How many times have you bought furniture and been told, “Your furniture will arrive in 4 weeks.” Eight weeks later, you’re still wondering when your furniture will arrive”It’s coming from China,” “It’s coming from North Carolina,” “There’s been a delay,” says the salesman.

Isn’t it interesting that the store never takes any responsibility for the delay? Don’t they do this for a living? This isn’t the first time customers have ordered furniture and the delivery has been delayed for weeks or months.

What is a customer to do?

This holiday season, if you are buying furniture,

(1) Make sure you ask when you will receive your furniture, if it’s not in stock. Then, ask them to put it in writing. Then, ask them to waive the delivery fee if your furniture is not delivered on time. See what happens. I’d be surprised if any store does this. If they did, they’d earn my loyalty as a customer.

(2) Before making a major purchase, check out the store at the Better Business Bureau online and see if any complaints have been filed against the store.

(3) Go online and do a google search to see what other customers have said. This way you walk in knowing what type of store you’re dealing with.

(4) Make sure your purchase is in writing, and actually read the papers they ask you to sign. You’d be surprised to learn about hidden fees and penalties that often appear in the fine print of a furniture sales contract.

(5) When you start making your calls to the store asking where your furniture is, keep detailed notes of who you spoke to, when you spoke to them, and the substance of your conversation.

Understanding your legal rights are crucial when dealing with furniture stores that don’t honestly tell you when you’ll get your furniture. Veteran New York attorney Gerry Oginski cautions buyers about large holiday purchases. “Ask lots of questions, and put all the details in your sales contract.” Learn more about your legal options at www.oginski-law.com, a website devoted to helping consumers learn their rights.

Attorney Oginski has been in practice for 17 years as a trial lawyer practicing exclusively in the State of New York. Having his own law firm, he is able to provide the utmost in personalized, individualized attention to each and every client. In our office, a client is not a file number. Client’s are always treated with the respect they deserve and expect from a professional. Mr. Oginski is always aware of every aspect of a client’s case from start to finish.

Gerry represents injured people in injury cases and medical malpractice matters in Brooklyn, Queens, New York City, the Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. You can reach him at http://www.oginski-law.com, or 516-487-8207. All inquiries are free and totally confidential.

An air purifier can perform wonders for your home. Air purifiers do battle with anything airborne and unwanted, such as odors, bacteria and germs, and leave your home with clean, pure, and healthy air.

Once you start living with an air purifier you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it. More and more home owners are opting to purchase an air purifier as they become more and more aware and concerned about the quality of the air they breathe day in, day out.

How do the best air purifiers work?

Air purifiers work by replacing the air in your home with clean and filtered air. They remove particles in the air, such as dust, by drawing air through their filters. Unwanted particles get trapped in machine’s filter, and what is circulated back into your home is pure, clean air.

How to find the best air purifier?

There are many air purifiers on the market and many different manufactures. Keeping track of new developments in air purification technology is difficult. Before you buy, always do a bit of research about the product and the manufacturer.

If you are buying in-store, prepare questions and make an appointment with the salesperson so that you can be completely informed about product features.

If you are buying online, then try to read reviews of each product before you buy. Online stores such as Amazon.com do provide this review service. Some of the better manufacturers are Honeywell, GE, Whirlpool, Alpine, Living Air and Bionaire, amongst others. Visit the manufacturer’s website and download product features and specifications, which you should study before making your final choice.

 

• Police reports
  
  Someone stole an air purifier on the 1500 block of Trousdale Drive in Burlingame before 8:02 p.m. Saturday, June 19. Reckless driver. A Toyota Corolla was seen racing on Highway 101 before 4:13 a.m. Monday, July 26.
  


• New air purifier by Samsung
  
  Samsung Electronics has introduced the latest addition to its range of home appliances, Virus Doctor air sanitising technology. This revolutionary air purifier acts as a precaution against airborne viruses by eliminating harmful contaminants present in the air, an official said.
  


• UV Flu Technologies Announces Repeat Hospitality Sector Sale and Introduces ABC ROOMS Marketing Initiative
  
  CENTERVILLE, MA--(Marketwire - July 28, 2010) - UV Flu Technologies, Inc. ( OTCBB : UVFT ) (the "Company") is very pleased to announce that it has received an order to purchase additional units via indoor air quality ("IAQ") specialty distributor Puravair for shipment to the prestigious Seagate Hotel in Delray Beach, Florida ( www.theseagatehotel.com ). This order ...
  


• Clean up your act!
  
  Clean up your act!
  


• Return to publication
  
  FultonCountyNews McConnellsburg, PA Craig A. Kneppper, Auctioneer AU-002595-L PUBLIC SALE SAT., JULY 31, 2010 Beginning @ 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Old Fulton County Medical Center. On the corner of Maple St. and First St., McConnellsburg, Pa. Sale will be held inside rain or shine.
  

Play is what being a kid is all about. By creating a fun and functional child playroom we give our kids the best foundation there is. Sure there may be other rooms in the house where your children hang out to watch TV, play on the computer or play a board game with the rest of the family but none compares to the value of having an actual child playroom.

Having a room where imagination fuels the play is where it’s at. Child playrooms are all about giving your children the space and the equipment needed to inspire play. All children need is imagination and a child playroom to be creative in.

When it comes to creating a fun and functional child playroom it’s important to consider your child’s natural tendencies. What type of play does your child enjoy the most – is it arts and crafts, building forts, dramatic play, creating tall skyscrapers out of building blocks etc.?

Get input from the whole family regarding room design and set-up. Although it’s important to accommodate current interests and activities a wise parent also plans the space for future use. This is where it’s important to include adjustable shelving and incorporate lots of flat surfaces for future projects. A 5 year old will use a playroom very different from how a 10 year old would use it.

For more ideas on designing and decorating child playrooms visit http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net/decorating-child-play-room-decor-ideas.html

For a versatile child playroom and one that grows with your children keep the permanent elements in the room like tables, chairs and wall units basic. That’s the functional part.

The fun part comes in how you bring the room together with decorative accessories like fashionable slipcovers, wall decals, posters, and funky storage bins.

No matter their age, kids are natural magnets for stuff. Open shelving with lots of bins is often best way to go as it provides storage flexibility for now and in the future. Your shelving unit for the next few years may house a collection of storage bins filled to the brim with stuffed animals and building blocks and may later be replaced by books, board games and DVDs. As children get older many of them also like to display their collections of things. This is where open shelving comes in really handy.

If on the other hand, you prefer out of sight, out of mind storage when the kids aren’t actively using their playroom you may wish to consider armoires or storage cupboards to keep everything behind closed doors. It’s all a matter preference and what type of playroom you wish to create for your children.

Either way if you opt for open or closed storage you will want to make sure that any shelving units, storage cupboards or armoires are secured to the wall with toggle bolts and brackets.

Following are some creative ways to add a little fun to a functional child playroom space.

*In the craft area paint the chairs in different colors.

*Create a cushion floor using large multi-colored rubber puzzle pieces.

*Use a bulletin board for displaying artwork and posting special activity reminders.

*Turn baby wipe containers into great storage boxes for small craft supplies.

*For a great storage unit paint an old table and cover the sides with fabric to hide roll out storage containers of craft supplies.

*Revitalize old metal shelves with a little spray paint.

*Purchase unfinished shelves and paint them to match the room.

*To protect little fingers and bruises from hard edges consider padding your child’s toy box with quilt batting and fabric that matches the rooms d飯r.

*Create handy little cubbies by installing a few wooden shelving boxes here and there.

*Since kids love to play in enclosures consider purchasing a lightweight nylon tent, or making one yourself in a fabric that co-ordinates with the room. Another great idea would be to add some nylon crawl though tubes and cardboard house than can by decorated by your kids using paints or markets. Catalogues and magazines are a great source for ideas that you can adapt and craft yourself.

Sherrie Le Masurier is an organizing consultant who helps parents organize and decorate their children’s rooms. She is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and co-owner of http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net – Copyright.

Choosing an air purifier is a daunting task, especially if it’s your first. Many buyers are disappointed when the product chosen does not seem to solve their particular problem.

The air purifier industry is unregulated. There are really no standards, and what passes for standards is often self-serving. Many consumers are confused by the many technologies available, and will try to select a particular technology or brand right away. This may not be the best approach.

The following points are a suggested analytical framework.

First, the new product should do no harm. Lots of people are astonished to learn that many air cleaners emit harmful gasses. Ozone is used as a fumigant by professional mold remediators. It oxidizes chemicals, odors and microorganisms when pumped into closed rooms in high concentrations.

Air purifiers have evolved which emit chronic ozone, at lower levels. This has become popular, and many users like the fresh smell. Many also report improved allergy/asthma symptoms when using ozone emitting air purifiers.

Ozone is a persistent chemical in indoor air, it accumulates and lasts for days, not hours or minutes as is often claimed. While these oxidants may kill lung dwelling microorganisms and thus relieve some people’s symptoms, long term exposure to airborne oxidants is seriously dangerous.

Everyone knows at least one beautiful person whose face has been ruined by a life of cigatette smoking. What causes those premature wrinkles, stiff, gray looking skin, and aged eyes?

Airborne oxidants!

Ozone may have value as an alternative medical therapy, but that is a whole seperate issue. Chronic administration of an experimental alternative medical technique to millions of unknowing consumers is a dangerous fraud. Chronic ozone is not a suitable method of air purification.

Many cheaper air cleaners use glues and soft plastics which outgass chemicals.

By elimination of ozone-prone and cheap plastic models, the search is narrowed considerably.

Second, many people see dust accumulation on furniture and think of an air purifier as a means of reducing it. While a properly sized room air purifier will certainly do this, visible dust and most odors are not the real health threats. Often toxic chemicals are harmful at concentrations below our threshold of smell.

Serious gas and odor removal is a requirement if health benefits are expected. This raises the cost considerably, so many air purifier vendors will try to hide their product’s shortcomings. The “Clean Air Delivery Rate” (CADR) is one such subterfuge, it focuses on larger dust-sized particles and completely ignores gas poisons.

New technologies, such as photocatalytic oxidation, show promise with chemicals, but the long standing favorite is activated carbon. There needs to be lots of it, not just a coating sprayed on a foam prefilter.

Choosing an air purifier with carbon measured in pounds narrows the list considerably, but raises the price.

Third, particles much smaller than the eye can see are the real culprits. They pass through the lungs and get in the blood. Our technology grinds toxic materials into microscopic sizes, which build up invisibly in our living space. Many air purifiers, including some selling for very high prices, do not remove these tiny particles from our air. Quality construction is important; case, gaskets, seals, and precision fitting eliminate fine particle bypassing.

Fourth, consider long term cost of ownership, not just initial purchase price. Some folks will take home an air cleaner only to discover that replacement filters, needed frequently, cost almost as much as the machine.

This is called the cheap air purifier loss leader filter price ripoff.

Filters should be independently replaceable. An all in one filter, with carbon and particle filtration combined, will need replacement when either media is clogged.

There are many models with average service lives under two years. Buying these “bargains” is false economy. A quality purifier can last 10 or more years.

Along with filter costs, energy use can add up. Air purifiers using over 100 Watts will add to the electric bill.

Fifth, many air purifiers produce noise levels too high for practical use. Some quiet models have air flow rates to slow to do much cleaning. This is one big area of consumer complaints. The noisy machine may clean the air when running, but ends up turned off most of the time.

Bedroom noise levels need to be below about 34 decibels (dBA). Again, many vendors will hide behind assertions of “ultra-quiet” without being specific as to noise.

Sixth, who is the builder? Are they also the vendor? Manufacturers should have a track record, with many units sold and a reputation for customer service. Today, new brands are popping up, and many US vendors are just importers of Asian made equipment. Will they be around when your chosen air purifier needs warranty service?

Good air purifiers have warranties measured in years. A one year warranty is evidence of short product life or possibly financial distress.

There are several very successful air purification products associated with multilevel marketing, scam marketing, or credit card ripoffs on returned merchandise. Fortunately most of these disreputable vendors are eliminated by guideline number one above: most of their products are not ozone-free.

Last, is the air cleaner a good value? Is the product price supported by infomercial advertising, brand building, and hype? Or does the product stand on its own merits, the result of a long term quality engineering process?

Air purifier buyers can increase their odds of success by following a plan in choosing an air purifier.

Click for the web’s best Air Purifier Reviews.
The Author, Ed Sherbenou, is an experienced air purifier user, with 40 years of direct experience due to chemical sensitivity and severe allergies. He writes indoor air quality articles, posts blogs, and maintains a leading air purification website:

http://www.air-purifier-power.com

Play is what being a kid is all about. By creating a fun and functional child playroom we give our kids the best foundation there is. Sure there may be other rooms in the house where your children hang out to watch TV, play on the computer or play a board game with the rest of the family but none compares to the value of having an actual child playroom.

Having a room where imagination fuels the play is where it’s at. Child playrooms are all about giving your children the space and the equipment needed to inspire play. All children need is imagination and a child playroom to be creative in.

When it comes to creating a fun and functional child playroom it’s important to consider your child’s natural tendencies. What type of play does your child enjoy the most – is it arts and crafts, building forts, dramatic play, creating tall skyscrapers out of building blocks etc.?

Get input from the whole family regarding room design and set-up. Although it’s important to accommodate current interests and activities a wise parent also plans the space for future use. This is where it’s important to include adjustable shelving and incorporate lots of flat surfaces for future projects. A 5 year old will use a playroom very different from how a 10 year old would use it.

For more ideas on designing and decorating child playrooms visit http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net/decorating-child-play-room-decor-ideas.html

For a versatile child playroom and one that grows with your children keep the permanent elements in the room like tables, chairs and wall units basic. That’s the functional part.

The fun part comes in how you bring the room together with decorative accessories like fashionable slipcovers, wall decals, posters, and funky storage bins.

No matter their age, kids are natural magnets for stuff. Open shelving with lots of bins is often best way to go as it provides storage flexibility for now and in the future. Your shelving unit for the next few years may house a collection of storage bins filled to the brim with stuffed animals and building blocks and may later be replaced by books, board games and DVDs. As children get older many of them also like to display their collections of things. This is where open shelving comes in really handy.

If on the other hand, you prefer out of sight, out of mind storage when the kids aren’t actively using their playroom you may wish to consider armoires or storage cupboards to keep everything behind closed doors. It’s all a matter preference and what type of playroom you wish to create for your children.

Either way if you opt for open or closed storage you will want to make sure that any shelving units, storage cupboards or armoires are secured to the wall with toggle bolts and brackets.

Following are some creative ways to add a little fun to a functional child playroom space.

*In the craft area paint the chairs in different colors.

*Create a cushion floor using large multi-colored rubber puzzle pieces.

*Use a bulletin board for displaying artwork and posting special activity reminders.

*Turn baby wipe containers into great storage boxes for small craft supplies.

*For a great storage unit paint an old table and cover the sides with fabric to hide roll out storage containers of craft supplies.

*Revitalize old metal shelves with a little spray paint.

*Purchase unfinished shelves and paint them to match the room.

*To protect little fingers and bruises from hard edges consider padding your child’s toy box with quilt batting and fabric that matches the rooms d飯r.

*Create handy little cubbies by installing a few wooden shelving boxes here and there.

*Since kids love to play in enclosures consider purchasing a lightweight nylon tent, or making one yourself in a fabric that co-ordinates with the room. Another great idea would be to add some nylon crawl though tubes and cardboard house than can by decorated by your kids using paints or markets. Catalogues and magazines are a great source for ideas that you can adapt and craft yourself.

Sherrie Le Masurier is an organizing consultant who helps parents organize and decorate their children’s rooms. She is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and co-owner of http://www.decorating-kids-rooms.net – Copyright.

Technorati Tags: family relationships baby kids parenting

Looking for a cheap Christmas decoration for your home this year? Finding a few of these thrifty items can save you a bundle. This will give you more money to spend on presents for your loved ones. Following are five great places to find cheap Christmas decorations.

The first place to look for bargain holiday décor is the dollar store. You will be amazed by how many beautiful ornaments and holiday decorating treats there are in a store like this. Each cheap Christmas decoration you find there is nearly identical to more expensive versions found in craft stores and department giants.

I was using a Victorian theme last year and I found beautiful lace and crushed velvet ornaments in my local craft store. These ran between five and 20 dollars a piece. I just wasn’t willing to drop the cash especially because I was really hoping to buy just one cheap Christmas decoration.

My local dollar store came through. Not only did I find the lace and crushed velvet cheap Christmas decoration, I found many others to add to my collection. The great thing is that I was able to decorate my entire tree for about the same price as just one high end ornament at the craft store.

Another great place to find a cheap Christmas decoration or two is Oriental Trading. This magazine can be sent to your home or you can just shop online for the items. You can buy in bulk through this catalogue. You can buy sets that are prearranged or you can buy one cheap Christmas decoration after the next to build a unique collection.

If you are shopping online you might as well try eBay. This site offers tons of cheap Christmas decoration through resale or brand new. You can find great bargains at this online auction site.

Since you are considering buying a cheap Christmas decoration through resale you may want to visit a flea market or a yard sale. Many people like to unload their old decorations when they buy new ones. Most of the items were used for only a season and you can find high end quality for a fraction of the price.

The last place that I’m going to suggest is everywhere. You can find a cheap Christmas decoration at the most expensive store if you choose your time to shop wisely. December 26th is a great day to stock up on brand new holiday décor. The only problem is that you have to wait a year before using it.

Technorati Tags: holidays traditions christmas 

The cost of supplying energy to our homes is quite high. It can be overwhelming during the holiday season too.

Electricity is in great demand during this time of season and those of us who heat our homes with this power source find that the energy bill can be staggering during the holidays. Battery powered Christmas lights can help ease the burden on your energy bill this year.

There are many benefits of using battery powered Christmas lights. The first that comes to mind is that it is energy saving. Many of us like having a lot of lights glowing during this time of year. If you use battery powered Christmas lights you use less power from your home’s energy source.

Money-saving benefits are not the only reasons to use this kind of decorative lighting.  There are safety benefits when using battery powered Christmas lights as well. There are no worries about wires and tripping over the many electric cords lying around the house during this time of year.

Battery powered Christmas lights require no cords and you don’t have to worry about tripping. You also don’t have to worry about camouflaging the cords either. This can be a real challenge especially if you have hardwood floors. No cords mean no problem with disguising wires.

You also don’t have to worry about overloading your circuits by pulling too much energy from one socket. This is a big problem in older homes.

You can eliminate the worry about possible fires when too many wires are being used. Battery powered Christmas lights give you peace of mind. You can let the lights glow without worrying about sparking a winter blaze.

Those who like to adorn their homes with glowing lighting during the holiday season may want to consider battery powered Christmas lights. They come in really handy when you want to light an object that is too far from an outlet.

Technorati Tags: holidays traditions christmas 

There is no holiday decoration more traditional and elegant than a balsam Christmas wreath.

This classic of holiday décor is available through retailers who will deliver this icon of the Christmas season right to your home. The fresh Christmas wreath makes a wonderful present as well.

The beauty of the balsam Christmas wreath is in the pine needles. The luscious balsam fir tree is full and fragrant.

The decorating options are endless and you can come up with unique ideas for the welcoming icon of the holiday season if you put your mind to it.

Go to the nearest crafts store for great holiday decorating ideas and put together a theme for the fresh Christmas wreath. The theme is different every year. Here are some ideas that I have used in the past.

The “let it snow” theme uses blue and silver tones. Use a lot of sparkle and glitter on this design for the balsam Christmas wreath. There are large snowflake ornaments on the arrangement and place a little artificial snow on some of the lush fir branches.

The Santa Clause design is centered on the well-known character. Use different images related to Santa like a corncob pipe, cookies and milk and a Santa Claus ornament as well. Kids adore this arrangement.

Topping the list is the sleigh bell theme. Ring in the holiday season with lots of golden bells and red ribbons. This balsam Christmas wreath appeals to the senses. The sound of the sleigh bells and the red, green and gold colors are strongly tied to the season.  The scent of the balsam Christmas wreath is a memory booster as well.

No matter what you decide to do with your project, you can be sure that it will be well received if you choose the right foundation. Nothing welcomes the holiday season like a balsam Christmas wreath.

Technorati Tags: holidays traditions christmas 

Some mold removal can be done without the aid of a professional, but this is only recommended for small amounts of mold.

Because breathing in mold spores can be so dangerous, you should think carefully before trying to remove it yourself.

If you go this route, find out exactly how to remove it safely, and wear protective items like a breathing mask and gloves when attempting mold removal.

There are many times when dangerous molds can build up in your home. These molds can cause sickness, and sometimes, even death. Molds tend to grow where water has been sitting for a period of time, and they thrive in humid and secluded areas.

If you have recently experienced a flood, or perhaps had a dishwasher or water heater bite the dust, you may have mold growing in your home of which you are not aware. If you find mold, it is in your best interest to look into mold removal, and the quicker, the better.

You can help prevent mold from accumulating in your home by taking some preventative measures. If you have had standing water in your home, have a mold removal specialist come by, even if you haven’t found any mold.

Use dehumidifiers to keep the air from getting too moist, and keep an eye out for slow water leaks in your home. A slow drip from a pipe onto floorboards behind your bathroom wall can result in mold growth.

If you find mold that is covering more than a square foot area, you should call for professional mold removal. Many times, the mold you can see is just the tip of the iceberg. Mold can grow in places like your heating duct system, and you would never know.

It can also grow behind your walls, and you may never really know how much is there. This is why a professional is the best option for mold removal. Not only are they knowledgeable about removing it, they are also aware of all the hiding spots. They will find and remove mold you may not have known was there.

You should always have someone look over a house for mold before you buy. They can find any mold present, and advise you on how to proceed.

If mold is found, they will know if mold removal is an option, or if it is just not worth the investment. If toxic mold spreads through a house unchecked for a number of years, even the best mold removal specialists won’t be able to save the house, and make it habitable again.

• Mold removal slows Jaguar Hall remodeling
  
  South Texas humidity and the paper-rich rooms of University of Houston-Victoria's Jaguar Hall have been the key culprits behind slow downs in the building's $9.5 million remodeling process.
  


• Mukilteo group fighting Eyman initiative remains a mystery
  
  Little is known about the group suing to stop an initiative on Mukilteo traffic cameras, or about who's funding its lawsuit.
  

Technorati Tags: housekeeping home+maintenance 

If you are looking for a home security system, you have many types and options from which to choose. Systems can be very simple for those who live in a relatively safe area, while others are more complicated.

If you own a business, no matter where you are located, you most assuredly want to get the best system that money can buy. This might include not only sensors on all entry points and windows, but a motion detector or two as well. These are quite often included in some security packages, but in some cases, you may have to ask for them.

A building is more secure when it has a motion detector included in its security system.  These can tell your security company when someone is walking around inside your home or business when it should be empty.

Thieves have become good about bypassing other security measures, but may have a hard time getting around a motion detector. That is why many new systems offer them as part of the package deal. A good motion detector will go off when an intruder has entered a private area.

The problem with them is that some are too sensitive for practical uses. In some cases, sunlight moving across a floor, or dust moving around due to a gust of air will set it off. When this happens, police or fire personnel may be dispatched for no good reason. You may then be facing a fee for the emergency service.

You have to ask some questions when deciding on which motion detector you would like to have for your security system. There may be reasons why a highly sensitive model will not work for you. On the other hand, you don’t want a model that will let people slip in and out of your home or business without alerting someone. If you have pets, you may not be able to have a motion detector in your home at all. 

When signing up for a security system for your home or business, ask about motion detectors if they are not offered initially. There are times when a good security system will save you money on your home insurance, and the better your system, the safer you and your family will be. Just remember to discuss all of your options before you decide, and if a motion detector is what you want, make sure you get it.

 Technorati Tags: remodeling housekeeping home+building decorating design garden lawn+care home+maintenance landscaping