When we moved off the grid and started using only renewable energy to run our home we had no idea what to expect. When we found wind turbines Instructions to build one we knew we could produce our own home power more effectively, along with our solar panels and bio diesel backup generator.

Leave the incandescent days of old behind and join the energy-saving craze. With CFL light bulbs you’ll be modernized, saving energy and lending a green helping hand.

Just follow the link for more information.

How To Make A Wind Generator is really the fastest way to start living off the grid or just start saving money by producing Renewable Energy for your home.

Our family has been living off the grid since last year, and loving every minute of it. Learning how to make a wind generator definitely was what we needed to do since it produced the most renewable energy with the least amount of cost involved.

Remodeling a garage to a room is often a cost-effective way to add living space to your home.

1. Because the foundation, roof and exterior walls are already built, you will not incur these costs.

2. You will be able to remodel the area with little disruption to the rest of your home.

3. You may already have the electrical wiring in place (most garages have lights and at least one electrical outlet) as well as plumbing.

4. Depending upon local building codes, you may not need a building permit for your project.

Why would you need a building permit? This can vary from one location to another, but the primary issues are:

* Structural soundness

* Exits

* Heating and cooling

* Windows

* Ventilation

* Insulation

* Plumbing

* Electrical

In some areas, failure to build to local code can require that you restore the space to its original condition before you sell the house.

The best place to start remodeling a garage to a room is to determine what you have to work with in terms of floor, walls, access, etc. You will likely have a cement slab floor and an adequate roof. If there are no windows, you will need to decide whether to install them, how many to install, and where you will place them. If your garage has finished walls you will need to determine whether the walls are insulated. If they are not insulated, you will need to make decisions about how you will insulate. You will need to plan for heating and cooling and adequate lighting and electrical outlets. Do you need plumbing in the room? If so, you will need to determine whether there is or is not plumbing in the area and what changes are required.

Your next decision will be whether to use the entire garage for your new room or only part of it. If you have a two-car garage, you might decide to finish only half of it into living space. In this case, you might want to pay extra attention to soundproofing.

Converted garages can serve a variety of functions. Garages can be converted into everything from a kitchen to a living room or a family room, den, home theater, home office or an extra bedroom. You might discover enough “attic” space to finish two rooms (one above the other) or to open the ceiling and design your new room with a vaulted ceiling.

The next decisions will determine the appearance of the finished room.

1. What kind of flooring will you use? You will find that a slab is conducive to almost any kind of flooring you choose to install. Be sure to seal the slab before you begin installation of any flooring materials. And, if you install carpet, you might want to invest in double padding to make the room more comfortable. You can also build a traditional joist floor over the garage slab to match the floor level in the rest of your home.

2. What kind of ceiling do you want? Depending upon the planned use of the space, you might choose a vaulted, exposed beam ceiling, a pitched ceiling, a tray ceiling, a drywall ceiling, or a drop ceiling.

3. Finally, you will need to decide on the walls. You can choose paneling or sheetrock, or you might want to consider constructing the walls of insulated board. If the room will be used as a playroom or a home office, this might be just the solution you need.

Finally, you will need to decide whether to do the work yourself or hire a contractor. You might decide to hire a contractor for some of the work, like electrical, plumbing, etc. and do the rest yourself. Either way, you’ll find that the cost of converting your garage to living space is far less than adding a room to your home.

To get a quick estimate of the cost for this project check out www.remodelestimates.com, and to help you organize your project invest in an organizer like the one at www.remodelingorganizer.com.

A garage conversion is a great remodeling project. It’s the perfect way to get the space you need at the lowest possible cost. Enjoy!

Dan Fritschen, the author of this article, is the founder of the websites http://www.remodelormove.com http://www.remodelestimates.com and http://www.remodelingorganizer.com He is the author of three books on home remodeling.

Anyone who has spent money on tightening up an existing home or spent extra for energy upgrades for a new home will be irritated by the concept of mechanical ventilation. Understandably it doesn’t make sense to make a home more airtight then add a way for more outdoor air to come in, but having your home ventilate properly is critical. Why?

Indoor Air Quality- Indoor Air Quality or IAQ has become a buzzword in the HVAC industry. Sometimes buzzwords come about from marketing or misinformation but here there is a legitimate need, as homes are tightening up pollutants are trapped in the home. Older homes are ventilated naturally, but at the cost of comfort and efficiency. Indoor air starts as outdoor air and becomes “dirtier” from pollutants in the home, ventilation removes dirty air and dilutes the existing air.

Common sources.

Excess moisture. High humidity can lead to condensation which can lead to mold.
Chemicals. Paint thinners, cleaning products, insecticides such.

Building Products. Most newer products contain chemicals from their production like glues or formaldehydes.

Pets. Dirt dust and dander

Smoke. Candles smoking or even deep frying let off contaminates that hinder breathing.

Energy Savings- The issue is air is coming in whether you want it to or not, any home exhausts a certain amount of air through bath fans, kitchen exhaust hoods, water heaters, older furnaces or one pipe furnaces, stack effect from leaky can lights, hvac boots, attic hatches or clothes dryers. All the air that leaves will be replaced through cracks, outlet boxes, open doors, or far worse a back drafting water heater flue. Since that air is coming in our goal should be to control it. Mechanical ventilation allows us to bring it into the duct system where it will be conditioned and filtered before coming into the living area. Some types of equipment have heat exchangers that pull the heat out of air before it is exhausted.

Comfort. By controlling where the air come in we reduce drafts and cold spots.

Safety. We know how as our homes vent or exhaust air the air needs to be replaced, this is called negative pressure. The safety concern comes when a home has a fire place or b-vent water heater that begins back drafting from the negative pressure. If air is being introduced through the b-vent when the water heater fires the exhaust gases will spill from the draft diverter allowing co2 into the house. mechanical ventilation reduces this condition. Regardless of your situation you must have co2 detectors in your home.

Basic types of ventilation

Exhaust ventilation- Removes the contaminant at it’s source, like a bath fan or kitchen exhaust hood. While this qualifies as mechanical ventilation it is hardly optimal. Exhaust only leads to unbalanced pressures, drafts and potentially unsafe backdrafting.

Supply Ventilation- Provides a means of introducing fresh air into the home to replace exhausted air and help with dilution of home contaminants. Traditionally a duct is ran from the cold air return of your HVAC system to the outside metered by a barometric damper or an electronic damper that opens and closes based on preset conditions. Of the two I prefer the electronic version. By bringing the air through the return we can condition and filter the air before it is introduced into the living area. Coupled with quality bath and kitchen exhaust fans this setup is effective and should be your minimum standard.

HRV/ERV- Stands for heat recovery ventilator and energy recovery ventilator. An HRV/ERV is a balanced exhaust system that runs the exhaust and intake air through a heat exchanger, pulling the heat out of our conditioned air before we send it outside. An ERV is the same setup that also pulls out humidity making it a great fit for hot humid areas. HRV’s can be installed stand alone or tied into the duct system. Based on conditions set by your installer the unit will exhaust and replace the same volume of air with reduced heating/cooling load due to the heat exchanger. Another fantastic idea that I saw involves a remote mounted bath fan that pulls air from several bathrooms that ties into the ERV. Instead of sending that warm steamy air outside it is ran through the ERV.

Below is a generic diagram of a typical ERV.

Aaron@onhomecomfort.com

http://www.onhomecomfort.com

Whoever says you can’t “kill two birds with one stone” when becoming more energy efficient is absolutely wrong! There are ways to cut down on your home’s energy expenses while adding beautiful landscapes to the yard and, in turn, likely increasing your home’s value.

A well designed landscape will:

* Cut your summer and winter energy costs dramatically

* Protect your home from winter wind and summer sun

* Reduce consumption of water, pesticides, and fuel for landscaping and lawn maintenance

* Help control noise and air pollution

By planting trees in optimal locations, you can save up to 25% of your home’s energy consumption for heating and cooling, which ends up being anywhere from $100 to $250 annually. In less than 8 years, you will have likely earned back whatever price you put into landscaping the lawn to begin with. And, as stated above, you are realistically raising the value of your home in the process.

“Shading and evapotranspiration (the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor) from trees can reduce surrounding air temperature as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit.” In addition, the temperature directly underneath the tree may be reduced by as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit. As well as all of that, the cost of summer air condition bills can be decreased by as much as 15% to 50% with the aid of properly located landscaping.

Depending on what part of the United States you are located in, wind chill factor may be an issue during the winter. As you know, this can drastically drop the temperature by numerous degrees. By adding trees and fences as a windbreak, you can shield your home from the biting wind. When the freezing cold wind hits the walls and windows of your house, it decreases the temperature inside, causing more heat to be needed to offset this temperature reduction. With these landscape additions, you can counteract the negative results of this cold air and prevent having to run the heater as high or as often.

Landscaping Strategies by Region

* Temperature

o Maximize warming effects of the sun in the winter

o Maximize shade during the summer

o Deflect winter winds away from buildings

o Funnel summer breezes toward the home

* Hot-Arid

o Provide shade to cool roofs, walls and windows

o Allow summer winds to access naturally cooled homes

o Block or deflect winds away from air conditioned homes

* Hot-Humid

o Channel summer breezes toward the home

o Maximize summer shade with trees that still allow penetration of low angle winter sun

o Avoid locating planting beds close to the home if they require frequent watering

* Cool

o Use dense windbreaks to protect the home from cold winter winds

o Allow the winter sun to reach south facing windows

o Shade south and west windows and walls from the direct summer sun, if summer overheating is a problem

David Tanguay is dedicated to providing research, reviews & helpful information to consumers and businesses. For more information related to Green Energy and Biofuels please visit http://greenenergyonline.org

Green roof systems seem very complicated, don’t they? You might be wondering how they get installed, or where they can be used. Then again, what plants actually grow on a roof? And what is all the fuss about?

The nuts and bolts is that green roofs are very good for the environment. Because plant material is the top roof layer, instead of typical roofing material, many positive situations are created. Here are some of them:

Roof water is absorbed by the plants which serve as wonderful water collectors. This is great for storm water management. Instead of the water becoming a problem as to where it will drain to, much of it goes directly to the plant roots where it is utilized. The little that does drain away does so slowly. Less water runoff means less erosion and less pollution. The plants absorb and temporarily retain roof heat, releasing it into the atmosphere as temperatures cool. This keeps the inside of buildings and homes cooler, reducing air conditioning needs and costs.

Green roofs extend the life of the roof. There is less debris damage. There is also less roof expansion and contraction from temperature changes. Some roofs with green roof construction can last 50 years.

These eco-roofs create new wildlife habitats. Yes, birds will appear there!

Germany has been using green roofs for over 35 years, and now some U.S. cities are promoting green roofs.

Green roofs are created in layers. Different applications require various green roof construction. Some are more light weight, while others are more of a mid weight. In addition, there are actual roof tops with more intricate construction able to support trees. Typically though, the layers of a green roof system would contain plants, growing medium, filter fabric, drain, insulation, root barrier, and a waterproof membrane. As mentioned this can be different for different situations.

Green roofs generally do not need irrigation. If some is needed, however, the water should be delivered directly to the roots. Both flat roofs and those that are sloped can accommodate green roof systems. There is a maximum slope for pitched roofs.

The appearance of green roof tops for residential applications and also for commercial greatly improves the aesthetics of our landscapes. As I looked out my upper floor window the other day, I couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to look at plants and greenery instead. Likewise, in urban areas, the upper view streetscapes would be unbelievably improved.

Susan Schlenger is a Landscape Designer with a degree in Landscape Architecture. Please visit her website to learn more about Green Roof Systems and additional Landscaping Ideas.

Geothermal Heat Pumps or GHPs can use 30-60% less energy than conventional HVAC systems, Geothermal systems are also quieter and require less maintenance. Geothermal Heat Pumps are not limited to heating, they can also be use for cooling and in some cases they can even be used as water heaters.

While we have been using Geothermal heat pumps since the late 1940s, according to the Climate Institute, “geothermal heating” has been used since the time of the Roman Empire as a way of heating buildings and spas by using sources of hot water and steam that exist near the Earth’s surface.

How Do Geothermal Heat Pumps Work?

While the temperature can vary widely from season to season, just a few feet below the earth’s surface the ground maintains a relatively constant temperature. This ground temperature can range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C) depending on geographical location. A GHP uses this stable ground temperature to heat, cool, and when properly equipped, supply the house with hot water through a ground heat exchanger. Using the consistent temperature of ht earth as a heat exchange, instate of outside air with its variable conditions allows GHPS to reach fairly high efficiencies on the coldest nights.

Geothermal Systems vs. Air-Source Systems

While efficiencies vary by model, conditions and geographic location consider the following. According to the US Department of Energy (DOE):

* Geothermal Systems can reach 300%-600% efficiency “on the coldest of winter nights”
* Air-Source Systems can reach 175%-250% efficiency “on cool days”

The improvement in energy efficiency offered by GHPs can reduce energy costs by 30-50% in comparison to traditional HVAC systems.

In the United States, the DOE estimates about 40,000 geothermal heat pumps are installed each year. While this may seem like a large volume, it is only a drop in the bucket when your consider two-thirds of all homes in the United States are equipped with air conditioning.

Why Isn’t Everyone Using a Geothermal Heat Pump?

When compared to traditional HVAC systems, Geothermal Heat Pumps “can be several times that of an air-source system of the same heating and cooling capacity” states the DOE. How expensive are they? According to Michael Bluejay, “In 2006 a geo system cost about $2500 per ton of capacity to install. A 3-ton geo system at $7500 compares with $4000 for a traditional system, for a $3500 up-front premium for the geo system.

Thanks to the energy efficiency of Geothermal Heat Pumps, this expense is returned to you in savings in as a little of 5-10 years. With an expected system lifespan of 25 years for components, and 50+ years for the ground loop, a Geothermal Heat Pump can provide energy savings for many years. By reducing your electricity consumption you reduce your carbon footprint. Do your part to fight global warming, by using energy efficient technologies like GHPs to reduce your electricity usage.

Sam Greyhawk is an environmental evangelist working with Cool-N-Save(tm), an Energy Star Partner, to spread the message of reduce, reduce and recycle.

While GHPs are more energy efficient then HVACs, they can be expensive. If you have an existing air conditioner and want to reduce your electricity usage using energy efficiency then consider the Cool-N-Save(tm). Installed in ten minutes with no tools required, the Cool-N-Save(tm) is an energy efficiency add-on for your existing air conditioner. The Cool-N-Save(tm) has been scientifically proved by Tulane University to improve air conditioner efficiency up to 30% – which saves you money each month.