Finished Installing Radiant Barrier foil in the Attic!

My goal was to finish all my penny-pinching efforts in the attic before the summer really slammed us. And I did it! About three years ago I sprayed radiant barrier paint on the underside of the roof decking. But it was already hot. Boy, did I learn my lesson.

In this book shown on the left, the author goes into why we should take the lead in transforming America to be more energy efficient and develop alternate energy sources. He explains it in a short video that you can see if you click on it.

I won't get into a political discussion about greenhouse gasses here. I'm all about saving money on utility bills and boosting my home equity.

You see, after I did the painting, I noticed an immediate drop in my power usage from the central air conditioner. Being an insatiable fellow, and frugal, I wanted more.

Research indicated that the paint will stop between 10% - 75% of radiant heat from getting into the attic in the first place. The foil, applied to the attic floor, stops 97%. So, is my math off, or is the interior of my home being protected from about 150%? Just joking, I'm not a dolt!

I used Energy Q foil, the best on the market. This is the same stuff NASA uses. In addition to the foil, I also beefed up the attic insulation. In for a dime, in for a dollar, I always say. Do it right the first time.

There's a narrow window of opportunity between the income tax refund and the sweltering heat. I wanted to do it this year because part of the economic stimulus package is higher tax credits.

Have you gone over this energy efficiency checklist to see where you could be saving money. When Cap and Trade kicks in, energy prices are going up, up, up.

So now that I'm done, I'm going to go running, and then it's time to kick back and chill. Literally.

How's Your Homeowners Insurance Stack Up?

Mine is with State Farm and I'm pretty satisfied. Other than the little tidbit I heard on the radio yesterday reporting that the homeowners insurance rates here in the Republic of Texas are the highest in the nation.

What in tarnation did we do to deserve that? After all, Katrina hit Louisiana, not us. Wait, maybe it's because we took in the refugees? No good deed goes unpunished, as they say.

Many capital improvements can raise what you should increase your policy's value. Like replacing your central air conditioner with a more energy efficient one (higher SEER rating).

I just got a letter from State Farm today letting me know how important it is to keep up with how much my home is insured for. Makes sense; it covers the home's replacement cost, not the market value. Different animals entirely.

Like the difference between a horse and a zebra.

The cost of labor and construction materials keeps going up whether you make home improvements or not. This means the value of your policy must go up if you want to rebuild to the current standard if you should experience a catastrophe, God forbid.

Also note that your residential insurance policy does not automatically cover flooding. That's a separate rider. Get it or weep.

The last and only time I made a claim was when my house flooded from a burst bathroom sink cold water supply line. Man, what a headache. Not the insurance, the clean-up.

Oh yeah, that was covered by the regular policy because it was a plumbing issue, not weather. All flooding situations are not created equal.

So I pass on this wee bit of advice: get ye over to Lowes or Home Depot and pick up "burst-proof" hot and cold supply lines for your sinks and toilets.

Replace them or hire a handyman to do it for you. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Beware of Tainted Chinese Drywall

I ran across this story in the St. Petersburgs Times out of Florida. It seems that during 2005 and 2006, some home construction companies decided that the lower costs that globalization brings was a good thing.

They went shopping for their drywall in China, unwilling to pay for higher quality domestic building materials. This effort to cut corners has cost them dearly, and some homeowners, unfortunately. It seems they didn't catch on with the Chinese toothpaste (with antifreeze, yum) and toys (painted with lead which injured American children).



This drywall, notably manufactured by Knauf Plasterboard, Tianjin Co., emits sulfur gasses. No health risks noted yet, but that doesn't mean it's not offensive. I don't think it comes with a supply of Febreze.

The principal issue is that the gas corrodes metal. This means residential electrical wiring, some plumbing pipes, and some central air conditioner components such as copper HVAC coils. The cost-cutting move may have put a few more dollars in contractors pockets, but it really hammered homeowners already in a bad economic position.

Isn't it bad enough that Americans can't even get construction jobs anymore because state and federal officials turn a blind eye to greedy contractors hiring illegal aliens? Oh wait, how un-inclusive of me; I meant "guest workers". My bad.

So far, the main afflicted areas are Manatee, Sarasota and Lee counties, Pinellas, St. Lucie and Collier. If you own a home built during the time this drywall was installed, and it was used, you certainly have my sympathy. Si, senor. Ya me voy.

Time for Air Conditioners; Summer's not Far Off

I've actually had to run my central air conditioner this past week. But then again, this is South Texas. Northern climes aren't necessarily in that situation. But that does present a good opportunity for the old spring tune up.

DIY VS Calling an A/C Service Technician

There are a number of air conditioning repairs and preventive maintenance chores that the average Joe or Joan can tackle. Cleaning the outdoor condenser coils comes to mind. Proper air flow means enhanced performance.

Cleaning and straightening the cooling fins also fall in this category. How many times were they bumped by the lawn mower last year?

For adding or recovering refrigerant, you're going to need certification and a set of gauges. That's more than likely something you'll need to call a pro for.

Another thing to check, often overlooked, is leveling the condenser. Check it in all directions and shim it as needed.

Tune Up your Thermostat

Programmable thermostat? Digital thermostat? Turn of the century model? It doesn't matter - they can all benefit from a thermostat tune up. Here's a short list of what you can do:

1. If its got batteries, go ahead and replace them.
2. Make sure it's level.
3. Clean out any dust.
4. Adjust the anticipator.

If you take care of these spring cleaning chores now, you won't have to rush to do them on that really hot day when the service guy can only book you during his overtime hours.