Month: January 2018

Home Weatherizing – 9 Techniques To Maximize the Energy Efficiency of Your Windows

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Most home weatherizing projects involve windows because they are largely responsible for the loss of home thermal energy. What makes windows energy-efficient is their ability to block air movement, creating dead air space between the inside and outside glass panes.

Most windows today come with double or triple-pane insulated glass. Basically, insulated glass is two or three pieces of glass separated by a spacer bar and sealed on all four sides to create a dead air space between the panes.

You can easily make single-pane, older windows more energy-efficient by creating dead air spaces using window weather-stripping materials, a good storm window and plastic sheeting to block air movement.

To minimize condensation and frost from forming between the house window and the storm window, keep warm, moist air on the interior side by applying weather-stripping to the inside gaps.

Here are 9 Home Weatherizing Techniques to maximize the efficiency of your windows:
Apply clear silicone caulk around the interior window casing. To further reduce home heat energy loss, lock the window and use clear, peel-off caulk which is easily removed, to fill the gaps around the interior edges of the sash.

Add plastic window sheeting to the inside of the window to block drafts and keep surfaces free from moisture. This home weatherizing tip often involves using a hair dryer to remove wrinkles and tighten the plastic, making it almost invisible.

Install exterior plastic sheeting on the outside of the window. The manufacturers of this product usually include tacking or stapling strips to complete the installation.

For sliding windows, use self-adhesive compressible foam in place of metal tension strips in the sash track that fits against the rim of the sash when the window closes.

For casement windows, attach rubber compression strips or self-adhesive compressible foam along the outside rims of the window stops.

For storm windows, attach foam compression strips to the outside window stops to create an air tight seal.

For a newly installed storm window, use caulk backer rope to fill gaps between the exterior trim and the storm window.

Drill one or two small holes in the bottom rail of the storm window to allow moist air to escape if during cold weather condensation and frost buildup is present on the inside of the storm window.

Cover window wells with preformed window-well covers to stop home thermal energy loss through basement windows. Most window well covers have an upper flange designed to slip under siding. Fasten them to foundation walls with masonry anchors, and weight down the bottom flange with stones. Caulk around edges for extra protection.By using the proper window weather-stripping material, you can increase the energy efficiency of your windows by 100 percent or more. Taking the necessary steps to save your home thermal energy by implementing these home weatherizing techniques can only result in a lower energy bill.

Copper Kitchen Canisters

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The most common types of kitchen canisters are those that are made of plastic or clear glass. Although kitchen canisters made of copper are not as popular as those canisters that are made of plastic or glass, these copper canisters also grace a lot of kitchens all over the world.

More often than not, they are shaped cylindrically and carefully lacquered to resist the effects of tarnishing. In addition to that, most of them also have a nickel lining. Large copper canisters are used to store cooking ingredients, condiments, and dry foodstuffs. They are said to be great in preserving the freshness of whatever kind of food articles.

Solid Coppered Canisters

Original and solid coppered canisters weigh a lot heavier than those other canisters made from other simpler materials. Consumers can already tell the difference just by lifting a canister made of copper on one hand and lifting a canister that is made from ordinary materials on the other hand.

Admittedly, canisters made of copper are more expensive than simple canisters. However, it cannot be denied that if you buy canisters made of copper, the quality of them are really in a higher level than those ordinary canisters.

Airtight Kitchen Copper Canisters

If you want to focus not only on the aesthetic value of the copper canister that you will buy, then you’d better make sure to buy airtight copper canisters. It is better to buy them rather than those with ordinary lids because the condiments or the food that will be stored in it will surely be guaranteed to be safe and 100% free from outside forces.

Copper-Colored Acrylic Canisters

A great advantage in buying copper-colored acrylic canisters is that they are much more affordable than those canisters that are originally made of copper. Economically speaking, one does not really have to spend a lot of money in canisters, especially if one is already hard up on the budget.

Improvising and being resourceful is the key; and one of the ways to improvise and be resourceful is by opting to purchase copper-colored acrylic canisters rather than original copper canisters.

In conclusion, copper canisters need not to blow one’s budget. There are a lot of alternative canisters out there that still possesses the characteristics of original copper canisters. Practically speaking, it doesn’t really matter if the copper is original or not; what is important is that the canisters look good and they do their job in storing necessary food and condiments.

Energy Efficiency And The Us Heavy Industry

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Heavy Industry’ is a rather amorphous term. According to Wikipedia, Heavy Industry signifies the production of goods that are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production.Examples of such industries include steel, chemical, mining, and construction equipment, machinery.

The United States is the largest consumer of energy in the world, using 94.9 quadrillion BTUs in 2009 and heavy industry in the United States accounts for about 31% of all energy consumption, significantly more than any other sector of the economy. Seven energy-intensive industries use three-fourths of this power; these are aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metal casting, mining, and steel. All these heavy industries are also under tremendous pressure to reduce their huge dependence on expensive non
renewable energy.

A recent study by the European Commission thinks not. The study estimates that the United States has the potential to save about 45 TWh energy per year, through use of energy efficient transformers. Even a 0.01 percent gain in the average efficiency of utility transformers installed in the U.S. in a single year, can save as much as 2.9 Twh energy.

The environmental benefits of energy-efficient transformers are also significant and the study by the European Commission believes transformers could well emerge as a major focus for energy efficient
initiatives in the industry.

Energy Guzzling Industries
Chemical Industry,
Paper and Pulp Industry
Iron and Steel Industry
Mining Industry

Is the Answer Energy-Efficiency

Energy efficiency is already playing a significant role in the Heavy Industry, but with growing concerns of greenhouse gas emissions and skyrocketing cost of energy, it obviously needs to do more.Before the 1970s, the U.S. energy consumption grew in parallel to gross domestic product (GDP). Had that trend continued, current U.S. energy demand would have more than doubled, currently, the energy consumption is 1.5 times that of 1970. Reduction in energy consumption has resulted from a combination of energy efficient methods and a shift from energy-intensive manufacturing toward a service and information-based economy.

Do Energy Efficient Transformers Hold the Key?

As energy costs rise and availability becomes uncertain, the necessity of utilizing energy-efficient products becomes imperative. Additionally, a globally competitive business environment is causing businesses to cut costs in order to remain competitive. Of particular interest are distribution transformers
that are the largest loss-making components in electrical networks.

In a typical grid, electric transformer loss contributes to about 40-50% of the total transmission and distribution loss. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that on a conservative estimate 61 billion kWh annually can be attributed to transformer losses. These losses cost end-users $3 to $4 billion annually. An energy-efficient transformer is therefore an important means to reduce transmission and distribution loss. Energy saving transformers can additionally save the equivalent of more than 70 million tons of CO2 emissions.

The answer to energy efficiency is in making distribution transformers efficient; and thankfully, manufacturers have the technical know-how to offer better, cost effective, low loss, energy efficient transformers.

Energy Efficient Distribution Transformers

Distribution transformers distribute power from power generating facilities to end-users and while energy loss during transmission is inevitable, measures are taken to reduce it considerably.However, for energy to be consumed voltage needs to be reduced and it is at this point of stepping down electricity that distribution transformers lose energy. Even though only a small portion of energy is lost it is in a permanent manner and standby power losses account for 2% of total electricity production.

Despite high average efficiencies of 95 to 99.75%, transformers have a significant environmental impact because they continuously consume power.

The energy losses in electricity transformers fall into two components, namely, no-load losses resulting from the energized iron core, which is a permanent phenomenon, and load losses, arising when providing power to users. Load losses also result from the resistance of the coil when the transformer is in use, and from eddy currents due to stray flux.

Technical solutions exist to reduce transformer losses by 75% at minimum when replaced by modern transformers or even by 90% when replacing transformers over 30 years old. Energy-efficiency can be improved with better transformer design, like selecting better, lower-core-loss steels; reducing flux density in a specific core by increasing the core size; increasing conductor cross-section to reduce current density; good balancing between the relative quantities of iron and copper in the core and coils.

An energy efficient transformer is an important means to reduce Transmission & Distribution loss and can save up to 120 TWh / year. Energy efficient transformers can provide considerable environmental benefits too. For example, a typical urban distribution transformer rated at 400 kW has lifetime losses equivalent to 125 “”184 tons of CO2 emissions; a more energy-efficient design can reduce these emissions to 56 tons.

Interior Design London Tips for selecting an Interior Designer

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After the construction of the house by an expert builder to give amazing and marvelous look to your house an interior designer helps and gives new ideas to create enhance the home. This would increase in the position of residence owner in the society where he lives from a long time and this is also beneficial in business world for resell value of the house. So for choosing a correct interior designer we should take care of some points.

Before making a right decision about the hiring of interior designer to do your housing interior design, you be supposed to agree how much lack of restrictions is allowed to them on the subject of the decisions to be made and in addition at what time they are to interrelate with service provider, and even despite the fact that most home owners cannot help but into what is without a doubt not their trade, this should not in any way have an effect on the interior designer’s technique of working; or else, it could source suffering all around.

Interior Designer London does their work with a new strategy which involves sculpture. And everyone now in these days want to improve own home with this approach, because this policy is very beneficial for you and your family with the purpose of safety and future growth. A luxury interior designer vision is to fully understand the uniqueness of clients and life style which create a helping environment to make a high standard design. Designer should be highly motivated to produce beautifully designed homes and offices which are the mirror images that you are.

Some professional interior design consultancies in London conduct a long time conversation between client and design professional to find out the original requirements of client what he loves and hates about their current residence. Budget is a very important matter between client and interior designer than it should be discussed briefly before the starting the work and should be check also that the client requirement option should does not exceed the amount which have been decided in meeting between them.

What should be kind with the interior design, with look upon to the residential interior design is a time frame surrounded by which the work must have been completed and that the plan arrived at should be correctly laid out preceding to beginning of definite work, and also that budgetary amounts are defined at the extremely onset.

Great Advice For Every Kind Of Home Improvement Project

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If you’d like to take on a home improvement project but aren’t sure where to begin, you’re in the perfect place. In the following paragraphs, you’ll find pointers that will help you get the most out of your home. Just be sure that you go over the things presented here because this will be the only way change can happen.

When managing your home in the summer months, make use of as many fans as you can. Ceiling fans help circulate air, which will help in cooling the room. This saves you money on air conditioning, too.

Does your lawn have spots where grass refuses to grow? Use some grass seeds to replant parts of your lawn. Without a nice lawn, your house will never look it’s best. Take care of your lawn today.

If you’re embarking on a huge kitchen renovation, set up a makeshift kitchen you can use while yours is unavailable. Your kitchen might not be useable for a couple of weeks so have a microwave and a refrigerator elsewhere in the house so you can store food and make easy meals.

Put your effort and time into making the inside and outside of your home look great. This is all a part of improving your home, and putting in a lot of time and effort will ensure things turn out how you want them to.

You never want to hurry through the demolition when carrying out your home improvement project. While you may be tempted to tear up all the old work as soon as you can so you can begin putting in the new stuff, you should take things slow. However, you don’t want to spend time ripping things out of your walls if you don’t even know whether or not they’re still attached to something.

Use the same shades of glossy and flat paint to achieve a multi-textured finish on your walls that can be really unique. You should use two coats of the flat paint and create some designs with the glossy paint on top of these two coats. The gloss from the paint reflects lights.

It’s a good idea to invest your home improvement budget in projects that will increase the value of your home. Attic conversion is a great investment. When you are selling your home, you can get up to 83 percent back on your improvements.

If you’re a hard worker and are hoping to replace your bed set, you may want to try building bed furniture yourself. There may be some difficulty involved, but through work and patience, it can be done.

Make the most of fans during the summer period. Ceiling fans are great for air circulation as well, and they also cool a room. Saving money on your bills is paramount, as it can add up over time.

When replacing locks, you have two options. You can only replace the cylinder or you can replace the whole assembly. The cylinder being the lock’s mechanism that completes the lock action. Simply purchase a cylinder replacement if you misplace your key. If you want to install an upgrade, then revamp the entire unit.

You should have learned lots of new, great tips for your next project. Whether you’ve picked up an idea for an entirely new project or just learned some nifty ways to save additional time and money, educating yourself on the topic of home improvement is never a waste of time. Use the information above to help guide you on your home improvement projects.

Unique Ideas For Kitchen Storage Organization

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Kitchen storage organization can be a pain at times. Not only is the kitchen a much-used room – but it’s also typically filled with numerous items to be cooked or cooked with.

The probability of a mess is likely and even more so when you have a large family or a love of cooking.

To help you with your kitchen storage organization problems – here are some unique ideas you can use today in your home.

Hanging Storage
Since pots and pans tend to take up so much room they are perfect candidates for hanging kitchen storage organization.

You might choose to have hooks hanging from the ceiling – or perhaps have a bar installed above the island in your kitchen from which to hang your larger pots and pans.

Not only will this free up a large space in your cabinets – but it can also serve as a conversation piece for your kitchen.

This arrangement helps you immediately access these cooking tools, while also helping you show off your cooking ware.

You can also use hanging storage for things like tomatoes and other vegetables which do not need refrigeration. Again, this looks stylish and it adds more space to a smaller refrigerator.

Slide Out Storage
One of the newer additions to kitchen storage organization was based on the idea of the dishwasher loading system.

By adding drawers that slide out in your kitchen larger than the typical utensil drawers you can help store plates in an upright position, just as you would in your dishwasher.

You will also be able to store taller pieces of kitchen equipment in these kinds of spaces, making it easier for you to access things you need aside from having to reach up to get something from a tall cabinet.

Rolling Storage

You might also want to invest in rolling kitchen storage organization solutions. Easy to move and to fill with regularly used items, these pieces can roll alongside a cabinet or an island not taking up any additional space.

You might also like to use these in a walk in pantry where space is crucial, but so is finding what you need. These can roll into the pantry without taking up additional shelf room.

Other unique ideas include:

Storing dry foods and goods in another closet in the house.

Adding an additional freezer or refrigerator to the garage.

Adding more cabinets to your kitchen.

Adding an island to your kitchen.

Placing storage baskets or containers on top of the space between the cabinet and the ceiling.

With unique kitchen storage organization ideas – you’re certain to find ways to keep everything in its place and in a convenient arrangement. Though it’s easy to have too much in this space, it’s easier to make it look like you’ve got it all under control.

When You Want New Cork Flooring In Sydney Find A Good Company

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If you are looking for a new floor then you will have realised that there are many different options. Even when you have decided you want wood, there are still plenty of different wooden floors you can go for. Take cork. You can get great cork flooring in Sydney right now.

Yes, cork, the one and the same wood that use to be used in your wine bottle makes excellent flooring. Cork Flooring has a range of benefits over other floor types. It is warm, which is great in winter. Most wooden flooring is extremely cold underfoot but cork is far warmer, ensuring you don’t have to run in bare feet. Not only is it warmer than other wooden floors it is also sound proof, which is great for young active families or light sleepers. As if being warmer and quieter than other wooden floors wasn’t enough it is also very easy to maintain and clean and will keep you trouble free for many years to come.

There are other great wood floor options, like parquetry. You will have seen parquet floors before, often in older buildings. Parquetryis a geometricmosaicofwoodpieces used for decorative effect. Parquet patterns are entirely geometrical and angular-squares,triangles,lozenges. The most popular parquet flooring pattern isherringbone but really the only limit is your imagination. Parquetry creates an incredibly refined looking floor, something that is a thing of beauty. It looks especially good in a building with plain white walls, as the flooring itself is such a feature.

Then there are floating floors, there are some fantastic floating floors installers in Sydney and this popular style of floor has a number of advantages. Pre-finished timber flooring can be laid over any pre-existing flooring including: concrete, particle board, ceramic tiles and most other floors. The advantages of floating floors over parquetry or solid timber flooring are: no delay, no need to climatise, no sand or polish necessaryand economical sound proofing.

If you have an old wooden floor that has seen better days you could just have it polished and it will look as good as new. With floor polishing in Sydney you will be able to give the old floor a new lease on life. This is a very cheap yet effective way of revitalising your home.

The key to getting the right floor is finding a good flooring company, one that can handle any and every wooden floor type with ease.

Author Bio:
Forthepast3yearsIhavebeenwritinginformativeandhigh quality articlesontopicsuchas cork flooring sydney,floating floors sydney,floor polishing Sydney andmanymore.

Beautifying Your Kitchen In Apple Kitchen Decor

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If you are interested in decorating your kitchen and are trying to come up with an interesting theme, look no further. A country apple kitchen decor or simply an apple kitchen decor is a great idea for any kitchen, no matter how big or how small it may be. Here is some information on decorating your kitchen in an apple kitchen decor.

Theme Ideas

The best way to do an apple kitchen decor is to not go overboard with the decor. You do not need to have apples everywhere in order to show that you are trying to have an apple kitchen theme. Instead, try to include apples in small doses and colors like red and green to show the apple theme.

You could easily do a simple and nice apple wall boarder that would make the theme pop instead of going for fully wallpapered walls covered in apple wallpaper. The subtle hints are much more appreciated than the full blown apple assault.

In addition to a wall boarder, there are many other things you can do to stick with your theme and create an apple kitchen decor. As was mentioned previously, colors can show your theme and decor just as much as a wall covered in apples. You could easily do a candy apple red for the wall color in your kitchen and put some small apple accents elsewhere. For example, you could do red walls with apple dishtowels hung over the stove handle.

Where to Find Items

You might be wondering where to find your apple kitchen decor items. The first place to look is in almost any department store. Apple kitchen decor is a very popular theme for a kitchen, so chances are you will be able to find some sort of apple decorations for your kitchen.

However, if you do not see anything that you like at a regular department store, you can always look in antique shops for your apple kitchen decor items. There are countless items in antique shops that will match with an apple kitchen decor. Make sure to look deep in the stores as these smaller items might not be easy to find.

Whether you buy new or antique items for your apple kitchen decor, make sure to first, keep it simple. Do not overwhelm your kitchen with apples. Second, use colors to aid in getting your theme across. If you use colors and small accents correctly, you will not even need large apple items everywhere in your kitchen to show your apple kitchen decor!

How to clean wooden kitchen cabinets

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Cleaning wooden kitchen cabinets is not that tough. Actually, it worth a few hours of the day. You dont really need special cleaners or some sort of expensive solutions in order to clean your wood kitchen cabinets. In some cases, cleaning your wooden kitchen cabinets depend on the finishing of your cabinets. If the finishing in your cabinet is damaged, you will face some difficulty during cleaning.

Your cabinets get damaged because of oxidation and light. Irony is that you cant do anything about these two things. Some of the common finishes that are found on wooden kitchen cabinets are conversion finishes, lacquer, varnish and shellac.

Cabinet industry at this moment of time is using conversion finishes because they are durable, fast drying and moisture resistant. Wooden kitchen cabinets of conversion finishes are easy to clean. To clean wooden kitchen cabinets of any quality, you will need soft cloth, water and mild soap. Wash your cabinets in a gentle way. Make sure that you do not leave any water on the wood surface of your cabinet.

You can put lemon oil on your wooden kitchen cabinet if it is looking a bit dull to you. Before you do that, remember the point that putting lemon oil on your cabinet can create some issues at the time of refinishing because oil will be there in the wood surface. It has been noticed that lacquer and conversion finishes dry very quickly. The only limitation being that they don’t cure for around six months. Therefore, putting lemon oil on lacquer and conversion finish is not advisable.

It’s always better to clean your wooden kitchen cabinets with a high quality furniture polish when you are washing cabinet with soap and water. Use of too much water can have a negative impact on the finishing, more so if it’s not wiped up fast. Use of mild soap such as Ivory and Murphy’s Oil Soap is recommended in cleaning wooden kitchen cabinets. Both of these soaps are quite gentle in nature so it will not be harmful for wood. Another good thing about these soaps is that no oil or lye is left in the finished product.

Saving Money With Energy Efficiency

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A home should be an environment that is comfortable in both the hot, summer months and the frigid, cold temperatures of winter. However, heating and cooling your home so that it is comfortable during these extreme temperature periods can get to be quite expensive. If you aren’t careful, you can rack up a huge energy bill during the winter or summer months without even realizing it. Heating and cooling a home requires so much energy, so sometimes consumers can become devastated at the amount they pay at the end of the month.

However, there are ways to save money on heating and cooling your home. These ways often have a less harmful impact on the environment and a less harmful impact on your pocketbook. While these methods may require an initial investment to make them operational, the money you save over time in heating and cooling your home will be worth the initial investment.

Insulate Your Home

The first and easiest way to make heating and cooling your home more energy efficient is to ensure that air is not escaping from your home or seeping in from the outdoor environment. Poor insulation is often the number one culprit in homes that use energy inefficiently.

You can improve the insulation in your home by installing energy efficient windows that are double paned, or you can have the cracks and gaps sealed around the windows with insulating material. You can also add insulation to your attic and prevent warm air from seeping out through your roof. These small home improvement fixes can help you save a lot of money on your energy bill at the end of each month.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Another great way to make your home more energy efficient is to install a geothermal heating and cooling system in your home. Geothermal systems rely on the heat that is generated from the ground in order to make your home more comfortable.

The earth is a wealth of energy, but many consumers don’t know how to tap into the energy that is right below their feet. A geothermal heating and cooling system taps into the heat sources and uses them to power an HVAC system. This type of system is expensive initially, but it can save you thousands of dollars in the course of a lifetime.

Solar Heating and Cooling

Solar power is another great way to save money on your energy bills each month. The energy from the sun is completely free and is abundant almost all year round. If you live in an area of the world that does not have a lot of rainfall, solar heating and cooling systems may be perfect for your area.

A solar heating and cooling system uses huge solar panels to absorb the energy from the sun and convert that energy into a usable energy that can help to power an HVAC system. With the energy from the sun powering the heating and cooling system in your home, you won’t have to shell out so much money each month to an energy company.