Selasa, 14 September 2010

Selasa, 16 Februari 2010

HOW TO ADD NATURAL LIGHTING TO YOUR HOME

The addition of simple
natural light to a remodeling
project can have a huge
impact on your level of
satisfaction. A well designed
home that maximizes the use
of natural lighting without
compromising energy
efficiency brings extra
sunshine into your life.
Don't hesitate to flood a room
with light, particularly on the
north side. The north side is
where constant light can fill
the entire space very evenly
all day. The
larger glass area adds light
to the space, but you will
want to use energy-efficient
windows. Not using energy
efficient windows could result
in cold drafts in the winter,
thermal heat gain in the
summer, and higher energy
bills all year round. Consider
putting windows in unusual
places, such as bathrooms
and even shower spaces.
This will bring in a ton of
daylight and change the
entire look of the area.
Don't discount using windows
on a southwestern
exposure, even in warm
climates. Look for new
glazing and low-emissive
glass coatings that make
windows more efficient and
better suited to the specific
exposure and application.
Minimize east- and west-
facing wall areas. These
elevations feel summer sun
most intensely. Maximize
south-facing glazing as this
will help minimize winter
heating bills.
The right-sized overhang
placed above south-facing
windows can help minimize
heat gain during the summer,
when the sun is high in the
southern sky, yet still emits
warming rays during winter
months. Provide for shade at
south- and west-facing
windows with an appropriate
roof truss design,
architectural features,
landscaping plan, and
decorating plan.
In warm climates, sunlight can
overheat the home through
windows on the south and
west facing sides of homes.
Roof overhangs can provide
shade for these windows as
well as improve the home's
long-term ability to withstand
rain. They will also allow you
to open windows on a rainy
day. Specify 24" eave and
12" rake overhangs when
possible. Where overhangs
will not throw shade, like
first floor windows in 2-story
homes, architectural features
like lanais or awnings can
offset potential heat gain
that windows on southern
and western facades might
be subject to during the
cooling season.
Try entrance doors with
transoms and sidelights.
Where space is limited, a
single sidelight may work
instead of two flanking an
entry. Think about etched
and translucent patterns for
the sidelight glass if privacy
or security is a concern.
French doors with transoms
above doors and windows
can be added if the ceilings
are at least eight feet high. If
lower ceilings prohibit the
use of transoms a wider
window or bank of windows
can be used.
Investigate using windows
and skylights even where
you might have been
concerned about heat gain or
loss in the past. New
products, including high-
performance windows,
integral electronic blinds, and
automatic timed closing
devices can minimize such
concerns.
Today's skylights units are
sleek, leak proof, and easier
to install with special integral
flashing kits. Consider sun
tubes or tunnels for areas in
the middle of a structure,
such as a hallway. Sun tubes
are good alternatives in
areas where there's not
enough space for a skylight.
Tubular Skylights
Where windows are not
practical due to elevation or
a room's layout, tubular
skylights can provide natural
light while minimizing the size
of the roof penetration.
Tubular skylights have a
roof-mounted light collector
that reflects light through a
metal or plastic tube with a
highly reflective interior
coating. The reflective tube
guides the sunlight to a
diffuser lens mounted on the
interior ceiling surface that
spreads light evenly
throughout the room. They
are frequently used in
windowless bathrooms and
closets where natural light is
desirable and skylights
aren't possible because of
attic space above the ceiling.
They can also be used in
other dark spots throughout
the house, such as hallways
and stairwells. In single-
story homes they can even
direct natural light to
basements. Try new options
in moveable, retractable
opening curtain walls for
residential applications. The
following are a few of the
common-sense tactics that
can be considered when
designing high-efficiency
custom homes:
Maximize the use of
operable windows
Aim for operable-window
space equal to 6 to 7 percent
of floor space. (Only the
operable portion of a
double-hung window counts
toward this percentage, while
all of a casement window's
space counts toward the
total.)
Use thoughtful window
placement
Place windows diagonally
across from each other,
rather than directly opposite,
to encourage ventilation
through, rather than across,
a space. Incorporate whole-
house/attic fans. Today's
units are more powerful and
efficient than models you
might remember from your
grandmother's home. In the
evening, with windows and
attic doors open, these fans
can help flush out daytime
heat quickly.
Locate windows with
daylight in mind
Good lighting begins with the
effective use of sun

Rabu, 30 Desember 2009

Free Online Car Insurance Quote - A Must If You Want to Save Money

By Chimerenka Odimba






For those of you who are fed up with outrageously high rates on your auto insurance policy, what have you done about it? You may not have known this, there are ways to reduce your premium. As you read this article, I would show you how you can achieve this aim and without stress too.

This is the easiest way to achieve this.

You need to understand that a lower rate doesn't necessarily mean less coverage. We are looking at finding a lower rate for the exact same coverage you want.

Free online car insurance quote is so important. This quote helps you know what several insurance companies are charging for the coverage you want and from there, you can find the best rate.

To understand why it is possible for some insurance companies to offer lower rates where others charge higher rates, you need to understand somethings.

Understanding this is very important otherwise you would always feel you would be getting less coverage because of the lower rate. Do you want to know why?

Just like every other business, insurance companies are out to make profit from their dealings. Insurance companies want to be able to remain in profit after they have made all there expenses. the expenses they make include:

a. Payment of claims
b. Administrative & running cost

The insurance companies try to reduce some of the above expenses. Success in this would result in more profit for the company enabling them to lower their rates as a way of attracting new customers.

One major thing insurance companies do is investment. This actually accounts for a high percentage of their income. Any Insurance company that makes high returns on their investment can afford to offer their customers lower premium.

You would agree with me that any of the above variables can change meaning that that an insurer offers lower rates today does not mean they would continue to do so. The change can be in any direction which is why you are advised to constantly get and compare free online car insurance quote if we must always enjoy the best rates.

Getting these quotes are quite easy. All you have to do is go online and find a reputable quotes comparison site, fill the short form they have online.

In comparing quotes, you would find that you would know some insurance companies over others maybe because these companies spend more money on television adverts. Always consider this important fact. That an insurer spends more money advertising does not at all mean that they are better. If anything, you should know that their customers eventually bear the cost. You can only be sure by getting hard facts. One good way is visiting your state's department of insurance website and getting all the information you can find. Another good source is feed back from customer who have already used these insurance companies. For people who want to feel their customer service, you can call them and assess how they respond to customers.

You should be careful to take your destiny into your hands. Take the time to find that insurance company ready to give you the rate you need.

When you have done this, you can save further by finding out the discounts that are available and how you can qualify for the ones you have not yet qualified for. Know that the more discounts are available with an insurance company, the more savings you are sure to make. You can find out about this from your agent or insurer.

Get free online car insurance quote and start enjoying very low rates

How do I start my quotes comparison?

Here are two very good sites to start getting your quotes.

Free Online Car Insurance Quote
Affordable Auto Insurance Quotes
Chimerenka Odimba is the publisher Several finance based sites.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chimerenka_Odimba
http://EzineArticles.com/?Free-Online-Car-Insurance-Quote---A-Must-If-You-Want-to-Save-Money&id=3494546

Frequently Asked Auto Insurance Questions

By Marcel A Johnson


You might be wondering what you can do to save money for auto insurance. Here are answers to some questions which help you better understand your insurance policy.

Q. What is the most important thing that auto insurance companies look for when deciding the premiums?

A. The answer to this one is quite simple- your driving! If your past driving performance has been impressive enough then your chances of paying lower premiums are greatly improved. The average that people pay for auto insurance is around $850 a year, however, many people pay a considerably less amount than this because of their driving.

Q. What is the definition of a good driver?

A. You have not been given a ticket for driving in the wrong lane or over speeding along with various other reasons, or caused an accident in the past. Moreover, if you have taken a driving training that might even further enhance your reputation as a 'good driver.'

Q. What other road factor is important for cost reduction of your auto insurance?

A. This one might come to you as a surprise but the number of miles that you drive with your car is an important factor which the insurance companies look into. If you mileage exceeds a certain limit you might not be favored for the discounts. The reason why this is important for the insurance companies is that the more you drive your car, the more chances you have of running into an accident. So if you want to reduce costs then try to minimize your driving hours as much as possible.

Q. Does it matter what model car I have?

A. Yes. If you have a brand new, posh car then be ready to pay high premiums. The more expensive and exotic the car, the more the premiums. This is because such a car would be a perfect catch for thieves and burglars. The other reason why the insurance would be expensive is that the replacement cost of the car is high if it is damaged somehow.

Be wise when you go car shopping. Do not get a very expensive car unless you have the resources to pay for the auto insurance you would be required to buy for it, and always be sure to shop around online when looking for auto insurance to make sure you're getting the best deal for you and your car in particular.

If you're stuck and need some help finding good information online try using Ezquoteguide.com for finding the right local insurance information you need right away to help you fulfill your auto insurance needs.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcel_A_Johnson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Frequently-Asked-Auto-Insurance-Questions&id=3492416

Car Insurance - New Options to Keep You Protected

By Marcel A Johnson

In the past your auto insurance policy may have been on a yearly basis, however there have been advances in the insurance industry and now there are different types of policies that are available for you, and for different durations depending on what you prefer. Now you can get an insurance policy for a certain span of time, or temporarily.

The reason why the auto insurance companies have introduced such measures is because the government and the higher authorities in the US are now very strict and particular about the insurance, so many incentives have been given in order for insurance to be made available to everyone.

Now, you can get auto insurance for a month, a week or even a day. This if you are borrowing a car from someone, or renting it, you can get the insurance for the specific number of days you would be driving it. If you are going for a road trip, or visiting a relative out of state you can get this an extended amount of coverage for those days on which you will be driving the car. Once you are back, you can get the coverage to regular, and this way you can save a lot of money.

The few months of winter are often very harsh, and that is the time when you need the most coverage that you can get. So what else you can do is get large coverage during these specific months and when the winters are over you would not be needing this coverage.

The short term insurance scheme is mainly designed for the people who love to hit the road during the weekends, and has made many Americans less worried with regard to the auto insurance. There is also an added advantage to these temporary insurances. If your car stops working, or there is some other issue which hinders the movement of your car, you can call your agent and he would make sure that towing facility is available. Moreover, if your car cannot be fixed you can get your car replaced for the time being to take you to your destination.

So make sure to insure yourself and have the best deals possibly by searching online before you sit in that car, and have a safe trip!

If you're stuck and need some help finding good information online try using Ezquoteguide.com for finding the right local insurance information you need right away to help you fulfill your auto insurance needs.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marcel_A_Johnson
http://EzineArticles.com/?Car-Insurance---New-Options-to-Keep-You-Protected&id=3491613