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QDD

QD Water Heaters – Which One For You

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774

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Which is the best type of water heater you can choose. This information looks at what types of water heaters are available.


water heater, water heating, water heaters, sloar power, solar power water heaters, pool heaters, pool heater, electric water heaters, gas water heaters, stove water heaters, electric water heater, gas water heater, stove water heater

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Well what can I write about water heaters. Well they heat water. Sorry, a bit of a Homer Simpson type answer about them but it shows you how interesting water heaters can be.

They are not really something you can get too exited about but they are something we cannot easily do without. We all want hot water. We need it to wash and bathe in and we need it to clean with. Some of us want to use it to warm our pools up, wash our cars, heat our homes or sit in our hot tubs but at the end of the day we all want hot water and the only easy way to get it is to use a water heater.

So thinking about it then, what types of water heater are there? Well there are four main types but most of us will only need to use one. I have three but I tend to use only one at a time, two at the most.

Solar water heaters. These types of water heaters rely on the power of the sun to heat your water. How efficient they are depends on the amount of sunlight they get so this usually depends on where you live. The more sunlight the better and the more intense the sunlight the better and if the climate is hot in the first place then the water is sort of pre heated to ambient temperature before the action of the sun. They are a good source of some hot water but are not really good enough to be classed as your main water heater so you will need a conventional water heater as a backup. Solar water heaters can also be used to help warm the water in your pool and for this they can be very efficient but again they rely on sunlight to provide a high enough water temperature. I have one of these and I am very impressed about how good it is as a water heater for my pool. It wasn t cheap though.

Stove powered hot water. Using your stove to heat your water is the oldest method around. It has been around for a long time, (if you think about heating water in an iron or clay pot), but these days many of us have water jackets built into our stoves. I have a wood-burning stove so in effect my hot water is free as my stove is often on. It is efficient as a water heater and does the job pretty well. I do not have any grumbles about it and I am also one of these people who care about the environment enough to plant trees on my land to offset the carbon cycle when I burn timber.

Electric water heaters. This is the third type of water heater I have but it is my backup as it is relatively expensive to run but it is useful as within 15 minutes I can have hot water to use for a shower when returning from a vacation and the heating has been off. It is there as a standby for me but is very easy to use as I just switch it on and before long I have hot water. For many people who do not have a stove or fire type water heater this is one of the few choices you have and in this case they are very good. My first house had two sources of hot water. One was an electric powered shower and the other was the electric water heater which heated water in the hot tank. I had nothing else and it worked, but I found it much more expensive than using my wood stove or using solar energy.

The final type of water heater is a gas heater. These tend to heat both your hot water and provide heating for your house as well. Not all areas have a supply to gas although some people can also use a supply of bottled gas but this tends to be much more expensive than a piped supply. Gas heaters operate much faster than an electric water heater and they tend to be much cheaper to operate than electric if it is a piped supply so if you are looking to choose between the two then this may be your best choice.

Whichever system you decide to install, do your research first and work out which is the cheapest to operate. You will also need to look at the costs of the water heaters and the water heating systems you install and work out what is best for you.

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paving contractors dublin

Your Don’t Build A House Without Bathtubs

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405

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As an architect, of course I have strong feelings about elements that should never be left out of any home building project. For example, I believe that no home should be built without bathtubs.

I know, bathtubs sounds like a strange thing to be so concerned about, but it is true. I always advise my clients, regardless of their age or the kind of home they are building, to not even consider building a home without bathtubs. When they ask me why I can usually give a pretty …


bathtubs

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As an architect, of course I have strong feelings about elements that should never be left out of any home building project. For example, I believe that no home should be built without bathtubs.

I know, bathtubs sounds like a strange thing to be so concerned about, but it is true. I always advise my clients, regardless of their age or the kind of home they are building, to not even consider building a home without bathtubs. When they ask me why I can usually give a pretty strong defense of bathtubs.

Bathtubs do something for a bathroom and for a home that ordinary showers without bathtubs cannot do. Bathtubs give the people of a home the ability to have a quiet place of refuge to relax and unwind at the end of a hard day or week. Think about how great it feels to take a hot shower at the end of a long and cold day. Now think about how much nicer it would be to soak in a hot bathtub for thirty minutes instead. Sounds nice right?

I’m convinced about bathtubs in every home because I am convinced that we are far too busy and far too stressed out as a society. I am convinced that we could all, men, women and children alike, use a little bit of space and quiet away from the rest of the world.

I’ll admit that I hadn’t utilized the pleasures of bathtubs until just a few years ago when my family and I moved into a new house and my wife insisted upon bathtubs in every room of the house for our kids. I agreed during the building process and within weeks after moving in I was trying out the bathtubs for myself and realizing how truly amazing they were. In all my years of living I had yet to find something as relaxing and truly peaceful as spending time in water filled bathtubs.

So if you are thinking about building a home or just of buying an already built home, do so with caution. Do not let yourself buy or build a home without bathtubs. You have no idea what you’re missing if you don’t have them. I guarentee you, bathtubs are a necessary element for every house. They add a special space for people to get away, relax and unwind. So don’t even think about owning a home without one or more bathtubs.

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Patios Dublin

PDD1 How to Maximize Comfort and Lower Your Utility Bills

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682

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If you think summers have been getting hotter in recent years, you may be right. To help beat the heat, a leading provider of customized home comfort systems, provides answers to some common questions about how to increase home comfort and save money.


How to Maximize Comfort and Lower Your Utility Bills

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If you think summers have been getting hotter in recent years, you may be right. In fact, according to the National Climatic Data Center, 2005 was the warmest year since national records began in 1895. Combine those rising temperatures with increasing energy costs to cool your home, and the situation can be downright unbearable.

To help beat the heat, Lennox Industries, a leading provider of customized home comfort systems, provides answers to some common questions about how to increase home comfort and save money during the hottest months of the year, based on the pioneering and knowledge of company founder Dave Lennox.

How can I lower my utility bills?

With the average homeowner spending more than $2,100 on energy-about half of it for heating and cooling-the cost of keeping cool can be expensive. To improve your home’s energy efficiency and lower utility bills, conduct a simple home energy audit. Start by examining exterior walls, doors, and windows to identify any cracks where cool air could be seeping out, and seal leaks with caulk or weather stripping. Keep window blinds closed during the day to block sunlight from entering the home and plant trees around the house for added shade.

In addition, check your attic’s insulation. If it’s insufficient, the home’s cooling system may have to work harder to regulate the indoor temperature. Add more if there currently is less than five inches.

Finally, be sure to set up an appointment with a home cooling professional to inspect and clean your air conditioner to ensure it’s working as efficiently as possible. You may also want to install a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust the indoor temperature while you’re away, which also can help lower your energy bill.

My house feels sticky and sometimes smells musty. What can I do about it?

Even when the temperature is right, your house may still feel sticky due to excessive humidity, and that can affect your overall comfort and well-being. In fact, too much moisture can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can potentially cause health issues.

To determine whether you have a humidity problem, have the air in your home tested. Lennox Industries offers a service known as the Healthy Advantage Program, in which an air-quality monitor is placed inside the home to measure humidity levels, as well as temperature, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, odors, chemical vapors and airborne particles–all of which can affect your health and comfort.

If there is a moisture problem, it’s important to inspect the house for any water leaks, and take appropriate measures to correct the problem. You also may want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier, which can significantly reduce the moisture in your home. Lennox recently introduced the Humiditrol whole-home dehumidification system, which is installed in your home’s existing duct system and can remove up to three times more moisture from the air than a conventional dehumidifier.

My air conditioner is about 20 years old and I’m afraid it’s on its last leg. What should I look for when shopping for a new system?

The average lifespan of a quality central air conditioner is about 15 to 20 years, so it’s smart to be thinking about replacement. Planning ahead gives you time to conduct research and select the right system based on your specific needs. Consult the Good Housekeeping Institute, as well as manufacturer Web sites and local air conditioning professionals, who can help guide you in making an informed decision.

One of the most important things to consider when shopping for a new system is the seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER). While the national minimum SEER rating is 13, many newer models have a SEER of 15 and higher, which will help make your home more energy efficient. Some systems, such as the Dave Lennox Signature Collection XC21 air conditioner, are nearly twice as efficient as a standard air conditioner.

Finally, don’t put a price tag on comfort. Purchase a system that is priced within your budget, but don’t compromise your comfort, household energy efficiency or long-term savings by purchasing a unit that will not satisfy your needs well into the future.

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Tarmac Patio Paving Waterford

DDW Women Spring Into Home Improvement Projects

Word Count:
330

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It is becoming more common to hear that women are finishing DIY projects without calling a professional or waiting for their husbands.


Women Spring Into Home Improvement Projects

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Warm-weather season is an ideal time to learn how to use power tools and start much-needed home improvement projects. It is becoming more common to hear that women are finishing DIY projects without calling a professional or waiting for their husbands.

While DIY projects are not new, the amount of time women spend doing them is. With the onset of do-it-yourself television shows and magazines, more and more women feel confident in their abilities to handle home improvement projects themselves. In fact, many home improvement centers report a greater percentage of women purchasing power tools and supplies. And recent research shows that the two most popular power tool purchases by women are cordless drills and sanders.

Generally speaking, women enjoy taking on DIY projects to enhance their current surroundings or prepare it for new uses. User-friendly tools and supplies, as well as knowledgeable resources dedicated to home improvement projects, can easily be found today. As a result, women find they are willing to take on DIY projects themselves.

Not only are home improvement projects empowering, but oftentimes they are also necessary. As Heidi Baker and Eden Jarrin, the “Janes” of Be Jane, Inc., point out, they both took on projects in their own homes because they did not have the money to hire someone to do it for them.

Increasingly, women are looking for more knowledge on power tools and DIY projects. For those who are not familiar with how power tools work, Skil Power Tools product manager Christelle Imhof suggests starting “with smaller, easier-to-handle tools and then work your way up. For instance, when looking for a cordless drill, start out with a 12V; once you’re use to it, graduate to a more powerful tool.”

Mother’s Day can be an ideal time to give a loved one a power tool that will not only increase her confidence, but also help her build those backyard planters she’s wanted for years. Plenty of Web sites provide step-by-step instructions to get started.