Ceiling fans make life more comfortable year round

Cooling in the summer, warming in the winter, ceiling fans sweep away energy costs

The July sizzle is in the air, a blanket of humidity has descended over the metro area and air conditioners are working overtime. One inexpensive solution to help the AC is adding ceiling fans to your home. If you choose an Energy Star fan, you’ll not only increase your comfort level but also decrease your utility bill, sometimes as much as 15 percent. Fan design has improved so much over the years that there’s a fan for any décor, from the traditional Tiffany glass and dark wood models to ultra modern one-blade fans. Prices are also reasonable in relationship to the ultimate cost savings and comfort.

Don’t think of ceiling fans as just a summertime thing–in the winter fans with reversible blades circulate the hotter air that rises to the ceiling, helping to lower your heating bills too.

Before you rush out to buy a fan, do some homework first and determine the square footage. Measure the length and width of your room and multiple the numbers. That’s the square footage. Keep in mind the style of the room, and decide if you want a light kit and remote controls.

According to the American Lighting Association, choosing a fan that fits your room size gives you the maximum efficiency. In a room up to 75 square feet, like a bathroom, a 29-36 inch fan is appropriate. Medium sized rooms up to 144 square feet can handle ceiling fans from 36-42 inches. For larger bedrooms and family rooms in the 225 square foot range, the most efficient fans are 50-54 inches. The number of blades makes some difference in airflow, but whether to choose a four, five or six-blade fan is really a matter of personal design choice.

Ceiling fans do such an efficient job of circulating air when used correctly. Paul Vrabel of ICF International, an energy solutions firm, explains how to operate fans properly. “Put them on when you are in the room–during the day and when sleeping–and turn them off when you leave. Ceiling fans cool people, not the air. Using fans wisely and turning down the AC can save a lot of money.”

Written by Myra Vandersall

Save Money, Eat Well and Reduce Stress With A Home Garden

Save Money, Eat Well and Reduce Stress With A Home Garden
When times are tough, people tend to look inward for sustenance and stability. Your backyard would be a good place to look also. Home gardening is the trend now, with gardeners hoping to save money and connect with their own personal world through growing their own vegetables.During World War II, Americans planted victory gardens to cope with food shortages. In 1943, 20 million gardens were planted and those gardens reportedly produced 8 million tons of food.Just as then, Americans are now concerned about saving money. Can you reduce your grocery bills by planting your own victory garden? Yes but the trick here is to keep those garden start-up costs low. If you are going for raised bed gardening, by the time you get the lumber and compost, the costs could range up to $80, but that’s a one-time cost and next year you’re good to go with the same setup.Tilling up a patch of land, or incorporating your vegetables into the existing landscape is less costly. You can further reduce your costs by ditching those chemical fertilizers and insecticides. You really don’t need them, and there are many easy, homemade insecticides that will get the job done.Seed companies estimate that business is up 20% this year, which points to much more interest in home gardening. By this time though, you’re better off investing in seedlings, like tomatoes, peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce and herbs.Missouri State Extension horticulturist David Trinklein says as little as $50 invested in plants and supplies can yield as much as $1,200 in vegetables. Fairly good gardeners can achieve 10 to 15 pounds of tomatoes per plant while a simple garden with a variety of vegetables can fill a family’s salad bowl for about six weeks. Gardening also brings health benefits. Home gardeners who are exposed to nature have better mental health, are more physically fit and eat healthier foods.Ideally, your home garden will be a family affair. Everyone pitches in and not just one family member is out there hoeing away. A pizza garden is a great way to get the kids involved. Plant peppers, onions, tomatoes, parsley, basil and oregano in a circle to resemble a pizza, or rows will do just fine too. Sprinkle marigolds in the pizza garden to represent cheese and watch how much more interested your kids will be in gardening.Saving money with a home garden is a reasonable goal, but eating good, clean food at the dinner table after a pleasant evening digging in the dirt is what will really make gardening an important part of your life.
Posted by SCHNEIDER Real Estate at 8:24 AM 0 comments
Labels: Homeowner Affordability, save money, tips
Friday, June 5, 2009