Livingston Reporting - page 108

I am Ready to Buy My First Home. Where Do I Start?

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


The industry is saturated with information for first time home buyers.  It is often a bit overwhelming when you are trying to gather initial information on where to start, who to turn to, and what to expect.  In order to be fully prepared to find, finance, and move into a new home it is crucial to be prepared.  Planning for a major event such as buying your first home is one of the best ways to remove the stress and anxiety that usually comes with it.

The first step to buying your first home is the one you are taking right this very moment, research.  As soon as you get the inkling that you want to start looking into buying a home start reading as much reliable information as you can get your hands on.  Websites, newspapers, industry magazines, and real estate books can all provide good information.  It is also appropriate to start perusing listings to note the time that homes you are interested in are staying on the market.  For research purposes take note of changes in asking price as well, all the information gathered at this point gives you a better sense of current housing trends. 

The next step that we recommend you take is to speak with a mortgage broker to determine how much of a house you can afford.  This can be a little tricky.  It is not always wise to spend as much on a new home as you qualify for.  Most home buyers want to still be able to live comfortably while owning a home.  Trust your instincts when you are determining a housing budget. 

More often than not lenders will approve buyers for between three to five times the amount of their annual income for a threshold.  Most buyers will have a twenty percent down payment and will carry other debt.  This amount usually holds this in account.  Ex.  If you are currently making $25,000 a year and your spouse is making $55,000 a year this puts you at a total income of around $80,000 a year.  This means that lenders may feel comfortable lending you between $240,000 and $400,000 to purchase a home.  This doesn’t take into consideration your down payment however does give you some figures to start with. 

When you meet with a mortgage broker than can start the process of getting you prequalified and preapproved for a mortgage.  This will give you a definite answer to how much you are approved for and can actually spend on your new home.  In order to start this process, you will need to provide your mortgage broker with financial paperwork such as documents on income, savings, investments, and debt.  Through this process brokers will reach out to a variety of lenders to verify your financial status, credit, and figures on borrowing from them.  Each lender will have different requirements, rates, and so forth.  A mortgage broker works as a middle man between you and the lenders to find you the best rates and terms. 

Next you will want to find a local real estate agent to work with like C21, Lady of the Lakes out of Pinckney, MI.  A realtor is an important piece of the home buying (and selling) process and will be your biggest advocator throughout the process.  Agents are not only full of useful information on homes, neighborhoods, schools, and such, they are also important to you during negotiations.  Also, it is nice to note that realtors are not compensated by the buyer and instead are paid a commission from the seller of the house.  This means you pay nothing for their professional advice.

Real estate agents are important partners when you’re buying or selling a home. Real estate agents can provide you with helpful information on homes and neighborhoods that isn’t easily accessible to the public. Their knowledge of the home buying process, negotiating skills, and familiarity with the area you want to live in can be extremely valuable. And best of all, it doesn’t cost you anything to use an agent – they’re compensated from the commission paid by the seller of the house.

After you have hired an agent comes the task of finding the perfect home to call home and make an offer.  When you are touring homes it is important to bring along a camera and create a checklist.  This will help in keeping the different houses straight.  After seeing as many houses as you will see during this process it will be hard to remember the pros and cons of each.  Document as much as possible along the way. 

When you find a home, you think you could be interested in do a more thorough examination of the space.  Test the plumbing by running all the faucets at one time to get a feel for the water pressure you can expect.  This will also give you a good assessment of the hot water in the home. Next test the electrical outlets.  It is amazing how many times we go into homes where not all of the electrical switches or plugs are working properly.  This could be an electrical issue inside the home, so it will save you money to discover it before paying for a professional home inspection.  Another element to look at is the windows, doors, and attic/roof.  Check to make sure doors and windows properly shut and seal and that attics are without mold or water issues. 

If you haven’t already, take a look at the neighborhood.  Check to see how well other houses are maintained.  Evaluate the amount of traffic through the neighborhood, parking, and accessibility to shopping, schools, and more. 

Relators will help throughout this process by supplying you with data on how much comparable homes nearby have sold for.  This will help you to negotiate a fair asking price when you have decided on a home to put an offer on.  When you have reached an agreement with the seller on a fair price, the home will go into what is known as escrow.  At this point you will have a number of days to get an inspection, make changes to the offer, and complete the home purchase process.

Most banks will not lend to first time home buyers, or any home buyer for that matter, without first having their investment properly inspected.  All offers are written in a manner known as contingency.  This means that the offer is contingent on the inspection.  If the inspection goes poorly or items are found that need to be repaired, you will have time to renegotiate or withdraw your offer without penalty.

Once the inspection has been finalized and the home repairs (if needed) have occurred it is time to get your financing in order.  Your mortgage broker already has in place the preapprovals that you were given earlier in the process.  This makes the process of selecting a home loan quicker.  Lenders will give you a good faith estimate at this juncture that states what you can expect the monthly payment to be, taxes included, the time you are borrowing the money for, along with the rate at which you are borrowing funds.  It is important as well to understand the type of mortgage you are getting. There are a few options including: Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Adjustable, and so on.  Mortgage lenders will often send in a home appraiser to ensure that they are making a solid investment in loaning you the amount of money they are for the home. This ensures you are paying a fair price. 

At this point a lot of paperwork is shuffled between real estate agents for the buyers and sellers along with the lender, closing, and title company.  This is all necessary to make sure ownership of the home transfers properly.  Once all parties have reached an agreement a closing date will be set. 

At closing you will complete a final walk through of the property, sign closing documents, and exchange the keys.  Some sellers negotiate a time between closing and when they have to vacate.  If this is the case with the home you are purchasing, the seller will rent the home from you until the agreed upon move out date and then you will receive the keys to the home on that final date.

C21 Lady of the Lakes is a full-service realtor serving Livingston County and the surrounding areas with all their real estate needs.  More information can be found at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com/.



C21 Lady of the Lakes

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What Is an Air Breaker and How Do They Work?

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


Just as molded case circuit breakers, MCCB, air circuit breakers, ACB, is device that is in place to provide protection from an electrical surge or short-circuit.  The main difference is the amps they protect; ACB can withstand higher short circuit currents and mechanical stress because of the arc extinguisher element then MCCB can.  There are a variety of air circuit breakers and switching gears available to purchase.  Air circuit breakers have replaced oil circuit breakers because of their resiliency, performance, ease of installation, and low maintenance level. 

Three Types of Air Break Circuit Breaker

The three main types of air break circuit breakers include: plain break, magnetic blowout, and air chute.  Their main application is for use in maintaining indoor voltage and switch gears.

Plain Break

The simplest of all air circuit breakers is the plain brake.  Two horns shape the main point of contact.  This creates an arc that extends from the tip of one to the other. 

Magnetic Blowout

In higher voltage capacity’s, up to 11KV, magnetic blowout air circuit breakers are used.  The arc extension gets by the magnetic field that is made from the current in blowout coils.

Air Chute

Air chute air break circuit breakers have main contacts of copper and conduit which are in the closed position.  They are most often silver plated and have a low contact resistance.  The arching contacts are created from copper alloy and are resistant to heat and are solid. 

Air circuit breakers are most often used for controlling the power station auxiliaries and industrial plants.  They provide protection to electrical machinery such as transformers, capacitors, and generators.  Where ever there is a possibility of fire or explosion, air circuit breakers are most often installed.   They offer a higher resistance to power that allows an increase in the resistance of the arc by splitting, cooling, and lengthening.  The main drawback in air circuit breakers is that the arc chute principle is less efficient under low currents where electromagnetic fields are weak. 

J & P Electrical Company is a full-service electrical company that supplies contractors, end users, and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We purchase a wide range of electrical equipment such as bus plugs, bud ducts, panel switches, substations, and transformers.  More information can be found at https://www.jpelectricalcompany.com



J & P Electrical Company

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Why Choose Aluminum Over Other Fencing Materials?

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems


Without a doubt aluminum is the best option in fencing.  The pros will outweigh the cons in a battle between aluminum fencing and all other fencing materials, every time.  Not only is aluminum the strongest metal fence, it is affordable, easy to install, and is requires minimal maintenance to keep it looking as good as it did when it was delivered. 

There are a number of fencing materials to choose from in both commercial and residential settings, but none are as resilient as aluminum.  It is a material that has been created to withstand no matter how little or how much it is used. If you are worried about how it will withstand your specific climate, don’t be.  Aluminum fences, aluminum gates, and aluminum driveway accesses are guaranteed to withstand the elements.   The panels are finished with a special powder-coating that makes their finish fairly indestructible. Powder coated aluminum panels stop moisture, debris, chlorinated water, dirt, and other hazards from harming the metal as well as the surface.  Thus, both fencing and gates appear new even after having been installed for years.

Why Aluminum Is Better Than Subpar Fencing Materials?

There are plenty of other fencing materials that people could choose but those some with a myriad of disadvantages over aluminum.  Wood is beautiful, there is no denying that.  The disadvantages of wood however run the gamut: it is quick to rot, requires time consuming maintenance on a yearly basis, and is not necessarily strong.  Chain link is far from attractive or secure.  Its main purpose is containment verse aesthetics or security.

Why Aluminum Is the Best Fencing Material for Varied Climates?

It is important that the material you choose for fencing and gates can hold up under any type of weather that it may endure.  Whether it be strong wind, heavy rain, hail, snow, chlorinated water, salt water, freezing rain, humidity, dry arid air, or whatever else can be thrown at it, aluminum can withstand.  Aluminum comes in four grades: residential, pool/resort, commercial, and industrial.  The strongest being industrial. Industrial grade aluminum fence panels are the heaviest and most indestructible of options both commercial and residential users can choose from.  Choose the grade that is most acceptable in your application. 

Why aluminum Is the Best Material in Fencing Against Unwanted Visitors?

The reason most often given for installing a fence is security.  A fence provides the ability to keep animals and kids contained as well as keeping unwanted people and animals out.  The benefit with aluminum over other fences is that it makes entry into the area difficult.  Aluminum is not easy to scale, pushing it over is not probable, and additional pickets can be added to decrease the space between the pickets for added privacy.  Aluminum fence panels can be ordered in a number of widths and heights as well which adds to the security it provides.

The installation of a fence, gate, and driveway entry gate don’t just enhance the aesthtics of your property.  They add an element that is similar to your home’s front door; it welcomes entry to those you want and provides security against those you don’t. 

iFenceUSA is an online distributor of wholesale aluminum fences and gates for residential, resort, commercial, and industrial installation.  As an industry leader in maintenance-free aluminum fencing products we have all your aluminum fence and gate needs covered.  More information can be found online at https://ifenceusa.com/.



iFenceUSA

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Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Buying used and refurbished linear accelerators can save medical facilities a great deal of money.  This is fairly critical when it comes to the limited budgets that growing healthcare centers face.  The question most often asked is about the HV (high voltage) hours, beam hours, and how important their role is in determining the wear and tear of a LINAC. 

The most universal analogy comes down to the mileage of a used vehicle, the more miles usually means more wear and tear.  The higher the mileage, the less you should expect the resale value to be.  Beam hours are very similar.  Beam hours are equivalent to the time that the beam has been in use.  Thus, higher HV hours often means that these machines will be priced lower than LINACS with lower beam hours.  This of course assumes all other things are equal.

In reality a dozen factors go into determining the price facilities will pay when purchasing a used linear accelerator.  These include factors such as manufacturer, age of LINAC, updates to software/technology, and upgrades to the machine.  The chart below offers a reasonable explanation to what facilities should expect in regard to beam hours.

Expected Time Until Machine Replacement/Major Refurbishment
5 years 10 years 15 years
Patients Seen Per Day 10+ 2000 Beam Hours 1500 Beam Hours 1000 Beam Hours
<10 3000 Beam Hours 2500 Beam Hours 2000 Beam Hours

On the top you will see a number that reflects the years a used machine is expected to be in place at the new facility.  When a facility is getting started, doesn’t expect to see a lot of patients, and expects to have a higher revenue to purchase equipment in the next couple of years a used LINAC with higher beam hours is acceptable to be purchased.   However, if this same facility hopes to hold onto the machine for an extended period of time or expects to see a high number of patients, they should re-evaluate the number of acceptable beam hours that can be on a used LINAC. 

Situation: A health care center looking into adding a cancer treatment center to an already booming facility.  They are expecting that as they make available this new treatment option that their revenue will increase.  They also expect that as patients become aware of the option for treatment the number of patients, they can expect to see should be higher than they are to begin with.  They want to purchase a LINAC without having to replace it for about 10 years.  What amount of beam hours should they be looking for on a used LINAC? 

This facility, because they are assuming, they will see a high number of patients for treatment as the word spreads that they are offering LINAC treatment should assume that in time they will be seeing more than 10 patients a day.  Even if they start out slow at 5 patients a day now, it is assumed that they will be treating upwards of 15 or more eventually which will average out.  Because they want the equipment to last at least 10 years this facility should only be looking at LINAC systems with between 1000-1500 used beam hours anything with more than that will not serve the purpose for the volume of patients they are expecting or the years that they wish to use this piece of medical equipment.

Another thing a facility needs to consider is how often IMRT and VMAT treatment will be used.  These two types of treatment options consumer more beam hours.   This should be considered when looking into a used LINAC.   

This illustration should be used only as a guideline.   With proper, regular maintenance, servicing, and parts replacement, used/pre-owned linear accelerators can last for years even with a high number of beam hours. 

As an independent LINAC service company, Acceletronics is dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and services for linear accelerators and CT scanners across all major brands and models, as well as new and refurbished LINAC systems for sale.  More information can be found online at https://www.acceletronics.com/.



Acceletronics

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A Comprehensive Look at Refractive and Laser Eye Surgery

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Refractive and laser eye surgery, known also as vision correction surgery, is implied to surgical procedures that repair problems with vision.  In the last decade there have been huge developments in the process of vision correction using lasers.  Both refractive and laser eye surgery allow patients to see better than they previously. 

Many laser eye vision correction surgeries are done by reshaping the eyes cornea.  The cornea is the front part of the eye that lets light pass through it and focus it on the retina, which is the back of the eye.  Other surgical procedures are done by replacing the natural lens of the eye.

LASIK, otherwise known as laser in-situ keratomileusis, is a surgery that assists in nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms.  The surgeon will reshape the tissues found underneath the cornea, so the light can focus properly.  A flap is made in the outer layer of the cornea in order to access the tissues that lay underneath.  This flap is what differentiates LASIK from other surgical vision procedures.  During LASIK surgeons may also use wavefront technology.  This technology creates a detailed picture of the cornea to use as a guide during surgery.

During Epi-LASIK, a surgeon separates the thin layers of tissue from the cornea and then reshape them using a laser.  The area is protected by using a soft contact lens to hold the flap in place while the tissues are healing.  

PRK, otherwise known as photorefractive keratectomy, is a surgery that assists in the correction of mild to moderate nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms.  Similar to LASIK a laser is used in PRK to reshape the cornea.  In PRK the laser is only used on the cornea and not the tissues underneath.  Similar to LASIK, wavefront technology is used in PRK to obtain a picture of the cornea.

LASEK, otherwise known as laser epithelial keratomileusis, is a surgery that is very similar to PRK that assists in nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatisms. Surgeons create a flap and use an alcohol solution that loosens the tissue and the laser is then used to reshape the cornea.  Once this part of the procedure is complete the surgeon will put a soft contact in place to hold the flap while it heals. 

During Epi-LASEK, a surgeon cuts a small flap within the cornea while using an alcohol solution to separate the thin layer of tissue for the cornea, reshapes it with the laser, and is protected by a soft contact lens holding the flap in place for healing.

RLE, refractive lens exchange is known by a few different common names including PRELEX, CLE, and RLR.  This is the same surgery that is done for cataracts.  Surgeons make a small cut at the edge of the cornea.  They then remove the eyes natural lens and replace it with a plastic or silicone lens.  This surgery is used to correct severe farsightedness and nearsightedness.  The surgery works for patients with dry eye, thin corneas, and minor issues with their corneas. 

Surgical laser vision correction is safe and effective.  Similar to any surgery there are known side effects that can include: infection, a delay in healing, under or over correction, worse vision, corneal haze, halo effect, regression, and/or flap damage.  All of which are rare but can occur.  It is important to always talk in depth with your laser vision correction surgeon before the procedure about any questions or concerns you may have.

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to suit your lifestyle and visual needs.  As a leader in laser vision correction and cataract surgery, our goal is to help you achieve the best vision possible without glasses or contact lenses.  More information can be found online at https://michiganlasik.com.

Michigan Lasik

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Common Signs You Home Needs a Water Softener

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

There are a number of signs that point to a problem with hard water.  Homeowners with hard drinking water will often notice a smell or taste that is off.  When hard water is present in your home often times the sinks, tubs, and toilets will be stained, family members may begin to complain of dry, itchy skin, and your water supply will smell and taste off.  Bringing in a sample of the homes water will allow you to know exactly what is going on in your water supply. This water analysis will tell you what type of water treatment system will best suit your homes water issue. 

Water softeners are used to remove excess calcium and magnesium ions and exchange them with either sodium or potassium ions, depending on if you choose a salt free water softener or water softener that uses salt.  When the exchange has taken place the water softener regenerates and flushes the system of extra ions until it has been completely recharged with new sodium or potassium ions. This process uses twenty-five gallons of water each day, depending on use.  It is important to determine the waters hardness.  Preventing the buildup of scale can increase the lifespan of your appliances like your water heaters, dishwasher, and more.  There are seven common signs that your home will benefit from the installation of a whole house water softener. 

Noticeable Scale Buildup on Appliances

If you are noticing scale, you more likely than not have hard water.  Noticeable scale build up will be seen in the form of mineral deposits on coffee pots, tea kettles, and such.  These same mineral deposits are being built up within your homes pipes as well.  To prevent clogged pipes and less effective passing of water through your system causing defective plumbing and increased scale buildup a water softener should be installed.  The water softener needs to be set in a manner that allows the proper amount of water to rejuvenate each day to avoid running out of soft water throughout the day.  If you use twenty-five gallons of water each day, then your water softener needs to supply twenty-five gallons of soft water. 

The visible buildup that homeowners are seeing is known as limescale.  This is a hard, chalky material that is formed from a combination of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate.  The salt is what forms the white chalk like substance that is visible.  A water softener will reduce this scale buildup through ion exchange technology.

Itchy, Dry Skin and Hair

Hard water contains more calcium and magnesium salt than soft water.  When hard water is used in daily life it can cause your skin and hair to dry out no matter what shampoo and lotion you are using.  The hard water is not providing any nourishment to your skin and hair, so it dries out.  The extra minerals, calcium and magnesium, remain on your skin. It is important to note that soap doesn’t dissolve well in hard water, so it doesn’t help to remove the build up of minerals.  Since soap doesn’t dissolve well either that residue is also known to irritate the area as well. 

Hard water is also harsh on even the most stringent of skin care regimens.  Hard water blocks the pores in your skin, causes inflammation, and creates an environment prone to black heads.   Leathery, dry skin is another common side effect of hard water.

Gray and Faded Clothes

When darker clothes, sheets, and towels start to fade and gray when washed using hard water. The hard water may also change the texture of the fabrics.  The fabrics will start to become scratchy overtime because of the additional minerals that are contained in hard water. 

Sinks, Bathtubs, and Toilet Stains

Often times when a home has hard water it is noticeable because of the stains that the mineral residue leaves behind in sinks, tubs, and toilets.   The stains are formed after water evaporates and leaves behind the large amounts of calcium and magnesium from the tap water.  The residue will feel plaster like.  These deposits can also form on faucets.

One way in which to remove the residue build up is with vinegar.  Put vinegar into a spray bottle and spray the buildup or residue with vinegar.  After letting it set for a minute it should wipe away without a ton of struggle.  For harder to remove residue let the vinegar soak for up to an hour.  To clean the residue buildup from your dishwasher, pour a cup of bleach into the dishwasher along with a cup of powdered detergent.  Run this mixture through an empty dishwasher.  After the cycle has finished up run the dishwasher once again with an empty load using a cup of vinegar.  This will help to ensure that the bleach is no longer present.

Both types of water softeners, salt and potassium chloride, are effective in softening your homes water to prevent future residue buildup from making a home in your home.  To determine your homes water softener needs, have the water in your home tested.  This water analysis will help to determine the level of extra minerals in the water and the settings that will be optimal once your water softener is installed.

Constant Plumbing Repairs

The plumbing in your home, especially steel pipes, are easily harmed from the buildup of limescale which will prevent the water from flowing freely through them.  PVC and Copper piping tend prevent the buildup of hard water minerals better than steel however, all plumbing will eventually be affected by limescale.  More limescale means thicker buildup in the plumbing and will eventually lead to the loss of water pressure.  The rate at which the pipes are affected will be quicker overtime as the space within the pipe circumference shrinks due to the additional limescale.

If left untreated the pipes will eventually fail.  Homeowners that don’t take regular care to clean up the build up from around faucets will eventually end up with valves that don’t fully shut and therefore leak.  This leak will lead to greater, faster limescale buildup.  Plumbing repairs can be expensive as well as causing a lot of excessive wear on the house.  Installing an appropriate water softening unit will work wonders in helping to prevent further plumbing issues.

Increases in Water Bills

The amount of water that you use will increase the harder pipes have to work to get the water to flow through.  If there is a sudden increase in your water bill have your water tested.  This analysis will determine if you need a water softener installed, need your water softener replaced, or the water hardness level of a currently installed system needs to be adjusted. 

If you notice a change in your water the first step should always be to have your water analyzed by a professional.  Once an analysis is done on your water and you know what minerals are contained in the water a water treatment solution can be recommended.  Sometimes the simple installation of a water softener can improve the overall quality of your homes water however sometimes the solution is more complex.  A wide range of water treatment systems are available from whole house to point of use water softeners, water filters and purifiers, and reverse osmosis systems, all with their own specific job.  

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more.  More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

Reynolds Water

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Home Improvement In 2019

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Not always are the industry trends that we experience centered around the materials we will use or the changes in how the space is utilized.  Sometimes the trends that are called out have to do with the way in which the process of renovating occurs.  In this installment we will look at some not so pleasant trends that seem to be on the rise going into 2019 and how you can avoid falling victim.

DIY Homeowners Will Emerge

To be honest, for contractors, DIY homeowners are both a blessing and a curse.  Yes, one would think that when renovation jobs are done without hiring a professional contractor that we as an industry lose however, in my experience, this is never the case. 

Everyone thinks that with the help and guidance of YouTube and smartphones that they can tackle anything their homes throw at them.  The one thing that happens more often than not, is that even though it is possible for DIYers to physically accomplish a renovation, they flat out run out of time to do it.  There have been many a project that we have been brought to finish that DIY homeowners have run into issues with time management.  Let’s face the facts here, renovating rooms within your home often ends up requiring more time than homeowners have.  Working a full-time job, kid commitments, and keeping up on basic household chores leaves most of us without a lot of downtime.  Although homeowners begin DIY home improvement with fierceness and plan a few weekends to complete them, life gets in the way, the drive stalls, and the professionals come in to save the day.

As a contractor, I always support the DIY movement.  If this trend prevails into 2019 as industry experts say it will I won’t be out of work anytime soon. 

Regret from Missed Execution

This phenomenon is common when working with homeowners who under budget and over inspire with their renovations.  It is not worth starting a renovation when you are already considering ways to cut corners to get the results you desire. Most homeowners, however, don’t heed this warning.  This has become a greater issue over the past few years because of the many sources to draw inspiration from.  With magazines, Pinterest, social media, and the internet in general ideas for renovations are abundant.  What homeowners see in their vision verse what they have budgeted for are often two different things. 

They work to simplify the requests to fit the budget but don’t simplify their expectations for the actual execution. We as contractors struggle to avoid when working with clients whose ideas stretch beyond their budget.  The best suggestions we offer to fend off this 2019 trend from happening to you with your renovation is to wait until you have saved enough that your budget matches your expectations.  Lowering expectations to meet a budget will lead to regret upon execution of the project because it will never be exactly what has been pictured all along.

The one thing that we always stress to our clients when renovating a space, whether it is a kitchen remodel, bathroom modification, or even the installation of new flooring is to envision the final product.  Share that image with us.  As home improvement industry experts, we strive to give clients their dream space and this can only be done if we know what the end goal looks like to them.  If this final picture isn’t realistic with their space, time constraints, budget, or whatever else we work with them towards a solution.  Sometimes it means waiting until the budget is able to accomplish what they want, sometimes it is reimaging the space they have and creating the space they want within it, and sometimes its as simple as drawing a new final picture for them to see. 

As a full-service home improvement contractor servicing all Southeast Michigan, Kearns Brothers, Inc. offers clients a wide range of services to meet their construction needs including: roofing, siding, window, masonry, chimneys, gutters, and insulation services.  More information can be found at www.kearnsbrothers.com.

Kearns Brothers

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Creating a Standout Driveway with The Addition of an Aluminum Gate

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

First impressions count.  The outside appeal of your home has a great influence in how your property is viewed.  Having a functional entrance, one that stands out from the rest, is just one way to increase the aesthetics of the landscape.  A perfect way to do this is with the addition of an aluminum driveway gate.

Driveways exist for very realistic reasons. A driveway is just one avenue between outsiders and your home.  When a driveway gate is installed the access to your property is limited to only those individuals who you deem allowed to enter. We all want to keep our families safe especially when they are under our roof and an aluminum driveway gate is just one of the ways in which this is done. Thankfully the installation of a gate doesn’t have to sacrifice the beauty of your home and landscape. 

As with many purchases that can be made today, driveway gates can be bought online.  Purchasing larger scaled items like driveway gates online is not only easy but ultra-convenient as they are delivered directly to your home.   When an aluminum driveway gate is delivered to your home they will come with easy-to-assemble panels and posts.  Included will be instructions on assembly and installation.  There are several styles and types of driveway gates to choose from.  An aluminum gate can easily be chosen to coordinate with the style of your home and landscaping.  There are several ways in which you can make your new aluminum driveway gate stand out.

Aluminum Posts and Decorative Pillars

As you are shopping for an aluminum driveway gate you will start to notice that there are several different options that can be included to the gate to customize it just for your space.  Swing gate posts are a popular example of one way to really enhance the grandness of an aluminum driveway entry gate.  Stone and brick pillars on either side of the driveway are just one way to add depth and grandness to an ordinary driveway gate. 

Custom Aluminum Inlay

Inlays installed onto the aluminum driveway gate panel are another way in which you can enhance your new gate.  A custom inlay can be created in a number of different designs, from scrolls, initials, and emblems are all popular inlay options.  Many times, commercial driveway gates will be enhanced with a business logo to enrich the visit of the property.

Landscaping

The landscaping of your home including flowers, shrubs, trees, vines, and planters can be used to create interest to the entrance of your home.  Aluminum driveway gates are magnificent on their own but with the right landscaping a statement can be really made. 

Details and Colors

Similar to aluminum fence panels, aluminum driveway gates can be ordered in a variety of colors.  More often than not the gate that is chosen will match the color of the aluminum fencing around the perimeter of the landscape. Aluminum driveway gates are often ordered to match the details of the aluminum fence such as detailed handrailing, spear tops, and decorative finials. 

Additional Lighting

No one wants to enter their property in the dark.  Adding in some attractive lighting fixtures on the posts or the driveway perimeter creates a welcoming, safe entry and exit to the home.  In order to create a cohesive look, lighting can be installed to lead all the way to the main entrance. 

With a few minor choices a generic aluminum driveway gate can be turned into something extraordinary. 

iFenceUSA is an online distributor of wholesale aluminum fences and gates for residential, resort, commercial, and industrial installation.  As an industry leader in maintenance-free aluminum fencing products we have all your aluminum fence and gate needs covered.  More information can be found online at https://ifenceusa.com/.

iFenceUSA

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The Top 9 SEO Trends to Look For In 2019

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems





It is that time of the year where we all begin to reflect on the past year and look ahead to see what is coming on the horizon.  This is true in both our personal ventures and in business.  So much can change in just a years’ time, software is developed, processes are upgraded, and algorithms change.  It is crucial, especially when it comes to your business online that new trends in SEO and digital marketing are considered.  Get a jump start on your 2019 online marketing goals by considering what experts are labeling “the most important SEO trends of 2019”.

Who is your target audience?  What is their intent?

According to industry experts knowing, defining, and building your online marketing strategy around these two things will be more important than ever before. Understanding what people’s expectations are with any given search query and providing the answer/solution with your website and overall online presence is the most effective manner to meet your audiences need.  The goal for marketers is to stay ahead of people’s preferences because they can change quicker than can be imagined.  If you are successfully able to do this, Google will reward you with higher search engine placements and site visitors are more likely to invest in you. 

Search engines outside of Google

In 2019 experts agree that the importance of placement on Google, although high, will shift towards traffic coming in from a variety of sources and search engines.  The goal is to effectively drive traffic and look to engage people in outlets other than just websites. 

If your target audience, as defined above, are searching for apps then your website ranking will not be nearly as important as your rank in the app store.  If your audience is full or video viewers, then it is crucial that your videos appear towards the top of where they are being searched.  The main objective is to rank well on Google and engines that are being used by your audience. Drive traffic through all mediums that your audience is using.

AI: The importance of artificial intelligence

The use of structured data is becoming critical in SEO as the shift from mobile-first to AI-first continues.  The information gathered by AI must show a relationship and within a timely manner. AI processes text quickly and will bypass required information if it is taking too long to crawl the data as it is being presented. 

In 2019 the importance of structured data, schema, active and passive search behaviors and intent make the process and behaviors leading to the search a critical part of SEO.  As digital marketers we need to start diving deeper into the relationship between keywords, topics, and audience behavior in creating and implementing structured markup.  Using a combination of site architecture, meta data, site tags, and structured data allows marketers to give the proper signals to search engines to back up the sites topical and supportive content.

Generate incomparable content

In 2018 we learned that Google’s algorithm was focused mainly on the quality of the content and this will not change a whole lot in 2019.  It was found that websites that were able to provide in-depth, high quality content increased significantly in their placement on search engines. Websites with weak content, although previously ranked highly, dropped in placement on search engines and website visibility became minimal.  Website content writers must create content that is able to answer questions and solve users’ problems.  The best way to do this is through the creation of content that relates to, moves, and brings solutions to your target audience. 

Boost knowledge, become an expert, and create trust

Not only is the content important but quality is also determined in that the content fits into the context.  As marketers it is not likely any authority will be placed on your content if you have not proven to be an authority on the subject.  What this means to us is that we must work to leverage ourselves within the industry as an expert.  Back links and other important SEO measures must be received through sources that show expertise in areas we are looking to specialize in. 

Technical aspects of search engine placement

The complexity of technical SEO practices will not go away in 2019.  There are some key technical components that will continue to play a role in your placement including:

  • Site Speed: The speed at which your website pages load on desktops and mobile devices will continue to play a role in rankings.  Your audience has about three seconds of patience.  In order to get the best loading speed possible for the pages on your website follow this advice:activate AMP on your pages, use HTTPS, move to PHP7, optimize, and use critical rendering paths.
  • JavaScript: Websites are heavily Java Script driven. Be familiar with this popular programming language and how search engines work best with JavaScript driven websites.
  • Optimization on-page

On-page site optimization hasn’t disappeared in its level of importance with the increase in elements that are now significant in search algorithms.  On-page optimization is not an aspect of SEO that can be put in place and forgotten.  Each and every quarter, on-page optimization should be reevaluated and modified as seen fit. 

  • Prepare for the importance of voice search

The last decade of SEO has been all about mobile optimization although 2019 isn’t going to be full on voice search it is time for marketers to consider it and start to include voice strategies in their online marketing techniques.  Voice searching is an easy way to request answers to simple questions however might not yet be the best option for more complex needs. 

  • Optimize for featured snippets & Google SERP features

Not only must your own website be optimized, in 2019 the Google experience must also be optimized for. Your sites exposure will come in a combination of ways, visibility is key.  Featured snippets should be programmed to answer questions to questions users will have related to your website.  These snippets could range from recipes, knowledge graphs, answer boxes, and who knows what else.  Programming these snippets into your site are guaranteed to see an increase in your organic traffic. 

Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, is an all-inclusive IT solutions company offering a variety of services including: managed IT services, IT consulting, residential computer services, custom programming,website design, iphone & android app development, and more.  More information can be found at https://cpsmi.com.



Creative Programs and Systems

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Radiation Therapy: Two Common Photon Treatments

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems - Updated

There are several common types of radiation therapy that are used in treating cancer today.  Radiation therapy is classified according to the type of radiation particles or waves that are used in treatment which include: photons, electrons, or protons.  The most commonly available treatments using photons and electrons.  In this installment we will look further into treatments using linear accelerators, LINAC, and CT Scanners, in the treatment of cancerous tumors.

3D Conformal Radiation Therapy

3D conformal radiation therapy is a method of treating cancer that uses CT imaging, Cat scan-based, in the treatment of cancerous tumors.  In 3D conformal radiation therapy, the tumors and organs are well-defined 3D images as opposed to flat images that are gotten from x-rays.  Tumors are outlined in three dimensions on a CT scan. Healthy organs are defined as well when scans are performed so that technicians can see areas that need to be avoided. 

Radiation beams are then organized in the best possible way to avoid healthy organs while delivering the highest dose of radiation possible to the cancerous tumor.  Patients are placed in the same position as they were when their CT scan was performed.  This allows for accurate placement of beams according to the scans that were obtained. 

Special software is used that calculates the total amount of radiation that will be delivered to the tumor and normal tissues to assure that the tumor is sufficiently covered in radiation while healthy tissues and organs receive as little radiation as possible.   The radiation beams are adjusted even further based on the software’s calculations to give healthy doses of radiation while being manipulated into varying positions and shapes as defined by the tumor.  Radiation beams are directed using one of two types of machines: Cerrobend blocks or multi-leaf collimators. 

Cerrobend blocks are individually shaped to form specific, custom-made shapes that create the correct beam for treatment.

Multi-leaf collimators are skinny, metal blocks that move independent of one another in a quick, swift manner to form complex patterns to shape radiation treatment beams.  They are commonly used in IMRT.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

IMRT is another form of delivering photons in the treatment of cancerous tumors with the possibility of lowering the dose of radiation delivered to non-cancerous tissues.  Planning for IMRT begins in a similar fashion as 3D conformal radiation therapy in that it starts out with simulation.  The tumor and organs are all outlined and shown as three-dimensional objects. Several beams of radiation are situated at varying points around the person in order to deliver the optimal amount of radiation. In IMRT, the beams are divided into a grid pattern.  The large radiation beam is split into numerous smaller beams known as beamlets. 

Software is used to establish the appropriate pattern to break the beamlets down into from the larger beam to prevent radiation targeting healthy tissues while delivering the optimum radiation to the cancer.  The multi-leaf collimators often form more than fifty different shapes during radiation treatment.  The main advantage to this type of radiation therapy is that the patterns the beamlets form are precise and the radiation controlled.  IMRT is often utilized when cancerous tumors are in positions that are difficult to treat. 

Often tumors that are directly adjacent to or wrapped around normal healthy organs, IMRT is used.  Intensity modulated radiation therapy reshapes the radiation in the best possible way to avoid normal organs while delivering large doses of radiation to the tumor.  IMRT is used commonly in the treatment of head and neck tumors where there are many other significant structures and organs that are near the tumor such as the spinal cord.

The one downside to IMRT is that it can take longer to plan and deliver treatment than other 3D conformal therapy.  Radiation can also be a bit more uneven as well because of the small beamlets that are being used.  Although normal organs are out of danger of high doses of radiation larger number of normal organs receive low doses of radiation which can be a disadvantage.  As of today, low doses of exposure to radiation are unknown.  Tumors must continually be monitored for movement and shrinkage to ensure that radiation is being delivered to the cancer. 

As an independent LINAC service company, Acceletronics is dedicated to delivering the best equipment performance and services for linear accelerators and CT scanners across all major brands and models, as well as new and refurbished LINAC systems for sale.  More information can be found online at https://www.acceletronics.com/.

Acceletronics

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