July 3, 2009

Foil Insulation vs. Conventional Insulation Methods

Radiant Barrier vs. Conventional Insulation Methods

Reflective insulation is one of the most advanced and inexpensive modern ways to make your home more energy efficient. Radiant Barrier works like a thermos keeping hot air out of your structure in the summer or preventing heated air from escaping during cold weather.

Heat can be transferred in three different ways which include conduction, radiation, and convection. Conduction is the transfer of heat by molecules and atoms in matter. Convection is the transfer of heat in liquids or gases with the flow of the substance. Thermal radiation is the transfer of heat through invisible rays, such as the ones emitted by by the sun and absorbed by the earth.

Previous barrier products like fiberglass, Styrofoam and cellulose work well against the first two types of heat transfer but they are ineffective at preventing radiant heat transfer. Radiant heat transfer can be responsible for the largest amount of heat gain or loss in any building structure…(up to 75%).

Foil Insulation utilizes a foil surface to create a radiant barrier which blocks 97% of heat due to radiation. This makes your air conditioner more efficient in the summer and your furnace more efficient in the winter, keeping energy efficiency high all year around.

EcoFoil Radiant Barrier has an extremely low ability to radiate absorbed energy at 0.03 and a high reflectivity of 97%, which exceeds the U.S. Department of Energy’s requirements of 0.10 and 90% respectively.

In addition to being the best solution to prevent radiant heat transfer, reflective insulation is also the easiest and safest to install. Despite it’s light weight and flexible characteristics, foil insulation is very durable and rip resistant Perforated radiant barrier is the most common insulation used when insulating an attic because it provides maximum breathability, preventing costly condensation problems.

Reflective foil insulation can easily be stapled, nailed or glued for rafter installation or simply blanketed on the attic floor over existing insulation.

reflective foil will not irritate your skin or eyes due to its safe, non toxic properties|Foil insulation is safe and non-toxic, which means that it will not irritate your eyes, skin, or throat during handling[/spin]. No protective or safety equipment, clothing, or gloves are required to handle and install the insulation.

EcoFoil Radiant barrier foil insulation carries a Class 1/ Class A Fire Rating and can be used alone or in conjunction with other insulation brands, making it the easiest, most useful insulation available.

EcoFoil Foil Insulation and Radiant Barrier is a low cost, do it yourself installation that can help you reduce your home's energy consumption.

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Before You Order New Kitchen Cabinets, Read This

Ready To Assemble cabinets are a reasonable way to have that designer kitchen without breaking the bank. I am going to tell you step by step a way to achieve the kitchen of your dreams or real close too it. Remember, there are several different kitchen cabinet styles to match your unique personality.

Step 1 : Build a budget, You need to know just how much you've got to spend, Lower it by a couple of Hundred for in case you need it for overages.

Step 2 : Select colours, For example if you are doing a total remodel you will need to choose Wall colours, Cupboard Colours , Floor color & type, Counter top color and type. This can appear to be an overpowering task but you can do it. Go to the bookstore look through all the magazines and look at all the color combinations. Buy the book or magazine that has your colors. Remember way out colours are not always good if you are planning to sell your home in some years.

Step 3 : The next item on our list is design. It all starts and ends with the right kitchen cabinets plans. Most RTA ( Prepared to assemble ) cupboard shops have design services that you can use for free, you may need have to provide measurements and other information requested by the retailer. Another way is buy some graph paper and put a little design together yourself, play with it and have fun, you've got a blank slate. The web has great self help areas.

Step 4 : A few Items you must consider. Appliances, Lighting Fixtures, Sinks, Taps . This often is an element of the design phase. Infrequently you aren't replacing these, just reusing.

Step 5: Once you've got a design all your colours and a cabinet style it's time to start, Order your cupboards, Flooring and so on. You'll need to get rid of all of your cupboards. Counter tops, and anything more you are replacing. Get your walls painted any electrical or plumbing moved for example. Install Floors and than you are prepared for cabinet installation.

Step 6: RTA cupboards are the best bang for the buck. You can get an all wood designer cabinet for thousands less. You've got to do a bit more work but it will save you in the long run. If assembly and installation are just out of your league, hire an installer. Get some quotes ask for references. Don't be afraid to check out wholesale kitchen cabinets as well for more potential savings.

Step 7: Counter tops, Laminate is the best priced followed by granite, solid surface and Quartz. If the budget is tight select a HD laminate with a special edge until you are able to afford the real stuff.

Step 8: The Home Stretch. Install sink dishwasher, all the other appliances. Touch up paint or add an ornamental tile back splash. Now set back and look at all that you have acheived and pat yourself on your back.

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July 2, 2009

Empty Basement: Unlimited Potential

When it comes to the countless basement transforming options out there, few projects can bring out the kid in a home-owner like installing a gameroom. Many finished basement ideas end up as a game room - thats how popular they are. In fact, developing a well planned game room transforming project can be nearly as fun as enjoying the games themselves, thanks to the unique creative freedom that a job like this allows. You're only constraints are space availability, finances, and your own imagination! Learning how to finish a basement is a great way to increase the value of your home.

Game Room Remodeling: Getting Started

Like any home transforming job, a game room transform starts with a wish to increase the fun and functionality of a room, and is followed by a backbone to take all the steps necessary to bring your vision to life. The bulk of game rooms are designed in basements, giving them a novel atmosphere and sequestering them from the quieter areas of the home,eg the sitting room and bedrooms.

For many homeowners, the basement is the ideal place to start a remodeling project. It is a room that is generally restricted to a laundry room or storage area, but the basement– particularly bigger basements with higher ceilings– have giant potential. Before making the decision to install a game room in your basement, carefully consider the logistics of the concern. If you have a comparatively tiny basement space with low ceilings, coming up with a game room might need some significant reconstruction or deconstruction of walls, which can add a lot to your bill. A professional basement remodeling contractor can help you consider your remodeling plans and give you a cost guess, which can be extremely helpful in deciding whether a game room would be a practical choice for your own basement.

Think In Specifics

Another significant component in planning your game room remodeling project is knowing exactly what kinds of games, entertainment, seating, and ambiance you need to include in the design. Bigger , popular game room games like pool, ping-pong, foosball, and air hockey all require plenty of open space for enormous tables. Table tennis, in particular, also needs lots of perimeter space and higher ceilings for the best level of play.

Arcade games, Nintendo game consoles, pinball machines, and dart boards have their specific dimensions, too. The key is to make a total list of each game you'd like to include in your game room, plan precisely where each game table or console might be placed in relation to each other, and use the measurements of your basement to determine which games stay and which have to go.

If you're thinking in a grand scale, and need your game room to capture the sensation of a real sports bar, you'll need to carefully plan for the installation of a bar area, a flat screen television, a stereo or jukebox, and whatever other chairs, tables, and other furniture you'll need to attain your goal.

The more detailed and specific your game room looks on paper, the less complicated it will be for your home contractor to supply the results you're on the lookout for in a quick and relaxed manner. It all starts with your finished basement design

Have Fun!

By scrupulously planning your game room transform, staying under budget, and embracing your inner kid, your home's basement can go from a dull storage area to an energetic center for socializing and play. So, think practically, but remember what the goal is: having fun! Challenge your better half to a pool game, teach your kids the art of foosball, or have your mates over to observe the huge game! It's all possible with a game room, and the probabilities are right under your feet!

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Solar Cooling

When a solar cooling system is set up properly, the hotter the temperature gets, the cooler your home will be. Are you wondering how this works?

Solar heat can actually help cool your home. When a solar cooling system is set up properly, the hotter the temperature gets, the cooler your home will be. You might wonder how this works …

You can use heat to cool your home by using the forces of nature to pump air and drive the heat away.

Here are some DIY projects that you can consider, in the quest for a cooler home:

1. You can try building a thermal or solar chimney. This is a heated chimney that collects and ejects heat from the interior of the house. Once the chimney collects heat from the sun, it creates a vacuum effect which sucks in cool air, while hot air exits through the top vent. Your chimney can be in the form of a hole in the floor with ducts through the roof. You can cap the chimney with a turbine that will catch air, to help release hot air out of the structure. If you set it up in this way, your thermal chimney will function as a wind chimney as well. This solution will make your cooling system work during the day, when the sun is up, as well as during the night, when the wind is blowing.

2. You could also use an evaporative cooler. We all know that when water absorbs heat, it evaporates. Thus, when air travels over water, it cools down. This method should be used when the humidity level is low. And be sure to use preventive measures against health hazards that can be presented by stagnant water - such as malaria, mildew, and Legionnaire's Disease. The size of you evaporative cooler would depend on the size of your home. It usually consists of a box containing the fan, and a wet pad. It can be mounted on your roof, or at the side of your house. You can use a windmill to circulate the water that keeps the pad wet. The fan will blow the air through the pad, and the air will eventually enter into the house through open windows or vents.

These are just some of the ways you can use solar and wind energy to cool your home. There are also kits you can buy - but, like most DIY projects you can purchase the things you need in a local hardware store. Commercially available kits are likely to cost more than what you would spend if you buy your parts separately, although they might also be faster and easier to set up.

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If you are looking for complete and step-by-step instructions on how to install DIY Wind and Solar Power systems, along with pictures, videos, and and diagrams, please see DIY Wind and Solar Cooling Methods.

For more basic information on solar cooling, see Solar Cooling

Source Article: DIY Wind and Solar Cooling Methods

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