Fire Contractors and Renovations

Find Fire Contractors Who Can Restore Your Home

It is important for you to be able to find quality contractors after your home has been damaged by a fire. There are many fire restoration contractors to choose from. The right one will make sure that your home is quickly restored to its former condition before the fire.

Fire Causes
There are many different fire causes from cooking fires to electrical fires, but a good company will be able to restore your property from the inside out. Structural damage can be dangerous and make what's left of your property a threat. Quality contractors can come in and make sure that your property is restored and that there will be no falling beams or roofing materials that could hurt occupants. Before you go back into your home after a fire, you want to make sure that its structure has been looked at thoroughly.

Types of Damage
Although structural damage can be a serious concern, there are other types of damage that can occur to your property as well. Smoke and soot can cause your property to look dirty and be covered in a black dust that does not want to come off easily. The smell of a fire can linger in your home as well, so it is important for contractors to be able to clean, restore, deodorize, and sanitize your property. In many cases, water damage may occur from firefighters putting out the flames. A reliable company will be able to take care of all of your concerns so that your house looks as good as it did before the fire began.

You can feel good about hiring a company that has a good reputation and experience in this industry. There is no time to waste after a fire. You want to contact professionals right away so that your problems are taken care of and do not get worse. Water damage can spread and other problems like mold can start if the issues are not taken care of properly. The structure of your home must be looked at as fast as possible too. The right restoration contractor will be a good investments to make.

Renovating and Waterproofing Bathrooms

Is Your Floor Stable Enough for that Large Tub?

When renovating the bathroom, some people don't consider how much weight the floor needs to sustain in order to remain intact. This is especially true when considering large tubs or hot tubs. Gallons and gallons of water used to fill these comfortable additions can weigh quite a bit, and an older floor may be too degraded to sustain the weight.

Water Damage from the Past

Hiring a bathroom renovation specialist can help you determine if the support beams for the floor are sound enough to sustain additional weight from a tub upgrade. Over time, water damage can rot support beams reducing the capabilities of each one. This damage could have come from overflowing toilets, water from the shower, bad sink drains and much more. Until you tear into the floor itself, you may never know just how degraded these beams can be.

Water Sealants

When installing new fixtures, it is important that the edges be sealed with a waterproof substance. This is usually done with a sealing calk that prevents water seepage under the floor. Over time, this sealant can be compromised leading to the water damage of floor boards and support frames. Even a few droplets of water each day from each shower taken in the home can eventually lead to rotten wood or mold growth.

Before you put that larger tub in the bathroom, seek the advice of a professional. Without proper support, the extra weight from the additional water could cause your bathroom to cave into the space below. While this might not be a overly damaging prospect in a single level home, multiple levels houses could have a great deal of damage done from an upstairs tub sinking into the floor.

Garage Door Openers and Industrial Doors

TECHNOLOGY - I think garage door openers are one of the kewlest inventions to come out of the 1980s. I think they were first introduced in the 1980s, I cannot be certain, I just remember the ads for them on TV during the mid-1980s and I presume they were invented shortly before that time. (It is entirely possible they were invented before then.)

New technology was a big thing in the 1980s. It influenced the movies and TV shows. Shows like Airwolf (a supersonic helicopter that could do over Mach 1), MacGyver (a scientist / sleuth), Knight Rider (a car that can think and talk) and movies like TRON or the one Superman movie where the real danger ends up being an intelligent super computer. If you lived through the 1980s you can probably think of more.

Watching TV in the 1980s the wealthy people always had phones in their cars, garage doors that opened automatically and gadgets that the average person simply could not afford.

But now you can. Three decades later such things have become a lot cheaper (you can get a new cellphone for free, just sign your soul away on a contract) and gadgets like garage door openers are now easy to get.

In the industry of selling these things they're not even called garage door openers either. They're called Industrial Door Operators and the name to me sounds almost clinical and mechanical. I guess they called it an operator because it doesn't just open the door, it also closes it. Ah.

The only trick is that they really only work on one style of doors. Industrial Doors. So I really need to talk about that first. When looking to get a garage door make sure its compatible with the garage door opener you intend to use. (I think that is rather important, don't you?)

Companies like MICANON sell everything you need for your garage door. If you browse micanan.com you will see their broad range of services and products. The door itself and also:

Jackshaft Operators
Trolley Operators
Sliding Door Operators
Gate Operators (for those really rich people who have a walled estate and a gate blocking the driveway)

What I like about MICANON is that it is a Canadian company based in St-Regis Dorval, Quebec. Huzzah for Canadians!

They also have offices Phoenix, Arizona and also Atlanta, Georgia, which allows them to service basically anywhere in Canada or the USA.

Garage Door Openers I think is one of those conveniences we don't really think about much in the 2010s. Its old tech from decades ago. Its a gadget. Its really not that impressive in a world where we've become used to seeing Aston Martin convertibles with folding roofs that fold automatically in 10 to 15 seconds at the touch of button.

Or compared to robotic vacuum cleaners, webcams, tablet computers, smartphones with video cameras built in, eBook Readers. A simple trip to Future Shop or Best Buy will give you an idea of the mass market electronic marvels we now have... giant flat screen TVs with 3D glasses for your home entertainment system.

It really makes you realize how attached to our technology we now are... people addicted to Twitter and Facebook... and comparatively few people going outside and enjoying nature and life as it was meant to be.

So if you have a car here's an idea: Go take a drive in the country. Pick a lake on a map and go drive there to have a look. Take your camera with you if you must have a gadget.

Just remember to close the garage door on your way out.

Building a Cabin

While I write this review I am sitting my apartment building's laundry room, with Toshiba notebook computer, drinking chilld tap water from an old Bek Se Ju (for those that don't know, I am a huge fan of Korean Bek Se Ju [pronounced baek say joo] which is made from rice, sweet potatoes and 12 traditional herbs). I think the bottles are great for drinking water out of.

Also in front of me is Snuggle fabric softener 'Fresh Rain' and Purex 2X Ultra Concentrate. I have no complaints about their cleaning ability, stain fighting power, softness-fying or the nice smell I get when I pull them from the dryer.

I find the laundry room a nice place to sit and write blogs on my notepad. Its relatively quiet and secluded, the only sounds being the constant whirring, ka-thunk ka-thunk and splashing sounds of the washing machines and dryer. They're strangely melodious.

What I want to write about today is that sense of tranquility and calm you get in being in such a nice quiet place. Some people might start to feel bored or anxious, but I think its an excellent opportunity to unwind, relax and get away from the other sounds of living in downtown Toronto... the sounds of trucks going by, police sirens, fire truck sirens (I live near a fire station), construction, traffic, noisy neighbours and so on.

Now there is other ways to get away from such sounds...

#1. You could go camping. In which case I recommend Canadian Tire if you want to go buy a tent and other supplies / camping gear. I should note however that I am a firm believer in the "less is more" style of camping. You pack as few things as possible, only as much as you can easily carry up a steep hill while getting whacked in the face with branches (I did this back in October 2010 with my girlfriend at the time, loads of fun!) without getting yourself hurt. Food/water, a source of heat, sleeping bag, toilet paper, tent... you know, the bare essentials! Anything more than that and you're not really camping.

#2. You could get a cottage, ie. Muskoga Cottage. My sister and her husband got a cottage last year and although I have yet to visit it I do know its on a river near Georgian Bay, which allows them to go kayaking whenever they feel like it.

But here is the thing... I would like to do one better than both of these... I would like to someday buy a chunk of land in Northern Ontario (and the land up there can be pretty cheap depending on where you look) and BUILD a shelter, eventually a cabin up there.

I am going to break this down into a number of stages so you can get a better idea of what I am talking about...

#1. Build a basic shelter to live in, the first step you want to do so you have a place to live while working. You could use a tent, but I think that would get pretty cramped over time and isn't really much protection from moose or black bears. Therefore an actual wooden structure, regardless of how crude it is, sounds much better to me.

My method would be to build something akin to a cedar log fence, but in the shape of a square or hexagon. Build it up so its 8' tall and then peak the roof inwards like you are building a pyramid. Then cover interior with mosquitoe netting. Then use whatever you have available to reinforce the walls, roofs and so forth until you have a shelter which will adequately keep out the sun, rain and insects.

#2. Build your Outhouse or Bathroom NEXT. I say this because I'd argue this is probably the most important place in your would-be-cabin-away-from-it-all.

When building your bathroom you will want to have a rough idea of how the rest of your cabin should be designed (with rooms for future additions).

In my case I want my cabin to be combination of stone, wood, cement and glass. I want mortared stone to be the main part of the building's structure. I might use some commercial roofing along the way to speed up the process or metal panels on the sides if I can't get lots of stone to do the job, but that is still the long term goal.

The beauty of stone (I think) is that is doesn't have to be used in straight lines like brick or wood is. You can make rounded walls, as thick as you want them to be, different colours of stone, the flat sides facing outwards or even the rounded sided facing outwards. I actually prefer the rounded look, the bumpy quality of it.

Inside the bathroom you want to think in terms of several things...

A) Plumbing, you will need a clean source of water. The proverbial water barrel with tubes might work for some people, but others might want to have a professional plumber come in and install everything like its a normal house.

B) Drainage, some place for your leftovers to go that won't cause a huge stink with the neighbours. A pit in the ground filled with water is typical of what most outhouses use.

C) Pottery / Ceramics... I bring this up because I think this is an excellent way to both decorate your bathroom and make it easier to clean. Handmade pottery can be used for the sink(s), toilet seat, and shower/bathtub tiles.

Or you might decide to bathe in the local river, pond or lake... in which case try looking for some environmentally friendly soaps.

#3. Build the ground floor and walls next. In theory you could build over and replace your existing shelter, or be building a whole new place to live. Either could be ideal depending on your plan.

Again I think stone and mortar would be an excellent method of accomplishing this. Other people might prefer to use wood or other materials, but I like the permanency and reliability of stone. True, it will be tough work to quarry, lift and mortar all that stone, but just imagine your biceps by the time you are done! It would be a great weight loss program!

When doing this you should also be concerned about building a fireplace and chimney. Myself I would be tempted to design this in a way it can be used for cooking, baking and even as a kiln for pottery.

#4. Lastly you will want to build a roof, one which hopefully lets the light in, but can withstand the weight of snow in the winter. For me I want to build a steep peaked roof so the snow slides off frequently and doesn't get a chance to build up to any thickness. Also, I want to use as much space as I can to put in glass roofing windows / sky lights to get as much natural light in there as possible. In the summer I can draw shades or soap up the windows to keep it cool inside, but for the rest of the year I want the inside to be brightly lit and as warm as possible.

I firmly believe that you can find for free, salvage most of the materials you need, buy used materials, barter, pay some hippies to help you build it, etc... You don't need to resort to buying everything if you have the Do-It-Yourself Mentality.

#5. Adding Insulation...

I firmly believe in the idea of adding buffer zones and continuing to insulate a home more and more. The idea is to eventually make it so insulated and cozy on the inside that you don't even need a fireplace. You can do this cheaply, by finding ways / materials to cheaply insulate (heck you can even find printable coupons for things that can help you, but again I am a traditionalist... my preferred method would be to simply keep adding more stone to the walls. Mortar and stone are both cheap, so you can keep adding to the structure, making the walls thicker, adding entry sections, buffer zones, additional walls, etc.

I also like the idea of having a greenhouse as part of the cabin. This could be built like a glass pyramid, using very little other materials, and connected to the rest of the cabin... This would then provide both food, heat and a place to relax.

(Heck, you could LIVE inside a greenhouse if you really wanted to... I would just advise putting lots of thick plants around the sides so the neighbours can't see in so easily. The greenhouse could also be used to get rid of your bathroom drainage...)

#6. Electricity...

Assuming you actually want electricity this is where that peaked roof comes back into play. Stick a windmill turbine up there, attach it to some batteries, maybe add some solar panels... voila! Enough power for a toaster, a small microwave and a laptop computer. Need more than that? Add a larger solar array or build a waterwheel that can be put in the nearby river.

The Finale!

At the end of all of this you've just managed to make a place, a home possibly, where you can live comfortably away from the stress of the city... you will be "off the grid" in terms of electricity, and combined with your greenhouse and some gardens pretty self sufficient in terms of food. Depending on where you bought the land the land taxes will be pretty cheap too.

Some people might even design their cabin to look more like a Buddhist temple, using designs for traditional Asian cabins which use thick paper for interior walls, windows, etc. Definitely an excellent place to enjoy the tranquility and harmony with nature.

Below is a traditional Korean cabin which was built by some friends of mine in Jeonju.

Home Improvements for the Winter

Looking to save money on heating costs this winter?

I recommend the following renovations and products to improve your home's performance.

#1. A metal roof. Why a metal roof? Because shingles fall off too easily in the winter, are damaged by the cold and the ice and end up leaking lots of heat. You save more money by buying metal roofing (you can get faux shingles if that is the look you want) which doesn't fall off.

#2. Insulated concrete. Now what the heck is insulate concrete you might ask? Well, concrete is what you use to make the basement of your home. Its the very foundation of your home. Some buildings also use it for the walls and ceilings, pretty much everything because its better than old fashioned wood and pink insulation. Less likely to burn too, lasts longer and way more energy efficient.

#3. PVC Trim. Now I admit when I hear the letters PVC, I think sexy goth chicks. On a house trimmings is all about mouldings and details which makes your home look good. In the olden days it was made out of wood, but these days you can buy it made out of PVC. It doesn't rot like wood does, its durable, attractive to the touch, environmentally friendly and maintenance free (ie. no need to stain or paint it all the time like wood).

And while we're at it, don't forget the damage the cold wind can do to your skin. So for the ladies out there remember to use natural skincare products, like those from the Soya Boutique.

Last but not least, if you're getting old chances are likely you have a sore back. Thus doing your own snow removal will be the kind of chore you will begin to dread and could eventually kill you. You could hire a teenager from down the street, or you could get it professionally done by The Snowmen. Your choice.