With the monsoon season upon us, we know to brace ourselves for our old pals, Blustery Wind and Vigorous Rain, but this year brings with it a newcomer and attention hogger: Roiling Haboob.
The haboob. A dust cloud with the span of the Superstitions churning its way across the valley, engulfing homes from Queen Creek to Cave Creek and on. This celeb of the moment certainly deserves attention. I've lived in Arizona for over 20 years and have never seen anything like one. And I'm not saying there hasn't been one before; I've just not seen it. And even if there has been one; have there ever been three in the span of two months?
I may not know the haboob's cause, but I certainly know its effect. Dust. Outside and inside. Yes, haboob dust makes its way through those little cracked seals around your doors and windows and peppers your carpet and coats your counters.
Just another reason to have Greener House Today come out and find those cracks and seal them up. Air sealing, haboob proofing, it's all the same. The bottom line is: air and AC stays in the house, dust and hot air stay out. One more way you can save money, save energy, and save the earth all at once!
4/15/11
8 Tips for an Arizona Summer
We know it's coming. We watch the weather nightly, just to cringe at each rising degree. I've said to Bryan countless times throughout the years, "Whoa. It's gonna be in the 90s next week!" or, "Holy cow. We're hitting 100 this weekend!" Like it's some big surprise.
The mercury rising does have its perks: the pool becomes bathwateresque and, therefore, finally swimmable, I don't have to carry around a jacket at night, the laundry loads get lighter (have you seen the clothes teenage girls are wearing these days?) These are joyful things, and I truly appreciate them.
But then, there is the dreaded ELECTRIC BILL. This, I'm not very fond of. Not. At. All.
So in the spirit of another Arizona scorcher approaching, I've compiled a list of things we lucky Zonies can do to help keep that utility bill at bay.
1. This one is the easiest. Turn off the lights! You would be surprised how many watts that light left on in the, uh-hum, tiny toilet room, is using.
2. If you have a programmable thermostat, you're lucky, and you can set it to energy-saving levels when not home. If not, it may be time for you to do some swimsuit trotting and set your T-stat to 78 degrees or above.
3. Another no-brainer: replace incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs. They last much longer and use 75% less energy.
4. Air dry your clothes. The dryer is a huge sucker of electricity.
5. Use power strips for appliances that don't need to run constantly, and turn the power off when you are not using them. Easy!
6. Use electical applicances less. Do you really need to bake the lasagne in the oven for an hour and a half when you can pop it in the microwave for 17-25 minutes?
7. HAVE A HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT! Yes, this is my business, and yes, this may be a shameless plug, but really it is another no-brainer. We have lowered bills up to 40% right here in Phoenix. Visit our website to see exactly what we do to lower those bills (http://www.greenerhousetoday.com/).
8. Use natural light, but use it wisely. Blinds open on a large west-facing window at 4:00 in the afternoon will just make it hotter in there.
Do you have a summer-saving tidbit? I would love to hear it!
The mercury rising does have its perks: the pool becomes bathwateresque and, therefore, finally swimmable, I don't have to carry around a jacket at night, the laundry loads get lighter (have you seen the clothes teenage girls are wearing these days?) These are joyful things, and I truly appreciate them.
But then, there is the dreaded ELECTRIC BILL. This, I'm not very fond of. Not. At. All.
So in the spirit of another Arizona scorcher approaching, I've compiled a list of things we lucky Zonies can do to help keep that utility bill at bay.
1. This one is the easiest. Turn off the lights! You would be surprised how many watts that light left on in the, uh-hum, tiny toilet room, is using.
2. If you have a programmable thermostat, you're lucky, and you can set it to energy-saving levels when not home. If not, it may be time for you to do some swimsuit trotting and set your T-stat to 78 degrees or above.
3. Another no-brainer: replace incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs. They last much longer and use 75% less energy.
4. Air dry your clothes. The dryer is a huge sucker of electricity.
5. Use power strips for appliances that don't need to run constantly, and turn the power off when you are not using them. Easy!
6. Use electical applicances less. Do you really need to bake the lasagne in the oven for an hour and a half when you can pop it in the microwave for 17-25 minutes?
7. HAVE A HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT! Yes, this is my business, and yes, this may be a shameless plug, but really it is another no-brainer. We have lowered bills up to 40% right here in Phoenix. Visit our website to see exactly what we do to lower those bills (http://www.greenerhousetoday.com/).
8. Use natural light, but use it wisely. Blinds open on a large west-facing window at 4:00 in the afternoon will just make it hotter in there.
Do you have a summer-saving tidbit? I would love to hear it!
1/4/11
Green Baby Step - Calculate your Carbon Footprint!
Take just a minute to find out how large your carbon footprint is! You need to have your electric, water, and gas bills handy because they ask a few questions that only a bill can answer. When answering, take this into consideration: if you have a pool heater and never use it, answer "no" to pool heater. Good luck and let me know your results!
https://www.energyguide.com/Calculators/Default.aspx?referrerid=82&sid=509&h=0
https://www.energyguide.com/Calculators/Default.aspx?referrerid=82&sid=509&h=0
Happy New Year!
And it's going to be a good one, this 2011, I feel sure. Something about a new year always brings a fresh view to light. A clean slate feeling. We chuck the old calendar (in the recycle, of course), with its cluttered squares, grimy erasings, and sloppy cross-outs, and pin up that unmarked, prestine new replacement.
Maybe this is how the whole New Year's resolution concept came about. With this new beginning, some of us feel an overwhelming desire to change something.
I'm not going to get preachy and tell everyone to get greener this year. But it would be interesting, wouldn't it? To have a resolution that bettered something bigger than ourselves?
Here's to a happy, healthy, (greener) New Year!
Maybe this is how the whole New Year's resolution concept came about. With this new beginning, some of us feel an overwhelming desire to change something.
I'm not going to get preachy and tell everyone to get greener this year. But it would be interesting, wouldn't it? To have a resolution that bettered something bigger than ourselves?
Here's to a happy, healthy, (greener) New Year!
12/13/10
Green Baby Step - Dishwashing Down-and-Dirty
Put a halt on pre-rinsing. You bought that dishwasher for a reason, right? So why do all the work for it, anyway? Nixing pre-rinsing saves water (all that pre-scrubbing uses up to 6,500 gallons, according to Consumer Reports), and keeps a little more green in your wallet. Simply scrape off the chunks with whatever utensil is handy and allow the dishwashers to show off. You'll be surprised at what they can do!
12/5/10
Green Baby Step - Boo! Phantom Energy
This Green Baby Step is numero uno of a plethora of baby steps this blog will feature so you can learn to get your green on without making scary massive changes.
Choose the most unused room in your house. Now, slowly, enter the room and look around. What's plugged in? Lamps? Maybe a clock? Did you know that these guys use energy even when they are not turned on? Now, unplug them! Yes, that's what I said. UNPLUG THEM. You may have to reset the time on the clock next time you have guests, but hey. It's for the greater good! Good luck!
Choose the most unused room in your house. Now, slowly, enter the room and look around. What's plugged in? Lamps? Maybe a clock? Did you know that these guys use energy even when they are not turned on? Now, unplug them! Yes, that's what I said. UNPLUG THEM. You may have to reset the time on the clock next time you have guests, but hey. It's for the greater good! Good luck!
12/3/10
Nifty HydroRight
Yes! I finally found what every eco-friendly, financially conscious person must have: the HydroRight Dual Flush! Simply install on the current toilet and voila! Push the top button for liquids, bottom button for, uh, "full flush power" as they so eloquently put it right on the box. I will keep you posted on whether or not this is worth it. If so, Greener House Today will very much enjoy offering this installation! Stay tuned!
12/1/10
So what is this duct sealing thing, anyway?
Time to get serious. This is truly something every homeowner should know and do. So pull another shot of espresso, pop on your learning hats, and get out your notepad, because here comes a lesson.
Duct sealing is simply the process of reducing the amount of cooled or heated air that escapes from leaks in the duct system that is generated by your heater/AC system. There are numerous connections in a duct system, and each connection has a potential for leakage. Duct sealing makes these connections more air tight, thus reducing the amount of leakage from the system. A trained technician goes up into your attic or crawlspace and applies duct mastic around each and every connection. They will also seal the air handler itself to ensure minimal leakage. If the air handler is sitting on a platform and the air return comes into this platform before going back into the air handler, the technician will also ensure this platform is air tight so as not to pull outside air back into the system. This is often the most significant source of the duct leakage because the air handler creates tremendous pressure to pull the air back through it to be heated or cooled once again. Duct sealing may be the single most effective measure a home owner can make for a return on investment in the home energy efficiency realm.
Understand? If not, please feel free to shoot a post back to me so I may explain in different terms. Very important. Well, important if you enjoy saving energy and watching those pesky utility bills drop like Arizona home values in '06.
Duct sealing is simply the process of reducing the amount of cooled or heated air that escapes from leaks in the duct system that is generated by your heater/AC system. There are numerous connections in a duct system, and each connection has a potential for leakage. Duct sealing makes these connections more air tight, thus reducing the amount of leakage from the system. A trained technician goes up into your attic or crawlspace and applies duct mastic around each and every connection. They will also seal the air handler itself to ensure minimal leakage. If the air handler is sitting on a platform and the air return comes into this platform before going back into the air handler, the technician will also ensure this platform is air tight so as not to pull outside air back into the system. This is often the most significant source of the duct leakage because the air handler creates tremendous pressure to pull the air back through it to be heated or cooled once again. Duct sealing may be the single most effective measure a home owner can make for a return on investment in the home energy efficiency realm.
Understand? If not, please feel free to shoot a post back to me so I may explain in different terms. Very important. Well, important if you enjoy saving energy and watching those pesky utility bills drop like Arizona home values in '06.
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