Since traditional storage tanks constantly heat water, they actually lose much heat in the process, resulting to poor efficiency and declining energy. Insulating water heater tanks as well as the surrounding water pipes will definitely boost efficiency of the system. You can improve its efficiency by just lowering the heater thermostat—between 55 ºC and 60 ºC and insulating the pipes. It’s highly recommended that you replace your old, inefficient water heaters to a new one to provide you the most savings.

An insulating blanket can lower heat loss by as much as 40% which translates into 4-9 per cent savings on your bill. It only costs roughly $10-20 each and so easy to install. Insulating blankets can be purchased for indirect storage tanks, electric water heaters and fuel-powered storage tanks. It can pay for itself in one year. Local providers may also provide rebates and free installations.

Water tank producers don’t suggest that you insulate new hot water heaters with high energy level since new units have adequate amount of jacket insulation. Extra caution is needed when you are insulating any type of gas-powered water heaters. Additional insulation must not be fixed on top near an exhaust vent or near the air intakes at the bottom.

Types of Insulation

Spiral-wrapped fiberglass insulation. It is one of the most affordable but has the lowest R-value of 1.6 which is not recommended.

Foam insulation. The foam tubes have side-slits so you can conveniently install it over the existing pipes. You can tape some or the entire seams after the installation. Many foam pipes have 3/8” thickness and an R-value of 2 while high profile pipe insulations come with 5/8” thickness and R-value of 4. They can be quite expensive.

Fiberglass pipe cover. It includes a hard fiberglass shell covered in paper with hinges open around the pipe. This has an R-value of 2 and is used when temperature is hot enough to destroy the foam insulation.

Self-sealing foam insulation. A foam tube that is very easy and quick to install since tapes are not necessary to seal openings. When insulation is placed on the pipe, just peel off the plastic strips and the leave the foam tube to seal by itself using the adhesive material. It’s available in R-2 to R-3 values.

Gas-powered Water Heater Tanks

Insulation of gas and oil-powered water heater tanks is harder to install than electric water heater tanks. It’s highly recommended that you let a professional heating contractor do the installation. If you wish to install it yourself, make sure that you have carefully read and followed the instructions. Ensure that ventilation to the burner is not interfered. The thermostat should remain uncovered and never insulate at the top of the gas water heater tank since insulation is highly combustible and may interrupt the draft diverter.

Image by Flickr

Apart from switching to green energy sources, reducing your energy consumption should also help you to trim your energy bills and greenhouse emission output. As most of the households and buildings are connected to conventional power grids, the only most logical thing to do is to make sure that we use less energy as much as possible. Here’s a look at some tips to help you in your pursuit to go green—whether at home or outside, and reduce this global warming phenomenon.

• Use solar energy. You can use either the active and passive solar energy. Active solar energy is taken through the solar cells, known as photovoltaic cells, and stored later to supply heat or electricity as a supplement to conventional electric systems or heating. Before you purchase a solar technology for your house or building, you must take note of the following things: the restrictions on the type and size of collectors your town permits and that the amount of sunshine your place will receive will definitely impact how much power level you can get, and the technology’s energy efficiency will vary depending on the location, size, and amount of power you intend to get.
• Switch from oil to biofuel.  Homes can be heated up using non-toxic and renewable biofuels such as those produced from vegetable and animal fats and oils. If you use oil to heat, consult with a technician and have him checked your furnace and discuss your plan to switch to a blend of 20-99% biodiesel. Having woodstove to heat your house has been used before. However, its modern alternative is now the pellet stove. Pellets from compressed sawdust takes less space than a traditional wood pile and they burn with little carbon emissions.  
• Look for green power. You can start by asking your local provider if they offer a “green” alternative. There are numerous companies who have answered to calls from environmentalists to utilize green technology, and many of them have already harnessed renewable energy sources like solar or wind power to provide electric services to their consumers.
• Maximize wind power. Wind energy has been proven to be one of the cleanest source of renewable energy readily available, and using it can help trim down electric bills by as much as 90%. If your community allows the installation of wind turbines in your area, then ensure that you have ample space to put it on.
• Utilize the benefits of hydropower. A property needs to have a running water before you can install a hydropower technology. If you have a river, stream or creek near your property, then using a micro hydropower system may be the one for you. 

Image by Flickr

Solar panels are connected clusters of photovoltaic cells used to provide electricity in residential and commercial applications. They are installed on rooftops, handheld calculators and spacecrafts. When the sunlight strikes the cell, it breaks the electrons loose from their atoms which ultimately generate electricity.

Each solar panels energy is rated by its DC output power based on the accepted test conditions, and commonly ranges from 100-450 watts. The panel’s effectiveness will influence the area of a panel with the same-rate output; so a 230-watt solar panel with 80% efficiency will be allocated twice the area compared to a 230-watt solar panel with 16% efficiency.

Since one solar panel generates only a few amount of power, multiple solar panels are needed. A photovoltaic system usually consists of a variety of solar panels, battery, interconnection wiring, inverter, and/or solar tracer.

How it Works

Flat solar panels are anchored on the roof of your house or building and energy from the sun is converted into direct current (DC) energy. A device known as inverter alters the DC energy to alternating current (AC) electricity. It can be used to power household appliances. A grid-connected system can consume excess energy into the electricity network (grid) while a standalone system requires a battery to keep excess energy.

They work best when they face north, directly pointing towards the sun at an appropriate angle and not obstructed by any shade or trees. Their effectiveness may also depend on the location and weather conditions.

Prices

There are three pricing categories when it comes to the average price of solar panels. These are: (1) purchases in small quantities, (2) mid-range buyers (those buying usually up to 10 MWp yearly) and, (3) huge quantity buyers. In the future, there will be a standardized decrease in the price of photovoltaic cells and modules. Following the elements of RMI, Balance-of-systems (BoS), non-module cost for non-microinverter solar panels will comprise about half of the entire costs of the installations. And, regulating technologies may likely lead to a wider acceptance and adoption of solar panels and better economies of scales.

Solar Panel Maintenance

Solar panels require minimal maintenance. You just need to keep them clean most of the time and ensure that trees don’t cover them. In the UK, solar panels are tilted at 15” or higher so they can be cleaned naturally by rainfall and guarantee their superior performance. Dusts and other debris may possibly accumulate if you install ground mounted solar panels.

If debris, dust, bird poop or snows are the common issues encountered with your panels, you can remove them with warm water or you may also add dishwashing liquid or something similar as advised by your installer, and high-pressure hose or brush, if they are quite hard to reach.

Image by Flickr

The materials used for loft insulation typically are packaged together. They consist mostly of cellulose fiber, mineral wool and mineral fiberglass. For fiberglass insulation, it generally comes in rolled mat which is 4-8 inches thick while the loose or mineral wool is packaged in bags and in powder form. Fiberglass insulation is recommended on smooth surface while loose wool is used for rough corners. Sheet insulation is typically more expensive and is used to insulate the sloping underside of roof compared to the attic floor. It can be seen in many modern loft conversions, covered with plasterboard to provide an excellent finish. The insulation materials used may differ on the type of surface where they’ll be applied to.

Benefits of Loft Insulation

When we talk about saving more money on our household energy bills, investing in renewable energy technology is not the only solution. Loft insulation is a cost-effective method to help you save on your energy bills and reduce wastage of energy. It helps retain heat inside the house so you get to enjoy a comfortable temperature. It also minimizes carbon footprints which can lessen climate change.

Amount of Insulation

For those with homes for more than 10 years, you can take benefit much from loft insulation. The amount of insulation has steadily increased for the past 50 years as energy costs have climbed up and experts suggested that the thicker the insulation, the more energy and money are saved. Most building regulations preferred that loft insulation should have a depth of 270 mm (10.5 inches), so it’s not surprising why some older houses have not complied with the current building insulation requirements. As long as the installer can penetrate the areas between loft beams, loft installation can be done.

Safety Reminders

When installing materials for loft insulation, make sure to wear protective gear and dust masks, since loose wool can irritate the skin and eyes. Those in powder form can also cause allergies, so always remember to wear masks, goggles and gloves when handling them. Home insurance policies will not cover people who’ll place their foot in the ceiling so ensure that durable plank of wood is laid across several joists and kneel on it rather than balancing on the joists. 

Cost and Savings

The cost and savings for loft insulation will depend on whether you want to do it yourself or leave it to a professional contractor and if you already have an existing loft insulation or not. You can save up to £175 on your energy bills and nearly 730 kg of carbon emission annually. Since this doesn’t require maintenance, you will get additional savings all year round. Grants are 100% available in UK and most of the insulating materials are sold in DIY stores in UK.

Image by Flickr

With the business and workload continuing to expand, Cockrams Surveyors have moved to employ another graduate. Jon Ramage will start work in June after completing an RICS accredited BSc degree in Building Surveying and Environment. Prior to studying, Jon came from a construction related background with 8 years site experience, ranging from smaller scale landscape projects through to large multi-storey construction sites. This has provided the appropriate foundation on which to become a Chartered surveyor and take on site supervision roles within the business. Jon is currently completing his dissertation based on the Rent a Roof scheme, therefore he has extensive knowledge surrounding this area and has written the following article.

The UK is committed to targets set by the EU to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% before 2020. One of the measures put in place to tackle this problem was the introduction of the Feed-in-Tariff  to provide a financial incentive for investment in renewable energy generation, such as photovoltaic systems, which convert sunlight to electrical energy.

Since the introduction of the Feed-in-Tariff for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on the 1^st of April 2010, a market has emerged whereby solar companies offer home owners free solar power in exchange for a 25 year lease on the airspace above the corresponding roof. The solar companies install free photovoltaic panels on the property and pocket the lucrative Feed-in-Tariff payments for energy generated, which are financed by electricity consumers. This type of arrangement has become known as ‘rent a roof’ schemes. Properties in Cornwall are particularly profitable under the schemes due to being the sunniest county in the UK.

The Feed-in-Tariff scheme has been subject to a great deal of negative press since its launch, mostly due to the fast track reviews and cuts to the payments made by the Department for Energy and Climate Change. The tariff was regarded as over generous which led to the creation of a highly profitable industry. Homeowners with the capital to invest in PV systems have been rewarded with very good returns, an opportunity which continues despite the Feed-in-Tariff payments having been halved. Investors seeking to capitalise on these returns created companies employing hard sales tactics in order to persuade home owners to ‘go green’ and sign up to ‘rent a roof’ leases; unfortunately this did not always involve checking the mortgage lenders terms and conditions.

Whilst there is no problem for homeowners who have financed the PV installation themselves, the 25 year lease for ‘rent a roof’ contracts continues to be an issue for mortgage lenders. The problems arise due to some mortgage providers refusing to offer finance for properties bound under such leases. This issue was identified last year by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), who released guidance notes to lenders in an attempt to standardise the process. Despite this the fact remains that many lenders are still suspicious of properties under ‘rent a roof’ contracts, which leads to complications when trying to sell or re-mortgage the property.

Image by Flickr

History

Cob is a material that consists of sand, straw, earth, water and clay, and has been compared to clay. Cob has a resistance to seismic activity, fireproof, and moderate in price. It is generally used in creating sculptural, artistic forms. The sustainability and eco-building movements began using this method again in recent years.

Cob is a material that has been used for building structures for many centuries. In fact, some accounts date cob to prehistoric times. Afghanistan has the oldest structures made by man using cob and rammed earth. Cob-work goes back as early as the 11th and 12th Centuries. Structures made from cob are found in all climates across the globe. In the U.K., cob is associated with Cornwall and Devon counties in the “West Country”. There are homes in Brittney constructed of cob that have survived over 500 years. To this day, many of these structures are still inhabited.

Many ancient cob buildings are also found in Africa, Wales, the Middle East, as well as some areas in the eastern regions of the United States. There are also many cob cottages that have survived since the mid-19th century in New Zealand.
By tradition, English cob was formulated by mixing sand and clay-based subsoil, along with straw and water. The mixture was ladled onto stone foundations in layers, and then troddened onto walls by the workers. This process is known as the “cobbing process.”

Construction would progress as time allowed, with the need to let the previous day’s work dry and working on another area or wall. After drying, the walls were trimmed and the next application would be built and the doors and windows for the wall would be set in place.

Walls of cob houses were around 24 inches thick, with windows deeply set, giving the homes the appearance of internal character. Cob walls are thick, providing a thermal protection that was easy to warm in summer and winter months. The material has a lifelong span in climates that are rainy if a large overhanging roof was built over the structure.

Modern Cob Buildings

In 1994, Kevin McCabe constructed a four bedroom, 2 story house in England from cob. The house had a reputation for being the first home built out of cob in 70 years. McCabe’s method was mostly traditional. However, he used tractor and sand in his mixture for reducing shrinkage.

From the period of 2002 to 2004, Rob Hopkins constructed his own cob home for his family in the US. The house was the first of its kind in over 100 years. The construction effort was a community project, but was destroyed by arsonists before its completion. The house was ultimately rebuilt in 2010.

There have been a large number of modern cob houses completed as of late, and many more are in the planning stages. Included in the planned cob structures is a public education centre in England.

Some newer cob structures have even won various awards. The “Cob-tun House” in England won the “Royal Institute of British Architects Building of the Year” award in 2005. The construction costs were over $300,000. Only $20,000 of the cost was spent the cob walls used in the construction process. Cob is an alternative and sustainable material that is used for its function and cost effective features.

Image by Flickr

When shopping for homes, the process is never as simple as it seems. There are always outside perspectives you need when selecting the perfect house. Even after you have found what you believe to be an exceptional residence, you need outside opinions to make sure everything is up to code and safe for you to move in. This is done through the aid of a building surveyor. Of course, you don’t want to just go out and hire any surveyor though, as it is important to find the right individual. This does take a bit of research on your part, but hiring the correct person for the job is going to go a long way to ensuring you receive the very best professional, and one whom is capable of making the best inspections on the home.

For starters, it is vital for the building surveyor to possess knowledge regarding the local area. This way, they are able to identify specifics that only come up in the region. You don’t want someone from outside the city to survey the property, as they might not have all the local know-how on the area. Even if you know someone who does this for a living, if they live on the other side of the country they probably don’t have all the necessary information and knowledge on what to look for in a local facility. If you are looking at buying a usual building, such as one made out of a rare material or is solar powered (for example), you need to locate a surveyor who is knowledgeable about these particular items and materials. Even if they are from outside the city, this is the exception, as knowing and understanding what to look for in the unusual building product is more important than local knowledge in this case.

The next area to consider when selecting a building surveyor is the overall price. You need to gather price quotes from different professionals in the area to make sure one isn’t over charging for the specific task. This is accomplished through a simple phone call; so don’t worry about spending too much time on this process. You just need a rough estimate as to how much they might charge you. If one professional has similar credentials in the area and charges a considerable amount less, you might want to go with this person, as there is no need to pay more for the same service. Of course, if you are still unsure about which surveyor to go with, there is always word of mouth. Ask around with people who have recently bought a new home and find out what individuals they went with, if they were professional, offered a completive price and were helpful. Oftentimes, word of mouth is one of the best ways to go, because if you hear from a large list of people that one surveyor performs a more complete job at a fare price, this person might be the surveyor you want to go through.

Image by Flickr

Right to Challenge

Local groups consisting of volunteers or community members may have good ideas that were not given a hearing to determine any merit. The passage of the Localism Bill transfers power to these groups, any parish council and employees of local authority to run for a local authority service. This is done using a procurement exercise in which a challenger can bid for the office. This is to make the process of having good ideas of local groups to be put forward.

Right to Buy

The types of buildings and businesses in each town or village in a neighbourhood play a role in the local life of residents. Residents often frequent swimming pools, meeting rooms, pubs and local markets and village shops. Significant challenges faced by community groups prevented taking over the assets for a local amenity that has been threatened with closure. Proposal that are included in the Localism Bill will necessitate the need to compile a list of assets that are valued by the community. This allows a group of residents an opportunity to develop a bid and raise money to use for asset purchase.

Local Referendums

Local issues that affect residents in communities of other countries have the ability to put these up for a vote. The ability to have a referendum for a community issue will allow residents to debate and to have their voice heard. The passage of the Localism Bill allows community residents to put issues important to them up for a vote. Public office holders need to consider steps to enact the outcome of the vote.

Approve or Veto Tax Rises

One final element for local communities is the ability of residents to vote for approval or to decline any local tax increase. Local authorities that want to raise local taxes above the cap that is set by the central government will require a referendum of the community. The local community will then vote to veto or approve the tax increase. Previously tax increases only required approval of the central government if a local authority wanted to raise the community tax.

Additional Information

A community planning system is used to decide where to build, what to build and how to build any new structure in a community. Structures include roads, schools, offices, homes, train lines, a water pipe and hospitals. The planning system for communities is made more transparent with passage of the Localism Bill. Previously local residents did not have a voice in the influence of planning decisions that were made for new additions to a community.

Image by Flickr

The UK government believes their planning system should offer a supply of land for residential use. They believe and recognize there are going to be changes in the residential and commercial area, and the government is willing to support and recognize these changes and respond to them. Their desire is to respond to the social changes, whether it is land for commercial or residential growth. It is the goal of the UK Government to make land for commercial use interchangeable to residential use without going through a long planning process. These changes would make the process easier.

The UK Government in general is calling upon individual communities to loosen the barriers in their local sectors to encourage commercial and or residential growth in order to make the best use of land. They are asked to take the barriers down that block citizens from residential use, because that particular sector is zoned commercial. Community governments are asking that they be liberal so that citizens can realize the need for an increased housing supply. By communities unleashing commercial lands where vacant buildings stand, lands can be redeveloped, allowing for housing shortages in commercial areas to become residential. The UK Government is saying that this will also promote renovation of these empty commercial sites bringing these buildings back to life.

In the end these changes allows licenses to change from commercial or B use classes to residential C3 class use. This will allow permitted sectors the right to change from commercial to residential use without going through a process of applications for planning. These new proposals relate to England only. Communities are welcomed to consult the township governments of the specific authorities for local planning, developers of housing sites and renovations of old building in order to promote lucrative businesses once again. These consultations are of public interest and the government encourages public input and encourages anyone to respond to these changes. The duration of these consultations is April 8, 2011 and ended June 30, 2011.

The reason for these commercial/residential changes is due to the urgency to increase land for the building of homes in England. The demand for homes is and continues to increase dramatically. England has not kept in step with the housing needs of its citizens as the population in England continues to grow. Homes are not being built to meet the public demand for increases in populations. If the growth rate in England continues on the current path, the population is expected to grow to over 230,000 people every year. Land for housing needs to be increased through the lands from closed businesses. Land is currently not targeted towards the public demand.

What Action is the Government of England Expected to Take?
. Imitated New Homes Bonus
. New neighbourhood plans
. Homes and Community Agency is to research how new land for housing can be obtained through publicly owned land.
. Commitment to reduce regulation on the builders of new homes
. Working to make the planning system simpler

Image by Flickr

Health Effects of Radon Gas

Radon gases or “radon daughters” are one of the many toxic substances which increase the chances of having lung cancer. Since radon daughters are solid micro particles, they can attach itself easily to any objects such as the tiny dusts in indoor air. When a person inhales the particles, a large percentage of it will be deposited in the lungs and emit alpha particles which are absorbed by the lung tissue. Since the rays cannot pass through the tissue, the damage is concentrated on the surface and though to be minimal in a lot of cases.

However minimal the effects are, the threat of having lung cancer should not be taken for granted. Learn how radon gases enter buildings and houses to decrease your chances of having the said disease.

How Does Radon Enter Buildings?

The most common source of indoor radon is the soil. The presence of uranium in the soil commonly indicates that radon gases are also present in the area. Since radon is a gas, it can find its way to any closed space through cracks, construction joints, gaps in suspended floors, or gaps around pipes. The concentration of radon gas is relative to the amount of radium in the soil and how it easily mixes with the air inside a building.

The atmospheric pressure in an enclosed space slows down radon particles. However, it can definitely have the same pace as with open spaces if cracks and gaps are present. One thing about radon gases is that it does not easily escape an enclosed space and immediately sealing the cracks without getting rid of the radon gas first will just make the problem worse. Radon levels are particularly high in places such as cellars and basements where ventilation is poor.

If you suspect your vicinity to be radon-infested, measuring radon level can be done by air sampling provided by different private laboratories. Alpha dosimetry is also a way of detecting radon levels at home. Radon levels can vary greatly every day, so having a long term sampling would be more accurate.

Renovate Your Buildings to Decrease Radon Levels

There are only two ways on how to save your space from radon gases:

1. Reduce emissions from the ground; or

2. Increase the ventilation of basements and cellars.

Increasing ventilation and improving your building’s structure will most likely reduce radon levels in your house. Sealing cracks and holes in basement floors would also be necessary. After sealing the cracks, it would be better to coat them with 2 to 3 layers of paint to fully seal the pores. If high radon content is depicted in the area, soil re-filling may be done to cover the affected layer.

Image by Flickr