GU10 LED Light Bulbs Don’t Cost the Earth

LED light bulbs and LED strip lights are not just for lighting up Times or Trafalgar Square, they are used in a myriad of products and are even environmentally-friendly

Energy saving and environmentally friendly LED light bulbs are becoming more and more popular for use not just on big billboards in major cities for advertising but also around the home. The main advantage in using LED light bulbs is that the energy saved also saves you money. The main waste product from light bulbs is carbon dioxide which is the largest contributor to global warming. Economically sustainable light choices can make all the difference in the world.

Bright Lights, Big City - GU10 LED Light Bulbs

LED light bulbs are now capable of emitting very bright strong light beams. They are long lasting and if operated on low temperatures and low currents have a potential life span of 25,000 to 100,000 hours. Unlike traditional light bulbs, LEDs EDs maintain consistent light output even in cold temperatures. LEDs do not generate as much heat as ordinary light bulbs so they are an energy-efficient technology to use white goods such as freezers. On the other hand, because they do not generate much heat so there is a possibility that ice and snow may build up on the LED bulb in colder conditions.

Illuminate Your Life - GU10 LED Light Bulbs

LEDs have a place in every area of our lives from stadium displays and shop signs to nightclubs and road signs. Even vehicles use LEDs in their rear lights clusters. Councils around the UK are currently in the process of replacing street lamps with LED light bulbs to conform to new EU regulations of the efficiency of street lighting in our towns and cities.

According to the Commission's calculations, reduce the amount of electricity consumed by lighting equipment in the EU by 15% an amount that is equivalent to the annual electricity use of Romania. The stricter measures would reduce the EU's annual carbon dioxide emissions by 15 million tonnes.

Business Finance – Loft Conversions with DIY Funding

Thinking of converting your loft?  Read on for some tips that could save you time and money with the right loft ladder prices.

 

The first step towards a loft conversion, other than making sure that your business finance is in place, is to secure Building Regulations approval.  Due to the complex nature of the work, the building control body is likely to need full calculations and structural design before approving the work.  You can apply for approval by submitting the full plans, or using building notice procedures.

Most loft conversions require structural alterations.  You may need to make provision in your business finance plan for underpinning of foundations, alterations to the roof, or adapting the layout to create a more comfortable living space.

You will be required to install stairs to the loft.  Many people are under the misapprehension that it is legal to have a retractable ladder or another cheap alternative to a staircase.  It could be your business finance budget, or a question of available space, that means you would prefer not to install a staircase.  However, for fire safety you’ll need stairs to the new rooms, or where space is an issue you could use a space saving stair.
The new staircase should be protected against fire in a similar way to the existing stair. The new room(s) should be separated from the staircase by fire resisting walls and fire resisting self-closing doors. Your business finance plan should also budget for adequate landings to be provided at the top and bottom of the new staircase.

Fire safety precautions should be of the highest standard because nobody wants to take a chance on life or death. It is a fact that the higher a room is from ground level, the more it is at risk from fire, so ensure you factor business finance costs to install a floor that has adequate fire resistance beneath it.  Doors should be designed to hold back smoke and flames for long enough for occupants to escape.  And of course fire alarms should be installed.

Windows or roof lights in new habitable rooms should have a large enough opening to provide adequate ventilation and to enable people to be rescued from the building if escape through the building is impossible should the internal escape route be compromised by a fire. The type of windows you choose will again come back to your business finance budget, but you should try to minimise heat loss to reduce your bills and to be more environmentally friendly.  Remember that ventilation is required in all rooms that are to be lived in.
You can help protect your business finance investment by making sure that your loft conversion has adequate thermal insulation.  In some cases it may also be necessary to ventilate the roof structure in order to prevent condensation which could affect roof timbers. 
You may consider installing solar panels during the course of your loft conversion.  These involve an initial business finance outlay but you will see a return on your investment in the long term, and business finance assistance is sometimes available from government agencies who are keen to encourage the reduction of CO2 emissions and greener energy production.
Keeping the neighbours happy.  All building work inevitably involves a certain degree of disruption, so it’s a good idea to keep your neighbours in the loop.  Although you’re not obliged to consult them under the Building Regulations, you should be careful that your building work doesn’t interfere with their property.  If your conversion does interfere in some way with their property, it could lead to civil action requiring modification or removal of the work as well as bad feeling and a large hole in your business finance budget.

Bathrooms Toddlers Love

If you have a toddler, you'll know bath times can either be a bundle of fun or a battle in the bath. All that splashing around can cause slippery hazards and wet walls. Good bathroom fans help extract all the mist so that you can keep your bathroom at its best. Check out some of our tips for bathrooms toddlers will love.

When it comes to bathrooms and toddlers, safety comes first. Put aside any difficulties you may be having with your toddler – toddlers who have just learned the magic words 'No!' and 'I want!' are going to put your patience to the test as they exert their new-found independence. But safety-proofing bathrooms should still be as important at this age, as it was when they were helpless babies who hadn't yet learned the power of speech.

Bathrooms – Be Child Safe

As with babies, when it comes to toddlers and bathrooms the golden rule is not to take your eyes off them or leave them unattended for any length of time. Bathrooms can be hazardous places: a curious toddler could easily fall head-first down the loo! And most bathrooms stock a ridiculous supply of chemicals for cleaning the bath, sink and toilet; if these products aren't kept out of harm's way they can be extremely dangerous to a toddler who has a tendency to stick everything it comes across in its mouth.

Bathrooms that are Toddler Friendly

As well as ensuring the toilet seat is kept down, that you don't take your eyes off your child, and all cleaning products for bathrooms are kept out of reach, here are some other tips for toddler-friendly bathrooms:

l  Invest in a bath seat for added support in the bath tub for your toddler. But remember this does not mean he or she is safe from drowning or injury!

l  Be prepared – toddlers in bathrooms are bound to create havoc, make sure you're bathing toiletries are at hand so you're ready to wash, scrub and rinse your little angel with minimum fuss. Make sure it's all within hand's reach!

l  Use a bath mat with suction caps to make sure the bath isn't too slippy – and make sure the mat is property secured. Ensuring your bath is cleaned regularly from slime or soap scum will also help prevent slipperiness.

l  Sit your child away from the bath taps (hot water can be scorching) and invest in toys designed for kids in bathrooms to keep their prying hands from causing trouble.

l  Always test the bath water, never put your child in a bath with the taps still running

Bathrooms can be fun for you and your toddler if you ensure the safety measures are in place. Once your bathrooms are toddler proofed, you can then start to have fun. There are fantastic water toys designed specifically to entertain and educate. The toys that work for you will be the ones that suit your child's personality. If your toddler loves Thomas the Tank Engine for instance, get a Thomas-related bath toy that you know he'll love. 

Bathrooms in Hollywood

Whether featuring in classic movies or in the celebrity gossip columns, bathrooms have always been a big hit in Hollywood.

Bathrooms may seem like an unlikely star of the silver screen, but they seem to make as much of an appearance as some of Tinseltown’s most famous names. Stories about celebrities taking drugs or having illicit liaisons in nightclub and restaurant bathrooms are rife. Then there are the bathrooms famous for appearing in some of Hollywood’s best loved movies, across all genres from thrillers to chick flicks. Here are just some of the ways bathrooms play a starring role in Los Angeles.

Hollywood Bathrooms: Love in the Loos

Celebrity magazines love nothing more than a story about an A-list pair getting cosy in bathrooms about town. New celeb couple Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong were recently caught out in the men’s room at a Dolce & Gabbana party in Cannes. A witness said they found Kate Hudson washing a man’s shirt in the sink and when asked what she was doing, she blushed and laughed, then Lance walked out of a bathroom stall topless.

Hollywood Bathrooms: Lewd in the Loos

Perhaps one of the most famous A-list bathroom scandals took place in 1998, when George Michael was arrested in the men’s toilets at the Will Rogers Memorial Park in LA. The singer was charged with lewd conduct, and released on bail.

Hollywood Bathrooms: Drugs on Film

Another pastime for LA’s wild child stars is taking drugs in bathroom stalls. The A-lister most famous for being caught is Lindsay Lohan, whose cocaine-fuelled antics are no secret. Gossip columns report that a ‘friend’ recently filmed her taking the Class A drug in the bathrooms at Teddy’s nightclub in the Roosevelt Hotel, just 20 days after she left rehab. The star had even been caught out whilst she was actually at rehab. Staff found her in a compromising position with a fellow addict in bathroom stalls that she was meant to be cleaning, before she failed a drugs test.

Hollywood Bathrooms: The Funny Side

Not all A-listers use bathrooms for sleazy purposes. At the 2007 American Cinematheque Julia Roberts tribute – an award given to her for 20 years on the big screen – Ocean’s Eleven co-stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt made a comedy sketch set in bathroom stalls.

Hollywood Bathrooms on Screen

Bathrooms have featured in some of Hollywood’s best-loved movie moments, from the slasher sequence of Psycho to the bath tub scene in Pretty Woman. Other famous bathroom scenes include Cher dressed as a mermaid in Mermaids, Ewan McGregor diving into a filthy toilet in Trainspotting, and Ben Stiller ‘preparing’ for a date in There’s Something About Mary, with comic consequences. http://www.homeanddesign.com/

Bathroom Sale Tips

Bathroom sale bargains are hard to resist, from basins to cast iron baths. After all, who could say no to discounts of hundreds of pounds on full bathroom suites or the latest designer showers? But in order to bag the best bargains, you need to know where to look, how to shop and when to be there. Follow this guide to bathroom sale shopping and beat the crowds to the best deals.

Bathroom Sale Tip 1: Do Your Research

The first thing you must always do before heading to a bathroom sale is to do your research to find out where the best bargains are going to be. Keep an eye out for TV and newspaper advertising and note down the discounts being offered. Go onto websites and into stores, and ask to be given an idea of which products are going to be put on sale. This way you can go to the most likely places for a good deal, and ignore the time wasters who may only knock off the odd fifty quid.

Bathroom Sale Tip 2: Make a List

Bathroom sales can be dangerous – to your bank account at least. Surrounded by amazing offers, you may be tempted to spend, spend, spend. The downside of this is coming home with items you didn’t really need for the bathroom, and feeling ripped of (and impoverished). Make a strict shopping list before you hit the high street and stick to it.

Bathroom Sale Tip 3: Good Timing

There’s no point turning up to a Boxing Day bathroom sale at lunchtime if it opened at 8am. All the best bargains will be long gone. Make the extra effort to get to the store at least an hour before its advertised opening time, and be prepared to queue in the cold. If you really want to save money, this tactic will really pay off as you’ll be first into the showroom.

Bathroom Sale Tip 5: Concentrate

Once you’re inside the showroom, don’t be distracted by what other people are doing, or by exciting discounts being displayed on products you don’t ant. Head straight for the section you’re interested in and use your eagle eyes to spot the best product at the best prices. With so much noise and activity around, you will have to concentrate hard. But it will be worth it. 

Bathroom Sale Tip 6: Be Ruthless

This is not a time to be generous to others. If you want to walk out of that bathroom sale showroom with the best bargains, then you’re going to have to forget your manners and get ruthless. Don’t feel bad about elbowing people out of your way, and as soon as you’ve spotted the item you want, make an immediate claim to it. Spread yourself across the top of a bath if you have to!

Go eco with your cleaning products

When you are spring cleaning you will no doubt end up using an array of products, containing various chemicals which are damaging to the environment when they are inevitably washed back into the water system. However, it is possible to get your place clean and tidy with new eco friendly cleaning products UK.  

Carpets and rugs

For your carpets and rugs there is now an ecologically sound cleaner that does no harm to the environment and won’t stink out your home either, as many carpet cleaners do.

Chewing gum – gone!

Chewing gum is a real pain, whether it gets into your clothes or on your furniture. In the past, to get rid of gum, you had to use strong chemicals, but thankfully that is no longer the case. Today you can use an environmentally friendly gum remover which is solvent and silicone free.

Bathrooms

Private and even public bathrooms can now be kept clean and fresh with eco friendly cleaning products, so great news for homeowners and businesses alike.

Windows to the Soul

If you are lucky enough to live in Worcestershire, one of the biggest assets you can give your home is a set of beautiful, expansive windows. To find out more visit http://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/article/529157/Energy-Saving-Windows-Do-they-work-.html

If you have a conservatory or are thinking of building one, buying beautiful conservatory windows is a must. Why? Because Worcestershire’s main feature and attraction is its gorgeous countryside. The region attracts many visitors who simply wish to take in the glorious landscape. If you live in the area, having a home that makes the outdoors a feature is one way of improving the quality of your lifestyle.

A Breath of Country Air

Survey after survey reveals the numerous benefits the outdoors can bring. Being surrounded by gorgeous vistas framed by bespoke windows is the best way to really make the most of country living. Bringing the outdoors in with expansive windows can add value to your property and to your life. Countryside views offer a peaceful, relaxing environment, turning your property into a desirable home.

Worcestershire Attractions

Depending on where you live in Worcestershire, there are countless breathtaking views to be had. From the Malvern Hills, the Wyre Forest, the Vale of Evesham and the Teme Valley – the Cotswolds are in reach too, as is Lickey Hills – with such a vast array of green spaces, homeowners can really make the most of their views. Windows can work in the same way a frame does, showing off a perfect piece of artwork – helping you bring the beautiful outdoors into your home.

Increasingly in interior design, windows are becoming a main feature thanks to the current trend for maximising the use of glass in properties. Huge windows ensure that light floods through a home, making the space look and feel airier and attractive.