Category — Energy effeciency

LAI has designed an affordable solution for collection and reuse of rainwater in cold climates to essentially eliminate the need for potable water to be used in the irrigation of the landscape. This can be done with both new construction and renovation projects. As shown in the image below we are demonstrating one of many ways to effectively disconnect your irrigation system from either a well source or city water source as a means to conserve the valuable resource and save money!  [Read more →]

If you’re going to remodel your home, or just looking for an easy renovation, recessed lighting might be something to consider. It’s an easy way to update your home, can be part of a green remodeling plan, and also can be a budget renovation solution (it has a huge visual impact to cost ratio.) The electrical experts at Stafford Home Service will definitely be able to help you. Even if you think there’s no way recessed lighting could work in your home, the Stafford will find a way. [Read more →]

I was asked recently what one of the easiest ways to go green. Dimmer light switches are right there at the top.

Three quick advantages with using dimmer switches:

• Reduced Energy Consumption, Dim your lights by quarter & save up to 20 percent Dim by half and save up to 40 percent.
• Increased Bulb Life, If you are dimming the light by just 10 percent it more than doubles the life of the bulb.
• Mood, A softer light is more comforting and sets a relaxing atmosphere.

[Read more →]

Kris from Stafford Home Services’ Minneapolis electricians suggested a miniature recessed light for the tight space above the basement landing. The unit he suggested, and has installed before, is the Gimbal Ring – HR-1137 from W.A.C Lighting. It’s a slick little unit at a mere 3″ high and 2 3/4″ wide. I also noticed that uses an easy to find MR11 bulb which even has LED options out there. Nice!

I had a great meeting today with Jesse Korsban from Stafford Home Services’ low voltage and audio/video department. We discussed the location of TV screens (can we even call them that anymore? I guess I should have said, Flat Panels), the speakers and the consolidation of the hardware. Stafford will be consolidating all of my equipment (receiver, Cable box, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, OPPO DVD player, DVD recorder, iPod station, and Mac Mini) to a single location under the basement stair. [Read more →]

The Stafford team descended on Desonyer this week like an parachute brigade. A particularly effective and talented brigade at that. The week started with George from Stafford HVAC laying out the ducts and discussing placement of ducts as well as the placement of the new furnace and AC unit. He was very patient and helpful, offering many options and their benefits. These guys don’t just know how to do things one way, they are full of ideas and are flexible as heck. That’s a good thing in my book. [Read more →]

In going through this process, I am amazed at the difficulty of making decisions on floorplans and architectural details based on lines on paper. I think the thing that really gets me is the finality of those decisions. Give me the digital world and I can make decisions in a heartbeat, and stick to them. Give me a choice on a placement of a physical wall and I go blank. [Read more →]

As we did our original walkthrough, Kris, from Stafford Home Services, said that recessed lighting would make a dramatic difference in the space, especially in the bedrooms. Boy was he right. Today the Stafford Home Services Electrical guys installed the lighting in the bedrooms and hallways. What an amazing difference. The ceilings are not short but they certainly seemed lower with the old ceiling units in there. [Read more →]

Stafford Home Services has come in and torn out the old HVAC system. They will be installing a new, 95% energy efficient Bryant furnace and AC unit as well as new ducts. Dan, a partner at Stafford, will be focusing on energy savings and as well as space saving designs. Stay tuned as he has some interesting ideas.

Stinson Builder roughed in the space in the rear addition for the three windows that will be going in next week. We have selected three energy efficient, 6′ wide Marvin Integrity windows. Each window consists of one large 5′x6′ fixed pane with two 20″x3′ awning windows on the bottom. Two will be along the left of the NW corner, with a double patio door to the left to them and one other on the adjacent corner.