Homeowner Digest

Jim Olenbush asked:


Though concern for the environment might be why more people are buying green homes today, Austin buyers are definitely falling for the way they save them money on overall operating costs and maintenance.

In 2007 there were more green homes built, bought and sold in the US than ever before. And why wouldn’t there be? Green building techniques and standards have improved dramatically over the past decade, making environmentally friendly houses an attractive alternative. Consumers and builders are learning that a green home doesn’t have to be a geodesic dome or pit house, it just has to meet certain standards and be kind to the environment. Similarly priced and designed, today’s green homes also promise significant savings on utility bills, lowered maintenance costs, a healthier indoor environment and increased peace of mind. Naturally, all these benefits are also translating into a higher resale value when it comes time to move on.

Austin’s Green Home Building program is the oldest in the country and has a lot to do with the predominance of green buildings in this part of Texas. Launched in 1991 and now under the wing of Austin Energy, the program supports builders and homeowners to make Austin homes more energy efficient by allowing them to tap into information, rebates, loans and free upgrades.

This New Austin House

This past year, Austin’s green homes were in the spotlight again when “This Old House” featured a green renovation to one of Austin’s drafty old character homes. Taking an old fangled little bungalow and adding eco-friendliness with features like photo voltaic cells on the roof, rainwater collection for irrigation, spray-foam insulation, recycled-glass tile and counter tops, and formaldehyde-free wood managed to garner Austin Energy’s coveted five-star rating for the finished project. For the house’s owners this added efficiency translates into $720 less in utility bills every year and a $10,000 rebate from Austin Energy’s Solar Rebate Program. For the city or the world for that matter, it means 3 tones less carbon dioxide, 14 pounds less nitrogen oxide and 20 pounds less sulfur dioxide.

Buyers interested in purchasing a new green home can expect to see more of them on the market in years to come. Early in 2008, the National Association of Home Builders will release the National Green Building Standard, an ANSI standard for green home building based on guidelines the NAHB released in 2005. The soon to be released standards cover a range of green factors including lot prep and design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water conservation, comfort and indoor environment.



Solar Hot Water

Earnest T. PhD/THC asked:


Who knows how much it would cost EVERY American to convert to Alternative Energies ? $50,000. . . $100,000 ? They scream about feeding the millions of poor people. . .. how the heck could we afford to CONVERT every HOME and CAR in America ?
Well Timmy, where’s the money gonna come from to get it started ?
Shoot.. . I just realized that I spelled Irrigation incorrectly. . . . Sorry !

Green Energy

someone asked:


It has vaulted ceilings with a 20 foot bank of south facing windows.. There are no trees and because it is on a steep slope, the trees would take YEARS to reach a useful height.

It does not have air conditioning….

are there some alternative energy ways to retro fit this home to keep it cooler??

any ideas welcome!!THANKS!

Solar Power Stuff

Smiley asked:


Is millboard friable? I gently rubbed some millboard, at least that is what I thought it was, and was wondering if this easily releases fibers. Anyway, this board is between two chiller vents in an old plant I work in. It may not even be millboard, but it looked like it.

Also, what is millboard used in?

Personal Injury Lawyer by State

Kimberley Ward asked:


A “green” home is a home that is highly energy efficient, has excellent indoor environment, and is built to exceed local building codes. So are they ugly then? Look like the Jetson’s space-age house? So obvious they would stick out like a sore thumb? No. No. and No. A green home looks just like conventional construction inside and out.

The beginning of a green home is a set of plans that starts with a conventional floor plan and elevations. Then an experienced green home building will modify the systems of the house to accommodate green home features and energy saving devises - A geothermal system rather than air conditioning; in-floor heating rather than a conventional natural gas forced air system; a grey water recapture system; energy efficient windows, doors, appliances, and water heater; and high quality, high ‘R’rated insulation.

The best part is that these systems work very different from their conventional counterparts, but are invisible to the homeowner and their guests. The home will be quieter and cleaner without the dust and noise of conventional forced air heating. And the energy cost savings are substantial, depending on your particular situation.

Energy Star appliances sip electricity but are similar or identical to your current appliances. And cabinets and trim can be identical to conventional houses or use recycled material or earth-friendly woods for a more eco-friendly alternatives.

The cladding and shingles on the outside of the home are no different than a conventional home making the home blend in to its neighborhood seamlessly. However, the market value is probably higher than the surrounding homes due to its energy saving advantages and tax incentives.

So a green home is a beautiful swan, not an ugly duckling, at all!



Solar Power Generation

m_cantabile asked:


I know if the government really put every resource they had into alternative energy, it would become possible to commercialize this industry in as little as 10 years. But 2 decades of war in the Middle East have not encouraged this move, neither have terrorist attacks. Greenland already is moving away from oil as its primary source of energy, why can’t we? We have scientists and MBA’s that are just as brilliant. The only good news I’ve heard is that somewhere in the Midwest, I think it’s Colorado, the state returns some money to homes which use wind-powered energy instead of the traditional forms of energy (oil or electricity). Tax breaks on electric cars are not enough, because I haven’t seen that big of a change in our energy resources yet.

Energy Alternatives

HAPPY_DAYZZZ asked:


I just found out that a house i am potentially buying has asbestos on the heating insulation . I will hire a proffesional to remove it , but what would they replace the insulation with?

Has anyone ever gone through this process before?

How to Find a Personal Injury Lawyer

dwentworth58 asked:


We have purchased a lot and are going to build a house ourselves. Can we up our liability on our homeowners to cover the liability and replacement of the home we are building, or do have to purchase a separate policy to cover the construction?

Personal Injury Lawyer Lookup

Critty asked:


I know some of them, because I track the keywords people use to get to my site, but is there a program or a website I can go to and it will list all the keywords google and yahoo use to directo people to my site. People come through weird ways, not just meta tags ….

page rank

alliedeal94 asked:


1.Pink Fiberglass Insulation R-19 (K67)
for 2×6 walls
2.Pink Fiberglass Insulation R-13 (K70)

Personal Injury Law Firm