Livingston Reporting - page 136

The Roof Replacement Process

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Replacing a roof can be a time-consuming process, which is why you will want to hire one of the local roofing contractors to do the job for you.  While you could eventually get your roof completed on your own, a local company can provide a more thorough roof replacement within a timely manner, since that is the job that they have been trained for.

The first thing that needs to be done when you are replacing your roof is protecting anything that is nearby.  Outdoor furniture needs to be moved out of the way, tarps can cover plants and bushes, and plywood can also be used to provide a barrier, so items underneath do not get destroyed.

Once everything is out of harm’s way, it will be time to remove the old roofing materials.  This can be a messy project, but if tarps are placed on the ground, the mess will stay contained for the most part.  As soon as the shingles are off your roof, the local roofing contractors should do an inspection to see if any of the wood is rotting or if there is any other structural damage.  These pieces of wood will need to be replaced before the roof is shingled.

Once your roof has been deemed to be in good shape, it is time to prepare it for the new asphalt shingles.  At this time roofing contractors can install drip edges, ice and water shields, and roofing felt is installed.  After all that, it is time to lay out the shingles and nail them in starting at the bottom and working towards the top.  During this process, the counter flashing, ridge vents, and ridge capping is also installed.

Clean up will happen in stages, as it is always a good idea to remove the old roofing materials before the rest of the work begins.  This gets it out of the way and prevents accidents from happening.  Of course, a final clean up should be done when the roof is completed.  The clean-up process should also include removal of the tarps and plywood, and moving the outdoor furniture back into place.

Before local roofing contractors leave, they should always do one final inspection of your roof, to ensure that everything is in place where it should be.  Depending on the size of your roof, it can take a day or longer for a local company to replace your roof.  However, this is normally faster than you could do it on your own, because local roofing contractors always send multiple employees to a job, so that the work is accomplished quickly.

Learn more about Home Pro Roofing and their vast line of custom roofing options installed by professional roofing contractors including: asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, roof repair, and new roof installation at www.homeproroofingmi.com.  Our roofing contractors offer services throughout Michigan including: Kalamazoo, Brighton, Lansing, and the surrounding areas.

 

Home Pro Roofing MI

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The Many Benefits of Outsourcing Your Company’s IT

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Outsourcing is becoming more common nowadays, especially with employees choosing to branch out on their own and work for more than one company at a time.  This trend is quite popular in corporate IT, where technology changes in the blink of an eye, so if you are looking to outsource anything, that is the place to start.

Here are some of the many benefits of outsourcing your company’s IT:

Save Money

You, like many other business owners, like to save money when you can, as it allows you to increase profits and put extra money back into growing your business. When you outsource your managed IT services, you will not need to worry about paying for the training that your employees would continuously need to keep current with technology.  You will also see savings from not needing to pay additional employee benefits, which can include medical and paid time off.

Efficiency is Increased

Professional IT workers have much more knowledge than any employee that you can hire, unless you are willing to pay at least two times the amount of money as you would for an outsourced employee and decide to hire for in-house services.  This additional knowledge and experience that an outsourced IT employee has will allow them to complete the work faster than any of your regular employees.

Availability

When a large corporate IT job needs to be done, it is always better to have it completed when you are closed for business.  Not too many regular employees are going to want to give up their non-working hours to complete a project, but an outsourced IT employee will not think twice about it.  The work can get finished when your business is closed, and you will be up and running and ready to continue making money by the start of business the next day.

Flexibility in Amount of Employees

You have control over when you outsource your corporate IT projects, which means that you can have one contractor working on IT issues when they arise or four people working on replacing your entire operating system.  This flexibility will allow you to save money when possible, instead of paying for employees that you do not need every day of the year.

Use Your Employees Wisely

Since everyone is not a technological wizard, it will obviously take them longer to solve IT issues that arise.  By outsourcing this type of work, you can utilize the skills your employees already have and allow them to perfect them even further.  If you didn’t outsource the IT work, your employees’ other roles may suffer, because they are focusing on work that they do not excel in.

Everyone needs managed IT services, but that doesn’t mean that you need to have a dedicated employee in house.  Instead, you can choose to outsource your corporate IT services, and reap the many benefits that comes with that option.

Learn more about Creative Programs and Systems, CPS, and the IT solutions they provide including IT consulting, computer consulting, network consulting, networking, server installation, IT disaster recovery, computer repair, virus removal, malware removal, computer tune ups, data backup systems, computer troubleshooting, structured cabling, low voltage wiring, website design, graphic design, logo design, website hosting, search engine placement, iphone app programming, android app programming, and custom programming at www.cpsmi.com.  To contact one of our IT experts, call 810.224.5252 today or via email at info@cpsmi.com.

 

Creative Programs and Systems

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Pool Renovation Ideas That Impress

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Having an inground pool in your backyard is an exciting upgrade that many homeowners choose.  Overtime however, the area surrounding the swimming pool can begin to feel drab, the aesthetics wear out and the initial installation and style of the pool becomes outdated.  Another issue that often occurs is that the amenities you want have changed and it is time to renovate and upgrade the pool area.  Don’t think that the only way to go is to demolish the exiting plaster pool and start fresh.  That in fact is costly and unnecessary when you can easily get a new look and features added that will bring your pool space back to an area you thoroughly enjoy.

Landscaping

The addition of landscape adds greenery and color to a space that is often skewed with tints of blue. Adding landscaping materials to the space can add to the aesthetics of the area and can take a bland space into a beautiful backdrop for fun in the sun.  When choosing materials to install within the landscaping search for plants and trees that can be controlled by proper trimming.  Find trees that do not drop leaves or pine needles into the pool.  Consider the amount of shade and privacy you desire as well as this should play a role in the selection of the landscape materials that you will choose.

Pool House/Cabana

The addition of a pool house or poolside cabana are both popular options.  Both options give families a place to stay out of the sun while enjoying the pool.  A pool house can also give extra storage for pool toys, chemicals, and necessary elements for maintaining the pool and the surrounding area.  A pool house can include a space for showering and changing as well which is perfect when you entertain a lot and don’t always want people trouncing through your home.

Hot Tub/Spa

An easy addition to the pool area is a hot tub or spa.  It can be easily added to the side of the Gunite pool.  There are a number of innovative styles to consider attached and detached.

Waterfalls

If you want to add a visual affect that will really wow your company the installation of a waterfall cascading into your pool is the way to go.  With the addition of natural materials such as rocks and boulders or ready-made waterfalls your pool area can go from plain and simple to majestic and visually spectacular.

Learn more about Pound Pool Plastering and their numerous pool plastering options including: pool resurfacing, plaster surfacing, commercial pool plaster, residential pool plaster, plastering swimming pools, tiling swimming pools, coping swimming pools, and more at www.pound-pool-plastering.com.  To contact our pool plastering specialists call 248.476.4544 today.

 

Pound Pool Plastering

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Why Isn’t Original Medicare Enough Coverage?

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If you have been thinking that you are not going to need to pay for health insurance once you reach the age of sixty-five and qualify for Medicare, you are going to be in for a surprise.  While Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital care, hospice, lab tests, surgery, home health care, and skilled nursing facilities, and Part B covers doctor’s visits, outpatient care, home health care, medical equipment, and certain preventative services, not all of it is covered in full.  Plus, Medicare does not cover custodial care, dental care, eye exams, cosmetic surgery, routine foot care, acupuncture, or hearing aids.

A healthy adult may be able to survive on only Medicare, but since no one knows when their health is going to get worse, and everyone is only guaranteed approval for Medicare supplemental insurance plans during the first six months after turning sixty-five, you may not want to take that risk.

In addition to all the services that Medicare does not cover, you will also be responsible for a deductible each year, plus coinsurance and copayments.  This might not seem to be a lot of money at first, but one inpatient hospital stay can put you a few thousand dollars in debt.  By purchasing one of the Medicare supplement plans, you won’t be responsible for that full amount, as your Medicare supplemental insurance will cover most of the balance.

You may also be surprised that there is no out of pocket maximum amount of money that you pay each year with Medicare, which means you can pay anywhere from five thousand to twenty thousand dollars or more on medical expenses each year.  If you purchase one of the Medicare supplemental insurance plans, you will be guaranteed to not pay over a specific amount each year, no matter how many medical expenses you have.

All Medicare supplement plans will allow you to keep all your medical costs lower, which will ensure that none of your assets are ever at risk from major health problems and massive medical bills.

You will want to carefully consider the Medicare supplement plans that are available to you, because some cover more than others.  You should also purchase this plan within your six-month open enrollment period, so you are not denied coverage or asked to pay a higher premium.

While it would be nice if Medicare Part A and Part B, Original Medicare, covered all your medical expenses, it’s not realistic.  Thankfully, Medicare supplemental insurance plans are available, so you can still keep your costs manageable when you do need to seek medical care.

Learn more about Medicare Supplemental Insurance plans, rates and more at http://www.emedicare-supplemental-insurance.com.  Medicare Supplemental Insurance brokers will help you compare Medicare Supplemental Insurance rates and plans.  To talk to an expert in Medicare coverage toll free 877-202-9248 today!

 

Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans

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Maintaining Your Salt-Free Water Softener

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A salt-free water softener uses potassium chloride instead of salt, so you will not experience salty water, or the salt build up that can occur inside the tank of your water softener.  There are many other positive benefits of using a potassium chloride water softener, but you will only see them if you maintain it properly.

One of the things that you will need to keep track of is how much potassium chloride you have inside your brine tank.  The potassium chloride should be at least three inches above the water line at all times, although you may find that you can keep less in there if you find a residue on the sides.  It is a good idea to check your levels every couple of weeks at first, until you know how much potassium chloride you are using.

Your valves are a necessary component of your potassium chloride water softener, and you will want to turn them from one position to the other and back again once a month.  This will ensure that they will turn easily when you need to cut off the water supply to your softener.  This is also the time to clean the valve between the brine tank and the resin tank.  To clean that valve, you will need to disassemble it first, but make sure that you relieve the water pressure before taking anything apart.  If you notice that any of these valves are leaking, this would be the best time to replace the washers or seals.

The resin in your potassium chloride water softener is what helps soften your water, and you will want to keep it functioning properly.  A water softener cleaner can be added every few months prior to a regeneration to keep the resin in optimal form.

New potassium chloride softeners do not need to be cleaned often, but they can benefit from an annual cleaning and so can your homes water.  To clean your potassium chloride water softener, you will need to close off the water intake and take all the water out of the tank.  Then you will remove all the potassium chloride and scrub the inside of the brine tank with hot soapy water.  After the tank has been thoroughly rinsed out, you should sanitize the tank with a mixture of water and bleach.

Keeping this maintenance schedule will allow your potassium chloride water softener to continue working for many years, as it provides you with softer water.

At Reynolds Water Conditioning Company, we are here to help make sure our clients don’t buy water treatment systems that they don’t need.  We are here to make sure you find a water softening system that gives you the results you are looking for, whether it is to remove iron or odor from you water; we have a solution that will help!  For more information contact our experts at 800.572.9575 or at our website https://reynoldswater.com.

Reynolds Water

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5 Tips on Why it Pays to Hire a Professional Contractor

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Renovating a home can be daunting, but the entire process can be much easier if you hire a professional contractor to assist you.  After all, how much do you know about building codes, permits, and basic home remodeling projects?  Seriously though, there are literally dozens of reasons why you and everyone else should hire a professional contractor for home improvement projects of any size.

Here are 5 tips on why it pays to hire a professional contractor:

  1. Saves Time

Most home remodeling projects are completed on schedule when a professional contractor is involved, which means that you will have your home back to normal much sooner that you would if you didn’t hire someone.

  1. Connections

A professional contractor is going to have numerous connections that you do not have, and that means that they may be able to get their hands on the materials that you can’t find.  These connections can also help you save money, because they will receive discounts from the vendors that they work with often.

  1. Experience

A professional contractor has multiple years of home improvement experience, and that experience can benefit you immensely.  Your professional contractor can tell you immediately if something you want will work in the space or if you are wasting your money choosing one material over another.

  1. Safety

Professional contractors know all the codes for the home remodeling projects they work on, so you will never need to worry if your electrical, plumbing, or anything else will pass inspection.  This also ensures that you and your family are safe long after the work is completed.

  1. Saves Money

You are going to want to come in at or under budget for your home remodeling project, and while anyone can accomplish that feat, only professional contractors will do it properly.  Anyone who isn’t a professional may cut corners to make the numbers work out, but that is only going to cause you headaches in the future when half of the work needs to be done once again.  You will never need to worry about that happening when you hire a professional contractor, as they will get everything done correctly the first time.

These are the five best reasons why you need to hire a professional contractor for your next home improvement project.  If you have never hired a professional contractor before, you should do so for your next home remodeling project, as you will see a major difference in the results.

Learn more about Kearns Brothers, a full-service home improvement contractor servicing all of Southeast Michigan’s construction needs by visiting their website at www.kearnsbrothers.com or contact a remodeling expert at 888.355.6700.

Kearns Brothers

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Creating a Long-Term Plan In Case Of Dementia

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Dementia is not a single disease, but a collective term used to describe various symptoms of cognitive decline that occur as part of aging. A person with dementia will present various symptoms that someone else or even themselves may notice. Early symptoms, which are as a result of memory loss include

  • Forgetfulness especially with language
  • Disorientation
  • Mood and personality changes
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks
  • Misplacing things
  • Problems with abstract thinking such as dealing with money

There are several types of dementia, which can range from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia and because there is known known cure, early management of some demetia disorders, such as Alzheimer, is focused on providing care including ensuring the safety and comfort of the patient. Creating a dementia care plan is extremely important, and an elder care lawyer ensures that future long-term care, asset planning and management, retirement, social security, and many other needs of seniors are fulfilled.

An elder law firm handles a wide range of legal and sensitive matters that affect the elderly and their loved ones. Elder law planning also handles a variety of challenging issues that include:

  • Help with drafting wills and estate planning
  • Probate proceedings
  • Long-term health care planning
  • Housing opportunities
  • Durable financial powers of attorney
  • Help with the appointment of legal guardianship
  • Locating long-term care facilities

Our parents have taken care of us are entire lives.  It is only appropriate that we strive to do the same for them as to make their golden years as comfortable as possible. Elder law firms have attorneys that specialize in sensitive areas of law that affect the physical and emotional needs of older adults living.

Therefore, do not hesitate to contact an elder law attorney if you need help with issues like guardianship, long-term care options, financial planning, assisted living, and much more.   It is crucial to find an attorney that specializes in situations surrounding elder law when looking at creating a long-term plan for your care if you should be come debilitated.

Learn more about attorney Sean J. Nichols and the legal services he provides for clients including: estate planning, elder law issues, Medicaid planning, elder care, probate law, guardianships, and power of attorney (POA) at www.seanjnichols.com.  To contact the offices of Sean J Nichols, call 734.386.0224 today.

Sean J. Nichols

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What Water Treatment Option Is Best For The Water In My Home

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Regardless of whether your homes water is supplied through public or private water treatment facilities, the purpose of improving the quality of drinking water is to make it safe to drink and use, palatable, and sufficient enough to serve your entire home’s needs. Point-of-use (POU) technologies such as water softeners and reverse osmosis devices are commonly used to treat contaminants before the water is deemed safe to drink. A POU device can either be attached to the main faucet, installed under the sink and can also be set on the counter for the purposes of reducing contaminants in drinking water or to enhance the aesthetic quality of water supplied by a local public drinking water system.

A Point of Entry (POE) device, on the other hand, is a unit such as the ion filter that is installed to treat the water entering a house also to reduce contaminants in the water distributed throughout home intended for showering, washing dishes, clothes, flushing toilets, etc. You ‘may’ not need a water treatment unit in your home if you live in an area where you receive your water from public water suppliers, that is if your PWS meets all the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. You still want to get your water tested first to determine if there are any contaminants present.

Individuals who have a private well also need to have their water tested for contaminants and use a home water treatment unit like an ion filter or water softener to lower any health-related contaminants and ensure that any water entering the house is safe for use. The reverse osmosis (RO) is a popular POU filtration unit with many homeowners because it removes impurities such as fluoride, lead, chlorine, pesticides nitrates, and sulfates. The ion filter system unit, on the other hand, provides both water softening and deionization water treatment option that removes every calcium or magnesium ion in hard water to produce soft contaminant-free water.

Reverse osmosis is, arguably, one of the most effective and efficient methods of treating and softening drinking and cooking water. It has an osmotic membrane chamber filled with tiny pores that only allows water molecules to pass through while contaminants such as calcium and magnesium are left behind as softened water is produced. To determine if any of the above water treatment options are suitable for your home ask for a professional water analysis.

At Reynolds Water Conditioning Company, we are here to help make sure our clients don’t buy water treatment systems that they don’t need.  We are here to make sure you find a water softening system that gives you the results you are looking for, whether it is to remove iron or odor from you water; we have a solution that will help!  For more information contact our experts at 800.572.9575 or at our website https://reynoldswater.com.

Reynolds Water

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Choosing Replacement Parts For LINACS

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LINACS, which is short for linear accelerator, is a very important piece of equipment in the medical world.  Linear accelerators utilize external beam radiation to destroy abnormal cells in the body, preventing the regrowth of tumors and most importantly, treating cancer without harming the healthy cells around it. LINAC technology is a combination of physics and engineering that is vital for saving lives, therefore, any hitches or glitches with the equipment is unacceptable.

Owing to the simple fact that most medical equipment needs regular maintenance to stay running properly and that a new linear accelerator will set you back a few thousands, if not millions of dollars, depending on the city, country of installation, as well as on the upgrades and features of each system, it helps to have around the clock access to a distributor of replacement parts for LINACS.

A linear accelerator contains hundreds of sensitive and sophisticated parts.  If one LINAC part gets damaged, it can easily cause a ripple effect and bring an oncologist’s clinic to a halt for a few good days, especially if they don’t have instant access to a professional maintenance team let alone replacement parts for LINACS. This is why having a linear accelerator part supplier at the touch of a button is important.   While buying a refurbished LINAC system may seem like the best way forward, oncologists can save thousands of dollars and get excellent value on quality replacement parts for LINACS when they buy them from a quality distributor who not only replaces the parts but will also offer regular repair services and solutions.

Cancer patients have to deal with a lot of life-threatening situations during their path to recovery such as infections. They need the reassurance that their doctors are taking every precaution necessary to ensure their safety. Radiation therapy has proven to be a highly effective method of cancer treatment, including relieving symptoms caused by more advanced cancers. Being a highly-targeted treatment that aims accurately at the cancer wherever it is in the body, radiotherapy contributes to about forty percent of all cancer cures and does a great job of alleviating cancer-related symptoms such as pain and in so doing, improves the quality of life for many cancer patients.

A linear accelerator is designed to deliver high does with precision and accuracy through photon beams to destroy cancer cells and diminish their ability to reproduce, which is why any malfunction should be addressed immediately to prevent any mishaps during treatments.

Learn more about Radparts and the variety of services and parts they offer to repair medical equipment including: linear accelerators parts, CT scanners parts, linac parts, and radiation oncology equipment at www.radparts.com.  To contact one of our medical equipment repair specialists for parts or service call toll free 877.704.3838 for 24/7/365 support.

 

RadParts

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Is Eye Care and Cataract Surgery Covered By A Medigap Plan?

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Medigap insurance is sold by private companies to help pay for things like copayments and deductibles that Medicare doesn’t cover. This policies are only available to individuals over the age of 65 who already have Original Medicare Parts A and B. Those with Medicare Advantage, Part C or are younger than 65 and on Medicare due to disability cannot enroll or buy a Medigap policy.

There are eleven standard Medigap policies in the United States each lettered A through G, and K. Insurance carriers can only sell one of the plans, and if you are married and your partner is covered by Medicare, they will need to buy a separate policy to get a Medigap cover. Standard Medigap policies generally cover some or all of the costs of:

  • Your Part A deductible and coinsurance for hospital stays
  • A portion of your Part B doctor’s bills services
  • The first 3 pints of blood annually
  • As we as your hospice care coinsurance

Medigap policies do not cover

  • Long-term care
  • Private duty nursing
  • Prescription drugs or any out-of-pocket costs for Part D
  • It also doesn’t cover dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses and vision care

Cataract is the clouding of the clear lens of the eye, which makes seeing seem like looking through a fogged-up window. Most cataracts are as a result of aging, injury or an inherited disorder and surgery is important especially when the slow progression of the disease begins to affect an individual’s quality of life. If your doctor determines that cataract surgery is medically necessary and you have Medicare coverage, you may be responsible for certain deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance costs otherwise, Medigap supplement insurance covers the procedure to remove the cataract.

Medigap plans fill in the gaps of Original Medicare and once you pay for your deductible, you will receive coverage from Medigap but will be required to pay any copayments. You can get a rough idea of your estimated cost by first ascertaining that your doctor accepts Medicare assignment. You also need to find out whether you will be inpatient or outpatient for the surgery, and whether you will need prescription drugs afterward. This way you can check the cost of the drugs or determine if you will need to get Medicare Part D. Also check your out-of-pocket limit in case you need to pay for anything past that amount.

Learn more about Medigap plans and rates at http://emedigap-plans.com.  Medigap Insurance brokers will help you compare Medigap Insurance rates and plans.  To talk to an expert in Medigap coverage call toll free 888-452-7949!

 

Medigap Insurance Plans

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