How to Make Your Fireplace More Energy Efficient

With the cost of energy on the rise everyone is looking for ways to become more energy efficient when it comes to heating and cooling their homes. Families are doing many different things to achieve this goal. They are installing modern HVAC systems, they are upgrading their current system, and many people are installing wood stoves and fireplaces so they can burn wood. These are all great ideas, but did you know that if you have a fireplace you can increase it's efficiency as well. This article will cover several different methods of making your current fireplace more efficient.

How Your Fireplace Works

The first step to making your fireplace more efficient is to understand how it works. As we all know a fire requires oxygen to burn, it gets this oxygen from air. While your fireplace is burning wood two other basic principles are in effect. The first principle is that hot air rises, this means that you lose some of your heat up the chimney. The second principle is that cold air drops. This means that there is a constant flow of cold air coming down the chimney into your home. To make your fireplace more efficient you must reduce the effects of these natural processes.

Glass Doors

The first solution is to install a set of heavy glass doors in front of your fireplace. There are many different types of doors on the market, and they are reasonably priced making this fix one of the fastest and least expensive options. Fireplace doors are designed with small vents in the bottom that will give your fireplace an adequate supply of oxygen so it can burn. Glass doors also keep you from losing warm air from your home up the chimney. They also help to prevent cold air coming down the chimney from entering your home. Another benefit of glass doors is that many of them are ornate and beautiful which will add to the overall look of your fireplace and the room where it is located.

Fireplace Inserts

Installing a fireplace insert may be the best way to make your fireplace more efficient. While adding an insert will cost a little more, you will find that your home is warmer and that you burn less wood. A fireplace insert is much the same as a wood stove only it fits inside of your existing fireplace. You will have a liner installed in your chimney that will be connected to your insert. What makes and insert so energy efficient is that it is tightly sealed. You will not lose warm air up the chimney because the insert is tightly sealed with a heavy door on the front. This tight seal will not allow cold air into your home. Another factor is the liner, it is also tightly sealed so less cold air comes down the chimney in the first place.

Other Possible Options

Another option that is less expensive than the first two options is to line the back of your fireplace with sheet metal. This will act as a reflector and reflect more warm air into your home. If your fireplace is older check your damper. Over time dampers lose some of their ability to seal properly. If your damper is not sealing properly then replace it, this can make a big difference in the efficiency of your fireplace.

Michael S Bauer loves decorating, and has a passion for home styling. She currently is using her skills writing for ventless fireplace which is a highly competitive eCommerce company which provides home fireplaces of all types.

Getting Supplies for Your Weapons Online

Using your firearms safely and effectively calls for you to have the right supplies for it on hand. When you want to have everything you need to shoot, you may want to look beyond the inventory of your local outdoor and hunting stores. You can find ammunition, magazines, AK 47 accessories, firearms, and more for sale when you shop online. You can also find out what your state's laws are regarding online weapon purchases when you visit the website.


Accessories for Safety and Ease of Use

A big part of being able to shoot safely and effectively involves being able to maintain a solid grip on your weapon. If the handle slips in your hand or your magazines fall out while firing, you could end up hurting you or someone else.

Rather than worry about each time you use your firearm, you can shop online for accessories like holsters, grips, stocks, and more. These items will let you maintain a solid hold on your gun while you fire. They also let you safely carry your weapon in public without the worry of dropping it or having someone knock into you and accidentally discharge it.


Cleaning Kits and More

After you use your weapon, you must clean it so that it fires effectively the next time you plan on carrying it with you. You do not want to risk your gun jamming or backfiring on you. You can keep your gun clean and polished by buying a cleaning kit on the website. The kit has everything you need to clean both the inside and outside of the gun. It also contains instructions on how to use it properly.

When you want to learn how to use your gun more effectively, you may be interested in reading books about your particular gun or about owning weapons in general. The website has a variety of books related to these and other gun ownership topics. You can add this literature to your other weapon and accessories purchase.

Along with gun-related items, you can also find outdoor gear for sale online. For example, if you worry about surviving in the elements, you can buy a survival box that comes with all of the items you need to stay safe and well until you are found.


You must be safe while carrying a gun. You can buy supplies, accessories, and more online today.

Emergency Preparedness Tips For Winter Storms

When you want to make sure that you are ready for harsh winter conditions, you'll find that there are a few things that you need keep in mind. Being unprepared for winter weather can result in everything from severe injuries to sickness, even to death, and if you want to make sure that you and your family are going to be okay, remember that you should prepare as thoroughly as possible.
 
Your Home
Your home is going to be the first thing that you need to look at. You and your family might be trapped there for days or even weeks if the storms are very bad, so make sure that you have all of the essentials that you need. How well are you currently prepared and what can you do to really be safe? The things that you need are very simple, but unless you take them into account, you may suffer in the time that it takes for rescue to come.
First, do you have a heat source? Even if your furnace is running fine, remember that you should setup a backup heating source on top of it. Space heaters are one way to deal with it, as is keeping enough wood around for your fireplace. Also make sure that you have a good method to create the fire if necessary.
Also make sure that all your pipes are insulated. In the case of a sudden temperature drop, you may find that the water in the pipe expands. This can cause the pipe to burst, but it can also stop up your water supply.
Know what you are going to do if a fire breaks out. Are your smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in working order? Does everyone know how to use them? You'll find that good fire safety precautions are essential when you want to make sure that your family stays safe.
Is there enough food, water and medicine in your winter storm emergency backpack? What first aid supplies do you have at your disposal? You may need to get by for a few days without being able to get to the store.
Make sure that you keep at least one cell phone with two charged batteries on hand in case your telephone service shuts down. This can help you call for emergency assistance should the need arise.

The Essentials
When you have the above taken care of, you'll find that you are in pretty good shape for winter storm preparedness. Also make sure that you consider the following. They are also quite important and can be found in a number of different ways.
When you have important objects like flashlights, radios and weather radios, also make sure that you have the new batteries that go along with it. Test both items and batteries regularly to make sure that they still work.
Blankets are another thing that you need to think about. Winter storms are cold, and making sure that everyone has at least two to three blankets is important. This can keep everyone comfortable if the heat is interrupted.
What do you have that will help you remove snow, ice and sleet? Windshield scrapers, hoes, brooms and even shovels should be kept where you can reach them.Make sure that you keep things like rock salt, road salt and sand on hand to break through frozen surfaces. It is important to keep these items handy as well.
If you are worried about getting help, look into emergency flares and other types of lighting.

Conclusion
Remember that survival is your primary goal in the event of a winter storm situation. Make sure that your home is ready for everything the weather can throw at it, and that you and your family can survive for as long as it takes. The steps above can help improve your chances for survival by a wide margin.

Chris Perry has been in the emergency preparedness field for several years. He hopes to help families all over the world avoid heartache by helping them be prepared in a disaster situation. He also writes for the site [http://www.ntemergencysurvivalsupplies.com/] which offers emergency backpacks [http://www.ntemergencysurvivalsupplies.com/emergency-backpack] emergency food and water, first-aid, and other preparedness goods.

Perfect Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight

Having a good flashlight is a must and I think that I found a great one, Tactical LED Flashlight! This flashlight is drop resistant to up to 30 feet and is rechargeable! It comes with its own battery and charger. I love that about this flashlight. Keeps it always ready and not have to worry about running out of batteries. It is a VERY bright high power light that has 1000 lumens LED lightbulb. It is the perfect size to keep in your pocket at all times or can even be mounted on a rifle. It has different lighting modes, high, medium, low, zoom, strobe, and SOS. This flashlight would make a great gift for anyone that is a camper, hiker, hunter, fisher, or a prepper who wants to light up their way when the power goes out. This is a must-have flashlight for all of its great qualities. Heavy duty and rechargeable makes this my number one item of the year!!

Fish Antibiotics

If you're new to the whole concept of Fish Antibiotics, there are a few basics you need to know. These are not antibiotics made from fish. Neither are they tiny pills you must cram down your guppy's throat. In general they are pills or capsules of the same size and strength humans use.

Although you cannot buy human or even dog antibiotics in the U.S. without a legal prescription, a federal loophole allows these same antibiotics to be sold over-the-counter for aquarium use. (Most physicians and pharmacists are unaware of this exemption.) Many of these so-called fish antibiotics are the same quality and dosage as human antibiotics (USP grade, AB-rated generics). Those who purchase these products are implicitly agreeing to use these antibiotics for aquarium purposes only.

Over the past year several fish antibiotic retailers have disappeared, probably having caught the eye of the FDA. Again, by law these antibiotics are sold only for aquarium use, to keep your pet fish healthy and happy, though it is clear from certain websites that they are being sold for human consumption. It is currently illegal to sell these medications to treat human infections, although the enforcement of that intention may be difficult to regulate.

Are you taking your life into your own hands if you come down with a sore throat and decide to treat yourself with your guppy-cillin? Probably not, regarding the purity of the medication, if it is a USP grade AB-rated generic... but maybe so, if you are allergic to penicillin and but presumed amoxicillin would be safe.

The problems with antibiotic use are manifold: perhaps more often than not, antibiotics are used for infections they cannot cure, for conditions that are not even infections, for the wrong infections, and for self-limiting disease that requires no antibiotics. Overuse leads to antibiotic resistance and to increasing difficulty treating serious infection. Millions of people suffer antibiotic reactions each year, some of which are fatal. Would you take penicillin for gonorrhea if you knew it might actually make the condition worse?

Just because penicillin, cephalexin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, and several other antibiotics can be purchased for aquarium use does not mean people should be treating themselves. Infectious disease doctors spend a lifetime studying the best and safest ways to treat infection. Additionally, it is an ethical question whether you should honor the promise inherent in the purchase.

On the other hand, if you knew without a doubt that TEOTWAWKI was just around the corner, you might feel it your moral obligation to do all you can now to protect your family in the future. Would it be immoral to withhold aquatic sulfamethoxazole from your daughter with a kidney infection if there's no doctor to be found? Having Fish Antibiotics on hand, just in case disaster strikes, is not unreasonable. After all, doctors do prescribe them for pampered patients whose dream vacation may be threatened by traveler's diarrhea. The end of the world as we know it may be a bit more serious. No one knows the day or the hour, but is it imprudent to be unprepared?

I always advise readers to discuss potential medical needs with their personal physician. However if this does not yield what one requires to feel safe and prepared, I know many people turn to fish antibiotics for potential use in emergency situations where medical care is unavailable.
As of 2015 I've noticed a few changes. The window of opportunity to acquire certain strong antibiotics may be closed. After searching several web sites I no longer find the ready availability of amoxicillin-clavulanate, levofloxacin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, or cefdinir, and several web sites simply are no more. I expect they didn't follow the letter of the law.

Penicillin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, cephalexin, sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and doxycycline continue to be available. Ketoconazole is an anti-fungal, not an antibiotic, and should be avoided due to occasionally irreversible liver damage.

Again I stress that no one should be using any of these without professional medical advice. But knowing that people will do what they must when threatened with life-endangering illness and nowhere to turn, I've addressed correct antibiotic use in great detail in my book, Armageddon Medicine, information I hope you'll never actually need.

ARMAGEDDON MEDICINE - HOW TO BE YOUR DOCTOR WHEN THERE'S NO OTHER CHOICE
http://www.ARMAGEDDONMEDICINE.net
Essential answers to worrisome questions
Protect your family and be prepared!

Cynthia J Koelker MD is a family physician with over twenty years of experience. She is a member of MENSA and is a graduate of MIT, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the University of Akron. She is Medical Editor for http://www.SurvivalBlog.com and is author of Armageddon Medicine.

I have been seeing so much online about using fish antibiotics and wanted to share this article that I found.