Posts Tagged ‘Home Accessories’

Waxes for Scented Candles

Friday, May 14th, 2010

The various scented candle waxes

There are numerous types of scented candle available on the market today. The most common is a paraffin scented candle such as Yankee Candles or Price’s Candles. These use paraffin as their fuel and are made from a fast depleting resource, crude oil. Paraffin is a hydrocarbon similar to petrol, diesel and other crude oil derivatives and burns very well (as you would expect). In burning, paraffin releases all manner of toxic substances such as benzene and carbon monoxide. Not good from a health and environmental stand point. More on this later.

Greener waxes are available. Soy wax is natural plant based wax made by hydrogenating soy oil. The soy oil is obtained by crushing soy beans and the waste products from the process are fed to cattle. They in turn fertilise their pasture and so the cycle goes on. The manufacturing process is similar to that used in making margarine. The resultant soy wax is a clean burning creamy soft substance that is ideal for scented candle manufacture. The burning of soy wax has been shown to produce none of the toxic or carcinogenic substances found in burning paraffin wax.

Other natural waxes are available. These include palm wax and beeswax. Both of these do suffer from some disadvantages. Some carry their own scent such as beeswax, others are too unstable at room temperature and the remainder are just plain expensive. These problematic issues render these other natural waxes unsuitable for the vast majority of scented candle making.

Waxes From Crude Oil

Hydrocarbons such as paraffin of course burn very well and produce a strong flame. This is hardly surprising given their origins. They are however unsustainable and produce toxins and carcinogens when burning. It is generally recommended that paraffin waxes are not burnt regularly and that if used indoors, the room should be well ventilated. Surely this defeats the purpose of the scented candle.

The reason that paraffin is used today as a fuel for scented candles is primarily its cost. It is far cheaper to manufacture a paraffin candle than one made from soy. The raw paraffin wax is approximately one third the cost of soy wax. Hey presto, large commercial organisations steer toward this as they can significantly increase profits on each unit manufactured.

A recent article published in numerous UK national newspapers highlighted the toxicity of the burn emissions from paraffin. The conclusions were that a good many of the chemicals emitted were carcinogenic or harmful to health (in sufficient quantity). The same articles gave soy and other vegetable based waxes a clean bill of heath. A very good reason to steer clear of paraffin candles.

Natural Soy Wax

Soy wax is in the author’s view the most appropriate wax for manufacturing scented candles. Firstly it is a natural product and that has to be a prime consideration in today’s environmentally conscious world. It is from a renewable resource and is virtually carbon neutral. Plant to wax to candle, a similar concept to burning wood to heat our homes (admittedly with a little refining thrown in but not too different to resizing timber for consumer use). It is very pleasant to handle with a creamy texture and ideal burn characteristics. In container candles, soy wax creates a wide and deep melt pool that launches the fragrance into the air. That is very difficult to achieve with paraffin candles due to the higher melting point and wick size required to bring about this characteristic.

Other Waxes

Other waxes such as palm wax and beeswax suffer some problems. The stability of the wax at normal room temperature and the intrinsic scent of the wax can be overcome by costly additives. When these factors are combined with the elevated cost of these waxes and the lack of consistent quality, it no longer becomes viable to consider these waxes in scented candle manufacture.

In Summary

Based on the authors experience and the articles mentioned in the review, soy wax has been clearly found to be the most suitable scented candle base wax. The green credentials, burn characteristics and safety in use all contribute to and support this conclusion.

Learn More

If you would like to find out more about the health issues regarding paraffin and soy candles, go to the Author’s website to read the various articles.

The Author is the owner of Busy Bee Candles, a premium handmade scented candle manufacturer. He has extensive experience and expertise in the manufacture of scented candles, wholesale distribution and retail sales. Go to Busy Bee Candles or go to the On line Shop.

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The Magical Benefits of Used Hot Tubs

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Have you ever dreamed of owning your very own spa but couldn’t afford it. Used hot tubs may be the answer, particularly in the current economic climate. Now before the thought passes out of your head again, read on and make an informed decision that could change your life, forever!

If you’ve been looking for the ultimate cure to relieve stress then look no further. Visualize the warm water soaking your body whilst the pulsating jets massage all your aches and pains away. There are numerous activities and sports that people use to focus their aggression on but when it comes to stress, then relaxation must be the key. Using the hot tub system correctly should remove all your anxieties leaving you totally refreshed and relaxed.

The spa or hot tub has always been used for relaxing and medical science has proven that there are indeed health benefits associated with its usage. Although it took many years to achieve this status, there is evidence dating back to Roman times that the people of the empire were encouraged to bathe for much the same reason. The big question is why should sitting in warm water every day improve our health? Well the answer, which seemed to take many years for medical approval, is to do with the slowing down of our heart rate and the blood flowing through our veins.

A growing number of people today think that they have an over abundance of stress in their lives and even more than that complain of some kind of physical pain that is with them on a regular basis. If they were all to spend half an hour a day, resting in hot water, like in a hot tub or a spa, the benefits would probably improve their wellbeing more than any other medication. In addition you could argue that the number of people on the painkiller addiction list would also be vastly reduced. The problem is changing a culture. We are all guilty of looking for a quick fix and because of the pressure on health services, so are doctors! Naturally there are occasions when using medication is the only option but prevention must be the preferred solution. If for example everybody had a hot tub and our parents taught us the benefits from an early stage or we were taught them in school then perhaps the culture would change. It would be like brushing your teeth before going to bed. Surely a large percentage of aches, pains and even crime would reduce in our society if people just took the time to unwind.

Maybe one day the doctors will advise you buying used hot tubs rather than taking antibiotics, you never know. Until then, take my word for it and bear in mind that although it didn’t stop the Romans trying to conquer the world, I wonder how many of them lived longer simply by regularly taking a hot bath? So go on, do yourself a favour and treat yourself.

Graeme has been writing articles for over 3 years now. His current passion is hydrotherapy. Check out his latest website which features some of the best Used Hot Tubs available today and a thorough review of his complimentary range of Hot Tub Steps to make life just that little bit easier.

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Panic Alarms For Home And Business.

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

In all probability, every home and every business would benefit from the security of a panic alarm. Breaks-in are common enough, but with people living longer the chances of stroke or heart attack have risen too. If you were living alone it would be dreadful to be lying on the ground incapacitated for hours. Panic alarms are the answer. They can be sited in a handy location or worn around your neck.

These are not the kind of personal alarms that emit a high pitched whistle or siren sound. Those alarms are meant to discourage criminals on the street or to attract attention to the user. No, I mean a device that starts off your home security system. it does not create a noise of its own, but communicates with the main security control box by some sort of radio signal.

Some of these panic alarms do not trigger the main security siren, but instead send a message to a monitoring security company. These so-called silent panic alarms are most often used in banks, firearms shops and places that handle lots of cash. However, any business could use a silent panic alarm. Household alarm systems usually trigger the external siren in order to signal your neighbours that you are having problems.

Panic buttons are especially helpful to the elderly or and infirm. Sometimes, people fall and cannot get up. You could also have a heart attack or stroke and not be able to make it to the phone. A panic button on a card around your neck would solve this problem. Some of these panic buttons are monitored too and others even have a microphone and speaker so that you can speak to an operator and explain your situation.

Some of these panic buttons have a keypad so that you can transmit codes to the operator. Other means have been built into watches and brooches in order to make them easier to carry. If you wear your panic alarm, it is much less easy to forget to take it with you when you go upstairs or into the garden.

If you can afford security, you really ought to have a system, as good as you can afford, installed into your home and business. A panic alarm is a useful extra item for home and office use too, but it is especially reassuring to the elderly. Many older people are frightened of falling when they are in the house alone and fear of burglars or worse is a constant worry. A panic alarm linked to the main home siren is also a comfort to women living alone.

If you do get a home security system with a panic button, make sure that you keep a spare battery near at hand and check that the battery in the device has not become depleted. You should also advise the neighbours you get on best with that you have a home security set-up and that they should come to your aid or phone the police, if they hear your home security siren and see the flashing light.

Owen Jones, the writer of this writer, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with home security systems comparison. If you are interested in Security Systems For Home Use, please click through to our site.

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The Importance Of Home Security

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

People have always tried to protect themselves and their families, just like most animals do. In very early days, cavemen protected their caves by lighting fires outside the entrance to discourage interlopers and wild animals. Later on, man learned how to increase his security by training dogs to safeguard him and his family. Later still, houses and then doors were invented; bars and locks arrived soon after that.

However, until a few decades ago in the west, people lived in extended large families. A family might consist of six-to-ten children and the mother and the grandmother would often live there too. This made home security systems irrelevant from the early 18th Century to the 1930’s, which were fairly peaceful times. After the Second World War, families were not so big and new families got their own house away from their parents.

Nowadays, both parents are likely to be working and the children are almost certainly at school. This means that many houses are left unoccupied during the day, making them easy plunder for burglars. In fact, the number of household burglaries has risen by almost 10% in the last five years according to American government figures. Furthermore, according to a survey, forty percent of home burglaries were carried out due to inappropriate locks and doors.

ANSI (American National Standard Institute) created a standard for deadbolt locks for external doors which is very difficult to beat. If you are concerned about your exterior doors, you should seek these ANSI deadbolts out, but beware, there are many copies. However, regardless of the type of lock, the quality of the door is just as important. Its thickness and composition can also be a disincentive. After all, why put an elaborate deadbolt on a door made of cardboard?

There are about 14,000,000 home burglaries every year in the United States and many of them are preventable. The first stage that you should achieve in home security is well-built doors and sturdy locks. Deadbolts on exit doors is a good idea.

Once you have done that, get some outdoor security lighting that reacts to either motion or body heat. The former kind are microwave and the latter passive infra red sensors. These sensors will also contain a daylight sensor so that they will only become operational at night. The sensors will also save you money by activating the powerful halogen floodlights only when someone enters the range of the sensor’s beam.

Once you have done that, you ought to think about a home security alarm system. This should consist of contact sensors on all outside doors and windows, vibration sensors on all widows to alarm you in case of breakage and PIR or microwave motion sensors in the corridors and hallways.

Then, if you want to go even further in your home security system, you can install surveillance cameras on each exposed wall of the house and maybe one in the interior too. You do not have to take all these preventive measures at once, if you are short of cash, but they should be taken in that sequence.

Owen Jones, the writer of this writer, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with home security systems comparison. If you are interested in Security Systems For Home Use, please click through to our site.

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Snow Removal Made Easy: John Deere Snow Blower

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Many people enjoy the snow and love to see it but, when the snow falls, snow removal is right there with it. Shoveling snow is an undesirable past time for many, a dreaded job that is very hard work and can also be very time consuming. No one looks forward to shoveling snow. There is an easier, safer method of snow removal, the John Deere snow blower. This piece of equipment is a smart investment and should be a must have for anyone that has every had to shovel snow.

Hard work is the best way to describe shoveling snow and most people detest hard, laborious work. A snow blower could make this repulsive chore turn into a more enjoyable task. Blowing snow is also a lot less time consuming than shoveling.

Shoveling snow can take its toll on the body and it can also trigger undesirable health issues. Shoveling snow has lead to many heart attacks, cases of frost bite, and muscle strain and fatigue. The body has to work harder when doing laborious work but when it is cold it has to work even more than normal.

Shoveling snow can be very time consuming. Working outside in the cold for long periods of time opens the door for another serious health risk. This dangerous health risk is frost bite. Frost bite has been known to cause people to loose limbs and appendages. When working in the cold it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you are falling victim to the associated health risks. Purchasing a snow blower could aid in the removal of these risks associated with shoveling cold, heavy snow.

Are you wondering why purchase a John Deere? Well, for starters John Deere is noted for their quality. There products tend to be more durable and rugged than most. John Deere works hard to provide their customers with quality products. Of course there are other brands that are notable but John Deere is known for their outdoor machinery.

Snow blowers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be small and compact or huge robust machines depending on what you are in the market for. John Deere customers range from businesses to individual people. John Deere can meet whatever your needs and budgets are for snow blowers.

You may think that a John Deere snow blower is way out of your price range and that shoveling snow is cheaper. If you really think about it, purchasing a snow blower is a smart investment. The snow blower would pay for itself by saving you time and even money. If you hurt yourself shoveling the heavy snow you could end up spending a whole lot of money for doctor visits or even worse die.

Take charge and beat the winter blues, purchase a snow blower from John Deere. You will not have to worry about all the manual labor and possible health risk associated with having to shovel snow. Being prepared to combat the winter weather makes the season more enjoyable. Take the plunge, visit your nearest John Deere store today and inquire on a one of their quality snow blowers. It will be an investment you will enjoy having when Mother Nature dumps snow in your area.

Before buying a John Deere Snow Thrower it pays to know the the main features of the different snow blower models as this will allow you to know which model best suits your needs and also your budget

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