Checklist: Do I Need to Replace My Chimney Cap?

Written by Susan Penney


As you are cleaning leaves out of your home’s gutters, dealing with Christmas lights, or adjusting a satellite dish, don’t forget to evaluate your chimney caps while you’re onrepparttar roof. Chimney caps are those mesh-sided enclosures (usually made of stainless steel, copper, or galvanized steel) atop your chimney to prevent water, animals, bird droppings, and leaves from entering your home. A once-a-year assessment of your chimney caps’ condition can be well worth your time for protecting your house. Here are four things you can easily check on your chimney caps:

1.Arerepparttar 148190 chimney caps there? If there have been high winds in your area, your chimney caps may have blown off. Properly secured chimney caps withstand most high winds, but exceptional winds can do damage, including blowing chimney caps off.

2.Arerepparttar 148191 chimney caps securely attached? Time, wild animals, or high winds can degraderepparttar 148192 security of your chimney caps’ attachment to your flues or chimneys. You can retighten screws or reapply a sealant if your chimney caps are no longer securely attached.

3.Arerepparttar 148193 chimney caps rusting through? Galvanized steel chimney caps generally last about three to five years before they become too rusted to serve their purposes. In salt water environments, galvanized chimney caps corrode even more quickly. Stainless steel and copper chimney caps usually have lifetime warranties, so they are good replacement choices for those who don’t want to be replacing their chimney caps every few years.

Glass Sinks - 4 Unbreakable Rules of Buying a Glass Vessel Sink

Written by Valerie Mason


Want a glass sink but don't haverepparttar slightest idea how to buy one? Then these rules are for you.

1. Know your sinks How durable are these sinks? These sinks are tempered. Tempered glass is regular glass that has been heated to a very high temperature, and then quickly cooled. This procedure strengthensrepparttar 148159 glass, making it 5-7 times stronger than regular glass.

Sink glass is fairly thick. Typical thicknesses range from ½ inch to ¾ inch. You can go about your normal grooming habits such as brushing your teeth, combing your hair, shaving, applying make-up, etc without worrying about breakage.

Likerepparttar 148160 look of these aboverepparttar 148161 counter glass sinks, but don’t want glass? Consider a porcelain vessel sink. You’ll getrepparttar 148162 look withoutrepparttar 148163 worry.

2. Know your space The most popular bowl sinks are 15-20 inches in diameter, aboutrepparttar 148164 width of your keyboard. They’re about 5-8 inches deep, aboutrepparttar 148165 length fromrepparttar 148166 base of your wrist to your ring or middle finger.

Make sure that you haverepparttar 148167 appropriate amount of space to accommodaterepparttar 148168 sink and accessories, plus maintain ample space away fromrepparttar 148169 edge ofrepparttar 148170 counter andrepparttar 148171 wall so thatrepparttar 148172 “fear of leaning on it” factor is no longer a factor. 12-15 inches aroundrepparttar 148173 entire sink will do.

Don’t have much space? Then try a pedestal sink. Pedestal sinks are sinks that are pre-mounted on a space saving pedestal. Don’t want to sacrifice floor space? Try a wall mounted glass sink countertop. Both options will give you an ultra modern sink while conserving space.

Have a large bathroom to fill? A glass vessel sink vanity can help consume some space. You’ll get a glass sink and a roomy counter that comes together.

3. Know your traffic Since children haverepparttar 148174 uncanny ability to break things, you may want to rethink putting a glass vessel sink in a young child’s bathroom. Children over age 10 tend to be more conscientious of their surroundings, and your glass sink stands a greater chance of survival around children of that age or older. In general, less foot traffic around it,repparttar 148175 better.

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