When banks foreclose on a home, the owners are often confused by the language used in the various legal documents. One of the terms that causes the most confusion is “default.” There are at least two different ways that this word is used during the foreclosure process, neither of which have good implications for the borrowers most of the time. However, homeowners should know how the word will be used by the bank.

The first way that banks use the word “default” is when they allege that the homeowners are in default of the mortgage contract. The borrowers sign the mortgage or deed of trust to establish the terms under which they will make payments to the lender or servicing company to keep the contract in place. Once payments are missed, the payment terms of the contract have been breached and the homeowners are in default.

So a default of a mortgage contract means that the homeowners have failed to meet one of the conditions for holding up their end of the agreement. While there are other ways to fall into default of a loan, the most common breach of the contract is when borrowers fail to make payments on time and the lender begins the foreclosure process. In the lawsuit paperwork, the lender claims the owners are in default.

The second way that banks use the word “default” is when they file a motion with the court during the foreclosure. This motion may be called an order of default, motion for default judgment, or some other similar term. For the purposes of this article, the motion will be referred to as an “order of default.” However, homeowners should be aware that the same type of legal document may have a different name in their state.

An order of default means that the bank is attempting to get a judgment against the homeowners for foreclosure without having to go through a trial or other court procedures. Of course, this can not be done just under any circumstances, but it is often done in foreclosure cases due to the uninformed nature of most borrowers. The bank can begin a few steps of the process and then get a judgment without having to prove its case.

This is usually done when homeowners do not show up at an initial foreclosure hearing or file an answer to the lender’s complaint. The borrowers’ silence is taken by the courts to mean that they have no objection or argument with the bank’s allegations of breaching the mortgage contract, nor do they dispute the lender’s ability to bring a foreclosure into court in the first place.

Thus, if the homeowners did not file an answer to the lawsuit or show up or request a hearing on the matter, then the bank will request that an order of default judgment be entered by the court. Most courts will have little problem entering this order, as they figure the homeowners were given enough time in which to hire a lawyer, obtain a law degree, or learn the court procedures competently enough to file an answer.

An order of default is not the end of the line, however, as homeowners can try to have the default judgment vacated or dismissed. This requires that they file the appropriate motions in court in time. If the order to vacate the default judgment is granted, the bank will have to pursue the lawsuit more carefully. It will not be able to rely on homeowner ignorance of the process in order to have the home sold at a sheriff sale.

it is a small tragedy that most foreclosure cases are decided by default judgment. This is due to so many borrowers not filing an answer or showing up to foreclosure hearings. Thus, it is important for more borrowers to educate themselves on at least a few basic steps they can take to make it much more difficult for the bank to declare them in default of the contact and then get a default judgment against them.

Source by Nick Heeringa

The most important thing for all DIY tasks is a set of correct tools for plastering and plaster boarding. The vital and useful tools are a large flexible mixing bucket, a featheredge, a Plasterer’s Darby, a float and a hawk.

The bucket is essential for the mixing of plaster or dry wall adhesive. Take a bucket which is easy to clean, because clean tools are important if you want to do a plastering job. A featheredge can also be used as a Plasterers Darby and with it you can achieve straight plasterboard application.

Keep the plasterers float clean all the time. Go in for a stainless steel float, because the others rust if they are not looked after. The hawk is always used along with the float. The plaster is generally held on the hawk and then it is transferred to the wall or ceiling by using the float.

Mixing is a very important phase in a plastering job. With the help of a mixer drill the mixing plaster can be made easily, especially if the quantity is large. It is possible to do the mixing with a piece of wood as well, but the mixer will make it easier.

There are different types of plaster available, but basically there are two coats for each plastering job. First of all there is a backing coat which is browning or bonding plaster. Plasterboard is a better choice than backing plaster, especially if it is a DIY project. It is followed by the finishing plaster which is applied on top of the plasterboard. This is applied as a final coat.

It is important to remember that plaster is only suitable for internal use, when there is no damp. And the mixing is important, because the water has to be clean and cold and you should remember to add the plaster to the water and not the water to the plaster.

Plasterboard is the most common material used nowadays for finishing off internal walls and ceilings. It comes in various sizes and thicknesses and has many edge finishes. Use smaller sheets, though they are a bit expensive than the larger ones, but the larger ones become difficult to handle.

There are special tools to help you for cutting the plasterboard. If you want to use the direct bond method it is important to know the correct technique how to apply the plasterboard with that method. This method is often called the dot and dab method. Working with plasterboard for the ceiling is different than working for a wall.

Let us look at the final coat or the top coat of plaster. This is the most important coat and this coat of plaster is called a skim. Skimming requires practice, so go about it slowly and follow instructions carefully. Just follow certain basic rules like ensuring the smoothness of the surface, the cleanliness of your buckets and tools. Use two coats of finishing plaster instead of one and start off with a wall, which is a bit hidden in your house and gives you room to experiment.

There are some other jobs which need to be mentioned under DIY plastering. There are various types of plasters, and one of them is Artexing. It is important to practice the Artex patterns before experimenting on your wall. Take the easy patterns and learn also how to remove Artex or the textured patterns. Plaster moldings are often used for plastering jobs, but the fit should be right and it is better if it is done by professionals.

Source by Clive Jenkins

No one expected it.

While climbing into his hot tub, my healthy 87- year-old father-in-law slipped, fell, and broke a rib. He began internal bleeding that the doctors couldn’t stop. In two weeks, Gene was gone.

Fortunately, we had taken time a few months earlier to record Gene’s life story, and discovered some amazing facts. He was a semi-pro baseball player, a fine watercolorist, and a US Marine. As a marketing executive for Kaiser and later Del Monte, he worked on national advertising campaigns with mega-stars of his day, including Joan Crawford, Debbie Reynolds, Stan Musial, Lloyd Bridges and others.

We recorded Gene’s life story on two occasions: once at a small family dinner, then during a living-room interview a few months later.

We transcribed the audio files of the recordings, added pictures, and then uploaded the whole package to a new free web site that helps people write great personal and family stories. (See resource section,below). Gene’s family and friends can view his story and add comments or photos if they wish. The profile that we co-created with Gene is a celebration of his life. It’s also a direct, meaningful connection with his daughters and their grandchildren. Anyone can create a life story for themselves or a loved one. It’s as simple as setting aside some time and doing some careful listening.

I’ve helped hundreds of people across the US, Canada, and Mexico capture their life stories. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, I’ve boiled down my experience into three key tips, and the 50 most productive questions you can use for success.

Success Tip #1: Pre-Interview Preparation is Key

To get the most from your family history session, be as prepared as possible.

. Inform the subject of the purpose of the interview, who will see it, and how it will be used · Prepare your questions in advance · Set aside a quiet time and place free from interruptions

· It’s a good idea to use a voice or video recorder; test all equipment thoroughly before starting

· It’s often useful to use a tape or digital recorder and transcribe the dictation

· Photos, mementos, or other visual aids are great memory-joggers. Ask your subject to prepare some in advance

· Listen attentively and gently; ask questions of clarification

· Don’t try to force the subject into something they are uncomfortable discussing

Success Tip #2: Be Flexible and Creative

When I first started doing life story interviews, it seemed as if people spent the majority of time talking about their early days. As I got more experience, I began to realize that most people have one, two or possibly three key defining times in their lives. For many, it’s childhood. For a lot of men, it’s WWII, Korea, or Vietnam. The defining moments emerge like finding a gold nugget in a streambed. Be sensitive to these defining moments and episodes. Listen extra-carefully, and ask questions. Often a deeper portrait of an individual emerges, laden with rich experiences, values, beliefs, and layers of complexity. If you don’t complete the interview in one sitting, set a date to resume your conversation later

Success Tip #3: Organize Life Stories into Chapters

Most people (yes, even shy ones) love to be the center of attention and share stories from their lives. There are two challenges for a family historian. The first is to capture the stories in a structured, logical way. The second is to make sure that the stories are as complete as possible and contain facts (names, dates, places), fully-drawn characters, a story line, and perhaps even a finale. The GreatLifeStories web site divides the life experience into 12 “chapters” that follow the progression of many lives. On the web site, each chapter contains anywhere from 10 to 25 questions. (Below, I’ve selected the 50 questions that usually get the best results). Don’t worry; you don’t have to ask them all. In fact, after one or two questions, you may not have to ask anymore-the interview takes on a life of its own.

The most important objective is to make sure you cover as many of the chapter headings as possible. The chapter headings are logical and somewhat chronological in order: Beginnings, School Days, Off to Work, Romance and Marriage, and so forth. Feel free to add your own chapters, as well. The 12-chapter system is a great way to organize both the interview, as well as the life story write up, video, or audio recording.

CHAPTER 1: In the Beginning

1. What were your parents and grandparents full names, dates of birth, places of birth.

2. What were the occupations of your parents?

3. How many children were in your family? Where were you in the lineup?

4. Generally speaking, what was your childhood like?

5. What one or two stories do you remember most clearly about your childhood?

6. Are there any particularly happy, funny, sad or instructive lessons you learned while growing up?

CHAPTER 2: In Your Neighborhood

1. What was it like where you grew up?

2. Describe your most important friendships

3. Where and how did “news of your neighborhood” usually flow?

CHAPTER 3 School Days

1. Be sure to capture names and dates attended of grammar, high, colleges, trade or technical schools

2. What are your earliest school day memories?

3. Are there any teachers or subjects you particularly liked or disliked?

4. What did you learn in those first years of school that you would like to pass along to the next generation?

5. Were you involved in sports, music, drama, or other extra-curricular activities?

CHAPTER 4: Off to Work

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?

2. What was your first job, and how did you get it?

3. What was your first boss like? What did you learn from him or her?

4. Did you leave? Quit? Get promoted? Get fired?

5. Were you ever out of work for a long time? If so, how did you handle it?

CHAPTER 5 Romance & Marriage

1. What do you recall about your first date?

2. How did you know you were really in love?

3. Tell me how you “popped the question,” or how it was popped to you.

4. Tell me about your wedding ceremony. What year? Where? How many attended? Honeymoon?

5. Tell me about starting your family.

6. Were you married more than once? How often?

CHAPTER 6: Leisure and Travel

1. What were the most memorable family vacations or trips you can recall?

2. What leisure time activities are you involved with?

3. What are your greatest accomplishments in this field?

CHAPTER 7: Places of Worship

1. Do you follow any religious tradition?

2. If so which one, and what is it like?

3. Have you ever changed faiths?

4. What role do your beliefs play in your life today?

5. What would you tell your children about your faith?

CHAPTER 8 War & Peace

1. Were you a volunteer, drafted or a conscientious objector?

2. If you didn’t serve, what do you recall about being on the home front during the war?

3. What key moments do you recall about your service?

4. What would you tell today’s young soldiers, sailors and fliers?

CHAPTER 9 Triumph and Tragedy

1. What were the most joyous, fulfilling times of your life?

2. Any sad, tragic or difficult times you’d care to share such as losing a loved one, a job, or something you cared about?

3. What lifelong lessons did you learn from these tough times? Joyous times?

4. Were there any moments you recall as true breakthroughs in any area of your life?

5. If you could do one thing differently in your life, what would that be?

CHAPTER 10 Words of Wisdom

1. What have you learned over your lifetime that you’d like to share with the younger generation?

2. People will sometimes repeat aphorisms such as “honesty is the best policy.” If they do, be sure to ask how they learned that life lesson.

CHAPTER 11: Funnybones

1. What were your family’s favorite jokes or pranks?

2. Who is, or was, the family comedian? “Straight” man?

3. What’s the funniest family story you remember?

CHAPTER 12 Thank You

1. What are you most grateful for you your life?

2. How have you taught your children to be grateful?

3. Are there items or places that mark special gratitude for the ones you love? What are they? What are their stories?

In closing, it is always a good idea to ask an open-ended question such as:” Is there anything I haven’t asked about that you would care to comment on?” You’ll often be surprised and delighted at the answers!

RESOURCES:

For many more tips on how to capture precious family history, visit www.GreatLifeStories.com

Source by Mike Brozda

Most women are understandably anxious about doing an ovarian cyst surgery. Unfortunately, when it is time to determine whether an ovarian cyst is cancerous, there is no other option but to go through one of two types of ovarian cyst surgery.

The first type of surgery is called the Laparoscopy. Your doctor might refer to this type of procedure as a minimally invasive surgery, or a bandaid surgery. This is because the operation is done primarily in the abdomen using small incisions (about 0.5 – 1.5 cm) within the abdominal or pelvic cavity. In order to have a better look at the ovarian cyst, a telescopic rod lens system (that is connected to a video camera) or a digital laparoscope where the device is placed at the end of the laparoscope is used.

There are a number of advantages to doing a Laparoscopy. The most important one is that there is a reduced chance for haemorrhaging, which also reduces the need for a blood transfusion. Also, because the incision on the abdomen is small, the patient will not experience as much pain and will therefore recover a lot faster. In fact, many patients are discharged the same day if no complications occur. The last advantage of Laparoscopy is that the internal organs are less exposed to external contaminants, and this drastically reduces the risk of infections.

The bad news is that Laparoscopy also brings with it some risks. For patients who are obese or have undergone abdominal surgery in the past, there is a higher likelihood that the blood vessels or small/large bowel may be injured during surgery. Another associated risk involves electrical burns when surgeons working with electrodes leak electricity into the surrounding tissue. Lastly, there may be an increased risk of hypothermia when the abdomen is pumped with carbon dioxide gases. The good news is that the use of heated and humidified CO2 may reduce this risk.

The second type of ovarian cyst surgery is a Laparotomy. This surgical method involves making an incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. This is a frequent tool used in diagnosing an unknown condition like ovarian cysts where a patient has abdominal pain or sustained an injury to the abdomen. The most common incision is called the midline incision and is the most common type of incision because it allows a wider access to most of the abdominal cavity.

As with every surgical procedure, Laparotomy has its own set of risks. The most common problem involves the general use of anesthesia like nausea, sore throat, vomiting, fatigue, headache, and soreness in the muscles. Some patients also experience bleeding, infection, injury to the abdominal organs, or the development of adhesions.

Before you decide whether a Laparoscopy or a Laparotomy is the better ovarian cyst surgery for your situation, remember to discuss the pros and cons of both procedures with your doctor or physician.

Source by Melanie Travis

A word of caution when you buy this style of knife, many dealers don’t even know the differences in the models. I have seen both, brick and mortar stores and online stores selling the wrong knife under the wrong name so BE CAREFUL! It may be worth it to pay a little more from a reputable retailer to be sure you’re getting exactly what you want.

There are three types (not two) of Gerber LMF II knives, the ASEK, the Survival, and the Infantry. Most people think there were only two types released. Here are the differences.

The Gerber LMF II ASEK version comes with the sheath, knife, TWO leg straps, the safety knife, and the safety knife sheath. The extra blades for the safety knife can be found in the handle. The ASEK is ONLY available in the foliage green color and it is INFRA-RED resistant.

The Gerber LMF II Survival version comes with the sheath, knife, TWO leg straps, the safety knife, and the safety knife sheath. The extra blades for the safety knife can be found in the handle. The SURVIVAL version is ONLY available in the camel brown color. It is NOT infra-red resistant.

The Gerber LMF II Infantry version comes with the sheath, and ONE leg strap. The INFANTRY version is available in foliage green, camel brown, and my personal favorite… black.

There is one other thing of importance you should know. From January 2008 to April 2008 the steel of these knives was temporarily changed from the Sandvik 12C27 SS to 440A US SS. In May of 2008 production was resumed with the original steel. Gerber had to change steel types because of a lack of material available. The 440A US SS was the closest match they could get.

These are great knives and I highly recommend them. They are excellent for hunting, camping, survival, and they have even seen action in foreign lands. If you are looking for a good solid fixed blade knife you can’t go wrong with one of these models.

Here are the model numbers of the different types of knives.

22-01627 Foliage Green LMFII ASEK (IR)

22-01626 Foliage Green LMF II Infantry

22-01117 Foliage Green LMFII Knife only (no sheath included)

22-01118 Foliage Green LMFII Sheath only (no knife included)

22-01400 Camel Brown LMFII Survival

22-01463 Camel Brown LMF II Infantry

22-01629 Black LMF II Infantry

Source by Marlin Zeller

No, Mock Duck is not an item on the menu of a Chinese restaurant, but rather the name of one of the most notorious Chinese gangsters to ever set foot in America.

Real name, Sai Wing Mock, Mock Duck, was born in China in 1879. In the late 1890’s,he traveled to the United States, and immediately took residence in New York City’s Chinatown, where he joined the Hip Sing Tong, a small group of Chinese gangsters led by Lem Tong Sing. At the time, Chinatown was controlled by the powerful On Leong Tong, whose boss was the murderous Tom Lee. Soon, Duck pushed aside Lem Tong Sing as leader of the Hip Sing Tong, and he took control himself. His first act as boss was to demand fifty percent of the profits from Tom Lee’s On Leong Tong. This did not sit well with Lee, and as a result, the Tong Wars of the early 1900’s started in full force.

Duck, knowing his Hip Sing Tong couldn’t compete in total gang members against the On Leong Tong, joined forces with the Four Brother’s Society, to even up the numbers a bit. Still, the Tong Wars became a bloody mess for three decades, with many casualties on all sides.

On January, 24, 1906, as a group of On Leong Tong members exited a building at 32 Pell Street, a dozen Hip Sing Tong members jumped from an alley on Doyers Street and fired as many as hundred rounds of ammunition at their rivals. Two On Leong Tong members were killed and two were injured. This rampage was reportedly planned by Duck, who ordered murders to be done, but very rarely got involved in the killings himself. The one exception was when in 1900, Duck allegedly murdered a New Jersey tailor named Ah See in front of 23 Mott Street. Duck was tried three times for this murder but was never convicted.

Duck lived in a top floor apartment with his family at 21 Pell Street, in the heart of Chinatown. The rest of the apartments in this building also housed Hip Sing Tong members. There had been several attempts on Duck’s life, so he was forced to wear a “chain mail” vest, in addition to always carrying two guns and a small hatchet for protection, just in case. He narrowly escaped death, when on January 12, 1912, two On Leong Tong members walked calmly into an apartment at 21 Pell Street, and opened fire at a group of Hip Sing Tong members as they played a game of fan-tan, killing Lung You, one of Duck’s top henchman. Luckily for Duck, he was out of the building at the time, and was not a victim of the shooting, which was obviously intended for him.

Duck was finally arrested by the police in 1912 for the minor crime of running a “policy game,” more commonly known as the “numbers racket.” He was sentenced to two years in Sing Sing Prison, and when he was released in 1914, he returned to Chinatown and assumed a very low profile in the Hip Sing Tong. He briefly surfaced in the news in 1932, when he, in conjunction with the American and Chinese governments, arranged a truce, officially ending the Chinatown Tong Wars.

Unlike most of his fellow Chinese Tong members, Duck died of natural causes, in his Brooklyn home in 1941.

Source by Joseph Bruno

From September 2008 to March 2010, contract work increased 2% and part time jobs increased 16%, while temporary, permanent and full-time positions decreased significantly (-19%, -36%, -4% respectively). Read on to discover why software engineer contract work may prove to be a safer, smarter career move for you.

Software engineer contract work offers many benefits over permanent positions, although it has its downfalls. Here are some characteristics of contract work which may help determine whether or not it is a good fit for you:

Contract work pros:

Money – usually the pay will be better than permanent positions since there is less overhead incurred by the employer.

Flexibility – since you are paid on an hourly rate, you are not obliged to go over your set weekly hours. In many cases you are on your own time. Also, taking contract positions allows you to work on several different projects with different companies.

Experience – contract jobs allow you to gain experience and training in several different areas of expertise. This can be a great resume builder, however, you want to avoid being labeled a job-hopper, so show some concentration in specific areas.

Work from home opportunities – many contract employment opportunities are work from home. While some employees feel the need for a structured environment, many love the freedom offered by working from home (and its gas saving benefits!). If you work from home, you may qualify for a tax deduction for a home-based office.

Tax-deductions – contractors can claim tax-deductable business expenses. Make sure to keep record of any money you spend on office supplies, phone calls, and anything else related to job expenses. Also keep a log of the amount of miles that you travel in your car to get to and from your contracting job, as this can be another deductable expense.

Contract work cons:

Less benefits – this isn’t always the case if you find a generous company that is willing to negotiate your contract terms.

Uncertainty – during the economic downturn the average job-seeker was searching primarily for job stability. Now that things have eased up, contract work is gaining back its desirability for those who enjoy its benefits.

Taxes and health insurance – While full-time employees have taxes withheld from their paychecks, contractors must take care of their own taxes. Contractors are responsible for paying self-employment tax, which covers social security and Medicare. Additionally they are responsible for paying estimated taxes, which consists of self-employment and income tax in quarterly installments based upon what they expect to earn in the year.

Contract work can be highly beneficial to some, while not so fitting for others. Since much of software engineer work is project based, many of you in the field should be comfortable with this position type. In many cases software engineer contract work will be the most sensible choice for those in the industry and I highly recommend experiencing it at some point in your career. It can always be used as a gateway into a permanent position and is a great way to test if the company is a good fit for you. Always remember, over 70% of contract jobs turn into permanent positions, so there is a good chance it will open up opportunities down the road (Source: IBISWorld).

Employment agencies are often a good resource for finding contract work. Another option is to use freelancing resources.

Source by Brenton Thornicroft

There are two sides to every story, it is said. Nowhere is this more true than the import export market. While the prospects of owning your own business and working for someone else are very different, one constant is for sure: which one is preferable wholly depends on your point of view. While few like the idea of having a boss, for some people it is entirely necessary. It takes a special kind of person to make it on their own, whether in the import export market or any other industry. The most important thing is to know the pros and cons ahead of time and only take that next step after you’ve honestly evaluated where you stand.

Independence vs. working for “the Man”: When you work for someone, it’s easy to focus on the bad. Truthfully, everyone has their good days and bad no matter who signs the paycheck. Don’t get into your own export import business if you think all of your troubles will magically disappear. You will likely work harder for yourself than you ever did for someone else. Nevertheless, many people are still attracted to the prospects of running their own business because of the fulfilling sense of independence that comes with knowing that you set your own hours. However, it is important that you realize those hours must still be logged one way or another.

Routine paycheck vs. setting your own goals: A routine paycheck like that which comes as an employee has many perks. The comfort and security is easy to get used to and can make for a hard adjustment when setting out on your own. However, the big difference that attracts people to working for themselves is the control that one has over his own destiny. Working for someone else nets you, on average, a 3 percent pay increase per year, and you always have to look over your shoulder for layoffs. Working for yourself affords you unlimited earning potential.

Hard work vs. busy work: At a typical job, you show up for 8-12 hours per day, and you’re there whether you need to be or not. That leads to a lot of unnecessary busy work. Working independently assures that the things you accomplish are for the strengthening of your business.

Market research: A necessary evil for any business, working on your own means that you must compile all the information yourself or pay to have it outsourced. Either way it costs a price you may not be willing to pay. Working for someone else usually means the tools you need are always at your disposal.

Peace of mind: What helps you sleep at night? Taking chances and making your own way or living with the monotony of premade security. The best choice depends on who you are and what you want out of life.

Source by Darren W Chow

The computers can encounter many errors and one such error is runtime error 13, which mainly occurs with programs created in Visual Basic. The runtime error 13 gives the message “Type Mismatch”. This is a common error and can be corrected in no time with some simple steps.

When you come across the error “Type Mismatch”, the first thing you have to do is to update Windows. Once you have updated the Windows, you should have to repair “AllowOMwithUI” settings in the registry. This repair is needed as it allows the computer to read all the files. You can do this repair manually or by using a registry repair software. You can go to “RegEdit.exe” tool and do the repair manually.

Another way to correct the runtime error 13 is to look for the files that caused the problem. You can look for patches from the software developers for correcting these corrupt files. The software developers give the patches free and the job of correcting the errors is completed once you install it.

Sometimes bad installations related to Virtual Basic, files and drivers may also lead to runtime error 13. In this case, it is good if the defaulted software is removed and installed again. It has been seen in many computers that the error may be solved after the installation is complete.

Apart from this, certain viruses may also cause such runtime errors. You should have to install spyware to get rid of the viruses.

Though the repair can be done manually, it is easier to do with a registry repair software. The registry repair software can repair all errors with ease within a short span of time. Another advantage of using such software is that you do not loss any data whereas there is a possibility of losing valuable data when repairing manually.

These are some of the ways that you can adopt to solve the problem but if the problem persists it is better to reinstall the operating system. Take note that you should not reinstall the operating system without having any knowledge of it. It is better to ask a trusted computer professional to reinstall the operating system for you. However, using a professional registry repair software can help getting rid of these multiple re-installations of operating system easily.

Source by Ruimin Huang

This is a question we hear a lot. Pyroceram, Neoceram, Robax, Tempered glass? The answer will very depending on the style you have. There are many different types of fireplaces and wood stoves that use a wide variety of different glass. This article will help you to decide which type you have and how to order it. There are just a few simple questions you need to answer in order to do so.

– 1st – Do you have a fireplace or a wood stove? If you know the answer to that question then move on down. If your not sure then lets take a look at each one. Most fireplaces have 2 or more doors on the front. Where as for wood stoves they typically have just one door. Most wood stoves seal at the door with a fire-gasket. A fiberglass material that makes a air tight seal when the door is closed. There are also fireplace inserts, which are pretty much wood stoves slid into a masonry fireplace. The idea is to make your fireplace, wood stove or insert as efficient as possible while still providing a beautiful view of the fire.

– 2nd – Now that you know what type of gas/wood burner you have. What kind of glass is currently in it? We are going to assume that the original manufacturer glass is in the unit. When the original glass broke, did it break in a million little pieces or did it break in larger “chunks” of glass. If the glass broke in a million pieces then is a tempered glass. To learn more about Tempered glass click here.

If the glass just cracked, or broke out if bigger chunks then it is know as a glass-ceramic. Commonly know as PyroCeram®(not Pyroceran), Robax or Neoceram. Just different brand names for the same type of product. On this site we use the term PyroCeram®. To learn more about PyroCeram® click here.

– 3rd – What kind of heat does your unit put out? Is it a gas unit, using natural gas or propane? A wood burner that just for looks. Or a Air tight wood burner that produces over 600 degrees?

If it is a gas unit, then it typically uses tempered glass. All though gas units do put out heat, the top end of the heat against the glass is less then 400 degrees. The tempered glass in these units is usually of a clear tint. If you have a masonry fireplace. A fireplace built in the home with brick and mortar. They can have a set of fireplace doors applied to the opening. These type of fireplaces are not very efficient and do not generate heat much higher than 400 degrees. At least not for any extended period of time. The glass in these types of door systems are typically tempered.

If you have an air tight wood stove or insert. These units can generate up to 1200 degrees and are very efficient. The glass in these units must be Pyroceram. Using any other type of glass will cause the glass to fail and could cause a home fire. Pyroceram glass has an amber tint in color. If you have a high efficiency fireplace. This is a fire place that is not air tight, but has a adjustable damper that allows you to control and slow down the fire to burn more efficiently and generate more heat. These units generally supply heat in the 600-1000 degree temperature range and need to use Pyroceram glass.

– Lastly – If your not sure about any of the above, there are still a couple of ways to find out. Look in your owners manual. It should tell your what type of glass was supplied. Contact the company you got it from. They should be aware of the different types and can advise you. Or just send us an email and give us as much info as you can. Brand name, size, wood or gas, and take a picture and attach it. We have seen most of the types out there and should be able to tell you what you need. Still not sure. Then replace it with Pyroceram. This will cover all the bases. It is able to be used in all the applications that we have covered.

Source by Michael Monaghan