Beginner's Guide to Outdoor Decor

Overview for wireless weather stations

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:06:16 +0000

You’re tired of waiting for the morning news to broadcast the weather report.
You don’t want to walk outside to know what the temperature is.
Or the weather in your backyard never seems to match your local weather reports.

If this sounds like you, then you are just the type of person who could use a wireless weather station. Weather enthusiasts have been flocking to take advantage of the relatively new offering of wireless weather stations that have come on the market in the last 10 years. As the market for wireless weather stations expanded, so, too, did the range of product options – from simple weather stations that offer basic weather information, to more elaborate stations that provide more weather information than many know what to do with.

After all, some people just cannot get enough of the weather. Even with all-weather cable TV stations, weather web sites where you can access updated forecasts 24 hours a day, and services that will send weather updates directly to your cell phone, for some people there’s no substitute for weather updates that come straight from their own backyard.

Wireless weather stations work using a small wireless outdoor transmitter or sensor that sends up-to-the-minute weather readings to a display, which is kept inside your home or office. The digital console displays all the weather readings you need. The range between the transmitter and display can typically be as much as 80 to 100 feet.

Features of wireless weather stations

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Wireless weather stations can come as elaborate or simple as you would like. For less than $100, and in some cases less than $50, you can find one that reads indoor temperature, remote temperature (where you have your sensor) and humidity. A model like this also can include radio-controlled date and time reading and multiple temperature readings. The station also may forecast upcoming weather conditions based on changing air pressure and then display the results with icons such as clouds, raindrops or sun in the display. More elaborate weather stations, with even more sophisticated forecasting capabilities and more readings, are available for the budding meteorologist. They can cost of hundreds of dollars.

Weather stations typically include these devices:

Thermometer for measuring temperature (usually indoor and outdoor)
Barometer for measuring air pressure
Hygrometer for measuring relative humidity (the ratio of the amount of water vapor actually in the air compared to the amount of water vapor the air can hold at the particular temperature and pressure)
Anemometer for measuring wind speed and wind direction
Rain gauge for measuring precipitation

Other available features include:

Clock and date indicators that are synchronized with the U.S. atomic clock
Storage for daily maximum and minimum temperatures in memory
Indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity readings
Weather forecast icons: Based on the forecasting capabilities of your weather station, icons indicating sun, clouds or precipitation with appear on the display screen.
Wind chill readings
Several remote sensors for multiple temperature readings (usually up to three)
Alarm and snooze functions
Current moon phases
Air pressure tendency arrows
Connectivity to your personal computer so that you can download all your weather information. Several software programs are available to manage the information. According to www.ambientweather.com, Virtual Weather Station is a software package that allows you to display, plot and store data from your weather station on your personal computer. It also comes in a Pro Edition, which allows you to create a variety of reports such as yearly high and low temperature summaries. An Internet edition of the software allows you to automatically send files to and FTP server or automatically send emails when server weather conditions occur.

Uses for wireless weather stations

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:08:56 +0000

Wireless weather stations can provide enjoyment for novice weather enthusiasts, but they also offer valuable information for hobbyists and others. Here are just some of the uses for wireless weather stations:

Boating: Have one at home for before you leave for the water and one on the boat for up-to-the-minute weather updates. If you plan to install a wireless weather station on your boat, be sure to find a model that functions well in harsh weather conditions.
Gardening and greenhouses: Ensure a bumper crop by using a wireless weather station to measure precipitation in your garden.
Outdoor sports: Know the forecast before you head for the slopes or golf course.
Camping: When you are in the middle of nowhere with no television or internet access, keep tabs on approaching weather patterns to protect your family and ensure an enjoyable camping trip.
Farming: No one is affected by the weather more than farmers, and a wireless weather station provides information about what’s happening in your fields.
Education: Classes at both the elementary and secondary level can enjoy hours of fun and learning from a wireless weather station.

Purchasing tips for wireless weather stations

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:09:41 +0000

Consider these factors when purchasing your wireless weather station:

Cost: Wireless weather stations range in price from under $100 to as much as $300 or $400. As with most things, you get what you pay for. The expensive models will typically offer more weather information than the basic models. Consider the features that are most important to you before starting to look for your wireless weather station and look for the model that offers those.

Quality: The best measure of the quality of a weather station is whether it does what you want it to do – accurately measure the weather conditions. You can find much information on the Internet, as well as customer testimonials to help you determine the quality of a specific model.
Environment: A wireless weather station can only work accurately when it is installed in an environment that allows it to function properly. Be sure you understand the requirements and can replicate that environment where you plan to use your wireless weather station. Know the transmission range before purchasing. Also be sure the manufacturer provides detailed installation and maintenance information with the product.
Warranty and return policy: Be sure you understand the manufacturer’s warranty and return policy in case you get the station installed only to find out it does not work properly.

Installation tips for wireless weather stations

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 16:10:31 +0000

Your wireless weather station is only helpful to you if it is functioning properly and accurately, which depends on proper installation and some simple maintenance. Ambient weather (www.ambientweather.com) offers these tips for installation and maintenance of weather stations:

Never install a wireless weather station in a structure with aluminum siding or roof, because metal acts as a shield.
Transmitting through physical barriers including earth, soil or water may limit transmission. Do not install your wireless weather station at an elevation below the console, such as down a hill, unless there is a line of sight between weather station and the console.
Temperature sensors must be mounted in a shaded, well ventilated area.
Lithium batteries are recommended for wireless weather stations in northern and colder climates.
Salt spray in coastal climates can cause corrosion and poor reliability. Look for a station that is designed for use in harsher environments.
Remember that standard construction walls can reduce the wireless transmission distance by as much as 50 percent.

Follow the installation instructions that come with your wireless weather station closely. Individual stations vary, so manufacturers may offer installation tips specific to your unit.

What are Downspouts?

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:56:49 +0000

If you look along residential homes, you will notice the gutters of the home, which are the horizontal tubes along the end of the roof. At the end of the gutter, there is a downspout. The downspout does exactly what its name entails. It is the vertical tube connected to the gutter that directs the water away from the house. You will notice that the end of the downspout is not pointed toward the home, but in a direction where the water can flow out and away from the house. Depending on the home, the downspout can be anywhere, but it is generally towards the driveway, in order for the water to go easily down the concrete and not flood the grass around your home.

What is a Downspouts' Purpose?

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:59:00 +0000

Downspouts are used on homes and buildings as rain gutter systems. Gutters take the overspill from your roof and guide it to downspouts. To help prevent flooding, the downspout then moves the water down and out of the way of your home’s foundation. This is very important because over time a home can have damage on its sides due to the stress of water draining directly off your roof. If the water was not transmitted away by downspouts, your house would be surrounded by an overflow of water. This would ultimately cause wear and tear on the outside walls of your home.

What Material Should My Downspout Be Made Of?

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:59:42 +0000

Downspouts are offered in a variety of material choices for you to choose from. Some materials available are aluminum, galvanized steel, stainless steel, vinyl, wood, and copper. The most commonly used material in residential houses is corrugated metal. Vinyl and plastic are also used, but that is mainly because they are much cheaper materials, which can be desirable for certain homes. Wood gutters and downspouts are not very common, but if you do desire them, they are very expensive. If you are looking for a very top notch material for your downspout, copper is the way to go. Copper is at the high end of the spectrum and is mainly used in expensive homes. It’s very attractive, never needs to be painted, and it never rusts. Though there are many to choose from, your taste, home, and finances are the main basis for what material you will want to buy for your gutters and downspouts. All of these materials do a well done job at releasing water away from your home.

If you are looking for gutters and downspouts in commercial buildings, the main material used is PVC (a polymer of vinyl chloride). This is a very heavy duty plastic. PVC replaced the former main material, cast iron. Cast iron was heavy and hard to work with, where PVC is lighter and since becoming popular has become much less expensive. For commercial buildings, PVC is the best way to go.

How Do I Clean Downspouts?

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First and foremost, it is very important to keep your gutters and downspouts clean regularly. You do not want to have a big rainstorm come and your downspouts be too clogged up to be effective. This completely defeats their purpose, and can cause flooding outside of your home. If you really hate cleaning your downspouts, then a screen in between the gutter and the downspout can be effective. This way, only water is allowed to pass through to the downspout, which ultimately leads to your downspout never having clogs. If you do not have the screen, then it is greatly suggested to clean your downspouts often. So, how do you go about cleaning downspouts?

• Before you start, put on a protective pair of gloves. Your gutters and downspouts will generally not just consist of leaves. There could be sharp sticks or small branches, bugs, bird droppings, etc. The gloves will make the process much easier and cleanlier.
• Once you have on your gloves, take a while to scrape off any thick and coated dirt or mud. This can cause hinder your gutter and downspouts’ flow of water. Generally, using your hands will take too long and will not be as effective. If you do have dirt or anything else solid built up, scrape it out with a brush.
• Next, take your hose and spray it full force in the way the gutter is supposed to flow. This will clean the gutter and send the materials you just got out down the downspout.
• Next, point your hose on full force down the downspout. If the water comes out the bottom at a rapid and easy pace, then your downspout and gutters are working properly. If there is a delay or less water coming out, then your downspout has a clog.
• If a clog is found, point your hose down the downspout at full blast to try to release the clog of materials. If the clog still exists, get some sort of long material to send down the downspout. For instance, a plumber’s snake. Send the plumber’s snake down the downspout until you reach the clog. Then, pushing at full force, twist the snake around until the clog releases.
• Once the clog is gone, retest your downspouts’ flow of water. Once you get out all of the clogs, the downspouts should be effectively draining.

How Do I Know What Size of Downspout to Purchase?

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:01:12 +0000

Downspouts are sized using hydraulic calculations of areas for rain run-off on roofs. This means that the area of your roof has a certain amount of space available based on the assumption of “an amount” of rain on the roof. Using a worst case condition, it calculates how much rain your roof can possibly hold. This way, they can determine what measurements of a gutter and downspout best fit to your roof, and will most effectively hold and drain the right amount of water. This not only calculates the size of your downspouts, but how many your home might need. It is common for homes to have more than one downspout in order for all of the water to get released properly. Generally, houses are made with predetermined sizes of downspouts so it is easy for you to purchase them, but the calculation and research behind them are what make them so effective. Ground run off is also considered so that the water is evenly distributed and flooding will not occur.

Helpful Tips

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 20:01:48 +0000

• Keep your downspouts clean and free of debris! Water overflowing from the gutter and downspouts can cause flooding.
• Make sure your downspout drains away from the house and into a street- not into your neighbor’s yard!
• When cleaning your gutter and dry wall, do not lean your ladder against the gutter. Find a step ladder and climb, rather than lean against it and put pressure on the gutter.
• If you notice dripping anywhere in between the gutter and downspout, either have someone repair it, or caulk the inside gutter joint yourself.
• To ensure effectiveness of your gutters and downspouts, have them inspected once a year.
• Generally, gutters and downspouts are painted to match the house. If you repaint or touch up house, make sure your gutters and downspouts match.
• If your gutter and downspouts start to hang over or bulge, install gutter hangers to straighten them back up.
• Check your gutters and downspouts after rainstorms or high wind speeds. These are generally what cause the most debris and will save you time when cleaning every few months. Also, if your gutters or downspouts are under or close to a tree, make sure you get the leaves out of the draining system to reduce clogging.

Outdoor Lighting

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:08:09 +0000

Patio Furniture

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:12:12 +0000

Fountains

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:14:39 +0000

Cupolas

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 21:21:44 +0000

Beginner's Guide to Outdoor Decor

Overview for wireless weather stations

Features of wireless weather stations

Uses for wireless weather stations

Purchasing tips for wireless weather stations

Installation tips for wireless weather stations

What are Downspouts?

What is a Downspouts' Purpose?

What Material Should My Downspout Be Made Of?

How Do I Clean Downspouts?

How Do I Know What Size of Downspout to Purchase?

Helpful Tips

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor Lighting Overview

Reason for Using Outdoor Lighting

Setting It Up

Maintaining the Light

Patio Furniture

Types of Patio Furniture

Your Patio Furniture Style

Cleaning and Maintenance of Your Patio Furniture

Tips for Patio Furniture that Lasts

Fountains

Fountains Overview

Benefits of Fountains

Cleaning and Maintenance of Fountains

Sizes and Styles of Fountains

Cupolas

What is a Cupola?

Cupola Purchasing Tips

Installing Your Cupola

Cupolas and Weathervanes