energy saving tips – clothes dryer
No Cost / Low Cost Install an outdoor clothes line. Heat from the sun and the flow of air will dry your clothes. An indoor clothes rack may take longer to dry, but it is an energy efficient alternative to the clothes dryer. Dry full loads whenever possible but don’t overload the machine. Clean the lint trap after every load….
energy saving tips – clothes washer
No Cost / Low Cost Wash your clothes in cold or warm water. A whopping 85 to 90 per cent of energy used by washing machines is for heating the water. Hot water also shrinks and fades your clothes, wearing them out more quickly. Run full loads whenever possible but don’t overload the machine. Always use cold water for the…
Prefinished versus unfinished hardwood floors
Which is better; Prefinished hardwood flooring or unfinished (site finished) hardwood? The answer is the one you like best. There are many differences between the two systems of hardwood. There are many pros and cons that should be considered. One of the advantages to the unfinished hardwood is that the whole floor gets coated with one smooth coating of finish. …
The Importance of Bathroom and Kitchen Fans
The Importance of Bathroom and Kitchen Fans Bathroom fans are an important part of your home’s ventilation system. They remove odours from your house, which improves indoor air quality. They also remove moisture, which decreases the level of humidity in your house. High humidity can damage building materials and can cause mold growth. Mold may affect your family’s health.
A Green Kitchen Is a Happy Kitchen
If you love to cook then you know that your kitchen can sometimes take on a life of its own. Some kitchens are warm and inviting. Others are cluttered and can seem to suck the life right out of a person. If you want your kitchen to be more inviting than it is, the answer might be to create a…
Breathe Better
Did your breathing sound like Darth Vader this winter? Maybe there are some things that can be done around the house to improve the situation. Improved indoor air quality is a very important aspect of new home construction. As Home builders build ‘tighter’ envelopes in a quest for increased energy efficiency, the necessity to exchange or purify bad air in the…
Avoid Basement Flooding
It’s no April Fool’s joke to have water in your basement. I have experienced it first hand as a homeowner and have witnessed the damaged caused by water when the proper measures are not taken. I have taken an excerpt from the CMHC web site regarding how to prevent water entering your home where you don’t want it. Why Do…
Is White the new Green? Bye-bye Formaldehyde
In 2002, the Johns Manville company converted its entire line of building insulation to formulations that do not contain added formaldehyde. Prior to 2002, there had been limited use of acrylic binders to replace formaldehyde by Johns Manville and its competitors, and JM’s conversion was the first full-scale application of the technology. In 2008, Generations introduced this insulation into it’s…
Avoiding moisture in New Homes Attics
With the advent of new building codes a few years ago, came some new moisture problems in the attic spaces of new homes. New fire code restricts venting of eaves in some situations where homes are closer together. this potentially life saving code revision has , in some cases, reduced the opportunity for proper attic ventilation. Just as other builder’s…
Moisture in New Homes (windows)
Each winter, after the first really cold period, I see a lot of comments on social media about moisture on windows. I am not a scientist but I understand the basic reason for this: In simple terms, when air cannot hold anymore humidity (vapour) it begins to turn to liquid, or sometimes referred to as “sweating” Condensation on windows…
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