By Roselind Hejl, CRS
Your home selection is a very personal and emotional decision, and that is how it should be. You should tap into your emotional knowledge when choosing a home. Your home will be a place where you and your family can enjoy life and feel safe and secure. Many personal factors will influence your decision.
However, at some point in the future you may need to re-sell the home. Most people would like to receive at least 4% annual appreciation on the sales price of their home. Now is the time to look ahead and consider any possible sales objections that you may encounter. The value of your home as an investment is directly related to its marketability. In order for your home to sell at the highest price possible for the market it must avoid re-sale issues.
The issues noted below are not to be thought of as deal killers. The home you have selected may have some defects, yet meet your needs in many important ways. Certainly, no home will be perfect. However, your purchase decision should be supported by a careful evaluation.
Home flippers look for homes with marketing problems such as these. Often priced below market, these homes are perfect for their remodeling solutions. You, too, may think creatively when considering a home. With good design help, many problems can be corrected or mitigated. Here are 7 potential re-sale problems:
1. Lot Problems:
Unusual Easements or Restrictions
If unusual easements or restrictions were not disclosed up front, you may not be aware of them until you see the survey and title work. If you discover these, I suggest that you take a step back, and consider whether you will accept an unusual easement or restriction on your use of the property. Some examples: neighbors may cross the property, major pipelines cross property, or pets are prohibited.
Very Small Yard
If a home has much less yard area than others in the neighborhood, buyers tend to eliminate this choice. A steep slope may make the grounds difficult to use and maintain. Yards that have been terraced or landscaped may be exceptions. Compare your property to the yards offered by competing homes.
Commercial View
Homes in suburban areas that view office buildings or retail centers are less attractive to buyers. Buyers choose suburban neighborhoods for their concentration of single family homes, separated from commercial areas. This may not be a problem in more urban areas.
Flag Lot
These are lots with a long narrow strip leading to the area where the house is placed. Your home will have almost no street frontage, and there may be a building in front of your home. A flag lot in a country setting with a long driveway leading to a large tract may be an exception to the rule. In a subdivision of homes with road frontage, buyers will avoid this type of lot.
2. Common Objections:
High Tension Wires
The general reaction by buyers to high tension wires crossing near the lot is to simply eliminate the choice.
Steep Driveway
I have shown many buyers who will not get out of the car when the driveway is extra steep.
Busy Street
The noise from a busy street is a turn-off to many buyers. This is more of a problem if the busy street is in front of the house, and includes the visual presence of traffic.
Too Exposed
Most buyers in all neighborhoods want a certain degree of privacy in the back yard. If the building behind your home looks down on your backyard or into your family room, this will be a sales objection. This can be mitigated by trees or screening.
3. Neighborhood Concerns:
Declining Values
If you perceive the neighborhood to be declining, this is a must to avoid. Choose areas that show pride in ownership. However, if you see tear downs and new construction, the neighborhood may be entering a renewal period, and could be a good risk.
Safety or Security Problems
If you sense that there are security problems - drug trafficking, burglaries, or safety problems for your children, take a step back and look at the facts and data on these issues before buying. These kind of problems will turn away buyers fast.
4. Market Issues:
Seasonal or Limited Market
Some homes have a limited market - a vacation area, a primarily student market, or an age restricted subdivision. This may suit your needs, but keep in mind that your re-sale will be limited to these types of buyers.
Remote Location
In most cities, areas that are closer to downtown tend to have a larger buyer pool than homes located in remote areas. However, you may choose to trade the privacy and setting of a country home with the resale potential.
No Comparable Sales
This indicates a possible re-sale problem. The home may be very unusual compared to homes around it, or the market may be slow. Understand the underlying reason for few or no comparable sales.
Extended Marketing Time
Has the home that you are considering been on the market a long time? Was the price simply set too high? Has the market been slow? Or, is there a problem with the house that you will need to correct?
Oversupply of Homes
This is a fundamental re-sale problem. A common source of excess supply is from new homebuilders in the area. Or, sales may be slowed by an economic recession or high interest rates. The oversupply of homes on the market may be a temporary situation.
5. Non-conforming Styles:
Lacks a Typical Amenity
In an area where nearly all homes are on the golf course, or have a pool, or include a garage, buyers will tend to avoid homes that lack these features. In an area of mostly older buyers, a home with the master bedroom upstairs may have trouble selling. Look carefully at what is generally offered in a given area.
Unusual Architecture
Homes that do not fit in to the neighborhood may have trouble selling. For example, the urban modern style may be a good fit in older eclectic areas, but would be hard to sell a uniform suburban neighborhood.
6. Inspection Questions:
Water Drainage Problems
Poor water drainage may be a serious and costly remediation problem. In addition to habitability problems caused by water penetration, excessive changes in the moisture content of soils can cause structural problems. Talk with an expert about improving the drainage around the house, and evaluate any previous damage caused by flooding of the interior or water standing around the house. Be sure that you have all the facts on the table and an improvement plan ready.
Structural Defects
Structural defects have an underlying cause. They may be due to loose fill on the lot, clay soil, drainage issues, or poor construction. It is crucial to know the source of the problem, and the cost to repair, before taking on a house with structural problems.
Inspection Issues
Excessive repairs noted on your inspection report indicate that the house was not maintained or was poorly constructed. Be prepared for some serious work on the house. All exterior sidings, including stucco, should be inspected carefully. An incorrect application may have water damage or mold behind it. A mold infestation may be expensive to remove. Be prepared to document your repairs in order to show a future buyer that the problems have been completely solved. These issues tend to have some stigma attached.
Insurance Claims
It is important to know the facts about a previous insurance claim. If it was due to a fire or flooding problem, you should have full disclosure. Large insurance claims are a red flag, and may result in difficulty in obtaining insurance on the home. Many homes have had repairs covered by insurance, such as hail damage, and these are not a re-sale problem.
7. Improvements - Too Much or Too Little:
Costly Improvements
You may not be able to recoup the cost of certain improvements to your home. Some examples may be imported fixtures, unusual craftsmanship, exotic woods, European appliances, non-native plants, hand decorated walls, etc. If these finishes are similar to locally available materials, they may not have a market value equal to their cost. In general, swimming pools do not contribute the full amount of their cost in the value of the home.
Over Improved
Homes that are over improved for the area, or have excess acreage, often have a difficult time recouping the additional cost. Most people feel safer buying one of the cheaper houses in the neighborhood.
Non Functional Floor Plan
Floor plans that make living in the home difficult will turn away buyers. Excessive level changes, rooms that are out of proportion, poor access to the backyard, low ceilings, few windows, and other layout issues will result in a re-sale problem. This may be an opportunity to take down walls, add windows and doors, and make creative changes to improve the functionality and value of a house. Design skill and a fairly high budget will be necessary.
Out Dated Finishes
Most homes have some outdated finishes - from needing freshening up, to a complete makeover. This is where design skill and perseverance can completely transform a house. If you are new to remodeling, consider your budget carefully. Often the work can get quite extensive and tends to grow as the project develops.
Although your emotional level response is a strong factor in your choice of a home, it is important to step back and evaluate your decision. A better decision is made when all facts are on the table. The quality of your investment as well as your enjoyment of the home is at stake.
The Chronicle, World Sentinel
For More Information: Inspections
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Home Flooding Causes Mold Growth
By Bryon Zoucks
Mold is almost certain to be an issue after a residence has endured water damage. This is one of the most hazardous problems that have to be managed after a flood. Mold can be hazardous to our wellbeing. It is filled with displeasing and just plain unsafe microorganisms. Do not go near mold or try to take it away without guarding yourself with protective clothes, gloves, safety glasses, and most of all a great quality face mask. Inhaling the mold spores is really harmful to your lungs. Doing away with and destroying mold is often problematic and at all times potentially unsafe. It is safer to have a trained mold remediation professional get rid of and clean mold infested belongings. If you have to manage it by yourself make sure to train yourself regarding the way as to how to appropriately handle mold.
It is better to avert mold proliferation than to have to deal with it after it has started to grow in a house and on your stuff. Water damage is nearly for sure to be the reason for mold growth There are many ways to head mold off prior to it starting. Air out the room by opening doors and windows to move air if it is less humid outside than indoors the water damaged dwelling. If that isn't accomplishable run an air conditioner or better yet carry in dehumidifiers to bring the moisture out of the air in the interior of the domicile. Run fans to disperse air and assist in the drying procedure. If mold has already begun to develop this can prevent it from creating more of a problem by withdrawing the moisture that allows its breeding.
If you have to handle mold development on your stuff, take them outdoors if at all doable. This will keep mold spores from attaching to additional surfaces in the residence when you brush them with the item you are taking care of. Wearing your mask and protective gear, take an applicator and lightly brush it across the mold infected area removing the mold. Do this until you can't see the growth anymore. Turn on a vacuum with a HEPA system to remove any mold spores that have settled further into the item you are working on. When you are finished with the vacuum remove and seal the vacuum bag. Throw away the bag right away and sanitize the vacuum to put a stop to contact with the toxic mold. Now use a slightly wet cloth and cleaning product and wipe the affected area. Wash the area and use a dry towel to rub the spot until it is dry.
If the area is seriously soiled it can be essential to use a fungicide to destroy the remainder of the mold. Find the correct manufactured good to use on the thing you are working on. Be cautious when using fungal agents as they might be damaging if breathed in or if it comes close with your eye or skin. This should be plenty to rid an item of mold but be sure to check your things several times over the upcoming several months to make sure the mold does not return. If at all doable you really should contract an expert in mold remediation to manage the removal of mold from all of your personal belongings as this will be the best way of dealing with handling it.
Mold is almost certain to be an issue after a residence has endured water damage. This is one of the most hazardous problems that have to be managed after a flood. Mold can be hazardous to our wellbeing. It is filled with displeasing and just plain unsafe microorganisms. Do not go near mold or try to take it away without guarding yourself with protective clothes, gloves, safety glasses, and most of all a great quality face mask. Inhaling the mold spores is really harmful to your lungs. Doing away with and destroying mold is often problematic and at all times potentially unsafe. It is safer to have a trained mold remediation professional get rid of and clean mold infested belongings. If you have to manage it by yourself make sure to train yourself regarding the way as to how to appropriately handle mold.
It is better to avert mold proliferation than to have to deal with it after it has started to grow in a house and on your stuff. Water damage is nearly for sure to be the reason for mold growth There are many ways to head mold off prior to it starting. Air out the room by opening doors and windows to move air if it is less humid outside than indoors the water damaged dwelling. If that isn't accomplishable run an air conditioner or better yet carry in dehumidifiers to bring the moisture out of the air in the interior of the domicile. Run fans to disperse air and assist in the drying procedure. If mold has already begun to develop this can prevent it from creating more of a problem by withdrawing the moisture that allows its breeding.
If you have to handle mold development on your stuff, take them outdoors if at all doable. This will keep mold spores from attaching to additional surfaces in the residence when you brush them with the item you are taking care of. Wearing your mask and protective gear, take an applicator and lightly brush it across the mold infected area removing the mold. Do this until you can't see the growth anymore. Turn on a vacuum with a HEPA system to remove any mold spores that have settled further into the item you are working on. When you are finished with the vacuum remove and seal the vacuum bag. Throw away the bag right away and sanitize the vacuum to put a stop to contact with the toxic mold. Now use a slightly wet cloth and cleaning product and wipe the affected area. Wash the area and use a dry towel to rub the spot until it is dry.
If the area is seriously soiled it can be essential to use a fungicide to destroy the remainder of the mold. Find the correct manufactured good to use on the thing you are working on. Be cautious when using fungal agents as they might be damaging if breathed in or if it comes close with your eye or skin. This should be plenty to rid an item of mold but be sure to check your things several times over the upcoming several months to make sure the mold does not return. If at all doable you really should contract an expert in mold remediation to manage the removal of mold from all of your personal belongings as this will be the best way of dealing with handling it.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Plastics Q & A
by Emily Main
Some of the containers in my kitchen do not have a recycling number on them. How do I know whether these plastics are safe? Why do some companies not put numbers on their products?
The best way to find out is to call the manufacturer. The "resin identification code"—the number that appears in the recycling triangle—isn't actually required by federal law and doesn't appear on every plastic product you buy. It's a voluntary system aimed primarily at helping recycling centers identify and sort various products. Some states require companies to put resin codes on bottles, but they aren't required on products that aren't easy to recycle, such as bowls, dishes, toys or bottle caps.
Do the recycling arrows with the code number on the bottom of plastics apply only to North America or are they international?
The resin identification numbers (we've defined them in our Plastic Containers Buying Guide) are used all over the world. So no matter where you are, you'll know whether you can recycle your plastic bottle or cup.
Which numbers of plastic containers contain bisphenol A (BPA)?
The only kind of plastic food-storage containers that contain BPA are those made with polycarbonate, which is indicated by #7 PC in the recycling triangle on the bottom.
The Brita filter system we use is a plastic carafe style, which does not indicate what type of plastic it is. Do I assume that it is made with the number 7 plastic and may leach BPA into the water?
Brita pitchers, according to a customer representative at the company, are not made from polycarbonate plastics and therefore don't contain BPA. The pitchers are made with either NAS (a styrene-based plastic with a very long chemical name) or styrene acrylonitrile (SAN). Brita has had its pitchers independently tested by the National Sanitation Foundation to ensure that they don't leach styrene, a probable human carcinogen, and the FDA has also tested these resins and found them to be leach-free. Read more about Brita pitchers here.
I was wondering about the safety of cooking food in Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags and in Birds Eye, Green Giant, and other manufacturers' plastic containers. Is this a plastic that is not safe or can put off poisons in our food when it is cooked?
In general, it's not a good idea to cook any type of food in plastic, regardless of what type of plastic it is. Heat speeds the deterioration of plastic, potentially causing it to release chemicals, hazardous or not, into food (likely, those chemicals aren't poisonous). In situations like this, we like to adopt the precautionary principle and use only glass or ceramic containers in the microwave or steam vegetables in a pot over the stove rather than in a plastic bag.
Is it safe to reuse #4 food storage bags? We have been washing them with warm water and soap and reusing them in order to reduce waste.
It's safe to reuse them until they start to get cloudy. Cloudiness is a sign of deterioration, and even though #4 plastics aren't known to contain any hazardous chemicals, deteriorated plastic bags may transmit chemicals with unknown side effects into your food. They also start to absorb odors and flavors that make your food less tasty.
In the past I have reused typical bottled water containers to take to the spa every day, freezing them to have cold water. Now I've read this is not a good thing. Is that because water is sitting in the bottle for long periods?
The main reason we recommend against this has to do with bacterial contamination. The #1 polyethylene plastic used in these bottles is porous, and these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of. There is also a concern of the heavy metal antimony, which can trigger diarrhea and upset stomachs, leaching out of #1 bottles after they've been used for a very long time (usually more than
six months).
I want to replace my reusable plastic bottle with a stainless steel Klean Kanteen. However, I found this product is produced in China. Are you aware of this, and if so, is it a concern? If quality control is lacking, this small factory may use low-grade stainless steel exposing nickel and possibly lead.
There's no need to worry about stainless steel made in China. Lead contamination isn't a concern with stainless steel, regardless of where it's made, because stainless steel contains steel, chromium and nickel only—no lead. To ensure product safety, Klean Kanteen tests shipments of its bottles every three months to make sure they're free of nickel (which may trigger allergic reactions), chromium (high levels of which can cause kidney or liver damage) and manganese (linked to nervous-system problems). Manganese isn't usually found in the kind of stainless steel Klean Kanteen uses, but it is used in other types, so their tests for it are mainly precautionary.
I understand that the plastic water bottles in stores leach a carcinogen.Based on current science, the plastic water bottles, soda and juice bottles, and milk jugs on store shelves don't contain any cancer-causing chemicals. There have been some reports in the media that bisphenol A (or BPA), the chemical used to make olycarbonate water bottles and water-cooler jugs, causes cancer, but so far, there's no scientific evidence to support that. BPA does, however, interfere with hormones. A just-released study found that it suppresses levels of the hormone needed to protect people from heart attacks and Type II diabetes—so drink your water from the tap, not a water cooler or polycarbonate bottle. I use 4-gallon plastic water bottles for my standing refrigerated water cooler. On the bottom of the bottle there is a triangle with a # 3 in it. Is it okay to use these?
Without sounding like an alarmist, replace these bottles post haste! The #3 indicates that the bottle is made with polyvinyl chloride, which can leach hormone-disrupting phthalates and possibly lead into your water.Plastic bags are everywhere—it's not just shopping bags, but the bags my organic lettuce comes in, my string cheese, and on and on! I can only find a place that recycles #2 and #4 bags, along with dry-cleaning and newspaper bags. There are so many other plastic bags out there and it makes me sick to have to throw them out. Is there another option?
Thanks to growing concern about the environmental ills wrought by errant plastic bags, many cities are banning them or, at the very least, requiring stores to recycle them—but usually those requirements pertain to shopping bags, not all the other plastic films used to package our products. You can recycle various types of plastic bags and wraps at Whole Foods Markets and a growing number of national chain stores. But be aware that just like your curbside recycling program, these ollections are limited by what they can recycle regionally. Call the store ahead of time to see which types of plastic bags, wraps and films they accept; some take frozen-vegetable bags and cling wraps as well as plastic produce and grocery bags, while others only take grocery bags. When you do take your stuff in to be recycled, just make sure it's clean and dry, or it could ruin an entire bin's worth of recyclable materials.
© 2008 The Green Guide Institute
Some of the containers in my kitchen do not have a recycling number on them. How do I know whether these plastics are safe? Why do some companies not put numbers on their products?
The best way to find out is to call the manufacturer. The "resin identification code"—the number that appears in the recycling triangle—isn't actually required by federal law and doesn't appear on every plastic product you buy. It's a voluntary system aimed primarily at helping recycling centers identify and sort various products. Some states require companies to put resin codes on bottles, but they aren't required on products that aren't easy to recycle, such as bowls, dishes, toys or bottle caps.
Do the recycling arrows with the code number on the bottom of plastics apply only to North America or are they international?
The resin identification numbers (we've defined them in our Plastic Containers Buying Guide) are used all over the world. So no matter where you are, you'll know whether you can recycle your plastic bottle or cup.
Which numbers of plastic containers contain bisphenol A (BPA)?
The only kind of plastic food-storage containers that contain BPA are those made with polycarbonate, which is indicated by #7 PC in the recycling triangle on the bottom.
The Brita filter system we use is a plastic carafe style, which does not indicate what type of plastic it is. Do I assume that it is made with the number 7 plastic and may leach BPA into the water?
Brita pitchers, according to a customer representative at the company, are not made from polycarbonate plastics and therefore don't contain BPA. The pitchers are made with either NAS (a styrene-based plastic with a very long chemical name) or styrene acrylonitrile (SAN). Brita has had its pitchers independently tested by the National Sanitation Foundation to ensure that they don't leach styrene, a probable human carcinogen, and the FDA has also tested these resins and found them to be leach-free. Read more about Brita pitchers here.
I was wondering about the safety of cooking food in Ziploc Zip 'n Steam bags and in Birds Eye, Green Giant, and other manufacturers' plastic containers. Is this a plastic that is not safe or can put off poisons in our food when it is cooked?
In general, it's not a good idea to cook any type of food in plastic, regardless of what type of plastic it is. Heat speeds the deterioration of plastic, potentially causing it to release chemicals, hazardous or not, into food (likely, those chemicals aren't poisonous). In situations like this, we like to adopt the precautionary principle and use only glass or ceramic containers in the microwave or steam vegetables in a pot over the stove rather than in a plastic bag.
Is it safe to reuse #4 food storage bags? We have been washing them with warm water and soap and reusing them in order to reduce waste.
It's safe to reuse them until they start to get cloudy. Cloudiness is a sign of deterioration, and even though #4 plastics aren't known to contain any hazardous chemicals, deteriorated plastic bags may transmit chemicals with unknown side effects into your food. They also start to absorb odors and flavors that make your food less tasty.
In the past I have reused typical bottled water containers to take to the spa every day, freezing them to have cold water. Now I've read this is not a good thing. Is that because water is sitting in the bottle for long periods?
The main reason we recommend against this has to do with bacterial contamination. The #1 polyethylene plastic used in these bottles is porous, and these bottles absorb flavors and bacteria that you can't get rid of. There is also a concern of the heavy metal antimony, which can trigger diarrhea and upset stomachs, leaching out of #1 bottles after they've been used for a very long time (usually more than
six months).
I want to replace my reusable plastic bottle with a stainless steel Klean Kanteen. However, I found this product is produced in China. Are you aware of this, and if so, is it a concern? If quality control is lacking, this small factory may use low-grade stainless steel exposing nickel and possibly lead.
There's no need to worry about stainless steel made in China. Lead contamination isn't a concern with stainless steel, regardless of where it's made, because stainless steel contains steel, chromium and nickel only—no lead. To ensure product safety, Klean Kanteen tests shipments of its bottles every three months to make sure they're free of nickel (which may trigger allergic reactions), chromium (high levels of which can cause kidney or liver damage) and manganese (linked to nervous-system problems). Manganese isn't usually found in the kind of stainless steel Klean Kanteen uses, but it is used in other types, so their tests for it are mainly precautionary.
I understand that the plastic water bottles in stores leach a carcinogen.Based on current science, the plastic water bottles, soda and juice bottles, and milk jugs on store shelves don't contain any cancer-causing chemicals. There have been some reports in the media that bisphenol A (or BPA), the chemical used to make olycarbonate water bottles and water-cooler jugs, causes cancer, but so far, there's no scientific evidence to support that. BPA does, however, interfere with hormones. A just-released study found that it suppresses levels of the hormone needed to protect people from heart attacks and Type II diabetes—so drink your water from the tap, not a water cooler or polycarbonate bottle. I use 4-gallon plastic water bottles for my standing refrigerated water cooler. On the bottom of the bottle there is a triangle with a # 3 in it. Is it okay to use these?
Without sounding like an alarmist, replace these bottles post haste! The #3 indicates that the bottle is made with polyvinyl chloride, which can leach hormone-disrupting phthalates and possibly lead into your water.Plastic bags are everywhere—it's not just shopping bags, but the bags my organic lettuce comes in, my string cheese, and on and on! I can only find a place that recycles #2 and #4 bags, along with dry-cleaning and newspaper bags. There are so many other plastic bags out there and it makes me sick to have to throw them out. Is there another option?
Thanks to growing concern about the environmental ills wrought by errant plastic bags, many cities are banning them or, at the very least, requiring stores to recycle them—but usually those requirements pertain to shopping bags, not all the other plastic films used to package our products. You can recycle various types of plastic bags and wraps at Whole Foods Markets and a growing number of national chain stores. But be aware that just like your curbside recycling program, these ollections are limited by what they can recycle regionally. Call the store ahead of time to see which types of plastic bags, wraps and films they accept; some take frozen-vegetable bags and cling wraps as well as plastic produce and grocery bags, while others only take grocery bags. When you do take your stuff in to be recycled, just make sure it's clean and dry, or it could ruin an entire bin's worth of recyclable materials.
© 2008 The Green Guide Institute
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Raw Milk - Should it be Banned or Should We Drink Up?
By Terrie Bryan
Raw milk benefits are astounding, and more and more people are clamoring to purchase. Find out more information and learn about all of the amazing health benefits of raw milk plus lots more information and facts at www.rawmilktruth.com There is a slowly increasing campaign across the United States, a campaign to find and drink raw milk straight from the cow just as our ancestors did for hundreds of years. People are willing to risk illness and death (so says the FDA) to find this elixir. Demand is booming in a huge way.
Drinkers of this milk praise it for being more healthy and nutritious as well as simply tasting better than its pasteurized and homogenized counterpart. Some drink it strictly for the health benefits, while some simply enjoy the creamy fresh taste. Whatever their reason, many people have jumped on the bandwagon and are clamoring for states to make it legal to buy and sell. Currently it varies from state to state, but few states allow the sale of raw milk to humans, while more allow it to be sold for animal consumption only. At the time of this writing, only 8 states allow sales in stores. Still others ban sales entirely, forcing people who wish to buy to go "underground" in order to purchase.
Other ways people get around the varying laws are to buy a share in a cow and then simply pay a portion of the upkeep of the cow. Since they then technically are part owner of the cow, they may legally drink the milk. But why make everyone jump through hoops like this? The accepted public health wisdom is this milk is a dangerous source of bacteria, but what is not said is that if it is obtained from a healthy grass-fed cow, the risk is no more than consuming, say, a tomato from your
local grocery store. It may be less risky, as a matter of fact. Studies have shown that children who drink raw milk have lower rates of llergies and asthma.
Once people begin to drink real milk and start to experience the huge health benefits, there's just no going back. The flavor is rich and complex, and the health advantages abound. Those who were lactose intolerant often find they have no problems, digestive issues clear up, energy increases, immune systems strengthen, and people feel overall better. Persons with such things as Crohn's disease have come forward with testimonials on how unpasteurized milk has alleviated their symptoms completely. Some doctors have praised it as one of the healthiest foods you can consume.
What makes raw milk better? Pasteurization, the process where the milk is heated, kills the beneficial bacteria, healthy enzymes, and proteins. Once these are gone you are drinking "dead" liquid and it is of no benefit, and might actually cause more harm than do any good to those who drink it.
The growing number of advocates of unpasteurized milk simply ask that they be allowed the make their own choices of what foods they will consume.
Raw milk benefits are astounding, and more and more people are clamoring to purchase. Find out more information and learn about all of the amazing health benefits of raw milk plus lots more information and facts at www.rawmilktruth.com
For more information about allergies search Google or Yahoo.
Raw milk benefits are astounding, and more and more people are clamoring to purchase. Find out more information and learn about all of the amazing health benefits of raw milk plus lots more information and facts at www.rawmilktruth.com There is a slowly increasing campaign across the United States, a campaign to find and drink raw milk straight from the cow just as our ancestors did for hundreds of years. People are willing to risk illness and death (so says the FDA) to find this elixir. Demand is booming in a huge way.
Drinkers of this milk praise it for being more healthy and nutritious as well as simply tasting better than its pasteurized and homogenized counterpart. Some drink it strictly for the health benefits, while some simply enjoy the creamy fresh taste. Whatever their reason, many people have jumped on the bandwagon and are clamoring for states to make it legal to buy and sell. Currently it varies from state to state, but few states allow the sale of raw milk to humans, while more allow it to be sold for animal consumption only. At the time of this writing, only 8 states allow sales in stores. Still others ban sales entirely, forcing people who wish to buy to go "underground" in order to purchase.
Other ways people get around the varying laws are to buy a share in a cow and then simply pay a portion of the upkeep of the cow. Since they then technically are part owner of the cow, they may legally drink the milk. But why make everyone jump through hoops like this? The accepted public health wisdom is this milk is a dangerous source of bacteria, but what is not said is that if it is obtained from a healthy grass-fed cow, the risk is no more than consuming, say, a tomato from your
local grocery store. It may be less risky, as a matter of fact. Studies have shown that children who drink raw milk have lower rates of llergies and asthma.
Once people begin to drink real milk and start to experience the huge health benefits, there's just no going back. The flavor is rich and complex, and the health advantages abound. Those who were lactose intolerant often find they have no problems, digestive issues clear up, energy increases, immune systems strengthen, and people feel overall better. Persons with such things as Crohn's disease have come forward with testimonials on how unpasteurized milk has alleviated their symptoms completely. Some doctors have praised it as one of the healthiest foods you can consume.
What makes raw milk better? Pasteurization, the process where the milk is heated, kills the beneficial bacteria, healthy enzymes, and proteins. Once these are gone you are drinking "dead" liquid and it is of no benefit, and might actually cause more harm than do any good to those who drink it.
The growing number of advocates of unpasteurized milk simply ask that they be allowed the make their own choices of what foods they will consume.
Raw milk benefits are astounding, and more and more people are clamoring to purchase. Find out more information and learn about all of the amazing health benefits of raw milk plus lots more information and facts at www.rawmilktruth.com
For more information about allergies search Google or Yahoo.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Florida governor to survey damage from Fay
(CNN) -- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist warned Sunday that more flooding could be on the way in parts of the state already hard-hit by Tropical Storm Fay, now a tropical depression.
Saquin Scott watches a crew remove a tree that just missed his home Saturday in Gadsden County, Florida.
1 of 3 more photos » Crist told reporters he would take an aerial tour Sunday of the areas that took the worst of the storm.
Also Sunday, President Bush declared a "major disaster" area in Florida, making the counties of Brevard, Monroe, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie eligible for federal funds.
Fay, the tropical storm that wouldn't go away, has weakened to a tropical depression, but forecasters warn it could still drop up to a foot of rain along its path over northwest Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Fay was marching west-northwestward at 10 mph Sunday morning, and forecasters warned that the storm could spawn isolated tornadoes Sunday in the Florida Panhandle, western Georgia and Alabama. Watch trapped residents get rescued »
Fay, which sprang to life eight days ago over the Dominican Republic, caused flooding and at least 10 deaths in Haiti before sweeping over Cuba, the Florida Keys and onto the Florida peninsula.
The storm spent several days circling the central and upper coast of Florida with heavy rain and severe flooding before beginning its current westward track.
Fay is blamed for 11 Florida deaths.
Another storm-related death was reported in Cairo, Georgia -- about 35 miles north of Tallahassee -- when a teenager playing near a drainage area was swept away in rising waters, the National Weather Service reported.
Fay's disorganized center was about 60 miles east-northeast of Mobile, Alabama, and about 30 miles north-northeast of Pensacola, Florida, the hurricane center advisory said.
Radar measured Fay's top sustained winds at about 35 mph late Saturday, and it is expected to gradually weaken over the next two days, the center said.
"Fay is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches across the extreme western portion of the northern Florida Peninsula, the Florida Panhandle, southwestern Georgia, the southern and central portions of Mississippi and Alabama and eastern Louisiana," the hurricane center said.
It also said some areas could get as much as 20 inches of rain.
While all tropical storm warnings and watches have ended, emergency officials along the Gulf Coast are braced.
In New Orleans, a famously low-lying city, the Army Corps of Engineers said its canal flood-watch teams have been activated as a precaution.
In anticipation of the storm's westward movement, teams will "mobilize to their duty stations 8 a.m. Sunday, and monitor canals and levees in the city," the Corps said in a written statement Saturday.
Col. Alvin Lee, New Orleans District commander, said the actions were "precautionary measures for the safety of the public."
"However, we are prepared to close the gates and run the pumps should the need arise," he said.
The Corps took responsibility after Hurricane Katrina flooded most of New Orleans in 2005 for not having built sufficient levees against flooding.
The National Hurricane Center said isolated areas of eastern Louisiana could have up to 20 inches of rain.
Mobile County, Alabama, opened five shelters and called in swift-water rescue teams in anticipation of flooding, said Steve Huffman, spokesman for the county's emergency management agency.
"The storm is actually weakening. That's not to say we're not going to have rain," Huffman told CNN. "We're still expecting some flooding because of this. We've got everything on standby -- hopefully it won't come to that.
For More Information on Mold
Saquin Scott watches a crew remove a tree that just missed his home Saturday in Gadsden County, Florida.
1 of 3 more photos » Crist told reporters he would take an aerial tour Sunday of the areas that took the worst of the storm.
Also Sunday, President Bush declared a "major disaster" area in Florida, making the counties of Brevard, Monroe, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie eligible for federal funds.
Fay, the tropical storm that wouldn't go away, has weakened to a tropical depression, but forecasters warn it could still drop up to a foot of rain along its path over northwest Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Fay was marching west-northwestward at 10 mph Sunday morning, and forecasters warned that the storm could spawn isolated tornadoes Sunday in the Florida Panhandle, western Georgia and Alabama. Watch trapped residents get rescued »
Fay, which sprang to life eight days ago over the Dominican Republic, caused flooding and at least 10 deaths in Haiti before sweeping over Cuba, the Florida Keys and onto the Florida peninsula.
The storm spent several days circling the central and upper coast of Florida with heavy rain and severe flooding before beginning its current westward track.
Fay is blamed for 11 Florida deaths.
Another storm-related death was reported in Cairo, Georgia -- about 35 miles north of Tallahassee -- when a teenager playing near a drainage area was swept away in rising waters, the National Weather Service reported.
Fay's disorganized center was about 60 miles east-northeast of Mobile, Alabama, and about 30 miles north-northeast of Pensacola, Florida, the hurricane center advisory said.
Radar measured Fay's top sustained winds at about 35 mph late Saturday, and it is expected to gradually weaken over the next two days, the center said.
"Fay is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches across the extreme western portion of the northern Florida Peninsula, the Florida Panhandle, southwestern Georgia, the southern and central portions of Mississippi and Alabama and eastern Louisiana," the hurricane center said.
It also said some areas could get as much as 20 inches of rain.
While all tropical storm warnings and watches have ended, emergency officials along the Gulf Coast are braced.
In New Orleans, a famously low-lying city, the Army Corps of Engineers said its canal flood-watch teams have been activated as a precaution.
In anticipation of the storm's westward movement, teams will "mobilize to their duty stations 8 a.m. Sunday, and monitor canals and levees in the city," the Corps said in a written statement Saturday.
Col. Alvin Lee, New Orleans District commander, said the actions were "precautionary measures for the safety of the public."
"However, we are prepared to close the gates and run the pumps should the need arise," he said.
The Corps took responsibility after Hurricane Katrina flooded most of New Orleans in 2005 for not having built sufficient levees against flooding.
The National Hurricane Center said isolated areas of eastern Louisiana could have up to 20 inches of rain.
Mobile County, Alabama, opened five shelters and called in swift-water rescue teams in anticipation of flooding, said Steve Huffman, spokesman for the county's emergency management agency.
"The storm is actually weakening. That's not to say we're not going to have rain," Huffman told CNN. "We're still expecting some flooding because of this. We've got everything on standby -- hopefully it won't come to that.
For More Information on Mold
Fight over Radon in Granite Countertops Heats Up
Written by Joel Bittle
The Marble Institute of America better get ready for another round of fighting because the issue of radon in granite countertops is back. For the past decade, the MIA has been trying, with much success, to squash the rumor that granite countertops have the potential to add dangerous amounts of radon in the home. A new study being conducted by Houston area not-for-profit BuildClean is raising old fears about the dangers of granite countertops, and its preliminary results show that while most granite countertops in the study contain very little to no radon at all, the countertops that do contain radon have levels that are frighteningly high. While consumers can be secure in the fact that the vast majority of granite is perfectly safe, a small percentage is still in question, and no independent scientific study exists to assuage consumer fears.
The first issue of Solid Surface in 1995 explored the possibility that granite countertops may pose a health risk. Soon, the MIA issued their response, which attacked the credibility of the science involved in the study as well as the fact that the advertisers in the journal included companies that competed with granite countertop manufacturers. But one phrase in the response, a highlighted phrase no less, is troubling: “…actual levels of radon gas emmissions are so low as to be insignificant and generally represent no threat.” As a father, I don’t want to be assured that there is “generally” no threat to my family. I want to know there is no threat. And after BuildClean* found that 3 of 95 granite countertops contained harmful amounts of radon, would the MIA consider such a small number to be “generally” no threat? I’m sure the owners of those three countertops are not reassured.
(*Correction: BuildClean did not find that 3 of 95 countertops contained harmful amounts of radon. Rather, the results are from a study by Dr. William Llope, a Rice University Physicist, who is not associated with either BuildClean or the MIA. His comments can be found on the third page of comments below.)
Look around for information on radon in granite and you will find many sites telling you the “truth” or uncovering “myths” about radon. Since many of the statistics cited are the same, it’s clear that much of the information comes from the MIA response linked above or from an updated (though with the same references) MIA PDF. My personal favorite was a site titled “Ask an Expert - 9 Myths about Granite” where they claim that “No one today takes credit for starting the rumor, and certainly no one supports it.” No one? They then make the claim that granite actually has healing properties. Most troubling is the fact that, as experts, they don’t seem to know that “lose” is spelled with only one “o.” The most common argument you’ll find, that radon occurs naturally, really needs to be taken out of their playbook. Just because it’s on the periodic table of the elements doesn’t mean I want it in my house. I’m talking to you, Californium.
In late 2007, the MIA scuffled with Home Safety Systems, which sells radon detectors. Like the fight over the original journal article, this seems to be another example of competing companies arguing science, which doesn’t sit right with me. The current BuildClean study is funded in part by Silestone and Cambria, two competitors of granite countertops. (Ironically, Silestone is a sponsor of the “Ask the Experts” article above - their logo is at the bottom of the page.)
So how do we start trusting that granite is safe? An independent study done by the EPA would be a good start. Leave corporate interests out of it. And don’t give us general findings - tell us exactly what was found. Since radon is found naturally in some parts of the earth, the MIA needs to admit that there is a possibility that some granite will contain radon, and then show how they are making sure such slabs do not make their way into our homes. Are granite countertops screened for radon before reaching the consumer? (Maybe the folks over at Home Safety Systems can help the MIA out with that.) Otherwise, without solid assurances, it won’t be long until consumers reject granite outright.
For information on green alternatives to granite, try Green Counter Culture.
For information on Radon: Go to www.safe-homes.com
The Marble Institute of America better get ready for another round of fighting because the issue of radon in granite countertops is back. For the past decade, the MIA has been trying, with much success, to squash the rumor that granite countertops have the potential to add dangerous amounts of radon in the home. A new study being conducted by Houston area not-for-profit BuildClean is raising old fears about the dangers of granite countertops, and its preliminary results show that while most granite countertops in the study contain very little to no radon at all, the countertops that do contain radon have levels that are frighteningly high. While consumers can be secure in the fact that the vast majority of granite is perfectly safe, a small percentage is still in question, and no independent scientific study exists to assuage consumer fears.
The first issue of Solid Surface in 1995 explored the possibility that granite countertops may pose a health risk. Soon, the MIA issued their response, which attacked the credibility of the science involved in the study as well as the fact that the advertisers in the journal included companies that competed with granite countertop manufacturers. But one phrase in the response, a highlighted phrase no less, is troubling: “…actual levels of radon gas emmissions are so low as to be insignificant and generally represent no threat.” As a father, I don’t want to be assured that there is “generally” no threat to my family. I want to know there is no threat. And after BuildClean* found that 3 of 95 granite countertops contained harmful amounts of radon, would the MIA consider such a small number to be “generally” no threat? I’m sure the owners of those three countertops are not reassured.
(*Correction: BuildClean did not find that 3 of 95 countertops contained harmful amounts of radon. Rather, the results are from a study by Dr. William Llope, a Rice University Physicist, who is not associated with either BuildClean or the MIA. His comments can be found on the third page of comments below.)
Look around for information on radon in granite and you will find many sites telling you the “truth” or uncovering “myths” about radon. Since many of the statistics cited are the same, it’s clear that much of the information comes from the MIA response linked above or from an updated (though with the same references) MIA PDF. My personal favorite was a site titled “Ask an Expert - 9 Myths about Granite” where they claim that “No one today takes credit for starting the rumor, and certainly no one supports it.” No one? They then make the claim that granite actually has healing properties. Most troubling is the fact that, as experts, they don’t seem to know that “lose” is spelled with only one “o.” The most common argument you’ll find, that radon occurs naturally, really needs to be taken out of their playbook. Just because it’s on the periodic table of the elements doesn’t mean I want it in my house. I’m talking to you, Californium.
In late 2007, the MIA scuffled with Home Safety Systems, which sells radon detectors. Like the fight over the original journal article, this seems to be another example of competing companies arguing science, which doesn’t sit right with me. The current BuildClean study is funded in part by Silestone and Cambria, two competitors of granite countertops. (Ironically, Silestone is a sponsor of the “Ask the Experts” article above - their logo is at the bottom of the page.)
So how do we start trusting that granite is safe? An independent study done by the EPA would be a good start. Leave corporate interests out of it. And don’t give us general findings - tell us exactly what was found. Since radon is found naturally in some parts of the earth, the MIA needs to admit that there is a possibility that some granite will contain radon, and then show how they are making sure such slabs do not make their way into our homes. Are granite countertops screened for radon before reaching the consumer? (Maybe the folks over at Home Safety Systems can help the MIA out with that.) Otherwise, without solid assurances, it won’t be long until consumers reject granite outright.
For information on green alternatives to granite, try Green Counter Culture.
For information on Radon: Go to www.safe-homes.com
Friday, August 22, 2008
Tips for after the storm
In the wake of the Tropical Storm Fay, homeowners are often faced with another potential disaster: Unscrupulous storm-chasing contractors with promises to help consumers quickly repair the damage for cash up-front. More often than not, these contractors pocket the money, perform shoddy, little, or no work and disappear.
Angie’s List (http://www.angieslist.com), an online provider of local service company rating has tips to help homeowners find the reliable, quality help they need.
“The last thing consumers affected by a tropical storm need is another thing to worry about,” said Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks. “If a person you don’t know comes to your door promising to help if you’ll just pay in cash, just say ‘no.’ With just a little research, you can find a reliable person who will get you back on the feet and keep you there.”
To avoid shady storm chasers:
• What not to do: If a stranger comes to your storm-ravaged yard offering to repair your roof, remove trees or do other major repair work for cash upfront, just say no. Chances are, he or she will take your money and disappear, leaving you with little or no recourse.
• Do your research: Check the status of the contractor’s bonding and liability insurance coverage. Remember that you have few options if the job goes awry or the provider disappears.
• Quality is worth the wait: When massive storms hit, tree services, plumbers, roofers and hauling companies are in high demand and the best performers are generally the busiest. Beware the company with time on its hands when every other similar company can’t even answer the phones.
• Get estimates: Though your situation might seem to be one of desperation, avoid settling on the first contractor who comes along and offers to do the job. Take enough time to get at least a few different estimates on the job.
• Document important information: The same holds true for the old adage to “get it in writing,” including the price, materials to be used and the timeline for completing the job. This is often the best ammunition you have if things go wrong.
For homeowners with water damage, cleaning up the mud and water-soaked belongings can seem like the biggest task at hand. But drying out that area is equally important because if left damp too long, dangerous mold can grow.
If the mold growth is small, you can clean and kill it with these steps.
Damp wipe: Mold can generally be removed from hard surfaces by scrubbing with water and detergent. It is important to dry the surface quickly.
Wear protective gear: Protect your hands with gloves and your eyes with goggles.
Discard: Remove damaged materials and seal in plastic bags.
Follow up: Revisit the site. It should show no signs of water damage or mold growth.
Wide spread mold growth may require professional assistance. Angie advises following these tips when choosing a professional for remediation projects:
Testing for mold: To ensure you’ve taken care of any mold issue or to determine if you have unseen mold, hire a professional remediator. If you’re hiring out the cleanup, test the area both before and after clean up.
Understand the process: Know what the company plans for the remediation. Ask what is going to happen, when it will happen and how it may affect you. Ask about containment. How will they prevent the movement of mold spores from one area of the home to another? How long will it take?
Check references & get estimates: Ask your provider for references and call those people.
Certification: Mold remediators should follow U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mold remediation guidelines. You can also check the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP).
Check your insurance: Not all mold damage is covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. Check your policy because coverage and limitations vary.
Copyright © 2008 Beaches Leader and Ponte Vedra Leader
For a free report on Mold Remediation by the EPA: www.safe-homes.com
Angie’s List (http://www.angieslist.com), an online provider of local service company rating has tips to help homeowners find the reliable, quality help they need.
“The last thing consumers affected by a tropical storm need is another thing to worry about,” said Angie’s List founder Angie Hicks. “If a person you don’t know comes to your door promising to help if you’ll just pay in cash, just say ‘no.’ With just a little research, you can find a reliable person who will get you back on the feet and keep you there.”
To avoid shady storm chasers:
• What not to do: If a stranger comes to your storm-ravaged yard offering to repair your roof, remove trees or do other major repair work for cash upfront, just say no. Chances are, he or she will take your money and disappear, leaving you with little or no recourse.
• Do your research: Check the status of the contractor’s bonding and liability insurance coverage. Remember that you have few options if the job goes awry or the provider disappears.
• Quality is worth the wait: When massive storms hit, tree services, plumbers, roofers and hauling companies are in high demand and the best performers are generally the busiest. Beware the company with time on its hands when every other similar company can’t even answer the phones.
• Get estimates: Though your situation might seem to be one of desperation, avoid settling on the first contractor who comes along and offers to do the job. Take enough time to get at least a few different estimates on the job.
• Document important information: The same holds true for the old adage to “get it in writing,” including the price, materials to be used and the timeline for completing the job. This is often the best ammunition you have if things go wrong.
For homeowners with water damage, cleaning up the mud and water-soaked belongings can seem like the biggest task at hand. But drying out that area is equally important because if left damp too long, dangerous mold can grow.
If the mold growth is small, you can clean and kill it with these steps.
Damp wipe: Mold can generally be removed from hard surfaces by scrubbing with water and detergent. It is important to dry the surface quickly.
Wear protective gear: Protect your hands with gloves and your eyes with goggles.
Discard: Remove damaged materials and seal in plastic bags.
Follow up: Revisit the site. It should show no signs of water damage or mold growth.
Wide spread mold growth may require professional assistance. Angie advises following these tips when choosing a professional for remediation projects:
Testing for mold: To ensure you’ve taken care of any mold issue or to determine if you have unseen mold, hire a professional remediator. If you’re hiring out the cleanup, test the area both before and after clean up.
Understand the process: Know what the company plans for the remediation. Ask what is going to happen, when it will happen and how it may affect you. Ask about containment. How will they prevent the movement of mold spores from one area of the home to another? How long will it take?
Check references & get estimates: Ask your provider for references and call those people.
Certification: Mold remediators should follow U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mold remediation guidelines. You can also check the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP).
Check your insurance: Not all mold damage is covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. Check your policy because coverage and limitations vary.
Copyright © 2008 Beaches Leader and Ponte Vedra Leader
For a free report on Mold Remediation by the EPA: www.safe-homes.com
Granite Countertops a Recipe for Danger?
Granite Countertops a Recipe for Danger?
Debate Heats Up About Radon Risks
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News
Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
July 30, 2008 — They are beautiful and durable, but do those pricey granite kitchen countertops so popular with home builders and renovators also pose a health risk?
Some researchers say they might, but a group representing the granite industry counters that those claims are “alarmist” and that their studies are little more than “junk science.”
At issue is whether some granite countertops emit dangerous levels of radiation, especially the gas radon, which is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Experts agree that most granite countertops emit some radon and even other types of radiation. The question is whether they do so at levels that can impact cancer risk.
New York State Health Department research scientist Michael Kitto, PhD, says only a small fraction of the granite samples he has tested have emitted radon at levels that were over those considered safe.
But he added that a few of his samples showed levels that were high enough to alarm him.
“I wouldn't have them in my house,” Kitto tells WebMD.
Countertop Concerns Not New
Concerns about the safety of granite kitchen countertops are not new.
“The countertop story emerges every 10 years or so,” Columbia University Center for Radiological Research Director David J. Brenner, PhD, tells WebMD. “This is about the third time I remember it coming around.”
The concerns were fueled by a New York Times story last Thursday examining the issue.
The story mentioned the research of Rice University physics professor William Llope, PhD, which found potentially dangerous levels of radiation in some tested samples of granite used in countertops.
In response to the Times article, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) issued a statement on its web site asserting that the Environmental Protection Agency agreed with the industry claim that studies like Llope's represented “junk science.”
Under the headline “EPA Confirms that Granite Countertops Pose No Significant Health Risk, Undercutting ‘Junk Science' Fear Mongering,” the article claims that the EPA issued a statement on Friday saying as much.
While confirming that a Q&A on the EPA web site addressing the radon and countertop issue was changed late last week, EPA spokesman Dave Ryan refused to discuss the institute's claim in an interview with WebMD.
“I will not comment on anything that they are saying,” he said. “All I will say is that our position is on the web site.”
That position, as of early this week, was much more nuanced than the institute claims, noting that “some granite used for countertops may contribute variably to indoor radon levels.”
“At this time, however, EPA does not believe sufficient data exist to conclude that the types of granite commonly used in countertops are significantly increasing indoor radon levels,” the statement reads.
In response to the question, “Are the levels of radon in granite dangerous to humans or animals?” the EPA states, “While radon levels attributable to granite are not typically high, there are simply too many variables to generalize about the potential health risks inside a particular home that has granite countertops.”
Little Cause for Alarm, Expert Says
Columbia's Brenner believes it is highly unlikely that granite countertops emit enough radon to pose a health risk because they cover such a small area.
“The biggest source of radiation within the home is indeed radon,” he says. “But it is not radon from countertops, it's radon from the ground.”
Radon is an odorless, tasteless, colorless radioactive gas that results from the natural decay of uranium in soil, rock, and water. All agree that the biggest risk to homeowners is radon seeping into homes from the ground.
Most people living in areas with high radon concentrations, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and upstate New York, are very aware of the potential risk, Brenner says.
“You can't get a mortgage in New Jersey without having a radon test,” he says. “If radon is above a certain level, you have to take action.”
The risk from radon comes from breathing it into your lungs, and Brenner says any radon coming from granite countertops would quickly diffuse into the air.
“Even a countertop that is ten or a hundred times higher than average is going to constitute a minimal contribution of radon.”
Others Believe Fears Are Justified
But Rice University's Llope is not so sure.
Llope tells WebMD that he began testing granite samples “on his own time” after seeing a story about granite countertops and radon on a Houston news program.
He tests for gamma radiation emission using a special spectrometer.
In a recently published review of radon tests conducted by others, Llope reported that 92 of 95 granite samples tested emitted no radon or very little radon. Two samples emitted levels that were elevated but still considered safe, and one emitted levels slightly above what is considered cause for concern by EPA.
Like Kitto, Llope has found elevated levels in a very small number of the granite samples he has personally tested.
But he tells WebMD that if even a tiny percentage of the granite used to make countertops emits unsafe levels of radon or other radiation, that could represent a danger in thousands of homes.
“Granite has gotten so popular so quickly that it is now coming from all over the world,” he says. “It would come as no surprise that granite that comes from areas with uranium mines close by might pose a problem. But the testing hasn't been done.”
More Granite Testing Needed
According to Marble Institute of America spokesman Jim Martinez, 2,000 different stones from quarries around the world are sold as granite in the United States.
At most, only a tiny percentage of them have been tested for radon or radiation levels, but a recent test of 13 types of granite typically used for countertops found no radon or very low levels of radon.
The test was paid for by the MIA, and the samples represented 85% of the granite used for kitchen countertops in the United States, Martinez says.
He says that the MIA-funded research represents the only “real” science examining the issue, because no one else has been willing to pay for quality studies.
“(Our) studies have consistently shown that granite poses no heath risk,” he says.
But Kitto says there is no way to know if all granite countertops are safe because so few samples have been tested.
“Right now, it is impossible to understand the scope of the problem or even if there is a problem,” he says.
Llope agrees that more samples need to be tested.
“The industry says there is no danger, but how can they make that leap of faith when granite is coming from all over the world and only a small percentage has been tested?” he says. “How can they possibly know?”
Test for Radon, Experts Say
The EPA recommends that all homes be tested for radon in indoor air, and the researchers contacted by WebMD agreed that testing could provide peace of mind to homeowners worried about the safety of their granite countertops.
Recommendations for using do-it-yourself radon testing kits, which can be purchased at hardware stores and online, include:
Place one test in the basement or lowest area in the home to determine if radon is coming from the ground.
Place another test in a bedroom to establish a background radon level.
Place one or two tests in the kitchen, with one nearby the granite surface and the other farther away.
“The home kits test for radon, not (other) radiation; but if the findings are negative you can assume you don't have a radiation problem,” Llope says. “If the results come back positive, you should probably have the house tested professionally.”
The American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists lists the names of qualified professionals who conduct radon and radiation testing on its web site, www.aarst.org.
SOURCES: EPA: “What about Granite Countertops?” revised July 29, 2008. David J. Brenner, PhD, professor of radiation oncology and public health; director, Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, New York. Michael Kitto, PhD, research scientist, New York State Department of Health. William J. Llope, PhD, research associate professor of physics, senior faculty fellow, T.W. Bonner Nuclear Laboratory, Rice University, Houston. David Ryan, spokesman, Environmental Protection Agency. Jim Martinez, spokesman, Marble Institute of America. “What's Lurking in Your Countertops,” New York Times, July 24, 2008. EPA web site: "A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon."
©2008 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on Radon: www.safe-homes.com
Debate Heats Up About Radon Risks
By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News
Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
July 30, 2008 — They are beautiful and durable, but do those pricey granite kitchen countertops so popular with home builders and renovators also pose a health risk?
Some researchers say they might, but a group representing the granite industry counters that those claims are “alarmist” and that their studies are little more than “junk science.”
At issue is whether some granite countertops emit dangerous levels of radiation, especially the gas radon, which is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Experts agree that most granite countertops emit some radon and even other types of radiation. The question is whether they do so at levels that can impact cancer risk.
New York State Health Department research scientist Michael Kitto, PhD, says only a small fraction of the granite samples he has tested have emitted radon at levels that were over those considered safe.
But he added that a few of his samples showed levels that were high enough to alarm him.
“I wouldn't have them in my house,” Kitto tells WebMD.
Countertop Concerns Not New
Concerns about the safety of granite kitchen countertops are not new.
“The countertop story emerges every 10 years or so,” Columbia University Center for Radiological Research Director David J. Brenner, PhD, tells WebMD. “This is about the third time I remember it coming around.”
The concerns were fueled by a New York Times story last Thursday examining the issue.
The story mentioned the research of Rice University physics professor William Llope, PhD, which found potentially dangerous levels of radiation in some tested samples of granite used in countertops.
In response to the Times article, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) issued a statement on its web site asserting that the Environmental Protection Agency agreed with the industry claim that studies like Llope's represented “junk science.”
Under the headline “EPA Confirms that Granite Countertops Pose No Significant Health Risk, Undercutting ‘Junk Science' Fear Mongering,” the article claims that the EPA issued a statement on Friday saying as much.
While confirming that a Q&A on the EPA web site addressing the radon and countertop issue was changed late last week, EPA spokesman Dave Ryan refused to discuss the institute's claim in an interview with WebMD.
“I will not comment on anything that they are saying,” he said. “All I will say is that our position is on the web site.”
That position, as of early this week, was much more nuanced than the institute claims, noting that “some granite used for countertops may contribute variably to indoor radon levels.”
“At this time, however, EPA does not believe sufficient data exist to conclude that the types of granite commonly used in countertops are significantly increasing indoor radon levels,” the statement reads.
In response to the question, “Are the levels of radon in granite dangerous to humans or animals?” the EPA states, “While radon levels attributable to granite are not typically high, there are simply too many variables to generalize about the potential health risks inside a particular home that has granite countertops.”
Little Cause for Alarm, Expert Says
Columbia's Brenner believes it is highly unlikely that granite countertops emit enough radon to pose a health risk because they cover such a small area.
“The biggest source of radiation within the home is indeed radon,” he says. “But it is not radon from countertops, it's radon from the ground.”
Radon is an odorless, tasteless, colorless radioactive gas that results from the natural decay of uranium in soil, rock, and water. All agree that the biggest risk to homeowners is radon seeping into homes from the ground.
Most people living in areas with high radon concentrations, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and upstate New York, are very aware of the potential risk, Brenner says.
“You can't get a mortgage in New Jersey without having a radon test,” he says. “If radon is above a certain level, you have to take action.”
The risk from radon comes from breathing it into your lungs, and Brenner says any radon coming from granite countertops would quickly diffuse into the air.
“Even a countertop that is ten or a hundred times higher than average is going to constitute a minimal contribution of radon.”
Others Believe Fears Are Justified
But Rice University's Llope is not so sure.
Llope tells WebMD that he began testing granite samples “on his own time” after seeing a story about granite countertops and radon on a Houston news program.
He tests for gamma radiation emission using a special spectrometer.
In a recently published review of radon tests conducted by others, Llope reported that 92 of 95 granite samples tested emitted no radon or very little radon. Two samples emitted levels that were elevated but still considered safe, and one emitted levels slightly above what is considered cause for concern by EPA.
Like Kitto, Llope has found elevated levels in a very small number of the granite samples he has personally tested.
But he tells WebMD that if even a tiny percentage of the granite used to make countertops emits unsafe levels of radon or other radiation, that could represent a danger in thousands of homes.
“Granite has gotten so popular so quickly that it is now coming from all over the world,” he says. “It would come as no surprise that granite that comes from areas with uranium mines close by might pose a problem. But the testing hasn't been done.”
More Granite Testing Needed
According to Marble Institute of America spokesman Jim Martinez, 2,000 different stones from quarries around the world are sold as granite in the United States.
At most, only a tiny percentage of them have been tested for radon or radiation levels, but a recent test of 13 types of granite typically used for countertops found no radon or very low levels of radon.
The test was paid for by the MIA, and the samples represented 85% of the granite used for kitchen countertops in the United States, Martinez says.
He says that the MIA-funded research represents the only “real” science examining the issue, because no one else has been willing to pay for quality studies.
“(Our) studies have consistently shown that granite poses no heath risk,” he says.
But Kitto says there is no way to know if all granite countertops are safe because so few samples have been tested.
“Right now, it is impossible to understand the scope of the problem or even if there is a problem,” he says.
Llope agrees that more samples need to be tested.
“The industry says there is no danger, but how can they make that leap of faith when granite is coming from all over the world and only a small percentage has been tested?” he says. “How can they possibly know?”
Test for Radon, Experts Say
The EPA recommends that all homes be tested for radon in indoor air, and the researchers contacted by WebMD agreed that testing could provide peace of mind to homeowners worried about the safety of their granite countertops.
Recommendations for using do-it-yourself radon testing kits, which can be purchased at hardware stores and online, include:
Place one test in the basement or lowest area in the home to determine if radon is coming from the ground.
Place another test in a bedroom to establish a background radon level.
Place one or two tests in the kitchen, with one nearby the granite surface and the other farther away.
“The home kits test for radon, not (other) radiation; but if the findings are negative you can assume you don't have a radiation problem,” Llope says. “If the results come back positive, you should probably have the house tested professionally.”
The American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists lists the names of qualified professionals who conduct radon and radiation testing on its web site, www.aarst.org.
SOURCES: EPA: “What about Granite Countertops?” revised July 29, 2008. David J. Brenner, PhD, professor of radiation oncology and public health; director, Center for Radiological Research, Columbia University, New York. Michael Kitto, PhD, research scientist, New York State Department of Health. William J. Llope, PhD, research associate professor of physics, senior faculty fellow, T.W. Bonner Nuclear Laboratory, Rice University, Houston. David Ryan, spokesman, Environmental Protection Agency. Jim Martinez, spokesman, Marble Institute of America. “What's Lurking in Your Countertops,” New York Times, July 24, 2008. EPA web site: "A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon."
©2008 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on Radon: www.safe-homes.com
Is Your Home Toxic To You or Your Children?
Is Your Home Toxic To You or Your Children?
By Mr. Artemiss
We always think that our homes are a safe place to be--a refuge from the stress of our jobs and everyday living. Yet sometimes, some of us will be exposed to chemicals in our own home that can be hazardous to your health and your family’s health.
I do a lot of environmental inspections and am amazed by what I see during these inspections that people do to themselves without thinking. The good news is, not everyone does naïve things to harm themselves. Example: Mixing Clorox with ammonia.
It is important to understand every product you use in your home. Have you ever read the label of the product you are using? Your first thought is that all products are safe because they are in the grocery store. The answer is a definite no because some people have allergies to certain substances and not to all. They need to know that there are safe alternatives to help us out.
The first thing to do is to realize that all manufacturers are required to have what is called an MSDS Fact Sheet. When I tell people about this sheet, there is this strange look of astonishment. It is the “Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet” and is required to be available to any consumer who buys their product. Go to: www.osha.gov, for more information.
The following are the ten most common products I find in homes that people are allergic to and finding an inexpensive safe alternative is easy.
• Mothballs do not belong in your home. The chemical agent in them is paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene. It is a chemical that can cause blood disorders. Children have a habit of finding them and ingesting them. Use an alternative such as cedar chips.
• Ammonia can cause eye and respiratory problems. Mixed with Clorox, you have Mustard Gas from WWI.
• Carbon Monoxide is produced from improperly vented hot water heaters and stoves. I have tested many of these systems and found them to be unsafe especially when the unit is located inside your home. Drafting the exhaust can be a problem in a closed up Air Conditioned house. If you think you might have this problem, contact your local gas company dealer to have it checked. All homes with gas appliances should have a Carbon Monoxide detector available at Home Depot, Lowe’s or your local hardware store.
• Detergent based soaps are a petrochemical derivative. Use natural soaps around the home. These soaps can be found in the Green-Wise Dept. of your local grocery store or Health Food Store. Bronner’s Soap is a good example of a castile soap which has been around for a long time.
• New clothes have a fabric sizing on the cloth materials to make them look good to the consumer. Wash your clothes prior to wearing them. Some individuals have an allergy to this product. This will prevent any respiratory problems people have with this product. Buy as much all natural cotton clothes as feasible, including your sheets.
• Pesticides-never spray pesticides in your home. Remember the bugs are smart and know where the poisons are located. We did an experiment with roaches and watched them go around or jump over a line of sprayed pesticides on the floor. Always bait and you will be safe from pesticide exposure. Remember, there is no such thing as a safe pesticide. If it kills them, it can affect you too.
• Cooking: try to cook as much organic food as possible. Organic vegetables taste better than non-organic. Try the taste test, you will be surprised. They are available in the Green-Wise Dept. of your local grocery store or Health Food Store.
• House Plants-they are beautiful to look at but if you do not take care of them, they will become a breeder of mold. Overwatering is mainly the cause of this. Buy one of the soil moisture indicators to monitor the soil moisture content.
• Chlorine Allergy-Chlorine in municipal water supplies can be removed using a whole house system. Chlorine can be damaging to your hair and skin over long periods of exposure. It can be worse when your municipality super chlorinates the system due to a break in the system. This is common problem in all city municipalities. We have several clients who get ill when this happens due to their allergies to Chlorine.
• Bottled Water-it is better to use glass than plastic due to the water’s ability to absorb the chemicals from the plastic. The substance is called BPA or Bisphenol and is a hormone disrupter. Have you ever left a bottle of water sit in your car and it heats up? Notice the difference in taste, that’s the chemical in the water due to leeching of the plastic into the water. Never drink water that has been heated in a plastic bottle. The same is true about your baby’s bottle; heat the ingredients in a glass baby bottle, not plastic.
To learn more about your home, visit our website at www.safe-homes.com.
By Mr. Artemiss
We always think that our homes are a safe place to be--a refuge from the stress of our jobs and everyday living. Yet sometimes, some of us will be exposed to chemicals in our own home that can be hazardous to your health and your family’s health.
I do a lot of environmental inspections and am amazed by what I see during these inspections that people do to themselves without thinking. The good news is, not everyone does naïve things to harm themselves. Example: Mixing Clorox with ammonia.
It is important to understand every product you use in your home. Have you ever read the label of the product you are using? Your first thought is that all products are safe because they are in the grocery store. The answer is a definite no because some people have allergies to certain substances and not to all. They need to know that there are safe alternatives to help us out.
The first thing to do is to realize that all manufacturers are required to have what is called an MSDS Fact Sheet. When I tell people about this sheet, there is this strange look of astonishment. It is the “Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet” and is required to be available to any consumer who buys their product. Go to: www.osha.gov, for more information.
The following are the ten most common products I find in homes that people are allergic to and finding an inexpensive safe alternative is easy.
• Mothballs do not belong in your home. The chemical agent in them is paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene. It is a chemical that can cause blood disorders. Children have a habit of finding them and ingesting them. Use an alternative such as cedar chips.
• Ammonia can cause eye and respiratory problems. Mixed with Clorox, you have Mustard Gas from WWI.
• Carbon Monoxide is produced from improperly vented hot water heaters and stoves. I have tested many of these systems and found them to be unsafe especially when the unit is located inside your home. Drafting the exhaust can be a problem in a closed up Air Conditioned house. If you think you might have this problem, contact your local gas company dealer to have it checked. All homes with gas appliances should have a Carbon Monoxide detector available at Home Depot, Lowe’s or your local hardware store.
• Detergent based soaps are a petrochemical derivative. Use natural soaps around the home. These soaps can be found in the Green-Wise Dept. of your local grocery store or Health Food Store. Bronner’s Soap is a good example of a castile soap which has been around for a long time.
• New clothes have a fabric sizing on the cloth materials to make them look good to the consumer. Wash your clothes prior to wearing them. Some individuals have an allergy to this product. This will prevent any respiratory problems people have with this product. Buy as much all natural cotton clothes as feasible, including your sheets.
• Pesticides-never spray pesticides in your home. Remember the bugs are smart and know where the poisons are located. We did an experiment with roaches and watched them go around or jump over a line of sprayed pesticides on the floor. Always bait and you will be safe from pesticide exposure. Remember, there is no such thing as a safe pesticide. If it kills them, it can affect you too.
• Cooking: try to cook as much organic food as possible. Organic vegetables taste better than non-organic. Try the taste test, you will be surprised. They are available in the Green-Wise Dept. of your local grocery store or Health Food Store.
• House Plants-they are beautiful to look at but if you do not take care of them, they will become a breeder of mold. Overwatering is mainly the cause of this. Buy one of the soil moisture indicators to monitor the soil moisture content.
• Chlorine Allergy-Chlorine in municipal water supplies can be removed using a whole house system. Chlorine can be damaging to your hair and skin over long periods of exposure. It can be worse when your municipality super chlorinates the system due to a break in the system. This is common problem in all city municipalities. We have several clients who get ill when this happens due to their allergies to Chlorine.
• Bottled Water-it is better to use glass than plastic due to the water’s ability to absorb the chemicals from the plastic. The substance is called BPA or Bisphenol and is a hormone disrupter. Have you ever left a bottle of water sit in your car and it heats up? Notice the difference in taste, that’s the chemical in the water due to leeching of the plastic into the water. Never drink water that has been heated in a plastic bottle. The same is true about your baby’s bottle; heat the ingredients in a glass baby bottle, not plastic.
To learn more about your home, visit our website at www.safe-homes.com.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
How To Test For Radon
By Marshall Loeb, MarketWatch
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Radon is a serious problem. After smoking, it's the No. 1 cause of lung cancer. The good news is you can detect radon in your home and remove it with relative ease.
From Consumer Reports, here are some steps to making your home radon-free:
Measurement. The first thing to know is that radon is measured in picocuries per liter (PCi/L). The national average indoor level is 1.3. Anything above 2, the EPA suggests remediation. Above 4 is the recommended level to take action.
Figure out your risk. While most states have areas that are higher risk than others, radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to determine radon levels in your house, for sure, is to test.
Luckily, radon test kits are fairly accurate and not that expensive. Go with a long-term kit for better accuracy. These kits take sampling levels for 90 days or more and will give you a better reading on average radon levels than a short-term kit. A long-term kit costs about $40. If you do need faster results, one accurate short-term kit to use is the RTCA charcoal canister. It costs $20. But its results should still be confirmed with a long-term kit just to be on the safe side.
If you discover radon, call in the pros. A radon-removal kit can cut levels to below 2 PCi/L. They run from $800 up to $2,500. For an average house, the cost is about $1,200. Check with the EPA to find a trained pro in your area at www.epa.gov/radon.
Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia Journalism Review, writes for MarketWatch
More info on Radon: www.//www.safe-homes.com/Radon%20Test%20Kit.htm
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Radon is a serious problem. After smoking, it's the No. 1 cause of lung cancer. The good news is you can detect radon in your home and remove it with relative ease.
From Consumer Reports, here are some steps to making your home radon-free:
Measurement. The first thing to know is that radon is measured in picocuries per liter (PCi/L). The national average indoor level is 1.3. Anything above 2, the EPA suggests remediation. Above 4 is the recommended level to take action.
Figure out your risk. While most states have areas that are higher risk than others, radon levels vary from home to home. The only way to determine radon levels in your house, for sure, is to test.
Luckily, radon test kits are fairly accurate and not that expensive. Go with a long-term kit for better accuracy. These kits take sampling levels for 90 days or more and will give you a better reading on average radon levels than a short-term kit. A long-term kit costs about $40. If you do need faster results, one accurate short-term kit to use is the RTCA charcoal canister. It costs $20. But its results should still be confirmed with a long-term kit just to be on the safe side.
If you discover radon, call in the pros. A radon-removal kit can cut levels to below 2 PCi/L. They run from $800 up to $2,500. For an average house, the cost is about $1,200. Check with the EPA to find a trained pro in your area at www.epa.gov/radon.
Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia Journalism Review, writes for MarketWatch
More info on Radon: www.//www.safe-homes.com/Radon%20Test%20Kit.htm
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Solar Power Break Through Store Energy For Later Use
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, August 2, 2008 (ENS) -
Within 10 years, homeowners could power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.
"This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," said MIT's Daniel Nocera, senior author of a paper describing the simple, inexpensive, and efficient process for storing solar energy in the July 31 issue of the journal "Science." "Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon," Nocera said.
Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is expensive and inefficient. But Nocera and his team of researchers have hit upon an elegant solution.
Daniel Nocera has developed a simple method to split water molecules and produce oxygen gas, a discovery that paves the way for large-scale use of solar power. (Photo by Donna Coveney courtesy MIT) Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants, Nocera and Matthew Kanan, a postdoctoral fellow in Nocera's lab, have developed a new process that will allow the Sun's energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Later, the oxygen and hydrogen can be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power buildings, homes or electric cars - day or night.
The key component in the new process is a new catalyst that produces oxygen gas from water - another catalyst produces valuable hydrogen gas.
The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode, placed in water. When electricity from a photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source runs through the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the electrode, and oxygen gas is produced. Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting reaction that occurs in plants during photosynthesis.
The new catalyst works at room temperature, in neutral pH water, and is easy to set up, Nocera said. "That's why I know this is going to work. It's so easy to implement," he said. Sunlight has the greatest potential of any power source to solve the world's energy problems, said Nocera. In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.
James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis who was not involved in this research, called the discovery by Nocera and Kanan a "giant leap" toward generating clean, carbon-free energy on a massive scale.
"This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind," said Barber, the Ernst Chain Professor of Biochemistry at Imperial College London. "The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem."
Currently available electrolyzers, which split water with electricity and are often used industrially, are not suited for artificial photosynthesis because they are very expensive and require an environment that has little to do with the conditions under which photosynthesis operates.
More engineering work needs to be done to integrate the new scientific discovery into existing photovoltaic systems, but Nocera said he is confident that such systems will become a reality.
"This is just the beginning," said Nocera, principal investigator for the Solar Revolution Project funded by the Chesonis Family Foundation and co-Director of the Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Center. "The scientific community is really going to run with this."
The project is part of the MIT Energy Initiative, a program designed to help transform the global energy system to meet the needs of the future and to help build a bridge to that future by improving today's energy systems.
MITEI Director Ernest Moniz said, "This discovery in the Nocera lab demonstrates that moving up the transformation of our energy supply system to one based on renewables will depend heavily on frontier basic science."
This project was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Chesonis Family Foundation, which gave MIT $10 million this spring to launch the Solar Revolution Project, with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.
Within 10 years, homeowners could power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.
"This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," said MIT's Daniel Nocera, senior author of a paper describing the simple, inexpensive, and efficient process for storing solar energy in the July 31 issue of the journal "Science." "Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon," Nocera said.
Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is expensive and inefficient. But Nocera and his team of researchers have hit upon an elegant solution.
Daniel Nocera has developed a simple method to split water molecules and produce oxygen gas, a discovery that paves the way for large-scale use of solar power. (Photo by Donna Coveney courtesy MIT) Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants, Nocera and Matthew Kanan, a postdoctoral fellow in Nocera's lab, have developed a new process that will allow the Sun's energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Later, the oxygen and hydrogen can be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power buildings, homes or electric cars - day or night.
The key component in the new process is a new catalyst that produces oxygen gas from water - another catalyst produces valuable hydrogen gas.
The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode, placed in water. When electricity from a photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source runs through the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the electrode, and oxygen gas is produced. Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting reaction that occurs in plants during photosynthesis.
The new catalyst works at room temperature, in neutral pH water, and is easy to set up, Nocera said. "That's why I know this is going to work. It's so easy to implement," he said. Sunlight has the greatest potential of any power source to solve the world's energy problems, said Nocera. In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.
James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis who was not involved in this research, called the discovery by Nocera and Kanan a "giant leap" toward generating clean, carbon-free energy on a massive scale.
"This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind," said Barber, the Ernst Chain Professor of Biochemistry at Imperial College London. "The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem."
Currently available electrolyzers, which split water with electricity and are often used industrially, are not suited for artificial photosynthesis because they are very expensive and require an environment that has little to do with the conditions under which photosynthesis operates.
More engineering work needs to be done to integrate the new scientific discovery into existing photovoltaic systems, but Nocera said he is confident that such systems will become a reality.
"This is just the beginning," said Nocera, principal investigator for the Solar Revolution Project funded by the Chesonis Family Foundation and co-Director of the Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Center. "The scientific community is really going to run with this."
The project is part of the MIT Energy Initiative, a program designed to help transform the global energy system to meet the needs of the future and to help build a bridge to that future by improving today's energy systems.
MITEI Director Ernest Moniz said, "This discovery in the Nocera lab demonstrates that moving up the transformation of our energy supply system to one based on renewables will depend heavily on frontier basic science."
This project was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Chesonis Family Foundation, which gave MIT $10 million this spring to launch the Solar Revolution Project, with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.
Solar Power Breakthrough Stores Energy for Later Use
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, August 2, 2008 (ENS)
Within 10 years, homeowners could power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.
"This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," said MIT's Daniel Nocera, senior author of a paper describing the simple, inexpensive, and efficient process for storing solar energy in the July 31 issue of the journal "Science."
"Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon," Nocera said. Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is expensive and inefficient. But Nocera and his team of researchers have hit upon an elegant solution.
Daniel Nocera has developed a simple method to split water molecules and produce oxygen gas, a discovery that paves the way for large-scale use of solar power.Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants, Nocera and Matthew Kanan, a postdoctoral fellow in Nocera's lab, have developed a new process that will allow the Sun's energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Later, the oxygen and hydrogen can be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power buildings, homes or electric cars - day or night. The key component in the new process is a new catalyst that produces oxygen gas from water - another catalyst produces valuable hydrogen gas.
The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode, placed in water. When electricity from a photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source runs through the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the electrode, and oxygen gas is produced. Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting reaction that occurs in plants during photosynthesis.
The new catalyst works at room temperature, in neutral pH water, and is easy to set up, Nocera said. "That's why I know this is going to work. It's so easy to implement," he said. Sunlight has the greatest potential of any power source to solve the world's energy problems, said Nocera. In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.
James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis who was not involved in this research, called the discovery by Nocera and Kanan a "giant leap" toward generating clean, carbon-free energy on a massive scale. "This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind," said Barber, the Ernst Chain Professor of Biochemistry at Imperial College London. "The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem."
Currently available electrolyzers, which split water with electricity and are often used industrially, are not suited for artificial photosynthesis because they are very expensive and require an environment that has little to do with the conditions under which photosynthesis operates.
More engineering work needs to be done to integrate the new scientific discovery into existing photovoltaic systems, but Nocera said he
is confident that such systems will become a reality.
"This is just the beginning," said Nocera, principal investigator for the Solar Revolution Project funded by the Chesonis Family Foundation and co-Director of the Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Center. "The scientific community is really going to run with this." The project is part of the MIT Energy Initiative, a program designed to help transform the global energy system to meet the needs of the
future and to help build a bridge to that future by improving today's energy systems. MITEI Director Ernest Moniz said, "This discovery in the Nocera lab demonstrates that moving up the transformation of our energy supply system to one based on renewables will depend heavily on frontier basic science."
This project was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Chesonis Family Foundation, which gave MIT $10 million this spring to launch the Solar Revolution Project, with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.
For More Information on Solar Energy: www.solarenergysavesmoney.com
Within 10 years, homeowners could power their homes in daylight with solar photovoltaic cells, while using excess solar energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen from water to power a household fuel cell. If the new process developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finds acceptance in the marketplace, electricity-by-wire from a central source could be a thing of the past.
"This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," said MIT's Daniel Nocera, senior author of a paper describing the simple, inexpensive, and efficient process for storing solar energy in the July 31 issue of the journal "Science."
"Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon," Nocera said. Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is expensive and inefficient. But Nocera and his team of researchers have hit upon an elegant solution.
Daniel Nocera has developed a simple method to split water molecules and produce oxygen gas, a discovery that paves the way for large-scale use of solar power.Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants, Nocera and Matthew Kanan, a postdoctoral fellow in Nocera's lab, have developed a new process that will allow the Sun's energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. Later, the oxygen and hydrogen can be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power buildings, homes or electric cars - day or night. The key component in the new process is a new catalyst that produces oxygen gas from water - another catalyst produces valuable hydrogen gas.
The new catalyst consists of cobalt metal, phosphate and an electrode, placed in water. When electricity from a photovoltaic cell, a wind turbine or any other source runs through the electrode, the cobalt and phosphate form a thin film on the electrode, and oxygen gas is produced. Combined with another catalyst, such as platinum, that can produce hydrogen gas from water, the system can duplicate the water splitting reaction that occurs in plants during photosynthesis.
The new catalyst works at room temperature, in neutral pH water, and is easy to set up, Nocera said. "That's why I know this is going to work. It's so easy to implement," he said. Sunlight has the greatest potential of any power source to solve the world's energy problems, said Nocera. In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.
James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis who was not involved in this research, called the discovery by Nocera and Kanan a "giant leap" toward generating clean, carbon-free energy on a massive scale. "This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind," said Barber, the Ernst Chain Professor of Biochemistry at Imperial College London. "The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem."
Currently available electrolyzers, which split water with electricity and are often used industrially, are not suited for artificial photosynthesis because they are very expensive and require an environment that has little to do with the conditions under which photosynthesis operates.
More engineering work needs to be done to integrate the new scientific discovery into existing photovoltaic systems, but Nocera said he
is confident that such systems will become a reality.
"This is just the beginning," said Nocera, principal investigator for the Solar Revolution Project funded by the Chesonis Family Foundation and co-Director of the Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Center. "The scientific community is really going to run with this." The project is part of the MIT Energy Initiative, a program designed to help transform the global energy system to meet the needs of the
future and to help build a bridge to that future by improving today's energy systems. MITEI Director Ernest Moniz said, "This discovery in the Nocera lab demonstrates that moving up the transformation of our energy supply system to one based on renewables will depend heavily on frontier basic science."
This project was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Chesonis Family Foundation, which gave MIT $10 million this spring to launch the Solar Revolution Project, with a goal to make the large scale deployment of solar energy within 10 years.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.
For More Information on Solar Energy: www.solarenergysavesmoney.com
Blown-In Fiberglass Insulation: Use With Caution
Blown-In Fiberglass Insulation: Use With Caution
By Artemiss
There is a family in Florida that was exposed to fiberglass that has cause a serious health problem for the family. The wife recently had a baby and was concerned about an itching on the skin feeling that she and the other members of the family were having. The family of five experienced a variety of eye, ear, skin, and respiratory problems. She was also complaining about a lot of white dust particles all over her furniture and personal possessions.
Recently, the family had a licensed Insulation Contractor blow in additional insulation on top of their existing builder installed Batting Insulation. The wanted to save money on their electric bill and thought this was the right way to go. Even the Power Company got into the act by giving them an incentive award to increase the R Value of the insulation of the home. Sounds great doesn’t it. Well this is only the beginning of a nightmare for this family.
We were called in to do an investigation and discovered that they had the old style recessed lighting in the ceilings. There were approximately 20 of these fixtures. The problem with the old style lighting was: there were four slits on the attic side which allowed the heat of the lights to dissipate. These slits were 3/8” X 2” long. This equates to approximately a 2”+ hole in the ceiling at each location. Multiply this by 20 lights and you get a 40” hole in the ceiling total. Wow, that’s a big hole in the ceiling. These holes prevented the lights from overheating and causing a fire. This is a great concept for a fire hazard, but a bad concept for blown in insulation. The one requirement with these old style lights was you could not cover them with insulation batting. We found multiple lights with blown-in insulation covering them and inside the lights themselves.
After doing several air and tape samples, sending them to a lab, the results came back positive for fiberglass in the air and surfaces of areas tested. The first thing we requested the client do was to remove and install the new sealed recessed lighting in the house. They hired a licensed Electrical Contractor, removed all the fixtures and solved the air intrusion problem from the attic. That was only the beginning of the fix, and then they had to HEPA vacuum and clean everything in the home to remove the friable fiberglass particles on the surfaces.
How would you like to live this nightmare for over one year due to the incompetence of one contractor who did not think the job through? This is only one example of what is going on in our building industry because of poor planning on the part of the contractor. Remember, you get what you pay for; the low bid isn’t always the right person for the job.
If you decide to add insulation to your attic, check with the Insulation Manufacturer and see what their requirements are before hiring anyone to do the job. Have your attic checked out first to see if there are any holes leading into the attic that can allow air intrusion into your home. If you do this, you will not be faced with this type of problem.
Next on the list, have the duct work checked for any type of leakage and sealed. Check all your electrical fixtures in the ceiling and seal them. Make sure the person who does the repairs is competent and knows what they are doing or it will affect you in the long term. Caution: Follow all local Building Code requirements. Give them a call and talk to them.
If you have any questions, call us at (954) 531-6476. Website: http://www.safe-homes.com
By Artemiss
There is a family in Florida that was exposed to fiberglass that has cause a serious health problem for the family. The wife recently had a baby and was concerned about an itching on the skin feeling that she and the other members of the family were having. The family of five experienced a variety of eye, ear, skin, and respiratory problems. She was also complaining about a lot of white dust particles all over her furniture and personal possessions.
Recently, the family had a licensed Insulation Contractor blow in additional insulation on top of their existing builder installed Batting Insulation. The wanted to save money on their electric bill and thought this was the right way to go. Even the Power Company got into the act by giving them an incentive award to increase the R Value of the insulation of the home. Sounds great doesn’t it. Well this is only the beginning of a nightmare for this family.
We were called in to do an investigation and discovered that they had the old style recessed lighting in the ceilings. There were approximately 20 of these fixtures. The problem with the old style lighting was: there were four slits on the attic side which allowed the heat of the lights to dissipate. These slits were 3/8” X 2” long. This equates to approximately a 2”+ hole in the ceiling at each location. Multiply this by 20 lights and you get a 40” hole in the ceiling total. Wow, that’s a big hole in the ceiling. These holes prevented the lights from overheating and causing a fire. This is a great concept for a fire hazard, but a bad concept for blown in insulation. The one requirement with these old style lights was you could not cover them with insulation batting. We found multiple lights with blown-in insulation covering them and inside the lights themselves.
After doing several air and tape samples, sending them to a lab, the results came back positive for fiberglass in the air and surfaces of areas tested. The first thing we requested the client do was to remove and install the new sealed recessed lighting in the house. They hired a licensed Electrical Contractor, removed all the fixtures and solved the air intrusion problem from the attic. That was only the beginning of the fix, and then they had to HEPA vacuum and clean everything in the home to remove the friable fiberglass particles on the surfaces.
How would you like to live this nightmare for over one year due to the incompetence of one contractor who did not think the job through? This is only one example of what is going on in our building industry because of poor planning on the part of the contractor. Remember, you get what you pay for; the low bid isn’t always the right person for the job.
If you decide to add insulation to your attic, check with the Insulation Manufacturer and see what their requirements are before hiring anyone to do the job. Have your attic checked out first to see if there are any holes leading into the attic that can allow air intrusion into your home. If you do this, you will not be faced with this type of problem.
Next on the list, have the duct work checked for any type of leakage and sealed. Check all your electrical fixtures in the ceiling and seal them. Make sure the person who does the repairs is competent and knows what they are doing or it will affect you in the long term. Caution: Follow all local Building Code requirements. Give them a call and talk to them.
If you have any questions, call us at (954) 531-6476. Website: http://www.safe-homes.com
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Preventing and Cleaning Your Home For Mold -- A Mold Free Environment
It is important to keep your Indoor Environment clean and free of Mold. Mold can cause allergies and allergic reactions in the home. It can be very annoying to go home and start reacting to something in your home after a hard day at the office. These allergens can sometimes make you sneeze or feel tired. Everyone has different symptoms. I have some clients who have constant Chronic Fatigue if they are exposed to mold on a daily basis. Asthma attacks can also be initiated by allergens such as mold in your home. Some attacks can put you in the hospital if not controlled properly.
Mold is a perfect example of an allergen that can be in your home. Most of my clients are in the South Florida Area and have to deal with high humidity on a constant basis. High humidity encourages mold to grow. A lot of the foreclose homes that we are inspecting now have contaminated Air Conditioning Systems. This is because the Banks or Realtors are not leaving the A/C on or are setting the temperature too high to properly remove the humidity. If the outdoor environment has high humidity, the humidity will migrate toward the Indoor Environment gradually. The interior of the homes are a closed up box with no A/C, thus the high humidity plus mold spores (they are everywhere) means mold will start to grow on the interior of the house. It first starts in the A/C Systems and then spreads slowly through the house on the organic materials. So if you are considering buying a foreclose, get it tested for mold by a certified mold inspector to prevent this problem from happening to you. Warning: Do not hire someone just to test, this is a waste of money. You need to hire a professional that can investigate the reasons for the mold, then tell you what needs to be done and write a protocol on what needs to be fixed.
Mold is a living organism and loves humid and damp environments. It is important to make sure that your homes' A/C System has enough ventilation, especially in those areas that get moisture. Remember, no moisture, no mold. Get a hygrometer that measures the humidity in your home. Check it once a week especially during the summer months of high humidity. If you notice a change, call an A/C repairman immediately. If your home has high humidity after this, then there is a serious construction defect in your home. Have your home evaluated by a professional with lots of experience in this type of problem or you will have a serious mold problem long term. I constantly see this happen because of incompetence in the construction field. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of very competent contractors who do excellent work. There is an old saying in this field: Don't allow workmen in your home on Friday afternoon or Monday morning. Enough said about this.
Mold Allergy, especially in people with weakened immune systems, can be a serious problem. It can cause the usual symptoms associated with allergies. I have a lot of clients who react such as sneezing, headaches, and nasal congestion. It can also trigger asthma attacks and neurological symptoms. Visually inspecting your home on a weekly basis is important to prevent these problems. You say what! Yes, on a weekly basis because that's all the time mold needs to get a foothold into your home due to a water leak or dew pointing. When you find it, stop the moisture source first. If it is a small area, clean it up. Go to www.safe-homes.com for a free EPA Guide to Mold Remediation on how to clean it up yourself. If it is larger than 10 square feet, consider hiring a professional mold remediation company.
Finally, be wary of all the claims of mold cleaning products, check the labels and read the MSDS (Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet) Reports on the products. I have several clients that are allergic to some of these products but not to all. It is an individual thing and must be done before using these products to clean. Remember, always proceed with caution in this area. If you are Chemically Sensitive or have Asthma, consult with your Doctor before attempting any form of mold cleanup.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (954) 531-6476
To learn more about your home, visit our website at http://www.safe-homes.com
Mr. Art Emiss is available as a professional speaker to help educate your community or group function.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Art_Emiss
Mold is a perfect example of an allergen that can be in your home. Most of my clients are in the South Florida Area and have to deal with high humidity on a constant basis. High humidity encourages mold to grow. A lot of the foreclose homes that we are inspecting now have contaminated Air Conditioning Systems. This is because the Banks or Realtors are not leaving the A/C on or are setting the temperature too high to properly remove the humidity. If the outdoor environment has high humidity, the humidity will migrate toward the Indoor Environment gradually. The interior of the homes are a closed up box with no A/C, thus the high humidity plus mold spores (they are everywhere) means mold will start to grow on the interior of the house. It first starts in the A/C Systems and then spreads slowly through the house on the organic materials. So if you are considering buying a foreclose, get it tested for mold by a certified mold inspector to prevent this problem from happening to you. Warning: Do not hire someone just to test, this is a waste of money. You need to hire a professional that can investigate the reasons for the mold, then tell you what needs to be done and write a protocol on what needs to be fixed.
Mold is a living organism and loves humid and damp environments. It is important to make sure that your homes' A/C System has enough ventilation, especially in those areas that get moisture. Remember, no moisture, no mold. Get a hygrometer that measures the humidity in your home. Check it once a week especially during the summer months of high humidity. If you notice a change, call an A/C repairman immediately. If your home has high humidity after this, then there is a serious construction defect in your home. Have your home evaluated by a professional with lots of experience in this type of problem or you will have a serious mold problem long term. I constantly see this happen because of incompetence in the construction field. Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of very competent contractors who do excellent work. There is an old saying in this field: Don't allow workmen in your home on Friday afternoon or Monday morning. Enough said about this.
Mold Allergy, especially in people with weakened immune systems, can be a serious problem. It can cause the usual symptoms associated with allergies. I have a lot of clients who react such as sneezing, headaches, and nasal congestion. It can also trigger asthma attacks and neurological symptoms. Visually inspecting your home on a weekly basis is important to prevent these problems. You say what! Yes, on a weekly basis because that's all the time mold needs to get a foothold into your home due to a water leak or dew pointing. When you find it, stop the moisture source first. If it is a small area, clean it up. Go to www.safe-homes.com for a free EPA Guide to Mold Remediation on how to clean it up yourself. If it is larger than 10 square feet, consider hiring a professional mold remediation company.
Finally, be wary of all the claims of mold cleaning products, check the labels and read the MSDS (Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet) Reports on the products. I have several clients that are allergic to some of these products but not to all. It is an individual thing and must be done before using these products to clean. Remember, always proceed with caution in this area. If you are Chemically Sensitive or have Asthma, consult with your Doctor before attempting any form of mold cleanup.
If you have any questions, feel free to call us at (954) 531-6476
To learn more about your home, visit our website at http://www.safe-homes.com
Mr. Art Emiss is available as a professional speaker to help educate your community or group function.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Art_Emiss
Solar Energy System
Why Not To Go Natural and Use Solar Energy System
by Sunita Biddu
It'd be a pleasure to meet one of the nature lovers if you're the one. Do you believe in natural conservation? Great! Using solar energy can contribute to a great extent in saving the earth as well. Since use of solar power will reduce other conventional energy consumptions such as petroleum oil, gas, and coal, it'd result in reduced amount of emission from these fuels. Almost unlimited advantages come with the use of renewable energy resources. Many solar energy systems and appliances are available today that can be used for domestic purposes as well. Whether it is heating, generating electricity, cooking or to do any household chores; solar energy can be at best in thousands of different ways. Credited to these aspects, the demand of solar power energy systems is growing amazingly.
Millions of people across the world are using these solar energy systems and because of their choices, environment as well as the earth is being protected from pollution and alarming green house effects.
Installing solar energy system is an easy job. Solar systems can avoid dependence on power grids. Installing such system can be the best choices people ever make. On one hand, they can make a difference to the earth and environment by installing such solar energy products including solar energy panels and solar lights etc; on the other hand, they can save money in the long run. Besides these aspects, life becomes hassle-free because of non-dependence on power supply department.
Advantages of Solar Energy
There are many advantages of solar energy. Some of the most visible advantages are:
1. It's a renewable energy resource, so you can use as much as you need for all practical purposes and it's not going to finish.
2. Solar energy is pollution free. There are no harmful substances that it produces.
3. Solar energy is available everywhere. Unlike petroleum and coal, it doesn't exist only in some parts of the earth; you can find it everywhere, free of cost.
4. The technology that is needed to use solar power as energy in order to produce heat and light, and electricity is already available.
5. Easy to install and use.
6. Cheap source of power. The solar systems needs very low maintenance costs.
7. Low observation required for small solar systems.
Needless to say, the use of solar energy systems is growing rapidly. Most of them include home solar energy systems. These home solar energy systems, solar energy panels and kits are used as alternative energy sources across the world.
And nowadays, the use of solar power systems is not limited to areas that are far from power grids. You can find a great number of people who have installed these home solar energy systems at home. If you save energy, earth keeps you safe too. Good luck!
For more information on Solar Energy: http://www.solarenergysavesmoney.com
by Sunita Biddu
It'd be a pleasure to meet one of the nature lovers if you're the one. Do you believe in natural conservation? Great! Using solar energy can contribute to a great extent in saving the earth as well. Since use of solar power will reduce other conventional energy consumptions such as petroleum oil, gas, and coal, it'd result in reduced amount of emission from these fuels. Almost unlimited advantages come with the use of renewable energy resources. Many solar energy systems and appliances are available today that can be used for domestic purposes as well. Whether it is heating, generating electricity, cooking or to do any household chores; solar energy can be at best in thousands of different ways. Credited to these aspects, the demand of solar power energy systems is growing amazingly.
Millions of people across the world are using these solar energy systems and because of their choices, environment as well as the earth is being protected from pollution and alarming green house effects.
Installing solar energy system is an easy job. Solar systems can avoid dependence on power grids. Installing such system can be the best choices people ever make. On one hand, they can make a difference to the earth and environment by installing such solar energy products including solar energy panels and solar lights etc; on the other hand, they can save money in the long run. Besides these aspects, life becomes hassle-free because of non-dependence on power supply department.
Advantages of Solar Energy
There are many advantages of solar energy. Some of the most visible advantages are:
1. It's a renewable energy resource, so you can use as much as you need for all practical purposes and it's not going to finish.
2. Solar energy is pollution free. There are no harmful substances that it produces.
3. Solar energy is available everywhere. Unlike petroleum and coal, it doesn't exist only in some parts of the earth; you can find it everywhere, free of cost.
4. The technology that is needed to use solar power as energy in order to produce heat and light, and electricity is already available.
5. Easy to install and use.
6. Cheap source of power. The solar systems needs very low maintenance costs.
7. Low observation required for small solar systems.
Needless to say, the use of solar energy systems is growing rapidly. Most of them include home solar energy systems. These home solar energy systems, solar energy panels and kits are used as alternative energy sources across the world.
And nowadays, the use of solar power systems is not limited to areas that are far from power grids. You can find a great number of people who have installed these home solar energy systems at home. If you save energy, earth keeps you safe too. Good luck!
For more information on Solar Energy: http://www.solarenergysavesmoney.com
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