CellularShades = Energy Efficiency

Window coverings can reduce loss of energy through the windows, they can also lower heating and cooling bills for you and improve the comfort of your home. Approximately 30percent of a home’s heating energy is lost via windows. During the cooling seasons, about 70 percent of sunlight which falls on standard double-pane windows enters to be converted into heat. A lot of window treatments will result in energy savings. The exact savings, however, depends on the type of attachment, the season of the year, how the attachment is used and the climate.Cellularshades are a type of window treatment that is used to block or filter light just like Roma shades but they also insulate windows to save energy. The cell sizes usually vary in every type of shades and these are the cells used to hold trapped air and create a barrier between the surface of the window and the room.

Doors, besides windowscontribute to about one-third of the total thermal loss according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.When air in the rooms comes into contact with windows it is cooled or warmedand by convection this air circulates around the room. The cell shapes in theblinds as mentioned earlier then do the work of trapping the air. Cellularshades can be constructed as double cell, single cell or triple cell shades. The single cell fabric has an R-value between 0.28 and 0.44 while the double cell fabric has a metric R-value between 0.49 and 0.70. A 6 mm thick single pane window has a metric R-value of 0.16.

R-Value and Windows

R-value is the measure of a give material’s resistance to heat flow and how it can resist heat or lose heat gain. It indicates that when a cellular shade has a higher R-Value, it will provide better insulation for your home. Ordinary windows usually have an R-Value assigned to them with a typical window having an R-Value of anywhere from .9 to3.0. A modern home’s insulation has an R-Value in the low 40s. In cellular shades, he well-accepted range of R-Values for their cell shades is 2.0 to 5.0. On the low end of the range means that cellular shades more than double the insulation value in your windows. At the high end, they even more than quintuple this insulation value. This is what makes cellular shades the most energy efficient window coverings you will get in the market. They can be found in a variety of fabrics as mentioned and therefore the R-Value is entirely based on which type of fabric used.

In winter, warm air from inside the home tries to escape through the windows and in summer the sun heats up your home and the rays flow through windows. Eventually, you will end up paying for all the extra energy consumption. Go make sure this does not happen, use cellular window treatments. Here is our quick guide to the energy saving effectiveness of cellular shades.

There are many factors that influence the R-Value of your windows including the process of installation, the type of material used for glazing, the number of layers of glass there are and the amount of air space between the glass layers of your windows.

Energy Saving Effectiveness of Cellular Shades

There are two numerical values that help you to easily compare the relative energy saving strengths of any kind of window treatment which are the R-Value and the Shading Coefficient. An example of a cellular shade with a high R-Value is the honeycomb cellular shade such as the Symphony line which has upper insulating values that can result into substantial energy savings year after year.

Shading coefficient is significant especially in hot weather. It is used to show the ability of a fabric to reduce heat flow from the outside through a window shade to inside the house. A shading coefficient of 0.35 means that 65 percent of the heat stays outside. During hot days, heat that comes in the house through window scan raise the room temperature by 15-20 degrees and result into an overworked air conditioner. A lower one how ever translates into lees gain of heat, more reflected heat and lower cooling costs for you.

When selecting your blinds and shades there are two more comfort-factors to consider first, the light transmission, UV and the light transmission, Visible. Light transmission UV may be invisible to the human eye but ultraviolet light that comes from the sun can fade wood floors, furniture and carpets after prolonged exposure. UV blockage ratings measure the ability of a fabric to prevent the harmful rays from passing through the shade. Light transmission Visible is the measure of the amount of light that pass through a shade that can be visible to the eye. When the value is low, then the shade will be more room darkening making it less likely for light to pass through it.

Cellular shades operating on side tracks can be the most effective at increasing the R-Value of windows, while those that open from both the top and bottom will allow you to most effectively control the amount of sunlight that enters the home. Other cellular shades aloe the option of automation. They allow the blind to open and close on a set schedule. This schedule can be optimized seasonally to reduce the loads of heating and cooling while at the same time maximizing natural light and the comfort of your home.

Unlike window blinds that are made of hard materials, cellular shades are made of soft paper and clothlike material. Spun lace and bonded polyester are also used but other fabrics can also be used during the process of manufacture. Just like all blinds, cellular shades can reduce solar gain in the summer and provide enough darkness for you to sleep. They are also raised and lowered horizontally using a string. They are however also available in cordless form to avoid any incidents of child strangulation.

So if you are looking to bolster your home with beautiful custom window treatments, while also reducing their utility bill in the process, cellular shades are the best option above every other window treatment.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission if you make a purchase using an affiliate link.

December 8, 2018

Staying Healthy While Traveling Abroad

Traveling can be fun but not if you become sick, prepare before traveling abroad by getting necessary vaccinations

The holidays are here, and most families have plans to go to various destinations. It is, therefore, reasonable to contemplate healthy traveling together with your family months before travel. It is good to take precaution to avoid any health problems. It is also important to ponder the following before going on any trips.

Travel Health

Do not be foolish and assume that you are immune to any disease on a vacation trip. A visit to your doctor will educate you on which injections are necessary before the vacation. To get a proper health travel cover, visiting the doctor months prior is needed to create time for getting all injections.

Including a First Aid Kit

It is wise to have a first aid kit for general emergencies, and to ensure you can maintain standard travel health. Let the first aid kit have painkillers, a bandage, anti-histamine, laxatives, Aloe Vera for burns and some oral rehydration salts to help recover from vomiting.

Anti-malarial

When traveling to tropical countries where mosquitoes are prevalent, taking anti-malarial before taking a trip will prevent you from any infections caused by mosquitoes. Anti-malaria will avoid the severe attack of malaria in case one is infected. Alternatively, you can carry a personal mosquito net, since they are easy to take, use and install. Insect repellent comes in handy, but the smell is considered awful by many.

Vaccination and Traveller’s Diarrhoea

Vaccinations are the safest ways to consider when following a travel health guide. Depending on which continent one is visiting. There are prescribed vaccines for particular places. However, common vaccines are Traveller’s Diarrhoea, Yellow fever, Hepatitis A and B and Cholera. Just recently the Travelers rotavirus diarrhoea vaccine started to be given. Hence most time when travelers ate local food like on desert and Africa safaris, they would treat with antibiotics they have in their first aid kit.

Jet Lag Meds

It is good to prepare for jet lag by having the medication at hand. Especially if you are traveling to a different continent. As much as it can be controlled, first-time travelers are unable to sustain the jet lag beat. Although jet lag meds are offered like melatonin supplements, this natural hormone assists your body to conform to the jet lag. Alternative remedies are, sleeping on the plane, avoiding alcoholic drinks and also taking a walk for fresh air.

Safe Sex

In consideration to the female traveler, it is better when you maintain birth control and a safe health regime when traveling. Since most people are known to be experimental while on travel, safe sex is encouraged especially for single people. Most people contact sexually transmitted diseases while on trips as various study shows. Hence it is important to always carry a condom despite the gender.

Differences in Health Care Abroad

At least some people fall ill when traveling abroad. The challenge, however, is not knowing where to access quality health care resources. Due to the unfamiliarity of the area and insurance covers not being accepted causes a lot of anxiousness. Sometimes the care provided abroad is not of a higher level as they would prefer. Hence, they are unsure whether to make informed decisions in regard to the services. Careful planning before travel is, therefore, necessary to avoid these claims.

Conclusion

A healthy traveler has more fun than a sick one. Hence the trip should have careful planning whether it’s for business, adventure or a family vacation. The above recommendations will ensure you stay healthy while traveling abroad.

Related: 10 Tips Before Travel h

10 American Customs Not To Do When Traveling Abroad

10 Tips You Must Do Before Traveling

What To Take When Traveling

December 7, 2018

Largest Platform for Online Counseling – BetterHelp

BetterHelp – online counseling which has helped millions

BetterHelp was found in 2013 and since then it took off as one among the leaders in the field of online therapy. BetterHelp has offered more than 2000 US-based licensed professionals which are certified in several help areas. However, it is not just the size of the service which has pushed more than 1,000,000 people to utilize the benefits of this platform. They excel in usability, personalization apart from the privacy, anonymity which is unprecedented.

Being that Betterhelp is the largest platform for online counseling, there is a lot of information about them, including e-counseling.com and its review. It’s there, along with many other sites, where you can find a detailed analysis of Betterhelp in order to get an idea of how they have helped millions suffering from mental health-related issues. This largest online counseling platform promises to assist anyone with the internet connection to talk to professional therapists.

More about BetterHelp

In case you’re experiencing different life challenges, the network of more than 1200 board-accredited and licensed counselors can let you navigate them by utilizing a tablet or a computer or a mobile phone. You just have to log in to the computer and communicate with the counselor at your own pace. BetterHelp claims to have assisted more than 250,000 customers till date. There is no denying the fact that online counseling is way more convenient than traditional counseling. But are they affordable enough?

BetterHelp – How much do they cost?

There are several opinions on the pricing options that BetterHelp offers. There is one part of this website which claims that you only have to pay $45 in a week but if you go through the fine print, you will see that the amount is actually $70 in a week. Moreover, there are other places where it has been written that the customers have to pay as less an amount as $35 in a week.

The official website of BetterHelp indicates that all sorts of subscriptions are billed on the basis of a month but there are also options where you can choose between monthly, weekly or quarterly options. First, you have to sign up for the trial period where you pay $280 before you’re given the chance to alter your subscription plan. Soon after the initial 7 days, the account rolls over to a subscription that keeps recurring and which can be canceled by just logging in the account. You can reach out to the counselors of BetterHelp and they can be reached through 20-minute phone sessions.

So, if you’re going through any kind of mental health issue, you needn’t fret as you can get help from the BetterHelp counselors.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission if
you make a purchase using an affiliate link.

…
Related:
4 Ways a Life Coach Can Help You & Your Family
4 Ways to Help Your Teenager to Live a Healthy and Balanced Life
6 Ways to Distress

December 6, 2018

Turning a Hobby into a Business

Have you ever thought about turning your hobby into a business?

I’m pretty sure you have that one activity you derive immense pleasure and fulfillment doing daily. Could be writing, cooking, painting, barbecuing, we could go on and on, the list is endless but it all boils down to the fact that you’re happy doing it. Most of the time, it could be all that is needed to light up your day that has so far been hellish. But you are so engrossed in the excitement that you barely think of monetizing it. For you, it’s the joy that it brings that’s most paramount. However, if you’ve ever thought about monetizing – converting your hobby into a business, then that’s quite thoughtful of you and I’ll be sharing with you 6 helpful tips that will give you a head start.

1. Understand the Business Potentials of Your Hobby
Before trying to turn your hobby into a business, it’s of utmost necessity that you look at the business prospects of the hobby. It’s the very first thing you should consider. If you venture into business without taking this into consideration, you are making a blind move and chances are, you are going to crash sooner or later. Is my hobby in demand? Are people constantly in need of what I’m about to sell? These are questions you should ask yourself. I’m not trying to sound like a pessimist or realist but trust me, the last thing you want is answering questions nobody gives a hoot about by selling something no one is interested in buying. So ask yourself, will people buy what I’m about to sell? Ask the people themselves too “hey guys! Are you going to buy this thing I intend selling?”

2. Get Terrific at Your Hobby
Whatever it is you love doing, be certain you are very good at it before you think of towing the business lane. Mediocrity is going outlandish and people love the extraordinary, so if you really want to sell, then you’ll be better for it by bringing your A-game to the table. Take out time to hone your hobby which from tip one above, you’ve realized its marketability, then gather resources and glean from them. What you do in business pre-season determines the goals you are going to score when the league kicks off. So use your pre-season to prepare very well.

3. Establish a Reputation
How many people know you are a hot-shot cook in your neighborhood? How many people are aware that the key to your happiness lies in counseling people all day? You see, when people know you for who you are, the journey becomes less stressful. Thinking about making some cash out of your hobby? Then gain a widespread reputation for what you do. Let them know you for who you are and they will run free publicity for you when you eventually start your business. This reputation can be gained by offering free services to people around your locality in preparation for the business on the pipeline, this shouldn’t be a problem if it’s really a hobby.

4. Start Your Plugging
Plugging is synonymous to pitching, publicizing, preaching or promoting whatever you do either by word of mouth, social media or proxy. Employ any means possible to get the word out on the street that you are very good at what you do. This is a sequel to building a reputation but the slight change here is that you are selling yourself to the entire public and telling them that you are an ace at what you do. Your reputation, on the other hand, is all about your activities in the neighborhood that’s silently building you a brand.

5. Get a Business Plan if Need Be
Not every money making venture requires a business plan. Before you raise your brows at me, do you need a business plan to start singing and getting paid for it? But you need a business plan if you love cooking and you’re about to open a cafeteria right? It’s all about the nature of your hobby and the business direction it’s leading you to. Basically, most businesses that demand capital investments go with a detailed plan. Write a business plan if necessary.

6. Don’t Quit Your Job Just Yet
Granted, the adrenaline rush is energetic and you can’t wait to stop working because it is said that “when you convert your hobby into a job, you won’t have to work a day in your life.” I had to paraphrase that to fit into the context, be that as it may, do not be tempted to quit your job. It takes time to fully turn a hobby into a full-time business. While carrying out all the listed tips above, retain your job. When things pan out fully, you can quit, but in the meantime, stick to your 9-5.

Conclusion
We all have various types of hobbies. You have and I do, but what matters most is what we do with them. Your hobby has the potential to make you rich. This can only be achieved if you develop that hobby of yours. You might love to sing, but if you don’t develop yourself in singing, your chances of monetizing it become slim, same goes for other hobbies.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission if
you make a purchase using an affiliate link.

…
Related:
Have You Ever Thought Of Working From Home
Want To be Your Own Boss-What Kind Of Business Works For You