Product Review

Summer growing season is amping up in most of the country, and hitting the peak in the northeast.  As many people move to growing their own fruits and veggies, they also need water to help them along.

Good news.  Making your own rain barrel is as easy as you think.  First you need to find a barrel sizeable enough to meet your watering needs.  We recommend around 50gal; more if your garden is more than 10 plants (incl flowers).  These can be found at food vendors (think pickles) or other commercial entities.  Just make sure that they didn’t once hold something harmful to you or your plants.

You should also purchase a brass spigot with hose hook up, a secondary double sided hose hook-up, a hose (if you don’t already have one), and a durable screen.  You’ll also need a (power) drill and drill piece that is just smaller than the diameter of the spigot.

First step is to edit the outside of the barrel (if you care what it looks like). First construction step is to flip the barrel upside down and drill a hole – as straight as possible – into the side about 9-12″ up.  Then screw in the spigot, sealing it with some waterproof glue or caulk. Some people use washers between the barrel and spigot, but you don’t have to.  You should also drill a hole about 6″ from the top and attach the plain hose hook-up here.  This is where your hose should be hooked to when not using it, as it provides a release for water before creating overflow issues.  With the hose attachment you can also ensure that the water goes where you want it to.

Flip the barrel back over right side up  and drill any number of holes in the top. You can do one big one or a bunch of little ones using the same drill bit.  If you make a variety of little ones, just be sure to make enough to account for normal downfall in your area.

Tip the barrel back over to get the shavings out. When it is placed right side up again, lay the screen over the barrel mouth and then screw the lid back onto the barrel, securing the screen.

Your barrel is now ready for use!  If you are feeding it under a gutter, you may have to cut some of the vertical length out if you want it to directly flow into the barrel.  You can then re-attach the bottom L piece so that it sends it onto the barrel top.  If you live in a New England home without gutters, then watch your home during a rain and see where the most water comes down.  You’ll also want to consider where this water will be used the most.  You can then place your barrel here, just keep in mind that it will not fill as quickly as those with gutters (but it will also have less drain-screen issues).

Enjoy your new source of water!  Be sure to check the screen after heavy rains to make sure no new leaves are blocking water access into the barrel.

As summer begins to take full effect, many homeowners start paying much more attention to their lawn.  Fertilizing, re-seeding, mowing, watering. Just thinking about it makes us tired, and when it comes to watering – it makes our wallets hurt!

What if you could plant a grass that, after it’s first growing season, didn’t need to be watered (except in extreme drought) and didn’t HAVE to be mowed? No twice a week, or weekly nights spent out mowing when you could be at the park or having fun with the family.  No daily waterings.

Wildflower farms has a grass seed called “eco-lawn”, which has been in production and available for household use for the last 10+ years.  It is a blend of 7 fine fescue grasses that grow into a thick turf that can thrive in a variety of soil types, even dry or infertile soils.  The grasses are able to live in those conditions because of the deep roots inherent to their properties.  In hard clay the roots can grow up to 9″ deep, while in sandy soil that depth can reach 14″. This allows the grass to pull water and nutrients naturally from a much greater area of soil.

Eco-lawn is quick to germinate, but slow-growing once solidified.  Over the course of a full growing season, if left unmowed the grass would be 9″ long, but because of the thinness of the blades it falls over the a carpet-like look at a height of 4″.  If you are still wanting the “classic cut lawn” look, however, it will only need to be mowed once a month to a height of 3-4″.

From a sustainability standpoint, this is the first major incentive.  Lawn mowers drink gas like a child does koolaid.  The EPA states that “operating a typical gasoline-powered lawn mower for one hour produces the same amount of smog-forming hydrocarbons as driving an average care almost 200 miles under typical driving conditions.” Just think of all the places you could’ve visited, adding up all of those miles, instead of mowing the lawn!

The second, and yet equally great, issue from a sustainability perspective is the lack of watering needed for the turf to continue growing.  While the seeding/germination process is similarly intensive to common grasses, once the turf has passed its first growing season successfully it only needs to be watered during times of extreme drought.  Think of all the money, and WATER, you will save by cutting out the 3+/wk waterings!  Wildflower Farms provides a chart, which can be seen here, of the cost effectiveness of eco-lawn compared to normal lawns.

Northern USA should plant in the beginning of May or around Labor Day if considering switching to eco-lawn.  The seeds germinate best in cool temperatures (55-77), morning dew, and occasional rain.  Their planting chart based on location can be found here.

If you decided that you would like to convert your lawn to an eco-lawn, the steps you take are similar to any other lawn conversion process.  You should first eliminate any weeds and remove debris.  If the home is new construction and grass has yet to be planted, then you should rototill the site at a dept of 3″, rake smooth, and then spread a weed-free organic compost 1/4″ deep.

If converting a lawn from a different grass type, you can either kill the current grass (and then either plant over top of it or remove it and re plant like new construction), or you can overseed onto the current grass.  If killing you can use either organic or non-organic herbicides (the non-organic tend to take longer), mow the dead grass as short as possible and then rake hard before seeding.  Overseeding into existing lawns can be done, but it takes longer to fully switch, requiring yearly re-seedings for up to 4-5 yrs.  This time can be cut down, however, if you re-seed in both spring and fall.

When you reach the seeding process, you want to achieve 15seeds/sq. inch or 25/sq. inch if wanting extra thick grass to help keep out weeds.  Gently rake the seed/soil mix so that they are just barely covered and then roll the lawn with a lawn roller.

During the germination process you should water every day for 3wks for about 20-30 minutes, or the time needed to make the soil moist up to a depth of 1″.  After 3wks, cut the watering back to every two days for 2wks.  (only water if it’s not going to rain)  The germination process typically takes 7-14 days and will take 4-6wks before it arrives at a hight of 4-5″ and is in need of it’s first trim (if you prefer a manicured lawn).  Once the grass has solidified after its first growing season, as mentioned earlier, it need only be watered during extreme droughts.  If this case arises, remember that it is better to fully saturate the ground for this type of grass than to provide frequent light sprinkles.

Below is a video of a customer installation and review of eco-lawn at their home (a redsox fan it seems!).  If you are interested in converting your lawn, eco-lawn can be purchased either online or at 8 retailers in Mass or 1 in NH.

Eco-Lawn home review

Permeable paving units are another option when trying to provide solid surfaces for vehicle or pedestrian traffic, while also managing stormwater issues onsite without having to create swales or retention ponds.

Hastings Concrete checker block gives you the stability of concrete and the porosity of grass combined.  The concrete design has a steel reinforcing that provides the capability of the surface to hold cars up to and including fire trucks.  Each 4sf piece also gives a surface area of 75% grass.

Hanover Architectural Products makes a variety of permeable paving units, from porous blocks to open paver grids.  They currently offer four options: Aqua-Loc, EcoGrid, and two options for a 4×9 paving brick.  The Aqua-Loc paver itself is not porous, but provides over 10% open space on installation, making it capable of filtering 7-8″ of rain per hour.  It can also be installed mechanically to save time and money, as well as be used for moderate vehicle traffic and almost all versions of pedestrian traffic.  The two 4×9 paving options provide less open space (about 7%) but give more solidarity to the ground structure and meet ADA standards.  The EcoGrid paver is the most permeable option Hanover provides, at an open space rate of 39%.  The paver still provides the ability for moderate vehicular traffic while allowing water to filter through the grass-filled voids.

Pavestone Grasstone also has an open paver system similar to EcoGrid and the checker block that allows for vehicle traffic while providing space for stormwater filtration.

There are obviously a variety of pavers that work well for installations wishing for grass, these being only the tip of the iceberg.  The important thing to look for, if choosing this type of paver, is the structural capabilities of the paver and requirements needed for the project.

While porous concrete and asphalt are quite similar in their effectiveness and how they work, there are enough differences in their makeup that it is worth discussing them separately.  We covered the concrete version last week and today we will cover porous asphalt.

As mentioned, porous asphalt works similarly to porous concrete.  Both are based on a void structure like a rice krispie and require subbase layers that were mentioned in the concrete post.  The main difference comes in the physical act of making and laying the porous layer.  The asphalt mixture is harder to create than the concrete version, but is easier to install.  While we couldn’t find any specifics on why, it is more than likely due to the petroleum-based binder that is used in asphalt mixtures, so it is important to choose a binder mix that is appropriate for your climate.  This petroleum binder will also become tacky during summer heat, swelling and making the voids smaller.  It will also provide less aid in preventing heat island effect compared to its concrete counterpart due to its darker color trapping more heat, but this also means it will speed the melting process in winter months when the heat is needed.  The concrete version, however, requires less nighttime lighting because its color reflects more light naturally.

Maintenance for pervious asphalt is very similar to that of the concrete version, requiring an annual or bi-annual cleaning.  During winter months it will also need to be maintained with plowing and salting (no sand!).  It is important to note that for both the porous asphalt and concrete, studies have been done to show that only 25% of the salt needed for normal pavements is required for porous ones.  It is also worth knowing that if 99% clogging were to happen (rare with regular maintenance), water would still pass through at a rate of 10 inches/hour, still more efficient that most sands and soils.

While pervious concrete was first used over 100 years ago, it has taken until recent years for it’s application to become more commercially mainstream.  Thanks to the sustainable trend in building practices, and organizations like the EPA and USGBC*, it is becoming a more widely used material.

Pervious concrete is made of aggregate and a paste of cementitious materials and a specific amount of water.  There is little to no sand found in pervious concrete because it inhibits the ability for the paste to leave voids. Think of it like a rice krispie treat.  The paste is the marshmallow filling that attaches to the aggregate (rice) while not filling in the holes between.

Typical flow rates for pervious concrete are 480 inches per hour or 5gallons/square foot/min.  This means it is both more economically and more environmentally smart than regular concretes because it allows stormwater to filter through its layer back into the soil, recharging groundwater levels immediately.  The open pore system also greatly reduces heat island effect caused by impervious concrete.

The economics side of this means that because of this immediate filter and removal it drastically reduces – if not entirely mitigates – the need for retention ponds, swales, or other stormwater management systems.  This not only lowers the overall cost of the project, but lets you use the land which would have been swales more efficiently for building use – something which becomes very economically obvious if swales are replaced by rentable offices or apartments.  It could also remove any stormwater impact fees that government agencies are starting to implement from the project costs.

Pervious concretes are typically seen as parking lots or other pavements, sidewalks and paths, and residential roads/alleys/driveways.  Increased study of its composition in recent years, however, has seen it also implemented as tennis courts, foundations for greenhouses/hatcheries, patios, low water crossings, slope stabilizations, zoo floors, artificial reefs, swimming pool decks, seawalls, and noise barriers (it has very good acoustic properties).  Places in Europe have even used it for load-bearing walls.

Because of the makeup and the faster drying time, the entire process is done on-site, which means the ingredients can (and should) come from a local source, helping the local economy.  This also makes it more easily adaptable to different regions.

Due to the fact that its main uses are still for locations where there will be interactions with cars, questions about what happens to oil and other liquids arise.  Because of the way the pervious pavement forms, however, instead of pooling the liquids, it acts as a filtering device.  The oil which might leak from a car is filtered through the voids in the surface.  It does not merely run through like water, but attaches itself as a layer on top of the hardened edges of the void.  Natural bacteria and fungi then break down the oil.  Studies have shown that up to 99% of oil introduced in this way will be biodegraded.

While pervious concrete is not typically used for high traffic locations, like main roads or places where heavy semis will maneuver, the normal composite used can safely hold 3000psi – the weight of a fire truck.  Special mixes can be made that allow it to hold more, and the introduction of subgrade aggregate also increases its strength.

The rice krispie treat look also aids vehicle traction, especially during inclement weather.  The porosity ensures the filtration which also eliminates spraying and pooling of water.  Because of its more rugged surface, however, it is important to know that it shouldn’t be used where highly abrasive machinery will be used – like a snow plow that digs all the way down to concrete surface.

In general, a smaller amount of shrinkage during drying occurs and the minimal cracks that might occur have no effect on the structural integrity of the concrete.  In colder climates, the implementation must be designed so that the voids would not ever become fully saturated.  This is typically achieved by putting in 8-24″ of sublayer rock.

Pervious concrete can last 20-40 years with little to no maintenance, compared to other concretes or asphalts which continuously need resurfaced.  The main source of maintenance is the prevention of clogging the voids through annual vacuuming and/or pressure washing.

*The use of pervious concrete is listed as a “Best Management Practices” by the EPA and will help achieve LEED credits SS-C6.1, 6.2; SS-C7.1; WE-C1.1; MR-C4.2, 4.2; and MR-C5.1, 5.2.

Or: “Why we still believe in Mythic”.

We recently came under some scrutiny for a previous post about paint.  As we are a working firm of a few, dedicated (read: very busy), hard-working people – we like to get information out to our customers and others who might come across our blog in the most concise way possible.  This means that we don’t necessarily delve into the details, or have time to research them.  Now it’s time to lay out what we’ve found in the past few days:

1. Everyone has an interest.  Most people who want to change your mind about something or tell you about a product have an interest in that product doing well.  Like, say, they SELL that product.  When you have an interest you tend to only pay attention to certain facts, or skew them – because how that product does affects your pocketbook.  Now, I say most with italics because, while we love Mythic, we are not in that category.  We get nothing from praising their product, other than the fact that our projects are healthy (for both the people who make them and the people who use them) and require much less touch-ups.  And maybe if we praise them enough, people will catch on to their awesomeness and consider trying them out as well for their next project.

2. MSDS (material safety data sheets), while frequently used as the “bible” of the building world, are actually no such thing – nor were they ever meant to be.  It came about for the manufacturers and people who work with said product, so that they knew how to safely handle it and what they were dealing with.  It was never meant to be an ingredient list, or recipe.  No, it does not tell you what is in the “proprietary” blend or piece of something that might go into every product a company makes…but then you’re getting back to an ingredient list.  And the ingredients of the proprietary blend would be listed if they were deemed hazardous.

3. No company in their right mind is going to give you an ingredient list.  No, that doesn’t mean they’re hiding something.  It just means that, unfortunately, in the world of today – you can’t trust a competitor to get ahold of that and steal your product, merely labeling it differently.  Where the MSDS leaves off is where other stringencies come into play.  Like California prop 65 – where they have to disclose any harmful ingredient known to cause medical issues.  Or where third-party verification is needed.  So you have an un-biased party testing your product to verify that what you’re saying is legitimate.  Guess what…Mythic does that.  They were even taken to court by Valspar in relation to their statements of No VOC, No Carcinogens.  Guess what. They won.

The important factor here is that you, as a consumer, do your research.  Yes, sometimes it can  be daunting, but wouldn’t you rather know the product you’re using is quality and healthy for you?  Too frequently we, as consumers, today take things at face value.  We see that it says “no VOC” on the can, and don’t bother to worry about the colorants or other carcinogens.  We go to the store without thinking about durability and wind up with a paint that reqires 3+ coats, doesn’t cover evenly, and more frequent touch-ups.  We look at a product that has a label that makes it look like it’s green, or like it’s been tested and passed something, when really it’s just something the company’s marketing department made up (this variety of testing/certifications is a whole different elephant in itself).  I know you’re out of school, but the learning doesn’t stop.

A lot of paints these days have jumped on the Low or No-VOC bandwagon.  We thought it important to do a bit of clarification for them that they seem to keep under their zipped lips.

It is true that many paint brands/companies have created a WHITE Low/No VOC paint.  The issue for most of these brands comes in when the customer wants a color.  The tints and colorants mixed into the paint are most commonly not VOC-free.  If you’re going to use a paint found in Lowes, Home Deopt, or other home improvement stores, make sure to ask the paint specialist about the colorants if you are wanting to stick to no VOC.  If you are ok with “Low VOC”, then use the no VOC paint with colorant.  We, however, see it as an all-or-nothing sort of thing – especially if there are paints available in a multitude of colors that have no VOCs.

The prime contenders for the no VOC paints are Benjamin Moore’s Natura and Mythic Paints.  Both have a wide array of color choices that use colorants without VOCs.  Both are also in the same monetary ballpark.  Consumer research and reviews show, however, that the Benjamin Moore paint outperforms the Mythic paint.  While Mythic applied easily, it did not cover permanent marker as well and was not found to be as durable against a variety of washings and cleanings.  It faded over time, though we are unsure what they considered “time” in their study.  BM’s Natura was listed as the top choice by most professionals because of its durability, though their semigloss is also listed as “fading over time”.  We as a company have use Mythic for a variety of projects and have yet to have issues with it.  I guess we will see how its standing a couple years down the road.

The other thing to consider when choosing a paint is not only the VOCs in the materials, but other carcinogens.  While VOCs are getting a lot of flak in the news, it is important to realize that just because something is listed as containing no VOCs, doesn’t mean that it also contains no carcinogens.  From a health standpoint, it is important to check the product’s MSDS (material safety data sheet) for the listing of materials and hazards.  Mythic’s paint, for instance, lists no hazardous materials.  Benjamin Moore’s Natura, however, lists three different hazardous chemicals (click on the Natura series for their PDFs), one of which being titanium oxide which was recently listed as a possible human carcinogen.  Kaolin can also contain amounts of crystalline silica, a group one carcinogen.

These hazardous materials make up less than 40% of the BM paint, so it’s up to the consumer whether they choose durability over health, or vice versa.  It seems understandable to us that a product such as Mythic’s which is so healthy and water-based would more easily break down over time.  For it to then be classified as #2 in the testing, behind BM’s Natura, makes it number one in our books.

*There are cheaper low/no VOC paints on the market for those looking for a budget renovation, like Olympic’s Premium or Home Depot’s Freshaire, but they also test poorly in application and durability – which means you could end up reapplying or touching up more frequently than the premium brands.

We recently ran across some new information for one of the devices that works with Google powermeter, called the Current Cost Powersave Envi.  It seems to have started out as a UK device, which is probably why we overlooked it in our first Google powermeter review.  They now have a version of it that works for the United States.

It can be installed on your own and seems relatively easy to set up.    Two clamps are connected to your electrical panel and the transmitter sits within the electrical box (or some other weatherproof structure nearby).  The display can be placed anywhere within your home but only has a 100′ radius, 10′ less per wall that it has to go through.  Once installed, you plug in your cost of electricity (provided on most utility bills) and it begins generating information for you.  It tells you how many kwh you are currently using and what that would make your monthly bill cost.  It shows a graph bar of the average time of day that most electricity is used.  The display runs off the power supply (at what they say is a rate of 2.5cents per month (depending on your cost of electricity).  The transmitter, however, uses two D-sized batteries.

If you also purchase the web bridge or the usb cable, you can sync the display with your computer and upload the information that the display is gathering to Google powermeter, which will then analyze all the data.  This news video tells you a bit more about the Current Cost Powersave Envi.  It seems as though you might need to use the powermeter program if you want to know a better approximation of the final bill at the end of each month because the Envi is only showing real-time usage.  So the cost per month that it shows you doesn’t reflect the load of laundry you did an hour ago, or the tv you have on 2hrs/night; only what you currently have running.

The Envi can be used, though, to track appliance kwh usage and find out if any appliances are malfunctioning or are getting to the age where they need to be replaced for efficiency reasons.  Every time an appliance is turned on, the display updates (it syncs every 6sec), so you can see how much pull that specific appliance creates.  You can also see what the ghost load is for your home by turning off most appliances and see what kwh you are still drawing.  Remember that anything can pull electricity unless it is officially unplugged.

Google has recently been working to expand their information gathering to include data analysis of home energy use.  They have created an application called the “Google powermeter“, which takes information from your utility service or other device that has partnered with Google, analyzes it, and allows you to view it online. You can track it over a variety of time periods and also see what appliances or units are constantly drawing energy (the dreaded “ghost load”).  After plugging in your kwh cost, you can see your estimated expenses and create a budget.

The downside is that this idea is still in its infancy and only a handful of utility companies are currently using this feature. There are also even fewer device manufacturers separate from the utility companies that have partnered with Google for this. You would then have to purchase one of these devices and install it (and its separate components) correctly in your home; some of the additional components are still not on the market yet. You have to wonder whether the device takes into account and tracks its own energy use.

While this is a very good idea, maybe we should wait a little while so that they can catch up on their ideas and just make sure to turn off/unplug our lights/appliances for now.

In the world of sustainable home design, energy efficiency becomes a primary player.  Heating water for household usage averages as the third largest energy use.  It would have a larger chunk of the pie if running dishwashers and washing machines were included in its energy usage, because they account for 40% of hot water usage in a home.  Standard non-electric water heaters are about 60% efficient, meaning that of all of the energy being made and used to heat the water, only 60% of it is actually successful.  This is due to dissipation/standby loss or outdated machinery that requires more energy to run than is created through the heating process.  Electric water heaters are a bit more efficient primarily because of the newer technology used in the heating sources.

Another, more sustainable option for water heating needs, is a tankless water heater.  More common in Europe and Australia, they are beginning to see a rise in popularity in the US due to their lifespan (average of 20yrs vs 10yrs with a tank) and efficiency.  Also known as “immediate” or “on demand” water heaters, the tankless heaters only begin using energy to heat water when a hot water tap in the home is switched on, instead of continuously heating water in a tank for later use.  For homes that use 41 gallons or less of water per day, this when-needed system can account for a 24-34% savings in energy usage.  In larger homes that use 86+ gallons of water per day, it accounts for an 8-14% increase in efficiency.  If a point-source tankless heater is installed, it can increase the efficiency by 27-50%.  Point-source means that a system sized by need is installed at each major hot water area: washer, each bathroom, kitchen, etc.

Things to consider when purchasing/using a tankless water heater:

• While it is considered “on demand”, there will still be a period of time where the water may not be at the desired temperature.  This is because the water in the line between the faucet and the heater has cooled since the last use.  When the hot water tap on a faucet is opened, it triggers the heater to begin its job, thereby heating the water that comes through the line, but not water that is already past the heater.  Most homeowners who use tanked water heaters are used to this wait time, and actually wait longer than will be required for a tankless water heater because they have to wait for all of the water in the tank to ramp up to the correct heat, instead of just waiting for the water in the line to pass.  This is also where a point-source unit shows its efficiency because you aren’t wasting energy and water waiting for the line to clear of water that isn’t currently heated.
• You can’t run out of hot water.  There is no tank.  this doesn’t mean you can take a looonnnngggg shower.
• Gas/propane tankless heaters are said to work better for bigger homes than electric tankless heaters.  It is also typical for gas energy prices to be lower to the equivalent electrical energy price (this can vary based on location, however).  (if the elec goes out does a gas heater stop working too?)  Having said that, it is important to study the specific product you are looking at installing because you may have a gas tankless heater that only works when you ask, but a pilot light may always be running – wasting energy.  Some products come with an intermittent ignition device, similar to how the spark on a gas stove lights the burner, removing the energy wasted on a continuous pilot light.  Electric versions are cheaper to purchase and install, as well as safer in the home (no fuel leaks or explosions to worry about).  They also lose less standby heat compared to gas tankless, which loses a bit because of vent openings.  Electric tankless heaters, however, will leave you without hot water during power outages.  The same can be said, though, for gas tankless heaters if the pilot is electricity-based.
• Consider the flow rate and temperature rise of the specific product.  Climate becomes a factor in this consideration because the temperature rise is from the ambient water temp entering the heater, ie: northern state homeowners need a product with a bigger temperature rise to get them through the winter.  The DOE has a Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy section (EERE) that provides calculators and information for sizing.
• If you choose either electric or gas, you need to make sure that they fit the current specs of your home or upgrades might be required.  For electric this means voltage, amperage, and circuit breakers.  For gas this means natural vs propane, line size, and venting needs.
• You should perform, or pay someone to perform, periodic maintenance on the heater to remove calcium buildup to maintain the quality of the product and ensure a long lifespan.  They should also be heating soft water to help prevent excessive buildup (typically if hardness is above 11grains/gallon).

Overall, tankless water heaters are more efficient than the tank you more than likely have sitting in your home.  Some companies are even stepping up the “green” factor of the new tankless heaters by ensuring that, in addition to lifespan and efficiency, parts are easily replaced so that the entire system is not worthless if something were to break.  They are also making the products themselves easier to recycle, compared to most tanked water heaters that unfortunately end up after end of life or malfunctions in landfills – though some place are starting to allow recycling.