Office trees
Trees not only provide beautiful imagery and fond memories, they also enable the momentary escape for building inhabitants who spend most of their waking lives indoors, shut off from nature. Trees are synonymous with life and belong in the workplace as much as laptops and desks. Studies have shown that by having abundant plant life in the office, employees are more productive and less stressed.
It is hard to envision a more soothing and impressive sight than a three-story tree next to a winding staircase in a corporate lobby. The impact is immediate. In the workplace, office trees offer needed color and life to an otherwise dull expanse of wasted space. They evoke joyful memories of yesteryear and all the wonders of nature. There are a wonderful variety of tree species that will thrive indoors.
- Ficus trees such as a weeping fig or the Indian rubber plant, are but two of more than 800 species of ficus. They are tropical trees that are durable and thrive indoors with minimal TLC. They are excellent natural filters of indoor pollutants and are simultaneously easy on the eyes as well as the lungs.
- Large Palm Trees like the Mediterranean Fan Palm can reach a height of 15 feet. It’s a compact clump forming palm that is as aesthetically pleasing and rugged enough for indoor planting or as a potted gem.
- Bamboo Trees can grow to a height of 16 to 20 feet and are ideal for indoors as they are resistant to dry environments as long as proper care is taken. they favor shade and their leaves vary from gray and green to cream and green. Bamboo trees provide cover and privacy particularly in shopping malls and other indoor places where people tend to gather.
The benefits of indoor trees
Trees in the office remove indoor pollution naturally. Plant life can also lower heating and cooling costs. Trees moderate the climate while improving air quality. Leaves filter the air that we breathe by removing dust and other particulates, while giving off oxygen. An EPA study in Chicago showed that the 23.2% of canopy cover in the Lincoln Park neighborhood annually filters 43.9 tons of particulate matter, 14 tons of carbon dioxide and 12.4 tons of nitrogen oxides, leading to an estimated pollution abatement of $625,000 per year.
Trees and plants in the office are used to reduce background noise. Research has shown that plants can also reduce background noise levels by up to 5 decibels. Through absorption, diffraction and reflection of background noise, trees and other plants in the office create a more comfortable and quiet work environment. Greenery placed in the corners and along the edges is the best way to maximize noise absorption.
The numerous benefits of office trees and other indoor trees include complimenting other features of a building, cleaning the air of toxins, reducing noise, providing a soothing effect to occupants while increasing the value of the property and ROI (Return On Interior).
Electric Fencing
Electric fences are designed to create an electrical circuit when touched by a person or animal. A component called a power energizer converts power into a brief high voltage pulse. One terminal of the power energizer releases an electrical pulse along a connected bare wire about once per second.
Building a good electric fence is like anything else, you get out what you put in. If you use the proper equipment and maintain the fence the result will be a permanent structure just like the barb wire you use to use. The advantage of using ‘electric’ or ‘high tensile’ fences is on average they cost less than a barb wire fence, since less materials are required (ie posts, staples and wire) and they take less time to install. The electric fence option is also more versatile; you can take it down quickly and re-install somewhere else.
HOW DOES THE SOLAR ELECTRIC FENCE SYSTEM WORK?
When an animal or human being comes into contact with the electric Fence, they receive a sharp, short, painful but safe electric shock. The shock does not cause any physical damage. The electric fence acts as a strong psychological barrier as any intruder will avoid coming into contact with the electric Fence once they experience the shock. After a period of conditioning, the mere presence of the fence acts as an effective barrier even if it is not powered ‘ON’. Electric fence can be made to detect a fault on the fence like shorting or cutting of the wire due to tampering on the fence with the Alarm system.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE SOLAR ELECTRIC FENCE SYSTEM
Electric Fence can be built alongside existing fences except in case of barbed wire fences.
- Existing posts can be made use of provided the corner / end poles are strong.
- The shock does not physically harm animals or human beings.
- The Solar Electric Fence System conforms to National and international Standards.
- The Solar Energizers are approved by ETDC, Govt. of India
ADVANTAGES OVER CONVENTIONAL FENCES
The major advantages of Electric Fences over traditional fences are:
- Fence posts are erected 6 – 8 mts apart depending upon the terrain.
- No barbed wires are used. Only plain High tensile (Strong) wire is used.
- A long life as the fence is not subjected to physical pressures of wear and tear.
- Selective barriers possible. For example, Elephant barriers can be designed to allow smaller animals like cattle to move in and or out.
- It is used in more than 165 countries all over the world.
- It is the most effective method of fencing, and is safe to all kinds of animals and to human beings.
- It is easily constructed and maintained.
- It is long lasting and can be modified, extended, shifted and re-erected from one place to another, without loss of materials and waste of labour.
- This is the only method of fencing, which can effectively keep all kinds of wild animals out.
- It is not dependent on regular electricity supply as it operates on battery.
Equipment and Installation Recommendations and Tips
Fencer/Energizer
All equipment should be purchased from a reputable company, thus ensuring good materials that will be backed by your supplier. When purchasing the energizer you should think ‘bigger is better.’ Meaning, purchase a fencer that is a little bigger than your requirements. This will allow for ensuring enough voltage is flowing through the wire to deal with brush and wet grass taking some of the power and for future expansions. A basic rule of thumb is you need no less than 2000 volts in the summer and 4000 volts in the winter due to thicker hair coats on the livestock and you usually do not get a proper ground because of snow.
Tips
- Install fencer where rodents can not chew on the wires (preferably in a building)
- Install a lightening diverter
Temporary Fencing
Electrified, high tensile wire can be used as an economical, easily install and portal fencing option. his option provides producers with flexibility in rotational grazing systems to divide up paddocks and feed options during periods of drought. Equipment recommended for this type of fencing includes a reel with wire (temporary wore should have at least 6 wires in the tape to carry enough power) and step-in posts.
Dont's of Electric Fencing
- Do not power barb wire.
- Do not use barb wire on gates.
- Do not use your gate wire to transfer power from one side of the brace to the other.
- Do not leave your fence tight over winter; the wire will contract and pull your braces out of line.
- Do not overtighten your wire when installing - just take out the slack.
- Do not turn cattle out into a strange pasture or with cattle that have not been trained to electric fence. It is not a physical barrier and they will run through it.
- Do not run electric wire in conjunction with barb wire.
- Do not use copper wire to connect ground rods to fencer because they corrode.
- Do not tighten high tensile wire if it has been kinked. It will break. Tie proper knots to reconnect.
- Do not use low quality/power robbing supplies - you WILL replace it ALL over time and will not be HAPPY.
Troubleshooting
The most common problem with electric fence is low voltage. This could be due to one or more of the following problems.
- Vegetation/trees on the wire.
Solution: Ensure fence is free from debris - Missing and/or poor quality insulator
Solution: Check insulators and replace missing and/or poor quality - Inadequate grounding
Solution: Add more ground rods or replace corroded ground rods - Low battery in solar system
Solution: Charge or replace battery or replace solar panel with a larger one - Too small of a fencer/energizer
Solution: Buy a larger fence
Living in a thatched House
Advantages of living in a thatched House
Most thatched homes tend to be very old and this often means that they have large gardens and are built in excellent locations. The reason for this is that, due to their age, there were many good places to choose to build such properties. Often thatched properties are found near to a natural water supply and are on sheltered, slightly sloping land which gives good drainage and, thus, reduces problems with damp.
The thick straw or reed roofing provides excellent natural soundproofing from overhead aircraft as well as road traffic nearby. Likewise, it gives great insulation meaning that the thatched home remains cool in summer but warm in winter, helping to keep fuel costs low. The smaller windows that are normally to be found on such a property also contribute towards this insulating effect.
Due to their age, thatched houses usually have very thick, solid walls which are advantageous over modern cavity filled walls. In summer the heat from the outside travels very slowly to the inside ensuring that the temperature within remains cool.
The weatherproof thatch on the roof can withstand very strong, even gale force, winds and is very rarely prone to leaking. Leaks are usually caused by one of the wooden spars that are used in the ridge becoming broken and sometimes, after a spell of dry, warm weather the thatch may open slightly and then leak when it rains, however this is self-healing as the thatch will close again naturally.
Disadvantages of living in a thatched House
Due to their age and sometimes remote locations, not all thatched properties will be connected to a mains water or sewerage supply. Instead, water may be drawn from a nearby private or shared well, and either a cesspit or septic tank may be used for sewerage. Cesspits need frequent emptying, therefore a septic tank is preferable as they do not require as much attention as long as they are well below the ground level of the house and have good draining soil surrounding them. Also as a consequence of their remote location, thatched homes may not have any nearby street lighting and it may be necessary to install outside lights on the property.
Due to the old, solid walls and base and the lack of any damp proofing in such properties, the interior walls may suffer from damp caused by moisture rising from ground level.
In wet weather rain tends to cascade down the roof and falls in a constant stream around the entire perimeter of the house (it is unusual to find guttering on a thatched house) which continues for a time even after the rain has ceased. The rain splashing on to the ground can be the cause of mud spots forming on the exterior of the house and may cause green mould growth too. However, this is easily remedied by cleaning with a bleach solution.
The materials used in the thatch mean that the roof is at threat of attacks by birds that are nesting or are looking for insects. Holes may appear in the thatch and should be repaired as soon as possible as, left unrepaired, the birds will concentrate on these areas and the holes will become much larger. Most bird damage to roofs tends to be under the eaves or at the junction of the chimney and the roof. Some roofs have wire netting in these places to prevent this occurring, whilst others are completely covered by wire netting. Unfortunately, roofs that are totally covered by wire netting are often subject to higher insurance premiums as there will be the added difficulty of pulling the wire netting off in the event of a fire. This will delay the fire from being extinguished and result in more widespread fire damage.
Although thatched properties are no more likely to catch fire than regular homes, when a fire does break out the damage will be much more significant as fire spreads more rapidly in thatch. For this reason, insurance premiums will be higher. However as mentioned earlier, if you ask us at Highhouse insurance to quote for your thatched property , we will do our best to save you money.
It can be seen that whilst there are disadvantages of living in a thatched house, these are relatively minor and the advantages of living in such a charming and unique home may outweigh them.
Brick Wallpaper
Benefits of Brick Wallpaper
There are numerous benefits that a brick wallpaper will have over a normal brick wall. A modern brick wallpaper is a fascinating alternative, which offers a similar emotional and physical connection. It can be referred to a transformational tool and a great step in interior design. Furthermore, with a contemporary brick wallpaper, the installation process is quite quick and easy. Due to this, you can end up saving a lot of labor and maintenance costs, plus other important resources.
Here are some other great advantages of having a brick wallpaper over any other kind of wall decoration.
- Brick Wallpaper is Durable
Brick wallpaper is quite long lasting and can also withstand conditions in high traffic areas, and wear and tear from kids. While it might require some extra knowledge to apply perfectly, a good brick wallpaper is made to last for over 10 years.
- It is Perfect for Hiding Imperfections
In case you want to hide imperfections in your wall such as when it is cracked, uneven, or damaged, brick wallpaper can be of great benefit to you. Brick wallpaper is able to go several steps further than any other wallpaper due to its great ability to disguise flaws. Therefore, erecting a brick wallpaper can consume lesser time and resources than having to fix all imperfections on your wall.
Brick Wallpaper
Why Brick Wallpaper
Before we look at anything else in regards to brick wallpaper, let us first have a look at why you should use these kinds of wallpapers in the first place. A brick wallpaper features a transforming texture, a structured charm, and effortless elegance. These factors make brick wallpapers alluring and timeless, some good reasons why you should use brick wallpaper.
Brick wallpaper the new water
Adding brick wallpaper is the best interior design you can do to your house. You can add the wallpaper to all the four walls of your room or have one feature wall, which will have the different brick wallpaper designs. Brick wall wallpaper has been properly developed to become an authentic charm, which is now been witnessed in inner-city apartments and also rural cottages. This is so because brick style wallpaper complements both modern and traditional furniture perfectly. Due to this, brick wallpaper is the ideal choice when looking for an interior design guaranteed to be the talking point amongst your guests.