Author: Conner Shields

Home Improvement

Energy Efficient Custom Blinds and Shades

Conner Shields

Boost your home’s energy efficiency while improving its appearance. Custom Blinds and Shades KY offers custom window shades that come in many different styles.

Blinds

Shoppers can customize their options by visiting a full-sized local showroom. The company also offers professional installation for added peace of mind.

Custom blinds and shades are designed to fit specific window sizes and specifications. This allows them to offer better light control, insulation, and aesthetics than ready-made options. Customized windows also provide an ideal solution for hard-to-fit windows and unusually shaped spaces.

Window shades can be customized with a wide variety of fabrics, textures and colors to match the existing aesthetic of rooms and homes. They can also be stacked, layered and configured for optimal privacy along bottom, middle or top portions of windows as desired. This flexibility suits both residential and commercial applications for offices, restaurants, hotels, and more. Additionally, shades can be fitted with child safety features to eliminate strangulation hazards in bedrooms and other sensitive areas.

Whether you prefer the clean lines of cellular shades or the natural look of woven woods, you can personalize your window treatments with colorful fabric tapes and tassels for added flair. They can also be paired with awnings and solar shades to protect indoor surfaces, furniture and décor from sun damage year-round.

Custom cellular shades offer energy efficiency by filtering sunlight and insulating interior spaces against cold and drafts. They can even reduce the demand for heating during the winter and help offset high energy bills. Conversely, in the summer, reflective materials and light-colored shades can deflect sun rays to reduce thermal load and minimize overreliance on air conditioning systems.

Blinds with slats can be tilted to adjust for light infiltration, while raising them for unobstructed views. They can be upgraded with motorization and smart home integrations for a fully integrated, tailored solution to your home needs.

Ready-made blinds are produced in a limited number of sizes and often do not fit properly due to a lack of accurate measurements. On the other hand, custom blinds are assembled to order at Stoneside, ensuring they will fit your windows perfectly. They are based on multiple precise measurements that are taken at your home or business, giving you the best possible look and performance. Our seasoned professionals conduct at-home design assessments, discussing issues like privacy shortfalls and light control capabilities to deliver exactly the results you’re looking for.

Light Control

Whether you prefer the look of blinds or shades, you’ll find options that control light, prevent glare, regulate temperature and more, all while complementing your home decor. And because they’re custom crafted, they fit your windows perfectly, eliminating unsightly gaps and ensuring privacy. They may cost more than ready-made window treatments, but they last longer and provide you with many more choices for style, functionality and features.

When choosing a color, keep in mind that there’s no right or wrong answer. You’re free to choose a shade that matches your walls or goes a step further and creates a dramatic contrast. You can even take advantage of our True Paint Matchmaker to find complementary or contrasting colors from thousands of real paint tones to create the effect you desire.

There’s also no such thing as a wrong fabric or color, either. In fact, your window coverings can be the focal point of a room’s decor. However, you’ll want to consider your lighting needs, as certain fabrics will reflect or absorb light differently than others.

In addition to providing a beautiful aesthetic, window shades can be an energy-efficient solution, helping to reduce your heating and cooling costs. They’re designed to block out the sun’s heat and rays, keeping your living spaces comfortable in both cold and warm weather.

They’re available in an array of colors and styles, including honeycomb-shaped cellular shades with distinct air pockets that add an extra layer of insulation. Sheer shades filter natural light for a soft, elegant look and are perfect for tall windows and large expanses of glass, such as sliding doors or patios.

If you love the appearance of a blind but require the privacy and functionality of a shade, consider the newer hybrid shades/blinds like our Serenity sheer shades and Cascade sheer verticals. These are both constructed with fabric “slats” that tilt open and closed, much like a blind.

Graber’s woven wood shades feature on-trend earthy weaves and mixed textures to enhance any decor. Their woven design naturally filters natural light, preventing glare and reducing fading while providing privacy and simple operation. They’re also a great option for adding a touch of organic character to your space and are available in a range of on-trend colors and materials.

Energy Efficiency

The type of window treatments you choose plays a big role in your energy efficiency. Cellular shades, for example, are a great option to help conserve energy and keep your home cool and comfortable. These honeycomb-shaped window blinds offer an extra layer of insulation to prevent heat from escaping during colder months and warm air from entering during warmer ones, which cuts down on the strain on your heating and cooling system.

You can also improve energy efficiency by pairing cellular custom made window blinds with thermal drapes to create a multi-layered barrier against conditioned air loss and gain. These types of window treatment pair well with a variety of fabric colors and transparency levels to maximize light control and privacy while maintaining a high level of insulation.

Unlike ready-made window blinds, customized options are assembled to your exact measurements. This ensures they fit perfectly and eliminates the gaps, light leaks, and sags that can impact their overall look and insulating properties. Add to that the ability to have motorization installed to allow you to easily program them to open, close and adjust at specific times throughout the day, and you have a winning combination for both energy efficiency and style.

Additionally, if you opt for cordless alternatives like cellular shades or Serenity Sheer Shades, these will reduce the risk of children or pets tripping or getting tangled on the cords, which is especially important given the troubling statistic that nine young kids die each year from strangling on corded window treatments. For even more safety, consider a cord-free option like the LiteRiseTM, which operates similarly to a traditional vertical blind but does not use any strings or pull cords for operation.

Ready-made blinds are manufactured in a limited number of sizes and styles long before anyone ever buys them, which means that you’re likely to find that they don’t quite match your window. This is an inconvenient and costly mistake to make that can be avoided with the right customization options.

Aesthetics

When choosing custom blinds and shades, it’s important to consider how they’ll fit into your existing aesthetic. If the new window treatments clash with your color palette or are too dramatic a contrast to your walls and floors, they may become an eye-catching focal point rather than a complement.

Window treatments that blend in with your room’s color scheme create a seamless and cohesive look that elevates the entire space. Lighter colors are a great option, as they’re more neutral and less likely to clash with future redecorating efforts. In contrast, darker shades and blinds can add a more dramatic aesthetic to rooms with bolder decor elements.

Custom blinds and shades are available in a range of styles and materials to suit any home decor, from rustic to modern. For homeowners with a preference for more classic elegance, wood blinds are an excellent choice. Available in various stains and finishes to perfectly match any woodwork, these window coverings are a natural choice for homes with traditional or transitional style.

For a more contemporary aesthetic, custom blinds like roller or Roman shades provide a clean and streamlined look. They’re also available in a range of light-filtering fabrics to maintain an inviting ambiance and balance privacy.

Blinds with cordless designs are a smart choice for households with children, as they eliminate the strangulation hazards associated with traditional dangling cords. We even offer motorized options that allow you to adjust your custom shades from a distance, further enhancing safety and convenience.

Regardless of the style you choose for your custom window fashions, it’s important to keep in mind how they will impact your home’s energy efficiency. For instance, choosing a darker color shade can trap heat in the winter, while lighter shades will help to keep your home cool. In addition, dark shades will block more sunlight from entering a room, helping to lower energy costs and reduce harmful UV rays.

Business Services

Navigating Life Insurance – Tips For First-Time Buyers

Conner Shields

Buying life insurance is an important decision. It can help provide loved ones with peace of mind after an individual passes away.

However, navigating the process can be overwhelming for first-time buyers. Fortunately, there are some tips from Independent Life Insurance Agent to help make it easier. These tips include: 

life insurance

Know Your Needs

Purchasing life insurance is an important investment. It’s important to assess your needs and financial goals to determine the amount of coverage that will benefit your family. It’s also important to consider the duration of the policy to ensure that it aligns with your long-term financial objectives and ability to pay premiums over the policy period.

The first step in determining the right coverage is to understand your family’s financial goals and what you want them to be able to accomplish after your death. This will help you decide between term or permanent life insurance, and whether you’d like to add a rider to the policy (e.g., return of premium or child term rider).

Once you have a better understanding of your goals, you’ll need to determine how much life insurance coverage you need. To calculate this, you’ll need to take into account your debts, income replacement needs, mortgage balance, and children’s future education costs. While many online calculators can help you estimate your coverage needs, it’s best to seek professional advice to get an accurate measurement.

Once you know how much coverage you need, you’ll need to choose a provider and agent. Be sure to check their licenses with your state’s department of insurance, division of finance, or similar governing body. Additionally, you should look at the company’s financial strength ratings from independent rating agencies and reviews of their customer service. Also, if the policy you’re considering has a cash value component, you should ask for an illustration of the growth over time. You’ll likely have the option to borrow against the cash value or withdraw it, but the money you withdraw will be subject to federal income tax.

Know Your Budget

A major stumbling block for many consumers looking to buy life insurance is finding out how much coverage they need and what their policy will cost. There are several different ways to determine how much coverage you need, including calculating your debts and estimating future expenses. However, one of the most effective ways to find out what amount of coverage you need is to speak with a financial professional. They will be able to help you calculate how much coverage you need and help you find the right policy for your budget.

During the consultation, you’ll discuss your current savings and debts, your family finances, and any other factors that may influence your needs. Your advisor will then recommend a certain amount of coverage that will be sufficient for your situation and provide you with an estimate of what the policy will cost.

When figuring out how much coverage you need, consider all the current and ongoing expenses that your loved ones would face if you died, including mortgages or rent, car payments, utilities, food, child care, and education expenses. Additionally, you’ll want to account for funeral costs and any other final expenses. If you’re married, your spouse should also be factored into the equation as he or she will likely need some coverage to pay off debts and maintain a level of standard of living after your death.

Your income will also play a role in how much you can afford to spend on your life insurance coverage. If you earn a higher income, you can typically purchase more coverage for a similar price as someone who makes less. Also keep in mind that as you get older, your premiums will increase and you may run the risk of developing a medical condition that could prevent you from qualifying for coverage.

Consider Your Credit Score

In the same way that your credit score can impact mortgage rates, auto loans, and even the terms of your credit cards, it can also make a difference in your life insurance eligibility. That’s because a good credit score indicates you have managed your finances well and are likely to be able to meet your life insurance obligations, including paying premiums on time.

When you apply for life insurance, your credit is reviewed as part of the underwriting process. The good news is that applying for life insurance typically won’t impact your credit score — although you should be aware that the life insurance company may conduct what is known as a hard inquiry on your credit report to help determine the risk level associated with insuring you. A hard inquiry will typically take a few points off of your credit score, so you should consider how that could affect your ability to qualify for life insurance before applying.

In addition to the information you provide in your application, underwriters evaluate other factors like medical records and a possible medical exam. They also look at your age and gender, lifestyle, smoking habits, hobbies, and other health-related issues.

Whether you have a good or bad credit history, working with an experienced financial professional can help guide you through the process and ensure you have all the information you need to make a sound decision about the type and amount of life insurance coverage that’s right for you. It’s also a good idea to research the life insurance provider you choose, checking for licensure and financial stability with your state insurance department. You can also check with reputable rating agencies.

Ask Questions

There are many things to consider when purchasing life insurance. This is why it’s important to understand the different types of policies and what they cover. An independent agent can help you understand the different options and provide personalized guidance based on your unique situation. They can also offer a range of options from multiple insurers so that you can find the right policy to fit your needs.

One of the first questions you should ask a client is if they have any existing coverage. This can give you a clearer picture of their current situation and help you determine if they need additional coverage. If they do have existing coverage, you can ask them a few follow-up questions to see how much they have and what their death benefit is. This can be a good way to start building your relationship with the client and laying the foundation for your recommendations.

Another question you should ask is what they are looking to accomplish with their life insurance purchase. This will help you understand their goals and make sure they are getting the appropriate coverage for their specific situation. For example, someone who is saving for a house may need more coverage than someone who is paying off debts or funding their child’s college education.

Lastly, it is important to know whether or not the policy requires a medical exam. Some policies do require a medical exam, while others do not. Having this information will help you decide which option is best for you and your family.

If you are considering life insurance, it’s important to ask the right questions. By doing so, you can be confident that you are making an informed decision and that your loved ones will be provided for after your death.

Know Your Options

There are many different kinds of life insurance, and each one caters to a different financial goal. It’s important to understand the different options and choose the right policy for your needs. The process of finding the right policy can be confusing, but knowing what to look for can help you make a well-informed decision and find coverage that fits your lifestyle.

You should also consider the amount of coverage you need. This will depend on your financial goals, the number and age of your dependents (if any), and other obligations you may have, such as a mortgage, child care, or retirement savings. Many people underestimate the amount of coverage they need. When choosing a policy, think about how much your family would need to pay off your debt, cover funeral costs, or maintain their current standard of living after you’re gone.

Once you know what type of policy to purchase, it’s time to shop around. Look for a provider that offers the policy at the most affordable rate. Be sure to compare the terms of each policy and check out the company’s financial stability rating. You can find this information online or by contacting your state’s department of insurance or similar governing body.

Buying life insurance isn’t just about protecting your loved ones; it can help you reach your own financial goals as well. So, be sure to take your time and navigate the process carefully. You’ll be glad you did when you’re able to give your family the financial security they deserve. Then, you can focus on achieving the rest of your dreams. Good luck!

Excavation Services

Excavation Safety – The Hidden Perils

Conner Shields

Excavation safety isn’t just a legal requirement or a box to tick in the construction industry; it’s life-and-death serious. The hidden perils that can lurk during excavation work have devastating consequences for people and businesses alike.

Level Ground Excavation involves complying with regulations and ensuring workers have proper equipment. It’s about valuing the lives of people who work in these dangerous environments and creating systems that promote a culture of safe practices. From traditional shoring and shielding to cutting-edge technologies, the construction industry continually develops ways to improve excavation safety.

excavation

PCBUs must control risks associated with excavation work to prevent harm so far as is reasonably practicable. This includes managing the risk of ground collapse by ensuring appropriate precautions are in place.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration sets standards for excavation workers, including specifics on cave-in protection and other safety measures. These rules and precautions ensure workers can complete their work without endangering themselves or others. However, putting those precautions into practice takes work. Construction firms must ensure their workers receive the training to apply them consistently and effectively.

Proper protective systems can mean the difference between an unsafe working environment and a project finished on time and within budget. However, choosing the right defensive system for a specific job can be complex and require expert input.

For example, the type of machinery available on a particular job site can influence the type of protective system appropriate for an excavation. If a steel trench shield is required, but the only machine is a backhoe that cannot handle the weight of such a shield, another protective system must be chosen.

When selecting a protective system, a competent person must consider several factors, including soil classification, depth of cut, water content of the soil, changes caused by weather or climate, surcharge loads (e.g., spoil or other materials to be used in the trench) and other operations nearby. A certified professional engineer may be needed to design the appropriate protection system for each excavation.

Shielding is the most common method of protecting workers from cave-ins, with trench boxes and other supports preventing soil collapse. Sloping and benching are also used to preserve excavations from collapse by cutting trench walls away from the bottom of the excavation at a safe angle. However, sloping and benching must be carefully designed to minimize the risk of collapsing material or creating a hazardous atmosphere at the bottom of an excavation.

The key to safe excavation work is identifying hazards and determining the best controls. This includes protecting workers from falls, cave-ins, inhalation hazards from contaminants that take oxygen from the environment (such as hydrogen sulfide gas and carbon monoxide), water ingress, and flooding. Providing a safe means of entry into and exit from excavations is also important. Using the risk management process, PCBUs should consider these hazards and plan to control them before work starts. They should also regularly review the hazards and their controls.

Hazard identification includes assessing the work site, including ground conditions and existing services. The competent person should consult with relevant people to determine the appropriate method and safe system of work for each site. They should also train workers and monitor the excavations for signs of a potential collapse or other hazards.

Before work begins, underground services such as power, water, and sewer lines must be located. This can be done by contacting the local utility supplier to find out the location of these lines. Then, workers should dig away from these lines and check each trench before and after work to ensure they are not buried or otherwise affected by the excavation.

Workers should wear high-visibility clothing around excavations to make them easily identifiable by drivers of heavy vehicles. They should also be provided with warning signs to indicate the proximity of an excavation. In addition, all excavations should be inspected daily to assess the soil’s condition and to check protective systems. The competent person should immediately remove workers from an excavation if they detect a situation that could lead to a cave-in, such as flooding or deteriorating soil conditions.

Other hazardous conditions associated with excavation include vibration and noise, water ingress and flooding, struck-by hazards, mobile equipment accidents, and confined spaces. A competent person should implement controls to minimize these hazards and keep workers safe, such as ensuring the area is properly fenced, monitoring noise levels and vibration, training employees on safe work practices, providing adequate ventilation, and limiting exposure times.

Training is a critical component of excavation safety. It teaches workers how to identify and avoid hazards, as well as how to use excavating equipment safely. It also covers the relevant work health and safety (WHS) regulations for the job and demonstrates how to follow emergency response protocols.

In addition to training, a qualified supervisor or competent person must always be present when an employee works at an excavation. This ensures that someone can always communicate with and supervise the work. It is also important that this person knows the ins and outs of emergency response procedures and equipment.

Regularly inspecting the excavation site before each shift starts is a good practice. This can help prevent issues such as unsafe soil or the collapse of walls or sides of an excavation. The competent person can then take the appropriate action to address these issues.

Another crucial aspect of excavation safety is ensuring that all workers know the location of underground services and know not to strike them. This includes gas, water, stormwater, sewerage, electricity, telecommunications lines, chemicals, fuel, and refrigerant in pipes or ducting. It is a good idea to consult the service owners and the relevant authority before starting work near these services.

Other controls for working around services include identifying, marking, and recording the position of all existing underground services using cable, pipe, and service plans. PCBUs should also consider other engineering controls such as benching, battering, or shoring to reduce the risk of ground instability during excavation work.

When a worker is working in a trench, they must be protected from potential collapse. To do this, the excavation must be sloped or shored to hold back soil. A qualified person must carry out these operations, and they should be conducted in conjunction with an emergency response plan that includes personal protective equipment such as face masks and respirators.

Moreover, a competent person must inspect all trenches and excavations daily before work is done on-site. Additionally, they must check them as conditions change. This means that they must not only look at the depth of the ditch but also ensure that any hazards, such as underground utility lines or heavy equipment, are kept a significant distance away from the edge of the trench.

In addition, a competent person must ensure that the excavated area is properly ventilated. This prevents hazardous fumes from collecting and putting workers at risk. Additionally, they must ensure that electrical equipment in the trench is properly grounded and tagged or marked as dangerous. Moreover, they must have systems to ensure that the lockout/tag-out procedures are consistently followed.

Finally, a competent person must ensure that all equipment in the excavation is tested for flammable gas and liquids and that the results are recorded before work begins. A continuous monitoring system (audible alarm preferred) should also alert workers of rising % LEL levels. Furthermore, a new gas test should be performed before the excavation resumes if a permit is suspended for any reason.

Ultimately, it’s clear that safety in excavation and trenching is more than just a regulatory concern. It’s about more than just compliance and legal responsibilities; it’s an ethical responsibility that should be prioritized in construction companies of all sizes. When it comes to protecting human life, there are few things more important than following OSHA standards and fostering a workplace safety culture. By reflecting on the statistics, examining comparative scenarios, and acknowledging the immense human impact of an accident like a trench collapse, it becomes clear that there is no room in the construction industry for neglecting excavation safety.