Muhammad Mukarram Technical Services L.L.C

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Steps in Installing Air Conditioning and Heating

Many homes, due to their location or their age, do not have central AC or heat. Many people who buy an “outdated” home do not live in that prime place where no air or heat is needed. This means the homebuyer will have to install air conditioning and heating. When going from noisy window units (which almost always let drafts through the window) to a central system, there are several steps that must occur in order to install the system.

The first is selecting a unit. This may seem like an easy first step; however, there are many things to consider whenever purchasing a unit. The size of the home and the electrical system are the two main components. No one wants to purchase a unit that does not have the capacity to cool or heat their home. If this occurs, the unit will run constantly to try and maintain the set temperature. This will cause energy usage to rise; therefore, raising the power bill, something no one wants to happen. Also, the unit must be compatible with the electrical system. If the electrical capacity is not able to support the unit, it will not work properly, causing uneven electric currents to flow through the house, which can be a serious fire hazard.

Step two is deciding where the unit should be installed. Even if the purchased unit is guaranteed to be quieter than others, fans and compressors are still going to make noise. This should always be taken into consideration when determining the location. While many people may enjoy hearing the white noise the outside unit creates and finds that it lulls them to sleep, some will find it to be an annoying buzzing that keeps them tossing and turning into the early morning hours. If unsure about which effect it will have, it is best to talk to the contractor or technician installing the air conditioning and heating system about possible locations and whether it can be placed somewhere out of ear shot from a bedroom window or home office.

Lastly, is inspecting the duct work in the home. If a home has no ducts-as is the case with many homes that do not have central AC and heat-they will need to be installed. This involves cutting a hole in the ceiling of each room that is wished to have a vent and running the duct from the air conditioning and heating unit to the hole. Even if a home is already equipped with ducts, modifications or repairs may have to be made to ensure they work correctly and deliver the air (whether warm or cold) efficiently to each room, which is important in maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the house.

Some people may feel that installing air conditioning and heating to a home can be a real pain. However, if the proper steps are followed and a licensed contractor or technician is doing the installation, it truly does not have to be a hassle.

Source by Antoinette Ayana

When Do You Need to Wear Safety Goggles?

Safety goggles are a necessity for those who work in a place where there is a potential for eye injuries. It is important to wear the right kind of protective eye gear in environments where there are materials and chemicals being handled that can get into the eyes and damage them. In addition, some workplaces also require you to comply with OSHA requirements. it is very important that you protect your eyes and face against chemicals and radiological as well as mechanical irritants.

Maximum Protection

People who work in the construction industry and those who are involved in carpentry or medical care as well as electrical work are the ones that require maximum protection of their eyes. Even if you work in what is deemed a safe environment, it is important to protect your eyes from injuries. Here is a brief look as to why safety goggles are a necessity:

  • If you work in an environment where there is dust and metal as well as concrete or wood flying about, then you need protective eyewear
  • The same holds true for those who work in environments where liquid or gaseous chemicals are present
  • If you need to protect your eyes against radiation such as visible light or UV light or heat or even infrared and lasers, then you need protective eyewear
  • Safety goggles are also a necessity for those who are working in environments where there is presence of bloodborne pathogens such as HIV or hepatitis

OSHA Requirements

Your employer must shoulder the responsibility of providing you with the right kind of protective eyewear as laid down by the OSHA requirements. when choosing such items, it is important to look for certain features. These include:

  • The ability to withstand high impacts
  • The ability to protect your eyes and face by having a tight and form-fitting facial seal
  • The ability to protect your entire eyes against hazards that may be coming from any direction
  • The ability to be worn over your prescription glasses or contact lenses

Perfect Protection

Safety goggles that have the abovementioned features will proved perfect protection to your eyes. It is important that you remember to wear them at all times. The fact is the law states that you have to wear protective eyewear in any workplace where there is a presence of various eye hazards. Keep in mind that should you injure your eye, you will experience a lot of pain and in some cases, the damage may be permanent. So, it makes sense to protect your eyes at all times. It is also a good idea to keep in mind that eye injuries can happen at any time and they may also occur without any prior warnings. This is another reason to wear protective eyewear.

Safety the Number One Priority

It is important that your employer makes safety their number one priority at the workplace. If you would like to know whether your workplace requires the use of safety goggles, then you can consult the Advanced Safety & Health guidelines. It is also a good idea to consult a safety expert to find out whether or not you need to wear protective eyewear at your workplace.

Source by Young So

The Definition of Green

The word “Green” is not the omni-term for anything environmental although there is the tendency to substitute the word “Green” for “Environmental.” Environmentalism is to grand topic that has several subdivisions. Under this grand topic o environmentalism, we will find Green, Sustainable, Pollution, and Conservation. Each one of these subdivisions are immense subject on their own.

In the mash-up of words and concepts, we have lost the fundamental meaning of Green. Environmental, Green, or Sustainable now blur into that ugly green color that we made in kindergarten when we slurred all the colors into one big blob. We cannot progress when confusion reigns, and every science starts out with a definition of terms.

The best definition of Green refers to the health impact of what we do on living things. So Green is primarily a health-related issue. This is seen in the fact that cleaning products were the early Green issues. In fact, indoor air quality is a big factor in Green buildings. Sick building syndrome was the result of poor indoor air quality, which is the antithesis of Green.

Sustainability is also badly morphed into many applications, but essentially deals with the management of our resources. This is a complimentary issue to Green, so it a Green and Sustainable business means that the company considers the health of the workplace as well as the material demands of the business.

The health of the workplace can be impacted by cleaning products, building materials, furniture, as well as paint and carpeting. “Outgassing” is a well documented concern. The installation of new carpet, new furniture, new paint, and new wood leave residual fumes as these items continue to dry out. Your senses will betray you because we think that anything new is clean and healthy, but that is a huge mistake. The varnishes and additives to paint, carpet glue, and wood fall under the category of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are not good for you. If your health is comprised, these fumes can worsen your condition and hasten disease. If you are healthy, the long term exposure will wear you down in time.

Think of the dust that is recirculated that contains bacteria, virus, dust mite feces and scales, carbon from the copies, and so much more. It is a wonder that we aren’t sick all the time except that we are generally healthy and able to live in hostile environments for a long time.

The people who are supposed to help clean our facilities and protect our health through sanitizing processes are the janitors, but clean does not mean healthy. The ammonia in the window spray is harmful, the zinc in the floor finish is bad for humans, the numerous chemicals in the cleansers add to a worsening situation.

Mold is a persistent problem for many buildings. The mold spores are never good for the workers, and can become a crisis concern if untreated. Latent issues remain the in the HVAC system as well. It is fair to say that the air of any building is a kind of “Ground Zero” for any office or business. If the employees are negatively impacted, productivity will fall. Afternoon headache, occasional nausea, and lethargy can be signs of an unhealthy indoor air quality. So, while your building may be energy efficient, and you may be conserving water as well as recycling your trash (sustainability issues), the building may be very un-Green because it is unhealthy.

The Green Business League believes that a Green office starts with an understanding of the healthy office and a serious look at the components that compromise indoor air quality. Consider using a Green certified janitorial service that also uses Green cleaning products, microfiber cloths, and HEPA vacuums. Do not let mold go untreated. Be mindful of all paint, carpet, and furniture used in the facility because they introduce a large volume of gases into the air.

Green is a primarily a health-related issue that blends into the other topics of sustainability, pollution control, and conservation. By dividing out the topics properly, the plan of attack seem much more clear. To attack the issue in a methodic manner, businesses should considering “Going Green” first then moving into the sustainable issues. The early disdain for the word Green comes from the anti-business attitudes of ultra-conservationists that needed a target for their vitriol. Green is not an anti-business concept when properly understood. A Green business is one that is a good place for living things in the workplace, in the community, and in the world.

Source by Michael Richmond

Health Benefits of Marble Tiles in Homes

Natural stones like marble are famous for adding a sophisticated touch to homes and buildings, and its excellent appearance, superior natural characteristics, and ease of installation and maintenance make it a preferred material for use in floors, wall coverings, table tops, vanity tops, tub decks and bathroom walls and showers.

These types of materials are available in a wide variety of colors, designs and patterns. Since this is a natural stone, homeowners should allow for some minor variations in color among the different tile variants.

Effective Materials For Keeping Away Bacteria

Marble floor tiles are famous for being very conducive in keeping particular areas of the home free from the infestation of allergens and pathogens, because it has an ability of being able to keep microscopic particles from thriving and finding living space on the surface. These tile variants make it hard for bacteria and microscopic germs to live in it, which makes it xplains why it is relatively easy to clean. For daily maintenance, all you need is a clean cloth and permitted detergent, for your tiles to look as good as new.

These floors are also renowned for providing a cool, relaxing walking surface, particularly in the areas of the house that are generally hot and humid. This is because these materials are able to retain the cold temperature of its surroundings. In addition, these tiles do not need as much cleaning, because for one, is resistant to moisture, and also shines naturally, which does not necessitate daily waxing.

Affordable Elegance In Homes

Marble flooring producers and dealers often use terms like “understated,” “elegant”, “refined”, and “modern affordability” to describe their product, and these words surely possess all those aspects. This natural stone requires little care and maintenance. It ages beautifully and is able to withstand heavy use and traffic.

However, some measures need to be taken to preserve the beauty of these tiles in your home: Use trivets under hot pots, kettles and pans, as materials like ceramics and china are likely to etch these surfaces.

Certain types of food and drinks contain acids, like citrus, tomato, etc, and these can dull the marble’s surface. In effectively cleaning these floors, use a dry dust mop and try to minimize the amount of sand, dirt, and debris that reside or come into contact with these tiles. In cleaning a bath or shower with marble tiles, utilize a non-acidic detergent or solution consisting of ammonia and water.

With minimal daily cleaning and long-term upkeep, these flooring materials in your home are sure to provide years of elegance and affordable functionality. The two most popular tiles for homes are marble and granite. However, both these materials are quite expensive but they make the home or building look grander and more alluring. In addition, real estate agents find it easier to sell homes with marble and granite tiles for a lot more money.

The positive aspect of using these materials for flooring, is that they are very durable and resistant to wear and tear. Marble and granite flooring materials also possess the advantage of being water-resistant, which makes them preferred for installation in bathrooms too.

http://tilenet.net – Tilenet

Source by Vanessa A. Doctor

Selecting and Maintaining Steam Filters for Industrial Applications

Steam filtration is a vital part of any industrial application requiring steam as an energy source, whether it’s for driving mechanical processes, heating, or sterilization. Steam is an inherently dirty resource commonly contaminated with rust, scale and other particulates. The maintenance program for any steam-based system should always include a filtration component to protect each aspect of your system from contamination.

In industry steam is commonly used in processes for a variety of applications. Generally speaking, you can divide the industrial use of steam of its various forms into several categories, each of which exhibits specific process requirements:

  • Process steam for energy transfer for such applications as thermostatic and pressure controls, or energy for driving mechanical processes;

  • Culinary steam as used for food & beverage processing;

  • Superheated steam is typically found in mechanical applications that rely on its considerable energy, such as electrical power production and other mechanical processes, as well as antimicrobial applications;

  • Saturated steam, like superheated steam, drives mechanical processes and provides heat energy for thermostatic processes, such as cleaning and sterilization;Dry saturated steam processes are routinely found in pharmaceutical and petrochemical applications, as well as food and beverage processing;

  • In-situ sterilization relies on steam to sterilize-in-place components of a sterile system without having to change or disassemble the system thereafter, thereby maintaining absolute sterility;

  • In-situ cleaning is similar to in-situ sterilization without the absolute purification requirement.

No matter the application, there is great need for contaminant-free steam to protect downstream equipment or processes from scale, rust, and other particulates. One significant application is sterilization. By design sterile filters for compressed air or gas systems remove bacterial and viral contaminants from the compressed air source prior to application. To effectively perform this function, you must first sterilize the sterile filter and its element prior to use. Moreover, you must re-sterilize the filter every day, as well as each time you shut down the system whether for maintenance or otherwise. One effective way of sterilizing the filters in-situ is to use steam to ready the units. Introducing steam, however, also brings forth contaminants commonly found in steam sources, such as dirt, rust, and scale particulates; contaminants that will dramatically reduce the life and efficiency of the sterile filter element as its design serves to remove the aforementioned biological contaminants and not the larger coarse contaminants found in sourced steam. Steam filters will effectively remove those coarse particulates prior to the steam being introduced to the sterile filters for in-situ sterilization, thereby increasing their functional life.

Steam filter housings are necessarily manufactured of stainless steel to ensure housing integrity when operating in the rigorous environmental conditions of compressed steam sources. Lesser materials, such as aluminum or polycarbonate, are generally not suitable for steam environments. Steam filters are typically available with NPT, flange, sanitary, or stub-end connections with pipe sizes ranging from 1/2″ to 12″. Likewise, the steam filter elements are available in stainless steel combining stainless steel end caps with a porous sintered stainless steel filtration media. The sintered stainless steel element media is available in a variety of pore sizes, typically ranging from 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 25, 40 and 50 microns, depending on your filtration requirements.

Key Factors for Sizing Filters for Your Application

When determining the proper steam filter size and its micron retention rating, you must collect specific details as they relate to your application:

  • Determine the maximum allowable pore size. Keep in mind that selecting a pore size smaller than required will reduce your steam filter’s element service life, as well as create a higher pressure drop. A larger pore size than required will effectively reduce the service life and efficiency of your sterile filter installed thereafter;

  • Steam flow rate of your system in either lb/hr or kg/hr;

  • Steam pressure as measured psi or bar;

  • Allowable pressure drop for a new/clean element as measured in psi or bar. For this specification, we recommend a pressure drop of no more than 1.0 psi or 0.07 bar, as a higher pressure drop will reduce the effective life of the steam filter element;

  • Nominal Pipe Size (NPS) for the inlet and discharge of the installed filter, as well as the connection type (i.e. NPT, flange, sanitary connection, or stub-end).

Cleaning You Steam Filter Elements

Depending on contaminant type, you can safely and effectively clean your sintered stainless steel steam filter elements using a diluted hydrochloric acid solution, ultrasonic bath, water, or air. Typically, you will clean your installed steam filter element when the differential pressure reaches 15 psi or 1.0 bar. A steam filter element will have reached the end of its effective service life when the “cleaned” unit can only maintain a pressure drop that meets or exceeds 10 psi or 0.7 bar.

Whatever your system application or steam requirements, steam filters protect your equipment and downstream processes, as well as your final product in some cases, and are critical to maintain system viability and maximize performance at the lowest possible cost. Their function is invaluable, and properly selected, applied, and maintained will considerably extend the component life of downstream equipment, as well as protect your final product from unwanted contamination.

Source by T. M. Witengier

Famous HVAC Air Duct Scenes in Movies

HVAC air ducts have provided protagonists and antagonists means of escape, sneaky entrances, and surprise attacks in movies. While the scenes in these movies may not be completely realistic to real life standards, they’re still enjoyable and entertaining to watch. Below are a few scenes in which an HVAC air duct was used in a crafty way by movie characters.

Mission Impossible

Perhaps the most infamous scene from the Mission Impossible series is Tom Cruise’s character being lowered into the white control room at Langley. Given the tight security surrounding this mission, Tom Cruise’s character can’t simply waltz through the front door. The air duct gives him access from the ceiling to retrieve the information without triggering any alarms. During the scene we see his accomplice lowering him down from the safety of the immensely strong and study air duct above.

The Fifth Element

In this wacky sci-fi movie, an alien is transformed into a human female. After her transformation is complete, she’s completely bewildered, confused, and scared. In order to escape those trying to capture her, she leaps head first into an air duct. There she navigates the tunnels searching for a way out. This character also tries to escape through an air vent in the climax of the film, but soon realizes the vent is circular and there’s no way out. Needless to say, ventilation sure comes in handy when this otherworldly creature is looking for escape.

Alien

Alien is unique in that the antagonist (the alien) is the one using the ventilation system to navigate and surprise her prey. This scenario stretches the truth to its limit, since we can guess that the alien likely weighs near one ton and spits acid. These two factors combined make it highly unlikely that the alien could be properly supported in this fashion, but then again, it does make the film thrilling and suspenseful.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club inserted a bit of truth into their HVAC air duct escape scene. After rebellious character Bender is locked away in the broom closet for misbehaving, he escapes through the duct above the hallways. Once he’s over the library, where all the other students are, the duct caves and he falls through. Since most airways likely can’t support the weight of a human, this is the most realistic scene on the list. The collapse also provides a funny punchline for Bender’s unfinished joke.

Resident Evil

A group of agents enter an underground facility that’s been shut down due to a virus outbreak. Once the group realizes the virus has turned the dead into walking zombies, they scramble for a way to exit the underground facility safely. Navigating through hallways, laboratory rooms, and utility tunnels, the group finally makes their way through an air shaft to reach safety and evade the hungry zombies.

Though escape through an HVAC air ventilation system isn’t likely your best bet in real life, it makes for a thrilling and entertaining escape in movies. We’re likely to see many more sneaky crawls through airways to come in the future.

Source by Andrew Stratton

Air Conditioning Maintenance and Tips

Air Conditioning Maintenance

Your air conditioning unit needs to be well maintained to keep functioning and operating right. You really do not want to have a broken down unit when you need it the most. There are simple things you can do to maintain your air conditioner to prevent damages that call for repair and replacements. On the other hand, you can call in professionals to do regular maintenance services on your units to enjoy more efficiency and enjoy long service without the need for replacements.

When you choose to do the maintenance tasks you can handle, ensure that you shut the power before doing anything to the unit. If you are not very sure of what needs to be done, always get a professional to handle the maintenance for the best results. Remember that wrongly handling the unit can lead to new issues developing. Below is a guide to how you can handle the AC maintenance.

1. Clean and replace air filter

If you have a reusable filter, then you should consider regular cleaning. Winter and summer are seasons when the AC is highly used and you can so the cleaning every month during the season. In spring and fall, a single cleaning will do the trick. Cleaning gets rid of allergen particles, dirt and dust that can hinder proper airflow of the system. If need be, then replace the filter or hire air conditioning repair services to help you out.

2. Examine the thermostat

As part of regular maintenance, you should keep a close eye on the thermostat. It should work properly all through so that your home enjoys appropriate temperatures. A good tip is to upgrade a mechanical type thermostat with a programmable model. This will give you an easier time controlling the temperatures around your home to create the most comfortable environment. It is a feature that can also save energy and running costs for your home unit.

3. Check the condensing unit

The fan mounted on the condenser unit should be in good condition and you need to check on a regular basis to confirm. If the fan blades have any chips and cracks, then they should be replaced. For older units you will need to oil fan motor bearings on a regular basis. In the condensing unit, you should look for signs of overheating such as burned wires, blackened or melted insulation on the wires. For such repairs you should let a professional handle.

4. Check unit wiring

An AC unit has electrical connections and they should be part of the areas that you check when doing your maintenance checks. Check unit capacitor using an electrical test meter and check the contractor switch for excessive pitting that might call for replacing. Your local air conditioning expert can help in doing any wiring and component repairs necessary.

5. Clean the outer part of the unit

Dirt and dust are some of most common buildups on the unit and they significantly reduce air flow and system capacity. Shut the power off and remove debris using a garden hose. When cleaning, handle the coils gently so you do not damage or bend the delicate fins.

Air Conditioning repairs and maintenance are very important to keep your unit running efficiently, sufficiently and for longer. Choose reliable service providers to keep your unit in perfect condition.

Source by Ron Meade

Winter RV Battery Storage

The two most common causes for RV battery failure are undercharging and overcharging.

Undercharging is a result of batteries being repeatedly discharged and not fully recharged between cycles. If a battery is not recharged the sulfate material that attaches to the discharged portions of the plates begins to harden into crystals. Over time this sulfate cannot be converted back into active plate material and the battery is ruined. This also occurs when a battery remains discharged for an extended period of time, like during storage. Sulfation is the number one cause of battery failure. The second leading cause of battery failure is overcharging. Overcharging batteries results in severe water loss and plate corrosion. With that said let’s look at how to properly store your RV batteries.

Before we talk about storing the batteries we need to talk about battery safety. Lead acid batteries contain sulfuric acid which is extremely corrosive and can cause severe burns or even blindness. And the hydrogen gas that batteries produce when they’re charging is very explosive. When you work around batteries you need to wear goggles and gloves, remove all jewelry and do not smoke or use any open flames.

Caution: If you accidentally get battery acid on your skin, flush it with lots of water and if it gets in your eyes flush with low pressure water for 15 minutes and call a doctor.

When you put the RV in long term storage it’s a good idea to remove the batteries and put them in storage too. This is quite simple to do. The first thing we want to do is visually inspect the batteries for any obvious damage. Any fluid on or around the battery may be an indication that electrolyte is leaking from the battery. A damaged or leaking battery should be replaced immediately. Whenever you remove any battery always remember to remove the negative terminal or cable first, and then the positive cable.

Battery Tip: When you remove a battery turn off the ignition switch, all electrical switches, and any battery disconnect switches before you disconnect the battery cables. Whenever you remove any battery cables label them first so you remember how they go back on the battery. When you reinstall the battery do it in the reverse order. Install the positive cable first and then the negative cable.

Clean the batteries with a 50/50 mixture of baking soda and water if necessary, i.e. use one pound of baking soda to one gallon of water. Now you can check the electrolyte level in each cell and add distilled water if necessary. The minimum level required is at the top of the plates. If it’s below the plates add enough distilled water to cover the plates before you charge the battery.

Test the battery state of charge with a voltmeter or hydrometer and charge any batteries that are at or below 80%. An 80% charge is approximately 12.5 volts for a 12 volt battery and 6.25 volts for a 6 volt battery. Lead sulfation starts when a battery state of charge drops below 80%. After charging the batteries check and fill each cell to 1/8 inch below the fill well with distilled water. Overfilling cells will cause battery acid to overflow.

Caution: Batteries should only be charged in a well ventilated area and keep any sparks and open flames away from a battery being charged. Check the electrolyte levels before and after charging batteries.

A discharged or partially charged battery will freeze much faster than a charged battery. Store the batteries in a cool dry place but not where they could freeze. Batteries in storage will loose a percentage of current through internal leakage. It’s not uncommon for a battery to discharge up to 10% a month when it is being stored. Cold temperatures slow this natural discharge process down and warmer temperatures speed the process up. Test the

stored battery state of charge every month and charge batteries that are at or below an 80% state of charge.

Completely charge the batteries before re-installing them next spring. For optimum performance you can equalize the batteries after they are fully charged. An equalizing charge is an increase in charging voltage similar to a bulk charge to convert any crystallized lead sulfate back into its original components.

If you decide to leave the batteries in the RV while it is in storage remember to check the state of charge monthly and charge any batteries at or below an 80% charge. Some RV converter multi-stage chargers and aftermarket chargers are designed to maintain a float charge on the battery without removing the batteries from the RV. Remember, for the converter charger to work the RV will need to be plugged in to electricity.

For more information on RV batteries check out our Deep Cycle Battery Care & Maintenance DVD.

Happy Camping,

Mark Polk

Copyright 2007 by Mark J. Polk, owner of RV Education 101

Source by Mark Polk

Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship

Owning a successful business is no longer reserved for a lucky few. It is because there are some rules followed by those successful business people in making the business people to climb the richness ladder with assurance and comfort ability although any business is about risking and that the higher the risk the higher the reward or profit.

When you want to startup a business you first must have an idea, example of business ideas are like opening up a hairdresser, opens a salon, a shop and much. Generally, people do make huge mistake. Just because they are thinking about the job and not the business. Only because you are a good chef does not mean you know how to run a restaurant. More important, it does not mean a restaurant would be successful in your market. So you have to clearly assess and evaluate your business idea before implementing it.

Business wise you have to make sure that what you are going to produce Is it a product or service they have fallen in love with. Again, just because you love something does not mean a profitable business will come of it. This is especially true for first-time entrepreneurs. Learning how to run a business is hard enough; you don’t need to make it any harder by doing something you love rather than something customers love paying you a good profit for or producing what you want instead of what they want.

There are some guidelines on how you are sure that your intriguing idea is also something from which you can truly make a profit? There are three essential considerations one has to bear in mind.

Make sure the product or service has a repeat buy. This is by far the most important aspect of long-term business success. You have to have a product or service that people will keep buying. It is better and more profitable, in my opinion, to have a pool cleaning company than a pool building company. Put another way, a business owner should focus on getting a customer once, but making a profit from that person for a very long time.

Be certain you have a high profit margin.

There are very few companies that can compete long term on a “we are cheaper” marketing platform. In any new business, you need to watch your cash flow–and if you are trying to work with low profit margins and make gains in volume, you will need to have a high level of working capital to keep you running through the lean profits early on. Having a higher margin is extremely important when you are growing a business so you can self-finance your growth.

Build a strong support team because a good idea is not enough. The idea counts most, yet a quality idea must still have a great team of people behind it to give it wings. Time after time, when people bring me a business investment proposal or an idea they want to take to market, I ask them who is on their team and they respond with something crazy like, “Oh, we have not hired anyone yet.” Get a board of advisers. Get a team of professional accountants, coaches, lawyers and bankers. A great team will greatly improve the chances for success of any business.

Now if I were going into business today, to be sure of the market what would I choose? I would start with one premise and some hot industries. Here the premise is, you do not make money panning for gold, and you make money selling pans. Get in the way of a buying frenzy, and you will be a success. Therefore the fastest way to make a restaurant profitable is not by having a great chef and great decor or big buildings it is by attracting a starving crowd with money so that they can eat the food in exchange for their money.

In other words look for an idea you can take national or, even better, global at some stage. Although it might be fun and a challenge to establish yourself locally right now, but eventually you’ll want to build something much bigger for the future and also expand you business.

Source by Peter Temu

Food Court Design – Tips to Start a Good Project

There are several factors to be taken into consideration before we start to design a food court, the first factor being what sort of building it will be located in.

A big suburban shopping center will require a design different from a smaller mall located in the CBD – where most of the foot-traffic comes between 12 and 2pm – which will also be different from an airport food court, where time can also be a constrain with several peaks occurring at different times. The “surroundings” of the food court will influence its size, shape and the location of the area within the building.

The size for a food court is usually delineated by two main measurable elements: a proportion of the leasable space in the building is and the catchment area of the development – to be taken into consideration on the first design concept. There are other non-quantifiable factors which will also influence the project, such as planned expansions and mix variations which shall be taken into account from day one. With some historic activities in the retail industry facing drastic reductions in trading revenues and store area, young women’s clothing is losing space rapidly to online transactions and other activities are just disappearing Hospitality and entertainment are options lessors will look into to fill up the gaps.

Location of a food court: Take an airport, where you have some time to kill either waiting for your flight or for an arrival. After walking a long stretch from the car-park and checking the arrivals and departures screens, customers usually wander around for a bit, walking by the traditional book shop, t-shirt store, or gift and souvenir before stopping by the gate and waiting. As food courts attract more customers than traditional retail shops and offer seating, it would be unwise to locate it in front of the departure or arrivals gates as it would retain customers away from the other shops, decreasing revenue and in consequence, rentals. It would also certainly contribute to create a congestion in key areas of the airport. Spreading up people evenly through a transportation hub helps with security, air conditioning balance and comfortable transit. Same basic rules apply to malls and the big difference would be: customers usually do not have two main destinations as in an airport.

Shapes: Corridor, cul-de-sac, square, crescent, I’m sure you have came across food courts of all configurations and forms. The typical “corridor” type with services lined on both sides can be cost effective for the developer but it’s boring and uncomfortable for customers and operators. Concentration of services tend to reduce installation and maintenance costs but can also bite the developer back once their required to make an alteration to accommodate a new operator. Cul-de-sac can also be kind on installation costs but it does not leave room for expansion or changes; the mall is landlocked and the only way to expand is taking down other tenancies. Our big old square is roomy, versatile, bit harder to clean and costly to install, but alterations are less painful.

In recent years and on amalgamation and adaptation of existing buildings into malls and food courts, we observed the tendency of clusters of smaller food courts. Sometimes dictated by technical restrictions or incapacity of the building on accommodating a large number of people in a single area, the clusters have a bit of a charm as they do not look as busy or as noisy as big areas do. The right mix of operators can put together similar customers creating a more friendly and “personalized” environment.

Another golden rule is to try as much as possible to keep the food court outline simple; just avoid “interesting” shapes, as it can make the interaction and crossing of services complicated, which will increase installation price and create difficult maintenance. Keep the backbone of the food court design plain and simple and the project will flow naturally.

Source by Hugo G Damasceno