Muhammad Mukarram Technical Services L.L.C

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Tips On How To Maintain Your Septic Tank

Septic systems are important, especially in rural areas. Septic systems are sewage systems but on a smaller scale. They do not have any connection with the main sewage system.

An important part of the septic system is the septic tank. It is big enough to hold between 4000 to 7000 liters of water. They are usually underground tanks, which are connected to an underground pipe at one end that allows the sewage to flow in. it is connect to another pipe at the other end that allows the filtered water to flow out. It is this component of a septic system that needs the most maintenance.

A septic tank may not seem that important to you, but if you do not maintain it, it will cost you a lot. Some of the common problems that you may face if you do not maintain it:

1. When a lot of cooking oils and grease enter the tank, it tends to block the inlet drains. Oils and grease are quite hard to degrade. If you get a bad odor from the tank, it is due to the oil and grease.

2. All waste is not biodegradable. Waste like cigarette butts, sanitary towels, paper towels, and cotton ear buds do not disintegrate and clog up the septic tank. You should find another way to dispose of this kind of waste.

3. Chemicals like the ones found in pesticides, herbicides, paints, and solvents have a damaging effect on the septic tank. Try to avoid these chemicals from entering it.

4. Cut down any shrubs or trees that may be growing above the tank. The roots clog the drain or even crack the tank.

5. Check the tank regularly for any signs of leaks in the plumbing. Ensure that you get it repaired immediately.

Damages are unavoidable, but do make sure that you opt for a good contractor for the job. With a little effort you will find one. You can check the internet for the names of a few contactors. Even if there are no repairs, you can contact these contractors for the maintenance of your tank.

It is advisable that you get an estimate of how much the entire job will cost you. Do not opt for the first contractor you come across.

Do you need a contractor for septic tank maintenance, Atlanta? You could contact RooterPlus for more details.

Source by Orson Dixon

Five Companies With Which to Register for REO Trash-Out and Foreclosure Clean Up Jobs

Many smaller foreclosure clean up businesses get work from larger mortgage field services companies. The trash-out and foreclosure clean up industry is on the rise, as is evident in foreclosure industry reporting data from sources like RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosures. According to RealtyTrac, 3,825,637 foreclosure filings were reported in 2010 on U.S. properties. That’s a double digit increase from the year 2008.

Foreclosure clean up companies handle the clearing out, cleaning up and ongoing interior and exterior maintenance of homes that have been foreclosed upon by banks and mortgage companies. Services offered by foreclosure clean up companies can include a wide spectrum of services, well beyond cleaning. Services offered by these businesses include cleaning, debris removal, painting, minor repairs, lawn maintenance, applying tarps to roofs and full roof repairs, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, one-time and ongoing inspections, vehicle removal, tree cutting, winterization, lock changing, window and door boarding, and more.

Establish Your Foreclosure Cleaning Enterprise First

Many smaller foreclosure clean up companies get work from property preservation companies. While there are a plethora of property preservation companies in existence, it can be a time-consuming process signing up with all of these entities. The best way to start getting work is to establish your business with the proper license, insurance, and equipment.

Your License: Often a business occupational license from your county’s County Clerk Office is what is needed. Each county is unique, so call your government office that handles business licensing in your county to find out what type of license you will need based on the services you choose to offer.

The Business Insurance: Next, contact a local insurance agency and discuss your business so you can best determine the type of coverage your company will need. At minimum, you will need liability insurance coverage. Also plan to discuss securing workmen’s compensation insurance and the appropriate coverage for your vehicle.

Preparing for Equipment: There are a few routes you can take when it comes to getting equipment for your business. You can either a) purchase equipment, b) rent equipment, or c) use the equipment you already have on hand in your garage or basement to start your business. Plan equipment based on the services you plan to offer in your business.

NOTE: If you niche your services, or offer one-stop shop services based on subcontracting or referring out services, you will need limited equipment to start. However, if you choose to become a one-stop shop and do everything yourself, you will need more equipment. Keep this in mind as you plan your business and equipment needs.

After you have properly researched the industry, planned your business and marketing strategies, secured proper license and insurance, and have your equipment needs in order, it will be time to start signing up for work.

The best way to start is to register your business with larger property preservation companies. Below is a list of five large property preservation companies. Contact them for their vendor packets and start signing up your company so you’re part of their databases.

List of Five Top Property Preservation Companies with Which to Register

1. Mortgage Contracting Services, LLC: A national property preservation and inspection company founded in 1986. (Website: mcs360 DOT com)

2. Cyprexx Services: Cyprexx is a national field services business that provides property preservation, inspection, repair and maintenance services to some of the largest financial organizations, government institutions, asset management corporations, and brokers in the U.S. (Internet Address: cyprexx DOT com)

3. Five Brothers: This company has been in business for more than 40 years providing property preservation, inspection, and REO management-related services. (Website: fivebrms DOT com)

4. Field Asset Services, Inc.: Field Asset Services is an REO asset management servicing and property preservation company responsible for more than 7.3 billion dollars in residences on behalf of almost 30 major nationwide clients. They regularly care for 120,000 plus properties. (Site: fieldassets DOT com)

5. Lenders Asset Management Corp. (“LAMCO”): LAMCO has been in existence since 1989 providing residential REO asset management and outsourcing solutions for national lending institutions, banks, servicers, and investment firms. (Web: lendersreo DOT com)

Planning for Property Preservation Tests

When you register your foreclosure clean up business with these large property preservation companies, be prepared to show proof of insurance, business registration, and quite possibly be prepared to take a property preservation quiz. Most of these quizzes are straight-forward tests that simply judge your comprehension of basic industry terms and tasks. Much of the test information is quickly available online — if you don’t already know it.

Foreclosure Clean Up Jobs for Years to Come

Remember, once you get registered with these companies and your credentials check out, these larger entities can provide your company with bulk foreclosure cleaning work for years to come.

Much success registering your REO trash-out business with these companies for foreclosure clean up jobs!

For a larger list of property preservation companies and other key businesses with which to register for foreclosure cleaning and REO trash-out work (with direct vendor job links), see the Property Preservation & Real Estate Industry Contracting and Subcontracting Directory.

Source by Cassandra Black

How to Save Money on Plumbing Repairs

If you are looking to save money on plumbing repairs, you are not alone. Maintaining your home is an inevitable part of every homeowner’s responsibility. Even if you are very diligent at properly maintaining your house, eventually, something will break and you will need to fix or replace it. Household plumbing is included in this list of things that eventually breaks and when it happens, you will want to get the best possible deal for repairing the situation.

Wouldn’t it be much simpler and less expensive if you had basic plumbing skills and the tools to go along with any repair that may surface in your home? The next best thing is to keep up with preventative maintenance so that you don’t have to resort to calling an emergency plumber when the toilet clogs or when the kitchen sink won’t drain anymore. Since the most frequent plumber calls have something to do with clogged drains that create floods, it is only natural to make sure your drains and toilets are free of grease, hair, food scraps, children’s toys and towels.

In the kitchen, to avoid grease build up, don’t be pouring fat down the drain! Even better, go vegetarian and avoid the grease and oil from unhealthy foods…but I digress! Actually, if you regularly pour boiling water mixed with a degreaser down the drain, it will greatly improve your chances of keeping your drains clean. As for hair, you can buy an inexpensive trap that you can simply clean every so often.

Another category of preventative plumbing you can do at home is to install water saving fixtures in your home. Unless you have your own septic bed and well, water and sewage treatment can cost you dearly, especially in large cities. If you reduce your consumption of water, you will instantly save money. Many fixtures today are designed to save energy and money. All you need to do is to look out for these fixtures and install them or get them installed in your home.

Of course, if there is something in your home that really needs to be repaired and you are not sure how to go about it, it is definitely time to call a trusted plumber. To reduce your costs for plumbing work, ask for a quote ahead of time and try to be as flexible as possible as to when you want the repairs done. Many plumbers will negotiate if you are lenient as to when he can come and do the repairs. It doesn’t hurt to ask!

Source by Sophia Rodriguez

What Are Micro Switches Used for?

WHAT IS A MICRO SWITCH?

Microswitches are electrical switches operated mechanically that open and close sets of shifting contacts inside an electrical unit.

HOW DOES A MICRO SWITCH WORK?

Equipped with an actuator/ plunger and terminals, it snaps into action in case of alterations in the electrical unit by way of a spring and a stiff metal strip.

The metal strip moves back and forth in response to any changes out of the ordinary. The common terminal is usually connected to power. Subsequently, power runs through the switch. As power passes by, the spring is energized. It sends off power to the close pin. Once this is done, power is transferred to the open pin.

WHERE WOULD YOU FIND A MICROSWITCH?

AS A SAFETY DEVICE

Given their small, compact sizes, the reliability and durability, it offers, they are usually used in electrical appliances as safety devices. These inexpensive sources of safety can open or close a circuit as and when needed. Thus, it can prevent a machine from being jammed or a door from opening or closing when it is not supposed to.

COMMON APPLICATIONS OF A MICRO SWITCH

You may find it in the following everyday things:

  1. Door interlocks

  2. Microwave ovens

  3. Detecting paper jams in printers

  4. Elevators

  5. Levelling devices in vending machines, etc.

They can be used at homes, and in industrial equipment as levelling devices, safety switches, in control circuits, and precise equipment as well.

AS SAFETY SWITCHES

The most common example can be observed in an elevator. You might have seen call buttons and alarms in an elevator. Well, they are all an application of microswitches.

Push buttons, call buttons, alarms, etc. are buttons that may be pressed to tip off the concerned authorities in instances of emergencies.

They are also used for security purposes to prevent damage and fraud in control panels, card readers, and infrared detection alarm, etc.

Furthermore, they are used in security cameras. They facilitate turning in the security cameras and stop immediately the camera is in the extreme of the range of motion.

IN PRECISE EQUIPMENT

One may find micro switches in devices measuring the air pressure or assessing the flow of gases.

TO ACCESS CONTROL

Micro switches are used in electric door locks. They help in the detection of the locking, unlocking, opening, and closing of the various doors. Further, they are used in roller doors. They are installed in the circuit breaker, sense, and turn on and off the circuit when needed.

They are even used in timer controls. So, the next time your oven shuts off when the time runs out, remember that it is the work of a micro switch.

IN HOME APPLIANCES

Washing machines use micro switches to detect and turn on and off. They detect when the machine door is opened and not, the water level, the capacity, etc. and act on it by turning on and off the machine. They are installed in refrigerators, microwave ovens, and air conditioners.

Source by Arthur Huang

Concrete Cleaning From the Professionals

Homes, pathways, together with other constructions nowadays are frequently created to exist longer; this is why contractors and even the owners themselves select concrete as the material of preference. And why shouldn’t it be? It provides the best resistance to strong winds, hurricanes, earthquakes and extreme temperatures and pressure. It also withstands fire, rust and, of course, termites, making it quite sturdy and allowing it to stand lifetimes. The surface of a concrete building is also smooth, so that there will be no need for any other finishing touches for outside aesthetics, although getting them patterned is an option; while inside a concrete home or building is more healthy to live or work in, as the walls made from the material do not release toxic fumes and other harmful gases. However various the benefits of a thing, it almost always has to have a chink to its perfection… and for this matter, it could just be how you do concrete cleaning.

Stains on concrete can be very difficult to clean, due to it being porous (the same characteristic that facilitates it to withstand certain pressures) which allows liquids to ooze between fissures that are part of a pattern or design for stamped concrete, or normally formed with time for those old passed down properties. There are a lot of do it yourself inexpensive and easy methods that you can find on the Internet for cleansing concrete stains, but they don’t actually do the job most of the time. It would be quite a stress to clean an entire yard of concrete on your own if you would like it looking like new for a get together. What’s a whole lot worse is you could possibly accidentally harm yourself by breathing in the chemical’s fumes or burn your skin with the cleaning solution even if you’re donning protective gear.

Then, if you’re not too bent on doing the work alone just to save, and you want that pavement and yard’s old luster back so that your guests will be amazed, you definitely need concrete cleaning that’s from the pros.

The right equipment and techniques are what professionals use to efficiently get every inch of dirt and stain to make your aged looking concrete look as good as new High pressure, that’s a lot more than what your garden hose can supply, is what’s usually used for rejuvenating tarnished concrete and even other materials in your property. Their services also will work nicely on your driveway, sidewalks, walkways, pool decks (removal of water stains as well as other dirt), patios, interlock bricks, natural stone and others. And mainly because they’re professionals, not only your home and garage is included in their proficiency of delivering cleaning services. They will be able to service larger and more complicated settings like buildings, store fronts, parking lots and other bigger areas.

To make your property more inviting and able to elicit superior impressions, especially if it’s a shop, restaurant, bakery or other business establishment’s store front or a rest house in which you frequently invite would be business investors, hire professional concrete cleaning services. Find recommendations for them on the Internet or visit their websites. Have a look at what services they feature aside from cleaning concrete because you may need to get the other services, too, like sealing or weed removal from interlock pavements. While taking a look at their site, don’t forget to read the testimonials of their previous customers, you might find somebody reputable you actually know who got their services, so you could be sure to get your money’s worth. If you want to make sure that you’re not going to go beyond your budget, ask for an estimation; there are companies that allow you to get free estimates that nonetheless are correct once you give the exact specifications. Contact them through phone or email to get the professional cleaning you need for your concrete.

Source by Daniel X Reese

Important Things You Should Know About Bifold Doors

Bifold doors are expensive but well worth the investment if you are considering renovations. Your house opens up to the garden and creates an amazing aesthetic when these doors are installed. It pays to exercise caution and care in a selection of the doors and consider various factors.

Price is not everything

The cheapest is not the best and the most expensive also is not necessarily the best. A Bifold door is not just panels put together; it is an entire system where design, engineering precision and choice of hardware plays an important in the door’s looks and performance just as much as the bifold door installation does. Buying a well known international brand with local support is a good option.

Material of door

Bifolds can have wood, steel, uPVC or aluminum section frames. Wood can obstruct the view and be heavy. uPVC material can flex and distort which will affect the working of the door and there is a size limitation as well. Steel can be heavy. Aluminum is the best material for sections. It is relatively stable and does not tend to distort with temperature variations. From the maintenance point too aluminum scores because powder coated or natural anodized aluminum does not need frequent paint or maintenance.

Top hung or bottom rolling?

Bifold doors are available as top hung or bottom rolling types. If a strong enough beam is present then the top hung type is best because it does not collect leaves and debris and the frame conceals the mechanism from view.

Hardware and installation

Hardware is complex with bifold doors and must be precision engineered from quality materials besides being fitted just right during installation. Improper alignment can affect performance and cause stress on frames besides making the door hard to open and close. Quality systems have wheels that run on flat tracks and pivoted end doors for smooth movement even when the jamb does not allow much adjustment. Bifold door installation is important too when it comes to getting the threshold right to prevent rain seepage and yet creating a smooth transition that does not cause one to stub one’s toes. Rain penetration is an important matter especially if the door is exposed. This is where the expertise of installer comes into play to provide a perfectly rebated rain-proof threshold. Security is another aspect to consider in the matter of bifold door hardware and a typical secure door would have multipoint locking system with shoot bolt for intermediate panels.

Single or double glazing

Energy conservation is important so double glazing is recommended. It will also provide some degree of acoustic insulation. Quality manufacturers provide U-values of 1.8w/sqmK or lower for such energy efficient bifold doors.

Screening

There are times when one may want an unimpeded view and there are times when one may want to shut out the light. Curtains are good but can impede the view. Venetian blinds that roll up all the way to the top may be ideal. If you choose a double glazed door then the blinds may be incorporated into the panels but at the cost of impeding the view. It is best to coordinate with the installer and clear this point as well before ordering a bifold door.

Source by Flora Adams

Bird Room Air Purifier – 5 Reasons Why Using a Purifier Makes a Healthier Pet Bird

If you’ve dedicated a room in your home as a bird room, your bird is pretty lucky, and so are you. Having a bird as part of the family is a life time commitment, particularly for birds like parrots that can live 40 years and longer. Your bird is counting on you to provide an atmosphere that will insure many happy years together and here are 5 reasons the right air purifier can help make that happen.

Removes Dust, Feathers and Dander-If you have a bird it’s natural to have dander, dust, feathers that are constantly being produced. What is not natural, but staggering, is the incredible volume of particulates that can accumulate in your home without proper filtration. In the wild this would not be a problem for your bird, but in your beautiful and well-insulated home that prevents new air from entering or leaving, the airborne bird particulates can’t escape. Using a cleaner to remove these particulates literally keeps the dander down (feathers, and dust too) and creates a healthier environment for you and your bird.

Removes Harmful Household Pollutants-Even in homes without birds, indoor air is reported to be 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. Pollutants such as mold and mildew spores, pollen, dander from other household pets, bacteria, and viruses that we bring home from work and school all become trapped inside. They are not good for humans in such high concentrations and they certainly are not good for the birds. And since birds have smaller and more sensitive respiratory systems, reducing your bird’s exposure to them with a purifier makes good sense.

Lessens the Chance of Psittacosis-This is a disease that all species of birds are vulnerable to, and worse still, one that can be passed on to humans. Children, and adults over 50 are most at risk, but this disease can cause dire health issues for any age. Psittacosis is often spread from feces of the infected bird, and can be transmitted with airborne bird dust, dander, and feathers. It’s true that fewer than 50 cases have been confirmed since the mid 90’s, but if you are one of those 50, the statistics are of little consolation. And though there is no guarantee, constant filtration and removal of possible airborne carriers can not help but lessen the chance of the spread of this disease in your home.

Provides Fresh Air to Keep Bird Air Passages Clear-Birds’ air passages are small and can become easily clogged, which opens the door to infection and health problems. Providing clean air reduces the risk of respiratory infections that birds are so susceptible to, and thus increases their life span; And providing fresh, clean air is right up there with providing the right kind of food, cage, and other basics.

Keeps Bird’s Care Giver Healthy-As your bird’s care giver, if you’re feeling healthy, you’re able to provide better care for your bird. If you suffer from allergy or asthma that is bird related or not, filtering the air will remove airborne irritants that exacerbate your symptoms, and will leave you with more stamina to provide good care for you bird, and the energy to just enjoy.

Source by Debbie Davis

Crawl Space Ventilation – Vents Below Grade

With an unconditioned crawl space (usually dirt covered with a plastic vapor barrier and open foundation vents) a home inspector does not want to see the vents below the level of the soil. When vents are below grade, rain and runoff water are likely to enter the crawl space — which can attract wood destroying organisms or lead to fungal issues such as rot or mold.

If vents are far enough below grade, the dirt can block the openings so air will not circulate. The vents will not ventilate! When home inspectors see this condition, if vents cannot be fixed by removing or grading soil, the inspector will probably recommend that the client put in vent wells. The most simple vent wells consist of frames made from pressure-treated lumber. However, metal or plastic vent wells, specially made for the purpose, can be purchased at building supply stores. The well is dug into the soil, in front of the vent and deeper than the vent, so there is an opening in front of and below the vent. Personally, I like to see the well dug a few inches deeper than the vent, then the space filled with pea gravel up until about 2″ below the vent.

Another issue is that often people block the vents in an unconditioned crawl space. Although this is sometimes justified in winter, when there is a danger to pipes from severe temperatures, in Washington State blocked vents in an unconditioned crawl space are defined by the Washington State Department of Agriculture as conducive to attracting wood destroying organisms. A state licensed structural pest inspector should, in most cases, site blocked vents as a conducive condition. In the Pacific Northwest, if pipes are wrapped, foundation vents can be left open year-round most years. This basic information might not apply in severe climates or in partially heated or “conditioned” crawl spaces.

Source by Steven L. Smith

Choosing the Right Company For Heating and Air Conditioning Systems Repair

When your air conditioner or furnace breaks down, your home immediately goes from being a comfortable environment to being too hot or too cold. As a result, many people open the phone book and call an HVAC repair company without performing some essential research that can determine whether or not their heating or cooling situation will be responded to in the proper manner. While each domestic heating and air conditioning repair service will offer to address your problem, choosing a service that will address it in the optimal fashion requires the following considerations.

Does a Service Specialize in Repairs?

While all heating and cooling companies will be able to diagnose your problem, you want to ensure that a company specializes in heating and air conditioning systems repair. Although most HVAC specialists offer heating and air conditioning systems repair, some companies earn the majority of their profits from replacing faulty heating and cooling elements, which could mean their first inclination is replacing your air conditioner or furnace instead of repairing it. Considering the significant price of replacing heating and cooling systems, the primary focus should be on evaluating whether you’re furnace or air conditioner isn’t suffering from a bad part or a system of parts that appear poised for more beak downs.

The Quality of a Service’s Technicians

When you read about tips for hiring the best HVAC repair technicians, you’ll encounter a myriad of cautions that range from being obviously sensible to bizarrely personal, such as the idea that you should determine whether or not a technician is an alcoholic. But unless you feel like hiring a private investigator, the best way to hire a quality HVAC technician is to make sure that he or she is licensed, bonded and insured and possesses NATE certification. Technicians that are licensed, bonded and insured display that they passed an HVAC certification test and are covered by insurance in the event that damage occurs to your person or property as a result of HVAC work. NATE certification shows that a technician possesses up to date knowledge of best HVAC practices.

Time Sensitive Service Agreements

Depending on your air conditioner or furnace’s repair issue, a technician may not be able to repair it on the same day that the problem is diagnosed, in which case you should insist on a time sensitive agreement before making payments. A time sensitive service agreement should state that, unless the repair is completed by a certain date, you are absolved of the responsibility to pay for the project, regardless of its completion status. Most air conditioning service providers complete repairs on time even without a time sensitive agreement. But there are also cases of HVAC companies taking weeks or even months longer to fix a problem than anticipated, which is something that you can’t afford in the heat of summer or coldness of winter.

Source by Brian Figlioli

The Importance of Engaging a Competent Painter and Decorator

Decorating our home is about very much more than just putting some paint on a wall, or hanging sticky strips of wallpaper and attempting painstakingly to get the joins along each strip to collate with the next.

Of course this is all an integral part of the art of painting and decorating, but there is so much more to it than simply this. A room is only decorated on the rarest of occasions and so if we want it to look at its best it is always worth taking on the services of a real expert in the field.

When painting the exterior of our home in particular there is very much more to it than just gratuitously applying on a layer of paint. Surfaces can become weathered, damaged and uneven. If the fresh paint is to look its best and survive the course these surfaces need to be treated and restored to a level finish. Accuracy is vitally important, our windows are for us to look out of without having to espy arbitrary drips and splashes of gloss paint all across them.

And then there is the plastering, tiling and sometimes even floor sanding. A skilled decorator will have the ability to perform all these tasks in a professional manner. There is no point in a hired hand being able to paint a wall if the tiles around the wall are not correctly fitted, or indeed if there are holes in the wall that are left unfilled. Emulsion does not hide these away and placing wallpaper over them does not make them disappear.

Expert general building work or restoration may in some cases also need to be done. It makes good logical sense to attend to these issues whilst one is decorating rather than creating more upheaval again after the event. Painters and decorators will have the means to attend to this additional work, whether by performing it themselves or by bringing in the services of a professional in the field with whom they might have a working arrangement. Painting and decorating is a competitive business and the customer is able to make an informed decision by asking questions and seeking referrals.

A good decorator will have insurance, provide a guarantee on all work undertaken and have a provable track record of satisfactory work undertaken elsewhere that can easily be checked and confirmed.

Your home is your pride and joy, your castle. It is where you entertain and where you live from onr day to the next. It is most essential for your peace of mind that you are able to feel comfortable and relaxed whenever in the home you are.

A bad decorating job is difficult, time-consuming and often expensive to rectify. An expert touch from a painter and decorator upon whom you know you can rely enables you to have peace of mind whilst the process of transforming your home is underway.

Source by Mark P Richards