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How to Design a Green House
Designing an eco-friendly house can be a challenging and creative process. There are many green architects and home plans out there to assist you, but much of green design involves building a home...
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Generator Alternatives for Home Backup Power
Generators have been supplying backup power to hospitals, military bases, schools and homes for many years. Generators are powered by traditional fuels, including natural gas, propane, oil fuel, and...
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Recommended R-Factors for Home Insulation in Arizona
Arizona has some of the hottest weather in the United States, and having adequate insulation in the home protects it from heat gain in intensely hot summers. The state has many micro climates as well...
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Geothermal Heat Pros & Cons
Although air temperatures fluctuate with the seasons, underground temperatures remain stable. During fall and winter, this means the temperature belowground feels warmer than above. Geothermal heating...
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How to Find a Mobile Home for Sale
Finding a mobile home for sale depends on a variety of factors, including your location, how much you are able to spend, what specifics you are looking for and more. Despite the many factors involved...
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How to Insulate Under the Stairs
You should insulate beneath your staircase to provide your home with added protection against heating and cooling loss. This is especially true for drafty basements and stationary attic staircases that...
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Basement Insulation Requirements
For homes to be considered energy efficient, their basements must be insulated, as poorly insulated basements are a major cause for a home’s energy loss. There are international building codes that...
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Types of Green Roofs
A green roof can take the form of a garden with vegetables and flowers, or it can simply be a growth of sod instead of tile. Green roofs collect and manage storm water, reduce the heat island effect in...
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Solar House Projects
As the cost of utilities increases, people are turning to alternative power sources such as solar energy as a means to reduce dependency. A simple project might be a solar water heater, or building...
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Government Grants for Green Homes
In the United States, the federal, state and local governments provide grants related to green homes and green buildings. These grants range from tax incentives to receiving cash back from installing...
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Grants for Personal Windmills/Turbines
The need for alternatives to fossil fuels coincides with increased demand for products such as personal wind turbines. Both government and private institutions offer grants to help with the cost of...
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Different Types of House Insulation
Whether your objective is to keep your home warm in the winter or cool in the summer, insulation is a major factor. Insulation comes in different forms and R-values (R-3, R-30, etc.), which measure the...
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Types of Solar Water Heating Systems
Solar water heaters use energy from the sun instead of natural gas or electricity to heat water. Active systems, powered by a pump, or passive systems that don't rely on pumps to move hot water. Both...
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How to Make a Design for Solar Panels on a Home
According to an abstract of a 2008 article in "Environmental Science and Technology," when you replace traditional energy sources with solar you can reduce air emissions by up to 89 percent. Not only...
View ArticleWhat Are the Benefits of Going Green in Your Home?
"Going green" is a quickly becoming a growing trend among many homeowners for a variety of reasons. Many wonder what going green in their home really means and how it can benefit them. There is an...
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How to Install Residential Solar
To reduce the monthly power bills, many people are switching from grid electricity to solar power. The initial setup cost of solar panels can be high. If you’re looking to cut down a portion of this...
View ArticleRockwool Alternatives
Rockwool, sometimes called slag wool, is a combination of recycled steel slag from manufacturing plants and basalt. The mineral fibers of the rockwool may also contain a mix of lime stone. Mineral wool...
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How to Install A Programmable Thermostat With Ease
Upgrading to a programmable thermostat may save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the life of the thermostat. Programmable thermostats allow you to tell your furnace or air conditioning...
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How to properly seal ductwork
All forced-air heating and cooling HVAC systems require a vast ductwork system to carry the cold or warm air, depending on the season, throughout the house. How well the ductwork is sealed dictates how...
View ArticleProper Use of Attic Fans
Attic fans are designed to exhaust hot air from the attic. When used properly, they will cool hot attics by pulling in outside air that is cooler and then pushing the hot air outside. This will keep...
View ArticleCommercial Air Handler Types
Commercial air handlers come in two varieties: packaged rooftop units and custom-built and installed interior air handling units. Each type operates under the same premise, however, to provide...
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Home Uses for Wind Energy
Wind energy is, in a nutshell, energy from the wind that is harnessed and converted into a useful form of electricity for powering homes, mechanics and even ship sails. Although rather pricey to...
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How to Convert to a Solar Home
Solar power, or energy from the sun, can be used in several different methods for individuals and families wishing to convert their electric or gas home energy systems to solar power. Clean and...
View ArticleHow to insulate walls with spray foam
With all the focus on energy efficiency, home owners are trying to make their homes as efficient as possible, especially those building a new home. When budget is a concern, sometimes the aspect of...
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How to Make an Existing Masonry Fireplace More Efficient
A masonry fireplace creates a warm and cozy atmosphere in any room. However, fireplaces are a major source of heat loss, even when in use. Although the room with the fireplace will feel warmer, the...
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Grants for Residential Solar Panels
Due to rising energy prices and environmental concerns, homeowners have been inspired to incorporate alternative energy sources into their home's design. Roof-mounted residential solar panels...
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Grants for Solar Power Systems
Federal, state and utility grants are designed to encourage the adoption of small, medium and large- scale solar power systems. These grants are intended to offset the initial costs of installing the...
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Downside of Going Green
Going green is a process of making lifestyle changes, whether simple or more complex, which serve to benefit the environment by reducing waste or energy use, or increasing use of more eco-friendly...
View ArticleDIY Duct Insulation
Ducts supply heated or cooled air throughout a building to maintain a comfortable environment. They are usually made of metal and, without insulation, can leach 10 percent to 30 percent of the energy...
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Difference Between Active & Passive Solar Heating
Solar energy is nonpolluting and renewable. Different kinds of technologies can harness solar radiation and convert it into solar energy. Buildings can employ either active or passive solar heating....
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Adding Attic Insulation
Insulating an attic saves energy and money. Choose insulation with a high R-value which measures how heat transfers through the material. The recommended R-value for attics is R-38 or about 10 to 14...
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How to Build a Small Solar Heater
Instead of paying high prices for typical heating systems, many individuals are choosing to heat their homes alternatively. Solar heaters capture the heat from the rays of the sun to raise the...
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Instructions to Build a Green Roof
Building a green roof, also known as a living roof, is not only beautiful but it will reduce your heating and cooling costs and help filter the air around your home. A green roof is like it sounds—a...
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Residential Electrical Design Tips
The design of electrical systems in residential settings is an important topic in construction. Lighting schemes and products are so vast that there are endless options for a homeowner, so it is up to...
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How to Size a Solar Power System
There are many choices for using green energy for your home or business. That includes solar power systems, which are becoming more economical and therefore more commonly used. The cost depends...
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The Heat Energy Efficiency of Oil vs. Natural Gas
In the colder areas of the world, heating during wintertime can become a matter of life and death rather than one of mere comfort. However, with the cost that comes with providing such heat, making...
View ArticleDuctwork Projects
Ductwork carries the air from the furnace or air conditioning to all the rooms in a house. Performing maintenance and upgrades on ductwork can increase the efficiency of your heating and cooling...
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Energy Reduction Rebates in Texas
Energy demand in Texas is high, as the warmer average annual temperatures of the state create a need for air conditioning for most of the year. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration,...
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How to get rid of outlet drafts
Any hole in the wall or ceiling is a potential leaking point for air infiltration. Air infiltration reduces energy efficiency, room comfort and can cause condensation issues with conductive materials....
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How to Design a Smart Home
Built from sustainable, low-maintenance materials, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, a "smart" home design integrates space and systems into the structure for improved safety, comfort, and...
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How to Reduce, Reuse, & Replace
Becoming environmentally friendly can contribute to our quality of life on a personal level as well as a whole. You may be open to making a contribution but are just set in a pattern of doing things a...
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How to Heat Your Home With Solar Power
You can heat your home with solar power using two different methods—alone or in conjunction. The first is passive solar, which depends on the heat of the sun entering the house directly through large...
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How to Build a Green Design
Sustainable or "green" building design is more than a passing trend. New homes, businesses and other building types can lessen their impact on the environment by complying with the tenants of green...
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Grants for Residential Geothermal Systems
Geothermal heat pumps and cooling systems can be a highly effective way to help reduce heating costs. Further, they are relatively renewable source of energy. Unlike coal or heating oil, these systems...
View ArticleInformation on a Vapor Barrier
A vapor barrier is a material designed to reduce the rate at which water vapor can move through it. It is used to keep moisture and air from getting inside the home and provides an additional line of...
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The Drawbacks of Tankless Water Heaters
A tankless hot water heater system is different than a traditional hot water system in that it heats water on demand. When a hot water valve is opened, the heater applies heat directly to the pipe. A...
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How to Install Fiberglass Installation in a Crawl Space
Insulating a crawl space with fiberglass insulation, also referred to as batting, can save energy costs while sealing out cold air drafts and helping control moisture in the home. How batting is...
View ArticleHow to Add Exterior Insulation
Because of rising energy costs and changing climates, many homeowners are looking for ways to save money on heating and cooling bills. The outside of a home has its air share of insulation, but...
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Hazards of Foam Insulation
Reducing the amount of heat and air conditioning your home loses, while preventing hot or cold outside air from coming in, is the best thing you can do to cut your electric bills and make your house...
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Solar Collector Projects
Solar collector projects are particularly satisfying endeavors, creating not only a sense of accomplishment, but of energy independence. Easy, affordable, first-time projects for the novice won't be...
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