How To Make Your Home Storm-Proof

February 2, 2022 by Leave a Comment

NYC

There’s no denying that some parts of the country are more prone to severe storms and hurricanes than others. For example, places like Florida, Texas, and North Carolina typically have major storms, hurricanes, and other extreme weather conditions each year.

As you can imagine, many properties get damaged during such harsh weather conditions, and, sadly, some people lose their lives when debris attacks them.

Moving to a “safer” part of the country can be one way to avoid the problem. But, it’s also possible to make your home storm-proof if you live in an area where storms and extreme weather conditions are commonplace.

Take a look at the following examples for some inspiration:

Install Some High-Impact Windows

As you can appreciate, your windows will usually be the first things that get damaged by stormy weather – or, to be precise, flying debris caused by it. It’s worth strengthening your glass with some high-impact windows.

High-impact windows are ones designed to withstand damage from flying debris, typically at a rate of up to 150 mph. They also contain heavy frames that help keep the glass secured in place during extreme weather conditions.

If you search for high-impact windows near me, you’ll likely discover some companies that can install those windows at your home.

Strengthen Your Doors

One of the things that many homeowners fail to do is ensure their exterior doors and garage doors are strong enough to withstand storm conditions. If all entry points aren’t impact-rated, strong winds can easily lift them off their frames and expose the inside of your home.

That’s why it’s a good idea to upgrade your doors to strong, impact-rated ones. Again, you’ll likely come across local businesses that can install impact-rated doors for your home’s entry points and your garage.

Upgrade Your Roof

It’s no secret that strong windows can easily uplift a home’s roof, irrespective of how well built it was. With that in mind, you need to look at ways of securing your roof so that it doesn’t get blown away if your home goes into the eye of a storm.

One way to do that is by reinforcing your roof. For example, special steel clips explicitly designed for homes located within hurricane or storm areas will ensure your roof remains connected to the rest of your house.

Another option is to consider installing a metal roof. In some places like Louisiana, metal roofs make a lot of sense because they are the best roofing material available that can withstand high winds and projectiles launched in the air.

If you don’t like the idea of having a metal roof, you could alternatively invest in architectural shingles as they are just as strong for storm-proofing purposes. It’s worth discussing your requirements with a roofing contractor as they can likely give you other alternative options.

Conclusion

If you live in an area where storms, hurricanes, and other severe weather conditions are commonplace each year, you must take steps to ensure your house can withstand strong winds and flying projectiles and keep your home safe for your family.

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Cutting Down Your Heating Costs

February 2, 2022 by Leave a Comment

save on heating

Even though the weather will soon be warming up, there is still a good few months where many of us will be using the heating and staying toasty indoors. This coupled with the higher energy prices means that we are on the hunt for ways to cut our heating bills. Let’s have a look at some of the ways you can do this below:

Draw You Curtains 

At night, closing your curtains will assist keep the heat in and reducing draughts from your windows. If they’re hanging in front of radiators, tuck them behind them so the heat can get in.

Alternatively, you might take it a step further and invest in heated curtains. The dense woven designs are designed to provide optimum insulation and warmth in a room, and they can be bought for a reasonable price. 

However, remember to open your curtains in the mornings to allow sunlight into your home, which might help to warm it up.

Know Your Radiators

Do you have a room or a few where you don’t spend a lot of time? To save energy, turn off the radiators or set them to the lowest heat and close the door(s).

Keep your heaters and radiators clear in the areas you do use so they can heat the room adequately. The heat will otherwise be transferred into the back of your sofa and other furniture blocking them. 

Change Your Provider Or Tariff

Although some people may find it difficult to change providers at the moment, this won’t always be like this. One of the best ways to save money on your energy bills is to change providers. Often you get a lower and new customer tariff for the first 12 months. If you are a loyal customer, though, it may be worth speaking to your current provider and seeing if they are able to offer a discount. 

Suppress Any Draughts

You’re undoubtedly used to draughts if you live in an ancient building. There are, however, techniques to limit the amount of wind that blows into your home.

To begin, do like your grandmother did and purchase a draught excluder to keep the chilly breeze from blowing beneath your door. Alternatively, cover the space with an old towel. Next, use a sealer, gaffer tape, or, if the gaps are significant, there are some products that use thin tubes to fill the gaps, to cover any cracks in your flooring and skirting boards.

Lower The Temperature On Your Thermostat

When you return home on a cold day, you might be tempted to set your thermostat to the highest setting, but it’s best to set it to around 18-20oC. Otherwise, your home will likely overheat and you may be tempted to open the windows, wasting energy. It’s claimed that lowering your thermostat by one degree will save you up to £75 each year.

Wrap Up Warm

When you’re sitting around watching TV, add an extra layer of clothing to the mix. Whether it’s a dressing gown, felt slippers, or some new loungewear, wrapping up can help you avoid having the heating on or so long and so high. If you’re really cold, wrap up in blankets, put on some warm socks, and fill up a hot water bottle. If your bedroom is always cold, put one in your bed as well.

These tips should help you to cut down on your energy bills. Do you have any other tips that may help? Please share them below.

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5 Tips for Cooking for Your Family While Vacationing

February 2, 2022 by Leave a Comment

healthy foods

One of the beauties of getting to travel is the fact that it’s far from being one-size-fits-all. While some families will go to hotels and go out to eat every night on vacation, other families will rent out an apartment or lodging and will just cook their meals from there.  Food during travels just makes it taste so much better, doesn’t it? 

Even if it’s just home cooked meals, it still tastes so much better. Maybe it has something to do with the variety of ingredients, or the fact that you’re making something new. Whatever the case may be, getting the chance to cook during your travels can be so rewarding. 

Regardless, there still seems to be this idea that cooking during travels is almost impossible when in fact it’s further from the case. Sure, it can be quite challenging to try and cook food in a hotel room, especially one without a kitchen. But taking that aspect out of the count, you can indeed cook and create some of the best food when traveling. So here are some tips for achieving just that.

It all comes down to accommodation

One thing you must think about while planning your trip is whether or not you want to cook. If you’re traveling with a family, such as three or more, then know that going out to eat can get pretty expensive.  That’s why a lot of families will instead opt into lodgings such as a cabin, house, or apartment.

These usually contain kitchens, and some will even go as far as having all the equipment you need.  So if you’re dreaming of making pork tenderloin with cranberry in slow cooker, this can indeed happen. But, you’re going to have to choose your accommodation quite wisely. 

Think about bringing some of your own equipment

If you and your family are going to travel by car or RV, then this can be very easy, but if you’re going by plane or bus it’s best to not count on this tip.  Some methods of traveling can make it easy to pack. When it comes to road trips, you can essentially pack anything you’d like and not have to worry about luggage weight or fees like you do at an airport.  One of the additional benefits is the fact that you can have your own kitchen gadgets as well.

So if you are going to camp in an RV or maybe even go on a vacation in an AirBnB for a week with the family, as long as you’re on the road with your own vehicle, you can essentially bring what you want. This can include

  • Slow cooker
  • Pans
  • Can opener
  • Grater
  • Tongs
  • Tea Steeper
  • Bottle opener
  • Air fryer

Basically, any of the tools that you tend to use at home can help.

Be okay with settling with a microwave

If you and your family can’t afford an expensive apartment or cabin for lodging, then it’s okay. Maybe that’s not you, or maybe even that’s not even offered where the family vacation is at. In cases like this, just know that there are options. Some standard hotels will have mini-refrigerators and microwaves. While you can’t do too much cooking, you can still achieve a bit of food prep and a nice meal with these two kitchen appliances.  Plus, you can upcycle your food waste when finished as well.

You don’t have to cook your meals

If you’re wanting to give your family a nice homemade meal, just know that these don’t have to always be cooked. Sometimes, just having one warm meal is more than enough and this could be something such as going out to eat or even taking out. But there are still options such as buying needed ingredients for sandwiches. But you can even provide fruit, yogurt, cereal, and some other tasty snacks like hummus.

Just don’t get stressed over providing a warm cooked meal because it’s not always necessary. Just go to the grocery store in the area you’re in and see what options they have that don’t need to be cooked. You can still have a delicious and nutritious meal, such as a salad, and not have to worry about anything getting cooked.

Simplicity is key

Overall, when you’re traveling, try to avoid making things complicated for yourself.  You’re on vacation, you’re traveling. Traveling is supposed to be a way to relax and unwind. So if the idea of cooking on vacation just stresses you out too much. Then you should know that it’s far from being a requirement. Just take things easy. Just make sandwiches for lunch or buy snacks here and there. Just enjoy your trip. 

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Tackling Problems in Your Home

February 2, 2022 by Leave a Comment

drill

We all want to keep our homes in the best condition possible. This is a given. When you own a property, it’s likely the biggest investment you have – and will – make in your lifetime, so you’re going to want to maintain its value. You also live here, so you’re going to want to keep the space functional, hygienic, safe, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing to provide yourself with a good quality of life.  Of course, this doesn’t happen by itself. You’re going to have to put some active effort into maintaing your property and, sometimes, it can be difficult to know where to start on this journey. Here are a few suggestions to get the ball rolling!

Don’t Ignore Repairs

All homes need some repair work carried out at some point or another. We use our properties so much that they’re bound to experience wear and tear and some things will need replacing or fixing over time. The issue here is that so many homeowners choose to sweep issues under the carpet, ignoring problems as they arise and hoping they get better by themselves or, at the very least, don’t worsen. This is rarely the case though. Issues always have to be resolved, and the longer you leave them, the worse they will get. You may find that the original issue, which would have been cheap and easy to resolve, start to damage other areas of your property and become extremely expensive and difficult to resolve. For example, a small hole in the roof would be cheap and straightforward work to fix. If you leave it, rain entering the hole could cause electrical and structural damage, which will then be expensive to fix on top of the original cost of fixing the hole itself.

Have Surveys Carried Out Annually

There are parts of your property that you probably don’t see on a day to day basis, as well as issues that can arise that only a professional eye will notice the warning signs for. It’s important that you have home surveys carried out on a relatively regular basis to give professionals a chance to spot any potential problems and provide solutions. You might not spend much time in your crawl space, but a professional could point out that you need crawl space moisture solutions, which will prevent mould, rot and other damage. You might not notice the warning signs of mould on your walls, but a specialist could show you how to avoid this problem developing.

External Factors

Some people will face issues that feel beyond their control while at home. For example, you may find that you have noisy neighbours, that a developer is trying to build an unpleasant or problematic building in your area (for example, a slaughterhouse), or other issues may arise over time. It’s important to know that you don’t have to just settle with these changes that impact you and your home. Instead, there are relevant authorities you can contact to express concern, file complaints and seek redemptive action.

These are just a few suggestions, but hopefully, some will prove useful to you should you need them.

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Cleaning The House Before Moving Out

January 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Moving home is a big job. It’s one of the most stressful things you can do in your life, and it’s also a pretty lengthy one! Why? Because you’ve got to clean the house you’re moving out of; sure, there are a lot of repairs and decluttering jobs you need to do in the new place, but the work doesn’t begin or end there! You’re feeling like you’ve got a long list of jobs ahead of you right now, so let’s make it a bit easier; here are the main cleaning tasks to accomplish before moving out.

Clean Inside Cupboards and Appliances

moving boxes

You’ve cleaned out the cupboards, and you’re taking the microwave with you, but there’s still one more job you need to do here. Get a dry cloth, a wet cloth, and some antibacterial spray and then open up all the cupboard doors in your kitchen. Start with the dry, to get all the crumbs out without issue, do an antibac spritz (be sure to leave for 5 minutes!) and then get your wet cloth in there. 

For the oven you’ll need to be a bit more heavy handed. Get a homemade baking soda paste in there, let it rest for a few hours, and then come back later to scrub it all off. 

Steam Clean Carpets

The carpets in your home, unless you’re ripping them up and taking them with you, are going to need steam cleaning ahead of time. It’s useful to vacuum them a couple times, but if you want to get out years and years of grime, you’re going to need a good few hours and a steam cleaner at hand. Make sure to pass the cleaner back and forth three or four times to create the clean difference you’re going for. 

Empty Drains

Next up is possibly one of the most disgusting clean up jobs, but it has to be done. Make sure you’re wearing some gloves and then take off all the drain caps in your home. Get a brush in there and clean the top of the drain out – this is where all the hair and other household debris will collect, and you wouldn’t want the new owners to have to deal with that! 

Hit the Dump

Now that you’ve got all of your garbage in one place, either collect it all together for a one way trip to the dump, or save yourself some time and call in a Garbage Collection Service to deal with it for you. You could also hire a dumpster beforehand to throw large and bulky items into, as well as make it easier to bag up little things and get them right out of the door. This way your only job is to physically clean the house, and the rest is handled for you! 

Moving out of a house requires a lot of elbow grease; make it easier on you by following the tips above during this stressful period in your life.

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How to choose a travel sleepsuit for babies

January 25, 2022 by Leave a Comment

When looking for baby sleepsuits, it is essential to consider a few factors. You should pick those that are breathable and comfortable because you will be travelling with your little one- they need their comfort when going through such changes in environments from hotel rooms or airplanes.

Additionally, go for the chemical-free fabric to not cause any reactions on delicate skin during hot weather. Nonetheless, when travelling, the chances are that it may get hot during the day; therefore, cotton is an excellent fabric choice as opposed to synthetic ones because cotton breathes better than polyester or nylon fabrics.

Here are other insights when picking out clothes:

 

1. Consider the baby’s size.

Baby pajamas should have a perfect fit, not too tight or too loose, be comfortable and provide excellent protection from minor burns.

The law has very specific requirements for baby pajamas, and companies that manufacture them must follow suit or risk penalty. One of these regulations is ensuring they don’t exceed the maximum dimensions in various body parts set by respective countries/regions where they will be sold. So it’s essential to pick out sleepsuits from high quality brands with all relevant measurements met to lower risk of the baby sustaining injuries should fire erupts.

2. Baby’s age

Sleepsuits have different designs to fit babies of all ages. For infants, zero to six months, choose sleepsuits that cover the body completely. That is because it might get cold, and it is always advisable to keep the baby warm enough during such a time.

Since you are on the road, pick a sleepsuit that will make changing diapers easy. You will not have the luxury of time when you are travelling. Furthermore, if your baby is learning to walk, choose footless sleepsuits. They allow the baby to walk around more easily.

3. Material

Sleepsuits are made from different fabrics. Some are made from synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, while others from natural fabrics like cotton. It is best to be careful with the material you choose because various fabrics offer different comfort levels. It is advisable to select baby sleepsuits made from natural fabrics because they are considered more comfortable.

Organic cotton is the healthiest alternative. That is because they are breathable, chemical-free, gentle on the skin, and are moisture absorbent. Picking a good sleepsuit fabric can make a lot of difference in the level of comfort. It will also improve the quality of sleep.

4. Travel destination

Where you are travelling should also be a factor you put into consideration. If you are travelling to a cold place, the baby should be warm at all times. Further, your destination might be warm. Therefore, pack pajamas made from a light fabric if travelling to a hot destination. Remember always to keep the baby comfortable. If you carry pajamas with a heavy fabric and visit a warm destination, the baby might suffer a rash due to the heat.

Sleep is essential for babies during travel time, especially if they are still infants. Picking the wrong sleepsuits can make a lot of difference in their sleep quality. Comfortable sleepsuits will ensure the baby gets enough sleep and wakes up the following day full of energy. Therefore, when picking a sleepsuit for a baby, consider the baby’s size, type of fabric, baby’s age, and travel destination.

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Documentary Preparation for Moving Abroad With Kids

January 18, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Without a doubt, relocating to another country is a difficult task; it’s especially stressful if you have children. It’s not just about starting a new life with your kids thousands of miles away, it also takes several months of planning ahead. Although the entire process appears uncomplicated, there is a significant amount of documentation to organize and complete prior to moving.

There are some critical documents you will need to make sure you have when migrating overseas. Make a plan and ensure you don’t forget anything vital when preparing for your relocation overseas. Considering the preparation of your documentation, create a different subfolder and arrange the subsections according to the type of folder you have.

Documentation needed to migrate to a different country

Before you even decide to buy tickets, it’s best to first consult with the embassy of the country you’re planning to move to about which documents are essential. Some countries have more requirements than others, but in general, when relocating to another country, you need to have two documents with you – a passport and a visa.

As a rule of thumb, it’s best to have all of the family member’s passports renewed if they are getting close to their expiry date.

Birth certificates, work permits, and international health insurance cards are some of the other things you will most likely need. Since you’ll probably move to a different-language-speaking country, it’s important to find the best certified translation services for your documents. It’s important to have any health documents or medical records translated as well so you and your family can get your health insurance as soon as you arrive in the moving country.

Make sure to prepare your academic records to take with you, because without them you might have problems proving your academic success and level of education for future work positions. Also never forget to take your marriage certificate with you, because without it you may have problems communicating your marital status with the destination country officials.

If you have a social security card, bring a duplicate with you when you relocate. Keep the original in a secure spot during your journey. You can always reach the Social Security Administration for a replacement card if you are a US citizen. In case of applying for a new card, you must also provide all required documentation.

Contact the embassy of the country you’re moving to

Each government has its own migration rules. Make sure to inform yourself about all the different documents you and your family need when moving to a different country. You can call the embassy and arrange a meeting if their policies allow you to. The workers in the embassy will provide all the information you need, starting from documentation and country policies, to finding accommodation and housing in the new country. 

Every country has different policies for foreigners moving into their country and they also have different policies for foreigners depending on the country they are coming from. It can also vary depending on the number of family members you’re moving with. So it is really important to call the embassy of the country you’re planning to move to as there might be some things you weren’t aware of, even if you thought that you prepared yourself thoroughly.

The embassy will most likely provide information about all of the schooling options for your children, depending on their age and academic records. It’s probable that you will have to arrange this prior to moving, so it’s better to know your options way before moving. No matter if your child is a kindergartener or a high-school student.

Once you got all the needed information from the embassy, make sure to have all your documentation ready ahead of time. Have them months prior to moving if you can. It’s always better to have everything you need than having to wait past your departing date and having your plans ruined.

Final thoughts

No matter what country you chose to move to, always remember to visit their embassy in your country. That way you can get informed about what other documents you need besides the essential ones, what arrangements you will need to make before moving, and every other information you may need.

 Make sure you have every document with its translated version, if required, before starting the moving process. Remember to book your flight and have your tickets and all the important documents for traveling near you at all times. Visit Languex Translation they provide an inexpensive, fast, high-quality translation.

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A Lunar New Year Special: Pan Asian Repertory Theatre

January 14, 2022 by Leave a Comment

FEATURING
DEANNA CHOI, JONATHAN WONG FRYE. FENTON LI,
HYUNMIN RHEE, MANDARIN WU, AND XIAOQING ZHANG

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT THROUGH JANUARY 30, 2022
AT THEATRE ROW

A Lunar New Year Special: Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (Tisa Chang, Founding Artistic Producing Director) launches its 45th Milestone Season of recovery and healing with the return to LIVE theater beginning after the new year and celebrating the Lunar New Year with the annual return engagement of the acclaimed 2018 production of The Emperor’s Nightingale by Damon Chua (Incident at Hidden Temple). The limited return engagement that includes public and student matinee performances begins this Saturday afternoon, January 15, 2022 and concludes Sunday afternoon, January 30, 2022 at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street).

Directed by Chongren Fan (Lost in Shanghai), the six-member cast will feature DeAnna Choi, Jonathan Wong Frye, Fenton Li, Hyunmin Rhee, Mandarin Wu, and Xiaoqing Zhang.

The Emperor’s Nightingale is a family-friendly staged adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s story “The Nightingale,” set in 18th century China, and brings to light the youthful exploits of the future Emperor Qianlong. This production employs traditional Chinese puppetry, folk songs and new illustrations teaching the art of Chinese calligraphy. Nominated by the Off-Broadway Alliance for “Best Family Show”, this TYA production emphasizes the importance of leadership guided by a moral compass, through the story about two rival teen brothers competing for the throne. The Emperor’s Nightingale by Damon Chua is produced by special arrangement with Plays for New Audiences.

“Chongren Fan’s staging, for Pan Asian Reparatory Theatre, uses shadow puppets, playful costumes, and goofy humor to bring the story to life,” said Elizabeth Vincentelli of The New Yorker. “It is refreshing to be able to bring kids to such a show, rather than to one of the corporate monoliths crowding the holidays.”

The creative design team includes Set by You-Shin Chen (Acquittal), Costumes by Karen Boyer (Romulus the Great), Lights by Leslie Smith (Acquittal, No-No Boy), and Sound by Joseph Wolfslau (Romulus the Great). The Stage Management team is Kristine Schlachter and Sabrina Morabito.

The Emperor’s Nightingale will play select public performances and student matinees.

NOW ON SALE: Tickets for Public Performances are priced at $40.50 (includes $2.50 restoration fee). Premium seating is available in Row A only at $52.50 (includes $2.50 restoration fee).

Public Performances will play the following schedule: Saturday & Sunday afternoons, January 15 & 16 at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday – Saturday evenings, January 20 -22 at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday afternoons, January 22 & 23 at 2:30 p.m.; Thursday – Saturday evenings, January 27 -29 at 7:00 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday afternoons, January 29 & 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets for Public Performances may be purchased online at https://bfany.org/theatre-row/, or by calling the Box Office at (212) 714-2442, ext 45 (phone hours are 12:00PM – 5:00PM daily), or by visiting the Box Office. When ordering ticket, please use the CODE: EN22.

Tickets for School Matinees are priced at $15 per student (minimum of 20 per class; one free chaperone ticket for every 10 students.)

School Matinees will play the following performance schedule: Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: January 18 – 20 at 11:00 a.m. and Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: January 25 – 27 at 11:00 a.m.

Reservations and payment is through Pan Asian office only by calling (212) 868-4030, or via email to Simon Rogers at srogers@panasianrep.org, or info@panasianrep.org.

For more information about Pan Asian Rep, visitwww.panasianrep.org. For information about Theatre Row, visit www.theatrerow.org.

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