Best Home Improvement Contractors

Energy Efficiency Through the Roof

Written by Francine on 24 August 2009

When many people think of energy efficiency, they think of power sources, turning off the lights, using less gas, maybe the utilization of solar panels for a single home or a wind farm for an entire community. However, energy efficiency can come in the form of new roofing materials developed by professionals, with different climates and budgets in mind. A new roof is a major investment, but don’t let the prospect take its toll on your mind. The right roof can save you an astronomical amount of money in the cost of energy. The right roof will keep you and your family safe and comfortable for the rest of the life of your home.

In general, homes with slanted roofs will use energy efficient metal or tile roofing materials. Metal reflects sunlight and is very durable. Tile is made of clay or concrete, both of which are sustainable and eco-friendly. Often, tile roofing can have an additional energy efficient coating added.

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Hiring a Good Plumber

Written by Francine on 24 August 2009

Hiring a good plumber is one of those things you don’t think about until your sink leaks, your basement floods or your toilet over flows or won’t flush, and you need help fast. Searching the phonebook really isn’t the answer to solving all your problems or the right way to find a good plumber.

Finding the right plumber can be a difficult and timely process, but finding a slow leak from a pipe fitting that costs around a dollar; if not properly taken care of in a timely fashion may cost you thousands of dollars in damage, not to mention disrupting your family household or delaying the remodeling process for weeks. So hiring a licensed, insured plumber is always a must. You may also want to consider hiring a well-trained apprentice that works under your plumber’s license.

There are two different categories of plumbers: those who handle basic repairs and are often called upon in an emergency type situation and plumbers who specialize in home remodeling.

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Extreme Energy Efficient Housing

Written by Cynthia on 24 July 2009

Energy Efficient Homes

Can you imagine a house that is able to warm itself without the need of a furnace or any separated heat contraption? Paying less for your monthly electricity than you pay for a pizza?

The creators of German Passive Houses Project go beyond imagining it. They actually made it a reality and proved it is indeed possible to have a home that is so energy efficient that you need no separate heating system to keep the house warm and there is no loss of comfort.

The Passive House is the world’s leading standard in energy efficient construction: Energy saved on heating is 80% compared to conventional standards of new buildings. The energy requirement for heating is lower than 10 to 20 kWh/(m²a) (depending on climate), adding up to a low cost of 10 to 25 € ($15 to $36 USD) per month.

For you to have an idea on how energy efficient those houses are, keep in mind that the average home in ths U.S. spends 40 kWh a day. Almost twice of what a passive house spends in a month!

According to the website, such efficiency is achieved through a combination of the following:

Proper insulation methods
Design without thermal bridges
Air tightness
Ventilation with heat recovery
Proper comfort windows
Innovative Heating Technology

This technology can be easily applied in new construction as well as existing buildings.

The next step? The Self-Sufficient Solar House, conceived by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy in Freiburg, Germany.

Keep Your Cool When Choosing Air Conditioning Units

Written by Francine on 24 July 2009

In the hot summer months, reliable air conditioning units are worth their weight in gold. As the mercury rises outside, you want to stay cooler inside. An air conditioning unit, after all, is really just a machine that extracts heat from a given area using a refrigeration cycle. But if that machine doesn’t take away the hot air effectively, keeping cool is a pretty tough proposition.

So how do you choose air conditioning units? How do you know which one will be more effective than another? For starters, stick to brands you know and trust – like General Electric, Sharp, and Whirlpool. Then consider shopping at a store that specializes in selling air conditioning units. The larger specialty stores tend to have many different people to help you, which can be a good thing if you want to make a quick decision and get cooler faster!

Read the full article here.

House Detox: Controlling Indoor Pollution

Written by Cynthia on 17 July 2009

Controlling indoor pollutants

A few more weeks and summer will be over. Outdoor furniture will be folded or put away, pools covered, and gardens prepared for a long winter nap. Our windows will be closed, and we will try to close, seal, insulate and caulk every air leak to protect our families from the bitter cold and maximize the efficiency of our heating appliances.

However, once all the windows are closed, another danger emerges: indoor pollution, which according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is 2 to 5 times worse than the outdoor pollution, and can aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms.

This article How to Detox Your House from Good Housekeeping magazine offers a step-by-step guide on how to control indoor pollution, detecting the main problem areas in the house and listing simple measures that can significantly improve indoor air quality during the winter months.