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From mid-spring until early fall, the sun beats down on the roof top and heats up the attic space. It can get up to 130° F. If this hot air is not cleared out… please read on.

Helpfull Article On Attic Ventilation

First Some Definitions: There are 2 types of attic ventilation fans, please read on to see the difference

Attic Roof fan:  Installed in the roof itself.  From the outside, it looks something like a mushroom.  Operates with an automatic thermostat.  It pulls outside air in through the gable vents, and any soffit vents or passive vents if they exist.

Gable fan: Fan installed inside the attic against a gable vent at the side of the attic and operates with a thermostat.  Since you can only pull air through one vent, it isn’t as big or able to do as much as a roof fan.

From mid-spring until early fall, the sun beats down on the roof top and heats up the attic space.  It can get up to 130° F.  If this hot air is not cleared out, it will slowly saturate the beams, insulation, ceilings and walls. The large mass of hot air and the heated wood, insulation and sheet rock slowly transfers this heat to the top floor (or main floor of a ranch style house).  This is why the outside can be cooling off in the afternoon/evening but the house is still getting hotter and hotter inside.

The solution is to get rid of this high volume of hot air.  With a typical thermostat setting of 110° F, the roof fan turns on, pulls out the hot air out, replacing it with cooler air being pulled in through the vents.  A roof fan can pull air through the 2 gable vents and/or soffit vents on the roof overhang.  Even if it’s 90° outside, that’s a lot cooler than the 130° attic air.

Don’t take a dry basement for granted.  A flooded basement can be a nuisance or an expensive mess.  A reliable sump pump installation should have these features:

The power for the pump should be a dedicated circuit so it doesn’t get overloaded when you need it.

The pump should be in good operating condition.  Have you tested it and seen it work lately?

The float switch operation should be clear of obstructions.  If the switch can not turn on, the pump won’t work.

The piping should be unobstructed so the water can flow freely.

An alarm if the water level reaches a certain point to alert you to the problem.

(A minimum cautionary step is a battery operated water alarm to alert you if the floor by the pump, water heater or furnace (a/c condensate) is wet.  You can buy a sensor at your local home improvement store

It has been estimated that the third largest energy consuming activity in the average home is heating water. It also represents roughly 12% – 14% of all utility expenditures…

Benefits of the Tankless Water Heater

This article compares the energy efficiency of a tankless water heater to a conventional storage water heater. Both electric and natural gas units conserve energy, save money, and lower energy bills drastically.

It has been estimated that the third largest energy consuming activity in the average home is heating water. It also represents roughly 12% – 14% of all utility expenditures – gas, electricity, water, etc. There is a more efficient alternative: the tankless water heater. When you use one you will save an amazing amount of energy

Why are tankless (also known as instantaneous water heaters or demand), A tankless water heater only produces hot water when it‘s asked for. It doesn’t demand the wasteful energy usage in the home that conventional water heaters do. Imagine the advantage! It will save a huge amount of cash on your energy bills over time.

How to Configure On-Demand or Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless heaters are available for homes with either gas or electric hook-ups. Gas tankless heaters present a higher water flow than electric models. But at times the largest gas heater won’t supply enough hot water for multiple demands in larger homes. For example, while one person is taking a shower and the dishwasher is running simultaneously, a tankless water heater may be stretched beyond its limits. To remedy this problem, consider connecting two or perhaps three tankless water heaters in parallel for simultaneously requests for hot water?

How Will a Tankless Water Heater Save You Money?

In the first place, a conventional water heater is running 24/7, keeping the water hot consistently. Usually it gets a heavy load request in the morning because the people are showering, making breakfast, etc. The heater is trying to keep up with demand while maintaining the desired temperature. After everyone has left for the day, it’s still operating to keep the temperature and level consistent for no reason, except to be ready.

And it continues to burn energy at night while the people sleep.

The tankless water heater doesn’t operate like that. When a demand presents itself, it works efficiently but when the demand stops, so does its energy use. (Other than a gas-fired unit, which maintains its pilot light)

You’ll also save cash on replacing old units because a tankless water heater will last at least twenty years. A conventional heater is only good for ten to fifteen years, considering that you maintain it as specified by the manufacturer. Additionally, the true efficiency of a storage heater goes down hill over time because of the honeycomb syndrome.

How Efficient is a Tankless Water Heater?

Consider, if a home uses 41 or so gallons of hot water per day, a tankless heater can represent 25% – 35% more energy efficiency compared than your conventional storage heater. But if your home uses more hot water each day, say 85 gallons on average, then you should reap 8% – 14% more efficiency. If you install a tankless water heater at each demand spot, your savings are estimated to be 25% – 52%!

Does it Make Monetary Sense to Convert to Tankless?

This question can only be answered on an individual basis. Many factors figure into the equation. Will energy costs will continue to rise sharply in your area? What’s the total cash expenditure to buy and install tankless heaters in your home? How many years do you expect to stay in your home? These are some of the questions you must consider.

A whole-house fan is an effective means of cooling a house, and is far less expensive to run than an air conditioner.

Whole house fan definition:  Large fan (48″ in diameter) which pulls air through the house via open windows.  This has large louvers (48″ x 48″) in the ceiling of a hallway on the upper floor.  Operated with a switch.   These can’t be used when you are using air conditioning.

A whole-house fan is an effective means of cooling a house, and is far less expensive to run than an air conditioner. Whole-house fans can reduce indoor temperatures by 3 to 8 degrees F, depending on the outside temperature.

Through prudent use of a whole-house fan, you can cut air conditioner use by 15 to 55 percent.

If a well-insulated house is closed up during the heat of the day, it will heat up inside slowly like an insulated ice cube. In the evening when it’s cooler outside than inside, and you open the windows, a whole-house fan blows the hot air out of the house.

The fan should be centrally located so that it draws air from all rooms in the house. Be sure your attic has sufficient ventilation to get rid of the hot air.

To ensure a safe installation the fan must have an automatic shutoff in case of fire.

Ceiling, paddle, and portable fans produce air motion across your skin that increases evaporative cooling.

A moderate breeze of one or two miles an hour can extend your comfort range by several degrees and will save energy by allowing you to set your air conditioner’s thermostat higher or eliminate the need for air-conditioning altogether.

Less frequent use of air conditioning by setting the thermostat higher will greatly cut cooling bills.

Signs of trouble and how to find the source on tub/shower, sinks, toilets, faucets, hot water tanks, water supply pipes and valves..

Sink leaks

Signs of trouble:

Water Supply leaks

Water supply leaks under sinks can go unnoticed since they’re usually at the back of the cabinet. If there is leak water running down the pipes into the floor or subfloor can rot the sink base and the floor.

Signs of trouble:

Toilet leaks

Toilet flange leaks: Toilet leaks occur at the base of the toilet where they connected to the waste pipe below, faulty wax rings and higher floor levels from recent tile job can allow water seepage into the floor that can cause great damage to the floor and ceiling below

Toilet tank leaks: Toilet tank leaks occur in the water supply tube, water shut off valve, between the base of the toilet and the tank mounted on the toilet, water can dribble down the toilet and into the floor causing damage over time.

Toilet flush mechanism: Water flush mechanisms can wear out and clog open allowing water to constantly leak water inside the toilet causing an expansive water bill, after flushing listen for water running after tank has filled, flush kit replacement is usually the remedy to lower your water and energy bills.

Signs of trouble:

Tub and shower leaks

Splash leaks: Splash leaks are caused by escaping water through a shower curtain or a shower door to the outside of the tub and shower, although these leaks may sound minor they can cause major damage when water seeps into the floor, the vinyl or ceramic tiles begin to loosen, it can cause substantial damage to the subfloor, joists and ceiling below requiring a huge expansive tearout and replacement project.

Tile grout and caulk leaks: Deteriorating grout and caulk will allow water to seep into the walls behind tiles and cause the tiles to fall, damage and rot walls and framing, subfloor, joists and ceiling below again requiring a huge expansive tearout and replacement project

Drain leaks: Drain leaks occur when water passes around the outside of the drain at connections to tub/shower. This is a common occurrence with plastic or fiberglass tubs and shower pans. These types of materials have a tendency to flex when stood in causing the seal to break around the drain. These leaks can damage the ceiling below or rot floor joists.

Signs of trouble:

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Interior painting color ideas: Color Simulator: Sherwin Williams color visualizer is an interactive online simulation tool that will help you with deciding the right color…

Interior Painting Color Ideas Color Simulator

Interact online with Sherwin Williams color visualizer.
A tool that helps you choose the color palette for your home interior

Are you tired of your same old look of the rooms in your house and you want to update a few rooms without painting the whole house? We are the small project room updaters specialists.

Avoid countless trial runs to the paint store comparing colors, create your own color schemes right here online with this awesome Sherwin Williams Interactive color visualizer simulation tool that lets you choose from over 1.500 colors and helps you bring your own personal imagination ideas to life without ever sampling your walls with paint

Launch Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/visualizer#/active/default

You can print this interactive color scheme result with the color paint codes and bring it to your experts in your local neighborhood Sherwin-Williams stores that will help you realize your ideas.

Once you finalize you room color schemes you can then schedule your painting project right here online with our painting specials and with just a few clicks

Exterior painting color ideas: Color Simulator: Sherwin Williams color visualizer is an interactive online simulation tool that will help you with deciding the right color…

Interact online with Sherwin Williams color visualizer.
A tool that helps you choose the color palette for your home exterior

Bring new life to the exterior trim of your home by refreshing the trim, shutters, doors etc.  without painting the complete exterior of your home

Avoid countless trial runs to the paint store comparing colors, create your own color schemes right here online with this awesome Sherwin Williams Interactive color visualizer simulation tool that lets you choose from over 1.500 colors and helps you bring your own personal imagination ideas to life without ever manually sampling colors on site

Launch Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/visualizer#/active/default

You can print this interactive color scheme result with the color paint codes and bring it to your experts in your local neighborhood Sherwin-Williams stores that will help you realize your ideas.

Once you finalize you room color schemes you can then schedule your painting project right here online with our painting specials and with just a few clicks

Moisture and mold inspection, cleaning gutters, Home safety inspection, Attic ventilation inspection, Why are they important inspections…

Spring:

1. Gutters and Downspouts: Clean leaves, tree dander, limbs and debris in gutters as needed, flush down spouts using a fish tape when necessary. Inspect gutter joints for obvious signs of damage and provide estimate for repairs.
Why it is important: Read more:
2. Home Safety inspection: smoke and Carbon monoxide detectors, gas leaks, fire extinguishers, submersible pump check, GFCI outlets
Why it is important: Read more

3. Roof Inspection: Check roof and around vents, skylights and chimneys for leaks.
Why it is important: Read more:

4. Attic Ventilation and insulation inspection: Check attic space for heat loss, proper ventilation and insulation, moisture, mold and structual damages, provide a consultation for abnormalities
Why it is important: Read more:

5. Furnace Inspection and Cleaning: Check for gas leaks, thermostat operation,. Clean the burner of lint and dirt and vacuum air passages to burner, clean or replace filter
Why it is important: Read more

6. Foundation Walls: Check inside/outside foundation walls and piers for termite tubes and damaged wood, examine inside of foundation walls for dampness or water stain, which indicates seepage or a leak
Why it is important: Read more

Summer:

1. Mortar and Window Wells: Check bricks or blocks for cracked mortar or loose joints Clean out any debris or leaves that have filled or blocked doorways, window wells, and storm drains
Why it is important: Read more

2. Painting Surfaces: Check painted surfaces for paint failure, water damage, or mildew
Why it is important: Read more

3. Wood Trim Examination: Examine all trim for tightness of fit, damage, and decay Inspect condition of caulking where two different materials meet, where wood siding joins the foundation’s wall, at inside corners, and where window trim and door trim join the siding
Why it is important: Read more

4. Glass and Screening: Check for broken or cracked glass and damaged screens or storm windows