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Tips for Preparing for Hurricane Season
As hurricane season approaches, it is important that you have taken the necessary precautions to keep you home safe. Preparing for hurricane season is one of the most important things you can do for your family.
Major hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage to your home. Aside from torrential rain and wind, hurricanes often produce powerful tornadoes, causing major damage to home and property. It is vitally important to prepare your home and family for the possibility of a hurricane.
Tips For Preparing For Hurricane Season
1. If you do not have a generator, consider investing in one this hurricane season. With a generator, you can keep major appliances and a few small electronics running during a power outage. For those requiring medication that needs to remain cool, this could be a life-saving investment.
2. Secure outdoor furniture and trim long tree branches. These items can easily be thrown dangerously towards your home or others in a wind storm.
3. Board the windows with number two plywood to prevent shattered windows.
4. Protect important documents. Gather documents such as birth certificates, deeds, insurance papers, and marriage licenses in a plastic bag and keep it with you at all times.
5. Be ready to evacuate. Know the evacuation routes and if roads will be closed. Keep a map in the car, make sure to have a full tank of gas, and make hotel reservations promptly.
6. Be sure to have a supply of non-perishable food. If you are going to ride out a storm at home, be sure you have a good supply of canned goods, bottled water, and baby food. Also, be sure to have batteries for flashlights and a first aid kit available.
7. Prepare a list of important phone numbers, such as doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, police, and radio stations.
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Top 3 Methods of Land Clearing
When considering new construction, land clearing methods are almost always a consideration, particularly if the land in question is heavily covered with trees and brush or undergrowth. There are numerous methods that can be considered, but the following are the three most common.
The pushover method involves pushing trees over intact and removing them with roots still attached. This method involves some fairly large construction equipment with the force needed to uproot the trees in the first place and then haul them off to a central location. The advantage of this method is that removing all parts of the tree will likely prevent any attempt by the roots to grow back and possibly cause structural problems in the future to whatever building are erected on the newly cleared land. In addition, the wood is often processed for sale or ground into mulch rather than simply wasted.
The cut and grind method involves cutting down the trees and hauling them away for similar processing for sale or mulch, but the stumps are left in the ground. The stumps can then be ground down in place and used for mulch or can later be pulled out with the use of large construction equipment. The wood that is cut is not wasted and there is less effort if it is found that some of the stumps do not have to be removed.
The controlled burn method, although possibly dangerous, is effective at removing all trees and brush from a designated area by starting a fire and containing it to only that area. The advantage here is that all growth can be burned completely to the ground and removed by the same construction equipment used to remove the trees in other clearing methods.
3 Ways to Prevent Landscape Flooding
Rainwater can cause an increase in the flow of water in the yards. Water can drain from the roof of the home, driveways and walkways into the yard or garden. Drainage issues can create small ponds or soggy areas in the landscape. A professional landscaper will need to be consulted to discover some ways to prevent the flooding.
Professional grading and excavating can prepare the yard for proper drainage. The grading will direct the water to a new path after a large rainfall. Landscapes with the wrong soil type or wrong slope can cause the water to run toward a home instead of away from it, but with the proper grading, the water will be prevented from going toward the home.
Soil can erode quickly during a flood. The soil will form a gulley or a trench making the landscape look more like a river when it rains. The solution is to plant grass with strong root systems. The roots will hold the dirt together making it harder for the floodwaters to remain in the yard. However, a professional will be needed to make sure that the land is prepared correctly for the grass and other plants to grow successfully. The plants will provide a protective shield between the land and the floodwaters.
A professional can install drainage systems or pumps to carry the water away from the home if the other solutions do not solve the issue. The landscapers will dig a sloped ditch or trench to enable the water to drain properly. They will place drain tiles or pipes in the ditch to aid in water removal. This method will need to be done properly to work successfully.
Flood prevention is necessary to prevent damage to the lawn and foundation of the home. In addition, the standing water in the yard can breed mosquitoes and other pests. Therefore, if water drainage is a problem, a professional landscaper will be needed to change the way the lawn collects water to safeguard the home against damage.
Requirements for House Demolition
The decision to demolish a house can be stressful. A house demolition happens when a home has been all but destroyed by time, weather or an accident. Demolition also takes place when the land is more valuable without the current structure than with it. Demolishing a house takes more than simply starting up a bulldozer and slamming into the structure to knock it down. There are steps to take for safe house demolition.
Professional Work
Not everyone is qualified to demolish buildings. It takes experience and training in order to make the different parts of the structure come down without harming persons or machines. A professional crew knows how to take down the structure and clear it way with the most efficient and environmentally-friend methods. Professionals understand and use the highest standards of safety, which is why it is important to hire professionals.
Laws
There are any number of legal requirements that must be met in order to gain permission to demolish a house. Be sure you have all the permits required before starting any demolition. Property inspection is often a part of the process as is a plan for future land use.
Prior Precautions
Before demolition, the house is stripped of furnishings and anything the owner wishes to salvage. This may be windows, molding or other items that can be recycled. Of course, utilities are disconnected. Pollutants and hazards, such as asbestos, is also removed in an environmentally safe procedure.
Process
Once the house is stripped of salvageable items and hazards, demolition takes place. Smaller structures, like houses, are simply pulled down using a bulldozer, cranes, excavators or hydraulic equipment. Demolition crews weaken the base of the house at strategic points in order to control how the building collapses and the direction walls fall.
Left Overs
There are recycling requirements that state debris must be disposed of or recycled properly and according to environmental and other laws.
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Gentle Slopes For Healthier Landscapes
The bulbs are being stocked, the gardening gloves are flying off the shelves, and fluids are being added to the lawnmower. All of these things are sure signs that spring has arrived, and landscaping is entering into people’s minds once again. This year, you can make a real difference in the success of your yard’s design by incorporating grading into the preparation and execution of your landscaping plans. Failing to account for drainage can lead to flooding in multiple areas of the yard, causing serious damage to your flowers, trees, and grass. Even the most minor flooding can still have long-term consequences.
When too much water builds up in one area, it inhibits the ability of the soil to retain enough oxygen to support the root system of your plants. Grading susceptible areas to allow for proper run off of rain water is your first line of defense. To begin grading your landscape, identify critical utility lines running through your property in order to avoid damaging them during the process. Once you have done this, you must also identify where your property ends. Here, you will construct a small pool for water to accumulate if there is no public drain available.
Plant one stake roughly a foot from the edge of your home’s foundation and another one at your end drainage point. Run a brightly colored string between the two stakes to assist in determining the proper grade for the landscape. You must then raise the stake at the drainage point until it is evenly balanced with stake beside your foundation. By measuring the distance between the stake you have held in the air and the ground, you are able to determine the grade of your yard. The rule of thumb for most landscapers is a gradation that drops 12 inches for every 50 yards of space. You can begin the grading using professional or rented equipment, creating a controlled slope from your foundation to the drainage point. Many people prefer a terraced slope in order to slow the flow of water and provide better footing for people walking over the surface.
Demolition: Crane and Ball
Crane and ball demolition is one of the oldest demolition methods devised and is still commonly used all across the United States. Whether it is to bring down an entire concrete structure or to demolish part of a building in preparation for new construction, this demolition method remains fast and cost effective.
When to Use a Ball and Crane for Demolition
In many cases, crane and ball demolition is used when only a part of a structure is to be demolished or when the surrounding area makes explosive demolition techniques unsafe to use. The ability to effectively control the wrecking ball makes it easy to demolish the building one part at a time, without endangering workers who might otherwise have to enter the structure.
Additionally, buildings that contain large amounts of asbestos are often demolished by crane and ball techniques rather than by explosive implosion due to the danger of creating a large amount of asbestos dust. By using a wrecking ball, it becomes possible to demolish the building in such a way as to not release hazardous quantities of asbestos into the atmosphere.
Safety Precautions
Because the wrecking ball is connected to the crane via a chain, care must be taken when operating it to control the direction of its swing. Missing the target can often lead to the crane being overturned by the force of the ball’s swing. In some cases, the operator may even accidentally cause the ball to strike the control cabin of the crane, leading to severe injury or death. For these reasons, the area must be cleared before demolition operations begin and all crane operators must be fully trained in how to use a wrecking ball.
The Outcome of Demolition
Crane and ball demolition is an excellent method to demolish concrete and brick structures. In addition to its other strengths, wrecking balls leave the rubble conveniently sized for removal from the site. Furthermore, this method of demolition requires less site preparation than explosive demolition and is more labor efficient than hand demolition. For these reasons, crane and ball demolition will continue to remain popular in the United States.
Keys to Choosing Land for New Construction
When you make the decision to build a new home rather then buying a home that already exists, there are some keys to choosing the land for your new construction.
Budget
When you are buying land to build a new home on, you will need to make sure that you take into account the cost of the land as well as what it will cost to build the home. The cost of both of these combined will need to be within your budget.
Location
You will want to make a decision on where you would like to live and find an open lot within that area. Things to consider is distance to work and whether you would like to live within or outside of the city limits. If you have children, then you may want to consider where the closest park is along with a good school.
Zoning Regulations
The majority of suburban areas have regulations that state what type of structure can be built, what the size of the building can be, and what type of materials can be used for the exterior of the building.
Public Utility Services
If the land you are looking to purchase is outside of the city limits, then you will need to determine whether or not public utility services are set up. If they are not, you will need to take into consideration the cost that is associated with bringing the services out to the location.
Proposed Development
For those looking for a quiet area outside of the city limits, it is important to check with local planning and zoning boards. They will be able to tell you whether or not there are future plans for development in the area you are looking to build in. Future development could turn your quiet country area into a busy addition to the city.
Keeping these keys to choosing land for new construction in mind will help ensure you find the right piece of land for you.
The Importance of Stump Grinding
When a tree needs to come down, the immediate focus generally is only on the tree and getting it removed. Practically no tree removal companies include dealing with the stump when giving estimates. If they have the ability to grind the stump, it almost always is at an extra charge. If they do not have the capability to dispose of the stump, they are not likely to highlight that fact for the property owner.
The property owner needs to understand the importance of stump grinding. Stumps are ugly in the landscape, and eventually the property owner will want to have the stump removed. A separate trip translates to higher cost. Even though it carries an additional charge at the time the tree is removed, having the stump ground then will cost less in the long run.
Stump grinding carries the least environmental effect of stump removal. Some people advocate dousing the stump with kerosene or even gasoline to speed the decay process, but that approach can be dangerous for the homeowner or for children or pets that may come in contact with the treated stump. An old practice of times past, kerosene and gasoline can be dangerous for ground water purity. Using either also may be illegal, depending on local ordinances.
The homeowner also can choose to hack away at the central portion of the stump with an axe, but that approach is labor intensive and does nothing to address the large roots extending from the stump below ground level. As those roots decompose, the ground sinks into ruts and channels. The result is an unsightly area that is difficult to mow and even dangerous for older people to try to walk on with its many trip points.
In the end, it is difficult to overstate the importance of stump grinding. It eliminates the dangers of other means of disposing of stumps and provides the most pleasing result in the landscape.
How Sinkholes are Repaired
Sinkholes are not unusual in some parts of America. Wherever a sinkhole appears, the situation is dangerous, especially if the hole is located on your property. Here are the steps you need to take to repair a sinkhole. Be warned, you should seriously consider hiring a professional do to the work of sinkhole repair. This is not a job for beginners.
The first step is to view into the sinkhole. If possible, you want to know what type of material rotted away, leaving a void that became a sinkhole. It could be trash, or old rotten wood in the sinkhole. The wood could have been left by construction workers or it could be the remains of the stump and roots of a tree. You need to remove any debris that is visible.
Then, using a spade, work straight back from one point, away from the hole. Carefully remove any turf, saving it for later. Push soil down into the sinkhole. As your work backwards you will eventually get to more solid ground. Repeat this in a least four other points, equally spaced around the hole. This process defines the sinkhole boundaries.
Then you start putting fill dirt into the hole. Use long poles to tamp the soil as much as much as possible. Water should be liberally sprayed on top of the new soil in the hole. This helps settle the new soil as much as possible.
The filling process continues until the hole is filled within about six inches of the bottom of turf in your lawn. Then you put topsoil over the compacted fill dirt. The last part of the repair is to replace the turf. Make sure the area is well watered. Mark the area as a hazard and keep anyone from walking over the repair work area for at least a week.
Remember, the process of sinkhole repair can be dangerous. It is best to hire a professional to do the work. They have access to the right type of fill dirt and the experience to do the job safely.
Enjoy a Luscious Lawn This Spring
You can repair your winter-wounded lawn and have a luscious, healthy carpet of grass to walk on and enjoy this spring. When you perform each step, results will depend on your area and the type of grass you have. Before spring arrives, do the following:
• Kill weeds before they start with a pre-emergent weed killer. Follow the manufacturer’s directions in order to provide the best coverage for your lawn. Keep pets and children off the lawn during this step.
• If you have problems with ants, grubs, fire ants or other damaging insects, hit them before they get a chance to become established. Be sure to use the right insecticide for the problem.
• As your new grass begins to emerge, give it a good feeding with an organic fertilizer. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for adequate coverage. Use only enough water to soak the fertilizer into the ground.
• For dead spots, rake any old plant material away and cover with seed that matches your grass. Water according to the supplier’s instructions.
• Allow your grass to grow at least five inches tall before the first mowing.
• Sharpen your lawn mower’s blades and tune it well before using it. Dull blades will tear the grass and encourage disease and insect infestation.
• Only cut one-third of your lawn’s height at a time. If you need to use a ruler to measure your grass, go ahead. Set your mower’s blades accordingly and make one pass over the yard.
• Mow again the following week, removing one-third of the lawn’s height. When your grass reaches the best height for the species, only mow as needed to maintain it.
• If the lawn overgrows, repeat the process of removing one-third of the height at a time to avoid killing the grass through shock.
It is not hard to have a great looking lawn. By maintaining your lawn properly, it will stand out as the best in the neighborhood.
