4 Minor Plumbing Problems That Can Lead To Major Complications

Whether you rent or own your home, plumbing problems are inevitable. While some water access and drainage issues are immediately apparent, others are more subtle. Even so, these seemingly minor plumbing concerns can lead to much more serious problems over time. Consider four common plumbing mishaps you may encounter at your residence and why it is so important to address them sooner rather than later.

1. Clogged Drains

Unlike repairing deflected pipes or a busted water heater, fixing a clogged sink or bathtub does not usually appear to be a time-sensitive concern. On the contrary, water that sits in drains may present sanitation concerns and could even be a sign of more sinister issues. For instance, a slow-draining bathtub leads to buildup of soap and dirt that can be difficult to clean. Additionally, clogged drains may be a result of sewage backup.

2. Dripping Faucets

A faucet that repeatedly drips is not only annoying, but can also cost you a great deal of money over the course of a year. In many cases, you may simply need a new seat washer to remedy this issue. 

3. Buildup of Sediment

If you have somewhat hard water flowing into your house, you may experience problems with sedimentation. This occurs when minerals in water harden on surfaces, sometimes blocking water flow. It’s important to address this buildup as soon as possible to avoid water pressure complications. In some cases, soaking pipes in vinegar will do the trick.

4. Leaking Pipes

Finally, leaks in pipes can lead to major headaches. In addition to spending money on unused water, these leaks may cause water damage underneath sinks. What is worse, sitting water may attract mold and pests.

Though life can get busy, it is entirely worthwhile to address small plumbing concerns on your day off. Investing this time in home maintenance now may benefit your wallet and your peace of mind moving forward.

Three Must-Have Services for Your Business

You have the right business plan and the right attitude. Now, you need the right services to ensure that your business operations go smoothly at all times. The following are three services you’ll need if you want to achieve that:

Business Insurance

Business insurance is something you should look into, no matter what type of business you own. Business insurance can protect you from a broad range of unforeseen incidents that can occur when you’re running an establishment. It can protect you from perils such as fires, hailstorms, and tornados. It can also protect you if a customer ever gets hurt inside your business place. Furthermore, a good business policy can assist you if you have to work from another location while your office is getting repaired or renovated. It would be an excellent idea to start searching for a reliable business insurance policy that can help you in any of those situations. 

Internet Services

Business internet service Lehigh Valley options are something else you should look into getting for your office. Nowadays, you can’t operate as a business without being connected to the internet. Even some of the most basic services require an internet connection. Therefore, you should search for a reliable service provider that meets your needs and your budget. 

SEO Services

You should also consider hiring a reliable SEO company to help you with your website. You need a strong website presence to help keep a positive flow of traffic and potential customers visiting your page. You also need to build your credibility as a business. The right SEO team can take your business website to entirely new levels. They can help you to skyrocket your rankings to the first page of Google if you find a reputable provider. Start looking for SEO companies that have high star ratings and longstanding service. 

Now you know about three of the most crucial elements that you will need if you want to succeed in business. Don’t wait to gather them for your business today. 

Steps of Filing a Chargeback

 

Merchant services chargeback is experienced when a client reports a cost that does not seem appropriate. For instance, in a scenario where the consumer is charged the wrong price for a product bought due to a possible technical error. After the realization of incorrect charges, clients begin the process of chargeback. Fraud-related chargebacks consume a lot of time and money for e-commerce stores. Here is the procedure for the chargeback process:

  • The client files for a possible chargeback within 120 days after buying the product after realizing the transaction.
  • The bank issuing the payment assesses the validity of the chargeback and begins the chargeback procedure with the merchant’s bank once validation of the client’s claim is determined.
  • Research is done on the complaint and transaction at hand by the merchant’s bank. The retailer is asked for evidence to justify the purchase made before the end of 45 days.
  • For valid claims, the amount transacted is refunded to the owner of the credit card used. In this case, the merchant incurs the cost associated with the claim. If the chargeback is not justified, the transactional amount is released to the account of the merchant.

Impacts of Chargeback

Fraud chargebacks affect retailers significantly. In most cases, credit card chargebacks cost merchants more than the amount in dispute. Below are several forms that chargeback fraud cases may impact retailers;

Incurring card processing fees

For every transaction, the processors of credit cards deduct a particular percentage. When a chargeback happens, retailers have the expense of the transaction processing fee.

 Acquiring bank fees

Based on the merchant’s associated risk, the bank acquiring the money may charge an extra chargeback. If the merchant loses the fight against a chargeback dispute, the money is retained by the card owner, leaving the retailer paying fees due to the chargeback dispute.

Fines and risk of being blacklisted

Merchants should maintain the rate of chargeback below 1 %. Many chargeback disputes may result in the classification of a merchant as a high risk. With this, such retailers face fines and high fees on chargeback. To some extent, merchants can be blacklisted by the acquiring bank.

Affects marketing

Every case of chargeback affects the effort, money, and time used in marketing the items. Bringing customers’ demands allocation of sufficient time to convince consumers to buy the items.

Costs of operation and investment

If the consumer retains the product, the merchant loses the cost of operations in regards to production and transportation of the item to the client. The retailer loses the product’s value: the cost of purchase, processing, storage, and delivery costs.

 As an e-commerce store retailer, it is vital in making chargeback fraud protection efforts effective. Focus on improving customer support. Clients need to be listened to and have their problems solved. Ensuring that your clients can contact you via several different and reliable platforms. In the digital era, it facilitates a reliable customer support center to respond to emails, live chats, and phone calls.

By having easy access to your business contact details online, you encourage consumers to reach out to you in case of any issues before opting to file a chargeback.

Choosing Your Perfect Drone

In addition to size аnd оvеrаll design, thеrе аrе mаnу features thаt уоu might be interested in when choosing your perfect drone. Thеѕе аrе еxрlаіnеd bеlоw:

· Wіrеlеѕѕ соnnесtіvіtу: Thе lаtеѕt drоnеѕ соmе equipped wіth wіrеlеѕѕ connectivity options іnсludіng Wi-Fi аnd Bluetooth fоr connecting tо dеvісеѕ lіkе ѕmаrtрhоnеѕ, tаblеtѕ, аnd lарtорѕ. Thіѕ fеаturе gives you muсh соntrоl over the dаtа you collect аѕ уоu саn еаѕіlу transfer іt tо уоur computer fоr manipulation. When it comes to wireless technology for drones, it is important to be able to charge your drone wirelessly. When this is the case, we are talking about wireless power solution.

· GPS: If a drone соmеѕ wіth GPS оr Glоbаl Pоѕіtіоnіng System, іt іѕ able tо rеturn tо іtѕ hоmе рlасе іf lоѕt. It аlѕо аllоwѕ thе user tо trасk thеіr mасhіnе аnd fееd a rоutе thаt thе drоnе must fоllоw. Thіѕ іѕ аgаіn a роwеrful fеаturе thаt grеаtlу іmрrоvеѕ thе реrfоrmаnсе оf an unmаnnеd аеrіаl vehicle.

· Cаmеrа: A built-in саmеrа is оnе оf thе fеаturеѕ that most drоnе uѕеrѕ аrе looking for. Once уоu еxреrіеnсе thе роwеr оf аn аеrіаl camera, you wоn’t wаnt tо go bасk tо a рlаіn оld drоnе thаt offers nоthіng but flіght.

· Vіdео streaming: More advanced users аlѕо want lіvе vіdео ѕtrеаmіng tо ѕее whеrе their drоnе goes. You саn ѕtrеаm vіdео tо a computer оr ѕmаrtрhоnе depending on уоur requirements.

· Pоwеr: Mоrе powerful machines аrе аblе tо give уоu еxtrа battery lіfе fоr lоngеr flіghtѕ аnd hіgh propeller ѕрееd. Thеѕе fеаturеѕ come іn handy whеn уоu hаvе tо flу drones on a rеgulаr basis аnd dоn’t wаnt tо compromise оn іtѕ speed оr wаѕtе time соnѕtаntlу сhаrgіng thе bаttеrу.

Sо, уоu ѕее thеrе аrе mаnу dіffеrеnt tуреѕ оf drones available оut there depending nоt оnlу оn thеіr size аnd оvеrаll functionality but also оn the fеаturеѕ they соmе wіth. Yоu may lіkе a drоnе looking аt іtѕ beautiful dеѕіgn but іt mау not fulfіll аll уоur rеԛuіrеmеntѕ оr mіght еxсееd уоur budgеt. It’ѕ іmроrtаnt tо do your hоmеwоrk before ѕреndіng money on ѕuсh a powerful mасhіnе.

Drones аrе dеfіnіtеlу сооl whеn it соmеѕ to unlimited fun аnd entertainment. They can gіvе уоu hоurѕ of еnjоуmеnt аnd many uѕеful outcomes as wеll іf you dесіdе to take рhоtоѕ, rесоrd videos оr perform rеаl-tіmе dаtа аnаlуѕіѕ wіth the hеlр оf these ѕmаll уеt роwеrful flуіng mасhіnеѕ. Hоwеvеr, dо соnѕіdеr the above-mentioned роіntѕ whеn уоu dесіdе tо buy yourself a drоnе ѕо thаt уоu саn spend your money wіѕеlу and аlѕо avoid рrоblеmѕ lаtеr оn.

Understanding off-market real estate transactions

High-end property owners initially used off-market transactions for a discrete purchase or sale of real estate property. With the coronavirus pandemic, people are opting to buy off market property. An off-market deal would occur when a seller does not want to sell their real estate property in public knowledge or when a buyer gets an opportunity to make an offer and inspect the property before public listing for sale.

Reasons for off-market transactions

Privacy; if you want your sale of the property to remain top-secret, you can opt for an off-the-market sale or purchase. You may not want family members or neighbors to find out until the transaction has taken place.

Saving on costs; off-market transactions do not involve additional charges such as market levies and advertising costs.

Urgent sale; Financial pressure could make one opt for a quick sale of the property. Sellers who dispose of their property quickly are guaranteed an immediate outcome instead of the highest possible price when the property is listed in the public market. If the property is rented and the tenants make it difficult for potential buyers to access the property, owners may opt for off-market sale.

Misfortunes; Sudden circumstances such as death or divorce could create a need for a quick but confidential property sale.

Finding off-the-market property as a buyer can be tricky as they are not publicly advertised. However, keeping in touch with real-estate agents would help you know of the property being sold privately. Some websites also specialize in off-market listings and advise clients on buying unlisted properties.

It is essential to seek professional services if you opt to buy off-the-market property as there are many misconceptions that off-market buyers get better deals. Various aspects such as emotional involvement may sway you, and there is a need to be cautious as you could pay more.

2 Tips for Succeeding in Real Estate

Training to become a real estate agent can be a difficult process; however, the excitement of helping people find the perfect home is rewarding. Becoming an agent typically requires a specified number of hours in pre-licensing courses followed by the successful completion of the licensing exam. While many people stress over the training and licensing requirements, the most stressful part of being a successful agent comes after passing the test. Some real estate experts estimate that up to 87% of new agents fail in the industry within their first five years. To prevent yourself from joining the majority of new agents in failure, here are two tips for succeeding in the real estate industry.

1. Establish an Effective Marketing Campaign

As a new real estate agent, one of the most time-consuming parts of your job is marketing. You work with many people as an agent, from buyers and sellers to loan officers and title companies. Finding potential sellers can be one of the hardest parts of growing your business. Fortunately, there are marketing campaigns available to help you. A real estate mailer is a great way to take the guesswork out of finding high-value leads. These marketing campaigns can handle the whole marketing process for you, from generating leads and analyzing data to studying your sales conversions.

2. Find a Mentor

Finding a mentor is another great way to succeed in real estate. As with any job, there is a lot to learn about real estate. Try and find an experienced agent who will allow you to assist them during their next transaction. Ask your mentor for permission to study past sales folders and documents to familiarize yourself with various terms and circumstances. If you’re unable to find a mentor, consider working with a broker that provides training to new agents.

Achieving success in the real estate industry is possible. Use these tips to find potential leads and gain a stronger understanding of real estate.

How to Identify A Good Quality Sheepskin Rug

How to Know You’re Purchasing a High-Quality Sheepskin Rug
With their luxurious and rich looks, sheepskins add a bit of beauty and glamour to any room. But there are a ton of sheepskin rugs available right now. How exactly do you choose a rug of the highest quality?

1. The Density of the Wool

The density of wool refers to the number of wool fibers in a square inch. High-quality sheepskins have a very high wool density. This comes from the type of sheep from which the wool originates.

2. The Loft

The wool’s loft is also extremely important. The loft refers to the ability of the wool in your sheepskin rug to stand up straight. Low-quality rugs tend to easily flatten over time. These types of rugs can also become matted, curly, or tangled. Higher quality rugs easily retain their loft.

3. The Length of the Wool

A high-quality sheepskin has both a high wool density and length. This will come out to about a minimum of 65 millimeters. Lower quality rugs might have the necessary length, but they can’t hold onto their loft.

4. The Color of the Rug

Sheepskin rugs should have a beautiful ivory tone to them. They don’t have any discolorations or stains in the wool. If you have a sheepskin rug in another color, it should still look very clean with no imperfections.

5. The Feel Of The Rug

The silky and soft feel of a sheepskin is definitely one of the highlights of owning these types of rugs. These rugs are not only plush when you touch them. They add luxury and comfort to whatever room you place them. You can place them next to your bed or couch, or you could even toss one over your home office chair to make yourself more comfortable when you work. When comparing the quality of sheepskins, you can definitely feel the difference.

6. The Thickness of the Leather Underside

The leather underside of a premium sheepskin is both thick and firm. They also have a supple feel that’s extremely soft to the touch. But they shouldn’t wrinkle and slither to your floor. You also shouldn’t be able to peel apart the leather layers on the bottom of your rug.

7. Defect-Free Undersides

While lower quality rugs of this type could have some minor holes, cracks, or scratches in the underside of the sheepskin, you will not find any of these defects in a high-quality rug.

8. The Smell of the Sheepskin Leather

Rugs of a higher quality should not emit any chemical scents at all. Unfortunately, lower quality sheepskin rugs sometimes have very strong and unpleasant smells to them. This is especially true right after you first purchase these rugs and bring them into your home. Click here for more information.

Tips for Concealed Carry Beginners

When you’re considering getting a concealed carry permit, you may have a few questions running through your head: What are the laws in your state? What kind of gear do you need? This list should help you gather your thoughts before getting a concealed permit.

1. Getting the Right Gear

While “printing” is not illegal in most of the United States, it is not recommended. “Printing” is when the shape of your firearm can be seen through your clothing. One of the benefits of having a concealed weapon is the element of surprise. You’ll need to find a proper holster for your firearm that is comfortable and easily accessible. There are various types of holsters including belly bands, ankle holsters and waistband holsters. There are also concealed carry coats and jackets that have built-in holsters that are functional and stylish. 

2. Learning About Gun Laws

Each state has different laws surrounding concealed carry permits and firearms. Many states require that you take a certified firearm safety course where you will learn about the state-specific laws. Minimum age requirements, firearm safety courses and required fees are just a few things that vary from state to state. Your state may also issue firearm restrictions, such as magazine capacity and firearm modifications. Pay attention in your course because what you learn is very important.

3. Preparing for the Real Deal

Practice makes perfect, as they say. When an uncertain scenario presents itself, you’ll want to be prepared to protect yourself and others. Regularly practice firing your gun so you will be ready to intervene if necessary. Always remember that escalation is not the answer. Assess each situation before you become involved.

There are many reasons to get a concealed carry permit, but it often comes down to the safety of yourself and those around you. Whatever your reasoning, make sure you are ready by purchasing the correct gear, researching laws in your state and/or listening if a safety course is required and regularly preparing for self-defense situations.

Planning Your Next Community Event: What To Keep In Mind

If you’re in charge of planning a large community event, you may already be thinking about what you’ll need to make it successful. Take a look at these tips and help ensure that everyone has a fun time.

Be Certain You Have Enough Space

Your community event likely needs a certain amount of space. This is to ensure there is room for all the vendors you’ll have, along with anyone who plans on attending. If your event gets overcrowded, it might be hard for it to be successful. Try to secure as much space as you think you’ll need. If you end up needing more or less, chalk it up to something to plan for next time.

Keep Cleanliness In Mind

Estimate how many portable bathrooms you’ll need to serve the people in your community event. This is especially crucial if your event is outdoors and food and drink will be served. While you’re at it, make sure there are handwashing stations for everyone, so both staff and attendees can reduce the risk of bacteria and other germs at the event. The last thing you want is for people to associate it with getting sick in some manner, so try to keep things as clean as possible.

Make Sure To Thank Your Vendors And Sponsors

Thanking your vendors and sponsors can help you build relationships and encourage them to come back and work with you next year. Hopefully, your event has brought a little more business to them and they see the value in working with you again, too.

Planning a community requires a few things to be successful. Make sure there’s enough space for vendors and those attending. Provide bathrooms for the event, especially if food and drinks will be sold. Finally, thank any vendors or sponsors who work with you so you can keep your business relationships strong.

How to Stay Safe on Christmas While Practicing Social Distancing

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Christmas holiday is more than just a one-day event and is celebrated by the people throughout the entire season. Preparations start off in the last days of November so that people don’t leave any stone unturned when it comes to shopping for gifts and grocery items. Other aspects of the festivities are planning out Christmas parties, sending invites, and many other tasks. For many people, Christmas is more about getting together and celebrating the occasion with loved ones and doing so much more.

Things might be a little different this year as COVID-19 is still at large and people are taking precautions and making sure that they stay at home. One of the foremost measures is to get into limited contact with people and try to get less in-person contact during celebrations. One can have a look at different measures and DIY practices to help yourself stay safe from the virus using Xfinity internet. You can get Xfinity’s high-speed internet for your home at a very affordable rate. All you need to do is check out whether you have Xfinity servicing near you. Let’s have a look at some precautionary measure and practices to keep yourself safe during Christmas:

Let’s Not Go Singing Christmas Carols This Year

Singing Christmas carols is one of the most practiced traditions that has been going on for many years. This year, this could be one of the riskiest activities to do as it can cause you to spread tiny droplets from a certain distance. So this year it might be a bad idea to gather around and sing your carols with others. You can wear a mask and think of a more creative way to do this by staying at a safe distance from each other.

Be Careful While You Exchange Gifts

Christmas is never complete without people, especially family members, coworkers, and friends exchanging gifts. Make sure that you clean the gift boxes before touching them and even when you are wrapping up Christmas presents, make sure that you sanitize them properly. Also, keep in mind that this is not the year to share and pass gifts, especially to kids. So make sure that one person alone should be responsible to distribute or redistribute Christmas presents to other people in the family while wearing a mask and gloves.

Avoid Crowded Malls and Shop

You must have completed your shopping for Christmas but if you are left with anything then make sure that you avoid going to the crowded malls which can be a hotspot for COVID-19 to get you. There are many online portals that you might want to have a look at and almost all the stores have websites where you can buy anything you are left with. Many of these stores provide discounts and coupons if you buy from their website. But this is a fact that you might not want to buy online and going to a physical store might sound like the only solution. So try going to the malls or stores at times where there is less crowd and get the things that you want to buy.

Host an Online Christmas Party

Like other events and celebrations, Christmas might not be the same this year. Make sure that you avoid holding Christmas parties with a lot of people kissing and hugging each other or exchange gifts and greetings. One great option could be to host an online Christmas Party and share the joy of Christmas together. For this, you can use Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook, and other social media platforms to get done with this. Another good way to do this is to drive your way to your family and friends and make sure that you exchange greetings from a safe distance. This can work for people who cannot use phones or the internet or are very old.

Host an Online Movie Night

Christmas can be an exciting event if you can host an online Movie Night. To get this done, you can get as creative as possible. One of the ways can be inviting your friends, family, or colleagues on a Zoom or any other platform and use your front camera to view the movie. This way everybody can have a share of fun and a moment together on Christmas.  

We Wish You A Merry Christmas And a Happy New Year!

To sum things up, it might not be wrong to say that one can have a good time with their loved ones and close friends this year no matter how difficult it can get. All you need to do is to be creative and consider taking all the protective measures to keep yourself safe. This year might not be a good year to hangout or exchange all the hugs and kisses with your loved ones but there is always hope that the sun will shine on us once again.

Author Bio:

About Caroline Eastman:

Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.