What Does a Civil Engineer Do?

Just about everybody has heard of civil engineering. But most people are completely lost when it comes to understanding what civil engineers do and the valuable role they play in making a city or a state a safe place for people to live.

If you were to boil down what civil engineers do into a few phrases, you would say that they are highly trained, professional planners for public work projects and supervisors over how these projects are implemented. Civil engineers can work for the government, or they can work in the private sector. Civil engineers are constantly working, it is just that most people don’t realize the work that they are doing.

A civil engineer will work on huge construction projects, such as building large public buildings, bridges, highways, and airports. When they work for the government, they work under the guidelines laid out for governmental construction. Some work as freelancers, and so they compete for contracts. Civil engineering is a huge field. Inside the field of civil engineering there are a bunch of sub branches that allow people to specialize in a particular aspect of civil engineering.

A lot of the work that a civil engineer does will be done inside of an office. However, it is not uncommon for civil engineers to monitor construction and to visit different sites. Civil engineers are tasked with seeing to it that a project begins on time and continues to work according to plan. They are responsible for answering any questions that their superintendents may pose.

Sometimes a civil engineer will be given responsibility of explaining the projects they are working on, either to the public at large or to different governmental agencies. They are also responsible for writing proposals, giving status updates, as well as providing reports on technical aspects of the project.

When you look at all the work that a civil engineer does, it’s clear to understand why civil engineering consultants Seattle are in high demand. Without the work that they do, major welding projects would not be possible. If projects were done without their help, the end results would likely be disastrous.

Why You Need to Invest In a Safety Check for Your Gas Fireplace Insert

The use of gas fireplace inserts has increased the popularity of using a home fireplace. It requires no wood and can easily turn "on" and "off." You should have the unit inspected each year before you begin using it for the colder months. Below are a few of the safety checks performed by an experienced technician.

Parts Condition and Integrity

You should have all of the parts and components of your gas fireplace insert inspected for function and integrity. Every aspect of the appliance that is dependent on safe operation needs to work as designed in unison with all other parts. It includes both mechanical operation and electronics. An experienced inspector can check everything from the logs to the remote control. Getting necessary repairs done is your best defense in offering a safe heating source for your family.

Safe Flame Operation 

You need the flame from your gas fireplace insert to burn clean and at the right level. Having a flame too high is a fire risk, and it will increase your gas bill an unbelievable amount. The settings need to control the flame on demand.

Unit Cleanliness

The logs, firebox, pilot assembly, glass, burner, and pan all need cleaning for the fireplace insert to stay in safe operation. Leaving everything dirty will reduce the energy-efficiency of the unit and place you at risk for carbon monoxide build-up. A thorough cleaning will help keep your fireplace looking as good as new.

Gas Leaks and Carbon Monoxide

Inhaling natural gas and carbon monoxide is dangerous. An inspection will reveal if you are experiencing a low-level gas leak, or the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning is high. If a replacement gas fireplace insert is required, the technician can install the new unit quickly.

Contact experts in gas inserts Baltimore MD like Complete Chimneys and find out more about our fireplace insert services today!

Questions You Should Ask a Roofing Contractor

You should never be in a hurry to find a contractor to fix your roof. This is because a great deal of skill is required to do roofing work that will last for many decades. Therefore, you need to be certain that the people you hire to repair your roof know what they are doing. Otherwise, you could encounter problems like leaks in your roof or shingles that fall off. There are several very important questions that you should pose to any contractor you are thinking about hiring. Here is what you should ask him.

1. How many years have you been working as a roofing contractor?

Ideally, you should only hire a contractor who has at least four years of roofing experience. Your roofing repair project is much too important to put it into the hands of an amateur. It will cost you more to hire a contractor with many years of experience. However, it will be well worth this investment because you will be assured that the work will be done correctly the first time.

2. What is your rating with the Better Business Bureau?

All of the major roofing contractors receive a rating from the BBB. You should strive to find a contractor who has earned an A+ rating. The contractor should be able to tell you his BBB rating when you ask him. If he doesn't know what it is, look on the BBB website for roofing contractors St Charles MO.

3. How soon will you be able to start working on my roof?

You might have a deadline in mind for when you want to have your roofing project completed. If this is the case, you will need to be certain that the contractor you hire will be able to complete your job by your desired deadline. Keep in mind that the roofing contractor you are interested in might be working on a different project. Therefore, he will not be able to begin working on your roof right away. You need to make sure his schedule aligns with yours.

Cat Party

Our client had decided to celebrate their two lovely cats birthday in our event's place and also commissioned us to do a simple cat design party for Michy and Marble.  At first, we were ecstatic knowing that we will be having a cat party in our place with real cats as celebrants.  Sounds so cute right? :)

After they have reserved the place for this so cute event, we've started to prepare all the arts and crafts materials that we are going to use during the party.  I would admit, it's not very easy to come up with ideas on how are we going to do this and besides, we just charged them a little.

We've decided to use mostly papers in doing the designs and came up with a dozen of colorful balloons and that's it!  We've designed the plates to appear like a cat face to make these coincide with the team.  Glad that our guests did not mind it having heir meals on the said plates.. :)

One thing good about our business is the opportunity to enjoy doing things we absolutely love, making or job more fun and rewarding.

Three Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Small Bathroom

If you have a small bathroom, you may find yourself frustrated when it comes to decorating. You also may have a hard time finding space in your bathroom to store all of your toiletries and other items and accessories. If that's the case, you don't have to give up. There are many clever ways you can organize your stuff to make the most out of the bathroom that you have. Here are three ideas that will help to make your bathroom seem larger and more comfortable for you. 

First of all, focus on the most important parts of your bathroom and really make them special. For some people, this may be the countertop where you store all of your makeup and other beauty products. For others, the most special part of the bathroom is the bathtub where you can relax and escape from the stress of your day. If your tub is in bad shape, hire a local contractor to help fix the problem. For example, if you need bathtub refinishing Baltimore Maryland, look for a trusted company like Porcelite to help you get the perfect bathtub in your bathroom. 

Next, keep the color and decorations simple to avoid cluttering up your bathroom. Choose light and neutral colors and classic styles and patterns. Try to store all of your products, tools, and accessories away in cabinets, drawers, and other locations. Don't fill your shelves with lots of tiny bottles, which can make your bathroom seem crowded and even smaller than it actually is. Look for minimalist styles and decorations in soft pastel shades to add light and keep things appropriate. 

Finally, use clever storage techniques to make the most of the space that you do have. Store things above your toilet in shelves and under your sink in cabinets. Use the space in your shower to store your soaps, shampoos, sponges, and conditioners. Keep towels in a closet outside of your bathroom. You don't need a lot of space if you use the space that you do have wisely. 

Designing Your Own Dessert Table

Being an entrepreneur enabled me to do many exciting things that I've never imagined I'll be doing.  For the most part, I am doing what I love most... designing.

Operating an events place can sometime be very toxic but it's very rewarding when you get  to satisfy your guests.

Here are samples of the desserts tables we've made:

Designing a dessert table can sometime be very costly but not at all times.  Sometimes, you just have to be imaginative and do things yourselves rather than buying from the stores.  Since I do mostly everything in the business as we are just on our first year of operations, my main problem is "time".  I wanted to come up with better designs but I am only limited to what I can afford to do at the moment.

What I've done here was very basic and I am hoping to come up with better design pieces next time.

Does Your Home Need to Be Restored?

Your home is the biggest purchase you will ever make in your life. It is a huge financial investment. However, there might be a disaster that causes very serious damage to your home. If this should happen to you, it will be very important that you call the right people to restore your home and get it back to normal. This type of work needs to be done by experienced people who have the right type of equipment. Therefore, you should not simply hire a random contractor to handle the restoration of your home. Here are a few of the things you need to look for when you are trying to find a company that specializes in disaster restoration work.

1. Can the company deal with the type of damage that has been done to your home?

There are many different types of disasters that could cause serious damage to your home. Your home might have experienced a major fire. It could have suffered very serious roof and window damage because of strong winds caused by a storm. There is also the chance that your home has water damage that requires the services of a company that provides mold remediation in Houston. Whatever the case may be, make sure the disaster restoration company has many years of experience repairing homes that have suffered the same type of damage that your home has experienced. 

2. Can the company get some people out to your home immediately?

Your home might have windows that have been blown out or holes in the walls caused by falling trees. In these cases, it is imperative for these openings in your home to be covered as soon as possible. This will prevent rain from getting inside and causing more damage. This is why you need the restoration work to begin right away.

3. Does the company charge a fair rate for their disaster restoration service?

You should not hire a restoration company just because they are the cheapest. On the other hand, make sure you are paying a fair price.

How to Get Your Home Ready for the Summer

Don't let summer sneak up on you this year. As you start to notice that it's getting warmer outside and the days get longer, let your thoughts turn to the approaching summer season. If you're a homeowner, that also means that you need to get your home ready for summer, which brings hot weather, humidity, and rainstorms among other things. Take some time now to make the important changes that will allow your home to do well during the summer weather. Your home deserves the effort that you put into it. 

Get Your Cooling Systems In Shape

Perhaps the most important thing that you can do for your home is to make sure that you A/C and other cooling systems are in place and ready to go. Don't wait until it is too late to find out that you need your A/C to be repaired. Instead, get it fixed by a local pro who can ensure that your home will feel cool for the entire season. Make sure you choose a technician who has all of the latest equipment such as a blower motor removal tool from a trusted supplier like Fane Tool. You'll be able to rest easy knowing that your A/C will be working fine.

Check Your Roof

The rains of spring and the winter weather that proceeds it can take a toll on your roof. Your roof is your first line of defense against the wet weather and other bad conditions that pummel your home. Take care of it by getting small problems fixed quickly before they turn into big ones. 

Keep Up With Your Landscaping

No matter what kind of plants or other decoration you have in your yard now is the time to make sure that everything is in good shape. Clean your outdoor furniture and patio. Mulch your trees and perennial plants such as roses and other woody shrubs. Add annuals to give your yard more color and make it better looking. You can even plant a vegetable garden for summer fun.

Bedroom Redesigned

As I have recently relocated to my new Master's Bedroom, I am leaving behind my old bedroom to my son who in his 20's has also developed a great love for designing and interior decorating.  I am so happy that he developed the same interests with me and I would say, he is doing very well.

I have left most of my bedroom furnitures behind as I bought new ones for my new room.  All he did was to repaint, re arrange the furniture and add few pieces of his choice.  His color theme is black and white.  Would you believe? The ceiling was all black.  At first, I was a bit apprehensive painting the ceiling plain black.  I'm not used to seeing black paint on ceiling as it will not only darken the room but I just have a strange feeling staring on a black ceiling (lol).

Surprisingly, it turned out pretty.  Now I got his point.  He would like to create a cozy atmosphere by incorporating some light effects.  He had chosen "warm white" for his lightings and it was great!

He even bought a new set of bed sheet and comforter to match the color theme.

He created an accent wall which he painted black and white.  This also serves as his entertainment wall.  That was my old TV set as I now prefer a bigger screen :)

He also changed the floor covering to gray which matches everything in the room.

My old wardrobe cabinet used to be bigger and wider.  He made our maintenance guy cut the old cabinet to only 1 panel and have the other excess plywoods be recycled into his working table, shelves and bed side table...smart huh?  :)

That's how my son is! He knows how to recycle things to avoid spending on unnecessary things. We are a family who loves everything DIY and it works well to our favor.  We understand that creating a beautiful space does not need to be expensive.

Now he has a minimalist but elegant room. :)

How to Bring the Beauty of Outdoors Into Your Bedroom

There are few things more relaxing than the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. When you go camping or spend time outdoors, studies show that you are less likely to be depressed or anxious and more likely to sleep well and think clearly. What if there were a way to bring that relaxed feeling inside your house and into your own bedroom? The truth is, you can do this with just a few simple tips and techniques, so take some time to add a little bit of nature to your bedroom.   

First, use materials that are made from things that you find in nature, not plastics or metals. It's easy to find beautiful beds, tables, chairs and other classic furniture made from repurposed wood, hemp, cotton, and flax. For example, if you're looking for natural furniture Portland, you can find many attractive options like the pieces at Plank and Coil. Build a firm foundation on wood-based furniture that reminds you of the outdoors. 

Next, increase the natural lighting in your room to bring the sunshine and the moonlight in. Replace heavy curtains with blinds that you can easily lift to let in the fresh air. Or, add sheer curtains to go with the heavy curtains so that you can let in as much light as possible without compromising your privacy. If you don't have enough natural light, use LED lights to mimic natural lighting. You can install a timer that will replicate the sunrise in the morning and the dimming of light in the evening. This will put your body back into a natural rhythm of sleep and wakefulness.

Finally, use houseplants to complete the feeling of nature inside of your bedroom. The specific plants that you choose will depend on how much light you have in the room and how much time you want to spend taking care of your plant. A room with some light may do well with orchids, aloes, or a cactus. A darker room would work with a peacock plant, sansevieria, or an asparagus fern.

My Balcony Garden

I just transferred very recently to my new Master's Bedroom and as expected, I got very excited putting up new decors and displays.  But what excites me most is setting up a mini garden in my balcony.  Well, I have started with few plants and succulents as I am still very busy attending to the business and some construction projects at home.  I am not yet totally done with the final set up of the entire balcony as I plan to do it little by little besides I have to carefully choose what kind of furniture will best suit my area because of a limited space, not to mention that I have to follow my number one rule...that is to come up with the best set up possible incorporating all the elements I want in my balcony garden without sacrificing my budget.  I love the idea of anything DIY as I could bring out my creativity.

I hung these plants on a DIY Trellis and I just think that this is a very good spot for them since this part of the balcony can get enough sunlight.

  

I failed on this one though, this hanging plant does not appear to be healthy as you can see and I am planning to replace this with some orchids.  But again, I have to take my time as orchids can be very pricey.

I used to have plenty of cactus and succulents but unfortunately some of these died.  I've managed to save some pieces though and I've decided to relocate them into this balcony garden.  Hope they can survive and I am planning to get more varieties, too.

I wanted to come back with another post featuring the final look of my balcony garden.  I hope it could be sooner that I expect.  :)