Spring Field Bran Son Homes Improvement Tips

Archive for August, 2011

WHEN YOU GO ON VACATION

· Remember, unless there is a Cop reading this over your shoulder, YOU ARE NOT SAFE! The police do a pretty good job of SOLVING crimes. They cannot PREVENT crimes. The your safety, the safety of your family, and the protection of your property is YOUR responsibility.

· One of the times your home is most vulnerable is when it is left empty for an extended period of time. Darkened windows, mail or newspapers collecting and closed windows in hotter weather all advertise your absence to a potential burglar.

· The best protection for your apartment during your absence is to have a house sitter. A friend you trust staying at your house can take care of your pets and/or plants in addition to making sure the house is inhabited.

· Have a neighbor check on your apartment while you’re away — turning on lights, radios or TVs and opening and closing curtains will give your apartment the appearance of someone home.
Read the rest of this entry »

Two generations of brothers had run the Mathis Brothers company in over 50 years of its operations. It was founded back in 1955 by Don and Bud Mathis who learned about the furniture business by helping their parents in their own furniture shop. It became a big company even when Bud left the management entirely to Don as he wanted to pursue a different business. Don did well in managing the company but he wasn’t able to make it expand further to reach out to more people. The company’s headquarters is in Oklahoma, Oklahoma and it’s single showroom during his leadership was based there. He made it an inviting place for people who want to look for pieces of furniture and he actually did a great job as many people already know the company and it’s the first place they go to when in need of new furniture for their homes or office. He offered sale prices seasonally and they get a huge amount of customers during those times.

In 1988, the Mathis Brothers company was turned over to his two sons Bill & Larry who used to help him out at the showroom too when they were little. He sold the company to them as he was about to retire. But, 4 years later the hardworking guy had to do something and he bought Factory Direct which is a mattress factory that made mattress purchase a lot more fun as his customers can see exactly how their ordered mattresses are manufactured. From 1988, the company had experienced a lot of big changes.

The Mathis Brothers company had expanded to 3 more store locations. Aside from their store in Oklahoma City, they also have one in Tulsa City and two more in California namely in Indio and Ontario, California. This had increased the annual revenue of the company as they are not stuck with the same group of families in Oklahoma City who don’t purchase furniture daily. By expanding to 3 more cities they now have more purchases. But that’s not all that Bill and Larry had in mind. They also wanted to give the sale prices that attract more customers to come in and offer it on a daily basis. The low price every day strategy works like a charm as people go to their showrooms to see what pieces of furniture they have and just how low the prices are. They now have over 3,000 employees with majority working on customer relations. They hire interior designers to help their customers in their selections. Also, they put up their own website for easier transaction as they can just order online and get their pieces of furniture a few days later as it is delivered at their doors in excellent condition.

Insulating your home is pure and simple the number one way to save money on energy costs. In the old days floors and walls were lined with just about anything to keep the moisture and cold air out of home. Renovations have revealed that even old newspapers were found packed into wall and floor boards.

Today insulating is a science all its own. There are R-factors assigned to different material and methods of insulating that give homes and buildings an appropriate amount of protection for their geographic region. The higher the R rating, the better insulated the home.

One of the top rated insulations is relatively new to the industry – probably no more than a couple of decades old – and that is blow in insulation.

The Benefits of Blow In Insulation

There are several benefits to blow in insulation over rolls of fibreglass insulation. The benefits include the method of installing it, its energy efficiency and where it can be used. Here are the top 5 reasons to consider using blow in insulation:

1. Blow in insulation is adjustable. Depending on how much material is used, it can create a protection with an R value of 15-38.

2. Only virgin materials are used to create most blow-in varieties of insulation. This means there a reduced chance of allergies.

3. Blowing the material into the crevices allows for a tighter fit and seal. It can be directed around corners, beams, or wiring that may already be in the walls.

4. Installing blow in insulation is fast. A barrier, referred to as a blanket is stapled to all of the 2x4s to keep the material from floating away and adhering where it isn’t wanted. Then a small slit is cut into the blanket. A hose is inserted and measured amounts of the insulation are blown into place.

5. This type of insulation is extremely energy efficient. As it is blown in it expands and adheres to the surrounding surfaces. It fills even the tiniest of cracks as it does this.
Read the rest of this entry »

It’s vital to start the process of having a hassle-free garden. This article gives you that first step and helps achieve some sound understanding of what you face as a weekend gardener. Our goal is to create a garden that practically takes care of itself.

Unlike my neighbor, Fred.

Fred never found a way to escape the prison of responsibilities and hard, never-ending work required by a high-maintenance garden.

If you want to avoid Fred’s fate, you need to start by making a critical examination of the maintenance of your yard and garden.

Start by taking a stroll around your property and make note of how much time you take to tend to various areas.

• Which plants require the most care, right now?
• Are there areas that please you and take less care?
• Are there some areas that you love so much that no matter how much maintenance they take you’d not want to change them?
• Can you visualize any areas being scaled down in size, or that can be improved with a low-maintenance design or gardening technique?
• Where is the problem weeding area?
• Which is the most difficult mowing area of your lawn?
Read the rest of this entry »