How Do You Know You Have Enough Insulation In Your Attic
As time goes by, insulation in the attic can settle, resulting in the degradation of insulating property (measured in R-value). To find out if you have enough insulation in your attic, use a yardstick or tape measure to record the depth of the insulation. The Department of Energy recommends insulation for Northern climates to be […]
How To Choose LED Lights
If you are trying to get a replacement light bulb, you will now find a large variety of products available. Buying a light bulb used to be simple. You choose either a 25W, 40W, 60W, 75W, 100W or occasionally 150W bulb depending how much light you want. The incandescent bulbs do not give you other […]
New Eco-Friendly Products For Green Homes
I went to several conferences and seminars in the last couple of months. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are more and more eco-friendly, health and efficiency oriented products on display for green homes. Many of the products are already available on the market, and some are still under development. I like to […]
Safer Sofa Foam Exchange Announced for Bay Area
You may have heard about the problem with flame retardants in polyurethane furniture foams. If you haven’t, I highly recommend reading the Chicago Tribune’s exposé on the flame retardant industry: Playing With Fire. The California flammability standard, known as TB117, in effect required manufacturers to use toxic flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane furniture foams. For […]
Is Your House Leaky?
Have you ever felt drafty in some rooms in your house? The draft can be coming through some hidden gaps or holes in your house. Most homes have gaps and holes in the ceiling, floors and exterior walls that let a lot of cold air into the house in the winter and warm air in […]
Fighting Drought With Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting means capturing and storing rainwater for later use. It should be a consideration of every homeowner, as clean water resources are becoming more and more precious. Many areas have already been drought stricken for several years with continued expectation of rain scarcity. In the western states where the rainy season is approaching, this […]
Laundry to Landscape Greywater Dos and Don’ts
Greywater is a great way to reuse laundary water for landscapes and garden. Here are some tips to do it right and maximize the benefits. Do Make sure greywater is discharged at least 2” below mulch or rocks and is kept underground. Discharge greywater between mulch layers to let mulch filter the greywater and to […]
Century Old Home New Again
After months of detailed work, the project is finally done and the home is on the market. This home was almost gutted to the studs and reconfigured with a much better flow. It is practically a brand new 100+ years old house. Now there are three bedrooms and two and one half bathrooms with 1716 […]