The number one issue to keep an eye on is safety, especially for those confined to a wheelchair. First issue to consider is living conditions. The bedroom needs to be on the first floor with easy access to the bathroom and home, and a easy way out of the home in case of an emergency. Each and every room of the home which should be accessible has to be able accommodate the wheel chair turning a full 360 degrees. Doorways have to be at least 36 inches in width, along with hallways needing to be 4.5 to 5 feet wide. It would be beneficial to have a minimum number of hallways which need to be traversed. This set of requirements will ensure that the mobility of your loved ones is not compromised while providing a safe environment.

Of all of the rooms that need attention in the home, the bathroom tops the list. This is where the most mobility and assistance is required, but this is where it is the most embarrassing to require assistance from others. It is for this reason that the bathroom should be designed for providing as much independence as possible. The biggest expense with the biggest impact is to provide a tub with a sealed door, which when opened allows entry by just walking. These wash tubs provide grip handles for easy support, allowing for unassisted entry and exit from the tub. These tubs also provide a bit of safety in that the door allows a quick release of the bath water to avoid drowning. You can also add grip handles above and next to the toilet for easier access. You can also try and find a sink at a lower level with mirror, to prevent your guest from needing to try and prop themselves up.

Around the home, it is very helpful to lower tables and keeping handy items at the lower, more accessible height. Items such as telephones, refrigerator handles, drawers of silverware, etc. should be accessible to someone in a wheel chair. Make sure also that there are ramps where the are stairs on the way into your home and within your home. All of these steps are designed to make sure that your home is safe and accessible to a guest. Other common sense items should also be addressed, but if any involve the space about your wheelchair bound guest, then be sure that he or she is comfortable.

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Originally posted 2009-01-13 05:30:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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First, let’s tackle the issue of hinges. It is a good idea to inspect all interior door hinges every year. Try picking a holiday like Memorial or Labor Day to make it easy to remember. They should be properly oiled during this time and you should check to make sure that all of the screws are present, tightened and that the hinges are not coming apart.

If you notice a few hinges that are loose, you’ll need to get an appropriate screwdriver and tighten them in. It may be necessary to get some help to make sure that this is done properly. Have a friend or family member push the door up and in until the hinge is flush with the wall. Tighten the screw and then ask them to release the door. This is the easiest way to make sure that a hinge is properly tightened.

For high traffic areas, wood stress is very common, especially in older homes. This occurs when a door is opened to swiftly or too hard, and over time, the wood starts to give way. After awhile, the hinge no longer has a strong anchor and it may come loose. You may need to rehang a door, especially if the wood is severely damaged. For a quick fix, insert a shim that is thicker than the screws for the hinge. You’ll need to attach this to the area where the wood is rotting, and then attach the hinge to the shim. It may be necessary to cut into the door jam to get the shim and the hinge to sit flush.

For interior doors that are starting to show signs of wear and tear, a good cleaning is essential. Start with Murphy’s Oil or a similar wood cleaning product and carefully scrub away any dirt and grime that is present. If the wood is not too old, the soap and oil should restore the former shine. You can also take some olive oil on a rag to restore wooden doors.

However, if this does not help, you will need to take the door down, sand it down completely and either paint it or re-stain it. This doesn’t take too long, and can really bring a lot of life back to an old door.

For interior doors with holes or cracking, the best solution is a replacement. The integrity of the door has been compromised, and there is no point in patching it up. When you purchase a new interior door, consider getting one that has a solid core. Although they are more expensive, they will usually last much longer, especially in high traffic areas.

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Originally posted 2008-09-29 05:11:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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1. Roller Doors -

If your space is at a premium in your garage, or you don't want to have to install tracks for the door this is the best option. The door will simply roll up into a big ball when it goes up. This means that the material used is a little more flexible than the average door, so it may not be as durable as other kinds. However, if you're looking for an easy installation and you don't have a lot of space, this is a great choice. This type of door works well with most garage door openers, especially the ones that are mounted on the wall above the door, instead of in the middle of the garage ceiling.

2. Sectional Doors -

This is a hybrid between the roller door and a standard door. It's made of several sections that are hinged together and the material is usually quite rigid and durable. This type of door became very popular in higher end housing communities where it was important to match the style of the door to the style of the house. These doors come in many different colors and materials. They will be raised like a traditional garage door, so you will need to install tracking for it. These take up quite a bit of headroom in your garage and will require an opener that is placed in the center of the garage ceiling. This type of door will work best in garages where there is a lot of headroom and space.

3. Tilting Doors -

These are not as popular as they once were, but you can still find them. If you have a Craftsman style or other type of older home and you want to retain that "old" feel, this is a very good choice. They don't use a lot of headroom and are pretty easy to install. They will require tracks however and normally, this type of door will not work with an opener. Practically any kind of material can be used for this type of door and you'll be able to match it to your home's exterior quite well.

4. Flexi Doors -

These are sold under various brand names, but the general concept is that they are made of flexible material and fit onto a curved track. These work well in garages where there is not a lot of headroom, or in garages that had older style doors that needed to be replaced. They are available in a variety of different materials and are usually pretty durable. Overall, this is probably the best door for most homes and it's the easiest to maintain.

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Originally posted 2008-11-10 14:11:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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For the purpose of security, there are one-way pet doors that make it possible for animals to go out but not for them to come back in. There are also doors that have magnetic locks, and doors that only allow animals with special security collars to pass through. These things can prevent burglars or other animals from gaining access to the home. This will ensure that your pet cannot invite anyone else into the home for the night without you knowing.

Pet door installation tends to be a really easy process, meaning that just about anyone can install a pet door with the right tools and basic knowledge and understanding of how to use them. Here are the basic steps involved in the process:

1 - The first thing that you are going to want to do is to determine the size of the pet door that you are going to need. Pet doors come in a variety of different sizes to suit the size of your pet. You want to make sure that the pet door that you choose will accommodate the largest pet that is going to use it. If you have a puppy but he will grow into a much larger dog, install a larger pet door now rather than having to replace a smaller door when your pet grows up.

2 - Before you make any cuts in the door you want going to want to use the measurements that you took in order to create a hole in a piece of practice wood or cardboard. Encourage your pet to step through the hole. How easily does the pet fit through the hole? This is an important step in making sure that your measurements do indeed match up with the size of your pet. If your pet has trouble getting through the hole or seems uncomfortable, choose a larger sized door.

3 - Finally once the proper sized door has been chosen and purchased, you can cut the appropriate hole in the door. It can be relatively rough, because the door insert is designed to cover the hole up well. Just take care to make sure that the hole is even, placed in the right spot and the right measurements in order to install your door. Once the pet door has been installed, give your pet some time to grow accustomed to it.

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Photo Credits: Eggybird

Originally posted 2009-10-02 03:05:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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The first area to tackle is the doors of a room. These can actually be a big part of sound problems and simply replacing one door may solve the entire issue. We highly recommend doing this first, before advancing to the next steps. In many cases, you may be able to get the noise level down to the point where no further soundproofing is necessary.

A soundproof door is a little more expensive, but it is much more durable than the typical hollow core doors that are used for interiors. Many soundproof doors will also come with rubber gaskets that create a seal when closed. However, these should only be used if a room already has proper ventilation. Simply getting a well made door that does not have a hollow core can greatly reduce the amount of noise pollution in any room.

If that still doesn’t work, there are a few more options that you can try. The first, and least permanent, is to purchase soundproofing panels. These are panels that can be attached to any wall and will hang much like large pictures. This is a great solution if you don’t want to completely redo your walls and you plan on moving at a later date. They can easily be removed, but still provide a significant reduction in noise.

These panels can be purchased at any hardware store, or you can also find online stores that stock them. They are easy to hang and most will come with brackets that make installation a breeze. You may even be able to paint them to match a room, but most will come in a solid white color.

For a more permanent solution to noise reduction, blow in insulation can be used. Basically, you are adding more insulation inside your walls, where the framing is. Be advised that this can be very expensive and you may get stuck with unsightly holes. However, if you are desperate for soundproofing, this may be the best solution. For older homes, it may be necessary to completely re-insulate exterior walls to cut down on outside noise levels.

For rooms that have issues with sound coming from above, there are special ceiling tiles that can be installed. This is a great solution that does not require a lot of effort. Most tiles are two feet by two feet, so you will not need to purchase that many, unless you have a very large room. Other quick solutions to reduce noise include hanging pictures, adding carpeting and fabric wall hangings that can absorb more sound.

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Originally posted 2008-09-24 05:21:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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