Best House Floor Plans

This week we’re stepping out of the house and into the outdoors to make some eco-friendly touches. From the backyard, patio, to the balcony, we’ll be shedding the radiance on how to turn your outdoor lighting into a green urban sanctuary.

In the northern states, summertime is the designated time of year for frolicking and entertaining outdoors. One does not have to go far to escape interior confinement. There’s no need to make a trek over to the closest outdoor café, the beach or even the park. 

As summer is all about enjoyment, we wanted our exterior space to epitomize fun.

So, we went shopping for eco-accessories, as in outdoor lighting and eco-friendly bug repellant. We took three environmentally unsavory outdoor products and found some festive but green alternatives.

Outdoor Toxic Problems and Green Fixes

String Lights
A little lighting sets the ambiance outdoors. At Target, we found some lovely, colorful string lights, but the package had a prominent warning about the cord containing lead. With the exception of this eco-unfriendly quality, the string of lights met our other shopping criteria: vividly muted illuminations.

Green Fix: As an alternative, we settled for solar light panels. The panels feature subdued vibrant incandescence and sporadically changes a spectrum of colors.

Tiki Torch
There’s something so lively and yet so noxious about the tiki torch. While the flame is natural, the black smoke billowing from the torch is not. Sans the toxic fumes, we found an eco-friendly alternative: the solar torchlight. Not as ostentatious as the tiki torch, the energy efficient flicker of amber LED lighting turned the carbon emitting tiki torch into a sophisticate shade of ambient outdoor lighting.   Made of bamboo and without the wiring, the solar torchlight is fuss free.

Citronella Candle and Bug Repellant
To keep mosquitoes at bay, we went looking for non-toxic alternatives to the citronella candle and bug repellant, DEET. What we found is 10 times more effective than both without the harmful fumes.

Green Fix: Catnip is a naturally potent mosquito repellent that smells of soothing mint.

If you are looking for an eco-friendly alternative and need advice, we welcome your questions.

In this installment of Best House Floor Plans, we’re putting the light bulb in the spotlight. Lighting always sets the ambiance. Few people understand the difference between the LED light bulb and the CFL light. While both have their eco-friendly qualities, we’ve shed some light on their differences: 

• CFL is the acronym for Compact Fluorescent Lamp.
• LED stands for light emitting diodes.
• Compact fluorescent lamps are related to fluorescent lighting, most commonly used in the workplace, office, warehouses and schools.
• In the home, the LED light bulb is commonly used as ambient or accent lighting.
• Because, it is an industry-specific term, CFLs are referred to as a lamp opposed to a bulb. Any lighting device electrically powered is considered a lamp in the lighting industry.
• Mercury is not contained in the LED light bulb.
• On average, most CFLs are comprised of 1/6000th of mercury or 5-milligrams.
• As compact fluorescent lights contain the poisonous chemical, mercury, they should always be recycled.
• Light emitting diodes or LEDs have a shorter lifespan than CFLS.
• Compact fluorescent lamps cost more than LED light bulbs.
• Sometimes, CFLs require more time to light up.
• CFLs make for a problematic clean up. If a CFL bulb shatters, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening windows and leaving the room for at least 15 minutes, before using gloves to clean the hazardous debris.
• Unlike LEDs, CFL lights are incompatible for all lighting fixtures because they do not fit all lamps.
• Due to the hazardous material contained in CFLs, certain recycle centers charge a dollar to recycle it.
• On average, LEDs provide 1000 hours of light time compared to the 6000 hours of luminosity provided by the CFL.
• The average CFL bulb provides a $30 savings over its lifetime.

As for buying CFL lights with that feature the best luminosity, bulbs with 2700 to 3000 Kelvin render yellowish, natural lighting, which is common in incandescent lighting. But, then again, buying and LED light bulbs feature soft lighting too.

Eco-friendly ceiling fans have come of age. Compared to the conventional fan or light unit of yesterday, these conserving cooling accoutrements offer substantial energy efficiency. But, how can you identify an energy efficient ceiling fan from one that is not?

To shed a little green light on the ceiling fan, here are a few frequently asked questions on the eco-friendly ceiling fan.

How can I be sure that my ceiling fan is eco-friendly?

ENERGY STAR qualified eco-friendly ceiling fans and lights are tested for efficiency and meet various standards approved by the federal government.

How energy efficient are these ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans?

According to a report published by ENERGY STAR, ceiling fan/light combination units are 50 per more efficient than conventional fan/light units.

If I buy an eco friendly ceiling fan, will I be able to on save money on my monthly utility bill?

Absolutely. Studies show that these ceiling fans save up to a $10 a month in the electric bill.

Why are eco friendly combination light and ceiling fans so efficient?

A number of components make up the energy efficient ceiling fan. These include the following: the motor grade, blades and control.

What features should I look for in an ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fan?

Generally, ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans are better because the motor and blade are engineered to maximize energy efficiency. There are two types of ceiling fans motors. One requires more maintenance than the other. For instance, the ceiling motor fan with sealed bearings calls for minimal maintenance; while, the one with lubricated ball bearings requires service occasionally (in example: adding oil).

Why is lubrication an important feature of the ceiling fan?

Lubrication affects the performance of the fan. With more lubrication, smoother flow ensues which extends the longevity of the ceiling fan.

Where can I find information about eco-friendly ceiling fans?

At energystar.gov, the site features a wealth of information regarding eco friendly ceiling fans.

Information gathered from:  http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=ceiling_fans.pr_ceiling_fans_performance