The attic in my house had 2 louvered vents, one at each peak. There was no form of active ventilation and summer temperatures reached over 150 F. They may have been higher but that is as high as my thermometer was able to measure. I wanted to install some form of active ventilation in order to lower the temperature difference between what was in the attic and the interior of my house. Insulation becomes more efficient as the temperature difference between both sides of the insulation approaches zero so lowering that difference should save money in heating/cooling costs.
There are two different types of attic ventilation systems on the market; (1) powered, and (2) passive or self powered systems. I have been in attics with wind powered turbine systems and they were hot. I would either have to install multiple turbines or have an attic hotter than I wanted. Powered ventilation systems included solar and 110V ac units. Solar units cost (2010) over $225 and could move about half the air of a 110v system costing $85. Since the fan in a 110v system uses about the same amount of electricity as a 100 Watt light bulb, the difference in cost would probably not be made up during the life of the fan. There is also a thermostatic control on the $85, 110v fan.
I purchased a 110v system with higher air moving capacity and much lower cost. As this fan should allow my air conditioner to be on for a shorter amount of time. I was not very concerned with how 'green' a solar unit would be; the 110v fan is very green as it is... if everything worked to my expectations.
No sense fighting Mother Nature; wind in my area blows mostly from West to East. I placed the fan on the East side of my house. I removed the louvered vent from the peak and mounted the fan to a rack I built for it out of 2 x 2 lumber. I placed the thermostatic control switch in the path of air to be exhausted from the attic. This would ensure that as the air exhausted by the fan became lower in temperature, the fan would turn off at the temperature to which I set the thermostat. I ran power from a nearby bedroom and dropped wiring into a closet for a switch. I didn't want the unit coming on in the winter; I wanted to use attic air to help warm the house during colder months.
Instructions on the fan said to set the thermostat to 105 F for the most efficiency. Since I live in the Phoenix metropolitan area I decided to set it a bit higher, 110F. This way, the fan would come on at 110F and turn itself off if the temperatures reached 105F. In the summer the fan comes on around 10:30 AM and stays on until sunset. I was hoping for a 10% reduction in my electrical bill, as air conditioning uses the most electricity of any category in the summer. After 1 month of operation, I found my utility bill had decreased by 23%! Some of that may be due to lower average daily temperatures, that is data I don't have at the present, but 12 - 13% reduction due to the fan is certainly reasonable. That being the case, the investment of time and money was well worth it! It paid for itself in one month....
Monday, January 31, 2011
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Painting Old Concrete
Paint doesn't work very well on bare concrete.... it always seems to be peeling off and the concrete underneath is always a bit decomposed. When I was in college, Rick, one of my TA's in chemistry was working on polymers that could be used to preserve rock and concrete surfaces. Since that time there have been many products of that sort placed on the market. My house is built on a concrete pad and concrete on the sides of the house, where exposed to the weather, has surface problems. It occurred to me that I could stabilize that concrete with one of the concrete sealers that can be found on today's home improvement market. If they are anything like the compounds that Rick was working on, they might do a pretty good job.
Concrete is a mixture that contains Portland cement which reacts with water through a process called hydration. This process continues after the cement is hard, so the older concrete is, the harder it becomes. Portland cement (or OPC) consists mostly of calcium compounds; pretty basic in the acid-base scheme of things. Air contains carbon dioxide which, when mixed with water, produces a weak acid solution. Over time, in my case about 50 years, this very slow chemical reaction can significantly impact any exposed concrete on a structure.
So here's the problem. A scratch in the paint exposes concrete to air where carbon dioxide in the air reacts with the concrete. This expands the imperfection in the paint, exposing more concrete to the air; a viscous circle but a slow one. My thought is that the concrete sealer will prevent or at least slow down the reaction process and then paint can be applied over the treated concrete for cosmetic appearance.
First step in this process was a good scraping of the old paint. I worked the scraper into the borders of paint to make sure all the loose paint was removed. I followed this with a pressure wash of the concrete to be painted. Care should be employed here, as the pressure washer can dig out the concrete if pressure is too high. The concrete was then allowed to dry completely before the sealer is applied. I used a spray bottle and drenched the concrete until product started to run off. When we finally got an August day with little chance of afternoon showers, Gena and I finished painting the pad. I should know in a couple of years how well this worked but I'm sure it will be better than a simple coat of paint.... time will tell but hey! Thanks Rick!
EDIT: It is now January, 2016. The paint on the concrete treated with sealer is still solid. The paint is now peeling in places where I painted over untreated concrete, and on other surfaces the wood is beginning to show on the fascia boards on the edge of the roof. I would say that treating the concrete was very successful.
Concrete is a mixture that contains Portland cement which reacts with water through a process called hydration. This process continues after the cement is hard, so the older concrete is, the harder it becomes. Portland cement (or OPC) consists mostly of calcium compounds; pretty basic in the acid-base scheme of things. Air contains carbon dioxide which, when mixed with water, produces a weak acid solution. Over time, in my case about 50 years, this very slow chemical reaction can significantly impact any exposed concrete on a structure.
So here's the problem. A scratch in the paint exposes concrete to air where carbon dioxide in the air reacts with the concrete. This expands the imperfection in the paint, exposing more concrete to the air; a viscous circle but a slow one. My thought is that the concrete sealer will prevent or at least slow down the reaction process and then paint can be applied over the treated concrete for cosmetic appearance.
First step in this process was a good scraping of the old paint. I worked the scraper into the borders of paint to make sure all the loose paint was removed. I followed this with a pressure wash of the concrete to be painted. Care should be employed here, as the pressure washer can dig out the concrete if pressure is too high. The concrete was then allowed to dry completely before the sealer is applied. I used a spray bottle and drenched the concrete until product started to run off. When we finally got an August day with little chance of afternoon showers, Gena and I finished painting the pad. I should know in a couple of years how well this worked but I'm sure it will be better than a simple coat of paint.... time will tell but hey! Thanks Rick!
EDIT: It is now January, 2016. The paint on the concrete treated with sealer is still solid. The paint is now peeling in places where I painted over untreated concrete, and on other surfaces the wood is beginning to show on the fascia boards on the edge of the roof. I would say that treating the concrete was very successful.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Green Watermelons
I posted a photo of me with a watermelon from my garden and the response to the watermelon prompts me to add an entry about it. I don't particularly think it's the largest watermelon I've ever seen but many responses have indicated other people think that way about it. Melons in the stores these days seem to be definitely smaller than when I was young and there has been an emphasis on seedless varieties (but lots of things seem smaller these days...like "1/2 gallon" ice cream containers). The cantaloupe size watermelons I find in the stores today drive me nuts; The volume of a sphere is equal to 4/3 pi times the radius cubed. If a melon is twice as big, it contains 8 times more melon! It may also be personal preference but I find the seeded varieties of melon to be sweeter and better tasting than the seedless. This watermelon is an "orange tendersweet" which has orange flesh instead of the usual red... something you only get with garden grown stuff, and of course home grown is always far better than store bought.
I planted the watermelon in mid June; pretty late for Phoenix. I sowed 8 seeds in one hill, and all the plants came up. Watermelon demands a lot of water, a precious commodity here in the desert. I sprinkled the melons with Miracle Gro crystals twice before the first melons set and found I needed to water them twice a day. Even with twice a day waterings the plants were languishing.
In order to reduce my labor and save water, I connected a hose fitting to the pvc pipe that drains the air conditioning unit on the roof of my house. This air conditioning condensate is purified (distilled) water, so I ran it to the melon hill with a cheap hose. When the melons got a hold of this continuous drip they really took off. The plants have grown over the whole corner of the yard, producing quite a few melons close to this size. The plants are now growing a third set of melons, something I've never been able to get in the past.
The water from the A/C usually goes to waste; it drips off the roof into the ground next to the house. It now feeds my watermelons, with no additional use of city water -- it is the water that is 'squeezed' out of the air in my home by my heat pump. I was concerned at first that this water, having run through a hose that is exposed to the sun, would be too hot but this does not seem to be an issue. There is an additional advantage in that the water no longer falls next to the foundation of my house. Water will draw termites to a desert home and can damage or undermine the concrete foundation. A 3 foot space is a good distance to help prevent this, but I have to admit that I have numerous plants inside of that 'safety zone.' In any case, trapping this AC condensate and sending it to the melons has not only produced some great melons but additional advantages with my house, too.
I planted the watermelon in mid June; pretty late for Phoenix. I sowed 8 seeds in one hill, and all the plants came up. Watermelon demands a lot of water, a precious commodity here in the desert. I sprinkled the melons with Miracle Gro crystals twice before the first melons set and found I needed to water them twice a day. Even with twice a day waterings the plants were languishing.
In order to reduce my labor and save water, I connected a hose fitting to the pvc pipe that drains the air conditioning unit on the roof of my house. This air conditioning condensate is purified (distilled) water, so I ran it to the melon hill with a cheap hose. When the melons got a hold of this continuous drip they really took off. The plants have grown over the whole corner of the yard, producing quite a few melons close to this size. The plants are now growing a third set of melons, something I've never been able to get in the past.
The water from the A/C usually goes to waste; it drips off the roof into the ground next to the house. It now feeds my watermelons, with no additional use of city water -- it is the water that is 'squeezed' out of the air in my home by my heat pump. I was concerned at first that this water, having run through a hose that is exposed to the sun, would be too hot but this does not seem to be an issue. There is an additional advantage in that the water no longer falls next to the foundation of my house. Water will draw termites to a desert home and can damage or undermine the concrete foundation. A 3 foot space is a good distance to help prevent this, but I have to admit that I have numerous plants inside of that 'safety zone.' In any case, trapping this AC condensate and sending it to the melons has not only produced some great melons but additional advantages with my house, too.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Foreclosure's Other Side
A year ago, interested in investment opportunities, I started checking on the sales price of homes that were being offered for sale after foreclosure. I had heard claims of "pennies on the dollar" and people were selling lists of foreclosed homes out on street corners. Instead, I searched the web, found multiple houses at a wide range of prices, and drove around to see a few of them. Many were garbage. I found additions and modifications that, shall we say, were not up to building codes or even standard construction practices. I found wavy roofs indicating rafter/truss problems, decomposing foundations with crumbling concrete. I didn't want to get involved in a project that involved massive reconstruction on these kinds of levels. I kept looking because it seemed that there might be a chance of finding something with the right things wrong and out of pure curiosity.
I was right. In a historic neighborhood just outside of Phoenix I found a house that I liked. This blog will mostly concern itself with the restoration of this house.... turning it into a home. I will also include information I have learned about how to find and purchase these properties as well as what I have done and learned to fix it up, correctly, "on the cheap."
Phoenix has it's own unique architectural criteria. Summer sun blasts unabashed on the desert floor and anything unfortunate enough to get in the way. How a house is built should take these parameters into consideration; A house facing east-west will incur the wrath of summer heat in the morning and afternoon. The house I found is oriented North and South, with a nice patio and cover on the South side. A single carport is located on the West side, protecting the living areas from the afternoon blast. There are three foot eaves overhanging the walls so mid-day summer sun would not touch the house. In winter, with the sun lower, the house would be heated from solar rays. It is a three bedroom, 1-3/4 bath, 1070 square foot house.
The roof on this house appeared to be recently replaced, did not contain waves, or sink at the ends. The structure is constructed of 4 x 8 x 16 inch concrete block. The foundation has one crack but this has not displaced the block above it. A support post in the carport was substantially rotted and in need of replacement, and the house was in dire need of paint. Some graffiti artists had visited the carport and the city had painted over this with a nice (?) color orange/brown.
Copper thieves had removed all the plumbing and electrical wiring before I saw it so that would have to be replaced. The price was lower because of this but I think the vandalism may have been a good thing. According to the papers the house was built in 1957. It had copper piping and 2 pronged, polarized outlets common for the time. I could replace the plumbing with PEX and the wiring could be upgraded to 3 prong grounded outlets with GFCI breakers in the bathrooms and kitchen. The interior of the house was a general disaster... hideous, green vinyl self-stick tile in the kitchen, hallway, 2 bedrooms, living room and both bathrooms. It would have to go, as would the asbestos tile in the remaining bedroom, but the adhesive this stuff leaves behind is a problem. There was lots of drywall damage from water and vandals there would probably be rotten footers behind the drywall under the studs. I was pretty confident in my ability to repair and replace these problems, so I got with my Realtor and made an offer of $35,000 which was just under the asking price.
I was right. In a historic neighborhood just outside of Phoenix I found a house that I liked. This blog will mostly concern itself with the restoration of this house.... turning it into a home. I will also include information I have learned about how to find and purchase these properties as well as what I have done and learned to fix it up, correctly, "on the cheap."
Phoenix has it's own unique architectural criteria. Summer sun blasts unabashed on the desert floor and anything unfortunate enough to get in the way. How a house is built should take these parameters into consideration; A house facing east-west will incur the wrath of summer heat in the morning and afternoon. The house I found is oriented North and South, with a nice patio and cover on the South side. A single carport is located on the West side, protecting the living areas from the afternoon blast. There are three foot eaves overhanging the walls so mid-day summer sun would not touch the house. In winter, with the sun lower, the house would be heated from solar rays. It is a three bedroom, 1-3/4 bath, 1070 square foot house.
The roof on this house appeared to be recently replaced, did not contain waves, or sink at the ends. The structure is constructed of 4 x 8 x 16 inch concrete block. The foundation has one crack but this has not displaced the block above it. A support post in the carport was substantially rotted and in need of replacement, and the house was in dire need of paint. Some graffiti artists had visited the carport and the city had painted over this with a nice (?) color orange/brown.
Copper thieves had removed all the plumbing and electrical wiring before I saw it so that would have to be replaced. The price was lower because of this but I think the vandalism may have been a good thing. According to the papers the house was built in 1957. It had copper piping and 2 pronged, polarized outlets common for the time. I could replace the plumbing with PEX and the wiring could be upgraded to 3 prong grounded outlets with GFCI breakers in the bathrooms and kitchen. The interior of the house was a general disaster... hideous, green vinyl self-stick tile in the kitchen, hallway, 2 bedrooms, living room and both bathrooms. It would have to go, as would the asbestos tile in the remaining bedroom, but the adhesive this stuff leaves behind is a problem. There was lots of drywall damage from water and vandals there would probably be rotten footers behind the drywall under the studs. I was pretty confident in my ability to repair and replace these problems, so I got with my Realtor and made an offer of $35,000 which was just under the asking price.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Fried Okra Recipe
The response to my recipes has simply been phenomenal! By popular demand I feel I need to add another. I just picked some of my okra this evening and fried it up. Okra is very easy to grow, has a pretty yellow flower, and is a huge producer.
Ingredients:
Cut about 10 pods of okra into 1/2 inch thick slices
soak the okra pieces in buttermilk for about 10 minutes. While the okra is soaking, heat the shortening to 350F. Dredge the okra pieces in the cornmeal mixture and place them carefully in the hot shortening. Cook until they are golden brown and then drain on a towel. Be sure to let them cool a bit before you pop them in your mouth.
Ingredients:
- buttermilk
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- shortening - enough to fill a frying pan 1/2 full
Cut about 10 pods of okra into 1/2 inch thick slices
soak the okra pieces in buttermilk for about 10 minutes. While the okra is soaking, heat the shortening to 350F. Dredge the okra pieces in the cornmeal mixture and place them carefully in the hot shortening. Cook until they are golden brown and then drain on a towel. Be sure to let them cool a bit before you pop them in your mouth.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread
OK, because the response to my other recipes has been so intense, I'll post a recipe I've developed for some really cool banana bread. Who knew that I would get such a response from just a couple of simple recipes?! This recipe is chucky-jam-full of good and wholesome things and while it is very healthy it doesn't taste like cardboard.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 bananas
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup nuts (I like pecans)
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbs. freshly ground flax seed
1/2 cup chopped dates
Preheat your oven to 325 F. Combine the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and fold them into the wet mixture. Bake in a bread loaf pan at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Flax is high in omega-3 fatty acids, but those break down fairly quickly once the seed is ground. I have a coffee grinder that I use just for grinding flax and herbs which allows me to grind just as much as I need just before I use it.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 bananas
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup nuts (I like pecans)
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbs. freshly ground flax seed
1/2 cup chopped dates
Preheat your oven to 325 F. Combine the wet ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and fold them into the wet mixture. Bake in a bread loaf pan at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Flax is high in omega-3 fatty acids, but those break down fairly quickly once the seed is ground. I have a coffee grinder that I use just for grinding flax and herbs which allows me to grind just as much as I need just before I use it.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Herb Garden Recipes
In my last post I revealed how you can make an excellent raised garden for herbs or tomatoes in about an hour using used tires. I suggested planting dill, rosemary, basil, and mint, as these are very easily grown, can be purchased as seeds or in sets for transplanting, and taste great in the dishes below. Years ago I made an herb garden and grew some wonderful herbs. I had no idea what to do with them! The garden was pretty cool, though, got lots of rave reviews from my gardening type friends. It was also a great conversation piece until the question came up about what I did with the herbs... So that you won't have to be like me and not know what to do with what you have grown, I offer these recipes...
Basil
Something magic happens when tomato and basil meet, so let's do that on a cracker.
You will need:
Save a bunch of money and make your own pasta sauce. Take a can of tomato sauce, a can of diced tomatoes, and a few sprigs of basil. Simply mix the three! Sure, you can add oregano, garlic, onion and whatever else you like. Make extra, freeze it, and use it within a month. Trader Joe's sells a marinara sauce in large cans and products of this type are perfect for jazzing up with your fresh herbs.
Dill
Try an omelet with dill and your favorite cheese. Mix it with lemon zest into home made pasta. Substitute dill for rosemary in the following recipe.
Rosemary
Grilled rosemary-citrus chicken:
You will need-
Grill the chicken with indirect heat until done.
Mint
For a refreshing summer drink, mix iced tea with lemonade. The ratio of lemonade to iced tea can vary, and you might try starting with a 50:50 mix, but I prefer about 3 parts tea to 1 part lemonade. Add 2-3 sprigs of mint after you crush them in your (clean!) hand or beat them gently with a meat tenderizer. Drop the mint into the lemonade-tea mixture and place in the fridge until cold. Serve with ice in a large glass, a slice of lemon and a small sprig of mint on the rim.
I invite readers to add recipes and herb suggestions in the comments!
Basil
Something magic happens when tomato and basil meet, so let's do that on a cracker.
You will need:
- your favorite cracker
- any kind of tomato
- fresh mozarella cheese
- olive oil
- Optional: red onion
Save a bunch of money and make your own pasta sauce. Take a can of tomato sauce, a can of diced tomatoes, and a few sprigs of basil. Simply mix the three! Sure, you can add oregano, garlic, onion and whatever else you like. Make extra, freeze it, and use it within a month. Trader Joe's sells a marinara sauce in large cans and products of this type are perfect for jazzing up with your fresh herbs.
Dill
Try an omelet with dill and your favorite cheese. Mix it with lemon zest into home made pasta. Substitute dill for rosemary in the following recipe.
Rosemary
Grilled rosemary-citrus chicken:
You will need-
- 1 whole chicken
- olive oil
- handful (3 - 4 sprigs?) of rosemary
- lemon or grapefruit
Grill the chicken with indirect heat until done.
Mint
For a refreshing summer drink, mix iced tea with lemonade. The ratio of lemonade to iced tea can vary, and you might try starting with a 50:50 mix, but I prefer about 3 parts tea to 1 part lemonade. Add 2-3 sprigs of mint after you crush them in your (clean!) hand or beat them gently with a meat tenderizer. Drop the mint into the lemonade-tea mixture and place in the fridge until cold. Serve with ice in a large glass, a slice of lemon and a small sprig of mint on the rim.
I invite readers to add recipes and herb suggestions in the comments!
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