Green Real Estate Upgrades and Renovations - How to Save Money on Heating and Cooling

The following interview was conducted with Marlayna Phenechka, a building subcontractor based in Asheville, North Carolina who practices green building and sustainable thinking. Phenechka has worked on both residential and commercial real estate projects in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. She outlines some basic upgrades to facilitate more efficient and less expensive heating and cooling. The upgrades are a smart investment for the average consumer since the money spent is quickly recouped.

Turn Off the Hot Water! On-Demand Hot Water Heaters
(Estimated Cost: $250-800 Labor: $400-1400)

The resources used to heat water is expensive, often the second highest residential energy use in homes. Did you know most hot water heaters in homes are designed to keep water hot constantly? One good way to save electricity or gas is to simply turn off the hot water, and turn it on only when needed. Consult an electrician to install a timer or switch. Have them turn the water heater down from a manufacture's scalding 140 to 115 degrees. Another overlooked method to cutting costly water utility bills is to simply buy a 'blanket' for your water heater.

In Europe, modern Asia and Israel, On-Demand, or Tankless, Hot Water Heaters are more common than the hot water tanks in US homes. These cost effective, efficient devices turn hot water off unless it's in use. Phenechka says, "There's an off mode on this system. There is no pilot light either, which saves valuable energy. Many On-Demand Hot Water Heaters are even made with a temperature remote control feature so the user can adjust the temperature to his or her preference, saving even more energy."

The best On-Demand or Tankless Hot Water Heater uses liquid propane or gas as a source of energy. If main power is shut down for some reason there will still be hot water. "The size of an On-Demand Hot Water Heater is about the same as a backpack and weighs approximately 30-40 pounds," Phenechka adds. In some cases, installing a gas line to fuel the On-Demand Hot Water Heater may incur an extra expense, though liquid propane may be a better option. The majority of US states offer a tax credit for these devices.

Heat Pump Heating and Cooling Systems
(Estimated Cost for the system and installation $3,000-8,500)

Heat Pumps are a great way to conserve money on heating and cooling. "Some heat pumps come with heat and air conditioning and are well worth the initial investment. During milder winter days, the heat pump draws in warm air through the home's ducts; in the summer, it pulls in cool air and dehumidifies it at the same time," says Phenechka. A heat pump is far more efficient then many other heating and cooling systems and saves some homeowners as much as $100 per month or more. Make sure you purchase a programmable thermostat with the system and check and seal any leaks all your original air ducts and returns to optimize your investment!

Attic Exhaust Fan
(Estimated Cost: $80-$250)

Installing (or repairing) an exhaust, or gable, fan in the attic can make a huge difference in airflow, humidity, and temperature in a home. Solar exhaust fans, with their own tiny solar panel are now available at many of the big box stores! Hot air especially gets trapped in the attic, and without an exhaust fan, it is hard for this air to move and the home's temperature stays high. Attic fans are easily installed, and most have sensors for temperature and humidity so the fan automatically turns on. A gable fan ensures that even if there is air conditioning in the home it is not overused.

There is also a whole house fan system made to work in conjunction with an attic fan. The whole house fan system is an alternative to air conditioning especially in cooler, dry climates. It harnesses and pulls in the cool air that exists outside to the interior of a home through open windows at night.

Ceiling Fans
(Cost: $50-$100 each)

Ceiling fans also eliminate much of the need for air conditioning and sometimes act as a complete alternative to AC. "Ceiling fans have a wind chill factor of three and up," states Phenechka "a ceiling fan in each room can have a huge impact on the comfort inside." When a home is being heated in the winter, a ceiling fan will help spread the heated air more evenly throughout the house. Ceiling fans are a great way to upgrade a home, and many attractive fans, some with lighting fixtures, are available to choose from. Don't forget to use energy efficient bulbs in the ceiling fan for increased energy savings.

Green Upgrades and Renovations for Commercial Real Estate

Many of the green strategies mentioned not only have value for residential homeowners but also for commercial real estate such as retail stores, office buildings, apartment buildings, factory plants, restaurants and shopping malls. Heating and cooling costs are a major issue for commercial real estate developers and investors. If you want to save money on monthly bills consider hiring a green building and renovation specialist to upgrade the heating and cooling system of your commercial property. Commercial fan systems and on demand hot water heaters can hold great long term value for commercial real estate owners and are a healthy business investment.

These simple, green living recommendations will make your home or building more energy efficient and save you money over the long term. Whether you have hundred or thousands to spend on environmentally conscious, real estate upgrades and renovations there are affordable green solutions to keep your heating and cooling costs down. In a time of rising energy costs, it makes sense to go green. These kinds of heating and cooling upgrades and renovations will increase the value of your commercial or residential property and make it more attractive to future buyers.

Elaine VonCannon is an award winning REALTOR with RE/Max Capital in Williamsburg, Virginia. She specializes in retirement and relocation in the Williamsburg, South Eastern Virginia area and in Virginia Estate properties. To learn more visit http://www.voncannonrealestate.com or http://www.estatesinvirginia.com

Energy Performance Certificates

From 2008 the UK will have a regulation governing business property. There will be a certificate required that rates the building dealing with energy management. This will have a huge impact on the business community.

The UK in 2008 will see new regulation being rolled out that will affect all commercial premises. EPCs stands for Energy Performance Certificates and will be required for rental, sale or construction of commercial property.

So each building will be given an energy rating A,B,C,D,E,F,G. Band A should have the lowest fuel bills reflected by being the most energy efficiency. For the higher rating the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions should be lower.

It is thought that currently most UK commercial property will fall into bands D-E for both ratings. Obviously this rating will effect the businesses value on sale or rental achievable. So this will push the business owners' to invest in better energy efficiency throughout as this money spent will be regarded as a potential return on investment. And therefore a positive business action to be undertaken.

Each EPC will last for ten years. The Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) must measure the effects of EPCs on the business sector. Adjustment may have to be made if it has a damaging effect because of cost in a recession and the ability of the landlord to lease their property easily. This legislation will effect business premises across the range of sizes so nobody will be unaffected by this.

This policy has the added advantage of long term money savings on fuel bills as that it looks like energy demand for the long term will be high due to the UK now having limited resources and the massive demand on oil in the Far East.

http://www.mortgagebestrate.co.uk/commercial_mortgage.htm

02380 781222
patrick@mortgagehome.co.uk

Solar Energy Homes - Need it Badly in This Recession

An increasing number of solar energy homes are popping up around the world. Most people hate getting that huge electric bill each month, but we tend to feel like we have no choice. You've got to have electricity, right? So what other options do you have but to continue to pay exorbitant fees to the electric company?

The good news is that you DON'T have to be tethered to the electric company forever. You can choose to go solar. Not only is solar energy great for the environment, using it will cut your power bills drastically, and even eliminate them in some cases. Some people who are very clever with the use of solar power have even found that the electric company ends up owing THEM money each month, instead of the other way around!

Solar energy was one of the first widely acclaimed alternative energy sources, and it's been promoted for years as the best alternative to traditional electricity. It's got a lot going for it. For one, it's a completely renewable resource. As long as there's a sun, there's going to be solar energy, so you never have to worry about how you're going to power your house when you use it. It's also completely non-toxic and non-polluting. Anyone who cares about the environment will be naturally attracted to the use of solar energy.

However, the thing that attracts most people to solar power is the monetary benefits. In fact, these benefits are what lead the majority of solar power users to build solar energy homes. Solar energy is available to anyone, and can be stored for use during cloudy days. Obviously, if you live in the Arctic Circle, where it's dark for 6 months of the year, using solar power may be challenging during those months. However, you can still benefit from it by using it all summer. It doesn't take much of the sun's energy to power a home, so you'll probably end up with surplus power on really sunny days.

You can actually sell this surplus energy back to the electric company, which is how you can get them to pay you. In fact, the electric company is eager to grab its share of your power, since it costs them less to buy it from you than it does for them to generate it themselves. So, not only are solar energy homes cost-effective, they can actually generate income as well as power. Isn't it time you investigated going solar yourself?

You can build your own Solar Energy for homes under $200 by following this guide by Clicking Here

How to Reduce Energy Costs Substantially - How to Lower Your Energy Costs Within Days

Economic Turmoil and Energy Inefficiency

The rising cost of fuel and gas isn't going to stop anytime soon. Everyone is feeling the tremendous and burdensome effects that are hitting our wallets and pocketbooks day-to-day. Gas prices may slump for a brief period but you can bet your last dollar that they won't be that low forever. Many global entities across the world are trying to make the conversion to the alternative energy that will be so powerful in the 21st-century. If you want to know how to lower your energy costs and how to reduce energy costs by over 80% each month, then start thinking about solar energy...

Solar Panels and Energy for Your Home

Solar energy panels are hands down the most effective and cost-efficient energy alternative that we can use right now to combat the rising price of oil and coal electricity. If you want to know how to lower your energy costs each month then considering putting up a solar panel can be one of the first steps you take in understanding how to reduce energy costs. The wonderful thing about solar energy panels that they are on the market and are accessible very easily. The only downside is the costs. The cost of a commercially installed solar panel can cost upwards of $2000 including the purchase price and the installation fees. But wait! There is hope!

How to Reduce Energy Costs by Making Your Own Solar Panel

Solar panels that create electricity from sunlight are known as photovoltaic panels. This panel is connected with photovoltaic cells, sometimes just called solar cells. They also contain something called crystalline cells and these crystalline base structures have the ability to absorb sunlight when it is exposed and convert it to electric power. The more photovoltaic cells placed on the solar panel, the more current of electricity can be produced. You'll find out how to lower your energy costs substantially once you understand how to obtain maximum energy from a solar panel and what causes it to drastically reduce your utility costs each month. And guess what? Instead of paying that big hefty $2000 fee which is highly unnecessary, you can build your own--for less than 200 bucks...

For in-depth detail on the advantages of using solar energy and access to a step-by-step guide to building your own solar energy panel for less than $200 you can visit my website here at http://www.CreateHomeEnergyNow.webs.com. Remember -- go green!

Suspended Ceilings - Home Tips

Suspended ceiling or known also as dropped ceilings are ceilings that are placed underneath the existing one and hide any kinds of wiring or piping that may be sticking out of the current ceiling. Suspended ceilings are a great idea as they allow you to hide all of the clutter that is up there already allowing for maintenance to be carried out on anything that is there without as much risk as you would without the suspended ceiling being there.

They are made up from a grid that contains metal frameworks which is held together with wires which connect up to the existing ceiling, in this grid tiles are placed and linked up, this is what makes the basis of a suspended ceiling even thought there are many different types of suspended ceilings, they all seem to follow the same basis.

Suspended ceiling started being made to help with sound levels in rooms and offers sound absorption. This is made by adding insulation above the tiles, this helps to absorb the sound in the room.

Now though sound absorption is not the only reason for getting suspended ceilings installed, nowadays you can have a lot of different reasons for example you may want to hide pipes or create air ducts for you building, if this is the case then suspended ceilings are definitely the way forward for you.

When you are thinking about getting your suspended ceilings installed there should be one main concern on your mind, this is Safety. You need to know that your ceilings are going to be safe and cause no harm to anyone or be a hazard in any way. You are going to need to make sure that the tiles and anything else you place up in the suspended ceilings in firmly attached to the grid otherwise there can be problems with the ceiling falling down or in the event of an emergency where the ceiling has to be pulled down I.e. a fire, then the whole ceiling can be brought down as one and doesn't come down in pieces causing major hazards.

If you are going to install suspended ceilings in a clean room then you need to make sure that the suspended ceiling complies with all rules and laws that are set. If your suspended ceilings are in any way contaminated with dust or particles then your whole clean room becomes pointless and questionable.

Clean rooms are required in many different industries which include food, electronic and pharmaceuticals. If your room does not meet the industry standards you can be closed down, so therefore making sure that your suspended ceilings in no way effect your business you will need to make sure that you can meet requirements with your ceilings. You will need to have a steady flow of purified air being brought into the room; this can be easily incorporated into suspended ceilings in the ceiling void above.

So before purchasing your suspended ceilings you should make sure that it complies 100% with all of your health and safety regulations.

Find more about Suspended Ceilings

Plant Growing Under Roof

Tankless Water Heaters - Are They Worth It?

A penny saved is a penny earned. I had my buddy call me up and tell me about this article on consumer reports about it taking 20-25 yrs to recoup your initial costs on a tankless water heater. That just really gets under my skin because it is not true. First off the technology has been around for 40 yrs and is rock solid and extremely efficient. Your fuel costs will be cut significantly and your risk of a flood is virtually eliminated.

I am sure that at least 50 percent of homes in the U.S. will at some time have to use their homeowners insurance to cover the costs of damages caused by busted water heaters. Well I am sorry folks but tankless is the only way to go and you will not only benefit from the savings, your lifestyle will improve as well. I know it's worth something to dad to be able to take a shower after all of the girls get out without having to wait for an hour.

And you can rest assured that a wife who is able to use her garden tub to take a bath in instead of a dust collection bowl will gladly pitch in a little. So if you are going to write an article about tankless water heaters at least know something about them or keep your mouth shut. I have personally installed over 100 units and have received zero complaints. I have a tankless on my house and it has paid for itself with peace of mind and reduction in our fuel costs. Clean consistent hot water is priceless to modern man.

Log onto http://www.atlantaplumbingdirectory.com to find the Atlanta Plumber you need now.

Mold And Stucco Damage

Glass Knobs - Home Tips

Complete your kitchen or set of drawers with the glittery elegance of glass knobs and reflect times past. Whether your home is Victorian or not you can easily inject a bit of nostalgia by changing a few small details like your kitchen cabinet hardware.

Believe it or not there was once a time when multi-faceted glass knobs were standard in new homes. Today people use sleek metal handles to reflect their modern style, but some savvy decorators look for authentic glass hardware to give a home a truly unique look.

Originally gaining popularity when World War 1 forced the mass production of glass things due to the fact that metal such as brass, bronze and iron was needed for planes and ammunition, these handles were soon made to suit different house styles, budgets and tastes.

You could choose from clear ones with six, eight or 12 facets, colored ones in various shades from cobalt blues and emeralds to violet, amber and even milk. You could also choose from various shapes from ovals and globes to squares and octagons. Another popular style had tiny bubbles inside which works well with contemporary spaces today. Any of these were once readily available, but now it can be tough to find a set that will sparkle with the elegance of the past and the promise of the future.

Start simply. You may not find a huge variety of glass knobs at your local hardware or home store today, but it is a good place to begin. I f you don't find the ones you have your heart set on keep looking. Try garage sales and flea markets. Ask to see what a local salvage yard has on hand. You never know the treasures that you may find.

But while you are looking you have to keep in mind the right size you need and how many you need. If you want authentic antique glass knobs it may be difficult to obtain a full set. Once you know how many, what size and what style you are looking for you can begin your search.

It is these small details that truly define the look of a room. Whether you choose a specific color or style the hardware you choose reflects your personal style. Create a vintage look with shabby chic milk glass or give your space a modern vibe with sleek crystal pulls. Try blue ones, or yellow ones and more to create a space that is truly you.

You will surely love the beauty the right hardware can bring. No matter if you replace it in the kitchen, in the bath or on a set of drawers these small details can have a big impact. From an eye catching sparkle to a glittery shimmer it is glass knobs that fill your space with light and vintage style. Who would have thought that this simple symbol of elegance still holds true today? Finish your home with distinctive details and you will always love returning to it every day.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops including that offer both items and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it is cabinet hardware for your bathroom or handles for your kitchen there are many tips you can use to make those spots both functional and beautiful. Click today http://www.ekitchenhardware.com and indulge your senses.

Upside Down Electrical Outlet