Author Archive: Ralph Slaske

How To Choose The Right AC For Your House

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During hot weather, the only thing that comes to mind is turning the heat down and having all year cooling Florida; the only way to turn down the heat the way you want is by using an air conditioning unit. If you find the central air conditioner as a far-fetched option, then room scale air conditioners can work well for you because they are more inexpensive and they are energy-efficient ways of cooling the number of rooms you have.

If you plan to turn the heat on its head this coming summer and have all year cooling Florida, you are not alone; there are millions of air conditioners that have been shipped across the country for customer purchase. According to Energy Star, for a typical household, approximately 13% of the utility bill spent on an annual basis is on cooling. With this kind of a budget, it is important to select the right cooling system for your household. If you go for a small cooling system it will struggle to ensure that your room is cool. If you go for a larger option, it will cool the room so fast that it won’t have enough time to remove the moisture, and you will have a cold space that is clammy.

Here’s what to consider when selecting an air conditioning unit as proposed by the owner of all year cooling Tommy Smith.

Noise

AC models that scored Very Good or Excellent in the noise test, run in a quiet mode and the only noise you will hear while its running comes from the fan. If you find an air conditioner that scores fair, it can disturb people who are light sleepers when the cooling system is set to low and it will become distracting if it is set on a high mode.

Check for energy consumption

New room air conditioners for Energy Star are packed with clear instructions and better insulating materials to ensure that you have a unit that has a good seal around it to minimize leaks.

Window location

Air conditioners for windows perform better by blowing air in a certain direction. This can be a challenge if the window is not located in the center of the wall. To cool the room uniformly, you will require air to be directed to the center, so you have to check your AC if it needs to blow air to the left or to the right. There are other fans that swivel.

Installing the fan correctly

An AC has to be properly installed if you want to get the most out of it. Most of the AC units work are designed for double hung windows. If casement windows are present in your rooms, you might want to go for a through the wall AC. Ensure that your window unit is placed level in order for it to drain properly. Additionally, move the heat-generating device like a lamp or TV away from the unit.

Check the location of the filter

Ensure that you can access the filter of the AC for cleaning purposes because it will be a common task in order for the AC to operate in its preferred condition. Among other cleaning routines, consider having an all year cooling duct cleaning.

Check if the AC has intelligent cooling

There are AC’s that have become smarter, they allow you to adjust and control them using a mobile app. Also, you may interconnect them with other cooling units in your home.

Check on the warranty

Some air conditioners have warranties that extend a long period of time compared to others. When purchasing a new unit, you need to check the information on the website of the manufacturer and ask the retailer about the model and brand warranty you want to purchase.

 

Douglas Knight on New Canaan’s Woodworking Subculture

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Woodworking is an important industry in any community. A lot of home furnishings, decor and installations are made of wood, especially in New Canaan, Connecticut. This is why there are many businesses that cater to people in need of woodworking services in the area. It may be confusing to pinpoint, but there is actually a woodworking subculture in this town of Connecticut.

According to Douglas Knight New Canaan, a woodworking entrepreneur, there are many types of demand that the woodworking subculture can cater to. Based on his many years of experience and observation, the market demand for woodwork items are:

  • Custom-made furniture – people in New Canaan are often looking for custom-made woodwork furniture. Some spaces in the homes do not allow store-bought furniture to fit perfectly. Individuals and families need a specialized service that can make items fit for their homes.
  • Staircase and cabinet repair – people who are just moving into New Canaan may notice some cracks and damages in a pre-owned home. There is a large demand for people to find woodworkers who can help replace or repair old cabinets or stairs.
  • Wooden containers and decors – people in New Canaan love to decorate in season. Some of them would look for rustic crates, wooden vases, or anything else that they prefer for a seasonal decor. This also presents a high demand from the New Canaan locals.

Douglas Knight New Canaan shares about the woodworking subculture in New Canaan and how it is continuously shaping the construction, home design, and art industry of the town.

Douglas Knight on New Canaan’s Woodworking Subculture

 

  1. There exist individuals who start their own carpentry business

The handymen of New Canaan are known to start their own carpentry business. They are known as overall woodworkers, or those who can do repairs, build furniture or make wooden arrangements in your home. When you simply look in directories such as Houzz, you can notice that a lot of these businesses are under the operator’s name. These woodworkers are perfect for people who are interested in finding an all-around carpenter who can do a lot of tasks. People who are undergoing renovation, newly moved, or large families can benefit from individual carpentry business. Be sure to inquire early, as some of them have clients pending as well.

  1. Woodworking is also a hobby in New Canaan

Woodworking as a hobby is making a comeback. Just recently, there was a woodworking workshop held in town that allowed children with their parents to create decors and other items. The workshop handlers provided the items, and they taught skills such as sanding, drilling, installation, and attaching. Children accompanied by their parents are asked to complete a project of making a wooden storage box. This is an interesting woodworking event that helps people acquire special skills to even start their own businesses, or just to have leisure time with the family.

  1. Woodworking business for custom-made furniture is also present in town

Another subculture of the woodworking industry in New Canaan is the custom-made companies. They make wooden containers, cabinets, boxes, and can even create specific styles for their clients. Some of the clients prefer to have rustic elements in their wooden furniture. These custom-made items can be anything used around the home such as a table, chest, closet, and even a wagon. Custom-made woodwork companies are attractive to clients in New Canaan because they appreciate handmade and unique details in their home. Since New Canaan has a rising economy, people have a higher purchasing power than the neighboring areas and would prefer to have high-quality items in their home.

  1. There exist woodworking companies for organizational purposes

New Canaan is also known to have businesses that focus on woodworking for the organization of homes and offices. They mainly focus on creating storage boxes, cabinets, and even small shelters where people can store outdoor goods. These are no-fuss creations, and they are availed by mostly large families and companies who are in need of storage spaces. For example, newly-opened offices are in need of shelves to store files and books. Some restaurants are looking for stylish wooden carts to store food or other items on display. Woodworking companies for the organization of items are the perfect match for these clients.

  1. There are also businesses for woodwork decors

The great thing about the New Canaan woodworking subculture is they cater to all types of needs–whether it’s for functional or decorative purposes. At present, there is a wealth of businesses that cater to home decor needs in the area. Most of them bring their items to a local home decor store such as Found, or Wave New Canaan. Each company brings in their distinct style.

It is interesting to note how lively the woodworking subculture is in New Canaan. Whether you’re a hopeful business owner or a potential buyer, there are a lot of offerings for you available in this town.

 

Why Mold Presents A Unique Challenge For Florida Residents

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The growth of mold across the U.S. has become a major issue but the state of Florida has seen many major issues with mold spores growing as the high levels of humidity seen in areas such as Clearwater Florida. In recent times, even local government buildings such as fire stations have been affected by mold growth with the Palm Beach Post stating two of five fire stations in the South Florida community of Boynton Beach affected by severe black mold growth affecting the health of firefighters. The community is now looking at ways of researching whether firefighter’s health has been affected after dead mice were discovered during a routine air conditioning inspection in one fire station.

What is mold?

One of the problems facing the residents of communities such as Clearwater Florida is the fact mold is a common issue in outdoor areas across the state because of the high-humidity across the area. Mold growth is a part of the outdoor environment with spores found in the natural landscape used to break down plant matter and waste in a natural and efficient way.

The main issue the people of Clearwater Florida face is the fact mold growth can occur on a regular basis within homes and buildings because of high humidity levels through the state. Mold Zero states the most serious form of mold is commonly referred to as Stachybotrys or black mold which causes a high level of allergic reactions often rated at as much as ten percent of the general population. This form of mold is often present when water leaks indoors or the humidity levels in a property are above 20 percent.

Cleanup should be done by a professional

The EPA states the major issue of mold should be cleaned up depending on the overall size of the affected areas which should be inspected by a mold expert such as those at Mold Zero. An area of fewer than three square feet can be addressed by a homeowner or renter looking to eliminate the issues themselves but for larger areas, the problem should only be addressed by a professional cleanup company capable of addressing the issue safely and effectively. A common mistake is seen by many Clearwater homeowners as they use bleach to remove mold spores from their homes without realizing all that happens is the spores move from black to a lighter color blending into the walls of a property.

Effects on health

Florida Health reports the development of mold can have an adverse effect on the health of an individual who is often seen to have issues with their respiratory system when they breathe in large amounts of mold spores for a prolonged period of time. For many individuals, health issues include the symptoms of a cold which refuse to leave and many eyes and sinus irritation problems along with other seeing issues with concentration and fatigue problems because of the inhalation of mold spores.

Keep humidity levels low

There are many problems seen with mold growth in homes across Florida where residents have seen spores develop without being inspected and eliminated for a prolonged period of time. Water is seen as the key to the development of mold spores as dirt and water must combine to encourage the growth of mold in its many forms. Fortunately, the black mold many Florida residents see in their bathrooms is not actually the most dangerous form of black mold but can still cause health issues if left unchecked.

In Florida, mold spores have been a problem for a number of decades because of the high levels of humidity seen outdoors in the state. When water is present within a commercial or residential building in much of Florida humidity levels rise indoors meaning Mold Zero experts are left with the problem of cleaning up these issues which can remain in place for many years causing health problems for residents in the long term.

 

Why Your Real Estate Business Cannot Ignore Advances In Big Data And Analytics

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Technology advances notably in the data and analytics continue to yield considerable benefits to those who take advantage. Real estate, especially construction industry tends to be a slow adopter. Not just how we collect information within the industry, but also how we process that information.

Mobile technologies are only getting mainstream acceptance in this industry, yet they have been in existence for decades already. The repercussions are dear because, unlike other industries that are swarming with real-time and digital information, most companies and people within the building and development of property world are crowding with analog volumes of data in files and shelves.

Companies that adopted mobile technologies such as the use of servers, online enterprise management software, internet and other mobile technologies five years ago can comfortably move to the analytics phase because they already have data in usable form. Those that did not, they have to start today or digitize reams of data in silos before they move to the other steps.

For a company that is already in analytics, it can study trends, implement recommendations from analysis of data, and grow faster. On the other hand, it would be a time-consuming affair for the other firm to try to adopt the technologies today, but on overall, they don’t have another choice but to play catch up to their counterparts. That is how different one firm will be today from the other, yet they were all on the same page five years ago.

The construction business tends to be complicated. Even small projects can turn very complex if viewed as simple. This is because, apart from the owning the property, constructing, and leasing or selling, there are many other decisions in between.

Such decisions include what type of property to develop, how much to spend, which design to implement, taxes, legal issues, among many other things. To do that, you need to operate from the point of information. According to Tweed Financial Services, most people tend to seek funds before they even understand the environment they are working in.

The problem with such an attitude it that, reliable information does not back decisions. It is a gamble when one ought to control the factors that are within their control such as the target market, how to market, and what to add to make it appealing to the intended market.

To achieve that, you need more than industry information. You need to leverage on details about how the customer thinks, lives, earns, dreams, and much more. Such insight is only available through analytics. Firms such as Tweed Financial Services look out for your ability to harness industry information to your advantage.

For most people, analytics are industry reports, outlooks, and projections. However, that is not always the case. Analytics is more about how that report is read using your company information to inform you about what you are doing right, wrong, or simply not enough. For example, if the reports say that 40% of potential buyers use online apps to search for property, you must ask yourself whether you are available on such apps. If you are not, you had better be or you’ll miss out on that part of the pie.

For every decision, if unsure, always rely on information available about the industry as a whole and your company. Recent studies show that companies are increasingly finding it hard to implement ambitious technologies. The main reason being, the economies of the project just don’t add up. Your projects ought to be backed by a rational monetary sense. Sometimes the most important thing is where the customer will appreciate a technology, if not, he or she will probably not pay for it.

 

Rocco Basile Avo Construction Director

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Rocco Basile is the director of Avo Construction, founded in 2011. Rocco has over two decades of construction and real estate development experience. Rocco Basile directs and supervises all aspects of the Ground-Up Construction and Interior Renovations departments at Avo Construction.

How Will Architectural 3D Animation Affect Architectural Representations?

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Growth in technology has also led to the growth of people’s preferences across the world. That’s why 3D architectural animations are continually gaining traction as a tool of architectural representation and a perfect way to render buildings and structures. This technology was developed to give a clear picture of how the final product of an architectural plan would look. It gives a preview of how the surroundings should look upon completion of the structure and allows those involved in the development process to have easier time implementing the various parts that make up the entire project.

Innovative architectural presentation techniques

3D modeling has continued to take shape in the construction industry and this growth has been motivated by the upsurge of new technologies that support the development of efficient design tools that engineers can apply to create better renders of their plans. Different software including Render 3D Quick is the reason one can create 3D animations easily.

Realistic representations

Before 3D architectural animation technology was developed, architectures had to go through the difficult path of rendering their designs on cardboards. This has since been replaced with 3D animations that are more realistic and better when working with a large team. Animations offer a detailed walk-through into the entire project that even those who don’t have technical understanding of architecture can grasp. Instead of presenting complicated floor plans that many people will not even understand, you can show them the completed version of the digital house, and this also makes advertising the project easy and powerful.

The beauty of animation

One of the most beautiful qualities about 3D architectural animation is that the software gives near-perfect representations. Using the software is also easy and saves time unlike when professionals had to gather resources and time to present their designs through card boards. It is also cost effective because no additional materials are needed once you pay for the software. Although the cost of buying the software initially could be high, there will be no worry about miscellaneous expenses later. All updates made to the software are given free of charge to those who get the enterprise version.

Accuracy

To many architectures, the development of 3D architectural animation is a great leap that helps them to get rid of common mistakes in the design process. Initially, a professional needed to cross-check papers and sometimes tear them up to do the work again, but this is a past case since with 3D animation there are useful features that place everything in its right place automatically. Eliminating room for errors speeds up the design process and allows the production of perfectly accurate designs and illustrations.

Networking

Additional feature that come with most 3D architectural animation software is the ability to connect with other architectures through a networked platform that comes with the software. This allows sharing of ideas and assistance in case of a problem is easily accessible. You can ask questions and many professionals who use the software will come to your rescue through the network.

Marty Stallone

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Marty Stallone is a professional land development expert, who is knowledgeable in risk management, finance, corporate functions, and cash-flow analysis. He focuses on the success of Metropolitan Development Group (MDG).

He is the executive vice president of development and make the decisions, to deliver the outcome for clients and encourage a degree of growth. His leadership has proven effective in MDG’s land development projects- industrial, commercial, and residential projects in the Pennsylvania region. Before he began land development, he helped structured capital finances for government, corporations and non-profit businesses. This is how he learned the analytical knowledge of finance and business development.

Marty Stallone operates out of the Eastern Pennsylvania offices. He is a graduate of Cornell University and he is also a National Merit Scholar.

Land development consist of changing the landscape from a natural state to an agricultural, commercial, corporate, or housing structure. Sometimes the development

includes, landscaping or road construction. The land must offer the best optics for a marketplace. We identify enhancements and improve projects. The landowner can share with the planning, if they are aware of the development’s potential. Land values are very sensitive- to demand and supply, the cost, planning, and contributions. The system, can result in the difference in the sale of the land.

As a child, what were your dreams?

When I was a little boy, I loved math, but as a teen, I began to like finance and economics. They are both compelling areas to study.

What inspires you?

I am inspired by teachers and relatives, who offer guidance in the field of economics and finance. You can learn a lot from others, who have worked, studied, or have knowledge about economics and finance.

What was your most exciting accomplishment?

The development of Metropolitan Development Group, and the positive services that they provide to satisfy our clients. Our main goal is make sure each client is stratified from start to finish with land development.

What will you be doing 5 years from now?

We plan to continue development aspirations, and begin new services- which will ultimately benefit our clients and retain them. There are always land development projects, in this field.

What’s your take on the Social Media?

I think that the social media is an amazing tool to utilize communication, and engage with discussions, although internet use- is not used by me often. With today’s technology, there are many ways, that you can communicate effectively.

Nick Alsis: Increasing Focus on Infrastructure Needs Has Construction Industry Poised for Growth

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construction343535It seems as though the need for addressing the nation’s infrastructure is beginning to get the attention it so desperately needs, with presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle routinely including references in their stump speeches to restoring the basic systems that are so critical to daily life. Nick Alsis believes that this increased attention bodes quite well for the construction industry, as it is quite clear that the public recognizes just how necessary it is for the nation’s infrastructure to be addressed before even greater issues begin to arise.

Given that the construction industry is already enjoying increasing growth on a nationwide basis, there is already some concern that there will be a need to recruit more professionals into all levels of the construction industry if current and future demand is going to be met. As Nick Alsis points out, this is a problem that most industries would love to have and it is also one that should not be all that difficult to address before the massive industry growth begins in earnest.

The Groza Learning Center Offers Insight on Importance of Expanding Student Vocabulary

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The importance of building and expanding student vocabulary is overlooked with relative frequency, and even when it is emphasized in an academic program there is often too much focus on the strict memorization of each specific term. The key to building an expansive vocabulary is to utilize engaging study strategies that encourage students to not just memorize a definition, but to also include these newly learned terms in everyday conversation along with all forms of written communication. When the new terms are applied in a variety of settings, it becomes far more likely that each vocabulary term will become a regular part of the student’s everyday language and not just a long-since forgotten yet vaguely familiar word.

Root Words: An Overlooked Strategy

One of the many benefits of learning Latin is the ability to recognize the roots of words commonly appearing in English, thereby making it easier to decipher the meaning of a word that may otherwise appear to be completely unfamiliar. While it is quite rare to find a course in which students are taught Latin, many educators continue to tout the benefits of teaching root words while expanding student vocabulary. The Groza Learning Center, for example, often teaches its students the meanings of root words while providing examples in which those roots are commonly found. When preparing for the SAT, ACT or any other critical examination a student may encounter during their academic career, the ability to recognize the root of an unfamiliar word can greatly enhance the student’s performance while also instilling a tremendous sense of self-confidence.

Strong Vocabulary Skills Yield Long-Lasting Benefits

While this is certainly a beneficial approach for students preparing to take a standardized test that may include a great deal of unfamiliar terminology, it is also a skill that is valuable across all subject areas and yields long-lasting benefits. Having a deep understanding of the meanings of a variety of root words is incredibly useful in all manner of circumstances outside of academia as well, with this familiarity greatly easing communication in all of its many forms while also ensuring a greater understanding of a number of distinct languages.

1 Stop Maintenance Reviews Contractor Ralph Slaske

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Every business, product of the business and even CEO of the business has their reviews. Everywhere you go, you’ll find someone who has an insightful opinion either of their own experience with the business or of someone else’s experience. Certain setups, such as the way apps on a smartphone are contained in the AppStore, only allow a person to review the product after it had been installed and tested for themselves. This approach helps cut down on the thinking of giving a product review, whether positive or negative, simply because a friend gave a positive or negative review. It does happen.

1 Stop Maintenance called upon the services of contractor Ralph Slaske after having read some of his reviews on social media and on blogs scattered throughout the web and decided to give Mr. Slaske’s custom home building business a go. “I was not expecting from Ralph Slaske the professional customer service and incredible detailed work of craftsmanship that I received from Ralph Slaske,” said 1 Stop Maintenance CEO. “Everything was done perfectly. The reviews I had read don’t give him enough credit to do him or his business justice,” he continued .

1 Stop Maintenance CEO gives a detailed description of his new home in Ohio saying the most impressive part to him from working with Ralph Slaske and his custom home construction business is being able to have the home made from the materials he chose. “With most homes I’ve lived in, the house was build for me just like every house in the neighborhood. Everything had to blend in and be totally uniform. There was no freedom to customize.”

1 Stop Maintenance CEO gives Ralph Slask two thumbs way up and high recommends his business to friends, family and employees saying everyone deserves a custom home to call their very own.