Brendan Macdonald`s Home Issue » lawn care http://www.brendanmacdonald.com Furniture, Design, Home Remodeling, Renovation Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:51:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Robotic Lawn Mowers in the Future http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/robotic-lawn-mowers-in-the-future http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/robotic-lawn-mowers-in-the-future#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:51:32 +0000 admin http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/?p=246 Robotic lawn mowers are going to be the next life-style changing appliance in America.  Think about it, how many times have you wanted to get away for the weekend or go to some event but yard work kept you tied to the house?  I can’t tell you how many golf outings I have missed.

Robotic lawn mowers can mow the yard, go back to the charger, and go back out again on their own without human intervention.  This is a large step forward from only two or three years ago.

Residential robotic lawn mowers run on batteries, so they don’t use gas or oil.  They are pretty much maintenance free except for the occasional replacement of the blades. They waterproof and they don’t rust.

A perimeter wire, like an invisible dog fence is placed around the yard to define the mowing area.  Gardens, flowerbeds and trees can also be easily protected.  Running the wire is not difficult, you can DIY or have it professionally installed.  The wire can be buried up to 2 inches deep.

The robotic mowers must sense the presence of the wire around them.  If the mower should somehow go past the boundary it will immediately shutdown, so you don’t have to worry about it running down the street (unlike your dog).

You can set the time for them to mow.  Since they are quiet and don’t need to see the yard, they can be allowed run at night while everyone is in the house or even asleep.

On schedule they will depart from the charger and start to mow.  When they run over the wire or into an object they will turn and go another direction.  Some mowers use a random pattern while others go back and forth.  When the battery gets low they find the perimeter wire and follow it back to the charger.  All robotic mowers on the market today do a very good job covering the yard and not leaving uncut patches.

Ensure that the robotic mower you are interested in goes back to the charger on its own the added expense will be worth it.  A rain sensor is a must-have as well, some robotic mowers are heavy and can get stuck in soft areas.

Robotic lawn mowers are now useful and practical.  They are still an oddity, so if you get one expect the neighbors to come from blocks around to watch it work.

]]> http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/robotic-lawn-mowers-in-the-future/feed 0 Water Features Can Transform Your Backyard http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/water-features-can-transform-your-backyard http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/water-features-can-transform-your-backyard#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:44:26 +0000 admin http://www.brendanmacdonald.com/?p=124 How do you take a boring backyard and transform it into something special? Add a water feature. Water features can transform the ordinary into something incredible as well as hide road noise creating a peaceful and tranquil environment. So all you have to decide is what kind of feature you want. Here are some of the options.

Fountains

Garden fountains are one of the easiest water features to add to your yard. Most home improvement stores and garden centers will carry do it yourself kits. Choose from a large variety including stand alone fountains and those that hang on your wall. All you have to do to install it is position the fountain, fill it with water and plug in the fountains pump. If you want to get creative, you could even make your own fountain out of new or old pots, a little bit of plastic tubing and a small water pump.

Ponds

Ponds involve a little more work but are still easy to do in the hands of a competent do it yourselfer. Once again, kits are readily available from your home improvement or garden center. To put in a pond you will have to first dig a hole in a suitable location. Ponds are normally only a few feet deep but it is still a lot of work to dig out all of that soil. Next you will either line the hole with a flexible pond liner or insert a formed hard plastic liner. Then add rocks and a pond filtration system. After treating the water, you can then add plant life and even fish if you so desire.

Waterfalls

If you want more than a basic pond, you could try installing a waterfall. This installation is a little more complicated and you might want to consult a professional landscaper. It does take some experience to plan out the flow of water on a waterfall.

Waterfalls are also an excellent feature to add to an existing swimming pools landscaping. They will make an ordinary pool a sight to behold.

With all of the options, it can be hard to decide what type of water feature to add to your yard. Go over your options and choose the type that best fits your budget and your do it yourself experience level.

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