Old is the New Green–Video House Tour

Transcript

Matt: [at front of old Victorian house] Hi, I'm Matt Grocoff, the green renovation expert for Old House Web and host of greenovation.tv and this is my house.  So when my wife Kelly and I first bought this 110 year old folk Victorian house, it was a dream come true: it had lead paint, asbestos siding, zero insulation and even an old gas powered lawn mower out in the shed.  What more can anybody ask for.

Matt: [in living room] So on move in day we brought two things with us:  a crowbar to rip up all the old carpet and a box of compact fluorescent light bulbs.  We replaced every light socket in this house with compact fluorescents and then we added motion sensors to every light switch in the house.  We leave a room, if we forget to turn it off, it turns it off for us.

Matt: [in bathroom] So at the start of our renovation project, this was the only bathroom in the house.  It was fantastic.  It had pink Formica tiles, an old flush toilet that flushed 5 gallons every time.  This is a Caroma Dual Flush Toilet which only uses .8 gallons every flush and unlike our old toilet never clogs.  But not only have we made it look great, but we've made it way more energy efficient.

This is a 1-minute a gallon showerhead.  This is going to use a gallon and a half a minute less than an ordinary showerhead.  This will literally save thousands of gallons over its lifetime.

Matt: [backyard drilling for geothermal] I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say "I thought you couldn't put geothermal into a historic house."  Well this house proves that wrong.  We were able to put three 150-foot bore holes vertically into the back yard on a very small piece of property.  Not only do we have a heating and cooling system that uses half the energy of our neighbors, we have a house that's a whole lot more comfortable. 

Matt: [in living room] We're out to prove that old houses can be the Greenest houses. In fact, with all the renovations we've done so far, we've made this house ultra efficient and we've got a ways to go.  We're going to take this house all the way to Net Zero.  Meaning it's going to produce more energy than it uses.

Matt: [at the computer] So you eco geeks, get ready to get geeked out because this is our WattVision Google Power Meter.  And this will tell us how much energy we're consuming at any given moment.  If everyone knew how much energy they were using, they would probably use a lot less.  [I'm coming to get you, I got you, I got you] Before we get the solar panels up on the roof, you can see we've got a lot of work to do.

Matt: [pointing to house exterior] We've got to paint the house, restore these old windows, then top it off with some really energy efficient storm windows.  My daughter Jane will probably still be alive when this house turns 200 years old.  So restoring America's old homes is not just about preserving history, it's about protecting our future.   So for Old House Web, this is Matt Grocoff reminding you that, "The Green Revolution Begins at Home"

Thank You for stopping by-Share and Comment below. If additional information in needed or you have a question let me know. Together we can make a difference and create a future that will benefit everyone. Build a Green StLouis Green Building Tips and Resources via: Scotty- St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog
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StLouis Think Locally Act Globally

The Term: Think Locally - Act Globally- that was first introduced to me in Columbia MO way back in 1999 is becoming ever more needed since the last IPCC report and the suggestions to reduce this Global Warming Trend that is affecting and changing the Earth's Weather Patterns.

• The IPCC report shows the Man Made CO2 is creating warming temperatures Worldwide.

So what does this mean for the StLouis Region and how do we as a whole: Think Locally-Act Globally?

Since the greatest contributor of the CO2 that is causing Climate Change is from Burning Coal to Produce our Electricity and from Automobile Exhaust- it just makes sense to use less.  For this green blog post I'm going to share a few suggestions in order from Least Expensive to Most Expensive tips for your home or office.

• For those who did not know the supplier of our Electricity Ameren UE listed as Union Electric [to confuse the public- Ameren UE creates electricity from burning the Dirty Coal supplied by PeaBody Energy] has the 4th Dirtiest Coal Burning Plant in the USA.[Union Electric Co.'s Labadie plant, Missouri (18.5 million metric tons)]

The following listed web links are will direct you to other blog postings on this site. Please Feel Free to Share your tips in the comment section.

1. Shut off unused electrical devices, lights, etc
2. Recycle
3. Changing Light Bulbs to less Wattage or even better LED type lamp bulbs
4. Wash Clothes in Cold Water
5. Heat and Cool efficiently- Change the HVAC Air Filters-Service HVAC Units
6. Seal Air Leaks- Doors, Windows, etc
7. Add Insulation where needed
8. Water Heating with Solar or Point of Demand type H20 Heaters
9. Solar Electric Systems
10. Geo Thermal Systems both heat water and warm/cool your home by using the Earth

This is not a complete list just a few simple suggestions of the things I do and plant to add to my home.  For additional info on the subject the USA Department of Energy has even more ways to save.

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

Electric Wiring Installation Pro Video Tip #16787-

 Here is a handy tip to ensure a hassle free smooth installation of Electric Wire Installation in Metal Conduit. Hint: Its all in the Setup.

- Hassle Free Wire Spool Unrolling Pro Video Tip #16787-

• As the wire is pulled into the conduit the friction of the wire rolls working against each other from rotating in opposite directions ensures tangle free installation.  

• This eliminates the wire spools from unrolling on their own accord and creating a tangle of wires.

1. 3 Wire 12-2 White, Black, and Green
2. Setting up the Rolls of Wire- Place each Roll of Wire on the Roller Frame so that the corresponding roll feeds from the opposite direction- See Diagram

• 

  Each Roll of Wire needs to be spooling from opposite direction-Setting Up Spools of Wire for Pro Video Tip #16787

3. First Part of the Video- Shows a Long Run with Constant a Feed or Pull- Note how all  the wires pull at the same speed eliminating any tangles or mishaps.


4. Second Part of Video with Many starts and stops showing how the wires do not become tangled demonstrating the tangle free installation.

Video Note: This was my first attempt to edit a video using YouTube and was unable to delete the unnecessary frames of the video.

To learn more about the services Scotts Contracting performs for the StLouis Region check out the web site at this link

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

Green Home Renovation Tips for Fire Safety - Guest Post

Green Home Renovation Tips for Fire Safety-

Guest Post by: Ms Sally Davison 

When it comes to sustainable home construction and renovation, fire safety should also be a concern. Preventing fires is a green practice in itself, because fires present a serious threat to the environment in terms of emitting toxic smoke and chemicals and creating hazardous debris and waste. Firefighters also have to use a considerable amount of water to fight a fire, and this water can turn into dangerous runoff containing various chemicals.

Here are some areas of green home renovation that will make your home fire-resistant.

Insulation – Spray-foam insulation uses green products, saves energy, and resists fire. It is made from agriculturally based materials like soy and doesn't emit toxic vapors. It creates a perfect seal with no gaps in the wall, which keeps heat from leaking out and mold from growing. The materials are fire-resistant, and the air-tight seal keeps out oxygen that could feed a fire.

Natural Lighting – The use of natural lighting such as skylights and large windows can reduce the need for electric lighting in the day time. This saves energy and reduces the risk of something catching on fire near a hot light bulb.

Appliances – Old and poorly-maintained appliances pose a significant fire risk. Appliances that use lots of heat such as stoves, dryers, and microwaves should be in good working order. You may want to consider replacing some of your appliances with Energy Star certified ones, as these will use less energy and pose less of a fire risk.

Carpeting – Normal carpet fibers can quickly ignite from just a dropped cigarette or match. However, wool carpeting is flame retardant, difficult to ignite, and has low heat-release properties. It also emits fewer toxins and is a biodegradable, renewable resource.

Windows – Windows made with heat-reflective glass can significantly reduce the amount of heat that enters the home, which saves energy. They can also reflect up to 90 percent of the heat from a raging wildfire outside the home.

Roofing – Metal roofing made from materials such as aluminum or steel are sustainable and fire-safe. These types of materials are non-combustible and will not support a fire. They will also last a lifetime. Vegetative roof systems, which have a layer of soil and vegetation on the roof, can be fire-resistant if they are watered regularly. However, a roof with dry vegetation will actually increase the fire risk for a home.

Landscaping – Just by establishing a fire-safe landscape around your home, you will create a "green belt" to protect you from outside fires like wildfires. Remove all dead trees, shrubs, and plants at least 30 feet around your home. Eliminate low-hanging branches and shrubs growing under trees. Replace highly flammable plants and trees with fire-resistant ones like succulents, hedging roses and honeysuckles, and hardwood trees. Keep your landscape well-watered, especially during the dry season.

This article was written by Sally Davison. She owns the site Fire Science Degree [update7/11/2013-Good day to you, My name is Mark, and I'm writing as a representative of FireScienceDegree (dot) com. We recently acquired this domain and will, in the near future, begin editing and updating the content. If you look, the most recent blog post is from September 2011. Before we remove everything, I wanted to email as many of the webmasters and bloggers linking to us as possible. You found this information useful once, so I didn't want you caught with missing resources.] Sally is an experienced EMT and loves to write various articles about health and safety.

Guest Post Provided by: Scotts Contracting-St Louis Renewable Energy