Video of Blown-in-Batt Insulation

Blown-in-batts (or BIBs, as they are often called) are one of the many options in insulation these days which provide superior energy savings over traditional batt insulation.  Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words.  So, we have filmed the installation taking place at one of our custom home jobsites in Spanish Oaks in the Lakeway / Austin area.

The Importance of Using Tested Materials

Recently, Fox News reported on a study conducted by the Institute of Medicine that points to the importance of using tested materials in residential construction.  In fact, it really could be extrapolated to an underlying problem, the lack of residential building licensing (at least in Texas), but that’s an article for another day.

In the document recently released by the Institute of Medicine, studies showed that in an attempt to “weatherize” a building, other problems – such as dampness which allows mold to grow, or infectious agents and pests to thrive – can occur. In other words, the indoor environment can be affected in a harmful way. According to the report, “Even with the best intentions, indoor environmental quality issues may emerge with interventions that have not been sufficiently well screened for their effects on occupant safety and health.” However, many residential products don’t get tested thoroughly until they have been on the market for a while.  Even if it has been tested in a lab, there is no substitute for testing in the field.  There are several reasons for this:

• The home is a system, made up of many products that work together to create a liveable environment.  There are a number of different approaches to providing the best indoor air quality, for instance.  The traditional method was to create positive air pressure and “push” air out through the relatively porous walls, allowing plenty of fresh air to come in through those same walls.  With less porous materials being used inside the exterior wall cavities, now fresh air must sometimes be introduced artificially through the HVAC system.  The question arises here, have all the potential options for materials been tested together to ensure that humidity is not somehow trapped inside the home?  That is an important question.

• Time-tested materials have been thoroughly field tested.  For example:  While watching “This Old House” several years ago, we noticed that when they peel back the Fiber board and reveal 100-year-old framing material, it looks practically brand new.  That is a fairly convincing testament to this material.  To change to a newer material, one would need fairly convincing data that the new material will hold up as well as this one.

Although there is no cause for alarm, this article does point out an important consideration in how residential builders must approach the abundant choices we make each and every day.  Each product must be thoroughly reviewed to ensure all the proper testing has been done, as well as how it tested in relation to the other products going into the home.  This is a good reminder that we in this industry must always remember that we serve families first.  Let’s face it, there will be children living in most of our homes.  There is, in my opinion, no more important job on the planet than doing our absolute best to ensure those families breath clean, fresh air.

Appliance Rebate Program

Due to the time-sensitive nature of this post, we have chosen to postpone the second installment of “How Safe Is Your Safe” until later this week. Stay tuned!

If you are in the market for a new appliance, I have great news! The U.S. Department of Energy has allotted $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to be used by individual states toward the purchase of new ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. “Under this program, eligible consumers can receive rebates to purchase new energy-efficient appliances when they replace used appliances” (source: U. S. Department of Energy).

The program varies widely by state, so see the U. S. Department of Energy website for specifics. For instance, our state – Texas – begins the rebate reservation period next week:

The reservation period starts on April 5, 2010. The mail-in rebates will apply to eligible appliances purchased between April 16 and April 25, 2010. The 10-day period will coincide with Earth Day. Consumers will have 60 days from reservation date to install the appliance(s) and submit their paperwork for the rebate. (source: SECO)

Details vary by state, but in Texas, rebates are available for clothes washers and dryers, refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, room air conditioners, central air conditioners and heat pumps, and hot water heaters – all of which must fall within specifications detailed in the following article: http://www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/arra/rebate/docs/SECO_ApplianceRebateFlyer_03_09_10.pdf. There is also a further credit for recycling old appliances, and possibly a city rebate over and above the state rebate being offered.

For instance, in Austin, TX, an example from a local appliance store, Wilson AC & Appliance, lists the Whirlpool Frontload Washer, sale priced at $619, as eligible for $180 state rebate plus an additional City of Austin rebate of $150, bringing the price down to $289 + tax! There is even a further rebate of $75 available for those who recycle their old appliances, bringing the price down to only $214 + tax! This machine lists for $749 on the Whirlpool site. That’s $535 in savings!

So take a few minutes to click on the sites listed above and see if you are eligible for a rebate. Not only will you be doing yourself a favor on the initial cost, but these appliances are designed to save you money on energy costs over the long term! It’s a win-win!

What’s The Point Of “Building Green”?

© Ashley Cooper/Corbis

Being green is all the rage nowadays, and no less so where building a new house is concerned.  But what does “green consumerism” really mean, and how can it affect you?

Green Consumerism

“Green consumerism,” a phrase first coined around the mid-80’s, has a multitude of nuances, but at its most basic level, it means “buying green (i.e., environmentally-friendly) products” (source: Gosden).  According to Julia Hailes, the “triple bottom line [of green consumerism]” is that it is “economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible” (source: Hailes). In other words, it’s not being green just for the sake of being green; it’s being green as long as it makes sense financially to be green.

“Light Green” or “Dark Green”?

Don’t misunderstand – most consumers realize that simply switching to fluorescent bulbs is not going to save the environment.  But then again, at its most basic level, simply “consuming” runs counter to saving the environment.  That’s why some devout environmentalists – Paul Hawken, for instance – believe that “The phrase [green consumerism] itself is an oxymoron” (source: Hesse).  In reality, “The greenest option [is]: don’t buy!” (source: Hailes)  Because of this split, some have begun to differentiate being “dark green” (efforts made to truly try to save the planet) from being “light green” (efforts to just do our part in helping the environment).

What This Means For You

So what does this mean for you?  Before you begin building your new “green” home, you need to answer some basic questions, the first being “Why do I want to build green?”  If saving the environment is something that ranks high on your list of priorities in life, then you are most likely going to be more concerned about the impact on the environment than on the cost.  If, however, you are a more middle-of-the-road environmentalist – or perhaps even just a concerned consumer – you will be more likely to incorporate the green features that pay you back.  Either way, information is going to be your biggest asset.  As an informed consumer, you should:

• not build green just because it is a trend.  While this “light green” form of environmentalism is popular now, it might not be all the rage when you get ready to sell, and that could hurt your bottom line.

• not be afraid to ask your builder to calculate the time it will take to pay off green features in your home.

• question any builder who tries to push you into a decision rather than simply inform you.  Whether you go “light green” or “dark green” should be up to you.  It’s your money, after all.

• consider looking into LEED certification.  According to the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Green Home Guide”, “LEED for Homes is a voluntary rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes” (source: USGBC).  This is a great source for information when looking to incorporate cost-effective green features into your new home.

Top 5 Kitchen Trends for 2010

There is possibly no more important room in your house than the kitchen. The kitchen is the hub of activity, the source of sustenance, and the number one room a potential buyer will consider when choosing a new home. That is why designing the kitchen must be done with an eye to the current trends. Here are just a few of the trends we found for 2010.

• Kitchens are getting bigger. “It seems as though families are getting smaller and at the same ti me, kitchens are getting bigger. Designers are using industrial appliances, state-of-the-art cabinets and countertop materials, and including a kitchen island whenever possible.” (source: http://interiordec.about.com/od/kitchenislands/a/a_kitchenisland.htm)
• Kitchens are getting to be more earth-friendly. “Eco-friendly is all the rage these days, but most notably in the kitchen where a few small changes can make a significant impact. You can use inexpensive recycled or natural materials such as recycled glass counter tops or formaldehyde-free bamboo for work surfaces and flooring. Convenient built-in recycling centers and food composters can save space and make recycling simple. The overall idea is making the kitchen effortlessly eco-friendly so that being green isn’t a sacrifice, it’s just an easy part of your everyday life.” (source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Kitchen-Trends-For-2010&id=3162648)
• Kitchens are focusing on being both convenient and multi-purpose. “This year’s kitchen features products that are…all about convenience-meets-multifunctionality.” (source: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1637271,00.html) What does that mean? Well, “sinks with accessories, such as built-in preparation boards, colanders, and/or drain trays…storage that is both stylish and highly engineered…Cupboard inserts and custom storage areas with adjustable dividers and pull out baskets…appliances set on wheels or movable islands which allow you to easily rearrange the kitchen for convenient preparation, cleaning, and entertaining… which is not just multi-functional, but also kind of fun.” (source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Kitchen-Trends-For-2010&id=3162648)
• Kitchens are becoming more colorful. Color trends change regularly, but the top color choices for kitchens include “Creamy Neutrals, Veiled Violets, A Gamut of Grays, Pale & Punchy Greens, Bold Turquoise” (source: http://www.kitchens.com//design/color/color-trends/color-trends-2010.aspx). Also consider that “Unexpected flashes of color and bold shapes are all the rage, and offer a nice juxtaposition to the earthy mellowness of the eco-friendly trend.” (source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Kitchen-Trends-For-2010&id=3162648)
• Kitchens are becoming more high-tech. “Just like every other aspect of our lives, kitchens are featuring more technology than ever. A lot of this technology is focused on making the kitchen more enjoyable and adding a bit of the “wow” factor. From flat-screen televisions and computer-based entertainment systems to retracting ventilation hoods and gas burners, technology can make the kitchen more fun, convenient, and cool. The kitchen is both a social and functional space in the home. Small additions, like a small mobile device charging station, really illustrate this point. Imagine your family returning home in the evening, immediately plugging in their mobile devices, and congregating in the kitchen to catch up with each other.” (source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Kitchen-Trends-For-2010&id=3162648)

Hot Links For The Home Blog

Every week we come across articles that we think our readers might find interesting.

• Zillow is reporting here that the 30-year fixed mortgage is at 4.80%!
• In this article, entitled “The kitchen is still king”, Steve Kerch of MarketWatch talks about the trends in new homes today. It’s not surprising that #2 is: “Energy-efficient appliances, high-efficiency insulation and high window efficiency.”
  
• And on that note, read here about Low-E Argon windows, explained in a way that makes sense.
• Fortune magazine writer, Michael V. Copeland, has written an excellent article about the popularity of the LED bulbs in American households. In the article he says, “By the end of the decade, analysts predict, LEDs will be the dominant source for commercial and residential lighting.” Click here to see the rest of the article.
• Finally, for some great tips on lowering your energy bills, click here.
  

So what do you think? Should we make this a weekly part of our blog?

 Loading ...