Cool Off Your Attic with Radiant Barrier

It is starting to get cooler outside, so now is the perfect time to talk about making your attic cooler all year long. How would you like to lower your attic temperature by 20 degrees in the summertime? This could be 30 degrees in the southern U.S.

Whether youre building a new home or have an existing home, Im going to tell you the benefits of an attic radiant barrier.

Let me ask you three questions.

1. In the summer, what is the hottest part of your house?

2. Where is your ductwork located? Attic or crawlspace?

3. Why would you put it in the attic?? (For 90% of you its in the attic, right?)

When consulting on new home construction we advise people not to put the ductwork in the attic. You can lower your cooling loads by as much as 20% just by getting the ductwork out of the attic. Now I know that isnt always possible so we recommend placing the ductwork directly on the ceiling joists and covering it with cellulose insulation. This along with an attic radiant barrier makes for a pretty efficient heating and cooling system.

For existing home construction we advise using an attic radiant barrier that either staples to the bottom of rafters or covers your attic insulation like a blanket.

Using attic radiant barriers is not a new concept. It has been around since 1960. In 1999 Doug Rye decided to use TechShield radiant barrier roof decking on a model home. The builder has his doubts but Doug insisted on using TechShield. After it was installed, the builder was sold on it. It was summertime and he found that it was much cooler working inside the unfinished house once the radiant barrier was installed than it was outside.

Since then we have heard story after story of how radiant barrier lowers the temperature of a house during construction. Weve heard stories from framers where they would rather eat lunch inside the house because its cooler than outside. Even the framers working next door eat lunch with them because its cooler.

The radiant barrier roof decking product is made using a process that laminates a thin, yet durable, sheet of aluminum foil to the surface of OSB board. When the sun strikes a roof, the radiant energy from the sun heats the roof and that heat radiates into the attic.

50%-75% - Radiant Heat Loss

Radiant barrier prevents up to 97 percent of that radiant heat in the roof from radiating in to the attic. As a result, it can lower the attic temperature by 30 degrees. And in the southern U.S. where temperatures easily reach 95 degrees and above, thats a huge difference!

For years, weve been telling homeowners not to put the ductwork in the attic and thats still good advice. But if your ductwork is in the attic, I recommend installing an attic radiant barrier which is available at most home centers.

By reducing temperatures in the attic, you are taking a lot of heat off the ductwork, which means your air conditioner wont have to work as hard and youll save money on your electric bill. And, of course, you also need plenty of cellulose insulation in the attic to keep the heat from radiating into the living areas of the home. Ill cover cellulose insulation in a future issue.

The most common concern people have regarding attic radiant barrier has to do with the temperature of the shingles of the roof. They want to know if it will damage the roof shingles by allowing them to get too hot. Well, the answer is no.

Attic radiant barrier won't melt the shingles. A study in Florida measured the temperatures of roof shingles above radiant barriers and found that the peak temperatures are only 2 to 5 degrees higher than the temperature of shingles on roofs without radiant barriers.

For existing home construction a thin, light weight radiant barrier can be installed. This radiant barrier is either stapled to the underside of the rafters or is laid over the ceiling insulation. This radiant barrier is clean, easy to handle, and requires no special tools or clothing.

A radiant barrier is available at most home improvement centers for around 60 cents per square foot.

Until next month, be safe and God Bless!

Phillip Rye www.philliprye.com

Doug Rye is a nationally recognized energy consultant and licensed architect. Doug also host the "Home Remedies" radio talk show that is broadcast in 15 states.

Phillip Rye is a licensed engineer and has spent the past 15 years studying energy efficiency and energy conservation.

Discover how you can have lower utility bills guaranteed! Visit http://www.dougrye.com

Foundation Repair Contractors

If your house or any part of your property experiences foundation failure, it is not a job you want to correct yourself. In order to do this properly you would have to be extensively trained and have a fast knowledge on the subject. This is not your everyday fixer upper project. Chances are to get the job done right; you are going to need to hire a professional. If you are like some people, this might make you a little uneasy. After all, how many times have you heard about contractors taking advantage of their customers? Some not so ethical contractors will charge you more than the job is worth. If you are a little uneasy calling in a professional, here are some basic guidelines for what to expect from a good foundation repair contractor.

The first thing any foundation repair contractor should do is an initial investigation and then a foundation failure report to some extent. Report will explain how severe the problem is and list the proposed repairs needed. If they are going to have to pier, they much included pier spacing and foundation lines in the reports. This takes some time. It might not be a one visit evaluation. A foundation repair contractor may have to come out, do an investigation and then present you with a formal report at a later time that will detail all the work. If you find a contractor who quotes you a price right then and there, chances are they are not a good one. Also do not be surprised if you are charged a fee for the inspection and the report. Most fees range from a few hundred to almost $1000 dollars. Make sure you ask if that fee will be deducted from the final price of the job once ordered. A qualified and ethical contractor will tell you yes. If they say no...stay away from them

Once the investigation is done and a report is ready, a reliable foundation repair contractor will go through it with you and give you the quoted price. They will also explain that quote and answer any questions you may have. If you are getting quotes by a few foundation repair contractors, bear in mind that the prices should not vary much if they are all doing the same work. This is because the materials should pretty much be the same price for all foundation repairmen. One of the possible reasons for the difference of prices between contractors is the amount of experience they have. A knowledgeable, skillful and experienced contractor might cost a little more money than one who has less experience. Keep this in mind when considering the cheapest contractor. Ask questions about their experience to help ensure you are making the best decision for you, your house and your budget.

Once all the work has been done, you should be given a report that contains all the hydraulic measurements and depths regarding the piers. This report should be saved as it will come in handy if you ever decided to sell you house.

Having foundation failure fixed is a costly project, but by following these guidelines, you will be able to find a foundation repair contractor that you are confident with. Make sure they are one who take pride in their work and are not looking for the quick buck.

For the best network of Foundation Repair Specialists check out http://www.Foundation-Repair.us

Installing Vinyl Flooring

Some people think it is just fine to tile over their vinyl floors, but this is not a good idea. It may save time in the beginning in the installation process, but it will cause a lot of problems later that will take up more time in the long run.

The first problem is that the new tiles will not stick well5B4 over the vinyl. Vinyl has a top layer of plastic which, since it is a slick surface, will not give the porousness necessary for the tiles to stick well, not matter what kind of glue you use. Some people think they will get around this by roughing up and sanding the surface to make it adhere better, but this will not make a big difference. Since the tiles are not going to stick to the underfloor, they will eventually lift, and you will have to replace parts or maybe even the entire floor. No time saved there.

The second problem is that you will not have a level surface. To make sure your floor is completely level is hard enough when you are working with a new sub floor, but if you have vinyl with varying heights of adhesive under it, it is next to impossible.

The third problem is the surface under the floor may not be the right kind for tiles. Vinyl can be installed over 1/4" plywood or particle board, but these are not approved surfaces for tile. If you put the tiles over the vinyl on these surfaces, you will end up with a floor that moves and can therefore crack and lift easily. If you get this kind of lift or flex, you will have to replace the floor since replacing one tile is very difficult. First of all, lifting it out without damage to the other tiles is not easy, and after your tiles have been down a while, you will not be able to match them perfectly.

If you insist on leaving the vinyl down, you have to do a co5B0mpletely different kind of preparation for the floor. You have to screw down the vinyl and cover it with a mortar base using mesh and concrete. If you don't want to deal with concrete, you will have to put a new sub floor down over the vinyl. Some new products are out now that will help avoid cracks in tiles that are laid on wooden sub floors. But all of these work seems harder than just lifting the vinyl, so why not just do that? In addition, the problems of lifting and unevenness will not only be unattractive, they may also be dangerous.

If you absolutely have to leave the vinyl down, you should have a professional tile installer look over the job. They will discuss your all of you options and help you decide. Moreover, a professional will also advise you about the best brand of the tile to buy and may be even suggest dealers from where you can get discount laminate flooring.

The collaborator Ray Walberg is very excited about themes associated to discount floors. You can find his observations on discount laminate flooring at http://www.insidewoodworking.com24C and many different sources for discount laminate flooring news.

Self Development And Growth

When starting out the the area of self development and growth, one of the most important anAA8d basic skills to learn is the skill to deal with issues in your life.

Many sources often overlook the process of how to change. The process is long and hard, and often you will lose motivation and forget your goals for self improvement. While you may yearn for instant gratification and instant change, the reality is that it just wont happen overnight. Habits take a long time to form and break; deeper psychological issues that a long time to resolve.

Often when people deal with their issues, they're dealing with it in a LOGICAL manner. This doesn't motivate you because motivation is EMOTIONAL. When you feel emotionally affected towards the issue, you will have the drive to resolve the emotions. This is the basis for my model of dealing with issues.

Without further ado, here it is: Dealing with issues, the 4 steps.

1. Figure out what the issue is.

This first point is ridiculously obvious, but incredibly important and oftentimes looked over. In many instances, we believe that we're dealing with one problem when in reality we're actually facing problems with a deeper inner issue.

For example, in the world of dating and relationships, the actual act of meeting members of the opposite sex can be quite daunting. The possibility of rejection, the fear that they will dislike you is present. No one likes to think that they are incompetent with the opposite sex, and this is the issue that may arise and challenge them if they approach and get rejected. So they sit at the back of the bar with their friends talking about how they're 'pimps' and 'could pick up anyone in this bar' but 'they don't want to' because 'no one here is worth it'.

What is happening here is an avoidance of the real issue: they depend on other's approval and reactions to feel good about themselves. An issue of low self esteem and low self confidence.

This issue would not be realised without some serious hard thinking and the ability to see things for what they really are. Your mind and ego will throw up a million different cognitions to throw you off the real issue because the truth hurts your sense of self.

This first point is ridiculously simple yet hard to realize.

2. Experience the issue.

This is different. I swear by this technique 100%.

When you figure out what the issue is, it's going to try and hide. It's going to throw up excuses as to why you have those cognitions. You're going to want to avoid the issue. Yeah that's right, you know what I'm talking about. This is the nerd realising that they suck with women but rationalising it as due to their studies or the fact that they "don't have time", then using that as a constanB07t excuse not to GO OUT and MEET women. Or the woman who has emotional issues that affect her relationships but blames her relationship problems on her looks.

By experience the issue I mean to feel it fully. You KNOW it's there, you aren't going to avoid it. You just broke up with your partner? It feels crap. Don't avoid having the feelings. You're scared of chatting up that cutie? Don't avoid the issue. Immerse yourself in the experience of feeling like that.

Only then do you have a solid base for your motivation to get the problem fixed.

3. Act on resolving the issue

After experiencing the feelings that you don't want to feel, make a decision to ACT upon the issues. After all, just pointlessly making yourself feel bad is... pointless. So what did you do? Make a commitment to take steps forward in solve the issue. If you're afraid that people will 'reject' you then approach people until you emotionally realise that 'rejection' by a stranger means nothing more than the fact that you approached them in the wrong way. If you're avoiding exercise because of an underlying issue of laziness, get out there and exercise! Do you actually WANT to be unhealthy? How does being unhealthy feel?

Experiencing the issue should give you the MOTIVATION to ACT on the issue. If you don't act, you'll just stay the same. Do you really want to feel the way you felt when you were experiencing the issue? I doubt it.

4. Figure out your other issues

In self improvement, it is critical to remember that your problems will NEVER end and you will ALWAYS have issues to deal with. Reality is harsh.

If you're serious about improving yourself, keeping this in mind will help you a lot. You will always have something to fix. Take a break once in a while, moderate how much you work on yourself, but never forget that you always have something to improve. Read "The way of the superior man" by David Deida. It gives a good description of this point.

I'd dare say your not as good with women as you wish you were, your looking for something that can take you above and beyond 99% of men for free, it's here, you just have to reach out and grab it.

Have fun,

-- Solace

Japanese Bathtubs - A Tradition For The Future

A Japanese bathtub, sometimes called an Ofuro, is usually around twice the size of a standard American style bathtub. It is deeper and often rounder, to allow the bather to sit comfortably with their knees bent. The water, which is kept at a high temperature, is up to the bather's chest. This position is said to aid relaxation and meditation, which makes for a very therapeutic bathing experience.

The Japanese bathtub is rapidly gaining popularity throughout the world. As people become more interested in personal wellbeing and healthy living through homeopathy and natural remedies, the Japanese style of bathing compliments these ideas perfectly. The hot water is said to stimulate blood circulation and have positive effects on the overall health of body and mind.

Another benefit of these unique bath tubs is that they are generally much more compact - deeper, but more upright - and therefore suitable for smaller spaces than the standard size tubs. They can also easily be adapted to become walk-in style tubs for the elderly or infirm.

The original style of Japanese bathtub was always made of wood. The natural wood was said to add to the therapeutic powers of the bath and was particularly favored in hot spring facilities and spas. Nowadays ceramics, porcelain, fiberglass and even stainless steel models are available to suit a range of pockets.

Bathtubs from Japan are traditionally for soaking rather then washing. In fact, actually washing in your tub would be seriously scorned by most Japanese people. Washing, scrubbing and hair washing will take place before entering the bath and soaking for up to one hour in hot water. The body should be clean and pure before bathing as any residual soap or grime will contaminate the waters.

In a Japanese public bathhouse - which are still very popular and well worth a visit if you ever have the opportunity - ritual and tradition can be rather tricky. Do a bit of research before you go and follow the lead of the locals. The overall experience is sure to be blissfully relaxing.

The basic things to remember are that no soap is to be used in the tubs. No outside or 'toilet shoes' (these are for use strictly in the toilet areas, and changed as soon as you depart the area) are to be worn in the bathhouse. Bare feet are not really acceptable as your feet should be clean to bathe. Nudity is expected, and since male and female segregation is the norm this is not an issue for most. Lastly, the water is very hot - enter the waters slowly and be careful.

Japanese bathtubs are noth the only accessory that can go into your bathroom. Visit us today to learn more about how to install a bath tub and why a corner bathroom vanity is something you should check out.

Asking For Help

Asking for help is not something we do naturally. We often find it painfully difficult to do because it makes us feel vulnerable, weak or ashamed; and so our fears of rejection and embarrassment get in the way.

In reality, the only real weakness is NOT asking for help. The smartest people I know understand that they do not know everything, and seek to fill those gaps in their knowledge or ability with people who do.

Life is about learning and growth and in the process, we all need help from time to time along the tricky patches. Beyond each challenge awaits an opportunity for growth; and by asking for help when we need it, we discover solutions, gain new insights, and ultimately empower ourselves.

Why It Is Smart To Ask For Help

If you reach out and ask, you will find that help does arrive and your needs are met, often exceeding your highest hopes! Just take a look at some of the reasons why it is smart to ask for help when you feel stuck:

The help you need is more likely to B68arrive if you ask for it! Keeping your problems under wraps does nothing to resolve them, so why not do something positive about it?

Asking for help lets you manage your energy more effectively. Life balance is all about managing your energy. When you ask for help with a difficulty, it frees up more energy for other areas of your life.

It opens opportunities to connect to others in new ways. Asking for help makes others aware of how they can support us and strengthens interpersonal ties.

When we ask for help, we open the door to learning. By opening up to input from others, we expand our own growth and awareness.

By breaking through fear and facing the challenge of asking, we reclaim our power! Our greatest gifts lie just beyond the things we fear the most so ask for help even when you fear the repercussions and you will reclaim your power!

How To Ask For Help

Another important aspect of finding help lies in knowing how to ask for it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you need help:

Ask for help as soon as you realize you need it. Ignored problems often escalate and become huge issues that drain energy and resources.

Recognize that everyone (including you!) deserves a helping hand, for it is in supporting one another that we all benefit and grow.

Accept that you have nothing to lose except your fear. If the person you approach can help, youll learn from the experience. If they turn you down, you can approach another.

Go to someone you trust. If they dont have the answer, theyll likely know someone who does.

Be clear on what you need. The proven words are, I need your help. Simple and to the point!

Give the person as much detail as possible. Even if you dont understand what the exact problem is, document what you know about the circumstances as well as what you need.

Get a commitment. Ask if they are able to support you and in what capacity. Getting a commitment will set your mind at ease and alleviate a lot of stress. Even if they cannot help you themselves, they may offer valuable suggestions or refer you to someone who can help. Either way, youll benefit!

When you find the solution to your problem, document it for future reference. You might run into that problem again someday when no-one is around to help, or you might pass along the information to someone else in need.

Next time you feel exhausted and overwhelmed, ask for the help you need and deserve. Ask despite your fears and with a focus on the rewards. Doing so can provide you with much more than just the help you needed.

Copyright 2006 Ada Porat

Ada Porat facilitates personal development through the integrati3D6on of body, mind and spirit. She enjoys international recognition as an inspirational speaker, teacher, author and practitioner at the leading edge of personal growth and well-being. To sign up for Ada's inspirational monthly newsletter, visit http://www.AdaPorat.com

Building With People Tip

From my earliest days in Sunday school, I have remembered the words that a wise man builds his house upon the rock and the foolish man builds upon the sand. For 50 years, I thought this probably sound advice for someone about to build a house. It never dawned on me that it might have some other application until I heard the following quote from Peter Drucker. The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths in ways that make weaknesses irrelevant.

That statement unlocked doors in my mind and with it came the realization that success really does come from building on strengths. All too often we focus on problems (weaknesses = sand) and struggle to overcome them when in fact, we would be much better off focusing on what is working (strengths = rock) and building on them.

Over the course of my career, I have had a variety of bosses. Most tried to fix me. I did have one boss who stood up before the whole sales organization and told them he had complete faith in me. I didnt realize it at the time, but my boss motivated me in a way that I would have walked through fire for him.

In fact, I didnt really understand what he had done and how it affected me until I became soccer coach and tried a positive approach to leadership. By praising the desired actions of players, I was encouraging the other players to perform in a similar fashion. You get what you praise and reward (a lesson some organizations including our government should learn). In reality, I was building on strengths (the rock) just as my boss had done.

What about your organization? Are you still playing in the sand or are you building on rock?

 Copyright Bob Cannon/The Cannon Advantage, 2007. All rights reserved.

Byline Bob Cannon helps visionary leaders enhance performance and profitability in their organizations. Check out other interesting articles available in the Taking Aim newsletter available at http://www.cannonadvantage.com . Bob can be reached at (216) 408-9495 or mailto: aim@cannonadvantage.com

This article courtesy of http://www.decision-makingtoday.com . You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.