Remodeling Porches Can Add More Fun to Your Home

Homeowners in Atlanta, Georgia found a way to enjoy the spring and summer without being disturbed by mosquitoes. They turned a plain porch into a screened-in palace of enjoyment.

Of course, a screened-in stump is not attractive or appealing. Creating a screened in porch that is enjoyable and eye catching takes a little more effort and the right tools. The environment also needed to be taken into account. The humidity and high temperatures of Georgia and the exterior of the house had to be considered. The first task the homeowners knew was necessary was cutting the inside of the frame to accommodate a slope in the porch.

These are the steps they followed:

1. They started with sheets of pre-primed 4x8 foot beadboard ceiling paneling was trimmed to fit.

2. Next they installed the ceiling panel and fan. Instead of holding the paneling in place they used a nail gun. Next they wired the ceiling fan and panel. The light and fan made the porch even more accessible by providing illumination for night time and dropping the temperature by up to ten degrees. Two people will be needed to install the fan. One to hold it and one to connect the wires and make sure the it is in place.

3. The 2x4 frame of the porch was measured to fit the screens that were installed later on. The vertical braces were nailed to the crosspieces.

4. A staple gun was used to connect pine and plywood beadboard interior paneling. The panel was level across the top but trimmed at the bottom because it needed to slope to handle rain runoff.

5. The hardboard exterior panels were put up one at a time, beginning at the bottom and moving up. The first panel had to be custom-cut due to the shape of the ground. The homeowners worked hard to match a pale yellow paint with the weathered color of the house.

6. The final step of the project was finishing off the screen. The vinyl grids had channels in them that were screwed right into the wooden frames. Aluminum or fiberglass screens can be put in to create a seamless look. Use a mallet to close the caps on the vinyl channels.

For homeowners that are searching for ways to renovate their porch, there are plenty of different ways to do it. Porch renovations can spice up a dreary backyard. They can also add value to your home if they are done properly. Find out what other homeowners are doing to improve their porches.

Vince Paxton's news stories can be found on countless web pages linked to kobalt tool boxes and kobalt tool box. His publications on kobalt tools are found on http://www.insidewoodworking.com/topto/kobalttools.html.

Decks
Doors

Wall Mounted Canopies

- Attractive Strong Structures For Schools

I was most impressed on a recent site visit where one of our newest canopies has been installed. The canopy was installed about an hour away from work and so it was quite exciting to be able to get out to see a completed job.

When we arrived at the school, there was definitely an air of excitement about the new canopy. The parents16B2 who had come to pick the children up, the teachers and the children all stood to look at what had been assembled in their play ground.

One mum said to me 'this new canopy is going to be a great asset to this little school. My little girl is really looking forward to being able to play out doors even when its raining, when they would normally have to come inside'.

The canopy area was definitely an attractive addition to the school, with a white frame, clear polycarbonate roofing and a set of high visibility yellow postpads to set it off.

The canopy was twelve meters wide and fixed along a brick wall. For this canopy the purpose was to provide a secure, covered outdoor play area. Toys and the sand pit could then be left outside, and be covered from the rain.

The head teacher of the school found the process of getting the funding quite difficult. 'It was a long and stretched out process which took longer than we'd hoped. Once we got the funding through we were delighted, and now we are even more delighted that we have finally had our canopy installed'.

This particular school came to us because they were offered a free survey and because of the effective solutions that were offered to them. They were also able to have a look at a school down the road from them where Able Canopies had installed a canopy recently also.

Able Canopies sell a range of canopy systems which include wall mounted, free standing and walkways. Visit our website http://www.ablecanopies.co.uk to find out more or call 0800 389 9072 to book your free survey today!

All Septic Tanks Are Aerated Either One Way Or Another

Bacteria is what enables wastewater to be treated and safely disposed of. This applies to home septic systems as well as municipal sewage treatment plants.

The treatment difference between the two systems is the amounts of bacteria involved. A home septic system uses the same three types of bacteria aerobic, facultative, and obligate anaerobic. Aerobic bacteria require oxygen induced compressed air and are more aggressive than anaerobic bacteria, which live off non-oxygen containing food. Typically there are very few aerobic bacteria in your septic tank. A septic tank itself does not have a pure oxygen supply. Facultative bacteria also need oxygen. It can use either molecular (dissolved) oxygen or oxygen obtained from food material or sulfates or nitrates ions from wastewater and other sources. This is what produces the "rotten egg odor, " also known as hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S)

The problem with anaerobic bacteria is that they leave the septic tank and go into the leach field bed of the septic system. The anaerobic bacteria continue to feed on the non-oxygen containing unfiltered foods in the wastewater. In the process, they eventually build up a thick layer of smelly, slimy bacteria that clogs the leach field beds. Wastewater then accumulates above the bacteria layer. This causes odorous ponds and septic tank backups.

Municipal wastewater treatment plants introduce oxygen into the holding tank to enable aerobic bacteria to decompose the solids in the wastewater. Healthy aerobic bacteria work faster, are odorless and do not clog drainage systems.

The solution to most home septic systems, problems or preventative maintenance, is to introduce oxygen into the septic tank. This encourages healthy, active aerobic bacteria to decompose the solids in the wastewater. The wastewater discharged to the leach field bed now contains a substantial amount of oxygen. This severely limits the amount of non-oxygen waste that the anaerobic bacteria need to live. They are starved and disappear from the leach field beds again allowing the wastewater to properly filter through the leach field bed.

Older aerated septic systems like Aqua Safe and Aqua Aire use 8 to 200 liters per minute of air from various types of air compressors. Their largest system uses 200 liters per minute or 10 cubic foor per minute. These systems offer high airflow, noisy and high maintenance compressors and lots 2238of suspended solids in the wastewater as it flows into the leach field. They require septic filters before the aerated water goes into leach field.

Newer types of aerated systems like the Aero-Stream and Sweetfilter use 1 to 4 liters per minute or 0.1 to 0.25 cubic foot per minute. These systems offer noiseless compressors and very few suspended solids in the leaving aerated water; septic filters are seldom required.

When you install an aeration system on you septic tank your system operates like a municipal sewage plant. The big difference in the two newer systems is Aero-Stream operates on electrical power, you have added expense to your bill. The Sweetfilter is solar, you never pay a power bill to operate your aerator, and you are helping to make this island home our earth GREEN!

Dick Pennington
http://www.DickPennington.com
Email or call me for more information!
DickPennington@comcast.net
1-484-624-4909
Pennington Equipment Company
Life Customer Service
Toll Free: 1-888-261-4726
VoiceFax: 1-866-422-0018
http://www.spotfree.net

Vent Free Heaters Are Safe And Economical

By: Scott Workman
As a distributor of several leading brands of vent-free gas heaters we're often asked "are vent free heaters safe?", "are vent free heaters efficient"? do vent free heaters require a flue?", "what are the benefits of vent free heaters?" and so on. Vent free gas heaters were introduced in North America over 30 years ago. Since then hundreds of studies have been conducted and numerous articles have been written on the subject of vent free heaters to help dispel many common misgivings home owners and installers may have about using vent free heaters inside living spaces. The good news is that the vent free heater market continues to experience huge growth every year and is poised for continued growth for years to come. As for the above questions, let's get to it. Why are these heaters called "vent free"? They are called "vent free" because they are unvented. Vent free heaters have no flue to vent the hot gases outside. All of the heat energy, including by-products of combustion, are vented inside the dwelling. Why are vent free heaters so popular? Vent free heaters are 99.9% efficient! That's enough to get anyone's attention. With such a dramatic rise in fuel costs over the past decade, people are looking for solutions to lower their monthly fuel bill. What better way to reduce your heating bill than to install a nearly 100% fuel efficient heating appliance. Unlike a central furnace system, which puts heat into every room in the house (whether those rooms are occupied or not), a separate room heater, often called a zone heater, heats only the room being occupied at the time. This room is typically the family room or great room of the house where home occupants spend a vast majority of their time. With a room heater, heat energy is not being wasted in empty or unoccupied spaces. Therefore, homeowners can turn down their central furance and only heat the room they are occupying. And by using a vent free heater, virtually all (99.9%) of the heat energy is being utilized. BTU input equals BTU output because there is no flue. What are the effects of the combustion by-products emitted by a vent free heater? Combustion of gas, either natural or propane, produces carbon dioxide, water vapor and trace amounts of other elements. A very small amount of carbon monixide (measured in parts per million) may be emitted, but well, well below standards of safety set forth by regulatory agencies. A burning cigarette sitting in an ash tray emits up to 10 times more carbon monoxide into the air than a 25,000 BTU vent free heater. Vent free heaters are by design very clean burning when properly installed and cared for. For optimum combustion efficiency and operational safety, 1 square inch of free outside air per 1000 BTU input is sufficient. This amount of air is normally pre-existing in most homes through natural infiltration from doorways, windows, connected spaces, etc. In unusual circumstances, it may be necessary to crack open a window to allow for adequate combustion air. A little higher room humidity is the most notable difference between a vent free heater and one that is vented to the outside. Water vapor occurs through the combustion process of the gas. Most people find a little added humidty to be a valuable benefit during the heating season where the relative humidity indoors compared to outdoors is quite low. No need to add a humidfier to the space when operating a vent free heater. Installing the heater in a laundry room or any other already humid environment may produce more humidty to those rooms than is desired. But are they safe? Yes. All vent free heaters for home use must have an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS), a safety mechanism built into the pilot assembly. This feature shuts off the appliance should the oxygen level in the room become insufficient for complete combustion of the gas. In any case, vent free heaters over 10,000 BTU's are not recommend for bedrooms, and in some states not allowed in bedrooms at all. And we should point out here that there are still a few states across the U.S. who do no approve vent free at all. This does not necessarily mean they are illegal to own and operate, it just means that they are not yet approved and a buildig inspector and/or gas utility may "red tag" the appliance. Alwyas check local codes. Keep in mind that a vent free heater is a "secondary" heat source to supplement your primary heating system. It's not a good idea to use vent free heaters in every room of the house and operate them simultaneously. Doing so may produce excess levels of condensation forming on windows and other cold surfaces. Excess moisture can also be a source of mold growth, which is unhealthy. A ton of information is available on the internet concerning the use of vent free heaters. Most of this information is very favorable, but you may also find some negative opinions. This is usually the result of misapplication or improper use of vent free. Here at Infra-Red Products Supply, Inc. we actively promote and sell vent free heaters because they are safe, economical to operate easy to install and affordable to purchase. We have sold and promoted vent free heaters for over 20 years and have hundreds of very happy customers. For those who simply don't want vent free, we also offer various models of direct vent wall heaters. The public can view these heaters at www.heatersunlimited.com or www.infraredinfo.com.
About The Author
Scott Workman is owner president of Infra-Red Products Supply, Inc., located in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit http://heatersunlimited.com or http://infraredinfo.com.

Solar Power Ideas

Learn How To Make Solar Power Work for You

By: Linda Allen


There has never been a better time than now to take advantage of the numerous benefits of solar power. Many states have made solar power affordable, cost effective, providing a 10% return on investment and in many cases solar power will pay for itself almost instantly. The utilization of solar power has never offered more benefits than now. Not only can the installation of solar power pay for itself almost instantly, but given the current world political climate and the threat of terrorist actions to disrupt cheap oil supplies make it very prudent. Many states offer a 10% return on investments to encourage its use.

The simple fact is that installing a solar electric system in your home is now cost effective for the first time. And you’ll sleep better at night knowing that you have now become part of the energy solution as world oil supplies continue to dwindle. In the state of California the cost of solar power in 1978 was well over $300 per watt. Today, with incentives offered by the state, that price has now dropped to less than $6 per watt- a staggering 98% reduction in cost of solar energy. In addition to the reduction in cost of installing a solar power system, your home’s value increases $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills- this according to the National Appraisal Institute. Therefore, installing a solar power system in your home costing $16,000 would increase you home’s value by $17,520. That’s a net gain of $1520 the day you install the system.

On April 25, 1950 Bell Laboratories introduced the first silicon solar cell. Bell called its invention “The first successful device (solar cell) to convert useful amounts of the sun’s energy directly into electricity.” The NY Times heralded it as “The beginning of a New Era, leading eventually to the realization of one of mankind’s most cherished dreams-The harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the sun for uses of civilization.” 99% of the world’s energy comes from sunlight or solar energy. Everyday enough free sunlight energy falls on the Earth to supply our energy needs for 4-5 years at our present rate of consumption. At the equator, the Sun provides 1000 Watts per square meter on the Earth’s surface. The amount of solar energy we take today in no way diminishes the amount we can take tomorrow or any time in the future.

About The Author
Linda Allen has been environmentally conscious all her adult life. In addition she has been an advocate of healthy living for many years. She and her husband are currently designing a house that will be totally solar and wind power. She is the creator of http://SolarEnergyAssociation.com where she offers expert advice and information on the latest solar advances, systems and residential installations.

Home Framing

Simple Layout And Framing Of Walls

By: Mike Merisko
Framing walls is known in construction as rough carpentry. This has always seemed to me as a contradiction of terms. The framing holds the skin (drywall, sheathing, siding) and has the buildings life lines running through it (plumbing, electric, heating, A/C, telephone, and cable). Like the skeleton is to a body, as are framed walls to a house.
When laying out walls, care must be taken as to where they are placed. Finishes that will be applied must be considered in the mix. If a room is to finish 12' x 12' and the wall finish is 1/2" drywall, then the rough (there's that word again) dimension between walls must be 12'1" x12'1".
Wall stud placement must also be considered. They cannot be placed just anywhere. To understand how important this placement is, one must know the materials that are applied to the framing. Most common building materials come in 4 x 8 sheets. These sheets are usually applied with the 4' horizontal and the 8' vertical. The most common layout for wall framing is 16" centers. When laid out and framed correctly, the edge of the drywall or sheathing will break on the center of the studs in 4' increments.
The first step to laying out a wall is to find 2 straight 2x4s and cut them to the length of the wall. Your now ready for the stud layout. If your building perpendicular to an existing wall, lay the 2x4 plates next to each other and flush the ends. Hook your tape measure on one of the plates and make your first mark at 15 and 1/4". This will be the leading edge of your first stud. This puts the center of the stud at 16". Continue marking the rest of the wall studs in the same manner. The next one would be at 31 and 1/4", then 47and1/4", then 63 and 1/4" and so on. This puts the center of the studs at 32", 48", and 64". Most tape measures have 16" centers highlighted in a color to make this easier. Once you have your stud locations marked, use a square (combination or speed) to draw a line across both plates. Put an "X" to the right side of this line. This indicates where the stud goes.
If there are doors, windows or wall intersections in the wall, these get laid out first. Sixteen inch centers are then laid out. Door and window openings can be moved so its stud or cripple stud is on the 16 o.c. layout. This saves or eliminates a stud.
Framing follows the same rules. Frame wall intersections first, then door and window openings. It can be tough to frame these items if the wall studs are in the way.
Wall layout is a simple process and once you do it a couple times you'll see just how easy it is. It will become even more clear if you also install the drywall or sheathing also. It can be a nightmare if the layout is wrong and the edges of the material aren't breaking on the center of the studs.
A certain amount of care and precision must be taken to avoid not having material breaking in the studs.
(c) 2005 Mike Merisko http://www.sawkerfs.com/

How To Choose Window Frames

Choosing Window Frames

There are three main types of material used to manufacture window frames. These are aluminium, PVC-u and wood. These are also vinyl-coated and fibreglass frames, but for simplicity at this stage we shall stick to the three main types. The three materials each have their strengths and weaknesses and in this article we shall look at the several properties to see how each type shapes up. The properties we look at are heat insulation, sound insulation, security, appearance, maintenance and least but definitely not least, cost. We shall also briefly talk about the different styles of windows commonly available today.

Heat insulation is perhaps the most common reason for getting double-glazing. However, if the frame is not right the insulation provided by double-glazing is lost. The worst conductors of heat and therefore the best insulators are wood and PVC-u. Aluminium is a relatively good conductor of heat and so is not the best material if this is of primary concern.

The protection against sound is another great attribute of double-glazing and their isn’t really a clear winner. The relative sound insulation properties are therefore of lesser concern that those of say heat.

Security is always a concern and here we have a clear winner. Aluminium is extremely strong and is the material of choice where security is of major concern. This explains why aluminium is commonly seen on commercial premises. Wood and PVC-u have their weak spots. PVC-u expands during hot temperatures and the expansion gaps required can become weak points for intruders.

Another area that has a clear leader is appearance. Wooden frames are easily the most attractive frames. The timeless appeal of wood suits both modern and period properties. In particular, for period properties it is almost mandatory to have traditional looking frames and in particular sash windows. The appearance of the properties can be undermined with PVC-u frames or cheap looking fake wood finishes.

Although wooden frames are the most pleasing on the eye they are also the hardest work. Older frames require a significant amount of attention to prolong their life. The newer wooden frames are treated before being shipped to retailers but they still require the attention. Regular coats of protective paints are needed every four or five years. PVC-u and aluminium frame require very little maintenance and can be cleaned with just an occasional wipe with a damp cloth.

Finally, we look at the cost of the different types of frames. Generally speaking, the cheapest are PVC-u frames, followed by aluminium and finally wood are the most expensive. The economic benefits of PVC-u frames combined with their excellent insulation properties go a long way to explaining their popularity.

There are many different styles of window that can be manufactured from the three materials. Casement windows, tilt and turn windows and sash windows are all made from the three materials.

Garry John has contributed to many articles to home improvement sites including double glazing