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San Diego Clock and Watch Repair

repairfinders — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:27:55 +0200

By considering the distribution of frictional losses in a timepiece, the horologist could determine where a high viscosity lubricant is appropriate, and where thinner lubricants should be used because of low power.

In order to find the forces exerted onto each pivot in the gear train of a watch, very sensitive measuring equipment would be needed, much more sensitive than what I have available to me. By creating a mathematical model of the forces in a watch, however, I could get an idea of what happens.

I will reverse the normal order of this project by presenting the conclusion first, in order not to deter those who are intimidated by the math. You would, however, benefit much more by reading the entire project.

Many watchmakers and clockmakers make the mistake of using the same thin lubricant for the first and second wheels as they do for the escapement. When lubricating a watch or clock, consider using the following rule of thumb:
1) use a heavy lubricant for high-torque, low-speed applications (mainspring, 1st and 2nd wheel pivots), and
2) use a light lubricant for low-torque, high-speed applications (3rd, 4th, escape wheel pivots, balance pivots, escape wheel teeth, clock strike governor pivots, etc.).

Also consider climate: Swiss watch oils are formulated in the Swiss Alps, and even most clock oils are almost as thin as water, at least in warm climates. While clock and watch oils have some thickness in colder climate conditions, they are very thin and less effective in warmer climates. We are not told to use different oils for timepieces intended for use in the cold Alps than for use in the hot desert.

Most if not all of my customers live in homes that today have climate control, so clocks in these homes do not get cold in the winter. Clocks that are not intended for use outside should be lubricated with thicker lubricants than those you might use for a clock that does not benefit from climate control. Watches used under normal conditions and worn on the wrist should not be lubricated with ultra-thin lubricants that you might use to lubricate a watch for use in extremely cold conditions, climbing high mountains or diving in cold waters. Timepieces for expeditions to the North and South Poles are usually not lubricated at all! When considering how thick a lubricant to use, you need to determine the thickness of that lubricant at the coldest temperature that the timepiece would be subjected to.

Why use a thicker lubricant if the timepiece were to be used in conditions that would not require a thinner lubricant? Thick lubricants have higher boiling points and they vaporize less easily. Thin lubricants vaporize easily: I have experienced problems with thin oils that dry up prematurely. I have seen several different clock oils dry up after only three years, and particularly one very expensive synthetic clock oil that dried up after only two years. A lubricant that fails after only two years not only fails to lubricate (reduce friction), but also fails to protect against oxidation. Thicker lubricants also have better cohesive and adhesive properties: in plain English, this means that a thicker lubricant stays in its place better when applied to a bushing without spreading or running off. If you consider the main purpose of lubricants, the benefit of a thicker lubricant becomes obvious: to reduce friction by providing a film between the two rubbing metal surfaces that keeps the metals apart. A good lubricant adheres to each metal surface to create this film and is not squeezed out under pressure. A good lubricant is cohesive so that it will exhibit good capillary action that will keep it in its place. A thicker lubricant has larger molecules (a longer carbon chain in the case of petroleum-based lubricants) and therefore provides a thicker film that keeps the metals further apart and resists higher pressures. As lubricant molecules slide over one another, some resistance to movement is caused, which we call 'drag' and which increases with the thickness of the lubricant. In low-torque applications, drag can impair the performance of the timepiece if the lubricant is too thick.

A couple of years ago, I lubricated a 16-size Elgin watch with a tower-clock oil, since I am not afraid to experiment with my own timepieces. It worked very well indeed and kept very good time. When I lowered the temperature by 40º Fahrenheit (in the refrigerator), this watch kept much better time than I was expecting (about thirty seconds slower per day), and there was a small decrease in the amplitude of oscillation of its balance wheel. At about the same time, I overhauled a Swiss watch of similar size and lubricated it with a very expensive synthetic watch oil: two years later, the watch hardly runs because the lubricant appears to have dried up.

Use a heavier lubricant for high-torque, low-speed applications. Clockmakers should consider using a heavy oil or grease to lubricate the mainspring, the pivots of the great wheel and second wheel. When applying a grease, you should apply a film over the entire area of the pivot and also over the entire area inside the bushing before assembly, because a thick lubricant will not spread by itself. Watchmakers should consider using a heavier lubricant to lubricate the mainspring, the pivots of the barrel and centershaft and third wheel. The watch's winding parts should be lubricated with a heavier lubricant. One problem frequently encountered in automatic watches is wear in the rotor arbor and its bushing: a heavier lubricant should be used here because the rotor is relatively heavy.

Use a thinner lubricant for low-torque, high-speed applications. This includes the pivots of the fourth and fifth wheels and of the pallet arbor in watches and clocks, and also the impulse faces of the pallets and escape teeth in clocks.

Use a light lubricant on the balance wheel pivots and the impulse faces of the pallets and escape teeth in low grade watches, such as a 7-jewel pocketwatch, where a small sacrifice in timekeeping could reasonably be made in order to use a lubricant of longer durability. Use an ultra-light lubricant in these areas in high-grade watches, such as a 23 jewel Railroad watch, where precision timekeeping is a necessity, but be aware that ultra-light lubricants have a tendency to dry up in the short term. Use ultra-light lubricants in watches that are subjected to extreme conditions of low temperature.

Take a moment to consider over-powered clocks with recoil escapements (which require plenty of excess power, as much as 50% more than a Graham Escapement), versus a low power clock with a more efficient Graham Escapement, such as a Vienna Regulator clock. An over-powered recoil escapement should be lubricated with a heavier lubricant, particularly because of the enormous power losses in recoil. A low-power clock should be lubricated with a lighter lubricant in the escapement.

Consider a typical watch, in this case, a 16-size, 17-jewel pocket watch. Assuming that torque is proportional to the normal force on the gear's pivot, where a normal force is the force pushing the pivot against the bushing or jewel, in the direction of the force that acts upon that gear's pinion: if the torque that acts upon the 2nd wheel pivots were taken as 100%, the torque that acts upon the 3rd wheel pivots would be smaller by the ratio of the number of teeth on the 2nd wheel pinion and the number of teeth on the 2nd wheel, or 10/80 x 100% = 12.5%. Using ratios, a chart (see end) of percentage torque values could be created to show the relative torque values that act upon the pivots of each gear in the train, and also the pallet arbor pivots and the balance staff pivots. Using ratios, another chart showing the revolutions per minute (RPM) that each gear would make could also be made.

Using typical pivot diameter sizes for a 16-size watch, the circumference of each pivot could be calculated, each of which could be multiplied by the respective RPM value for that gear to find the amount of sliding that each pivot makes inside each jewel in one hour of operation, sliding that I refer to as 'displacement' in the chart (see end), as if each pivot were traveling a certain distance. A figure for each relative frictional loss could be obtained by multiplying each value of torque with each value of displacement or sliding. Each relative frictional loss could then be expressed as a percentage to reveal where the frictional losses really take place.

To find the RPM value of the pallet arbor pivots, take the degrees of rotation per beat, assumed here to be 18º (a high value), divide by 360º and multiply by 300 beats per hour to get 15 revolutions per minute. To find the RPM value of the balance pivots, multiply 300 beats per hour by the amplitude of oscillation of the balance wheel, assumed here to be 1.5 turns, to get 450 RPM.

If one third the torque of the escape wheel reaches the balance wheel, multiply the torque value for the torque that acts upon the pallets by 0.33.

Finding the frictional loss during impulse is more complicated, since this requires us to find the circumference of the escape wheel that is in contact with the pallet during impulse, neglecting the power lost during drop. Take the diameter of the escape wheel and multiply its value by pi to find its circumference. Find the circumference per beat by multiplying this by the degrees during impulse (10º) and divide by 360º. This value must be divided by the cosine of the impulse angle, which I have assumed to be 45º, to find the length of impulse, or 'distance traveled' during each impulse. Multiply this by 300 beats per minute to find the total length of impulse in one minute (the 'displacement per minute'), which you multiply by the torque acting upon the pallet to find a friction value.

The same method is used to calculate a value for the frictional loss in the fork horn and the roller jewel. The frictional loss is determined by the amount of sliding that takes place, which is assumed to be equal to the amount of depthing. I have assumed the depthing to be 0.07 mm. in this example.

The same method is used to calculate a value for the frictional loss during draw. The relative value of this loss is very small. The loss of efficiency caused by draw is mainly caused by angle, which we do not consider here, and not by friction. The loss by friction is relatively small and less than expected because it does not consider the total loss caused by draw.

The friction % values in the chart reveal nothing by themselves, but their relative values can be compared. The frictional losses in the pivots of the gear train are very small. The frictional losses in the pivots of the balance wheel are considerably more. Most significantly, the frictional losses in the pallets during impulse are very large because of two factors:
1) the 'displacement' during impulse is 85% more than the 'displacement' during the rotation of the balance wheel.
2) the torque during impulse is 2.75 times that which is exerted onto the balance wheel.
The results might tempt the watchmaker to lubricate the balance jewels and the escape wheel teeth only, leaving all other jeweled bearings dry (not a good idea!).

The values of torque show how much torque is exerted on the pivots of the first three gears in the train. It would make sense to consider lubricating these pivots with a heavy lubricant or even a grease as these high-torque, low-speed bearings would not suffer the effects of a heavy lubricant. The remaining pivots and friction surfaces are very low torque (less than 2% each). It would make sense to consider lubricating these pivots with a light lubricant as these low-torque, high-speed bearings would certainly suffer the effects of a heavy lubricant, which would cause drag.

The most important point to consider is that more power is lost in the transfer of power from the escape wheel to the pallets in a Swiss Lever type escapement. There are two power losses:
1) Power losses caused by angle. When the direction of the force exerted by the escape wheel onto the pallet is different to the direction of movement of the pallet (i.e. the direction in which the pallet receives the power), there is a loss of efficiency: in a correctly designed Lever Escapement the angle between the directions of the forces is 90º and the maximum achievable efficiency is only 50%. This power loss considers only angle and nothing else.
2) Power losses caused by friction. When the power is transferred in a 'rolling' action, as happens when the escape tooth rotates and provides an impulse to the impulse pallet of the balance wheel in a Chronometer Escapement, the transferor (escape tooth) and the transferee (impulse pallet of balance) appear to roll together, which results in an almost frictionless transfer of power. In the Lever Escapement, however, the escape tooth slides across the pallet's impulse face, causing a frictional loss that is determined by the magnitude of the impulse, the coefficient of friction of the two sliding surfaces and the displacement (or the amount of sliding that takes place during impulse).

By the way, note that in the Chronometer Escapement the direction of the forces is the same at the mid-point of the impulse, which means that this design experiences almost no power loss as a result of angle, in addition to almost no power loss as a result of friction (because there is almost no sliding taking place during impulse). The escape teeth of the Chronometer Escapement should not be lubricated.

The escape teeth of the Lever Escapement should be lubricated most carefully. Each tooth should be lubricated with a minute amount of lubricant because it should not be assumed that the lubricant would spread evenly over all the teeth otherwise. Since a light lubricant must be used, the watchmaker must be very careful not to lubricate in excess, as this might cause the lubricant to run, or be drawn away from the intended area.

As in any simplified hypothetical scenario, assumptions are made to simplify the problem and to overcome otherwise insurmountable or even unquantifiable problems.

This scenario does not consider the efficiency loss caused by the angle of the pallet impulse face because the loss caused by angle is not reduced with lubrication. The only efficiency loss that is reduced with lubrication is friction, and it is therefore only the frictional losses that are considered here.

It is assumed that the coefficient of friction is the same for all the friction surfaces, that all the pivots are in the same condition and that all the jewel surfaces are in the same condition (with no variations).

It is assumed that there is no frictional loss when the pivot shoulder rubs against the jewel, as if each jewel in the train were capped.

It is assumed that the masses of the gears, pallets and balance wheel have no impact upon friction. While the masses of the first four gears are of negligible influence upon the results, the masses of the escape wheel, the pallets and the balance wheel are significant. Their influence on the results is, however, ignored because their relative effects are unquantifiable. Of particularly significant impact is the mass of the balance wheel, which in a 16-size watch is relatively large, increasing the friction considerably as the balance pivots rotate in the jewels. In the hypothetical scenario, it is assumed that the balance wheel's torque percentage is equal to the impulse received by the roller jewel, which is probably an underestimation for a watch with a heavy balance wheel. Despite this problem, the results are still useful because its percentage of the total frictional loss in the watch would not reach the level of friction in the pallet impulse faces unless it were increased by six times. Increasing the value of friction of the balance wheel pivots would decrease the relative friction percentage values of the other friction surfaces but it does not change the conclusion (instead, it serves to reinforce the conclusion):

The two areas where the most power is lost in a watch are the balance pivots (in their jewels) and the pallet impulse surfaces and the escape teeth during impulse.

I believe that much more power is lost during impulse because of friction (in addition to losses caused by angle) than anywhere else in the watch. The watchmaker should pay most attention here.

I am including torque calculation charts for two very common clocks so that clockmakers could see the relationships between the torque and RPM values for a typical American clock (a Seth Thomas 89) and a typical German chiming clock with a floating-balance (a Hermle 340-020). These differ from the watch chart in order to show how the friction is distributed in the gear train itself without considering the escapement: this information would be more useful to clockmakers. Notice how similar the friction percentage values are for the Seth Thomas clock. In the Hermle, the torque values have been adjusted to account for the stronger chime mainspring. These charts have two RPM columns to show that in the left column calculations were made up the column, and that in the right column calculations were made down the column. Observe how little torque the escape wheel receives: in the Seth Thomas, 289 times more torque acts upon the second wheel's pivots than upon the escape wheel's pivots. In the Hermle, 1650 times more torque acts upon the second wheel's pivots than upon the escape wheel's pivots.

Since thicker lubricants cause more drag, consider the bushings: a pivot turning in a longer bushing will be more affected by lubricant drag than one turning in a shorter bushing because of a larger area of lubricant film. However, using a longer bushing reduces the pressure on the bushing and the pivot because pressure is force divided by area. Most American clocks have very long pivots that protrude well beyond the bushing: in high-torque, low-speed applications, you might consider installing longer bushings that protrude beyond the plates, since longer bushings would be more durable, if the clock being repaired were not a high-grade work of engineering art and repair-as-art would not be called for. A mass-produced clock of lower grade, such as the Seth Thomas 89, would be well served by 3 mm bushings in the second wheel bushings. The bushings must not be longer than the pivots, however, so this could not be done to the Hermle clock's second wheels, for example.

Last, but not least, consider the difference in the rate of movement of the three trains of the Hermle movement. Most of the time, the clock neither chimes or strikes, but when it does, the gears move much faster. Looking at the chart below, you could see the effect this has on friction in the chime and strike trains. While looking at this chart, you will also see that there is more friction in the 3rd wheel pivots of the chime and time trains than in the 2nd wheel pivots: you would expect the reverse since more power acts upon the 2nd wheel pivots and since more wear takes place in the 2nd wheel bushings. If less friction takes place in the 2nd wheel bushings, you would expect less wear. This suggests that the increase in wear takes place not because of friction but because of something else: the yield pressure of the metal is exceeded, causing premature failure which we see as small pits in the pivot. The pressure on the pivot can be decreased by:
1) using a thinner mainspring (which we do not want to do in this case),
2) increasing the diameter of the pivot (the new Hermle 2nd wheels have slightly larger pivots),
3) replacing the pivots with a different metal that has a high yield pressure,
4) lubricating these pivots with a lubricant that has a very high yield pressure (that is, a very thick lubricant, a grease), keeping the metals apart so that this failure does not occur.

No lubricant lasts forever, so lubricating these pivots with a heavy lubricant would one day end in failure unless the clock were maintained before the lubricant fails. Since almost everybody uses their clocks until they will not run at all before they bring them in for repair, clockmakers should consider using a grease on the 2nd wheel pivots that has graphite: the magic of graphite is that it continues to work after the lubricant has failed! Either buy a lubricant with graphite added, or buy the graphite powder and mix some into the lubricant before applying it to the pivots and bushings. Many clockmakers do not like graphite because they think it is messy and makes the clock look ugly. The choice is yours, but I must say that I do not care much for a beautiful clock that does not work.

I have very carefully avoided recommending any particular lubricant or any particular brand of lubricant, as this is a very volatile issue. I have, however, had very unsatisfactory results with synthetic lubricants, and will never use them on my clocks or watches.

Source: Headrick Antique Clock Repair

Find top quality clock and watch repair specialists in San Diego at Repairfinders.com today!

A Letter I Got on Interior Design and De...

repairfinders — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:24:25 +0200

Dear Jack,

I have really enjoyed reading your blogs on various repair and maintenance industries. I'm listed with the Los Angeles branch of Repairfinders.com and I figured I could perhaps contribute with a little bit on my field: Interior Design and Decoration.

Some may be curious as to how a person can call themselves a professional interior designer. They may think, "How does that person make so much money when they just buy stuff to make rooms look better? It's so simple, even a chimp could do it!" Well, this blog is going to inform the uninformed about what it takes for people like me to call ourselves interior designers.

Disciplines Used in Interior Design

There is a wide range of disciplines within the career of interior design. Some of the disciplines include: structure, function, specialized performance, special group needs, discipline needed for business, computer technology, presentation skills, craft skills, social disciplines, promotional disciplines, professional disciplines, aesthetic disciplines, and disciplines with cultural implications. This list shows how interior designing encompasses many different disciplines and requires both education in science and technology as well as being moved.

The Design Process

Regardless of the building-type the process is identical. The first step is determining the client's objectives, timescale and budget. This is called taking a Brief. The objective is nearly always to improve revenue for the client - even householders will be considering the resale value of their home. The designer will then provide a Fee Proposal which outlines their design input and the cost for this. It will be made clear whether the interior design practice will procure goods and/or project manage and the costs or margins for this also. Working drawings are required prior to any design work, these are detailed survey drawings of the existing space. The very first step once commissioned on the project will be creating these drawings if none already exist.

Today, designers use computer-aided design (CAD) although hand sketches are still valued for their "personality". CAD is a programme used to communicate design solutions in realistic views at various angles. This programme eliminates long hours of hand-drawing and sketching.

Following the survey and working drawing, the initial concepts will be presented to the client for approval. If approved this is followed by the floor plans and then the detailed specifications of all alterations, finishes and furnishings. It is probable that doors, windows and walls will be repositioned. Also, of major importance is the approach to the building - so the exterior is always considered along with the interior design.

Naturally, only if the design practice handles procurement or project management will they take on these roles. Many design specifications will be included in a tender package which will ultimately be used by a building contractor, or fit-out contractor as it is often called, to fulfil the design for the client. The on-site stage of the design can be many months or even years after the design specification is completed.

Education for Interior Design

Postsecondary education, especially a bachelor's degree, is recommended for positions in interior design. Within the United States there are 24 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, that have some form of interior design legislation with regard to title and practice. The National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) administers a licensing exam. To be eligible to take the exam, a candidate must have a minimum of six years of combined education and experience in the field, where at least two years includes postsecondary education. Once the examination has been successfully taken, the designer may indicate that they are an NCIDQ certificate holder. In certain jurisdictions, this is linked to the ability to practice or self-identify as an interior designer. The laws vary greatly across the United States and in some jurisdictions, NCIDQ certification is required in order for the designer to call themselves a Certified, Registered, or Licensed Interior Designer. In others, however, there are no minimum qualifications and anyone with a desire to do so may call themselves an interior designer. Continuing education is required by some states as part of maintaining a license.

Alabama has recently rolled back legislation regarding the licensing and practice of interior design. It is important to note that there is a difference between title acts which restrict who can call themselves an interior designer and practice acts that limit who can actually practice activities defined as within the scope of interior design.

Well, Jack, I hope this can help you with a future posting, perhaps. I will see you around!

"Donna"

San Diego Phone System Repair Article

repairfinders — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:23:12 +0200

My phones are not working. I called the telephone company, and they claim that the problem is inside my house. How can I find out what the problem is?

Lets go over the basics of telephone wiring. Once you understand the basics, troubleshooting becomes a breeze. It may be time consuming, but a breeze. And at $40 or more for a half hour's service from the telephone repair guy, the wind will be at your back!!

The really basic basics of telephone wiring...

Though you may have hundreds of feet of phone wire and countless connections, telephone wiring is really simple and logical. Take a walk around your house, and we'll figure it out together.

The telephone company, bless their souls, provides you with service through four wires or more wires leading to the outside of your house (there is actually more to it than that, but you don't need to know more to work on your own stuff). These wires connect to a box called a network interface, usually located outside your home for ease of access by the telephone company. It's also referred to as a protector (just the sound of it makes you tingle, eh?) The name "protector" is apt... it protects your house telephone wiring from unusual electrical surges from lightning strikes, power lines that may touch outside telephone cables, etc. Not a foolproof system, but very effective 99.9% of the time. The protector can often be found near your electrical service (meter), because the phone company and the electric company use the same criteria for choosing an access point to your home.

The network interface acts as your main junction box- the place where all telephone cables leading into your house originate. Usually, part of it is off limits to you. It may be sealed with a lock, or screwed shut. This is where the phone company makes its connections. The wiring colors will not correspond with the color coding of your interior telephone wires.

The customer-accessible side uses the standard color coding that you will run into again and again in all telephone work. Most common telephone cables have four wires inside... red, green, black and yellow. In the trade they are referred to as "pairs". The red-green pair is used for basic one line service, and the black-yellow pair is used to provide a second line.

If you look at the blowup of the network interface to the left, you will see that there is a "block" with six colored screws. There are three pairs together... yellow-black, red-green and a second yellow-black. You will also notice that there are wires connected to the red and green terminals. In this connector, there is only one live telephone line... line 1. Though the connector can carry up to three lines, for ease of customer use they usually only install one line per connector. If you had three lines, you would have one connector serving one line, and the second connector serving two lines. This network interface box has two such connectors, so this home could conceivably have up to six telephone lines installed.

The actual connection to your wiring is made through the telephone jack in the connector by means of the removable plug attached to the black wire. Disconnecting this plug disables the telephone lines attached to the connector. This plug makes troubleshooting a little easier, since you can plug a tester into the jack to see if the telephone company's lines are okay (more later on troubleshooting).

Some older homes do not have easily accessible interfaces...

In older homes, the protector outside your home is a sealed box that does not allow customer access. It contains a special fuse to stop lightning from reaching your inside wiring. Essentially, it is a starting point for a standard 4-wire cable to enter the house, and you have no easy access to its innards!

Why was the phone company protective of its protector? Part of the reason for this is that, years ago, the phone company did it all... they owned all the phones, the wires, and the jacks, and it was illegal for you to mess with the wiring. So they had no incentive to make direct access to the inside of the protector available to you. Hooking your phone cables directly to the protector is advantageous because the telephone signal is the strongest there, and I recommend it when and if possible. In fact, if you have an older style protector, many phone companies will replace it with a modern connector, such as pictured above, at no charge. Especially if you are having phone problems or Internet connection problems!! Just cry and beg like I did!

A second important reason why homeowners were denied access is because of the fear that they would connect wires to the unprotected side of the box, leaving their wiring systems vulnerable to lightning surges and the possibly disastrous consequences!

So if you have an old-style sealed protector, your access to the telephone company is via a run of cable (usually 4 wire, or two pair) that enters your house and is connected to a junction block or entrance bridge. Junction blocks are rectangular plates that use screws to connect each of the four service wires (from the phone co.) together with your inside wires. A junction block has four terminals that hold the wires together with screws. The wires from the telephone company and your inside wires share a common screw based on the wire color... all reds to one terminal, blacks to another, etc. This system was great when people maybe had two phones (if they were filthy rich), but get a little crowded with three or four pair running off them to multiple telephone jacks.

Historically, junction blocks originated when homes had just one telephone line and one telephone. A single wire entered the home and went to a single jack. As years went by and people began wanting more convenient telephones, additional wires were run off the junction block to service other phones. After about two connections, the blocks were jammed with wires and difficult to work with. Enter the entrance bridge... a vast improvement. Instead of having the telephone wires run to a junction block in the living area, the entrance bridge was installed in a basement or utility room. Entrance bridges perform the same function as junction blocks, but the incoming telephone company wires do not directly touch your home's cable wires. Instead, they use various methods of securing the wires onto an insulated metal frame which provides the connection. As you can see in the graphic, the telephone company's wires (entering the graphic from the bottom) each attach to a block with two screw terminals. Up to two telephone lines with two separate cables (upstairs and downstairs, for example) could be attached without the necessity of wire-sharing on a terminal.

As you can see, entrance bridges can hold more wire connections than junction blocks, and since each connection is separate are your preferred choice for new or replacement installations. You will have both a better electrical connection, less chance of wires inadvertently touching and less confusing wiring!

To summarize, two wires provide all your phone service if you have one line, four wires if you have two lines. And all of your wall phones, cordless phones, computer modems, answering machines, fax machines and even your remote home security system lead back to the phone company via these little wires.

If you don't want to risk making anything worse, contact our phone repair specialists in San Diego today at Repairfinders.com!

Remodeling

repairfinders — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:40:48 +0200

For Remodeling, it's important to make sure you want to really do it or not. It will change your home forever, so think hard before you contact our services who can help all San Diego residents today.

The First Step

Remodeling, refurbishing or restoring your existing residence may be exactly what the doctor ordered. Do the spaces you live in and your lifestyle mesh? Perhaps you have considered adding a home office or you need more space to accommodate a growing family. Then again, you may have ample space, but finishes throughout look tired and worn. And, there are so many "vanilla" houses, lacking sparkle and personality. Whatever your motivations, when considering whether to remodel or not remodel, hiring a professional interior designer can be the most important step you take.

Contractors, Architects and Interior Designers

Many people will go directly to a builder or contractor, to obtain pricing and ideas. But, consider this...contractors are not trained to help you make interior design decisions. They are experts in building the designs designers create. This is not to say they don't have ideas, but will they be the correct ones? Utilizing architects is often necessary. Will they be interested in helping you through the whole process through to completion. There will be stucco treatments to consider, molding and trim details, paint selections, wallpaper or faux finishes to think about, flooring, plumbing and lighting decisions on through to determining drapery treatments, furnishings and accessories. Architects are often very busy, more expensive and not as interested in spending time on all the interior details you wish to consider in your newly created space.

Current Market Trends

Even if it is only for a few hours, consulting with a professional interior designer will help clarify many issues and speed up the process. The fee you might pay for a few hours of an expert's opinion will serve you handsomely in the long run. Professionals will help you decide which areas are the most important to consider. What are the most cost-effective, highest-impact changes to make? So often, a professional will see things you do not see, because, of course, this is what they are trained to do. They are also more focused, objective and function oriented. Each and every day they are immersed in the world of design, visiting showrooms throughout the world, traveling, in and out of client's homes and offices, and experiencing the finest of what is available within the marketplace. They can walk into your home, and within a few hours give you hundreds of valuable ideas to contemplate before you invest in a remodeling project. And, you will be better able to proceed with confidence, knowing you are making the right decisions.

Property Values

Examining your location, existing property values, and potential expenditures are essential. Often homeowners, if they have not attempted a project of this nature in many years, will experience sticker shock. Designers can discuss current prices to consider, based on their experience within the market, and help determine which amenities would be the best to add. It can be helpful to tour other homes on the market in your neighborhood, as well as other areas in town for comparisons. Does your home offer similar amenities? If you have owned your home for many years and attained substantial equity, you may be able to improve your surroundings without exceeding the current market value.

The Right Choices

Whether you live in a small home or a huge mansion, an interior designer will help you with interior selections appropriate to your lifestyle and price range. You can always spend more, but you can also spend less. Which investments reap the greatest rewards? Will you be able to get your money back out of the property when it sells? Bathrooms and kitchens are great areas to consider remodeling. These areas tend to date a home more than any other, but they are generally the most expensive areas to revamp. Family rooms and large master bedrooms and baths are often good choices. Everything is bigger than in years past including closets. But, you might be surprised with what a designer offers in terms of design options. And, if you go through the inconvenience of a remodeling project, there may be other areas throughout the house, needing only small improvements, which would be inexpensive to tackle while the workforce is present.

Quality Workmanship

It is best to obtain bids from a minimum of three contractors in your area. Examine their credentials, their references and ask to see samples of recent work. A general rule of thumb is to throw out the lowest and highest bids, and after researching the remaining companies, go with the firm you feel is capable of handling your project. A designer can often provide you with several recommendations of reputable firms or act in a supervisory position to handle the many details that will crop up. In the midst of a project, issues will emerge which need to be addressed and having a reliable source for answers will simplify the process and keep the project on target.

Delays and Frustration

Be prepared for inconveniences along the way. The disruption of having workmen in and out for weeks or months at a time can not be under-estimated, no matter how talented they are or how patient you might be. We are creatures of habit and it can be quite an experience to be displaced for any length of time. Permits, inspections, weather, material delays, and improper planning contribute to delays in a project. When hiring a contractor ask for an estimated completion date. Extend the timetable given to include another month or more, depending on the size of the project. You will then be mentally prepared for the inevitable. Unfortunately, remodeling often takes longer than initially expected.

Additional Work

Having a shell of a room is not what you are after. Projects are, many times, bid on a cost plus basis. Any increases in materials and labor reflected in the marketplace add to the cost of the project. Additional work orders implemented after the initial agreement increase the costs as well. Adding 10% to a contractors bid will help prevent shortages requiring cutbacks and provide flexibility for upgrades as you see fit.

Reap the Rewards

If you have ever been through a major remodeling project, you may never wish to go through one again, but it may be because you absolutely love the transformation and are thoroughly content with the results. Remodeling can take a ho-hum home and make it a place you enjoy day in and day out. After all, it is not so much a matter of what we have, but how we use what we have, that matters. If you love your home and your neighborhood, remodeling may just be the answer for you. And, your interior designer will be happy to help you create a space that works well and pleases you at every turn.

Masonry

repairfinders — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:51:22 +0200

Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar, and the term "masonry" can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone such as marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, and tile. Masonry is generally a highly durable form of construction. However, the materials used, the quality of the mortar and workmanship, and the pattern the units are put in can strongly affect the durability of the overall masonry construction.

That's written on Wikipedia.com

Masons used to be held in very high value centuries ago because they were the main source of civil expansion. They built the castle and protective walls, thus were considered almost heroes! That's why there are groups like the freemasons and what not. So let's explore what these people do, shall we?

Masonry is commonly used for the walls of buildings, retaining walls and monuments. Brick is the most common type of masonry and may be either weight-bearing or a veneer. Concrete block masonry is rapidly gaining in popularity as a comparable material. Blocks - most of which have hollow cores - offer various possibilities in masonry construction. They generally provide great compressive strength, and are best suited to structures with light transverse loading when the cores remain unfilled. Filling some or all of the cores with concrete or concrete with steel reinforcement (typically "rebar") offers much greater tensile and lateral strength to structures.

Stone blocks used in masonry can be "dressed" or "rough." Stone masonry utilizing dressed stones is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Both rubble and ashlar masonry can be laid in courses (rows of even height) through the careful selection or cutting of stones, but a great deal of stone masonry is uncoursed.

Natural stone veneers over CMU, cast-in-place, or tilt-up concrete walls are widely used to give the appearance of stone masonry.

Sometimes "river rock" (oval shaped smooth stones) is used as a veneer. This type of material is not favored for solid masonry as it requires a great amount of mortar and can lack intrinsic structural strength.

Manufactured-stone veneers are maturing in their popularity as an alternative to natural stones. Attractive natural stone has become more expensive in many areas and in some areas is practically unavailable. Manufactured-stone veneers are typically made from concrete. Natural stones from quarries around the world are sampled and recreated using moulds, aggregate, and colorfast pigments. To the casual observer there may be no visual difference between veneers of natural and manufactured stone.

Masonry boasts an impressive compressive strength (vertical loads) but is much lower in tensile strength (twisting or stretching) unless reinforced. The tensile strength of masonry walls can be strengthened by thickening the wall, or by building masonry "piers" (vertical columns or ribs) at intervals. Where practical, steel reinforcement also can be introduced vertically and/or horizontally to greatly increase tensile strength, though this is most commonly done with poured walls.

If you're looking for a qualified masonry service in San Diego, visit Repairfinders.com and get a free quote from our listed professionals today!

San Diego Flooring Experts

repairfinders — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:41:28 +0200

Good afternoon, fellow San Diego residents!

Today we're going to briefly cover wood flooring. I'm sorry these past few blogs have been so short, it's getting really busy around here! Anyway...

Wood flooring is without doubt the most popular choice when it comes to installing a new flooring option.

Available in a wide range of hardwoods and softwoods, wood will last forever and needs little maintenance in order to keep its appeal and beauty.

A modern addition to today's range of floors is laminate floors. Laminates have brought look-alike flooring options to consumers that may not be able to afford a real wood floor - and the good news is that they look great!

Many people discover an old wood floor underneath old carpet and wonder whether they can restore it to its former glory. The answer is almost always "Yes", unless it is suffering from a serious rot problem or some form of boring beetle. Even then, it is always worth getting a second opinion from an expert before consigning your floor to the garbage tip.

If cost is a prime factor in the choice between laminate or solid wood, consider the fact that there is a ready market in second-hand flooring. This is available from specialist dealers or individuals who can't spare the time and effort it takes to prepare an old wood floor. Nails may need to be removed and there may be a few bumps and dents in it - but if cost is an issue, don't overlook it.

Another important issue you should consider when buying any new solid wood product is where it comes from. There are unfortunately suppliers who aren't too bothered whether their supplies are purchased from sustainable resources or not, so always look for a properly accredited supplier. In the US the Forest Stewardship Council (fscus.org) offers certification that consumers can trust when it comes to purchasing timber products.

Some popular solid hardwood flooring are Oak, Cherry, Maple, Bamboo Flooring, Walnut, Beech and Ash.

For each of these flooring options there are different grades of floor available. Grading refers to the quality of a floor with regard to its color and graining appearance. Sometimes what you see in the supplier's brochure isn't quite what you get when the product is laid. You should always make sure that you are viewing at the showroom is what you will get at home, but always remember that wood is a natural product and no two pieces will be the same - one of the beauties of natural wood floor.

Well I hope you got some useful knowledge out of today's entry. Remember to come to our site if you need any kind of flooring done in your home!

-Jack

San Diego Appliance Repair Advice - Wash...

repairfinders — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:33:45 +0200

Hello, everyone!

Mr. Jack Morrison here after a very busy weekend to talk to you all about appliance repair in San Diego.

I'll be citing an interesting article that has plenty of great information when it comes to household appliances. Today, we're going to touch upon some information on parts of a washer and dryer unit that I feel people should know more about. It can save time and money if you have a problem with either appliance that you know how to fix.

So, let's start with the washer unit first! Here are some components that require general maintenance:

Water-fill Hoses

Over time, the water hoses that came with your new washing machine may leak or burst. It's a good preventive maintenance practice to check these hoses from time to time for any sign of wear or weakness. Often there's a small blister in the rubber of the hose, which could rupture. Most manufacturers recommend replacing the hoses every 5 years.

Note… If the hose ruptures, large quantities of water could gush from the hose. If it's the hot water hose that ruptures, the gushing hot water may scald anyone nearby.

Leveling

Because your washing machine is so heavy, when it's not level, it can vibrate strongly during the spin cycle. If your washing machine is not perfectly level--with all four legs touching the floor--it can bang and rock back and forth, and even begin to "walk" across the room. This isn't good for the machine and may damage anything near the machine.

Your washing machine has adjustable, front leveling legs with a lock nut. You adjust the leg to the proper height, then tighten the lock nut up against the body of the machine to keep the leg from rotating.

Some machines have adjustable leveling legs in the rear also, and you can adjust them in the same way. Keep the machine as close to the floor as possible--the lower it is, the less likely it is to vibrate.

Most machines, however, have "self-adjusting" rear legs. You set these legs by tilting the entire machine forward onto its front legs (with the rear legs 3 to 4 inches off the floor) and then setting the machine back down. The legs should adjust automatically. If they don't, you may need to tilt the machine forward and rap on the rear legs with the handle of a hammer to loosen them--a procedure that's easier to accomplish with a helper.

Surface Cleaning

Your washer has either a painted steel or porcelain-coated steel cabinet. It's perfectly safe to use a little dish detergent and a damp rag to clean all of its surfaces. If the surface is porcelain, you can even use a little non-abrasive cleanser for stubborn stains.

Lint Disposal

Most washing machines collect lint during the wash cycle and send it down the drain during the drain cycle.

If your machine is a Maytag, though, it may be different. Most Maytag washing machines collect lint in the center tube of the agitator. You need to lift out that tube and clean it periodically. Other machines have a lint filter near the top of the tub, which you need to slide out, clean off, and reinsert.

Interesting stuff, huh? Now let's move on to the dryer unit:

Vent

Your dryer vent pipe should be made of aluminum. The white vinyl duct that was common several years ago no longer meets most building codes, because if your dryer ignites it, a fire may start in your home.

Check the entire length of the vent pipe for lint build-up at least once a year--or more often if the dryer gets a lot of use.

Note… Remove the lint from the duct--don't just push it back into the dryer or let it clog any part of the vent.

You can tackle lint build-up in the duct with our Vent Brush for Cleaning 4" Round Dryer Vent accessory. It's available in 10- and 20- foot lengths. See our accessories section for more details.

Interior of Dryer Cabinet

The lint produced by clothes tumbling in a dryer is normally trapped by the lint filter. However, some lint invariably escapes and accumulates on the inside of the dryer cabinet. At least once a year, check the inside of the cabinet, and clean it if necessary. Do this more frequently if the dryer is used heavily.

Lint Filter

Check and clean the lint filter after every drying cycle. If the lint filter has any rips or tears, replace it. If the filter gets clogged by fabric softener residue or any other residue, you can easily clean it with a soft-bristle brush and a little detergent.

Area Under Lint Filter

You can also clean the chute, duct, or area that the lint filter fits into. If necessary, use a vacuum cleaner to reach into the duct and clean out any lint.

Note… If the lint build-up is severe, it's important to disassemble the dryer and clean out the lint more thoroughly. This is often a job for a qualified appliance repair technician, because there's a risk of injuring yourself or damaging the machine.

So if your appliances are malfunctioning and you don't know what's wrong or how to fix it, don't risk losing the appliance or your LIFE when you can simply come to Repairfinders.com and get a professional appliance repair service out to your home today!

Thanks for reading, people! Have a great day, and I'll see you tomorrow!

San Diego's Construction Services

repairfinders — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:34:05 +0200

Good day, San Diego!

This is your number one cool cat Jack Morrison (do I sound like a radio announcer or what?) who has some great info to share with you today. So let's begin, shall we? First, and I want all of you readers to do this, take a look outside the nearest window. Everything that you see that isn't nature has been built by our own hands or by machines that have been built by our own hands. Ranging from small little trailers to mammoth sky scrapers in places like New York and LA!

If you haven't guessed what our topic is by now...read the title very closely. @_@ Construction!!!

So, we have three broad categories that separate the whole idea of construction.

They are:

Building Construction
Heavy/Highway Construction
Industrial Construction

We're going to explore each of these briefly and hopefully we'll have some more knowledge clinking around upstairs! :P

Building construction is the process of adding structure to real property. The vast majority of building construction projects are small renovations, such as addition of a room, or renovation of a bathroom. Often, the owner of the property acts as laborer, paymaster, and design team for the entire project. However, all building construction projects include some elements in common - design, financial, and legal considerations. Many projects of varying sizes reach undesirable end results, such as structural collapse, cost overruns, and/or litigation reason, those with experience in the field make detailed plans and maintain careful oversight during the project to ensure a positive outcome.

Building construction is procured privately or publicly utilizing various delivery methodologies, including hard bid, negotiated price, traditional, management contracting, construction management-at-risk, design & build and design-build bridging.

Residential construction practices, technologies, and resources must conform to local building authority regulations and codes of practice. Materials readily available in the area generally dictate the construction materials used (e.g. brick versus stone, versus timber). Cost of construction on a per square meter (or per square foot) basis for houses can vary dramatically based on site conditions, local regulations, economies of scale (custom designed homes are always more expensive to build) and the availability of skilled tradespeople. As residential (as well as all other types of construction) can generate a lot of waste, careful planning again is needed here.

Heavy/Civil construction is the process adding infrastructure to our built environment. Owners of these projects are usually government agencies, either at the national or local level. As in building construction, heavy/civil construction has design, financial, and legal considerations, however these projects are not usually undertaken for-profit, but to service the public interest. However, heavy/civil construction projects are also undertaken by large private corporations, including, among others, golf courses, harbors, power companies, railroads, and mines, who undertake the construction of access roads, dams, railroads, general site grading, and massive earthwork projects. As in building construction, the owner will assemble a team to create an overall plan to ensure that the goals of the project are met.

Industrial construction, though a relatively small part of the entire construction industry, is a very important component. Owners of these projects are usually large, for-profit, industrial corporations. These corporations can be found in such industries as medicine, petroleum, chemical, power generation, manufacturing, etc. Processes in these industries require highly specialized expertise in planning, design, and construction. As in building and heavy/highway construction, this type of construction requires a team of individuals to ensure a successful project.

So if you're looking for some construction services, head over to Repairfinders.com and get a great priced one today, people!

Jack...out.

San Diego Cement Services - How Do They...

repairfinders — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:38:32 +0200

Helloooooo San Diego, my first love!

This is Jacky Morrison here with some more cool information that I bet half of you (at least) never knew. Now we've all driven past those gigantic cement factory thingies, and they ARE gigantic! One must ask, though, if cement can be mixed in those trucks while being driven, why the need for such a massive facility to produce it? Today we're going to explore how Portland cement is made! Portland cement is the primary type of cement used in the United States and is derived from the UK, much like Portland stone.

Anyway, there are three stages in the production of this stuff:

Raw mixture preparation
Production of the clinker
Preparation of the cement

Let's get started with stage one: Raw Mixture Preparation

The raw materials for Portland cement production are a mixture (as fine powder in the 'Dry process' or in the form of a slurry in the 'Wet process') of minerals containing calcium oxide, silicon oxide, aluminium oxide, ferric oxide, and magnesium oxide. The raw materials are usually quarried from local rock, which in some places is already practically the desired composition and in other places requires the addition of clay and limestone, as well as iron ore, bauxite or recycled materials. The individual raw materials are first crushed, typically to below 50 mm. In many plants, some or all of the raw materials are then roughly blended in a "prehomogenization pile". The raw materials are next ground together in a rawmill. Silos of individual raw materials are arranged over the feed conveyor belt. Accurately controlled proportions of each material are delivered onto the belt by weigh-feeders. Passing into the rawmill, the mixture is ground to rawmix. The fineness of rawmix is specified in terms of the size of the largest particles, and is usually controlled so that there are less than 5-15% by mass of particles exceeding 90 μm in diameter. It is important that the rawmix contains no large particles in order to complete the chemical reactions in the kiln, and to ensure the mix is chemically homogenous. In the case of a dry process, the rawmill also dries the raw materials, usually by passing hot exhaust gases from the kiln through the mill, so that the rawmix emerges as a fine powder. This is conveyed to the blending system by conveyor belt or by a powder pump. In the case of wet process, water is added to the rawmill feed, and the mill product is a slurry with moisture content usually in the range 25-45% by mass. This slurry is conveyed to the blending system by conventional liquid pumps.

The rawmix is formulated to a very tight chemical specification. Typically, the content of individual components in the rawmix must be controlled within 0.1% or better. Calcium and silicon are present in order to form the strength-producing calcium silicates. Aluminium and iron are used in order to produce liquid ("flux") in the kiln burning zone. The liquid acts as a solvent for the silicate-forming reactions, and allows these to occur at an economically low temperature. Insufficient aluminium and iron lead to difficult burning of the clinker, while excessive amounts lead to low strength due to dilution of the silicates by aluminates and ferrites. Very small changes in calcium content lead to large changes in the ratio of alite to belite in the clinker, and to corresponding changes in the cement's strength-growth characteristics. The relative amounts of each oxide are therefore kept constant in order to maintain steady conditions in the kiln, and to maintain constant product properties. In practice, the rawmix is controlled by frequent chemical analysis (hourly by X-Ray fluorescence analysis, or every 3 minutes by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis). The analysis data is used to make automatic adjustments to raw material feed rates. Remaining chemical variation is minimized by passing the raw mix through a blending system that homogenizes up to a day's supply of rawmix (15,000 tonnes in the case of a large kiln).

I know it's a bit heavy to digest, but bear with me. On to Stage 2!

The raw mixture is heated in a cement kiln, a slowly rotating and sloped cylinder, with temperatures increasing over the length of the cylinder up to a peak temperature of 1400-1450 °C. A complex succession of chemical reactions take place (see cement kiln) as the temperature rises. The peak temperature is regulated so that the product contains sintered but not fused lumps. Sintering consists of the melting of 25-30% of the mass of the material. The resulting liquid draws the remaining solid particles together by surface tension, and acts as a solvent for the final chemical reaction in which alite is formed. Too low a temperature causes insufficient sintering and incomplete reaction, but too high a temperature results in a molten mass or glass, destruction of the kiln lining, and waste of fuel. When all goes to plan, the resulting material is clinker. On cooling, it is conveyed to storage. Some effort is usually made to blend the clinker, because although the chemistry of the rawmix may have been tightly controlled, the kiln process potentially introduces new sources of chemical variability. The clinker can be stored for a number of years before use. Prolonged exposure to water decreases the reactivity of cement produced from weathered clinker.

The enthalpy of formation of clinker from calcium carbonate and clay minerals is ~1700 kJ/kg. However, because of heat loss during production, actual values can be much higher. The high energy requirements and the release of significant amounts of carbon dioxide makes cement production a concern for global warming.

Stage Three

In order to achieve the desired setting qualities in the finished product, a quantity (2-8%, but typically 5%) of calcium sulfate (usually gypsum or anhydrite) is added to the clinker and the mixture is finely ground to form the finished cement powder. This is achieved in a cement mill. The grinding process is controlled to obtain a powder with a broad particle size range, in which typically 15% by mass consists of particles below 5 μm diameter, and 5% of particles above 45 μm. The measure of fineness usually used is the "specific surface", which is the total particle surface area of a unit mass of cement. The rate of initial reaction (up to 24 hours) of the cement on addition of water is directly proportional to the specific surface. Typical values are 320-380 m²·kg^-1 for general purpose cements, and 450-650 m²·kg^-1 for "rapid hardening" cements. The cement is conveyed by belt or powder pump to a silo for storage. Cement plants normally have sufficient silo space for 1-20 weeks production, depending upon local demand cycles. The cement is delivered to end-users either in bags or as bulk powder blown from a pressure vehicle into the customer's silo. In developed countries, 80% or more of cement is delivered in bulk, and many cement plants have no bag-packing facility. In developing countries, bags are the normal mode of delivery.

So, it's really not the Portland cement that's being mixed in those big trucks you see driving around. Cement is a component of concrete, and concrete is what's being mixed in the trucks! See? So, I hope that this blog was informative for you all, and remember that if you need to have concrete poured , leveled, or repaired, you can contact a professional cement service in San Diego via Repairfinders.com today!

Well, I hope you enjoyed today's read!

-Jack

S.D. Auto Body Work Advice

repairfinders — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:41:41 +0200

Hey!

Jack's back with a little tip from some of the professional services listed on Repairfinders.com . This is a posted article one doing your own minor scratch removal!

"Using very fine sandpaper (one designed for wet sanding) and a water-soaked sponge, feather the edges of the scratch, going to bare metal if necessary. What you're looking for is a smooth taper from the scratch to the unmarred paint. You know you're there when you can run your finger lightly over the area without feeling even a trace of an edge.

If the scratch is deep, you can fill it with body putty or filler. The best way to determine if body putty is required is, again, to run your hand over the area. Unless you've got a practiced eye, just looking at the area is deceptive. Your fingertips and palm are your best tools. Wet-sand the putty to blend the edges.

Make sure the area surrounding the damage is masked off—at least three inches is good—to ensure a good blending of the repair coat. Apply the primer and wet-sand the area with extra fine sandpaper and your wet sponge for the best bonding of the final paint.

Auto manufacturers make it easy to match the original paint with color codes and touch-up kits available from auto supply shops or the local dealer. Once the final color has been applied and dried, do the final sanding with 1000-grit wet sandpaper. Once you're sure the paint is completely dry, use rubbing compound to bring up the shine on the new paint."

There's a little tip for all of you who have had your car keyed before. If it's anything beyond that, you should definitely see our body work specialists listed at Repairfinders.com so they can take care of it for you. That's if for today! Hasta labista!

San Diego Computer Repair - Malware

repairfinders — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:46 +0200

Good afternoon, San Diego!

This is....can you guess?

*Queues the Jeopardy theme song*

Okay, time's up!

Jack Morrison here on this wonderful day to take you on yet another journey into the mystical world of computer repair! Now, a lot of us who are cut from the old block barely know how to use these things beyond office programs and checking email, so we're going to cover some of the essential knowledge that goes with any computer owner.

Firstly, I will show you what it looks like when there is absolutely no hope of saving your machine on your own without hiring a professional service to look at it, and even that usually results in everything STILL being wiped out! This enemy of all computer users is called...The Blue Screen of Death. Cheesy? Yes. BUT, it loses its cheesiness when it's on YOUR screen! When you see this image, it's either A. time to grumble as you go into the back room and pull out your backup hard drives or B. time to scream because you didn't back up your hard drives!

This symbol of doom has struck many computer users who may have had malware on their machine. Malware is what we will look into next, but rest assured; there's help for malware! Read along....go ahead! :)

Malware is software that is malicious, meaning that it was written with the intention of damaging or infiltrating a person's machine and basically doing bad things! Some malware is stronger than others, but most are repairable.

One type of malware is the computer virus. A virus infects an executable program and spreads when that program is run. Infections that are transmitted by a Microsoft Word file or through an email that require opening are considered viral infections. One of the older but more famous of these computer viruses is the Happy 99 virus.

Another type of malware is the worm. There have been several of these that, in the early 2000's, were spreading like wildfire throughout the country. A worm, unlike a virus, spreads itself through a network to other computers.

Both of these have the ability to carry what we call a "payload," which is basically information and instructions of what to do once the program has entered the machine. Some payloads gather personal information, for instance, passwords that are saved for certain websites, while other payloads have less severe functions.

Moving on from those two types of malware, we're now going to touch on the trojan horse or trojan! Now, let's play a bit off of mythology. The Greeks invaded Troy by hiding themselves in the Trojan horse. Once the coast was clear, they all poured out and basically took the city down by surprise. That's exactly what these programs do! They are disguised as a program that you might think could be pretty useful, and then BAM! Once it's there, it takes you by surprise. Trojans can be known to delete all of the files on a user's computer, or can also install other malware and practically wage war with you.

Next? There's more??? Yep! Spyware programs are commercially produced for the purpose of gathering information about computer users, showing them pop-up ads, or altering web-browser behavior for the financial benefit of the spyware creator. For instance, some spyware programs redirect search engine results to paid advertisements. Others, often called "stealware" by the media, overwrite affiliate marketing codes so that revenue goes to the spyware creator rather than the intended recipient.

Spyware programs are sometimes installed as Trojan horses of one sort or another. They differ in that their creators present themselves openly as businesses, for instance by selling advertising space on the pop-ups created by the malware. Most such programs present the user with an end-user license agreement which purportedly protects the creator from prosecution under computer contaminant laws. However, spyware EULAs have not yet been upheld in court.

If you want to find a high quality virus/malware removal service in the San Diego area, you can visit our website and find the perfect computer repair service for you today!

Thanks a bunch, people! I hope to get some more of your nice comments soon! Hasta pasta, S.D.!

An Insight into San Diego's Locksmiths

repairfinders — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:46:13 +0200

Hey, people.

Mr. Morrison is back today with a short but sweet insight into the world of locksmithing. We all know how infuriating and delaying it is when we accidentally leave our keys in the ignition of our cars and we're locked out, or when you close the front door to your house, you hear the click inside and then you remember that your keys are still inside. We hate it, and it makes us all "damsels" in distress! So who saves us?

Think hard...

...yep. Locksmiths come to rescue us from our woes by defeating the locking mechanisms and getting us back inside our cars, homes, or offices. But what else do they do besides that? Well, the suffix "-smith" implies working with metal. Locksmiths fashion locking mechanisms of all different kinds as well as installing them into doors, safes, etc. These geniuses also design alarm systems and other locking gadgets like fingerprint readers and what not!

Didn't know that? Neither did I! Locksmiths also fashion the keys that we use to keep our homes and cars (among other things) secure. You know, I don't think anybody really appreciates these professionals as much as we should. I mean, they're the reason we don't have burglars or prowlers sneaking into our houses so easily. They're the ones who evolved the simple piece of wood blocking the door to key-locks to the modern things we have today like fingerprint, voice, or breath readers! It's like they're the real life MacGuyver's in a weird sense!

Anyway, San Diego residents who have had past experiences in being locked out of their house or car should write down the numbers of the locksmiths listed on Repairfinders.com just in case it happens again! I have to be off now, but I hope you enjoyed today's short short shooooort read! Monday's will be bigger, I promise!

-Jack

Handymen in San Diego, Who do You Trust?

repairfinders — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:09:09 +0200

Greetings, San Diego!

I hope you all had a terrific weekend, I know I did! So Jack is back with a new topic to attack! Today's topic is about those men that you don't know who come into your home. No! Not burglars! Handymen! You see, there's a lot more behind the concept of a handyman, much more than the general image of a freelance worker who specializes in multiple home improvement tasks.

Some of the common skills among handymen include:

Drywall repair
Painting
Remodeling
Minor electrical repair
Minor plumbing repair
Furniture assembly

Why only minor electrical and plumbing work? Well, certain trades like those require licenses and, if a handyman is not a licensed electrician or plumber, they can't do the full work in those areas of expertise. However, they can perform tasks that don't require much work with the plumbing or electrical systems such as installing a new sink, replacing taps, or putting in new electrical sockets.

Some, but not all handypeople are licensed and insured. The requirement for such documents varies in different areas with different situations. It's very important that you know whether or not it is necessary to hire a licensed and insured handyman for the job you need done. You should also keep in mind that, in most cases, if an uninsured contractor is injured while working at your house, YOU get the bill for whatever medical attention is needed.

So, in conclusion to today's entry, while handypeople can be quite "handy" for certain jobs that you need done on your home, it is important to know what experience/document(s) are necessary and to have a pretty good idea of how well the service will perform their tasks. See if there are any reviews posted under their listing at Repairfinders.com , be sure to check their description and see if they do the kind of work you need.

That's it for today, people. I'll be seeing you tomorrow though! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will answer it most likely the next day!

San Diego's Best Auto Repairs of 2008!

repairfinders — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:37:21 +0200

Hey, people!

Jack is back with a new whip to crack! Okay, so everyone who owns a car knows how frustrating and financially draining maintenance can be on their car, especially after neglecting to keep it tuned up. Countless times, drivers have lost their brakes and crashed, the radiator, blew, or a belt or hose snapped! To avoid dangerous situations like these, we have to take the necessary precautions by having our vehicles inspected by professional services.

But hey, it's San Diego we're talking about here! Who can we trust to actually do what needs to be done and no get ripped off in the process? Sadly, there are too many businesses out there that lie and steal your money while giving you a still-broken car, or decided (without telling you) to put in a new brake or transmission and up your bill by hundreds of dollars! There's no need for any of that anymore!

Why?

Repairfinders.com! That's why! We don't take in just anybody; we make sure that the businesses we list are honest and good quality. Plus, our listed automotive services cover a broad spectrum of repairs or maintenance. If your windshield is cracked or covered with too many chippings from flying gravel and what not, we have several auto glass services who can professionally replace it for a reasonable price! If your brakes are worn down and squeaking like nails on a chalkboard, you will always be able to get a dependable specialist to get them taken care of right away. You know what? The list just goes on and on, so why don't I just list them all right here? Here we go!

-Alignment

-Auto Advertising

-Auto Collision

-Auto Detailing

-Auto Electrical

-Auto Finance

-Auto Glass

-Auto Painting

-Auto Service

-Auto Upholstery

-Batteries

-Belts-Hoses

-Body Work

-Brakes

-Car audio/video and alarms

-Car Wash

-Car, Truck, and Van Rental

-Diagnostic Check

-Engine Service

-Exhaust

-Frame

-Fuel System Service

-Limousine Services

-Motorcycle Repair

-Mufflers

-Oil Change

-Radiators

-RV Service/Repairs

-Smog Check & Public Scales

-Sunroofs

-Tinting

-Tires

-Towing

-Transmission Service/Repair

Yowza! That's a huge list! It's definitely convenient for us S.D. residents to find a business that can take care of all our repair needs. If you have any questions at all about this website, you can email the business at support@repairfinders.com or you can email me personally at handyman01@publicscales.org

Have a good one!

Jack

A Great Search Engine for San Diego Resi...

repairfinders — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:38:54 +0200

Hey everyone!

I suppose I should introduce myself before we get into the good stuff. I’m Jack Morrison and I am part of a growing web search engine that, unlike any others, gives you results only for repair or maintenance needs for your home or business in San Diego! Now, we’ve all at one point or another tried finding a dependable and reasonably priced service through Craigslist, Citysearch, Service Magic, and so many other classified sites. But the problem is…none of them really give a thorough presentation of their businesses, and at least a quarter of them are crooks who aren’t licensed or insured! Who wants to hire a service they've heard nothing about nor seen or heard any testimonials?

Well, rather than browsing through reposts of the same ads, we’ve cooked up a juicy website up just for you!

Repairfinders.com was designed to assist San Diego's residents in finding the perfect repair or maintenance service for their cars, homes, clothes, pretty much anything! It’s so easy to use and, most of the time, locates your desired service before you even have to click on the search button!

Well, what makes this website so special? What does it offer that other sites don’t? Instead of avoiding questions like these, I would like to address them with a few of the important highlights that makes Repairfinders.com worth your time:

We provide weblogs for each of our listed companies so you can be informed on the spot as to what that service does, as well as other important information.
You can find special coupons for that service on business profiles
If you need to take something to their actual building, don’t bother calling them for an address! On each business profile, we have the EXACT placement of their office through the Google Map services!

Great huh? That's not even the best!

With just ONE click of a button, you can request a free quote from all listed businesses in your desired category!

For example, if I needed emergency plumbing done, rather than email or call those businesses individually, I just type in what I need done and hit “Request quote from all.” Emails of the same text are sent to all of the companies and you can get back to making sure nothing blows up!

So give Repairfinders.com a shot today, we have over 100 of San Diego’s greatest repair and maintenance services who are eager to help you as soon as possible!