Author: RalphSlaske

How Floridians Can Protect Their Homes From Costly Mold Damage

RalphSlaske

 

As a homeowner in Florida, you don’t want to be in a position where you have a mold problem. Cleaning up mold blooms can be very expensive and if left unattended, it can cause health problems to your family. For instance, an extensive elimination of a mold problem can cost you up to five figures; that is how expensive a mold problem can get. To help you prevent, combat and control mold in your home, professionals who eliminate mold would like to share 7 important aspects they use to prevent and control mold problems.

Elimination of clutter

Be very conscious of the clutter around your house. Clutter around your house prevents the flow of air and prevents the aid of the HVAC system in circulating air around your house. Professionals know that draperies and furniture cause condensation when they block the supply grilles. The moisture that is condensed creates a microclimate that allows the growth of mold in your house.

So, mold professionals advise homeowners to dispose of the things that are not in use. Avoid blocking the grilles and air vents with furniture to help air in the house to circulate freely. When the day is humid, use fans to keep the air in your house flowing.

When the AC is on, shut the doors and windows

When your doors and windows are open, you are wasting money because the air conditioning is escaping and humid air is being allowed into the house. This causes molds because of the condensation that forms. Therefore, mold professionals advice you to keep the windows and doors closed while the air conditioner is on.

Additionally, when you are on vacation or at the office, you are advised to let the temperature of your home stay at approximately 80 degrees. In most cases, people tend to set their thermostats to 85 degrees or turn off the AC when they are not in the house. When this happens, the net result is a rise in humidity and temperature which creates a perfect environment for the growth of mold.

Control the climate in the house

Mold usually appear during the humid hot summers when the temptation of playing with the air conditioner is apparent. If you set the thermostat high, the air conditioner will not dehumidify the air well; if you set the thermostat low, you will create a cold microclimate that will cause condensation. To avoid these extremes, set the thermostat at approximately 78 degrees.

Monitor your humidity levels

If you install an indoor humidity monitor, you will be able to keep track of the levels of moisture in your house that essentially fall between 35-50% relative humidity; in areas which are very humid, when the summer season comes, your humidity monitor will read levels around 55%.

If your humidity levels get to 60%, you will have to look for the moisture source; if the humidity goes to 70%, you will start to see certain mold species emerging. To be able to keep track and prevent mold formation, purchase a humidity monitor that goes for around $20 for the basic models, and around $200 for the more sophisticated ones that have tons of added features.

Evaluate your AC

If your humidity monitor records readings of approximately 60%, professionals advise you to ensure that your AC is working properly.

  • Is it set to the correct temperature?
  • Does it have an on and off cycle on a periodic basis?
  • Does your AC blow cold air at some point in time?
  • Are the coils of the AC clean?

Make a regular inspection of the white condensation drain pipe that is located on the side of the AC unit to ensure that it is dripping on a regular basis. If it is not doing so, the pipe may be blocked causing water to accumulate either on the floor or in the unit. In case of any doubts on the proper functioning of the AC unit, call an HVAC professional.

Check for sections with still water

If the AC is working just fine, professionals like to look for areas where clearwater is stagnant or places with chronic dampness that increases the humidity inside your house to provide the perfect environment for mold growth. They also check for dampness or puddles around pumps, water tanks, refrigerators, freezers, windows and basement doors. They also check for clearwater dampness in crawl spaces and ensure that they eliminate these water puddles.

Add a dehumidifier

You can remove excess moisture from the air if you have a dehumidifier. You can purchase one for the entire house at a price range of approximately $1,100 to $1,800. You can place the dehumidifier to attach to the furnace of your house and treat the air that circulates in the house. A dehumidifier is a great asset to have if you live in a highly humid environment.

You can also go for a portable dehumidifier that costs approximately between $15- and $200, and you can use it on occasions where you often experience musty smells and dampness.

Contact a professional

If it gets hard to spot a moisture problem, or you have no idea how to correct an issue, call a mold professional. Ensure that you go for mold professionals who are resected in the industry and have adequate experience; this will help you to prevent a mold problem or sort out a mold problem before it gets worse.

 

Why Preventive Maintenance Is Crucial For Your AC System

RalphSlaske

Air Conditioner

Although preventive maintenance is essential for keeping an AC unit functioning efficiently and effectively throughout the year, many people still don’t take AC system maintenance seriously and therefore don’t think preventive maintenance is crucial for their unit. But whether you take AC maintenance seriously or not, you however need to understand that neglecting preventive maintenance can lead to a steady decline in your unit’s performance, at the same time increasing energy uses steadily. Worse still, it can lead to expensive repairs and unexpected breakdowns. Therefore, AC maintenance is not a luxury for any AC system owner, but rather a necessity since it is the only thing that can keep the unit performing effectively and efficiently. Here is why preventive maintenance is crucial for your AC system.

 

It Can Help Bring Down Your Energy Bills

 

Neglecting preventive AC unit maintenance will not just make your unit run inefficiently, but it can also lead to steady energy increase thus increasing your energy bills over time. When your unit is properly maintained all year round, it runs efficiently ensuring it just use the right amount of energy it was designed to use. In other words, an efficiently running AC unit translates into reduced energy bills in the long-run. Therefore, getting all year cooling preventive AC unit maintenance from a reputable company like the one run by Tommy Smith Weston fl can significantly lower your monthly energy bills.

 

Keeps Your Unit Working Efficiently

 

The most important aspect of preventive maintenance is that, it entails cleaning and clogging the unit’s filters. Dirty and clogged filters hinder proper airflow thus reducing the unit’s efficiency. With regular AC maintenance, clogged filters can be easily detected. Thereafter, the filters can be cleaned, removed or replaced with new ones. This is vital for keeping the AC system running efficiently as expected. Regular maintenance also ensures the unit’s coil is serviced regularly to prevent it from collecting dirt. When the coil gathers dirt over time, this can hamper the unit’s performance and efficiency.

 

It Helps Extend Your Unit’s Lifespan

 

Just like regular car maintenance helps keep your car running smoothly for long, regular AC system maintenance is crucial for keeping your entire unit running efficiently for long. AC unit maintenance professionals like Tommy Smith Weston FL will check your unit regularly and troubleshoot it to diagnose any faults that can potentially compromise on your unit’s performance and efficiency. This definitely helps keep the unit running for many years to come.

 

Ensures Problems Are Diagnosed Promptly

 

At times, you might assume your unit is fine and that no maintenance is needed. However, preventive maintenance can help diagnose problems that could have otherwise remained undetected. For instance, a technician can easily detect a faulty coil, clogged filters and a faulty suction line. More importantly, these problems can be fixed promptly before they start taking a toll on your unit’s performance.

 

A Healthier Home

 

Preventive maintenance by a reputable cooling company will ensure your unit is well maintained throughout the year. The coils and the filters will be clean throughout, which leads to improved air quality in your home. When your unit is left unmaintained for years, it can easily turn into a breeding unit for mold, dirt and harmful bacteria. This ultimately puts your health and the health of your loved ones at risk. Again, it can ruin your home’s air quality making it uncomfortable. Therefore, preventive maintenance is crucial for a health home.

 

Reduces the Need for Unexpected AC Repairs

 

AC units can breakdown unexpectedly just like any other home appliances. However, if your AC system is properly maintained throughout the year, then its chances of breaking down unexpectedly are quite minimal. With proper AC maintenance, a technician will be there to check your unit regularly and fix any issues that could potentially lead to emergency AC unit repairs. Having your unit breakdown unexpectedly when you badly need it can be stressing for you as well as your loved ones. As such, ensures the unit is well maintained just to make sure it doesn’t breakdown when you need it the most. Again, preventive AC maintenance can save you from costly AC repairs in that, when a problem is detected and fixed promptly, then no repairs are needed and therefore you won’t incur any repair costs.

 

Conclusion

 

Preventive maintenance is definitely crucial for your AC system. It is actually the only measure you can put in place to ensure your unit is working optimally throughout the year. Without proper AC maintenance, your unit risks breaking down even when you need it most. This can compromise on your comfort alongside the comfort of your loved ones. Therefore, search for a reliable AC company that will provide you with reliable preventive maintenance to keep your unit working efficiently throughout the year.

 

Andrew Charlton

How AI Can Create More Jobs Within the Construction Industry

RalphSlaske
Andrew Charlton
The future of construction is going to increase the need for non-physical demanding jobs because technology will be handling these jobs. Two of the most uncertain areas of construction are the industry’s innovation culture and task automation.

In a study that created scenarios that are evidence-based for the year 2036, the study depicts that manufacturing and automation could grow in the field of construction, leading to the creation of more knowledge-intensive jobs. The study was keen to highlight how difficult and dangerous jobs will be eliminated by future technology especially due to the aging workforce.

When experts were asked about the extent to which automation could affect the tasks that were operated by humans, there was no consensus as to how many tasks would be automated. The point of contention that came up was how courageous the industry would be to create new solutions and jobs. The research suggested that the construction workforce would have to understand the use of digital applications which will transform traditional communication systems and project management.

Construction jobs for the future

The scenario development and trend analysis in the study above came up with new construction industry jobs in the year 2036 which included:

Augmented/virtual reality trainers

Developments in the augmented and virtual reality technology are going to provide low-cost immersive working environments where trainers and apprentices can virtually hold meetings and training functions on areas like the design studio, factory, work-site and other areas.

Building assembly technician

This will involve workers who examine data feeds and oversee the robotic systems throughout the life-cycle of a project. These workers will ensure that the workflows are optimized and adjustments are made in real time to adjust the process using the feedback from clients about the changes in design and materials.

Building drone operators

These professionals will be tasked with controlling and programming drones for complex tasks like site maintenance, site inspection and delivery of materials.

Robot resource managers

Robots that will be used in the construction workforce will need people who will take care of software programming, commissioning, re-purposing and maintenance and even the recycling of some robotic parts. This will be a huge field that will need many workers to make all the operating functions of all the spheres to work smoothly.

More opportunities

The construction industry is going to change even more when systems like Building Information Modelling (BIM), rapid progress in 3D printing capacities and robotic machine prototypes like a Fastbrick robot will be introduced. These AI task innovations will create more opportunities for employment because the new skilled workforce will need to acquire the necessary skills of software programming and less of the physical types of work like bricklaying.

A BIM system is a software that comes up with a 3D environment of a building. Not only does it produce this visualization, but it also extends the 3D imaging to present cost control, scheduling, energy performance monitoring and facility management.

The implementation of the BIM system started in 2016 in countries like the UK for the construction of major infrastructure projects in future projects. As the skillset of workers continues to increase in the use of BIM, more customers will demand that projects be managed in this manner.

In the Netherlands, a company called MX3D is already implementing construction projects using industrial robots that use 6-axis to print a steel bridge that is fully functional. There is another innovation in robotics that has been invented by the University of Southern California known as Contour Crafting technology, this invention has a great potential of automating full structure construction together with its sub-units. Another company in China is using 3D printing to construct housing units.

As from 2023, the manufacturing industry is expected to grow on an annual basis at a rate of 5%. How construction jobs will change in the next two decades will depend on the strategic thinking and implementation of the changes that are coming. These changes will require humans to exercise decision making and judgment that reflects human aspirations and values. These are tasks that cannot be done by an advanced AI system.

Humans versus machine

Andrew Charlton knows that more people are worried about losing their jobs to automated systems. But according to him and other experts, the rise in the application of AI systems is not in any way a danger to the human workforce as is propagated in movies and in the media. Automation is a component of evolution that we have to be prepared for because new opportunities will come. The implementation of AI will start out slow, but by the time when automation and machines are applied into fields like construction, there will be new job creations that will be generated to complement the use of AI.

Impact of AI in the construction industry

Andrew Charlton has a view that the early adopters of AI in the field of construction will experience precise insights of data which will provide contractors with the opportunity to optimize productivity, value, and work safety.

5 Benefits of Staging a Construction Site With Luxury Furniture

5 Benefits of Staging a Construction Site With Luxury Furniture

RalphSlaske
Construction sites are never pleasant to look at. They are dirty, messy, and oftentimes covered in order to prevent an eyesore in its vicinity. Although some construction sites are hard to cover up, there are quite a lot of instances where you can find ways to create a pleasant space during a construction period.

According to JMD Furniture, one of the unique ways to stage a construction site is through the use of luxury furniture. Luxury furniture does not only exude an ‘elegant’ appeal to your potential customers, it can also function as a permanent piece in your establishment once construction work is done.

In this post, we will be looking into some benefits of investing in luxury furniture for staging your construction site.

5 Benefits of Staging a Construction Site With Luxury Furniture

1. A good distraction from the construction mess

A common tactic to cover up construction sites would be the use of tarpaulins and temporary walls with printed graphics. However, this still serves as an eyesore to most people. If you are a business owner who wants a better way to distract people away from the fact that there is construction going on, you can make use of fancy=looking benches, table tops, and even arches to create an inviting look in your construction site. The goal is not for people to focus on the work in process, but rather to distract them by making use of visually-appealing furniture pieces. A good idea would be to make use of both a wall cover added with luxury furniture. For example, you can use an attractive pattern to cover up the plywood, and add some catchy phrases such as “coming soon”. You can place luxury furniture in front of the wall that looks like a movie seat. This is a fun way to incorporate the “movie house theme” when staging your construction site.

2. Creates anticipation for the establishment

Another thing that luxury furniture can do when staged in your construction site is the anticipation it creates. If you are not convinced, put yourself in a potential customer’s shoes. Let’s say you walk by a construction site with plain plywood and a sign that says “under construction”. Would that interest you? What if that same scenario happens, but the construction site is set up with wonderful pieces of seats, side tables, and lamps? You would definitely by curious and come back again to see what the site is all about. A wise business owner knows how to attract buyers even when the store isn’t opened yet.

3. Can be used as a long-standing furniture after construction

If you are looking for a long-term investment, staging your construction site with luxury furniture is the way to go. Whether your look is antique, modern or novel, there are several furniture customization companies that are willing to work for businesses with unique ideas. Aside from its staging purposes, these luxury pieces can also be used as a way to furnish and decorate your office or store. In order to maximize this dual purpose, make sure to invest in furniture that can be used within your future constructed space. For stores, you can invest on luxury shelves and benches, and for offices, you can invest in high-quality reception desks.

4. Sets a statement for the look and feel of your establishment

The type of furniture you will be using during your construction site staging can also be the starting ground of how you want your store to look and feel. For a more modern style, you may want to invest in the glass and metal luxury pieces. For vintage and classical looks, wood and ceramics are the way to go. Who knows? If you don’t have an interior style set for your store, these luxury pieces can also serve as your go-to inspiration once the dirty work is done.

5. A good marketing tactic to improve foot traffic

Luxury items are always a cause of the commotion. Whether people are just curious or want to take a picture of themselves around your construction site, having elegant pieces will gain your business some attention. This is a good marketing tactic to help you reach potential people who may not otherwise have the chance to pass by your store during its construction stage. A good idea would be to create construction stage where people can take pictures and give a specific hashtag they can use to post on social media sites such as Instagram. This will create a buzz in the online community about your future establishment as well.

JMD Furniture believes that luxury furniture doesn’t have to be expensive all the time. Aside from customized luxury furniture, business owners can also inquire about clearance sales and discounted items in e-commerce stores and physical retailers. Do your research before investing in any luxury item, and make sure that the furniture store is a reputable one.

Financing Challenges Many Construction Companies Face And How to Deal With Them

RalphSlaske

Every construction company has daily charges and long-term expenses that have to be catered for. With this need to address the charges also comes stalled projects that could not get fully financed due to the lack of enough money or issues with clients not submitting the needed amounts on time. When you are facing slow client payments, you need to consider alternative methods to keep key projects moving, otherwise it might prove difficult to keep the business afloat. If you are among construction companies that have financing challenges, you need to take this word from an expert to help your business claim its ground. Here is how to deal with the challenges.

Addressing slow owner payments

Generally, construction projects are expensive investments and owners have to submit the required monetary support for the projects to proceed. But this is not always the case as some of them opt for slow payment while others realize too late that they did not prepare adequately. Once the facility is constructed, your company incurs a huge short-term cost with the benefits expected being long-term. This creates a situation where most owners cannot get money to pay in one lump sum, which leads to slow client payments that could lead to financing problems for the company.

To address this challenge, you might want to consider factoring. This is where you invite factoring companies that buy your accounts receivable and give you immediate access to cash. What factoring does is take delinquent accounts off the liability list of your company, and this allows you to meet any cash-flow needs you have without the need to apply for a loan. It will help solve your problem more smoothly and within a shorter period of time.

Interest charges on loans

Construction companies that are suffering from large financial problems often don’t have the credit required to cover the payment delays. Most contractors lack sufficient capital assets, and this triggers loan companies to view them as a credit risk. Large projects come with a bigger interest due to the risk involved, and premium charges in this case can lead to a bad debt and financial pitfalls for the company.

This is where the advice of debt experts like Nationwide Debt Reduction Services comes in handy. Instead of opting for a loan to finance the project, you might also consider factoring, which is a boost you won’t need to repay. Don’t add debts when the company is already struggling to find a solution.

Cost overruns

Each construction projects comes with its pitfalls and some of them are costlier than others. In the event the unexpected occurs, expensive delays can be experienced and in worse cases losses. For costs beyond the original estimate, you need to come up with a better way to finance them as this is where loss of money occurs most. The best solution is to steer clear of expensive cost overruns by ensuring problems are addressed as soon as they show up and reviewing estimates carefully before embarking on the project.

Drops in demand

Those who have worked in the construction industry can tell that demand can be cyclical in nature and the market can drop or rise from one year to another. What this does is create financing problems that construction companies have to face because the flow of income is not steady yet expenses remain high. If your construction company finds itself in a business slump, you should consider getting a quick cash float that should cover the daily expenses of the business until the next peak arrives. Selling outstanding accounts receivable to a factoring company could be a solution to help lift the pressure to repay off. For more support, talk to experts like Nationwide Debt Reduction Services.

Why Software Analytics Is Important In The Construction Industry

RalphSlaske

Big data analytics have come as a viable tool in the construction industry that experts are now embracing to lead better teams and to strategize for increased efficiency. The ability to sift through a lot of information to get results that are relevant is beyond most human skills, but with software analytics, this is made easier and faster. Construction companies, therefore, are able to save a lot of time by sifting through large amounts of data to get relevant information that can help them to implement different actions. This allows them to lay more focus on events and projects that matter than worrying about IT issues.

Problem solving

One of the biggest incentives for having software analytics is that construction companies are able to solve complex problems with Ad Hoc Reporting. For these companies to be successful in their problem solving processes, they need to collect the right data and in an organized manner that is searchable. Software analytics allows them to accomplish this effectively as the data returned is accurate and sifted for errors, which again eliminates the need for construction companies to spend a lot of time trying to validate data.

Risk prediction

Additionally, big data offers you the unique ability to gather insights that allow you to make improvements to your systems to prevent risks. You can easily detect errors before they happen and finding opportunities for optimization that is focused on the future is easier. You can get long-term improvements if you use software analytics. The accuracy at which software can give information is beyond human capabilities and this could be the reason most companies that use software analytics have been seen to achieve better results than their counterparts that don’t use analytics.

Performance evaluation

You also want to know how your company or its departments have been performing over a specified period of time. It could take a lot more time to implement this process if one chooses to follow traditional methods, but with software analytics, you get real-time results when monitoring performance. You could even make adjustments to the software to receive reports after every specified period of time, so you are informed about changes in different parameters in a more dynamic manner.

Construction companies that keep large amounts of data would find it challenging to assess their performance in the absence of analytics software. Knowing project profitability and efficiency is important when making decisions and these are reports you will easily get with software analytics.

Track assets and construction equipment

Apart from leading experts in decision making processes, software analytics also helps in the monitoring of construction equipment and assets. Construction companies spread most of their assets and equipment geographically and this could be a source of disaster if not controlled. You need to know which equipment or asset is where, so having a monitoring system that keeps records and gives information about assets and equipment is necessary.

Simulation

The more data you have, the more potential you have to make remote predictions about construction site limitations and possibilities, and this could help you to plan accordingly.

Rocco Basile Director at Avo Construction

RalphSlaske

 

Rocco Basile graduated from Xaverian High School, New York University in 1990 and attended graduate courses at St. John’s University. After years of success working in real estate he founded Avo Construction. Since he was born in a construction family, he has had many years of experience in the construction industry. At Avo Construction, Rocco supervises all aspects of the Ground-Up Construction and Interior Renovations departments.

 

On the Benefits of Streamlining Certain Aspects of the Construction Process

RalphSlaske

proposable construction process

 

There is a lot that is demanded of all construction professionals throughout the process of building a home, including a tremendous amount of paperwork concerning permitting as well as a wide range of other requirements that may differ based on the specific geographic location. Due to the time-consuming nature of some of these requirements — paperwork or otherwise –many builders are consistently on the lookout for any way possible to streamline their operations without having to sacrifice the quality of the construction.

Proposable.com’s templates — including everything from a software development proposal to straightforward sales proposals — may provide a means through which construction professionals can use their time more efficiently with regard to this critical component of the initial building process. For professionals that find it difficult to remain attentive to the sales proposal process while also working on meeting all of the other various professional responsibilities that demand their attention during the actual process of building a home, a comprehensive sales proposal system may prove to be an ideal solution for streamlining their business operations.

Of course, streamlining the sales process also means that builders are able to devote more of their attention to meeting the specific needs for their clients, something that is especially critical for custom homebuilders. Any opportunity in which it may be possible to streamline certain processes that enable a more client-centered approach should be recognized as incredibly valuable for so many reasons.

Value-Adding Home Improvement Projects Not Always Associated With Curb Appeal

RalphSlaske

David R Gray Jr home improvementThere is a multitude of reasons why homeowners take on all kinds of home improvement projects, with many citing a simple desire to improve the quality of their surroundings while others just enjoy spending a weekend working with their hands in order to create something unique. Though the reasons are quite varied, homeowners are most likely to at least reference the fact that the projects they undertake will add value to their home in some way.

As David R. Gray Jr. would likely point out, this common form of reasoning often leads homeowners to select projects associated with aesthetic improvements, especially when it comes to curb appeal. Curb appeal projects do offer a significant return in terms of the real estate value added, but homeowners should be careful not to overlook the sizable return on investment made possible through a host of other possible options.

Installing insulation in an attic is perhaps the best example of a value-adding home improvement project that is commonly overlooked, but it is one of the few projects that result in an immediate increase in real estate resale value of well over 100 percent of the cost of the project. While installing attic insulation may not seem like the most enjoyable weekend project, it is certainly one of the best when it comes to adding value to a property.

Behrman Communications on the Importance of Building a Strong Team of Professionals

RalphSlaske

Health_professional_answers_questionsAnyone in the custom construction industry is already keenly aware of the inherent need to first focus on building a strong foundation and infrastructure in order to create a home that is truly built to last. For Behrman Communications, a public relations and brand building firm helmed by founder Nancy Behrman, a strikingly similar notion can be easily applied to businesses in any industry, though not in a literal sense as in the construction industry.

In industries such as the one that has benefited so tremendously from the development of the Behrman PR strategic approach to brand building, the concept of a strong foundation and infrastructure has far more to do with human resources than anything else. This is why attracting and retaining the top professional talent is so very critical across all industries, particularly one in which personal relationships and exceptional communication skills tend to play such a major role.

One of the ways in which companies can ensure they are attracting and then retaining top level talent is to ensure that the lines of communication remain open among all team members and that organizational goals are clearly outlined and adhered to by all personnel. This creates a stable and consistent environment in which all team members are able to thrive in their responsibilities and to contribute to the betterment of their colleagues as well.