One of the biggest concerns with solar panels is the way they sit and fit on a roof. Since the roof is high and out of the way many people want their solar panel arrays up there. As well, for the most part, that is where they get most hours of unobstructed light every day.
However, there are some concerns with roof-mounted solar. The first is, in order for flat panels to work on the roof of a house they must be facing the direction of the sun. If not, they have to be angled upward and to the angle of the most direct sunlight. Once the panels are raised then wind and, in parts of the country, ice can get underneath and may cause problems. As well, even the panels that are lying flat are subject to damage.
The second is looks. Many people like the “space-age” look of solar panels but others may want a more subtle look.
A new solar panel shingle has been manufactured to mimic the shape of the asphalt tab shingle and mold right in with the rest of the roofing. You can replace a shingle here and there or do the whole house with photovotaic shingles. This type of solar concerts solar energy to D.C. electricity and each one has an electric lead which goes through the roof deck into the attic area for easy hookup to the main solar controls.
Following the direction of the manufacturer the roofing contractors marks and drills the holes for the wiring of the solar shingles. After installation, which follows the pattern of the regular asphalt shingles, an electrician will gather the wiring from the solar shingles and pull them into the solar combiner box where they will feed the other electronic gear used to collect and distribute the solar energy: meters, charge controller, fuses, system disconnect switches, batteries and inverter.
In essence, the solar shingles go down on 30 pound felt underlay just like the conventional shingle. The only fly in the ointment could be the longevity of either the regular or solar shingle. If ones type needs to be replaced before the other then the whole system has to come off. But if the whole roof is to done in solar shingles you are guaranteed 20 years.
For more information on solar shingles contact:http://www.alphasolar.net/alpha_solar_062.htm
March 31, 2008
Once the domain of spiders, old wallboard, forgotten trophies, banners and an unused wet bar the basement living area is bouncing back with a vengeance not seen since the shag carpet was put down in 1974. The bar has been freshened up, but better yet, this misused area is now going through a rebirth.
Remodeling designers are now treating the secondary space with the respect and decency that used to be handed out to bathrooms and kitchen areas. New lighting techniques have made the subterranean room a reclaimed space where everyone in the family can meet their recreational and entertainment needs.
Why is this area being rejuvenated? There are two words: bonus space. The basement is space in the home that is already there. You don’t have to tear out the back wall and go into the yard ten feet or rip off the roof and go up for a new and large living space.
The ideas for this area are endless. Traditional uses are still in vogue: entertainment areas, game rooms, hobby room, home theater, basement apartment and family room. There are also the newer and more diverse ideas for the basement renovation: guest room with ensuite, gymnasium, home office and spa.
But get ready for the newest uses: nightclub with dance floors, dark room, sound studio, huge clothes closet areas for storing off-season apparel, wine room and gardening rooms with attached greenhouse. People who are into sports ports are putting in climbing walls, basement bowling alleys and even firing ranges.
So next time you are down in the cellar let your mind wander.
March 28, 2008
The first mass-produced “hybrid car,” gasoline-electric, was made by Toyota who dubbed it Prius. To say that the car made a splash with consumers is an understatement because the odd, little car was here in modest quantities when Hurricane Katrina damaged some offshore and land petroleum installations and sent gas skyrocketing. After that every car manufacturer scrambled to get their own “hybrid” car onto the market.
As the last round of oil prices reverberates through the energy markets the price of heating and cooling the home is becoming a major drain on income and savings. It is also a major concern for utility companies, many of whom have power plants generated by fossil fuels. So not only are they under pressure to keep power rates down they are also being eyed by government agencies to reduce their “greenhouse gas” emissions.
Now the financial institutions are joining the fray with financial incentives for homeowners who either with energy-efficient homes or are remodeling to meet energy challenges. A few major banking institutions are presently offering incentives called “energy-efficient mortgages” to homeowners who can demonstrate that they have actually cuts costs. The other part is for those who are looking into installing solar panels or wind energy to supplement their power requirements.
This is just the tip of the iceberg and will flow throughout the financial community. Even now there are “Green Funds,” mutual funds which only invest in renewable resources and in companies which are gearing up for energy conservation. In a very short time this trend will become normal as we wake up to the fact that oil is a finite resource that is controlled by a handful of people in the world whereas the and wind have no masters.
And this is great for green home renovators. Because even in a recession they will be busy.
March 27, 2008
If you have a semi-detached home or townhouse there is a good chance that if you have a garage at all it will probably be a single-car model. This is fine if the need for the household is only one vehicle but if there is an extra vehicle it will have to sit out on the pad.
Why is this a problem? Well, in some areas there are covenants which do not allow overnight parking on a garage pad. There is also the possibility of break-and-enter, vandalism or theft of the vehicle. Weather conditions are also a factor for keeping the second vehicle in a safe, covered area, especially a collector’s vehicle where insurance demands a safe storage area.
Car lifts are becoming very popular in urban areas for the extra vehicle. Once found mainly in garage stations and auto specialty shops they are basically an elevator which lifts the car up and locks it in position so that a second vehicle can be driven in underneath. The optimum room requirement depends on the car going up on top but 10 or more vertical feet from floor to ceiling would be the best.
The lift mechanism is usually powered by a 110 volt electric motor and has a capacity of 7,000 pounds, which should lift most domestic vehicles. The car is driven onto the ramp and then is raised high enough for the second car. The added benefit of having the lift is for those who like to do maintenance on their own vehicles or the car hobbyist who wants to rebuild a classic. In addition, cars are not the only vehicles or possessions that can be stored: ATV’s, motorcycles, snowmobiles, miscellaneous possessions.
The big plus is that these lifts are not that expensive. They start at around $2,000 for a bare-bones, safe car-lifting mechanism with a warranty. For more information car-lifts contact Renovation Experts.
March 26, 2008
The windows that some of the early settlers used was waxed paper. Although very crude it let light in while keeping the wind and rain out in (Unless the wind was high!). Real windows were extremely expensive but had less insulating factor than the wax paper. The sun could beat in but after the sun was gone the room cooled down very quickly. In northern climates many residences were fitted with storm windows, an extra layer of glass that added an insulating cushion of air. These could be taken off in the spring and stored.
Double-paned glass is like having a storm window all year round but without having to clean 4 panes of glass twice a year. The space is filled with a dry, inert glass to prevent fogging and this window design is the standard in today’s building.
In the winter the key to a cozy home is to let the sun’s heat in and prevent it from going back out after the sun goes down. This heat loss is greatly reduced with the use of low-E [low-emissivity] treatment for the glass which reflects heat back into the house during the winter and blocks out radiant heat during the summer. The third layer of glass greatly enhances this process making the window a heat processor all on its own.
Low-E glass on a double-glazed unit has boosted its insulation value to that of a triple-glazed model. Low-E panes available in two basic types. One is more geared to keeping heat inside while the other type reduces ultraviolet light from coming in. In essence it is a film applied to one of the panes of glass or suspended between.
The best performer is the triple-seal Low-E glass however the main factor is how the window is installed. Frames that don’t fit properly or that conduct heat will kill the advantages of all windows types: Low-E, triple pane, double-pane, etc. because windows are part of the home’s ecosystem. They can either be a partner or the weak link.
However, these are high-tech windows and should be installed by a certified window installer.
March 25, 2008
The sun is a very potent friend, especially if you live in an area where cold weather rules for over 1/2 of the year. Thermal mass materials can collect the sun’s energy during cold, but sunny, days and release it when the sun goes down. This is called passive solar energy and thermal mass materials are the both traps and storage units.
It is a law of physics that heat will moves to colder areas, especially surfaces. Solar energy penetrates the glass and, because glass contains some impurities, the glass surface heats up too. Then the air is heated and, finally, the energy reaches the sold floors and walls. Later on, when the sun is gone and the air temperature inside goes down to the mark where the mass materials - floors, walls - are warmer than the air in the room. The energy stored in the mass materials is now released into this area. In effect, the larger the thermal mass surface the warmer the room.
In a solar efficient home the south facing windows are the energy collectors. Depending on the materials the walls and floors are the storage areas. So if you tile your floor and have a large masonry fireplace on the inside wall facing the southern-exposed windows you’ll have enough thermal mass to not only keep this room warm, but to transfer to other areas as well. This can be accomplished with a low-voltage ECM fan.
March 24, 2008
If you drive around an area where there is new construction look up at the roofers. If they are putting down asphalt shingles there is a good chance that they are not using roofing felt, commonly called tar paper. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that the manufacturers claim that it is not needed. And the second reason is that it slows down the roofing crews.
In any home water is the greatest enemy. Water leaking into the home not only makes things wet it creates mold, promotes rot and provides insects a place to breed. These maladies not only are unhealthy but can cause structural damage leading to thousands of dollars of repair. The fact that water can ruin a home is not in question. It’s that many roofing professionals do not do all in their power to prevent water damage at the source.
Roofing is the first line of defense against water. Without a sound roof nothing else matters: siding, interior design, etc. Water will ruin all of this. So roof specialists use water-prevention products like ice shield, a thick, wide membrane that goes along the edges and gables to prevent wind-driven rain from going up under the eaves. Then there is drip edge, a lip that goes around the entire edge of the roof to guide water away from the fascia. Flashing is the tine or zinc sheet that goes around chimneys, vent pipes and lines the valleys to channel water away from theses openings to the home. Felt is actually tarred paper which is rolled over the naked roof boards to prevent leaks from shingles from getting on the wood and into the home. It is, in effect, a second line of defense.
Some manufacturers claim that felt seals in heat and promotes warping and rot to the wood. In their eyes, after the shingle tabs seal there is no way for water to get up inside and leak into the home. Some will even void the warranty unless placed directly on the boards. However, wind-driven rain can get up inside and produce enough water to cause problems.
The rule of thumb for roofing is to put the drip edge on first and then install the ice and water shield. Others may reverse this but this is matter of preference. The is the stage where the felt is rolled down and it starts at the bottom over the ice shield, being rolled horizontally and then stapled down. The next row is overlapped by around 5″ and this carries on to the peak. The shingles then go over the felt.
By doing this the homeowner is protected against those times when rain or ice is pushed up under the drip edge. The water will find its way down to the eave and gutter instead of into the home or rotting out a portion of the roof. In the cases where there is a heavy windstorm and shingles are ripped off the roof there is a sold protection against the elements until the roof can be fixed.
A certified roofing contractor can answer these and questions about the protection of your home.
March 20, 2008
When you mention urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) as an insulating material you might stop the conversation and get some odd stares. Because to most people UFFI is an acronym for “hands off this property.”
It started out in the 1970’s as the perfect insulation for a home. This worked especially well in old buildings where, instead of stuffing fiberglass in the walls, you could fill the cavities with foam that expanded and filled up every crack and cranny. The home was noticeably warmer and drafts were almost eliminated.
In 1980 reports surfaced that the off-gassing of formaldehyde was a serious health risk to homeowners and in 1982 the United States Consumer Protection Agency got UFFI banned. It seemed that people who lived in a mobile home were suffering from nose bleeds, headaches, fatigue and eye irritation. The fear blossomed and then the CPA dealt the industry a death blow. In some instances homes were demolished or, at the very least, had their walls ripped open to get the UFFI out because insurance companies and banks would not renew mortgages of homes with UFFI.
However, formaldehyde is also given off by new carpets, plywood and other glued materials in levels much higher than UFFI. So in the following studies it was never proved that UFFI produced gas higher than an acceptable 0.1 parts-per-million (ppm). In fact houses with new carpets approached the “bad area” of 0.5 ppm but no one was going to outlaw carpets.
In 1983, the U.S. Court of Appeal cut down the CPA ruling deeming that the evidence just wasn’t there. The afflicted homeowners, for the most part, lived in poorly ventilated homes where all forms of off-gassing and domestic chemicals could affect them. Many others were dissatisfied with the product and this was determined to be the fault of poorly-trained installers.
The controversy does not rage as it used to but there are those who condemn the use of UFFI. But it is interesting to note that the countries of Europe, who are incredibly environmentally-minded, use UFFI and have never had a problem.
March 19, 2008
Late springs are hardest on the gardener. And this is not because he will lose a month or so of the season but because, after a long winter, many of us are itching to get going.
Make no mistake about it, Mother Nature has been around a lot longer that us so the greenery will catch up. So there’s no need to tromp around in your wet backyard trying to speed things up. All this does is compress the soil and make your shoes dirty with clumps of wet earth. Instead of driving yourself crazy watching the backyard with a sorrowful soul do the preparation that you would normally do in tandem with getting your yard ready:
- Plan your annual and vegetable garden
- Mix up compost pile
- Start your lawnmower and any other power equipment. If there’s something wrong get it fixed.
- Sharpen the blades of your tools
- Make a list of the prep work so you can get going when the ground is ready.
When the yard has dried sufficiently then you can get out there and work. Take it one step at a time:
- Vegetable Beds: Till the soil and add organic matter - peat, compost, manure. Check your local gardening place for the best time to plant. The first crops to go in are beans - broad and lima - beets, peas, onions, lettuce, radishes and turnips. Tomatoes and peppers should go in after the last frost - this is very important.
- Pruning: Except for the spring-blooming types this is a good time to prune.
- Clean Up: Remove boughs and leaves that were put down to protect the beds in winter and, as well, any other debris.
- Lawn: Some areas will not permit chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In this case there are organic fertilizers that works well with grass. You can also rake your lawn when it begins to turn green.
- Perennials: Prune and thin
- Flowers: Check with your local gardening place for a schedule for planting annuals. Some like pansies can go in when the soil is loose enough.
- Mulching: This should begin when the weather gets hot to protect the roots.
For more Gardening information contact Renovation Experts
March 17, 2008
