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  • Is It Time To Replace That Old Furnace?

    Is It Time To Replace That Old Furnace?

    Winter north of the Mason-Dixon line area can bring unpredictable weather. From cold, rainy fall days to snowstorms, having reliable heat in the colder months is demonstratively obligatory. Now is the time to ensure that your gas furnace can get you through the winter and keep your home warm and toasty.

    Furnaces are one of the most important pieces of equipment in your home. Having a furnace go out unexpectedly is one of the most stressful situations a homeowner can face. You can’t let this happen in the dead of winter.  It’s important to keep track of how efficiently and effectively your natural gas furnace is running. Furnaces give certain telltale signs that they are failing.

    By keeping an eye out for the main signs, you can be prepared for a furnace repair or replacement.  In addition, being prepared will allow you to do research on new high-efficiency natural gas furnaces before the time comes to replace your unit. High-efficient natural gas furnaces operate at up to 98% efficiency, far greater efficiency than older furnaces. Let’s talk about 5 sure fire signs it is time to replace your furnace.

    Higher than Expected Energy Bills

    Energy bills are higher despite usage staying the same. Furnaces that have become inefficient have to work harder to provide proper heating, resulting in more expensive heating bills. Consider spending the money to replace your furnace and enjoy the benefits of a reduced bill during the life of your new appliance.

    If your furnace is operating with little to no maintenance issues, but you’re noticing a higher utility rate and you’d like to get your bills down, there may be some lower cost solutions for you. Some alternative options may be updating your thermostat to a programmable one, cleaning or updating your duct system, purchasing an electric fireplace or portable heater, or just adding some extra blankets around the house. Or just bite the bullet and replace the furnace, it is only a matter of time.

    Your furnace is more than 15 years old.

    If your furnace is past its 15-year mark and beginning to have maintenance issues, there is a very good chance it will need to be replaced. It may be working, but it is likely not operating at maximum efficiency and your utility bills are probably at all time high as a result.

    Furnaces are like cars; the older they are, the more maintenance they need, usually incurring the most breakdowns in the last two years of their lives. If your furnace is roughly 15 to 20 years or older and you have a repair costing more than 15 percent of a new furnace, you should go ahead and replace it (because it is more likely to break down again soon).

    Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is, no matter the age of the furnace, if the cost to repair is 50 percent or more of the cost of a new furnace, you should replace it.

    The Rooms Throughout Your Home are Different Temperatures

    Do you feel that some rooms are too cold while others are too hot? Or are you always trying to adjust your thermostat to make your home more comfortable? This is a sign that your furnace lacks the ability to properly distribute the air to keep you comfortable in your home.

    An inefficient and old furnace can result in some rooms being colder or warmer than others. This is likely the result of an old furnace and outdated duct system losing its ability to distribute heat evenly throughout the house.

    The Burner Flame is Yellow Or Making Strange Noises

    A yellow or flickering flame may be a sign that poisonous carbon monoxide could be created by your furnace. The Flame should be blue. Other possible signs of carbon monoxide are:

    • Streaks of soot around furnace.
    • Absence of an upward draft in your chimney.
    • Excess moisture found on windows, walls, or other cold surfaces.
    • Excessive rusting on flue pipes, other pipe connections, or appliance jacks.
    • Small amount of water leaking from the base of the chimney, vent, or flue pipe.
    • Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from the outside.

    All of these could signal the yellow flame and all of these will cause you to replace your furnace.

    Now the noise. Whats is that noise? Old furnaces often start to make some strange noises as they get toward the end of their life. Have you heard any banging, popping, rattling, or squealing noises coming from your furnace? Another noise too lookout for is when you hear the furnace blower running excessively. Does your blower turn on and off frequently or does it blow cold air sometimes? If so, this is a sign that your furnace may need to be replaced.

    Is Your House Dry or Dusty?

    Old furnaces often lack the ability to moisturize and clean the air in your home. The air may feel stuffy or stale. Does anyone in your family suffer from allergies to airborne dust, mold, pollen, viruses or dander? Or does anyone suffer from dry nose, dry throat, or dry skin? Other signs may be frequent dust accumulation, static shocks, drooping plants, furniture cracking and musical instruments that do not stay in tune. These signs all suggest that your old furnace is not capable of providing you with the comfort you and your family may want.

    If your heating system does not provide adequate moisture or clean air in your house, it may be a sign to replace your home heating system. Excessive dryness affects the walls, furniture and the plants in your house. Also, this extreme dryness can cause problems for you and your family, especially if anyone has the allergies we mentioned above. So, when you see the walls peeling or your plants drooping, it’s probably time to get a new furnace.

    In Summary

    The real takeaway here should be that the winter is going to be cold, it’s going to be dark and it’ll happen every year, so get a new furnace. The general rule of thumb is that if the cost of maintenance or repair of your furnace is more than 50% of the cost of a new one, just replace it.

  • How a Plant-Based Diet can Save Your Life

    How a Plant-Based Diet can Save Your Life

    Keto, paleo, Atkins, Starch Solution: they all have one thing in common. They’re all geared to help you lose weight, feel better and live healthier. Here’s the problem: none of them work in the long-term. That’s right, nutritionists agree that these diets can be helpful in the short term, but they’re just not feasible as long-term dietary lifestyles. However, one enduring dietary lifestyle has stayed around for centuries and remains one of the best things you can do for your body: the plant-based diet.

    What is a Plant-Based Diet?

    Plant-Based Diets are Simple

    The best thing about plant-based diets is just how simple they are. In essence, the only thing different about a plant-based diet is that you’re focusing your diet primarily on things like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and mushrooms. Okay, we know mushrooms are fungi, not plants, but they still make the cut. However, while many people think this diet might sound prohibitively limiting, that’s far from the truth!

    There are hundred upon hundreds of plant-based meals you can prepare. From stir-fried vegetables to rice and beans, tacos with black beans to healthy, plant-based pizzas. You can prepare delicious pasta dishes, hearty salads, and much, much more. The only limit to a plant-based diet is your imagination and creativity.

    Why Plant-Based?

    Switching to a plant-based diet can be a great way to watch out for your health, and there are numerous reasons for this. If you focus on plant-based foods instead of processed foods, you’ll cut a number of harmful things from your diet. Processed sugars, trans fats and fatty oils are all very high in processed foods. If you opt instead for fresh vegetables and fruit, you avoid these potentially harmful items!

    Similarly, by choosing to eat plant-based you will eat many more healthy vitamins and minerals. Many people don’t get nearly enough of the vitamins they need and rely instead on multivitamins, or simply go without. However, with a plant-based diet this isn’t the case. Your iron, B vitamins, vitamins A and C, and many more are all more than covered with a balanced plant-based diet.

    For Your Wallet

    As anyone who has been to a grocery store recently will tell you, meat is expensive. Likewise, junk food and processed foods are also rather pricey. On the other hand, produce tends to remain quite affordable. Rice, beans, vegetables and fruits all tend to stay rather low on the scale of grocery food prices. As such, opting to eat more plant-based food items can be much, much easier on your wallet. While you might find yourself missing some foods, your wallet will certainly thank you.

    This goes for when you go out to eat, as well. You’ll often find that ordering vegan or vegetarian menu items can often result in you spending less overall on your meal. It also means you’ll get outside of your comfort zone and try new foods you might have not considered previously.

    For the Animals

    The less meat you eat the less animals have to be killed to feed you. This might sound like a very harsh way to put it, but it’s true. The animals that are killed to create meat products live short, miserable lives in harsh conditions with inadequate nutrition. Even people who are okay with the idea of killing living creatures with emotions and personalities for the sole purpose of eating them tend to take issue with the factory farming industry’s abhorrent practices.

    For the Planet

    Even if you’re not concerned about animals on an individual basis, the effect of factory farming on the planet is undeniable. Nearly one-fifth of all greenhouse gasses on earth are produced by the beef industry alone, an that’s not all they do. Feeding such large animals requires a huge supply of grains, which in turn requires millions of gallons of water. For each pound of beef, farms must go through dozens, if not hundreds, of gallons of water to provide food for the cow that yielded it.

    The Bottom Line

    If you want to help yourself, your wallet, the animals and the very planet you live on, it’s worth pursuing a plant-based diet. Few people expect you to stop eating meat altogether right away, though if you do your body will thank you.

    However, even among many people who prefer plant-based diets, they may still have some fish or chicken with their meals occasionally. However, as long as you begin making plants the focus of your meals, you’ll begin to see a change in your health and well-being.

  • Best 2019 Resolutions for Women’s Health

    Best 2019 Resolutions for Women’s Health

    If you’ve ever made a list of overly ambitious and ridiculous New Year’s resolutions, you’re probably familiar with the cold feeling you get when you abandon them in February. However, there’s good news: there are more reasonable resolutions you can make and stick to. Today we’re going to look at some of the best 2019 resolutions for women’s health. These are the resolutions you’re finally going to keep. Just don’t forget: you do these things because you want to, not because you have to!

    Best 2019 Resolutions for Women’s Health

    Walk 1,000 Steps More

    Every day you should be adding another 1,000 steps to your current step amount. If you don’t have a fitness tracker yet, it’s time to get one. They’re a great way to keep track of your workouts, steps and calories burned. Once you have one you can keep a close track of how much you walk on a given day. Now that you have that information, you should now be adding 1,000 steps to each day’s walk.

    If you normally take a short drive to the corner store after work, walk it instead. If you don’t already, start taking walks around your neighborhood. Stand at your desk, take a walk around the office. Just walk. Steps are great for you! They get your blood pumping and help you stay in an active mindset for when it’s time to really work out.

    Take it Week by Week

    Bust out your calendar and start planning your workouts. You’re going to want to take things day by day. It’s much easier to plan as little as two or three weeks ahead and take things at your own pace. Make a habit of opening your planner, adding workouts to the weeks ahead, and then executing what’s on your calendar. This will help you not only manage your time but also stay motivated to keep hitting your fitness goals.

    It’s often good to execute this resolution with a workout buddy. Find someone who already has a fitness routine or is trying to start one. Then, working with them, plan out workouts the two of you can do together. It’s way harder to give up on your fitness goals if you’ve got a buddy keeping you accountable!

    Target Your Core

    Rather than vaguely resolving to get in shape, make a real plan. Target your core, as it’s a great place to start. Many women loath their bellies, so this is a good place to begin your focus. Your core is your center in more ways than one: it’s also the center of your movements. You should start by really locking in your workouts that focus on the center of your body and musculature.

    You can do this by focusing on exercises like crunches, curls and planks. Get used to doing these exercises at home every day before work. If you get in the habit of forcing yourself to wake up and do core workouts, you’ll find more fitness goals coming into clear focus. It’s not hard to get a handle on your fitness, you just need to focus.

    Morning Workouts

    When you first wake up, do you lay in bed for a few minutes waking up? Or do you begin your day with a workout? While we’re not saying you need to run a marathon before work, waking up and getting physical is a surefire way to get in the right mindset for the day. Wake up and do a few home workouts, like incline pushups or squats. We already mentioned core exercises, and those apply here too.

    If you live in an area that’s safe to jog in, consider getting a morning jog in before work. A brisk, ten-minute run around your street can be a great way to wake your body up and set you up for fitness success!

    Eat One Meatless Meal per Day

    Try eating one meal with only plant-based foods every day. This might sound tough at first, but make it fun! You can make tons of delicious meals with plant-based ingredients. No only will you save money on food but you’ll also increase your personal fitness. Not to mention, plant-based diets are more sustainable for the planet in the long-term, and they’re largely more ethical.

    It’s not easy to dive head-first into a new lifestyle. Take these resolutions a day at a time and make your health a top priority throughout your day. Remember, you’ve got to start somewhere. So, start here. You’ve got this! Just take your fitness and health seriously and make it a priority.

  • Top Ways You Can Push Yourself In 2019

    Top Ways You Can Push Yourself In 2019

    A New Year is once again upon us. This quote by Melody Beattie comes to mind; “The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.”

    Yes, 2019 is going to be a great year for us all, and this year’s resolutions will be more than just a wish.

    Making an annual list of New Year’s resolutions is a venerable tradition. By some accounts, it dates back to the ancient Romans, who customarily made a show of promising the god Janus that they would behave better over the next 12 months than they had in the past year. But while Janus was the patron deity of new beginnings, hence why January starts off our year, he also provided a convenient excuse. If a citizen of Rome didn’t actually follow through with his various self-improvement vows, he could always shrug it off by explaining that it was Janus’ will. Then, presumably, he could just go on gorging himself at banquets or betting excessively on gladiator fights.

    Sounds familiar? Have you been shrugging off your new year’s resolutions too? Throwing away each years clean slate and prime opportunity for personal growth?  Me too. Lets talk about some ways we can push ourselves to achieve the goals we set for ourselves in 2019.

    Make Your Bed Every Morning

    Excuses are easy, but when it comes right down to it, it’s also easy to make your bed each morning. If you make your bed in the morning, that means you’re telling yourself that you won’t be getting back into it for the rest of the day. The day has begun and you will conquer any and all tasks before you, starting with making that bed. It might be a small accomplishment, but making the bed sets the tone for the entire day.

    In a 2014 commencement speech at University of Texas at Austin, Admiral McRaven said: “If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. “By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”

    Sometimes being an adult is hard. Sometimes going into work every day is hard. Sometimes, I come home from the office and question if I accomplished anything at all. But at least I made my bed! Starting every day off with a mini victory can do a tremendous amount for your psyche.

    Start a Morning Run Streak

    Running in the mornings helps you to remove yourself from the daily challenges of life and gives you time to focus on the bigger picture. Running is great, but streak running is a whole different animal. Streak running creates a psychological bond to the act of running and ‘maintaining the streak.’ Once you cross 50, 100 or 1,000 days straight of any activity, you are much less likely to decide that today is the day you are going to quit. But what happens when you do end the streak? Start over and try to beat the last streak.

    Plan to Prepare

    We often miss opportunities to be our best and make the most of our time with others because we didn’t find time to prepare. Granted, most of us  are pretty good at winging it, but we can be much more effective when we deliberately set aside time to prepare for our next goal, accomplishment or achievement. It’s not easy to find extra time in the day, so rather than hoping you’ll find the time you need when you need it, block in the time you want for prep on your calendar.

    Schedule 15 minutes to review objectives. Block an hour immediately when the motivation to grow hits you just to clear your mind and rehearse. Carve out as many hours as you need to create and practice the plan.

    Stop Making Excuses

    If you are looking for a reason not to do the thing you should do, you will surely find it. Part of taking ownership of your life and reflecting how you got to an unhappy state is to understand how you are enabling your poor decisions. It is usually with excuses, like you’re tired, or you don’t have time when you’re not making time, you will do it tomorrow, etc. Stop making excuses, and start owning your life and pushing yourself to do the work.

    Happiness doesn’t fall into your lap, it takes work like everything else. So get out of your own way and stop making excuses.

    You Are Not a Victim

    You are not a victim of every whim and circumstance, and you do have some control over your life at any given time. It is about how you wield that control that determines whether you can change your life. Stop resisting responsibility for your life, because the sooner you take ownership of it and stop blaming others, you will have more autonomy and you will start making progress.

    At the end of the day we are accountable to ourselves , our success and failures is a result of what we do. Blaming, whining, deflecting accountability, risk aversion, and resistance to change are symptoms of the adversity-beaten individual. Uncontrollably bad things happen to all of us all the time, but we can control how we react to them.  When we fully commit to having responsibility in any process, we begin to integrate external tactical support and our own internal capabilities, and develop a sense of control for the results.

  • Simple Home Workouts to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

    Simple Home Workouts to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

    The holidays are over and it’s time to shed that winter fat. You’ve probably resolved to live a healthier, more active life for your New Year’s resolution. If so, you’re probably eyeballing a gym membership or some home workout equipment. Before you make any big purchases, though, take it slow. Check out some of these simple home workouts that don’t require any equipment or gym membership. These are some of the easiest ways to keep those New Year’s resolutions!

    Simple Home Workouts

    Before you Start

    Before you start any of these workouts, here’s a few quick words of advice. Make sure you drink plenty of water and don’t overdo it. You should also stretch thoroughly before any strenuous physical activity. If you’re not very used to working out, make sure you don’t throw yourself in too haphazardly. You don’t get good results if you over-exert yourself! Take two minute breaks between each rep and catch your breath.

    Incline Push-Ups

    Get a surface like a bench or box that is sturdy enough to hold up your body’s weight. Brace your arms in a push-up position against the raised surface. Keep your body as straight as you can from your feet up to your head. Keeping this straight profile lower your body with your arms until it dips beneath your elbows. After a brief pause, return to your neutral position as rapidly as your arms can safely manage.

    If you find this exercise difficult, you can increase the incline. The greater the incline, the easier it will be for you. Likewise, if you find this too easy, you can instead do a traditional push-up, with your hands on the floor. In either event, 12 to 15 repetitions is a good number for a session.

    Side Plank

    Start by lying on the side of your body your non-dominant arm is on. Prop your body up on your elbow and forearm and make sure your arm is right under your shoulder. Place your other hand on your hip and tighten your core. Using your core, raise your hips from the floor and keep your arm locked in place. Keep your core tight and hold there for half a minute. Then, flip over and repeat this process for your other side.

    If you find it difficult to hold this for a full thirty seconds, you can try a modified version of the side plank. The modified version involves the same motions, but instead of holding it for a full thirty seconds you can drop back and then restart the movement. Do this until you get thirty full seconds across whichever number of repetitions you need to do.

    Squats

    Square your shoulders and stand as up as straight as you can. Set your feet a little further out than your shoulder-width and hold your arms out in front of you, parallel to the floor. Flexing your ab muscles, keeping your back straight and arms out, slowly squat by bending your knees and keeping your hips back. Once you get as low as you can, pause briefly before slowly returning to a standing position. Repeat this motion 15 to 20 times for a full session.

    Hip Raise

    While lying on the floor on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Put your arms out at an angle from your body and face your palms up towards the ceiling. Tighten your core and breath normally as you squeeze your leg muscles and push your hips off the floor. Keep you body in as straight a line as you can while pushing your hips up off the floor. Pause when high in the air for about five seconds and then and then lower back to the floor slowly. 10 reps make for a full set!

    Jogging

    After doing reps of each of the body-weight exercises, you can round out your exercise with a light jog. Make sure you stretch your legs well and get hydrated before heading out. Stay safe when you’re out jogging, watch out for cars and make sure you don’t trespass. Jog for a few miles every morning or every other day and get in the habit of exercising regularly. If you make it a habit, it’s much easier to get up and get your workout in before work!

    If you stick to these easy exercises and make sure you do them consistently then you may find you have better luck with your resolutions. Happy New Year, and we hope your resolutions go well!

  • Do You Need a Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece?

    Do You Need a Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece?

    Many Americans suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea, or OSA. For a lot of people, the best way to deal with their sleep apnea is through the use of a CPAP machine. However, not everyone can sleep comfortable with a CPAP machine. If this applies to you, then maybe a sleep apnea mouthpiece is right for you!

    Today, we’re going to get into the pros and cons of sleep apnea mouthpieces and CPAP machines and how they can each help someone with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea mouthpieces are often recommended due to how small, convenient and portable they are.

    Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece

    What is a Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece?

    Not many people are familiar with sleep apnea mouthpieces. Primarily, they look like sports mouth guards. They are small plastic implements that are commonly used to keep your airway open while you sleep. Generally, these mouthpieces are specially constructed in order to mold to the mouth of the patient perfectly.

    Generally, the sleep apnea mouthpiece is molded and overseen by a dentist who specializes in sleep-related dentistry. This is referred to as dental sleep medicine, and it encompasses things like CPAP machines and sleep apnea mouthpieces. At the time of writing, roughly 3,000 dentists are qualified to fit patients for sleep apnea mouthpieces.

    It is worth noting that sleep apnea mouthpieces are only effective for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, not central sleep apnea. Central sleep apnea is caused by issues in the nervous system that cause irregular breathing. By contrast, obstructive sleep apnea is caused by physical obstructions to your breathing path while sleeping.

    Getting Your Own

    If your doctor thinks a sleep apnea mouthpiece is right for you then you’ll undergo the fitting process to get a specially-fitted mouthpiece. It’s important that your sleep doctor, together with your sleep medicine dentist, work in concert to get you the solution you need. There are many different types of mouthpieces that you could use, so getting the right one is important!

    Once your dentist starts fitting you, it will take a few visits to get all the measurements and molds ready. The fit is molded exactly to the shape and contours of your mouth and teeth. This makes for a comfortable fit that also helps keep your airways from becoming blocked while you’re sleeping.

    The mouthpiece works by keeping your lower jaw slightly pushed out so that it makes a little bit of space at the back of your throat. Your airway will be opened just enough to allow a proper amount of breath through. Snoring and sleep apnea can both be addressed rather definitively with these simple devices!

    Why Sleep Apnea Mouthpieces over CPAP?

    CPAP machines are great for some patients. However, there are a number of ways that mouthpieces can be a better fit for others. For one thing, mouthpieces are incredibly simple, easy and portable. You need only pop it in before you sleep to get the benefits of the device. CPAP machines, in contrast, involve a large facemask and a loud machine that has to be plugged into the wall.

    A number of snorers who haven’t been diagnosed with OSA aren’t even able to apply for CPAP therapy. This is because CPAP machines require diagnosis of sleep apnea before they can be recommended by a doctor. Mouthpieces, however, require no such diagnosis. They can often help in much the same way as a CPAP machine for those with minor obstruction causing loud snoring.

    Other Pros

    Even among people who have been diagnosed with OSA, if it’s mild enough, they may want to have a mouthpiece. A lot of people who start CPAP therapy stop it themselves after a few weeks, even though they’re not supposed to. The mask is just so unwieldy! It’s much easier to stick with the program when you’re just using the simple mouthpiece.

    It’s also a lot easier to simply pop in a mouthpiece and sleep normally than it is to fuss with the CPAP’s mask and machine. The CPAP machine blows air all night, making it a bit noisy. Many people and their sleep partners prefer the silence of the mouthpiece!

    It’s much easier to travel with a mouthpiece as well. When you’ve got a lot of machinery to cart about, it can be difficult to want to travel. When all you need is a mouthpiece, though, you’ve only got to pop it in your bag and you’re good to go! Finally, many patients prefer mouthpieces to CPAP machines because they’re just so much more affordable.

  • Best Horse Barn Kits: Take Care of your Equine Friends

    Best Horse Barn Kits: Take Care of your Equine Friends

    When it comes to your horses, you want to make sure they get all the best. The best food, the best saddles, the best grooming and especially the best lodging. If you’ve been looking for a great way to get your horse shelter from the elements, we’ve got you covered. Today we’re going over horse barn kits, one of the most efficient ways to house your horse on the market. Make sure you treat your equine friends with love!

    Horse Barn Kits

    Why Horse Barn Kits?

    You might be asking why you’d want to go with a prefab horse barn over simply hiring a contractor for the work. Well, as you might know, contractors can tend to make for very expensive work. For a quality barn, you might pay as much as $100,000 or more after materials and labor are all factored in. That’s where horse barn kits come in.

    Prefab horse barns are perfect for people on smaller budgets who have just one or two horses. You’re just looking for a good, high-quality barn for your horse to stay in, nothing custom or over-the-top. If that describes you, then a prefab barn is exactly what you need. Not only does it keep the cost way down, it also makes it much easier to build in a short time span. Usually you can get a prefab barn together in as little as a few days of work.

    The thing with prefab barns is that they’re shipped in a mostly-completed state. There are usually only a few parts that you need to snap together in order to have a finished product. This means that you can spend a few days assembling the barn instead of a contractor assembling it in a few months. As such, your horse can be in a comfortable barn in no time!

    The Prefab Difference

    What’s the main difference between a custom barn and a prefab, though? Well, generally speaking, prefabs are only really for people with one or two horses. Custom barns can be much more varied and accommodate more specific needs. Prefabs, in general, are made for more generic use cases.

    That said, prefab barns are nearly indistinguishable from normal barns when viewed. Most casual onlookers won’t be able to tell the difference. Your horse will be just as comfortable in a prefab barn as in a custom job, and it won’t cause you to break the bank!

    Types of Prefab Barn

    There are three main types of horse barn kits. There are run-in sheds, modular barns and shed row barns. The most affordable and simple of these types are run-in sheds. Run-in sheds are simple barns that are horizontal and comprised of two bays separated by a shoulder-height wall. These make a great storage space for tack, hay and other horse-related sundries you may have.

    Modular barns, by contrast, are more traditional-looking, with large doors and a more barn-like appearance. These tend to have loft space for your tack and other tools so that you can keep them high up and away from the horse or horses. These are often the higher end of prefab kits, making them a great pick for enthusiasts with two or so horses.

    The midway point between those two extremes is the shed row barn. Like run-in sheds, they are horizontal barns with very open designs. Like modular barns, though, they have sliding doors that shut and windows as well. This makes them ideal for people with one horse but a lot of tools they want to keep from the elements. Generally speaking, any of these options tends to be as much as 30 percent cheaper than going with traditional contractors for the work.

    Options for Prefabs

    Prefab horse barn kits don’t lack for options for both stylistic and functional add-ons. You can typically add these types of options piece-by-piece when shopping for a prefab kit. These options can include things like extra storage space for tools, hay and the like, or even stylistic add-ons. Extra stall partitions, window coverings, kickboards and the like can all be added on, too.

    For those with a love for rustic appearances, flower beds and flower boxes can often be added. Skylights, high, decorative windows and even different colors for you barn so it matches the aesthetic of your property.

    In conclusion, if you’re looking for a great structure to house your equine friends without spending a pretty penny, horse barn kits can be the best option for you. Treat your horses with love!

  • Bored? Find The Top Tourist Attractions in Your State

    Bored? Find The Top Tourist Attractions in Your State

    America, one of the world’s greatest attractions from sea to shining sea, offers non stop excitement, wonder, and jaw dropping astonishment. From natural wonders to man-made works of art, to the epitaph of human accomplishments. There is something to see everywhere you go. There may be seven established natural wonders of the world, but each state in North America is home to it’s own extraordinary tourist attractions.

    This country has something for everyone, and one of these magnificent sights is right around every corner. As one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, The United States boasts an amazing amount of tourist destinations ranging from the skyscrapers of New York and Chicago, the natural wonders of Yellowstone and Alaska to the sunny beaches of California, Florida and Hawaii.

    Every day, 10,000 people enter New York’s Grand Central Terminal alone, with no intention of actually catching a train. Just to gawk. Yet for every traveler drawn to the big city, there are others who embrace the great outdoors. People love to see something new and amazing! But you don’t have to travel to NYC to see something grand.

    Every state has their house of mud or giant ball of twine to check out. But let’s be honest, sometimes you want more than a selfie in front of a giant ball of string. And since every state has at least one wonderful attraction that draws visitors from far and wide, we decided to find out what it was, based on a delicate balance of local pride, iconic drawing power, and whether or not it actually sounds like something you’d willingly travel to do. So here they are: 50 states, 50 tourist attractions.

    Alabama – US Space and Rocket Center
    Alaska – Denali National Park and Preserve
    Arizona – Grand Canyon
    Arkansas – Hot Springs National Park
    California – The Golden Gate Bridge
    Colorado – Rocky Mountain National Park
    Connecticut – Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
    Delaware – Yay… I’m in Delaware…
    Florida – Ponce De Leon Springs Fountain of Youth
    Georgia – Stone Mountain Park
    Hawaii – Punaluu Black Sand Beach
    Idaho – Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
    Illinois – Wrigley Field… because baseball is awesome.
    Indiana – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
    Iowa – The Field of Dreams Filming Locale
    Kansas – Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
    Kentucky – The Kentucky Derby
    Louisiana – Bourbon Street/French Quarter
    Maine – Since Castle Rock isn’t a real place, Acadia National Park
    Maryland – Annapolis/U.S. Naval Academy
    Massachusetts – USS Constitution
    Michigan – Henry Ford Museum
    Minnesota – Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox
    Mississippi – Natchez Trace Parkway
    Missouri – Gateway Arch
    Montana – Wild Goose Island in St. Mary Lake
    Nebraska – Chimney Rock
    Nevada – The Strip, there is no other reason to be in Nevada
    New Hampshire – Mount Washington
    New Jersey – Atlantic City Boardwalk
    New Mexico – Chimney Rock
    New York – Statue of Liberty
    North Carolina – Wright Brothers Memorial
    North Dakota – Theodore Roosevelt National Park
    Ohio – Rock & Roll, NFL Hall of Fame, and Cedar Point
    Oklahoma – Oklahoma City National Memorial
    Oregon – Multnomah Falls
    Pennsylvania – Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
    Rhode Island – Roger Williams Park Zoo
    South Carolina – USS Yorktown
    South Dakota – Mount Rushmore
    Tennessee – Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    Texas – The Alamo
    Utah – Zion National Park
    Vermont – Ben & Jerry’s Factory
    Virginia – Colonial Williamsburg
    Washington – Museum of Flight
    West Virginia – New River Gorge Bridge
    Wisconsin – Lambeau Field Atrium
    Wyoming – Upper Geyser Basin

    The Final Thought

    Every state in this fine union is a marvel unto itself. While we highlighted some of the top attractions in each state, there is so much more to see and do. I didn’t even get to mention Venice beach, Niagara Falls, Kilauea, Kennedy Space Center, Ellis Island, Disney, Denali or the Florida Keys. It would take a life time to take in all that America has to show you. Start with your  own state, and take it from there.

    From National Parks and monuments, museums, thrills and theme parks, I can promise you there is so much more to see in your backyard than you ever thought. Try being a tourist in your own state, check out the local tourist attractions, and you may just find a new appreciation for the place you call home.

  • Affordable Ways to See a Broadway Show

    Affordable Ways to See a Broadway Show

    Who doesn’t love a great live show? The songs, dance, pageantry and costumes are so very amazing, and we all love a good, or even average musical. Getting all dressed up and walking down 7th ave can be a glorious experience. There’s no shortage of enticing Broadway or Off-Broadway shows these days, but the steady rise in ticket prices has made it harder for theater lovers to take advantage of what New York stages have to offer. Broadway tickets aren’t necessarily cheap, but when you compare them to other forms of live entertainment, they are very clearly a bargain.

    The prices may seem daunting and unreasonable, and may even discourage you from attempting to see an acclaimed play. Don’t fear!  Discount Broadway tickets are everywhere, and modern technology makes it easier than ever to find cheap seats. From lotteries to apps, let me teach you how to find the most affordable ways to see a Broadway show.

    Lotteries

    You know how a lottery works already; you submit your name and pray that it gets drawn. There are two types of lotteries: in-person and digital. For in-person lotteries, you show up about two hours before the start of the show and put your name in a bucket. If your name is drawn and you’re present, you then claim your tickets. It’s that simple.  Digital lotteries are offered by the shows themselves or via an app.

    A digital lottery is your best chance to see the very popular “Hamilton” for cheap, like $10 tickets kind of cheap. Also “Hamilton” just made it even easier to see, as the show recently began offering double the number of $10 seats for each performance. I found Show-score.com keeps an updated list of digital lotteries. Try your luck, and let us know in the comments below if you happen to win!

    Broadway Roulette

    One of the newest ways to get cheap Broadway tickets is through Broadway Roulette. This is an easy way to get a last-minute deal, but you must be open and flexible to what you are seeing. You and your child pick the day and time and describe to the team at Broadway Roulette what kind of shows you like and don’t like.

    On the morning of the show, Broadway Roulette lets you know what you are seeing. The beauty is that all tickets are just $49 to 59 and picking up tickets is simple.

    Same-day Broadway Discount tickets?

    Last minute? Want to catch a show before you leave NYC? Try this: there are three TKTS Booths. Two in Manhattan (one in Times Square and another downtown near the South Street Seaport) and one in Brooklyn that offer discount Broadway tickets. Matinee tickets are available the day before at the downtown and Brooklyn locations, but same-day tickets are available at the Times Square booth.

    Pick Cheap Broadway Tickets Without Reducing The View

    Of course the best seats in the house are the most expensive, because everyone wants to be located center orchestra. But these are never the cheapest – most Broadway shows are actually charging extra for them, making them much more expensive that a regular orchestra seat. The cheap Broadway ticket solution is to choose the seats that are in the transition area (i.e. the $110 seats that are located next to the $250 seats).

    All that is required is a little bit of study of the seating map; some shows will even show you a map of the pricing . Ticket brokers do this everyday to get the cheapest tickets in the best location so that they can resell them for a higher amount.

    Try Off-Broadway

    New York City is home to some of the best non-Broadway options in the world, and there are theater companies dedicated to working for children and families. Check out and consider joining theaters such as the New Victory Theater and the Vital Theatre Company for discount Broadway ticket options.

    Note: any off-Broadway production in NYC is still better than your hometown’s best theater.  Don’t let the stigma stop you from catching a surprisingly brilliant show.

    Rush Lines and Standing Room Only

    Rush lines shows generally release day-of-performance tickets as soon as the box office opens. Prices vary by production, but if you’re willing to wake up early and stand in line at the theater, tickets can be under $50 each. Not too bad. You can also try standing room only. Typically, when a Broadway show is sold out, the box office sells discounted standing room “seats”.  These standing positions are usually located at the back of the orchestra.

    The Final Thought

    There is always a way to get into whatever show you want to see. The question is how much do you want to see this show, and how far are you willing to work towards procuring a ticket? Priorities people!  Let everyone fight over Hamilton and Aladdin tickets, while you go see Beautiful, or Dear Evan Hansen.

  • Reduce Your Risk for a Serious Fall

    Reduce Your Risk for a Serious Fall

    Older Americans are at much greater risk of suffering serious falls than they think. One in every three people over 55 takes a serious fall each year. That’s over 30 percent of people over 55! Of those people, about 30 percent suffer moderate-to-severe injuries, such as broken hips or serious head trauma. Even if they aren’t badly hurt, people who suffer serious falls take a hit to their mental well-being, potentially raising their anxiety and impacting their quality of life.

    If you’re an older person or a caretaker for an older person who is at risk of suffering a serious fall, you have options for reducing the risks. Here are some things you can do to make your or your loved one’s home safer from serious falls.

    Reduce Your Risk for a Serious Fall

    See Your Eye Doctor

    At least once a year you need to take a visit to your eye doctor and make sure your prescription lenses are all up-to-date. The easiest way to avoid taking a serious fall, after all, is by seeing obstacles or hazards before you bump into them or trip over them. It can be really hard to see potentially dangerous hazards if your glasses aren’t the right prescription anymore! If you have less than ideal vision or you’re beginning to lose the use of your vision, then it’s time to take further precautions.

    Review Your Medication

    Sit down with your doctor and go over all of your medication and any potential side-effects they may have. If you take a number of medications that could impact your balance or your ability to walk steadily then you might need to consider taking further precautions in and around your home to make it safer for you. After all, your home should be the safest place you can go!

    Modify Your Home

    It’s your home, after all, so it should be somewhere you feel safe. Take steps to make your home more safe for you and eliminate opportunities to take a spill. If you have a stairwell in your home, consider having more handrails added. Anywhere there’s a step up or down, add handrails nearby that you can grip as you maneuver.

    Consider adding extra lighting in areas that are particularly tricky, such as landings and stairs. Additionally, arm bars or hand rails in the shower and near the toiled could be helpful in preventing serious falls. Arm rest for the toilet can also make it easier to stand, making falls less likely.

    Install Helpful Appliances

    If you have a stairwell in your home that is particular falling-prone, consider buying a stair lift. Stair lifts are safe alternatives to walking up and down the stairs and allow you to safely go back and forth between upstairs and downstairs. Stair lifts have seats attached to powered rails that allow you to safely traverse your own home.

    Similarly, if you find getting into and out of the bathtub to be hazardous, you could have a walk-in tub installed. These reduce the amount of stepping up you have to do to enter your bathtub and make it much easier to get in and out of the tub. Many walk-in tubs also double as spas or soaking baths, making them as much of a fun treat as they are helpful appliances!

    Stay Active

    It might sound counter-intuitive, but staying active is one of the best ways for elderly people to prevent falls. If you engage in activities like tai chi, regular walks, water workouts and the like then you’ll reap the benefits. Not only will you feel better as your body needs exercise, you’ll have more strength and coordination.

    It’s much harder to suffer a serious fall if your muscles and coordination are more developed. Not to mention, balance and flexibility go up with regular exercise programs, making them ideal for someone worried about taking a spill in their own home. As always, make sure to discuss any potential exercise plan with your doctor to make sure its right for your lifestyle.

    Keep Your Home Clean

    Don’t allow clutter to build up throughout the house. Homes are much less safe when there is a ton of debris lying about. Old newspapers, electrical cords, boxes, plastic bags and the like can all constitute serious tripping hazards. Work to eliminate as much clutter as possible from your home, and especially from walkways.

    Finally, make sure you use common sense. Don’t go out for a walk when it’s icy, and make sure you wear shoes that are the right size and keep the laces tied up. The last thing you want is to take a serious fall in your own home!