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Tips For Choosing Carpet Flooring

January 15, 2021 Flooring

What are carpet tiles?

Carpet tiles are a type of flooring that can be used as an alternative to the more commonly used broadloom carpet. They provide all the warmth and underfoot comfort you’d expect from carpet, but are available in practical module sizes. Carpet tiles come in a selection of sizes, patterns and materials – but all Interface carpet tiles are modular and work together.

The benefits of carpet tiles

They’re sustainable

We’ve been pioneers in sustainability for over a quarter of a century, consistently working towards reducing our environmental impact. We were also the first global flooring manufacturer to make all of the products that we sell carbon neutral.

They’re durable

Manufactured to heavy contract quality, our carpet tiles are tough enough to handle office and public use.

They’re versatile

Individual tiles can be swapped with ease if damaged, or if you simply want a change. They’re easy to mix and match too – so you can be creative and work tile-by-tile. You can even use different installation methods to achieve your chosen look.

They can improve indoor air quality

Some carpet tiles, such as those from our Conscient Collection, improve indoor air quality.

They offer superior acoustics

Certain carpet tile backings provide great sound absorption, so you can design rooms to focus in. We have different backings to suit different projects.

Low total cost of ownership

Together, all of these benefits make carpet tiles excellent value for money.

Advantages of Carpets

Often times hardwoods and tiles are the floorings of choice in many homes. Though these are in fact beautiful, durable, and work well with a wide range of homes and designs. Though hardwood and tile are both wonderful options, carpet is an equally beneficial alternative.

Residential carpets have the ability to bring warmth to rooms that may be colder or that may seem slightly inhospitable. Carpet has the ability to warm up a room by providing comfort and luxury. Carpet is a perfect choice for rooms like the living room where your family congregates and a little extra warmth and comfort are needed.

Carpet is also a great soundproofing and helping to muffle the noise inside a room. This is one reason why carpet is often added in bedrooms of homes. Carpet helps to muffle sounds like things dropping on the floor, footsteps and more. Carpet is a great insulator as well and can help keep your bedroom warm and cozy during long winter months.

Another great benefit of carpet is that it does help to add visual interest to a room. Though hardwood flooring is beautiful and stylish, it often lacks individual personality and really quirky aspects that can help make a room really interesting. You can add full room carpet and add things like patterns, colors, and designs that can help make a room that might be boring and really bring it to life.

With the right carpet, you can find an option that is going to last for years and that is going to be beautiful as long as you have it in your home. Low pile carpets are perfect for those high traffic areas where dirt and grime are common as low pile carpets are often tightly packed and less likely to take in dirt.  Carpet has the ability to brighten and add warmth to a room without giving up any durability.

Carpet has come a long way in the past few decades and the fibers that are used are now more durable, stain resistant, and even comfortable than those used in previous carpets. Carpet is a wonderful addition to any home and with the right carpet, you can enhance your home quickly and easily. Carpet is not the shag of the past that everyone remembers with disgust, it is a wonderful and cozy alternative to hardwoods and tiles that may be added to homes.

There are 5 distinct advantages to installing carpet in commercial buildings.

  • Carpet adds beauty and enhances the appearance. This feeling of making the right choice by the client cannot be over stated and taken for granted. When entering the reception area, the first general appearance is office décor, office professionalism and office appearance. What better way to provide the most professional image than beautiful designed carpet floor covering.
  • Carpet is a noise reducer. Most companies have open office settings with a large number of people dealing and interacting with each other. Ringing phones and frequent movement of staff within the office environment raises the noise that hinders the efficiency of the staff and becomes an obstacle to proper communication. Carpet offers an excellent solution in tackling the loud sounds in the office and helps to increase productivity.
  • Carpet is healthy. When we understand that carpet is the best air filter in the building, we realize the importance of keeping it clean. Carpet is like a kitchen sink, a collector of stuff. Carpet collects air pollutants, dust, allergens and toxins and traps the molecules in its fibers. By regular carpet cleaning we not only keep spots and stains to a minimum, the air is cleaner and staff healthier.
  • Carpet is cost effective. Proper carpet cleaning extends the life cycle of carpet. Contracting with a professional and experienced commercial carpet cleaning company who has consistent great outcomes with commercial contracts, allows you to rest assured that your office carpet is being cleaned with the right system and in the right manner. All carpeted areas must be cleaned on a regular scheduled maintenance plan to maintain the highest quality of office appearance.
  • Carpet appearance management is easy to maintain. When scheduling the frequency of carpet cleaning, notice must be observed of foot traffic, outside entry ways, type and style of fiber, future plans of the office space and budget allowances. Not all areas need cleaning every month, depending on foot traffic, office carpet cleaning can be broken out in to a monthly, quarterly and annual program. There are professional ways and systems to keep carpet looking good and uniform all the time.

The Disadvantages of Carpet

  • May flatten and harden
  • There is the possibility of mold grown in areas of high moisture.
  • They tend to absorb large spills into the pads underneath.
  • They could require professional cleaning
  • They have been known to retain odors and bacteria.

Advantages of carpet over hardwood

Advantages of carpet over hardwoodWhile most people prefer hardwood over carpet, there are many who do enjoy the benefits of carpet, especially for the bedrooms.  While 90% of buyers prefer hardwood for the living room/dining room/family room areas, the jury is more split on the bedrooms, generally with 60% preferring hardwood and 40% carpet.

Here are the advantages that carpet provides.

1.  Costs less…initially

Many choose carpeting out of budget constraints.  While they may prefer hardwood, their budget favors carpet.  Carpet is generally less expensive than hardwood…at least initially.  In the long run, as carpet needs to be replaced more often, it will end up costing more to buy carpet, but if you are looking at short-term costs (e.g. either because you only plan to live in the house a short time or that is all that you can afford now), then carpet may be a sensible option.

Please note that the cost of carpet can vary widely based on what carpet you select.  There are some high end wool carpets which can cost even more than hardwood.  Generally, wool carpet will cost more than nylon which in turn will cost more than polyesters/olefins.  Patterned or tone on tone carpets will cost a bit more than solids.

2.  Softer on your feet, good for kids who sit/play on floor

For those that prefer softness, carpet provides a wonderful option.  This can be cushy on your feet for bedrooms, or a great option for kids that may play or crawl on the floor.  Of course dogs and cats love to cuddle up and rest on the carpet, too.

3.  Quieter/reduces noise

Carpet absorbs sound, so it’s quieter.  This reduces sound reflection in the room, muffles the sound of creaking and can even reduce sound transmission to the rooms below (which is why carpet is often required on 80% of the floor space in most Co-ops and rentals.

4.  Pets prefer carpets

hardwood vs carpet – why is hardwood preferredWhile many of us many prefer hardwood flooring, most cats and dogs prefer carpet over hardwood.  It’s just more comfy and makes a fun spot for them to curl up on.  In addition, some dogs slip on the hardwood flooring; there is just more traction with carpet.  Of course some of this can be solved by adding area rugs.

How To Get Amazing Wedding Videographer

January 9, 2021 Events

Essential Tips for Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Hiring a wedding photographer is an essential step in planning a wedding. You want to capture and document snippets of one of the most memorable events of your life. Hence, it’s crucial to hire a professional photographer to avoid unnecessary slip-ups that can ruin your wedding.

Today we will be giving you some tips for choosing a videographer for your wedding.

  • Experience – Is your videographer experienced?  This is your big day and you need a videographer who has seen it all.   Don’t rely on a newcomer to get everything right.
  • His Work – Take a look at his previous work.  Is it beautiful and inspiring?  A top videographer should have plenty of videos for you to peruse, on his own website and also on either Vimeo or YouTube.
  • Ideas – You probably have some ideas for your wedding video, but does your videographer have suggestions?  If he is a professional, then he knows how to make the best video possible.  He should have dome suggestions for making your wedding video the best it can be.
  • Equipment – Does your videographer have the professional equipment to do the job right?  Your wedding video should look like a Hollywood movie from 2011, not 1950.
  • References – Does your videographer have references?  His wedding videos may look great, but did he make the videos as the bride and groom wanted?  Be sure to ask how happy his previous clients were with his work.
  • Accessibility – Does your videographer take the time to work with you?  Does he return all phone calls and emails quickly?  If he has time for you now, then he will likely have the time to make your wedding video a smashing success.

Create a candidate shortlist

Talk to your friends and family and check Angie’s List to find potential photographers, then narrow your choices by creating a candidate shortlist based on your personal preferences.

Ask for a portfolio

A portfolio is a selective compilation of the photographer’s best work. When viewing a photographer’s portfolio, ask to see a complete wedding set in order to get a better idea of how consistent the photographer is with his or her style and how uniform the quality of the shots are in various locations throughout the wedding.

Consider value when comparing quotes

Photography packages include a selection of hours of coverage, number of photographers, number of proofs delivered in CD or flashcard and a wedding album. Many photographers include frills such as loose prints, a parent album, post-wedding artistic shots and personalized thank-you cards. By selecting the items relevant to your needs and cutting back on the extras, you can dutifully stick to your initial budget. Alternatively, don’t be afraid to make special requests in place of irrelevant services in a particular package to get value out of the pricing.

Length In Minutes Does Not Equal More Value!

This is a big one. Often times couples assume because a wedding film is longer it must be worth more money. For example, if someone offers a 20 minute edit, 45 minute edit, or 60 minute edit. But the truth is, the film is only valuable up until the second it loses your interest. What’s the point in having a 60 minute wedding film if you stop watching after a couple of minutes?

This is exactly why we specialize in short wedding films. We never want to create something that you’re only going to watch once. We want to create something that is long enough to tell your whole story, yet, short enough to be awesome from start to finish.

The value of wedding videography is not the length of your film. But, the overall experience and quality of each minute in your film!

Filmmaking Style Is Important!

There is no right or wrong when it comes to a studio’s filmmaking style. But, you’re going to want to ask about it ahead of time. For example, some studios are silent storytellers. They don’t direct at all during your wedding day and they let the photographer run the show. Other studios may like to create scenes and direct a little more than usual. And, some may put on a Hollywood level production. Knowing which style you want and which style is compatible with your photographer is important. At the end of the day, all of your vendors have to work well with each other. Knowing how each vendor works will help everyone succeed!

Personality

After you decide which style you prefer, it is time to talk to your videographer in person. You may start the conversation like, “How long have you worked for the weddings?”, “How do you normally work with photographers?”, or “What is your film style?”. Most videographers, including me, are quiet, but it does not mean we are bad in communication. Like the other good vendors, we answer the emails within 24 hours. I meet my brides and go through the timeline a month before their wedding days. Both my 2nd videographer and I arrive on time and communicate with the photographer during the day. It is never a bad idea to communicate with your videographer and understand their personality.

Contract Policy, Pricing & Turnaround Time

When you decide to book the videographer you love, make sure to ask them their contract policy. Do they have liability insurance? Do they charge for traveling? What happened if the videographer gets sick? Here are some questions you may ask:

  • Do you offer additional hours? Can we add it later?
  • Who is shooting with you at our wedding?
  • Can I choose the music or you choose the music for us?
  • What is your video turnaround time?
  • Do you charge for revision?
  • I am not sure about this package. Can I upgrade it later?
  • My venue requires insurance from all the vendors. Can you provide it?
  • If I postpone my wedding, what is your COVID policy?
  • How do you handle our footage? If the files corrupted, what would you do?

What you need to do for your videographers

An informed videographer is a happy videographer.

Keep in touch with your videographer. Contracts for wedding professionals are often entered into months before the wedding. Be sure you keep your videographer advised of such things as the time set for the rehearsal, additions to the wedding party list and special aspects of the ceremony that you want covered.

A hungry videographer is a grumpy videographer.

Make sure you and your videographers agree on eating arrangements. Videographers usually work eight to ten hours on the day of a wedding. They need to eat if they are to do their best work.

If only one videographer is to shoot your reception, try to arrange that he or she eats in the same room as the guests, so that he can keep an eye on what is going on and be ready to capture events on tape at a moment’s notice.

Many couples suggest that the videographers go through the buffet line. However, for a sit-down dinner, where meal costs skyrocket, it’s appropriate to provide sandwiches and coffee. You may even decide that the videographers should provide their own meal. In this case, make sure everyone understands where they are to eat, since you probably don’t want a brown bag lunch and can of pop at one of your guest tables.

Remember, it’s your wedding, and you’re paying for the videographer. Whatever you decide will be alright, so long as the videographer knows in advance what to expect.

The Importance Of An On Site Estimator When Planning Your Local Moving

December 29, 2020 Movers

The Helpful Guide to Moving Long Distances

If you are reading this guide then you are more than likely ramping up for an upcoming move. You are probably experiencing a mixture of emotions, ranging from excitement and happiness to anxiety and fear—not to mention that you may be feeling overwhelmed with having to plan out all of the nuances of your move and actually pack up your belongings as well.

What we hope to accomplish in this moving help guide is to cover some common topics that are related to moving long distances, and locally as well, and in doing so we hope to quell some of your anxieties about what to expect from your upcoming move. We intend to show you tips and tricks in order to keep costs down for your move, and we also layout in great detail the benefits of using different moving services or completing a move on your own.

Beyond this we also give you practical advice for how to go about packing up your home and the best way to move in and out of your house. We have covered all of the bases for you and done the research so that you don’t have to. When it comes to dealing with a move you should only have to focus on what is important and not have to spend hours sifting through different websites to find out information. So we have collected all of that for you. With that we now present to you your one-stop shop for moving help.

After extensive research on the topic, as well as experiencing numerous moves ourselves we have discovered that the following topics are what most people need to know in order to have a successful move. This part of the guide offers an overview of each of the following topics and then we drill down further into each subject, giving you practical and applicable advice. We have come to believe that by educating yourself on the different aspects of a move you can eliminate a lot of the unknown variables and therefore make better decisions.

However, not only will you be able to make better decision once you have an understanding of all of the aspects of a move but you will also be able eliminate some of the anxieties that derive from feeling like you are in over your head or there is too much on your plate to handle

Movinghouse Check List

4-6 Weeks to Moving Day

Organise Contents and Household Insurance for your new home.

Notify Electoral Office of your new address. Also Drivers Licence and Car Registration.

Complete a floor plan of your new home for furniture placement and measure the spaces to ensure your furniture will fit, particularly the fridge. Will large items fit through doors?

Prepare an inventory of everything you own, noting any scratches or dents.

Make a note of any precious items that require special care to move.

Dispose of everything that you don’t need.

Check any moving instructions for your washing machine with the manufacturer.

In the kitchen, use up all opened packets and dispose of goods past their use-by date.

Start to use up all food in the freezer.

Remember to sort through the garage, garden shed etc., under the house.

Gas cylinders and air bottles should be empty with valves open, dispose of all flammable liquids. (Garden chemicals, paint, paint thinners, cleaning fluids, bleach, fuel, aerosols of any kind etc.)

Create a folder for all your moving documents.

Arrange to have your mail held or redirected to your new address.

Arrange School, Pre-School, Day-Care transfers.

Redirect or cancel newspaper and other subscriptions.

If travelling….organise passports, tickets, visas, currency, credit cards, accommodation.

Return borrowed or rented items.

Arrange a rubbish pick-up with the local Council.

Confirm with lawyers/Real Estate Agents key collection time and Settlement date as this will determine your moving day.

Plan to carry yourself important legal documents and jewellery.

Pre-plan and schedule any necessary repairs required.

Research storage facilities if needed.

Obtain family and pet medical records. Also dental and school records.

If leasing, arrange property inspection and book cleaners.

Transfer and set up utilities at your new address.

Review home and contents/car insurance

Book our highly skilled and professional, friendly team of packers and unpackers to assist you when moving

If Packing Yourself

Arrange carton and packing materials delivery (labels, bubble wrap, tape, markers, paper) with your Removalist or storage company.

Use clean white butcher’s paper, not newspaper as it soils items.

Label every carton clearly, on the tape, as to contents and its room destination.

Prepare an inventory list of each carton. Mark clearly FRAGILE. Note all dents and scratches.

Pack lighter items in large cartons, heavier items in small cartons, heavier items on bottom.

Dismantle furniture that comes apart – remember to tape screws in an obvious location or label and place in an ESSENTIALS carton with TV, Foxtel, sound system remote controls, bed legs, shelf supports, keys to furniture cabinets and manufacturers instructions for reassembly of items.

Prepare a SURVIVAL KIT (LOAD LAST) with kettle, tea and coffee, breakfast requirements, special childrens toys, school needs, pet requirements (especially leads), bathroom necessities, telephone handset, medications, snacks, corkscrew, spare light globes, scissors, tools, toilet paper.

Consider taking very sentimental and personal items with you in your car.

2-3 Weeks to Moving Day

Return all library books, DVD’s etc.

Arrange for family and friends to mind children & pets on moving day.

Arrange transfer of bank accounts, internet, telephone, gas, electricity connections.

Arrange move of boat, trailer.

Fill prescriptions needed the week before and after the move.

Service your car, drain the lawnmower.

Arrange final readings of gas and electricity meters, remove batteries.

Discontinue any delivery services, newspapers, automated payment plans and local memberships. Collect dry cleaning.

Book a locksmith to change the keys on moving day at your new home.

Arrange time off work on moving day.

Ensure new home will be thoroughly cleaned, oven cleaned, carpet steam cleaned before your move and original home after your move.

Government advice on home moving during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

This means that people looking to move home will be able to both continue with planned moves and view new properties to move into in future. Estate and lettings agents, removers, valuers and people in sales and lettings offices and show homes will be able to continue working.

This guidance provides important public health information to ensure that moving home and related activities, such as viewing property, can happen safely. It also applies to custom and self-builders looking to acquire a plot or a property to renovate or demolish.

One of the simplest steps you can take when moving home is to wash your hands frequently and keep as much distance as possible from other people who are not members of your household. Ensure you follow the latest guidance on practical steps to reduce transmission

and maintain a 2 metre distance apart where possible. It may also be a good idea to take extra precautions when in close contact with others, such as wearing a face covering. There are also certain situations in which you must wear a face covering, as described below.

The process of searching for and moving into a new home is different at the moment because property agents, conveyancers and other professionals have modified how they work to reduce the risk from COVID-19. These changes could include doing more online, such as offering virtual viewings; vacating your current property during viewings; and ensuring your property is thoroughly cleaned before someone else moves in.

Home moving guide

Your moving survey

who will answer any initial questions you have and book a survey with you to evaluate the contents of your move. You can choose either a home or video survey. During a home survey, a Consultant will visit your current property to assess and measure all your belongings and identify wrapping and packing requirements. The visit should last no more than an hour.

Video surveys are typically quicker than a traditional home survey. The Consultant will carry out your survey virtually using a downloadable app and the camera on your smartphone or tablet device. Your Move Consultant will ask you to identify fragile or high value items so we can give the best recommendations for packing materials and procedures. It is important to give as much information as you can so we can provide you with an accurate quotation.

Introducing your personal Move Manager

During the booking process, we will appoint a personal Move Manager as your main contact throughout your move. Advice is always available and your Move Manager will ensure that everything you requested is in your move plan and that every aspect of your move proceeds as you planned.

Your personal move plan

Your move plan is tailored to suit your individual needs and will be included with your quotation and acceptance form. The move plan contains all the details, dates and timings of your move.

It is important to check the following information as soon as you receive it:

Timescales of the move

Collection and delivery addresses

Our services (Including any items not to be moved)

Your responsibilities

Storage (if applicable)

A Guide to Choosing the Best Moving Company

tasked with handling all of the hassles that come with moving from one home to another. And as a result, a lot of consumers have been turning to these companies to handle their relations. For this reason, it is essential that you carefully research the companies you choose.

The type of services a moving company provides can determine if you are getting a good deal or not. If a moving company is very cheap but offers shoddy service, then they are being unfair. In order to get the best service for your moving needs, you need to do your homework and understand how these companies operate.

If you are moving to a new home and are looking at the city map, make sure you find the offices near your new location. A lot of moving companies have their headquarters in larger cities, so their locations will be a consideration when choosing one.

One of the things that a moving company will ask you for is your Social Security number. If you are not American, you are not going to be able to move within the United States. Having a social security number will help ensure that you will be able to move without having a problem moving through the country if you decide to go through with the move. If you are an American citizen, the social security number should not be required at the time of your initial move.

A Personal Injury Lawyer Brings Justice For Many

December 10, 2020 Legal

Tips for choosing a quality personal injury attorney

When you are involved in a Personal Injury Accident choosing the best attorney to handle your claim is essential to obtaining the amount of compensation that you deserve for your losses.

Choosing the best Personal Injury Attorney to handle your case can be a challenging task. More often than not, there are many options for you to choose from. So how do you go about choosing the best one?

Tips for Choosing a Quality Personal Injury Lawyer

Tip #1 Hire an Attorney with Experience

Hiring a personal injury attorney who has the experience to know what to look for, where to look for it, and understands your case, can make all the difference during the negotiation and settlement process.

Before you hire an attorney, ask them about the experiences they have had handling similar cases in the past. Find out what their success rates are and whether or not they are prepared to take your case to trial if necessary.

If you hire an attorney with little to no experience, you run the risk of losing or not being offered the amount of compensation that you deserve.

Tip #2 Hire an Attorney who has Experience Taking Cases to Trial when Necessary

There are many attorneys who handle personal injury cases but have never actually seen the inside of a courtroom.

Insurance companies are extremely aggressive when it comes to winning a personal injury case, and if they know that your lawyer does not have trial experience, they will try to take advantage of your attorney in the hopes that your case will be settled outside of court at a much lower amount than what you are asking for.

If your attorney is not willing to take your case to trial, the insurance company will know and that could drastically hurt the amount of compensation that you are offered.

Tip #3 Hire an Attorney with a Good Reputation

When you hire a personal injury attorney with a positive reputation, who is known for handling and resolving cases quickly and fairly, you will have a much better chance at obtaining the compensation that you deserve.

An attorneys reputation can provide that added value to your case, not only from the plaintiff’s perspective, but also from the defendant’s and the court’s perspective on handling cases and doing thing the right way.

This puts the client in the best situation possible to recover the amount of compensation that they are owed.

Tip #4 Hire an Attorney who Specializes in Personal Injury

Personal Injury law is very intricate and involves specific rules and regulations that need to be followed.Attorneys who handle personal injury law on top of divorce law, bankruptcies, etc. may be a jack of all trades but a master at none.

The Attorneys main focus of practice can make a huge difference in the outcome of your case. An attorney who focuses solely on personal injury law will have unique skills when it comes to determining liability, negligence, and causation of the accident.

An attorney who only specializes in personal injury will also be better equipped when it comes to accurately valuing your case and the amount of compensation that you deserve.

Advantageous Reasons for Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim

Before contacting an attorney, keep in mind that a personal injury claim is based on the premise that you were personally harmed, not your property or belongings. Additionally, the incident must have been a result of someone else’s negligence and not your own. In cases of slip and fall, otherwise called premises liability cases, it isn’t enough that you injured yourself on someone else’s property. You will have to prove that another party was negligent and caused the injury.

When doing his dudillegence, your attorney will then evaluate the accident, your injuries and whether it occurred under suspect conditions. When assessing the legitimacy of a personal injury case, your attorney may consider a number of factors.

  • Who is Liable – Determining who is liable is the keystone to any personal injury case, and will be at the top of your lawyer’s to-do list. Liability refers to the party at fault. For example, if there was an accident and a police report was drafted that states you contributed to the incident, or you were mostly at fault, then that would discourage most attorneys from taking on your case. However, there are situations where liability is shared and the case moves forward. This is called comparative negligence. This is when both parties contributed to the accident and both may be due compensation.
  • Qualifying Conditions of a Personal Injury Case – Your personal injury attorney will begin evaluating the details of your case to see if it is provable in a court of law. Simply injuring yourself is not nearly enough to rise to the level of proving negligence on someone else’s behalf.
  • The Severity of the Injury – While it is always preferred that victims walk away from an accident without sustaining severe injuries or being seriously harmed, there has to be just cause for filing a personal injury claim. If you experienced loss of wages and/or sustained injuries that resulted in unusually high medical bills because of another’s negligence, then this may added motivation for a personal injury attorney to pursue your case. One of the most severe types of personal injury claims fall under the ‘serious injury’ category. This would include burns, paralysis, spinal cord injury. But you needn’t be totally bed ridden or disabled to collect damages in a personal injury case. If you were harmed or wounded because of a defective product, in a bicycle accident, or even while walking down the street, these all fall under the umbrella of potential personal injury claims.
  • The Economic Value of a Personal Injury Case – It may sound insensitive, but the monetary value of your case is of interest to your attorney, and should also be a priority to you. Whether you are seeking compensation for exorbitant medical bills, lost wages, mental anguish, or pain and suffering, your personal injury lawyer wants to ensure that he/she is compensated for his/her time as well. The reality is, compensation most likely won’t be awarded if the injury didn’t financially or emotionally impact your life in a negative way. Also, the out-of-pocket costs of pursuing a personal injury case can accumulate pretty quickly. Your attorney will be assessing if there is a fair return on investment. Personal injury lawyers typically accept cases on a contingency basis. Meaning, the attorney gets paid when you get paid, in the event the case is successful. It comes down to a simple business move. Your attorney wants the highest degree of certainty that the personal injury claim is worth it and is of value to everyone, including the client.

Qualities To Look For In A Personal Injury Lawyer

Unfortunately, bad things do happen to good people. Lives often change in an instant at the hands of someone else’s negligence. Whether you were injured by a distracted or drunk driver’s actions or experienced a spinal cord injury in a slip and fall on someone else’s property, these instances cause serious, devastating and sometimes lifelong injuries. The consequences can be grave, made worse by the lack of money to get the best medical care and legal attention possible.

Ability to Provide Fair Legal Representation

Realistically speaking, it won’t be easy to defend yourself in a situation you’re not familiar with. Unless you’re a legal professional, you need a personal injury lawyer’s assistance to take care of your case for you. Using their negotiation and research skills, they’ll represent you in all legal proceedings. They’re also well-equipped in dealing with the negotiations and developing a strong case for you.

Hence, if you’re having negotiations with the insurance company, be sure to work with people like Yegendorf personal injury lawyers who can provide fair legal representation from start to finish. That way, you can rest, knowing that your legal counsel has your best interests in mind.

Extensive Experience in Handling Personal Injury Claims

When looking for a personal injury lawyer, you should consider your options’ extensive experience in handling personal injury cases. Those who have valuable years of experience are always ready to take the case as far as it’ll go. Given their track record for settlements and judgments won in the courtroom, they’re best positioned for success.

That said, it’s best to consider a legal professional who has extensive legal experience in personal injury law. In doing so, you’ll have higher chances of winning your case and getting the right amount of compensation for your injuries.

Ability to Determine What Your Claim is Worth

More than your physical recovery, you want the party responsible for your injuries to be held accountable for the harm done against you. Unfortunately, you might not know how to calculate your claim’s worth, affecting the amount of compensation you’re entitled to receive. This is one of the reasons why you should hire a personal injury lawyer who can determine what your claim is worth.

Typically, a dedicated personal injury lawyer knows how to calculate the financial worth of your claim. They’re very much aware of the financial costs and the factors that can impact the value of your claim. Therefore, they consider everything before starting the negotiation process with the insurance company and the at-fault party.

So, if you don’t want to end up with an unfair settlement, always look for a lawyer who can determine your personal injury claim’s real value.

Trial Skills

If you’re searching for the best lawyers, you’re referring to professionals with exceptional trial skills. Typically, personal injury claims that don’t push through in the negotiation stage with the insurance company will be elevated to trial. As such, you’ll need a lawyer who knows exactly how the court processes work, as well as one who has excellent social skills and the ability to create a compelling story as your argument.

If your prospective lawyer has these trial skills from the beginning, it can be a sign that you’ve chosen the right one for your personal injury lawsuit claim.

Compassionate Care and Legal Advice

The best personal injury lawyers don’t view their profession as strictly a business. They look at it as a helping profession, whereby they are motivated by the opportunity to solve problems for those who have been injured. Good personal injury lawyers keep the best interests of their clients in mind at all times. This often means working long hours, doing research, filing documents, meeting with clients and their families, and generally going above and beyond to reach a successful settlement or verdict.

Respect of Peers

Look for personal injury lawyers in Lancaster that have earned the respect of their peers, identified as the best in their profession by local, regional and national groups, listings, articles, journals, and more. True respect can’t be bought. It’s demonstrated by consistently providing successful results, accumulating many years in the field serving the same location with the same dedicated services.

Availability

A personal injury lawyer who truly cares about you will make the time to be available to answer your questions. Attorneys worth their salt will go the extra mile to educate you on the legal process and explain what’s going on rather than putting you off to the side. This compassionate availability is what sets the great personal injury lawyers in Lancaster apart from the so-so ones.

How to Pick a Personal Injury Lawyer

It’s not something you do everyday, so no matter who you choose your Lerners team wants to make sure you have all the information you need to pick the best lawyer for you. We’re here to help, no matter what.

Where to Begin?

It’s hard to even know where to begin when searching for a personal injury lawyer. There are a lot of options out there, just like picking a doctor, but that doesn’t mean all those options are good ones.

Check Their Credentials and Do Your Research

Just like you wouldn’t hire a dermatologist to perform heart surgery, lawyers are specialists as well. You want to make sure your personal injury lawyer is exactly that, a lawyer who specializes in and has a performance track record settling and trying personal injury cases.

The Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) is a good place to start. It is a professional organization that’s membership is exclusively restricted to plaintiff personal injury lawyers. If your lawyer, or the one you’re considering is a member of OTLA you know they are the right kind of lawyer for your situation. If they are not, you may want to ask them why.

How do you know which Personal Injury Lawyer is a Good One?

The lawyer you choose is about choosing a relationship that you’re going to have for years, not months. Your case will require their attention to both your lawsuit and your recovery. Most importantly you want a lawyer that is competent and capable, but you also want a lawyer that you feel comfortable talking to on a regular basis.

Your lawyer should listen to you, respond to your needs and be able to answer any questions you might have in a straightforward manner. You also don’t want a lawyer that doesn’t have a track record of taking cases to trial when it matters. Too often personal injury lawyers who aren’t willing to commit to the long term will try to settle quickly, preventing you from getting the compensation you need for your recovery.

Electrician Courses

November 28, 2020 Home Inspection

Electrician

An electricians role is to quote, plan for, install and maintain electrical wiring systems. Electricians as tradesmen are able to specialise into different areas such as working indoors in homes and buildings, commercially, industrially and even on machinery, home appliances, and utilities. They may also alternatively work in outdoor settings, such as with power lines and street lights.

Electricians can work in a variety of settings depending on the organisation they are employed with. Regardless of whether an electrician works inside or outdoors, the role is always very physically demanding and labour intensive. They work on their feet all day, and often have to carry heavy equipment, and squeeze into small spaces, therefore ensuring that employees are physically able to complete the work is important.

Day-to-day tasks of this role:

Install and maintain electrical wires.

Read blueprints to understand where the cables need to go.

Locating and replacing faulty wires.

Reviewing work to ensure it meets the safety regulations and guidelines.

Maintaining and replacing circuit breakers.

Review the skills profile

To find the best person for the role, you need to understand what the role involves. You can complete this with the hiring manager to define the role, what it contributes to the organization, and the skills needed

Write a job description based on skills

Once you understand the requirements for the role, you’ll need to understand the skills for success. You can then write an effective job description to promote your role.

Guide to Electrical and Mechanical

The installation of electrical and mechanical services at sports grounds has always played an important part when considering the safety of spectators at sporting events. All sports grounds have in place a number of permanent or temporary mechanical and electrical installations. Many of these are safety-related or have their own safety implications

This includes:

turnstile monitoring systems

fire warning and other fire safety systems

catering installations

public address, CCTV and emergency telephone systems

Media installations.

Transparent Pricing

The number of electricians that we send out depends on the complexity of the job but rest assured that we will always strive for the maximum efficiency and therefore lowest cost to you. For example, if two electricians could complete a job in less than half the time that one could, we will send two as the overall cost would be less.

which includes the first hour’s labour. Normally we can diagnose and secure the fault within the first hour. If follow-up work is required once safety has been restored we can continue at the rate

Generally it will take longer to rewire an occupied house than an empty one. Rewiring often takes at least two people – if more staff are used, it may be done more quickly but costs (total man hours) are likely to be the same.

Requirements for Electrical Installations

This qualification ensures that you are up-to-date with the latest industry regulation on wiring and the safe use and operation of electrical equipment and systems

If you’re a practising electrician, you must comply with the regulations for electrical work, this qualification is designed to provide  those seeking progression in their career with the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to carry out job roles and responsibilities associated with the Electrotechnical industry.

We are issuing digital credential to learners who have completed this qualification.  Please add your learners’ email address during registration. A digital credential cannot be issued without the learner’s email address.

This level will suit you if you are a practising electrician with specific qualifications, who needs to update your certification to meet the latest edition of the IET Wiring Regulations. Alternatively, you’re a newly qualified electrician who needs to gain this certificate.

This course is available as a one-day refresher course or a full qualification.

For the refresher course, you complete one core unit:

Requirements for electrical installations update to BS 7671: 2008.

For the full qualification you also complete one core unit:

Requirements for electrical installations to BS 7671: 2008.

Step-by-step guide on how to become an electrician

Electricians are in constant demand. If you’re looking to take the leap into self-employment, becoming an electrician can be a great way to work for yourself and boost your earning power. So what do self-employed electricians

What do self-employed electricians do?

Electricians have a range of responsibilities, and the exact type of work you do will depend on your specialist area. The day-to-day work for a self-employed electrician is likely to include:

Installing electrical systems such as power systems and lighting

Maintaining and checking electrical systems for efficiency and safety

Repairing and rewiring

Supervising other members of an electrical team

What is a self-employed electrician salary?

According to the National Careers Service, the average salary for a starter electrician is up to around $23,000. Experienced electricians can earn up to $35,000, and highly experienced individuals up to $42,000.

However, you should bear in mind that these figures are for employed electricians. As a self-employed person you’ll be able to set your own rates. It’s important to understand that most self-employed electricians work on a day rate. These can vary quite significantly depending on your specialism or experience

How to become a self-employed electrician – step-by-step

Make sure you have the right qualifications

In order to work as a self-employed electrician, you’ll need some qualifications. Electricians are required to have at least a level three electrical or electro-technical qualification. As the Electrotechnical Skills Partnership points out, this must be awarded by either EAL or City and Guilds.

The Verification Home Inspection To Prove Repairs

November 23, 2020 Home Inspection

What to Expect in a Home Inspection: Checklist and Tips

Every wise homebuyer knows that a home inspection is a must-have before closing a deal on a home. If you choose to do an inspection yourself or hire a professional home inspector, be certain to be educated to get the most out of the inspection. A thorough home inspection will provide quality information and will answer the question of whether the price reflects the house’s condition. A good home inspection is also unbiased and fact-based and it should not be an opinion of the home’s value.

Home inspection checklist

A home inspection encompasses the major components of a home. Typically, these can be broken into 5 categories that fit any home:

Exterior Envelope: Roof, siding, windows, doors, grade, and drainage.

Foundation: Materials used (i.e. block, brick, poured) and condition. Framing practices (i.e. truss or rafter), and framing materials used such as engineered, dimensional lumber, steel or other.

HVAC: Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Distribution or radiator condition, and controls of the system.

Electrical: Main panel, incoming service, branch wiring, and fixtures.

Plumbing: Main service, materials used, and condition.

Common issues that may affect the home’s price

Reasonable buyers need to be realistic and expect no house to be perfect, not even a new build, but the home should be in decent shape. Some common issues that can plummet the price of a house are:

Structural problems

Termites and other pests

Drainage and water issues

Mold problems

Radon issues

Wiring and electrical issues

Plumbing issues

Well water issues

Asbestos issues

Lead paint

A roof that needs replacement

Some minor issues that can be fixed are plumbing issues, such as leaking fixtures. The longer a home has been vacant, the more likely that the rubber washers will dry and crack, leading to dripping faucets. Another routine item is electrical switches, fixtures or outlets. These often get damaged from wear, abuse or just age. Whether it be replacing washers or updating outlets, minor fixes always come with a cost and should be accounted for at the time of offer.

What to expect during a home inspection

A home inspection generally takes two to four hours to complete but maybe longer depending upon the size of the house and the number of defects. Homebuyers or sellers are encouraged to attend the inspection to ask questions as you go, as this process can give you more insight than the report alone. To keep the process going smoothly, make sure to remove any obstacles that may block the inspector’s access.

Your Complete Guide To Home Inspections: How To Spot Issues & Address Them Before Purchasing A Home

You think you’ve found the perfect home, maybe you’ve even done a second showing with your agent. In your eyes, this home is perfect! But with homes, many things that you may not notice at first glance (or even second & third) may be lurking underneath the surface. These problems could be minor or they could be major issues that cost you thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars after moving into the home.

Home inspections allow buyers to get into a home for an extended period of time, usually 3 – 4 hours and bring with them an “expert” to help them identify any current or future issues that may cost them money or keep them from fully enjoying the home. We know that the whole idea of home inspections can be confusing though. Many buyers have a lot of questions when it comes to home inspections, like what should you look for, who should you hire, how long does an inspection take, how much do home inspections cost and many more.

What Exactly Is A Home Inspection

A home inspection during the home buying process is an opportunity for a buyer to go through a home and inspect it, looking for any issues with the home that could have major implications down the road while taking note of any minor maintenance or potential maintenance issues.

If any major maintenance issues are found in the home that the buyer was previously unaware of, the inspection time period allows the buyer’s realtor to renegotiate with the seller based on the new information. It could mean a reduction in sale price or the buyer could request that the maintenance issues get resolved prior to the purchase have of the home.

What A Home Inspection Is Not

A home inspection is not meant to allow buyers to negotiate normal home maintenance issues. An inspector may point out normal maintenance, but this is just meant to be helpful to the buyer and put it on their radar when they own the home. Many buyers see this as a chance to bail on a purchase where they have cold feet or an opportunity to try to negotiate a better price with the seller. This, it is not.

The Home Inspection Guide

Q. WHAT IS A “HOME INSPECTION”?

A home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a home, from the roof to the foundation. The standard home inspector’s report will include an evaluation of the condition of the home’s heating system, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic, and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement, and visible structure.

Having a home inspected is like giving it a physical check-up. If problems or symptoms are found, the inspector and your real estate agent will refer you to the appropriate specialist or tradesperson for further evaluation.

Q. Why do I need a home inspection?

The purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment you will ever make. You should learn as much as you can about the condition of the property and the need for any major repairs before you buy, so that you can minimize unpleasant surprises and difficulties afterwards.

Of course, a home inspection will also point out the positive aspects of a home, as well as the maintenance that will be necessary to keep it in good shape. After the inspection, you will have a much clearer understanding of the property you are about to purchase, and will be able to make a confident buying decision.

Q. What will it cost?

The inspection fee for a typical one-family house varies geographically, as does the cost of housing. Similarly, within a given area, the inspection fee may vary depending upon the size of the house, particular features of the house, its age, and possible additional services, such as septic, well, or radon testing. It is a good idea to check local prices on your own. However, do not let cost be a factor in deciding whether or not to have a home inspection, or in the selection of your home inspector. The knowledge gained from an inspection is well worth the cost, and the lowest-priced inspector is not necessarily a bargain. The inspector’s qualifications, including his experience, training, and professional affiliations, should be the most important consideration.

Home Inspection Checklist: A Complete Guide

A home inspection is a critical tool for you to help protect what may be the single largest investment you will ever make. There’s nothing worse than buying a home, and then later finding a number of issues that may be have been easily detected by a trained and highly qualified inspector. If you’re in the final stages of purchasing a home, here’s what you should know about a home inspection.

Why is a home inspection important?

You can expect several small expenses when you’re buying a home. These include application fees, homeowner’s insurance, legal fees, and more. Because you’re already spending so much money upfront, many buyers are tempted to skip a home inspection. Averaging between $350 and $600, a home inspection is a relatively insignificant expense that may help you in the long-run and at the very least give you peace of mind if there are no material issues uncovered during the inspection.

It may help you avoid significant expenses later.

Ideally, a home inspection should reveal any major issues with the home. These aren’t things you would normally notice with a routine walk-through, such as a failing HVAC system, improper wiring, structural issues, and more.

It may help you create a maintenance plan.

Even if there are no significant issues with the home, you can expect to pay maintenance expenses as long as you live there. Over time, these expenses can add up. A home inspection could help you outline a maintenance schedule, so you can prepare for these costs in advance.

It may help identify any safety issues.

A home inspection can uncover safety issues, which may be very costly problems in addition to potential problems associated with the roof. Mold, carbon monoxide leaks, and lead are all significant safety issues that can threaten the health of your household members.

Property inspection guide and checklist

When you’re searching for a new home and traipsing from inspection to inspection, it’s all too easy to lose track of the properties you see, and which ones you want to seriously consider. 

Before you commit to a contract and the costs of a building and pest inspection, there are plenty of areas you can assess beforehand. Here are the ultimate property inspection guide and checklist to help you make an offer with confidence when you find the right one.

Structural issues

To avoid being stuck with a money draining ‘property lemon’ there are key structural and internal features to be wary of while inspecting a home. Are there any signs of rising damp, water damage, or mould? Water stains on ceilings, blistering of plasterboard and warped floorboards are all red flags indicating a water issue that can be potentially expensive to rectify.

Be on the lookout for large cracks in walls, the ceilings and brickwork, uneven or squishy feeling flooring and doors that don’t close properly, as these can all be signs of foundation issues that can also be costly to fix.

Projects

Are there any areas that’ll require renovation? Or is the house move in ready? Are you willing to take on some projects or a major reno? As you tour the home, make notes of and take pictures of things that aren’t in good condition.

What To Look For When Hiring An Accounting Broker To Sell Your Accountant Practice

November 12, 2020 Accounting

Why is accountability so important in the workplace?

A workplace in which employees are engaged without being accountable is unsustainable. Accountability is critical to any human operation in which work must get done efficiently, effectively, and within budget. More importantly, it also has a major impact on top performers and overall employee engagement.

Consider a workplace environment where some employees are highly engaged (“A” players), while others are unaccountable for meeting deadlines and consistently perform at a substandard level. This is a workplace designed to frustrate those committed to exemplary workplace behaviors. A and B players need to work with equally committed co-workers. When high performers work alongside disengaged employees, their incentive to work at full capacity diminishes.

Over time, when leaders fail to address the disparity in accountability, the result is a contagion of frustration, under-performance, and malaise that drags down the entire enterprise. In this environment, companies also see a drop in productivity, product and service quality, worker retention, and employee wellness.

In other words, leaders will always come up short on producing a highly engaged workforce if they don’t first achieve a culture of accountability.

Some of the most common obstacles to accountability for individuals are learned helplessness (“I’m not smart enough to get this right.”), a victim mentality (“This never would have happened if the team hadn’t abandoned me on this project.”), and grudge collecting (“This is just another example of senior leaders showing they don’t care about us.”).

In these cases, managers must develop non-punitive strategies to challenge the problematic behavior, such as offering guidance for more positive and effective performance, redirecting employees toward problem-solving, and listening and affirming employee concerns immediately followed by the mutual development of an action plan going forward.

Organizational barriers to accountability

Lack of accountability can manifest itself with individuals, but it can also be fostered by an organization that tolerates the conditions that lead to it. Institutional habits, left uncorrected, can encourage a lack of accountability by undermining clarity about who is responsible for what. An organization (and its leaders) with unclear priorities, a silo mentality, or habitual conflict avoidance inevitably corrodes accountability.

To prevent the deterioration of accountability in their organizations, senior leaders can focus on more inclusive decision making, agreeing on outcomes and priorities as a group, and ensuring clear and open communication organization-wide. This helps clarify the organization’s goals and responsibilities for achieving them. For example, employees typically perform better when they understand why what they are doing specifically contributes to organizational success. In short, managers and senior leaders bear responsibility for establishing the conditions that encourage employees to be accountable.

Creating a culture of accountability

How do they do that? First, leaders must hold themselves to high standards in developing relationships that promote trust with employees, and help others do the same. By demonstrating integrity, follow-through, competence, and openness to feedback, they help create a culture of accountability.

Recent discoveries in neuroscience describe a human brain that yearns for emotional safety and security. People perform best when they feel safe, both physically and emotionally. Inconsistent accountability in a workplace erodes the trust that people feel in the leadership, flooding the brain with feelings of insecurity. This is not conducive to engagement or high performance, or ultimately to improved business outcomes.

HOW TO FOSTER ACCOUNTABILITY IN WORKPLACE?

There are various ways that you can take to encourage and foster accountability at your workplace.

MAKE IT A VALUE

It is important that accountability is made a part of your organization’s culture and everyday operations. Talk about it in meetings, implement corporate training, encourage employees to share their ideas and what it means to them. Corporate Training It should not just remain as a definition. Your aim should be to blend accountability in the organization’s basic thread. It should become an overall goal and should have consequences when it is not met.

The morale of all the employees goes down when a few non-performing employees don’t face action and repercussions.

DEFINE GOALS

One of the easiest ways in which accountability can rise exponentially in your company is to have clear goals for each department and each member of the team. Tangible goals with set deadlines and process work best. Have clear outline about what is expected from the employees. Also make sure that you set personalized goals. These are an important part of teamwork as they highlight how important an individual is as a team member.

It is the responsibility of the entire team to be accountable and answerable. If one team member slacks, the other’s work will automatically be affected in a negative way. Also it is essential that while setting goals you emphasize on what’s not important and what’s not a priority. Employees handling too many roles and with many responsibilities may reduce the overall productivity and accountability. Therefore, always make sure that the goals set are achievable and realistic.

HIGHLIGHT KEY METRICS

Show your employees the metrics of their performance. This way you can enhance the overall accountability in the workplace. Highlighting these metrics means that each employee will have to engage with the outcome of their work. Sharing the outcome of each goal is an effective way to validate commitment and dedication in employees. This way you are communicating clearly what is expected from them.

Also another advantage of highlighting metrics is that it encourages healthy competition. When an employee accomplishes a goal and gets appreciation and recognition for it, it is a boost to their morale and motivation. And acknowledging that they didn’t reach their goal this time will inspire them to work a lot harder the next time.

INCLUDE EVERYONE IN ACCOUNTABILITY

Including everyone in accountability goes hand-in-hand with setting individual goals. Many times employees assume that accomplishing team goals is the responsibility of only the team leader or manager. But this is not true. It is important that each employee knows about their individual contribution to the project and that they are an integral part of the team. This way the employee will feel values and worthy. Also make sure you encourage employees to speak up if they notice some other employee is slacking in their goals.

CREATE A SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENT

In many workplaces employees focus on finding who is at fault when a problem arises. This is particularly seen in workplaces where trust amongst employees is low. In low trust environment, employees dread accountability because they worry about the consequences of their mistakes. On the other hand, in high trust environment employees go the extra distance, stay accountable and responsible, and are confident that they can rectify their mistakes. A high trust environment can be created and will flourish when managers praise their employees and build their teams’ confidence.

Listen and Affirm Employee Concerns

Leaders sometimes tend to share the opinion that their perspective is the only one that counts which can lead them to the wrong path. Listen to and affirm the concerns of your team members and stand accountable for previously taken actions. The same applies to concerns about other employees’ work. Any misdirection should be followed by the mutual collaboration and development of an action plan going forward.

This will help your team members to understand the importance of accountability but at the same time, it will provide them with a realization that noticing the previously made mistakes and standing responsible for them will lead to a mutual solution. That is how you’ll achieve a more engagement in the work environment.

Communicate Constantly with Your Employees about Their Performance

Some of the most common obstacles to accountability for individuals are learned helplessness. Phrases such as “I’m not smart enough to get this right”, “This never would have happened if the team hadn’t abandoned me”, “This is just another example of senior leaders showing they don’t care about us” can become a regular excuse of employees who avoid being accountable. Deal with this obstacle by constantly discussing their performance and providing them with solutions on how to improve it. Don’t leave them space to find justification, create an environment where you only want to hear about suggestions and solutions.

Make employee’s accountable for their behavior by communicating on how to improve their current actions. It is of high importance that every feedback you give includes a praise as well, thus giving them the motivation to keep the current work-flow. Showing your team members that you pay attention to every individual’s work and that you care about their progress will evoke the feeling of accountability and increase the engagement.

Strategies for embedding a culture of accountability in the workplace

Lead by example – Senior Leaders need to demonstrate accountability each and every day – not just when things go well. If staff see the senior team playing a blame game or ‘duck the blame’ game, then they will too.

Set clear boundaries – It’s much easier to hold people to account if the boundaries are clear so that employees understand what is expected of them and are aware of what are acceptable standards and behaviours. Make sure they know what they are doing and what is required of them in accordance with their job description.

Develop managers skills – It is the way the manager handles making someone accountable and the way that is delivered that is the key. The focus should be on positive behaviours and not ‘telling off’, with the objective of improving accountability and performance. Make sure your managers have the capabilities to make people accountable in a positive manner by considering accountability training or 1-1 coaching sessions with managers.

Deal with those who reject personal accountability – Explain what personal accountability is about – don’t assume they know. Explore their views/fears on taking responsibility and find out what is stopping them from being personally accountable. Ask them for their ideas to help turn this around and identify what support you can give them. Document what they commit to doing and agree a timescale for them to change their behaviour. If things don’t improve then you can look to take steps towards formal action.

Challenge

Let’s split up challenge into two parts. First, there is the importance of collapsing time. A vital quality that great leaders demonstrate is that they will challenge employees to not only be productive today but also set achievable goals—and then help them reach those goals—for the coming years. One way to do that is to emphasize the importance of collapsing time.

Take, for example, Thomas Keller, chef and founder of two Michelin three-star restaurants, The French Laundry and Per Se. He says that early in his career, where he started as a dishwasher, he did as much as he could to finish the dishes efficiently so he could spend more time watching the chef de cuisine’s techniques. Put another way, Keller was collapsing time and then spending it on efforts that would help his later career.

The parallel to business shouldn’t go unnoticed. By helping employees focus on collapsing time (getting the work done that they need to do today but knowing what they want to achieve tomorrow), managers can help them prioritize the importance of developing future ideas—something critical because businesses are in a constant state of change and need to continuously innovate.

The other aspect of how leaders can challenge employees comes from a concept called achievable challenge, which is the idea that a manager stretches but doesn’t overwhelm employees. Think about it from the perspective of a video game. All players start at level 1. Those who demonstrate more dexterity move quickly to the next level and the one after that, with each getting successively harder until players reach their ultimate level. Video games are addictive because they challenge players with something new at each level that is just a little harder than the last but still within reach. Similarly, in organizations, it’s important for leaders to set challenges appropriately—ones that stretch employees but don’t encourage them to give up because it’s too far beyond their own capabilities.

Common Eye Care Tips An Eye Specialist

November 7, 2020 Health

What You Need to Know About Eye Pain

Eye pain is common, but it’s rarely a symptom of a serious condition. Most often, the pain resolves without medicine or treatment. Eye pain is also known as ophthalmalgia.

Depending on where you experience the discomfort, eye pain can fall into one of two categories: Ocular pain occurs on the eye’s surface, and orbital pain occurs within the eye.

Eye pain that occurs on the surface may be a scratching, burning, or itching sensation. Surface pain is usually caused by irritation from a foreign object, infection, or trauma. Often, this type of eye pain is easily treated with eye drops or rest.

Eye pain that occurs deeper within the eye may feel aching, gritty, stabbing, or throbbing. This kind of eye pain may require more in-depth treatment.

Eye pain accompanied by vision loss may be a symptom of an emergency medical issue. Call your ophthalmologist immediately if you begin to lose your vision while experiencing eye pain.

What causes ocular pain?

The following may cause eye pain that originates on the surface of the eye:

Foreign object

The most common cause of eye pain is simply having something in your eye. Whether it’s an eyelash, a piece of dirt, or makeup, having a foreign object in the eye can cause irritation, redness, watery eyes, and pain.

Conjunctivitis

The conjunctiva is the tissue that lines the front of the eye and the underside of the eyelid. It can become infected and inflamed. Often, this is caused by an allergy or infection.

Though the pain is usually mild, the inflammation causes itchiness, redness, and discharge in the eye. Conjunctivitis is also called pink eye.

Contact lens irritation

People who wear contact lenses overnight or don’t disinfect their lenses properly are more susceptible to eye pain caused by irritation or infection.

Corneal abrasion

The cornea, the clear surface that covers the eye, is susceptible to injuries. When you have a corneal abrasion, you will feel as if you have something in your eye.

However, treatments that typically remove irritants from an eye, such as flushing with water, won’t ease the pain and discomfort if you have a corneal abrasion.

Injury

Chemical burns and flash burns to the eye can cause significant pain. These burns are often the result of exposure to irritants such as bleach or to intense light sources, such as the sun, tanning booths, or the materials used in arc welding.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis occurs when oil glands on the eyelid’s edge become infected or inflamed. This can cause pain.

Sty

A blepharitis infection can create a nodule or raised bump on the eyelid. This is called a sty or a chalazion. A sty can be very painful, and the area around the sty is usually very tender and sensitive to touch. A chalazion isn’t usually painful.

Cataracts

Cataracts happen to be another of the most widely existing eye problems. The formation of cloudy areas in the eye lens is referred as the cataracts. Light passes through a clear eye lens to your retina (just like a camera), where images are processed. With cataracts affecting your eye lens, light cannot pass through to the retina smoothly enough.

As a result, you are unable to see as clearly as people without cataracts and may also notice a halo or glare around lights at night.

Signs and Symptoms of Cataracts

Most of the times, the formation of cataracts is a slow process, lacking typical symptoms like pain, tearing or redness of eyes. Some other symptoms include:

  • Blurred, clouded or dim vision
  • Problem seeing at night
  • Problem seeing through light and glare
  • Seeing ‘halos’ around lights
  • Frequently changing contact lens prescription or eyeglasses
  • Faded view of colors

Treatment Options

Through early stages of cataracts, new eyeglasses, antiglare sunglasses, magnifying lenses and brighter lighting can help. If not, surgery turns out to be the only effective treatment, which involves removal and replacement of cloudy lens with an artificial one.

Dry eyes

Diagnosis

Tests and procedures that may be used to determine the cause of your dry eyes include:

A comprehensive eye exam. An eye exam that includes a complete history of your overall health and your eye health can help your doctor diagnose the cause of your dry eyes.

A test to measure the volume of your tears. Your doctor may measure your tear production using the Schirmer test. In this test, blotting strips of paper are placed under your lower eyelids. After five minutes your doctor measures the amount of strip soaked by your tears.

Another option for measuring tear volume is the phenol red thread test. In this test, a thread filled with pH-sensitive dye (tears change the dye color) is placed over the lower eyelid, wetted with tears for 15 seconds and then measured for tear volume.

A test to determine the quality of your tears. Other tests use special dyes in eyedrops to determine the surface condition of your eyes. Your doctor looks for staining patterns on the corneas and measures how long it takes before your tears evaporate.

A tear osmolarity test. This type of test measures the composition of particles and water in your tears. With dry eye disease, there will be less water in your eyes.

Tear samples to look for markers of dry eye disease, including elevated matrix metalloproteinase-9 or decreased lactoferrin.

Medications

Prescription medications used to treat dry eyes include:

  • Drugs to reduce eyelid inflammation. Inflammation along the edge of your eyelids can keep oil glands from secreting oil into your tears. Your doctor may recommend antibiotics to reduce inflammation. Antibiotics for dry eyes are usually taken by mouth, though some are used as eyedrops or ointments.
  • Eyedrops to control cornea inflammation. Inflammation on the surface of your eyes (cornea) may be controlled with prescription eyedrops that contain the immune-suppressing medication cyclosporine (Restasis) or corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are not ideal for long-term use due to possible side effects.
  • Eye inserts that work like artificial tears. If you have moderate to severe dry eye symptoms and artificial tears don’t help, another option may be a tiny eye insert that looks like a clear grain of rice. Once a day, you place the hydroxypropyl cellulose (Lacrisert) insert between your lower eyelid and your eyeball. The insert dissolves slowly, releasing a substance that’s used in eyedrops to lubricate your eye.
  • Tear-stimulating drugs. Drugs called cholinergics (pilocarpine, cevimeline) help increase tear production. These drugs are available as pills, gel or eyedrops. Possible side effects include sweating.
  • Eyedrops made from your own blood. These are called autologous blood serum drops. They may be an option if you have severe dry eye symptoms that don’t respond to any other treatment. To make these eyedrops, a sample of your blood is processed to remove the red blood cells and then mixed with a salt solution.

You Can Treat Some Eye Problems at Home

Many eye problems need an ophthalmologist’s medical knowledge. They have years of clinical and surgical training. But there are eye problems that you can treat safely at home, as long as they are simple. Here are a few problems that can respond to home treatment, with tried and true remedies.

Black eye

You can usually treat a black eye  at home. But if there are more serious symptoms of black eye, see an ophthalmologist. These signs include:

  • blurred vision;
  • blood in the eye; or
  • an inability to move the eye.

To reduce swelling and ease pain the first day, apply an ice pack to the eye for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, once every hour. If you don’t have an ice pack, use a bag of frozen vegetables or ice cubes wrapped in cloth. The cloth protects your skin from freezing. Don’t put a raw steak or other raw meat on your eye. Despite what you’ve seen on television and in the movies, there’s no scientific basis for this. In fact, the bacteria in raw meat poses a high risk of infection.

Pink eye (also known as conjunctivitis)

A virus causes most cases of pink eye. These cases don’t respond to antibiotics. Viral conjunctivitis will disappear on its own. Have your ophthalmologist diagnose your particular case. Reduce the discomfort of conjunctivitis by applying cool compresses to the eye.

If your conjunctivitis is bacterial, follow your treatment plan. This usually involves antibiotic eye drops. In either case, you should take steps to reduce the chance of passing the problem on to someone else. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious. Follow these tips to prevent the spread:

  • Don’t share towels, handkerchiefs or cosmetics.
  • Change pillowcases frequently.
  • Wash your hands often.

Eye allergy and seasonal allergy

Just as you can get nasal allergies, you can get eye allergies that leave your eye red, itchy and teary. Limiting your exposure to the source of your allergy — whether it’s pollen, pets or mold — can help relieve symptoms. If you can’t remove the source entirely, there are ways to reduce its effect with eye allergy treatments.

If pollen bothers you:

  • Don’t use a window fan, which can draw pollen into your house.
  • Wear sunglasses when you go outside.

If dust is the problem:

  • Use allergen-reducing covers for your bed.
  • Use artificial tears, which temporarily wash allergens from your eyes.
  • Use over-the-counter anti-allergy eye drops to lessen the symptoms.

Eye Injury Treatment

An object such as a piece of glass or metal is sticking out of the eye.

1. For Chemical Exposure

  • Don’t rub eyes.
  • Immediately wash out the eye with lots of water. Use whatever is closest — water fountain, shower, garden hose.
  • Get medical help while you are doing this, or after 15 to 20 minutes of continuous flushing
  • Don’t bandage the eye.

2. For a Blow to the Eye

  • Apply a cold compress, but don’t put pressure on the eye.
  • Take over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for pain.
  • If there is bruising, bleeding, change in vision, or it hurts when your eye moves, see a doctor right away.

3. For a Foreign Particle in Eye

  • Don’t rub the eye.
  • Pull the upper lid down and blink repeatedly.
  • If particle is still there, rinse with eyewash.
  • If rinsing doesn’t help, close eye, bandage it lightly, and see a doctor.

Scorpion Control Exterminator

October 28, 2020 Pest Control

The Most Common Types of Scorpions

home to dozens of species of scorpions. While all scorpions have venom that they might use to capture their prey, not all scorpions have venom that is harmful to humans and animals

doesn’t have the largest scorpions in the world nor the deadliest scorpions in the world, but it does have a scorpion with a rather potent venom: the bark scorpion. At best, a sting from that scorpion can be rather annoying, or, at worst, the scorpion sting can be extremely painful with longer lasting effects

Deaths from scorpion stings are very rare. People who are prone to have allergic reactions to stings, and those with undeveloped or compromised immune systems (the very young and very old), may have strong or severe reactions. Small pets may also have adverse reactions.

Centruroides sculpturatus is the well-known bark scorpion. It is readily distinguished from all other scorpions in the area by having long, slender hands and fingers, along with a long, slender tail or metasoma. In the desert, it is typically uniform tan-yellow to orange; at higher elevations, it may be striped. When at rest, the metasoma is held at the side and coiled to where the sting is directed to the base of the fourth segment

Hadrurus arizonensis is the popular giant hairy scorpion, the largest scorpion in the United States. Hairy scorpions are just that: hairy. The metasoma and pedipalps are densely covered in setae (hairs). No other American scorpions have such a dense covering of setae on the appendages. The pedipalps and metasoma are also relative in size; not robust, not slender. Dorsal surface dark; appendages yellowish, appearing greenish due to slight fluorescence. Interocular area of carapace unpigmented in ​the crescent from median to lateral eyes.

Scorpion Control in Surprise

Pest Control, we’ve been providing scorpion control in Surprise and the surrounding areas since 2003! As a locally owned company and a proud part of our community, we know exactly how to handle whatever pests the desert throws our way!

scorpion control services go beyond just eliminating existing scorpions from your home and property. When you partner with Pest Control for your scorpion control needs, our team will:

Work to eliminate pests around your home that scorpions feed on, including insects, spiders, and mice.

Identify entry points that scorpions may be using to enter your home, offering custom recommendations to seal scorpions out and prevent future infestations.

Use only EPA-approved formulas to control populations of scorpions around your home, eliminating breeding sites and making your home less hospitable to scorpions.

We know that choosing a pest control company is a personal choice, and that’s why we set ourselves apart from our competitors by focusing on exceptional customer service. Every member of our team is trained to deliver service that exceeds your expectations so that you can feel comfortable knowing that we’re caring for your family and your home.

Same-Day Services

As part of our commitment to exceptional customer service, when you call before noon we will send one of our scorpion exterminators to your home the same day.

Free Inspections

When it comes to scorpions, out of sight isn’t necessarily out of mind. Our scorpion experts offer free inspections, using UV lights to seek out scorpions wherever they may be hiding on your property. Don’t let scorpions hide in your home with a free inspection

Protect Against the Bark Scorpion

The West Valley is home to many species of scorpions, like the Giant Hairy Scorpion, Stripetail Scorpion, and Yellow Ground Scorpion. But only one species in the western United States has venom that’s dangerous to humans

Scorpions

Identification

long, thin segmented bodies

long tails equipped with stingers

eight legs and pincer-like mouthparts

glow a fluorescent green/blue color under black light

Nesting Habits

spend the day resting underneath objects on the ground and come out at night to search for prey

seek dark protected areas to hide indoors

Diet

small arthropods

Significance

venom may cause swelling, inflammation, discoloration and pain

most scorpion stings are similar to bee or wasp stings

IPM Recommendations

Anyone stung by a scorpion should collect the scorpion and immediately contact a physician or the poison control center for medical instructions.

If scorpions are suspected in or around a structure, conduct a systematic inspection at night using a black light.

Find and seal any openings or crevices in exterior walls.

Repair leaky air conditioners or other outside water sources.

Prune trees and shrubs up and away from the ground.

Remove leaf litter, large mulch, debris and other harborage around buildings.

Install tight-fitting screens and weather stripping around windows and doors.

Scorpions

SCORPION IDENTIFICATION

Most scorpions found in the United States live in the warm, dry southwest and western regions of the country. More closely related to spiders and ticks than insects, these stinging pests look a lot like crabs. Depending on the species, scorpions vary in color from pale yellow-brown to nearly black. Most common types grow 2 to 3 inches long, but some species measure 8 inches or more.

Scorpions have eight legs and two large front pinchers that they use to hold their prey as they sting it. Their long, segmented tails end with a venom-filled stinger. Some scorpions curve their tails high over their backs, but others curve theirs to the side. While most scorpion stings aren’t life-threatening for humans, reactions can be painful and severe.

SIGNS OF SCORPIONS

Scorpions hide under rocks during the day and come out at night to eat creatures from insects to lizards, and even mice. Scorpions don’t damage plants, but they do unsettle people when they sneak into homes and surprise them.

To check your property for signs of scorpions, look for the pests — carefully — at night. Patrol your home’s perimeter with an ultra-violet “blacklight” flashlight. Because of a substance in their bodies, scorpions appear to glow under UV light. Be sure to look up as you patrol; some scorpions are very good climbers.

HOW TO CONTROL SCORPIONS

When you live in scorpion country, effective control means keeping these creatures away from your home and the people and pets inside. For best results, treat for scorpions late in the day, right before they come out to hunt at night.

How to Get Rid of Scorpions

Scorpion Quick Facts:

1. A full-size scorpion can squeeze into a crack the width of a credit card.

2. Adult scorpions can live six to eight months without food. A scorpion’s diet consists of live insects and their favorite food is crickets.

3. Female scorpions give birth to their babies alive; they do not lay eggs like other pests do. There are typically 20 – 30 babies born at one time. Immediately following birth, baby scorpions crawl onto their mother’s back where they will stay for about two weeks until they are ready to survive on their own.

Scorpion Control Best Practices:

Keeping a thorough and consistent barrier in place will help tremendously in your fight against scorpions. Come in and see us for all of the products and instructions you’ll need to stop scorpions dead in their tracks.

Outside

Apply micro-encapsulated spray to foundation of home.

Apply granules to perimeter of landscaped areas.

Dust hiding places with long lasting insecticide dust.

Inside

Apply low odor, nonstaining, fast knockdown spray to key target sites as needed.

Dust hiding places with long lasting insecticide dust.

Install insect monitoring devices to catch scorpions at critical entry points.

Keep a can of our plant-based, fast killing aerosol on hand for unexpected sightings

Additional Tips

Eliminate scorpion entry points and hiding places by:

Sealing cracks and crevices that are the width of a credit card or larger – scorpions can enter these areas and hide for months.

Adjust or replace weather stripping around exterior doors.

Install screens inside exhaust vent covers in laundry rooms and bathrooms.

Stack lumber and firewood piles away from the home and up off of the ground.

Remove leaf litter and bark chips next to the home.

Do not put large stones such as river rock or rip-rap next to the home – keep it at least six feet away.

Keep tree limbs, shrubs and bushes trimmed so they do not contact the home.

Eliminate moisture directly next to the home – leaking hose bibs and air conditioner condensation lines are sources to look for.

Quality Engine Rebuilding

October 19, 2020 Automotive

How Do I Know If My Cambelt Needs Changing?

Does my cambelt need changing?

The cambelt is a rubber belt that controls the timing of your vehicle’s internal combustion engines. It performs a vital function by ensuring that the crankshaft and the camshaft rotate in synchronisation.

Unfortunately, like other vehicle components, your car’s cambelt will almost certainly need changing at some point. You can often tell when it needs a change, as you will notice your car performing unusually. In this article, we cover the main tell-tale signs that it’s time to get your cambelt replaced.

Noise

Sometimes, a cambelt will produce a loud noise when the car is running, this happens most often when the vehicle is first started and the engine is cold. The noise could be a squealing, hissing, grinding, rattling, chirping or rumbling kind of sound. Squealing is common for a loose belt, which can indicate wear and the need for replacement. If the belt is fairly new, yet is still making a noise, the driver should have the tension adjusted, but still have the belt visually checked for unusual wear.

Starting Issues

If there is an issue with the cambelt, your vehicle may not start at all. This is because without the belt, the camshaft will not rotate when the crankshaft turns. This can be diagnosed by watching the camshaft while turning the crankshaft. If the camshaft does not turn, the belt is broken.

Visual Check

Another way to check whether your cambelt needs replacing, is to take a look at the belt itself. If it is becoming worn, the belt will appear to look glazed or glossy on the underside. This means the rubber is getting hard and will not provide the flexibility the belt needs. Some signs are much more obvious, such as cracking or fraying. Belts with that kind of damage should be replaced immediately. A further way to check is to press a fingernail or the tip of a screwdriver gently onto the belt. If the pressure does not leave a mark, it means the rubber is becoming too stiff.

As the cambelt can be difficult to get to, a visual and physical check is best done by a professional.

Prevention

For obvious reasons, it’s recommended to carry out regular maintenance on your vehicle. Your mechanic will often notice wear to the cambelt when taking the car in for servicing. If the mechanic does mention replacing the timing belt, it’s best to follow his advice. Timing belt replacement is a whole lot better than timing belt repair. It is probably not a good idea to try to repair a timing belt unless it is a simple short-term belt to get you home. Replacing the cambelt will save you a lot of trouble and money in the future.

Checks To Keep Your Engine Fit and Functional

An engine is like the heart of a car. It needs to run smooth in order to keep your car moving. I can’t emphasize more on how important it is to keep the engine fit and functioning efficiently. Here are 10 engine maintenance tips that’ll help your engine run forever:

#1. Change engine oil at regular intervals

New engine oil being put in the vehicle

This is the least you can do. The engine oil keeps all moving parts well lubricated so that wear and tear is minimal. Also, it traps all the dust, dirt, and sediments, keeping them out of places they shouldn’t be. Check oil levels every month and top up if the level is low. Oil grade and change intervals are subject to the manufacturer’s recommendations. The oil filter is equally important as it filters all the junk from the oil and stops regulation back into the engine. This will ensure that you engine runs smooth and cool.

 #2. Keep check on the cooling system

Coolant being poured in the vehicle

Even though we have come a long way in terms of efficiency of a car engine, a lot of energy is lost during combustion in the form of heat. Metals and alloys, which your car engine is made out of, are not very good friends with heat. Always ensure there is ample coolant in the tank as it is very important for heat dissipation. A 1:1 ratio of coolant and distilled water is ideal. Also, it’s a good thing to look at the engine temp gauge on a hot sunny day and shut your car down in case it’s close to overheating.

#3. Let it breathe

 A used air filter taken out of the vehicle

Short of breath? Feeling tired? Your car’s engine needs oxygen as much as you do. A constricted air flow can cause the fuel to not burn completely, in turn increasing emissions and reducing mileage. Check the air filter and get it cleaned/ changed whenever you feel there is too much dirt and debris stuck to it. Your engine needs to breathe properly to function well and keep going.

#4. Look for leaks

Oil leaking out of a car

When you pull out of the driveway, stop and look at the parking spot for any fluids on the ground. If the fuel is leaking, you should visit the nearest mechanic and get it checked. You can also check under the hood to see or smell something leaking. Engine oil and antifreeze are fluids you should look out for when checking for leaks.

#5. Don’t keep going on reserve fuel

Fuel meter showing reserve fuel level

Petrol contains sediments which settle at the bottom of your tank. Years of running and there will be definitely a layer of crap which shouldn’t reach the engine. Running on low fuel pulls this junk into the fuel pump which could cause a lot of wear. Instead of just praying it doesn’t reach the engine, top up your tank and save yourself repair/ replacement cost of the fuel filter and pump.

How to Tell If You Have a Faulty ECU

The ECU, or engine control unit, is a major component of your car’s onboard computer. It’s used to regulate many systems and subsystems in your car’s engine, drive train and other major components. There are many symptoms that can be associated with a faulty ECU. Here are some ways to tell if yours is damaged or faulty.

The Check Engine Light Is On

If you vehicle’s check engine light remains on constantly, and never goes off, there’s a good chance that your vehicle has a faulty engine control unit. There are numerous reasons why a car’s check engine light will remain on. The most common reason is a problem with the ECU. If you notice that your check engine light is always on, take your in vehicle in for service and request that they check the engine control unit.

The Car Won’t Start

If your vehicle fails to start for no apparent reason, this is also a good indicator that there may be a problem with the ECU. If you check the car battery, starter and other common electrical components, and the vehicle still does not start, a faulty engine control unit should be the next logical thing to consider.

Other Common Symptoms

Many other symptoms can be associated with a faulty ECU. For example, poor performance or unexplained drops in fuel economy or efficiency are often related to onboard car computer problems, or faulty ECU issues.

A damaged ECU can cause problems when shifting gears in an automatic transmission, or cause sudden jerking or stopping that’s similar to transmission problems. If you experience jerking or stopping, you regularly maintain your transmission properly, and the vehicle has adequate levels of transmission fluid, then a faulty ECU should be suspect.

Signs Your Oil Needs Changing

Oil changes are a simple service appointment, but when performed regularly, they can help to extend your engine’s longevity and enhance its overall performance. So why do drivers delay or choose not to change their oil?Unfortunately, most people rely on mileage rather than oil change warning signs to let them know when it’s time to schedule a service appointment. As a result, their vehicles end up suffering from an overdue oil change longer than they should.Oil Change | Philadelphia, PAAt Montgomeryville Nissan near Philadelphia, PA, we want to help your car run like new for as long as possible. So we’ve created your guide to the top five signs that you need an oil change to make sure that you get your vehicle the care it deserves when it needs it most.

1. Dark and Dirty Oil

Clean oil is an amber color. After a while, the fluid darkens and gets dirty from all of the particles it collects from the engine.You won’t know exactly when its color starts to turn, so we recommend checking the condition of your oil every month. To do this, remove the dipstick from your engine, wipe it off, and put it back in. When you remove it again, if you can see the stick through the oil, the fluid is fine.

2. Louder Engine Noise and Knocking

Clean oil provides a thin barrier between engine parts that protects against metal-on-metal contact and keeps your engine quiet on your travels. However, when the fluid starts to break down, it doesn’t lubricate the parts as well so you’ll hear louder engine noise.If you ignore the increased engine sounds, you’ll start to hear knocking, rumbling, and even roaring to let you know that your vehicle is in dire need of an oil change.

3. Oil Change or Check Engine Light

An illuminated oil change light on your vehicle’s dashboard indicates that there’s too little oil in the system. So once you see this light, check your oil level with the dipstick and if it’s insufficient, change your oil as soon as possible. In more serious instances, your check engine light will turn on to let you know your vehicle is at high risk of engine damage due to the lack of fluid or damaged parts.

4. Exhaust Smoke

It’s common to see a translucent vapor coming out your tailpipe when the weather gets colder. But if you notice smoke being emitted, check your oil because there could be an oil leak in your engine.Smoke can also indicate faulty parts in your engine. So if you see there’s enough oil in your vehicle, have a professional perform diagnostics to pinpoint the problem and repair it immediately.

5. Oil Smell Inside the Cabin

Getting a whiff of oil inside the cabin is a huge warning sign. Generally, the odor is strong and means there’s a leak. However, this scent can also be mixed with the smell of gas or exhaust fumes. This indicates that your vehicle is overheating and oil is burning into the exhaust area.An overheating engine can cause serious damage to your car and even ignite a fire. So once you smell oil inside your car, get an oil change right away.

How often should you check your car oil?

Checking and topping up your engine oil is one of the most important car maintenance tasks. But it’s also one of the simplest to do by yourself.

In your annual car service, the mechanic will drain the old oil, replace the oil filter and re-fill with new oil. But you can check your oil and top it up yourself in minutes.

We recommend that you don’t wait until your yearly service. Check your oil yourself every few weeks and especially before long journeys, using our essential car maintenance tips.

If you’ve bought a car and the service history’s not clear, it’ll be hard to know when the oil was last changed. In that case, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so ask your garage to do an oil and filter change.