Green Collar Rap » Home Efficiency

HEC:: Weatherizing Windows with Plastic Film

nexmillen — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:23:29 +0000

Using less than $20 in materials, Green Dream demonstrates insulating windows, stopping drafts and reducing conduction of heat to outdoors.

CEE School:: Center For Environmental Education

nexmillen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:00:11 +0000

CEE grew out of the belief that if positive environmental change is going to occur, it must begin with the education of our children. The Center was started in 1988 by Jayni Chase in Pacific Palisades, California. The Center moved to Unity College in Maine in 2008.

Since its creation CEE has been a vital link between the ‘in-the-trenches” educators and the abundant environmental resources available. CEE provides important connections for countless in-service teachers and in-the-field educators bringing accurate, interesting, timely and inspiring teaching materials and educational resources into schools and classrooms.

If your inspired to teach or learn more about environmental education this is for you. Please give few minutes of your time and check out their site. http://ceeonline.com Thanks

Preparedness is Peace of Mind! Welcome to Survival Doc’s World.

nexmillen — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:14:41 +0000

Last night I stayed up to watch “Surviving The Apocalypse” I wanted to see if the people profiled on the show were complete quacks. @ families were just that, a lil crazy. But 2 families were right on the money. The first is Doc Stirling Silverman. (I think he changed his name to reflect what he is about) But he like the a.k.a handle of Survival Doc The New Survivalist

This guy is on the money with the survivalist tactics. The only thing I don’t like is being in a apocalypse mind frame. I think that goes under negative thoughts. I like to think of it as learning how to live like our ancestor. It’s not a new way of living but the original way man was mean’t to live. We rely on the government, technology, and other institutes that really don’t care about our well being. It’s up to us to take care of us.

Please take the time to check the Doc out and give me your opinion.

TLC “Surviving The Apocalypse” Link

NBC10 Philadelphia Green Homes 2011

nexmillen — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:27:25 +0000

In 2011, NBC10 will focus much of the year on informing and educating consumers about the construction of three different residential projects across the Delaware Valley through a project called the NBC 10 Philadelphia Green Home. The process and materials used to build and service the homes will be energy efficient and eco-friendly, thus providing a real life example of how to build and live GREEN.

NBC10’s Green Homes will contribute to the Delaware Valley’s recent recognition as one of the leading markets in energy conservation and community sustainability.

What’s Up With…. “Solar Water Heaters”

nexmillen — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:18:46 +0000

I had a potential client ask me what’s up with solar water heaters? Are they all they seem to be? Should I be upgrading my system? How should I go about this? These are everyday questions for a Home Efficiency Consultant like myself. After listen to all her questions I reached out to John Patterson over at HomePower.com to help explain in depth, basic information on solar water heaters.

Solar Hot Water Basics

By John Patterson

While most people are captivated by the high-tech nature of solar-electric (photovoltaic; PV) systems, in most cases, a solar hot water system will harvest more energy at a substantially lower cost. In fact, compared to PVs, solar hot water (SHW) collectors are more than three times as efficient at producing energy from the sun.

Investing in an SHW system is a smart solar solution for most homeowners. This proven and reliable technology offers long-term performance with low maintenance. And with federal, state, and utility incentives available, these systems offer a quick payback—in some cases, only four to eight years.

A thoughtfully designed SHW system could provide all, or at least a significant amount, of your household hot water needs for some portion of the year. The California Energy Commission estimates that installing an SHW system in a typical household using electric water heating can shave 60 to 70 percent off water heating costs. To get the most for your money, you´ll want a properly sized system that offers the best performance in your climate.

Solar Hot Water System Types

Five main types of solar water heating systems are sold today. These five are a distillation of dozens of types sold over the past 25 years. They are:

• Batch
• Thermosyphon
• Open-loop direct
• Pressurized glycol
• Closed-loop drainback

The proven winners are simple, reliable, and long lasting. Some systems are “open loop” (the domestic water itself is directly heated) and some are “closed loop” (a heat-transfer fluid is heated by the collector and the heat is passed on to the domestic hot water by means of a heat exchanger). Some systems are “active,” using moving parts such as pumps and valves, and others are “passive,” using no mechanical or moving parts.

There are many considerations in choosing the best system for a home, but the client and the situation will dictate the right system.

For instance, for a one- to two-person household in a temperate climate where hard freezes rarely occur, you might go with a batch heater, especially if the hot water will be used more at the end of the day rather than first thing in the morning. In a household with three or more people, where aesthetics and weight are not an issue, the thermosyphon system might fit the bill, especially if there´s no room for an additional tank near the existing water heater.

The drainback system, a personal favorite here in the Northwest, requires continuous drop between the solar collector and the solar storage tank. If continuous fall is not possible, there´s always the pressurized glycol system where piping can go up, down, over, and around without concern. Usually more than one option can work for any situation.

The number of people in the household will dictate how large the system will need to be, and which systems are even possible. Rebate and incentive programs may only qualify certain systems in a given area. Some systems are relatively easy to install for do-it-yourselfers, while others most laypeople shouldn´t attempt. See the comparative chart showing features of the different system types. Make your choice, and enjoy using solar energy to heat your water!

For more information on Solar Water Heaters visit http://homepower.com/basics/hotwater/

PA. Power Switch

nexmillen — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:38:57 +0000

As you may be aware, electric rates have been deregulated in the state of Pennsylvania effective January 1, 2011. Consumers in Pennsylvania now have the opportunity to select their electric generation supplier.

Please visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or hhttp://papowerswitch.com
and find out if it is a good idea for you to switch energy supplier.

Click here to begin.

LG Smart Appliances Are Here To Serve You

nexmillen — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:52:50 +0000

LG just exhausted 1,000 words to announce its new range of smart appliances built around Thinq technology. Unfortunately, for all the hyperbole there’s not much detail about the appliances themselves. We do know that Thinq features smart grid, access, diagnosis, adapt, and food management capabilities. At the center of Thinq is the concept of an intelligent WiFi grid built around a smart meter enabling home owners to schedule the oven cook time, washing machine cycle, and refrigerator defrost at the most cost-effective or convenient times.
Smart Access allows homeowners to control and monitor appliances from outside of the home and, better yet, control LG’s HOM-BOT robotic vacuum cleaner to clean or remotely view the house and even feed the dog. LG’s smart refrigerators can count and display the number of times the door is opened and alert home owners when the door is ajar. Alerts can also be scheduled when the ice-maker is switched off or the washing machine is off balance or a load is finished. LCD displays on LG’s Thinq appliances show daily, weekly, or monthly reports detailing each appliance’s energy consumption. Naturally, you can access daily totals from your smartphone or tablet as well. New Smart Diagnosis features include downloadable diagnostic information and the ability to hit a few buttons on the appliance to emit a series of tones to assist LG technicians troubleshooting problems over the phone. The food management feature works by dragging and dropping food icons around the LCD display or by using built-in voice recognition. Unfortunately, the inventory must be managed manually making this feature pretty useless for all but the most obsessive of home owners. All the appliances are software upgradeable with the ability to download new features like pre-programmed recipes and advanced wash cycles.

Programable Thermostat:: Save, Conserve and Keep Your Home Comfortable

nexmillen — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 12:15:54 +0000

After I hear the words electronic thermostat, I connect that phrase with something known as a programmable thermostat for your home. Sure, there are fancy, non-programmable electronic thermostats that could have a fancy display and a high price, but they really are no better than the old, mechanical thermostat that was included with your home as standard equipment years ago. Rather than considering an electronic thermostat, you really should be considering a programmable thermostat – that’s where the action really is.

What exactly is a programmable thermostat? In real straightforward terms (because it is quite simple), this kind of home thermostat can allow you to automatically set the temperature of your home to different temperatures throughout the day or nighttime – even when you’re not at home! For example, you would like the bathroom and the kitchen area to be warm for your breakfast, but you leave for work at eight and your house is empty – why is it you would want to keep paying for excess heat if you’re not going to be there to enjoy it? You wouldn’t! Your programmable thermostat definitely will turn down the heat (or cooling) while you’re gone, then turn it up (or off) so your home is going to be warm for dinner. Then, you can reduce the temperature for sleeping. It’s all done automatically!

Cut costs with a programmable thermostat – not an electronic thermostat! The average homeowner can save $180 on energy costs every year when using a programmable thermostat! That means money back into your pocket, and save on natural resources, too.

Don’t waste your money on a digital thermostat – get a programmable thermostat and start saving cash and supporting the environment today!

Green Gifts For Under $30 Dollars

nexmillen — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:55:22 +0000

I hope everyone enjoy their turkey day. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the busiest shopping days of the year and consumer spending is up this season. I know it hard to find affordable green gifts. Every year I find myself spending more and more. This year Branchhome.com has all your pollyanna needs for under $30 dollars.

Green Collar Rap/HEC:: Winter Home Pffice Projects

nexmillen — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:11:41 +0000

Well we come to the final checklist of the GCR/HEC Winterize Series. I hope these tips will help you get things in order. Plus help save you a little cash in the long run. most of us have a home office, so this week we are going to get it straight. Make sure you check out the other winterization series or contact Green Collar Rap- Home Efficiency Consultants for more info or any questions. Thanks and enjoy the holidays.

Winter Home Office Projects

01. Find house paperwork – Take five minutes this weekend and make sure you know where all your mortgage and home owner’s insurance paperwork is kept. If you don’t have a safe, consider getting one or putting it all in a safety deposit box at a bank. Don’t lose the key.

02. Re-evaluate your homeowner’s insurance amounts – While you’re trying to find that home owner’s insurance you may also want to reconsider the amount of money your home is insured for. If your home value has risen or dropped in the past several years then you may want to adjust your insurance amounts to be sure you’re adequately covered.

03. Update your computer virus scanner – Lots of homes have a t least one computer now and a simply virus scanner can keep them running a whole heck of a lot longer and make your time online much more enjoyable. Most virus scanning software has updates you can download and apply to make sure your computer is as safe as it can be. A few moments now could prevent you from losing your data or needing to buy a whole new computer in the future.

04. Get Quotes for Professional Home Improvements – Thinking about hiring someone to do some major renovations or home improvements in the next year or so? Now’s a good time to think about some of your options and weigh the pros and cons. Contractors and construction companies are typically much less busy in the fall and winter months and they’ll often give you lower prices just to keep business coming in their doors.

05. Examine Old Power Strips and Clean Behind Desks – A lot of “home offices” are now filled with electronic equipment and computers, all shoved into a back bedroom or corner area and if you’re like a lot of people you have almost a dozen things plugged into one outlet with a power strip. First, you should vacuum any dust or debris (old paper, receipts, pens, pencils, etc) that may have fallen back there. Then check out your power strip. Is it properly rated? Still working as it should? How old is it? It just takes a tiny spark behind a desk to start a fire, so be cautious and play it save.

06. Plan more home improvements – What better time than after a long summer of home improvements to start making plans and saving money for next year? Sure, you can do all sorts of interior projects all year long, but most exterior home improvement projects need to wait for better weather.