Copper Roofing Guide - Installation Basics

Copper, a lightweight and flexible metal, had been used for construction, art, and weaponry for thousands of years. Copper is an extremely long lasting building material offering beauty, and durability. Roofs protected with copper are known to last for over 100 years. The newly installed copper roof changes its color from gold to green through a process known as patina weathering. The patina gives copper roofs distinct look of style, class, longevity and beauty.

 

Copper Shingles Installation Basics

When installing copper roofing, building owners can consider two types of copper roofing; copper shingles
works for the historical and contemporary buildings. Copper shingles are easy to install, provide reliable protection and distinct beauty of copper. Standing-seam metal roofing is another option for copper roofing installation. While copper shingles can be installed by using a four way interlocking shingle design to hold shingles in place, standing-seam copper roofing installation will require soldering skills.

Buying Materials

Getting copper shingles is easier than you think. You can buy copper shingles materials from Paradigm shingles, and Zappone. However, copper roofing is expensive be prepared to pay anywhere from 8 to 11 dollars per square foot of copper shingles roofing. Alternatively, you can obtain copper sheet roofing panels from your local roofing supply warehouse. Beacon Roofing and ABC Supply are just some of the popular metal roofing supplies warehouses where you can get copper pans available in 16oz, or 20oz thickness.

How Electricity is Produced, Transmitted and Distributed

Electricity is a one of the many forms of energy that begins with atoms. Although atoms are a little too small to see, everything around us is made up of them. And all atoms are made up of subatomic particles, which are called electrons and protons. Electricity is an energy that is associated with the buildup/movement of electrons plus protons. This energy is created by having the electrons flow from atom to atom.

How Electricity is Generated

Electricity travels a long way before reaching our homes in states from New York to Texas. Electricity is generated in a number of ways like solar methods and geothermal methods. While the solar method works by capturing the sun’s energy and transforming it into powerful electrical energy (via conductive materials), the geothermal method uses earth’s heat in order to produce steam that in turn creates electricity.

Electrical energy is distributed to different substations (in varying amounts). The place of generation of the electricity is known as the ‘generating station’. This station can either be publicly owned where the government utilizes the resources found in the state’s property or it can also be privately owned wherein the resources are discovered on a certain private location. The site’s owner can work on developing this property and building a privately operated electricity generating system, running an electricity company of his own (if you happen to live in Texas, then a good place to compare electricity companies is www.TexasElectricityProviders.com.)

How Electricity is Transmitted and Distributed

Once electricity is produced at power plants, it reaches us through power lines carrying the electricity. These power lines are spread across the entire country. Electricity first travels to a transformer at the ‘power plant’, where the voltage is boosted up to 400,000 volts. The transmission lines (which are in the form of long thick cables) are made up of aluminium or copper, since they have low resistance. These high voltage lines happen to carry electricity to a substation, traveling long distances.

The power lines then go into substations near homes, factories and businesses. This is where the transformers change or alter the high voltage electricity to lower voltage electricity. Then from these substations electricity is used to run everything from streetcars to factories, along with lighting up street lights and supply power to your neighborhood. Next, a utility box or a small converter (which is mounted on a pole) converts the power and brings it down to a lower levels so that it can be used in houses.

Upon entering your home, the electricity passes through a meter, which tells the utility company how much electricity has been used and what amount you should be billed. Once the metering is done, the electricity travels via a fuse box right into your home. This fuse box acts as a protection in case of any problems.

Conclusion

All in all, we can see that the whole process of production, transmission and distribution of electricity is quite complicated. However, since electricity has become such an integral part of our lives today, this whole system works smoothly and efficiently in the hands of the right people.

Metal Roofing Types, Colors, and Options

When it comes to residential metal roofing, there are 4 types of systems available on the market today; standing seam, metal shingles, corrugated metal roofing, and metal tiles. The following is a basic overview highlighting pros and cons of the following four systems:

• Standing Seam is the industry term for the sheet metal roofing panels that can be fabricated on site or off-site after the roof has been measured. It has a distinct look of vertical panels running side by side, with a characteristic raised rib or the seam that joins the panels together in a side by side fashion. Standing seam panels are available in different widths, with 12 and 16 inch wide panels being the commonly chosen size for residential homes. The best part about standing seam is that it is a system with concealed fasteners, which eliminates the possibility of a future roof leak due to a fastener that may become loose and fail, or due to a rubber seal around the fastener drying out. Another advantage of choosing a  standing seam roof is that it can also be easily integrated with PV solar panels that can be secured on the roof with a help of a special bracketing system attached to the seams of the roof.

• Metal Shingles is another common type of residential metal roofing system comprised of interlocked metal shingles or tiles. Metal Shingles can be made out of galvanized steel, aluminum, or copper. There are also stone coated galvanized steel shingles that have the look resembling the look of asphalt shingles.

• Corrugated Metal Roofing is a less costly option compared to standing seam or metal shingles because it is commonly made out of thinner grade metals, and coated with a lesser quality paint finish such as acrylic as opposed to a better quality paint like Kynar 500/Hylar 5000 - the industry standard for high quality paint finishes available in a great variety of colors, and covered by 30 years warranty. For more information about metal roofing colors and paint finishes click here. Corrugated metal roofing systems have one disadvantage; the overlapping panels are held in place, by the exposed fasteners, which exposes the roofing system to a possibility of a roof leak when the rubber seals around the screws dry out, or when the screws become loose. There are some corrugated metal roofs that may be appropriate for residential homes due to the use of a thicker/better metal, and higher quality paint finish such as Kynar 500.

• Metal Tiles are another type of a system that may come as pre-painted metal, or as stone coated tiles.

System Selection Factors to Keep in Mind

Regardless of which system you choose it is very important to compare the following factors: expected lifespan, roof slope requirements, material type and thickness, pain finish, and the system and labor warranty.

Resources:

http://www.metalroofmanufacturers.com/standing-seam-metal-roofing.html

Outdoor Surveillance Cameras for High-End Residential Homes

If you live in a big house and your outdoor security surveillance is a concern, then read my latest Squidoo Lens covering Outdoor Video Security Surveillance Systems for High-End Residential projects below:

You will learn about the difference in performance of Low-Light capable security cameras vs. standard cameras used for night time surveillance operations, advantages of having a camera equipped with an anti-blooming capability, and about the proper uses of thermal imaging cameras for high level perimeter security surveillance in and around your home.

Read the full article here: http://www.squidoo.com/outdoor-video-surveillance-cameras

Memorial Day Sale on Whirlpool Appliances at Outlet Store

Have you been living with an old fridge or dishwasher that looks outdated in your kitchen and lacks many of the convenient features of the newer appliances? Now is the perfect time to make the switch and get brand new, high quality appliances for your kitchen at the Whirlpool Appliances Outlet. The prices at the outlet are always wallet-friendly, but they are being slashed even more for the Memorial Day Sale. Don't miss out on extra discounts of $50-100, as well as Free Delivery on qualifying purchases.

In addition to paying less upfront, you can take advantage of savings on your electricity bill throughout the year by buying Energy Star rated appliances. Not only will you be saving some cash, you will help our environment by reducing energy waste. Treat your family to new kitchen appliances that will make your daily chores such as cooking and washing the dishes more efficient, convenient, and pleasurable.


The Whirlpool Outlet Advantage

Whirlpool appliances are top notch products that provide exceptional performance, convenient extra features, and energy efficiency options all at a reasonable cost. At the Whirlpool outlet you will have the advantage of selecting from brand new closeout or overstocked Whirlpool appliances at factory direct savings of 20-40%. You can choose from a wide range of refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens as well as filters and accessories for all your appliances needs. All models are brand new-in-box and come with the original manufacturer warranty. Shop with confidence, knowing that virtually all major appliances at the outlet feature at least one year of limited warranty coverage for replacement parts and/or repair labor. Your purchase will be promptly delivered to your home and you can also take advantage of the optional professional installation.

Why buy energy efficient appliances?


Did you know that the average home causes more air pollution than an average car, also wasting money in the process? This happens because much of the energy used to power our homes, including our appliances, comes from power plants which burn fossil fuels to power the electric products we use. In turn, burning these fossil fuels causes air pollution and smog, contributing to global warming. You may be surprised that by using energy efficient appliances you not only help our planet, but also save a lot of money. If you equip your home with all energy efficient appliances, you can save as much as $400 a year on your utility bills.

How to shop for an energy efficient appliance?

When you go to WhirlPool Appliances outlet website, or to any new appliances store for that matter, you will notice that all of the appliances look similar on the outside, giving nothing away about their energy efficiency. Here is what you can do to purchase the most energy efficient and cost saving appliance for your home:

1. Consider the size of appliance you will need.

The fact of the matter is that bigger appliances use more energy than smaller ones. Think about your household needs: how many people live in your home, how often do you cook or wash the dishes, how much food do you typically store in your fridge? If you get a bigger appliance than the one you need, you will not only pay more for it upfront, but will also incur higher utility bills throughout the year.

2. Don't be deterred by a higher price tag.

You may notice that some energy efficient appliances cost more than regular appliances. This should not stop you from purchasing it, as in fact you will save a lot of money over the life of the appliance on your utility bills. This is like making a smart initial investment that will quickly pay for itself and will continue to provide a return on your investment over time.

3. Read the Energy Guide Label.

The FTC requires all new appliances, except kitchen ranges, microwave ovens and clothes dryers, to have a yellow and black energy label. The label states the estimated annual energy consumption of the appliance. You should read the energy label on all appliances you are considering purchasing so that you can compare different models on the basis of their energy use. Look for appliances that have a LOW number of the energy efficiency rating, denoting the fact that they use less energy to operate.

4. Look for the Energy Star Label.

If you want to buy the most energy efficient appliances for your home, you should look for ones that have an Energy Star label. The Energy Star Label has been created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help consumers save money and reduce air pollution. Appliances get this label if they are able to exceed the minimum energy efficiency standards set forth by the government. As a result, appliances with this label will be significantly more energy-efficient than a comparable model without the Energy Star label.

How to Reduce your Home Energy Usage at its Source

How to Reduce your Home Energy Usage at its Source - Recounts traditional methods of reducing home energy usage with the help of solid state lighting products, energy efficient appliances, and smart energy use practices, and provides information on how home energy usage can be reduced by controlling energy output to home appliances at its source of entry.

Green Home Ideas: Residential Metal Roofing Advantages & Benefits

Green Home Ideas: Residential Metal Roofing Advantages & Benefits