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Archive for 2013

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

Becoming environmentally friendly is the latest trend when it comes to designing and improving houses and buildings. One way to do so is to build with energy efficient roofing materials. An energy efficient roofing material can prevent the beating sun from overheating your house, or could be made with nontoxic, environmentally friendly materials – or both! There are many different types of materials that you should consider if you plan to be environmentally conscious. Here is a brief summary of some of the most energy efficient roofing material.

Metal Roofing– confusing right? It doesn’t sound that good for the planet but it is!

– Metal roofing is typically made from common, affordable materials. Steel is the most common component of metal roofing, but copper is also used, as are blends of zinc, aluminium, and steel. This roofing reflects more sunlight than non-metal materials, and often comes with an acrylic-based coating that further keeps the heat off of your home. Your home will stay cool on those hot summer days, saving you money on your air conditioning bill. Most of these materials are also recyclable or reusable.

– Metal roofing is strong, durable, fire resistant, highly weather-resistant.

– Metal roofing typically comes with long-term warranties, often lasting up to 50 years. The durability and strength of metal roofing also means that you will have to replace far less frequently than other roofing materials.

Tiles

– Tile roofing can reflect up to 90% of solar energy, due to the thermal-resistant materials they’re made from: typically concrete or clay. These natural materials are also safer to dispose of than their chemical-based, plastic counterparts.

– Roofing tiles are installed individually, allowing for natural air flow between each piece, keeping your roof – and home – cooler.

– Tile roofing is weather-resistant, though not as durable in extreme weather conditions as metal roofing.

– This is more of a style preference, but tile roofing can be molded and shaped into cool designs to give your roof some flare.

Recycled Shingles

Recycled shingles can be made from any available roofing material, including metal, tile, or asphalt. While each material has its own energy efficient qualities, using recycled materials for roofing is better for the environment overall, and cuts down on waste.

Tip: Look for Energy Star-rated products when getting roof materials. Energy Star-rated products can save you money and are often environmentally-friendly.

Find A Quality Roofer!

If you have any questions about the most energy efficient roofing material, consult a roofing professional near you. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three high-quality roofing professionals in your area.

Posted in Roofers | No Comments »

Spilled Coffee On Laptop

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

So you spilled coffee on your laptop? Open the laptop (lift up the screen), turn off the power, and flip it upside down immediately. This will help the coffee spill out, and minimize damage to your laptop’s circuit board. Keep the laptop in that position for a while to let as much of the coffee as possible spill out. Now, you can try to remedy spilled coffee on laptop, as described below.

What to Do

1. Did you kill the power? The laptop is turned off? To avoid any danger of an electrical shock, wear a pair of rubber gloves. Unplug the computer from any power outlets and the adapter. Take out the battery. Leave it without the battery for around 10 minutes.

2. If you have sugar with your coffee, chances are that your computer will be extremely hard to fix due to the sugary residue/stickiness. Then it is best to just package your computer to a professional and save yourself from further damage and time.

3. Disconnect any electrical devices like headphones or USB memory sticks plugged into the laptop to proceed, and then start popping off the keyboard keys by using a dull knife as leverage between the computer frame and the gap of the keys.

4. Mop up any of the coffee residue you see in the keyboard before proceeding any further. You may also want to dump the keys in water to cleanse them of the coffee for future use. It may help to use compressed air to clean certain parts of the computer.

5. Proceed to clean the lower panels of your computers by unscrewing the frame. Use compressed air to clean the delicate or hard-to-reach parts, and use q-tips to mop up any messes inside. Once you clean up what you can, leave your laptop to dry.

6. After leaving the laptop overnight, or for a sufficient amount of time to let the coffee dry, reassemble the laptop and see if the computer functions. If it does not, package the computer and seek the quickest professional help.

Additional Help

If you feel like you need professional help for spilled coffee on laptop, TalkLocal can not only help you find local professionals, but connect you directly to them, as well!

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

How to Determine Your Car’s Towing Capacity

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

Your car can be one of your most important assets while moving heavy equipment or loads, such as boats, trailers, or even other cars. However, before you even consider moving the car, you should always know your towing capacity so that you can safely and legally tow a trailer. This takes only a few simple calculations, and then you will know how to determine your car’s towing capacity.

Check the owner’s manual

First and foremost, you should check your car’s owner’s manual, which usually list this information in an easy-to-understand format. However, if you’ve lost your owner’s manual or don’t have it handy, you can still figure our the towing capacity by looking at your car.

Check the vehicle data tag

The vehicle data tag should be located on the driver’s door jamb and should have the towing capacity listed in both metric and imperial measurements. If it does not list the towing capacity, then you just need to do some simple calculations to figure it out! The combined gross weight rating will be printed in the same area.

Simply add the weight of the passengers, cargo and fuel together. Subtract the combined weight of the occupants and cargo from the combined gross weight rating and the resulting number will be the maximum weight your vehicle can legally and safely tow.

Weight of passengers + cargo + fuel = Internal Weight ;

Combined Gross Rating – Internal Weight = Towing Capacity

Safest Towing Practices

In general, you don’t want to tow over 70% of your maximum tow weight, since it will cause considerable wear and tear to your vehicle. Furthermore, you should also consider the type of roads and the route you’ll be towing along, as poorly paved roads and steep inclines may cause engine and transmission problems. Lastly, don’t forget to ensure that the weight capacity of the hitch is sufficient for your load as well, since that may be the limiting factor in some cases.

How Much Can You Safely Tow?

If you have any concerns about towing a new trailer or about your vehicle’s towing capacity, you should contact a towing professional to get a personalized assessment. If your car is not fit for towing the desired weight, then you can also hire a towing professional to do it for you. TalkLocal can have you talking with up to three, high-quality, local towing professional in just minutes!

Posted in Towing | 1 Comment »

What Are Bail Bonds?

Thursday, March 21st, 2013

If you find yourself with the misfortune of needing a bail bond, you may be asking yourself, “What are bail bonds?” This article will provide you with a basic overview of bail bonds.

What Are Bail Bonds?

A bail bond is an agreement between an accused individual and the courts. Oftentimes it takes a while for the court system to resolve a legal case. In an attempt to allow the accused person to remain free, the courts will post the bail amount as collateral. This collateral is used to ensure that the accused shows up to court, and is usually backed by a co-signer. While the bond amount is determined by the court, assets such as a car title or a home deed can be used to meet the bail bond. Some courts may also allow the defendant to pay 10% of the bond amount in cash, which is often returned if there are no violations of the bond agreement set by the court. This amounts to a security deposit for both the defendant and the court.

In many cases the bond amount will be higher than some people can afford. In this instance many people turn to bail bond companies, or a bond agent. The bail bond company will guarantee the entire amount that the accused owes in exchange for a percentage of the bail amount as a service fee (this fee is usually 10-20 percent). Once the accused appears in court any collateral is returned minus the Bail Bond company fee.

Commercial bail bonding is prohibited in four states: Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

Find A Bail Bond Company

If you do find yourself in need of a bail bond company, you’re just a click away with TalkLocal. Just submit a service request on our website, and we will connect you with up to three bail bond agencies in just minutes. We find the help you need, when you need it – for free!

Posted in Bail Bonds | 1 Comment »

How to Detect Decay in Trees

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

Decaying trees are dangerous. The decay could be easily noticeable or hidden inside the tree. Even if you can see the decay, it is difficult to assess how extensive the decay damage is. Learn how to detect decay in trees by reading this article.

Why does a tree decay?

The decaying process begins with a wound in the bark that could be caused by a storm, a falling branch, or other damage to the tree. This exposes the tree to bacteria, fungi, insects, mosses, rain, snow, heat, and a variety of other natural factors which affect the tree’s survival. Many microorganisms and natural elements are involved in the decaying process.

Factors that Contribute to Tree Decay

Although all older trees have some decay, other factors determine the gravity of the problem.

1. The location of the decay is important. If the decay is located in a section of the tree that could easily crack, the tree is more likely to fall at any moment, which can be potentially dangerous.

2. The extent of the decay determines whether the damage is serious enough to merit tree removal.

3. The specific species of the tree is also important to note. Certain trees are more prone to getting diseases and fungi that cause decay. Tree species that are prone to decay and failure include:

-Red Maple

-Mahogany

-Pecan

-Southern Red Cedar

-Southern Red Oak

-Laurel Oak

-Chinaberry

How to Detect Decay in Trees

1. Tree decay detection can be obvious. Visually inspecting the tree can give you an idea if the tree is decaying internally. A tree with an unusually expanded base indicates lower trunk decay. Trees are generally under a lot of stress from natural elements and their own weight. If a tree is internally decaying, it cannot support itself as efficiently as a healthy tree. In order to handle natural stress, the tree trunk expands into a bulge, which makes it easy to detect decay in the tree.

2. If a tree has several dead branches, it is probably a sign that it is decaying. Cut dead branches to prevent decay from spreading.

3. Wood that is soft or crumbly is a sign of serious decay.

4. Fungal growth on the tree, such as mushrooms, brackets and conks are also signs of advanced decay.

What Are the Consequences of Tree Decay?

Decaying trees are weaker than healthy trees, and are at greater risk of spontaneously falling. Since decay diminishes a tree’s ability to withstand natural stress, it is fragile and the wood is more likely to crack. Keep yourself, others and your property safe by cutting down a decaying tree before it hurts anyone.

Remove a Decaying Tree

In order to ensure your safety, contact a professional tree removal service to help assess the extent of the decay in your tree. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three tree removal professionals in just minutes, eliminating the hassle of searching one out yourself.

Posted in Tree Removal | 1 Comment »

How Much Does A Butler Cost?

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

Need some help around the house? You may first be wondering, “How much does a butler cost?”

The answer to this question can vary greatly depending on a number of factors. When hiring a butler, you should be very aware of exactly what services you are getting at what cost. The cost of a butler service can depend on which company you choose to hire and the services that you require.

The following is a list of ways a butler service may charge.

So, Exactly How Much Does a Butler Cost?

In many scenarios, you can expect to pay anywhere from $50,000 to $120,000 a year for the services of a butler.

The easiest way to find out exactly how much a butler service is going to cost you is to contact a placement agency. The International Butler Academy is a good option. You should not expect to pay less than $40,000 to $50,000 a year for a reputable butler service.

As stated, the price can vary from location to location. It also can be affected by how you choose to be billed.

Finding A Butler Service Is Easy

TalkLocal can connect you with butler services in your local area that meet the highest of standards. Skip the art of calling around for hours. Our intuitive search engine will have professionals call YOU in a matter of minutes.

Posted in Maid Services | 2 Comments »

Home Foreclosure Costs

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

If you are one of the millions of American homeowners who have been faced with the difficult decision of foreclosure, we hope you realize that you are not alone. Many families and individuals are confronted with the reality that their home could be seized by their lender.

Home Foreclosure Costs

Home foreclosure costs are expensive for both parties involved. The Joint Economic Committee of Congress assess that “the average foreclosure costs $77,935 while preventing a foreclosure runs $3,300” (Daily). There are practical approaches you can take to avoid a foreclosure. A number of companies across the country specialize in debt-consolidation as well as credit-rebuilding.

What You Can Do

Freedom Debt Relief.com focuses on credit-rebuilding. Prosper.com hinges their expertise on personal loans for debt-consolidation. This may help you improve your credit and get you back on the road to financial freedom.

A significant sum of businesses thrive on the promise that “We will definitely work with your lender” to either restructure your mortgage or lower your current interest rate. However, you must be vigilant and do your research before dealing with one of these particular organizations. There are a lot of so called “chop shops” or “boiler rooms” which aim to take advantage of a person’s bad situation in order to make a profit.

Another thought may include getting help from the government. The Obama Administration “offers banks incentives to modify mortgages” (Propublica). However, there are certain criteria that you must meet to earn governmental backing. If you are one of the unfortunate people facing foreclosure, you may qualify and be eligible for a modification. Many Americans may not know, but a loan modification is a change of the terms within your loan contract. Countless lenders refuse to change the fine print within their loan contracts but some are willing to work with their customers.

Many legal firms practice home foreclosure and similar types of law. However, home foreclosure costs remain high. A foreclosure or bankruptcy attorney might be able to work with your lender too. If these are two means you are taking into account, you could contact a few lawyers in your area and take advantage of their free consultations before opening your wallet.

Find Legal Advice

Depending on the foreclosure rules and regulations within your state, you may want to verify that bankruptcy is a worthwhile alternative. If you have questions and need immediate assistance, visit TalkLocal to find a lawyer who specializes in bankruptcy law. We will connect you with up to three lawyers in your area, within minutes.

Posted in Lawyers - Bankruptcy | No Comments »

My Webcam Is Not Working

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

“My webcam is not working!” If you are screaming that phrase or something like it, take a deep breath, and read this article to figure out how to fix your webcam. First make sure that the webcam you are using is good by testing it with another computer. Also make sure that the webcam is connected to your computer and the power is on. Check to see that the camera cover is off, if there is one for your webcam. If all of these things check out, there may be any of a number of issues with your webcam.

Webcam Not Detected by the Computer

One of the more common problems people experience is that their webcam is disabled in their computer settings. To check this problem, go into your BIOS setup menu during your computer’s bootup process. Look through all pages of your BIOS setup menu.

Now you want to make sure that the devices are compatible with your computer. Follow these steps:

1. Make sure devices are connected and powered on.

2. Click Start, and access the Run interface..

3. Enter “msinfo32” and Click the “+” sign next to the “Components” to expand the info.

4. Click “Problem Devices”. If anything appears, the information should list the device and the type of the problem experienced. Google or seek help from the experts on solving these specific cases.

Wrong Drivers Installed

Update your drivers to check for this problem. In order to update your drivers, follow these steps:

1. Download the most recent drivers from your computer manufacturer’s website.

2. Open your computer’s device manager.

3. With your device manager, specify the hardware for which you want to update the drivers.

4. Right click the hardware and click on “Properties”.

5. Click the Driver tab inside “Properties”.

6. Click the “Update Driver” button.

7. Locate the downloaded drivers from your computer manufacturer’s website.

For more specific directions explaining this step in regards to Windows 7, Vista, or Xp, click this link: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/driverssupport/f/driverupdate.htm

Bad Hardware

If the above recommendations do not resolve the issue, it is likely that the hardware is damaged. At this point it is recommended that you buy a new webcam or switch the one you have for a new one, provided that the one you bought is still under warranty. You may even want to call for help from the local experts. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three computer technicians in your area who should be able to help you out.

Posted in Computer Repair | No Comments »

Seva Call in A-Town

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

Seva Call has officially arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, we think. We’re just not sure exactly where in Atlanta we are, but we’re pretty sure we’re here. Fortunately, transplants and natives alike are being pretty sympathetic to the disoriented Seva Man as he wanders through the streets, all of which appear to be called Peachtree something. If navigating the city is this challenging, than sifting through the city’s 432,427 movers and shakers to find a service provider must be exhausting- especially if you’re new to what is one of the fastest growing major cities in America.

Seva Call in A-Town

Seva Call can help businesses- both new and locally established- connect to consumers who need their services during the times when they need the business. Consumers, in turn, always discover what service professionals are qualified and available even if they’re not the Atlanta Business Chronicle classifieds section. “Atlanta represents what we’re about- helping people get more done with less effort- leaving them the time and energy to do and accomplish even more”, says founding president, Manpreet Singh.

So, if you want access to highly rated service professionals, and don’t have time to make like a CNN investigative reporter just to find one, go to www.talklocal.com and get connected to real professionals in real time! Seva Man just used Seva Call to find a taxi service on his time- not on that of whichever one he would happen to call.

Posted in Seva Call | No Comments »

Designing Your Outdoor Patio

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013

When warm weather arrives, many of us are anxious to get outdoors and enjoy it. If you are among those warm weather lovers, designing your outdoor patio may be on the top of your to-do list this season. Here are five things to consider when designing your outdoor patio.

Location

Which way does your patio face? This is important when considering which areas to add shading elements. In addition, you may already have many trees and need to consider removing limbs or whole trees to receive the right amount of sunlight on your patio.

Function

What do you intend to use the patio for? Will you be hosting large parties or simply lounging in a chair to read in the morning? This is important because parties require certain features such as grills and fire pits that a small patio does not. It may also determine the materials you use. If you do not plan on having guests, a simple, white, concrete slab may be all you need. If you plan on entertaining, you may want to add some flare with paver stones or stamped and colored concrete.

Privacy

This will determine if you choose to add a privacy fence or prefer to remain social with neighbors. Determining your function first will help determine your privacy needs. If you enjoy soaking up sun, you may prefer a more private patio than if you are simply wanting to enjoy your morning coffee with a good book.

City Codes

Often, cities require permits to pour concrete. Generally, this is so local officials can regulate your home taxes. This should be taken into consideration so that you are aware of how much your patio may cost depending on the materials you use. It is best to check with your local inspector before finalizing your project plans.

Budget

This should be the biggest decision-maker of all. If certain materials or a permit are too expensive, you may need to look into other options. You may also need to scale down an original idea to fit your price range.

When The Project Is Too Big To Handle

As with many home improvement projects, designing your outdoor patio can become time consuming. Professional landscapers may be a better option for you. They often employ design experts to help you achieve a finished product even better than your original idea. They also can work to stay within the budget you set forth because they are familiar with local codes and material costs. To find one, your best option is to use TalkLocal. We’ll hook you up with a qualified professional in your area for free.

Posted in Landscapers | No Comments »

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