Friday 29 May 2015

Importance of Pest Control Services

Opting for the services of a professional company for commercial and residential pest control in Melbourne can be beneficial in several ways when compared to attempts of controlling these menacing creatures like spiders, rodents, termites, bees on one’s own. The professional companies have skilled technicians who are trained to handle and treat pest infestations. If you want to safeguard your home or office efficiently against the invasion of these creatures or treat an existing invasion, consider to sought for the assistance of a pest control firm in Melbourne.

Protecting your domestic or commercial premise from such invaders as rats, mice, termites, bees, ants, etc. requires effective protection measures. A professional company employs its services tailored to your needs. They take care of such prospects as the measure of space at your office or home, the degree of infestation, and ways to ensure long-term security. The pest management companies offer many different services, which include pre-treatment for new constructions, perimeter treatment for keeping these destructive creatures at bay, and urgent services for treating for nests and hives. They will also perform regular inspections, if required, to locate treatment areas.

Although paying to a pest management services provider may seem like an unnecessary and expensive affair to many people, but the cost of repairing damage caused by termites, carpenter ants or carpenter bees can even mount to thousands of dollars. Not everyone is aware of the methods needed to detect the presence of carpenter ants or termites. The companies know exactly what to search for, and their service charges are much lower than the repairing costs of prolonged pest damage.

These professionals know how to work with pesticides or insecticides and the correct method of their usage and application. Most of the companies use products that are eco-friendly and non-toxic. If, at all, they feel the need of using hazardous products, they possess the knowledge to do so without jeopardising the safety of the inhabitants. 

There is a specific kind of bee known as the killer bee which on invading your space can attract the entire hive. Mice can even spread in the entire place, and carry diseases such as Hantavirus which fatal for humans. Controlling the infestation of these menacing creatures is not going to be an easy job for you at all. Calling for a pest exterminator is going to be the best thing to do. They are experts in pest management and can find the potential nests as well as lower the risks of spreading the harmful pathogens.

Monday 25 May 2015

A Beginners Guide to Building Regulations

What are building regulations? 

The Building regulations are the minimum standards for construction, design & alterations to virtually every type of building. These are basically developed by the Government & approved by the Parliament. 

The Building Regulations even contain a list of requirements, which are designed to ensure the minimum standards for safety, health, energy efficiency, convenience, sustainability and more. These regulations set the national standards for all kinds of building work. They cover all aspects of a construction. They even ensure that people with disabilities are provided with adequate facilities in specific kinds of building.

Building regulations are different from planning permission 

The Building regulations usually look in the detail at the materials used and the construction for building works unlike the Planning Permission that's used for guiding the way the places are developed, appearance of the buildings, impact of environment, use of building and highway access. 

Difference between building regulations drawings and planning drawings 

Building control regulation drawings are much more detailed in comparison to the planning drawings because of the level of information needed for explaining how things are generally constructed. This may make them a lot more hard to understand if you're are not quite acquainted to reading drawings. Building regulation plans must include high level of detail and should have detailed construction notes for explaining the proposed construction procedures of the project. This extra bit of detail may make it easy to price the job more precisely so more exact estimates may be obtained from building regulation plans. 

Types of building work that requires building regulations approval

All kinds of building work need approval. Examples of works, which need approval include: 


  • Constructing a new home
  • Extension, alteration or erection of a building 
  • Alterations of internal structures 
  • Installing a WC and cavity wall insulation 
  • Change of buildings use and more 

Can a home be extended without building regulations? 

There are some kinds of small extensions, which are exempt from the building regulations. They include the conservatories, yards, porches and carports that have at least two open sides. But there are a few conditions, which still apply.  

How to get building regulations approval? 

Mainly, there are two ways of obtaining building regulations approval-a building notice or a full plans application. 


Wednesday 13 May 2015

Termite Attacks And Measures To Stop Them

Despite of their insignificantly small size, termites cause an incredible amount of damage to human property around the globe every year. Commonly known as 'white ants', they devour large amounts of wood and all other materials that contain cellulose. Though puny as individuals, they often form highly organised colonies of millions or more.  Most of the time, a termite infestation in a household goes undetected until it's too late.

Termites seek shelter in places that are humid, still and dark. The interior surface of timber is one of their most favourite dwelling places. They usually leave the outer surface intact, making it hard to notice the damage and also their presence, until the structure has begun to crumble slowly. Most of the times, internal damage inflicted by termites goes undetected until the infestation becomes severe. Wood attacked by termites can easily be mistaken for water damage. The visible signs of termite attacks include bloated wood, puffed up floors and ceilings.

Termites can also live between walls, and the evidence of their presence in the tiny wall-cracks is provided by grains of mud and termite faeces escaping through the cracks. They build mud tubes or tunnels to gain access to a household, for protection against changes in humidity, sunlight and to maintain a constant level of moisture content for survival. The tunnels are generally constructed in corners, cracks in the concrete or brickwork and on the surface of timber structures. Termite infestations can also give out an unpleasant odour which is similar to that of mildew or mould.


Termites can silently chew on expensive investments and they cause more damage that any other pest because they remain hidden from the sight. Fortunately, there are some effective termite treatment and prevention methods which can save the household as well as the valuable wooden appliances in the house from termite attacks:
  • Old wood should be kept away from home, and stored off the ground on a metal frame.
  • Masonry piers or stumps with termite shields should be used to provide extra support to the floor. Steel posts with capped tops can also act as a good substitute.
  • The underside and perimeter of the house should be kept as dry as possible.
  • Termite treatment liquids and baits can be used if the infestation is extensive. Liquid termiticides provide a long-lasting barrier prohibiting the entry of termites in the building. Termite baits consist of paper, cardboard, etc combined with a substance lethal to termites.


Friday 8 May 2015

Essentials Of Marine Upholstery Fabrics

Marine upholstery requires the use of materials that are waterproof, UV resistant and tolerant of other rough components found in water. There are a number of ways by which one can upgrade the marine upholstery of one's schooner, using a variety of fabrics and damp resistant materials. The fabric used in marine upholstery is produced keeping in mind the boating industry, and there are a number of factors affecting its features.
Taking into consideration the types of marine upholstery fabrics which are available in the market, it is essential to scrutinize the specific needs of the boat, and also the kind of fabric that is already in the craft, if the boat is being re-upholstered. The most important requirement of any material used on a vehicle for water transport is that it should be impervious to water, not only to slight moisture, but in case of accident, fully resistant to any kind of water. Equally significant is the necessity for the fabric to be able to withstand large amounts of heat and sunlight. While sailing in the water, a boat is also subjected to extremes of temperature, strong winds and other harsh elements. As such, upholstery for boats and ships must be chosen wisely and with precision. 

The most appropriate and widely used fabric for marine upholstery is vinyl. It is a durable & waterproof and looks like leather. It is found in a wide variety of textures, colours and weights. Plasticizer, a chemical polymer, when added to polyvinyl chloride during the manufacturing process becomes vinyl. Vinyl fabric is usually available in three types – non-backed vinyl, non-expanded vinyl and expanded vinyl. Among these, expanded vinyl is usually preferred in marine upholstery as it contains additional treatments for better ultraviolet protection and prevents colour fading. It is also known as marine-grade vinyl and is finished with a coating that inhibits bacterial growth and mildew. 

Laminated fabrics, including acrylic, are also used as a substitute for marine upholstery in Northern Beaches. Besides being waterproof and hard wearing, these fabrics can also withstand friction and flame, both of which are positive things on a boat. Acrylic furniture can be fashioned to look like canvas, and is waterproof and sun-proof.

For imparting more of an authentic look to the schooner, the furniture in it are mainly upholstered with mesh or string fabric. These are basically made of polyvinyl chloride and are found in a wide range of colours and makes. 

Sunday 3 May 2015

Warning Signs Of Hearing Loss in Adults

If you believe you or your loved one is suffering from hearing loss, the first thing you need to do is get your ears checked. An audiologist would be the best person to do this by conducting different kinds of hearing tests in Bulleen. In fact, this is the simplest way that you can do to learn about hearing and what is to be done to treat it. 

The tests are basically painless and do not take a lot of time. It takes less than fifteen minutes and identifies whether a hearing loss really exists and if yes the degree to which the hearing loss may affect your daily life. Ace Audiology in Bulleen offers free hearing screening check-up for adults. So, if you think, you are having difficulty in hearing properly, contact Ace Audiology. 

But before you visit the audiologist for an assessment, it is important for you to check for these warning signs. Only if you find you are facing the following things, then only make an appointment with Dr. Yazdaneh Galt of Ace Audiology. Here are the warning signs

  • You are able to hear but is unable to understand 
  • You are having difficulty in understanding people until and unless they're facing you 
  • You are finding it harder to hear in a noisy situation especially when there are groups of people surrounding you
  • You think that people are mumbling 
  • You turn the television a lot more loudly than you should or than other people 
  • You don't hear your phone ringing or your doorbell quite often


Hearing loss basically means that some of the sounds cannot be heard. The other effects of this problem, which may interfere with communication and listening include the loud sounds that often cause discomfort, particular type of speech sounds that are inaudible and difficulty in hearing when there is a background noise. It can even be hard to tell where these sounds are actually coming from. 

However, if you are really facing these warning signs don't think that you are amongst the few who is suffering from this kind of problem in Bulleen. In Australia, one out of every six person suffer from hearing loss. So, this problem is quite common in the country. 

Remember--your hearing problem may affect your ability to enjoy your life fully. It can result in loss of confidence or cause social embarrassment to you because of difficulties with conversation. It may even leave you at a risk of missing crucial warning sounds like traffic and smoke alarms. So, if you think you are experiencing these warning signs, get in touch with Dr.  Galt of Ace Audiology as soon as possible and get a hearing assessment done in Bulleen to learn whether you really have hearing loss.