Green Renovation Ideas

How to Change a Moen Cartridge

Posted on 4th February 2012 in Green Maintenance

One of the major manufacturers of shower valves is Moen and its cartridge system was one of the first designs that saved both water and heat energy. The other plus is that these cartridges are easy to change so that the home owner saves plumbing charges with a D-I-Y job.

Moen cartridge shower faucets employ a plastic valve to regulate water flow. In a single cartridge system the mixing the flow of hot and cold water to the desired temperature is provided with a single lever. However, water conditions and time can cause the internal components of a cartridge faucet to corrode. This is particularly true with the O-ring which is located on the bottom of the cartridge which can leak when weakened even when the shower valve is off.

1. Turn off the water supply

2. Pry off the cap at the center of the faucet’s handle. Use a flat-head screwdriver.

3. Remove the retaining screw (visible) with a Phillips screwdriver.

4. Pull the handle away and put aside.

5. Remove the plate by unscrewing the plate retainer and pulling it away.

6. Insert a special shower stem socket (available at home improvement stores) through the shower wall turn the retaining nut counterclockwise.

7. Pull the defective cartridge out with a pair of pliers and insert the new one.

8. Replace plate and retaining nut.

9. Replace handle on decorative plate

Now you’re ready to go!

comments: 0 » tags: bathfitter, bathroom renovation, contemporary bathroom, contemporary bathroom renovation, moen cartridge, moen valve

Hand-Held Shower with Palm Control

Posted on 10th January 2012 in Green Materials, Green Technology

The hand-held showerhead goes back to the invention of the indoor bathtub. These fixtures were probably the first type of residential showering devices and were hooked up to the bathtub faucet. The bather was free to soak plus had the added advantage of rinsing with the water jets. With the introduction of stand-up showers came hand-held showerheads that extended this freedom of use but you had to wave it like a baton.

The newest innovation for the bathroom shower is the palm-controlled showerhead, a device that gives the bather the freedom of close-up cleaning and rinsing. This bathing fixture also directs the most amount of water to the area so that water and energy is saved from overspray. In addition palm-controlled showerheads are lighter and easier to use for people without much strength in their arms. In fact many weigh just 6 ounces and have pause functions that increase the savings in heated water.

comments: 1 » tags: hand held shower heads, new showerhead, showerhead arm, showerhead hose

Soda Bottle Solar Lights

Posted on 8th December 2011 in Green Technology

brainstorming,businesses,concepts,conservation,Earth,electricity,energies,environmental issues,global,growths,ideas,imaginations,inspirations,international,iStockphoto,light bulbs,powers,solutions,technologies,thinking Believe it or not there are areas of the populated world where electric lighting is either not available or can only be enjoyed by those who have money. Candles work to a certain extent but now there is a new wave of lighting that is spreading across areas, like the rural Philipines, and you don’t have to be rich to enjoy it.

Light in a Bottle

Using a two liter water bottle as a refracting unit a bright light can be realized from a small amount of sunlight. The plastic bottles are filled with water, planted in the roof and the sun does the rest. In fact the light generated can brighten a room that used to be filled with darkness. (Of course the ceiling has to be sealed or else you might get a shower mixed in with the light!)

Solar LEDs in a Bottle

So if this works for natural light why not solar LED’s? Get a string of solar lights and take the plastic refracting unit off. Then immerse this in a glass of water and watch the light show. In this way free, strong light can be enjoyed long after the sun goes down.

Do you want cheap solar lighting for your home? Then look no further than a bottle of water!

comments: 0 » tags: led lighting, light bulb jar, soda bottle light, solar light, solar lighting, solar water bottle, water bottle light

Solar Heating with Soda Pop Cans

Posted on 23rd November 2011 in Green Energy

The great thing about passive solar heating is that it can be done without investing thousands of dollars on solar assistance hardware and another few grand to have it installed. As upfront cost is one of the biggest drawbacks to changing over to a solar-assist system homeowners are sceptical when it comes to sales pitches such as “pays for itself in 6 to 7 years.”

Cansolair is all hot air

With this in mind James Meaney of Collier, Newfoundland set out test a theory that, even on the coldest days, the sun could produce enough enough energy to heat a home. By taking the tops off soda pop cans and then soldering them together in long tubes he fashions a solar, hot air collector. These tubes are then joined with a “u” pipe in the ends so that a dozen or so tubes become one large collector. The cans are then painted black and placed in a cabinet with a polycarbonate top. There is a cold air intake and hot air exhaust on the back of the cabinet. This cabinet is mounted on the sunny side of the home wth holes drilled into the walls to accept the two pipes. Cansolair panels are designed to be completely independent of, but complimentary to, a home’s present heating system.

How a Solair system works

The cold air intake is near the floor and up to 90 cubic feet per minute of colder air is drawn by a quiet and powerful fan through a filter mounted on the intake grill. This cool air is pumped through the first check valve, through the dozens of soda cans and then back into the home through the check valve near the ceiling. Two or more units can be added to any South-East, South, or South-West-facing wall or roof that is free from shadow.

Cansolair heating units pay for themselves in less than 5 years and are almost maintenance free, which is more than you can say about any other solar-assist or active solar system. One owner in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia told me this: “On a cold winter day you can hardly hold your hand in front of the intake.”

Can you make one yourself? You probably could fashion a crude system. However, although Mr. Meaney uses soda cans that is only a part of why this system works. He has figured out all the angles to get a consistent flow of solar assisted heat.

comments: 0 » tags: green energy, passive solar energy, solar energy, solar heat, solar power

Ceramic-Based Paints Are Green

Posted on 17th November 2011 in Green Materials

Painting the exterior of a home or bathroom walls is probably the easiest and cheapest way to protect the sheathing materials but it is very labor-intensive and has to be done about every three to five years depending on the quality of paint used and the preparation of the surfaces. This is because most water-based paints cannot stand up to years of abuse. This where ceramic-based paints can really make a difference.

Water-Based Paints

After water-based, acrylic binders were introduced into the market – in the 1950′s - house painters began to explore the potential of the new binders and were abandoning the oil-based ones. It was extremely versatile, fast-drying and cleaned up in minutes. In addition there were none of the headaches that were associated with the volatile organic compounds – VOC’s – in oil-based paints.

Paint consists of binders, pigments, fillers and solvents. Each type of paint finish will have its own special blend of ingredients to cover a certain surface. Binders are usually acrylic, latex, vinyl and alkyd. Latex, vinyl and acrylic are water-based while alkyd uses solvents such as mineral spirits. The better the binder the longer the paint lasts.

Ceramic Paint Are Thicker and Last Longer

Because traditional pigment extenders are made from fillers such as talc, clay, chalk and other materials the fine particles tend to have jagged edges which can cause problems with scrubbing and dirty finishes. Ceramic paint incorprates minute circular beads for filler and this makes the coats thicker. These beads can pack more closely together so that dirt cannot penetrate the surface of the paint. It is also a natural mold and microbe inhibitor and this works great for the shady side of homes, in the bathroom and on nursery walls.

Ceramic Paints Have Insulating Qualities

Some ceramic paints have insulating qualities that can reflect the summer’s heat away from the home in much the same way as stucco or other masonry products. This protection against UV waves makes the color last longer and many more years between paint jobs.

These paints are worth a try even though they are more expensive. For exterior use and in places like the bathroom the mold growth reduction is worth the price.

comments: 0 »

Passive Solar Building

Posted on 10th November 2011 in Green Energy

Passive solar building is a construction technique where all parts of the building are designed to collect and store heat in the winter and dissipate and repel heat in the summer. So rather than use fuels or electricity for heat and burn electricity to run air conditioners the house regulates itself.

Climate Knowledge is the Key

When designing a passive solar building an architect explores all the extremes and conditions of the local weather. This will determine where windows will go, and also how big they will be made and how many panes will be required. And although it is easier to include the modifications in a new building retrofitting has become a big industry.

Solar Attitude

The location of the sun has a lot to do with passive solar building. This placement changes with the seasons. For example, in the Northern hemisphere – north of 23.5 degrees - the angles of the sun lowers toward the south as the winter solstice approaches and then moves further up north during the equinox and then, finally, reaches its zenith during the summer solstice. In planning a home in this area the windows can take advantage of the low-lying sun in the winter but will not be in the direct path of the sun’s rays during the summer. The placement of windows and shading elements like shrubs, trees and man-made barriers also figure into the efficiency of the home climate as they add or interfere with the sun’s heat, whatever is required.

Thermal Storage in Winter

If you stand near a brick building at night (after a sunny day) you can feel the heat radiate from the surface. This is because the brick absorbs the sun’s heat during the day and releases it when the air becomes cooler. Brick and/or surfaces in the home become thermal storage units and help regulate the amount of extra energy – oil, gas or electricity – that is needed to keep the home comfortable. Many designs call for piping underneath these surface to allow them to heat the air in the pipes. A small fan then moves the air around the home to the cooler areas. And this energy is free.

Drapes

In addition, drapes can prevent this heat from the leaving the home through the same windows that let the heat in. The heavier the better, however a mylar sheet sandwiched by two pieces of cloth can reflect the heat back into the home.

The key to passive solar design is to either harness the sun’s energy in the winter or deflect it in the summer.

comments: 0 » tags: green build, green building and design, green building construction, green building council, what is green building

Mineral Wool Insulation

Posted on 7th November 2011 in Green Materials

Mineral wool insulation has exploded in the home insulation business as homeowners and builders become aware of the many positive attributes of the product. Unlike fiberglass wool insulation mineral wool is made from natural minerals or metal oxides.

Benefits Over Fiberglass

1. Fire-Proof: Because is is made from rock mineral wool is impervious to high heat, much higher than fiberglass batts. It also blocks smoke.

2. Water Resistant: When dampened fiberglass acts like a sponge and becomes a water reservoir. This can lead to mold and fungus later on. Mneral wool not only resists water absorption but it will not lose its shape or thermal qualitites because of dampness. Any surface water will be shed.

3. Pests Hate It: Rodents, especially rats and squirrels, like burrowing in fiberglass and celluloase but not mineral wool. This will not prevent rodent damage but thermal loss through the burrows.

4. Sound Dampening: Mineral wool is so good at prevent sound transfer that it is popular with recording studios.

5. Installation: Mineral wool batts can be cut to within 1/8″ with a serated, bread knife. This makes fitting the batts easy and prevents leakage through spaces between the batts and the wood studs.

6. No Itching: Mineral wool will not cause chaffing when exposed to the skin.

Made Like Fiberglass Batts

Although the cost is 1/4 to 1/3 more than fibergalss the benefits of mineral wool make up for the expense.

comments: 0 » tags: green build, green building and design, green building construction, green building council, what is green building

The Clawfoot Tub

Posted on 4th November 2011 in Green Materials

The practice of private bathing (as opposed to bath houses) exploded in the 19th Century as many parts of the population grew affluent and could afford having indoor plumbing. Before that time people bathed in small, galvanized steel tubs that resembled large pails.

One of the first water containers was the clawfoot tub which was made from cast iron and lined with porcelain. There were many version of theses tubs featuring water taps on the side, at the ends, or even above within the wall. This era also gave rise to the indoor toilet and the bathroom.

The advent of the built-in steel tub with a front apron brought the age of clawfoot tubs to an end, although now clawfoot tubs are considered a collector’s items. However, new reproduction clawfoot tubs made from fiberglass or acrylic are are usually chosen by remodellers and new home builders.

Clawfoot tubs were made in 5 major groups:

Classic Roll Rim, Roll Top, or Flat Rim tubs
Slipper tubs – This is where one end is raised and sloped for lounging.
Double Slipper Tubs - Both ends are raised.
Double Ended Tubs – where both ends of the tub are rounded.

One of the best things about the old clawfoot tubs is that, because they are desirable items, many building demolition companies keep them out of the landfill and sell them to antique stores. If the porcelain has dulled over the year they can be re-enamlled or covered with an acrylic liner.

Showering With a Clawfoot Tub

Showers are enabled by using curtains suspended from a bar running around the top and fastened down on the tub hardware. Now these racks – somewhat like those in a hospital room – are suspended from the ceiling. The shower head itself is either hooked onto this bar used as a free showering unit with a flexible, steel hose.

comments: 2 » tags: green build, green building and design, green building construction, green building council, what is green building

PEX Plumbing

Posted on 3rd November 2011 in Uncategorized

Cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, has transformed the way buildings are serviced with water, both hot and cold. PEX is a tubing that is popular in new home construction and renovations where the piping has to be fitted into areas where copper pipe would have to be redirected in many angles. It is also popular in hydronic heating. PEX tubing ranges in size from1/4″ to 4″, but 1/2″, 3/4″, and 1″ are by far the most popular.

Better Than Copper

1. Cheaper: As the price of copper rises more and more contractors are looking to PEX to balance the books. Not only that it can be run into walls in much the same manner as electrical wiring saving hours of expensive plumbing work.

2. Flow: It is also easier to use than copper requiring less fittings and no solder joints. Because PEX does not need as many joints as copper pipe the flow of water is not impeded. However, unlike copper, however, it cannot accommodate right-angles so special elbow joints have to be used.

3. Reliable: It will not corrode or get pinhole leaks like metals. Also it will not burst from freezing.

4. Merges With Copper: PEX can be fitted to existing copper pipes.

comments: 0 » tags: green build, green building and design, green building construction, green building council, what is green building

How to Re-Caulk a Bathroom Tub

Posted on 29th October 2011 in Green Maintenance

Unless you own a single fiberglass tub or shower system there is a good chance that you will have to go through re-caulking process. This is because silicone gets old and, unfortunately, becomes an anchor point for mold.

However, re-caulking can be a painless operation if a simple directions are followed:

1. Prepare the Area: Place a stopper in the drain to prevent the old silicone from collecting in the drain pipe that may cause problesm later on.

2. Remove the old caulking: Silicone - even old silicone – does not like to come out easily. This is why you should use both a utility and putty knife on hand for the job. Some old silicone can be pulled out but most will need to be physically removed. Run a putty knife down the line of old silicone being careful not to scratch the surfaces. For more stubborn silicone use a utility knife. Make sure the surfaces are clean.

3. Moisture-Proof: Water, even in tiny amounts, will prevent a good bond. Take a hair dryer and heat up the area, being careful not to get the tip too close as this could warp a plastic tub surround.

4. Tape Guides: Using painter’s tape will provide a crisp line of silicone. Press on two strips of painter’s tape parallel to the joint at a distance of 3/8″-1/2″ on each side.

5. Apply Silicone: Kneel inside the tub and start the bead of silicone from one of the corners being careful to maintain a 45 degree angle. Run this in a single motion to the other corner. Repeat with the other sections.

6. Smoothing Process: Get a plastic spoon and have a paper towel ready to wipe off the excess silicone. Also mix up a small bowl of soapy water to wet the plastic spoon. With the rounded side down gently pull the spoon along the first line of wet silicone from one of the corners. Be careful to stay inside the tape lines and be sure the silicone is feathered smoothly toward the edge of the tape. Go all around the tub and let sit for two hours.

7. Remove Tape: Pull the first piece of tape toward you in a perpendicular attitude. Scrape off any silicone that has gone over the tape area.

comments: 0 » tags: green build, green building and design, green building construction, green building council, what is green building

Green Renovation Ideas

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How to Change a Moen Cartridge

Hand-Held Shower with Palm Control

Soda Bottle Solar Lights

Solar Heating with Soda Pop Cans

Ceramic-Based Paints Are Green

Passive Solar Building

Mineral Wool Insulation

The Clawfoot Tub

PEX Plumbing

How to Re-Caulk a Bathroom Tub