Tankless Water Heaters

If you are like me, the first time you ever heard the term "tankless water heater", you wondered how one acutally works. Today I would like to share some information on the way a tankless water heater operates and the benefits to using one.

I am going to do my best to explain the parts and pieces of the tankless heater in layman's terms. Its not as complicated as you may think.

When you turn on the hot water at your shower, a water-flow sensor triggers the heating sequence. The first part of the heating sequence is a small fan, or combustion fan, which forces air into the burner from outside. (Think of the burner on your gas stove.)

The igniter then sparks and tells the modulating gas valve to supply gas to the burner. Once the flame has been created the valve will shut, based on the amount of heat required.

Next, the cold water passes through a circular copper heat exchanger many times, (copper pipes that have heated forced air surrounding them), until the water has gained heat from the copper tubing.

A plus to the system: metal fins in the heat exchanger help to concentrate hot air around the pipes, decreasing the time it takes the burner to heat up the water. After this, the hot water leaves the heat exchanger at heat levels of 140 degrees F or more. It is then introduced to cold water at the thermostat. The hot water and cold water mix to give you the desired temperature, and presto! you have hot water at your shower.

Tankless water heaters heat only the water you need, and only heat it when you need it. Brilliant! By heating your water in this way, manufacturers of tankless water heaters say that there is a 30% savings in water-heating cost and a 50% decrease in the energy consumption.

Tankless water heaters are fairly new to the home building industry, but even if you're not building a new home soon, don't eliminate the possibility of getting one.

Retrofitting a tankless water heater, in many cases, requires little heavy construction. Considering the monthly savings on a tankless water heater, the cost of a retrofit is minimal, especially if it is time for you to change out your old water heater anyway. Plus, you must consider the lifetime savings of such a piece of equipment.

And, through 2010, you can take advantage of tax credits available for energy-efficient changes to your home.

I hope that you can step away from this article with a better understanding on the ins and outs of a tankless water heater. If you have any questions regarding green home building don’t hesitate to contat Greenovation Builders.

BY JACOB TANKERSLEY

(Reference: Fine Homebuilding Magazine)

Some Surprising Statistics

The reality of the following information is what drives our green passion and our company. It makes us want to share what we know with as many people as we possibly can.

Here are some surprising statistics:

Due to the human industrial revolution, we have lost 50% of our wetlands, 50% of our forests, and 70% of our marine fisheries.

Buildings consume 40% of the world’s energy and materials. When you factor building construction into that, the number jumps to 48%.

The National Toxicology Program has identified 246 substances that are either “known carcinogens” or “reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen”, and most of them are still legal and used in products we use everyday.

A study by the Environmental Working Group tested the umbilical-cord blood of 10 American babies born in 2004 and found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in each baby’s blood.

45% of carbon emissions come from buildings. (Cars are only responsible for a 1/3 of all emissions.)

An upfront investment of just 2% in green building design, on average, results in a lifecycle savings of 20% of the total construction costs---that’s more than ten times the initial investment!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, roof installation is estimated to generate 7 to 10 MILLION TONS of asphalt-shingle waste ANNUALLY.

Americans spend 80-90% of their time indoors, typically without much, if any, fresh air.

Benzene, a known carcinogen used in waxes, paints, and paint thinners can lead to a decrease in red blood cells, and possibly cause anemia, bone-marrow damage, excessive bleeding, immune-system depression, and dry, scaly skin.

A $4 per square foot investment in building green nets a $62 benefit per square foot over 20 years.

Did you know that the average homeowner has enough cracks and peep-holes in their home to equivocate to a 4x4 ft hole in their ceiling?

Exposure to chemicals in mainstream building products today can create anything from nausea and headaches to reduced IQ, deficits in intellectual ability, poor short-term memory and poor attention span.

According to the American Lung Association, the EPA ranks poor indoor air quality among the top five risks to public health. The level of air pollution inside the home can be 2-5 times higher than outdoor levels.

Between 1980 and 1995, rates of childhood asthma DOUBLED.

BY HEIDI TANKERSLEY

Green Cleaning

I wanted to take a minute to address the issue of toxic cleaning products potentially used within your home today.

Its seems to be that in our “germophobic” culture today we are inundated with the idea that our homes cannot get clean unless we put on a gas mask and spray all surfaces with some potent mix of toxic chemicals. This belief is simply and absolutely not true.

It is unfortunate that in the name of “no bacteria” we have not only depressed the ability for our bodies to naturally fend for themselves, we have also created an indoor environment that is quite possibly more harmful than any bacteria would ever be.

How many times have you cleaned the bathroom with your nose and eyes burning? For the health of you—and even more so for your children’s or pets’ (who have a smaller body mass and can get a higher concentration of toxins in their body at a much faster rate)—it is time to debunk this myth.

What’s so wrong with my mainstream cleaners?

Currently, there are close to no regulations on chemicals used in cleaning products for the home. There have not been tests run to look at the cumulative effects of these chemicals on the body over time. Today, it is estimated that the average American has 700 pollutants running through his or her body. Now, imagine the amount of pollutants that your child will have in his or her body if exposed to toxic cleaners from birth on.

The chemicals you may clean with don’t just “disappear” down the drain. They get into waterways and return back to you! Even if they are being filtered out of your drinking water, they are still present when irrigating crops or feeding animals. This means these chemicals have made their way back to through your food. Not good!

The VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and toxic chemicals you smell when cleaning with mainstream products are absorbed into your lungs and then enter your bloodstream. As surely as the breakfast you ate today went down into your belly to be absorbed, these chemicals enter your body through the skin or lung tissue. Over time (or sometimes immediately) you will feel or see the effects of these toxins. (i.e., headaches, wheezing, skin-irritations, dizziness; all the way to developmental disruptions in children or abnormal cell growth within the body.)

Think about it, what else it your body going to do with this stuff? Foreign chemicals floating around in your blood stream. Your body hasn’t a clue what to do with them. It is going to wreck havoc, one way or another.

(P.S. Even if someone else cleans your home for you, the chemicals don’t disappear off the surfaces—they rub onto your skin upon contact. And, the gases remain within your home, especially when the windows are closed! Plus, your cleaner will be grateful if you decide to make a healthy change in cleaning products.)

Here’s the good news: There are plenty of healthy, refreshing, and delicious smelling ways to effectively clean your house safely AND kill bacteria! You don’t have to sacrifice effectiveness and ease of cleaning when you are changing over to more natural products.

Natural cleaners create a breathable, clean, healthy indoor environment. Don’t be fooled by cheap cleaners sold the have “Natural” or “Biodegradable” plastered on the front of the bottle. There are no regulations as to what companies can or can’t put on the bottles.

If you are not interested in creating your own solutions, go to your local health food store to search out some reputable companies with a real concern for the consumer and the planet.

If you are interested in really going “back to the basics” with your cleaning products, start with an arsenal consisting of baking soda and borax for scrubbing tubs and sinks, vinegar (distilled white, diluted) for cleaning glass and insides of toilets, lemon juice as a stain remover, and a general purpose green cleaning solution for floors, countertops, furniture, baseboards, walls, and anywhere else that suits your fancy. (If you would like a “how to” tutorial on how to make a general cleaning solution, check out the video on our website under “Learn More”).

I hope you found this helpful and informative. I have the well-being of your family and children at heart when I share this information. Please try out some of these options and, even if the transition is gradual, being implementing green cleaning into your home. Your body and your family will thank you, and you will feel better for doing it!

BY HEIDI TANKERSLEY

What's Happening in Your Home?

Stop for a moment. Think about the place you live in right now.

The average American spends 14 hours out of everyday within their home. What are you encountering while you are there?

What is covering your floors? What kind of paints are on your walls? What cleaning products are you currently using?

Are your windows old and drafty? Do you have curtains or blinds hanging up?

What material is your home or living space insulated with? How efficient are your appliances at doing their specific job?

Do you spray your home for bugs? Do you treat your lawn, shrubs, or other plants?

Have you bought a new mattress or new furniture over the past year? What types of toiletry products do you have sitting inside your cabinets and use on your body on a daily basis?

Over time, we will discuss all of the topics mentioned above within our Greenovation Builders blog, as we feel they are imperative to learning more on how to create and maintain a green home.

BY HEIDI TANKERSLEY

Welcome!

Welcome to the Greenovation Builders Blog!

This day has been 30 years in the making. I have always known this day would come and after graduating college with a Bachelors in Construction Management, as well as working in Northwest Arkansas for the past eight years, I have gained key understanding and experience needed to be the builder I am today. My true passion is leaving a lasting legacy for not just my generation, but for many generations to follow and the way I have found to do this is by building sustainable, energy-efficient, healthy homes. This is where my my passion comes together with my experience and training.

My wife and I are very excited about the future of Greenovation Builders and the impact this company will have on Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding area. We believe that 'green' is more than a fad, but a shift in the way we live and think. It is bigger than just one company. It will take us all linking together to make this shift! It will take more than we alone have to give and will be rewarding in ways that we may never see, but we believe it is our responsibility to educate the public.

So check out our website and send us your feedback and be sure to stay up-to-date by following us on facebook, twitter, linkedIn and of course right here on our blog.

Thanks for linking with us!

Jacob Tankersley

Greenovation Builders builds green homes that save our customers money, increase their health, and embody their natural lifestyle, all while preserving the planet.