Ants or termites will find a way to get into your walls and eat the studs, especially if moisture occurs. You have only two options: 1. apply pesticide every year around your perimeter or - 2. install a zinc flashing under the sill planks, on top of the foundation wall, with a 1-1/2 inch lip draping over the wall at a 45 degree angle.

A few companies manufacture them preformed, but you can fashion one from a role of zinc flashing. Don’t use aluminium or copper or some galvanized metal. They will react to the pressure treated wood and concrete and break down chemically.

This is the green thing to do. The ants are not harmed, the ground is not poisoned, but they can’t get in and you only do it once. If your house is preserved from destruction, you are conserving natural resources. That is green. Write me if you want to see a graphic detail of this shield in a wall. If you build to last, you save on material resources.

written by pencilman

Plastic is a terrific product for countertop. It withstands high temperatures, comes in many colors and visual textures, can be cut in any shape, withstands high impacts, won’t split, and it’s only a little expensive. You decide. Of course there are two major manufacturers of plastic countertop. Before you gag, take a look at what is possible.

http://www.avonitesurfaces.com/

http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces/en_US/products/index.html

Granite is popular here in Maine; the granite state. There are local suppliers with good prices. But the best website I have found for browsing for particular colors and surfaces is owned by a company in New Jersey:

http://www.marble.com/

written by pencilman \\ tags: Countertop Avonite

Radiant Floor Heating Systems are the latest and best solution for even distribution and low energy consumption. Radiant heating uses the air masses and structural mass of the floor to store and distribute the heat radiating from the hot water tubes running through or under the floor. Here are links to teach you about the methods, components and manufacturers.

http://www.radiant-floor-heating.com/index.htm

http://www.hardwoodinfo.com/display_article.asp?ID=304

http://www.radiantpanelassociation.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=99

http://www.ultra-fin.com

http://www.radiantcompany.com/details/

http://www.pexsupply.com/

http://www.warmup.com/us-carbonheater.phtml

http://www.warmboard.com/

http://www.warmlyyours.com/

http://www.radiant-floor-heating.com/index.htm

written by pencilman \\ tags: Radiant Floor Heating Systems

I am fond of the idea of plumbing new homes with PEX Tubing for pipes. It is much less labor instensive, and more flexible when configuring the complex systems involved with high tech residential utilities. These folks have a nice website catalog of PEX plumbing components.

http://www.pexsupply.com/

Here is a good place to read about the advantages and planning elements to using PEX.

http://www.pexinfo.com/#advantages

written by pencilman \\ tags: PEX Tube Plumbing Systems