Interior Design & Decor » Signs

Transportation Vehicles and Signs Single Switchplate

admin — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 03:08:46 +0000

Measures approx 3″ x 5″
Harware included
Borders Unlimited

Product Description
Add a bit of fun color to your favorite kid’s room. Perfect for a Trains, Planes, and Automobiles theme. The raised, 3-D design is sure to get noticed. Looks great in a bedroom, playroom, or game room.

Resin. Measures approximately 5.25″ x 3.5″ and fits any standard single switchplate. Installation screws included…. More >>

Transportation Vehicles and Signs Single Switchplate

2 Common Signs Of Bed Bug Infestation – Safety Tips For Hotel Guests

admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:16:38 +0000

Are you aware of the fact that there are 90% chances for a popular hotel – a suite room or a presidential in a posh hotel to have bed bugs? Even you’re favorite hotel can have bed bugs without your knowledge.
Now you may wonder whether your hotel has got bed bugs or not. What are the symptoms and signs of bed bug infestation? Assuming that your hotel has got bed bugs, what can be done so that your house does not get infested when you return home?
The common symptoms and signs of bed bug infestation are as follows
1. Bed Bug Rash
Itching is the first sign. The rash begins with an itching sensation. The rash will not be visible but you’ll be able to feel the itch.
When a bed bug bites, it can be itchier than mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites, you can sense its sting and feel the sucking of blood. But when bed bugs bite, the itch can be felt only after a time period of minimum one hour. This is caused by the anesthetics in the bed bug’s saliva. They inject anticoagulant and anesthetics, to prevent blood from clotting, before it sucks your blood.
Bed bug rash can be sensed one hour after the bite. But in some cases, the rash appears only a few days or weeks later. This is determined by the body’s response to the chemicals secreted by the bugs.
How can you identify a rash caused by a bed bug? It begins with a, red, small and round (from being inflamed), bump which looks more swollen than a mosquito rash. Initially, only a swollen bump can be seen. In due course of time, the rash spreads all over. This indicates that many bed bugs have started biting you. But in some cases, the rash may look similar to a bite mark in sequence. This is seen in people who constantly move when they’re sleeping. Once the bed bugs notice movement around them, they quickly run back to their hiding places.
When you suspect a bed bug rash, examine it for a few days. The rash causes prolonged itching for days together .Also, a bed bug rash doesn’t heal as quickly as mosquito bites. It remains swollen for weeks together.
2. Bed Bug Odor
Next thing to look for is bed bug odor. What kind of an odor does it have?
A Hotel where there’s plenty of bed bug infestation had this obnoxious, musty, sweet-smelling, odor that bed bugs release. You may find this smell under the headboard and mattresses. If you find a sofa with cracks or a wooden chair in your hotel, check whether they’ve got bed bug odor.
Bed bug odor isn’t easily detectable in hotels with negligible or minimal amount of infestation,
How do you avoid the hotel bed bugs from attacking your house?
Take out all the things from your suitcase the previous night. Bed bugs are efficient hitchhikers. Bed bugs can survive without food for days together. If there are bed bugs in your suitcase, they can attack the entire household.
Check your wooden things for bed bugs. They are attracted to wooden items, paper and cloth. These are the substances that support their survival.
Use water-based insect destroyer and spray it around your suitcase, and that the bed bugs can be thrown away. put your clothes and other things in a clean, dry bath tub. Bed bugs can’t stay in tub crevices as the tub is made up of ceramic or marble and it gets wet quite often.
Wash the used clothes before going back home. Remember, this isn’t a trivial issue. Once your bedroom gets infested with bed bugs, it quickly spreads to neighboring rooms. Destroying bed bugs is really difficult. You may even have to even condemn your sofa and bed to get rid of bed bugs.

Improving Home Air Quality: Knowing the Signs and Remedies

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:08:17 +0000

There are researches that prove indoor air quality could be worse than outdoor air. This is because most homes have been built or renovated without taking the factors affecting fresh and healthy air circulation and ventilation. There are also homes prone to indoor air pollution due to the multitude of furnishings, appliances and other home products. Knowing the signs of air quality problems and the appropriate measures you could take on is needed to have better and healthier air in your home.

The signs of this problem include unusual and prevailing odors, stale or stuffy air, damaged flue pipes or chimneys, excessive humidity and presence of molds and mildew. These could arise from different sources. The contaminants could be initiated in any part of the house. These are combustion products like carbon monoxide from unvented gas stoves, ovens, heaters and furnaces. Moisture and biological pollutants like molds, dust mites, animal dander and cockroaches are also harmful sources. Formaldehyde, radon, lead and asbestos are a few of the elements mostly present in everyday household products and furnishings. These could be found from durable press draperies, textiles, cabinets, furniture framing and adhesives, groundwater wells, aerosol sprays, paints, solvents and even air fresheners.

As there are many objects and materials found to be the origination of air quality problems, the remedies are manifold too. You could start with the living areas. Before buying any pressed wood furniture or getting paneling and cabinetry, ask about the formaldehyde content. Rather prefer those with phenol resin that emit less formaldehyde. Always vacuum clean carpets. When water-damaged, immediately dry it up or remove and have it dried outdoors. Eliminate moisture sources by installing exhaust fans and/or dehumidifiers. You could also clean up the molds and mildew with chlorine bleach solution. A cup of bleach mixed in a gallon of water would be enough to clean a medium sized kitchen.

The bathroom should be well maintained too. The personal care products like deodorants, hair sprays, shampoos and perfumes release organic gases. The simplest remedy here is to pick odor-free or non-aerosol products. When you are using these products, open the window or switch on the exhaust fan. If possible, avoid using air fresheners. It would be better if you use the exhaust fan or open the windows. If you really prefer the fresheners, select the natural products.

In the bedroom, humidifier/vaporizers are also encouraging factors of biological allergens. Maintain this device’s cleanliness and refill with fresh water on a daily basis. Moth repellents are usually found in this area of the house. These contain chemicals harmful when inhaled. Place these in tightly sealed containers and away from where most activities happen.

The utility room is where the clothes washer and dryer, gas or oil furnace, gas water heater, furnace insulation and asbestos pipe wrap are usually found. Regularly check if the duct, vents and surfaces are free from dirt. Carbon monoxide is mostly found in these sources, so an annual inspection is your best guard against poisoning from this compound.

The signs are very recognizable, thus, it would be very easy for you to provide the remedies. It is best to act now so you could start breathing easy and healthy inside your home.