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President Obama said: Nuclear, Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, Solar Energy, … We Will Need More of Them All. I Say We Need Them All Less.

President Obama

I am not sure if it is the triple catastrophe in Japan, the War in Afghanistan, the unrest in Libya, the Oil Leak in the Gulf, or our own Economic Situation here in the U.S., but it seems to me that we are all paying more attention to where our energy comes from these days.  As you may know, these all ultimately affect our energy supply here and the price we pay for it.  I heard President Obama say in several recent speeches that we will need Coal, Oil, Nuclear, Natural Gas, Solar, Wind, … all of these energy sources to feed our future energy demands.  That currently seems fairly obvious to me, but We MUST also do LESS right Now.

As I understand it, the Human Population  continues to increase around the world every day. This Human Population lives and feeds all off of the same Earth that is not increasing in size.  I also understand that not only is the Human Population rising daily but each humans energy demand on average around the world continues to increase every day.  This must therefore ultimately result in the fact that we humans will continue to need more energy tomorrow than we did yesterday for eternity, OR until something is done to change it.  I am not saying that we should begin to decrease the human population, I am however saying what I rarely hear our political or business leaders saying which is that “Each And Every One Of Us Must Decrease Our Energy Demands NOW!” We need to do LESS, not more more more.

Saying this goes against my college business professors teachings about profitable business practices since my business benefits from Solar Energy sales, and that may be why we are not hearing this from our government and business leaders.  Doing less and using less

Coal Factory Polution

energy doesn’t benefit many governments and businesses that rely or benefit from human energy demands (Oil, Coal, Natural Gas, Nuclear,  …).  I must say this because if we do not start doing less and using less energy now then the world issues mentioned above will continue and continue to increase.

There are many many things we can all do each day to lessen our energy demands on our planet Earth.  I believe it starts first with understanding that YOU must play a part NOW to start saving our planet Earth.  Do not rely on large corporations, government, Sheriff Joe, your Mom, anyone to make you do this.  WE all must begin now to make this change.  So I am going to make it as easy as I can to assist and have listed below 60 Energy Saving Tips you can do around your home, business, etc.   I hope these will help:

60 Energy Saving Tips You Can Use to Start to Lessen Your Energy Demand and Start Saving Money Today.

1.       Reduce Phantom Energy Use – Did you know that electrical appliances that are plugged in to sockets consume energy even when not in use? Leaving every appliance on “standby” can be a real money spender. Make sure to pull as many plugs as you can whenever your appliances aren’t in use. Some stuff must remain plugged in, but items like cell phone chargers, computer peripherals should be unplugged. Try using power strips with and ON/OFF switch to make it easier.

2.       Review the power settings on your computers. Make sure you take advantage of the energy saving mode and put them to sleep

Erus Builders, Solar Photovoltaic Project

when not in use.

3.       Convert your water heater to a Solar Hot Water Heating System. Heating water accounts for 33% of the average home’s monthly energy consumption.

4.       Turn down temperature of water heaters. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs – and it will reduce mineral build up and help your water heater last longer. Consult your water heater owner’s manual for instructions on how to operate the thermostat. You can find a thermostat dial for a gas storage water heater near the bottom of the tank on the gas valve. Electric water heaters, on the other hand, may have thermostats positioned behind screw-on plates or panels. As a safety precaution, shut off the electricity to the water heater before removing/opening the panels. Keep in mind that an electric water heater may have two thermostats—one each for the upper and lower heating elements.

5.       If you plan to be away from home for at least 3 days, turn the water heater thermostat down to the lowest setting or completely turn off the water heater. To turn off an electric water heater, switch off the circuit breaker to it. For a gas water heater, make sure you know how to safely relight the pilot light before turning it off.

6.       The openings and leaks in doors and windows create the biggest heat and A/C energy loss in most homes. The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled – in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer homes, the problems may be few as today’s’ builders take more attention to sealing drafts potential areas and slots. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are insulated, air leaks often occur around wall outlets, switches and vents that could result in water condensation around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.

7.       Cooking – There are a number of techniques for saving energy in the kitchen. Although you won’t save as much with cooking as some of our other tips, it all ads up.

8.       Use your microwave! There is excellent microwave cookware available today and it really improves the outcome of microwave cooking.

9.       Use a crock pot and a microwave oven for baking. These are the cheapest ways to bake.

10.   Open the oven door only when necessary. Oven temperature drops 25-30 degrees every time you open the door. Instead, use the oven light and glass window in the door to check on your food without opening the door.

11.   Use glass and ceramic pans when baking. They retain heat better than metal pans and allow you to lower the baking temperature by 25 degrees.

12.   Isolate the kitchen. If the oven is on for an hour or more, close doors leading to the kitchen to keep the kitchen from heating up the rest of the house. If you have a stove exhaust fan, use it.

13.   CFL light bulbs are BIG energy savers. Compact florescent Light bulbs (also known as Carbon Fluorescent Lamps) can reduce your lighting energy costs by over 60%. They cost more than regular incandescent light bulbs, but you’ll be saving more than the difference on your electric bill, AND they last for 10 years or more so you don’t need to replace them nearly as often. Replacing a single 75 watt bulb with its CFL equivalent saves $22.00 per year. Multiply that by all the light bulbs you burn and it adds up fast.

14.   Here’s one for the near future. Keep an eye out for LED lighting. The “Super LEDs” are starting to hit the home stores and these will be far superior to CFL bulbs in terms of energy used and they’ll last almost forever. Some people don’t like the quality of light they give off at first, but you get used to it pretty quickly.

15.   Clean appliances regularly. Dirt and dust interferes with the efficiency of appliances. Also, allow about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat in the summer months to prevent your walls from retaining the heat.

16.   When replacing appliances, always try to buy the most energy efficient models available. All appliances are labeled with this information today and it is simple to comparison shop. These seem to last longer too for some reason.

17.   Keeping an old model refrigerator increases your monthly energy bill by as much as $80. The newer models are energy efficient and run cooler – they don’t release as much heat into the room. Positioned the refrigerator away from other heat radiating appliances like the dishwasher or ovens and stoves. Even a single thin base cabinet between the fridge and stove will improve energy efficiency.

18.   If you maintain the temperature of the refrigerator at the right level, you can save as much as 25% on energy consumption. Most people run their refrigerator too cold. Gradually turn the temperature up over several days until you reach a setting that still sufficiently cools.  Surprisingly, the half-way setting is usually good enough.

19.   Often you can simply replace the door gaskets on older refrigerators and/or freezers and achieve some degree of energy savings. There are kits available for this project at most home centers or through appliance repair shops.

20.   Air drying your dishes will save energy instead of putting them inside the dishwasher. Even if you use the dishwasher, turn off the heated dry function on and you will save between 15% and 50% of the energy used in the dishwashing cycle. There may be a few more spots on the glasses than usual, but they will be just as clean.

21.   Clothes dyers use a lot of energy. Whenever possible, air or sun drying should be done.

22.   Washing laundry in cold water saves 75% of the energy used.

23.   Also, make sure you do full loads of laundry and wash less often.  When you must do a smaller load, remember to adjust the water level and machine settings.

24.   Shades and curtains are a good way to regulate the temperature and let the light in a room.

25.   Adding a reflective stick on tinting film boosts the savings even more.

26.   Most homes in the colder regions now have double or triple pane replacement windows. If yours doesn’t, eventually your windows will need replaced. When they do, definitely spend the extra money.  You’ll get it back in reduced heating costs.

27.   In the winter time, remember to close the damper in your fireplace when not in use to keep the drafts out and to keep your heat from escaping up the chimney. Just remember to open it again before you light another fire!

28.   In many parts of the country, ceiling fans are enough to cool a home that is well insulated.

29.   Trees, vines and shrubs around a house can provide strategic shade to help in cooling your home. Windows and roofs may absorb heat and, consequently increase your air conditioning bill. Incorporating trees in your house landscape may reduce these cooling costs. I’ve seen estimates as high as 10%.

30.   Buy energy efficient office equipment – computers, fax machines, scanners, printers, monitors and multifunction devices (scanner, copier, and fax). Some ENERGY STAR office equipment can save as much as 90% of the standard energy consumption. Most ENERGY STAR office equipments consume 50% less energy.

31.   An ENERGY STAR computer is 70% more energy efficient than computers without this designation.

32.   Some office equipment that does not have to be turned on all the time should be shut down and unplugged because they still draw power when turned off.

33.   Turn off the computer monitor if you are going for a break.

34.   Manually turn off your computer if you are leaving for an hour or more.

35.   Avoid using screensavers because they consume the same amount of energy as with normal computer use. Activating the computer’s sleep mode is also a better way to save energy.

36.   Do not believe that office equipment should always be turned on because it will last longer. Practicing this belief may only result to higher electric bills.

37.   On your next upgrade, consider buying a laptop as a computer replacement. They consume less energy than desktop computers and have become just as powerful.

38.   When the battery chargers are not in use or if the batteries are fully charged, unplug the charger immediately.

39.   Set up your home office where you can utilize the natural light to minimize the use of lamps and room lights.

40.   If you are working at night, Use a desk lamp with CFL that consume less energy instead of using overhead room lights.

41.   Consider replacing your home’s thermostat with a digital programmable upgrade. These are usually available for under $100 and can easily pay for themselves over less than a year. They can be programmed to change the temperature during certain times of day (example, reducing the heat or A/C during the day when nobody is home, and then raising it 30 minutes before you get home. Same can be done for nighttime when everyone is asleep).

42.   Replace the filters on your home’s heating and cooling systems monthly.

43.   Insulate – Attics and crawl spaces should be insulated with fiberglass batting.  Expanding foam is great for gaps and openings all around the house. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated.

44.   Education – Teaching your kids the importance of saving energy should be your first goal. Take note that making them understand the value of being energy efficient is more effective than enumerating the ways to save energy and leaving it at that. Teach them how conserving energy helps the environment. Tell them stories or read educational books about the importance of energy.

45.   Lead by example – Practice what you preach. You may have listed and posted a litany of things-to-do to conserve energy but if you don’t follow them yourself, you cannot expect your kids to follow it too. Do not just tell them to turn the lights off before leaving their room; show them by always turning the lights off every time you leave a room in your house. Education and leading by example are a good combination if you want to make good habits stick.

46.   Make it fun – Find educational materials where your kids will learn the value of conserving energy as well as the ways to do it.

47.   Get your kids involved – Have them help with energy saving DIY projects around the house.

48.   Teach your kids according to their age – Kids of different ages have different attitude on things around them. If your 5-year son doesn’t know how to turn off the lights before leaving the room, all you need to do is to talk to him well about its importance and showing him that you practice what you teach. Here are some easy ones:

a.       Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

b.      Always turn the lights off before leaving the room.

c.       Turn the computer off after use.

d.      Do not hold the refrigerator open.

49.   Remember the push mower? Seriously! They work great on a smaller lawn and it is really kind of fun. Plus, it is also good exercise.

50.   Rake your leaves instead of vacuuming or mowing them. There is also a sense of nostalgia in using this traditional tool.

51.   Go Solar.

52.   Where is your thermostat? Is it by a part of the house that gets cooler or hotter than the rest? If so, try to block that area off or relocate the thermostat.  If your thermostat is by a drafty basement or front door, or window, you might have the same problem in the winter time.

53.   If the temperature outside is comfortably warm or cold, turn off your heating or cooling system.

54.   During heat season, open the drapes of the south-facing windows to allow natural light to enter your home.

55.   Close the curtains at night to prevent cool winds from coming in.

56.   During winter, keep the drapes and shades closed to help reduce heat loss.

57.   Eat Salads – On hot summer days, grill some chicken breasts on the George and have a big salad. Avoid running the oven or cook-top. Save Energy, keep the house cooler – Its all good.

58.   Washing your clothes in cold water will reduce washer’s energy consumption by as much as 90%. Air drying eliminates the energy use for machine drying.

59.   Check for leaks and cracks in the gasket around refrigerator doors.  Make sure that your refrigerator is completely sealed to maintain the temperature inside.

60.   Perform a web-based home energy audit at http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11160 , compliments of the U.S Dept of Energy.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this and more importantly thank you for doing your part to reverse our human energy demands on our planet.  Feel free to add tips you would like to share in the comments below.

Jimi Holt

Erus Builders

Does Social Media Marketing (SMM) really work? A simple test and a few tips to get your information posted online and drive customers to your websites.

Social Media Website icons
Social Media Website icons

By now you are aware of the buzz surrounding Social Media Marketing (SMM) and realize there is a great opportunity to market yourself and your business online.  There are numerous options for you to get your information on major search engines by paying for online advertising and hiring SMM “experts” to assist with marketing your company, products and services.  However, with a little effort on your part, you can get listed at the top of major search engine websites for free.

First let’s see how you stack up.  Try searching your name, your company name, and your product or service on several of the major search engines (i.e. google, yahoo, msn, etc.).  If you are not listed several times on the first page of each of these websites then you have come to the right place.

I need to tell you that I am not a social media marketing guru.  I am a small business owner, probably like yourself, that has learned and implemented some simple techniques to accomplish search engine result success.   Feel free to try by also searching for my name (Jimi Holt) and my company name (Erus Builders) on the same search engine websites.  Several months ago you would not have found any information on me or my company by conducting the same searches.  I am self taught and have learned from some of the best online marketing experts.  You can have fast results if you put forth the time and effort to make it happen.  Remember that your online presence is critical to the future success of your business so the time required should be looked at as an investment in your future income stream.  Also take note of the links (websites) that were listed under the search results when you did the search for my name and my company.  These are the same websites that you need to visit to set up your personal and company profiles (for free) to achieve similar results (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter,  YouTube, Squidoo, Google, MSN, Yahoo, Plaxo, EzineArticles, MySpace, StumbleUpon).  This will also drive traffic from these popular websites to your personal website, blog or business websites so make sure you have them listed as links on the websites I have listed above.

Good luck with your online marketing efforts and remember to have fun with it.  Feel free to contact me with questions but you will find that the websites are easy to set up and are very user friendly.  Visit our websites to the right to get ideas on how to set up your pages.  So, get your information out there, make sure it is good content, update it often, and let me know how it works for you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article post.

Jimi Holt

Erus Builders

Construction Project Schedule. Tutorial of understanding building project schedules.

The video below walks thru the importance of a construction schedule and what you need to know about project schedules for any type of building project.  Home remodels, renovations, additions, home improvement projects, commercial construction projects, tenant improvements, etc., all should have a construction schedule prior to starting the project.  Watch this video to understand the importance of a project schedule.

What are Pre-Construction Services I keep hearing builders and contractors talking about?

Pre-construction Services are additional services that some builders and construction managers will provide to clients at the front end of a construction project prior to starting.  The main purpose of pre-construction services is to assist the client from the beginning of a project at project conception in achieving their design and budget goals.  The end result of the pre-construction process is typically saving the client time and money.  I will go into greater detail of what services the contractor may include below.  Builders and Construction Managers typically charge a fee for pre-construction services.

 

 

What does the Contractor include in the Pre-Construction Services?

The services provided by builders and construction managers during the pre-construction phase of a project will vary depending on the point at which they were hired on the project and the particular type of project.  Below is a list of what your contractor may provide during the pre-construction process.

 

  • Understanding the Mission, the Ultimate Goal. 

The contractor will need to fully understand what the client wants to achieve.  Everything must be disclosed in order for the process to succeed:  Budgets, Design Ideas, Location, Timeline, Personality Concerns, etc.  It is very important for the client to understand that everything associated with the project must be openly shared with the builder at this point.

 

  • Project Site Review. 

The contractor will walk the project site to provide information on:  utilities, local government jurisdiction concerns, construction ideas, soil conditions.

 

  • Construction Team Recommendations. 

The builder may provide you with suggestions on other organizations that will need to be a part of the construction team.  Some of these may include:  Architects, Lenders, Engineers, Designers, Real Estate Agents, Land Brokers, Insurance Brokers.

 

  • Preliminary Estimates. 

At different phases of the pre-construction process your contractor may provide you with preliminary cost estimates.  As the project continues to develop the preliminary estimates can be updated and the information become more accurate. 

 

  • Value Engineering / Scope Reduction. 

Should there be a discrepancy between initial designs and client budgets, the contractor can recommend alternate materials and construction methods to bring then in sync. 

 

  • Constructability and Material Suggestions. 

As the project design is developing, the builder will periodically review the construction drawings and documents to make suggestions on materials, construction related concerns, and building systems.  This is also a good time to discuss green building options.

 

  • Scheduling. 

The preliminary construction schedule works a lot like the preliminary estimate.  The builder will develop a preliminary construction schedule showing the timelines of the different activities that will occur during the construction process.  This schedule will be periodically updated as the project design evolves.

 

  • Bidding. 

The contractor will put the construction drawings and documents out for bid when the following conditions are met:  construction drawings are 100% complete, all drawings and documents have been approved by the client, the documents are in sync with the latest estimate and schedule.  Once the contractor has received all their bids, they can then present a cost proposal to the client.  At this point, if you have not already done so, you will want to discuss the Construction Contract / Agreement and if there are other options to discuss.

 

I strongly suggest that a builder, contractor, construction manager, construction consultant be hired for pre-construction services for all construction projects.  You will  never understand all of the benefits this service will provide the client and project unless you have been thru the headaches of a project without it.  The minor fees that are charged for pre-construction services will ultimately be nominal compared to the time and money they will save the client.

 

Tip from the Builder: prepare your home, building, land and property for summer.

There are a few things that you will need to do to prepare your house, land, building, property for the upcoming summer.  The weather has changed and your building or property needs your help to prepare.  These items will vary depending on your location and environment. 

Conditioned Air Space:

You may need to change your mechanical units (HVAC) from Heating to Cooling.  There should be a switch on the controller or thermostat that will allow you to make this adjustment.  Be sure to also replace your air filters.

Lawn Irrigation:

The plants and grass will need changes made to the watering schedule.  Make sure to adjust the irrigation timer for each individual zone.

Pool / Water feature:

Pools and water features will require additional attention during hotter days.  You will need to adjust the pump filter timer and possibly the chemicals required for the summer months.

Ceiling Fans:

There should be a small lever on the side of your ceiling fans to change the direction of the fan for the summer.  If you changed the direction for this past winter, be sure to move it back to blow the air down for summer months. 

Enjoy your upcoming summer.  Ours in sunny Arizona is already here.  For additional free assistance with anything Building and Construction related please click on the Blogroll to the right on this page and also try searching for us (Erus Builders and Jimi Holt) on the internet.  If you did not find it there, contact us and we will assist.    Thank You,  Jim Holt

Insurance remediation and “put back” work. Water damage, fire, mold, asbestos, we can help.

Recent water damage, flood, fire, mold, asbestos, other emergencies?  Do not panic, we can help.  We can provide you with assistance to remediate the problem quickly and renovate the damaged areas back to new.  As the property owner you want to ensure that YOU get to decide who works on your asset, not someone else.  Please contact us or feel free to have your Insurance Agent or Adjuster contact us.  Do not let someone else convince you to use their ‘prefered contractors’ only to get the cheapest products and installers to rebuild your investment to benefit them, not you.  Insurance Adjusters and Agents, please contact us as we can assist with this process to make it easier on you, your clients and everyone involved.  Contact us:

jamesholt@cox.net

http://www.jimiholt.com

http://www.erusbuilders.com

480-580-5980

Water:

  • Pipe Leak:  shut off the water to your property either at the entrance to the structure or at the main water meter coming onto the property.  Remove all moveable items from the flooded area to prevent further damage.  Contact one of our affililiates or a local remediation company to get rid of the water. 
  • Exterior Structure Leak (i.e. roof leak):  if it is not an emergency, contact us to assist with the proper remediation and put back.

Mold:  needs to be removed immediately.  Contact us to assist with assistance and advice on mold removal and put back.

Fire:  contact us to assist with assistance and advice on fire remediation and put back.

Asbestos and other Hazardous Materials:  need to be removed immediately.  Contact us to assist with advice on fire remediation and put back.

Be sure to ‘Sign Up’ on our blog or our other websites to receive free information and our newsletter on building and construction related items.

Foreclosure, Short Sale, Bank Owned Property buying tips and advice.

This is the first post we have ever created so please forgive us if we start off a little rough.  We will get better, I promise.  We have created this blog to provide free information to people on anything building and construction related.  We are here to offer information, places for you to find information, or answers to all of your building and construction questions.  So, if you cannot find what you are looking for, then contact us and we will do our best to provide you with assistance. 

Thank you for viewing our blog and good luck with your projects.

Foreclosure, Short Sale, Bank Owner property buying advice.