Archives for January 2021

What Exactly Is a Passive House?

In a day when eco-friendly seems to be a hard-selling catch phrase, you can understand why some homeowners would be getting green with their largest investments: Their homes.

The Passive house, the most eco-friendly home option around, can cut the energy consumption of a home used for heating by a startling 90 percent.

So what is a passive house? And how can a home meet a Passive House Building Energy standard?

The phrase “passive” describes the way the home relies on natural resources, saving energy without resorting to “active” technologies, including photovoltaics or solar thermal hot water systems.

These green homes are virtually air-tight and extremely well insulated.

Tens of thousands of passive houses have been built over the past two decades in Europe, establishing an impressive and dependable performance record. And now, more international governments are establishing Passive House standards as a key element of their policies to reduce energy use for the long term.

So what makes a house a certifiable Passive home?

Below are several critical design principles:

• Super Insulation: insulation tuned to the local climate level to assure a stable, draft-free interior
• Thermal Bridge Free Construction: detailing that assures energy isn’t transferred through building materials
• Air-Tight Construction: rigorous attention to sealing all potential air leakage sources
• Net-Gain High Performance Windows: triple glazed, tilt-turn windows tuned to gain more energy than they lose
• Balanced Ventilation: system recovers heat from steady balanced air flow, “the house literally breathes”
• Lighting and Plug Loads: LED and CFL light sources in nearly all fixtures and the best Energy Star appliances

Generally, construction of a Passive House is about five percent more costly than typical construction, however, savings start immediately. Your energy usage –and subsequent bills—will be minimal, and can save you thousands of dollars a year.

Source: passivehouse.us.

Redoing The Kitchen? Take Your Counter Beyond Granite

For most of the past decade, at least, according to The Marble Institute, more than 75 percent of homeowners remodeling their kitchens have chosen granite for their counter tops.

Given granite’s durability, longevity and good looks, that’s not surprising. But at $60 to $100 per square foot installed, it is expensive – and extraordinarily heavy, often requiring reinforcement of base cabinets.

If you are considering a remodel, consider the following non-granite counter top solutions:

Carrara marble – Marble is softer than granite, and more apt to scratch. But it develops a warm and lovely patina over time that appeals to many people.

Wood – Wood counter tops are enjoying a popularity surge because of its warmth, style and durability. Butcher block is the most common type, but slabs can be crafted from a variety of woods. Maintenance requires only a little oil now and then to prevent drying.

Soapstone – A smooth, matte natural stone that comes in a hues ranging from soft grey to charcoal, sopastone is one of the only natural surfaces that is not affected by acids – so spilled coffee or orange juice won’t leave a stain. It is also heat resistant and requires no special cleaners are needed, but mineral oils can be used to enhance the stone’s natural beauty.

Engineered quartz – These engineered countertops are created by mixing 95 percent ground natural quartz with 5 percent polymer resins. The result is a super-hard, low-maintenance, natural looking countertop that’s available in a wide range of colors. It is scratch and heat resistant, though you may not want to set a hot frying pan on it.

Stainless steel – Complementing many of today’s appliances, stainless steel is stain- and heat-resistant but it can be scratched or dented.

Source: National Kitchen and Bath Association

6 Personality Traits That Turn Toxic into Tolerant

Is there a “Manipulative Mary” in your workplace? Or worse yet, an “Office Bully?” On-the-job stress can result in people developing “toxic personalities” that co-workers strive to avoid and employers pass by for promotions. Here are some positive personality traitsthat can be incorporated into a daily routine to help. Goodbye aggressive and domineering…hello integrity and tolerance.

1. Selflessness: Truly selfless people seem to be increasingly hard to come by these days. Change that by becoming a selfless person yourself. Lend a listening ear to a friend in need or a coworker with an issue. Being patient with others will help you develop a selfless attitude. By being selfless, people will look to you for help and will love you for it. 

2. Tolerance: Being tolerant and patient with someone will lead to a less stressful life for yourself and those around you. Everyone is different in their own way. Don’t judge others for their quirks. Be accepting of them. 

3. Genuineness: The world today seems to be leaning more towards superficial and fake. Don’t succumb to this. Be true to yourself and be honest with those around you. People will appreciate it and you will certainly stand out in the workplace.

4. Sensitivity: Be sensitive towards others feelings. Sensitive people are often also very self aware, making them very mindful of how they treat others. Being sensitive makes others view you as thoughtful, approachable, and real. 

5. Integrity: Be true to yourself. Don’t do something just to make a buck or help your chances of moving up. If your conscience is saying no, you should probably stop. Hold your head high and you will be respected. 

6. Humility: If you know you’re super smart or drop dead gorgeous, don’t act like it. Having humility and modesty will gain you more respect from others. 

Now you can say goodbye to aggressive and domineering and hello to positivity. 

Source: shine.yahoo.com