Thursday, October 29, 2009

About Golf Carts and How To Select One

At some time or other we reach the stage where using a golf cart becomes an experience and leaves us with the thought of someday purchasing one. I have played with those who use a cart for eighteen holes and also play another 9 holes for exercise. This is good if you have the time up your sleeve. None the less, golf carts are not only a time saver but come with a whole bunch of benefits that shouldn't be over looked. Here some things you ought to know.

Golf carts are small vehicles, initially designed to carry the golfers and their equipment around the course with less effort and faster than walking. Now, they are used everywhere: airports, universities, warehouses, farms, etc. Coming as a mixture between hobby and utility, golf carts are also being purchased for personal use.

Golf carts are also referred to as "golf cars", which is more technically correct, as carts are not self-propelled, or as "utility vehicles", especially by the manufacturers who reserve the term for the vehicles used on the golf course.

Types of golf carts

If you are considering purchasing a golf cart, it is important to know exactly what you'll be using it for.

If you want a cute low-pollution easy-to-drive vehicle in order to get around your neighborhood, you need a standard golf cart and you can choose from a large variety of accessories and options.

If you live in a locality where golf carts are street-legal, you can outfit the vehicle appropriate safety features( turn signals, brake lights, windshield, seatbelts, and headlights). There are communities that encourage the use of electric golf carts due to their lack of pollutants, lack of noise, and safety for pedestrians.

Another category of golf carts are the commercial and industrial vehicles and they are used in a variety of ways. They are used to carry tools, sod and fertilizer in office parks, cemeteries, sports complexes, etc. Foremen and managers use them for supervising the activities efficiently. Golf carts are also used in large farms or ranches, for carrying large loads.

Choosing the right golf cart

Before buying a golf cart, you have to gather information on your driving terrain, like: type of surfaces, hills, and weather. For instance, if you need it for use in a warehouse, a low horsepower vehicle is better as it is more economical. On the other hand, if you want to drive it on a hilly golf course, you need a much more powerful vehicle. You also have to estimate the physical size of the cart, the weight and the number of passengers you want it to carry. There are many brands to choose from, and as in all other fields, each manufacturer has its own strengths and weaknesses. The main manufacturers of golf carts are Club Car, EZ Go, and Yamaha. The better is to test drive the models you 're considering and see how you like them.

Gas vs. Electric golf carts

Electric golf carts have an electric motor run by standard lead-acid batteries. The batteries are recharged by plugging into a standard power outlet. Power choices range from 24 volts to 72 volts, but the most common are 36 and 48 volt models. Electric vehicles are much more popular than the gasoline ones, because of their lack of pollutants, lack of noise, and their low cost to operate: it is five to ten times cheaper to operate in comparison to a gas model.

Gas-powered golf carts are still the top choice for some specific applications. They are a good choice for carrying heavy loads or for farming and hunting use.

Golf carts pricing

The prices for new golf carts vary between $4,000 for a bare bones model up to more than $10,000 for luxury models including fancy wheels, lights, upgraded upholstery radios and cell phones chargers.

If you are not willing to spend that much for a golf cart, but still want to purchase one, you must consider the option of buying a used one. They can be found for as little as $2,000. Golf courses need large numbers of golf carts and they always want them to be in top condition. They permanently exchange the used golf carts with new ones. This is why you can always find many used but good golf carts on the market.

If you are a golf player, you must certainly understand the pleasure and advantages of driving a quiet ,non-polluting vehicle such as the golf cart. But even if playing golf is not one of your passions, you must consider all the benefits that a golf cart might bring to you. It can help you a lot in your daily activities and it might also be the perfect way to relax and enjoy beautiful landscape views on the course.

About The Author
Chip Enrunn - Chip often writes for and with Golf Schools where there is far more information, news and resources. If that link is inactive, you can paste this link into your browser - http://golfing-schools.com.

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Do You Really Need An Air Purifier?

As people world over are crusading against air pollution outdoors, only a small percentage is yet aware of how serious air pollution indoors is an issue. As amazing as it may seem but pollution levels inside your home are actually higher than what they are outside. And it is not high marginally. They can be anything between 2 and 10 times higher than the outdoor levels. The problem is further compounded by the fact that we spend about 90% of our entire day indoors - either at home or at our workplace, or somewhere else. So we are breathing in polluted throughout the day. And our respiratory tract seldom is being treated the way it should be.

As awareness increases many are investing on air purifiers for their homes. But very few buyers actually know what kind of purifier will solve their problem. In fact, very few are aware as to the kind of problem they have.

Suppose your problem is just allergies, then you can afford to have a basic purifier for milder forms of allergies but have to invest on an advanced purifier if the allergic reactions are serious. People with light allergies can be comfortable with an economic air purifier, but those with serious problems might find the same purifier completely ineffective. The choice of the purifier also depends on the nature of the allergy one has and how sensitive the individual is to the allergens.

However, a person suffering from multiple chemical sensitivities or asthma will require a much more sophisticated air purifier. For a person suffering from asthma, he is directly affected by any gas or odors in the air. So only those purifiers which are able to cleanse the air of gases and odors will be effective for the individual.

People with multiple chemical sensitivities react to almost anything and special care should be taken to choose the air purifier for such individuals. They can react to even the glue on the HEPA filter. Or may be the out gassing from plastic parts. For such conditions extra powerful gas filters need to be used. It is a different thing to control odors from food which can be tackled with basic gas filters. But if someone reacts to cigarette or cigar smoke, then he will need a very powerful gas filter.

You can further increase the effectiveness of the air purifier by ventilating your room properly. With exchange of air between the inside and outside of your house, much of the pollutants in the air inside get transferred outside and also more fresh oxygen makes its way inside. This also helps the air purifier by significantly reducing its load. It can now concentrate on the much finer particulates present.

So before you choose a purifier, make sure you are certain about your needs.

About The Author
Jason Uvios writes about on Do You Really Need an Air Purifier? to visit :- http://www.airpurity-now.info, http://www.airpurifiersusa.info and http://www.airpurifiers-forall.info.

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Monday, October 26, 2009

Plenty Of Tips On Keeping Your Home Secure From Intruders

There's no place like home. A man's home is his castle. Home is where the heart is. To most people, "home" is a comforting word, a suggestion of safety and warmth, a haven from the outside world. That's why home security is such an important issue to so many people. To have one's car or office burglarized is bad, but to have the sanctity of one's home breached is somehow even worse.

When it comes to home security, there are a number of fairly basic things you can do that don't require a lot of time or money. First and foremost, you must make sure all the outside doors on your home have deadlocks. You'd be surprised how many people have a front door that is completely secure, yet have a garage door or side door that is protected only by an ordinary locked doorknob.

Windows, too, should be lockable, and if it's feasible to put screens over them, even better. Some homeowners put thorny bushes and shrubs below windows to make the idea of climbing in less appealing or even physically dangerous. Most burglars don't want to put forth a lot of effort, so anything you can do to make your home unappealing will help.

It is also wise to keep a record of the serial numbers of all your valuables. If any of the items are stolen, the serial numbers may help police investigators recover them. Homeowner's insurance policies -- which are also highly recommended -- sometimes require this record-keeping.

Neighborhood watch programs can be an effective, low-tech way of discouraging burglaries, with residents keeping an eye out for suspicious activities in their own neighborhoods and calling police if they see something. In addition, burglars avoid areas that are well-lit, neatly kept and that don't have a lot of hiding places. Home security is a vital concern, but it needn't be difficult or expensive to maintain.

About The Author
John Kilminster writes for http://www.homesecurityset.com a website filled with information about home security video and home security systems.

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Monday, October 12, 2009

How to Make an Fixer-Upper’s Kitchen Working and Spanking Cool

Kitchens are one of the busiest parts of the house. Many things go on in the kitchen and this is why it's often the dirtiest, most abused and most in need of repair in the whole house. If you're planning on investing in an fixer-upper, be sure that one of your top priorities will be renovating the kitchen.

How Do You Plan on Marketing the House?

Before you touch even one object or take one brick out of the kitchen, consider first how you plan on marketing the house. Consider the house's size. Consider the neighborhood. Is it more suited to become a family home, an apartment or a bachelor's pad? The answer to this question will enable you to learn as well what type of kitchen would be best to use or create.

A bachelor's pad, for instance, would only need a simple but functional kitchen – if the kitchen area is too big, you should consider making the area smaller if your budget allows.

A family home, however, would need lots and lots of space in the kitchen because this is one of the communal spots of the house and where everybody gathers for some quality family time.

How Much Are You Willing and Able to Spend?

Keep in mind that those questions are completely different but you have to reach a compromise between the answers to both questions. It's more difficult to save money when redesigning or renovating a kitchen than a bedroom. There are more accessories available to make a bedroom or even a living room more beautiful for a relatively small amount. Kitchen accessories, however, are comparatively limited and only few of them are priced cheaply.

Consider Giving the Kitchen a Facelift

Take a critical full structural survey of the kitchen. Take snapshots of every corner of the room. Try appraising it with an unbiased eye. Is it in need of major repairs or is it only in need of a makeover and a fresh new appearance? If it's the latter then maybe all it needs is a simple facelift. A facelift involves making superficial changes, nothing major or anything that would require you to spend loads of money. Facelifts include but aren't limited to removing old wallpaper, re-applying varnish to kitchen cabinets, laminating countertops and changing faucets.

Are There Any Time Constraints?

If, for any reason, you are subject to time constraints, you need to consider this while making remodeling plans for the kitchen. How long do you think it will take you to accomplish your plans? If you are in need of contractors, have them give you an estimate on the number of days they need in order to complete their job. If you are going to order materials or supplies, ask how long it will take to deliver them to your home. Give your project at least one week's allowance for delays or problems. If there's a possibility that you won't be able to meet the deadline, consider altering some of your plans for the kitchen or asking for an extension of the deadline.

Space Planning for the Kitchen

If you believe that there's need for changes beyond simple repair and facelift, you should also consider the present layout of the kitchen and see if it allows people to move and work in comfort.

Kitchen Cabinet Area – Is there truly enough space for kitchen equipment, kitchenware, cleaning materials, canned goods and other miscellaneous kitchen items?

Vertical Space – Don't neglect using vertical space to your advantage. If the kitchen area is small, making use of vertical space for kitchen cabinets will prevent the layout for being too cluttered.

Staying on the Dot

You need to make full use of each day you're given when remodeling the kitchen or the house in general. Make a list of the repairs you need to accomplish for the kitchen to resume functionality. Don't postpone for tomorrow what you can do today.

Remember: no matter how much you wish to redesign the kitchen into the most beautiful culinary center in the neighborhood, you still have to consider your budget. You still have to remember that this is an investment and the need to save as much money on repairs as possible.

About The Author
The above article was written by Sarah Miller on behalf of a buzzing online Home Improvement community where homeowners easily and painlessly find the right contractor for their home improvement projects and in turn, contractors can find the right Home Improvement Leads! Also check out the http://QuoteCity.com Blog for more related Home Improvement Articles and Ideas.

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Monday, October 05, 2009

Home Security Systems

When choosing a home security system, it's important to know that not all systems are created equal. Each company offers various features and has a different track record. Before signing a contract with a company, you should know that you are getting the features that best suit your purposes. The main reason that people choose to have security systems installed is to prevent and deter thieves from getting into your home and your valuables.

As mentioned, there are many features available nowadays. The basic element of a home security system is a trigger that will alert the security company and the authorities when triggered. There are usually several trigger points that you can choose to protect. The main ones are the front and back doors. The second would be the windows. Since most break-ins occur on the first level, these are the most crucial areas to cover. However, it can happen that an intruder will gain entry through a second floor window.

The time elapsed from when a sensor is triggered to the signal going out to the security company is critical. It needs to be long enough to allow the homeowner to turn it off when entering their home, yet short enough that the authorities can take action in enough time. Another important factor is the sensitivity of the triggers. If there are too many false alarms, the response time from the police will be longer. You want to be sure that the system is reliable and that help will come when needed.

Wireless security systems are also more widely available. These systems use your PC or phone wires to send the alert of a break-in. If there is an intruder, the signal is sent wirelessly to the security company. There is even the option of using email to send an alert. Also, instead of tying up home phone lines, cellular phones can be used to send instead.

Most home security system are modular, meaning you can purchase a basic set up and add features as you feel they are needed. Since most companies charge a monthly fee, it may be smart to go this route and pay for only what you truly need. Lastly, before hiring any company to install a security system, make sure that they are licensed to do the job and check their company history. How accurate is their response time? Check their track record; how many thefts have their systems prevented or deterred? When it comes to your home's security and family's safety, you want to rest easy knowing that you're well protected and that you've done everything you can to ensure their safe keeping.

About The Author
Sean Hattaway has been an advocate of Home Security for years. He provides vital Home Security tips and information online; teaching families how to protect their family and home. Go to Wireless Home Security System also located at http://www.myhomesecuritypro.com.

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Friday, October 02, 2009

Pick Up That Hammer

I often encounter people who believe that carpenters were born carpenters and plumbers were born plumbers. Regardless of my encouragement, there are many folks who don't think they have the ability to build their own home.

I always give them all the same talk. We as human beings have the ability to learn new things and expand our horizons. If this weren't true, none of us would be able to walk, talk, drive a car, or even tie our shoes.

As a parent, I have helped my children through some of the most repetitious acts of learning. As a teacher and a mentor, I have taught people how to ride horses, program computers, speak Spanish, build houses, peak satellites, hold a newborn baby, raise a garden, the list goes on and on.

My point is that I have watched every type of person learn in different ways. I have noticed that we all have different levels of intellect. Some people are sharp as a tack and others are really quite thick. The truth that I have learned about most things in life is that a person with average intelligence has everything he or she needs to get by and even succeed with flying colors. Even those with fairly low intelligence have adequate learning abilities to do just fine.

So when people tell me that they aren't smart enough to build their own house, I just have to remind them that they are probably smart enough to do much more than just build houses. Some of the most intimidating projects in building a new house can be figured out with a little concentration. Electricity and Plumbing scare some homeowners into hiring the work done, when in truth, anybody can do those things.

I see all around me, examples of able-bodied people that choose to hire contractors to do work for them. This is just fine if the people have more money than time. If however, they have more time than money, they could really benefit from doing their own labor and saving thousands of dollars. In most cases the money saved by doing ones own labor translates into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

That's worth learning how to do something new. Anything in this world that will save us so much money and time over the long run is definitely something valuable to know.

Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners don't see it that way at all. To them it's acceptable to pay someone else to do all the work even if it means they will end up working almost a decade of their work life to make nothing but mortgage interest payments.

To me it's simple, work for three hours a day after work for one year to build my own house, or work for eight hours a day at a job for ten years to pay the interest on hired labor. If more of us could see the reality of hired labor, we would be more likely to make better choices.

I strongly believe that we are intelligent beings made in the likeness of fully intelligent beings. We have power to learn and overcome so that we can find happiness. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of that.

Larry Angell

About The Author
Larry Angell is the author of Sweat Equity, building a house at half cost. He runs an instructional website about how to build homes that are strong financial tools, not financial burdens. He counsels low-income families how to obtain affordable housing and reach goals of home ownership.
http://www.make-my-own-house.com

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Thursday, October 01, 2009

Different Types Of Air Purifiers

As Americans grow more concerned about the air they breathe the demand for air purifiers constantly rise. The air purifying industry has not missed this rising interest and they are now flooding the market with all sorts of air purifying gadgets. Each comes with special features and new promises. However if we go to the basic technology behind all these various models we will notice that air purifiers are actually of three main varieties

- Ionic air purifier
- HEPA air purifier and
- Ozone air purifier

There is also a fourth variation - the UV air purifier but these mostly come in combination with the HEPA air purifier.

Ionic Air Purifier: This variety of air purifier works on a principle which seems to be inspired from how static electricity actually draws particle towards itself. In an ionic air purifier there are charged sheets inside which actually draws the neutrally charged particulates from the air. Although this works with bigger particulates, it tends to miss out on a whole lot of other pollutants present in air. So such purifiers are very basic and improve the quality of the air partially.

HEPA Air Purifier: these purifiers are much more advanced than the ionic air purifier. In fact HEPA air purifiers actually filter the air inside rooms. A HEPA air purifier draws in the air from the room, filters the particles present in the air and then releases the cleansed air. A HEPA filter is good enough to capture particulates as small as 0.3 microns. Such levels of purification is truly remarkable and even hospitals use HEPA air purifiers.

However, there are a number of particulates, especially organisms including a few bacteria, viruses and germs which are less than 0.3 microns. For such organisms the UV air purifier has been introduced. They either come with HEPA air purifiers or they are stand alone machines. The UV air purifier emits UV light which actually alters the DNA and RNA of the microscopic organisms so that hey are sterilized and cannot continue to multiply inside our body.

Ozone Air Purifier: This is perhaps the most controversial of all air purifier as many think that constant exposure to ozone at close proximity cannot be good for the human body. However, there are believers too. This purifier actually releases ozone in the air. The third oxygen atom of the ozone gets detached and combines with the particulates while the remaining two are released as an oxygen molecule in the air. Oxygen works as a cleaning agent.

About The Author
Jason Uvios writes about on Different Types of Air Purifiers to visit :- http://www.airpurifiers-now.info, http://www.airpurifiersonline.info and http://www.airpurifiers-forall.info.

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