The Reality of Hard Water In Your Home

The water supply in your household can arguably be stated to be the single most important within your home. Next, in order of importance for the comfort of its occupants being waste drain and electrical systems. The water in your home is of absolute importance in order to live comfortably within your home. Running water is not only convenient it is crucial. The quality of the water in your home is extremely important as it not only affects the appliances and plumbing systems, it can affect the health of your family.

Undesirable Effects of Hard Water

Water supplies throughout the United States are not all created equally which is why it is of the utmost importance that your household water is evaluated prior to use. There are however, some tell-tale signs that can be seen throughout your home that are dead giveaways on whether your home has or does not have hard water or water that has arsenic or other adverse elements within it.

Many homeowners may not even be aware of the damage that hard water can actually create physical damage to their home. Often times hard water can cause serious damage to your homes plumbing while also doing damage to appliances such as your dishwasher and washer and families clothing.

One tell-tale sign that you have hard water is finding a film on dishes after running a load of dishes through the dishwasher, staining on the faucets and fixtures within the home or landscaping, or a smaller than normal lather when working with soaps and shampoos.

How Water Softener Systems Work to Combat the Undesirable Effects of Hard Water

Many residential water systems work in the same manner, they hook up to your homes water inlet from the city or well system. In order for water to be softened the outside source of water must be hooked up to a water treatment system. There are many different options in water treatment systems that can be installed in your home to treat your homes hard water, the most common being a water softener system using salt or potassium chloride.

The typical process of water softening uses a typical Ion Exchange which uses salt or potassium chloride to replace the minerals in the water that makes it hard. This ion exchange system consists of using more than one tank and a flow control system that first removes all of the minerals and mixes the salt back into the water before discharging it into the household’s water system.

How Safe Is Softener Water?

According to most health experts, softened water is safe to use a s a source of usable water and quality drinking water although an excess can be harmful as we can see in the excess consumption of anything. An excess of sodium or a reduction in naturally occurring minerals within a water supply can be unhealthy however when used normally as is seen within household water usage the health benefits of soft water our weigh the possible harmful effects.

Most water softener systems use some sort of process that strips away most of the minerals and replaces them with higher levels of sodium. This means if you have high blood pressure or one of several heart-related conditions your doctor will likely have you on a no or low sodium diet. If this is the case, then you may want to consider the source of your water before choosing a water softening treatment system for your home.

Sodium is not the only health concern, trace minerals and other nutrients that you may not be aware that are in found in your typical “hard water” are actually extremely good for you. Without them you would need to resort to other sources, such as supplementation or altering your daily diet to increase the amount of the important minerals. Water softening does not eliminate minerals it does however, decrease the amount that can be found to a healthy amount to ingest.

At Reynolds Water Conditioning Company, we are here to help make sure our clients don’t buy water treatment systems that they don’t need. We are here to make sure you find a water softening system that gives you the results you are looking for, whether it is to remove iron or odor from you water; we have a solution that will help! For more information contact our experts at 800.572.9575 or at our website https://reynoldswater.com.

Proper Maintenance Keeps Medical Systems Running Smoothly

The manufacturer of all medical equipment routinely establishes a regular maintenance schedule that customers need to be able to accomplish in order to ensure that their system is running properly. These maintenance requirements ensure tests are run to ensure that certain linear accelerator parts are all functioning well. The same is true for oncology equipment parts.

Importance of doing regular proper maintenance

When the equipment you are operating is designed for diagnosing a wide range of serious injuries, illnesses, and diseases it is extremely important that they are working optimally at all times. To be sure that all of your machines are properly maintained you should read all of the documentation that comes with each machine and pays close attention to any section that lists regular or scheduled maintenance.

8 Steps Involved in Quality Preventative Maintenance Plans on Medical Equipment

#1 Get the key people in your organization on board with the plan

– In order for any maintenance plan to work you need to be sure that you have all of your people on board with your plan.

#2 Discuss your goals for the plan –

Be sure to discuss all of your goals for the program with everyone to be sure everyone understands them.

#3 Do an initial inventory of all the equipment needing to be maintained –

You should a complete inventory of all of the equipment that will be part of your plan.

#4 Make decisions on the plan you wanting to follow –

Make final decisions on how the plan will be carried out.

#5 Read through all of the equipment manuals –

It is important to know as much about the machinery as you possibly can before you get started.

#6 Schedule long-term maintenance plan –

Set up a long-term maintenance plan that covers all of the vital systems of the equipment.

#7 Schedule short-term maintenance plan –

Set up a short-term plan that covers a more basic look over of the system.

#8 Train your people –

Before you set your plans in motion you want to be sure that all of your people are all on the same page and ready to carry out the mission.

For some medical facilities this type of maintenance on each piece of equipment requires a special department within the organization. For others it is more cost effective to outsource medical equipment maintenance and repairs to a company that specializes in the repair of medical equipment and parts needed for complex repairs on large scaled equipment such as linear accelerators, CT scanners, and a variety of radiation oncology equipment.

Learn more about Radparts and the variety of services and parts they offer to repair medical equipment including: linear accelerators parts, CT scanners parts, linac parts, and radiation oncology equipment at www.radparts.com. To contact one of our medical equipment repair specialists for parts or service call toll free 877.704.3838 for 24/7/365 support.

Which Medigap Plan is Right for You?

In the United States, Medigap is also known as Medicare Supplemental Insurance. Unlike Medicare which is administered largely by the government, Medigap insurance programs including the benefits are contracted to private insurers. Recent statistics show about 20% of Medicare beneficiaries are also covered by Medigap.

Medicare typically covers enrollees who are 65 years old or over. Enrollees under 65 must either be covered because of a disability or other qualifying condition. Although they cannot simply buy Medigap some states have recently begun requiring some Medigap plans to be made available for this group of people.

There are three options for enrollees, Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Original Medicare with Medigap Supplemental Insurance Plans. One glaring difference between Medigap and the Medicare Advantage plans is that Medigap does not make any decisions about what to cover, the federal government states what is covered within each Medigap Plan. Medigap features no networks of hospitals or doctors for the enrollee to select. It merely directs them to the specified share of their medical bills that Medicare doesn’t cover (for co-pays or deductibles for Medicare part A or Part B). To simplify the process, if an enrollee’s healthcare benefit was paid for by Medicare, but there is an outstanding bill, Medigap steps in to offset it.

With the exception of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Massachusetts, Medigap is available in 10 distinct benefits packages. These vary according to how much of the healthcare expenses the enrollee is being covered for. Premiums are determined by the number of healthcare benefits covered or the amount of the bill to be covered.

The most popular Medigap plan is F which is not rated. When browsing Medigap plans, enrollees are sometimes taken aback by this, but the absence of a rating is simply because the benefits are the same regardless of which private insurer the enrollee purchases coverage from. It pays for everything that Medicare doesn’t. It even goes further and pays for the outstanding bill that is assessed by hospital systems and doctors who don’t accept payment-in-full by Medicare

Unlike the Medicare Advantage plans, the rules governing Medigap may vary from state to state. All the Federal government does is regulate the minimum consumer protection rules, but individual states are free to decide to modify or add any additional consumer protections.

After each hospital visit, the private insurance companies administering Medigap contact Medicare to compute the amount of the outstanding bill and automatically pay their share. No hospitals or networks are involved.

Learn more about Medigap plans and rates at http://emedigap-plans.com. Medigap Insurance brokers will help you compare Medigap Insurance rates and plans. To talk to an expert in Medigap coverage call toll free 888-452-7949!

What Do Medicare Plans Actually Cover?

Medicare, which was launched in 1966, is the national health insurance program for people over 65 years old and is administered by the United States federal government’s Social Security Administration. It is funded by worker payroll taxes, taxes from beneficiaries and a few government subsidies. The overarching goal of Medicare is to cover enrollees over 65 years old for at least half of their healthcare costs while they cater for the other half out-of-pocket. As already mentioned, in order to qualify for Medicare, one has to be 65 years of age or older or be receiving social security disability or have End Stage Renal Failure. The program is divided into Medicare Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D.

Understandably, Medicare is designed to defray healthcare costs for seniors and those with certain disabilities. Initially, Medicare consisted solely of hospital insurance but was later adjusted to pay for additional services prescription drugs. This entailed the creation of the four parts to the plan: Part A, B, (Original Medicare) C (Medicare Advantage) and D (Medigap Prescription Plan Coverage).

Medicare Part A is actually hospital insurance and covers anyone who is found eligible. It covers mostly inpatient care including hospital stay, skilled nursing facilities, and care, and hospice facilities with some home health care also included. It is not intended to cover custodial or long-term care. The good news about Medicare Part A is that enrollees need not pay a premium for this portion.

Part B is termed medical insurance. Its goal is to cover medically-necessary services such as lab tests, doctors’ services, diagnostics, therapy and general outpatient care including some preventive screenings. It is intended to cater for portions of Medicare that Part A does not cover. Enrollees have to pay a premium for Medicare Part B although it is optional.

Medicare Part C is also known as Medicare Advantage. It is said to contain more or less the same coverage and enrollee gets from parts A and B. The only difference is its benefits are administered by private insurers rather than the federal government. Enrollees, in turn, pay their premiums directly to this private insurer. Medicare Part C is optional as well and enrollees can opt for it instead of Part A and B.

Medicare Advantage is often compared to coverage of Original Medicare and Medigap as it a plan that covers gaps left with Original Medicare. An enrollee has the option to choose one or the other with the difference being benefits are administered by the private entity rather than Medicare itself. Many people view Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) as subtle replacements for Parts A, B, and D.

Medicare Part D involves prescription drug coverage and is only offered through private companies which are government-certified and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It is also optional, and enrollees have to pay a premium directly to the private insurance company.

Learn more about Medicare Supplemental Insurance plans, rates and more at http://www.emedicare-supplemental-insurance.com. Medicare Supplemental Insurance brokers will help you compare Medicare Supplemental Insurance rates and plans. To talk to an expert in Medicare coverage toll free 877-202-9248 today!

Cross Docking Logistic Services Help Support Your Business

Logistics is an important part of the business and it is the concept of getting products from point A to point B in the quickest possible moment. Depending on where you are in the supply chain is how cross-docking can benefit you and your business.

What is Cross Docking

Cross-docking is a supply chain process in that it helps manufacturers and bulk suppliers get their product into the supply chain much faster. The product arrives at one side of the building and it is immediately unloaded and moved directly to the outbound side of the building ready to be loaded onto an outbound truck that is headed in the same location. This helps to consolidate loads and cuts down on expensive LTL shipping cost.

Benefits of Cross Docking

Gets the product to market faster – The use of cross-docking helps to improve efficiency in moving product to market faster. By turning around shipment quicker and less handling of the product also helps to speed up efficiency in shipping. The process can be used in both durable goods and those types of products that require refrigeration. It can be useful in the shipping of higher value items that normally need special security consideration.

Lowers over shipping cost – Cross docking cuts down on a number things like labor cost through, a smaller warehouse footprint so that you don’t need as much space. It also can help to consolidate several LTL shipments into a single shipment. You also eliminate having to rotate product and having inventory which saves money.

Improved service levels – Cross docking can be extremely useful when there is a call for a change in a shipment, this can make any changes downstream a lot easier since shipment arrives in bulk. The shipment is repacked in a container and shipped out to their final destinations. This process helps to speed up the entire supply chain, in turn, help all businesses across the board.

Downsides to Cross Docking

Cross-docking does not work especially well in all circumstances and it helps to know when those times are when trying to determine if it fits in with your logistical needs. Here are just a few examples of when it might not be a good fit for crossing docking shipments. It requires a lot of management time to organize all of the movement of product and all of the planning that goes into can make it counterproductive under some circumstances. Establishing a cross-docking terminal structure can be time-consuming and the capital expenditures need to be considered ahead of time.

Not all suppliers are able to support across dock setup and that could throw a monkey wrench into your operation having to have an alternative system in order to support the supplier’s needs.

In support of an efficient cross dock system, there has to be an adequate number of trucks to move the product in and out fast enough to support such a system.

It really works well with mainly high-volume products that break down well and can be repackaged for quicker shipments. In order for a cross-docking arrangement to work the supplier has to reliable enough to get their product to you in order to be able to turn it around fast enough.

Learn more about Matrix Transportation and the transportation services they offer including: dedicated truckloads, JIT truckloads, less than truckload (LTL), same day expedited FTL and LTL, full truckload, warehousing, cross-docking, and trailer rentals at www.matrixtransportation.com To contact one of our trucking experts call toll free 888.896.2405 today.

How Do I Know When My Homes Windows Need to Be Replaced?

The windows in your home allow you to keep cold or extremely hot air out or let fresh air inside when there is a nice breeze flowing. You may not give your windows much thought, especially if you can still open and close them with ease, but you may want to look at them carefully to see if they need to be replaced.

Here are 5 clues that you need to replace the windows in your home:

Your Windows Will Not Open or They Frequently Get Stuck

When you begin to struggle opening or closing your windows, it is time to consider calling a window contractor to have your windows replaced. The foundation of your home may have shifted, causing your windows to become wedged in place, or the frame may have deteriorated to the point where it will not allow the window to move up and down any longer.

Your Energy Bills Are Rising

You may want to consider a home improvement or two when you notice a cold draft coming in through your windows during the winter months or you notice that your energy bills are much higher than they have ever been. Old windows with only one pane do not do a good job of keeping outside air out, which is why you may want to hire a window contractor to replace all your windows with a more energy efficient option.

The Window Frame is Cracking or Rotting Away

Any noticeable cracking or rotting of your window frame signals that your windows need to be replaced sooner than later. If you do not replace them, you may find that you are dealing with additional structural damage to your home, which could have been easily avoided.

Your Window Pane is Cracked

A cracked window pane can mean that your window or windows need to be replaced. While you can have a new window pane installed, the chances that a window contractor can find the exact same type of window pane is slim, especially if you have older windows.

You are Updating Your Home

Home improvement projects encompass numerous items around your house. While you can do home improvements like replacing your siding or roof without replacing your windows, you may want to consider doing them all at once. After all, you will already have easy access to your windows when your siding is off, and that will make it simpler for a window contractor to replace them in a short amount of time. Plus, once everything is completed, your home will look amazing.

You don’t need to wait until it is too late to replace the windows in your home. Catching these small clues right away will ensure that you can hire a window contractor to get your windows in working order sooner, so that you do not need to be uncomfortable inside your own home.

Learn more about Kearns Brothers, a full-service home improvement contractor servicing all of Southeast Michigan’s construction needs by visiting their website at www.kearnsbrothers.com or contact a remodeling expert at 888.355.6700.

Tips to Maximize Your Bathroom’s Layout During Renovations

Bathrooms renovations can be extremely tricky, especially if you are trying to create more space in a room that currently seems really small. However, there are many things that you can do to maximize this space during your bathroom remodel.

Here are 5 tips to maximize your bathroom’s layout during renovations:

Create Storage Anywhere You Can

As you are creating the design for your bathroom remodel, you are going to want to incorporate storage wherever you can, because that is the one thing that is always needed the most in this space. You can choose to install open shelves on the walls or consider installing a vanity with a cabinet underneath to really maximize your bathroom space.

Add Natural Light

Natural light can really open up a room and make it appear larger than it really is. We recommend installing a skylight if possible, so you have continuous light shining down into your new bathroom.

Reflect with a Mirror

During your bathroom renovations, you are going to need to find a few ways to add to the space for décor, and we recommend making sure that a mirror is at the top of your list. Not only will the mirror help as you are getting ready in the morning, it will also help create the illusion that your bathroom is larger than it is. While most people place their mirror over their vanity, there is nothing wrong with having a couple mirrors in this room to really open things up.

Create Niches

A niche is a little indentation in the wall that allows you to store items that you want to keep in your bathroom. These niches can be located in your shower, next to your bathtub, or even in the wall above your toilet. The possibilities are endless and so are the items that you can place inside them.

Install Glass Shower Doors

A shower curtain will quickly make your bathroom look smaller than it is, which is why we recommend installing glass shower doors when you are completing your bathroom renovations. The glass doors will allow your eyes to travel the entire length of the room, while making it feel open and airy.

There are many times when changing the layout during bathroom renovations is not completely possible, but there are plenty of ways that you can improve the layout that you have. The above tips should help you maximize what you have to work with, and we know that if you think out of the box a little, you will find even more options as well.

JFC Remodeling, out of Howell, Michigan, offers a variety of construction services for the home including: kitchen and bath remodeling, flooring renovations, and home remodeling. You can find out more information at http://www.jfcremodeling.com or by reaching out to our home renovation specialists at 810.923.1123.

How Are Bus Plugs and Ducts Used in Manufacturing?

All buildings whether commercial or residential require some sort of electrical power in order to provide lighting, outlets and other electrical devices. For commercial buildings, you have power needs for machinery, lighting, cooling systems, and other types of electrical needs. Typically, in a residential building, you have electrical service entering the house with cables. This is different then how electrical power is distributed in commercial and manufacturing settings.

Commercial buildings, especially those used by medium or large-scale manufacturing businesses use a larger type power distribution system that requires a much different way to run power through the manufacturing spaces of the building. Unlike residential power distribution which uses cables to carry the power throughout the home, commercial building use bus ducts or sheet metal runs with either aluminum or copper busbars.

History of the Busway Power Distribution System

The busway and bus bars were first introduced in the US back in the 1920’s at the request of the auto industry in Detroit, Michigan. The system gave them the necessary versatility that was needed for supplying power to the assembly line equipment that was being used in the manufacturing facilities at the time. Over the years since, there have been numerous innovations that have improved on the original design and installation procedures.

Commercial Power Distribution System Components

Heavy duty machinery typically found in manufacturing plants have unique power requirements which cannot be served by typical power distribution systems that are found in most residential homes and most commercial buildings. For these unique power requirements, there is a power system that is designed especially suited for this type of need. Bus Ducts and Bus Plugs are combined to deliver the necessary power to each machine

Bus Ducts – Bus Ducts also referred to as busways are sections of sheet metal with bars attached to them that are made of either aluminum or copper. The sections are connected together in order to reach each piece of machinery that is needing the power. This type of power distribution system requires trained, certified professional electricians to install them and ensure that they are in full operation at all times.

Bus Plugs – Bus Plugs are specially designed components that work in tandem with the busbars in a unique type of power distribution system that is typically installed in a large-scale manufacturing facility. Each bus plug is used to connect directly to busways that are running throughout building to deliver the power to equipment like large motor starters and other power switching equipment.

Indoors and Outdoors Power System

One of the benefits of using this type of system in a manufacturing facility is that it can be used both indoors and outdoors to deliver the necessary power to different parts of any operation. The unique design of the system helps to prevent voltage drops across each of the numerous sections of the bus ducting throughout the building.

The system can also be fitted with a trolley system that is designed to deliver power to equipment that is designed to move frequently. There are also cables that are used to deliver the power directly to the trolley itself.

Learn more about J & P Electrical Company and their vast line of new, surplus, and refurbished industrial electrical components including: circuit breakers, bus ducts, bus plugs, disconnects, fuses, panel switches, tap boxes, and transformers at www.jpelectricalcompany.com. To contact one of our product reconditioning specialists, call 877.844.5514 today.

How to Make Your Driveway Stand Out with An Aluminum Driveway Gate

A critical aspect of how your home is viewed by the outside world is your driveway. A beautiful, appealing driveway not only makes the home look inviting, it can radically transform its visual perception. Likewise, a beautiful home with a neglected and unkempt driveway can lower its appeal and even drive potential buyers away. But with just a little creativity, you can easily transform your driveway and make it stand out among its peers in the same neighborhood. In many cases, this involves designing a custom driveway installing an aluminum gate.

When looking into custom aluminum driveway gates homeowners have a ton of options to choose from. There are a number of styles, configurations, material grade options, and accent options that iFenceusa.com offers. Below homeowners can find a out a great deal of information on selecting a new aluminum driveway gate for your home.

When it comes to choosing an aluminum gate there are many homeowners that choose a style that matches their fencing while others choose a style that is complementary but not matching. At iFenceUSA.com each option in aluminum fencing has a corresponding gate that matches a style of fencing including:

The San Marino
The Santa Monica
The Sanibel
The Boca Grande
The Ventura
The Excelsior
The New Orleans
The Napa Valley
The Camarillo
The Amarillo
The Bella Vista
The Bella Terra
The Charlemagne
The Mission Point
The Providence
The Camelot
The Castile
The Valencia

There are also several arch option configurations as well. There are four basic styles the Regal Wave, Stonecliff Sunrise, Horizon Straight, and Stonecliff Sunset Arches. No matter the style of gate you choose, any arch configuration can be chosen. Thus, meaning there are in fact 72 options in aluminum driveway gates to choose from at iFenceUSA.com.

The aluminum material that iFenceUSA.com offers comes in a variety of grades as well. The larger the gate the heavier it will be and therefore the grade of material used needs to thicker. Residential resort grade gates are more often used for fencing and gates that are used around a swimming pool area just as residential classic gates are used for perimeter entrance and exits. iFenceUSA.com offers two heavier grade options in gates which are best for driveway gates: premier and ultimate. Both are used for commercial purchase with the ultimate grade being heavier and also used in industrial gates.

iFenceUSA is an online manufacturer and distributor of wholesale aluminum fencing. With over 18 styles of aluminum fence panels and gates to choose from, we have aluminum fences that will meet your wants and need. Choose from custom aluminum fencing options including: Commercial Grade Aluminum Fencing, Residential Grade Aluminum Fencing, Pool Grade Aluminum Fencing, and Industrial Aluminum Fencing all at https://ifenceusa.com/. For more information contact one of our aluminum fence experts toll free 800.762.2907 or via email at info@ifenceusa.com.

Gutter Maintenance Tips for Rainy Climates

Well-maintained functional gutters can protect your home’s foundation from water damage. This, in turn, can translate into better structural integrity thereby maintaining the value of your investment. Sagging and clogged gutters can overflow, causing damage to the soffit and fascia of your home. By taking care of your roof’s drainage system, you not only extend the life of your roof, you can also boost the value of your home and help prevent water damage to your home. Regular maintenance of your homes gutters and roof is crucial especially in regions that receive a significant amount of precipitation.

Unmaintained, dirty, full gutters can decrease the value of your home. This occurs because of a phenomena known as “tiger stripes”, unsightly marks and stains along the outside walls of a home’s gutter system. Mold can begin to fester along these stripes blackening the whole surface and destroying the original aesthetic look of your precious home.

The steps below apply whether you are utilizing the services of a professional contractor or you are a DIY, do-it-yourself.

Clean Gutters

Clean gutters ensure the rainwater flows freely. They also see to it that leaves and other debris brought about by the rain do not clog the drainage system causing damage to the home. Part of cleaning the gutter involves repairing sagging or loose gutters and replacing the gutter spikes with gutter screws. Gutter screws hold much better than standard gutter spikes, thus providing support and security.

Seal Leaks Promptly

Due to wear and tear, gutters will often have leaks. Inspect these thoroughly and use a water hose to check for leaks in the joints and seams. Most gutter repair experts will recommend using silicone caulk to seal leaking gutters.

Repairing Downspouts

The downspout is the pipe that typically drains rainwater from the roof to the ground level (and away from the building’s foundation). A well-functioning downspout is a must in order to protect your home from water damage. Because this system sometimes becomes clogged, it is important to inspect it regularly for leaves and debris to ensure rainwater continues to flow unimpeded.

In conjunction with a functional downspout is a system of splash blocks that utilize an irrigation pipe. These work together to ensure water flows freely and is diverted from the roof and away from the home’s foundation.

Learn more about Home Pro Roofing and their vast line of custom roofing options installed by professional roofing contractors including: asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, roof repair, and new roof installation at www.homeproroofingmi.com. Our roofing contractors offer services throughout Michigan including: Kalamazoo, Brighton, Lansing, and the surrounding areas.