Down is defined as fine, soft, fluffy feathers forming the first plumage of a young bird and underlying the contour feathers in certain adult birds. The shape of a down unit or 'cluster' gives it loft and traps the air to keep you warm. Down can be one dimensional; flat with quills, two dimensional, or rounded, three dimensional or representing the shape of a dandelion seed pod.

Down comes in two types, Duck and Goose. As far as the warmth factor go duck and goose are equal. The difference lies in the fact that duck down clusters take up a smaller area. In order to make a full comforter, manufacturers compensate by offering higher fill ounces for duck down.

Down is actually measured in the U.S. using a method known as "fill power-. Basically this translates into the amount of fluff the down has. The higher the fill power number the better the quality of the down fill. A fill power of 600 is considered good quality, 700-800 is considered excellent quality and ... [more]

Spring has sprung, and another exciting season of gardening is upon us! Gardening has made a huge resurgence in recent years, as the hobby of choice for thousands of homeowners across this great country of ours. Our task, in this article, is to document some of the hottest trends in yard and garden décor for 2006. Are you ready?

One thing we have noted over the years is the increasing use of yard space as an extension of one's home. With each passing season, more and more homeowners are treating their patios and decks as yet another room.

With the ever decreasing amount of land available for housing development, it would appear that the pleasure of having an extensive backyard space is becoming a thing of the past. So what is a homeowner to do? You have to make the best of the space you have available.

The whole notion of creating a backyard that is but an extension of one's home can be challenging to comprehend. In essence, this is a way... [more]

A Vacuum cleaner is a labor saving device. It is a common household appliance used for cleaning of carpets, sofas, floor, fans, drapes, beds, ceiling etc in homes. It creates a partial vacuum to suck dust, particles, dirt etc. The dirt is collected in a paper bag for later disposal.

The idea for a vacuum cleaner was started by Henry Cecil Booth of England. He first made a vacuum cleaner called the "Puffin Billy- which was run by a petrol driven piston pump. They were large and bulky and were carried on horse driven carts. The hoses were taken through windows to clean the carpets. These were however not commercially viable. The real break to vacuum cleaners was given by James Spangler who invented a vacuum cleaner from a fan, a box and a pillow case. Spangler sold the patent to William Hoover of England who made it a commercial success. Hoover made a fortune out of the invention. In England the vacuum cleaner is still called a Hoover colloquially.

The vacuum cl... [more]