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I Moved Into a House With Old Wiring – What Should I Do?

If an electrical fault goes unchecked, it can escalate to a more serious situation but don’t worry about you have a 24 hour electrician Brisbane to catch to with you. A home’s electrical system is routinely inspected at the time of purchase, in fact, usually more than once. The seller usually has their home inspected prior to putting it on the market to avoid complications further along in the transaction, namely when the buyer is applying for a mortgage. Likewise, it’s also common for a buyer to hire their own inspector before placing a bid on the property.

These two inspections are in anticipation of a final inspection by the lender prior to granting the buyer a loan. No house can be mortgaged that does not meet state and local building codes. Furthermore, homeowner insurance hinges on compliance with federal, state and local codes, which include standards for electrical wiring. By the time a homeowner moves into a new residence, it has passed several inspections and measured up to safety standards. A new homeowner, having obtained a mortgage and purchased insurance for the dwelling, can rest assured their electrical wiring is ‘up to code,’ even in a 100-year-old home.

Electrical codes aside, the owner of an older home is wise to replace or upgrade an outdated electrical system that was installed more than twenty years ago. Modern technology, on one hand, has greatly increased the energy load on old electrical systems, while at the same time providing new features to enhance safety, improve efficiency and cut energy costs.  A professional electrician can test and evaluate the electrical system’s breaker panel, receptacles and switches and make necessary repairs and upgrades to enhance overall performance and prevent major, costly repairs in the future.

A common electrical upgrade involves installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on receptacles and arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) on breakers. In new construction, GFCI receptacles are required by code where electricity and water are in close proximity, as in the bathroom, kitchen, garage, swimming pool area, crawl-space, unfinished basement, or on exterior outlets. The Electrical Safety Council estimates GFCIs have reduced electrocutions in the U.S. by 70 percent. AFCIs, installed near standard circuit breakers, can be retrofitted into existing electrical panels. These interrupters are the single greatest protection against electrical fires in walls. They are highly recommended for fire protection in homes with older wiring. The 2008 National Electric Code (NEC) requires AFCI breakers for circuits leading to bedroom, living room and family room.

Most state electrical codes require 100-amp electrical service but older homes were built when energy requirements were far less and 60 amps were sufficient. Owners of homes built more than 20 years ago should hire an electrician to help evaluate power demands required by contemporary appliances and electronic equipment. The electrician will use a meter to determine if the home’s usage is over 75 percent of the system’s amperage. If not, the present system is adequate; otherwise you might consider upgrading to a higher amp system. The age of an electrical system is not important, only the amount of power needed to service the household is a factor.  A 50-year-old, 60 amp electrical system is perfectly fine if energy consumption averages, for example,  around 60%.

One indication of a wiring problem is flickering lights for no reason at all. It’s normal for lights to occasionally flicker at the beginning of a heavy energy pull, or during the cycling of a clothing iron, but if this isn’t the reason, consult a licensed electrician. Other warning signs of major electrical problems are outlets or receptacles that have burn marks or are hot to the touch. These issues need to be addressed immediately and should not be ignored.

A wise homeowner recognizes that electrical work is serious business which should not be treated casually by the do-it-yourselfer trying to keep down repair costs. Electricity is dangerous. In the United States, there are hundreds of deaths every year among non-professionals who attempt electrical installation and repair. Electrical and fire safety officials warn that one misconnected wire can be deadly. The average homeowner without electrical training or experience is advised to hire a licensed professional to work on components of an electrical system. 

RESOURCES:

National Electrical Code, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169 (617) 770-3000.

www.nfpa.org

“Fact Sheet on Home Electrical Fire Prevention,” U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), Federal Emergency Management Association, Emmitsburg, MD 21727 (301) 447-1000.

www.usfa.dhs.gov

Visit Homefacts.com for more tips and advice on Real Estate, Home Improvement, Insurance and more. Educate yourself with our community profile for your city at http://www.homefacts.com

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Artists – How to Be Noticed in an Art Community

As a storyboard artist film they need to learn why the storyboard is important on so many levels. Action rewards action, so if you want others to notice you then you need to notice them first. It is show-and-tell which works best if you approach another artist’s work and then respond with your own art story. So how to engage with the art community… the first step is to find a way that best suits you. Where you want your art to go, who should it reach out to, how you want to be received by society, what is the message or story you are telling with your art, and why should others engage with your work – these are all questions that factor into understanding what communal outlets would work best for you. After all, if you look to be seen by the art community, then the best way to do so is to actually become part of it. This generally means putting yourself out there and taking what you created out of the shadows and letting others experience it. You will not be discovered in hiding, unless you are leaving that to future archaeologists.

Online there are multiple art communities such as Deviantart, Behance, See.Me, A Singular Creation, and others, where you can create a free account and: upload images, share information on projects you are working on, write your artist statement, post news and achievements, and network with other artists. Getting your art noticed and connecting with others is what the art community is chiefly about – artist coming together to work towards the common goal of learning and growing. In this era, with the power of the internet, barriers between artists and the global audience are easily overcome.

Offline is much different in that the search engine optimization is not going to help your target audience find your particular style and medium. Also you are going to have a smaller localized group to take interest in your works. Sometimes a group show works out well if a level of synergy is achieved within which the show attendees are both surrounded by art and artists and entertained by all. It takes drawing a crowd with the right people in the right place at the right time. Such is task best left to experienced event coordinators. If you find a community that is working together in this way, you want to contact whoever is in charge of events and submit your work to see if it meets the criteria for their shows.

One such artist community that is growing on a global platform is RAW natural-born artists. Their organizers bring together a showcase of artists, musicians, hair/make-up and clothing artists, videographers and other creative types for a grand soirée from both word of mouth and crowd-funding. Many other groups form on a local level, usually in a “grassroots” manner calling themselves Artist Collectives or Guerrilla Art Groups. This is another great way to get out and collaborate together — not only to conceptualize and create, but also for artists to put on synergistic shows that are of varied interests to draw wider audiences.

Whether gathering on an internet platform or coming together live, community is a beneficial experience for artists. Sharing experiences, recommending resources, making new contacts are all part of getting from the table to the masses. When you meet with a group of artists, some may be loners; however, you will also find the more extroverted ones that offer ideas which can help broaden your exposure to even more art communities. There are also many traits that can combine for instance a performance artist can learn from a visual artist, a writer can learn from a musician, a painter can learn from a photographer and all these vice versa… the list goes on and on.

Embracing the uniqueness of the contributions of individual artists and helping each other instead of having a competitive mind-set plays a big role in getting noticed in the art community. If you are one that does not “play well with others” the alternative could be a backlash that will leave you a lonely artist. You have to be prepared for all kinds of different personalities and have a thick skin for unsolicited critiques that occur in the art community.

Advertising your artwork on your own subtracts resources from your creative efforts and in such manner you may not be discovered until long after your demise. That is a scenario of someone else taking ownership of your works and interacting with the art community. Do you see the value, it is a now or never situation for the artist; without establishing an identity within the art community someone else may get your work noticed for you only after you are gone. So find other artists and find a connection which in the art community is the first step in getting seen or heard. All art is related and small artist communities are often hinged upon or become larger-scale art communities.

Read more from this author at Inspiration and Originality Underlined – a blog celebrating creativity.

Please visit the above link for all of Rebecca’s art-related articles and artist interviews.

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Alpine Ski Touring is A New Type of Skiing in Town!

This is also where you get the ultra-dry snow that Canada is famous for and if it’s deep the skiing will be epic for those heli skiing Canada tourists. Skiers heading to the hills this winter used to have to make a big decision: “should we go downhill skiing at the resort?” Or should “we go cross country skiing at the lodge and get away from the crowds?” Well, from Europe comes a new alternative. Alpine Ski Touring –yes, you read that right: “Alpine” and “Touring” have merged in North America in a big way. What is Alpine Touring? Alpine Touring or “AT” as it called in the states, is the marriage of a downhill ski and a convertible binding that allows walking on the flat and a heel lift for climbing up hills. Combine all that with boots that flex like a soft shoe and “climbing skins” that provide slide and grip and viola!- you have the best of both worlds. Where as the terms “Alpine Ski Touring” or “AT” skiing are used more in America. The term “randonnée” is used more in France and literally means to “walk about”. Else where in Europe the simple term “touring” is used.

Why the sport is becoming so popular? In Europe, this sport has been around for decades. During the Spring, it is not unusual to see skiers from all over Europe descend upon the ski capital of the world: Chamonix, France to ski down The Valley Blanche- a 21 mile long glacier that starts off with one the longest tram rides in the world. Off course, it is not just the skiing, it is everything! The lunch of wine and cheese while admiring the views of the mountains on a beautiful Spring day. It is the quiet of the mountains away from the resort crowds. That is what makes more and more European skiers and now American skiers gravitate towards this wonderful sport.

Downhill skiers are shifting to AT gear in record numbers. And American and European ski manufacturers have taken notice. Downhill skiers now are trying “side country” where they venture onto areas that ski patrols are allowing skiers to enter that were previously closed due to avalanche danger. This is a way for resorts to expand their terrain offerings without constructing whole new runs or install new ski lifts. It is now estimated that over 3.7 North Americans are participating in the sport: an estimated growth of over 40% year over year! Sales of accessories such as skis, climbing skins and boots and bindings have grown from $9 million US to over $15 million US during the past 2011-12 winter season.

In 1996, I completed the only American scientific research into Alpine Ski Touring. In my doctoral dissertation, I stated that there was a growing shift to wider skis in the backcountry. This has occurred on a huge scale and has made non groomed snow easier and much more enjoyable to ski with fewer falls. I also pointed out that the AT binding was superior in its mechanical efficiency compared to the traditional cable Telemark binding. The AT binding is designed with mechanical pivot point that allows the binding to flex forward when you are walking. The mechanical pivot also allows for a more precise release mechanism that is safer and more predictable. It also makes the AT binding more efficient for climbing. It also opens up the options for an adjustable release binding that telemark bindings do not generally provide. The great appeal of the sport is that downhill Alpine skiers don’t have to learn a whole new technique like Telemarking to head to the backcountry. They already know how to parallel ski.Why learn a whole other ski technique when you can build on what you know? The fact is, most European skiers just use parallel techniques in the backcountry. Even telemark skiers use parallel techniques when on harder slopes. Alpine ski touring encourages the skier to solidify their “foundation” techiques such as Snow Plow, Stem Christi, Wide Stance Parallel turns and even the Kick Turn. These are some skills that are often brushed over by “modern” ski schools that try to get the skier to head downhill faster using “surfing” and “swiping” turns. They there by miss out on some small techniques that come in handy when they leave the un groomed slopes.

AT skiing is not just about skiing steep chutes or skiing off cliffs-as fun as can be for some. It’s also about skiing to a hut for a night out or having lunch on top of a peak during a beautiful Spring Day. It’s about skiing from one resort to the next. It’s about skiing untouched powder! Whether you are a resort skier looking to expand your horizons or a cross-country skier looking to see what the next step is. Alpine Ski Touring might be the next new adventure for you!

(For more information about Alpine Ski Touring go to Jean’s web site: [http://www.Skirandonnee.com]. Also look for his new upcoming book: The Handbook of Alpine Ski Touring due out in 2013 to be published by Pequot Press.)

Jean Vives Ed.D. has his degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Northern Colorado. He has published over 25 articles in such sources as Ski, Skiing and Outside Magazine. His research on skiing won the Charles Houston Grant from the Wilderness Medical Society. He has skied and climbed all over the world. He has done sport science research as Everest Base Camp while teaching at Kathmandu University, Nepal. He has written several books on backcountry skiing. He is a guide and writer living near Boulder, Colorado. Look under “Jean Vives” for other helpful articles and links to other of his web sites such as [http://www.Skirandonnee.com]. His new book “Alpine SKi Touring Handbook” is due Fall,2013.

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