Tag Archives: construction

Ways You Can Easily Reduce Your Energy Costs By Draught Proofing Your Sash Windows

Posted by on August 30, 2010 Comments Off on Ways You Can Easily Reduce Your Energy Costs By Draught Proofing Your Sash Windows

Those of you living in North America, Europe or in fact anywhere with cold, wet winters, will no doubt be aware of just how horrible a house or apartment can become in winter if the windows are not sealed properly. Luckily you do not have to endure this: the process to draught-proof windows again is quite simple and can be done by anyone with the necessary skills. Not only will you have a much more livable house, but you can also reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows.

Draught-proof windows have one major benefit: it keeps energy (mostly in the form of heat) to remain in the room, where you want it. Windows that are not sealed properly will allow all the heat in the room to escape over time, causing hugely inflated energy bills. The easy solution is to draught-proof the windows round the sills, sashes and jambs. If you have experience of this type of work, you can attempt to do it yourself, but it’s probably better to leave it in the hands of a professional.

The process has more benefits than just energy conservation. One such benefit is that properly sealed windows will not allow dust to enter the room. Over time the seals round sash windows wear out and eventually are no longer able to keep dust out.

When new seals are fitted during the draught-proofing process, the windows will be as good as new again and your living space will once again remain dust free. This alone justifies the relatively small cost of draught-proofing.

Having the windows of your house/flat made draught proof has the additional benefit of prolonging the life of older windows. Parts round the jambs, sills and sashes that easily wear out are replaced during the draught-proofing process. This has the advantage of prolonging the life of the sash windows by an additional three to five years.

A further major benefit of draught-proofing your sash windows is noise reduction. Windows that are not well sealed will allow a not more noise to enter any room than ones which have been sealed properly. When you draught-proof a window, the seals around the window are replaced, resulting in superior noise isolation, which is especially important if you live in a very noisy area.

Anyone who has faced the hefty energy bills during winter that is quite usual when you live in Europe or North America, should therefore consider this alternative. As we have shown above, the benefits far outweigh the costs and you will not just reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows, you will enjoy a quieter, cleaner life as well.

When it comes to making a good insulation for windows, you won’t find any other company like the sash window insulation company. They also have a secondary glazing London insulation that helps keep you warm and keeps energy cost at an all time low.

Simple Ideas For Office Renovations

Posted by on August 2, 2010 Comments Off on Simple Ideas For Office Renovations

Office renovations can be stressful and disruptive to work. Some renovations are quick and painless, but some are not. If your office is being redecorated, or you are considering doing it yourself, there are a few things you should expect.

The first step in any redecoration project is to determine why you are doing the project. People renovate for many different reasons, and your decorating choices be taken in consideration with your needs. For instance, are you buying a space that was previously used for another type of industry, such as a boutique, but you intend to turn it into a tanning salon? Do you want to create space or divide space? Is the office just old or boring looking? Updating an office space can be a great way to improve employee morale and attract more customers and clients.

Painting is a fantastic way to spice up an office. Most office spaces are barren and white, so adding a splash of color can completely change the aura of the room. Painting is laborious but simple, which makes it the perfect starting point. Plus, there are several stylistic techniques if you want to do more than just a solid color. Rooms may be painted with vertical or horizontal stripes to add some dimension.

When you are satisfied with the color of your walls, the next step is hang art. Even a freshly painted wall could look empty, especially if the wall is long or narrow. Paintings come in every size and style, so it is easy to customize an office through art. Other ways to add to your walls are to install decorative sconces and shelving. Shelves can hold books, statuettes, or any thing else you can think of.

Adding or replacing furniture can be important. If you gut and rebuild the interior of your office, but put the same mediocre furniture back in you are not going to see the change you hoped for. Keep in mind the color of your walls and the size of you office when picking out new furniture, and if possible, bring in samples of your wall colors and other textiles so you can be sure the furniture you are looking at will match your office.

Take advantage of the chaos by having the employee areas touched up if possible. Installing senor toilets and facets and adding a hand drier to the bathroom are great ways to cut down on overhead expenses and can help the environment as well. If you bought a new refrigerator for the break room, you should discuss disposal of the old one with your contractor. You may need to pay a disposal fee, or you could attempt to sell the refrigerator. Contractors frequently do this with the appliance they remove from your space, so why not sell it yourself?

Your office may need more than a fresh coat of paint and some art depending on what your needs are. Adding walls can divide a space and create privacy. Walls can be erected to add an office or eliminate those dreaded removable cubicles, giving the area a look of permanence. Walls can go all the way to the ceiling or they might stop a few feet short of the ceiling. If your privacy needs permit it, keeping walls a foot or two short of the ceiling makes your office look much bigger.

If the flooring of your office is being changed you will have to remove everything from the office, and you might not be allowed in for several days. Sealing or staining a hard floor can be very smelly and requires a minimum of several hours to dry. Laying carpeting or tile can be quicker, but carpet glue can stink for some time. Laying your new flooring on a weekend will reduce the disruption of work if your office is functional during the renovation. Most flooring companies work on the weekends, though they might charge a slightly higher rate.

What would an office be without office desks? In our office, we have three desks. Office interiors are important as they help keep you focused on your work.