Are you thinking of getting a tarp to use around your home? Perhaps you need a sun cover or require something to protect certain areas of the place from wind, rain, or snow. Or, you simply want to install a privacy screen in your terrace, balcony, or yard. Whatever your purpose, you might want to consider using white tarps. They have some excellent features and are versatile in usage.

Features of White Tarps

Let’s consider some of the features of white tarps that make them useful items for your home:

They are Strong

They are made of reinforced woven and coated polyethylene and come with rope reinforced hems, heal welded seams, and reinforced corners.

They are Durable

With their high thickness, mesh weave, and denier count—for instance, a thickness of 12 mils, a mesh count of 12 by 14 per square inch, and a denier count of 1200 fibers—they are thick and heavy-duty. That makes them are very durable, and they will not easily rip, tear, stretch, or fray with regular use.

They are Weather Resistant

They are resistant to the deteriorating effects of UV rays, mildew, and mold. They are also 100% waterproof. As they are very durable, you can continue using the white tarps throughout the year, no matter what the season. Even if you have very harsh winters, you can still leave the white tarps in place. Along with being waterproof, they have arctic temperature flexibility and will not get ruined by exposure to snow, ice, and freezing temperatures.

They are Easy to Secure

They have heavy-duty aluminum grommets at regular intervals of around 18 inches. You can weave strong cords through these grommets to secure the white tarps in place. As white tarps have a lot of tensile strength, they will not get out of shape or tear if you stretch them tight.

They are Recyclable

You can easily use the white tarps for several years without needing to replace them. And when the time comes to dispose of them, you can send them a tarp recycling facility as polyethylene is a completely recyclable material. That makes white tarps environmentally friendly products.

The Many Uses of White Tarps at Home

White tarps are available in a range of sizes and thicknesses, and you can use them for multiple purposes around your home. Let’s look at some of these:

They are Great as Shade Covers

White tarps make excellent shade covers as they have a low capacity for heat absorption and a high capacity for light reflection. They won’t block out the sunlight entirely, but they will diffuse it enough to keep out harmful UV rays and yet maintain clear visibility inside. Additionally, they will ensure that the interior remains cool and well-aired during the summer.

They Make Great Rain Covers

As white tarps are 100% waterproof, you will find them very useful as rain covers in your balcony, terrace, yard, or garden. You can put them like an awning over doors and windows.

They are Suitable as Protective Covers

You can use white tarps as dust covers to protect the furniture kept in unused rooms. You can also use them to protect your furniture from dust and debris during home renovations. Additionally, you can use white tarps as protective covers against rain and dust for your car, motorcycle, boat, or other vehicles.

They Work Well as Privacy Covers

You can install white tarps as covers and sidewalls for balconies and terraces. Along with providing shade from the sun, they are waterproof and will serve to keep out the rain. They will also serve as a windbreak against strong winds. Additionally, they will offer some much-needed privacy in urban areas.

Along with being practically useful in many ways, white tarps are also easy on the eyes and can make for a fine aesthetic addition to your home. They are also generally in the affordable range. Before making your purchase, however, it might help to research available white tarps and find ones that are suitable for the exact purpose you need them. That way, you won’t waste your money or time and can put the white tarps to proper use as soon as you get them.

Have you considered buying a pour over coffee maker ceramic pot? If yes then you are closer to a perfect cup of coffee every time you use the coffee maker. If not then the information you read here may help you to buy one.

There are many good reasons for the ever-increasing popularity of ceramic pour over coffee drippers.  More and more people, thus, are opting for it in lieu of complicated coffee machines. Here’s more on the uniqueness that makes ceramic pour over coffee drippers so popular.

Ease-of-Use

Ease-of-use is a quality people prefer in today’s busy world. No one has the time to spend more than five minutes to brew coffee every morning. To use some coffee machines, you need more than five minutes to get the process going and then some more time to brew the coffee. But there are no such issues with ceramic coffee makers.

It is so easy and simple to use.

Fit a cup below the ceramic pot. Place the filter inside the dripper. Add coffee grounds as per your taste. Pour boiling water on the coffee as per the instructions that come with the dripper. Use it to check the ratio of the water to the coffee grounds as well. You can increase or reduce the quantity of the coffee as per your taste.

The piping hot brew will drip down the hole in the ceramic pot and into your cup. The ceramic pot will keep the coffee hot even as it drips down into the cup. Ceramic has the property to retain heat well. For this reason, it is also the preferred material for coffee cups (and other hot brews).

You can rinse the pot with tap water immediately after use. If needed, use a bit of your usual dish-cleaning agent to keep it sparkling as new. So, you see, it is a totally no-fuss process of making delicious coffee within a few minutes.

Scientific Design

The design of the pour over coffee maker ceramic pot may be simple. But it is very much scientific. The dripper’s design enables the brewing of coffee perfectly with each use.

• The steep angles of the walls slow the water’s flow, which is essential to the perfect blooming process. The ridges on the walls further assist with the process. The way you pour the water over the coffee grounds will very much impact the final result. So, these design elements are necessary. If you pour the water straight over the coffee, the grounds won’t bloom well. The result – tasteless coffee.

• One large bottom hole helps the brew to drip into the cup from the ceramic pot. Some designs come with multiple tiny holes. But small holes can become blocked by coffee grounds and impede the flow of the brew from the pot – leading to bitter or tasteless coffee.

• Ergonomic handle makes it easier to hold the dripper.

Low Maintenance

You don’t need to clean the dripper using special agents. You don’t need to spend a lot of time in cleaning it either. You can just rinse it and keep aside to dry on its own. You may, if time permits, use a dishcloth to wipe it dry.

Ceramic pots are compact and easy to keep around the house. You don’t need to clear out space for it like you will need to do with bulky coffee machines.

Safe

Ceramic is the perfect material for hot brews. It doesn’t release toxins and chemicals into the coffee during the brewing process. Such a safety measure is not possible with plastic drip coffee makers.

Long-term ingestion of coffee, laced with toxins from plastic, will certainly cause grave harm to your health. But a ceramic pot is perfectly safe to use for making hot coffee.

Economical Buy A pour over coffee maker ceramic pot is an economical item to buy. It doesn’t cost a great deal, unlike complicated or high-maintenance coffee machines. You can even easily buy more than one ceramic pot for home and office use at a time. You can also purchase ceramic pots of different sizes for greater convenience. Multiple purchases won’t be heavy on the pocket.

Mesh produce bags are economical and versatile to use. You needn’t restrict their use to grocery runs only. You can buy them in bulk due to their low cost and utilize them around the house for various purposes. Here’s how.

Carry your Grocery

If you don’t feel like dumping all your stuff in one big bag, use several smaller ones for easy compartmentalizing. You can purchase mesh produce bags in different sizes for this purpose. You can then come home and quickly store the items without any inconvenience.

For extra convenience, buy ones with tare weight tagged on them. It will help you get the items’ correct prices at the till.

You can even use large mesh bags for heavy loads of potatoes, squashes, and other vegetables. You can carry them separately along with your other grocery bags.

Store the Produce

You can keep some clean mesh produce bags at home to use in the pantry and the refrigerator. Instead of using plastic containers or bags, use cotton mesh bags to store fresh fruits and vegetables.

Plastic releases toxins constantly. The toxin from plastic will seep into the stuff you store in boxes or bags made from it. In the long-term; such usage is harmful. Earlier there were fewer healthier options available. But now you can use mesh bags to store all the products you buy.

Fruits and vegetables can breathe inside mesh bags. The produce will also remain fresh for long when you store them inside mesh bags.

Keep the Greens Fresh for Long    

There is a drawback to buying leafy greens and fresh herbs. The leaves wilt way too soon. You need to either consume all such produce the same day you buy it or use the wilted leaves over the next few days.

The better alternative is to store them inside mesh bags. If you dampen a bag before putting the greens inside it; expect them to last for long. You can purchase small mesh bags for this purpose if you wish to store the different kinds of greens separately.

The air inside the refrigerator can dry out leaves pretty quickly. Using mesh bags will help you keep the leaves fresh and crisp despite this seemingly small but significant problem.

Organize Stuff in the Pantry

The pantry can quickly spiral out of control with excess stuff lying around the space. If you use boxes for all your stuff, the pantry can equally quickly run of out of storage space. The handy solution – use mesh bags to organize your pantry.

Instead of boxes; store nuts, dry herbs, peanuts with shells, and other such items in the mesh bags. Keep the dry herbs, nuts, and seeds in their original packaging and store them inside big or small mesh bags; as needed.

Keep different packets of pastas, rice, beans, and lentils neatly tucked inside the mesh bags and put them on shelves. Use large-sized mesh bags to store onions and potatoes. You can keep them inside the pantry or in the kitchen itself. It will also add to the character of your kitchen space.

Mesh bags are like little bundles when you store stuff inside them. It is easier to store and sort bundles than to sift through a big pile of stuff stored in the pantry.

Bring Order to the House

Mesh bags are made with cotton. If you buy ones made with organic cotton, you get even better stuff. So, use them to organize your house in a low-cost manner.

Store your footwear inside the bags. Your gym or office shoes need to be aired out regularly. Otherwise, perspiration can spoil a perfectly good pair of shoes. Mesh bags will allow the shoes to breathe properly on days you are not wearing them or through the night. You won’t need to keep them sprawled in the house either. Put them inside the mesh bags and just slip them under the bed or a table. You can also use them to store laundry you need to tackle later. The breathable fabric will help the perspiration from used clothes to air out and keep the house smelling nice.

Dryer duct cleaning does more than just remove excess lint and dust. It protects homes from fires and high levels of carbon monoxide. Failure to clean the dryer is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires in the USA, with a heightened occurrence during the winter months. Dryer ducts should be serviced annually to protect from dangerous situations. While there are measures homeowners can take themselves to keep the vent clean and prevent dangerous situations, hiring a professional dryer duct cleaning service is a surefire way to safeguard against hazards.

Installing with Professional Services

Clothing dryers should always be installed by a professional. This ensures that the correct electrical plug and outlet are used, and that the dryer is properly connected. Professional technicians will have a set of industry standards to base their work on, and further, to adhere to recommendations set forth by the National Air Duct Cleaning Association (NADCA) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). These standards are designed to keep households and buildings safe from fire hazards and other potential health risks associated with conventional dryer use. In addition to connecting with professional services, homeowners should read the manufacturer’s instructions and gain an understanding of the care manual and potential hazards. Included in the manual will be recommendations for dryer duct cleaning, and instructions for proper maintenance.

Keeping it Clean

Many homeowners are unaware of the dangers of not maintaining dryer vents, and yet dryer vent fires cause an estimated $35 million in damages every year. A simple everyday cleaning task is cleaning the lint filer before and after every load of laundry. This works as a preventative measure and reduces the build-up of lint in the dryer vent. The back of the dryer is another culprit for lint build-up, and a quick wipe down will remove excess lint. While cleaning out the internal workings of the dryer, homeowners should take the time to clean around the outside and behind the dryer as well. Keeping the area clean helps prevent debris build up. The vent pipe should be cleaned every three months by a proper dryer duct cleaning service to reduce risks, and ideally, dryers should be fully cleaned out regularly by professional services.

A Cleaner Dryer Means More Efficiency

Keeping dryer ducts clean results in not only safer conditions, but also a more efficient machine. Clean vents equal greater dryer efficiency. In addition to keeping a household safe, dryer duct cleaning results in higher efficiency in dryers. Lint and debris build up in the dryer vent over time, forcing dryers to work harder and run for longer periods of time per cycle.

Maintaining Dryer Ducts

The key to limiting potential risks and keeping an efficient dryer is regular and diligent maintenance. Regularly inspecting the venting system behind the dryer for any damages and covering outside wall dampers to protect them from the elements are good practices to keeping a dryer healthy. Checking to make sure the outdoor vent covering opens when the dryer is on is another important maintenance task that can easily be done by a homeowner. Small animals and insects are known to build nests near these vents which can cause some serious damage to the venting system. Homeowners should regularly check the outside vent to ensure nothing is blocking the air flow from the dryer. There are a number of methods for homeowners to maintain their dryer ducts, but ultimately, hiring professional dryer duct cleaning services is the most effective approach to keeping a well-maintained dryer system. For those with gas-powered dryers, it is crucial that a professional is brought in every year to ensure the gas line and connection are together and free of leaks.

A Clean Dryer Duct for a Safe Home

Dryer ducts are often not on the priority list in the household. There are so many other bits and pieces around the house with greater visibility. Dryer duct cleaning unfortunately falls prey to “out of sight, out of mind” for many households; nevertheless, the maintenance of dryer vents is important for household cleanliness and overall safety. Contracting a professional dryer duct cleaning service regularly will keep household dryer vents clean and will significantly decrease the risks associated with dryers. Not just households, but multi-family dwellings, hotels, hospitals, laundromats—pretty well any building with a dryer should be having professional services hired regularly.

Roofing is an essential task. You may be tempted to perform the work by yourself or hire a general contractor to save money. But doing so can turn out to be costlier than you can imagine. You can instead hire a professional residential roofing service and reap the benefits of doing so.

Consider these top four benefits of hiring a professional residential roofing service.

Extensive Experience

Professional residential roofing services work with experienced project managers and field employees to offer the best of the services to their clients. With their experience comes the benefit of helpful recommendations for products, superior quality of work, and timely completion of projects.

They have the experience of working with different types of residential properties and develop insights about what works and what doesn’t it in terms of the types of roofing materials. They are, thus, able to offer you helpful recommendations for your roofing project when you first approach them.

They can also offer solutions to fix existing issues in old roofs. If you simply want to repair the roof, you might benefit from their professional expertise of offering the best solutions to your roofing needs. They can also complete the work without wasting any time.

Experienced roofers can also protect the warranty of the materials by working carefully during the installation process. They ensure that all handling of materials and equipments is done properly.

You can find out experienced residential roofing companies in your area via online searches. Using search keywords with your location can be helpful in this regard. For instance, use residential roofing Albuquerque or roofing companies in Phoenix or something on these lines to get some good search results.

Safety of your Property

Professional roofers can ensure that your property is safe from any damage for the duration of the roofing work. They can also accord safety to your property by way of the excellent roofing work.

Professional residential roofing companies are bonded and insured businesses. So, you needn’t worry about payouts if their workers get injured on the job or if they offer you sub-standard work.

Professional companies are also licensed businesses. So, they work only with trained employees. They also follow all the safety parameters they require adhering to as per local regulations. Failure to do so can result in their licenses being revoked.

Cost-Effective Solutions and Work

Professional roofers can offer you cost-effective solutions for your roofing needs. They are up-to-date with new roofing materials and techniques. They are also well-versed in offering these new techniques due to their continued training and education. They can offer you roofing solutions that can be within your budget without compromising on the quality of the materials.

DIY roofing projects can end up being costlier. Improper installations and poor quality of materials can not only eat more of your time but also cost you more by the time you are able to complete the project. General contractors can also cost you more as without experience they are likely to botch up the project or use subpar materials. They may not have the proper experience to handle residential roofing jobs as the work requires technical know-how.

Only professional roofing companies can provide stellar services and that too within your budget. They can provide you with multiple solutions and tell you about the pros and cons of each. Such professional work can help you to make an informed decision about your residential property’s roofing needs.

Peace of Mind

When you work with professional roofing services, you can ensure your peace of mind. You won’t have to worry about any delays in work or sub-standard roofing jobs. You won’t need to worry about the safety of your property either. They will ensure that all work is done as per safety and quality standards of a licensed business.

They will complete the projects on time and without going overboard with your set budget. Overextending the budget for home improvement projects is a big problem when you are dealing with repairs or replacement work. But you won’t any such problems when working with professional roofers. The roofing work can be completed without you losing your sanity due to inexperienced workers or the poor quality of work.

Using a drip coffee maker is an excellent way to brew delicious coffee rather quickly. You don’t need much to do so.

You will need the right tools at hand. You will also need to perfect the brew strength by trying out the coffee a few times. But this is rather the fun part. Once you have the proportions right; you can enjoy an aromatic cup of coffee whenever you feel like it – from the comfort of your home too.

Here are some tips to make a good cup of coffee.

Buy the Right Dripper and Supplies

To brew the perfect cup of coffee, you will need the perfect drip coffee maker and other supplies.

Drip coffee maker – When buying a drip coffee maker, take into consideration a few things. The dripper must be made of good quality ceramic. It is ceramic that retains the heat and helps the coffee brew well. Ceramic will also not seep toxins or chemicals (that you can get from plastic coffee makers) into your coffee. So, the taste of your brew will remain unaltered.

Check if the dripper features ribbed walls with spirals or not. The spirals help the water to slowly funnel into the coffee; enhancing the brewing process.

See to it that the dripper comes with one big hole rather than multiple tiny holes. Tiny holes can become clogged with coffee and adversely impact the brewing process. Tiny holes can also make your brew stronger than you intend.

The handle of the dripper must be non-slippery and comfortable to hold.

Coffee – Use only good quality ground coffee when you use a drip coffee maker. Read the information about the coffee composition in the packet so that you can use it in the right proportion. Some varieties of ground coffee are mixed with other ingredients to enhance or subdue the strength of the brew. So, choose it according to your preference.

Filter – Buy the filter that fits perfectly with the dripper’s walls. If the dripper’s walls are angled well, you will be able to use different types of the filter with it. Don’t compromise on the filter quality and the perfect fit. Buy them as per the size of the dripper.

Cup – The type of coffee cup you use can enhance or reduce the flavor of the brew. It is best to use ceramic cups to enjoy a great cup of coffee. As mentioned above, ceramic will keep the coffee hot for long and won’t meddle with its flavor.

Perfect the Brewing Technique

Now, when you are all set with the supplies, it is time to brew the coffee.

• Fit the filter into the dripper properly. Put the dripper on top of your coffee cup. Ensure that the surface where you are brewing the coffee is flat.

• For every 6 ounces of water, you will need at least 2 tbsp of good ground coffee. If you want a stronger brew, feel free to increase the amount of the coffee and vice versa. Put the coffee inside the filter.

• You will need to boil the water in the range of (approximately) 195 to 205 degrees F. Pour only 2 ounces of water over the coffee first. Make sure to pour it in a spiral pattern. You need to now wait for 20 seconds before pouring more water. The break is necessary for the coffee to bloom. Repeat the process three times. If you measured the water right, you will have poured it fully by this time.  

• That’s it; your coffee is ready.

The steps can seem a lot if you read it for the first time. But the process to brew the coffee using a drip coffee maker is fairly easy once you get the hang of the right measurements. Try the brew with different quantities of coffee to assess what works for you the best. Brewed coffee is different than instant coffee mixes. So, you might even like a stronger brew to your surprise. The coffee that you get from a drip coffee maker is more flavorful. So, you might not need too much of coffee to brew a strong cup of coffee.