Hoffman Enclosure

The use of digital signage in outdoor locations has increased rapidly over the last few years. The falling price of commercial LCD and plasma TVs combined with the growth of protective outdoor LCD enclosures has meant that placing a TV outside for the purposes of digital advertising is neither expensive nor difficult to do.

Waterproof LCD enclosures are cabinets that allow standard commercial televisions to be used in outdoor locations. They prevent water from seeping into the enclosure and damaging the LCD or plasma TV but still allow air to flow inside the enclosure to ensure the TV remains cool.

However, there are more considerations to think about than just protecting outdoor digital signage from the rain. There are other concerns that if overlooked, can have an effect on how successful an outdoor digital signage campaign is.

Direct and bright sunlight can have several effects on a digital advertising screen. Firstly, as you may have encountered in your living room at home, if sunlight is beaming directly on to the LCD TV screen then the picture can become difficult to see.

There are different methods to ensure sunlight doesn’t effect the brightness of the screen but they mostly include using a type of anti-glare glass of covering that protects the screen. These work quite well by preventing the reflection issues caused by the sun.

However, visibility is not the only problem caused by direct sunlight. If constant sunshine, especially in areas that receive high levels of sunlight, is hitting a screen for a prolonged period of time, the screen itself can become hot, or develop hotspots. Often this excessive heat on a small area of the screen can permanently damage the LCD (or plasma which can suffer this effect even worse than LCDs).

Preventing sunlight from damaging the screen requires a more complicated system. The most efficient of these systems is the air curtain where cooled air is blown in front of the screen carrying away any excessive heat.

[1] Doctor Visit

After arriving on time, you are kept waiting for one half hour, then,

stripped of your clothes, tapped on the back and without answering

one question, given a prescription for an unnamed ailment that turns

out costing $50 for a medication consisting mostly of Tylenol and a

decongestant.

[2] Over and Out

In military terms, ‘Over’ means “I am turning the microphone over to

you for further transmission”.

‘Out’ means “I am closing the mike and need no further transmissions”.

Even in Hollywood you can’t have both at the same time.

[3] Cars That Beep

You are waiting for the light to turn green and before you can press on

the accelerator, the car behind you beeps annoyingly for you to get going.

[4] People that take forever to buy two items.

While standing in the checkout line, the person in front of you with two

items is having a long discussion with the check out person. First

he (or she) wants to use her change, but doesn’t have enough. Then she

writes a check, but has no I.D. Then the item she picked has no price and

the coupons she has are no longer valid. On and on to infinity.

[5] Promo Spots on the News

Teaser ads that take up half the time allotted to the news portion of the

program. The other half is dedicated to the rest of the story except for

the punch line for which you have to ‘tune in later’.

[6] 800 Numbers That Pass the Buck

You are asked to call an 800 number for your bank balance or whatever.

A disinterested voice then rattles off a selection of choices, none of which

pertain to your problem. After trying all of the choices, a voice asks you if

you want her to repeat the choices. No live person in sight.

[7] Favors That are Never Returned

Your ‘best friend keeps leaning on you for rides to work, to pick up

something at the store, to mind her kid for a ‘minute’ and “Could I

use your car?” But when asked for a favor, they have no time.

[8] Free Offers That Cost $200.

Credit card companies love to call at supper to tell you about a ‘Free’

offer that sounds irresistible with built-in guarantees and optional

cancellation privileges. Then you find out that your account was billed for

$200 and the day for cancellation was yesterday.

[9] Real Estate Leader Ads

A newspaper ad shows a gorgeous home for only $249,000 complete

with 2 1/2 baths, three bedrooms, an optional finished basement, and

a two car garage. Then when you get there you find that the basement

(unfinished) costs $20,000 extra and another $24,000 for being finished.

The property happens to be a ‘premium lot’ (not under water) and costs

more. All the upgrades in the model are extra and none of the plantings

are included. A slab patio is big enough for a folding chair and a potted plant.

[10] Herbal Infomercials

The only program on your favorite radio station is one half hour

extolling the virtues of a fabulous, unbelievable life-saving preparation

known only to 13th century monks and the president of the Herbal

Supplement Company. Shocking and revealing telephone calls

raving about the amazing qualities of their concoction of herbal

remedy are interspersed with warnings not to try to replace their

magic formula with chamomile (the main ingredient) and an 800 number

that informs you of their $39.00 minimum charge.

[11] Emails from illiterate Nigerians who insist that their husband has died and left a fortune

in untouchable millions of shopeks. We are expected to let them use our bank account

in a scheme to defraud their government and ours for a ten per cent cut. Yeah, right.

Selecting the right shower stall enclosure is not easy. Do you completely remove your old system or can you go over this structure to save time and money? Are there any special needs to consider in your design? What shower base and wall combination will work best? Do you want a door or is it best to go doorless? The decisions and the options seem to multiply like rabbits.

This article will provide a 7 step process to lead you through the shower selection process.

Step 1 – Determine if you need to remove the old shower stall – Evaluate the condition of your old enclosure. Are the walls and the base structurally sound? Look at the base (and the areas around and below the base) to determine if there has been any leaking or if the base or pan is rusting or crumbling. For the walls look to see if tile grout joints are flaking away or if there are any spongy areas in the walls (this would be an indication the walls have taken on water and at least part of the structure behind the wall will need to be repaired).

If you find the walls and base are in good condition it is possible to use acrylic walls or solid surface surrounds to go over existing tile walls (more about this in step 4)

Step 2 – Consider any special needs and accessories- How would you like this shower to function in the short run and long run? Would it be helpful to have a barrier free access (a ramp of maybe a zero tolerance entry) for the future? Would a shower seat, grab bar, corner caddy or shampoo niche improve the function of your shower stall? There are lot of options in both acrylic, ready for tile base and solid surfaces bases that can accommodate wheelchair access or just to make a home more functional. Design with the future in mind.

Step 3 – Choose a shower base – The shower base or pan serves as the foundation of your project. Bases are made in standard or custom sizes. Usually standard sizes are most cost effective. You’ll find common sizes in almost all of the different base materials (acrylic, fiberglass, solid surface, ready for tile expanded polystyrene). Popular sizes include 60 x 32, 60 x 30, 48 x 48 and 36 x 36 sizes.

Fiberglass bases cost the least but their downside is they are prone to yellow or crack over the long run. For a more customized look consider solid surface products (like cultured marble, Corian, or Swanstone) or use an expanded polystyrene base which can be finished with tile. The solid surface bases can be the most expensive but they have no seems and will have long lasting properties. The expanded polystyrene bases are gaining popularity because they can be cost-effectively customized and are 100% waterproof as well.

Step 4 -Select the best wall surrounds for the plumbing and shampoo niche walls – Like most products interior wall surrounds should be chosen with value, style and longevity in mind. Here’s a rundown of options:

Acrylic walls – If you’re looking for a cost-effective alternative for a remodeling project where existing tile walls are structurally sound consider acrylic walls. They are an excellent value (when you can go over the existing) and are even available with the look of stone or tile.

Fiberglass walls – Fiberglass walls are the cheapest available, manufactured in standard sizes, and are inexpensive to self-install. Their drawback – quality and longevity.

Tile walls placed over a masonry backerboard or waterproof extruded polystyrene system – Tile walls have come a long way. Grout technologies are far superior to what you may have on your existing walls. Tile can be purchased in a wide variety of price ranges. One of the biggest challenges with tile projects is they are time consuming to install (you can save significant money if you’re willing or able to do this yourself).

Solid surface shower walls – These walls are durable, will not mold or mildew and have no grout joints to worry about. They can also be glued and/or installed with butyl tape over existing surfaces and are available in decorative pebble, geometric, beadboard and other textures and patterns.

Step 5 – Determine the shape of the walls you’ll see inside the bathroom – If your shower is in the corner of the room you may want to consider an angled or rectangular designed wall(s). If you want to eliminate a door and minimize cleaning consider a curved wall design. A wall that is slightly curved or angled to the inside will serve to break the water from getting outside the shower enclosure.

Step 6 – Identify the type wall you want – Consider the tradeoff between value, function and style when choosing your inside walls. Here are a few more popular options:

Straight Framed glass walls – These walls are generally made of thinner glass packages and are framed with different metal surrounds. Their main advantage is low initial purchase cost. The disadvantage is they are flimsier and cleaning around the frames is not easy.

Straight Unframed glass walls – Generally seen in nicer hotel rooms these walls are without frames and are made of thicker glass (and available in many designs and patterns for increased style). The advantage of unframed walls is appearance and the main disadvantage is they are on the upper end of the cost.

Rounded or Straight Tiled Walls – Tiled walls are generally more expensive to complete than framed glass systems but can create a more uniform inside appearance. The main disadvantages are they do not transmit light inside or outside the shower space making the stall seem darker.

Rounded or Straight Glass Block Shower Wall – For a curved design glass blocks can provide a sturdy installation with a cost effective design. Blocks now come in colored, etched and obscure designs and patterns. The disadvantage of glass blocks are they have a more contemporary appearance which may not be desired for some interior design.

Rounded tempered and bent glass – These walls are very cool in appearance, are usually made with a thicker glass for stability but are the most costly type of interior glass wall.

Step 7 – Choose to go with our without a shower door – The design trend is definitely in favor of the door-less design. The challenge will be to determine if you have enough space to go without the door. Generally it’s more difficult in square or angled corner showers to go doorless. Walk in showers can be used in as small a space as 60 x 34 (there is a very interesting single rounded wall glass block shower design available which can actually convert a tub area into a shower). 60″ spaces are wider work best for a doorless design.

Let these 7 steps serve as an initial outline to help you choose the shower stall or enclosure for your next remodeling project. If these steps seem daunting consider contacting a professional design and remodeling contractor to assist you through the process.

There is no doubt that cats enjoy being outside. You only have to see them stretch out in a ray of sunshine one time to realize that. But if you live in the city where your cats might run out in the street or get lost, letting them go outside can be a problem. Even if you live in a rural area, there can be other larger animals that might hurt your cats. You might think that you have no choice but to keep them inside all the time, but there is another solution.

The best way to give your cats a little outdoor time while still maintaining their safety is to use a pet enclosure. If you’re handy, you can make one yourself. It just takes a little lumber, a little canvas and a little netting. If you prefer not to make make your own enclosure, you can buy one that is already complete.

If you buy one that is already made, you have a lot of options. Some are small, simple net boxes that the cats can nap in. Others are a bit fancier. You can get enclosures that are made of modules that fit together like a prefab home. You just get the pieces you want and put them together. Pieces might include a tower for climbing, a long area where the cats can run back and forth, a hammock for lying around. Using an enclosure can keep your cats from getting lost and keep them safe from neighborhood dogs and other cats.

It goes without saying that when you have your own private swimming pool you should always make sure that it is secure, especially when your pool is not in use. There are a number of ways in which you could do this such as installing a pool alarm system; however one of the most effective ways of ensuring that the safety of your pool is maintained is through the installation of a swimming pool enclosure.

Statistics sadly show that every year in the US more than three hundred children, all of whom are under the age of five, drown in swimming pools and these pools are usually the ones found in their own back garden. Also more than two thousand children are treated every year for submersion injuries. These are shocking figures but thankfully over the past couple of years pool enclosures have become easily accessible to anyone and everyone who owns their own pool.

Owning your very own swimming pool is a great privilege, it does however require you to take on a level of responsibility when it comes to safety. This responsibility is yours alone, which means you should be doing what you can to prevent accidents from happening. A pool enclosure provides you with piece of mind when it comes to terms of safety and security. Not only do these enclosures cover your pool to reduce maintenance costs and enable you to use it all year round, they also ensure that no one is at risk of falling in. This is very important if you have young children or pets.

By covering your swimming pool you are able to let your young children play outside without constantly keeping them away from it. Also there is no way that your children could accidentally open the pool enclosure and get in side for the fact that most of these enclosures are lockable so no one can gain access without you letting them. Even if you don’t have children of your own, these pool enclosures are perfect for when family and friends come round and bring their young children with them. This means the children can safety play outside while you entertain your guests. Also if you don’t have pets of your own, by covering your swimming pool area in this way you are protecting the wildlife or neighbor’s pets that may stray into your garden.

No matter how safe you are with your swimming pool you can’t prevent all accidents from happening, whereas a swimming pool enclosure can. It stops people accidentally falling in and it also stops anyone slipping on the pool area and injuring themselves.

Even though as pool owners you aren’t by law made to purchase an enclosure when you have a swimming pool installed in your garden, I highly recommend that you do. The benefits of having a pool enclosure far outweighs the cost of having one installed, and if you have young children or you are planning on starting a family, this is a decision that should come naturally.

There are a number of swimming pool enclosures for you to choose from, meaning there is a style out there for everyone, so increase the safety of your pool today and get an pool enclosure installed.

“Hoffman Estates is conducting a Chicago Real Estate Auction of up to 150 properties. The properties include both new construction and resale homes and willing be sold through auctions”.

That headline is a sure indication that auction as a tool to sell properties is here to stay. According to Holland Home Auctions, nearly 150 properties which are quality built homes in preferred settings. This is very unlike the usual auctions where the houses are usually foreclosed or distress sale houses in undesirable locations.

With bids starting at as low as 50% of the actual real estate price. It is an ideal way to get away from all the fine print and the clutter of discounts offered by various builders. According to Hoffman Estates, all the properties are well crafted, attractive new homes that includes a full warranty. Properties include single family residences, town homes and condominiums within the city as well as the suburbs.

Auction attendees and potential bidders can also inspect the auction properties by scheduling a private appointment with Hoffman Estates.

“We encourage all prospective bidders to bring along a professional home inspector and thoroughly check out any of the homes included in our real estate auction,” said Holland, who added that a variety of financing programs provided by the auction company’s preferred lender are available to those who qualify. “Upon closer inspection, I think you’re going to be surprised by the quality, construction integrity, craftsmanship, amenities, curb appeal and location of these properties.”

“This real estate auction adds up to an outstanding value and an unbeatable opportunity for house hunters looking to capitalize on a strong buyer’s market,” Holland said. “These homes have been specially selected by Holland Home Auctions. Why waste time driving around to communities in search of the right home, or deal with aggressive realtors when you can join us on November 10 and bid on a fantastic below-market priced property at Holland Home Auctions’ first real estate auction.”

Some of the conditions for the Chicago Real Estate Auctions for prospective bidders are as follows

1. Pre-register for the event by either phone or online. Registration is free.

2. A certified cashiers cheque for 5000 dollars made payable to themselves, which will be used as a EMD in event of winning the auction.

3. The remainder EMD(10%) must be delivered prior to close of escrow

4. Buyer’s premium of 5% of high bid will be added to all final accepted bids

5. There is also an option of getting pre-approved through preferred lenders. Upon qualification, you will have the option to put less than ten percent down and still bid on a home, plus your five percent buyer’s premium will be reduced to four percent (4%) of the high bid price if you use the preferred lender.

6. All residences are sold as “as-is, where-is ” basis.

The Nov. 10 Chicago Real estate Auction will be conducted at The Stonegate Conference and Banquet facility, located at 2401 W. Higgins Rd. (near the Barrington Road I-90 interchange) in Hoffman Estates. For more details on the auction, including terms and conditions, visit our website or call (877) 499-5478.

As you were growing up, your family more than likely had a shower. Chances are they just had the standard bathtub/shower combination where there was either a curtain or a glass door that slid shut. This is the most common type of shower enclosure out there, even today, but what most people do not realise is that the world has changed drastically, and now people are able to afford a whole new rang of shower enclosures. That’s not to say that the old fashioned design isn’t good, but rather it is to say that you can customise your bathroom to your own tastes now, which is probably the best part of all.

Take a long look at your bathroom. You need to look at how it is laid out and decide what type of shower enclosure you would like. Of course you might not like any of the available options, in which case you would need to remodel your entire bathroom. But that’s a good thing! Let’s start with one of the most popular types of alternative shower enclosures.

Cubicle Shower Enclosure: Let’s say you are more of a modern person. If you like wide open spaces then you may very well like to treat yourself to a cubicle shower. This is exactly what it sounds like, and you can have it built in many different ways. If you wish, you can have most of it built from opaque material, but many prefer that it all be transparent glass. Privacy is not an issue because the glass will steam up as you shower, making for a natural privacy curtain.

Quadrant Shower Enclosure: This one is in the walk-in category just like the cubicle shower. This is one that hugs the wall and is cut to fit into the corner. Many people choose this type either because they do not have the room for a cubicle shower, or just do not enjoy the idea of being in such an open space. This type of shower can be closed off by a glass partition or by a curtain.

Inline Panels: In order to describe this type of shower enclosure I would have to ask you to picture a closet, which is of course built into a wall. This type of shower can have either curtains or glass panels. Most people will choose to install the glass panels so that they can let some light in.

As you see there are quite a few different shower enclosures out there that you can use. No longer do you have to select among one or two different types! The bathroom is yours to design, and soon enough you will have a beautiful room in the theme that you desire. But that is the key phrase there: that you desire. Make sure your bathroom looks precisely the way you want it to, because you are the one who will have to look at it. Make sure you don’t mismatch anything, and don’t clash your theme! So long as you do everything right, you will have a bathroom that you can be proud of.

The moment that you own your first guitar or a new one, you realize you have a large responsibility to keep this thing safe and sound. Face it. This new axe is constantly in danger of being smashed, dropped, scuffed, crushed, or even stolen.

But, a lot of what happens are very fundamental things that can be easily prevented if you only pay attention. Look over this short list of extremely simple things that you can do to keep your guitar safer.

1. Keep it in the case when you’re not using it

It’s very simple, but some guitarists just forget where the guitar’s home is and let it roam around too often. You bought that sturdy hard-shell case for a reason, so keep your guitar safe in there when you’re not playing it.

2. Don’t lean it upright against walls and posts

There’s a saying I have that goes, “If you lay something flat, there’s no chance of it falling over.” So, if you’re leaning your guitar up against posts, railings, or walls, that sounds like trouble to me.

Save yourself some grief and lay your instrument down if you can’t possibly put it in its case.

3. Let it ride in the back seat like a friend and not in the trunk like a hostage

Now, I understand that you have to pack the van up and you have lots of equipment to take to a show, but if you have the room, your guitar deserves better than the trunk. With your guitar in the back seat, you can still see it and realize how your driving ability may be affecting it.

4. Put your guitar on a stand when it’s on stage

Let’s say you’re in a band and you’re getting ready for a gig. You set everything up, test out the amp, and then walk off the stage.

If you’re leaving your guitar up there, you don’t want it leaning up against your amp or poles. Bring a guitar stand onto the stage or put it back in the case so you can prevent a catastrophe right before your set.

5. Lock that thing up

You wouldn’t believe some of the things that get stolen at a rock show and sometimes it isn’t even the guitar! They might open up your case and fish for strings, capos, or any other small components to your instrument.

Keep your guitar safe and sound by locking it up with all of its pieces.

6. Don’t let that thing out of your sight

This should really go without saying. If you’re done with your set, you should be packing up your own instrument before you help with anyone else’s equipment.

Wouldn’t it make you feel better knowing that your guitar is safe in your vehicle before you start working the crowd again?

There really isn’t too much to keeping your guitar safe, but so much is overlooked and taken for granted. It can be a cruel world with thieves and Newton’s law of relativity, but with some common sense and responsibility, your guitar can last for a few more years.

Steam showers have become all the rage in bathrooms today. A good steam shower allows people to experience the relaxation and the detoxification that they used to only experience when they go to a spa. However, there are people who wish to go beyond the standard steam shower that a spa offers. They don’t only want to have a steam shower of their own, but they want it customized to their needs. It’s no wonder therefore that custom steam showers are now being ordered by a lot of people for varied reasons.

Some people have custom steam showers made in order to meet their specific needs. As we all know, each individual is unique. It follows therefore that we all have unique needs, whether it concerns food or a steam shower. A custom steam shower can help a person address his or her specific needs whether it involves something that will help them relax better or something which will render the steam shower more effective.

There are also those people who buy custom steam showers simply to proclaim their individuality. By having a custom steams shower built, they are able to look into the mirror and proclaim to themselves and to the world that they have a unique steam shower. Customization today is seen by a lot of people as a status symbol. If you have something customized, then you must be really cool.

Here are some factors to consider if you want to have your steam shower customized:

1) Function: Some steam showers can be customized by changing the way that they work. The steam outlets can be adjusted in order to fit the person’s specifications. By building custom steam showers in this manner, a person can make sure that he or she can enjoy the benefits of the steam shower at its best. A steam shower can be customized in order to help a person detoxify, get rid of a pound or two and it can even be customized in order to help a person relax.

There are also those who try to improve the way their steam shower functions by playing around with the construction materials. They manage to make their steam showers cost less or retain more heat. They are able to make sure that they can improve the steam shower simply by looking around at available materials and analyzing how these materials work.

The function of the custom steam shower is vital since it determines the specific benefits the person gets when building it.

2) Design: A lot of steam shower kits available today have a typical finished product look. A lot of people misinterpret this information as to how the steam shower should be assembled. The more creative ones, however, tend to take the small picture or caricature merely as a suggestion and proceed to give their steam shower the look that they desire.

A lot of people like to add a touch of history to their custom steam shower. Some design their custom steam showers to partially resemble a Venetian bath house. Others like to build custom steam showers with an Asian twist. Whatever you choose, you can make your steam shower reflect your personality.

Actually, designing a custom steam shower is not that hard at all. However, you have to be very careful as it is often the case that design is inexorably tied to function. You need to make sure that the design of your custom steam shower does not affect or hinder in any way the enjoyment you expect from it.

At some point a snake owner may need to look at purchasing a customized enclosure for their snake.  The reasons for needing to make this change can be due to the snake outgrowing any of the standard cages on the market or solely aesthetic reasons.  Finding the right customized snake cage can be a time consuming task.  Hopefully I can make that process a bit easier for you.

If you are looking to place your snakes or reptiles on display in a prominent section of your home or store, the standard herp tanks sold at the local pet store aren’t usually meant to be decorative.  They may occasionally carry a few models, but most are pretty standard tanks that can be used for fish, reptiles, and snakes.  You need to find something that looks quite a bit nicer, which is where the custom snake habitats come in. 

These units can be made out of finely finished wood that can compliment which ever interior design your room’s furniture already has.  If you are going for a more contemporary look, there are many nice options in brushed aluminum and steel to choose from.  A lot of the custom snake enclosures are built to order, so you have a pretty wide range to choose from in order to suit your needs.

When pricing a customized enclosure, you will want to make sure that it comes with all the additional items you need in a snake habitat, or if they are an additional cost.  I think you will find that with most of the build to suit cages you get to select the add-ons, and they will show up as an additional cost.  But it is nice to be able to choose exactly what lighting, humidity control, and heat source you want for your cage, and then have it preinstalled before you take delivery.

Another common reason, herp owners look at a customized cage is that their snake or collection of snakes is just too big to fit in a regular cage.  For example, you have a large tree snake that spends most of its lifetime living in trees; you need a tall cage to accommodate them.  You won’t find many options for this in the pet store.  However there are a lot of beautiful custom cages that will fit the bill.  The tall cages will give you plenty of room to set up branches and sticks for them to perch on. 

Choosing a customized snake enclosure presents you with a wide range of choices and options.  They are often the best solution for pet owners that have outgrown their cages and need something very attractive for their home.