Hipped vs Gable Roofs

If you’re in the process of designing or building a home, you’ll need to start thinking about the right roof for your design.

The type of roof you choose isn’t purely based on aesthetics; each design is more suited to certain climates and weather conditions, with other factors to also consider for your project. The two most popular options for a house are hipped roofs and gable roofs – we’ve outlined the pros and cons to each below.

Gable Roof

A gable roof is a common type of roof for many buildings, particularly houses. It is designed with two slopes that meet in the middle to form a ridge, with a distinctive triangular formation from either side.

Pros

• Weather conditions

The triangular slanted pitch of gable roofs mean they are well suited for climates with wet and snowy weather, as the water will simply slide off the roof. This is ideal for locations where you see a lot of rainfall, as roofs unsuited to these conditions can lead to water damage and leaks.

• More space

The design of gable roofs mean it provides more space for attic or loft storage, and is also versatile enough that the loft can easily be converted into an additional living space without the style of the roof needing to be changed too dramatically.

• Easy to build

Gable roofs are a simple design that require less building materials and time to construct, meaning a quicker build time.

• Cheaper

With less building materials required, gable roofs are also cheaper to build than many other more complex types of roof.

Cons

• Not ideal for high wind and hurricane areas

Gable roofs are great for wet or snowy conditions, but not so much for locations where high winds and hurricanes are common. The structure design can cause an uplift effect underneath the roof, in extreme cases causing the roof to detach from the walls.

Hipped roof

A hipped roof is a common type of roof without any flat sides – instead, there are four slopes that meet to form a ridge in the middle of the roof. This is a popular design for locations in varying weather conditions.

Pros

• Excellent for high wind and snowy areas

The four sloped design of hipped roofs make it an extremely durable and stable design, particularly for areas with high winds and frequent snowfall. The slant of the roof makes it easy for a buildup of snow to simply slide off the roof with no standing water – reducing the likelihood of any water damage occurring.

• Extra living/standing space for loft conversions

Hip roofs leave ample loft space for a home, providing the perfect place for additional storage, or even for a fully-fitted loft conversion for extra living space in the home.

• Versatile

Hipped roofs are a versatile design, meaning modifications can easily be made to the roof and home. For example, dormer windows are a common addition to hipped roofs, providing additional light and space for a loft room.

Cons

• More expensive than gable roofs

Hipped roofs tend to be more complex in design, which means they will often cost more than simple designs such as gable roofs. It’s important to weigh up the difference in costs with the added benefits hipped roofs provide in locations with more extreme weather conditions.

• More building materials required

Hipped roofs are more complex to build, so require more materials for the process. This will not only increase the cost, but can mean they take longer to be complete.

• Leaks can occur if the roof is not properly installed

The multiple ridges of a hipped roof must be installed expertly to avoid the chance of leaks occurring. A poorly fitted roof can quickly result in water damage to your ceilings and roof, but this will not be a problem provided you use a professional roofing contractors to install your roof. Click here to see 28 different types of roofs designs including hipped and gable roofs.

The post Hipped vs Gable Roofs appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/hipped-vs-gable-roofs/

How Condensation on the Toilet Cistern can Ruin Your Bathroom and how to Avoid it

The DIY Doctor's Blog
The DIY Doctor's Blog - DIY and Home Improvement Hints, Tips, Help and Advice from The DIY Doctor

Bathrooms are hot. When the radiators are off all over the house, there is a good chance that the towel rail in the bathroom is still on. Bathrooms are also very wet, it’s what they are for! All of these factors are a recipe for condensation issues. Add heat and water together and you get Read on...

How Condensation on the Toilet Cistern can Ruin Your Bathroom and how to Avoid it

from The DIY Doctor's Blog http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/blog/2017/02/fixing-cistern-condensation/

DIY Doctor’s Award Winning Plant and Tool Hire Service

The DIY Doctor's Blog
The DIY Doctor's Blog - DIY and Home Improvement Hints, Tips, Help and Advice from The DIY Doctor

We have teamed up with Hire Station to offer tool hire and plant for hire for whatever project you are planning. Why, you might well ask? Find out more about the DIY Doctor Hire Service and the tools that we offer here. Why Hire Tools? We firmly believe in using the right tools for the Read on...

DIY Doctor’s Award Winning Plant and Tool Hire Service

from The DIY Doctor's Blog http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/blog/2017/02/diy-doctor-tool-hire/

Disposing Of A Bed Bug Infested Mattress Properly

A large bed bug infestation really is a problem. Bed bugs bite, and can really affect your quality of life. The great thing is, Empire Pest Control have given us this infographic on bed bugs, and disposing of an infested mattress the right way.

Bed bugs are a pest that need to be addressed immediately. Getting rid of them takes a lot of hard work and elbow grease, so it’s probably better to call in the professionals if you have an infestation. Leaving a bed bug infestation and not treating it will seriously impact on yours and your family’s health in a bad way.

Having a bad infestation of bed bugs living in your mattress or home will change the way you enjoy your down time and sleep. An infested mattress will not be pleasant to sleep on at all. Disposing of the mattress or having it treated for bed bugs will definitely improve your quality of life, and make your home and bedroom an enjoyable place to be again.

Some people don’t realise, but bed bugs may be carrying serious diseases, which can be fatal. Improper removal of the mattress or infested furniture will put you, your family and even your neighbours at risk.

There’s some strategies Empire Pest Control have shown you here, to get rid of a mattress infested with pests properly. Not only will you benefit from getting rid of the bed bugs, the rest of your family will too.

If your bedroom is very cluttered, it’s best to clean up that clutter and get more organised. Bed bugs love to infest dark areas where they feel they are hidden. Having a good clean out will free up space in your home that can then be used in a different way moving forward.

Bed bug eradication is a huge challenge. Calling in the right professionals, like Empire Pest Control, will help you overcome the problem. Once the issue is resolved, you will feel so much better for it! 

Created By Empire Pest Control Ltd

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/02/bed-bug-mattress.html

How to Move Home

Among house movers, the question “How to move home?” is very common. In order to ensure that your home move is successful planning is essential. This is why Simon Long Removals have created an interactive timeline of how to move home. Below is an infographic version of this interactive timeline.

The post How to Move Home appeared first on UK Home Improvement Blog.

from UK Home Improvement Blog http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/how-to-move-home/

Vibrant home décor ideas

There's a lot to be said for neutral colours in your home, as they provide a calming and harmonious influence.While this is a blessing in quiet rooms, such as your bedroom, there are other roomsto whichyou might want to add splashes of colour and vibrant tones to make the spaces come alive, adding touches that reflect your personal preferences and lifestyle. Here are a few tips on the approaches you can take to do just that.

Liven up your living room

Let’s start with the area where most of the family spends time together and where guests are welcomed into your home: the living room. Here,you’ll want to use a few extra special touches to make the space comfortable as well as interesting.

Painted walls and ceiling in a soft shade and a wooden floor offer a lovely backdrop for your furniture and accessories. There’s no need to resort to extravagantly fussy floral curtains, or sofas upholstered in eye-popping patterns to inject a bit of energy into your design scheme. Instead, opt for elegant window shutters in a bright finish, to allow more naturaldaylight into your room. Keep your sofa plain, then accessorise it with jazzy scatter cushions that you can mix and match at will.

Deck out your dining room

Some people like their dining area to be fairly uniform and formal, with matching sideboards and coordinated table and chairs. Others prefer a quirkier look, with mismatched chairs or a unique, upcycled table. No matter your preference, you can bring your dining room to life by introducing shiny chandeliers, striking table runners,eccentric candlesticks or simplebunches of brightly coloured flowers.

When it comes to tableware, you have the opportunity to make the most of dishes that enhance the food you’re serving, and sparkling glassware that will reflect the lighting. Dimmer switches are useful in a dining area when you want to create a mellow, more relaxed mood.

Keep your kitchen comfy

While dining rooms are appropriate for more formal occasions, many families eat together in the kitchen, which is also the place kids sometimes do their homework or hang out with friends. A neighbour who pops in for a cuppa might chat to you in the kitchen, especially if you’re preparing something, rather than movingthrough to your living room. In this sense, your kitchen is a social hub, and you’ll want it to be friendly and welcoming, as well as practical.

If space allows, it’s worth adding a small, brightly upholstered, comfy sofa in your kitchen, so you can have that neighbourly chat. Bear in mind that the kitchen table often ends up being used for repairing punctured bicycle wheels or dismantling lawn mowers, so be sure to keep handy a colourful waterproof or greaseproof covering that can be whipped out of a cupboard as needed.

Throughout your home,interesting wall art also serves as a very useful way to brighten up your interiors, so that there are many ways to make each shared space work for the whole family.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/02/vibrant-home-decor-ideas.html

Senior-friendly furniture – Buying things for mobility-challenged people

There are many people who are interested in buying a recliner which lowers and lifts off the ground or some other kinds of senior-friendly furniture which can assist their elderly parents. We all know how our aging parents suffering from different kinds of diseases like arthritis and obesity find it difficult to get up from majority of the cushioned furniture in our homes. Are there any kinds of mobility aids for them so that they may find it easier to sit down and get up with ease? 

Chairs form a vital part of our lives as on an average we sit down and get up from our chairs more than 90 times in a day. For various tasks like leisure, eating and transport, there are different types of chairs. For older people, there are riser recliner chairs which help them overcome all issues related to standing and sitting down. Let’s check out a few senior-friendly mobility aids that may assist the senior generation. 

Lift recliners

One of the most famous types of cushioned furniture that we find these days for seniors who are mobility-challenged is an electric recliner lift chair. They look something similar to regular recliners but the powerlift recliners usually come with a built-in motor which lowers and raises the entire chair to make getting up and sitting down much easier. Here are few tips that you should take into account to choose the best one for your mom and dad.

ü  Size of the chair: The recliner should be such that it fits the person who is sitting inside it and hence you have to check the height and weight of your parents to know the exact chair that he might need.

ü  Options for reclining: Apart from the system of lifting, the degree to which your chair reclines is also at your discretion. If you visit stores, you will find that majority of the lift recliners are sold as 2-position, 3-position or infinite position chairs. If they are more into taking a good nap, they would need a 3-position chair which reclines horizontally. 

ü  Features and style: You will also require choosing the kind of fabric, the back style, and the color which you want your chair to be. Do you want any massaging elements in your chair or a hugging chair? If yes, you may add such features as well. 

Risedale Chairs

If you think that the powerlift recliners are not a much appealing option for your parents, you can opt for furniture like the Risedale chair. They are wing-back chairs, open-legged and they’re pretty much different from lift recliners because in these chairs, only the seat of the cushion lifts instead of the entire chair. The cost of these chairs is around £735 and you can definitely buy it for your parents as they age.

So, when your parents start aging, their furniture needs also keep changing and you can even make their furniture more accessible by increasing the height of the chair with furniture risers. You can also get such riser recliners in online stores such as Ebay or Amazon.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/02/senior-friendly-furniture.html

The Quick Guide to Staircase Regulations – What’s Allowed and What’s Not When Changing or Adding Stairs, Handrails or Banisters

The DIY Doctor's Blog
The DIY Doctor's Blog - DIY and Home Improvement Hints, Tips, Help and Advice from The DIY Doctor

This is a really quick guide to what is allowed and what is not. It is no substitute for contacting your local building control officer for further clarification; Find out how you apply for building approval here. If you would like to read up further it is very clearly laid out in Part K of the Read on...

The Quick Guide to Staircase Regulations – What’s Allowed and What’s Not When Changing or Adding Stairs, Handrails or Banisters

from The DIY Doctor's Blog http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/blog/2017/02/staircase-regulations/

Completely Dispose Of Your Trash In An Effective Manner

A large amount of trash can prove to be a bit of a nuisance to deal with, especially when it has the tendency of piling up to the point of not being able to be handled by one anymore. The good thing is that a lot of dumpster rental services have gotten into business and you needn’t worry anymore about these types of problems.

If the problem is not quickly addressed it can develop to such harmful lengths that it can cause serious concerns such as hurting oneself by tripping on it, various hazards, large amounts of dust as well as mold development which will most likely impact your health in a bad way.

Not only will large amounts of clutter negatively impact the way in which your health is concerned but it also covers a lot of space which can be used in other ways to be more productive. A cramped space is not a desired outcome when one handles his trash but of course there are some things to be done in order to prevent that. Not only will the complete disposal of clutter and rubbish in your establishment will significantly improve the way in which one lives his life but it will also free some space to use in different and more productive ways.

One should consider the fact that having stacks of rubbish in their proximity can even prove to be life-threatening as improper waste removal will result in accidents and unwanted consequences. The level of hygiene in that area will be significantly lowered as well as cause a great threat to the ones surrounding the respective place.

Bear in mind that there are a few great strategies to employ, such as clearing a storage space which includes the likes of closets and garages will only benefit you as not only will it provide a whole lot of space for you to use in a different way but it will also keep the whole establishment a lot more organized.

The hardest challenge when it comes to clutter disposal comes with getting rid of post-construction leftover materials which can prove to be a nuisance even to the most experienced worker. The removal of such waste seems like it is not going to end as piles upon piles of building materials, wood, drywall and large appliances are jumping out of nowhere. Consider that all that you have to do to overcome this impediment is to smartly tackle them, one at a time. The task is not a hard one to complete but it sure is both physically and mentally demanding.

from Home My Heaven: Home Improvement Blog http://www.homemyheaven.co.uk/2017/02/completely-dispose--trash.html