Archive for June, 2008

The Truth About Veneers

Friday, June 27th, 2008

Dental veneers are casings of tooth-like material custom designed to fit your teeth. These casings can cover and fill in gaps between teeth, fix uneven alignment, and repair chips and cracks. This creates and enhances a beautiful, white, evenly proportioned smile.

This method of cosmetic dentistry is incredibly effective in fixing most dental issues, including the following:

·         Wear and tear from age, causing chips and cracks or an uneven appearance.

·         Worn enamel due to genetic predisposition or bad habits, i.e. smoking, coffee drinking, etc.

·         Genetic issues like gaps that increase over time.

·         Uneven tooth alignment from natural wear and tear or teeth grinding.

There are two basic types of veneers that can be applied to your teeth: porcelain or composite resin. Both can be developed in a dental laboratory. However, composite resin veneers can be developed inside your mouth at the dentist’s office. In either case, when developed in the laboratory, these veneers need to be bonded to the teeth through a resin cement of some sort. Porcelain veneers are considered to be longer-lasting, and therefore more expensive.

Bonding can be considered an option for many people with minor tooth problems – small chips and cracks. However, when dullness and severe wear and tear become a problem, dental veneers may be considered an appropriate option for a long-lasting solution. In the same vein, teeth whitening may be recommended if your teeth are discolored but still in good shape. Veneer application is a permanent alteration of the teeth, and should only be considered if your teeth are severely damaged.

In addition to its aesthetic benefits, veneers also provide benefits to the health of your teeth. If applied to a damaged tooth, it can protect the surface and preserve what is left of the tooth. There are also some cases where a veneer can satisfy the need for a dental crown, which can spare you from more invasive tooth preparation that would be involved.

Veneers may alter your lifestyle, depending on the application. In some instances, a change in diet may be recommended so as to decrease the chance for damage to the shell itself. The shell is very durable; however, it is thin, so certain uses may cause damage or break the casing, i.e., grinding teeth in your sleep or eating hard, crunchy foods. Your dentist may provide you with a type of mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep.

Dental veneer application generally is completed in two dental visits over a six-week period. Depending on the patient, visits can last up to several hours for tooth examination and preparation. Local anesthetic is usually administered, although some dentists do offer sedation. Post-operation, tooth sensitivity may be heightened for a day or two, but beyond that there is generally no recovery necessary.

Article on Dental Veneers courtesy of LVI Smile.

Flood Damaged Documents

Thursday, June 26th, 2008

There are hundreds of different kinds of important documents and books that we could have in our homes that might become damaged during a flood or a hurricane and if the copies that we have are the only ones in existence, then safeguarding these items is very important.  Whether it is a marriage certificate or a birth certificate, proof of insurance, or any other type of legal document, if it gets ruined due to being submerged in water, you might be in some trouble.

If you are already the victim of a flood or a hurricane and you have to take care of these documents that have already become damaged, then you might not exactly know how to deal with these items.  After you have made sure that the electricity is off in your home after the waters have mostly receded is essential.  You should do this before re-entering parts of your home that still have standing water in them.  Find the documents you need to restore and if they are only damp, then it is possible to just lay them out to dry on a flat surface on their own.  If they have been submerged for a while, then the best thing that you can do is take them to a local freeze-dry facility to have them treated. 

When packing items to take to a freeze-dry facility, you should purchase freezer wrap from a local department or grocery store.  You will use this to separate your papers and books from each other in the boxes you will pack them into.  Find the most important documents that you wish to restore and afterward, find the less important ones such as books or anything that is considered “one-of-a-kind”.  Pack these items into boxes and label the outside with your name, address, phone number, and any other pertinent information.  Do not pack these tightly in the freezer paper.

After your documents have been taken care of and dried efficiently, the best thing to do is to invest in a waterproof and fireproof safe to pack these things in.  Cash, jewelry, these documents, and anything else that you wish to have protected against the elements of nature will be very safe in one of these.  Once you invest in one and see it work during a fire or a flood, you will be very happy that you made the investment.  It will save you both time, effort, and money to invest in an appropriately sized safe.

Flood Damage Cleanup

Water Damage and Its Causes

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

Water damage is one of the worst things that a homeowner or a landlord can have to deal with on their property and most of us generally know what causes it, but what about the specifics?  There are many different causes of water damage, but some are a bit more evident and common than others. 

One of the best things that you can do to prevent water damage in your bathroom is to have a tile floor and not a carpeted one.  Carpeted bathroom floors are popular in some circles, but they’re particularly good at absorbing water and hiding a water damaged (and probably mold infested) floor underneath.  If you don’t have a tile floor yet and you can’t afford to have one installed at this time, do your best to make sure that your toilet and bath tub do not overflow.

A leaky roof is often a culprit of water damage in the attic and on ceilings and this can be prevented by purchasing a waterproofing sealant for your rooftop.  This will prevent water from seeping into the house through a small sized leak.  Unless something punctures your roof, this should fix most problems.  Making sure your roof is properly angled depending on the climate that you live in is also essential to preventing water damage due to a leaky roof.  If the roof is not properly angled so that snow and ice can fall off and to the ground, it will weigh down on it and eventually cause not only structural damage, but also water leaks. 

Check the pipes underneath your kitchen and bathroom sinks and also any other pipes that are exposed to make sure that they are not cracked or otherwise damaged.  They and any hoses should connect firmly to dishwashers, laundry washers, and sinks.  Properly insulating your exposed pipes indoors and outdoors is also essential to keep them from freezing and bursting during the winter.  If it drops below 20 degrees, leave a little water running through your faucets; running water is more difficult to freeze than its standing counterpart.

The land around the base of your home should be sloping away from it so that water is directed away from the foundation.  If it is not, it will leak into your cellar and possibly cause structural damage to your home’s foundation.  Water loosens soil and it can cause your home to sink into the ground over time.

Flood Damage Cleanup 

Mold and Real Estate

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

One could write a nearly endless list of ideal situations to sell a house under. One situation, however, that would not be on that list is selling a house contaminated with mold. However, there are ways to make selling a mold contaminated home a little bit less difficult.

There should be an environmental inspection clause for a two week to a three week inspection period in any real estate sales contract so that the buy is able to have a professional mold inspector view the property and test it for any mold or any other possible hazards that could take place in or around the home and its respective land. If mold is detected, the only real testing that is necessary is a test that determines whether or not the mold is toxic. If the mold isn’t toxic, you are not out of the red just yet, as the mold can bring the structural endurance of the home into jeopardy. It is important that you have this mold removed as soon as possible, if at all possible. This will help selling in the selling of the home, and makes it easier to either up the price of the home, or decrease the price.

It is also important that you do not make any attempts whatsoever to hide any mold problems that may be in the home, on account of the fact that the potential buyer may back out if they realize that there is indeed a mold infestation. They may also suspect you of being dishonest of other things about the home if you try this method of shady business transactions.

It is important that the potential buyer has in writing that there may be a mold problem, and what measures have or have not been taken at this point to remedy the infestation. All information on possible mold damage should also be disclosed so that it is legally documented that the buyer knew about the problem when the home was purchased. This helps to exemplify you from possible lawsuits. You should also include in the contract that the home is sold as-is and whether or not there is a warranty on the property in relation to the environment.

It is also recommended that you ask for a clause exemplifying you, your real estate agent, and your lender for any and all liability in relation of mold to the buyer of the home. If you have listed the complete information on any past mold and water damage the home has seen and the measures taken to remedy the situation, you will be fine in terms of legality of the sale.

Water Repair

Squeezing the most out of space

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

One of the most important things you can do to optimize functionality in the kitchen is to make sure that a) you don’t have more stuff than you regularly use and b) that where your stuff is put makes sense. One of the most important decisions made when assembling or undergoing a New York kitchen renovation is what sort of cabinetry to incorporate into the new design. In my view, it’s best to take the guess work out of what cabinets what will fit what cookware, silverware, pantry items, and flatware, and to opt instead for a custom cabinetry solution.

Indeed, if there is anything that will help you make the most of your tiny living situation, it is custom cabinets. Brooklyn is full of qualified custom cabinet designers who will include the latest trends in cabinet design that will allow you to fit more stuff into less space. The end result is a kitchen that is a pleasure to cook in – less rummaging and less clutter – and, as a result, less eating out, more money saved, and more money in the bank: all this in addition to the equity you’ll be building by adding a functional and attractive kitchen to your home.

I always recommend to my clients when they are looking to add equity to their homes – especially during a housing market cool-down – to focus on making small changes or renovations that will distinguish their homes from others on the market. Adding a unique kitchen with cabinets that truly work for the chef will make selling a home anywhere in NYC – Brooklyn, Manhattan, or anywhere in the New York City area – so much easier and so much more lucrative. Recently, I sold my Brooklyn apartment that I finished with custom cabinets for 40% more than I bought it for just 1 year ago (I bought it for $550k). Doing the math, you can’t help but conclude that having the right cabinets in Brooklyn makes sense and cents.

Guitar Wiring Diagrams, Stock and Custom

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

We’ve put together lists of all the parts and wiring diagrams you need to change the wiring or simply renew old wiring into convenient to use packs. Each kit includes it’s own wiring diagram and parts list to tell you just how to do it.Child wires guitar!

Special Notes:

Rewiring an old guitar using the stock wiring diagram can be very frustrating.  Wiring diagrams, whether stock or for a custom upgrade are mostly hard to find, and in many cases hard to comprehend, thus making them unlikely to work well.

Every diagram and part we list is fully tested many times to insure you get the vibe you want. Not only that, every component is designed to give outstanding life and the best tone that you have ever experienced.

The guitar wiring kit shown here is a 5-way lever action switch for all 3 pickup Fender Stratocaster’s, and other 3 pickup guitars. The kit has very detailed directions that are very well explained so most people will understand them with no problems.

Realistically speaking, so many people have their own personal wiring setups and parts they may interchange that GuitarPlayersCenter only feels comfy dealing in proven setups. In fact one of my personal fav’s is a  setup that includes an EMG-SPC control knob being installed in a Stratocaster. What a great switch,  at least in my opinion. I get the best service and prices from Guitar Center or Musicians Friend.

Don’t make a mistake, if you are not inclined to doing these upgrades, then take it to a competent luthier/guitar maker.

Remember to use a solder gun with a replaceable tip , top line solder and flux and don’t get the switches too hot.

Go to Guitar Players Center for all of your guitar needs from upgrades, lessons, reviewing certain models to purchasing them with the best prices and service in the industry.

Good luck and Enjoy.