What is the most cost-effective way to increase the energy efficiency of your home? Most homes have insulation in their attic and walls, but forget to insulate underneath the home. Energy efficiency is all about encapsulating the air you’ve paid so much to heat or cool. With all the existing government tax credits, there is no better time than now to improve your home’s insulation. The tax credits are about to get even better with Cash for Caulkers Home Star Energy Efficiency program.

One of the best ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency usage is to insulate and weatherize your home. Crawl Space liners achieve both of these and are easy to install yourself. First, let me explain a little more about weatherization and insulation.

Weatherization vs. Insulation

These terms are often used interchangeably but there is a subtle difference between the two. Weatherization can be thought of as air sealing your home – reducing the convective heat flow. In every home there are little cracks that allow the air in your home to escape. Common places for these cracks are in the air ducts underneath your home, and the cracks in your floorboards. Rather than taking a magnifying glass and a tube a caulk to find every crack, the best way to weatherize underneath your home is to install a crawl space encapsulation system. Look for a system that is Zero permeability with a poly adhesive tape so no air will penetrate the liner.

Just like weatherization reduces convective heat flow, insulation reduces conductive heat flow. To reduce conductive heat flow, homes have the pink insulation in their walls and attics. The same crawl space liners that have weatherization properties can also have insulating properties. Look for a crawl space encapsulation system that has at least an R5 insulation value- this will dramatically reduce the conductive heat loss from underneath your home.

Cash for Caulkers – How to Cash in on Tax Credits for the Do It Yourselfer

There are many myths out there that you need a contractor to receive a tax credit for making your home more energy efficient. On the contrary, it’s actually as easy as rolling out carpet to install a crawl space encapsulation system in your home. Energy star rated crawl space liners can earn you a 30% (up to $1,500) tax refund on your material cost. So for example you have a 2,000 square foot crawl space in your home, the liner system costs you $3,000, you will get back $900, for a total cost of $2,100.

Easy Installation for the Do-It-Yourselfer (DIY) – A lot of people ask me “Who is the best contractor to install my crawl space liner?” Then I’ll mention to them that they could save $3000 to $8000 installing it themselves and it can be done in less than a day. You can visit my site for step-by-step instructions or a free sample kit of a Do-It-Yourself crawl space liner. About the Author – Eugene White has been in the crawl space business for over 20 years. He owns and operates Seal Tight Solutions a company that encourages the Do-It-Yourselfer to improve their home at an affordable cost with long-lasting benefits.

Author: Eugene White
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When people discuss energy savings and a way to reduce their electric bills during the heat of the summer there are several strategies that are usually mentioned. A few of the more popular beliefs are to run air conditioning during daylight hours then open windows throughout the evening, while others are in favor of setting their thermostats a few degrees higher than normal and keeping the home at a constant temperature so the compressor does not run as often. Even more will tell you that investing in a programmable thermostat is the best way to experience energy savings within a cool home, and although all three of these tactics will help save a little bit of cash over the summer the actual biggest money saver of them all is hardly ever mentioned.

The most cost effective way to cool your home throughout the summer is by utilizing energy efficient ceiling fans throughout every room within your residence. While these units do not necessarily cool or remove humidity, by keeping the air currents within the room constantly circulating it will give the feel of an air conditioner. Since warm air naturally rises, as long as your ceiling fan is spinning counter clockwise all of the heat will be trapped up near the ceiling and the cool air will be allowed to circulate freely, which means your air conditioning unit will have to work much less to achieve the same results it normally does. As the sun sets the cool air moving throughout your residence will continue to keep you comfortable even with the air turned off, so the combined savings can be dramatic when everything is taken into consideration. During the winter the same technology can be applied backwards, and by reversing the motor on your ceiling fans warm air will be forced downwards to provide comfort through the room.

The even more impressive news is that the newer Energy Star ceiling fans are so efficient that they require less power than what a standard 150 light bulb would drain. Bellacor, the authority in energy efficient products available for residential consumers, has some of these new models so reasonably priced that is it possible to place one in every room throughout the home, and since they also produce an average of 20% more circulation when compared to conventional ceiling fans your air conditioning will hardly ever be required during the spring and fall seasons. With only running the air for a few months during the hottest hours of the day in June and July, these models can save consumers hundreds or even thousands of dollars off their annual utility bills without sacrificing comfort or a decent night’s rest.

So the next time the great debate over how to save money during the summer comes up, hopefully you can now share the correct answer. Throw away those old power draining box fans, turn the thermostat up several degrees, and prepare to open the windows for several months out of the year to let the great outdoors flow through your home and keep everyone comfortable. Energy Star ceiling fans are definitely the way to go when it comes to saving money, and once their technology becomes more popular everyone will eventually make the necessary conversion to them.

Tip: For more savings on ceiling fans, look for Bellacor Coupons from CouponShack.com

Sok has been helping every day people save money since 2001. It began as a objective to learn how to save money with coupons for online purchases every now and then but has since evolved to a lifestyle. Now Sok spends his time, both online and offline, not only looking for coupons but also how to go beyond just coupons to get extreme savings on every day items. “Don’t under-estimate the value of a coupon”

Author: Sok K Verdery
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When the temperature starts soaring in the summer months, you start noticing your energy bills soaring right along with the thermometer. You and your family need to keep cool, but the rising energy costs may be stressful to an already stretched personal budget.

This is a great time to remember all the ways you can make your home more energy efficient. There are small things you can do to help, such as:

• keeping the house a degree or two warmer,
• maintaining a consistent temperature on the thermostat,
• making sure all lights and fans are turned off when not in use,
• replacing traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs,
• keeping windows and doors shut tight,
• and closing the blinds or curtains during the daytime.

There are also bigger investments you can make to help your home become more energy efficient. These investments can provide a bigger payoff in the long run. A few of these improvements include:

• installing new energy efficient windows and doors
• installing solar panels
• using energy efficient appliances
• following the ENERGY STAR’s recommendations for Heating and Cooling Efficiently
• installing a new metal roof

Metal Roofing is an energy efficient choice for your home, especially if you choose an ENERGY STAR certified roofing product. A metal roof reflects more of the sun’s energy compared to asphalt shingles or traditional roofing material. It also emits solar radiation back into the night sky.

These characteristics of a metal roof help prevent heat from entering your home through the attic and allow your air conditioning unit to do less work in order to effectively cool the house. This type of conservation addresses the root of our energy use and ultimately leads to burning less fossil fuels.

You can not only save energy with a metal roof, but you can save money by reducing energy consumption in your home plus you can help protect the environment by reducing your contribution to burning fossil fuels.

James Kenton is owner of Advanced Metal Roofing, a residential metal roofing company offering the exclusive MetalMan Roofing System. Every metal roof comes with a transferable, limited Lifetime Warranty, a 42% Energy Savings Pledge, and has the government ENERGY STAR seal of approval.

Author: James Kenton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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No matter how strong its eco-credentials, a “green” building is not truly sustainable unless it is woven into a community fabric that supports sustainable lifestyles. You can have the most environmentally-friendly construction process for the most efficient and healthy home, but if the house is located somewhere that forces occupants to drive for every errand, then you have not created a truly sustainable home. Regardless of how eco-friendly they may feel, denizens of buildings like this cannot avoid adding lots of earth-warming carbon to the atmosphere as part of their daily routine.

Instead, truly green homes are woven into a built environment that supports sustainable living – less driving, less energy consumption, a smaller ecological footprint. Portland’s Urban Growth Boundary helps shape this kind of urban form and context. The UGB refocuses development on the region’s urban core and creates a more compact urban form scaled to people (walking, biking, taking transit) not just cars. This provides Portlanders with green options. We can still drive where we need to go, but there are other good choices for getting around as well.

Now, responsible home builders build with the earth in mind, reclaiming and recycling materials, striving for LEED and Passive House standards, making careful materials choices, etc. But what can we do, as would-be green-dwellers and builders, to ensure that our homes and businesses become part of sustainable patterns of community life?

It is not an easy question. But there are at least three ways we can ensure that green structures do not go gray:

1. Fill It In.

Infill development maximizes existing infrastructure, supports walkable neighborhoods, and preserves greenfields on the region’s periphery by concentrating development in existing communities. Infill structures built to eco-standards can therefore achieve the more elusive goal of “sustainability”.


2. Granny Flats.

An Accessory Dwelling Unit can be a converted garage, a basement or attic addition, or a new standalone backyard cottage. These compact living units, complete with kitchen, bath and all living amenities, add a distinct second residential unit to an existing property. Perfect for sustainable, efficient living embedded in community.


3. Remodel.

That’s right. Following environmentally-responsible remodeling principles, re-purpose that old house to 21-century needs. Existing structures contain tons of embodied energy. By remodeling these homes, we are “upcycling” today’s neighborhoods one house at a time, preserving precious embodied energy and weaving these households into existing neighborhood fabric.

By pursuing these three strategies, we can build sustainable homes that sustain community.

Hammer and Hand is a Portland builder and remodeler that has helped the people of Portland live better in their homes and businesses since 1995. The firm’s remodels, restorations, and environmentally responsible building practices maintain the aesthetic of eras past while creating the living spaces of the future. Work includes Passive House, LEED-certified homes, infill projects, and Accessory Dwelling Units.

Author: Zachary Semke
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Understanding the long-term benefits of a LEED home encourages many Floridians to take the plunge and go green. In fact, Miami has ranked in the top 50 cities in the country for LEED structures for several years. It is expected that in the next few years green homes, like hybrid cars, will become more common. As popularity rises, upfront costs to go green will go down, allowing more people to enjoy the benefits of living this way. To achieve certification, a home must meet many criteria and be rated by a professional in the LEED industry. They will ensure that the home will operate under certain guidelines before they can deem it a green home.

Some of the qualities necessary to becoming a LEED home are water efficiency, energy efficiency, indoor environment quality, and innovation in design. It’s also important that the home meet certain sustainability standards, meaning it is built on land that was already developed and doesn’t impact the environment in a negative way. Going green is something people all over the country are considering, and the Sunshine state is in the forefront of the movement to go green. With so much opportunity for solar energy, it’s no wonder Miami and Fort Lauderdale continue to see more people opting to build LEED homes.

The benefits of a green home are numerous. For many people, the fact that they are making a positive impact on the environment is incentive enough, but it’s nice to consider the other things that one can enjoy with a LEED home. Lower energy bills, less risk of certain toxins, and improved resale value are some of the benefits. It’s no wonder so many people are trying to go green in all areas of their lives. From recycling to living green, you can save money and have a clear conscience at the same time.

Sunny Realty of South Florida features technologically advanced and Internet savvy realtors. They specialize in Sunny Isles real estate, Miami real estate and luxury condominiums. SunnyIslesMiamiRealEstate.com provides instant access to the best in Miami Beach condos.

Author: L. Belenky
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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We talk about Organic Gardening but I never knew that there was anything else except Organic Gardening. Growing up we didn’t have all the Chemicals that are out now and even if there were we couldn’t afford them anyway. We have always had a Compost Pile and Rabbits as pets. The droppings from the rabbits were either added to the compost pile or added directly into the garden and the garden LOVED IT.

I believe our planting times in Phoenix are like nowhere else in the nation. We basically have 2 planting seasons. They are end of February through May and the end of September through December before the first frost hits. Believe it or not my lettuce lives through our winter months. Many of my vegetables live through the winter in the low desert. In the summer there are plants like Cantaloupe and Watermelon that can handle the heat if you can handle working out there. Pumpkins are started in July for Halloween.

Initially starting my garden took one day and three people. This is what I bought:

1. 6 bags of Compost. Add 5 keep 1 on hand.
2. 5 bags of Blood Meal. Add 3 keep 2 for Fertilizer.
3. 5 Bags of Bone Meal. Add 3 keep 2 for Fertilizer.
4. 2 Bags of Amender.
5. 5 Bags of Manure.
6. 4 cups of Red Wrigglers.
7. 2 Bags of Organic Mulch.

We rotor tilled 4 plots. Two were 8×10, one was 3×5, and one 2×13 against my block wall. We sifted through the dirt, removed as much Bermuda grass as we could. Through the season I dug and removed the roots of any Bermuda grass that sprouted up later as I did weeding.

Next we added Amender. Rotor tilled again to mix in the Amender since our soil is mostly clay. Next we started adding all the rest of the above items and finished with compost topped with 2″ layer of Mulch. I dug some holes along the way and added the Earth worms in the soil to increase soil fertility. We finished with a good watering and let that set overnight.

The next day I planted. You can buy inexpensive plants or even hook up with other gardener’s who have a seed exchange. When you buy seeds from the store take the planting information on the back with a grain of salt as I have found most of the instructions apply to the rest of the nation and not us. I plant Sunflowers all throughout the garden to help with shade as well as wildflowers to help bring in the bees for pollination.

Watering: I would suggest before starting your garden to install underground irrigation. This can be a drip system which is not too costly and very time saving for you as you do not have to stand out there and water. This will also save you on your water bill. You need to water slowly and deep. You could also use soaker hoses above ground before planting and plant close to the soaker hoses. I did not install underground irrigation before planting and now regret it but hey, I will get there. A good idea also is harvesting rainwater. I’ll get that Rain Barrel going some day but for the moment I run out of the house with 5 Gallon Buckets and put them next to the house where the rain falls heavy off the roof. There’s nothing better than a good rain for your plants.

I keep some items on had all the time. Some of them are: organic mulch to retain moisture, compost for fertilizer, bone meal for phosphorus, blood meal for nitrogen, epsom salts – magnesium sulfate: my tomatoes and peppers do well adding this, garden grade diatomaceous earth for bugs on plants: you need to be careful adding this it will also kill the good bugs, bat guano for fertilizer, and fish emulsion for fertilizer. I am always adding coffee grounds to the soil as well.

My garden is at the point right now that when planting season starts I never know what is going to come up. I just sit and scratch my head trying to identify what is germinating not because I didn’t label what I planted but because plants just seem to come up on their own. One of my gardens now has a mulberry tree in the middle of and I didn’t plant it. I let it stay because it really helps with shade. It is as tall as the house now.

I am just touching the tip of the Iceberg here. I am by no means an expert gardener just someone who really likes to garden. I have not spent much time out there this summer due to the heat but come September I’ll be out there.. for hours. This is just an idea to get your garden started. The possibilities are endless. I use the planting calendar as a guide and go for it. I have to give the credit to all the resources below and Google for all my internet searches. They gave me the strength to take the football and run with it. My philosophy is why buy it when you can grow it.

Below is a list of resources I used just to name a few:
The Garden Guy – Extreme Gardening, How To Grow Organic In The Hostile Desert by Dave Owens. I use this book ALL THE TIME. http://www.gardenguy.com/
The Phoenix Permaculture Guild – http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/ Great resource for Southwest Gardening. They also have a Desert Planting and Harvesting Calendar on this site.

Author: Laura Rairigh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Healing food: natural way to cure cancer

Similarly research has also proven that Chinese green tea improves the levels of HDL which is the good cholesterol a human body needs. While on the other hand Chinese green tea reduces LDL levels which is the unhealthy version of cholesterol that leads to heart problems and several other health diseases such as blood pressure.

Reducing weight and curing cancer are not the only traits that are associated with this natural herbal tea. Other medical conditions such as cancer arthritis, infection, poor immunity levels and high cholesterol are also seen to improve dramatically with the increased intake of green tea. People who are health and fitness conscious lay a lot of emphasis on their green tea intakes and give much credit to it for their healthy body and mind.

Epigallocatechin gallate which is abbreviated as EGCG is one of the antioxidants found in this herbal tea which helps to fight cancer cells and keep healthy cells alive. Heart problems among Japanese men are significantly low although 75% of them are chain smokers. The secret behind their healthy hearts is green tea which has EGCG in it which acts like a powerful tool against fat in our diets.

As green tea reduces cholesterol therefore it is a good practice to sip it up regularly not just to enjoy its flavors but for health reasons.

The way every one these days is concerned about living green for the health of planet Earth the same way green tea lets you live with a healthy heart. Among all the varieties of teas available , green tea has extremely low levels of caffeine and has multiple health benefits out of which controlling blood cholesterol is one. Among the rest of the benefits of green tea, fighting tooth decay, lowering blood pressure, keeping blood sugar under control and also terminating cancer cells are just a few.

Cardiologists actually are now recommending the use of green tea because of its healthy properties. They have researched that it reduces the risk of heart disease and helps cure blood pressure problems as well.

After a careful research, cardiologists have observed that within 2 weeks of a daily consumption of green tea, the arteries supplying blood to the heart dilated in patients who used green tea in abundance.

By just sipping on green tea daily, you can ensure a healthy heart and reduced cholesterol levels. So don’t just rely on cardiovascular medications or exercise to keep your body and heart healthy. You should make green tea a part of your daily intake and see how it improves your health. You can visit green tea health [http://www.green-tea-health.com] to test drive the trial pack for just $1.

Roy is a green tea lover and frequently writes at health and fitness [http://www.green-tea-health.com] with green tea. He also works as a freelance copywriter. He has a splendid flair to try out natural remedies.

Author: Ani Roy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The library is a good place to start. They have books, CDs, and movies that you can borrow. You can go to the library and look at the latest magazines. Instead of having all this excess paper piling up in your home, take a trip to the library a couple of times a week and you will save your home from becoming littered with all the excess magazines and papers, not to mention the money you will save.

Newspapers are another way to save. Almost any newspaper today can be viewed online. This is another excellent way to keep from having so much extra paper in your home.

Rent your tools or borrow them instead of buying. Unless you do this for a living, the occasional tool for a project can be rented or borrowed and this keeps your home and garage free of many items that are only used occasionally.

Instead of having to make a trip to the grocery store for one item, borrow from a neighbor until your next regular time to go to the store then you can pay it back. If all you need are a couple of eggs for something you are making, it would make much more sense to borrow, instead of spending the gas to run to the store.

Keep a small amount of cash on hand for anything that may come up. If you or your children or your husband need a few dollars for lunch or you need to pay the boy who mows your lawn, it will be there. You will not have to run and cash a check or run to the instant teller. This will not only save gas but it saves checks, especially if your bank charges per check or per withdrawal. When you go to the bank for your usual withdrawal, you can put back what you borrowed so it will be available for the next person who needs to borrow.

If your home has become so cluttered you can hardly get through it, have a yard sale and get rid of things you no longer use. If you are keeping items because you may need them in the future, the time to get rid of them is now. If the occasion arises in the future when you need something you no longer have, find someone to borrow it from and then it will be returned and you will not have all the clutter in your home. This is one way you can limit your buying when it is something that you really do not use enough to justify the expenditure.

There are many ways you can utilize to save money by borrowing many things that are easier to borrow than to purchase. There are many items that are cost a lot to produce just for a one or two time use. The need to cut down on the overabundance of items being produced that end up being waste we have to dispose of is increasing. The best way to stop the waste is to cut down on what we purchase.

Amelia Yap is a mother who is very conscious about global warming and the future or our environment. She has made it her mission to educate others to go green, reduce their carbon foot print, and help save our environment.

You can download her FREE report, “Simple Ways to Go Green and See Green” to see how easy it is to go green and save money along the way.

Author: Amelia Yap
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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1) Size

To maintain happy and healthy chickens, it is best to make sure that each chicken has between four and six square feet of space to live and get exercise. The more space, the healthier the chicken will be. This will then determine how many chickens you are able to house, which, in turn will give you an approximate size for the house.

2) Style

Taking a good look at the area you have available will probably determine what style would be most appropriate as well. You might also be able to determine whether you would like to have a chicken tractor (mobile house) or a regular fixed hen house.

3) Access

Be sure to keep in mind the ease of access to the hen house, so that cleaning is as short and simple as possible. A good plan will have well thought out access to the hen house already compensated for in the plans itself.

4) Safety

Safety for the chickens in the hen house is also very important. There are many natural predators that need to be accounted for, including dogs, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, lions, red-tailed hawks and bears, just to name a few. There are techniques that are simple and effective to adequately protect your new chickens while outside in the run or in the house.

There are many things to consider before you purchase or build. Take the time to look through a few plans that might be the perfect set for you. The hen house plan that will produce the healthiest chickens and the most eggs is the one that will make your experience with your new green living adventure one that will continue for many years.

The Hen House Plan That Makes Sense!

Being in the construction industry for many years, the trend of building green has been something that I have been very interested in and have tried to incorporate in as many ways as possible. Living green goes hand in hand with building green and I have since been focused on replacing the organic food that I purchase. Chicken and eggs are two things that I can easily replace with just a few dollars and a bit of time. Please check out the hen house plan that might just be perfect for you and your family.

Author: Daphne Schmitz
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The reason why would you go for a complete solar home is that everything will be done for you, this means that you hand over the money and then you move in. This might be the ideal situation but there are some small problems. One might be that there are not that many solar homes on the market just yet. So it might be difficult to find one. If you do find one check the equipment’s age, nobody would install a fancy and expensive material like this and then just sell it off. And it is good to know that solar panels based on new technology are far more efficient then those which rely on the old one. Another thing you have to count on is that solar homes will be more expensive to buy than any regular ones.

Because this is a fairly new technology the real-state agents are not up to date. So make sure you educate your self before you go visit a house with the intention of buying. The more you know the harder it will be to rip you off.

Now the second way to approach this is by buying a regular home and transform it in to a solar one. For this also you will be needing a lot of information. There are two main rules for picking the best place, location and orientation. Location means that the place has to be in a strategical place which has the most direct sunlight. Orientation the house has to be oriented in a way that the southern part get the most of the Sun’s rays. Also you will be needing a professional energy audit to see if the house is viable for solar power.

Minnie has been a professional writer for a couple of years now. Her newest interest is in 12v battery chargers. So come visit her latest website which discusses where you can find bcar battery chargers online.

Author: Minnie Nick M Hayes
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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