Save Money on Utility Bills with Radiant Roof Sheathing

It's one of the best kept secrets to helping home owners live more comfortably and save money on their utility bills - radiant roof sheathing.

But let's not keep quiet about it anymore!

Radiant roof sheathing is plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board) with a thin layer of aluminum on one side to help reflect the suns radiant rays.

Radiant roof sheathing helps your attic stays cooler, your home stays cooler and that leads to a more comfortable living environment and lower utility bills. The product is Energy Star-rated and according to its website, "can lower roof surface temperature by up to 100-degrees" and "can reduce peak cooling demand by 10-15 percent."

Radiant roof sheathing used to cost more than standard plywood/OSB, but I recently installed the product on a new home we're building near St. Louis for the same cost as plywood. Lumber prices are down and product competition is up, making radiant roof sheathing an affordable option.

But, you don't have to be building a new home or a home addition to take advantage of the benefits. A radiant barrier can be installed in an existing attic. ToolBase Services offers helpful information and several installation options.

Don't keep it a secret anymore. My clients are learning all about radiant roof barriers and I plan on installing a lot more of it because of the performance and competitive price.

- Kim Hibbs, Hibbs Homes, LLC in Chesterfield, Missouri

There's more real advice from real home builders. Kim is a quality green home building contractor in the St. Louis area. If you're looking to go green, save money on utility bills, and build a home the right way for our planet, contact Kim at Hibbs Homes today.

Tax Credits Make Geothermal Heat Pumps More Affordable

I recently took a trip from St. Louis to Greenville, Illinois to visit Enertech Manufacturing, LLC, a GeoComfort distributor.

I had a meeting with owner Steve Smith to discuss our presentation at the upcoming Green Building Conference in Dallas. When I arrive, Steve showed me around his offices. We walked into the warehouse, where I saw hundreds of geothermal HVAC units still wrapped in cellophane and I thought - oh no, another casualty of the housing downturn.

Not this time.

The units had just arrived from Enertech’s manufacturing plant in Mitchell, South Dakota and most were waiting to be picked up for installation. There is a bright spot in the current housing market. And it’s called geothermal – using underground loop systems to take advantage of the earths near constant temperature to heat and cool the home.

As a Certified Green Building Professional, I’ve often tried to convince my clients to consider geothermal. With costs twice as much as conventional HVAC systems, most clients weren’t interested.

That is changing thanks to a 30% Federal tax credit.

The new legislation covers installations from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2016. Homeowners who install geothermal systems may be able to claim up to 30% of the cost in tax credits.

But, there’s more to it than just a tax credit. Geothermal is highly efficient and can save homeowners 40%-60% on utility bills. Mechanically, geothermal systems are relatively simple and require little maintenance. They are safe – no flame, no fuel, no odor. And because there are no fossil fuels, indoor air quality is cleaner.

From the Dept. of Energy website: "Even though the installation price of a geothermal system can be several times that of an air-source system of the same heating and cooling capacity, the additional costs are returned to you in energy savings in 5–10 years. System life is estimated at 25 years for the inside components and 50+ years for the ground loop."

A large tax credit and a good product - I have a feeling I’ll have more clients asking about geothermal. That means distributors like Steve Smith need to keep their warehouses full. After all, Steve says, "Business is up 60!"

Kim Hibbs
Hibbs Homes, LLC
St. Louis, Missouri

Looking to build a green home in the St. Louis area? Contact Hibbs Homes and they will help you design and build your ultimate green dream home - 314-581-8205

And, if you're looking to have a geothermal heat pump unit installed in your home, submit your request to ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast and easy way to get 4 quotes from heat pump contractors who install geothermal units. And ask about the tax credit to make sure you save!

Reasons to Remodel During the Recession

Found a great blog post by Jamie Goldberg on her Gold Notes site. She's a top design consultant down in Tampa, Florida.

Jamie talks about her top ten reasons to take on a remodeling project during these tough economic times.

I agree with all them and found two particularly interesting:

"3. Many of the weaker players are being weeded out by the economy before you ever meet them. The remaining pros are better project managers with stronger referrals. This will reduce your chances of running into the kind of con artist that's drawn to a boom and moves on during a bust."

And:

"10. If you're spending more time in the house these days, as many folks are, improving your home will provide some anti-recessionary joy. And who couldn't use that taste of sunshine these days?"

I couldn't agree more. So, if you've got the job security and access to finance a home renovation project... now is definitely the time. Upgrading any part of your home will increase your equity and value as well as improving your life.

Check out her blog for even more useful information!

Ready for Earth Hour?

I'm a little late to the game, but I wanted to let everyone know that Earth Hour is this Saturday, March 28th, at 8:30.

What is Earth Hour?

There's a Climate Change conference coming in Copenhagen in December of 2009. Earth Hour is a way for people to vote for our planet and not for more policies that increase global warming. Earth Hour is a chance for as many people as possible to turn off their lights on Saturday, for one hour, and to make a statement.

Hopefully all those votes will be counted - you can start here at EarthHour.org for details on how you can make your vote really mean something - and the votes will be recognized at that conference on Climate Change.

Take a photo on the night, upload it to Flickr and add it to Earth Hour's flickr group and tag it with your city and country.

Make a video of your event, upload it to YouTube and add it to our YouTube group.

Blog about it, Twitter about it... do what you can.

Even if you don't want to document the event, just turn off your lights and hang out with family or friends, in the dark, and talk about it.

Remember - 8:30pm (your time zone) on Saturday, March 28th, 2009.

Make a difference.

Tell as many people as you can, too. Spread the word and we'll see what we can do...

And, if you're interested in reducing your carbon footprint on our planet even more, consider hiring a green remodeling company. Our green contractors can inspect your home and make recommendations to help you save energy, save money, and save the planet. Even if you're remodeling your kitchen, our contractors can help you go green with eco-friendly products and eco-friendly materials.

ConstructionDeal.com is a smart, fast, and easy way to find a green contractor - at no cost.

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Home Renovation Trends for 2009

ConstructionDeal.com 2009 Renovation Trends
The condition of the economy has really halted many homeowner remodeling plans. Everyone has been affected and very few are thinking about major renovations, like an expensive new kitchen or a swimming pool.

Once the economy strengthens and consumer confidence picks up again, there will be some new trends when it comes to the home. The 2009 stimulus package recently signed into law will help steer a lot of people toward more green renovation, green remodeling, energy-saving home repairs and improvements, and ways to help save more money.

For many homeowners, that trend has already started. A long winter has been high utility bills. Many are already coming to our site to submit requests for window replacement, solar panel and wind turbine installations, as well as home energy audits.

Another trend could be the increase in home additions and sunroom additions. Quite a few people are in houses they couldn't sell if they had to. Or that the house might actually be worth less than they owe. This means a lot of people across the country will not be "trading up" to a newer, larger, or just a different house. They'll be staying put.

To stay put, many are planning to add on. Give themselves more room to live, more room for storage, more room for kids moving back in. A room addition will help or even a huge project like a second story addition will practically create a whole new house. Finding the funds to finance these projects will not be as easy but there should be a loosening of credit as banks realize they're not going to make any money without charging fees and earning interest.

Back to the green renovation trend... It's probably a bad idea to even label it as being green. So many people have politicized "Green" that in some circles, it could be considered a four-letter word. Let's say the trend will be energy and money saving. The green will be more cash savings.

People will be making changes to their home that will help their wallet as well as their planet. They've been wasting food so they'll try composting. They've been wasting water so they'll install low-flow shower heads. They've been wasting heat and air conditioned air so they'll put in insulation and triple-paned windows. They've been wasting electricity so they'll install a programmable thermostat and switch to a Energy Star washer and dryer.

The economy has soured and many homeowners will continue to do a lot of the work themselves. Others will find local contractors to help with their installations and home repairs. One trend may even come out of all this will be that more and more people may barter for services. A mini economy could spring up that has homeowners and small business owners trading their expertise for the services of another. Or trading a car or motorcycle for services. It's possible in any economy but more so these days.

Even with people who have plenty of money and job security, the trends for the American homeowner have shifted away from the extravagant. Gone, for a while, are the $80,000 kitchens and the $75,000 heated swimming pools. For most, they'll make due with what they have and hope for few, if any, major home repairs. Many more are tired of the $400 a month electric bill and the lack of room. They'll make changes but changes that increase their home value and help them live a better life.

For the services I've mentioned in this post, if you need to find any local contractors to help you, I've set up a set of links so you can submit a request. Submitting through ConstructionDeal.com works like this:

• Get 4 quotes from local contractors
• There's no cost
• There's no obligation
• It saves you time - contractors call you
• It saves you money - multiple quotes lets you pick the best price

Ready to get started with your home renovation plans for 2009?

1. Get quotes from window replacement companies
2. Get quotes from solar panel and wind turbine installers
3. Get quotes from insulation contractors
4. Get quotes from home energy auditors
5. Get quotes from air conditioning companies
6. Get quotes from heating contractors
7. Get quotes from home addition contractors
8. Get quotes from green remodelers

Going Green: Home Window Tinting

This post has been  permanently moved to http://contractorequotes.com/improvements/windows/home-window-tinting-the-green-way/