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Useful tips for renovation after a flood

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Useful Tips for renovation after a flood After personally being affected by Nashville Flooding in 2010 I have decided to write about information that I found useful in my renovation process. I hope this can help others as well. Useful Tips for Renovation After a Flood Save your hardware on doors and cabinets. Also vent covers ect. These can be cleaned and will save you a great deal of money. Door hardware can run you minumum per door $20.00. If you are matching any part of your kitchen or bath saving the door knobs can save you the hassle of trying to match as well as the money to buy new. If you are matching cabinets to existing upper cabinets pay attention to the following details. Profile of the door- I suggest saving a door so you can match color and style. You may not be able to match exactly if your cabinets are more than 2-3 years old so find the one with the closest outside edge detail that matches. The inside detail is less noticeable. Color and finish of the cabinets.-Remember the finish may have faded with age and sun exposure. Just try to match the best you can. Flush doors or recess doors- This is a big one. When possible take a picture of your cabinets. Look and see if the door goes all the way to the edge or is inset a bit. This can make a difference in the layout of your cabinets as well as the profile look. You want to make sure you choose a look that blends. Choosing insulation– When your house is flooded you need to replace the insulation. There are a couple of basic types of insulation- faced or unfaced. The thickness of insulation usually are R13 R19 R30.Generally speaking you should have the insulation in the inside walls of the house( bathroom areas) unfaced so air can circulate. You would also use unfaced in a crawlspace under the floor. On all outside walls you would want to use faced insulation.The type and thickness of insulation you use depends on the depth of the studs. For instance, with an inside wall 2 x 4 stud you would use R13. Outside walls or garages may be 2 x 6 which you can use R19 and crawl space beams are much deeper so you would use R30 or R19. R19 is used more for cooling and in colder areas and R30 is used more for heat retention in ceilings.The main things is to not use a thickness of insulation that you must cram in the space. This defeats the purpose and cuts off airflow. Tile– There are many different types of tile. A couple of things to keep in mind when choosing tile for your home or office. Ceramic tile is less expensive and can save you money but you want to use that only in areas that are not high traffic. Walls, small bathrooms are perfect for this type of tile. For high traffic areas you will want to use Porcelain, Slate or a solid stone or tile that can handle abrasion and traffic. Pay attention to the cleaning and maintenance of the tile or stone. Some material take more care than others. Nuetralizing and testing your soil after a flood.A flood can ravage a yard–floods can cover your yard in harmful bacteria and often times will damage a yard to the point that it must be reseeded. But lime can help you revive your yard. Lime can help to neutralize harmful bacteria in your yard, add needed calcium to the soil, and lower the acidity of the soil to optimal levels. The beneficial effects of lime can encourage your flood damaged grass to regrow or prepare your soil for reseeding.If you want to have your soil tested for environmental safety call your local health department and they can guide you on how to have that done. Things You’ll Need:30- to 40-lb. bag of dolomitic lime per 5000sqftSoil pH testerdrop spreaderrakewater and hoseStep 1 Use a water hose to rinse away the sediment, left behind from the flood waters, from your flood-damaged yard. Lightly rake the yard to remove any metal, plastic or other foreign items left from the flood. Step 2Take an assessment of your grass to determine if it is healthy enough to be saved. If the lawn has sustained minimal damage–the grass retains much of its green color and the root structure is intact–purchase some dolomitic lime from a local hardware store to disinfect the lawn.The calcium in the lime will also nourish the damaged grass. It is advisable to till and reseed a lawn that has been waterlogged or sediment covered for longer than four days. Step 3Use a soil pH tester to check the acidity of the soil in your yard before reseeding. Set the switch on the tester to the “pH” position, and then stick the probes on the bottom of the tester into your soil. Read the tester’s pH meter to find out the level of acid present in your soil. Test several other spots in your yard to get an idea of how acidic your soil is. This will indicate how much lime you need. Step 4Place the lime into a drop spreader and then distribute the lime evenly across your lawn. Use one 30- to 40-lb. bag of lime for every 2,500-3,5000 square feet of yard space. If your yard’s pH is just barely outside of the optimal level of acidity for the type of grass you will grow, use less lime–try using one bag for every 3,500 to 4,500 square feet of yard space. Step 5Work the lime into the soil with a garden rake. For lawns that are too damaged to revive, use a shovel and garden rake to mix the lime about half a foot down into your yard. Reseed and or fertilize the lawn two weeks after you’ve mixed the lime into your soil. Water Restoration Versus

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Baltix Sustainable Furniture is “Abnormally Green”

Leave a Comment / Commerical Office, Interior Design, Sustainability, Trending Now / InteriorgalAR

Baltix Sustainable Furniture is “Abnormally Green” Baltix is the Ultimate in Sustainable Furniture. Taking Green Design to Abnormally New Levels With the passing of the climate change legislation recently, this led me to think about ways in the design and furniture industry we can do our part to aid in a more sustainable future. One way as a designer I can do my part is by making sure I am specifying products that adhere to high environmental, sustainable practices. One product line, that has for over 20 years held sustainable practices at its forefront is Baltix. Baltix is a truly sustainable furniture company. They describe themselves as “Abnormally Green” Sustainable- Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment What is Abnormally Green? This is Baltix description In the past, we have used the term “authentically green” to describe ourselves, as we have been a leader in providing the greenest commercial furniture available since day one, back in 2002. “Authentically green” is great, but we aren’t sure it really conveys the uniqueness of our position in the furniture industry. We did not just jump on the green band wagon as a clever marketing ploy or to profit from a fad; we dedicated the resources of our company to provide truly sustainable furniture as our only offering. Our company has been trained in the principles of The Natural Step and strives to balance people, planet & profit. We have understood and supported LEED from its earliest days. Constantly looking at new materials and educating ourselves on best green practices is how we stay on the cutting edge of green in the industry. The core value of our business is sustainability, which is why we see ourselves as different from the rest… as “abnormally green.” Baltix Believes… Style and value must be incorporated into every product Product design starts with raw material extraction and ends with disposal In eliminating the use of formaldehyde and petroleum-based materials Durability and long useful life is a critical path to a sustainable product Measuring one facet of sustainability while ignoring others is short-sighted In complete transparency and open discussion of how our products are made and what they are made from Exceptional customer service is part of a sustainable customer experience Using local supply partners is good for the environment and good for the economy It is better to use old than to buy new These qualities really make Baltix stand out as a sustainable furniture leader. Some of the ways Baltix carries out their beliefs is by the use of some really creative materials: Forbo Linoleum-Made from natural materials such as linseed oil, pine rosin and wood flour. It is biodegradable, anti- microbial and anti- static! A variety of colors available Green MDF- This is made from 100% recycled wood fiber and has no added formaldehyde and no harmful VOCs. Solid hardwood options– longevity and ability to be reused. Available with moisture and food-safe clear coat. Corian Quartz and other Natural Quartz options. Providing low maintenance and meets or exceeds VOC emissions. Low toxicity and allergens for humans in the environment Nuxite-This product is actually made from crushed walnut shells and it absolutely beautiful. Walnut Shells are a sustainable and renewable by product of annual walnut food crop harvests. BioEdge Green Edgeband- A great alternative to PVS/ABS edgebanding. Made from a natural , nontoxic, non-VOC biobased corn polymer. Available in black, white, and mushroom finishes. Recycled Steel Bases- Table bases are BIFMA standard and made from steel that includes post industrial recycled content up to 30%! Finished with a powder coat non VOC process. Finishes include satin chrome and black with other colors available upon request. Some of the other things that make Baltix unique….. UV stable Impervious options perfect for Healthcare! Image under laminate Superior Impact and Abrasion Resistant surfaces Products on GSA schedule Precision manufacturing ALL Materials are sourced and Made in The USA! Baltix is a USGBC member and carries the prestigious SMaRT Certification. What is SMaRT Certification? My friends at Columbia precast give a easy to understand definition. “Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMaRT) is the highest standard for development and manufacturing. One of the biggest differentiating factors from other certifications is that, unlike other standards, SMaRT is not just about the product; it also examines the process in which it was produced and the human factor. SMaRT is one of the few standards that accounts for both of these – impact on the environment as well as impact on the human. It’s different from most other EPD/HPDs( environmental product declaration)/Health product declaration in that it requires massive pollution reductions as well as identifying many more aspects of climate change and toxicity issues.” Columbiaprecastproduct.com If that isn’t enough : “Baltix is proud to have partnered with OneTreePlanted.Org, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that helps restore our forests by replanting trees in deforested areas across the world. In creating our Baltix One Tree Planted partnership, we are taking our environmental leadership one step further; we call this our Buy One. Grow One™ promise. For every commercial-grade hospitality, healthcare, higher education table ordered and manufactured, we have committed to planting one tree in an effort to improve the global environment we share and live in.” Baltix is great for a variety of environments including commercial, hospitality, healthcare and higher education. Some of the products that are available are dining tables, height adjustable tables, surfaces, conference tables and lecterns. Curious about the cost? I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Most products are only about 10% -15% higher than their standard non green alternatives. Not a bad trade off for a better environment. Need something custom? They encourage you to enlist their help on unique custom projects. With the digital world at our fingertips, logos and custom design surfaces are readily accessible limited only by your imagination. I encourage you to check out their website. Download their Price List and Specifications here. As allows I am always here to help with questions, projects and specifications as well. You can reach out via the contact page here.

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Move Management Tips

Leave a Comment / Commerical Office, Interior Design, Move Management, Project Management, Space Planning, Trending Now / InteriorgalAR

MOVE MANAGEMENT TIPS Is your office planning a move? If you are contemplating an office move whether big or small, you will want to check out the follow tips. There is a great deal of detail and preparation needed to make sure your office move goes smoothly. The following Move Management Guideline will give you a great place to start. Important Instructions for Your Move Determine your space needs for each department. Do your Programming homework. This is one of the most important phases. Appoint a Moving Committee to assist the mover before and during the relocation process. Consider hiring a Risk Management and Disaster Preparation Consultant to evaluate your risk and profit loss before the move. How will this move affect your business profitability and how can you prepare for the unexpected? Consider any new furniture you may need in your new space. Plan for any refurbishing of existing product. Allow time for new product and refurbished product to be completed when considering your timeline and move in date. Review telephone system. Will you be moving your current system? Is now the time to upgrade or switch to a new type of phone system?Will connections be established at both locations during the move? Coordinate with your IT department to make sure that Servers and computers are moved timely and efficiently to minimize downtime and profit loss.SET A SCHEDULE! Prepare a Floor Plan for all departments and Private Offices. Hire or consult with an Architect or Interior Designer/Space Planner. This will help you see if your furniture will fit and if you have the right vision and space allotment for each department. Prepare a Timeline and Move Schedule. Destroy old records and obsolete forms. NOW IS THE TIME TO PURGE! Reserve several parking spaces at your CURRENT and NEW locations,as close to the Front door as possible. Reserve the Freight Elevator and Loading dock( if applicable) IN WRITING at both the CURRENT and NEW locations. Have the Elevator Company placed on Standby at both locations. Procure the Home and Cell Phone Numbers of the Building manager at each location. Contact appropriate vendors to service the following equipment before relocation. Computer Systems- Copiers-Word Processing Equipment-Commercial Cameras Back up ALL data before disconnecting your computer. Disconnect computer cables and place in labeled bag before the move. Remove ALL toner cartridges from printers. Carry all discs and important information with you. MOVE ALL LAPTOPS YOURSELF.Do not leave that for the movers. Have your copier company remove all dry and liquid toner from your copier.Also have your sorter detached. Check with your copier vendor to make sure you are not violating your service agreement by having the copier, printer or fax moved. DO NOT MOVE LOADED FILES! Remove all items from desks, file cabinets and fire proof files as well as any cabinets with shelves and swing doors. Review all insurance requirements in relation to new quarters. Check all doors and window locks at new facility. Obtain new keys. Arrange for security guards during relocation if deemed necessary. If plants in office are on a rental basis, notify supplier you are moving. They generally prefer to move the plants Prepare publicity releases announcing your new quarters. Pictures of new building or artist’s rendering. Complete arrangements for security in new facility. Complete arrangements for cleaning service at the new space. Create or review a more environementally friendly plan. Create or review your new operation and maintenance plans and Intergrated Pest Management Plan. Review your Workplace safety guidelines for the new space and document. Set a time for a meeting once you are moved to the new site to share with your employees. Plan an emergency evacuation program for all personnel. Inform your personnel of moving date and new location. Fire, theft and liability insurance should be transferred and renewed for the new location. Arrange for your company’s address and telephone changes on the following;Envelopes,Business Cards, Checks, Letterhead, Credit Cards, Invoices, Statements. Make arrangements for change of listing in the telephone directory. Notify Federal, State and Local offices. Transfer services such as vending machines, recycling,paper products, towels. Send Moving notices to the following Vendors Suppliers Newspaper Trade Journals Phone Company Customers Utilities Government Regulatory Magazine Insurance Companies Banks Agencies If your move requires any special or unique requests, be sure to notify your move coordinator or move supervisor. Talk to your employees about the move in a positive manner. Delivering a well thought out plan makes for a much more productive office environment. Be sure to inform your employees of the following: Nearest emergency medical care Public transportation facilities Parking situation at the new building Shopping facilities and convenient restaurants Happy Moving! Remember if you need more assistance I am here to help! Move Management is one of my specialties.

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A Visit To A Recycle Center

Leave a Comment / Sustainability, Trending Now / InteriorgalAR

A Visit to a Recycle Center So over spring break this year in keeping with our typical family fashion we opted to have an educational experience and visit a local recycling facility where my parents live in Lexington, KY. It was a great opportunity and I think the whole family liked learning about the process and how we can be better stewards of our resources. I have written about some of the highlights below. 1. Weighing in The first part of the process is to make sure to account for the material coming in and going out of the recycle facility. Every truck that comes and goes gets weighed. This helps give an accurate account of what is being saved and reused as well as keeping track of the the accounting end of the business. So far this recycling center is not only helping to save the environment but has been able to pay for the center with the products that it has recycled. It pays for it self in more than one way. 2. The Dumping Floor After the material has been weighed it is dumped onto the dumping floor. Workers then manually pick through items to make sure there isn’t anything that shouldn’t be in the pile. There is a bulldozer that is periodically pushing the items against the sorting wall to loosen the material and make room for more. And there is plenty more to come. 3. Shaking and Tossing Next the items are picked up by a forklift and tossed into a bin that slightly shakes the material helping to loosen the compacted items more so it is prepared to go to the manual picking/sorting station. 4. Sorting the materials After the material has reached the belt line it is sorted through manually as well as by using several unique machines. The steel items are picked up magnetically and sorted from the rest. This facility just acquired a new machine that sorts the aluminum cans by using two negative polarized magnets to pick up the cans and propel them through a two story shoot. Items are sorting and placed into different large containers to get ready to package for shipping. 5. Getting it ready to ship out Finally items are ready to get compacted and packaged ready to ship out to various recycle vendors. Various different vendors take the materials and reuse them. The trucks come and pick the items up and weigh on the way out of the facility, giving the center an idea of how much material has been saved and reused. I was amazed at this facility how many types of items were being recycled; paper products, steel and aluminum cans, plastic containers, glass and other items.They have a dedicated employee that even looks at items they aren’t currently being recycled and pursues ways that vendors can reuse them. This facility services the city as well as other surrounding cities and counties. Even items that can’t be recycled at this plant are still being collected and transported to other facilities that can recycle items such as car parts, household items and electronics. Their goal is to be Net Zero and to strive for 100% reuse of products in the near future. Some of the uses for the recycled materials so far: Paper- furniture products, recycled paper products such as newspaper and paper towels, napkins,plates toilet paper. Aluminum- new cans, furniture, car parts Steel- new cans, furniture, cars, machines ect. Glass- new bottles, glass art, other glass products Plastic- plastic ware, carpet and even Fleece products! I would say they are off to a good start. The tour was truly educational and really made me think about how we treat our environment and things I can do as an individual to help make this world a better“Greener” place to live in now and in the future. I am encouraged to see so many people coming together to make our nation a more sustainable environment and a healthier place to live. I encourage you to check out facilities and recycling programs in your area. Many government, schools and corporate initiatives and programs are available and waiting for you or your organization to be a part of. Think Big, Start Small but START! SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF RECYCLING Recycling reduces waste that goes to landfills and produces revenue for our city. Besides reducing waste, recycling also: Saves Energy: Recycling one aluminum can saves as much electricity as it takes to run a television for three hours. Conserves Natural Resources: Recycling a four-foot stack of a local newspaper produces as much paper pulp as a 40-foot pine tree. Bottles and jars can be used to replace high grade sand, soda ash, limestone and feldspar in making new bottles. Improves the Environment: Pollutants from manufacturing processes are reduced through recycling–50% for paper and 90% for aluminum Strengthens the Economy: Reclaiming resources from our waste puts money back into the local economy and provides many jobs in the recycling industry.

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