The good news is that an average garage is not as expensive to build as you might imagine. However, it isn’t recommended that you be frugal in this department. Too many times home owners don’t want to spend a lot of money on their dream garage and what ends up happening is that the final product doesn’t cohere with their house. If you are somebody who is serious about constructing a dream garage, then keep reading- this article will be your guide.

Consideration #1: Attached Garages vs. Detached Garages

There is a huge difference between garages which are attached to a home and ones which are not. It is important that you understand these differences so that you know how to construct yours. To begin, attached garages are convenient- especially in harsh weather conditions. However, they also limit your creativity and design options. This probably isn’t ideal if it is your “dream” garage. If you are searching for impeccability, a detached garage is definitely the best road to take.

Consideration #2: Entries

Where your entries are located in your garage is another big area to consider. In the past, the standard as been a huge garage door facing the street, attached to a home, and an entry which leads into either a utility or laundry. For several reasons, this layout can save a lot of money. However, this doesn’t mean that you need to follow the status quo- be creative and choose entries which work for you. Always include entry ways when you are drawing up the design to your dream garage.

Consideration #3: Size

How big do you want your garage to be? Before you answer this, consider how many vehicles (if any) you are going to store? Are you going to need a garage which serves as a dual purpose one? For example, some individuals build dream garages which serve as holders for their vehicles, a place to partake in leisure activities, or a private sanctuary (which is a second home in a sense). Whatever your uses may be, you’ll need to determine whether you want a single or a double car garage.

Consideration #4: Orientation

Do you want your garage to face the street? Well, you don’t have to. You can opt to have your vehicle entrance offset from the road. This can take away from the monotony of a regular garage and make you seem different. Some individuals adjust their entrances 45 to 90 degrees from its original position.

Consideration #5: Living Quarters

Some individuals love building some sort of living quarters inside of their dream garage. The good news is that you can do this too and you don’t have to worry about it taking away from the integrity of your garage. However, understand that it can be a challenge to incorporate this into your design. Living in your garage can also be a way to save money. Instead of building your office in your home (which would cost a fortune), you can have it build in your garage. It’s less of a hassle and costs significantly less.

Consideration #6: Style

One of the main reasons for owning a dream is having one which looks good, right? As a basic rule of thumb, you can make your property look very nice if your garage matches the style and color or your home. However, don’t think that you always have to or are being forced to do this. Let your imagination flow.

About the Author

Melissa Cameron is a freelance writer providing valuable tips and advice for consumers find the best rate on car insurance. Her husband calls her the waking infomercial because she loves surfing the internet and looking for deals. She also helps people learn how to save and manage their money and writes articles on what most would consider very confusing topics. She resides in Texas.

For homeowners who are struggling with energy consumption and want a professional opinion, hiring an energy auditor may be the answer. Among other tests, Building Performance Institute (BPI) energy auditors perform tests to better understand the efficiency of a house based on things like air leakage. They can inform homeowners of leaks and other problems, along with suggestions on how to improve these issues. To become a BPI energy auditor, a potential auditor must show competency by passing both a written exam and a field exam.

For those proactive residents who choose to go at it alone, there are a few things to check:

Check all windows and doors for air leaks. Bad leaks can be very obvious. In older homes, one might even notice visible gaps or spaces between the frame and wall where air leaks in or curtains might move slightly on windy days. A cold, drafty wind can put a damper on a good mood as well as hike up heating costs, so be sure to remedy these problems as soon as possible.

As with windows and doors, check any vents, ducts, and pipes that run into the house. Drier vents and other similar devices that run from the interior to the exterior may let air in and out of the house, so be sure to seal around these.

If you have a window air conditioning unit, take it out during the winter months. Window units, in addition to being bulky and unattractive, can also let heat exit the home.

Seal off unused rooms and windows. If there are cooler areas in the home that won’t be used during the cooler months (such as utility rooms or basements) consider sealing them off with plastic. Blocking unused rooms with help to keep heat concentrated in the rooms where it is most needed. It will also keep you from heating rooms that don’t get used.

Even simple changes around the house can help to save on energy costs. Whether you make it a DIY project or reach out to a professional for help, keeping heat in and drafts out can be a project worth finishing this year.

Well, forget all that stress, mess and loss. Get organized this holiday season by investing in seasonal storage space where you can find storage unit types to target the climate you need for your personal possessions.

In fact, here are seven reasons you should consider investing in places like Uncle Bob’s Self Storage where you can find all varieties of storage unit types just to fit your needs and budget today:

1)      Put an end to the loss of your precious family heirlooms the boast tons of sentimental value, items that simply cannot be replaced or repaired.  Finally store them in a safe, controlled environment once and for all for future generations to enjoy.

2)      Get monthly rentals with no hassles, and save up front with online special offers.

3)      Enjoy easy access to your storage area, no fuss.

4)      Rent space and get truck rental fees waived, saving you money to spend on other things.

5)      Get your storage unit, all your boxes and other moving supplies, even rent your moving truck – all at one location – locally or online in a click.

6)      Choose from over 400 Uncle Bob’s Self Storage facilities throughout the USA with a simply online locator tool for free and let your fingers stop doing the walking through the Yellow Pages.

7)      Grow your storage space as your needs grow starting with lockers and moving up to sheds, warehouses and even huge commercial areas.

When you go green by investing in seasonal storage units, you eliminate unnecessary waste of decaying household items that can be enjoyed for generations to come. Let professional movers and storage experts help you take care of what is most important to you while you focus on other pressing matters. And finally get organized and have peace of mind knowing you have invested in your future, and your family’s future, going green, no less. Now that’s a win-win!

Guest Post by Scott Anthony

In today’s society there is no excuse not to recycle your old appliance parts and e-waste. It’s our collective responsibility to protect the planet and health not only for ourselves but for future generations. When it comes to fixing and donating old appliances, there are many environmental and charitable advantages, both for landfills and for the environment in general.

Old appliances and electronics (also called e-waste) fall under the category of hazardous waste. This means that they are toxic, corrosive, flammable and all-around nasty. If one were to dump an old appliance in a landfill in would sit there for all eternity whilst polluting the soil, water and air. Examples of appliances that we need to make sure we recycle are dishwashers, refrigerators, microwaves, stoves, washer and dryers, cell phones, televisions, computers, and DVD players. Of course there are many other household gadgets that need to be carefully disposed of as well, such as fluorescent light bulbs and batteries.

Landfills are the oldest form of waste treatment we have, but the ever increasing amount of appliances and e-waste the public consumes is a growing threat to their sustainability. In the United States, consumers are constantly purchasing and upgrading their gadgetry in order to “keep up with the Joneses”, oftentimes discarding old products in their trash bin where they end up sitting in a landfill. In California it has been illegal since 1994 to send them to the landfill, yet people still do.

An incorrectly disposed of appliance will cause serious environmental problems. It’s byproducts, which can be solid, liquid, or gas, will seep down into the water table. We will eventually consume them, either through drinking the water or eating contaminated fish and other types of seafood. Pollutants and heavy metals will run into the soil, damaging plant life and eco-systems, as well as travel many miles through the atmosphere if they are burned . The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) estimates that as much as 400 million tons of hazardous waste ends up in landfills each year.

There are several types of pollutants that come from appliances and e-waste. CFC’s, including HCFC’s and HFC’s, destroy the ozone layer and cause greenhouse gases which leads to global warming. Refrigerators made before 1995 contain a particularly large amount of CFC’s. Other things that contain CFC’s are air conditioners and dehumidiyfiers. Foam found in refrigerators and freezers made before 2005 also contributes to global warming and the destruction of greenhouse gases. In addition, some made before 2000 contain mercury.

Mercury is highly toxic and has a particular horrible effect on living things. It makes its way into the food chain by seeping into the water table and can lead to deformities in developing embryos. It also damages the nervous and immune systems and effects coordination, taste, sight and touch. It is particularly prevalent in fish and seafood.

Of course, there are always many needy families that would love to have your old working appliances. They will probably be more than happy to come and pick up the appliance from your home, which your back will thank you for A good place to connect with people is through online sites such as Craigslist and Freecycle. You can also donate to charities like the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Again, they will be more that happy to come and take your heavy fridge or monstrous washing machine, and you can feel good about providing someone less fortunate with a household necessity. Additionally, some communities and municipalities offer rebates for turning in your old appliances and replacing them with new, energy efficient ones. Again, they will pick them up for you and even swap the new appliances for the old ones on delivery.

Another environmental bonus to recycling old gadgets and appliances is that through the process you can recover and reuse useful materials such as steel, plastic, glass and oil. In fact, up to 2/3 of all appliances are made of steel. This means that fewer new resources are required, which saves energy because it uses less to recycle than to create new products. In this way we help to preserve our natural resources. Additionally, new products are more energy efficient than older ones, so even if you think you will just wait to replace your appliance until it’s broken, by replacing it now you will actually be saving a whole lot of money and doing the earth a favor. For example, a fridge made as recently as fifteen years ago uses seventy percent more energy than a modern one.

The folks at Air & Water recently sent me a cool new portable air conditioner to test and review. The NewAir AC-12000E is a portable room air conditioner that uses environmentally friendlier R-410A refrigerant and boasts auto-evaporative technology.

The timing was perfect as I’m in the middle of building a new workshop at home and there’s no A/C available from the main house. This portable air conditioner is a great solution for the new shop!

Specifications

• Product Dimensions: 14.37″ (L) x 15.55″ (W) x 29.33 (H)
• Product Weight: 59 pounds
• Product Color: Silver
• Applications: Medium-size bedrooms, dens, dorm rooms or home offices
• Recommended Room Size: 300 to 425 square feet
• Cooling Capacity: 12,000 BTUs
• Power Consumption for Cooling: 1166W / 11A
• Air Volume (on Maximum Speed): 470m3/h
• Dehumidification Capacity: 1.2L/hour
• Voltage/Frequency: 115V, 60Hz
• Compressor Type: Rotary
• Refrigerant Type: R-410A
• Number of Fan Speeds: 2
• Timer: 1-24 hours
• Working Temperatures: 64 – 90° F
• Exhaust Pipe Dimensions: 5″ x 59.06″
• Control Type: Electronic with remote
• Window Kit Material: Plastic
• EER: 10.2
• Certifications: ETL-listed
• Warranty: 1-year manufacturer’s warranty
• R-410A refrigerant results in low energy consumption and increased AC performance
• Built-in dehumidifier offers increased comfort and helps prevent mold and mildew growth
• Keeps medium sized rooms and offices cool and comfortable
• Requires no permanent installation – window kit sets up in minutes

My Thoughts On The NewAir AC-12000E Portable Air Conditioner

As I said in the opening I’m in the process of building a new workshop located over the garage in our  home. The attic space above the garage is very warm in the summer so having an air conditioner is a really important necessity for the space. The new shop is about 375 sq. ft with only one window at the far end of the space.

The NewAir AC-12000E is really easy to set-up and get running. It took me about 10 minutes to un-pack the unit and set it up in the new shop. The unit can be vented in one of two ways. You can use the window kit that I used shown in the photo above or you can connect the 5″ diameter vent hose to a louvered vent. It plugs directly into any regular 15A or 20A residential outlet.

Another set-up consideration is condensation produced by the air conditioner. Window units are never a problem as they just drip outside the window but these portable units don’t have that luxury. The AC-12000E can deal with condensation in two ways. The unit can collect the condensate in an internal tank or you can pipe it outside. If you use the internal tank the unit will operate until the tank is full at which time it will shut down until you empty the tank.

This unit does a wonderful job quickly cooling down my shop. It has a nice built-in thermostat so you can set the room temperature and it automatically switches between fan and A/C mode. The unit does come with a remote control if you want to control it from across the room which is also a nice feature especially if you install it in a bedroom or living room and want to control it from the bed or couch.

The controls are really easy to use. You control the temperature, fan vs A/C, even set a timer to have the unit turn off after a certain amount of time. This unit definitely offers lots of great features and versatility.

Overall I really like the NewAir AC-12000E portable air conditioner. It’s really easy to set-up, it cools really well and it’s relatively quiet. If you’re looking for a portable air conditioner I’d recommend you give the NewAir AC-12000E a chance. I think you’ll be very pleased with it’s features and performance.

You can buy the NewAir AC-12000E from Air & Water Inc. at this LINK.

Building or remodeling your new home is an expensive, time-consuming, stressful experience in its own right; especially if any equipment needs to be heavy haul transported — the last thing a homeowner needs is a distrustful contractor, to boot. If you want to make your home improvement run as smoothly as possible, here are some clues to identifying an honest contractor:

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Readily Available. If your contractor never checks in, never calls or returns calls, or never updates you with a progress report every few days, then you’re probably dealing with a dishonest one. You don’t want to find yourself unpleasantly surprised at the end of the job!

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Prices Don’t (Wildly) Fluctuate. When building/remodeling a home, sometimes last-minute, unexpected events occur, and price estimates might go up. (On that note, don’t trust contractors that ask for a cash deposit or full payment up front.) If the estimate and ultimate cost of the project are extremely dissimilar, then you’re more than likely dealing with a less-than-honest contractor. Oftentimes, contractors will purposely include sub-par materials in their quote list, then pester you for upgrades throughout the building process (or simply tell you that the actual work was more expensive or complex than originally “assumed”). Sometimes even basic work that goes along with a particular task will be billed as “extra,” so check and double-check your written contract — and make sure that additional changes are mutually initiated and agreed upon.

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Has References, Licenses, An Address, and Insurance. A good contractor is licensed and insured — and has the copies to prove it. (You can check your contractor’s current licensing status with your secretary of state if you’re unsure about fraudulent licenses). Liability insurance protects your property in case the contractor causes any damage to it, and worker’s comp prevents you from having to pay for a contractor’s injury. (If the contracting team is really just one person, then he/she may be eligible for a “worker’s comp exemption” — but you should still ask for a copy of this.) Also, make certain that the contractor has an address (not just a P.O. box) and a landline phone number (reputable companies don’t run their operations out of a basement!) Ask for written references, and check an online registry to see if they’ve been well-received by others, too.

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Will Do Guarantee Work. Good contractors should guarantee their work for at least a year. If they refuse, they might have purposely used cheap materials in their construction in order to boost their profit margin.

Agrees to Pull Required Permits. If your contractor agrees to pull permits, then you know that your property will be built to code. Contractors should not ask you to do it, because this usually means that they’re unlicensed, or that specific work is out of their license specifications.

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Contracts Out Hazardous/Poisonous Materials Removal. If a contractor finds hazardous or poisonous materials while working on your home, he/she should contract out the handling of that material to a licensed hazardous materials contractor. A dishonest contractor will ask for a few extra hundred dollars to do it himself — but this could have dire consequences. You could be liable for any material (waste that leaks out into the river, for example) that goes unchecked, or is otherwise improperly handled.

There are plenty of reputable contractors and building companies out there, so do your homework — and remember that patience is key to finding a good construction partner.

About the Author: Mitch Harris is a freelance writer for Lennar. Lennar Corporation is one of the nation’s leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Potential buyers can find a Chanhassen new home as well as Maple Grove new homes for sale.

Fife, Wash., January 27, 2011 – In each of the past three years, structural insulated panels (SIPs) from Premier Building Systems have been used by homebuilders awarded prestigious EnergyValue Housing Awards (EVHA). This year, EVHA Gold Award winner Clifton View Homes used R-25 Premier SIPs in the walls and R-40 SIPs in the roof as part of a comprehensive package of energy efficient actions. An EVHA Silver Award winner, Scott Homes, used Premier SIPs for tight, well-insulated walls. www.pbssips.com/bc

Premier SIPs are an advanced building technique using prefabricated insulated components for walls, roofs and floors. They consist of two outer skins of oriented strand board (OSB) and an inner core of insulating expanded polystyrene (EPS) laminated together to form a versatile building panel that helps maximize energy efficiency in homes, multi-family residences and commercial and institutional buildings.

Builders use SIPs to reduce air leaks and provide greater insulating capability than traditional building methods. For similar thickness walls, SIPs have been shown to be 47% better at resisting heat flow than stick-framed construction, according to research conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

“Government regulations and homeowner demand are creating a greater focus on energy-efficient construction,” says James Hodgson, General Manager for Premier Building Systems. “SIPs are not the only structural solution for ultra-efficient homes and buildings, but dollar-for-dollar, we believe they provide the best value.”

Premier SIPs figure prominently in several other recent award-winning green buildings, as well as a range of green-certified projects. These include the Green Builder magazine 2010 House of the Year (Sun Gazing House, Park City, Utah) and the Structural Insulated Panel Association (SIPA) 2010 Building Excellence Awards (Jacob Manch Elementary School and Sarann Knight Apartments, both in Las Vegas, Nevada).

The EnergyValue Housing Award program is managed by the NAHB Research Center and presented in partnership with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), U.S. Department of Energy through the Building America program, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

About Premier Building Systems

Premier Building Systems leads the construction industry in the research, development and manufacturing of high-performance, energy-efficient structural insulated panels (SIPs) and related materials. The company is a leader in working with design professionals, contractors and code officials on innovative SIPs applications. For more information about Premier’s products and services, call (800) 275-7086 or visit www.pbssips.com/bc.

That’s not to say we’re a hater on the big box. Big home improvement stores provide two key features: convenience and selection. If you’re in desperate need of a tool, you have little option but to pay full retail. But, if you can put a little time into planning, there are some alternatives. Here’s how we see them.

1)  Beg and borrow – By far the best way to get your hands on the tools you need is to ask your friends and family. Of course, you don’t want to be a leech, so make sure you give something back. Maybe you could help them with a project of theirs, or lend them some of your tools that they don’t have.  One of the best ideas is to coordinate your major tool buys with your friend group. One of you buys the hardwood flooring nailer while the other buys a wet tile saw. This way, no one has to own or store a bunch of tools you might only use once.

One rather innovative way to borrow is to see if your area has a tool library. While not very common, some counties have tool libraries that will allow you to borrow tools subject to an agreement. Check out Santa Rosa County’s Tool Library for one example.

2) Rent – You’ve probably visited the rental center at the local big box at some point in your life, but if you haven’t visited recently, you should. Rental centers are renting more and more tools. Especially for large tools like compressors, chipper-shredders, cement mixers, etc., this can be a very good option for reducing costs. Most tools rent for about 10% of the cost of  the tool for a single day, or about 25% of the cost of the tool for a full week. You can see Home Depot’s Rental Center selection right on their special web site.

3) Buy Online – Big online retailers like Amazon.com and Toolking.com offer HUGE tool selections online, usually with free shipping over a certain amount. For example, Amazon offers free shipping on almost all orders over $25.00. Amazon frequently has prices about 5% lower than what you can find in stores, but in many places you also avoid sales tax by purchasing online, which can mean a full 10% savings on your purchase. Plus, you save the gas by not driving to the store!

4) Use a Coupon – If you haven’t noticed yet, many online retailers are offering coupons online these days. You can find a whole list of home improvement coupons over at One Project Closer. They feature great deals and discounts from many retailers. For example, you can get Craftsman discounts on their Sears coupons page, or you can get Ryobi and Ridgid discounts on their Home Depot coupons page. This is a great way to get tools on the cheap – usually 10-15% off. If you purchase from an internet-online retailer, you can save even more by avoiding sales tax.

5) Time Your Purchase Around Sales – You can also time your purchase around sales. The best deals of the year usually come on Black Friday weekend, but almost all home improvement retailers also offer deals on all major (and minor) federal holidays. In our experience, the second best time of year to purchase tools is about 2-4 weeks prior to Father’s Day.

That’s it. Five good ways to save money on your next tool purchase! Happy shopping!

Of course, the biggest advantage to installing solar panels in your home is the reduced utilities bill. You can use solar energy to heat your water, and even to provide electricity for your home, reducing or even eliminating your electric bill, depending on the size of your solar power system. The more solar panels and the larger batteries you have in your system, the more power you will produce, and the less you will have to depend on your local utility company for power.

Generally, solar panels are set up as a supplement to your current power system. For most people, that means that your power needs will draw from your solar power system first, and from your utility company second. In this scenario, your utility company will therefore serve as a backup, for instance, during seasons when you have fewer sunny days, or when your power needs spike temporarily. However, if you make more power than you need, the utility company essentially buys the excess from you, which will reduce your bill even farther.

Therefore, although installing a solar power system represents a large up-front cost, your reduction in utility bills over the next few years more than make up for the cost of the solar panels and installation. Depending on how much you spend on the system, and how wisely you design it, you could find yourself spending next to nothing on your monthly power bill.

There is one more thing to consider, when looking at the ways your solar panels will save you money: tax rebates. Currently, if you install a solar power system in your home, you will be able to get a rebate for up to 30 percent of the cost back on your taxes. This means if you installed solar panels in 2010, you will be able to claim the tax break when you file your 2010 taxes this spring; and if you install a system this year, in 2011, you will be able to claim the rebate next spring, when you file your 2011 taxes. For those of you who calculate your taxes and be sure to only have as much taken out as needed, this may actually mean more money in your pocket on every paycheck this year.

Obviously, the environmental concerns, though convincing for many people, are not the only factor to be considered in your decision to install solar panels. True, solar energy is cleaner than the power provided by your utility company, and solar panels can help you to reduce your carbon footprint in a big way. But unlike many green practices, which allow you to do your part for the environment in exchange for a higher cost of living for yourself and your family, installing solar panels can actually help you to save money in the long run. And that is the deciding factor for many families!

James Rice is a freelance writer for SunRun. SunRun is the simple and affordable option for homeowners who want to switch to home solar power. SunRun pioneered affordable solar panels with the first residential power purchase agreement in 2007, and is the best at it today.

“We are committed to giving Californians the right to choose the plumbing product that is best for them and their applications,” says Rich Houle, associate product manager, Uponor Commercial Plumbing. “We are confident our efforts, coupled with those of the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) and the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association (PPFA), will restore PEX to the state code in the near future.”

PEX became part of the California Plumbing Code in August 2009, following the CBSC’s January 2009 certification of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on PEX and the commission’s ensuing unanimous adoption of regulations approving PEX water distribution systems. Recently, however, the CBSC was compelled to repeal the inclusion of PEX in the state code, effective July 1, 2010, to comply with a court order.

“Uponor fully supports the CBSC in its efforts to address the issues the court raised about the EIR,” says Houle. “But it is also important to note that the court’s questions focused on technical and process issues in the EIR document, not on the suitability of PEX for plumbing systems.”

Approximately 15 billion feet of Uponor PEX has been installed throughout the world over the past four decades — including the past 20 years in North America. PEX is certified to the stringent health standards set by ANSI/NSF, approved in all national building codes and widely used in the remaining 49 states as well as in all 10 Canadian provinces. More than half of all new homes built in the United States today feature PEX water distribution systems.

In addition, prior to the inclusion of PEX in the California Plumbing Code a year ago, 180 municipalities and counties within the state had already approved the use of PEX tubing as an alternate material to copper and other materials used for plumbing piping. Until such time that PEX is reinstated in the state code, those jurisdictions may continue to use PEX under those same alternate-materials provisions of California law.

The reinstatement process: Even though the CBSC necessarily removed PEX from the code to comply with a court order, the CBSC also submitted a revised EIR for public comment. Following the 45-day comment period, which ended July 19, the Commission is now evaluating the revised EIR, and will presumably put PEX back on the path to reinstatement into the state plumbing code, according to Houle.

Although PEX tubing is temporarily not part of the current state plumbing code, contractors may still install it if approved by California county and municipal governments and their code-equivalent authorities. Tradespeople should contact these local code officials for more information; additional information can be found at www.bsc.ca.gov. Furthermore, the temporary removal of PEX from the code does not affect any already-approved or permitted projects or work done under local ordinances, regulations or alternate-materials provisions.

“As the reinstatement process takes its inevitably successful course, our stance at Uponor remains as strong and confident as ever,” Houle continues. “Regardless of individual preferences, we fully support everyone’s right to use the plumbing material of their choice if that material meets the highest testing and listing standards required, and PEX does.”

According to Houle, “Given its many years of successful and proven performance in plumbing systems worldwide, Uponor PEX meets all the relevant criteria, and Californians deserve the same choice in systems that is currently enjoyed by builders and installers in all 49 other states.”

For more information about PEX in California, contact:

Uponor, Inc. is a leading supplier of plumbing, fire safety and radiant heating and cooling systems for the residential and commercial building markets in the United States. Uponor, Inc. employs 380 people at its North American headquarters in Apple Valley, Minn. For more information, visit www.uponor-usa.com or call (800) 321-4739.