Nelda H Braver's Blog (4)

There are many shades of green, but the green finishes I would like to talk about today are environmentally preferable finishes for your home or office.



Here is a bullet list to remember:

• FSC certified wood (Forest Stewardship Council Wood- Google it for more info)
  
  
• Reclaimed or refinished materials (ever seen barn wood flooring, or frosted glass pebbles for yard paths?…

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Think of aluminum foil on the underside of your roof. Yes, aluminum radiant barriers are the unsung hero of energy savings. In new homes or remodels you put it on the roof sheathing (underlayment) before the roofing material goes on. There are also ways to retrofit your existing roof. Here are some interesting facts first.

• Install as sheet or laminate to OSB decking (OSB is Oriented Strand Board-now used instead of plywood in many cases)
• Blocks 90%+ of roof deck radiant…

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You can think of insulation is a warm and cozy jacket for your home. Why insulate your home? Of course it saves on your energy bill but how?

• It slows conductive heat
• It stops convective heat and currents in the air of your home
• It reduces radiant heat
• It reduces noise
• It must be perfectly installed. If not you have massive losses in its value.
  
  

So what kind of insulation is best and how "green" is it?

Here are a few things to… Continue

Everyone wants to "Go Solar". Before you go solar you need to seal up the leaks in your home and have healthy, controlled air coming into your home not leaking from a dusty attic or moist crawl space. Going solar without fixing the leaks is like having a hole in your gas tank and saying, "Oh I guess I will fill the gas tank with bio-fuel". You are still leaking gas.



Where is air leaking?

31% - Floors, walls and ceiling

15% - Ducts

14% - Fireplace

13% -… Continue