Choosing your kitchen countertop is one the more fun and exciting choices that you’ll make for your new home. Choices should be made based on the material’s appearance, durability, maintenance and price. This week we’ll cover the most common types of materials used for kitchen and bathroom countertops, including laminate, ceramic and porcelain tiles, solid surface options, like Corian, butcher block, stainless steel, concrete, soapstone, marble, granite, quartzite and quartz (Silestone and Caesarstone). There’s a difference between quartzite and quartz, you know? We’ll talk about all of those options in this week’s mini lesson.
Show notes at www.BYHYU.com
Did you know that most water heaters use more energy than all other household appliances combined? According to the US Dept of Energy, water heaters account for almost 17% of a home’s energy use. Other sources say it’s up to 30% of the a home’s energy. This week’s mini lesson will help you decide if a conventional, storage tank water heater or a tankless water heater is the better choice for your new home. And the choice is probably not as cut and dry as you think.
Conventional, storage tank water heaters are still the most common type of water heaters found in new homes. But tankless water heaters are steadily gaining popularity. We’ll go over the basic information about how conventional water heaters and tankless water heater work, plus the pros and cons of each system.
Show notes at www.BYHYU.com
Today is the last installment of a series of mini lessons that I’ve done on insulation. In this week’s episode, we’ll talk structural insulated panels, or SIPs, and insulated concrete forms, or ICFs. These options are especially unique because they not only provide extremely effective thermal insulation, but they also provide structural framing components for the house, including walls, floors and roofs.
Show notes at www.BYHYU.com
According to Green Building Advisor. com, “spray polyurethane foam is better than any other type of insulation at reducing air leakage.” And that’s one of the biggest reasons that spray foam insulation is becoming one of the most popular insulation options in North America. This week's mini lesson will discuss the two types of spray foam insulation, open cell spray foam and closed cell spray foam. We'll also cover rigid foam in insulation.
Show notes at www.BYHYU.com
Blown in insulation, also called loose fill insulation, is made of fluffy fibers of cellulose, fiberglass or mineral wool. It’s blown into walls, attics and floors with special equipment. One the main advantages of blown in insulation is that it fills in odd shaped cavities, crevices and gaps and eliminates cold spots. Learn more about blown in insulation in this week’s mini lesson.
Show notes at www.BYHYU.com