April 13, 2009
Ken and Stephanie are considering going "green": We heat our home with electricity and are wondering if a wind turbine system would be worth it. They cost 45 to 60 thousand dollars.
There's lots of math to analyze first. Divide the cost by your annual power bill into the 50 grand or whatever and that will theoretically give you the payback time in years BEFORE YOU START TO SAVE MONEY. But, not so fast. You'll have to adjust the numbers (that is lengthen the payback period) by the amount of time the wind doesn't blow enough to satisfy your electricity demands-at which time you'll be back on the grid.
There are offsets, however-like rebates available from the government and other entities, plus your ability to sell electricity back into the grid.
This is pretty complicated stuff; I would suggest that you do your own research, however, and not rely on the company who wants to sell you the system, as their calculations might be, um, biased.
Some other alternatives that are more bite-sized include: a propane furnace, pellet stove and/or solar panels you blow air through.
Susan is worried about her indoor air: We are rehabbing an older house, and are replacing shower tiles and drywall that back up to a musty smelling closet. Should we test for mold in the whole house?
Testing for mold is problematic. The spore colonies, if they are present at all, tend to move here and there and may or may not travel near the testing device or container. The real key is whether or not you can see it. If it's hidden in wall spaces, it usually doesn't impact the indoor air quality. But when it travels to or accumulates on walls and ceilings, you should kill it with bleach and water and seal the surface with a primer, like KILZ.
The musty smell you ask about doesn't necessarily mean that there are mold spores present, but can simply indicate you need more ventilation with fresh air. That's' why I recommend in older houses-with their small basement windows-the installation of a small bath fan plugged into a timer that blows stale air out and draws new air into the space. Run it a couple of hours each day for a fresher smell down there.
Also, duct cleaning is a good idea in mature properties. Shine a flashlight down the room ducts and use a swivel mirror to take a peek. If you see a layer of crud clinging to the inside of the tube, get the ducts cleaned.
Bottom line: If you can't actually see mold, it's not usually a problem.
Barbara has a huge deck: We get tired of sealing it every two years or so. We have run across a product that claims to last "thirty years". It's quite expensive. What do you think?
I'd save my money. At our elevation we have lots of UV light impinging on horizontal surfaces, like your deck. That's pretty harsh, and it cooks away anything you coat it with--even the best deck stains. Thirty years sounds tempting, but, really whom would you go to, say, ten years down the road, and most importantly, what criteria would you use to make a claim under the warranty?
I think you'd be better off to stick with one of the name brand, oil based deck stains. These products have built-in reflective chemicals that ward off UV damage, plus midicides and other ingredients to help preserve the wood. As you indicate, they require recoating every other year, but that's the way it goes in the Rockies.
Marge has hot summers: We have a southwest-facing sun room that gets unbearable. What do you think of window film?
I like the idea. This is one of those DIY projects that looks daunting, but goes well with a little practice and a faithful assistant or two. Look for 90+ low-e film at the hardware store. Basically, you soap the windows, peel the backing off the film, slide it into place and then squeegee. It will reflect heat and glare back outside and you'll not only notice a cooler environment, but the view out those windows will be clearer. Admittedly, there will be less solar heat gain in the winter, but that will be partially offset by the film's ability to keep reflect heat back inside.
