News – Monica Groop

How to Ensure Scaffolding Safety at the Building Site

One thing every company that uses scaffolding should be concerned about is safety at the building site. When employees are using scaffolding, their risks increase due to the working conditions being more dangerous. They are usually up high, so any fall is more likely to have disastrous consequences. The working space is limited which restricts their movements to some extent and this can also contribute to injuries or falls. So how do you ensure scaffolding safety at the building site?

- Make sure all employees have proper training for working on scaffolding. This training should be ongoing, not done once and never again. People forget things and situations change. Training should be done so staff can keep up with the latest safety developments.
- Never allow an untrained person to go up on scaffolding. It is quite easy to forget who has had training and who hasn’t. Keeping on top of details like this will ensure a better quality of safety for all concerned.

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Are Eco Friendly Pools Really Safe for Humans?

If you have a pool that uses chlorine or salt as a sanitiser you may be wondering if there is a more eco friendly alternative as you plug in your robotic pool cleaner and skim leaves from the top of the pool. There are several alternatives but are they really safe for humans to use? There are at least four alternatives for swimming pools, but you may not like all of them.

For instance, take what is touted as an all natural pool. This is made with clay and gravel and uses water plants to keep the water clean, so you won’t need an automatic pool cleaner. If you are designing your own garden, it is certainly good for the environment as the pure water offers insects and frogs a place to live. Frogs may be attractive and relatively harmless if their name is Kermit.

Otherwise they will croak all night and keep you awake. And they may well come and visit your house. Then there is the problem of snakes, who love to eat frogs and will chase them wherever they go; into the pool or towards your house. Don’t think snakes can’t swim because they are very good at it.

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Maintenance Guidelines for Colorbond Roofs

All homes need maintenance of some kind to keep their value throughout the years. If you don’t maintain your property you will find that when you want to sell it, the price you had hoped for may not be there. Meanwhile, your home is going to pieces around your ears and a big storm could well bring it crashing down.

The roof is one of the most important parts of the home, but unfortunately it is also one of the most neglected, mainly because getting up on it is beyond many people. They either don’t have the agility any more, or they don’t have the time, or the right equipment. This need not be a problem; there are many professionals out there who can do the job.

The cost of having your roof inspected for damage is much smaller than the cost of replacing the ceilings or the frame that has rotted due to leaks that were not found in time. It is also cheaper than having to replace a roof that suddenly blew off in a storm because the screws holding it on were rusted and no one knew.

Maintenance for Colorbond roofing is not difficult. You simply have to keep sticks and debris such as leaf litter off it and check the screws to make sure they are not rusted. If there is a build up of mould or moss on it, this should be cleaned off after wetting, with a soft bristle brush such as a household broom – not a straw broom, though.

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Why Your Carpet May Need Dry Shampooing

The two primary ways to clean carpets are steam cleaning and dry shampooing. Neither name describes the cleaning action correctly. Professional carpet cleaners often use steam cleaning, with chemicals sprayed onto the carpet and hot water injected into the rug. Usually, a rinse cycle is done. The machine then extracts most moisture so the carpet dries quickly, at least in less than 24 hours.

But dry shampooing is not dry; it uses less water and chemicals, but the residue of shampoo and chemicals dries quickly. Dirt sticks to it, so it must be vacuumed out the next day by the homeowner. Since less water is used, the carpet will dry in a few hours. Even though the professional carpet cleaning method is not quite as good as steam cleaning, there are times when choosing a professional service, such as commercial cleaners, is better.

After you have finished renovating and want to get the dust and grunge out of the carpet.
If you expect visitors the next day and realise the carpet looks grubby.
You’ve had tradespeople in and forgot to cover the carpet.
You’ve had a party, and the carpet got sloshed as well.
You need to freshen the carpet up but don’t have time to wait for it to dry.

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How To Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets Properly

When homeowners have kitchen renovations in their home, perhaps including cabinet makers creating increased storage space with new cabinets, it is certain that on day one after completion, these kitchens look akin to the sort of kitchen layouts you might see in a kitchen showroom.

Doubtless, for the first few days and weeks, everyone in the family will be well-warned to look after the new kitchen and to tidy away any mess as soon as possible. That may even continue for several months as everyone in that home takes pride in their new kitchen.

Part of keeping the kitchen looking as good as it did when it was first completed will be cleaning that kitchen. That will cover several tasks, such as mopping the floor, wiping countertops, and washing and putting away dishes and cutlery after mealtimes.

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5 Myths About Composite Decking Debunked

There are many products, including different types of decking, that for some reason seem to attract more than their fair share of myths. In other words, there are misconceptions, some of which are completely ridiculous, as well as misinformation.

To be frank, there are also outright lies, which lead to people being confused about a product, and even deciding against purchasing it, simply because they believed one or more of the myths.

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5 Great Outdoor Lighting Ideas For Your Concrete Swimming Pool

One of the great things about having a concrete pool on your property is that you have an almost unlimited choice of how to design it and the surrounding area. Not only does it add value to your property but the way in which the aesthetics of your property can be enhanced by a concrete pool is incredible.

Landscape Designers tell us an option for enhancing it further is with the use of outdoor lighting, which can turn what might look like a pleasant and attractive pool area during the day, into a stunningly beautiful location at night. To get the wheels turning in your mind in terms of ideas, here are 5 of our favourite options for outdoor lighting for pools.

Underwater Lights

This is one of our favourites as nothing makes a pool more appealing for a swim at night than the lights that are underwater. Not only can they make a pool look stunning, especially if they are coloured lights, but they perform a more practical function in terms of making the pool safer. With the water lit from underneath it is easier to see that someone is in the pool especially if the surrounding light is not particularly bright.

Spotlights

These are great when you want specific features in and around the outside of your property to be highlighted at night. You may have a tree, certain flowers, or it could be some items of the gardening and landscape design or poolside furniture that you want to shine a light on. If you install some adjustable spotlights they can be positioned to shine on the pool when it is being used, and again the use of coloured lighting will enhance the atmosphere.

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How To Compare The Different Soil Types Available For Your Landscape Garden

Whilst landscape designers have excellent skills when it comes to designing the layout of a landscaped garden, their knowledge also extends to matters related to horticulture. By that, we are talking about them knowing which plants are suitable within a design and the best conditions for each one.

If they did not have that knowledge, whilst they might initially create a great-looking garden, it would fail due to plants not growing, lawns looking discoloured due to poor drainage, and any other problems that can occur in gardens. Thankfully, most landscapers are reputable and will ensure any landscape design they create will produce a park that is an aesthetic joy and that everything that grows within that garden will thrive.

A garden that thrives is only possible if the soil within it is suitable for the plants that grow there, which brings us to one of those specific areas of knowledge that landscapers have. It is essential to know the types of soil within a garden and, where necessary, what soil needs to be added to allow the plants that are planned for it to have the best chances of thriving.

Although we cannot cover every possibility, we have highlighted below some soil types you might find in your garden and their various facets. This should allow you to compare them to ascertain which suits your garden and your plans.

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5 Myths About Epoxy Floor Coatings

If you have been researching floor coatings you will undoubtedly have come across some information relating to epoxy floor coatings, and if you haven’t, well you have now. Whilst there are plenty of excellent posts and articles about epoxy floor coatings, there is also a fair amount of misinformation.

We are not suggesting that any of it deliberately trying to mislead people, but instead, it comes from misunderstandings, and also from hearing, and then repeating myths about epoxy floors. So, to help those who are looking for facts about epoxy floors we thought it was only right to call out those myths and explain why they are simply not true.

Myth #1: Epoxy Floors Are Slippery

This is one of the most common myths you will hear about epoxy floors, and it no doubt arises due to the smooth and shiny surface which epoxy floors have. Contrary to the myth, most epoxy floors are slip-resistant, and there are even specific epoxy coatings that have tiny, raised bumps that prevent slipping or skidding for floors in locations where slips and falls are a particular hazard, such as hospitals, and manufacturing units.

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What Type of Carpet Should You Choose?

Many people choose carpet by the cost, but while this should certainly be considered, there are other important criteria to use to ensure you get the best value as well as a carpet you can live with. It is a good idea to consider these points before choosing a carpet.

What the fibre is made from

There are several choices, and these need to be considered especially in regard to carpet cleaning whether you plan to do it yourself or hire a professional – from wool to synthetics such as nylon, acrylic, polyester and olefin. In many cases, a blend of wool and nylon or another synthetic is favoured because while wool is durable, adding a synthetic makes it even more hardwearing. Usually, blends contain 80% wool and 20% nylon.

The depth of pile you like

The depth of pile is an important factor because it has an effect on the look and wear of the carpet. Long, even pile shows footprints and even vacuum trails, but it is very soft, elegant and luxurious underfoot. It may not be the best choice for heavy traffic areas.

Shorter pile does not feel as soft, but it is harder wearing and ideal for heavy traffic areas. You can also get a combination of short and long which can add visual interest with a self-pattern and texture.

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