Jeff Wilson Everyday DIY Blog

Dryers remove moisture by blowing hot air over wet, tumbling clothes. The hot, moisture-laden air is exhausted outside the home through a dryer vent duct. According to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, which was prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average life expectancy of a clothes dryer (gas or electric) is 13 years. Dryers are a fairly simple appliance with a long life expectancy as compared to other appliances, but present both personal and property hazards. Timely dryer maintenance will reduce potential problems and ensure it is functioning as excepted.

The Cost and Reliability of Electricity Service

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) assigned the United States’ ENERGY infrastructure a grade of “D+” on their 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Electricity generation is the first of three installments on energy and covers nuclear, coal and natural gas, and hydro-electric power generating facilities. Electrical transmission and distribution will be covered in installments two and three as we follow the path of electricity from a power generating facility to your home or business. The goal is to provide an overview on how electrical power is delivered, including issues of current concern.

In April 2009, the 1.2 million sq. ft. Vancouver Convention Centre opened. Built upon a former brownfield that was the last undeveloped piece of property on the harbor front, it functions as an expansion of Canada Place. The facility covers 14 acres of land and eight acres of water, and is connected to Canada Place via landside walkways. It was designed by Seattle-based LMN Architects, in collaboration with Musson Cattell Mackey Partnership and DA Architects + Planners, both of Vancouver.

Insulation can save you money. Homeowners heat and cool their houses with various types of energy which fluctuate in price on a regular basis due to a variety of variables that are outside of their control. Lowering your thermostat, installing a programmable thermostat, or enrolling in a monthly budget plan could lower your bills; however, you may have overlooked the one thing that can truly lower your energy expenses, insulation. Investing in insulation can save you money, paying you back over time through reduced monthly energy expenses, as well as providing greater year-round comfort and a quieter indoor environment.

For New-Construction Clean-Down of Contemporary Masonry Buildings

Cleaning today’s relatively new concrete masonries, like simulated stone and concrete brick, is different from cleaning clay masonry. Clay masonry can usually withstand the more aggressive cleaners needed to dissolve hardened mortar smears. But even clay masonries now vary enough in type to take particular procedures and products.

The Grange Insurance Audubon Center exhibits several innovative systems and design approaches. DesignGroup architects introduced untreated cedar siding, custom storefront glazing to prevent bird strikes, exterior shading to achieve passive solar design, flexible classroom spaces, weathering steel signage, and geothermal wells with an integrated heat pump system. Following brownfield remediation, several stormwater management applications were constructed, including a vegetated roof, rain gardens, bioswales, and a pervious pavement parking lot. [Watch Part 2]

Tenants want to lease space in green buildings. Expand your design options by finding creative ways to partner with green tenants early on.In the current market, building green is a sound business practice, and it doesn’t have to require spending money on trendy green products. It is feasible to build to LEED certification standards by focusing on a few core building systems. Furthermore, cost and risks can be defrayed if everyone on the project – even the end user – is working toward the same goal, as is exemplified by the DiscoveryGreen building located in Vancouver, B.C., which achieved LEED Platinum certification.