Latest Education Articles

Drawing A Residential Electrical Plan

Wed, 26 May 2010 13:36:29 -0600

An electrical plan is a plan view similar to the floor plan in that all the walls, doors, and windows are shown along with the electrical symbols that describe service to the house. It also includes what is known as a legend which defines what each symbol represents.

There are several considerations that have to be made when drawing an electrical plan for a house. They are as follows:

The Meter and Service Box

The electrical meter is always on the exterior of the home. This is the location where power enters the house into the circuit box. The circuit box is located no more than twelve feet away from where the power enters the homes. From this location electricity is distributed to the individual rooms. The circuit box is usually located in a service area of a home like the utility room or kitchen. If the home has a basement, this is usually the preferred location for it to be placed.

Light Fixtures, Light Switches, and Receptacles

Light fixtures are usually placed in the middle of a room to allow even lighting throughout. Sometimes these are included in special fixtures like ceiling fans. When a fixture is placed in a large closet, it is usually mounted so that it is at least three feet from where the clothing is hung to insure against a fire from its heat. Exterior lighting should be waterproof in some way to eliminate the possibility of electrical short.

The light switches almost always are mounted next to a room entrance for convenience. When switching an exterior light, these are usually located inside near the exterior lights location.

Receptacles, also known as outlets are usually spaced every six feet in a room. This is to make sure that electrical cords do not have to be stretched far from the appliance they are powering. Some times a homeowner requests that the top half of a receptacle be controlled by a light switch to make turning off lamps simpler. Exterior receptacles and those inside the house within six feet of a water source like a sink are ground fault interrupt. This is to eliminate possible shock if shorted by water.

All of these are one hundred and twenty volt with a few exceptions and the amperage varies.

Smoke Detectors

These are required by code for fire safety. The must be located in each individual bedroom and also near each exit from the home. These are usually battery powered so that even if the power is out, they will still function.

Wiring Connections

These are usually drawn using a arched dashed line showing which switch controls what light or receptacle.

There are many more considerations like two twenty volt power for appliances such as the stove or electrical clothes dryer. You may also place special fixtures like phone jacks and cable tv connections on this plan.

A Review Of The Drafting 101 Courses

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:25:49 -0700

If you have an interest in drawing things like houses or mechanical stuff, you have no doubt searched on Google or Yahoo for “how to draw house plans” or “how to draw woodworking drawings” and found House Plan Drafting 101 or Mechanical Drafting 101. These were written by a veteran architectural designer and general draftsman named Tim Davis. This fellow is from the old south and his charming way of explaining things is very evident in his work.

I enrolled in both of these courses and have nothing really bad to say about them at all. Actually I have nothing but praise. It was hard sometimes to get things clear in my head by that wasn’t my instructors fault! Tim put forth a very simple, and straightforward set of instructions that would help anyone involved in learning architectural or mechanical drawing to understand the subject being taught.

I did learn that drawing on a drafting board is a fading art. Computer Aided Drafting or CAD for short, is the way of the world now. Tim however suggested learning on the drafting board also, simply because of the way it developed discipline.

The instructor spent a considerable amount of time teaching the architectural drafting student to look for omissions and mistakes, and went into depth about every aspect needed to put out a quality finished product. Once I completed all of these very under priced courses, I was equipped to draw house plans that were more than suitable to build from and submit to a building inspector.

He also spent just as much time in the mechanical drawing course as he did in the architectural to again make sure that the students drawings were complete and error free. When I had a question, I simply went to his message board, posted my question and very quickly received an answer to my problem. Tim is a minister and pastor now and uses the proceeds of the courses to fund an online ministry called The Parsons Corner.

What Would Be a Perfect Background to Become a Home Inspector?

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:33:50 -0600

In an increasingly competitive working environment, we have to accept that being successful in home inspection takes more than sheer hard work, diligence and dedication. We need a combination of 2 types of background to produce the best performed practitioner. It is publicly recognized that a combination of both formal training and hands-on experience produce the best field performance for the profession.

First of all, a real outstanding home inspector should have a college-level formal education, possibly in engineering, architecture or construction management. Besides the academic qualification, the inspectors must be familiar with good construction practices across all the building trades, real estate practices, sales and marketing issues in United States. Furthermore, having substantial construction experience in the aspects of residential construction and repair work makes the home inspector more perfect.

With the combination of education and experience, the next point we need to look at is the ability of the inspectors. They must have the ability to see acutely and to observe details during the inspection process. They must be able to understand the implications of details on buildings and translate them into recognition of costly or dangerous conditions. A real inspector must also have very good communication skills, both written and oral. They are required to have the ability to communicate clearly with their clients in order to explain the conditions observed and their importance to the clients for further action. To be an all rounder professional, he or she must be familiar with computers. This is because all inspectors need to apply word processing to generate inspection reports.

If you have great interest to get involved in this line, you are encouraged to set your objectives to move towards the direction of a "perfect" home inspector.

Free Online Courses and Classes

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:54:23 -0600

One of the most wonderful things about the internet is that it is so easy to better yourself with all the free information available. I thought I'd put together this list of free online courses and lessons which I will update often.

Drafting:

Drawing a Simple Floor Plan on a Drafting Board - Lesson Entry

Language:

Musical:

Web Thumper's FREE Drum Lessons

Retrain As An Electrician And Enjoy Your New Career Soon

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:37:23 -0600

If you think you would like to retrain as an electrician because you have been recently layed off or are looking for a change in careers here is what you will need to consider. Electricians enjoy a very stable career field that offers more than a fair wage and a decent working environment.

To retrain as an electrician you will need to complete educational requirements and on the job training requirements. The on the job requirements are often referred to as being a journeyman. Most employers who can help you with the journeyman requirements will work in the commercial or residential or industrial fields of electrical work.

Many companies that perform electrical work will offer journeyman level positions. Watching the help wanted ads or visiting the local job placement center will likely turn up an opportunity or two. If that does not work you can contact electrical companies directly and see if they have any openings for a journeyman level position. If they do not you might want to ask them if they have a recommendation about where to look or how to get started on the path to becoming an electrician. Most electricians are more than happy to help out an aspiring electrician with advice and some guidance.

You can get your educational requirements taken care of by attending a trade school or community college. A trade school is likely to be faster but a community college might be less expensive and probably will be easier to schedule around as the community college tries to offer classes at a time that is convenient for working people.

Once you have met the educational requirements you will still need to seek the guidance of a certified electrician to start on the on the job training requirements. Most city and states require that you have several years of journeyman experience before you can become a licensed electrician and work alone in the field. This requirement is for your safety as well as those that would use your services. Electricity can be a very dangerous thing as it is very powerful and very unforgiving. While the requirements might seem to be excessive they are not and will help to ensure you enjoy the field of being an electrician for a long time.

Some trade schools offer a curriculum that is tailored to people who with to retrain as an electrician. Depending on the trade school and the experience you have from other fields you may find that your educational requirements may be partly met already. It is well worth the effort to shop around and see what each trade school can offer you so you can become an electrician as quickly as possible. Once you decide you wish to retrain as an electrician you want to get to work as quickly as possible. If you can meet some of your educational requirements with previous work experience that just makes good sense. The sooner you get started on the path of retraining the sooner you can be practicing your chosen field as an electrician.

An Introduction To A Green Plumbing Course

Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:46:35 -0600

The number of individuals enrolling for a green plumbing course is rising due to the increasing demand for the green plumbers. You must have heard about green buildings, i.e. the ones that are energy and water efficient, and are built on the model of sustainable development. The world is amidst a water crisis. There is a shortage of potable water, and, hence, nations across the world are finding ways to conserve it.

The main function of the green plumber is to ensure that the design and layout of plumbing is such that there is no wastage of water in the green building. They also ensure that the solar heating and rainwater harvesting systems they develop are energy efficient and all the material used in the plumbing is free from harmful chemicals. Thus, they not only help an organization or household to save water and electricity, but also help people to stay fit and healthy.

Things You Will Learn At A Green Plumbing Course:

- Designing optimal layout for plumbing in a building.
- Learning about plumbing materials that are green and have long life spans.
- Developing energy and water efficient heating systems.
- Developing rainwater harvesting systems.
- How to recycle and reuse water in a building.
- Methods to reduce the consumption of water.
- Knowledge about the requirements of the LEED Certification.
- Installation processes.

One of the most important tasks of a green plumber is to develop solar heating systems that are widely used, along with the conventional gas or electric heaters for heating water in the buildings. Most of the electricity in households is spent on heating systems. A green plumber makes sure that the pipes of the heating systems are properly insulated so that there is no leakage of heat through the pipes. Also, the length of the pipes is kept to a minimum to reduce the loss of heat and to reduce the distance traveled by water from the heater to the faucets.

A green plumbing course will acquaint you with various green plumbing products, like faucets and flush systems. These green faucets and flush systems are designed to reduce the wastage of water. Also, you will be taught the importance of recycling water.

The use of proper plumbing material is of utmost importance. The plumbing material should be able to withstand wear and tear for years. This eliminates the possibility of wastage of water due to leakage. The materials should be environment friendly. Of course, nobody wants to drink water contaminated with harmful chemicals. All this information on plumbing materials will be given to you in a green plumbing course.

There is a shortage of green plumbers and, hence, if you successfully complete this course, there are bright chances of you getting a job with a leading construction house or government. This course is ideal for novice, as well as experienced plumbers. If you are a plumber, then you can greatly improve your career prospects by undertaking this program. You can even become a consultant to give advice on green plumbing after completing a green plumbing course.

Carpenter Courses: Why Not Start One?

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:18:34 -0600

In life it is important to treat others and their property in the same courteous and decent way that you would expect others to treat yourself and your own property. What goes around comes around and; "Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today".

The following story illustrates the importance of taking care of others and their property in the way that you would your own. It says a lot about true success in life, the kind that we would design:

"An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter." He told him that the house was his to keep and live in whilst he enjoyed his retired life with his family. This was a very generous gesture from the contractor but was a shame for the carpenter because of the lack of effort that he put into the building of the house. If he had known that he was building the house for himself then there is no doubt that he would have had much more pride in his work and would have done it all so differently. His attitudes and choices resulted in him living in the home that he had not built very well.

This story teaches us that we live our lives in a distracted way and instead of acting, we react and we are more than willing to put up with less than the best. We should always put our best effort into everything that we do rather than just the things we consider to matter.

Too many times we create situations where we have to live in the house we built none too well and realise that if we had known then we would have done the task in hand so much differently.

In future when you are working think of yourself as the carpenter in this story. Think about your house. Every nail that you hammer, every board that you position and every wall that you erect should be done so just how you would like and expect it to be done. It's the only life you will ever build and even if you only live in it for one more day, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. Build wisely.

Are Plumbing Courses Necessary?

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:55:12 -0600

Every career field has specific requirements that are desired by employers which count as qualifications to be employed at a specific occupation at their desired job. If you are considering a career in plumbing, then you must know the requirements of this field.. Knowing what will help you to get the best jobs available in plumbing, and working your way towards better opportunities in the vocation of plumbing is a simplistic way to get into the career field at a higher level.

One of the most asked questions for people considering the plumbing career field is whether it is necessary to build credentials through education. There are several analysts who have stated that learning the basics of plumbing requires hands-on experience and a certain level of apprenticeship. However, people are discovering as the demand grows for plumbing specialists, the education must be balanced with the demand for plumbing specialists.

If you are looking at career options and need education for a career in plumbing, then taking some plumbing courses can help to give you a boost forward in the field. The more you know about how plumbing works, you will be able to function in your new career. This prevents "first job experiences" such as making common mistakes. Using education as an alternative source for better opportunities presents "well-rounded" valuable experience with your job.

Vocational schools have the best resources for obtaining a certificate or degree in plumbing. Most schools have simulated systems of commercial and homes structures on their campus for the student to handle "real world" situations. For anyone that is interested in building a substantial career in plumbing, you should talk with a counselor at a Vocational school and map out an educational strategy. Vocational schools have the best training programs for plumbing and can give you, the potential student, more attention than a regular college. Plumbing courses is the key to long range career development.