Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Aug. 18, 2014, 4 a.m.

ON Peter Yench's sheep farm the bulldozers are ready. When they surge forward, trees will be ripped from the earth, clearing the land for grazing and crops.

Peter Yench

ON Peter Yench's sheep farm the bulldozers are ready. When they surge forward, trees will be ripped from the earth, clearing the land for grazing and crops.

Elsewhere another vast stretch of sparse, dry native forest stands on Mr Yench's land. It is hardly the Daintree, but like all forests it is a sink for carbon dioxide. If it too is brought down then the CO2 stored in the trees will be released, exacerbating climate change.

Mr Yench holds a permit to clear on his western NSW properties, Bulgoo Station and The Meadows. Traditionally the more land a grazier could clear the more sheep they could run, bolstering their economic return.

Reminded of an old farming adage that "the only good tree is a dead tree", Mr Yench smiles in recognition, but retorts: "yeah, but that's not right".

"You got to have both, your balanced country. That's the way I look at it."

Instead of clearing everything, Mr Yench has promised to keep almost 7000 hectares of forest on Bulgoo standing for 100 years. In exchange he receives carbon credits under the federal government's Carbon Farming Initiative. It has proved a healthy alternative revenue stream.

Quietly, another 30-odd landowners in western NSW have promised to do the same or are exploring the option. Like Mr Yench, many are based around the mining and grazing town Cobar. It has quickly become an unlikely national centre for carbon farming.

View original post here:
How carbon farming won the west

TACOMA (AP) A sheriffs deputy found two bodies in a home in the Tacoma suburb of Frederickson Sunday, and authorities detained four people for questioning.

Pierce County sheriffs spokesman Jerry Bates says it is unclear yet how the two people died or who they were.

The four people detained were found in a vehicle associated with the house where the bodies were found.

The News Tribune reported Sunday night that a 40-year-old man had been taken into custody in what the Sheriffs Department described as the homicides of two men, 22 and 66.

The News Tribune reports that experts from the Sheriffs Department were called to examine a possible booby trap in the home. Bates later said that investigators believe that the suspicious wiring connected to an outbuilding may be part of an old marijuana grow.

The bodies were found around 8:30 a.m. Sunday by a deputy who was doing a routine address check on a sex offender.

Frederickson is about 20 miles south of Tacoma.

Read the original:
Deputy finds 2 bodies in home south of Tacoma; 4 people detained

Police are remaining tight-lipped about a prowler who struck the Ottawa home of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau while his family slept inside.

Over the weekend, Mr. Trudeaus office issued a statement providing a bare outline of the early-morning break-in, which unnerved the family and raised questions about the high-profile leaders lack of security.

Mr. Trudeaus wife, Sophie Grgoire-Trudeau, and the couples three children were sleeping Saturday morning when the intruder slipped into the family home, located in Ottawas Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood. Nothing was stolen and nobody was hurt. All that remained was a hand-written threatening note.

The RCMP referred all media calls to the Ottawa Police Service. An investigator with the OPS Break and Enter Unit confirmed the incident but would only provide a No comment when asked about details of the note, which reportedly warned the Trudeau family to lock their doors.

Mr. Trudeau was working in Manitoba at the time of the break-in before travelling to Montreal to participate in the citys gay pride festivities. He told reporters there he was extremely troubled over the incident and that his family joined him in Montreal on Saturday to avoid staying in the Ottawa home. He plans to spend the next three days in Edmonton for the partys summer caucus meeting. Were a little bit rattled, but were hoping that investigation and security will keep us safe in the future, he told CBC.

The RCMPs Protective Operations unit is responsible for shielding senior federal leaders, such as the Prime Minister, Governor-General and Leader of the Official Opposition. As head of the third party, Mr. Trudeau isnt entitled to that security. The Minister of Public Safety, however, does have the authority to add to the list of those requiring protection.

In the wake of the break-in, the RCMP will likely conduct its own threat assessment and offer some level of protection to Mr. Trudeau if the risk is considered legitimate, according to a retired RCMP officer who specialized in VIP protection.

They will want to determine the validity of the threat, of the note, and then theres usually a sit-down with the person whos been threatened, said Ty Watts, who watched over the entire Trudeau family, including baby Justin, when then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau was in power. Mr. Watts now runs LTD & Associates, a private investigation and security firm.

He said he no longer feels so protective of Mr. Trudeau, now 42 years of age, but suggested the Mounties should take the note seriously. He said the RCMP routinely provide security for MPs and consular officials where there is a legitimate security risk, and Mr. Trudeau would be no different.

Of course, they could also determine based on the note that the whole thing is a prank. That happens.

More here:
Break-in in Justin Trudeau's home raises questions about the leaders security

Chris Davies

Prepare to hear a lot more about SmartThings. Kickstarter success turned Samsung acquisition, the smart home startup isn't the only DIY approach to home automation and security out there, but it may well end up being one of the best funded. SmartThings' mantra is one of openness, aiming to work with as many third-party components as possible rather than lock users into a closed platform. Admirable, but it could easily add up to confusion; I've been living the SmartThings life for the past six months to see whether it works.

We've come a long way in home automation. What once was solely the preserve of the rich, demanding expensive installation or - if foresight had been lacking during construction - even more expensive retrofitting, has transitioned to a new age of plug & play components, cross-platform connectivity, and the sort of DIY-friendliness that makes setting it up yourself straightforward.

That's a marked difference from the attempts at consumer smart home tech that came in-between. X10 and other platforms were flexible but complex, and more frustratingly for everyday use they were often ugly in a bland, beige, unstyled way. All that changed with the advent of the smartphone.

SmartThings' approach - like others we've seen in recent months, such as Revolv - has been to eschew clunky controllers and complicated dip-switches for setup, and instead turn the smartphone into a remote control. The company's app handles not only installation but ongoing interaction, whether you're home or away.

The $99 hub itself is a small block of glossy white plastic, powered by a wall-wart AC adapter, and hooking up to your router with a supplied ethernet cable. Inside, there's most conspicuously ZigBee and Z-Wave radios; WiFi is handled by your home router. Absent are Insteon and Bluetooth.

From that central beginning it's a case of adding your choice of peripherals, with SmartThings offering a range of its own as well as compatibility with a growing number of third-party devices. The easiest way to get going is with one of the company's starter kits, which includes the hub and a few bundled components.

There are five main pieces to the SmartThings range. The Multi Sensor looks the most straightforward, a battery-powered door or window sensor that's stuck in place with self-adhesive strips and triggered when the two parts are separated. However, inside it also has an accelerometer for reporting physical movement, and a thermometer for tracking temperature.

See original here:
SmartThings Review: Living in the Smart Home

Garland, TX (PRWEB) August 18, 2014

Those that are thinking about buying an air conditioning system before the end of summer may be wondering how a central air conditioning system works. Arctic Comfort Air Conditioning and Heating can explain to those curious about air conditioning systems that understanding how they work is pretty easy.

There are four main components to an air conditioning system: the outdoor condensing unit, the indoor evaporator coil that works in conjunction with the outdoor condensing unit, the indoor air handling unit, which serves a dual purpose of heating, and air handling and the duct systems.

The outdoor condensing unit removes the heat from inside the home. Ever feel the hot air coming out the top of the condensing unit? Thats the hot air that once was in the home. If it is not hot air, then its not cooling and it also means your compressor is not on.

The indoor evaporator coil works in conjunction with the outdoor unit to cool the home. The indoor evaporator coil is in a box, so the coil cant be seen, but, it looks similar to a car radiator. The refrigerant traveling from the outdoor to the indoor evaporator coil makes the coil get icy cold, then the blower of the indoor air handling unit blows warm air over this icy cold coil to make cold air come out the vents in each room.

The indoor evaporator coil removes the humidity (moisture, water) from the air. If the unit is not making water, its not cooling. The water it wrings out from the air has to go somewhere, so the indoor evaporator coil has an internal drain pan that catches the water and drains the water out of the drain pan by means of a main drain line that usually empties into the homes main drain.

The air handling unit, a gas furnace or electric air handler, serves a dual purpose. In the summer, only the blower section of the air handling unit is used to blow air over the icy cold evaporator coil and through the duct systems. In the winter, the heating section and blower are used to blow warm air through the duct systems.

Air is moved throughout the home by duct systems, which consist of plenums and ducts. Ducts move air from one place to another. Typically ducts are not attached directly to the equipment, so a box called a plenum, large enough to accommodate all the ducts, is attached to the indoor equipment and then the ducts are attached to the plenum and ran to their respective areas.

Those that are ready to replace their old air conditioner this summer can call Arctic Comfort Air Conditioning and Heating at 972-530-8384. Arctics experts can help customers choose the right system, capacity and efficiency for their home and budget. Each system is matched to each customers needs. Arctic Comfort Air Conditioning and Heating also offers professional installation, inspections and maintenance when necessary.
About the company:
Since 1990, Arctic Comfort Air Conditioning and Heating has provided dependable air conditioning installation, air conditioning repair, heating repair, service, equipment and quality products to Garland and surrounding Dallas area homeowners. Whether customers need new air conditioning and heating equipment or repair of existing heating and air conditioning systems, Arctic Comfort Air Conditioning and Heating meets the highest performance standards in the business, from employee training, to customer care. They are fully qualified to repair or service existing air conditioning and heating systems, as well as help select a new comfort system that best fits the customers home and needs. They are a family owned and operated company that believes in caring, reliable service. Customers will have the same tech in their home every time they call to have a repair or service done.

Originally posted here:
Arctic Comfort Explains How AC Units Work This Summer

First-time homeowners sometimes find themselves surprised at how much maintenance they need to do on their houses even new ones.

Sometimes maintenance is as simple as plunging a toilet or touching up paint on a wall or stain on a deck. Other times, however, home maintenance means bigger projects. These are the kind you might not be willing to undertake right away either because you lack the expertise or the money.

But skippingthese projects could wind up costing you in the long run. How? Because neglecting some maintenance or repair projects could mean expensive home insurance claims. That means paying a deductible now and facing the prospect of higher premiums inthe future.

Heresa look at some common maintenance projects, their price tags and the potential cost of ignoring them.

Start at the Top

The last windstorm that blew through town sounded pretty vicious, and you remember thinking that the hail was pounding your house particularly hard. Do you know whether the wind or hail loosened or damaged any of your shingles?

It matters. Roof damage can remain hidden until the next storm strikes. What could happen? Plenty. A loose shingle or two could evolve into a hole in your roof, inviting major water damage.

What you can do: Break out the ladder and inspect your roof after particularly violent storms and every time the seasons change. It wont cost you anything but time. Better yet, have your roof professionally inspected. How much will that cost? About $200, sometimes less depending on how extensive a procedure you request. And if you need to replace or repair shingles? That can run about $200, depending on the damage.

The other threat to your roof comes from tree branches. A branch can smash through your roof (or for that matter, a window or side wall), resulting in the need for major repairs.

What you can do: Check your trees for dead, diseased or damaged branches. Hiring a professional to remove them will cost roughly $250, depending on how much work you want done. You should also check trees on neighboring yards and alert owners to any problems.

Read the original here:
You'll Pay for Ignoring Home Repairs

FLORHAM PARK -- Borough Council members on Thursday, Aug. 14, awarded a $911,100 contract to CFM Construction of the Stirling section of Long Hill Township to start work on the municipal pools makeover.

Bids for the contract were accepted and opened on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Work is expected to begin next month after the pool closes and be completed in time for the pool to open on the Memorial Day weekend in 2015.

CFM was one of six companies to submit bids, but it was not the company with the lowest bid initially.

That was RJR Engineering of Califon Borough, which submitted a bid at $817,000.

RJR, however, withdrew its bid due to an error the company had made.

The other companies submitting bids included Vincent Pools of Pipersville, Pa., at $940,000; Ray Palmer Associates of Dover, $987,600; Carlton Pools of Warmester, Pa., $1,025,623, and Cypresco Industries Inc. of Neptune, $1,263,823.

Exciting Upgrade

An ordinance allowing the borough to issue $950,000 in bond anticipation notes for the work was adopted in the spring. The remaining $50,000 will be taken from the boroughs capital improvement fund as a down-payment.

In a previous interview, Borough Councilman William Zuckerman, the councils Community Services liaison, called the pending project exciting.

See more here:
Florham Park Council awards contract for pool makeover

People losing their balance is costing Marlborough $5.7 million with nearly 44,000 days of productivity lost due to falls, ACC figures reveal.

Falls continued to be a major cause of injury, with people tripping over leads or falling off ladders.

Most injuries were in the home, where people felt more secure.

Pete Halligan from Blenheim fell off a ladder two years ago and was lucky to walk away unscathed.

He was cleaning out the guttering on one of his rental properties and was stretching to clear out debris when he fell. "The ladder slipped away because it wasn't secure. I was pushing the limit for how far I could extend myself. I was really really lucky I didn't do myself more injury."

It prompted him to start a safe gutter cleaning business - Gutter Sucker NZ. His employee uses an industrial vacuum cleaner to get leaves and muck out of gutters - from the ground.

People losing balance was the most common cause of injury, while the most common pre-accident activities were recreation or sport.

ACC general manager of injury prevention Megan McKenna said the data would help the Marlborough community prioritise injury prevention. "These reports give us all a snapshot of what's happening at a community level, and we hope they'll help inspire solutions that ultimately enhance people's wellbeing."

Speaking at a Health and Safety Expo at Marlborough Convention Centre on Friday, World Health Organisation Safe Communities judging panellist Geoff Wilson said a five-year analysis of ACC claims showed a downward trend for work injuries, motor vehicle injuries and assaults in Marlborough.

ACC injury claims for people aged 10-18 years had decreased by 43 per cent, compared with 3.4 per cent nationally.

More here:
Falls cost Marlborough $5.7 million

The Eau Claire Community Foundation has said Jeffers Road Park would be the first joint boy and girl fields in Eau Claire. It would also include a playground, pavilion, and trails.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -- It could be late June of 2015 before teams start playing baseball and softball at Jeffers Road Park.

On Monday, Steve Nick of Eau Claire Fastpitch said crews had recently broken ground at the site, although a formal groundbreaking ceremony has not been held. He called the work at the site "preliminary," and said that it amounts to simply "pushing some dirt around" at this point. A groundbreaking ceremony may be a few weeks away. Nick also admitted that progress at the site is a little behind where the organization had hoped it would be by now.

"We'd hoped sort of to be seeding already, and that would have...had probably grass growing in place so kids could have been playing in May, and people probably could be...from the public out there in May," Nick said. "We're still coming along awfully fast for not having started this concept until last December, but, we're looking more now, you know, more of a fall planting instead of a mid-to-late summer planting."

Nick said the organization hopes to start playing on the new fields at its tournament at the end of June. He believes the site will look like baseball and softball diamonds by spring 2015, but the organization wants to give the turf some time to solidify before it starts having games at the park. He said more than $200,000 in pledges have come in for the project. The goal is $350,000 in donations. It has also received in kind donations from key contractors.

Original post:
Preliminary work begins at site of Jeffers Road Park

SALEM, Va. -

You've got to be strong to be the groundskeeper of a baseball team. Between dragging the dirt, pumping the water and pushing the mowers, it's not work for the faint of heart.

Ross Groenevelt loves it, saying "it's pretty cool" that his office is LewisGale Field.

The Red Sox season is coming to a close, but Groenevelt and his team of five assistants will be working hard well after the season is over.

The focus is fixing problem spots, but Groenevelt offers three big tips for making sure your lawn looks good in the spring.

1. Know your lawn

Any groundskeeper will tell you this is very important. Groenevelt says knowing your lawn means knowing the type of grass already down and what soil makes it grow well. You can get your soil and grass tested at the Virginia Cooperative Extension. There, you can make sure you're buying the right kind of seed and soil.

2. Let It Grow

Everybody wants to keep those lawns short in the summer. But Groenevelt recommends cutting with a little less frequency this time of year.

As you get ready to seed your lawn in the fall, "You want to let those root systems grow a little deeper and stronger in the ground," Groenevelt says. By not cutting as frequently, those roots are given time to get stronger in preparation for the winter.

Continue reading here:
Salem Red Sox groundskeeper offers lawn winterization tips