged. This was a challenge since I didn't have Internet in my flat. But it was certainly worth the effort.
I wondered why I felt such a desire to share my experiences so thoroughly with everyone at home. First I attributed it to my journalistic aspirations. I love being able to share things through words and to let people live vicariously in that way. I love sharing other people's stories and capturing things that people otherwise wouldn't be able to experience. But that wasn't the whole reason. Then I thought about how supportive everyone at home was and how I wouldn't be there if it wasn't for them, so maybe that's why I felt such a pull to keep in touch. But it was about halfway through the second month when I came to my senses and realized that all of this rationalizing was just one big defense mechanism. I was homesick. I missed everything about home and everyone there. I missed OSU, I missed Columbus, I missed my hometown. I missed my parents, my brother, my boyfriend, my friends and even my casual acquaintances. And honestly, this freaked me out. I had always had it in my head that I'd grow up and travel the world. I'd do anything I wanted to and see everything there was to see, and I was scared because I didn't want this stupid homesickness thing holding me back. But soon, after a brief period of freaking out, I realized that being homesick was a good thing, missing people was a good thing. It meant I had people that really loved me at home, and something good to go back to.
So while I traveled around Europe and lived in Barcelona, I let all my new experiences shape me and I learned from them. I had the time of my life, made new friends and saw things I honestly thought I would only see in pictures. And I was happy because I knew that I had people at home who would want to hear about it all when I got back.
Coming to work again for the first time since June, I passed demolished buildings on Woodruff, a street that I had not yet seen without its orange cones. Walking into the newsroom that I haven't visited since July, I passed through hallways that had no ceilings the last time I was here. And when I came in, I was greeted by a new set of faces. Some of them I was familiar with, some of them were fresh.
I spent the last three-and-a-half months studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain. Let me tell you, the whole experience was magical. Seriously, complete and utter magic. I took classes at a Spanish university, lived with a host family and created a life for myself in Barcelona. I bettered my Spanish skills, learned a little Catalan, the other official language of Barcelona, made friends and ate a lot of delicious food. A lot.
I also got to travel. I took a ferry across the Straight of Gibraltar, rode camels through the Sahara Desert, visited a medieval castle in France, ate authentic Irish potatoes in Ireland, climbed to the top of Cologne Cathedral in Germany, saw multiple cities in Spain and spent a week in Italy. In between my weekend adventures abroad, I explored Barcelona and immersed myself in its culture. It was an experience I will never forget and one that I know I was incredibly blessed to have.
Seeing all of these different places was one thing, but what really blew my mind was meeting and getting to know the people. Whether it was a cab driver in Ireland or a host at a hotel in Italy, it was incredible to meet people from all of these different countries and hear their stories.
My host mom, for example, was absolutely incredible. She was a widow and ran her family-owned ceramic tile shop on one of the main streets of Barcelona. She was a little hard to get to know, but when she finally opened up, I learned things I never would have if I hadn't put forth the effort. It was also a communication feat whenever I learned something from her, because she spoke no English. And that's how it was every day. People kept talking to me in Spanish and I kept learning. It was great.
During all of this, I sent a million postcards to my friends and family and was constantly uploading pictures to Facebook in a mad effort to let some of my friends and family at home share in what I was experiencing. I blogged, I emailed, I instant messaged. This was a challenge since I didn't have Internet in my flat. But it was certainly worth the effort.
I wondered why I felt such a desire to share my experiences so thoroughly with everyone at home. First I attributed it to my journalistic aspirations. I love being able to share things through words and to let people live vicariously in that way. I love sharing other people's stories and capturing things that people otherwise wouldn't be able to experience. But that wasn't the whole reason. Then I thought about how supportive everyone at home was and how I wouldn't be there if it wasn't for them, so maybe that's why I felt such a pull to keep in touch. But it was about halfway through the second month when I came to my senses and realized that all of this rationalizing was just one big defense mechanism. I was homesick. I missed everything about home and everyone there. I missed OSU, I missed Columbus, I missed my hometown. I missed my parents, my brother, my boyfriend, my friends and even my casual acquaintances. And honestly, this freaked me out. I had always had it in my head that I'd grow up and travel the world. I'd do anything I wanted to and see everything there was to see, and I was scared because I didn't want this stupid homesickness thing holding me back. But soon, after a brief period of freaking out, I realized that being homesick was a good thing, missing people was a good thing. It meant I had people that really loved me at home, and something good to go back to.
So while I traveled around Europe and lived in Barcelona, I let all my new experiences shape me and I learned from them. I had the time of my life, made new friends and saw things I honestly thought I would only see in pictures. And I was happy because I knew that I had people at home who would want to hear about it all when I got back.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Mosaic restored in time for Pennridge class's 50th reunion
Even though Pennridge High School is closed for the holidays, plenty of activity is going on inside its walls – literally.
People strolling by the auditorium would have seen a gaping hole in the wall Wednesday, but by Thursday the space was filled with a 340-pound piece of history.
The 43-by-37 inch ceramic mosaic of the high school seal, the class gift from graduates in 1962, was mounted above the auditorium doors in the previous high school building. The gift would have been lost in the rubble when the building was demolished in 2006 if class member Marlene Bryan and others had not rescued it.
They also salvaged some bricks from the old building, using them as centerpieces for the 45th class reunion in 2007 and then allowing classmates to take them home as souvenirs.
“Classmates came from all over the country,” Bryan said. “They really cherish [the bricks].”
The mosaic itself, however, hung in Ray Weidner’s garage until this week.
“We thought now’s the time to place it,” said Bryan, chair of the reunion committee. Bryan has worked on the four previous reunions, which are held every five years, and is currently helping to plan the 50th.
The mosaic, complete with the high school seal’s scroll and quill pen, was originally designed by Richard Kuhn, the cousin of Barry Kuhn, class of 1962 member who headed up this week’s installation project. Olean Tile Company in Lansdale, where a class member’s parent worked, fashioned the mosaic from the artist’s rendering. Olean is the ceramic tile manufacturer that made much of the tile that lines the Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels, according to Bryan.
“It was a huge employer in our area,” Bryan said.
The installation, completed by Gary Schott, was completed in two days rather than the three Barry allotted for the project.
The restored mosaic is just the beginning of what Barry called “a special anniversary.” The reunion will take place on Saturday, Sept 29 at Indian Valley Country Club, but plans are also in motion for an activity Friday evening. The three-day reunion weekend will finish off with Sunday brunch Sept. 30. Invitations for the reunion will be sent out in April or May, Bryan said.
The 14 members of the reunion committee have been working together for many years.
“We’re very close,” Bryan said. “Everyone does their own thing but they all help each other.”
People strolling by the auditorium would have seen a gaping hole in the wall Wednesday, but by Thursday the space was filled with a 340-pound piece of history.
The 43-by-37 inch ceramic mosaic of the high school seal, the class gift from graduates in 1962, was mounted above the auditorium doors in the previous high school building. The gift would have been lost in the rubble when the building was demolished in 2006 if class member Marlene Bryan and others had not rescued it.
They also salvaged some bricks from the old building, using them as centerpieces for the 45th class reunion in 2007 and then allowing classmates to take them home as souvenirs.
“Classmates came from all over the country,” Bryan said. “They really cherish [the bricks].”
The mosaic itself, however, hung in Ray Weidner’s garage until this week.
“We thought now’s the time to place it,” said Bryan, chair of the reunion committee. Bryan has worked on the four previous reunions, which are held every five years, and is currently helping to plan the 50th.
The mosaic, complete with the high school seal’s scroll and quill pen, was originally designed by Richard Kuhn, the cousin of Barry Kuhn, class of 1962 member who headed up this week’s installation project. Olean Tile Company in Lansdale, where a class member’s parent worked, fashioned the mosaic from the artist’s rendering. Olean is the ceramic tile manufacturer that made much of the tile that lines the Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels, according to Bryan.
“It was a huge employer in our area,” Bryan said.
The installation, completed by Gary Schott, was completed in two days rather than the three Barry allotted for the project.
The restored mosaic is just the beginning of what Barry called “a special anniversary.” The reunion will take place on Saturday, Sept 29 at Indian Valley Country Club, but plans are also in motion for an activity Friday evening. The three-day reunion weekend will finish off with Sunday brunch Sept. 30. Invitations for the reunion will be sent out in April or May, Bryan said.
The 14 members of the reunion committee have been working together for many years.
“We’re very close,” Bryan said. “Everyone does their own thing but they all help each other.”
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