<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
<title>Latest Alternate Construction Articles</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/</link>
<description>Articles at Building Trades and Real Estate Articles</description>
<language>en-us</language>
<item>
<title>Did You Know That DIY Solar Power Systems Are Cheaper Than Installing Commercial Solar Panels?</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/did-you-know-that-diy-solar-power-systems-are-cheaper-than-installing-commercial-solar-panels.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/did-you-know-that-diy-solar-power-systems-are-cheaper-than-installing-commercial-solar-panels.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 17:03:43 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Employing solar energy and transforming it to electrical energy that people can use is definitely a notion which appeals to a lot of people. The sun's rays, as an alternative source of energy, is never exhausted compared with the non-renewable energy sources that power the world currently. Transforming energy from the sun into electrical power does not produce carbon emissions, rendering it an environmentally friendly endeavor. And once the solar panel system is mounted, operational and repairs and maintenance rate is very minimal. So, we can easily conclude that solar power is the next best thing to having no cost and environment friendly electricity.</p>
<p>However we all know that to be able to liberate our families of the regular monthly household utility bills and totally live life using free electricity, we must fork out a high sum to build commercial solar panels on our homes, which could furnish 100% of our normal power intake. And several people who are wanting to benefit from free electricity are discouraged by expensive initial installation price.</p>
<p>So will the image of solar powered-households be true only for those who can afford it? It seems not.</p>
<p>A growing group of enthusiasts, especially those who are focused on looking for earth-friendly, reliable and replenishable energy sources, believes that DIY solar power solution is feasible and it doesn't need to cost as high as it is currently priced. You can do this by employing compact, economical but highly efficient PV cells, electric batteries, an inverter, some electrical wires, cables together with other electrical components. And what made it more cost-effective is the fact that you're putting in almost all the work.</p>
<p>However, this doesn't mean that you may start unplugging your house from the energy companies and go solar completely once the building and installation is concluded. Many of these DIY solar panel kits are small-scale and will keep and make only sufficient electrical power to light a bulb for a few days, run a laptop computer for 2 days or a 20-inch TV for a day.</p>
<p>Nevertheless the realistic advantage in diy solar panel kits is the long term goal. Solar panel products, even those that are homemade, has a lifetime of about 20 to 25 years, with merely a minor lowering of performance. What this implies is you can benefit from 20 to 25 years of free electricity at a fraction of the price tag on commercial installations. Another good news is that these DIY solar power kits are often upgradeable. It is possible to invest in more components afterwards and integrate them with the previous system to harness extra solar power and create more electricity.</p> ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>The New House Buyers Tax Credit Has Changed</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/the-new-house-buyers-tax-credit-has-changedn.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/the-new-house-buyers-tax-credit-has-changedn.html</guid>
<pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:56:53 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Earlier in the year, the federal government introduced a tax refund for first-time house owners.  The incentive was put in place in an effort to perk up the economic system by pushing on the fence new home purchasers to take the dive and buy a new house.  Since then, the conditions of this tax refund were updated to provide increased incentive.</p>
<p>The first plan was only applicable for taxpayers purchasing a dwelling for the first time, with no prior possession of a habitation for a minimum of three years.  It was revised by providing for current householders to get a tax credit when buying a replacement main home also.  The conditions of the new tax credit allow for a maximum tax incentive of $8000 for pre-qualified first-time home buyers and $6500 for qualified non-first-time dwelling purchasers when closing on a new dwelling between November 6, 2009 and April 30, 2010.</p>
<p>The qualifications consist of a maximum income of $125,000 for single purchasers or $225,000 for a man and wife, with a $20,000 transition region, permitting those with somewhat higher incomes to have smaller tax incentives also.  The requirements are elevated from the earlier provisions that put the limitations at $75,000 for unmarried people and $150,000 for joint-filing couples.  This revision gives opportunities to more people to experience the credit.</p>
<p>The credit is a refundable tax credit, meaning that if someone owes a lower tax bill than the tax credit total, they will receive a refund payment.  The tax refund is obtained by filling in Form 5405 from the IRS, and including this together with their yearly tax filing, applying the resulting tax refund on a line on the IRS Form 1040.  To serve as substantiating proof, a replicate of the closing statement is required.</p>
<p>As the borrowing rates are at this time significantly reduced, it appears to be an advantageous time to buy a different dwelling and move out of the rented dwellings.  Several styles of dwellings qualify for the tax credit including houses, condominiums and even manufactured homes.  If you have been sitting on the fence, perhaps you should consider availing yourself of this tax credit while it is still in place.n</p> ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Home Purchasers Should Learn About IRS Form 4506-T</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/home-purchasers-should-learn-about-irs-form-4506-tn.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/home-purchasers-should-learn-about-irs-form-4506-tn.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:14:13 -0700</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Not just a harmless part of the paper blizzard, it potentially exposes otherwise confidential personal financial facts to unknown and uncontrollable numbers of people.nReporting from Washington - You could guess it's just another boring-looking piece of the paper blitz you're hit with when you apply for a household loan. But given IRS Form 4506-T's new prominence in the fraud-shocked home loan market, it's much more than just another document to sign.</p>
<p>The form authorizes a loan officer or home loan investor to get electronic transcripts from the Internal Revenue Service doormat multiple years of your federal earnings tax filings. The IRS has supplied private tax return information to lenders for years, but the data typically were requested only at the close of escrow, and mainly for self-employed applicants or those with unusual earnings patterns.</p>
<p>But Fannie Mae recently aimed lenders to obtain two sets of electronic transcripts for all borrowers, regardless of income sources -- a 4506-T upfront at application and another at closing. Fannie told lenders the condescend was part of its efforts to spot fraudulent income claims and delimit loan losses.</p>
<p>During the height of the housing boom, many lenders went soft on borrowers, allowing millions of them to "state" their incomes rather than supply copies of tax returns filed with the IRS. These so-called no-documentation loans often later turned out to be "liar loans," with puffed-up incomes enabling borrowers to obtain larger mortgages than they might justify -- or afford -- based on their genuine incomes.</p>
<p>When lenders didn't verify stated income claims, liar loans often turned into foreclosure bombs. Their remains are discernible in neighborhoods across the country, where foreclosures have soared to record levels.</p>
<p>Now, not only Fannie Mae however also most major lenders are tightening standards and double checking everything. When it comes to what you say is your annual income, they want to check it twice -- even if you submitted stacks of IRS returns.</p>
<p>The IRS is helping out as well by lowering the price of those multiple verifications. As a result of higher-than-expected revenues generated by skyrocketing demands for 4506-Ts, the IRS -- which is not permitted to make a profit on services such as earnings verification checks -- has cut the cost of transcripts from $4.50 to $2.25, according to industry sources.</p>
<p>"The timing of the price reduction couldn't be better for lenders looking to return to more prudent underwriting," said Curtis Knuth, vice president of New Jersey-based NCS Inc., one of the largest vendors of Form 4506-Ts to the home loan industry. Most lenders, he said, do not charge loan applicants separately for earnings verifications but roll the costs into their origination or processing fees.</p>
<p>The much more intensive use of Form 4506-T also is focusing new light on what consumers should -- and shouldn't -- do when confronted with a lender's or settlement agent's request that they fill one out.</p>
<p>Here's a quick overview:</p>
<p>* Take Form 4506-T seriously. It's a powerful tool, and potentially exposes differently confidential personal financial facts to unknown and uncontrollable numbers of people. It is not just another part of the paper blizzard.</p>
<p>* Pay careful attention to the IRS' instructions on the form, particularly as related to the tax return transcript years being requested, and to the dating of the form next to your signature. The date you write in is important because the IRS won't provide transcripts unless it receives the request within 60 days of the signing date by the taxpayers making the loan application. Make sure you date the form when you sign it.</p>
<p>Filling in the tax return years is crucial as well because it allows you to delimit what the lender, settlement official or secondary market purchaser of the mortgage can obtain. The precious includes boxes allowing up to four years of tax data to be accessed, but loan applicants can specify that fewer years be available.</p>
<p>Earlier this decade, discussion erupted in the home loan industry because some large secondary market loan investors and banks were requiring brokers or closing agents to instruct applicants to sign Form 4506-Ts but not date them or fill in the transcript years being requested. Some lenders even distributed their own printed instructions along with the Form 4506-T, requiring the home buyer's or refinancer's signature, however no dates. This not only countermanded the IRS' instructions but gave investors the deftness to check incomes whenever they chose -- long after the closing.</p>
<p>Bottom line here: Make sure you understand the new stresses of Form 4506-T, and get used to seeing it duplicated during the mortgage cycle. Make sure you know how it's supposed to be used -- and how it can be abused. Check it out in advance by going to the forms area at the IRS website www.irs.gov and downloading a copy.n</p> ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Affordable Cross Country Movers:Top Tips To Get The Most Out Of A Mover</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/affordable-cross-country-movers-top-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-mover.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/affordable-cross-country-movers-top-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-a-mover.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:55:47 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Usually moving turns out to be not only stressful, but also rather costly. Still, there are many ways to save money on your move even if you hire an affordable moving company rather than try to do the moving yourself.nnThe main way you can save on moving expenses is to cut back on supplies. One of the most important aspects of moving your furniture and other goods is to pack them securely. You may think you need to spend a lot of money to protect your possessions, but read on.nnBoxes will be your number one priority, of course. You need to carefully pack up all of your favorite personal items like photographs and souvenirs so that nothing gets broken. Boxes of different sizes can be provided by a moving company, but at a high price. If you know of anyone that has moved, ask them if you can take their extra boxes from them.nnYou can also check with stores and warehouses in your area to see if they will allow you to take some boxes off their hands. Later in the evening, most stores have plenty of boxes you can use for your moving if you were to show up when they complete restocking their merchandise.nnSometimes, you need very large boxes and you can get these from warehouse or appliance stores. These boxes are usually well made, which makes them suitable for moving fragile electronic items. If you have posters, artwork, or other important documents, consider obtaining cardboard mailing tubes from law firms or construction companies.nnUsually, moving companies use bubble wrap and inflated plastic bags to protect fragile items. However, these packing materials are quite expensive, and are really not needed for most of your items. You may use newspaper instead: if you get a daily paper you'll quickly accumulate enough to move two households! If not, ask friends for their old newspapers or call a business office that gets a daily paper. Doing so, you will get free packing materials.nnIf you know that your are moving in advance, you can ask your friends and family to save any packing materials that they might get.nnFragile items may be wrapped with your household linens. If your bed coverings are too delicate, visit a local thrift store. Several quilts would cost you the same as you would pay to rent just one cushioned furniture wrap from a moving company!nnMany moving companies will give you a nice discount if you agree to let them store your items for a short period of time until they can combine several loads being delivered in your area. If you don't need your things immediately, consider this option.nnFinally, you should look through moving company reviews in consumer publications and on the Internet. There you may find some tips on saving money and negotiating rates. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Moving Tips: Top Tips For Cutting Relocation Costs</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/moving-tips-top-tips-for-cutting-relocation-costs.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/moving-tips-top-tips-for-cutting-relocation-costs.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:59:43 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ nMoving does not always have to be extremely expensive. Any consumer that has taken the time to learn how to deal with moving companies and knows how to cut moving costs, can ideally find moving to be affordable.nnFirst of all, you will need to receive some moving estimates. Using an internet broker can save your time and effort. A broker takes your information and distributes it to the moving companies in his or her database. These moving companies then decide if your move is a contract they would like to compete for and call you or email you a quote.nnYou can specify your method of contact, too. So, if you prefer to avoid actually speaking with a moving company before looking through all your quotes, you can request contact through email only. Using a broker, you will get moving quotes from different moving companies so that you can compare them and decide which one is the most suitable for you. What is more, there will be no trickery to get you to buy their services!nnSecondly, find out if a moving company will give you a discount if you have a flexible schedule. Your flexible schedule allows them to coordinate their loads and combine them to save money on fuel, labor, and tolls. A moving company loses a lot of profit and thus is forced to charge more if you absolutely have to have your household moved in a certain time frame that does not allow them to combine different loads headed in the same direction at the same time. Consequently, you should be given a substantial discount if you provide your mover with enough time to combine loads.nnA third way to save money is to move off-peak periods. You wouldn't think that the moving business would be seasonal but it is. Most moving companies are very busy in May through September and are looking for work in the fall through the winter. So, you can save additional money if you don't have a firm pick-up or drop-off date.nnYou can choose to do your own packing or take advantage of the packing services that most moving companies offer. It might be tempting to let them do this for you, but you'll save several hundred dollars by doing most of it yourself. It is rather easy to pack up household items like books and toys. Though packing requires some time, but a packing party with your friends can shorten the process and make it more enjoyable. While you pack durable items, it might be wise to let the movers pack your valuable or delicate items.nnTo conclude, read as many moving company reviews as possible to learn more money-saving tips; the more you know, the better! ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Long Distance Moving Companies: Five Top Motives For Shelling Out The Cash To Contract A Mover</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/long-distance-moving-companies-five-top-motives-for-shelling-out-the-cash-to-contract-a-mover.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/long-distance-moving-companies-five-top-motives-for-shelling-out-the-cash-to-contract-a-mover.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:52:16 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ nMoving is effectively picking up your entire life and transporting it elsewhere; this is a daunting task! That's why so many people hire interstate moving companies to transfer their households from one home to the other, especially if they are relocating to across country. If you are still not sure, we will give you five reasons why it is worth hiring a professional.nn<strong>First.</strong> Good interstate moving companies will have an excellent safety records not only for their vehicles, but concerning their on-the-job injuries and their ability to move items without damaging them. It's a great idea to look into these statistics when choosing interstate moving companies to work with. Due to the proven track records of these moving professionals heirlooms and other family treasures will be transported safely and without unnecessary worries.nn<strong>Second.</strong> The trip to your new residence will not be rushed and very stressful if you employ a professional interstate mover. After packing your furniture and letting the movers load it, simply fly or drive to your new house, assured that your possessions will be delivered safe and intact. The majority of interstate moving companies will let you choose a date when you want the furniture to be delivered and a few will actually store it for you in case you want to turn your trip into a family vacation.nn<strong>Third.</strong> Reputable interstate moving companies employ professionals. The majority of them have been doing this kind of work for years and understand the specific methods of handling your possessions without damaging them or hurting themselves. Are you sure you can handle everything without a professional assistance?nnEven thought we are very careful, most of us have very little experience in interstate moving a houseful of furniture and have no idea about load shifts, hand truck safety, or how many people can safely move a heavy couch or a book shelf. Interstate moving companies professionals are trained to handle fragiles and other household items without damaging them.nn<strong>Fourth.</strong> Your health is a good reason for hiring among a small list of interstate moving companies. Every year thousands strain their muscles and injure their backs in an attempt to move their own furniture. Spending lots of hours on the road in a truck, even as spacious as they currently are, then unloading heavy furniture may wreak havoc on your body. If you do not have special training or someone to help you that is experienced in interstate moving, you will probably have to pay some big doctor bills during or after the relocation.nn<strong>Fifth.</strong> Your precious possessions will make it to your new home in better condition if you hire interstate moving companies. With  interstate moving companies professional driver, he or she brings years of road experience to your move. The chances of a collision damaging your goods drop to nearly nothing when you hire interstate moving companies rather than doing the job yourself.nnStill, most interstate moving companies will not cover the full value of your possessions in case they are damaged. So, if you desire to put insurance on your belongings it is better to place a rider on your home owner's policy to protect the replacement price of your household items.nn<strong>Bottom Line</strong>nnLook up some interstate moving companies reviews on the Internet, ask your friends who have moved for recommendations and check out interstate moving companies' reputation with the Better Business Bureau before deciding on an interstate mover. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Long Distance Moving Companies: 5 Typical Moving Scams</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/long-distance-moving-companies-5-typical-moving-scams.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/long-distance-moving-companies-5-typical-moving-scams.html</guid>
<pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:50:12 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ nMany people looking for a moving company are frequently misled into believing that a good reputation is enough for a successful relocation. Taking into consideration the fact that there is little regulation for movers, you won't be able to get recompensed easily if something goes wrong.nnLooking at the most recent year, there were 9,405 complaints from consumers regarding relocation companies, the BBB informs. Unfortunately, the agency that handles the safety and regulation for moving companies has limited resources so it's up to you to avoid the more common scams that even reputable moving companies can be guilty of. nn<strong>Low Balling Quotes</strong>nnThe most popular moving industry scam is giving you a low estimate and then changing you extra fees at your destination - sometimes as much as quadruple the original amount your signed for! If you don't pay, the moving company may keep your possessions in the store house until you decide you are ready to pay the extra charges. Simply signing a "binding and not to exceed quote" is not enough to ensure you are safe from scams, so you should read every word of your contract very carefully!nn<strong>Subcontracting Your Move</strong>nnAnother common type of scam is when moving companies overcharge their clients and then subcontract the job to another mover for half the price. These subcontractors are not subject to your original contract, nor are they bound to the schedule that you agreed to. What makes things even worse is that their employees usually have no real experience in moving fragile items, so breakage is not infrequent.nn<strong>Insurance Provided At A Lower Rate</strong>nnBreakage is another common scam that consumers usually complain about when moving their households. Most people don't know that most companies' mover's liability coverage allows them to pay you only around $60 per pound for a damaged item. It implies that if your few thousand dollars plasma television gets broken, you will get approximately $30 as compensation.nnTo protect yourself from damage during a move you should add a rider to you homeowners policy. What is more, take photographs of your possessions and ensure that your movers sign a statement of your items' conditions before you sign the receipt!nn<strong>Price Based On Cubic Feet</strong>nnThe fourth common way that a moving company will rip you off is the weight versus cubic feet arrangement. You are allowed to watch weigh-ins and verify the number, but a mover can make your load take up as much space as they want it to in order to jack up the charges. You should calculate the weight of each item by dividing the total weight by the number of items. If you come up with more than 35-45 pounds per piece, be suspicious of your mover's motives!nn<strong>Extra Charges For Parking</strong>nnThe fifth popular scam is extra fees charged by movers claiming they were unable to park their truck in front of your home, resulting in "long carries" from approximately half a block. The total can run well into the thousands of dollars! So, make certain that you plan how to steer clear of this scam.nn<strong>Ways To Steer Clear Of Scams</strong>nnnYou will be able to stay away from these scams if you study moving company reviews online or consumer publications, obtain several quotes, get an attorney to approve the contract, and document your load's weight and condition. It may be a good idea to ask friends who've moved recently which companies they used and how well the movers performed. ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Expert Yard Care Tips</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/expert-yard-care-tips_1.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/expert-yard-care-tips_1.html</guid>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:11:32 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ Your lawn is like the face of your home. It is the first thing any guest to your house sees before entering your door. nTo maintain your dignity within your neighbors, it is important that you maintain a lush green lawn. This is not very difficult to do once you have understood the art of landscaping and gardening. nBelow are some tips that will help you improve your front yard.nFor health plant growth, it is important that the soil is predominantly healthy. Therefore, it is important that a gardener focuses his energy on firstly building a healthy soil with compost and mulch. The amount of compost and mulch required for your lawn depends on where you are located. nIt is absolutely essential that you keep a schedule for gardening activities. nCutting the grass is the most important of these. Overgrown grass signifies laziness on the part of the lawn owner.  However, do not cut the grass too short as it may not look too good.nAlso, schedule for other lawn activities like weeding and watering. Weeding is of course the most time consuming of gardening activities but staying on schedule helps. nWatering plants requires you to be smart. The best time to water plants is during sunset since there is reduced evaporation of water and more absorption of water by the plants. Watering plants early in the morning also prevents plant leaves from catching fungal diseases. Do not over water plants as this is also harmful to plants. Drip irrigation is a very useful technique to water plants. It refers to the direct injection of water to the roots thereby avoiding wastage of water. nRainwater is the healthiest water forms for watering plants. During rainy seasons, try to collect as much rain water as possible. Two ways this can be done are as followsn-	Place a barrel underneath your roof's downspout to collect rainwater during rainy seasons.n-	Create a rain garden. This refers to a shallow depression intentionally created in the garden permitting water runoff to be collected and naturally seep into the ground. nFertilizers ensure that the soil contains all the nutrients that are necessary for healthy plant growth. Therefore ensure that fertilizers are added to your lawn every few times a year. However, make sure that these fertilizers are organic and natural. Chemical fertilizers promise a lot of benefits but also bring with it a number of pollutants and side-effects. nThink before you use any types of pesticides on your lawn. If you simply have to, look for least toxic pesticide amongst what is available. Pesticides are pollutants that are unhealthy for you and your plants. Therefore, you must try to avoid these as much as possible. Further, if you notice a plant to have a recurring infection or disease, it may be time to remove the entire plant from its root before it spreads its infection to the other plants on your lawn. nOnce you have done the above essentials, you can attend to the blooming flowerbeds in your gardenn ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>The Uprising Demand of Wind Energy</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/the-uprising-demand-of-wind-energy.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/the-uprising-demand-of-wind-energy.html</guid>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:07:43 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <div id="body">
<p>Because of ongoing demand of fuel for our consumption, we can't count on if how long our source will last. Perhaps it will take more decades before it happen but still our resources will come to an end. Our current resources of oil may be gone. Now, before this problem will happen, it is almost right to make a research towards its solution. That can contribute in preventing the failing reserves of fossil fuel in our country. Before anything comes too late, let start investigating now.</p>
<p>The development in the field of renewable energy can be a big help to us to build an alternative energy source as solution for the existing problem in the whole world. Wind turbine is a good alternative energy source that can replace as our solar power generator.</p>
<p>Wind turbine is a well choice of many homeowners because of the advantages possesses by this device. Wind turbine can be classified as friendly in nature, it is environmentally clean, and it produces much less green house gases. Likewise wind turbine is naturally replenished and best renewable energy source. The most that make its best is that wind energy is almost free. Making up of wind turbine doesn't require much maintenance; the only costs associated with wind power are those of constructing and setting up the turbines.</p>
<p>This alternative energy source has been a great help to the present financial problem on energy bills. Many people have already proven the use of renewable energy sources to be very effective that is why this energy saving idea has been shared to many users nowadays.</p>
<p>After discovering and proven the benefits of using wind energy, many people nowadays are operating the wind energy to their home. The friendly environmental and free alternative source of energy was best enjoyed by many users.</p>
</div> ]]></description>
</item>
<item>
<title>Living in a ‘Green’ House</title>
<link>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/living-in-a-a%2580%2598greena%2580%2599-house.html</link>
<guid>http://draftingservice.us/homes/alternate-construction/living-in-a-a%2580%2598greena%2580%2599-house.html</guid>
<pubDate>Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:32:54 -0600</pubDate>
<description><![CDATA[ <p>Years ago, houses were built from natural materials like limestone and wood. The homes of today are a far cry in many ways. Take the construction materials we use. Many, in fact most, of them simply ooze chemicals that can cause serious health problems.</p>
<p>You find them in the resins that hold the sheathing in your walls together, the floors, and the roof.<br /> They are there in the bath room and kitchen cabinets, the paneling and built in bookcases which have all been created with he help of resins, glues, and formaldehyde.</p>
<p>Every room in the house bears traces of glues, stains, paints, and sealants.</p>
<p>So, when you are looking out for a new home and you naturally want to avoid this as far as possible your best bet would be to approach a green builder. But even if you don&rsquo;t, you can still find out what steps your builder has taken to reduce the negative effects of the construction materials used.</p>
<p>If you find that high chemical materials were use in the construction, the only thing you can do is increase the ventilation and allow the material to &lsquo;off-gas&rsquo;. This will normally take from about a few months to a year to happen. <br /> Besides the materials used for new construction, carpeting, flooring and flooring finishes may also contain a whole lot of chemicals.</p>
<p>Carpets, with their paddings and adhesives, emit volatile organic compounds which may seem negligible at first consideration but can add up in the final count.</p>
<p>Even though certain carpet manufacturers assert that their products are environmentally safe , it is in the installation process that the chemicals may still be introduced. .</p>
<p>And no matter how environmentally friendly a carpet may be initially, it ultimately becomes a warm and cozy home for molds, pollens, dust mites, and animal dander, so if you can avoid wall to wall carpeting it is best to do without it. <br /> Chemical based cleaners also contribute to the problem so always look out for the environmentally friendly ones.<br /> Wood or laminate floorings provide preferable alternatives to carpets.</p>
<p>Vinyl flooring sheets contain polyvinyl chloride and other chemicals that are quite detrimental to the quality of your indoor air.</p>
<p>Ceramic tiles are perhaps the best choice for flooring. They are easy to clean and do not &lsquo;off gas&rsquo;.<br /> And, finally, a word about furnishing. Furniture, drapes and other furnishings do &lsquo;off gas&rsquo; to a certain extent, particularly those with veneer/cloth on the outside and particleboard on the outside. The formaldehyde in the cloth and the particle board, the wood finishing agents and the glues can trigger a host of health problems.</p>
<p>You can offset these threats with green alternatives such as those with the GreenGuard label.</p>
<p>Second hand furniture is cheap, has already been &lsquo;off gassed&rsquo; and is waiting to be recycled. So consider it.</p> ]]></description>
</item>

</channel>
</rss>

