Remodeling
LED Lighting
Mon/May/2010 11:05
LED lighting is well on its way to emerging as a real contender in the residential market.
LED's are being used in many commercial applications, as the energy savings are more quickly realized in such large scale applications, resulting in more immediate savings. As this market continues to grow however, the prices are starting to drop due to the larger demand and manufacturing streamlining, which means that they will continue to become a more affordable option for home owners. While still costly right now at $50 - $100 a bulb, the long-term savings are very promising.
Did you know that the applications for LED lighting have grown to include undercabinet, curio, recessed lighting, and several types of bulbs, including regular lamps, chandeliers and even replacements for office/ closet type fluorescents? These lights are much better than CFL’s in a few important ways. First and foremost, there is no toxic mercury in these. Second, you can choose from a variety of different colors (temperatures) to suit your tastes and/ or tasks; from warm to cool and even full spectrum light (think grow lights or light therapy). The color rendering of LED's has become so good that you can use it for both ambient and task lighting, and with as much as a 60,000 hour lifespan, it will outlast even CFL's by many years. Thirdly, you can dim them! If you use our favorite dimmer, Lutron, check here to make sure the brand of LED you choose works with their dimmers.
The new LED's are well positioned to replace all our lighting needs, even the Halogen and Xenon lighting that we're all accustomed to using for undercabinet, curio and rail lighting. As well as the obvious energy savings, another major benefit of replacing these fixtures with LED's is that they do not get hot like the Halogens and Xenons do, (think chocolate on the bottom shelf of a cabinet with traditional undercabinet lighting). Halogen and Xenon lighting have been the best choice of light for task lighting in the kitchen for many years, however LED light technology has caught up and as manufacturing increases, the initial cost will continue to come down, eventually replacing these with this green, super energy efficient, long lasting, non-toxic alternative.
Because the investment upfront is still quite costly, one thought to consider is converting your bulbs in stages or a few at a time rather than all at once. Also, remember that with the investment and life span of these bulbs, you’ll want to add them to your “packing” list if, and or when, you are planning a move.
The average lifespan for the three types of bulbs:
Incandescent 1500 hours
CFL's 10,000 hours
LED's 60,000 hours
LED's are being used in many commercial applications, as the energy savings are more quickly realized in such large scale applications, resulting in more immediate savings. As this market continues to grow however, the prices are starting to drop due to the larger demand and manufacturing streamlining, which means that they will continue to become a more affordable option for home owners. While still costly right now at $50 - $100 a bulb, the long-term savings are very promising.
Did you know that the applications for LED lighting have grown to include undercabinet, curio, recessed lighting, and several types of bulbs, including regular lamps, chandeliers and even replacements for office/ closet type fluorescents? These lights are much better than CFL’s in a few important ways. First and foremost, there is no toxic mercury in these. Second, you can choose from a variety of different colors (temperatures) to suit your tastes and/ or tasks; from warm to cool and even full spectrum light (think grow lights or light therapy). The color rendering of LED's has become so good that you can use it for both ambient and task lighting, and with as much as a 60,000 hour lifespan, it will outlast even CFL's by many years. Thirdly, you can dim them! If you use our favorite dimmer, Lutron, check here to make sure the brand of LED you choose works with their dimmers.
The new LED's are well positioned to replace all our lighting needs, even the Halogen and Xenon lighting that we're all accustomed to using for undercabinet, curio and rail lighting. As well as the obvious energy savings, another major benefit of replacing these fixtures with LED's is that they do not get hot like the Halogens and Xenons do, (think chocolate on the bottom shelf of a cabinet with traditional undercabinet lighting). Halogen and Xenon lighting have been the best choice of light for task lighting in the kitchen for many years, however LED light technology has caught up and as manufacturing increases, the initial cost will continue to come down, eventually replacing these with this green, super energy efficient, long lasting, non-toxic alternative.
Because the investment upfront is still quite costly, one thought to consider is converting your bulbs in stages or a few at a time rather than all at once. Also, remember that with the investment and life span of these bulbs, you’ll want to add them to your “packing” list if, and or when, you are planning a move.
The average lifespan for the three types of bulbs:
Incandescent 1500 hours
CFL's 10,000 hours
LED's 60,000 hours
PCC Intern
Mon/Feb/2010 11:48
SHRD welcomes Raymond Chan, our intern from PCC! Raymond is a student of PCC's Building Construction Technology course; Design/Build Remodeling. He will be working/studying with us for the next several months as part of his course work in Design/Build Remodeling. We're happy to have you here Raymond!
Delta's new Faucet with "Touch ₂0 Technology"
Sat/Nov/2009 11:49
I can't even begin to tell you how many times in a week I go to my faucet after having had my hands in ground beef making hamburger patties, or having just cut up a chicken or roast and I cringe as I reach for the faucet to turn it on with my messy hands or try to contort my arms and hands in such a way as to not transfer the mess to my faucet handle. Well, here is a great idea to fix that issue! Not only is this a convenient solution to an age old problem, but it's green too since you can easily stop the flow of water when you don't need it. The only thing that would make this better is if the soap dispenser worked the same way!
To learn more about this new faucet, visit Delta's website here.
To learn more about this new faucet, visit Delta's website here.
Kitchen Sinks
Mon/Aug/2009 02:34
The “Apron” or “Farmhouse" sink in our kitchen display is made by Shaw. It is made the old fashioned way using Fireclay along with a state of the art kiln. Shaw sinks can last over 100 years with simple care and maintenance and come with a 25 year guarantee against fading and staining. You can also purchase a repair kit in case you were to accidently damage the glaze. For more information about these sinks visit Rohl's website.
Energy Tax Credits Summary
Thu/Jun/2009 02:57
Summary of the 2009 Federal Tax Incentives for Home Improvement
The 2009 stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) made significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The highlights of these changes are:
The tax credits that were previously effective only for 2009 have been extended to 2010.
The tax credit percentage has been raised from 10% to 30%.
The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC) have been converted to 30% of the cost.
The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for 2009 and 2010. However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum credit and are in effect through 2016.
Tax Credits for Home Owners:
Home improvement tax credits are available for home improvements "placed in service" from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010. Any qualified home improvements made in 2008 are not eligible for the tax credit.
The tax credits are available for:
What else do I need to know?
Improvements made in 2009 will be claimed on your 2009 taxes (filed by April 15, 2010) — use IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) — it will be available late 2009 or early 2010
If you are building a new home, you can qualify for the tax credit for geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, solar water heaters, small wind systems and fuel cells, but not the tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters.
Note: Not all ENERGY STAR labeled products qualify for tax credit.
The 2009 stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) made significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The highlights of these changes are:
The tax credits that were previously effective only for 2009 have been extended to 2010.
The tax credit percentage has been raised from 10% to 30%.
The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC) have been converted to 30% of the cost.
The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for 2009 and 2010. However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum credit and are in effect through 2016.
Tax Credits for Home Owners:
Home improvement tax credits are available for home improvements "placed in service" from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010. Any qualified home improvements made in 2008 are not eligible for the tax credit.
The tax credits are available for:
- Insulation
- Replacement windows
- Non-solar water heaters
- Specific high efficiency heating and cooling equipment
What else do I need to know?
- Must be for taxpayer’s principal residence.
- Must have a Manufacturer Certification Statement to qualify.
- For record keeping, save your receipts and the Manufacturer Certification Statement.
Improvements made in 2009 will be claimed on your 2009 taxes (filed by April 15, 2010) — use IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) — it will be available late 2009 or early 2010
If you are building a new home, you can qualify for the tax credit for geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, solar water heaters, small wind systems and fuel cells, but not the tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters.
Note: Not all ENERGY STAR labeled products qualify for tax credit.
Stanley Home Renovation on CNN
Thu/Apr/2009 08:01
The Economy has been a hot topic for many media outlets these days and one day last March, we received a phone call from Tom Foreman of CNN. He found us on the web and called us to talk about how the remodeling industry is fairing in this economic roller coaster.
While new home sales have declined dramatically, interest in remodeling and renovations has increased as people decide that they are better off to stay where they are and update their existing homes now. Low mortgage rates, tax credits and incentives for first time home buyers as well as a significant drop in material costs from major suppliers makes for a really good value for homeowners looking to update and expand.
While new home sales have declined dramatically, interest in remodeling and renovations has increased as people decide that they are better off to stay where they are and update their existing homes now. Low mortgage rates, tax credits and incentives for first time home buyers as well as a significant drop in material costs from major suppliers makes for a really good value for homeowners looking to update and expand.
Tags:economy, Kitchens & Baths, LED, CFL, Lutron, Incandescent, remodeling, green, mercury, dimmers, energy, halogen, xenon, light bulbs, lighting, undercabinet lights, task lighting, ambient lighting