Also known as drywall, gypsum panels are often used by builders and architects for both residential and commercial construction because of its many advantages. Gypsum board systems meet building code requirements, provide economical fire protection, attenuate sound, are easy to erect, are eco-friendly and have breath function.

Fire Protection

Although gypsum panels have a non-combustible core, building codes mandate that these systems must be fire tested based on a set standard like the Standard Test Method for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials.Once tested, numerical ratings are given for fire-resistance classifications. This set standard entails two tests: a Fire Endurance Test and the Hose Stream Test. During the Fire Endurance Test, the material specimen is exposed to fire and tested for a resistance period. The Hose Stream Test subjects the specimen to fire for a period of one half the resistance period. It is then subjected to the impact and cooling from a fire hose. Duration of exposure and water pressure are noted during this test method. If no large amount of water passes through the gypsum panel, the resistance period is then the fire rating for the system.

Sound Control

Apartment complexes, condos and business establishments rely heavily on gypsum walls to limit the transmission of sound between individual units and rooms. Solid area gypsum wall systems have a Sound Transmission Class (STC) rating that can provide more than 60 rating. As long as the wall areas are free of gaps, fully caulked, sealed and have no flanking paths, gypsum panels greatly reduce sound transmission.

Easy to Erect and Secure

Gypsum panel systems are convenient and easy to install and secure during the framing process of construction. Metal components and liner panels are easily stacked and allow for the separation wall to be smoothly inserted. Gypsum board separation walls come in either a solid or cavity design. Solid system designs are erected vertically one floor at a time and inserted into wide tracks. The individual panels are secured by H-studs and set up one after the other along the track. It?s a stacking process that is easily repeated from floor to floor.

Cavity-style systems are generally used in steel stud partitions or gypsum board shaft wall enclosures like those used to enclose a duct shaft or elevator shaft. Like solid systems, cavity-style systems begin with the installation of track at the foundation and are erected vertically. The clips used must be the proper thickness and shape to meet fire-resistant codes. Both solid systems and cavity-type systems weight no more than 10 pounds per square foot. Its lightweight features make it easy to work with while eliminating the need for foundation modifications. Lastly, these systems can be quickly installed leaving no dust in the air.

Eco-Friendly

The gypsum board industry makes good use of recycled materials. Nearly 100 percent of the material used to manufacture gypsum board comes from consumer waste materials and newsprint. The industry also manufactures synthetic gypsum using waste materials from manufacturing plants, such as fossil-fueled power plants. Another green source of gypsum production is the use of production waste from the gypsum board manufacturing plants itself. Waste is reclaimed and entered back into the gypsum board production cycle. When it comes to eco-friendly, the gypsum board industry is hard to top.

Breath Function

Gypsum board panels have a natural breathing component. Its porous body can both absorb and release moisture. With indoor humidity levels high and warm air, it naturally has capitulary ability known as its breathing function. Gypsum board panels help regulate indoor conditions for a better working and living environment.

All around, the benefits of gypsum board make it the go-to product for contractors who do construction or renovation. Not only is gypsum board an advanced technology product, it has a beautiful and smooth appearance that is aesthetically pleasing.

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When you're busy hanging drywall and winning jobs, dealing with issues with your drywall supplier can really cut into the time you need to get the job done. How do you find the right drywall supplier for your business? There are a number of aspects you can look at with a drywall supplier that can help you make sure they can take care of your business. Here are a few of the major ones you'll want to look at when investigating a drywall supplier to ensure they're a good fit for you.

A large, diverse inventory ?

When you've got a large job or a number of jobs going at the same time, you need the exact materials when you need them in the quantity required. You don't have time to wait on shipments because a smaller supplier can't keep up with your demand. It's often helpful to partner with an established supplier who understands the flow of supplies required for your projects.

High quality standards ?

When a job is underway, you need to know you're getting the best quality material available. You don't need to waste time turning back orders because a careless loader damaged the corners of an entire pallet of drywall. You don't need to discover after you've installed and finished out drywall that there were quality issues with the wallboard, the joint compound or the screws holding the material in place. A drywall supplier that keeps their inventory protected, in good condition and transported carefully can mean the difference between a successful job and one that leaves you losing business.

Fast, efficient delivery -

You can waste a lot of time getting the trucks and trailers together to haul material for a large job because a supplier doesn't offer delivery. It can even more frustrating when you need to wait for ages for your material to be delivered. We've all had projects when you've called the supplier half a dozen times over the course of a morning just to hear, "Yeah, it's on its way," just to have it finally show up late in the afternoon, after you've sent your crew home for the day with nothing to do. Suppliers that can deliver to your job site quickly and on time are a great advantage when the clock is ticking and you need to get the job done.

Different services offered ?

Can your supplier order in specialty products when you need them without a lot of extra work on your part? Do they have people who have experience in the drywall industry and understand your needs? Are they willing to offer education to help keep your crew moving with the latest trends? These extras can make all the difference between a good supplier and an exceptional one.

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Does the water in your home not smell or taste right? Does it have some bacteria or nitrate in it? Your drinking water might have health concerns, nuisance problems or both. These water impurities might damage your plumbing equipment, cause odors, stains and health problems like intestinal disorders because of contamination due to bacteria. This could be especially true if you have spring fed or well water.á

What?s In Your Water - To find out if your water has impurities, you must find out what?s in it. Because you use your water for bathing, cooking and drinking, it?s important to know what is in it. If you have water problems and want to explore why, you can have a water treatment company or environmental lab test it for answers.

Even though some water treatment companies offer free testing, to know if your water has bacterial problems, they send the water out to a laboratory for results. Having the water tested depends on the symptoms your water exhibits.

For example, if you have the odor of a rotten egg caused by hydrogen sulfide or if you have acid water causing corroded pipes, you might want to have the water tested. If you live in a place that has hard water because of magnesium and calcium, you might want to have a water softener with sodium or salt installed to treat the water.á

Contaminants - All water has contaminants such as microorganisms, dissolved minerals and organic compounds. When they build up they can impact public health and cause a nuisance in your home. Having a periodic lab analysis of your water is the best way to make sure it is safe.

For those who have public or municipal water systems, the testing is performed as required by Federal law. It is available at your request. Water testing can also help you prove if you have damages and get reimbursed if the water supply is contaminated due to a pollution incident.á

Testing For Contaminants - Water impurities can come from natural or artificial sources depending on where you live. Testing for impurities and contaminants can be costly, so you might check with neighbors and see if they had theirs tested and what the results were.á

Treatment Methods ? Some of the treatment methods for water impurities include:

? coagulation, settling, and filtration softening; demineralization; internal boiler water treatment; surface active agentsá
? lime and lime-soda softening; acid treatment; hydrogen zeolite softening
? demineralization de-alkalization by anion exchange
? neutralization with alkalies
? aeration, de-aeration, neutralization with alkalis

Being Informed - Making sure you get the facts first before buying water treatment system is important. Many companies are very aggressive in marketing their products so being an informed consumer is in your interest.

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Email marketing is vital for small businesses these days. Everyone is in competition with big box stores, major corporations, and chain businesses with tons of money to spend on advertising, and if you are a small business you need every edge you can get. For contractors, this is especially true, since not only are you in competition with larger firms, but with the do-it-yourself set getting taken in by advertisements from major home improvement stores. You?re a contractor, not a marketing guru. So where do you begin? Here are some basic do?s and don?ts to get you up and running with a strong email marketing strategy.

Basic Points to Remember

There are a few basic points to remember when setting up your marketing strategy.

• Targeted Advertising: Be sure that you are reaching your target audience. Simply sending out a mass email blast to a list you purchased from a vendor isn?t going to do you much good. You want to be sure that your marketing is hitting the crowd you?re trying to draw in. If you have a mailing list, go through it and make sure you have up-to-date contacts. Also check to see that the people on your list are ones who are likely to either buy services from you or pass the info along to those who will. Make sure that customers who visit your website have a way to sign up for your mailing list. Use opt-in rather than opt-out strategies. That means allow customers to choose to get emails from you, rather than asking them to check a box if they don?t. This ensures you get the best bang for your buck as far as interest goes.

• Keep Information Relevant: You can and should send out emails to your customers on a regular basis, which include information not only on your current specials, deals, and offers, but on general industry information. However, keep these newsletter-type blasts relevant to your specialty. If you are a roofing company, don?t send out email blasts about the latest highway construction projects, for example. Changes in standards or regulations for the roofing industry, on the other hand, are of importance to the overall services you provide.

• Look to Professionals and Applications: There are companies out there who offer software and applications that will help you to streamline and improve your marketing plan. These programs will help you to maintain your email lists, track clicks and subscriptions on your website, and monitor the overall effectiveness of your marketing campaign.

Things to Avoid

Just as with the important basics to remember, there are things you want to avoid when planning your email marketing campaign.

• Everyone Hates Mondays: Nobody likes Mondays. Eyes are bleary, people are still dealing with ?weekend lag,? and they don?t want to be at work, let alone slogging through emails. If you send your blasts on Mondays, there?s a much better chance they?ll get deleted without ever being opened, and that does you no good. Tuesdays, on the other hand, are a prime day to send email advertisements, since people have recovered and are at their most productive on this day of the week.

• Do Not Use Outlook: If you use Microsoft Outlook to manage your email, use either your non-Outlook webmail client or a third party mailing list management service. This is because Outlook has a very aggressive spam protection scheme built in, which means that mass emails sent through Outlook often get routed directly to spam folders of the recipients. If you use an e-newsletter provider, your messages will not only be more likely to reach your clients, you will come off as much more professional as well.

• Watch the Frequency: Earlier we said it?s good to send regular newsletter-like updates. This is true, but be careful how regularly you send them. If you?re sending emails every other day, these will start to be seen by both clients and email applications as nuisance or spam messages, and they won?t get read. At worst, you could lose clientele who suddenly opt out of your list. Sending mails once a month is plenty to keep you fresh in your clients? minds.

Keeping these basic do?s and don?ts in mind will ensure that you get a good start on your email marketing campaigns to compete with all those big box retailers and DIY-ers!

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It doesn't matter whether it's the dripping faucet, the creaking framing or the sound of the ice maker dropping ice at 3:00 A.M., what matters is that you can't sleep. You're not alone - an estimated 50-70 million Americans are right there with you in the wee hours of the morning, according to a Centers for Disease Control report issued recently, with nearly 1/3 of adults not getting sufficient sleep every night. But what can you do about it?

In addition to setting aside enough time to get enough sleep, sleep hygiene, or the quality of your sleep practices and environment, plays a vital role in avoiding insomnia-related health problems such as higher blood pressure, depression, memory problems, low energy and inability to focus. In addition to avoiding caffeine, alcohol and large meals close to bedtime, refraining from tobacco use and keeping a regular sleep schedule, you can also take measures to make your home quieter using soundproofing and acoustical products. Here are some common problems and possible solutions to your sleep issues.

Wall Options

If you're willing to undertake a little work, you have several options available to help deaden sound in áyour walls. Insulating using cellulose or fiberglass batting is a great way to capture sound before it keeps you up all night. Soundproof drywall takes the noise reduction a step further, as it's designed to capture and reduce noise transmission through the wall. If you have a particularly problematic area, consider rebuilding the wall with an offset to help prevent the sound from transferring through on the studs, but remember to insulate the air space behind or in front of the stud to get the best noise reduction.

Low Noise Ceiling

Acoustical ceiling tiles aren't just for offices anymore, and they're not the plain squares of past acoustical tile ceilings. From designs that mimic old tin ceiling tiles without all the extra noise to suspended panel options that helps maintain that modern vibe you've built in your home, using acoustical products in your ceilings help absorb noise. If you're dealing with a serious problem, consider installing a suspended ceiling if there's enough room available, because it will create another area for the sound to fade, especially if you apply insulation or additional acousticalámaterials to the void between the floor above and the ceiling below.áThey even help capture noise from the other side of the ceiling, which is handy when your teenage daughter's slumber party is practicing dance moves way too late into the night.

Quiet Views

Get a double benefit from your windows, because energy efficientáwindows that are well insulated tend to also be much quieter. Because of the gas-filled space between the panes, noise transference is also reduced to a minimum, allowing you to ignore the noise the neighbor's cat is making - again. To get the most out of your energy-efficient windows' noise dampening effects, pair them with thermal curtains and sheers to reduce outside noise as much as possible.

Other Products to Consider

If you're serious about getting a great night's sleep, there are a variety of additional acoustical products that can help you achieve that goal. From sound boards and barriers from the best in the business to sound clips that help isolate your room, these products do their part to go the extra mile,áturning your bedroom into a tranquil retreat from everyday life.á