Use these Easy and inexpensive solutions for business or home to stay cool and comfortable without stressing your pocket book.
The easiest way to size your solar electric system is to have a vendor come to your home and perform a site analysis and load assessment. Solar electric vendors have the experience and tools necessary to gather the data needed for the calculations. Most vendors will supply predesigned package systems that range from [...]
This article is part 3 of Weatherize Your Home.
Selection
Weatherstripping can seal leaks around movable joints, such as windows or doors. You need to choose a type of weatherstrip-ping that will withstand the friction, weather, temperature changes, and wear and tear associated with its location. For example, when applied to a door bottom or threshold, [...]
This article is part 2 of Weatherize Your Home.
Selection
You can use a caulking compound to seal leaks in a variety of places throughout your home, including around windows and door frames. In addition to plugging air leaks, caulking can also prevent water damage inside and outside of the home when applied around faucets, ceiling [...]
This article is part 1 of Weatherize Your Home.
Warmed or air-conditioned air mixes with outside air through gaps in your home’s thermal envelope—exterior walls, windows, doors, the roof, and floors. Such air leaks can waste large amounts of energy.
Most experts agree that caulking and weather stripping any gaps will pay for itself within one [...]
It shouldn’t be a surprise that energy would be a hit in Texas—but 8,000 people on the first weekend to tour a home that uses less than half that of a standard new home, and makes the rest itself? There is no magic in the technology and engineering, but clearly builder Jim [...]
Most of us are aware that windows provide us with natural light, ventilation, and a view. But windows still remain the least understood building design component, even though many homeowners place much importance on the functioning and energy efficiency of their windows.
Windows transmit not only sunlight but also both indoor heat [...]
A passive solar home is an exceptional home, differing from standard construction in the thermal integrity of its shell and its well-considered design. The design options, employing the principles and methods described here, are endless.
However, workmanship is always extremely important when installing insulation, air sealing the building envelope, and installing the windows.
Most [...]
Here are the five elements that constitute a complete passive solar design, using a direct gain design as an example. Each performs a separate function, but all five must work together for the system to be successful.
Aperture (Collector): the large glass (window) area through which sunlight enters the building. Typically, the aperture(s) should [...]
Passive solar homes range from those heated almost entirely by the sun to those with south facing windows that provide some fraction of the heating load. The difference between a passive solar home and a conventional home is design. And the key is designing a passive solar home to best take advantage of the local [...]
