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Ok, so I have to apologize ...... there must be something to this global warming thing after all.
Last night at 10 PM it was 64 degrees outside and just now my car registered 86 degrees, it warmed up 22 degrees in less than 24 hours..... yet I realize that it will go down to 65 again tonight..... but that will be global cooling.... heckfire, just when I thought I had it all figured out..... now I'm all confused again !
PS: As far as where and how the flooding thing fits in.... I have no idea.
I was thinking of buying house at St James but I'm concerned about global warming promoting floods and also fear of future assessments that can occur in planed communities. Whats it like to retire there ?
Large portions of St. James are 20 to 60 feet above sea level, so I really don't think rising sea levels are going to be much of an issue there in our lifetime.
You probably should be more concerned about living around people who don't believe almost universally accepted scientific facts.
I'm concerned about global warming promoting floods and also fear of future assessments that can occur in planed communities. Whats it like to retire there ?
St James is probably the most well-planned and well-financed community in Brunswick County. Please get the true story from the sales office about what it costs to join the country club, as equity membership is in the 5 figures and social membership is in the 4 figures. They should also be able to provide you with finanvcial statements about the reserves and budgets. If you can afford to buy in St James now, you can probably also afford it in the future.
Regarding global warming, St James probably won't be under water in your lifetime or your children's lifetime. However, if you pick a lot as far away from the water as possible, you will be safer.
Can I get opinions from anyone that has the EZE-Breeze on their screened porch. Do you like it? Would you recommend getting it? If not, is there another option? Did you have it installed when you built your home or after market? We'll be meeting with our builder in the next few weeks to go under contract to build and wondering whether to incur the expense now. Once we build the home, we probably won't be moving in full-time for another 5-7 years later.
Also, have you put in a radiant barrier in the attic? Pros/cons?
Can I get opinions from anyone that has the EZE-Breeze on their screened porch. Do you like it? Would you recommend getting it? If not, is there another option? Did you have it installed when you built your home or after market? We'll be meeting with our builder in the next few weeks to go under contract to build and wondering whether to incur the expense now. Once we build the home, we probably won't be moving in full-time for another 5-7 years later.
Also, have you put in a radiant barrier in the attic? Pros/cons?
Hi Abby,
My house is pretty new and I do have EZE-Breeze on my screened porch. So far, I like them, but I closed at the end of October and have only been here a short time. I had the builder install them as when I looked at the aftermarket costs, they seemed to be pretty much the same as the builder wanted and I thought the builder would do it right and they did. Versus glass windows (which have their own set of pros and cons) the framing used is thinner which allows more light to make it into the porch area and my house which was important to me.
I did some research into having a radiant barrier in the attic and came to the conclusion that it would never pay for itself. If I had a full second floor vice my "Bonus" Room, I may had given it more consideration.
I also came to the same conclusion when looking at more efficient heat pumps and their planned life expectancies. Others may disagree.
I have had this on my back porch for 2 seasons now and I like it. It extends the seasonal use and allows the use of patio furniture, electronics, rungs, plants, lamps etc with out being overly concerned about weather and pollen. Dependent on the sun, it can get pretty warm on the porch during the summer. Ceiling fans, pull down sun shades, and in severe cases maybe a retractable awning can all help make the porch more livable during summer months. Dependent on the porch layout, opening the lower panels at one end and the upper panels at the other promotes air circulation, especially with ceiling fans that promotes a nice, cool environment. A poured cement floor with tile really makes the porch a three season room that its one of the favorite places in the house to sit and read or talk with guests.
Winter temperatures on the porch could be maintained for plants or people use with appropriate heaters. A small, oscillating ceramic heater, used with care, in the center of several plants can keep them alive even on freezing days.
Other features in the house such as brick veneer or glass panel door or doors leading from the house into the porch can add to its functionality and beauty.
Maintenance is fairly simple. Using the water hose to spray off the outside is pretty much all that is done as needed. The panels are water tight enough to keep the porch dry even in pretty sever storms or a hose down. All the panels can be removed if need be but keep track of which panels go where. Small variations in size (they are custom built for each home) can create problems if they are not put back into the same frame. Though the vinyl is durable and tough it can obviously be punctured, cut or torn. Be aware of small children and pets with nails that could damage panels. Panels can be repaired or replaced if need be by the manufacturer.
RADIANT BARRIER
I am personally familiar with LP® TechShield® Radiant Barrier Sheathing. This is plywood sheathing that goes on the roof. It simply takes the place of the sheathing that would have to be installed anyway except this has a foil backing and other features. The claims are it keeps the attics space 20-30° cooler.
I use the attic space for storage so I am in and out of the attic on a fairly regular basis. Even in August, yes the space is plenty warm but not nearly as hot as I have experienced in some homes. My cooling unit is in the same attic space. It seems counter productive to place something you want to cool your home into a a space that is probably 110-120 degrees in summer. Attic cooling units are designed to operate in that environment and combined with the radiant barrier, it seems to work well.
The TechShield improves the overall R value of the home giving it a better "green rating" and lowers energy costs. Our 2200 square foot home stays cool in summer, warm in winter and the electric bill seems reasonable and is sometimes surprisingly low.
If you are looking for a tax write off for an energy efficient home be aware that the federal government will only recognize specific rating companies. Some builders provide energy ratings that are not recognized and will not qualify for tax incentives.
On another note... had a lovely dinner with friends last evening on the water at the Yacht Basin Eatery down in Southport.... then a short walk over to the Old American Fish Company for drinks and cigars and some dolphin and boat watching on the dock....a very nice evening in Southport.
Assume with moderate climate the cost benefit may not justify the investment. However the soft consistent heat throughout the home and efficiency may justify the investment. Years ago i had a home with a heat pump and the heating effectively was not great. Assume technology has improved
Assume with moderate climate the cost benefit may not justify the investment. However the soft consistent heat throughout the home and efficiency may justify the investment. Years ago i had a home with a heat pump and the heating effectively was not great. Assume technology has improved
Just do not think it is worth it. The thermal mass of a raised concrete slab never gets very cold in this climate.
If you have money to invest in a advanced heating/cooling system I might consider geothermal. I do not have personal experience but my understanding is the efficiency is about as good as it gets and the energy requirement is very low though the installation cost is high. I am pretty sure tax incentives do apply which could reduce the cost 30% or more.
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