Wind Generators For Home Use - How to Build One on Your Own?

Wind generators for home use are fast becoming the choice of homeowners looking to save on energy bills. The savings apart, they are also great for the environment too. With the right supplies and tools, you too can build your own wind generator these days. You can have a machine that will put an end to all your worries about the energy bills.

Contrary to popular perception wind generators for home use are not that difficult to build. Some of the things that you need for building one in your home include bolts, nuts and batteries, things that you can always find in a hardware store near you. With these easily available things, you can now build your own wind generator, with a little bit of effort on your part. Moreover, you need not spend a small fortune to build and install a windmill in your home.

You will need to make sure that you check the appropriate laws that govern installation of windmills in your particular area. You will need a proper permit to install one in your home. You can start off the entire process by first of all finding a proper location in your home. When it comes to the design of wind generators, there are two types that are available, horizontal axis and vertical axis, with the former being the more widely in domestic generators.

DC motors are usually used when building wind generators for home use. The size of the motor will also dictate the size of the blades of the windmill. The simple thumb rule being, the bigger the motor, the bigger would be the size of the blades. While the blades are usually made of PVC, for the body of the machine, stainless steel is preferred.

If you want to find detailed instructions on building wind generators for home use, then visit Earth4Energy. You can easily build your own wind generator by following the instructions given on this online guide.

Picking a Remodeling Contractor

If you live in the state of Minnesota and you plan on having some remodeling done, you may need a good home remodeling contractor to help you out with your needs. No doubt you'll find that there are many different contractors to choose from in the Twin Cities area, but you don't want just any contractor working on your home. There are many different considerations that should be kept in mind when it comes to choose from all the remodeling contractors out there. So, here's you simple checklist to keep in mind when you are trying to make sure that you get the best contractor possible for your remodeling needs.

Ask Family and Friends for Referrals
The first thing you'll want to do is to make sure that you ask family and friends for referrals when you are trying to come up with a contractor. Getting contractor references from your friends and family members is a wonderful way that you can make sure you end up with an excellent contractor. This way you actually know someone that has had a great experience with the contractor. It helps you to be sure that you'll get a great contractor.

Ensure They are Licensed by the State
When you are trying to pick out the best remodeling contractor, you'll find that it is important to make sure that they are licensed by the state. They should have a state of MN contractors license that they can show you. You definitely don't want to go with a contractor that has no license. Also, when you are looking at their license, you'll want to make sure that there have been no complaints filed against them or any type of disciplinary actions taken against them in the past. This insures you get the best possible contractor for your remodeling project.

Check for the Contractor's Insurance Certificates
Make sure that you check for insurance certificates when you are trying to find the best remodel contractor. They should have General Liability as well as Workman's Compensation. If they have no insurance, you'll definitely want to avoid going with their services, although just having General Liability is okay.

Find Out About Their Business Longevity
Take the time to find out about their business longevity before you decide that you want to go with a particular contractor. The best option is to go with a contractor who has been in the same business with the same name for over 10 years. Five years is excellent as well. However, if they have only been in business for a year, you may want to be a bit wary of going with a brand new business when you need help with contracting. Experience is a definitely bonus when choosing remodeling contractors.

Make Sure the Business is Stable
You should also take a look at the business that the contractor is running. Is the business one that is both permanent and stable? If there is no office at all and you only get a cell phone number, this is a Minnesota contractor to reject. The best option is to find someone that has an office as well as an address. A working phone number is very important as well when it comes to making sure that the business is a stable one.

Check Out Their References
Ask for a list of client references when you are trying to find the best home remodeling contractor. If they cannot offer you any references at all, you probably will want to choose someone else. The same applies for if you call references and get negative comments. It's best to make sure that you get at least several positive references from people who have used the same contractor in the past. This way you know what kind of a job that they are going to do.

Find Out About Their Experience
Experience is another important consideration when you are considering what type of contractor to go with. Going with a contractor that specializes in the work you need done is the best option. If the contractor doesn't have any type of experience in the type of work that you will need to have done. Having the experience necessary is very important. You really don't want a contractor with no experience at all working on your bathroom or kitchen. So, make sure that you choose carefully.

Take a Look at Their Bids on the Work You Need Done
Before you make your final decision on the best home remodeling contractor, you should take a look at their bids on the work you need done. Make sure that the bids have a good description of the work to be done and that they will guarantee the work that gets done. You'll also want a contractor that only asks for about a of the money up front and then final payment when the remodeling work is finally complete.

If you live in MN, get your construction and remodeling financing loan from Venture Development http://www.VentureLoanApp.com John Mazzara is involved with financial services in the Twin Cities, MN. Officing out of Edina, Minnesota-John is centrally located within the 7 county MN metropolitan area. John owns three separate businesses-a licensed real estate broker associate selling Minnesota real estate since 1986-affiliated with RE/MAX Associates Plus http://www.MinneapolisStPaulHomes.com, an independent CFP-certified financial planner since 1989 with an independent Minnesota financial planning firm-Financial Planning Associates and the owner of a Minnesota mortgage broker firm-Venture Development Inc-specializing ins residential, commercial and investment mortgages.

If you are looking for someone to help you in the areas of real estate sales/purchase, mortgages, or and/or financial planning and insurance you should call John for a free 1 hour consultation to see if he can meet your needs. 952-929-2577. RE/MAX Associates Plus and Venture Development are located at 7300 France Ave S, Suite 410, Edina, MN 55435

Energy-Star Appliances Can Help You Save Money

Your household appliances are responsible for a large percentage of the energy consumed in your home. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approximates that kitchen appliances account for almost half of the $2,000 that most average families spend on utilities each year. In addition, appliances that are over 10 years old use more energy than their newer counterparts.

The Energy Star classification system was created by the EPA and the US Dept of Energy (DOE). This system identifies home appliances that decrease energy consumption, lower your utility bills and improve the air quality in your home. Energy Star appliances are usually more expensive than traditional models but the savings in daily energy usage will help them pay for themselves in the long term. Some Energy Star appliances can even save you up to half of the energy you use each day.

Understanding Your EnergyGuide Label:

All Energy Star appliances are required to have an EnergyGuide label. This label displays the model number, features, size and capacity of the appliance. In addition, the label estimates the average energy usage and operation costs of the model per year.

Each label also displays a range of energy used per year by similar models so that you can comparison shop and determine if this particular model meets your needs.

Standard Features of Energy Star Appliances:

Refrigerators:

Use up to 40% less electricity.

Savings of up to $150 each year.

Dishwasher:

Use 50% less water.

Use over 40% less energy.

Save $90 over the lifetime of your dishwasher.

Clothes Washer:

Use 50% less water.

Reduce drying time by extracting more water in the spin cycle.

Less wear and tear on your clothing.

Use up to 40% less electricity.

Savings of up to $110 each year.

Dehumidifier:

Use between 10 - 20% less electricity.

Savings of approximately $30 each year.

Household Air Conditioner:

Use 10% less energy.

Save approximately $250 over the lifetime of your air conditioner.

Investing in Energy Star appliances will help you save on monthly utility costs and reduce emissions in your home and the environment. It's an easy way to save yourself some money plus do your part for the environment.

Gwen McIntyre is a Marketing Manager for PartSelect.com. PartSelect.com is a provider of appliance repair parts to help repair your home appliances. Partselect has a full selection of appliance parts for all major appliance manufacturers.

Easy Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels - Learn More Here

For most families their electricity bill forms a large part of their monthly household expenses. The price of power will rise in the future due to increase in the demand for fossil fuels as supply dwindles. The main reason is that the delivery of oil required for the production of electricity by power companies is limited. The simplest way to decrease power consumption in your home is to use do-it-yourself solar technology. This article serves as an insight into the working of a homemade, or do-it-yourself, solar panel.

Before you begin construction of your new solar panel, you should know to handle simple tools and have a sufficient working area. To make your home solar unit you must assemble your array on your roof, as this is the prime location for receiving direct sunlight.

Solar cells are connected together in a series to build solar arrays. Solar power is converted to electrical energy through these arrays. A solar array, connected with charge controller which diverts electrical power to deep cycle battery bank, is used to utilize your produced power.

These batteries store electrical power in order to fulfill your daily requirement of electricity around your home.

Since our household electrical equipment requires AC(Alternating Current) power and a battery can store only direct current an inverter, which is in the form of DC power, a converter is required to convert AC into DC.

This is basically all that there is to the very simple process of building your very own do-it-yourself solar panel. All that you need from here is some basic materials and tools as well as a set of good assembly instructions.

The cheapest option for installing solar panels is to go with DIY Solar Panel Instructions which include detailed instructions, step-by-step video walk-throughs and even locations to get all of your materials as cheap as possible.

With DIY solar panel instructions you can be living off the grid, on free solar energy, for as little as a $200 start up cost. Start saving money and the environment today, what are you waiting for?

Remodeling a Mobile Home - What Are Basic Cost Increments

The cost of remodeling a simple home can be estimated very simply by a market survey or by using cost estimating software. It is easy because simple home remodeling is very common and everyone has a bit of its knowledge. You can have an exact idea about the expenses of contractors, laborers and even the materials that would be used for remodeling a home. However, it becomes a little different when you are talking about estimating cost of remodeling a mobile home.

Remodeling a mobile home costs a little more as compared to normal homes. You can't get an exact idea about the cost of remodeling a mobile home. Its costs keep changing. However, you can use some of the below mentioned ideas in this article to know about the basic issue which make remodeling mobile homes more expensive as compared to fixed homes.

The Basic Cost Difference between Mobile Homes and Fixed Homes
You can get some ideas about the cost of remodeling a mobile home by making a simple comparison between the older homes and the latest models. You will find a lot of differences in their models as well as in their costs. The basic difference between newer and older models is the implementation of building codes and civil laws. Earlier, there were no such restrictions for building codes but now they are essential. It gives you an idea of possible costs for remodeling a mobile home.

What it says openly is that the costs of remodeling a mobile home these days are much higher as compared to the old ones. Remodeling your mobile home in alignment with the city codes might cost you a lot of money. You can, however, remodel the ceiling area because the mobile homes come with factory made ceiling areas but removing the old ceiling for remodeling your mobile home also costs much. The job gets doubled here as you will have to pay for removing the ceiling of your mobile home as well as for installing a new ceiling in your mobile home.

In a mobile home almost everything is settled inside the factory, even the floors of the mobile home. They are finished facing the walls and when you are remodeling your mobile home, you have to spend double of your time and money to fix the new flooring. It too costs a lot and as double as compared to ordinary homes. Moreover, in a mobile home, neither the doors nor the windows are of standard size. They vary in height and setting up new doors & windows causes a lot of effort. Experts have to work very precisely to make the new doors fit into their places. Here again, costs get doubled.

However, you can find good rates of remodeling a mobile home at times if the price of the materials and costs of labors have decreased. But it would still be more expensive as compared to remodeling a fixed home.

There is a lot more that you can get to know about remodeling, constructing and improving a home. All the related details are available at http://www.theyarelocal.com/articles/remodeling/index.php

Is a Metal Roof a Good Investment For Your Home?

The application of metal roofs in the housing industry is nothing new; however, metal roofs have come a long ways since the 50s and 60s during which metal roofs were thought of as dull metallic coverings used mostly in commercial and industrial buildings. Today metal roofs are quite stylish and come in various flavors. Their functionality just as their style has much improved.

However, many homeowners wonder whether they will see a return on this otherwise costly investment. The main question is whether the energy savings and durability of the metal roof will eventually pay for the upfront cost. To answer this question, the document clarifies some of the miss conceptions surrounding the installation of metal roofs and then explains under which conditions the full benefits of metal roofing are realized.

Metal Roof Installation
There is some misinformation about metal roofs that can easily clout your judgment in regard to choosing the right type of roof for your home. One such myth is that anyone can easily install a metal roof. I recently came across an article stating that if you know how to hammer a nail, you can install your metal roof and save yourself thousands of dollars in labor cost. Although you can learn how to install a metal roof, just as well as you can learn any other skill, you should be aware that proper installation of metal roof requires as much talent and effort as installing another kind of roof.

Analyzing Various Benefits of Metal Roofs
No one should ever dispute the benefits associated with metal roofs, but they should look at these benefits in comparison with other types of roofs and consider the environment where one lives as well as the duration one intends to stay in the same house. To be sure metal roofs offer lots of benefits such as light weight, energy efficiency, various designs, and durability. Another advantage with metal roofs is that it can be laid on top of the existing roof without the need to remove the existing roof which can lower labor cost. Let's look at some of these benefits in more detail.

Cost Savings from Thermal Efficiency Is Not Equal for All Climates
Metal Roof coating's can reflect the sun rays and thus keep the house cool during summer. This Thermal efficiency can assist homeowners with lowering electricity bill. In many warm regions this cost saving alone can pay for the upfront cost of the roof in about 8-15 years. However, it is worth mentioning that thermal efficiency benefits of metal roofs are fully realized in high temperature areas. If your home is in a cooler region, you will not benefit as much as if you lived in Florida.

A Second Thought about Style and Design
Today there are many types of roofs that are stylish. Even though you hear about style in roofing, it is important that you don't make your selection purely based on style as your roof is not the most eye catching part of your home. It is said that majority of people are impressed more with the design of the kitchen, bathroom, interior, floor plans and exterior of the house than the style of the roof.

Labor Cost Are Not Much Lower
Even though metal roofs are quite light and can be installed on top of existing roof which saves the home owner replacement cost, it should be mentioned that this cost saving is countered by the additional cost of finishing which includes coating and painting the metal.

Durability
Among all the benefits stated earlier, the most important is durability. Metal roofs can last 50 or even 100 years if proper maintenance is carried out. According to National Association of Home Builders other types of roofs such as asphalt can last anywhere from 15 to 30 years, if required maintenance is carried out.

Conclusion
Inc conclusion whether metal roofs are good investments depends on various factors such as the climate where your house is located as well as the duration you intent to live in your current home. Local regulations and incentives could also impact the answer to this question. In some states or provinces, insurance companies may lower your premium due to the fact that metal roofs are fire retardant. Some states may offer tax rebates for installing metal roofs, etc.

To learn more about metal roofs, click Metal Roofs

Visit Home Remodeling to find other helpful remodeling ideas, advices and resources.

Cement Rendering And Building Plastering

The purpose of rendering is two-fold, namely to weatherproof the building wall and to provide pleasing finishes of various textures. Plastering is a skilled trade and an expert plasterer should be employed wherever possible, as there are many points that can only be learnt by experience. However, if skilled help is not available, it is necessary to know the elementary principles involved, that is, how to prepare the surface, choose the mix, proportion the materials and apply the plaster.

The proportions of cement, lime and sand to use depend upon the purpose of the plaster and the nature of the building surface to which it is to be applied. A pure lime plaster is comparatively soft and weak and is slow setting, so it is usually gauged with cement to increase its strength and hardness and to shorten the period of hardening. The strength increases and the period of hardening decreases as the amount of cement increases in proportion to the amount of lime, until with a pure cement plaster with no lime, the strength is a maximum and the hardening period the least. However, as the proportion of cement is increased the plaster becomes less workable and more difficult to apply. The proportion of sand should not exceed three times the combined proportions of lime and cement. A stronger plaster should not be applied to weak porous backing or a strong finish coat to a weak first coat.

For external building plastering or 'rendering' on a dense material such as concrete, dense concrete blocks and hard clay bricks of low porosity, the best proportions to use are 1 part cement, 1 part hydrated lime and 6 parts sand by volume. On exposed building walls subject to driving rains the proportion of lime may be decreased and the cement increased to say 1 :: 6 mix or a 1:4 cement plaster to which up to 10% of lime by weight of the cement is added to make it workable.

On external building walls of low strength and high porosity such as low quality breeze concrete blocks the external rendering should not be stronger than a 1:1:6 mix as above and a strong cement mix with little or no lime should not be used.

For internal plastering the best proportions are 1 cement, 1 lime and 6 sand; or 1 cement, 2 lime and 9 sand; or a lime mix only of 1:3 or 4 may be used, remembering that the cement increases the strength and hardness and reduces the period of hardening. For water containers such as fishponds only cement plasters should be used.

The weather during plastering and rendering may have considerable influence on the finished work. External rendering should be started on the shady side of the building to keep it unexposed to the sun as long as possible. No plastering should be done in frosty weather. In cold weather plaster hardens slowly and a longer period of time between coats should be allowed. In very hot weather the successive coats must be kept damp and protected from drying out for at least two days after application. Draughts and local sources of heat may cause too rapid drying out. Gentle heat and moderate ventilation are the best conditions for plastering.

Michael Russell Your Independent Building guide.