The basics

A modular building is a ground-breaking technique of building structures that involves dividing a building into several different sections, or modules, and manufacturing them in a factory-run setting at the same time as the site of the building is being developed and prepared. The mechanical aspects of the structure including plumbing, electrical and interior facets are completed before the modules are shipped, assembled and attached to the foundation on job site.

Structures built using modular construction methods surpass building codes, safety and occupancy code specifications including local building requirements. Custom designed modular buildings may contain regular building materials such as vinyl siding, bricks, or metal as required in order to meet client’s aesthetic, functional, and green building LEED requirements.

Benefits and Advantages over traditional construction

The following are some of the immediate advantages of modular buildings:

• Speed. This is the main advantage of a modular construction approach, and one of the most significant modular building benefits and advantages over traditional construction. While the modules are being manufactured in a factory-like environment, the site is simultaneously being developed and prepared. Due to this, these buildings can be ready for occupancy weeks or even months ahead of time. In comparison with conventional structures, the modular buildings can provide savings of 30 to 50 percent just by the simultaneous preparation of the modules, and the construction site.

• Innovative designs. Modular buildings are known for their excellence in design. Depending on the client’s needs, a modular construction can be a single story building or a multi-story structure featuring optimal designs and an emphasis on the aesthetic appeal and sustainability.

• Customized Design. Modular builders can work with clients in designing and laying out the structure early on. There is often a collaboration between the parties involved to ensure that the custom building requirements are planned and executed well to assure customer satisfaction.

• High quality. When it comes to modular constructions, the level of quality can exceed expectations because there are strict quality control procedures that are implemented for a more efficient process. Multiple inspections on the modules are normally performed at each stage of the process. The construction components are evaluated and given approval by certain agents of the state.

• Maintenance cost reductions. Modular homes and commercial buildings are designed and build with energy efficient features such as added insulation for energy savings, energy efficient appliances that all work to reduce the utility expenses of a building, and other green building elements for the health and safety of the occupants.

• Multiple uses. These buildings have numerous uses and are likewise flexible and versatile. They can be used permanently or temporarily and have a lifespan of more than 30 years. In fact, modular structures can be used as temporary and permanent classrooms, health care and military facilities in both urban and traditional areas.

Conclusion

Due to their practical characteristics and quick turnaround time from groundbreaking to occupancy, modular structures offer many advantages for the end user vs. traditionally construction. With ease and speed of building and features like customization and flexibility, these buildings are set to become the next generation way of building homes, commercial buildings, educational facilities, hotels, and hospitals.

If sustainability is one of the goals for your building project, then a sober assessment of priorities will help to guide your selection of green building technologies.  Whether your project is a new construction, remodel or renovation, the sustainable identity of your home will only be genuine when its components and elements furnish positive returns on investment.  Unfortunately, the most visible and showy applications may offer the least value for supporting sustainability.  Solar collectors and panels can be exciting and enticing.  Unfortunately for our egos, it is most often the very common (even dull) conservation measures which furnish the biggest bang for the buck.

Conservation

A bit of clever design can find much opportunity for energy savings through conservation methods such as thick insulation, secure air barriers and construction detail which are carefully considered and executed.  Tight high quality windows and doors can reward investment.  Caulking and weather-stripping can be the most boring, but the most effective means of saving energy.  Don’t forget the lighting.  CFL and LED lamps can reduce electrical usage.  These and other basic conservation techniques should be the first considerations.

Passive Solar

The next most effective resource-conserving approach is passive solar architecture.  If your home is located at a site with southern exposure and in a cold climate, then a passive solar orientation can provide significant financial savings with little added expense.  Such application can be as simple as arranging more glass on the south side of the house than on the other sides.  If the sunshine entering these windows lands on masonry surfaces, then energy can be stored by day and slowly released during evening hours.  Modest overhangs will shade the heat gain during winter and allow the sunshine to enter during the winter due to the seasonable changes of the sun’s motion.  The simplicity of such designs is appealing.  Passive solar architecture can be accomplished without moving parts (except for the sun) and is therefore affordable and reliable.

Passive Solar Home Design

Active Solar

Finally, for those who have taken advantage of all of the above opportunities and still wish to venture further into sustainable home design, then active solar collection systems may be appropriate.  These will include photovoltaic power generation and domestic water heating systems.  In locations where water is scarce, rainwater harvesting and grey-water recycling may be employed.   All of these installations however will represent significant investment and financial returns must be carefully examined to determine if they are economically justified in each particular application.  Tax credits and deductions may be available for these systems (as with conservation and passive solar expenses) and these incentives will vary from region to region.  Full financial analysis can be complicated, and solar panel installers can often lend helpful support.

PV Solar Power System

By establishing priorities, your project will follow sound principles that lead to architecture with integrity.  You will be assured that the green building measures employed in your sustainable project truly support your commitment to conserving energy and other resources.

As you can see from the image above this windows measure 72 degrees F, while outside temperature that day was 22 degrees, with a 27 F high. (Historic weather data).

The 50 degree difference in temperature is the free heat that enters your home and stays. Here is how the Solar Thermal Mass windows work: In a nut shell, it as a 2 inches thick air and water-tight container filled with special liquid that collects and stores solar thermal energy. Special chemicals added to the liquid prevent stain deposits on the inner walls if the unit. In the picture above, these units are used as building blocks, and cover almost half of the south-facing wall.

In the winter, when the sun is low, these solar thermal mass windows collect solar heat since the sun hits them directly. In the summer, the sun is much higher and with appropriate shading, these thermal mass windows keep the home well insulated without collecting any heat. Additionally, a special low emittance and high solar gain argon filled window unit is installed just outside the thermal windows, so they are not directly exposed to the outside temperature.

How to heat your existing how for free

The picture above was taken in a new construction house, but for most people the interesting question is how to use these thermal mass windows in the existing home or apartment?

My plan was simple: I have 6 large windows that face south and an unheated balcony which cannot be used in the winter because it is too cold there. In the heated living space, we have new double pane Low-E windows installed, which are much more efficient than the original single-pane wood windows from the 50′s. I am going to build an enclosure in which I can stack 4-6 thermal mass solar window units, and have them up in the window during the winter months, and take them out in the summer.

This will not be as efficient as the one in the new construction home above but it will certainly help reduce my heating bill and carbon footprint.

As for the balcony, I first need to replace all the single-pane glazing and then I can stack the thermal mass windows all along the bottom of the windows. I’ll build special shelves to make the process of putting them up for the winter, and removing them in the summer, easier.

Traditional Sash Windows – Thermal Performance Solution

Here is how to make your traditional sash windows more energy efficient…

Sash Windows

Traditional vertical sliding sash windows, are based on a simple design of two of sliding glass panels (top and bottom sashes) and have been part of the UK’s architectural heritage for over three hundred years. The sash window originates from 17th century England, where the first prototype, the single hung sash window, was created by Robert Hooke, an inventor specialized, among others, in mechanics and architecture. The first type was more basic than those created nowadays and can still be seen in some historic buildings, predominantly of aristocratic ownership.

Solutions

Instead of replacing traditional sash windows, there are multiple reasons why owners should opt for restoring them to their initial appearance and at the same time optimize their thermal performance.

Traditional Sash Window

Sash Window Repair

The restoration process is ideally to be carried out by specialized companies and is always adapted to the specific type of sash windows and its particular deficiencies. Common sash window repair works include, replacing sections of the box frame normally the lower section of pulley stiles, lower sections of outer linings, bottom rails and window sills and replacing missing puttying and repainting. Using traditional carpentry and joinery methods with advanced modern epoxy resins ensures a permanent repair. This process does not alter their original appearance but instead, mends the alterations brought to it by time and natural phenomena.

Sash Window Draught proofing

This is also very effective process if done correctly it maximizes heat retention in the home and minimizes heat and energy loss. Sash window draught proofing is less known perhaps, yet once a sash window has been overhauled and draught correctly, even old sash windows can equal modern ones in terms of energy efficiency.

In this process the staff beads and parting beads are replaced with new beadings with a draught proofing material permanently machined into the beads, top and bottom sash re-fitted and also fitted with a draught proofing material (usually a brush pile). The 4no sash cords are replaced and the counter balance weights are re-

Sash Window Draught proofing

weight to the correct counter balance ensuring the sash close with a minimum gap.

Resources:

Find more green Home Improvement Ideas at Green Home Ideas blog.

Sometimes all it means is installing a high-efficiency toilet. A traditional toilet will use thousands of gallons more water, over one year, than a high-efficiency toilet.

Green Toilet

Don’t flush your money down the drain, literally! A toilet alone can use up to 27 percent of the entire household’s water usage, according to the EPA.

If your home was built before 1994, chances are your bathroom fixtures aren’t saving you any money. New designs are required, by federal standards, to use less water. Replacing your toilets, showerheads, and faucets with low-flow models will save you money automatically, even if you don’t limit your use of the appliances themselves.

The newest kind of green toilet has a dual-flush mechanism, which uses one small flush when only a tiny amount of water is needed, and a second flush with more water when it’s needed.

Separate shower stalls can also save money, rather than the tub-shower combination. Running a bath, according to the EPA, can use seven times the energy as hopping in the shower. If your shower is separate, you won’t be tempted to have a seat and whip out the bubble bath.

Special thanks to Budget Bath for this article, Bath Remodeling Maryland
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In this guide I am going to present some fairly easy to implement ideas on how to increase your home’s energy efficiency on a budget.

Home Insulation Ideas

If your home was built before 1970s, then it is very likely that it does not have sufficient levels of insulation, which results in unnecessary heat loss. Many states now offer some very attractive home insulation programs, grants and rebates. For instance, the state of Massachusetts, my home state, provides a 75% tax credits rebate on energy efficient insulation up to $2000.00 in year 2011.

There are many similar programs in other states, and taking advantage of similar energy efficient insulation rebate programs will not only put money back in your pocket, and reduce your heating and cooling costs. But it will also increase the saleability of your home, reduce the chance of your heating pipes bursting in the winter, reduce cold air drafts in your home, and make your home a more comfortable place for you and your family.

Attic Insulation

Going back to older homes built before 1970s, if you happen to live in one, chances are that your loft or attic insulation is not sufficiently insulated and ventilated, which is a common reason for ice dams on the roof in the winter and costly roof, walls, and insulation damages that may not necessarily be covered by homeowners insurance. If you plan on having a new roof installed any time soon, then consider replacing your old roof with an energy efficient metal roofing system, which will help reduce your cooling costs in the summer, and help stop ice dams in the winter.

You can better insulate your attic by locating air leaks, and applying a caulk sealant to stop the unwanted air leaks.
You can feel for this air leaks with your hand, or buy a special tool for detecting thermal leaks in your home at your local home improvement store. Another alternative would be having a professional home energy audit performed in your home, which would give you a complete report outlining locations where energy loss due to insufficient insulation and air leaks occurs.

You can then, follow up on recommendations of home energy audit report, and have a contractor insulate and seal poorly insulated, and poorly sealed areas in your house for you, or you could save a bit of money by taking on these inadequacies in your home insulation levels yourself with the help of specialty sealants, and attic insulation bats for your attic.

Having a sufficiently insulated and properly ventilated attic will help prevent ice dams on your roof. Being prepared for cold storms with a properly insulated home can save a ton of money and headaches from having to deal with busted pipes and ice dams damage in the winter. Trust me on this!

Insulating Walls

You can have your walls insulated with a blown in insulation, or you can have more insulation installed if you are planning to install new siding on your house some time in the near future. Obviously, blown insulation is much easier and less costly then, ripping apart your sheet rock to install a cavity wall insulation, but if you are doing a complete remodel of certain rooms in your home, and you are taking off old sheet rock, then you can have your wall cavities insulated during this time. Although, in all honesty ripping off your old sheet rock, or plaster and installing a new one is a messy and expensive way to do it.

Simple way to insulate your windows for the Winter

If you do not quite have the money to replace your old windows with energy efficient ones, then you can install a special film over your old windows, which will help reduce the cold air drafts thereby helping to keep your rooms warmer and saving on money on reduced heating bills.

These are the simple yet effective basic ways to make your home greener and more energy efficient on a budget. If you have already done these and are ready for the next step, then consider replacing your old oil burner with an energy efficient gas heating system. Once again there may be some good rebates available for that when you choose to upgrade your heating system with a 92 to 96% energy efficient gas burner. The cost of gas is less than the cost of oil, and having an energy efficient burner will further reduce your heating costs in the winter. You can also install energy efficient gas-powered hot water burners to reduce the cost of heating water in your home.

More Ideas

You can obtain even more energy efficiency in your home by replacing your lights with energy efficient lighting, and by installing, eco-friendly shower heads in your bathroom.

With the growing awareness of the harm done to the environment by oil based products, plastics, and energy inefficient buildings, people and companies are increasingly looking for more ways to build homes that are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Replacing your old incandescent lights, or CFLs with modern state-of-the-art LED lights can reduce your home energy consumption, lower your utility bills, and benefit the environment.

Evolution of Light Bulbs

Many people have already made a switch from traditional incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). However, technological advances and innovations of the last few decades can now offer something far more attractive than conventional lighting products to green building conscious owners. LED lighting can be an excellent option for lowering your long-term light bulb replacement costs, lowering your electricity costs, and reducing environmental pollution.

Light-emitting diodes, or LED lights are solid-state components providing intense light at a far lower energy usage rates than both incandescent and compact fluorescent lights. In fact, you can save up to 80% off your electric bill with LED lighting. Modern bright LED light bulbs can provide significant savings over compact fluorescent lights. Some high-end LED light bulbs use just a quarter of the energy of CFLs while generating the same amount of light. Unlike CFLs, LEDs attain their full brightness as soon as you turn them on. LEDs also have longer lasting life spans ranging from 25,000 to 100,000 hours. That’s over 10 years of being turned on for some 8-10 hours per day. Very impressive indeed!

LED Lighting Technology

Early red LEDs have been used as electronic components in calculators, watches, and as indicator lights, however technology was not advanced enough to use them as actual sources of light. But things started to change rather rapidly when the first bright white LED light bulb was invented in 1995.

Ever since then, LED light manufacturers started working on developing viable and cost effective LED light bulbs for consumers to be used as energy efficient, long lasting and reliable replacements for conventional light bulbs. Fast forward to modern time, and you will find a new, yet hardly surprising development; LEDs have emerged as viable lighting products for consumers looking to replace their CFLs and incandescent lights.

Current Limitations of LEDs and Future Outlook

Although LEDs still have limitations in terms of conquering the consumer market due to their relatively high cost, and limited angle of light focus, the technology does not stand still, and LED lighting product prices are expected to drop within the next few years, while their brightness and reliability is expected to nearly double.

Dimmable LED Light Bulbs

The temperature of light emitted by some dimmable LEDs like LumiSelect manufactured by EarthLed can be adjusted to offer brighter light in working areas in order to see clearly when working with tools and instruments in the garage or in the lab, and warmer, softer light in living spaces for relaxation and comfort. LumiSelect dimmable LED bulbs can be used with standard dimmer switches, and dimming home automation systems.

dimmable LED bulbs

Benefits

LED lighting offers many appealing benefits, including:

Energy efficiency – using LEDs can lower your electric bills by up to 80%.
Directional usage – light from LEDs is directional and does not create annoying glare like other sources.
Long life – LED lamps can last 25 to 30 years, drastically reducing maintenance costs.
Bright, instant light – LEDs instantly provide bright, white light, without the delay, or flicker of compact fluorescent bulbs.

Non-toxic – LEDs do not contain mercury like compact fluorescent lamps, meaning that they are less of a bio-hazard upon disposal.

Temperature resistant – LED lamps can be used in any environment since they are not affected by changes in climate or temperature.

The light from LED lamps doesn’t contribute to ecological light pollution when used outside – this means that these lights do not add to sky glow or cause disruptions to migratory or reproductive patterns as conventional light can. The lack of sky glow from LED lamps means less impact on moths, birds, lizards, frogs, and a wide variety of other species that can be negatively affected by other light sources.

LED Lighting Prices

While LED lighting carries a higher initial cost, the long life and high efficiency of these lamps create cost savings over their life-cycle. These long-term cost savings, along with the diminished use of fossil fuels for energy, the absence of toxins such as mercury in production, and the reduced effects of urban light pollution, make LED lighting highly beneficial both economically and ecologically. As technology advances rapidly, prices of LEDs are expected to fall by some 30-50% in the next few years, while their nominal brightness and overall performance is expected to improve greatly.

Currently you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 per modern state of the art LED light bulb. Higher-end LEDs like dimmable bright LEDs with 120 degree angles of light focus would be on a higher end of that spectrum for the time being.

Prediction

Similar to the way computers once made typewriters obsolete, in several years we are likely to witness CFLs and incandescent light bulbs virtually disappearing due to lowering of the costs, and increase in the performance of LEDs.

Resources:

LED Lighting Manufacturers

LED Lighting Directory

Concrete is cement, aggregate and water mixed at the right ratios to make it strong. It is always better to mix concrete on the dryer side to get good strength. Slow curing of concrete will make it stronger than a rapid cure.

Mixing Cement

Only mix what you can effectively work with in the allotted pot life. If you are mixing more than a bag, then consider renting or buying a portable cement mixer to help you save the valuable time.

Once your concrete mixture is ready, work the concrete into the very area of the project. Tamping it with a shovel will help force the concrete into every space and work the air pockets out.

Working with Concrete

Level out the concrete using a rake or even a straight edged surface like a 2×4. Smooth out the concrete surface with a masonry trowel.

Be sure to use the necessary tools such as expansion joints, which are really important for projects like replacing a section of a sidewalk. Always use proper safety gear and precautions when working with concrete.

DIY Concrete pouring projects you can do

Some relatively easy DIY projects involving mixing and pouring of the concrete include the following; laying and pouring a sidewalk around your house, making concrete steps for your porch, laying decorative walkways with brick and a concrete binder in your backyard, making decorative concrete block edging, pouring to set fence posts around your home.

If you are planning to do a bigger project involving mixing and pouring of concrete, then you may be better off by hiring a concrete construction company to do the work for you.

Organic vegetables

Due to all the food scares that have been reported, a huge amount of people have begun to think about using the same methods that have been used throughout history and grow their own organic vegetables at home. Growing vegetables in your own back yard is probably the best location for this type of project, especially when the majority of the farm land on sale is being purchased by developers. Even if it was not being sold to these businessmen, the price is too high for most people. Growing organic vegetables in the back yard is cheaper and really much more practical; this project does not require as much space as some may think.

With a little bit of out of the box thinking, you may be pleasantly surprised to see just what type of garden you can grow in your own personal space. A huge amount of these out of the box ideas can be found in magazines that focus on your home and gardening or by searching different internet sites. These tools can help you figure out which approach is best for you and the space that you have access to. An example of one of these ideas is to plant your vegetables in an object that is mobile such as an old wagon; this will make it easier for you to move your little garden into the shade or into the sun.

If the idea of digging around in the back yard is not appealing, then another option is to plant your garden in large sized steel buckets that are galvanized. For a more creative individual, the garden can be placed in pots throughout the yard which can be bought in different types of designs or individuals can even paint them on their own. The amount of space that you may have to work with should not discourage you from taking on this life changing project, no matter how small the space might be.

Alternative Energy Sources

Through the ages, man has thought of alternative energy sources. Wood was an initial energy source from the early days of man. Coal was introduced as a way to conserve the dwindling forests by the year 1500 as Europe teetered on the verge of catastrophic disaster. Petroleum was introduced as a way to reduce dependence on costly and hard to find whale oil.

As time has passed, more ideas have been generated to produce more favorable and enduring energy sources. With worldwide interest in reducing our planet’s carbon footprint, alternative energy sources that can reduce our reliance upon declining stores of fossil fuels while reducing our carbon output, have been found.

Solar energy is a way to generate power from the sun. Wind energy, or use of wind turbines, harnesses power from the wind. Geothermal energy is a way to use the deep Earth’s natural heat to produce electric energy. Bio-fuels, hydrogen, and nuclear power are also forms of alternative energy sources, but are under intense scrutiny due to concerns over their safety.

When an energy source is labeled as “renewable”, it means that this type of energy can be replenished naturally. Wood is still the number one renewable energy and actually emits the same amount of carbon whether burned or allowed to degrade on its own.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is a cheap and green way to produce electricity from sunlight. Solar panels work to produce electricity by capturing the sun’s rays by use of photovoltaic (PV) cells. These cells then convert the sunlight into electricity that can be used to power lights and appliances. While PV cells work better when there is direct sunlight, even cloudy days can generate some power as well.

Solar panels are made up of PV cells and can be attached to your home’s roof or walls. The photovoltaic cells are made up of at least one and sometimes two layers of a semiconducting material. The material is usually silicon. When the sun hits a PV cell there is an electric field produced across the cell’s layers.

PV Solar Panels

Photovoltaic cells come in a wide range of styles and colors. You can choose PV solar panels that look like normal roof tiles or panels that are transparent for use on glass or on top of a conservatory. Each PV cell is rated on strength based upon the amount of energy the cell can produce in full sunlight and is measured in kilowatt peak, or kWp.

Using solar electricity is beneficial in many ways. Since solar power is green power and renewable, there is no harmful CO2 emission. In addition, PV solar panels will cut your electricity bills by around 40%, and will reduce your household’s carbon footprint. You can even sell excess energy that your solar panels produce or store the extra energy in batteries for use on days that are a bit more cloudy, and when you need it.

Solar panels are a great addition to your home as long as you have considered factors such as how much sunlight your home receives each day. If your house has a roof or wall that faces south or 90 degrees within south and receives a great deal of sunlight each day, then solar panels are a good idea.

The roof must be strong enough to hold the solar panels. If you are not sure, ask a building expert or solar panel installer. Do not forget to get permission from your local housing authority before commencing work on your solar panel project, and keep in mind it is better to hire a crew to install the solar panels if you are not sure of your installation abilities. Solar panels are quite costly and it is better to have them installed properly than to risk an accident.

Wind turbines are devices, which convert kinetic energy into mechanical energy. A wind turbine effectively harnesses the wind and turns it into electricity. Small, household sized turbines are called micro-wind or small-wind turbines and can help to power lights and other appliances found in your home.

Large blades are the defining characteristic of wind turbines. These blades are blown by the wind and rotate around, driving the turbine, which produces the electricity. The windiest conditions produce the greatest amount of energy.

Wind Turbines

Household wind turbines are available as either a freestanding structure that is placed in the most exposed position on the land, or are mounted on the roof of the home. The freestanding wind turbines are roughly twice the size of the roof-mounted variety.

There are many benefits of using wind electricity such as cutting not only your electricity bill, but also your carbon footprint. Wind electricity can reduce your energy costs by up to 40% depending upon your wind production. Any excess energy your wind turbine creates can be stored in batteries for future needs or in some cases, sold to electric companies.

Wind turbines are not for every home as obstacles such as large trees, hills, and buildings can interfere with the amount of wind your turbine receives. If your home is located in a windy area, at least receiving 5m/s winds, and is not obstructed from direct wind, turbine electricity production might be for you.

In order to make the most of wind energy it is wise to invest in the most energy efficient household appliances and to keep your batteries charged with excess electricity. There are many more energy saving tips, which range from hanging your laundry out to dry, to not using appliances during peak times.

Maintenance on a wind turbine system is fairly simple, as checks are only needed to be done once every two or three years. Wind turbines have an overall life expectancy of about 20 years and battery life can range from 6 to 10 years.

Geothermal heat pumps are also known as ground source heat pumps and work by using the Earth as a heat source in the winter and a heat sink in the summer. Because the Earth stays at a relatively constant temperature beneath the surface, heat pumps take advantage of this to provide energy to the home.

Ground Source Heating System

Ground source heat pumps require loops of pipes to be buried in the ground around or under your home. The pipes, called ground loops are filled with water and antifreeze and are then circulated through the ground. The heat from the ground is absorbed into the pipe fluid, and then is pumped into the heat pump via a heat exchanger. The heat pump takes the heat from the fluid loops for use in heating the house and the fluid now passes through and back into the ground to absorb more heat from the ground.

In order to absorb the most heat from the ground, the loops need to be long. The length of a ground source heat pump’s loops will depend entirely upon the space in which the loops can be placed, as ground loops are coiled into horizontal trenches that are dug about two meters deep. Vertical installation can be done to a depth of 100 meters in areas of limited space.

Geothermal heat pumps do require some electricity to run, but can overall cut your fuel bills and reduce your home’s carbon emissions. Heat pumps also need to run constantly in order to be efficient, as they produce a lower temperature heat and will likely never feel hot to the touch, as a normal radiator will.

In order to determine whether a geothermal heat pump is right for your household, it is important to consider a few factors. As even smaller yards can accommodate a vertical installation of ground loops, it is at least important to be able to have room for the digging equipment. In addition, the more insulation your home has, the better as insulation and draft proofing your home will save you money and allow your heat pump to run more efficiently.

Heat pumps are not recommended as a replacement for gas heaters, but work well as a replacement for electric or coal systems. Contact your local housing authority to determine the need of permits before installing a heat pump and as always, hire a qualified construction contractor to assist you in planning your project to install any of these alternative energy products.

We have all seen home renovations that have gone awry. They are usually the result of planning that was not done properly and that did not take into account unforeseen complications and problems. Before you start renovating your home, you need to lay out a very detailed plan that covers all contingencies – or at least all of the ones you can think of while making the plan. Here are five things you need to really consider and plan for before you start your renovation project.

- Sit down and make a realistic budget, calculating how much you have to spend on your home project.

The biggest problem people run into when renovating their homes is going over budget. If you set yourself a strict spending limit and stay within it, you should be all right.

- Talk to your city council to see if you need building permits or if there are any regulations.

The renovation of your home, especially if it is a historic home, may require the approval of the city council. Before you even contact contractors to come in and do the work, check with the city council first.

- Hire a contractor who knows their job well and has done home renovations.

Make sure you talk to a few remodeling contractors in order to get the best job within your budget. Set your start and completion date to their schedule so that you know they will be focusing on your home. Additionally, make sure they offer a guarantee on all of their work.

- Choose the products you want installed in your home as well as your color schemes.

You want your renovation to be done to suit your tastes. Measure areas like the bathroom and kitchen before you go and purchase the new building materials for your home. Make sure you order them well ahead of time so that they are already there when you contractor comes to do the job. You may want to discuss with your contractor the items you want placed in your home. They may be able to provide you with some additional options.

- If the renovation is extensive, have a professional drawn up a detailed plan for you.

Detailed plans of the work you wish to have done will help the contractor doing the work proceed in an orderly fashion. Plans also help you visualize the renovation and give you a way to track the progress. Have a professional draw up the plans or if you wish, use a home renovation computer programs yourself to draw up your renovation schedule.

If you keep these five tips in mind when you start working on your home renovation, you will find that it will progress much smoother than you expected, and should keep you within the budget you planned to spend.