Are you considering building and installing a solar power system for your home? If you are, it is almost a guarantee that you will be able to find in your favorite hardware store a do-it-yourself kit that will instruct you on how to build a solar power system. However, there is more to deciding to build and install a solar power system than looking for a helpful kit or manual. Here are some considerations you should think about:
1. Payback period. A standard home solar power system costs between $10,000 and $40,000. Since this is a considerable amount for an initial investment, it would be wise to determine the payback period or the time when your solar power system starts to pay itself off. In order to do this, you need to take into consideration aspects such cost of the system itself, how much electricity it will produce, average cost of your household's current monthly electrical usage, etc. Armed with this important information, you will be able to arrive at crucial decisions pertaining to you solar power system, such as, if you're renting your home, when it is s good idea to move out.
2. Selecting the site. One of the most important concerns is determining determine where the solar panels will be laid out. To be able to do this, you must have and extensive knowledge of the climate in the area you are in living in, as well as the manner in which the sun travels across the sky during the different seasons in a year.
3. Roof concerns. Since access to a consistently adequate direct sunlight is necessary for a solar power system to deliver optimum results the best place to install solar panels is usually on the roof. Before you lay down the panels, however, find out whether or not there is enough room on your roof. Make it a point to lay the panels on the part of the roof that receives at least six hours of sunlight everyday.
4. Installation concerns. Also try to consider your capabilities since you will be installing the system yourself. For example, if the solar panels will go on your roof, will you be at ease walking on your roof for a considerable amount of time? If there is anything relating to the installation of solar power systems that you are not confident doing on your own, it would definitely be best to call in the professionals. At least you will be sure that your system is properly installed and you can have your peace of mind, as well.
5. Landscape concerns. It will also be a great idea to get out of the house and survey the surrounding landscape. For instance, trees can be a bane or boon to your efforts on building and installing a solar power system, so try to evaluate the kind of trees around your home and how they are positioned relative to your house. Strategically located trees offer benefits such as windbreak and shading.
As soon as you've considered all these things, and resolved all the issues that may have arose, there probably is no reason anymore for you not to go ahead and install a solar power system for your home. Soon, you will be enjoying the benefits of an vital structure that you created with your own hand.
Making an outdoor kitchen all by you can be fun. Though it can be time consuming and requires some physical effort it’s a great way to jump start your creativity and have a good time with your family. The most important tip while building an outdoor kitchen all by yourself is : Take it slowly. You don’t want to exhaust yourself.
A typical outdoor kitchen DIY project usually takes about 50 hours of time. This is when you all the plans and materials in place. Add a few hours extra for going to the market and ordering all items. The construction can be done either on weekends or you can take it in one go.
Such a project would cost you around less than $3000 and would include a grill, sinks fixtures, cabinets, framing (made from wood /concrete /backer board) and tiling.
Though you will find information on how to build outdoor kitchens on the internet, try looking for a book which gives practical advice on how to begin and avoid the pitfalls. This way you would save a lot of time and material wastage. Sunset barbecues and outdoor kitchens is a very popular book which you could consider.
A typical outdoor kitchen (with concrete sub structures)would require the following materials to get you started.
1. Sink with faucet and tap
2. Outdoor cabinet doors
3. Gas pipe, shutoff valve, and connections
4. Plumbing supplies: drain lines, supply lines, stop valves
5. Electrical supplies: cable or conduit with wire, boxes, GFCI receptacles
6. Concrete block
7. Mortar mix
8. Pressure-treated 2 × 4s
9. 4 × 4s
10. Nails and screws for building framing and attaching boards to the house
11. concrete backer board
12. Stucco mix
13. Waterproof tile backing
14. Fortified thin set mortar
15. Tiles
16. Fortified grout
17. Grout sealer
18. Paint
So what are you waiting for? Get the concrete, Get the backer board, It’s action time!
Would you be surprised to hear that your home improvement jobs will bring mistakes? I didn't think so, well here are a few tips to help you minimize those mistakes.
1. Don't slack on prep work - Every project has an element of prep work. New doors, painting, replacing a faucet, installing door knobs, whatever the project, neglecting to do it will undoubtedly result in lengthened project time and frustration. Having forethought will guarantee a professional-looking result. Knowing what you are in for will enable you to maintain your sanity when the going gets tough.
2. Biting off more than you can chew - You hate your bathroom and can't take it anymore? Want to take a sledge hammer to it right now? Hold on...while it might make you feel better, tackling too much at once is a common mistake with major consequences. Be realistic, you can't have a new bathroom in one day (no matter what you see on HGTV!). Assess what you really need or want done first and start there. Take things one step at a time and surrender the process. Ask yourself if you need a friend to help, need a pro for the trickier things or if you actually have the time? Don't set yourself up for failure by not allocating enough time and resources.
3. Improvisation - This can be useful in many situations and it shows you have creativity but there is a difference between improvisation and carelessness. If you find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, always err on the side of caution. It might take longer to finish the task but better to do it correctly the first time then doing it again later.
4. Refusing to ask for help - Okay this might be more for the men out there but don't be fooled into thinking you have to complete a job by yourself. While certain projects only require one person, working with someone else is more fun and sometimes educating! It's less embarrassing to ask a friend to help than to have to call a professional later to fix your mishap.
5. Letting bad attitudes take root - Knowing what lies ahead and being prepared is 95% of the battle and if you have followed the first four steps, you are ready to go. Hit a road block? Take a break, sleep on it, or call a friend. Don't let your dissatisfaction ruin all of your planning or your negativity stop you from completing your project.
Home improvements can either be the most frustrating or the most exhilarating. Plan ahead and make your project the envy of the neighborhood or if you haven't been happy with your past improvements, rethink your old ways or habits. Being prepared, informed and holding fast to a sunny disposition are crucial to getting that job done right the first time!
Marble flooring and tiling is seen as an effective way of adding an elegant and wonderful design element to your home. For those who are thinking of replacing then existing floors for example, then marble floor tiles would be an option worth considering.
These natural stone materials are truly stylish, easy to maintain and clean, and come in a wide array of designs and color patterns. For instance, these tiles can either be rough or smooth, or will have a pattern on them which may include hand-painted designs and patterns. The more complex the designs and patterns would be, the pricier and more expensive will they get.
The patterns you choose will depend upon the room that you are placing them in. if you are intent on installing these types of tiles on the floor, or in the kitchen or bathroom walls or furnishings, then you will probably select a pattern such as leaves or perhaps simple, plain tiles. In your living or activity room, a nice swirl pattern on the tiles could do just fine.
Restoring Marble Vanities By Yourself
While there are professionals to call whenever you need to do some cleaning for your marble flooring or vanity, sometimes you still ask yourself, is it possible to restore marble and various stone vanity units by yourself?
The answer is yes, and it could be done to some extent; however if the surface is etched or dulled by using some bathroom and washroom cleaning products, you may need to call in the cleaning e professionals to hone the top and polish it back to its previous glorious shine, because a new factory -finished marble top is shined or glossed up by around seven to 11 grades of diamonds on a machine, and attaining the same finish would almost be impossible if you're simply using hand tools.
However, what the professional does to your marble top would be more than acceptable in any case. To reinstate the vanity unit's tiptop condition, or other piece of stone furniture, it would be worthy buying stone soap to clean, maintain and impregnate the surface. You may do this on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, depending on the cleaning regimen you would like to implement.
Maintaining Marble Floor Tiles The Simple Way
In making sure your marble flooring will stay in good shape, and retain its shiny glow for years, you simple need to follow the following cleaning guidelines. First, ensure that you keep your surfaces as dust free as possible, by dust mopping it regularly with soft, clean, lint free mop. You should also clean them carefully with water and a mild neutral-ph cleanser, which was especially manufactures for use in stone surfaces.
You need to remember that acidity/alkalinity or even abrasives present in standard cleansers may cause dulling, etching or scratching. You could also utilize a separate mop or cloth, specifically reserved for stone, and remember to change mop water frequently. Lastly, you need to quickly tend to spills, and not let them leave there to dry and smudge your surface, and it would also be good t use mats at entrances to trap dirt, sand, gravel, and other grime.
As discussed above, there are different methods in cleaning marble floors and tops, however there are methods that are applicable to those types of surfaces. As obviously you will not be doing a major restoration program, but will only be implementing a simple cleaning guideline. If your floors require more than this we really need to see them to give you an idea of what they need to bring them back to life.
Do it yourself projects are always expected to save you money, although this is not always the case. However, not every one considers whether such action will increase the value of the home at the same time. If your do it yourself skills are not up to a reasonable standard, you could end up reducing your home's value. We'll take a look at some projects that are virtually guaranteed to increase the value of your home, and build your self esteem too!
We have all probably heard those tales of do it yourself repair men or women who try to save themselves some money by doing the job themselves, only to have to call in the experts when things go horribly wrong. Of course this ends up costing a lot more, as the job is now a much bigger task. Not only does this result in more expense, but a lot of wasted time too. If you are not a handy man or woman, take a little advice, and leave the repairs to the experts. It will save you a lot of time and worries, and you can be confident that the job is done properly - provided you chose the serviceman carefully!
Now, it isn't just a case of doing a decent looking job, you need to make sure that all repair jobs are solid and do not reduce the value of your home. For example, if you decide to replace all the windows in your home, and to do the job yourself, then the work that you do will have no guarantee. If you then sell your home, the new owners have no one to help them should there be a problem with the installation after a year or two. However, if you go with a professional company, then their work will be covered by maybe a ten year warranty, so that if there is a problem within that time period, they will complete repairs as necessary without charge. This guarantee is very worthwhile for a new owner, and gives them a great deal of assurance, rather than being told that the windows are all new, but there is no guarantee on that work!
Now obviously there are plenty of jobs that diy experts can tackle themselves that should not reduce the home's value, but it is something to keep in mind in the future. DIY jobs like installing shelving units or cabinets in the garage should work out well, and provided the doors close as they should, then it should present a tidier garage, and perhaps add a little bit to the home's value.
There is one project that is getting a lot of attention in England right now, and that is the installation of diy conservatories. In years gone by, conservatories were glass buildings used to grow exotic plants and flowers, but over the years, their use has changed, and many family homes have now added these to their existing home. This addition has then added value to their home, because it has given the home an extra room, and we all know how important extra rooms or spaces are.
The neat thing about these do it yourself conservatories is that they are pre-built in the factory, to specific sizes, and with the building materials that you choose. They are then shipped to your home, and you can put the conservatory together yourself, or get a local builder to do this for you. This is at a much reduced price that would be charged if you had the builder start from scratch and build an addition to your home, and the results are quite amazing.
This is one project that does almost certainly increase the value of the home, by providing an extra room. Obviously, there needs to be a check into whether you need a building permit where you live - these are not required in the UK at the moment, but there are various restrictions on the dimensions and so on! - before you order your pre-built conservatory. The design of the room is up to you, but the manufacturing companies give you a lot of choice, so that you can blend the additional room into the style of the existing home. You can choose the type of window frames and windows you want, single glazed, double glazed, a tiled roof or a glass one, the options are many and varied.
Once you have chosen your diy conservatory, then you an arrange for delivery, and with your local builder, unless you are skilled at building and are going to put the pieces together yourself. In this case, you need to make sure that you are capable of doing this, and that the instructions are detailed about how you even start this.
Obviously, choosing a reputable company is important before you commit to purchasing your diy conservatory, and check that they have a service department too, just in case you need some questions answered in a hurry. But you should be able to increase the value of your home nicely by adding a diy conservatory to your existing home, without having to spend a fortune on building it or having it built for you. Once it is completed, you will enjoy having that extra space available, because we always need more space, right?
A DIY bathroom shuffle on the other hand may not add more value to your home, and if you are doing things like moving water pipes around, there is a lot of risk that something could go wrong. Unless you are a very competent plumber, then you should leave this to the experts, but even though you might love the idea of moving the wash basin and perhaps the shower, do be aware that this is unlikely to add to the value of the home. As long as all necessary parts of the bathroom are present, then moving them around probably will not add to the value of your home. Your bathroom might work more efficiently, but to someone interested in buying your house, it is how it is now that is important, not how much you spent to get it that way that is important.
You can add a little value to your home by improving your garage, so that it is more appealing and not just a catch-all for everything! There are some great floor coverings now that will improve the look of your garage, and make it feel a little warmer on the feet. Some of the coverings have channels to collect vehicle fluids so that you don't slip on them, and by covering the concrete base, the garage will seem that much warmer. Putting shelves or cabinets can present a much more organized space, and a much nicer garage to look at than one that is cluttered with all sorts of different things lying around. But do be aware that these upgrades to your garage may not add greatly to the value of your home, not like a DIY conservatory would.
So, before you plan your next do it yourself project, decide whether it really is something that you can tackle yourself to save a little money, and whether it is something that will add value to your home, or perhaps it is just for your enjoyment.
For many, staying in a complete wooden home is like a dream come true - it's stylish as well as elegant. Log homes are also kept by few people as a long term investment. Therefore, as a homeowner, it becomes important that a routine maintenance is followed so as to keep the place sparking and clear of insects for many years to come. If you see maintenance as a responsibility easier said than done, you are invited to go through this article which is written to make the whole process of maintenance an easier one. Here we compile a list of steps that you can take to make sure that the health of your home remains in high quality.
· Take a walk around the perimeter of the log home whenever you get time to check for any visible change in the logs. Look out for differences or bubbles or any fading/discolouring in the wood (can happen due to extreme weather). Also see if there is any big gap developing in the outer walls that need to be filled with caulking material.
· As with any regular house, protection is required from the environmental elements like sun, wind and rain. Logs that get exposed to these elements are vulnerable. If the design of your log home is such that it exposes a large part of your home to sun, consider adding roof overhangs to protect them. You can also extend the porch portion for this.
· Check for any sign of dampness around the walls and floor. Of all the natural danger to wood, moisture can be the most destructive. Humidity, in combination with sunlight can accelerate wood decay, thus causing cracks to form on the surface. Also any leaky gutters or drainage problem around the area should be checked for. In case the rot in wood is seen, use a wood restoration product to correct the problem immediately.
· Once in a year take out time to carefully examine your log home for any evidence of chinking deterioration, termites, fungi, mold, mildew or any other maintenance concerns that you may have or should have. Get the problems treated as fast as you can with chemicals or natural products.
· Trees and shrubs around the house should be trimmed regularly. They have the ability to hold water and can create moisture retention problems.
· To keep logs adequately protected around the year, opt for a water and weather resistant coating on them. It acts as a barrier and will shield wood against the harmful outdoor elements and organisms that cause decay.
If you look after your log home with this kind of maintenance schedule, it would become very easy and cost effective for you to protect it. Also remember that sometimes homeowners get carried away by the looks of the walls around, thinking that if logs appear solid, they are strong from inside as well. Don't forget that logs are just large blocks of wood, and wood is always susceptible to decay if it remains exposed to the elements without protection.
Life coaches love to use Nike's slogan: Just Do It. But is it Just That Easy?
You have decided you want to live a healthier lifestyle and make positive advances in your health so you can fully enjoy life. You joined the gym; you've gone a few times, so you are familiar with all the facilities, equipment and the classes. Yet everyday you look at that gym bag beside your desk and ask yourself, "Do I really want to go to the gym today?"
Where is your (ok, I do this too...my) commitment?
It does not yet exist. If I had made a real commitment to living healthier I would not question if I wanted to exercise today or not...and either would you. We would follow up on our commitments, because we are people of integrity. We keep our word to others AND OURSELVES.
We would block the time on our calendar and just as we leave for any other meeting we would leave prepared for this meeting with our healthy future. Oh Wait! "our healthy future". Is this a part of it...it is in the future so we can do it later? Let me try again.
We would block the time on our calendar and just as we leave for any other meeting we would leave prepared for this meeting which will allow us to play while rejuvenating us physically, mentally and emotionally. We will take extremely good care of ourselves which allows us to take extremely good care of our business and others.
Commitment! You can not create the life you most desire without commitment. I can not create the life I most desire without commitment. It is time to commit and start living TODAY the life you and I most desire for us.
Now I am ready and committed to "Just Do It"...are you?
Once you have found the perfect wall mounted water fountain to match your home's décor, there is one question you will need to ask yourself. Can I install the wall fountain myself or do I need to hire a professional? The answer to this question really depends upon three major factors: your fountain's weight, size and placement.
Fountain Weight
Some of the wall hanging fountains are very heavy simply because they are made of materials such as slate, stone, marble or glass; therefore, even if you are able to install the fountain yourself, you may need some assistance in hanging it. If you purchase you water fountain online, be sure to check the manufacturer's specifications so that you are prepared in advance of your fountains arrival. In most cases, indoor wall fountains are made to be homeowner friendly so that they can be installed easily by most do-it-yourselfers. Detailed instructions and/or an installation DVDs can go a long way to making you more comfortable with self-installation. Once your water fountain arrives, be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions thoroughly before you decide on self-installation. After you have thoroughly read over the installation details provided by the manufacturer, you should be able to make a well-informed decision as to whether or not you feel comfortable hanging the wall mounted fountain yourself.
Fountain Size
If your wall fountain is really large or if you are not comfortable hanging it yourself, then you may simply hire any number of professionals to perform the installation for you. This may increase your overall price, but it may be well worth the cost to eliminate your own anxiety over installation. Your hanging water fountain may represent a large financial investment, so it is important that you have the fountain installed correctly and safely.
Fountain Placement
Placement of your fountain is also probably one of the considerations in the installation process. Whether you are buying your water fountain for your foyer, or for a large great room wall, the placement of the fountain will need to be considered. Whether you choose a horizontal hanging wall fountain, or a massive vertical wall fountain, be sure that you have performed the needed research to make sure you are buying the correct size for your needs.
DIY?
If you decide to hang your water fountain yourself, be sure that you read the directions completely before you begin the process of installation. This enables you to ensure that you have all of the tools that you need. It is almost certain that you will have to locate the studs in your wall to hang your indoor wall fountain. Finding the studs is important because they support the frame of the wall, and are ideal for use of hanging a heavy water fountain. Otherwise, the sheer weight of the fountain could potentially pull the fasteners through the sheetrock and damage the wall and also possibly the fountain as well.
You need to make sure that once you have made the significant financial investment in a wall fountain that you are properly prepared to mount the fountain so that you can benefit from its peaceful and magnificent mood enhancing benefits.
If you ever ask a psychologist if everyone needs to have a psychological check-up they will most likely agree and say something like; "Well, it's certainly not a bad idea, everyone should get a psychological evaluation every five years at least." As folks get older it is even more important to do this, as old age sets in many folks have issues with dementia, memory lapses and other serious psychological issues.
Of course, we all know that the chances of signing up for a psychologist visit are probably not going to make it onto your to do list unless perhaps you suffer from some sort of depression or have a known psychological problem. I'll let you in on a little secret, most psychologists are psychologists because they are a little crazy in and of themselves and they decided to study psychology to figure themselves out. No kidding.
So, if you are worried about confiding in a psychologist you probably shouldn't be, even if you think you might be a little messed up in the head, because chances are you are more sane than they are. Indeed, maybe it's good psychologists are nuts, because we all know that saying; "It takes one to know one!"
There are many things you can do on your own rather than going to a psychologist, you know things like counting to ten when you are angry or waiting a day or two to talk to someone who you are pissed off at. And after you conquer those minor issues, why not buy a self help book and apply some of those techniques because many of these books were written by psychologists like the one you may be putting off seeing, even though you know it is for your own good. Think on this strategy to overcome your procrastination on your psychological check-up and evaluation.
No one is claiming that the job of replacing a roof is simple. But for someone who is handy around the house, can tolerate heights, and has the both agility and muscles to get the stacks of shingles up to the roof and move them around, it is certainly doable. But you should stick with asphalt shingles, which are the easiest to install.
Before you run out and start looking for your shingles, however, you need to perform a roof inspection and determine if you simply need to install a second layer of new shingles over an existing old one, or if you will have to completely tear off the existing roof. What is not a good idea in do it yourself roofing is to add a third layer of shingles, because your roof's structure may not be up to handling the additional weight.
Disposing Of Your Old Roof
If your do it yourself-roofing job requires the removal of old shingles, you should arrange for a dumpster to be set up on your property before you begin. once torn off with a flat shovel or a pitchfork, those old shingles have to go somewhere, and wherever they go will end up a mess. If you don't like the idea of a dumpster, make arrangements for someone to clean up the old shingles as you go.
Putting Down Roofing Felt
The next step of your do it yourself roofing project, once the old shingles re removed, is to inspect the roof for any old roofing nails and used a nail puller or claw hammer to pull them out. Then give the roof a thorough sweeping, and you'll be ready to start putting down a layer of thirty-pound roofing felt. The roofing felt will serve as a guide when you begin to lay your shingles, because it will have printed lines to assist you in your do it yourself-roofing effort. All you have to do is make sure you line up the roofing felt accurately with the edge of the roof!
Putting Down The Shingles
Next you'll install (if there isn't one already) some metal roof edging around the entire perimeter of your roof, not only to make it look professionally finished, but to keep water from accumulating beneath the first low of shingles. In a do it yourself roofing project, that first row of shingles, unlike the rest, should be placed in an inverted position with its solid edge directly against the metal roofing strip.
You'll attach the asphalt singles with adhesive backing and Roofing nails, and once the first row is secured, simply add each succeeding row of shingles with their cut edges positioned properly. Before you know it, your do it yourself roofing project will be finished!
Jock itch is called tinea cruris in the medical lingo. It is a type of ringworm that infects the skin's outer layers. Ringworm isn't a worm; instead, it is a form of fungi that causes rashes and patches on the skin, nails, or hair. To know more about how to cure jock itch, read the tips below:
1. Use anti-fungal creams. Most anti-fungal creams can be bought over-the-counter. As such, no prescription is required. This step is always the first thing advised as far as how to cure jock itch is concerned. However, some infections don't go away with the mere applying of such creams. Therefore, you need to consult with a doctor so they can prescribe you with a stronger and better medicine.
2. Always clean the area with soap and water. The affected part would always have dried skin in and around it. This is common with jock itches. Gently wash the dried skin out using mild anti-bacterial soap and clean water. After which, liberally apply the anti-fungal cream up and beyond the edges. This is the proper way on how to cure jock itch.
3. Pay attention to blisters. Not every jock itch case has blisters. But it may occur. Should you have it, make sure that you use the right medicine. Compresses, like Burrow's Compress, can help soothe them out. After several applications, the blisters would dry out, allowing you to conveniently apply anti-fungal creams.
Do it yourself wedding favors are probably the easiest wedding craft project there is. Your favors will be special and treasured by guests because they'll be unique. Plus, doing them yourself will save you money, and in wedding budgeting there isn't anything better!
Here are five great and simple do it yourself wedding favor project ideas:
DIY Seed Packet Wedding Favors - Yes, you can buy these favors from
a variety of wedding suppliers, but it is much cheaper and will look better if you do
them yourself. Purchase a bulk quantity of seeds (many gardening stores sell
wildflower seeds by gallon buckets for under $10) and simply divide them up. You
can tie them up in squares of fabric such as tulle, organza or silk and then tie with a
personalized ribbon. Decorative favor tins, jars or boxes would also look great.
DIY Bookmark Wedding Favors - The perfect choice for a literary
couple! Print your bookmark on cardstock and use an image of the two of you, a
favorite quote, the date of the wedding or anything else that would fit your wedding
theme. Punch out a hole in the top of the bookmark with a circle hole puncher and
add a colorful ribbon tassel that coordinates with your wedding colors!
DIY Candy Wedding Favors - While the idea of a candy wedding favor
is nothing new, by doing it yourself you can choose unique types of candy and make
it more personal. No more Jordan Almonds! Why not choose red hots, lemonheads
or some other fun candy from your childhood? Purchase the candy in bulk and then
separate into fabric squares, tins or boxes.
DIY Tea Wedding Favors - Another great edible choice that won't be
left on the tables. Purchase bulk flavored herbal tea and separate out just like the
candy favors. What a relaxing wedding favor! Great for those next day hangovers
too.
DIY Magnet Wedding Favors - Everybody loves magnets and
functional favors get two thumbs up! Blank magnets can be purchased at your local
craft supplies store. They can be decorated with stones, buttons, photos of the two
of you and a dozen other things. Flat wooden bases in a variety of shapes and
designs can also be purchased and painted or decorated to match your wedding
theme.
An excellent way to personalize do it yourself favors is to create custom stamps and
decorate tags and boxes with them! Go to http://www.do-it-yourself-weddings.com/custom-stamps.html for detailed instructions on how to create
custom favor stamps.
Have fun creating your do it yourself wedding favors!
From one DIY person to another, you can build your own windmill today. Whether you buy a do it yourself windmill kit or a DIY windmill guide, you can build your own windmill. When you take the right steps, everything falls into place.
One reason to build a windmill is to harness the free power of the Earth, so that you can reduce or eliminate those high, overpriced power bills.
The crucial step you need to do now is to figure out your energy usuage. While crucial, this step is simple. Review your last month's bills from your utility companies to see what energy you're using. Don't skip this step. Once you do this, you'll know how much power you're using and therefore must create. This will determine what size and type of windmill you need to build.
Now for a green tip. Sit back and look at all the things sucking up energy in your life. Is there any way to reduce some energy? Are there lights left on in rooms where no one is using? Another highly common thing is the power strip that's left on 24/7.
Let me ask you, how's the wind in your area? How many days of the year have wind flow (any)? Do you know the wind speeds for your area? Maybe your city/town/etc experiences daily wind flow of 3-7mph.
Of course, another big step is figuring out the windmill location. The eventual size will be capped by your location.
While you could just run out and buy windmill parts, it's wiser to think about buying a guide even if you're learning toward picking up a windmill kit. I'd be beside myself if I didn't tell you to get a how to build a windmill guide to make your life easier. Take the right measures before starting your DIY windmill project and you'll be in great shape. I hope you really enjoy building your own windmill.
Managers will always attempt to measure every single technology and application there is in the company. It is in this light that even phone systems should be measured for effectiveness and efficiency because this also has something to do with customer satisfaction. With this, many may be baffled why IVR KPI or Interactive Voice Response Key Performance Indicators are necessary in the scorecard for every technology used in a company.
Well, simply put, IVR is the real front liners of the call center industry. Customers who call in for their concerns do not get to customer service representatives right away. They have to map out the IVR first. Many IVR systems do not address the customers' concerns right away because the way they are designed is not fit for what the customers need. What normally happens is that the customers need to overcome a maze of choices and they get irritated before even having their issues resolved. So what does one need to measure in an IVR? What are the metrics that need to be involved to ensure customer satisfaction?
First, analyze your purpose. Ask yourself why the IVR was placed or used. It is in this essence that you will find the reason for measuring IVR effectiveness. If the purpose is customer satisfaction, then you have to measure customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction or CSAT is measured through surveys that are randomly sent. This means that a company should not send out surveys to selected customers who appear to be satisfied with the service. This may be done in an IVR system if the company has a database of their customers' email addresses. Once a customer calls in and presses his identification numbers, then the machine or computers may start rolling out the surveys.
Second, one must also measure the timeliness of response of the IVR. There are some IVR systems that are delayed in responses. When this happens, customers do not get what they want. Part of this is the accuracy of the transfer. Many IVR systems misroute calls. For example, a customer may be looking for a specialist in the account balance department but she gets transferred to the billing department.
Another issue that should be part of the metric is the ease of use. It is unfortunate that many people drop the calls even prior to selecting an option because the IVR system is deemed difficult to use. Ideally, IVR systems should only have five or six general menus. These menus may be broken down in another four or five sub-menus and so on.
Lastly, data availability should be measured. This has something to do with the resolution rate. There is no point giving the customers an option to find their balances if the account IVR systems are always down. This metric may be broken down into resolution rate and IVR system availability rate. Resolution rate is of course equivalent to the number of resolved calls divided by the number of total calls.
To measure the IVR KPI effectively, metrics should be well defined. Also, the metrics should have a financial impact, or else it is practically useless in measuring something that does not impact the financial status of the business.
