Each summer since 1990 the Energy Fair has been held in rural central Wisconsin (Custer, WI this year).  For that weekend it becomes the global hot spot for renewable energy education. The Energy Fair is the world’s largest renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living educational event of its kind.

The Energy Fair has
* Over 270 exhibitors
* Over 200 workshops
* Mass transit offered from Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay/Appleton, Chicago and Minneapolis.
* Free hourly shuttles from Stevens Point
* Clean Energy Car Show
* Green Home Pavilion
* Sustainable Table Workshop Area
* Educator Workshops
* Hands On Workshops
* Food, entertainment for the whole family!

For mor info use this link:
http://www.the-mrea.org/energy_fair.php

Here are a couple links to where you can find this type of product (we used the first one, you need a header hose to go with it):

http://02a5830.netsolstores.com/rainweave22x-1-1.aspx

http://www.rittenhouse.ca/asp/Product.asp?PG=177

We should all be conscious of water usage all the time, we only have so much clean water on this planet and that amount is shrinking as we contaminate it, and as glacial ice melts running into our oceans (it’s all fresh water, those glaciers). 

If we suffer a drought this year, there will be even more reason to conserve. 

 

There are a number of simple things that we can all do to conserve and use our water more efficiently, here are a few ideas:

·          Turn hot water down.  When you are running water for something – dishes, bath, washing machine, anything, if the water is too hot, don’t turn up the cold water – turn down the hot water!  You pay money to heat the hot water, so use less of that.

·          Use shorter cycles. A shorter cleaning cycle in your dishwasher is often enough. Try using the “quick wash” or “china and crystal” setting, especially if you rinse the dishes first. Using the air dry feature also saves energy. The same goes for laundry. “Quick wash” or the “light” setting is often all that is needed.

·         Use only what you need. Your bathroom faucet is often used only for washing your hands and face.  Try turning those water faucets full open, then go under the sink and turn the hot and cold water valves one half, to three forth OFF.  You should have enough water to wash hands or fill drinking glass and not waste water.

·         Reuse water.  Whenever we shower or wash vegetables we waste gallons of water.  Place a bucket in the shower to collect water during your shower and in your sink when you are washing fruits and vegetables.  Then use that water for potted plants inside and out, or anywhere there is a plant in need of water.

Feel free to add your ideas to these and share with others!!!

The three most common categories that are reviewed when talking about green building are:

1. Energy Efficiency

2. Non-toxic materials

3. Reduced consumption (fuel and resource conservation)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

This category applies to everything from the car you drive to the roof over your head.  If you look at your monthly budget a good portion of it goes to gas for your car and your utility bill that cools and heats your home.  The price of energy, regardless of its form, is not going to go down significantly any time soon.  The only way that it will go down is if we explore alternate energy sources (wind power, solar power, fuel cells and the like).

 

In the meantime green building practices can help us reduce the amount of energy we need.

 

 

Energy Star ratings are a great place to start when you are looking at doors, windows, appliances and even roofs because they meet government standards for energy conservation. Although, if you are looking for tax credits associated with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (or the ‘Stimulus Bill’) beware that some windows with the Energy Star rating will not qualify after June 1, 2009.

Metal roofs are super energy savers, and may offer you reduced insurance premiums on your home owner’s insurance as well.  The metal roof we most often recommend is a Metro Roof Products GLAVALUME ® Steel.  These stone coated steel roofing systems create a strong, weather-tight, energy efficient cap to your home.

Part of owning a home is the regular maintenance a home requires. This maintenance can range from major appliance replacement to a new roof. Often home owners inherit items within their homes that are less than desirable. Items like inefficient and/or leaky doors and windows come to mind. Replacing these items is a major investment in your home that should ultimately pay off with energy savings.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (or the “Stimulus Bill”) has made changes to the energy efficiency tax credits available to Americans.

The biggest change is that the credits have been raised from 10% of the cost to 30% of the cost for installations put in place from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010. The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 over this two year period. Along with that, the cap of $200 on windows has been removed.

It should be noted that some ENERGY STAR qualified windows will not qualify after June 1, 2009. It is important that you check to see if the windows you are considering installing will qualify for the tax credit. Absolute Construction and Remodeling Inc. can help you install qualified windows.

Looks like asphalt, but its not!

Did you know that metal roofs can look just like asphalt roofs and be significantly more energy efficient? This Metro Shingle roof is an example of how a metal roof can look like traditional asphalt shingles. Your savings don’t need to stop with a tax credit, you can get immediate savings to your heating and cooling bills with a metal roof.

ENERGY STAR Water Heaters, Furnaces and AC Systems Qualify for Tax Credit

Roofs and windows aren’t the only things that qualify for tax credits.  Everything from HVAC systems (furnaces and air conditioners), to water heaters, to insulation and even the car you drive can qualify.  If you’d like to learn more about how you can take advantage of the tax credits available, or if you are considering a new water heater, furnace or air conditioning system, contact Absolute Construction and Remodeling Inc.  The following website may also be of interest to you:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits 

If you are considering alternate energy sources for your home, please be aware that Absolute Construction and Remodeling Inc. has experience with geothermal heating systems. Geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum tax credit. This is true for fuel cell, and small wind energy systems as well. In addition credits for these systems are available through 2016. These credits are especially applicable to new home construction and secondary residences where credits for ENERGY STAR roofs and windows do not apply. 

1. Seal it up: Check the outside windows and doors to ensure that there isn’t cold air entering the home. If air is coming through caulk the windows and use weather stripping to seal the doors. And switch out all summer screens with its glass replacement.

2.Inspect the furnace: Have your ducts cleaned and your furnace inspected by a HVAC professional. Change your furnace filter once a month this will prevent your furnace from over-working and over-heating. If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, open the valves slightly and bleed them until water appears this will ensure the proper flow of water through the system. When the time is right you may want to consider switching to geothermal heating/air to save on your energy bill in the winter and summer. Also make sure there is a carbon-monoxide detector near your furnace and that it is operational.

3. Check the lid: Inspect the roof to ensure the shingles are in good condition. Consider adding extra insulation in the attic to prevent warm air from escaping through the roof and causing ice dams. Clean out your gutters and downspouts. Installing leaf guards will minimize debris in your gutters and prevent them from clogging. Check flashing to make sure water can’t enter your home.

4. Protect the pipes: Drain all garden hose and insulate all exposed piping. If you leave for vacation, keep the house temperature at 55 degrees to prevent your pipes from freezing. Make sure you know where your water main shut off valve is in case there is an emergency.

5. Keep the pest at bay: To make sure your home stays rodent free, rake all edible vegetation away from the foundation. Seal up all entry points and any cracks in the foundation. Inspect all sill plates for possible infestation.

We would like to keep a dialogue going with our clients and subscribers so if you have any specific questions about wintering your home respond to this blog with your questions. And remember the only dumb questions are the ones that aren’t asked.

In this week’s blog we are going to start a new segment entitled “Project Wrap-Up”.  After every project is complete we will blog about it and give you a general idea of what the project detailed, how we preformed the job, any issues that we may have ran into during the job, and before and after pictures that will be coming to our Projects Portfolio page soon.

So we have just wrapped-up a new floating cedar deck with an existing enclosed screen on a porch in Golden Valley. The customer requested that we remove the screening, tear-up existing deck, replace deck with cedar, and then re-install the screening.

1. Our first task was to remove the existing screening without damaging it. We achieved this by carefully removing one section of the screening at a time. The screening was held up with screws that were screwed into the existing deck and also nailed into the fascia. This made it somewhat difficult to remove without ruining the fascia.
2. We tore up the existing decking and hauled it off. This was fairly simple since it was pretty old. We basically just pulled it out with our own hands.
3. We re-leveled the surface & started framing the deck which was very difficult because of concrete that was beneath the old decking. The concrete was cracked and significantly shifted which created an uneven surface.
4. While the deck was being framed with green treated wood, we also started staining both sides of the cedar decking boards. We always stain all sides of cedar board decking to keep moisture from causing the boards to warp.
5. We installed the pre-stained cedar decking boards making sure all our Deck Mate screws were in line with each other. We always use screws instead of nails to ensure that all boards a fastened securely and will not pop out later on down the road.
6. We re-installed the screening. We put the screening back in opposite of how we took it out in order to line everything up properly.

An issue that we ran into during this project was the heat; it was about 80 degrees on average out there. The problem with the heat is it’s just not that fun to work in, well we already know that. The real problem comes when it’s time to stain the decking boards and there is not enough shade in the area. If it’s too hot out during the staining process without ample shade, then the boards do not dry properly.  So a good tip is to try and do your staining early in the morning or make sure you have plenty of shade in the area while staining.

All-in-all, the porch turned out to look very nice and the client was pleased with the outcome. To look at some before and after shots, please check out our photo page. If you have any questions about this project or any future projects please let us know by contacting us.

For now, you can look at the Golden Valley Deck page here until the final page is launched.

10 Reasons why you need Life Insurance

1.)    You have a loan on a vehicle

2.)    You or your children have loans for college

3.)    You have credit card debt

4.)    You have personal loans

5.)    Your spouse relies on your income

6.)    You are saving for retirement

7.)    You have outstanding medical bills

8.)    You have young children

9.)    You have a mortgage

10.)  You have a second mortgage

Why is life Insurance Important?

Life Insurance won’t guarantee you’ll never face a tragic situation, just as wearing a seat belt won’t keep you from crashing your car. Whatever hopes and dreams you have for your loved ones can still be realized, even if the worst were to happen.

REAL EXAMPLES:

~Husband/father was driving home from work and lost control of his vehicle. He was killed instantly leaving wife to raise two kids, a $200,000 mortgage and loan for vehicle.

~The couple each had a $500,000 dollar life insurance policy to pay for his $15,000 funeral, $200,000 Mortgage, $20,000 Car loan and also covered expenses to raise children.

~A 19-year old was riding in a vehicle with a few friends. The driver wasn’t paying attention and ran a red light getting T-boned by an on coming vehicle killing the teenager instantly.

~Her parents carried a $100,000 policy which paid for her funeral, college debt and some medical expenses. Parents also missed work for 6 months which life insurance paid for.

~Mother/Wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was given 6 months to live. Family incurred $90,000 in medical bills and many trips to and from hospital. They spent the last two months traveling and shortly after she passed away leaving two children.

~Husband/Father received $250,000 in life insurance which was used to pay for funeral, medical bills, travel expenses and time missed from work.

American Family Insurance offers 25% discount with your home & auto insurance. We offer another discount on your auto insurance with a life insurance policy.  To find out your rate on your home, auto & life insurance go to my link under partnerships and click on American Family Insurance.

Office: 763-428-1004      Fax: 763-428-3063