As it happens, your refrigerator is one of the three largest consumers of electricity in a small home. A new refrigerator that is Energy Star rating compliant will require roughly 400 kwh/year. At regional rates, that might range between $50 and $100 per year on your electric bill. A 20 year old refrigerator could consume […]
Tag Archives | architecture
architecture
Energy Efficient Washer Dryer Combo
This is electric, but runs at 55 watts. It is a washer and dryer combination that holds up to 11 pounds of laundry. I tried weighing 11 pounds of laundry. Its surprisingly large. This unit will save space, which saves a lot of money in itself. I believe it will keep up with the laundry […]
Backup Generator on Propane Gas
A Honda generator can run on 3 different fuels; gasoline, natural gas, and LP (propane) gas. If you have a propane o natural gas heating system, it would be very convenient to tie your backup generator to your standard gas fuel which is delivered to your house dependably by you gas supplier. You don’t have […]
LED Light Bulbs
A lamp that sheds enough light to make it comfortable to read a book should offer 700 to 800 lumens of light. A well designed LED light bulb will need 10 to 12 watts of electricity to produce 700 to 800 lumens. But that’s all, just 10 watts. 300 to 400 lumens is plenty for […]
Exterior Wall of High R-Value
For economy and ease of contruction, this is my prefered procedure for raising the insulation value of a residential exterior wall to R=35. Some use a double stud wall. Some use 8 inch studs. Both have their purposes in some circumstances, but are usually substantially more expensive. Basically, to conventional stick frame walls, add 2 […]
Cost of Building a Cottage
Are you planning to build a house in which to retire, perhaps in Maine? I bet you have a tight budget. The average new house in the USA at this moment has about 2,200 square feet of finished floor area. Without going crazy purchasing luxurious, high end materials, this will still probably cost roughly $400,000 […]
Window Styles & Manufacturers
To see what a well engineered window looks like, study the architectural details at the Marvin Window website. I always feel safe recommending Marvin. http://www.marvin.com There are many other window companies with different prices and styles. You need to browse through and find what you like and what fits your budget. Ask local suppliers for […]