Please note that the material covered in this guide assumes that the people reading it are seeking to build their own wind turbine, for personal use, and as a stand-alone. Nothing in this guide will assist you in connecting to a commercial or residential power grid. Such action should not be attempted without the assistance of a licensed electrician and permission from your local power/utility company.

WARNING: We assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of these instructions. Follow these instructions at your own risk. These instructions have not been evaluated by an Engineer. These instructions are intended to be “guidelines” and may be incomplete. Wind turbines can be dangerous. Use caution.

Introduction #1:

If you recently purchased this quick guide to Wind Turbine Power, you are probably among millions of people world wide concerned about the ever-growing demand for energy. With the population growth having surpassed the amount of people that have ever lived on the planet total, concerns about state and federal governments and their abilities, and the over all cost of what everyone knows are limited resources; you have purchased this reading material in an attempt to do something to secure your energy needs

As you can see in the chart below, over 90% of the energy consumed in the United States alone is nonrenewable. What this means in simple English is that it will eventually – RUN OUT. The obvious question to ask is – WHEN?

There are thousands of estimates floating around out there; the bottom line is no one really knows when. We can only estimate what we’ve found, where other locations may be, and what we are currently and will use in the future.

For people like you and me, if you follow this guide and do some of your own research, the world could run out of oil tomorrow with little impact on our lives.

Though this is a little bit of an understatement, since everything we touch has some aspect of oil attached to it. The food you buy, the car you drive, the washing machine, your stove. All of these things need oil.

Even if you’re the type of person who plants their own garden and hunts for your own food. You still need oil. To get the seeds and soil, you probably had to drive to the store or market. To go hunting, you probably have to drive there as well.

This do it yourself guide book is not going to fix the worlds current or future problems with limited supplies, but it could be enough to get you started on the right track towards self sufficiency and reliance.

With that said, wind and solar are really the only two options an individual person or family have at this time. Please note that there or other alternatives in the works such as converting water into hydrogen and oxygen, and the creation of magnetic motors for homes and vehicles.

Wind Turbine Parts and Diagram:

Wind – It is the transfer of energy from one place to another.

Rotor blades – The blades are basically the sails of the system; in their simplest form, they act as barriers to the wind (more modern blade designs go beyond the barrier method). When the wind forces the blades to move, it has transferred some of its energy to the rotor. Blades can be built out of aluminum or PVC tubing.

Shaft – The wind-turbine shaft is connected to the center of the rotor. When the rotor spins, the shaft spins as well. In this way, the rotor transfers its mechanical, rotational energy to the shaft, which enters an electrical generator on the other end.

Generator – At its most basic, a generator is a pretty simple device. It uses the properties of electromagnetic induction to produce electrical voltage – a difference in electrical charge. Voltage is essentially electrical pressure – it is the force that moves electricity, or electrical current, from one point to another. So generating voltage is in effect generating current. A simple generator consists of magnets and a conductor. The conductor is typically a coiled wire. Inside the generator, the shaft connects to an assembly of permanent magnets that surrounds the coil of wire. In electromagnetic induction, if you have a conductor surrounded by magnets, and one of those parts is rotating relative to the other, it induces voltage in the conductor. When the rotor spins the shaft, the shaft spins the assembly of magnets, generating voltage in the coil of wire. That voltage drives electrical current (typically alternating current, or AC power) out through power lines for distribution.

Nacelle – The casing that holds:

Gearbox – increases speed of shaft between rotor hub and generator

Generator

Electronic control unit – monitors system, shuts down turbine in case of malfunction and controls yaw mechanism

Yaw controller/ Tail – moves rotor to align with direction of wind (the tail does the same thing)

Tower – supports rotor, generator, and nacelle up off the ground.

Slip Ring – this is used in to reduce binding in the electrical cable running from the generator to the Electronic Control System. (Note: you can use a straight cable, but if you’re building a permanent structure, you run the risk of the cable binding inside the tower as the generator rotates due to wind adjustment.)

Guide (Guy) Lines – These are used to stabilize and hold the tower upright. Guy lines do not need to be used if you’re building your turbine to be a permanent structure. Burying or cementing the tower base into the ground depending on the size, weather environment, and soil stability are factors you need to consider.

Electrical equipment – carries electricity from generator down through tower and controls many safety elements of turbine

Electronic Control System – This system controls where the power generated by your turbine goes. The output should have two options. The first option is to send the power generated to a battery for charging. The second option is the send excess power to a dummy load to be discharged so it does not overload the battery.

Building your Wind Turbine:

Note: The way this building process is broken down is not the only way you can build your wind turbine. There are many different types and variations. There are, however, some things that they all have in common.

There are also cheaper and more expensive ways to build your turbine. The overall cost of building your turbine will depend on your skills, items you may already have, and deals that you find at your local store or on the internet.

All Wind Turbine have these five things in common:

1. Generator
2. Blades
3. Mounting (on Tower)
4. Tower
5. Electrical Control System & Batteries

For simplicity, we’ve reduced the project to these five systems.

Generator:

You have two options: Build your own or buy one

We will assume that you are planning to purchase your generator at a local or online store. Also, since we can’t possibly know what your electrical needs will be, we will assume that you are purchasing the right generator for your energy needs.

Popular Brands are: Ametek and WindMax

You will probably want to purchase a Permanent Magnet Alternator (PMA); this is currently the affordable and easiest to use generator on the market.

Here are resourceful websites to learn more about Ametek & PMA generators:

www.tlgwindpower.com/ametek.htm

www.windstuffnow.com/main/ametek_motor.htm

www.ginlong.com

www.windbluepower.com/category_s/1.htm

Ensure that when you are looking for is a motor that is rated for high DC voltage, low rpms and high current. Steer away from low voltage and/or high rpm motors. You want a motor that will put out over 12 Volts at a fairly low rpm, and a useful level of current. So a motor rated for say 325 rpm at 30 Volts when used as a generator, could be expected to produce 12+ volts at some reasonably low rpm. On the other hand, a motor rated at 7200 rpm at 24 volts probably won’t produce 12+ volts as a generator until it is spinning many thousands of rpm, which is way too fast for a wind turbine. So shop for motors accordingly.

Blades:

Again you have two options: Build your own or but them

Typically, your wind turbine will have between three to six blade. If you chose to purchase them, they aren’t that expensive.

If you choose to make you own, you can either fabricate them out of aluminum (or any other metal) or with PVC pipe. Below is the step-by-step instruction on creating your own blades out of PVC.

Cutting PVC Blades – makes 8 blades (or 2+ blade sets), 2 ft long, and a thin waste strip.

1. Place the 8 ” diameter, 24″ Length of PVC pipe and square tubing (or other straight edge) side by side on a flat surface. Push the pipe tight against the tubing and mark the line where they touch. This is Line A.
2. Make a mark near each end of Line A, 23″ apart.
3. Tape 3 sheets of A4 paper together, so that they form a long, completely straight piece of paper. Wrap this around the pipe, about a half-inch from the end. Make sure the short side of the paper is straight along Line A and the paper is straight against itself where it overlaps. Mark a line along the edge of the paper and call this line B. Repeat at the other end of the tube, calling this line C.
4. Start where Line A intersects Line B. Going left around Line B, make a mark at every 145 mm. The last section should be about 115 mm.
5. Start where Line A intersects Line C. Going right around Line C, make a mark at every 145 mm. The last section should be about 115 mm.
6. Mark each line using a straight edge. You will have 4 sections of equal size. Later, we’ll cut these sections into 2 blades each.
7. Cut along these lines, using the jigsaw, so that you have 4 strips of 145 mm and one strip about 115 mm.
8. Take each strip and place them with the inside of the pipe facing down.
9. Make a mark at one end of each strip 115 mm from the left edge.
10. Make a mark at the other end of each strip 30 mm from the left edge.
11. Mark and cut these lines, using the jigsaw. NOTE: you may want to cut just two of these strips to start. This gives you 4 blades and you are only using 3. These blades will turn a generator motor in a CCW direction. If your motor turns clockwise, you can follow the same steps, but measure the 115 cm mark and 20 mm mark, from the RIGHT edge rather than the left edge. (Step 9 & 10)
12. Place each blade with the inside of the pipe facing down.
13. Make a mark along the angled line of the blade, 3″ from the wide end.
14. Make another mark on the wide end of the blade, 1″ from the straight edge.
15. Connect these two marks and cut along the line. This prevents the blades interfering with the others’ wind.

Sanding the Blades
You should sand the blades to achieve the desired airfoil. This will increase the efficiency of the blades, as well as making them quieter.

The angled (leading) edge wants to be rounded, while the straight (tailing) edge wants to be pointed. Any sharp corners should be slightly rounded to cut down on noise.

Credit: www.greenterrafirma.com

Note: You can cut the length and angle of the blades to your specifications. There are many different types of blades.

Some people prefer to “tab” off the end of the blade where it mounts to the rotor. By doing this you run the risk or stress cracks and fractures during periods of high/excessive wind. The example we have provided here does not tab the blade where it mounts to the rotor.

If you decide to make your own blades out of PVC, it is recommended that you make extras to use as spares.

Hub:

At this point you will need a hub to connect/bolt your blades to your motor.

Again, you have two options: buy your own or build them

Hubs range in different sizes and prices. Overall, to is probably cheaper to purchase a hub and/ or modify it if needed. The hub itself is nothing more than a round metal disk with holes for blade mounting, and a center hole for mounting onto the rotor. The size of the middle hole will depend on the size of your rotor.

Here are some examples of what a hub looks like.

Credit: Michael Davis

The hub shown above is homemade and was built out of spare parts found in the garage. It cost about an hour of the person’s time to make.

Note: That they are two separate disks that were bolted together after he mounted the blades. He then slid the hub over the rotor and tightened it down to the shaft using another bolt. You will most likely have to drill your own holes.

Spinner/ Cone:

The spinner/cone is the piece of metal/plastic that goes over the end of the shaft and butts up against the hub/blade assembly.

There are studies out there that point out that having one of these on your wind turbine, while cosmetically appealing, actually reduce the power output by up to one (1%) percent.

It is your decision on whether you want to place one of these on your turbine.

Mounting:

There are several different types of mounts. Essentially, the mount needs to be able to hold the generator with blade assembly, and be able to pivot into the wind as the direction changes

There are professional mount models out there, and then there are those that are made from materials you can find around your garage.

The most common homemade mounting materials include: 2×4, PVC, and brackets.

If you purchasing your materials online or at the store, usually you can find the mount for the generator in the vicinity.

For example, if you purchased an Ametek generator, there is a mount that you can buy to go with it. The mount itself, instead of sitting atop of the tower, mounts directly to the side of the tower. See the photos below for an example.

Homemade Mount:

Another method is to take a piece of 2×4 (or similar material), and strap/secure (U-bolts) the generator onto one side and incorporate a tail on the other. Using this method will also require you to incorporate a means for the mount to turn into the wind as the direction changes.

Reasonably, if the parts needed are in your garage, making the mount could cost you absolutely nothing.

Tower:

The materials your tower are made out of will be determined by these different factors:

1. How high will the tower need to be?
2. How windy is the area in which you will use it?
3. How heavy is the mounted assembly that sits on top?
4. Does the tower height need to be adjustable?

Two options: buy a tower kit or make your own

We recommend that you make your tower out of metal. PVC will crack and break under stress from the wind and sun over time, even with the use of guy lines. Wood is a lot heavier and often not cosmetically appealing, and will begin to warp or bow over time.

After you determine how high you want your tower to be, you will want to begin building your iron, steel, or aluminum tower.

The tower itself is probably the easiest part of the project, so we won’t elaborate too much in this area.

Key aspects of the tower that you need to be aware of: it is recommended that you run your electrical cable from the generator down the center of the tower. This means you will need to provide and opening at the top and base of the tower for the electrical wire. Also, you will want to incorporate a pivotal base for the tower. This is need for the raising and lowering of the tower for maintenance or parts replacement.

Below are some photos of different towers that people have built. Also, note the guy line brackets that were incorporated into the tower.

Electrical Control System:

Now that all the mechanical parts are sorted out, it was time to turn toward the electronic end of the project. A wind power system consists of the wind turbine, one or more batteries to store power produced by the turbine, a blocking diode to prevent power from the batteries being wasted spinning the motor/generator, a secondary load (dummy load) to dump power from the turbine, when the batteries are fully charged, and a charge controller to run everything.

There are lots of controllers for solar and wind power systems. The output of your generator, the number of turbines, and the number of batteries will dictate different aspects to your control system.

Keep in mind when you choose or build your control system, you might want to add on later, so you should select a system that will allow for addition set ups, either through more turbines or solar panels. It’s completely up to you at this point on what you use. We would recommend that you have an electrician assist you at this point.

Also, when the time comes to install everything, you want to make sure that you connect your batteries or dummy load first, before connecting the turbine. Once the turbine is operational, it will begin generating power/electricity. If your dummy load or batteries are not hooked up, this could overload your control system, due to initial power fluctuations.

See the photos below for different examples.

Type 1

Type 2

Here are some references and places to purchase and learn more about controllers:

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/9/20/0406/27488

http://www.hydrogenappliances.com/batteryregulator.html

http://www.mdpub.com/Wind_Turbine/

http://www.windstuff.org/

Whether you build your own, or buy one, you will need some sort of controller for your wind turbine. The general principal behind the controller is that it monitors the voltage of the battery(s) in your system and either sends power from the turbine into the batteries to recharge them, or dumps the power from the turbine into a secondary load if the batteries are fully charged (to prevent over-charging and destroying the batteries). Also, ensure that you weatherproof the controller and all electrical items.

Ensure that each system, whether it is solar or wind, has it’s own blocking diode connected to it. The blocking diode is designed to only allow the electrical current to flow one way. You want to connect it, so that the current flows into your batteries. The idea is, if the wind stops blowing and the turbine stops generating power, the power that is stored in your batteries, will not back flow and begin spinning the generator as a motor. The control system you purchase will likely have a diode already connected to it. Check the schematic upon delivery or call the supplier to ensure this is the case.

Batteries:

Deep cycle batteries are your best option for storing and using the power you generate. These types of batteries are designed to be charged and to release the electricity over longer periods of time.

A good example of a deep cycle battery would be one that is used in a golf cart.

Car batteries are not recommended. These types of batteries are designed for quick bursts of electricity only.

Below is a quote from www.windsun.com:

Deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged down as much as 80% time after time, and have much thicker plates. The major difference between a true deep cycle battery and others is that the plates are SOLID Lead plates – not sponge. This gives less surface area, thus less “instant” power like starting batteries need.

Unfortunately, it is often impossible to tell what you are really buying in some of the discount stores or places that specialize in automotive batteries. The golf car battery is quite popular for small systems and RV’s. The problem is that “golf car” refers to a size of battery (commonly called GC-2, or T-105), not the type or construction – so the quality and construction of a golf car battery can vary considerably – ranging from the cheap off brand with thin plates up the true deep cycle brands, such as Crown, Deka, Trojan, etc. In general, you get what you pay for.

Once you have completed everything, it is time for you to set up your new wind turbine. At this point you will again want to have a licensed electrician assist you. This is in case there are any electrical modifications or issues.

As we have mentioned earlier, this guidebook is just that, it is a guide. Please use your own knowledge and research to assist and guide you in making your own wind turbine. There are hundreds of websites and photos on the Internet to assist you in the building of your wind turbine. This guidebook is only intended to be a tool in assisting you in that process.

Below, we have listed websites to help you get started in your research and path towards generating your own renewable energy.

Recommended Sites:

http://www.doe.gov

http://www.epa.gov

http://www.powerplanted.com/windturbinetips_buildforcheap.html

http://www.mdpub.com/Wind_Turbine/

http://www.otherpower.com/

http://www.hydrogenappliances.com

http://www.windsun.com/

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/06/how_to_build_yo_1.php

http://ezinearticles.com/?Homemade-Wind-Turbine&id=1224097

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2007-07/going-wind

Cost:

Depending on how much of the process you were able to do yourself, the wind turbine, reasonable should only cost between $100.00 – $400.00

Below is one estimate from a person that built their own wind turbine.

Part Origin Cost

Item Purchased From Cost
Motor/Generator Ebay $26.00

Misc. pipe fittings Homecenter Store $41.49

Pipe for blades Homecenter Store $12.84

Misc hardware Homecenter Store $8.00

Conduit Homecenter Store $19.95

Wood & Aluminum Scrap Pile $0.00

Power Cable Old extension cord $0.00

Rope & Turnbuckles Homecenter Store $18.47

Electronic Parts Already on hand $0.00

Relay Auto Parts Store $13.87

Battery Borrowed from my UPS   $0.00

Inverter Already on hand $0.00

Paint Already on hand $0.00
Total = $140.62

FAQ:

Q. Can I just plug my wind turbine into my house wiring to help offset my electric bill?

A. No! You need specialized equipment like synchronous inverters and transfer switches, and a licensed electrician, to interface a wind or solar system with your house wiring safely and legally. Do not attempt to do it yourself unless you really know what you are doing and have obtained all the necessary equipment and permits. In some areas some or all of the work may have to be done by a licensed electrician. Check your local codes.

Q. Can I use a car alternator in my wind turbine?

A. Car alternators are designed to work at much higher RPMs than is typically produced by a wind turbine. If you can stand the power losses and added complexity, it may be possible to use belts or gears to increase the speed of the turbine to something more like what an alternator needs. There are also permanent magnet alternators available designed especially for wind turbine use, but they tend to be quite expensive.

Q. How do I prevent the wire from twisting up inside the tower?

A. You will want to incorporate a slip ring below the tower mount. Usually your wind turbine will slewing back and forth between two directions, covering only 1/4 – 1/2 a circle. If it does become twisted, you can always disconnect the wires at the bottom of the tower and manually untwist them.

Q. How noisy is the wind turbine?

A. The wind turbine is not very noisy. It isn’t much noisier than the wind itself. Most of the time, in a stiff wind, you won’t hear the wind turbine over the roar of the wind through the trees.

Q. Do you really need the battery bank and charge controller? Can’t you simply connect my inverter or other appliance directly to the wind turbine?

A. The Voltage output from the wind turbine varies wildly with wind speed. You would be very liable to damage the inverter or other appliance by running it connected directly to the wind turbine without a battery bank and charge controller in the system. The load from the battery bank smoothes out the Voltage to something the inverter can handle, and provides power during periods of little or no wind.

Q. Do you really need the charge controller? Can’t you just connect the wind turbine directly to my battery?

A. The purpose of the charge controller is to prevent destruction of your expensive batteries due to over-charging or over-discharge. You can go without one, but you would have to slavishly watch the voltage on your batteries and connect and disconnect them from the wind turbine manually.

Q. Can you use an AC motor as a generator on my wind turbine?

A. Probably not. We have heard of people using AC motors as generators by relying on residual magnetism in the motor and the dynamo effect, but it doesn’t really seem to work very well, if at all, in most cases.

Q. Can you use car batteries for my battery bank? Why do you need special batteries?

A. Car batteries are not a good choice for a wind or solar power installation. They are damaged if they discharge too deeply. Car batteries are designed to deliver a quick burst of power to start the engine. They are not meant to be deeply discharged and recharged repeatedly. This will quickly destroy them. Deep cycle batteries work much better in this application.

Q. Do the number of blades really matter?

A. Research shows that 3 is about the optimum number of blades. Most commercially made wind turbines have 3 blades. Turbines with even numbers of blades tend to suffer from vibration problems. So 3 is the lowest practical number of blades (There are single-bladed turbines, but they are funny looking and need a big counterweight opposite the single blade to balance them). There are diminishing returns to adding more blades. Expense and complexity goes up quickly, but performance only improves marginally. Also, adding more blades tends to increase torque, but at the expense of speed. So you rarely see an electricity generating wind turbine with more than 5 blades, because generators like to turn fast. In applications where torque is important, you may see turbines with lots of blades, like the ones pumping water on ranches, but they don’t make good electrical generators unless their output is geared way up to make enough speed for a generator.

Q. Will a solar panel charge controller work for my wind turbine?

A. Unlikely. Most solar panel charge controllers simply disconnect the panel(s) from the battery(s) when full charge is achieved. This leaves the solar panels open-circuited. This is not a problem for solar panels. However, wind turbines need to be connected to a load at all times or they will over-rev. When the batteries achieve full charge, the wind turbine needs to be connected to another load, rather than open-circuited. It may be possible to modify a solar charge controller to do this, but it would depend on the particular controller

Q. Can I sell your excess power back to the electric company?

A. You need to do some figuring to see if it is really worth it. First, how much excess power do you really have to sell? Next find out how much the utility will pay you for the power. When they sell it to you, you have to pay the retail rate, plus fuel charges and so forth. When the utility buys power though, they only buy it at the wholesale rate, which is considerably lower. You’ll need an expensive synchronous inverter to match the power line AC frequency, and professionally installed switchgear. After crunching the numbers, you may find it isn’t worth the effort.

Q. Which direction does your wind turbine spin?

A. The direction of spin is not really all that important. A DC motor will act as a generator no matter which way it is turned. The polarity on the output will just reverse if the direction is reversed.

Let’s talk about taping and floating sheetrock.  The goal of floating and taping is to make the wall as flat and seamless as possible.  This could include, building a completely new structure, remaking a room, or simply repairing a hole in the wall.  It’s all done basically the same way.

Before getting started there are some things that you’ll need:

6” taping knife
10” taping knife
Utility knife
Electric Drill (if you’re using powder)
Ribbon mixer (if you’re using powder)
Drywall hammer
Screwdriver
Mud pan
Dust mask
Sand Paper
Drywall tape (fiberglass mesh type, not paper)
5 gallon bucket(s) of sheetrock mud (drywall compound) or powder

1.  Before you begin taping the wall, first you want to look at each section of wall to ensure that the nails or screws that you used are not sticking out beyond the sheetrock itself.  If you used a hammer, nail the nails in further.  If you used screws, make sure they are in below the surface of the sheetrock itself.

(Note: if you haven’t done so already, you should use COARSE Screws, not Fine) They are much easier to install.

2.  Next, take your fiberglass drywall tape and begin covering all the seams on your wall.

3.  Next, if you bought the powder mix, you’ll want to follow the instructions on the bag and mix the joint compound to its specifications.  If you bought the ready mix, open the container.

Take your taping knife and begin covering all the seams and screw holes.  The screw holes are easy, just cover them up with the joint compound, making sure to not over apply, use thin layers.

Note: the more joint compound you use, is not better, it just means more sanding.  Applying joint compound is easier than sanding it off, so take your time, do not over apply.

When doing the seam, make sure to press the joint compound into the seams, covering it and the tape that you applied earlier.  The tape should still be rigid and visible after the first layer of compound.  A general rule of thumb is to apply three layers of compound, one on top of the other, after each layer dries.

Make sure you taper the seams to the best of your ability.  This will aid in reducing sanding and the look of your wall when your done.

Once you’ve finished applying the joint compound, wait for it to dry.  After that, some people prefer to sand in between each layer, and others prefer to wait until all the layers they want have been applied.

4. It’s time to start sanding.  Go over all screw holes and seams.  Sand them down, but on the seams, do not go overboard, or you’ll end up re-exposing the tape underneath, then you have to reapply joint compound.

Today we’ll look at a few of them, with some photos to show differences.

1.   The Traditional Living Room:

Designer’s Notes

Positive and negative design elements are essential to this formal dining room’s appeal. A gorgeous handcrafted wood mantel and mirror from Mexico are the focal points in this large room. Colorful area rugs anchor small furniture pieces, while the more substantial sofa and wood furniture pieces hold a presence of their own. Negative design elements, such as the atrium windows, hallway doors and glass coffee table, help keep energy flowing around the room. Photo by Dino Tonn.

About the Designer:

Kristin Lee Hannah
Interior Designer, Hannah Interiors
Phone: 1.800.790.5932
E-mail: kristin@virtualinteriordesigners.com
Website: www.virtualinteriordesigners.com

3.  The Modern Living Room:

Designer’s Notes

This modern gathering room has a center column created in mosaic metallic tile, a custom ottoman and geometric two-piece area rug.

About the Designer:

Barbi Krass, allied ASID
Designer, Colorworks Studio
Website: www.colorworksstudio.com

4.The Transitional Living Room:

Designer’s Notes

The muted color palate in this transitional great room showcases the expansive wall of windows framed with silk panels in alternating color tones. A mixture of traditional and transitional furniture pieces are used to create a sense of warm livability.

About the Designer:

Trish Beaudet
Finishing Touches Interior by Design, Inc.
Website: http://www.interiorsbyfinishingtouches.com

5.  Contemporary Living Room:

This is a beautiful room!!!

Designer’s Notes

Yellow: the color of sunshine! All it takes is this one yellow, chunky wall with cut out pass-through to add that whimsical flair. Dark wood floors meet the carpet in a swooping curve that mirrors the soffit above and add a modern feel to this 1970s ranch home in Phoenix. The fireplace had been exposed masonry block and so we wrapped it with drywall accented with vertical reveal strips and painted it a warm dark taupe to offset the yellow.

About the Designer:
Amy Bubier
Interior Designer, AB Design Elements LLC
Website: www.abdesignelements.com

6.  The Country Living Room:

Designer’s Notes

A plain, long, boring wall has been transformed into a striking trompe l’oeil in this space. Because of the mural’s three-dimensional look, the space looks larger and sets a great background for the country-style furniture.

About the Designer:

Ammie Kim

Interior Designer, ASID, CID; Ammie Kim Interior Design
Website: www.ammiekim.com

What is a Patio – What is a Deck?

Depending on where you live, these two words are sometimes used interchangeably.  It could depend on your region or area, or someone could be simply using the wrong word.

For clarification, a patio is something that is either built into or directly on top of the ground.

A deck is something that is raised or above the surface of the ground.  Building a deck, depending on how high you decide you want it, could also allow for you to have space underneath if for storage or a patio.

A good example of a deck with space underneath – would be building one off the second story of a townhouse that allows for you to walk out the second story door or out the first floor (or basement) underneath the deck.

A deck off a second floor bedroom is also popular.

Types of Decks:

Above Ground Pool Deck

These decks are almost essential if you have an above ground pool. They make entering and exiting the pool a breeze, (a lot like an underground pool). They also make your entire back yard safer. Your pool will be protected from breaks and your family won’t be at risk to falling off out of the pool.

Wood Deck

Obviously the traditional deck. Wood deck are the classic choice and are easily the most confortable option. Using wood also gives you unlimited design options. Plus, you can paint or stain the deck as much as you like, thus suiting it to any season or changing exterior of your home.

Composite Deck

The composite deck could be the most exciting new innovaion in deck material. Half wood, half polymer, the composite deck has all the strength and durability of a vinyl deck with the aesthetic appeal of a wooden deck. It also won’t splinter and it lasts a long time.

Roof Deck

Hey, not all of us live in the suburbs with a beautiful sprawling backyard. Urban townhouses often suffer from lack of backyard space, but vertically they have far more options. You can build a rooftop deck in most townhouses and apartment buildings. You could also incorporate a small garden. Just make sure that you have a secure railing to prevent any dangerous falls. Sun Bathe Away!

Vinyl Deck

Truly the deck that the space age built vinyl decks are affordable, durable and they last forever. You never need to stain or paint them. They come in just about any color you could imagine. They also work like real wood, so you don’t have to buy any new tools in order to install one in your back yard. Your splinter free family will thank you for the vinyl deck.

Right now, saving energy and money are at the top of most people’s list.  Even those who haven’t insulated before will find that this task is fairly simple.  With that said, the one thing you might find a little overwhelming if you’ve never done it before and aren’t a regular at your local harware or lumber store – is the ever increasing types of insulation there are out on the market.

Put simply, when you choose to insulate an interior room, these are your likely options:

Traditional fiberglass insulation

Spray foam insulation

Recycled paper insulation (with fire retardant)

Foam Board

and more…

The all have their advantages and disadvantages, some last longer than other, some will last almost the life of the home.

With traditional fiberglass insulation, you have the option of rolled or batts.  Then there is the R Value.  Which means, how resistant to heat flow is the insulation.  While in North America, the typical R Value of insulation installed in a home is R19 – this number should also be dictated by where you live on the continent.  Perhaps, if you live in Maine, you might want a little more insulation, than someone living in Florida.  R Value dictates holding heat in, just as much as holding heat out.

Spray foam insulation, is usually used for hard to reach or uneven surfaces, a place that can’t simply be rolled, or that you’d have to destroy the roll or batt in order to fill it.

Recycled paper insulation is really good and helpful for crawl spaces, attic spaces, but now they have a tacky substance that also helps it adhere and cling to walls, drying almost solid, then covered over by sheet rock or paneling.  One might be concerned that the insulation is also made out of paper, which is flammable.  to easy your mind, ensure, and the answer should be yes – that the paper has  been treated with fire retardant.

Foam board usually applies to the exterior of the house, but people also like to use it for concrete walls as well.  Depending on your region, check to see what the thickness (R Value) is that people are using in your area.  This also applies to the fiberglass rolls and batts.

Keep in mind, if your room has two walls that are interior and two walls that line the exterior of the house, you’ll want a higher R Value insulation along the two outside walls.  A good give away for this is, the interior walls will be built with 2×4’s while the exterior should be built using 2×6’s, to allow for thicker insulation.  You may find that older homes also used 2×4’s for the exterior, but that was due mainly to building practices at the time the home was built.

The Bed - the centerpiece to your room and one of the most important pieces of furniture as far as comfort, style, and affordability.

When it comes to this piece, your options are almost limitless, confusing even.

You have to consider price, style, size, modern, antique, framework, the manufacturer, mattresses, and dimensions.

The most popular size among couples is the King, offering plenty of room for both.

Sometimes, you find better bargains when you combine your bed with a bedroom set.  Though, keep in mind, more often than not, the mattresses for your bed are sold completely separate, and in recent years, the number of manufacturers for mattresses has been shrinking, lowering competition and raising prices.

It’s not uncommon to spend $1000.00 on a bed frame and another $1000.00 on the mattresses.

Most people are aware that there are some Federal and possibly State Tax Credits that you can use for your home.  Problem is, everyone hears about them, but you usually aren’t sure how it works.

Before filling your taxes, the first thing you want to do, in order to claim your home improvement tax credit is: Save Your Receipts.

On February 17, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act of 2009. This bill extends and modifies the tax credits for windows, doors, and skylights established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The following guidance is not intended as legal advice, and you should consult a tax professional with specific questions.

*** Qualifying products purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010 are eligible for a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the product cost.***

Installation is not included; be sure to obtain an itemized invoice from your retailer or installer. The maximum amount of homeowner credit for all improvements combined (including roofing, insulation, HVAC, and water heaters) is $1,500 during 2009 and 2010.

Products Purchased before June 1, 2009

Criteria: Windows, doors, and skylights purchased before June 1, 2009 must meet or exceed the prescriptive criteria established by the 2001 Supplement of the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) or the 2004 Supplement of the 2003 IECC for the climate zone in which the product is installed.

Documentation: For windows and skylights, homeowners may use either ENERGY STAR labels or manufacturer certification statements to document eligibility for the tax credit.

Doors are required to have a manufacturer certification statement.

Products Purchased on or after June 1, 2009

Criteria: Windows, doors, and skylights purchased on or after June 1, 2009 must have U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) ratings of 0.30 or less.  Look for the NFRC label, your item must have this label. NFRC is the only federally recognized organization for determining the energy performance of windows, doors and skylights.

Documentation: Homeowners must obtain a manufacturer certification statement to document window, door, or skylight eligibility for the tax credit.

If the retailer or installer cannot provide this document, it may be available on the manufacturer’s Web site.

You can visit ENERGY STAR for a more complete breakdown on what does/does not qualify, and to learn what the limits are.