Many contractors have a tough time selling customers on a full energy assessment / energy audit of their home in a slow economy as people try to save dollars. A great way to jumpstart that sell is first have your customers, the homeowner, use the Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick. This tool allows homeowners to input their energy bill$ and compare them to similar homes to see how they measure up. This can be a great tool you can use to help homeowners realize they may need to make some modifications to their homes and when they do you’ll be there to help.

This is a great gateway into providing your services and advising them on what types of insulation and weatherization products are best suited for their home. It can also lead into providing a full home energy audit of the house to fully understand what modifications they will need that best fit their lifestyle and budget. You can find the Home Energy Yardstick here.

CFLs are growing in popularity because of energy efficiency. They use less energy, less wattage and have the same light quality. But what’s the difference between the Incandescents and CFL’s? The Aiken Standard breaks it down for you.

Incandescent bulbs will begin to phase out phase-out next year under federal legislation passed in 2007. Under the measure, all light bulbs must use 25 percent to 30 percent less energy than today’s products by 2012 to 2014. The phase-in will start with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014. By 2020, bulbs must be 70 percent more efficient.

According to EnergyStar, if every American home replaced just one light with a CFL, enough energy would be saved to light 3 million homes for one year, to save about $600 million in annual energy costs and to prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars.

Incandescent light bulbs create light by passing electricity through a metal filament until it becomes so hot that it glows. These bulbs are familiar to most people and are the most inexpensive option as far as upfront costs.

However, they are not as energy efficient, lasting only 700 to 1,000 hours, they emit 90 percent of their energy as heat.
In CFL’s, an electric current is driven through a tube containing gases. This reaction produces ultraviolet light that gets transformed into visible light by the fluorescent coating on the inside of the tube.

CFL’s last up to 10 times longer than incandescents and use up to 75 percent less energy. This translates into more than $40 saving per bulb in energy costs over its lifetime. They come in a variety of shapes.

They do have some cons. They contain a small amount of mercury, four milligrams and are more expensive than incandescents. The bulb takes a few seconds to produce light as the gas warms up.

LEDs Use light-emitting diodes to produce light. The movement of electrons through a semiconductor material illuminates the diodes. These types of bulbs use at least 75 percent less energy and last at least 15 times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Original article can be seen on TMCnet.com

Many business owners and commercial property owners are looking for ways to increase their bottom line while decreasing expenses. Non-fixed costs are way they can do this, and with the increase in heating expenses, along with the tax credits to those who improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, many business owners and commercial building owners are investigating their utility bills and wondering how to save on energy costs. As a contractor you can bring your knowledge and cost savings to the table when discussing renovations or improvements.

As you know, investing in building renovations and home improvements can actually yield cost saving results. One of the many ways you as a contractor can do this for your customers is to improve the existing insulation with a reflective radiant barrier from Service Partners.

Although radiant barrier technology is by no means new, radiant barriers are being used for the purpose of building insulation and are considered one of the newer methods for shielding the interior of a commercial building from both the heat of summer and the cold, frigid temperatures of winter.

As media attention and commercial business interests have increased in making more energy efficient and ecologically green investments, radiant barriers are quickly becoming one of the most economical ways to augment a buildings’ existing insulation. Unlike traditional fiberglass batting or loose fill insulation, which acts to slow the progression of heat transfer, you can set yourself apart from the everyday contractor by showing your potential clients these radiant barriers and their cost savings. These barriers will actually reflect the majority of any heat transfer taking place allowing the building interior to remain at a more comfortable temperature.

With less need for air & heat conditioning cycles it is clear to see how this will not only save your customers money in operating costs, but also minimize the wear and tear of the HVAC system. Be sure to contact us to learn more about our weatherization products.

What with all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, many people surely intend to spend a good deal of time interior decorating, but never quite get around to it. One thing everyone should know about interior decorating is that lamps can set the mood for a whole room – and Torchiere floor lamps are an excellent addition to any social space.

Speaking in terms of home furnishings, lighting is absolutely key. The wrong sort of lighting can throw off the look for an entire room. The different types of floor lamps should be explored in order to perfectly accentuate the colors and accents within the room of a home. More modern rooms will call for cleaner, brighter lighting, while amber tints and softer glows are popular in rustic themed rooms.

Ceiling light fixtures are great for starters, but when it comes to setting a specific ambiance, they do not quite do the trick. They leave unwanted dark corners and unflattering shades on decorations. Table fixtures with shades are still popular, but overall, they’re quite impractical. A floor lamp is easier to clean, has a better throw of light, and casts the most flattering shadows for the room.

With standing structures, such as torchieres, there is much more room for uniqueness. They have a large base upon which there is plenty of room to decorate. They also leave room on tabletops so that the decorator has more surfaces to work with for picture frames and trinkets. There is also not the burden of worrying if a table is sturdy enough to support the decoration.

Torchiere floor lamps are a practical, unique and versatile addition to the room. They offer the right amount of lighting for reading and entertaining, and their standing structure makes them easy to clean. Furthermore, they don’t burden smaller, unsteady tables with the factor of weight and balance, so they are more dependable. Contact us today to find out more information on energy efficiency or simply take a look at our cost-saving, energy-saving products.

Weather always varies from month to month–one week you can have high temperatures and sunshine, the next can be bitter cold and snow. In most states, where the weather has these fluctuations, storm damage can cause much misery for the home owners and homeowner’s/property insurance professionals alike. Weather proofing your home is essential to keeping your belongings and family safe. The following are some safety tips to help you keep your family and home safe all year long:

Keep up your home and the surrounding grounds. When your roof needs it, get it replaced–when your driveway becomes cracked, resurface it or replace it as necessary. Gutters and downspouts should always be free of dirt and debris. In the winter months, keep your roof cleared of snow and ice. Check your fireplace and chimney each year as well and ensure they are clean.

Additionally, a weather safety kit can help during a weather emergency–in case of power outages, heater/water loss, and other dangerous conditions. Consider what can be kept in your home such as first aid supplies, non-perishable food/bottled water, and medication. If you are able to, keep vehicles in the garage during storms and other bad weather. Move loose items, such as yard furniture, boats, bikes, to safe, enclosed areas.

When the bad weather passes, inspect for damage immediately and alert your insurance agent. Keep a record of all property damage as you notice it. Even with your best efforts and following the above advice, damage from weather can occur at many levels. Make sure you take the necessary precautions when weather proofing. Contact us today for all your weatherization needs and feel free to ask how we can weather proof your home today.