DEELAT Blog: Page 22 Tips to Embark on a Safe Winter Hike

Tips to Embark on a Safe Winter Hike

February 1, 2016

Many hikers tend to hibernate during the winter, thinking it’s not a good time to enjoy this refreshing outdoor sport. Nonetheless, there are many reasons to continue hiking even in the colder months. Along with it being a great time of year to enjoy breathtaking views of snowy mountains, many busy parks and trails are less-crowded during the winter season.

Unlike hiking in the warmer months, winter hiking requires a lot more preparation. This includes the purchase of additional winter gear and equipment to ensure one’s safety.

Here’s a few tips to follow when planning your next winter hike.

Dress in Layers

Because the weather can change quickly, it is important to be ready for any weather condition. The best way to do this, is to dress in layers. This way you can remove or put on clothing as needed. Check the weather before you leave and shop for quality winter gear such as:

Winter or Mountaineering Boots
Waterproof Pants/Jacket
Scarf
Hat
Gloves or Mittens
Winter Socks

Get Started Early

It’s always wise to get started on your hike early. This is especially important in the winter months when daylight is limited. In case you become lost or darkness comes early because of weather changes, always carry a high power, waterproof headlamp with additional lithium batteries (ensured to withstand harsh weather conditions).

Carry Safety Equipment

Although it may be tempting to carry lots of equipment, choose only the essentials that include what you can carry comfortably in your backpack. Some must-have items include:

Trail Maps
First Aid Kits
Pocket Knife
Blankets

Bring Along a Companion

Find another enthusiastic hiker to tag along with you anytime you embark on a winter hike. Just as important, be sure to let someone know where you are going and the time you expect to return. This way, if you have not contacted them by the time you had planned, they will be able to contact the authorities and get a search rescue started early, to greatly improve your chance of survival.

Choose Trails You are Familiar With

Finally, when hiking in the winter, it is wise to choose a trail that you or your companion are familiar with. This will minimize your risk of getting lost as winter hikes can be quite a challenge for those with minimal experience.

5 Essential Serving Items You Need for Starting a Catering Business

January 28, 2016

A number of costs are associated with starting a catering business. You must first obtain the proper permits, attract customers, and jump through the legal loopholes. But once you’re ready to serve your first party or 100-person wedding, it pays to be prepared with all the proper serving equipment.

In truth, proper catering equipment is needed for two reasons. First, it will ensure you serve customers food that’s hot. Plus, the right equipment is critical for ensuring food stays at the correct temperature to ensure health safety standards are met.

As you consider acquiring equipment for your catering business, there are a number of items you will need. Every business’s equipment needs are unique and depend on the type of food and service that they provide. Yet there are several pieces that many food service businesses – from restaurants offering brunch, to caterers serving buffets – commonly use. Here’s a look at some of the most important pieces you will need:

1. Chaffering Dishes

If you’ll be serving hot food, chaffering dishes – also known as chafers – are a critical item. These dishes have large pans that are heated using gel fuel pods or an electric heat source from underneath, and they are used to keep food warm during service. In general, water is added to the chafer, and then it is heated using the fuel source. Once the water is heated, the food pan is placed inside the chafer.

There are many types of chafers, including rectangular and oval shapes, as well as a number of different sizes. Plus, chaffering dishes are available in a variety of finishes. Stainless steel is the most common type, but there are also dishes with satin or matte finishes. Finally, chafers are also differentiated by the type of cover they use; you can choose from simple lift-off covers, retractable lids, or glass-top lids.

2. Steam Pans

Steam pans hold your hot food items, and they are placed inside the chafer dish. These are available in a number of standardized sizes commonly used in the food service industry. For example, a full-sized chafer dish can hold two half-sized steam pans, or one half-sized and two quarter-sized pans. Often, steam pans are sold in sets of many different sizes. It’s important to have a range of steam pans so that you can serve in a variety of different configurations.

3. Beverage Urns and Dispensers

Whether you’ll be serving coffee, iced tea or a specialty beverage, you should consider the type of hardware that you will need. Coffee dispensers come in a range of styles and types, including smaller air pots, as well as large-scale urns. For cold beverages, a large glass or clear plastic urn filled with ice can serve hundreds of guests. Finally, if you’ll be serving guests tableside, your servers will need pitchers and handheld coffee pots.

4. Serving Trays

Whether you will serve appetizers off trays or carry plates to the tables, serving trays are a useful item to have. There are two main types. For example, small grab-and-go food items can be served directly off of stainless steel serving trays, while larger, durable trays are used to carry plates to the table.

5. Squeeze Bottles

You might have specialty sauces you need to serve or just good old-fashioned catsup to offer; either way, squeeze bottles can help you avoid serving sauces from a chaffering dish, which can become messy. Plus, they are affordable and easy to buy in bulk, so you can always stock up on them.

Deelat.com is your source for high-quality food service items. From stainless steel chafers, to steam pan sets, we offer a range of options covering all your catering business’s needs.

5 Tips for a Successful Restroom Renovation

January 25, 2016

Whether you’ve just bought a business, or you’ve managed a commercial building for years, proper upkeep of your property’s restrooms is important. Are you considering remodeling the restrooms in your business? If so, you know the process can be frustrating and time consuming. There are many considerations to make, from hiring a contractor, to the costs of materials.

Fortunately, with proper planning commercial restroom renovations can run on-time and on-budget, helping to keep your business running without a hitch. So where can you start? As a building material supplier, Deelat has helped many business owners and property managers purchase affordable, durable supplies for their remodels. In helping our customers, we’ve come to understand how to successfully plan for a restroom renovation. Here are a few tips:

Consider Budgeting and Scheduling

All renovations start with setting a budget. This should happen before you consider colors, the hardware you need, or hiring a contractor. Once you’ve set a budget, you will have a solid idea of how much you can afford to spend. But be aware that sometimes contractors do go over budget. To protect against this, take 10 percent off your total for the project, and this will be the budget you tell your contractor you’re willing to spend. But do be prepared to spend the entire amount.
Secondly, since you’re running a business, be sure to consider the timing that you need construction to be accomplished by. If your establishment has two restrooms, it might be possible to have one closed, while the other is under-construction. If not, you should prepare for having your restroom out of service.

Select and Purchase Materials

Commercial restroom remodels require a range of supplies. Often, your contractor will help you purchase some of the supplies, like toilets, sinks and stall partitions. Yet, there are many other small pieces of hardware you will likely need, and it will help to find a supplier who stocks affordable, durable supplies. One tip: Purchasing hardware from a single supplier can help to limit the costs of shipping and reduce your overall materials spending. Additional pieces you might need for a commercial restroom include:

Soap Dispensers
Paper Towel Dispensers and Hand Dryers
Toilet Tissue and Seat Cover Dispenser
Baby Changing Tables
And Deodorizers and Urinal Screens

Hire A Contractor

There are some tasks that you can do yourself, like installing paper towel dispensers and urinal screens. But if something falls outside of your expertise – say plumbing – hire an experienced contractor. Look for a reputable business that has experience in commercial restroom renovation, and remember the most affordable isn’t always the best. An established contractor with references and a portfolio of work will save you the headache of having to finish or revise improperly installed hardware or unreliable plumbing.

Purchase High-Quality, Durable Materials

The restrooms at many businesses are highly trafficked, and that means the hardware must be durable enough to withstand daily wear-and-tear. To protect yourself, choose an industrial supply company that’s established and that has responsive customer service. If a piece of hardware is defective, chances are the company will be willing to work with you on a solution. Additionally, electronic devices – like hand dryers, or automatic soap dispensers – are like many pieces of technology; they can become obsolete. That’s why buying modern technology that’s built-to-last can save you additional costs down the road.

Consider Local Ordinances

In many states and cities, restrooms must meet local, state or federal ordinances for persons with disabilities, as well as other laws and requirements. In the U.S., for example, the Americans With Disabilities Act set requirements for commercial restrooms. Some properties are exempt from these codes, while others must get up-to-date when they renovate. Before you begin your remodel, be sure the restroom will be in compliance with local building codes.

Shop for commercial restroom hardware on Deelat.com. We offer a wide selection of renovation supplies that are durable and shipped quickly. Shop with us and save when you renovate the restrooms in your business.

Don’t Forget to Shovel Your Walk This Winter!

January 21, 2016

Winter is in full swing, and with it comes the inevitable wintertime chore: Shoveling snow. If you don’t yet have a solid snow shovel, you better hurry up and buy one before the snow starts falling more frequently.

Shoveling your sidewalks isn’t just a neighborly good deed. In many cities, it’s required by law. Failing to shovel your walk may result in fines. But that’s not the only reason you should make it a habit to shovel snow from the walkways in front of your house following a winter storm. Here are four top reasons you should shovel your walk this winter:

Fines for Failing to Shovel

As mentioned above, many cities and municipalities require citizens to shovel their walks. If not, you might get fined, and fines for not shoveling can be costly. In New York City, for instance, possible fines can run up to $150 and repeat offenders might face jail time up to 10 days. That’s right: Not shoveling your walk in New York could land you in jail! The easiest way to avoid fines is to shovel your driveway relatively quickly following a storm. In many cities, homeowners have a specific amount of time to remove the snow before they can face a fine; be sure you know your local ordinances.

Neighborhood Courtesy

Even if you aren’t required by law to shovel your walk, it’s a small chore that will keep you in the good graces of your neighbors. Whether your neighbors walk their dogs each day, or they jog after work, you don’t want to be remembered as the neighbor who doesn’t shovel his sidewalks. Also, the mail carrier and delivery drivers will love you as well.

Ice from Melting Snow

As the weather heats up following a storm, the snow will begin to melt. Yet at night when the temperatures drop, this moisture can freeze, with a sheet of ice developing under the snow. This can be very dangerous for people walking by. Because the ice is hidden behind the snow, people are much more likely to slip, fall and hurt themselves. By shoveling your sidewalks in a timely fashion after a storm, you’re much more likely to develop an ice problem.

Potential Lawsuits

If you fail to keep your walkways safe, you could be on the hook if a pedestrian slips on your property and hurts himself. A judge may find you liable if snow was cleared from public walkways, and lawsuits can get very expensive. Many homeowners have liability insurance to defend themselves against this. But buying an affordable snow shovel is a much more cost-effective solution.

Don’t be caught without a snow shovel this winter. Buy a new shovel today on Deelat.com. We offer great prices and fast shipping. Shop today and save.

Mine and Tunnel Ducts: Quick Guide to Buying Ducts

January 18, 2016

Proper ventilation is extremely important in the tunneling and mining industries, and typically these mission-critical exhaust systems are built with flexible duct. In these locations, ducts must be durable and dependable, ensuring hazardous fumes, gases and dusts are efficiently and safely removed from the site.

Mine and tunneling flexible ducts are similar to those used for in-home HVAC systems. But industrial ducts are typically more durable and rated for extreme temperatures. Additionally, flexible ducts are generally built with higher-quality materials, including a PVC fabric tunnel that is reinforced with wire around the outside.

Aside from mine and tunneling operations, these industrial ducts are used for:

Paint Booth Exhaust
Fume and Exhaust Ducting
Manufacturing Ventilation

If you’re setting up an exhaust system, here are a few quick considerations to make when choosing flexible duct.

Choosing a Flexible Duct for Industrial Applications

Every mining or industrial operation has unique duct needs, but in general, there are several areas you should focus on when choosing flexible duct. Be sure to consider:

Length and Size: When sizing duct, first consider the length and the size (which is a measure of the tunnel’s diameter). Typically, ducts average between 4-8 inches in diameter, and they can be of varying lengths up to 50 feet or more. But in general, flexible duct provides the best ventilation at shorter lengths of less than 15 feet.
Mining Duct in Action
Temperature Rating: In extreme industrial operations, the environment and exhaust being vented may be very hot. Each duct should be properly rated for the ambient temperature and the temperature of the exhaust. There are many options, from standard up to extreme temperature ratings.
R-Value: The duct’s R-value is a measure of its insulation. In general, though, exhaust and ventilation systems don’t require ducts that are insulated. But in operations that require hot or cool air to be transported, insulated ductwork is more efficient and a higher R-value would be useful for maintaining temperatures.
Durability, Material: The materials that are used to build the ducts are very important in industrial operations that require mission-critical performance. Low quality materials are more prone to failure, which can be especially problematic in these operations. Most flexible ducts are constructed with plastic fabric. PVC fabric or vinyl tends to be the most durable. Additionally, higher-gauge wire made from aluminum offers sturdy reinforcement.

Shopping for industrial flexible ducts? Deelat.com offers a range of flexible duct designed for mining and tunneling operations. Shop our store for best pricing, fast shipping, and a huge selection.

DEELAT - Official Blog

Thousands of Industrial Products