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We provide easy to follow information about everything and anything that you can do in your home during the weekends. We provide DIY science project tutorials. Topics include gardening, electricity, and even plumbing projects.

Also, we provide guides on how to maximize the efficiency of homes by investing on small DIY projects during the weekend.

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How to carry out an antenna installation

How to carry out an antenna installation

As the world changes, technology to keeps evolving at a faster rate. Back in the olden days, people has simple antennas that helped then receive signals for them to watch TV channels. Currently, HDTV have entered the market forcing the exit of some of these albeit grainy antennas.

In the following article, we are going to deal with how to install an HDTV antenna correctly.

Indoor or Outdoor HDTV Antenna?

HD antennas come in two types namely outdoor and indoor. The indoor ones can accurately receive signals if the owner resides near a broadcasting tower.

Outdoor antennas are used when the broadcasting tower seems to be far, thus creating a need to be installed on rooftops. When it comes to this option, it is better to contact a professional to install the antenna for you, though you can do it yourself.

Tools and material needed for installation

You will need U-clamp nails, Nail gun, HD digital tuner, coaxial cable, nail gun, Silicone caulk, Screwdrivers, and Power drill.

Inspect the TV

cabling is really important

Cabling is really important

Supposing you have an antenna on your roof that was installed earlier, first try to connect it to the TV to see if you it will receive signals.

Select the appropriate HD antenna

In the market, there are numerous types of HD antennas that allow the taste of choice. It is advisable to know which broadcast tower is nearer your home to select the best antenna that can work there. Such information can be found on the internet.

Organise to install the antenna

On the internet, you will find websites that have various channels together with their compass headings. You will need to use a compass to determine the direction that the antenna needs to face.

Start by installing a mounting bracket

When you purchase the mounting bracket, it comes with a manual. Adhere to the instruction on the manual to properly fix the mounting bracket on the roof. Secure the bracket with roofing screws and smear silicone caulk at the screws to prevent water from penetrating.

Antenna assembling

Some antennas that are bought already assembled and some need to be collected after being purchased.

Fix the antenna pole

Untighten the bolts found at the sleeve of the mounting bracket, then slip the pole in till it gets to the sleeve’s bottom, followed by tightening the bolts again to secure the pole firmly.

Settle the antenna on the pole

purchase the right brand for your tvAt the antenna’s sleeve, some bolts will have to be loosened. Fix the sleeve on top of the pole. Observe to ensure that the sleeve and the top join. Turn the antenna to face the direction where the broadcast tower is. Do not tighten the bolts as you will need to adjust the direction of the antenna later.

Fix a Temporary Cable Line

Have the cable output terminal of the antenna connected with coaxial cable. Let the cable run to the TV, but do not fix it. Join the other loose end of the cable line to the back of the HDTV where an input slot is, then switch on the TV.

Try to tune to local channels available to see if an HD signal will be received. You need someone to be watching if there is a signal while you keep adjusting the antenna on the roof.

Tightly secure each loose part.

When you find the best position for the antenna, one that received better signals, tighten the bolts at the sleeve. Also, place the coaxial cable well at the roof while using a nail gun together with u-clamp nails to fix the cable firmly in place. Connect the coaxial cable to the TV and enjoy.

If you are after a skilled electrical contractor in Perth to carry out the job, visit Andrews Home Services today !

DIY Solar Power: A Cheap Source of Energy

DIY Solar Power: A Cheap Source of Energy

There are many homeowners today looking for an alternative means of getting electricity. This is true for homes that are trying to get rid of expensive electrical bills, to homes that are planning to have an alternative source of energy in case power outage is normal in your area.

Over the years, the popularity of the solar panels grew. One of the reasons is that it can help homes save a lot of money. In the long run, your investment on solar panels and battery can give you a good amount of discount in the long run depending on the system that you’ve installed.

According to experts, 3,000 kilowatt solar power system can create around 450 kilowatts of power in a month which can give around $50 worth of savings for a $100 electric bill. In addition to this, it also helps the environment. Nowadays, a lot of people are doing their part in order to help save Mother Earth. By investing on solar panels, it can help contribute towards the environment since solar power leaves minimal carbon footprints.

But a lot of people are asking if it is really cheap. Is it really a cheaper option? Here are some things that you might want to consider.

It gets cheaper over time

solar panels also used on farmsIf you will look at the price of solar panels years ago, you might argue that it isn’t really cheap. Over the years, solar power has become cheaper. In fact, according to studies, by 2040, it is expected that 15% of the world’s electricity will be relying on solar energy by then. And one of the reason is that it has become cheaper.

If the trends continue, by 2040, solar energy will only cost around $0.04 per kilowatt hour. That means that it is cheaper than natural gas in some parts of the world. One of the reasons is the improvements in technology. These days, companies have been able to lessen the cost of producing top-of-the-line solar panels in the market.

10 years ago, you can still say that solar panels are not practical especially for a home. Nowadays, there are even more and more DIY options that you can choose from.

There are incentives given

Depending on where you live, there are incentives given to homes that opt to install solar panels. The reason behind this is to encourage people to make use of cleaner sources of energy. A lot of offices today are also looking into green options because of possible incentives.

Can be used even on small devices

There are many reasons to choose cleaner energy over the conventional option which came from fossil fuel. Solar power is a great option that can be utilized not only by homeowners but even on our individual gadgets. These days, you can see a lot of solar powered chargers for small electronic gadgets such as mobile phones and even tablets.

And if there’s power outage, you can rely on solar power in order to get ensure that you have electricity in your home. This is even a cheaper option than using gas powered generators.

Will a DIY Generator Work For Your Household?

Will a DIY Generator Work For Your Household?

Do you plan on saving money from your electric bills? Or you are simply having a Plan B in case power runs out? A lot of homeowners today are looking for alternative ways on how to power their home. A lot of times, electrical bills can stack up over the years especially when you invest on so much equipment inside your home. The question that people ask these days is if it is really possible to use a DIY generator?

Harnessing power can be quite a complicated idea for a lot of people. In reality, it can be a simple concept that can be built in your own backyard. One effective DIY generator is a solar panel.

What makes solar panels the ideal DIY generator?

We usually take for granted the fact that sun light can power even an entire home. Sunlight is an inexpensive way to get the power going considering the fact that it is available at least half the day. In addition to this, you are contributing to the environment. Typically, you power plants make use of fossil fuel or even nuclear energy in order to power our homes.

The good news is that solar panels can be bought cheap these days. There are a lot of solar panels that can be considered high-quality and affordable these days. You can even install it on your own if you know a bit of electrical work.

The good thing about a solar power generator is that the sun will always be there. You can rely on it to harness electricity into the batteries that can power your home.

Can be easily maintained

During an earthquake in Japan that devastated the country, a lot of homes lost their source of power except those that have solar panels installed on their home. The good thing about having your own solar power generator is that it can easily be maintained and it can be considered reliable even in an event of a disaster. As long as the sun is there, you can always rely on solar panels.

What are other possible generators?

There are other possible generators that can power an entire home. There are places wherein windmills are used in order to generate electricity into an entire community. How exactly does it work if its wind energy? Turbines are used in order to create sufficient energy in a particular place.

Aside from wind, there are those that have been using the wave. But of course, these are options that are not really feasible especially if you are just going to power your home. These are large projects that require a huge funding from the government.

This is the reason why solar power remains the most feasible plan that you can consider if you are going to have a generator that can power the house.

Solar technology has become cheaper these days. Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of solar panels sold for a great price. Because of this, it becomes a popular option among homeowners planning to improve the efficiency of their home. And to top it all off, it is easy to install.

Science Behind DIY Solar Panels

Science Behind DIY Solar Panels

There are a lot of homeowners today investing on solar panels. And come to think of it, this is a great time to be an advocate of alternative source of energy. DIY solar panels are now available. You can install these in your home and power not only a few of your appliances, or even your entire house.

But of course, before you start investing on solar panels, what exactly is the science behind it? It is important that you understand you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on installation when you have the DIY versions.

How exactly does it work?

Photons or particles of light will create electricity within the solar panel. Each of the panel is made up of silicon which is the one responsible for creating electricity. Next, it is then wired to batteries that it can charge. The reason behind having a battery is to store energy throughout the day.

But of course, keep in mind that it is not readily available electricity for your home. Home appliances work on AC and not DC. Therefore, it is important that you get an AC to DC converter. This will allow the electricity to be used by your appliances.

Can it supply the entire house?

There are many factors to consider whether or not the electricity is enough to supply the entire house. It depends on the size of the battery, not to mention the size of your solar panels. There are other homes that make use of both the conventional way to power the house while also using solar power at the same time. This can be practical and it can also help save a lot of money in the long run.

Things that you have to know

It is important to get solar panels that can withstand the elements. Since it is harnessing sunlight, it should be able to tolerate moisture and changes in temperature. Keep in mind that the high performance solar panels and batteries will cost some money. The cost of solar panels per watt back in 2012 is around $1.3.

Also, if you are going to do things on your own and wire the batteries to the panel, keep in mind that it should be in a series. If you don’t have any knowledge whatsoever about electricity, it is best that you don’t dabble in this project.

About Us

BMS NAFTA is meant to teach homeowners on how to maximize their own home. We provide useful information that can teach you on how to make your home more efficient in the long run. We provide tips that can be followed even by homeowners that have no prior experience doing DIY projects at home.