Tag: DIY
My Earth4Energy Review: How I made free electricity at home
by on Feb.23, 2010, under Uncategorized
Welcome. The following is my Earth4Energy Review. Lots of folks have been getting this how-to guide, so does it live up to all the hype? Let’s take a look.
First off, I’m a hard working guy that doesn’t like to throw his money down the drain, my wife even accuses me of being a miser at times… but it’s for the good of the family, right?
When I came across Earth4Energy, I have to say I was very interested. And a bit skeptical. I have a background in Engineering, and the idea of reducing (or eliminating) my utility bill was very appealing.
Before then, I had not attempted any kind of solar or wind energy project, but I had always wanted to. We do what we can for our earth, like recycling and using flourescent bulbs, and this seemed like another good thing we could be doing. (I have to admit that the saving money part is what really got me excited, but if I can do good AND save money, then we’re on to something here!)
An old college friend of mine (Mike) got this package last year, and one weekend I was over at his house for a BBQ and saw that he had solar panels on his roof and a small wind turbine quietly humming away in his back yard. I did’nt tell him, but his work really impressed me, and even made me a little jealous. I assumed he’d shelled out a small fortune to a contractor to come set up solar at his house, but then he mentioned that he’d done it all himself with some materials he picked up at the hardware store. Once he showed me the instructional manual, my skepticism started to dissappate.
The fog lifted… everything was so clearly laid out that I had no trouble following the instructions. Then, in a relaxed tone, Mike said “Yep, we’ve all but stopped paying out electric bill with this system.” He showed me his electric bill for the last month, and I was surprised to see it was a single digit, quite unlike my 3 digit bill.
While Mike is a good friend, he was never the brains of the group back in school. I knew right then and there that if he could do it, I most certainly could too. I picked up my own Earth4Energy package that night and began to check it out. Once I successfully completed my own solar panels and wind turbine, I wrote my own Earth4Energy review based on my project.
Here is a breakdown of what’s in the package:
I. The eBook – This is the main part of the guide, and the sections I found most helpful were:
- A complete explanation of how solar systems work, and how to get the electricity from your panels to the outlets in your home.This section also dives into the various parts of the system so you get to know everything. Some of these systems and their descriptions include:
The Kilowatt-hour meter.While I thought it was unimportant, this is really a crucial piece of the puzzle, and Earth4Energy dives deep and teaches you everything you need to know about it.
Inverters – What they are, how they work, and how you can find one for ten bucks. - A little know SECRET to getting FREE SOLAR PANELS. This tip actually saved me more money than anything.
How you can save a bunch of money on pre-fabricated components by wiring your own solar panels. - How to create your own solar energy panels from very low cost materials.
- How you put together a home wind system. This part comes with plenty of great tips, some include:
- 5 things all wind turbines have in common, and why you need to make sure you don’t get oversold by a manufacturer calling it some fancy name and charging more than they should.
- A section that teaches you how to construct the blades for maximum effectiveness.
- A guide to sizing requirements, so you know exactly how much electricy you need and how big of a system to build
The best wiring combinations, so you can wire your system optimally and prevent overlaods.
II.Videos – these are very helpful. There’s nothing better than actually watching someone complete the steps right in front of you. These are being updated constantly, and you can find a really good tutorial about building solar cells.It demonstrates, very easily, how you can put this together by yourself in order to save costs on pre-fab parts.
III. The CD – You can get the complete package in an instant download, or in CD form. The download is obviously faster, but the CD option is available.
IV. The Bonuses – Michael Harvey has put together a really compelling guide here, but on top of everything he includes some really great bonuses. I’ve noticed over time that he’s always adding to these, so I won’t mention them here because everything is updated so often. Some folks have mentioned that the bonuses alone were worth more than the cost of the Earth4Energy Guide.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Earth4Energy review, and can soon start making your own electricity while doing your part for the planet at the same time!
The Earth4Energy Review: How does it stack up?
by on Nov.13, 2009, under Uncategorized
Hello, and thanks for checking out my Earth4Energy review<. Lots of folks have been getting this how-to guide, so does it live up to all the hype? Let’s take a peek.
First off, I’m a hard working guy that doesn’t like to throw his money down the drain, my wife even accuses me of being a miser at times… but it’s for the good of the family, right?
When I came across Earth4Energy, I have to say I was very interested. And a bit skeptical. I have an Engineering background, and the thought of saving money on my electric bill (forever) certainly caught my eye.
At the time, I’d never worked on building any kind wind generator or home solar system, even though I’d been curious. We use fluorescent bulbs at our house, and we recycle and try to do what we can for the planet, so this seemed like another good step we could take. (I have to admit that the saving money part is what really got me excited, but if I can do good AND save money, then we’re on to something here!)
An old college friend of mine (Mike) got this package last year, and one weekend I was over at his house for a BBQ and saw that he had solar panels on his roof and a small wind turbine quietly humming away in his back yard. I didn’t say it to his face, but I was actually a little jealous, and quite impressed with his work. I assumed that he had shelled out big bucks to have a solar energy specialist come out to his house and install everything, but to my surprise he said he’d done it all himself with stuff he got at the local hardware store. I thought that was a little far fetched, but he took me inside and showed me the package he bought that taught him how to put it all together.
Things started to click for me… the details were extremely clear, the instructions literally walked you through everything and left no stone unturned. Then Mike said “Can you believe we pay for about 95% of our electric bill with this system.” He showed me his electric bill for the last month, and I was surprised to see it was a single digit, quite unlike my 3 digit bill.
While Mike is a good friend, he was never the brains of the group back in school. I knew right then and there that if he could do it, I most certainly could too. I went ahead and got the Earth4Energy guide myself that night and started looking it over. After I completed my very own successful renewable energy project at home in a few weeks, I made up my mind to an Earth4Energy review.
Here is a breakdown of what’s in the package:
I. The eBook – This is the main part of the guide, and the sections I found most helpful were:
- A complete explanation of how solar systems work, and how to get the electricity from your panels to the outlets in your home. This portion also goes over the basic components of the system so you can familiarize yourself with everything. Some of these systems and their descriptions include:
The Kilowatt-hour meter.While it looks simple, this is a really important component, and Earth4Energy lays it all out for you.
Inverters – What they are, how they work, and how you can find one for ten bucks. - A VERY VALUABLE trick to get SOLAR PANELS FOR FREE. This tip actually saved me more money than anything.
How you can save a bunch of money on pre-fabricated components by wiring your own solar panels. - How to create your own solar energy panels from very low cost materials.
- How you put together a home wind system. This portion covers some excellent tips, they include:
- 5 things all wind turbines have in common, and why you need to make sure you don’t get oversold by a manufacturer calling it some fancy name and charging more than they should.
- A portion about how to craft the turbine blade for the greatest efficency.
- A sizing requirements guide, so you know just how much electricity you need and how large of a system you should build
The best wiring combinations, so you can wire your system optimally and prevent overlaods.
II.The Video Collection – these are really great. There’s nothing better than actually watching someone complete the steps right in front of you. These are being updated constantly, and you can find a really good tutorial about building solar cells. It shows you how to actually do this yourself, by hand, and save a load of money on pre-fabricated pieces.
III. The CD – You can get the complete package in an instant download, or in CD form. The download is obviously faster, but the CD option is available.
IV. The Bonuses – Michael Harvey has put together a really compelling guide here, but on top of everything he includes some really great bonuses. I’ve noticed over time that he’s always adding to these, so I won’t mention them here because everything is updated so often. Some folks have mentioned that the bonuses alone were worth more than the cost of the Earth4Energy Guide.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my Earth4Energy review, and can soon start making your own electricity while doing your part for the planet at the same time!
Weather and Roofing
by on Sep.17, 2009, under Uncategorized
Whether the job is for a new roof, a replacement roof or a major or minor roof repair, a qualified Biloxi roofing contractor has the experience and the knowledge to get the job done right the first time. Since the roof is your home’s first defense against the weather, you will want the best job possible, using the material that is right for you and your location near the Gulf of Mexico, all Biloxi Roofer companies are verified to have the know-how to get it done according to state and local rules.
Whether your house or office has a flat roof or high pitched roof, it takes stamina to work in the Mississippi heat and humidity and when fast and quality of installing a roof is critical, safety to the people is important to any Biloxi roofing contractor.
Understand What Works On What Roof Makes Difference
Being able to inspect a building and make good recommendations on the kind of materials that will work best is one of the benefit of using a Biloxi roofing contractor. Using the right materials, and having them installed correctly, can help extend the life of the roof as well as insure against leaks. All certified Biloxi roofing contractors will guarantee their work, adding an extra layer of comfort in getting the job done.
Some house owners have the oppinion that hauling 80 to 100-pound wraps of asphalt shingles on the roof and nailing them down is a work they are able of. And, while they may be, without the experience of using flashing at end runs ending at a higher wall or drip edged at all edges of the roof, they find fixing the leaks harder then using a Biloxi Roofing specialist in the first place.
If the roof is going to be of materials such as metal, wood or even some of the newer composite materials made to withstand extreme weather conditions, the homeowner may find their best interests served by hiring a Biloxi roofing contractor to get the job done right the first time.
Composite Slate Roofing: A Top Alternative
by on Sep.10, 2009, under Uncategorized
Builders and roofers agree that the best roofing material for homes in areas of heavy snow and rain is slate roofing. It lasts for decades and is tough as the nails that hold them in place on your roof. But genuine slate is about the most expensive roofing material out there. It needs to be mined, not manufactured, and can easily break before it gets onto your roof. Genuine slate needs special handling, so finding an experienced re-roofing servcies contractors might cost more in your time and money. It can feel like a catch 22 situation – you want the best roof for your home, but you don’t want to risk going bankrupt and loosing your home to get that roof.
Enter Composite Slate Roofing Stage Right
Wherever there’s a need, you know somebody is going to sell a product to fill that need. In this case, the need is for a lower-cost, less fragile and more easily available kind of slate roofing material. Also in this case, there is a good alternative to genuine slate – composite slate roofing, sometimes called “synthetic slate” or “semi-fake slate”.
Composite slate roofing is made out of a few materials, but the most popular is a mixture of genuine slate powder and plastic. There is also ceramic based and plant fiber based composite slate roofing. The plant fiber based material is not so popular in areas where it freezes and thaws out a lot during the winter, as this makes the tiles warp. It’s still a relatively new roofing material, so check out the latest building periodicals and websites to see any improvements in that alternative.
Performance
Composite slate roofing is still going to cost more than some other roofing materials, but not as much as genuine slate.They still have the long life, fire-resistance and protection of genuine slate. Composite slate shingles often come with warranties of 30 years – compare that to roll roofing, with only has a ten year lifespan.Composite slate roofing is also weighs less than genuine slate, which your roof might really appreciate. It doesn’t fracture like genuine slate and doesn’t need special tools to cut it.Many composite slate roofing makers also put on a special coating to resist mold or mildew growth, which can sometimes be a problem with genuine slate.
Some people are a little wary of composite slate roofing, as it’s such a new roofing material. But many homeowners are happy with it. The only significant problem is that over time the original color sometimes or turns to white.But, honestly, how many people are going to climb up on your roof that needs to be impressed by its color?
Roof Contractor That Can do Right Jog for You
by on Aug.27, 2009, under Uncategorized
Choosing an roofing contractor to work on your roof can be a bit tricky. Note that there good Roofing specialist and there are bad ones. If you happen to have the misfortune of hiring the wrong contractor, you could end up with more troubles than before. According to experts, although there are instances where the license of the EPDM roofing contractors is not enough proof that he or she is actually capable of dong the job, in most cases, the fact that a contractor does have a license will boost his or her credibility.
Although there are states that are quite strict when it comes to giving out licenses to Roofer within their areas of jurisdiction, there are also some states that are not really that strict when it comes to issuing licenses.
In some states the requirements to become a licensed EPDM roofing contractor are quite lenient. Some palces only need an form to state that he or she had worked as a roofer for a certain time and that he or she is willing to pay for the nominal certification fee of about $25.
Once a person is able to show that he or she passes the eligibility requirement for an EPDM roofing contractor, he or she will now be given a license. In many cases, the applicant is not required to prove his or her roofing skills at all which brings us to the question of whether or not the person who is given a license as a EPDM roofing contractor really knows what he or she is doing.
Choosing The Right Roofing Contractor
When choosing a roofing contractor to work on your roof, you will need to check if the person has a license. If you happen to live in a state where there are strict requirements for licensing of roofing contractors, you will benefit much from the services of a licensed roofing contractor.
What do You Know About Atlas Roofing
by on Aug.04, 2009, under Uncategorized
Atlas Roofing started in 1981 in America with one roof shingle factory and has since grown to fifteen factories with many products and distributors all over the world. They’ve spent their time and money discovering what makes a good roof in the part of the world you live in. They keep up with the latest technology while also sticking to old-fashioned values of customer satisfaction. You can get more than just shingles now. You can purchase roll roofing, polystyrene sheathing, and insulation. Atlas Roofing has been on top of a lot of roofs, so if you’ve got a flat roof, they know them. If you’ve got a slanted roof, they know them, too. Atlas Roofing supplies products for roofs over businesses as well as roofs over homes and decks. Atlas knows you need more than shingles. They know you your roof also needs proper drainage, strength, insulation and ventilation for your attic.
They’re Not Going Anywhere
Atlas Roofing company has distributors all over the world. They supply the roofing products to many roofing companies. Their website is user-friendly. If you’re concerned about getting the best materials for your roof, you can email or call Atlas Roofing and they will let you know what suppliers are in the area. They do recommend that, unless you’re a professional Roofing specialist, don’t install their products yourself.
Atlas roofer is a growing company that has established itself as a leader making roofs.All of their materials meets or exceeds the criterion of Model Building Codes and National Evaluation Reports.
They’ve Gone Green
Atlas Roofing tries to be as environmentally friendly as possible. They comply with the EPA and use bio-degradable material in their green polyisocyanurate insulation, often called “green polysio”, which is HCFC free. They also constantly review their practices to see where they can cut waste, cut transportation, and reduce greenhouse gasses. Atlas Roofing’s motto “Roofing That Lasts” is also their green policy. By making long-lasting, biodegradable, weather proof roofs, they hope to cut your need for roofing materials down, therefore making less waste.
