Home Alternative Green Energy

Countries all over the world except a few backward ones, backed by their governments are concerned with fossil fuel energy usage and are promoting renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, bio mass generated thermal energy etc. Ireland and other members of EU are in the forefront in this exercise. The simplest and best money saver in the long run is harnessing solar energy for water heating.

Harnessing solar energy 

Harnessing solar energy is done with three different basic methods. viz.

• Passive Method

Using various techniques that harness the sun’s energy just the way it comes for day lighting, visual aesthetic effects, heating, and also insulating and air sealing, shading and landscaping, orientation of building features etc. by the architects (whether new construction or retrofitting).

• Active Method

Active method is mainly dealing with Water Heating for domestic service or space heating. It is one of the most popular methods the world over including Europe for the purpose. The basic technique is the use of a solar collector to entrap solar energy in the medium of water (or occasionally an antifreeze) heat it and use it for a remote space heating or use it for service hot water (after sending through a heat exchanger). 

When solar energy heated water (medium) is used for both applications the system is called a solar combisystem. A system gaining popularity in low energy homes in Ireland is a solar combisystem using air as a medium of thermal energy transfer. The regulated ventilation system and the heat energy collected at the solar collector are transferred to the indoor space to be heated in a single system.

Another newer Innovation uses the collected thermal energy as a source of heat in small capacity heat pumps. 

A solar water heating system if correctly designed and installed, will easily account for 50 – 60% of the space heating requirement of an average Northern European home. 

• Photo Voltaic (PV) systems

A PV Solar system converts sun’s energy rays impinging on it’s semiconductor panels (also called modules) converting them to DC (direct current) electricity. An array or a group of solar modules are either series or parallel connected to obtain the required voltage (generally 600 VDC maximum) and the generated power is conducted to an inverter panel where it is converted to AC electricity at 230 VAC/50hz/single phase.

Where there is no grid power supply close at hand, even in Ireland, stand alone solar PV panels or arrays are used. The electrical power supply thus available at home can be used just the way low voltage grid power supply is used, including water heating, lighting, in appliances etc.

It is interesting to note that it is not necessary at all to have direct sunlight falling on the panels for the conversion of solar energy to electricity. The panels in the Northern hemisphere are always southerly oriented for optimum collection. The generation of electricity is less in the colder seasons (when the least amount of it is needed) and high in the summer (when you require it most).

A “buy back” system is in effect in Ireland now where if your production of AC power is in excess of your needs, you can feed it to the national grid for financial benefits.

According to available statistics in year 2005, there have only been 3500 Irish homes equipped with solar heating system compared to over 5 million EU households, all using free solar energy.

The technology to heat water for domestic or commercial property applications with solar energy is today well developed. The collection of solar thermal energy, heating water with efficiently, storage, distribution, minimizing losses in transit are some processes that have been fine tuned. It is also a process with low contribution to CO2 emissions in the fight against global warming.

Outdated technology

Most of the homes in the developed world still depend on millions of boilers 15 to 20 years old, designed with outdated technology. Designed and built for a bygone era when fuel prices were insignificant and concern for environment was almost nonexistent, today they cost a packet to the owners. The worst part is that they do not have the least inclination how much money they waste due to the inefficiency of the old technology.

Oversized!

To aggravate the situation the heating system is often oversized. It is depressing to note that not only money being wasted but also the systems contribute to the emission of polluting gases.

Can you check this wastage and harm to Environment?

Sure the wastage and the emission of harmful gases can be reduced. Only way however is by;

• Selecting a low temperature heating boiler

• Selecting an outdoor reset control (based on an accurate heat load calculation).

How much can you expect to save with these improvements? It is estimated that up to 30% of your annual heating cost can be saved. Simultaneously a significant reduction in harm to the environment may be achieved ( for an average Northern European home up to 15 Tons of CO2 emissions over a period of 15 years). 

Add a seamless integration type solar system to supplement the Oil fired boiler and your savings on heating fuel costs will increase by a further 60% and the CO2 emissions will reduce by a further 16 Tons approximately.

New Innovations

With the increased cost of fuel prices and also the concern for the conservation of the environment, manufacturers have developed new designs incorporating many innovations to overcome the previously encountered problems. The following is to illustrate such advancements found in Viessmann oil fired boilers, a major stake holder in this sphere.

Viessmann offers two different design series which they call (a) Vitorond 100 and (b) Vitola 200. Both these are low temperature boilers.

Vitorond 100 oil fired boiler

Innovative Heat Exchanger designs

This model incorporates a triple pass heat exchanger which is designed to achieve a higher degree of efficiency. The common single pass heat exchanger design would pass the flue gas through it once. But the three pass heat exchanger of Viessmann Vitorond 100 would send the energy laden flue gas three times through it to extract energy which otherwise would have been just released to the atmosphere as waste. 

Greater Control with electronics for heating efficiency

The common practice with a boiler is to install a easy to use space thermostat. But for better control and extra saving of energy this particular manufacturer has developed their own microprocessor based control system known as Victronic system. In a conventional space heating boiler the temper of water temperature is set at a high temperature by default. One of the outstanding features of the new system is the sensing of outdoor temperature and regulating automatically the optimum indoor temperature by means of boiler water temperature control. Naturally this optimization saves you much on heating bills while making the indoor conditions more comfortable by being precise. In addition, this innovation enables it possible to run boiler at low temperature safely by protecting the heat exchanger from condensation leading to corrosions and numerous other complications. This low temperature feature would significantly contribute to energy saving and environmental protection.

Pressed for space?

The old conventional oil fired boilers and what is commonly available now in the market, are generally not concerned about space saving. They therefore in addition create problems in a retrofit when shifting to location and placing. New designs are however compact and lighter making it possible to negotiate them in narrow corridors and small machine rooms. This in turn would reduce material used and resulting in less CO2 released.

Direct vent designs

Oil fired condensing boilers with direct vent option, do not require a chimney or a combustion air supply which is a great convenience when installing new or retrofit. In addition included are full-swing doors which can have left or right sided hinges installed in combustion chamber and easy to clean flue gas passage ways would make them conveniently accessible for all maintenance work.

It is worthwhile studying Viessmann model Vitola 200 designed 40 years ago and of which there are over 2 million boilers are still in use all over the world. Don’t miss part 2 of this article that will follow.

Is the rain fall in your area 200 mm per year or more? No other source of water around? Then Rain Water

Harvesting may be your only salvation.

Isn’t there plenty of water around for every one?

Water is the cradle for all forms of life on Earth and perhaps elsewhere in the universe as well for all we know. If your habitat does not meet the above minimum criterion, no way it would sustain life as we know on Earth. Whether it is the mild drizzle or devastating flood, what does it matter if the zillions of litres of water are not retained where it is needed most? The booming world population has brought about a crises where the consumption of water is about to overrun the available limited resources.

The irony of it is that the consumption of water for drinking and hygiene is a drop in the bucket compared to what is wasted for flushing toilets, washing clothes, cars, ponds, artificial fountains and waterfalls, irrigating your garden and lawn etc.

Trouble with utility water supply

Treated water;

Cost tons of money

Utility Authorities will recover it from you with profit. (No doubt the feeling of the dwindling purse is sure to affect your health too).

The more consumers join the procession; lesser water will be left for everyone.

The more litres of raw water needed and treated water produced, more energy will be needed for eg. For pumping water.

More energy spent means more CO2 emitted at the power plant contributing to global warming.

Global warming will lead to Ice (which is fresh water!) Melting at Polar Regions in huge proportions transforming ice to sea water.

All these will only contribute to still more irregular weather patterns (sometimes catastrophic) taking us back to square one searching for water.

All the more reason why you should consider seriously rain water harvesting.

Save rain; save money; save future

Rain water harvesting is the accumulation and storing of rain water. Where the water is in short supply you may find rain water harvesting the only option for your water supply. Rain water after the first rain will be almost potable.

Certainly this will be purer than what most third world inhabitants consume. Ground water recharging, live stock farming, agriculture etc. are large scale uses of harvested rain water. At domestic level all activities except drinking and personal hygiene can utilize harvested rain water.

If hard water is a problem in your area, rain water harvested is an excellent solution. It will lather easily and save soap and detergent. However those who live near refineries, power plants and other industries may find rain water acidic due to contaminant gases released to the environment.

Rain water harvesting is a specialty of King Group CES who may be contacted at callsave 045 838376 for further information.

Oil heaters are made up of metal columns that have hollow holes; the inside is where oil flows freely around. There is a heating element at the bottom that makes the oil hot. This heat flows around the holes inside by means of convection. The heat is collected in a type of heat reservoir that has a fairly high temperature capacity and very high boiling point.

Oil heaters have a way of becoming very hot, but still keeping a low surface temperature. They work by keeping the oil in a liquid phase for a longer time to avoid the use of a high pressure vessel. Oil heating devices are being used less within the home, but there is still a need for them. They tend to be used more for heating a single small room like a bedroom.

Oil heating systems are much easier to manoeuvre than larger devices used for keeping the house warm. Oil burners are used in the bedroom because it is not safe to use gas heating systems. Oil systems are much safer around children as well. However if there are children within the home when a heating system is being used, an adult should always be around.

Many people still use oil heating systems and they will probably be always used. The other good thing about oil burners is that they have a lower surface temperature. However the most popular heating devices used today are called pressure burners.

Wherever there are heaters being used where children live in the home then an adult should be present. Extreme caution must be taken to avoid burns that can happen very easily. However when the winter comes around we all have a need to be warmer and the only way of doing this is by having proper heating.

Some people prefer to use gas central heating, whilst others prefer to have a smaller device that they use to warm smaller rooms. It might work out cheaper in some cases to heat a room with a smaller device, but it should be noted that the rest of the home would be cold. When central heating is used then the whole house gets heated but this can be costly and might not be efficient when only one room is used.

solar power is becoming much more popular today and it is now realistic to install solar power within your home. Many people have a solar panel installed within their home. Some people have a need to keep warm outside, especially if they work outside. They might chops logs for a fire to keep themselves warm.

Masonry cavity walls in existing or new constructions can be easily filled with blown in glass mineral wool fibres, polystyrene beads or polyurethane foam. While all material have their advantages, glass mineral wool fibre is one of the most popular still among users and builders of homes. One reason may be that the insulation material is a non petroleum byproduct and therefore more eco friendly.

The popular construction method with dual walls in the envelope is wide spread in the dwellings in the northern hemisphere. Ironically most existing buildings are devoid of any insulation except for the air gap. Where ever there is insulation, the cheap material could have settled down losing it’s efficacy or else perished due to moisture and vermin. With the skyrocketed energy prices you would have been paying unnecessarily for your home heating

all these years unknowingly due to this. With the EU directives for energy rating of homes such as BER system of Ireland it has now become essential to have retrofitted (or new) cavity wall insulation in existing and new houses.

While cavity wall insulation can be applied in slabs or batts with excellent door and window seals, none is convenient and time saving as the blown-in insulation.

Equipment used and method

The cavity wall insulation of glass mineral fibre is fed into a purpose made blowing machine and injected in to the cavity under high air pressure through a flexible hose fitted with a tapered nozzle. Evenly distributed holes of size 22mm to 25mm dia will be drilled through the outer wall first to gauge the condition and properties of the existing insulation (in a retrofit).These same holes will be subsequently used for the new insulation fill.

A built in pressure transducer will sense the density and compactness of the fill to the desired settings and cut off the flow of insulation fibre and the pressurized air flow accordingly.

An important requirement is to carry out a survey before everything else and to determine the Insulation status (if any), position of flues, air vents, etc. Critical ventilation inlet/outlets such as those providing combustion oxygen or under floor ventilation, and all flues that run in the cavity wall, need to be checked and sleeves provided or else redesigned to prevent obstruction by the insulation being blown in.

An approved cavity barrier is inserted as necessary to isolate terraced or semi-detached properties and also to close all open cavities. A pattern of 22 or 25mm diameter holes are drilled in accordance with the approved code of practice as mentioned earlier. 

In new constructions, holes are generally drilled through the inner leaf (wall) to the cavity and the insulation blown in, prior to plastering. In existing buildings, holes are generally drilled through the mortar joints in the external leaf and are made good with mortar and finished to match the existing finish.

Exercise caution

A cavity wall insulation should not be considered a DIY project unless you yourself are a skilled person. In Ireland there are expert contractors who are registered with the authority SEAI (eg. Kinggroup.ie etc.) who can be employed for such projects. There are several grants for retrofits while a BER is mandatory for your new buildings. If you are keen on obtaining any of these a contractor listed with SEAI is a must.

Is it really possible to learn how to make a solar panel at home? Discover secrets that you should find out before you make home made solar panels.

Before you get started and take a trip to your garage and attempt to make a solar panel at home it is essential to discover how solar energy functions.

solar power is generated by the suns energy and makes electricity most people know, however there are essential details to ascertain to gain a full understanding to how solar energy functions.

The system of solar energy is pretty straight forward to understand, it is just a question of harnessing the suns power and accumulating it into batteries that are rechargeable.

Converting power from DC to AC is a process that has to be completed in order to use solar power for our electrical appliances. The explanation is that home appliances function on alternating currant referred to AC power.

Let's look first at the appliances that we use on a daily basis. Freezers, fridges, washing machines, dishwashers, cookers all function on AC power.

The truth is it is possible to purchase appliances that are designed to run on solar energy. If you choose this option then the cost of replacing all your appliances in your home can prove to be expensive at first.

When we contemplate the possibility of solar power it is a long term investment; the mere fact that solar cookers provide a free energy source, and are maintenance free is why after the initial outlay this can be financially appealing.

The facts are you can have similar benefits on a solar oven as you can on a normal oven. It is possible to bake, roast, and steam food just like a conventional cooker but it does take more time. When you consider the positive and negative points of view there are defiantly more positives, the savings you can make on your electric bill can be quite substantial is the obvious one.

The use of solar power is here to stay but it is still in the early stages of development. In the last five years or thereabouts a considerable amount of products have arrived on the market place for instance: mobile phones, radios, flat screen television just to name a few.

The facts are solar power is going to be our future energy source that cannot be denied. Numerous folks are discovering how to make a solar panel at home and the general point of view is, it is a fairly simple task.

The many do it your self experts say it is just question of discovering a few simple techniques. Discovering techniques to how to solder and attach the panels. Calculating how much power a single solar panel is able to generate. The process of making stringers, these are just a few simple techniques that many people are learning when they want to make homemade solar panels.

Surprisingly enough many folks are converting their homes using solar energy even in locations in the world where the sunlight is limited for example, the UK and parts of Europe.

The facts are the moment we discover the procedure of utilizing the power of the sun we will always have a source of energy. The benefits are fantastic due to the incredible savings we can achieve on our electric bills plus we are saving our environment along the way.

Instead of looking in the cleaning products aisle for powders, liquids, sprays and pastes to get your home clean, hygienic, smelling nice and looking shiny, why not look in your pantry or kitchen cupboards? Making your own natural home cleaning products is an excellent way to reduce the amount of toxins in your household environment (some proprietary cleaners are really nasty), which is good for the environment, your skin and your health. And natural house cleaning products are often cheaper, too!

Most natural cleaning products use a range of basic ingredients combined in different ways - these are must-haves on your shopping list, and not just because you can scrub up your house with them. Some of them you can eat. Essential oils are other common ingredients listed in recipes for natural cleaners. While these are often included for their pleasant scent, they also have disinfectant and antiseptic properties. Recipes often list specific essential oils, but feel free to mix and match as you need - often, one fresh-smelling essential oil with antiseptic properties (e.g. pine or lemon) can be substituted for another (lavender or eucalyptus). Natural cleaning products often call for soap or soap flakes. If you can't find pure soap flakes in your supermarket, you can make your own by grating a bar of cheap soap with as little extra this and that (e.g. fragrance) as possible - or even try making your own. Alternatively, you can try the penny-pinching method of saving thin sl!

ivers of bar soap and melting or grating these to make your own cleaning products.

Some basic recipes:

General cleaning paste (non-scratching):

* 1 cup soap flakes

* 2 cups powdered chalk or diatomaceous earth (try a sports shop - chalk is used by gymnasts and diatomaceous earth is used in swimming pool filters)

*1 cup bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

* 6 T glycerine.

Pulverise the soap flakes to powder in a blender or with a pestle and mortar. Mix in the baking soda and chalk, then add in the glycerine to make a thick paste. It won't look pretty, but it does a great job. Store in a wide screw-top jar to keep it from drying out.

Glass cleaner:

* 1 cup vinegar

* 1 cup methylated spirits, isopropyl alcohol or strong spirits (e.g. vodka)

* 1 t lavender essential oil

Pour all ingredients into a pump-action spray dispenser. Shake together for a minute or so. This can be used straight away, or it can be left to sit for a week to allow the essential oil to blend thoroughly with the alcohol and vinegar. Spray onto glass and wipe off with a soft lint-free cloth or scrunched up newspaper. The essential oil will help kill mould spores and germs. This mixture can also be used as a disinfectant, as the essential oil and alcohol are strong germ-killers.

Odour-absorbing fridge cleaner:

* 1 cup baking soda

* 10 drops essential oil of your choice (suggested: lemon or grapefruit)

* water to mix Combine the baking soda and the essential oil. Add enough water to make a stiff paste. Rub on with a soft cloth, then rinse off with a clean, damp cloth.

Brass polish:

* 1 cup ordinary table salt

* vinegar to mix

Combine the salt with enough vinegar to make a stiff paste. Coat the brass with the paste, then leave it to work for about five minutes. Rub off with a soft damp cloth, using a little elbow grease as needed.

Fabric softener:

* 1 cup vinegar

* 10 drops essential oil (optional)

Combine the vinegar and essential oil and shake together well. Add to the final rinse. This mixture not only adds a delicate scent to the washing as well as softening the fabric.

Lavender is a traditional scent for adding to laundry and acts as a moth repellent. This recipe will help prevent nappy rash if added to a load of cloth nappies, as the vinegar neutralises the rash-causing ammonia in urine.

Pre-wash soaking treatment

* 2 cups soap flakes

* ½ cup glycerine

* 2 t essential oil of eucalyptus (in this recipe, you cannot substitute this for another type, as eucalyptus oil has stain-removing properties)

* hot water (about 1 ½ litres)

Add the glycerine and soap flakes to the hot water and stir together. When it cools, it will form a grey-white translucent gel. Add the essential oil once the mixture has cooled. Store in a screw-top jar or bottle. To use, add about half a cupful to a bucket of lukewarm water (not hot) and soak stained items overnight. Alternatively, rub a tablespoon or so into the stained area and leave it to work for about an hour before washing the item.

Research suggests that one of the biggest causes of carbon emissions into the environment is the home. Through the use of non-environmentally friendly building materials in the construction of central heating and electrical systems, most homes contribute in a small way to the problem of carbon emissions, which with the total number of homes across the world equates to one big problem. This is why the "go green" movement is catching on with regard to our homes. What this actually means is that sustainable building materials are becoming a popular choice in which to build the homes and "green" energy such as solar or wind power are being used more often.

Using sustainable or green building materials is the major way in which our homes can be made more efficient and with lower emissions. First and foremost using locally sourced materials is the best solution as there are far less fuel and transportation costs involved. Recycled materials in particular are much kinder to the environment. Scrap yards and salvage yards are great places to seek out second hand or recycled items and building materials. 

A large amount of wood gets used in house construction. Instead of using hard wood produced from trees such as oak which take a long time to grow and do not grow again once cut, bamboo can be used. Bamboo is the perfect alternative to hard wood floors for example. Bamboo re-grows quickly once cut and will continue to. It only takes a year to re-grow a harvestable amount. This is one of the best examples of sustainability there is. It is a very dense and durable material that if maintained well will stay strong and looking good in the home for many years. 

Cork is another eco-friendly and sustainable material. It is stripped away from the tree trunks of cork oak trees without having to fell the tree. Like bamboo it keeps growing back year after year. Cork flooring is a great alternative to hard wood floors and looks fantastic too. Cork is also fire-resistant by nature which makes it a truly perfect material to use in a house. When it comes to insulation, make sure you choose a material that is 100% recyclable. There are a few types to choose from so ask at your local building merchants in order to get a recycled variety. 

For heating water, there are a few options to choose from. Using a rayburn cooker or similar is a perfect way to heat your water. A cooker like this works as a cooker, a source of heat and a water boiler all in one, and is fueled by firewood, another sustainable material. This is far better on the environment than oil or gas fueled boilers and keeps the fuel bills at a minimum. Another option is a tankless water heater that switches on only when a hot tap is turned. By not keeping a tank of water heated all day and night, you will save a fortune on fuel bills and reduce your carbon footprint. Solar panels are another good way of creating heat in the home. Although the intial outlay is quite large, running off solar power is good for the environment and means you don't have any more electricity bills.

Sustainable building materials are important if measures against global warming are to be taken. The home is a big cause of carbon emissions so taking measures to reduce the effect on the environment is sensible. By using appropriate, recycled or locally sourced materials you will greatly help towards lowering emissions and keeping your energy bills down. Cavity fire barriers can be fitted too if there is a large amount of wood or other flammable material being used. It's even possible to reduce the number of screws used by selecting certain window fixings.

The home heating system consumes the largest chunk of energy used in your home. Upgrading the heating controls of an average Irish home would save on the average about 20% of it’s annual energy bills. Interestingly some might even find that their upgrading has brought about a saving of up to 30%.

It is not only low energy bills that the heating controls bring about. They will also make your home interior more comfortable and reduce the overall green house gas emissions as well.

How would upgrading controls save energy?

Average home requires hot water for two purposes;

• Space Heating – (Heating home interior)

• Domestic hot water requirement – (for eg. Laundering, dishwashing, bathing, sanitary needs etc.) 

The annual usage patterns of the above two are not the same but individually they follow their own .In most of the existing installations the two requirements are catered to by a single zone which necessitates the operation of the energy consuming heaters and other devices every time even when you need only a hot water bath.

A properly upgraded heating controls system would mean matching your home heating needs schedule with your home hot water usage patterns so that when you need any one of them the other will not have to run. 

What are these much spoken about upgrades?

The use of a commonly adopted single hot water source and zone creates problems in operations such as temperature regulation for applications, proper room temperature regulation, lack of capacity control measures and optimization of operational time etc. leading to wasted energy. Upgrading the system with measures such as the following is therefore currently adopted.

• Zoning the system (at least two zones one for space heating and the other for home hot water needs)

• 7-day Programmable Timers will cater for your daily or weekly usage patterns in the two (or more) different zones.

• Thermostatic regulating valves for space heating terminal devices such as radiators, heat exchangers etc and also the different zones.

• Interlocking the Boiler controls such as cylinder thermostat with heating system controls such as Room Thermostat, TRV etc.

• Variable capacity circulating pumps (generally for high capacity or high end applications)

Generally there are financial grants for the first four upgrades from authorities while the last which is an expensive proposition (rarely used in average homes) is not considered.

LED lights, strip lights in particular, are becoming one of the most popular ways to light a building. Incandescent light bulbs are rarely used anymore as they use excess energy and do not last as long. LED strip lights have virtually replaced previous strip lights altogether in all types of commercial building. Because LED lights are so bright, they can be used as the primary source of lighting in a house or a commercial building. The most recently designed LED lights are far brighter than older ones, so if you want the very best, it is a good idea to purchase new lights altogether rather than reuse older products. 

LED strip lights can be used in pairs or even in triplets. By pairing them up in this way the light given off is far brighter and more powerful. This would be suitable in a factory environment for example where excellent lighting is necessary so workers can see clearly what they are doing. Be aware however that too many LED strip lights close together can produce a large quantity of heat, and this heat can destroy the lights themselves and therefore dramatically cut their life span. They are available in a variety of colours too. If you have a shop or a restaurant then having a variety of colours can add real style and texture into your building. A unique and exciting lighting scheme doesn't just look good, but it also encourages your customers to spend more. Coloured LED lights could help make your profits soar! If you wanted to be really creative you could even combine colours in a small area. This type of lighting would work particularly well in clothes shops or furnitureshops where lighting plays such an important role in how products look. The better a shop looks the more likely customers are going to spend money.

Research has shown that lighting can affect people's moods, so business owners everywhere should take notice of this and apply an appropriate lighting scheme. Factories and offices need extremely bright lights which not only helps stimulate the mind but also keeps seasonal affective disorder at bay for the employees. This makes LED lights the perfect solution in factories, warehouses and offices therefore. Restaurants looking to appeal to couples on romantic dates should have a dimly lit area to encourage more spending on drinks such as cocktails. Dimmer switches in restaurants are particularly worthwhile so the lighting can get even darker throughout the night. LED lights are available with dimmer switches so this is easy to do. 

LED lights are much more cost effective than other types of lighting. The upfront cost is a little higher, however the lights last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs. This adds up to a massive saving. Furthermore they use a lot less energy when they are in use, and this means that electricity bills are kept at an absolute minimum. In this day and age, saving money on fuel and electricity is extremely important. Few business owners can afford to spend much on utility bills. The low energy nature also means they are a friend and not an enemy to the environment. If everyone in commercial buildings and houses adopted LED lighting as their own, then emissions would be dramatically cut around the world.

LED strip lights and other energy saving light bulbs are becoming more and more popular in offices and homes across the world. Being better value for money than traditional bulbs and being kinder on the environment too makes them a tempting solution to light a building. They are available in different sizes, colours and styles so all types of building can benefit. For the greatest selection of lighting supplies to choose from, search online today.

Is double glazing really all that everyone thinks when it comes to ensuring that your home is protected from the elements? Also does it really work at keeping all the heat in your home?

We keep on hearing the term carbon neutral in the press and media but what is it that this term actually means? And how do we go about to become carbon neutral?

The term ‘carbon neutral’ has really replaced the term carbon offset. It actually means to balance the overall amount of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere, by calculating how much carbon dioxide is being emitted from an activity and reducing the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide in another activity. Therefore, by installing double glazing into your home you are preventing carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere which is off setting the carbon dioxide that you are using in order to heat your home in the first place.

The windows in your home have a major impact on the energy efficiency of the house. Poorly designed windows make your home too hot or too cold. If designed correctly, they’ll help maintain year-round comfort, reducing or eliminating the need for artificial heating and cooling.

Windows in a typical insulated home account for more heat gain or loss than any other element in the house. In summer heat gain through an un-shaded window can be 100 times greater than through the same area of insulated wall. One square meter of ordinary glass can let in as much heat as would be produced by a single bar radiator. In winter, heat lost through a window can be ten times more than through the same area of insulated wall. Ordinary single glazed windows offer little resistance to heat flow. Double glazed windows provide additional thermal resistance due the sealed space in between the two panes of glass. This makes the windows conduct less heat and therefore they keep more of the heat in the building rather than letting it seep out into the outside world.

Being carbon neutral is not a fashion thing it is something that everyone is going to have to accept if we are to keep the planet alive. Before the industrial revolution carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were consistently between 260 and 280 parts per million [ppm]. Since the industrial revolution human society has become increasingly dependent on fossil fuels and as a result human activities have increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to more than 380ppm.

As our homes are responsible for a large proportion of the UK's overall carbon dioxide emissions - having a direct impact on the acceleration of climate change - it is important to consider green and environmentally friendly features when look at improving your home.

If you take a trip to the local supermarket, you’re bound to find a huge range of domestic cleaning products. Sprays for this, polish for that, cream for the other thing. It’s easy to buy bottle after bottle of specialist stuff and spend a small fortune.

Does it have to be this hard? Do you really need one product for your toilet, one for your kitchen bench, another for the refrigerator, another for the shower walls, another for the… Well, you get the idea! But it doesn’t have to be that way at all. All you need is a few basics and you can make your own.

One of the real benefits of making your own cleansers is that home-made ones are usually gentler on the environment and much less toxic. Some of them are even edible, though not particularly palatable. And they do a pretty good job of round-the-house cleaning, even if they do need a touch more elbow grease to work. Mentally replace “elbow grease” with “burning calories” and you’ll find these dirty jobs are a lot easier to face up to.

Basic ingredients you will need for making your own cleaners are probably already in your kitchen or bathroom cupboards. Baking soda and vinegar make excellent cleaners. So do lemons, but cleaning things with lemons can be a bit expensive unless you have your own lemon tree that produces prolifically. Toothpaste is another handy ingredient, as is dishwashing liquid (not the sort you put in dishwashers, but the sort you do dishes in the sink with). Biological washing powder is another very handy basic cleaner.

Baking soda is by far the most versatile of these cleaners. It doesn’t scratch delicate surfaces but it busts off the grime. It also absorbs smells somewhat in a refrigerator. Baking soda is perfect for washing down whiteware and cleaning the inside of the fridge. While I have heard that a very thick paste of baking soda can be used for cleaning the inside of the oven, I have never put this one to the test, so I can’t vouch for it. But you may be in luck.

Vinegar is an excellent cleanser for people in hard water areas. As it is an acid (and so is lemon juice, which can be used in the same way), it reacts with that annoying soap scum that has a tendency to stick to the side of sinks. In my experience, what doesn’t yield to baking soda will usually yield to vinegar – and you get a very satisfying fizz when baking soda and vinegar mix. Dilute vinegar works pretty well for windows and doesn’t leave streaks or residue. You can also use it as a fabric softener. My husband’s grandmother also recommended boiling vinegar in a saucepan to deter flies. It works. 

Biological washing powder is quite harsh and should be handled with gloves, but it is useful in many more places than just the washing machine. To clean a really grubby bath, fill the bath with water and put a cup or so of biological washing powder in. Leave it overnight and drain in the morning. The enzymes will have done their work. This also works for burnt-on crud on pots and pans if you accidentally left something on the stove for too long.

Toothpaste is a very effective cleanser but should really only be used for smaller areas, as cleaning larger things such as whiteware with toothpaste could become expensive. Having said that, most of us could claim to use toothpaste to clean bits of the vanity unit and bathroom taps, as toothpaste smears are one source of the grubbiness in this area (or is it just my kids who get it all over the place?). Jewellery (especially diamonds) respond well to being cleaned with toothpaste, as it is gentle and leaves no residue (use a soft toothbrush for cleaning jewellery with toothpaste to avoid scratches). Toothpaste also helps to get scribbles of ballpoint pen off wallpaper. 

Dishwashing liquid can be used for cleaning more than just the dishes. It’s great for mopping floors with. Use in a bucket of water at about the same concentration you’d use for doing the dishes, or maybe a bit stronger for really grubby floors. You can also use this for glassware, although it can leave a few bluish streaks – but seeing as it gets rid of handprints and flyspots and doesn’t have those unpleasant fumes that you get with commercial window cleaners.

Specialty commercial green cleaning offered by professional janitorial services in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas, Tampa provide a lot of benefits that any business concern can profit from.

When doing specialty commercial green cleaning, janitorial services use products, equipment and cleaning techniques that are environmentally friendly and non-toxic. This means they are also safe for the health of all building occupants. Such environmentally friendly and non-toxic products, equipment and cleaning techniques do not pollute the air and help keep the indoor air quality (IAQ) at optimum levels.

By not using anything with dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOC) and fluorocarbons in their products and equipment, specialty commercial green cleaning services maintain the quality of indoor air and reduce the levels of all other allergens in the indoor environment. This reduces the incidence of respiratory conditions like asthma and allergies in the work force. Commonly known triggers of these health conditions are toxic cleaning products; allergens such as tobacco smoke, dust mites, animal dander, cockroaches, molds and pollens; paint fumes and other chemicals from bleach, carpet cleaners, aerosols, air fresheners and ammonia. Since respiratory conditions cause a large number of absences among personnel, minimizing triggers will surely boost productivity.

Complying with green standards through specialty commercial green cleaning services could also earn LEED credits for a business concern, thereby improving its reputation and brand equity in the arena of corporate social responsibility. Building ratings for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) are issued by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Buildings that comply with such standards are considered “green buildings” or “high performance” buildings. They are characterized by the maximized use of recycling and the significant avoidance of the use of toxic materials that require special disposal.

Business concerns that use specialty commercial green cleaning services also benefit from cost cutting and savings. For one, specialty commercial green cleaning services use environmentally friendly cleaning equipment. This automatically means they are energy efficient and will contribute to the lowering of energy costs. The use of such equipment also includes preventive maintenance which significantly reduces downtime. Furthermore, specialty commercial green cleaning services contribute to the lowering of costs in relation to health care, sick leaves and productivity by protecting the health of both the work force and management. In keeping the building not only sanitary but also healthy and safe, overall productivity is raised along with the company’s return on investment (ROI).

Specialty commercial green cleaning services cover the complete cleaning of office buildings and commercial areas. This includes wood floor cleaning, which involves stripping and waxing floors. It also includes resilient floor cleaning and commercial carpet cleaning which involves soil containment, regular vacuuming with a “green” vacuum cleaner, professional removal of spots and stains, and scheduled deep cleaning and freshening of carpet appearance. In medical facilities, specialty commercial green cleaning services include medical cling cleaning.

It seems like it would actually be counterproductive for any business concern not to hire professional janitorial services that provide specialty commercial green cleaning in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas, Tampa.

Recycling things is important to cut down the waste, but it’s only one of the three Rs of living sustainably. The other two are Reducing and Reusing. Reusing can often take a bit of creativity and lateral thinking. But if you don’t have a Depression/WWII era granny to get ideas for reusing things from, then try these to start you off:

* Pizza boxes (for large pizzas) are the perfect size for fitting A4 papers and they stack together easily. Blot the grease out and use them as a filing system. They’re easy to label, too. Cover them with newspaper or old wrapping paper if you don’t want the number of your local pizza joint staring you in the face. They stack much better than arch lever files.

* Ice cream containers are ideal for freezing soups and casseroles for later use, and also for freezing a surplus of stewed fruit. They also are something of a staple at many schools for holding crayons and other large groups of bits (counters, rubber bands, milk tokens, drawing pins). One-litre yoghurt pottles have the same uses.

* Thick cardboard of any type can be used to protect CD(-ROMs) in the post instead of bubble wrap. Keep a small supply on hand, but don’t hoard it – it can build up to excess if you’re not careful.

* Large clear plastic bottles. If you don’t want to re-use these as drink bottles (if you’re going out for a long time, then they take a lot more water than the little sip-top bottles), then try (a) cutting the top off just below the neck (at the “shoulders”) and using this top as a funnel for changing the oil or for children to play with in a sandpit or the bath; (b) cutting the top off at the shoulders and using the bottom as a mini-cloche for giving young plants a head start in early spring.

* Bottles with handles: cut them on the diagonal and use them as scoops for sugar, flour, etc.

* Old sheets and towels. Rip or cut them up and use them for dishcloths or anywhere you’d use a tissue (apart from as a handkerchief in public, of course – but for removing makeup, they’re great). You can also use them as cloths for domestic cleaning and polishing.

* Screw-top jars (glass or plastic). Wash them out and keep them for your own home-made jams and pickles. Or for storing things like cornflour and cocoa. Or for storing home-made natural cleaning products and bath salts.

* Zip-lock bags. Does anyone throw these useful things away? Use them for smaller batches of frozen food, and for school lunches.

* Rubber gloves. Once they’ve got holes in the fingers, cut the wrist parts up for extra thick, strong rubber bands.

The big thing to remember when you are keeping things to reuse is not to be a hoarder. Only keep as much as you will actually need. If you have already got scoops for your sugar, your salt, your flour and the cat kibble, then don’t make another scoop. If your freezer is full up with frozen goods, don’t hoard any more containers for freezing. Just recycle the items instead!

If you are lucky enough to get hold of either The Cyclopedia of Universal Knowledge printed in the USA in 1891, or else the selection of advice and advice collected and edited from this in Remedies, Potions and Razzmatazz by Don Roberts, you are in for a treat of advice and amusement. For those who aren’t so lucky to find these books, here is a summary of some household tips from 1891.

Kitchens have long been the centre of the home, and that was no exception in 1891. While their kitchens weren’t quite as full of electric gadgets, chrome or even linoleum (hard oiled wood was the recommended flooring in kitchens), they still knew the importance of keeping kitchens and kitchen implements clean and sparkling. Here’s some of the ways they did it:

• To prevent tea-kettles becoming encrusted inside, keep an oyster shell inside it. The theory is that the shell will attract all the particles so the particles don’t end up coating the kettle. To clean the outside (presumably) of a tea kettle, wipe it with kerosene (and presumably rinse the kerosene off afterwards).

• Make a special silver soap for cleaning silver articles by mixing half a pound of soap, 3T of turpentine (preferably the plant-sourced type) and half a glass of water. After boiling this for ten minutes, add 6T of “spirits of hartshorn” (known today as ammonium carbonate). This soapy, bubbly liquid should be used to wash silver items.

• Brass kettles can be cleaned with a mixture of salt and vinegar rubbed on as a paste then wiped off.

• For steel and iron that isn’t stainless, you can keep it from rusting by a good wipe with kerosene before storing it. This technique was not only recommended for stoves that were not going to be used over summer (we tend to forget nowadays what having a coal-fired stove in the kitchen would have been like during summer heat), and also for farm/garden implements that are going to be stored unused for a while.

• The standard method of cleaning out bottles by swirling lead shot around inside them was not recommended, because of the risk of lead poisoning, especially if one of the pellets got stuck inside a bottle or decanter that would be used for alcoholic drinks that could dissolve the lead. Instead, warm water and wood ash was recommended as the mixture to shake around inside a bottle before storing its upside down and open before use, or else chopped raw potato and water. Modern people can still try the first trick, but substituting steel shot or (grease-free) ball bearings instead of lead.

• Most modern people would prefer to stay away from the advice given for cleaning porcelain china: strong acid, either sulphuric or hydrochloric. While strong acids and alkalis are used to scour milking machines in commercial dairy operations, most households would prefer to avoid these dangerous and corrosive chemicals – although dishwasher powder is pretty rough. It’s better to stick to hot soapy water.

• To clean glass, the book suggests that cold water is better for cleaning glassware, as it gives a more sparkling finish.

• Knives that are going to be stored away for some time should be cleaned and dried thoroughly, then dusted with wood ash and rolled up in paper for storage.

• The idea of reusing and recycling isn’t new. The book suggests several kitchen uses for used paper. The first of these is to use it for window cleaning and glass cleaning, and to buff up and dry cutlery (sounds like paper towels – but who says you can’t use old newspaper for this?). Brown paper is ideal to wrap around pickle and jam jars, or for sealing the tops. The other uses for old, used papers in the book are a bit more out of the ordinary, such as using it as carpet underlay, or even making a type of flooring by gluing many newspapers together onto the floor then wallpapering over the top. Reminiscent of the stereotype of a tramp on a park bench, the book also suggests using paper as an extra layer of bedding during winter, and putting a folded newspaper down your front when riding in cold windy weather (presumably, they meant putting newspaper down your waistcoat while riding a horse, but it would work inside a jacket while biking, too).

While it isn’t so much a kitchen cleaning tip, the recipe given for making your own chewing gum is one that needs passing. The mixture calls for 2 oz “balsam of tolu” (a type of balsam of Peru with vanilla and cinnamon flavours), 1 oz white sugar and 3 oz oatmeal. Soften the balsam in water, then mix the other ingredients in. Shape and roll in icing sugar. Worth a try if you can get balsam of tolu or balsam of Peru.

“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: ants…rock badgers…locusts… The spider skilfully grasps with its hands and it is in kings’ palaces.” So wrote Solomon in the Biblical book of Proverbs (chapter 30 v 24–28). However, Proverbs said nothing about the slave or other worker who had to deal with the spiderwebs in odd corners of the palaces and lesser homes (hang on – maybe this person is the superwoman character described in the next chapter).

Spiderwebs are almost a cliché of neglect and poor housekeeping that have a haunted-house, attic or Miss Haversham air to them. For this reason, most housekeepers wage war on them incessantly. And it’s certainly undeniable that old spiderwebs filled with bits of dead flies, dust, fluff and other rubbish look ghastly. 

Some people are nervous about spiders, even if they’re short of full-blown arachnophobes. In the UK, at least, this is something of an unfounded fear. Few spiders in Europe are poisonous; the black widow of France, Italy and Spain being the major exception (two others, the sac spider and the violin or recluse spider are known to be dangerous). Even the fearsome-looking tarantula isn’t particularly poisonous and most spiders, if they bite you at all, will do no worse than a wasp sting. (However, if you visit Australia, you will have to be more cautious, as they have a lot more poisonous spider species).

However, there are some good things to be said about spiders. A fresh and perfectly formed spiderweb is a masterpiece of design and delicacy – a spiderweb covered with dew or (rarer but even more exquisite) hoarfrost is a breathtaking sight, especially if sunlight catches it. Spiders are a completely environmentally friendly of killing flies, although you’d need a lot of spiders in order to control flies completely. And spiders are also a sign that your home does not contain too many toxins. If you can, get out of the mindset that spiders mean you are a poor housekeeper – be proud of the fact that your home has some biodiversity and can sustain a tiny ecosystem (especially if the spiders build webs on your houseplants). Children can often be fascinated by spiders, especially if they have read Charlotte’s Web. 

If you are spider-friendly, all you need to do is leave the spider alone until it reaches the end of its life – apparently, they eat their old webs when they need to make a new one. You may need to dust up the wings and other inedible bits that the spider will let fall after eating a larger insect. Once the spider has departed this world, then clean the web away.

The best way to clean a web away is with an old-fashioned feather duster, or else with a broom. Most of the people do that within the weekly house cleaning, but you may prefer doing it every month. If you have to clean a large number of old webs off a ceiling, then use a soft-bristled broom. Some people wrap a duster or soft cloth around the head of the broom to make removal of the webs from the broom easier, and this method also prevents smears of dust getting onto the ceiling. 

If you don’t want spiders in your house, don’t kill one if you come across one. It won’t hurt you (unless you are in a holiday home in France, Spain or Italy and suspect it’s a black widow or some other nasty – learn what they look like from an online guide before you go. As a rough guide, black widows have red spots on a big black abdomen, sac spiders are yellow and have huge fangs, and violin spiders have very long legs). Scoop it up on a sheet of paper, a dustpan or even your hand, if you’re brave enough, and take it outside.

If you do have the misfortune to encounter a more fearsome spider when holidaying overseas, don’t panic. You have the advantage of size, strength and intelligence. Tarantulas can be encouraged out the door with a broom (or find someone to take you up on a dare to remove it bare handed) or ignored – some people keep tarantulas as pets. Poisonous spiders should be killed before anyone is bitten, especially if you have small children, elderly people or invalids in your house. Don’t use flyspray – this can infuriate some species – but squash the spider with the underside of a shoe, a broom or any other handy object.

Was one of your New Year resolutions to cut down on waste and to live more sustainably? These quick tips should help.

1. Make your own household cleaners using natural ingredients. Not only does this mean that you will be less exposed to some of the most common sources of household pollutants and toxins, you will also cut down on the amount of waste your household produces (you won't have to buy and dispose of one product for cleaning windows, one for cleaning floors, one for cleaning the bathroom, one for cleaning kitchens, etc, etc. ad nauseam) and you will also be easier on the environment, as producing house cleaners like vinegar, baking soda and soap is less polluting and often uses by-products of other industries.

2. Dry your clothes naturally using the sun and the air. A good washing line or clothes horse gets clothes beautifully dry, whether you dry clothes outside or just stand the clothes horse near a home heating source. This not only means that you're using less electricity to power a dryer, but you will also cut down on the need for anti-static products and you may even be able to get away with doing less ironing.

3. Learn how to mend and make do. It's silly to throw away a shirt or pair of jeans just because it's got a falling hem or a split seam - or even a hole worn in the knees. These are easy mending jobs, and sewing by hand is a soothing task that's good to do while watching TV or sitting down to talk - and it can help keep your hands busy so you don't go reaching for a snack or a cigarette.

4. Consider switching to more environmentally friendly brands, such as Ecover, for home cleaning products that you can't or don't want to make yourself. For me, this would be laundry and dishwashing detergent.

5. Start a recycling system. It's good to have a portable container for putting recyclables because then you can go around your house as you clean up and put things straight where they're supposed to go.

6. Switch to reusable shopping bags as much as you can. This means that you won't have half a million cluttering your drawers up. However, you may still need a few, as you will need to make sure meat doesn't drip all over everything else - and old shopping bags are great for corralling rubbish and recyclable paper (and many shopping bags are themselves recyclable).

7. Find an alternative to retail therapy. Not only will you save money, you will also save on packaging and then filling your house with things that you have to clean and care for. Take up another soothing hobby instead.

8. Get some pot plants for your home. Not only will these help clean the air in your home (especially if you buy plants that absorb and eliminate toxins such as spider plants and peace lilies) but you will also help 'albeit a little bit - reduce the overall CO2 in the atmosphere. Every little bit counts!

9. Start a garden. It's good exercise for you, it makes you more aware of the environment, it encourages you to compost food and other organic waste (which includes the bits from your vacuum cleaner bag - beans love these!) and you can eat the results. Composting makes your house smell nicer, as you don't have food waste sitting around in the bin stinking.

10. Cut down on waste by finding new uses for old items. Old towels, shirts and sheets can be used as cleaning rags. Old toothbrushes can be used for all sorts of cleaning jobs. Old containers can be used to store home-made cleaning products. Thin little soap scraps can be melted down to make soap gel (used for all sorts of cleaning jobs).

When people think of fluorescent lighting they often think of unattractive strip lights that buzz constantly and produce a rather harsh light. These types of lights do still exist, but the technology today has moved forward from here and you can get attractive fluorescent lights that look good throughout offices and other commercial buildings. There are plenty of reasons to choose fluorescent lighting over other alternatives and this article explores what those reasons are. Read on to find out why everyone should use some form of fluorescent lighting in the work place,

The financial savings of fluorescent bulbs are large. Although the initial upfront cost of a light may be higher, the bulb will last up to 10 times longer than a traditional variety. That adds up to a whole lot of savings. Furthermore, they cost far less to run. Your electricity bills will be dramatically reduced if you adopt some fluorescent bulbs in your home or office. They also generate a lot less heat than other types of bulbs, so if your office or workplace has air conditioning or fans on during the summer months, there are plenty of savings to be made here too as less needs to be used to cool the room. There are all sorts of ways that fluorescent bulbs save money. Because replacements are so rare there is a labour saving aspect here too. In workplaces and offices, often maintenance crews have to come in to take care of tasks such as this.

That's right - fluorescent bulbs are much more eco-friendly than incandescent light bulbs. As mentioned briefly already, the ongoing electricity costs to run these bulbs are much less than alternatives. Not only does this save you money, but it also protects the planet as far less energy is being used. They require around 2/3 less energy to work than other types of bulbs which add up to large savings for both your wallet and the environment. This is especially true when used in large spaces and commercial buildings such as warehouses. If everyone in the world switched to these types of lights, this would make a tremendous difference and would dramatically cut emissions. 

If you run a business and you need to light large premises, then using fluorescent lighting is an excellent solution. They may be three times more expensive than other bulbs, but the long term savings really do add up. There are a whole host of designs and styles available on the market today too, so long gone are the days of slightly buzzing strip lights. It is even possible to get dimmer switches too. This type of lighting is particularly good in places such as board rooms or meeting rooms where sometimes the lights need to be dimmed during a presentation or something similar. There is no doubt that fluorescent lights are cost efficient and energy efficient and business owners should take advantage of this. 

If you are a designer or architect then sourcing your lights from a lighting wholesaler is going to save you and your client a bundle. People are looking for cost cutting measures these days and this is an excellent one. The savings are particularly large when you are purchasing large quantities of lights or very expensive lights such as floodlights. Being able to offer lower prices on the lighting aspect of a project may be the key to winning the contract in the first place. 

Whether you are a designer or a business owner however, choosing fluorescent lighting will definitely ensure big savings are made on all future electricity bills for either yourself or your client, and these savings can truly add up.

Though synthetic grass may seem like a relatively newer grass product of the era, it has been around since the mid twentieth century. Its creation was motivated by the desire for the new generation to become physically fit and healthy. Synthetic grass would thus be used for fitness and athletic purposes in the beginning. It was the Ford Foundation in the 1950's that advocated this campaign for fitness, strongly among urban people who were not as fit as the younger rural society.

It was a subsidiary of Monsanto Industries that first created the fibers of synthetic grass to be used as a surface for school fields that would help to encourage athleticism and fitness among the young generation. In the 1960's, Monsanto Industries went on to make one of the first highly identified synthetic grass surfaces, setting it apart from simple grass-like carpets. This product would later be recognized as one of the pioneering artificial grass brands.

The company Chemstrand began to do both experiments and research on synthetic grass. Their aim was to uncover characteristics based on factors like heat, cushioning, effects of the environment and weather conditions, flammability, and durability. In 1964, the very first public artificial grass installation was done in Providence, Rhode Island. The Moses Brown School's installation employed the use of Chemgrass, another early synthetic grass prototype. This was one of the first large-scale installations ever performed at the time.

Shortly after, in 1966, Chemgrass was installed in the AstroDome stadium, home of the baseball team, the Houston Astros. This is where it was named "Astroturf" by John A. Wortmann. In the same year, the AFL football season commenced for the Houston Oilers. The game was played on 125,000 feet of AstroTurf. Indiana State University became the very first outdoor stadium to have AstroTurf installed the next year. After applying for the patent in 1965, they finally received it in 1967. Later, in the 1970's, artificial grass began to be engineered with polypropylene. This is also when the concept of infill began to take form. The artificial grass carpets then began to have a layer of sand to act as the infill. This provided a layer of cushioning, as well as a layer to keep the grass blades upright.

In the 1980's, artificial grass expanded its use to other athletic venues, such as football and recreational areas. In order to attempt to minimize the risk of injury, shock pads were used during this time. Even with shock pads, however, the artificial turf of this time seemed to be too fast for contact sports. It would later undergo several technological improvements that would only aid in creating a suitable performance surface for contact sports. The 1990's were a monumental time for artificial turf, as its uses expanded to contact sports, fields, recreational areas, landscaping for home and business, and more. A breakthrough drainage system even allows families and businesses with pets to use synthetic grass. The history of artificial grass has involved several notable strides in technology and uses, deeming it to be a cutting-edge and multipurpose surface that is suitable for all.

Warm season changes in weather can bring about sunshine and fun times by the pool, but it also increases the likelihood of pests invading your property. Ants, spiders, and other creepy crawlies aren’t aware of property boundaries, so it is up to us to ensure that our houses can keep them at bay. The enclosed tips should help in the good fight for a pest-free home.

1. Cleanliness is next to godliness! Keeping the interior of your home clean and free of crumbs should help tremendously in keeping out unwanted insect visitors. Making the home hospitable and welcoming to them with food and debris laying around will only make them think that they are acceptable house guests. You are feeding them, after all. So keep a clean and tidy home as a base step to pest prevention. Seal tightly any foods that you have so that the smells won’t permeate out nor will bugs be able to get into your consumables. 

2. Work on the exterior of the house as well, checking for cracks and entry points for insects. Clean out the gutters and pipes so that pests can’t set up nests in these areas, which will only lead to infestation . Repair any cracked, broken, shifted, or otherwise warped areas of the exterior and this should curtail the bugs chances for entry.

3. Certain plants and flowers, such as Marigolds, give off unpleasant odors to insects so these could be a good choice to plant around the property. 

4. If you have an infestation of a certain type of bug outside, introducing predator bugs to the environment could be a wise choice. Ladybugs eat certain pests, so with the right balance, they could rid an infestation, just don’t bring in too many or else you could have an infestation of THEM.

5. Get rid of unsightly clutter in the home, such as stacks of cardboard. These can provide comfortable dwelling for creatures such as mice and roaches, so no clutter!

6. Remove stagnant water from the premises. Sitting water attracts insects, so having stagnant ponds, puddles, etc can have the effect of becoming a pest watering hole. 

Following these steps will greatly reduce the numbers of insects that may try to set up home with you. There will always be pests around, but there’s no need to make them your roommates! 

Learn more about how to keep your home clean, healthy, and pest-free at our website: www.DenversCleaningService.com, just click on the 'blog' link.