Success in owner building is almost always a function of the amount and detail of the planning that went into the project. Most people want to start right in with the design of the home itself. But wait! Do yourself a favor. Do a little planning first. Be thoughtful and thorough in your preparation.

Basic Decisions

These are sort of basic questions you should start to tie down early. They really don’t address style or design. When planning your new home, they just establish the parameters (limits) within which the design can take place.

Goal

Start with defining your overall goal in building a house. What are you interested in accomplishing – saving money? …or getting all the home you can afford? Are you building a home for yourself, or is this a home you will sell or rent? Do you want to be an owner builder…the general contractor?

Lifestyle

Are you “outdoors people?” Will you want patios, decks, gardens, a pool? Do you enjoy yard work, flowers, etc.? Do you like to entertain? What size groups?

Is your family young and growing, or are you an “empty nester?”

How many bedrooms do you need? How many do you want? Do you want the bedrooms together or would you like the master suite in a separate area – called a “split” plan?

Do you like the concept of a great room? Or do you prefer a separate den or family room? Do you want a formal dining room or a big eat-in kitchen?

Lot Related Considerations

Some people design a home and then find a lot that will work with the home. Others buy a lot, and then design a home to fit it. If you already own a lot, the size, shape, and slope of the lot will have to be taken into consideration when designing your home.

Do you have room for a home that is 80 feet wide? Perhaps only a two story home will work. Two story homes can be narrower, since you’re “stacking” the space. Will a home that is deeper than it is wide work better? Will a basement work with this lot?

How will the home sit on the lot? Are there opportunities for views? If so, how will you take advantage of them . . . decks, windows, etc.? What rooms should be oriented towards the views?

About The Home Itself

You probably have some ideas about the home you are wanting to build already firmly fixed in your mind. Other areas you will need to consider have not even been considered. Here are a few to get you started.

Overall Design

When planning your new home, the overall design is a no-brainer! Do you want a ranch design? A two story? A split level? You may not have thought about it, but a two story home is less expensive and more energy efficient than a ranch style.

It is less expensive because you have a smaller foundation and roof for the same amount of living space. It is more energy efficient because there is less roof area through which conditioned air can escape.

Shape

Will it be square, rectangular, L or H-shaped? How about a round house? Or will it be irregular? Here are some considerations.

Each corner can make the roof design more complicated . . . hence more expensive. As far as energy efficiency is concerned, the most efficient shape (using straight walls) is the square. It will enclose the greatest area with the least outside wall exposed.

Unless you’re a masochist, forget the round home. It is expensive, time consuming, and frustrating to make common building materials into curved surfaces.

Foundation and Floor System

What kind do you prefer – concrete slab or crawl space with floor joists. What about a basement?

Energy Efficiency

There are many, many things that can be done to conserve energy. Energy design is said to include “active” and “passive” elements.

An active element may be a solar water heater. A passive feature may be the design of the roof overhang, which will allow the winter’s warming rays, but exclude the summer sun.

Some energy considerations relate to the orientation of the home on the lot. Others concern materials, systems, and design. All of the things done to increase energy efficiency fall into one of three categories:

1. Control heat gain and heat loss – caulking, sealing, insulation, vapor barriers, window and door design, etc.

2. Make use of free energy – solar, hydroelectric, thermal, etc.

3. Make the best use of purchased energy – heat pumps, high efficiency appliances, etc.

Looking For Ideas

Where To Look

There are many places to look for ideas as to how you want your new home to look and what you want it to include. Plan books in the homes magazines, are full of ideas. You can also spend some time in the “field” looking at existing homes in your area.

Not only can you visit new home sites, but also open houses for used homes that are on the market. Many cities have annual tours of “designer” homes where you can get a wealth of ideas.

Accumulating Your Ideas

You can develop a scrapbook or file folder of ideas you have seen that appeal to you. This will be a big help to your architect or residential designer, when it is time to actually get your design down on paper and turn them into a set of plans. These ideas may be in the form of pictures you have torn from magazines, photos you have taken, or sketches you have done.

If you are visiting a new home you particularly like, you may be able to get a floor plan sheet. If not, you can make a sketch of the plan while you are there. Just step off the rooms, figuring about three feet to the average stride. This will give you approximate dimensions which will be close enough to recreate the plan later. Make it a habit to carry a camera and a note pad when you go house shopping.

Summary

These are just a few ideas on how to proceed with the initial planning of your new home. Other areas you’ll want to pay some attention to are how much of the actual work you will plan to do, who will oversee (superintend) the construction, and of course how you will pay for the project!

Heat pumps are really essential in every homeowner’s effort to keep his home comfortable for the whole family and guests. Ductless heat pumps, commonly known as mini-split heat pumps or simply mini splits are good add-ons to houses with non-ducted heating systems like hydronic radiant panels and space heaters.  

They are versatile in solving every homeowners cooling and heating requirements and prove to be a good choice for those who would like to add more rooms wherein installing ductwork is not feasible.

Just like most standard air-source heat pumps, these devices also have two main components namely: outdoor compressor or condenser and an indoor air-handling unit.

The indoor unit is mounted inside the room and connected to the outdoor unit via refrigerant lines and inter-unit wiring through a 3 1/2″ opening in the wall. To ensure its security and proper storage, it is enclosed in a space saving cabinet. A conduit that houses the power cable, suction tubing, condensate drain and refrigerant tubing connects the outdoor and indoor units.  

The main advantages of ductless heat pumps are their flexibility for zoning which makes them ideal for cooling and heating individual rooms. The installation is simple because there is no ductwork required. Since the compressor is located in the outdoor unit, the noise is eliminated thus letting you enjoy a much more quiet and comfortable sleep.  

Ductless heat pumps are much easier to install than other types of space conditioning units because there’s no need for ductwork. Since they do not require ducts, there will be no chance of energy loss associated with ductwork of central forced air systems. If ducts are in an unconditioned space such as the attic, duct loss will result in 30% of energy consumption. These types of machines do not require ductwork thus dramatically decreasing the energy consumption. Installation is easy, reliable and truly saves money on heating and cooling needs.

Mini Ductless AC is on the scene, and I imagine it is here to stay. Mini Split AC is a exceptionally innovative and progressive way of cooling living and working spaces.

Mini split air conditioners are named that because it describes how the technology is setup. All of these ductless type of air conditioners have some things in common. They have an indoor unit that usually hangs on the wall. There is also and outdoor unit that is really like a central air conditioners outside unit. This unit is the compressor. The last part of the air conditioner is the hoses and wiring that connects the 2 units together through the wall of the building.

Mini AC systems have dozens advantages, like:

The do it yourselfer is many times able of installing them because it is so easy and straightforward.

Mini Split AC is very efficient since there is no ductwork to contribute to inefficiency, and each heating or cooling zone is regulated separately.

The programmable remote is used to manage you heating and cooling needs.

Last of all, the mini ductless ac unit is a heat pump as well as an air conditioner.

If you have done any traveling out of the U.S. you may have run across these type of heating and cooling units. We were in Poland and Ireland this summer and I could not believe how universal that they were.

This technology is very ground-breaking and you may find that it will help you to could your home or office and at the same time save some money.

With Christmas now over and the new year starting we still have cold weather upon us. It’s vital the companies, both commercial and industrial know where to turn to get efficient heating for their property.

Productivity can fall at the beginning of the year with so many different projects and the daunting aspect of another year starting. That said, it’s important for workers to feel productive within the workplace during every season throughout the year and one way of ensuring this is by providing consistent temperatures throughout.

Specialists in warm air heating have various units for companies to choose from to maximise the efficiency and warmth of their property. Warm air heating is an ideal solution to keeping warmth in without running up extortionate heating bills.

Regarded as a modern replacement to water heating systems, warm air heating can also double as a cooling system to ensure that workers aren’t too hot during summer and too cold during the colder months. This is the ideal solution and prepares your property all year round for any weather conditions that may occur.

Britain isn’t known for it’s warmth but with winters set to become cooler and summers getting hotter every year, a one stop solution to heating and cooling is exactly what is required from such providers.

The efficiency of such a heating system also means the quality of the air is enhanced providing fresher cleaner air that is not always possible with other heating systems. Alongside this, the other benefit is the consistency at which the temperature is maintained ensuring energy isn’t wasted and room temperature is regulated.

There are various benefits to warm air heating systems and with more and more people becoming aware of their carbon foot print, it may time that more businesses invest in replacing their old system and replacing for another.

Rebuild and strengthen your hair with Joico K-PAK. Containing deep penetrating formulas that will leave your hair frizz free and silky soft. For the ultimate in healthy hair, K-PAK products reconstruct and protect damaged hair.

With the highest concentration of Quadramine Complex in its formulas, K-PAK delivers the ultimate in healthy hair. K-PAK products work synergistically to rebuild, reconstruct, strengthen and protect damaged hair.

K-Pak Rescue Your Hair Pack

Repair Your Hair with the Joico K-PAK hair repair regimen kit.

Step 1: K-Pak Shampo * Gently cleanses as it reconstructs to restore hair’s elasticity, strength and shine.

Step 2: K-Pak Conditioner * Delivers the precise amount of daily conditioning needed to reconstruct the hair internally and at cuticle level.

Step 3: K-Pak Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor * Offers the maximum in hair reconstruction and protection, restoring weak and damaged hair to its original strength and condition.

Step 4: K-Pak Intense Hydrator * Restores moisture to overly dry, damaged hair, leaving it soft, shiny, hydrated and manageable.

K-Pak Sun Therapy ON THE GO Kit

Designed for: Sun-damaged, dry, dehydrated hair.

Contains:

50ml – K-Pak Sun Therapy Shampoo

50ml – K-Pak Sun Therapy Protective Sun Milk

50ml – K-Pak Sun Therapy Treatment Masque

Benefits:

* This gentle, color-safe shampoo featuring Joico’s Quadramine Complex together with Hydroxy Sun Complex cleanses and repairs sun-damaged hair.

* This intensely moisturizing color-safe Treatment Masque features the highest concentration of Joico’s exclusive Hydroxy Sun Complex for the most effective strengthening and moisture replenishment by filling holes burned into the cuticle by the sun.

* This lightweight, color-safe leave-in Protective Spray combines the reconstructive power of Joico’s exclusive Hydroxy Sun Complex with the highest intensity of Covabsorb a powerful blend of three full spectrum UV protectants to repair and shield the hair from future sun damage. For use on wet or dry hair during long periods of sun exposure, this product leaves hair hydrated, conditioned and protected against future damage.

* Hair is also replenished with nutrients, moisture and strength that sun has stripped away.

K-Pak Chelating Shampoo

Designed for Swimmers, regularly heavily-styled hair and people who live in hard water areas. This professional quality chelator removes chlorine, which can turn blonde hair green, and leaves hair feeling moisturized and conditioned. Also excellent for removing styling product build up and mineral deposits caused by hard water.

K-Pak Conditioner

This moisture-rich daily conditioner reconstructs and strengthens damaged hair. Detangles and eliminates static while leaving the hair smooth, silky and shiny. Promotes vitality and bounce. Banana melon fragrance.

Use: After shampooing, apply to damp hair and leave in for one minute. Rinse. Follow with K-Pak Reconstructor or Leave-In Protectant, if needed.

K-Pak Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor

The original deep-penetrating reconstructive treatment. This ultimate intensive reconstructor goes beyond strengthening. K-Pak rebuilds and improves the quality and structure of the hair making it healthy again. K-Pak provides the ultimate in hair reconstruction. Promotes vitality and bounce. Tropical and fresh fruit fragrance.

Use: Apply to clean, damp hair. Leave in for five minutes. Rinse. Use one to three times each week depending on degree of damage.

K-Pak Intense Hydrator

Designed for: Overly dry, damaged, chemically treated or frizzy hair.

* Restores moisture to overly dry, damaged hair.

* Conditioners, lanolin and shea butter fill in lost lipids in the cuticle.

* Silicone locks in moisture, seals the shine.

* Improves manageability and elasticity.

* Increases hair’s health with Joico’s Triamine Complex, an exclusive blend of protein-building amino acids.

Use: Use alone or following Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor. Apply to damp hair. Leave on for 5 minutes and rinse.

K-Pak Leave-in Protectant

This unique foaming leave-in protectant finalizes the reconstruction process by sealing the cuticle and protecting the hair against thermal styling and environmental influences. Detangles, protects and adds shine. Promotes vitality and bounce. Tropical fragrance.

Use: Apply two to three pumps to hands and work through hair. Comb for even distribution. Complete by applying styling product of choice and style as desired.

K-Pak Liquid Reconstructor

Designed for: fine, damaged hair.

Benefits:

* This intense leave-in reconstructive liquid protein spray offers fine hair strength, shine and support without added weight.

* Fine, lifeless hair has restored vitality, strength and elasticity.

* Clinical results show benefits equal to Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor.

K-Pak Protect and Shine serum

An advance liquid reconstructive shine therapy, that has a unique and exclusive two-phase process, sealing, reconstructing and protecting the hair, while adding incredible shine.

Designed for: damage repair

Benefits:

* This shine serum, featuring K-PAK’s Keratin Silicone Complex, protects, polishes and seals the cuticle while helping to prevent split ends and frizziness.

* Hair is left glossy, healthy and weightless.

* Nourishes and moisturizes hair as well as protects against further damage.

Coconut papaya fragrance.

Use: Apply one to three drops in palm and emulsify. Distribute through damp hair to aid in blow drying or styling. For intense shine, distribute through dry hair. Reduces frizz and increases smoothness.

K-Pak Protective Hairspray

Styling, Shaping, Finishing Hairspray. Designed for: Dry, damaged, chemically treated hair.

Benefits:

* Provides medium hold that won’t build up or flake, even with repeated layering during styling and finishing.

* Leaves hair feeling soft and natural.

* Doubles as a working spray, styling spray and/or a finishing spray.

* Strengthens the hair, ensuring total hair reconstruction.

* Provides thermal protection from styling damage.

* Recommended for all hair types.

* Smoothes and defines hair into place, because of its workable finishing properties.

K-Pak Shampoo

Developed to begin the reconstruction process. The rich formulation cleanses the hair gently and thoroughly. Leaves hair feeling soft and manageable without weighing it down. Banana coconut fragrance.

Use: Shampoo and rinse. Follow with K-Pak Daily Conditioner.

Joico K-Pak Smoothing Balm

The healthy way to temporarily straighten hair. Heat-activated conditioners penetrate deep for the ultimate in strength, health and shine. Humidity-resistant formula allows for a long-lasting hold so curl won’t revert. Caribbean mango fragrance blended with green florals.

Use: Apply to damp hair. Continuously brush or comb while blow drying, until hair is completely dry and curl is straightened. For maximum shine, smooth a small amount of K-Pak Protect & Shine Serum on hair’s surface.

K-Pak Split End Mender

Designed for: Damaged, chemically treated hair, to both mend existing split ends and prevent new ones from forming.

Benefits:

* Features an exclusive dual-polymer technology that deeply penetrates porous hair ends to create an ultra durable bond.

* Also contains a combination of K-PAK technologies Quadramine Complex®, Keratin Silicone Complex and Hair Protection System ensures maximum protection and reconstruction from the cortex, locks in moisture, seals the cuticle, and delivers smoothness to the hair.

K-Pak Sun Therapy Nourishing Shampoo

Designed for: Sun-damaged, dry, dehydrated hair.

Benefits:

* Step 1 in the new Sun Therapy hair repair regimen.

* This gentle, color-safe shampoo featuring Joico’s Quadramine Complex together with Hydroxy Sun Complex cleanses and repairs sun-damaged hair.

* Hair is also replenished with nutrients, moisture and strength that sun has stripped away.

* Contains aloe vera, for natural healing and soothing, Covabsorb EW, a powerful UV protectant, and the Quadramine Complex and KPAK Hair Protection System for advanced levels of reconstruction, manageability and shine.

K-Pak Sun Therapy Protective Sun Milk

Designed for: Sun-damaged, dry, dehydrated hair.

Benefits:

* Step 3 in the new Sun Therapy hair repair regimen.

* This lightweight, color-safe leave-in protective spray combines the reconstructive power of Joico’s exclusive Hydroxy Sun Complex with the highest intensity of Covabsorb EW a powerful blend of three full spectrum UV protectants to repair and shield the hair from future sun damage.

* For use on wet or dry hair during long periods of sun exposure, this product leaves hair hydrated, conditioned and protected against future damage.

* Contains aloe vera, for natural healing and soothing and the Quadramine Complex and KPAK Hair Protection System for advanced levels of reconstruction, manageability and shine.

K-Pak Sun Therapy Treatment Masque

Designed for: Sun-damaged, dry, dehydrated hair.

Benefits:

* Step 2 in the new Sun Therapy hair repair regimen.

* This intensely moisturizing color-safe treatment masque features the highest concentration of Joico’s exclusive Hydroxy Sun Complex for the most effective strengthening and moisture replenishment by filling holes burned into the cuticle by the sun.

* Hair is repaired and nutrients and moisture restored, leaving hair looking and feeling significantly healthier, shinier and more manageable.

* Contains aloe vera, for natural healing and soothing, Covabsorb EW, a powerful UV protectant, and the Quadramine Complex and KPAK Hair Protection System for advanced levels of reconstruction, manageability and shine.

K-Pak Thermal Designing Foam

Designed for: Dry, damaged, chemically treated hair.

Benefits:

* Weightless, alcohol-free foam protects hair from dryness and dullness caused by thermal styling as well as leaving hair strong and healthy.

* Delivers exceptional body, volume and support for any hairstyle.

* Gives hair exceptional flexible hold without a hard or tacky feel.

If you’re like us, you’ve been getting more and more concerned and frustrated with the high price of gasoline at the pump. You’ve thought about buying a hybrid, but most drivers don’t experience enough savings in gas to make the car worth it at all.

Unfortunately, Hybrid cars are some of the Worst Polluters!

How’s that you ask? Ever read the label on a rechargeable battery? You can’t throw them out. They’re toxic and contain heavy metals that can pollute ground water. The battery in a hybrid car is also a rechargeable battery and they can weigh as much as 600 pounds. Think of what would happen if a hybrid car got into an accident right beside a city’s water supply. They would totally destroy it. Not to mention what do you do with that battery down the road. Think of 20 years from now, all the hybrid cars sitting in junk yards with their batteries leaking heavy metals into the soil!

A lot of proponents will tell you that the batteries will be recycled for new cars, but right now all Hybrids are using Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries, but in just a few years those will be obsolete as we move on to Lithium-Ion batteries. No, Hybrids are a fad, and unfortunately they are one that are just as likely to do more damage than good to our planet!

So what now? What other things are there that we can burn in our cars?

Because let’s face it, our entire economy is now reliant on cheap, fast transportation. If there is a solution out there that can allow us to keep our cars and not destroy the world we live in, we need to explore it fully.

For years now there has been talk of burning hydrogen. It releases nothing more than steam into the air. The downside is that hydrogen is dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Driving cars that carry tanks of hydrogen would be concerning to say the least. There is a lot of money being poured into ways to make impenetrable tanks to transport hydrogen, when there is a much easier solution, a solution that you can create yourself.

If this is so easy to do, why aren’t the car companies offering it?

Think back a hundred years when cars as we know them were first being created. Was it the big manufacturing companies of the day? Were the train companies branching out into cars? No, it was small inventors and machinists who took the important steps and created most of the major auto companies that are still around today. The Wright brothers were bicycle shop owners and they were mocked endlessly for their attempts to fly.

The reason why the big companies of the day didn’t do it then is the same reason why the big companies of the day aren’t doing it now. Money. They’ve invested a ton of money into creating the current technologies and building all the infrastructure to support them. Their shareholders wouldn’t take too kindly if they turned all of that on its ear.

It’s up to us to take the necessary steps to save our world.

There is a simple solution. A Wright Brothers, or Dodge Brothers, or Mr Diesel type of solution: Water contains fuel. Think about it, water contains Hydrogen and Oxygen. ‘Burning’ is a chemical reaction of a fuel and oxygen, and if you can split the Hydrogen from the Oxygen in water, you have everything you need to create combustion and run your car’s engine. We’ll save you too much of the technical jargon, but there are several ways to create this separation. It isn’t a direct split, but rather an alteration of the water into a gas that can burn. One of the gasses is called ‘Brown Gas’ and another is called ‘HHO’. For the average person’s needs they are effectively the same, but feel free to Google them if you want to know more.

Burning HHO or Brown Gas is even better for the environment than just burning Hydrogen!

Think about what I mentioned above. Nearly everything that burns, burns because of a reaction with oxygen. The output of burning Hydrogen is that you combine oxygen and hydrogen and make water. While this certainly isn’t bad, it doesn’t help areas of the world that are already low on oxygen.

The natural mix of our ‘Air’ contains 15% oxygen. Humans start to die when it dips below 5%. Some places like Tokyo, Japan are already as low as 6-7% at times. That is dangerously low. By starting with water and creating Brown Gas or HHO, one of the things that will come out of your tailpipe is oxygen. That’s right, plain, simple O.

So can we help the environment and save money on gas?

That’s the question I asked when I first really started looking into this technology. I found a lot of wild and outlandish claims. Claims that stated that you could use 0% gas and 100% water. I did a lot of research and found that yes, that is true, but you’ll have to fill your entire trunk with water jugs to get enough HHO, or Brown Gas to run your car.

So I started looking at the hydrogen kits that enhance your car, but don’t claim to pull it off of gas permanently. These seemed more reasonable and feasible. I have a fairly good understanding of how cars work and what emissions are. One of the things that a lot of people know about is a little thing in their car called the catalytic convertor. This device sits in your exhaust pipe and simply put, gets really, really hot. It does this because your car’s engine doesn’t really burn all the gas, and a lot of it is expelled in a toxic, half burnt stew. The catalytic convertor gets hot and finishes the burn on this gasý mostly.

Adding hydrogen to the air-fuel mixture in a car’s engine will allow the engine to burn the gas more completely because the hydrogen is simply more flammable. This makes your engine vastly increase its efficiency and have a more complete burn. This is good for you, and for the environment!

Can our car do this?

Yes, nearly any gas burning car can do this! (Diesel owners can run their diesel engines on fuel made from vegetable oil, so they have alternatives too!). You can buy expensive kits to do this, or you can buy manuals that show you components you can pick up at any home improvement store and convert your car yourself!

Think about it, an ebook and materials that cost you under $200 that can save you as much as $10 each time you fill up! I don’t know about you, but that’s not even two months for me to make that up. And with vacation time around the corner I can recover an expense like that in a few weeks.

We’ve purchased a few of these kits and installed them, and have also spent extensive time on the Internet reviewing them, finding people who have installed them and seeing which work, and which don’t.

Today’s geothermal systems outperform the best gas technology, by an average of 36% in heating mode and 43% in cooling mode. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency geothermal heat pumps are the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and most cost-effective space conditioning systems available.

There is no doubt that geothermal heat pumps are the low hanging fruit of energy efficiency, which is a bit like picking apples or oranges off a tree. The simple part of picking fruit is the easy-to-reach apples or oranges. Once these have been picked it gets harder, reaching on tippy-toes, until we finally start dragging the ladder around. Geothermal heat pumps are low-hanging-fruit, and utilizing this resource really is a no-brainer.

Over the last 50 years heat pumps have evolved from backyard experiments designed by enthusiasts into mainstream technology. Not that this is really new technology as the Romans many centuries ago heated their baths using a similar concept. Of course the systems these days are much more efficient, and can deliver between 2.5-4.5 units of heat for every unit of energy consumed. This means they are generally 1.4 times more energy efficient than a gas fired boiler.

Apart from being cost effective, geothermal heat pumps deliver gentle heat to your home without producing any soot at your home or any other toxic exhaust. www.ghp-books.com provides in-depth detail on installation, so you can understand how to make this free energy work for you. With the rebates and grants available to buffer the capital cost, it is a great time to save money on heating and cooling costs, while doing your bit for the environment.

A geothermal heat pump is a great way to offset the high-energy costs we are experiencing currently. These machines use energy that is stored in the ground. They are designed to provide good clean, quiet cooling and heating. In addition, many people see their energy costs reduced by up to seventy percent.

One problem with a geothermal heat pump is that many people have never heard of them. Many people could be saving on their energy costs and they are not even aware of how they can do that. These devices work similarly to a standard heat pump.

The main difference in the two types of systems is that a standard unit will get rid of the heat through the outside air. The geothermal units will transfer the heat through their liquid filled pipes, which are buried under the ground.

Homeowners find that a geothermal heat pump does not require a fan to move air through it’s compressor coils. They pump liquid, thus they can be kept indoors away from the elements because they are quite quiet. Make sure the unit you purchase comes with a good warranty of at least ten years.

A geothermal heat pump is expensive to install, however because they are so energy efficient that the payback period could be quite quick. The installation can cost up to fifteen to twenty thousand dollars, this includes the pump, the controls and the underground loops. Some states provide incentive plans for people to install these systems.

Studies have been done that determine the average length of time to recoup the costs is only seven or eight years. However, this will depend on the local utility costs and how well your house is insulated, and the overall efficiency of the geothermal heat pump you use. Another reason for having one of these units installed is that it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

If you are looking for alternative methods to heat and cool your home, then consider investing in a geothermal heat pump and watch your energy bills drop considerably.

The global warming has wrecked havoc on the earth as the temperature is rising and touching a new high every year. The people across the globe are suffering from the ill effects of global warming. Coupled with the scorching heat, the humidity has made life tougher than ever before. To save themselves from this unusual climatic condition, many people have fallen back on air conditioners a lot.

Whether you buy a split AC (air conditioner) or a window AC, the most important thing is to know whether they will perform smartly under tough circumstances. Since, we tend to overuse the air conditioners during the summer, we need to be prepared for their maintenance just incase they fail to perform up to the desired level. Take a look at some of the maintenance tips for split ACs that should be applied to boost the efficiency of your split air conditioner.

The smooth functioning of a product depends on its proper maintenance. So, if you have a product, then you need to take god care of it. In case of an AC whether domestic or commercial, the following points should be noted for better performance and durability of the product. The various components of it include:

1. Air conditioning filter is an important part of an AC. It should be changed every month or every two months regularly depending on its use. If not the air would be dirty and filled with pollutants. The dirty air conditioning filters also increases the air conditioning repair and maintenance cost.

2. Another important part is the compressor. It compresses low pressure, low volume gas making them the high pressure, high temperature and the gas needed for the AC. It also removes vapor from the evaporator to maintain a low boiling point. Make sure to clean the compressor regularly to get cool and refreshing air. Oil specially designed for the ACs can be used for its longevity.

3. When air passes through the system, the evaporator coil absorbs the heat to provide cold air through out the space. Replacing the old evaporator coil improves the air flow and air circulation inside the home.

4. Air conditioning maintenance also includes cleaning of air ducts or ducts. In the air conditioning system, air ducts are spread through out the entire house keeping the area cool and pleasant. Hence, the ductwork ought to be cleaned regularly to remove the dust collected on air ducts.

5. All air conditioning system use refrigerant to absorb the excess heat and supply cool air inside the house. Sometimes there might be a refrigerant leak. So, a reliable air conditioning company or contractor should be called to check and repair that part.

6. Sometimes there might be problem with the heating and split air conditioning of your air conditioner. You need to clean your air filters. If, still the problem continues, then it`s time to call an expert.

7. In some of the cases ice blocks the tube and no cold air comes from the air conditioning filter instead of the filters recently cleaned. It indicates that the air conditioning refrigerant is low and needs to be adjusted or replaced.

Although the running cost of both window and split AC is almost the same, the power consumption of a split AC could be little higher because of the additional motor it requires. Moreover, the capital expenditure of it is a bit higher than the window AC as well. A split air conditioner scores higher than a window air conditioner because of its `silence` feature. The compressor of a split air conditioner is kept away from the indoor unit and thus, ensures complete silence inside your room.

If someone says, “Don’t think of pink elephants,” what is the first image that pops into your mind? Right, a pink elephant… Likewise, if your home heating system is not keeping you warm this winter, or it is only keeping you warm at the cost of unmanageable utility bills, the problem will be present in your awareness no matter how much you try to rationalize it away. You can tell yourself that next month’s bills will not be as bad, or that it’s not going to be as cold. If you are running space heaters, or trying to keep the house warm with a fireplace or oven, then you are only compounding the problem. There is no need to go another year or another month without an energy efficient central heating system for your home.

If your house is old enough, it might have one of those ancient floor furnaces. And it might even do a good job of keeping your home warm… but at what cost? Not only are natural gas prices high, but those old systems can be a risk for producing lethal levels of carbon monoxide gas. If you have done a good job of weather proofing an older house with one of those floor furnaces, you have just made it even easier for carbon monoxide levels to build to dangerous levels. Now, there is a pink elephant for you!

For maximum comfort, economy, and safety, you will most likely find that a new central heating system will provide you with the optimum solution for your home. Because of the incentive to reduce the cost of energy use, the home heating industry has been highly focused on producing energy efficient products for homes and businesses. The U.S. Government has also made it easier to upgrade to more energy efficient systems by offering tax breaks to home owners who have qualified systems installed. And, because there are very definite financial advantages to upgrading home heating systems, finance companies have made it easy to obtain loans to purchase and install them.

This triple bonus of savings in utility cost, improved home value, and potential tax savings should be enough to make short work of that elephant in your living room. But if that is not enough, also consider the improved comfort and safety that a new central heating system could provide for you and those dear to you.

Thinking about the solution does not make the problem go away, however. Give a call to your local heating system dealer to see what solutions they have to offer you. You will find that they will already have relationships with lenders if you need help paying for your new system, and in many cases you may be able to pay for the system over the course of twelve months with no interest. You will be happy to find experts that know exactly the kind of help you need, and banish that elephant from your awareness for good.