Category: Home Improvement

Are you tired of the way that your house looks? Do you ever feel like your home interiors need a bit of updating? If you’ve been living in the same home for a long time, you may want to change things up every now and then. Thankfully, there are many ways for you to update your home. You could always buy new decorations, or buy new pieces of furniture. However, what people often forget to consider, is that repainting your house can also update the look of your home. Plus, it doesn’t even have to be as expensive!

If you choose to hire an HDB painting service, there are many paints for you to choose from, from many different brands. Some even have specialized mixtures so that they could perform in different conditions, such as being able to withstand the Singapore heat. With so many choices, finding the right paint can be a daunting task. Making sure that you choose the right shade can make sure that your condo painting goes on without a hitch. After all, scrapping a layer of paint can double or even triple your expenses.

While many painting services like ideal colours at Singapore can help you understand how best to proceed with your condo painting, it can also be greatly affected by you and your preferences. So, read on to help you find the right color for your HDB.

1. Start Small

Even if you have chosen to hire painting services, it may be a bit scary to start painting your walls, as you’re not sure how a color would translate when painted to your wall. To help alleviate your fears, you could start with a small patch of wall first before doing anything else. This is especially important if you’re a visual type of person, so that you could really see the effect of the paint on your wall. A painting contractor can do this for you, in a way that would minimize permanent damage. The best painter can make sure that the initial tests of paint wouldn’t even be noticeable after they’ve finished with the final layer.

2. Learn Color Terms

Finding the words to describe what you want in your shade will significantly raise your chances of getting the shade that you want. Plus, it can help you understand colors better, which can help you communicate with your painting contractor more clearly. Most of the color terms you will need to learn include hue, which refers to the color itself on the color wheel, like green, yellow and blue. Next is value, which refers to how much light is present in the hue. Next is saturation, which refers to how dominant the hue is. (For example, pink is a less saturated version of red.) Lastly, intensity refers to the brilliance of the color; purer colors refer to the colors that are closer to their designation on the wheel. For example, blue and green are more intense than the shade in between them (teal).

3. Consider Lighting

Lighting can drastically change the colors of any image or object. It can take a while to get used to this principle, as it requires a bit of visualization. This is the reason why paint stores often display their samples underneath lightboxes. When thinking about the color for your room, working with http://www.idealcolours.sg/ from Singapore will ensure that the color and shade you choose will go well with the type of lighting in the room, improving the overall aesthetic of the space.

There are two main types of lighting: natural lighting and artificial lighting. Natural lighting, which is light that comes from the sun, shows the truest color of paint. During your condo painting, you should consider this if the wall that you’re trying to paint will be lit by a lot of natural light, or is surrounded by a lot of windows.
Artificial lighting, on the other hand, is separated into three categories: incandescent lighting, fluorescent lighting, and halogen lighting. Incandescent lighting can bring out the warm shades of your paint and can make warm colors (like red or brown) more intense, and cooler colors (like blue and green) duller. Fluorescent lighting, on the other hand, has the opposite of an incandescent on shades. Lastly, halogen lights are the closest you can get to natural lighting. The best painter will consider your lighting sources when suggesting colors.

4. Let the Color Wheel Guide You

Especially if you’re the type to mix and match colors, the color wheel can be a valuable tool. You could use the different color harmonies you may alreadya learned in art class, to figure out how to find a good color scheme. A good go-to color harmony in most Singapore homes is complementary colors, wherein two colors directly opposite the color wheel are used. A good example of this is the red-green Christmas color scheme. If you want to use this scheme, simply pick your favorite color and find its opposite on the wheel.

Another popular color scheme in Singapore HDBs is the analogous harmony. When hiring a painting services, people often choose colors that are located beside each other to make a palette. While a lot of people use this as a go-to color harmony, it often ends up looking gaudy and tacky. This is because there isn’t a clear designation of the main color. That is, in order to avoid making a mistake with this color harmony, choose just one color that would act as your main shade, which would be the color that you would see most the most in your room. Then, use less of the second color, and the least of the third color. The right HDB painting service can help you pick the right color scheme for your HDB.

You may be searching for the best commercial or residential electrical service company, whether it’s for your warehouse, office, or even your home. But with the many services available in Singapore promising a guaranteed quality service, it can be hard for you to hire the right one for your needs.

However, it doesn’t have to be – Here are a few things you need to consider when choosing an electrical service for your needs:

Licensure

The first thing you need to consider before choosing a contractor for electrician services is whether or not they are certified to undertake this kind of work in the first place.

A licensed electrician is one that has undergone training and certification in Singapore to handle electrical works. Not only does a licensed electrician understand the safety practices when handling electrical works, but is also aware of how both different electrical systems work and how his knowledge and expertise can be applied.

A good electrician will be able to easily tell you where and when they received their certification to work without supervision from a superior. A lot of master electricians work in their own electrician services companies, employing both journeymen and apprentices working towards certification.

Expertise/Equipment

Another way for gauging whether an electrical services company is capable of providing the services that you need is by asking what kind of equipment they use for the different kinds of jobs that they encounter on a regular basis. This can also be related to expertise.

A great electrician services company like powermax electrical works from Singapore are complete with the right kinds of equipment necessary to deal with different kinds of electrical problems or specifications by different clients, whether it’s simple tools commonly used for residential electrical works, or for more complicated tools mostly used for more complex systems installed in commercial establishments.

Insurance

While the license and certification qualifies the electrician to handle electrical works, the firm’s insurance both you and the contractor in case of accidents occurring during the repair/installation process. However, it’s not enough to simply ask whether an electrician services company is insured – you should also ask what the company’s insurance covers.

Feedback and Referral

Feedback is a great way to know more about the quality of a contractor’s services, and this can be easily found on many review sites online – simply type in the contractor’s name and you’ll know whether this contractor is a reputable one or not.

Apart from online reviews, word of mouth is also a great way for electrician services contractors (and for most businesses) to market their services. One way you could do this is by asking a friend, relative, or family member who has hired one in the past. You can also ask for a referral from a business owner/s that you work closely with.

Reputable contractors who have been in the business for a long time should be able to readily provide their clients with their list of references. This allows their clients to be more comfortable in contracting their services.

Experience

Choosing the right electrician services contractor in Singapore includes checking for their background and how long they have been in the business.
A contractor that has been in the business for a longer time is usually seen as (and often is) the more reliable one by default, as they are more likely to have more successful jobs and more satisfied customers.

Checking for online feedback and word of mouth is one way to go about doing this. Another way is by asking the contractor’s representative about the facts of their past jobs, especially those that they completed within your local vicinity.

Customer Service

How a contractor responds to your emails and calls is a reflection of their work ethic, and one that responds promptly and with accurate information is one that you can count on to handle the electrical works in your home/office/warehouse.

However, while the quality of communication that receive in your conversation and consultation with the contractor is important for you, your clear specifications as to the nature of your electrical problem is also just as important for your contractor.

When it comes to electrical problems, be sure to include the details in full, such as certain wiring or devices that have been damaged and are in need of replacement and repair. For adding or installing wiring and other types of electrical devices, it’s best to schedule an appointment or a consultation with the contractor. Allow a representative to schedule a visit to your house/warehouse/office in order to better understand the area.

When choosing between different contractors, be sure to ask for the details of their estimates in full. The more details you have, the easier you can compare the estimates of these different services.

Availability

There are certain problems that could arise unexpectedly and have the potential to cause a serious fire or electrical hazard in your establishment or residence, whether it’s because of causes such as bad weather or human error from previous operations.

Depending on the kind of electrical problem that you have for your home/office/warehouse you would want to contract an electrical service in Singapore that is available on call 24/7. These kinds of services that you can call at any time are more likely to get the job done faster or at the very least, contain the electrical problem to prevent it from escalating.

For more severe pest infestation, the help of a professional pest control management is highly recommended. With these more advanced methods, only the professionals can execute the work properly and efficiently. Here are six different ways that pest exterminators use to get rid of household pests.

Breeding Ground Control

For some pests, such as the termites and mosquitoes, it’s important to find their breeding grounds to prevent reproduction. Some pest control services also approach this method by moving the pests to other environments where they cannot do harm in the residential areas. To remove termites for example, areas where the subterranean types live will be flooded or the sources of wooden mulch around the area are destroyed.

Termite Foam

To remove termites, a Singapore pest management team will use insecticides or foams made specifically for termites. These products can come in many forms, but most pest management in Singapore use the foam because it can penetrate hard-to-reach areas and cracks in the word to reach the termites hiding in the crevices. Termite foam works fast and has been proven to be effective, however, the damage done by the termites need to be assessed first before using this method.

Electronic Pest Control

This includes electronic traps and devices that will eliminate or repel pests such as rodents, mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, and others. The electronic devices use electromagnetic, ultrasonic, and radio wave to disrupt or disturb the pests. What’s great about electronic pest control is that they will only affect the pests and not the humans and pets at home.

Harborage Elimination

Some pests are good at finding hiding places, making elimination more difficult. If this is the case, the pest control services will take steps to eliminate these potential hiding places by sealing the crevices, cracks, and holes around your house. This will be more effective if you also make sure that the windows and doors are tightly sealed, and the household items are always kept clean.

Wood Treatments

Wood treatments are used to remove termites, but the pest control services will need to determine the species of termites and the extent of the damage done by the pests. It’s almost always difficult to address a termite infestation because prevention is a lot easier. Specific methods and chemicals will be used to target specific termite species. Some of these chemicals include borates, alkaline copper quaternary and copper boron azole. Although there are do-it-yourself tutorials on the Internet, it is better to consult professional pest control services from Singapore like www.pestdestroyer.sg when it comes to protecting your home from termite damage.

Biological Control

This method is recommended for spaces with small-scale farms or gardens that have problems with pest control. The pest control management company will introduce pathogens, natural predators, and parasites of the identified pests. In some instances, plants and a combination of natural pesticides are also used to terminate pest such as mosquitoes, flies, and other bugs. The problem with this method, however, is that it needs close monitoring when another species is introduced in the area.

Cleaning your clothes is more than just laundering them in soap and water. Different kinds of fabrics require different kind of washing, depending on the delicateness of the material.

So, before throwing your garments into the washing machine, make sure to read the care label if you want to keep your clothes in their best condition for longer.

Here, we’ll tackle the most common cleaning methods you might have encountered in some of your clothing pieces’ care labels: Dry clean, steam clean and spot clean.

Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning is often recommended by the best laundry services from Singapore for removing stains from detailed or decorated fabrics, sensitive materials, and heavily-stained clothing. Like most laundry service in Singapore that primarily use washing machines, dry cleaning shops also have wash and fold services and the machine used looks similar to a regular washer. The cleaning material used in called the dry cleaning solvent (usually perchloroethylene, glycol ethers, liquid carbon dioxide, and liquid silicone) which is stored in the holding tank.

The dry cleaning machine pumps the solvent during the cleaning process, while filters trap the impurities from the fabric. Once the cleaning is done, the solvent is drained, and extraction of the excess chemical is performed. Next, the clothes are transferred to a dryer to vaporize the solvent. Any remaining stain will be treated, and if there is any damage to the clothing, the staff will repair it.

Steam-Cleaning and Spot-Cleaning

Steam-cleaning is another option for fabrics that cannot be easily hand-washed, machine-washed or dry-cleaned. However, you can also pick steam-cleaning for fabrics such as silk, wool, cotton, and others. Remember not to use steam-cleaning when cleaning suede, chiffon, silk, waxed fabrics, velvet, sheer, and leather, or any other material that is highly-embellished or printed. That’s because steam uses both heat and water to remove stains.

Heat can melt other materials, while water can shrink or stretch other fabrics. Steam-cleaning is useful mostly in linens, upholstery, and other heavy fabrics that are very difficult to dry. It can also be used for heavily-soiled items such as towel washing because the steam acts as a sanitizer, but make sure to check the care label instructions first. Generally, steam wash can help lessen allergies, kill germs in the fabric, removes wrinkles, and keeps the items fresh and clean.

Spot-cleaning is a type of laundry method used by www.laundryfirst.sg in Singapore when the care label instructions say that the material can be damaged with both water and solvent-based cleaners. If this is the case, how will you remove stains from the fabric? Spot-cleaning is used primarily in flock fabrics that are very sensitive to rubbing and distortion when cleaned. If there is a stain, the laundry service will recommend vacuuming and brushing.

However, you can blot stains that are still fresh or use a foam upholstery cleaner and a water-based shampoo if it’s stubborn. To avoid damaging the material, remember the following care label codes: S for spot-clean only; W/S for spot-clean with upholstery shampoo; W for spot-clean with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner; and X for vacuum and light brush only.

Singapore is blessed for its bright and sunny climate. However, since we’re not in the beach most of the time, we tend to find ways to cool down at the convenience of our own homes—and that is likely with the use of air conditioning systems.

If you dread the extreme warmth the summer weather brings and hate the expensive aircon repair, you can do more than cranking up your AC’s temperature to keep you cool all day. There are actually plenty of ways to keep yourself cool without racking up your monthly electric bill.

1. Keep your blinds and curtains closed

Did you know that utilizing curtains and blinds can save you seven percent on electric bill and lower your homes indoor temperature by as much as 20 degrees? By simply closing your shades, you prevent unwanted heat from entering your home and saving your space from becoming a mini greenhouse.

2. A better option, use blackout curtains

This type of curtain blocks the sunlight, naturally insulating your room. We suggest getting a neutral-colored set of curtains with white backings to help reduce the amount of heat streaming into your house. In addition to blackout curtains, you can also use window films. These films recommended by aircon master in Singapore are applied to glass windows to reduce heat and glare entering the room.

3. Cool down your body, not just the house

Our ancestors survived without aircon units during their time, and even today not everyone have AC at home. If they can survive the heat, so can you. From drinking ice-cold fruit juices to applying cold cloth to pulsed areas of the body, such as the wrists and neck, cooling yourself first is a smart idea to keep cool in the heat. Other ways include wearing thinner clothing and dipping your feet in cool water.

4. Let the natural air in

In the summer months, temperature tends to drop at night. During this time of the year, make the most of these cooling hours by cracking your windows slightly open at night before going to bed. You can even enhance the ventilation by strategically placing your fan beside the window to help regulate the cool air around the room. With this, you won’t have to use your AC in its highest setting and avoid premature aircon servicing due to overworked unit.

5. Change your sheets regularly

Not only switching seats freshen up the room, but it is also a great way to keep your room cool. Although your fleece blankets and flannel sheets are fantastic cuddlers for colder days, cotton keeps you cooler during warmer months. An additional tip, use a buckwheat pillow. Since it has airspace in between its structure, it does not hold on to body heat like standard pillows do.

6. Do household chores smartly

If possible, iron and wash clothes during the cooler times of the day. When drying your garments, air dry them instead of using the dryer. Also, try cooking outdoors if you can. Make use of your outdoor grill and precook large quantity of food to reduce daytime cooking.

7. Switch off lights

During the day, you do not need much light, so keep them switched off to reduce production of heat inside the house. Only turn on indoor lights when you really need them, especially if you are using incandescent lights. And if you are using incandescent lights, we recommend switching to CFLs (compact fluorescent lamp bulbs). Not only will you save energy, but your house will stay cooler, too.

8. Make use of fans

This is an obvious way to keep a space aired without using an AC, but there are several ways to amp up the cooling that your fan gives. For stand fans, you can put a bowl of ice in front of it to cool the air as it blows. For ceiling fans, make sure the fan is rotating counter-clockwise to push cool air down to the floor as opposed to clockwise rotation, which vacuums the air up.

9. Take a cold shower

This one may be obvious, but worth saying: if you feel hot, lower your body temperature by taking a cold bath. The evaporation of water from your skin will help to further cool you down as you get out of the shower. For a more fun option, invite your family and friends for an afternoon swimming in the pool.

10. Invest in a dehumidifier

Moist heat is worse than dry heat. Humidity is what makes you feel hot and sticky here in Singapore. To keep your home’s humidity at comfortable range of 50 to 60 percent, get yourself a dehumidifier. Choose one that automatically switches off when it hits your desired amount of humidity to save energy. Recycle the water collected from the dehumidifier to water your plants.

11. Keep up with your AC’s maintenance

Since you want your air conditioning unit to last as long as it possibly can, make sure to have it checked regularly by an aircon servicing professional like http://www.airconmaster.sg/ in Singapore even when you are using it less often. Do not skimp on aircon maintenance just because you do not use it every day. Call a professional aircon servicing in Singapore to have your unit checked as often as your manufacturer recommends.

Sure, the AC unit is the most convenient way to chill you down, but abusing it especially during these hotter months may cause frequent aircon repair and possibly earlier deterioration of your AC unit. Giving these tips a try will not only minimize aircon servicing, but also extend the life of your AC and save you money from your monthly electric bill.

*This list is compiled in no particular order.*