This time of year I get to thinking about cold and flu season, so I have finally started a medicine stockpile. I have gotten some cold and flu medicine, Tylenol, and other medical type items. First aid items will be in my stockpile also. Just trying to think of everything. You never know when someone in your family might get sick and you want to have on hand what you need.
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Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Upgrading My Bookshelf
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Thursday, November 4, 2010
Wood Burning Stove Or Pellet Stove?
The heating season is approaching quickly and it is high time to install that wood burning stove or pellet stove you have been thinking about. Which one will it be?
The first thing to check is the availability of pellets in your area. At this point in time, you might not be able to purchase pellets locally. And purchasing locally is important, since it means that there is a sustainable fuel supply in your area.
Contact the nearest store that sells pellet stoves and ask about a list of pellet suppliers. Theres should be at least two in your area. Ask about prices, availability and where they get their pellets from. You want to make sure that the pellets for your stove are from a local and sustainable source. As with anything, shop around and compare prices, proximity, and delivery guarantees.
What Are The Differences Between Wood And Pellet Stoves?
Pellet stoves burn more efficiently and cleanly than wood burning stoves.
All pellet stoves require an electrical connection, while only those wood burning stoves with blowers require an electrical connection.
Wood burning stoves require a functioning chimney or approved vent, whereas most pellet stoves require a conventional flue. Important: check your particular model and your localcodes!
Pellet stoves distribute the heat by blowing hot air into the space. These stoves do notget very hot to the touch. This can be a deciding factor if you have small children. Pellet stoves are quick to provide heat, and quick to cool down, once the fire is out.
Wood burning stoves radiate heat. Some models also have fans to blow hot air into the space. Wood burning stoves get very hot to the touch and keep radiating warmth, long after the fire has burnt down.
Wood pellet stoves require less attention than cord wood burning stoves:
Pellets are delivered in bags, or filled into a pellet bin in your basement. You will have to bring the bags into your house.
Pellets are fed into the stove via augers. You fill the pellet hopper, which is integrated into the top of the pellet stove, with approximately 40 lbs. of pellets.
You set the temperature dial at the stove to the desired temperature. The stove can be a self-igniting model or be started with a starting gel and match. The pellets will feed automatically as required to maintain the temperature.
A wood pellet stove can heat your home for up to 40 hours, without requiring any more of your attention
You refill the pellet chamber as needed
You empty the ash bin every few days
Wood burning stoves require a good amount of work:
Wood is "dumped" in front of your house and you will have to stack the wood, cover it and bring it into the house as required.
Kindling is required to start the stove. You can buy kindling, collect it in nearby woods or from a wood-processing manufacturer (such as flooring or furniture manufacturers) or chop it yourself.
You will have to build the fire and start it manually.
You control the temperature by adding more wood, opening and closing the air supply damper. Keeping in mind that the wood burning stove is slow-reacting.
Your wood burning stove will heat your home, unattended, for up to 12 hours, depending on stove size, wood being burnt, and setting of the air supply damper.
You will need to empty the ash bin daily.
Wood pellet stoves are considerably more costly than wood burning stoves. You can find a good wood burning stove for under $ 1,000, whereas a good, reliable pellet stove will cost over $2,000.
Cost for pellets and cost for cord wood depend to a large extent on the region you live in. In some regions pellets are more expensive, in other areas cord wood tops the list. Some areas have experienced pellet shortages, with the increase in popularity of pellet stoves.
Wood burning stoves are more messy than pellet stoves.
Your Personal Preferences
After reading the above comparison, your personal preferences will also help you decide.
How important is it to you to have the cleanest burning and most efficient stove?
How much work are you willing to do? Some people like stacking and chopping wood. Building a fire in the stove every morning can be a wonderful ritual to start the day.
How much money do you have a available and are willing to spend on a stove?
Do you prefer the radiant heat of the wood burning stove or the hot/warm air blowing from the pellet stove?
Would you like to cook a winter soup on the wood burning stove?
Other Deciding Factors
In addition to the personal preferences, the following factors must be considered:
Are you physically able and willing to do the work required for a wood burning stove?
Do you have the time required to tend to the stove?
How easily can you install electrical power for you pellet stove?
How easily can you add a chimney or vent stack?
Are power outages a real possibility in your area? Will you have a back-up generator for the pellet stove, or will you need the wood burning stove as a heat source?
Heating your home with wood, be it pellets or cut wood, requires considerably more work than simply flipping a switch on your oil or gas-fired furnace. The benefits though, in my opinion, outweigh the hard work and the sometimes messy living room. No matter which option you choose, you can heat your home with a sustainable fuel with either a wood burning stove or a pellet stove.
Christiane Perrin is a registered professional HVAC engineer with a passion for the environment. She is excited about the building industry going green and wants to support homeowners on their journey to building and remodeling green homes. http://www.greenandsustainablehomes.org
The first thing to check is the availability of pellets in your area. At this point in time, you might not be able to purchase pellets locally. And purchasing locally is important, since it means that there is a sustainable fuel supply in your area.
Contact the nearest store that sells pellet stoves and ask about a list of pellet suppliers. Theres should be at least two in your area. Ask about prices, availability and where they get their pellets from. You want to make sure that the pellets for your stove are from a local and sustainable source. As with anything, shop around and compare prices, proximity, and delivery guarantees.
What Are The Differences Between Wood And Pellet Stoves?
Pellet stoves burn more efficiently and cleanly than wood burning stoves.
All pellet stoves require an electrical connection, while only those wood burning stoves with blowers require an electrical connection.
Wood burning stoves require a functioning chimney or approved vent, whereas most pellet stoves require a conventional flue. Important: check your particular model and your localcodes!
Pellet stoves distribute the heat by blowing hot air into the space. These stoves do notget very hot to the touch. This can be a deciding factor if you have small children. Pellet stoves are quick to provide heat, and quick to cool down, once the fire is out.
Wood burning stoves radiate heat. Some models also have fans to blow hot air into the space. Wood burning stoves get very hot to the touch and keep radiating warmth, long after the fire has burnt down.
Wood pellet stoves require less attention than cord wood burning stoves:
Pellets are delivered in bags, or filled into a pellet bin in your basement. You will have to bring the bags into your house.
Pellets are fed into the stove via augers. You fill the pellet hopper, which is integrated into the top of the pellet stove, with approximately 40 lbs. of pellets.
You set the temperature dial at the stove to the desired temperature. The stove can be a self-igniting model or be started with a starting gel and match. The pellets will feed automatically as required to maintain the temperature.
A wood pellet stove can heat your home for up to 40 hours, without requiring any more of your attention
You refill the pellet chamber as needed
You empty the ash bin every few days
Wood burning stoves require a good amount of work:
Wood is "dumped" in front of your house and you will have to stack the wood, cover it and bring it into the house as required.
Kindling is required to start the stove. You can buy kindling, collect it in nearby woods or from a wood-processing manufacturer (such as flooring or furniture manufacturers) or chop it yourself.
You will have to build the fire and start it manually.
You control the temperature by adding more wood, opening and closing the air supply damper. Keeping in mind that the wood burning stove is slow-reacting.
Your wood burning stove will heat your home, unattended, for up to 12 hours, depending on stove size, wood being burnt, and setting of the air supply damper.
You will need to empty the ash bin daily.
Wood pellet stoves are considerably more costly than wood burning stoves. You can find a good wood burning stove for under $ 1,000, whereas a good, reliable pellet stove will cost over $2,000.
Cost for pellets and cost for cord wood depend to a large extent on the region you live in. In some regions pellets are more expensive, in other areas cord wood tops the list. Some areas have experienced pellet shortages, with the increase in popularity of pellet stoves.
Wood burning stoves are more messy than pellet stoves.
Your Personal Preferences
After reading the above comparison, your personal preferences will also help you decide.
How important is it to you to have the cleanest burning and most efficient stove?
How much work are you willing to do? Some people like stacking and chopping wood. Building a fire in the stove every morning can be a wonderful ritual to start the day.
How much money do you have a available and are willing to spend on a stove?
Do you prefer the radiant heat of the wood burning stove or the hot/warm air blowing from the pellet stove?
Would you like to cook a winter soup on the wood burning stove?
Other Deciding Factors
In addition to the personal preferences, the following factors must be considered:
Are you physically able and willing to do the work required for a wood burning stove?
Do you have the time required to tend to the stove?
How easily can you install electrical power for you pellet stove?
How easily can you add a chimney or vent stack?
Are power outages a real possibility in your area? Will you have a back-up generator for the pellet stove, or will you need the wood burning stove as a heat source?
Heating your home with wood, be it pellets or cut wood, requires considerably more work than simply flipping a switch on your oil or gas-fired furnace. The benefits though, in my opinion, outweigh the hard work and the sometimes messy living room. No matter which option you choose, you can heat your home with a sustainable fuel with either a wood burning stove or a pellet stove.
Christiane Perrin is a registered professional HVAC engineer with a passion for the environment. She is excited about the building industry going green and wants to support homeowners on their journey to building and remodeling green homes. http://www.greenandsustainablehomes.org
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Wood Burning Stoves - Not Just a Heat Source
There are many things to love about autumn. It could be the leaves, turning into glorious shades of red and gold or the fresh mushrooms picked from a field and eaten for breakfast still damp from the morning dew. It could be the horse chestnuts and the memories of conker battles in the playground. Or it could be the reassuring smell of burnt wood as the stove crackles in the corner.
A wood burning stove gives off a friendly orange glow which lights up the entire room. It feels warm and personal which is why animals love sitting in front of them, basking in the warmth. There are many different stoves available in the marketplace. From the traditional cast-iron wood burner to stylish contemporary designs there is an option for everyone. And where would we be without roasted chestnuts at Christmas? Roasting them over a fire gives them a delightfully piquant flavor, something you cannot replicate in the oven. Even roasting hazelnuts is much easier with a wood burning stove as long as you are careful and wrap them in foil first. Jacket potatoes in October with lashings of butter is another favorite, especially when straight from the fire.
Often the choice to get a wood burning stove lies in the availability of the fuel, the chimney arrangements of the house and the space to store the wood. It's worth noting that even if you live in an area where the smoke from fires is controlled by your local council or authority, there are certain types of wood burners that are exempt from the usual restrictions because they burn fuel very efficiently. So enquire at your local stove dealer who is best placed to advise you.
Sometimes wood can be sourced from local joiners or factories who would otherwise send it to landfill. Alternatively, you may ask a local landowner if there is any excess wood that you can cart away. Prices of wood may vary depending on where you live but managed carefully it can be a cheaper option than gas or oil. Most importantly, wood is an environmentally friendly fuel unlike coal or oil and can be sourced locally.
Whilst it is easy to buy split logs, there is a lot of fun to be had splitting your own logs. The exercise is great and it's a simple but surprisingly satisfying way to spend an hour - especially when something is on your mind.
A wood burning stove is so much more than a heat source. It's a memory, a style and, for so many, something they wouldn't change for the world.
Notes for editors: Claire recommends Wood Burn Stoves who offer
Wood Stoves
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A wood burning stove gives off a friendly orange glow which lights up the entire room. It feels warm and personal which is why animals love sitting in front of them, basking in the warmth. There are many different stoves available in the marketplace. From the traditional cast-iron wood burner to stylish contemporary designs there is an option for everyone. And where would we be without roasted chestnuts at Christmas? Roasting them over a fire gives them a delightfully piquant flavor, something you cannot replicate in the oven. Even roasting hazelnuts is much easier with a wood burning stove as long as you are careful and wrap them in foil first. Jacket potatoes in October with lashings of butter is another favorite, especially when straight from the fire.
Often the choice to get a wood burning stove lies in the availability of the fuel, the chimney arrangements of the house and the space to store the wood. It's worth noting that even if you live in an area where the smoke from fires is controlled by your local council or authority, there are certain types of wood burners that are exempt from the usual restrictions because they burn fuel very efficiently. So enquire at your local stove dealer who is best placed to advise you.
Sometimes wood can be sourced from local joiners or factories who would otherwise send it to landfill. Alternatively, you may ask a local landowner if there is any excess wood that you can cart away. Prices of wood may vary depending on where you live but managed carefully it can be a cheaper option than gas or oil. Most importantly, wood is an environmentally friendly fuel unlike coal or oil and can be sourced locally.
Whilst it is easy to buy split logs, there is a lot of fun to be had splitting your own logs. The exercise is great and it's a simple but surprisingly satisfying way to spend an hour - especially when something is on your mind.
A wood burning stove is so much more than a heat source. It's a memory, a style and, for so many, something they wouldn't change for the world.
Notes for editors: Claire recommends Wood Burn Stoves who offer
Wood Stoves
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Monday, October 25, 2010
Free Camping & Dutch Oven Recipes
We are all going to have to cook by campfire or by using a Dutch Oven sometime. I found a ton of recipes online for this. Great ideas, tips, and recipes for campfire cooking. There are a ton of free recipes online. Print them off and start cooking!!
FREE CAMPING RECIPES
FREE DUTCH OVEN RECIPES
FREE CAMPING RECIPES
FREE DUTCH OVEN RECIPES
Thursday, October 21, 2010
How You Can Benefit From Solar Cooking
Solar cooking may be well known for being environmentally friendly mainly because it doesn't use electricity, fossil fuel, charcoal, or wood, but it certainly has a lot more to offer.
One advantage of using this type of household cooking is that the solar ovens are easily portable, allowing you to carry them almost anywhere. You can carry use them in the yard, in the park during picnics, or on the beach while on road trip vacation.
Another benefit is the huge amount of time that you get to save from using solar ovens. You don't have to spend much time preparing, tending or even cleaning up the food after cooking. This is because solar ovens are designed to produce even temperature that keeps the food from burning or from being overcooked. As a result, you get to enjoy and eat perfectly and evenly thawed and cooked food.
You also use this cooking implement during power outages. Because it doesn't make use of electricity, you can still boil water and cook food even during power outages.
Moreover, solar cooking is one of the most inexhaustible and least polluting means of cooking food. This cooking method is advantageous both for people living in tropical countries and those in colder regions.
Most importantly, solar cooking doesn't emit harmful elements into the environment that can be harmful to human health. Because it doesn't make use of charcoal or wood, there are no harmful chemicals or gas released to the environment, reducing or even eliminating the risk of acquiring various lung diseases, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and lung cancer.
Resource Box:
Sun Ovens International is a global manufacturer and distributor of solar cooking equipment called solar ovens. Based in Elburn, Illinois, the company touts solar powered ovens as the perfect alternative to traditional cooking devices not only because they are environmentally friendly, but they also can improve the taste of food. For more information, visit SunOven.com or call 1-630-208-7273.
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One advantage of using this type of household cooking is that the solar ovens are easily portable, allowing you to carry them almost anywhere. You can carry use them in the yard, in the park during picnics, or on the beach while on road trip vacation.
Another benefit is the huge amount of time that you get to save from using solar ovens. You don't have to spend much time preparing, tending or even cleaning up the food after cooking. This is because solar ovens are designed to produce even temperature that keeps the food from burning or from being overcooked. As a result, you get to enjoy and eat perfectly and evenly thawed and cooked food.
You also use this cooking implement during power outages. Because it doesn't make use of electricity, you can still boil water and cook food even during power outages.
Moreover, solar cooking is one of the most inexhaustible and least polluting means of cooking food. This cooking method is advantageous both for people living in tropical countries and those in colder regions.
Most importantly, solar cooking doesn't emit harmful elements into the environment that can be harmful to human health. Because it doesn't make use of charcoal or wood, there are no harmful chemicals or gas released to the environment, reducing or even eliminating the risk of acquiring various lung diseases, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and lung cancer.
Resource Box:
Sun Ovens International is a global manufacturer and distributor of solar cooking equipment called solar ovens. Based in Elburn, Illinois, the company touts solar powered ovens as the perfect alternative to traditional cooking devices not only because they are environmentally friendly, but they also can improve the taste of food. For more information, visit SunOven.com or call 1-630-208-7273.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Does a Solar Battery Charger Actually Work?
A solar battery charger could soon as common as the cellular phone as technology continues to emerge in an effort to become a world that is more environmentally friendly.
How many times have you pulled out your cell phone or camera to use it and find that the battery or batteries are dead? It's frustrating, isn't it? A battery charger powered by the sun could be just what you need to keep that from happening again!
Why Choose a Solar Powered Battery Charger?
These gadgets are invaluable when it comes to powering up small appliances such as cellular phones, laptops, cameras, and more. What are the benefits?
* You'll have power readily available in remote locations where AC power is not available
* Solar battery chargers utilize renewable, clean energy - the sun's rays
* No need to return to the store yet again to purchase more batteries that will eventually need to be disposed of into the landfill and damage the environment
* An excellent and convenient way to go green and create less of an environmental footprint on the world
* Save money - on batteries, electricity, and gasoline
* Back up battery stores extra power even when not in use
Let's talk about why battery chargers powered by the sun are convenient to have no matter where you go. You could be in the city, the suburbs, or rural areas and a solar charger is going to provide power to your small appliance as long as the sun is shining. Many people have discovered that solar chargers can be invaluable in an emergency too.
We all know that children of today take along some sort of electrical gadget on vacation or trips to keep occupied, right? No matter what your destination, a solar battery charger can recharge an iPod, MP3 player, laptop, cell phone, or hand-held game after a long trip.
Do Solar Power Battery Chargers Really Work?
Yes, they do! Portable solar panels can provide even more power for larger appliances like cameras, laptops, and cellular phones. Smaller items like MP3 players and the like can usually charge pretty well with lower cost chargers. Higher priced solar chargers seem to receive the best customer reviews, especially when it comes to recharging cellular phones.
However, keep a few things in mind...
Obviously, if the sun is not shining, then using a solar charger is not going to work. The cost of a quality solar battery charger is $50-$250, depending on what it is you want to use it for and how much power you require.
Cellular phones require a lot more power than people think, so if you use your phone often and require it to be charged regularly, you may want to consider a universal hybrid solar charger. This type of solar charger can utilize both electric and the sun's energy.
Technology is gaining ground in the area of solar battery chargers, but there are still a few challenges with them. As long as you know and understand how they work, you may discover it's just the right fit for your going green lifestyle.
M.S. Rochell is the editor of http://www.Go-Green-Solar-Energy.com which offers education and inspiration on the benefits of going green with solar energy, DIY solar power, and affordable solar energy solutions. Please visit for more solar battery charger and portable solar tips, and for our free Affordable Solar Energy eBooks.
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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Ten Ways to Use Less Energy
Lowering your energy use at your residence will also minimize pollution (from burning fossil fuels) on a worldwide scale and save you money. Methods to save energy are simple to implement and, when carried out, go a very long way.
1. Turn down the Thermostat
An effortless solution that will save you cash and save energy is to turn down the heat. Lowering your heat in cold weather by just only two degrees can cut your energy bill by almost 10 percent. Acquire an automatic or programmable thermostat to make it simple to save on heating. Program it to turn down when you're absent from home or you are asleep, and to turn back up half an hour before you'll be up and about.
2. Disconnect Gizmos
Electronic gear and devices consume energy even when they are off. They've in fact been called energy suckers.
Americans waste $1 billion a year powering items like TVs and DVD players despite the fact that they're turned off.
Therefore, unplug your Television, stereo, PC, microwave, and additional devices when you're not using them. Make sure to disconnect your cell-phone and MP3 chargers as soon as they are charged.
3. Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate
Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, permitting it to consume less energy during durations of inactivity. In Windows, the power management settings are found on your control panel.
Set your PC to "hibernate" routinely after thirty minutes or so of inactivity. The "hibernate mode" turns the PC off in a method that doesn't require you to boot everything when you turn it back on. Allowing your PC to hibernate saves energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your computer. After you're done for the day, shut down.
4. Clean Clothes Efficiently
90%, of the energy consumed in the washing of clothes goes to heat the water, so washing in cold is an easy way to cut energy use dramatically. Wash just complete loads. When drying, be certain to check the lint screen prior to each load and clean it afterward. Furthermore, if you wish to take efficiency a step further, suspend some or most items and let them air-dry instead of running them through the dryer.
5.Take shorter showers and don't have baths
Hot water heating is one of the major uses of energy in any home. Showers are the best way save on energy consumption. Baths use much more water and heat than do baths unless you also decide to take very long showers.
6. Eat a smaller amount of Meat
Meat production requires plenty more energy and resources than raising vegetables or grains. In actual fact, eighteen percent of human-caused greenhouse gases comes from the livestock business. You need not have to be a true vegetarian to make a change in this area. Attempt skipping meat just one day a week. If every American had one meat-free day a week, it would cut emissions as much as taking eight million automobiles off the roads.
7. Do not drive to car often or leave it completely
Automobiles devour half of the world's oil, and spew 25% of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions. Leaving your car at home even one day per week will save a lot of gas and reduce emissions. Attempt walking, cycling, carpooling, or taking the bus or subway. See if you can telecommute to work one day a week. Before you drive, be certain your tires are correctly inflated -- underinflated tires will cut your gas mileage by 5 percent.
8. Slash your flights.
Nothing else you do leads to so much climate change in such a short period of time
9. Try green living
Choose one small assignment you can perform in the house to cut back energy consumption. Substitute regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFLs consume roughly 1/5 as much energy as normal bulbs, and last about twelve times longer. Install a low-flow shower head that can save on water heating and use. Lessen the temperature of your water heater to one hundred twenty degrees, and insulate the boiler.
10. Repair the drafts
In an average house, up to twenty percent of warmth is lost through drafts. To experiment an area, simply hold the palm of your hand up alongside a door or window. If you feel cold air coming through, warm air is escaping. This is easy to repair and can save you hundreds on your yearly heating bill. In addition, to cut overall home energy consumption, you can also use highly reflective materials to lower surface temperatures of your roof by up to one hundred degrees. Cool roof methods perform best on smaller buildings in sunnier environments.
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1. Turn down the Thermostat
An effortless solution that will save you cash and save energy is to turn down the heat. Lowering your heat in cold weather by just only two degrees can cut your energy bill by almost 10 percent. Acquire an automatic or programmable thermostat to make it simple to save on heating. Program it to turn down when you're absent from home or you are asleep, and to turn back up half an hour before you'll be up and about.
2. Disconnect Gizmos
Electronic gear and devices consume energy even when they are off. They've in fact been called energy suckers.
Americans waste $1 billion a year powering items like TVs and DVD players despite the fact that they're turned off.
Therefore, unplug your Television, stereo, PC, microwave, and additional devices when you're not using them. Make sure to disconnect your cell-phone and MP3 chargers as soon as they are charged.
3. Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate
Enable the "sleep mode" feature on your computer, permitting it to consume less energy during durations of inactivity. In Windows, the power management settings are found on your control panel.
Set your PC to "hibernate" routinely after thirty minutes or so of inactivity. The "hibernate mode" turns the PC off in a method that doesn't require you to boot everything when you turn it back on. Allowing your PC to hibernate saves energy and is more time-efficient than shutting down and restarting your computer. After you're done for the day, shut down.
4. Clean Clothes Efficiently
90%, of the energy consumed in the washing of clothes goes to heat the water, so washing in cold is an easy way to cut energy use dramatically. Wash just complete loads. When drying, be certain to check the lint screen prior to each load and clean it afterward. Furthermore, if you wish to take efficiency a step further, suspend some or most items and let them air-dry instead of running them through the dryer.
5.Take shorter showers and don't have baths
Hot water heating is one of the major uses of energy in any home. Showers are the best way save on energy consumption. Baths use much more water and heat than do baths unless you also decide to take very long showers.
6. Eat a smaller amount of Meat
Meat production requires plenty more energy and resources than raising vegetables or grains. In actual fact, eighteen percent of human-caused greenhouse gases comes from the livestock business. You need not have to be a true vegetarian to make a change in this area. Attempt skipping meat just one day a week. If every American had one meat-free day a week, it would cut emissions as much as taking eight million automobiles off the roads.
7. Do not drive to car often or leave it completely
Automobiles devour half of the world's oil, and spew 25% of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions. Leaving your car at home even one day per week will save a lot of gas and reduce emissions. Attempt walking, cycling, carpooling, or taking the bus or subway. See if you can telecommute to work one day a week. Before you drive, be certain your tires are correctly inflated -- underinflated tires will cut your gas mileage by 5 percent.
8. Slash your flights.
Nothing else you do leads to so much climate change in such a short period of time
9. Try green living
Choose one small assignment you can perform in the house to cut back energy consumption. Substitute regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFLs consume roughly 1/5 as much energy as normal bulbs, and last about twelve times longer. Install a low-flow shower head that can save on water heating and use. Lessen the temperature of your water heater to one hundred twenty degrees, and insulate the boiler.
10. Repair the drafts
In an average house, up to twenty percent of warmth is lost through drafts. To experiment an area, simply hold the palm of your hand up alongside a door or window. If you feel cold air coming through, warm air is escaping. This is easy to repair and can save you hundreds on your yearly heating bill. In addition, to cut overall home energy consumption, you can also use highly reflective materials to lower surface temperatures of your roof by up to one hundred degrees. Cool roof methods perform best on smaller buildings in sunnier environments.
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Monday, October 18, 2010
Homemade Cough & Cold Remedy
It is getting to be that time of year again where everyone in our house is sniffing and coughing and just plain miserable. I have decided that this year I will tryout some home remedies. I will share some of the recipes with my readers of this blog.
Here is the first one:
Ginger Tea
* 1 inch or so fresh ginger root, sliced thin or grated
* 1/2 a fresh lemon, sliced (peel & all)
* 1 clove garlic, mashed
* ~2 c water
* Very generous spoonful honey
Place water, ginger, lemon, & garlic in saucepan; bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer gently for 20 min. Strain into mugs and add lots of honey. The tea will get stronger if you let it sit! Most invigorating!
The garlic adds a bit of bitterness, but the honey masks that. This tea is very soothing to the throat and warms and opens the chest and nasal passages. Plus there are a lot of those vitamins and other good things! Make this tea at the first sign of a cold. It is a lot more effective than the commercial hot lemon remedies, and of course cheaper!
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Here is the first one:
Ginger Tea
* 1 inch or so fresh ginger root, sliced thin or grated
* 1/2 a fresh lemon, sliced (peel & all)
* 1 clove garlic, mashed
* ~2 c water
* Very generous spoonful honey
Place water, ginger, lemon, & garlic in saucepan; bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer gently for 20 min. Strain into mugs and add lots of honey. The tea will get stronger if you let it sit! Most invigorating!
The garlic adds a bit of bitterness, but the honey masks that. This tea is very soothing to the throat and warms and opens the chest and nasal passages. Plus there are a lot of those vitamins and other good things! Make this tea at the first sign of a cold. It is a lot more effective than the commercial hot lemon remedies, and of course cheaper!
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Alcohol Camping Stoves
Alcohol camping stoves are the perfect choice for the backpacker looking for a small, lightweight, easy-to-use and inexpensive stove.
The alcohol camping stoves are very simple, they have very little moving parts, no jets or orifices to clog and clean. Alcohol is a renewable resource and is a non-petroleum based product. If you have a spill in your backpack, it will evaporate quickly, leaving no tell-tale odor. It's the perfect "green" fuel.
Ok, let's look at the pros and cons for the alcohol camping stoves...
PRO
1. Simple - No Pumping, Pressurizing, Priming or Pre-lighting.
2. Fuel - Renewable, Evaporates quickly, Burns clean (no soot), Not oily or smelly.
3. Lightweight - Can weigh as little as a few ounces.
4. Reliable - They light first time every time, as long as you guard your match against the wind.
5. Safety - Fuel evaporates quickly and will not explode (non-inflammable).
6. Fuel Transport - Easy; can be carried in a plastic bottle. Do not use an untreated aluminum bottle. If you're not sure, don't use it. See the note at the bottom of the page.
7. Fuel Availability - Everywhere; can be found in drug stores to hardware stores.
8. Noise - Very quiet and generally cannot be heard. This can also be a con.
CON
1. Noise - As I said above, being quiet can be a pro or a con. Pro in that it is quiet, but a Con because you sometimes cannot tell if you have a flame or not.
2. Flame - Alcohol burns clear (slightly bluish) and this makes it very difficult to see. Especially in the daylight.
3. Heat Output - Alcohol camping stoves put out about half of the heat per ounce other liquid fuel stoves produce, i.e. white gas, kerosene, Coleman style fuels, and butane or propane.
4. Group Size - A small group of 1 or 2, maybe 3, is best, because of the slower cooking time. This isn't really a con, but it is something to consider.
5. Cooking Time - Is slower because of the reduced heat output, but for 1 or 2 people it is just fine.
6. Safety - NEVER, NEVER fill the stove with more fuel while it is still burning or hot. This actually goes for ALL stove types.
7. Cold - Alcohol camping stoves are not very reliable in freezing weather. As the temperature drops, the evaporation rate of the alcohol drops. This makes them very hard to start. A work-around for this is to pre-heat the stove with a candle.
8. Durability - Since they are so small and lightweight, they can be fragile. They can be bent, crushed or destroyed easily without the proper care.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY): Alcohol camping stoves are perfect for the DIY crowd. The internet is full of instructions on how to make an alcohol camping stove.
FUEL
1. Isopropyl - NOT Recommended. This can be purchased from any drug store, but it will always have too much water mixed with it. It's never just pure alcohol.
2. Denatured - This fuel comes mixed with other poisonous chemicals. Many times the label will say that it is suitable for marine stoves. I would go with that brand. Another way to tell if the denatured that you have will be any good, is to burn some of it in a metal dish and check for any residue left behind. Do not use it if there is any residue.
3. Grain - Alcohol works well, but can be expensive. Stay away from the colored grain alcohols and go for the clear such as the Everclear brand. Keep in mind that you brought it to use in the stove and not to keep your belly warm. P.S. This is the only fuel than can be consumed by humans. ALL the others are poisonous.
4. Methyl - Other names are methanol, wood alcohol, methyl hydrate, liquid fondue fuel, gasoline line antifreeze. This is a highly poisonous fuel. However, methanol evaporates faster than ethanol at all temperatures and you would have a better chance of starting your stove in cold weather. Store this fuel and the stove that uses it from your food and pots.
5. Gelled Alcohol - Such as Sterno, Canned Heat, Jelled Alcohol. This is good for keeping food warm, but not for cooking. Not enough heat output.
6. Diethylene Glycol - Extremely poisonous and is Not Recommended.
Types of Alcohol Camping Stoves
1. Open Flame - This is the simplest of all the alcohol camping stoves. It's basically an open shallow metal container that you pour the alcohol in and you light it. The pot is sitting on a wire frame above the stove. They are simple to build and operate, but are not the most efficient with the fuel to heat ratio. However, they are a very reliable stove.
2. Chimney or Updraft - This style of stove utilizes the updraft created by the heat of the fire, up a chimney, to the top of the stove and heating the pot. It mixes the air with the fuel at the bottom of the stove to get a better controlled flame at the top. The pot sits on a stand above the stove. It has a good heat output and is very reliable.
3. Low Pressure Side Burner - This utilizes the low pressure draft created like the Chimney stove, but the pot sits directly on the stove. Same stove as the Chimney stove, just a different way of using it. It has good heat output and does not need a pot stand.
4. Open Jet - This stove works by vaporizing the fuel and shooting it out little jets. The fuel is poured in through the top center; it is very lightweight and will simmer, but is only good for small pots. You will need to have a pot stand to keep the pot off the stove.
5. Hybrid Side Burner Jet - This is like the Open Jet, but the vents are on the side. The pot sits right on the stove top so a pot stand is not needed.
6. Pressurized Jet - This is like the Open Jet stove, but the center is closed allowing the fuel gasses to build up pressure. It burns hot and does not allow for simmering. You will need a pot stand for this stove.
Points to Consider
1. Consider making an alcohol camping stove for yourself.
2. Are you going to be doing a lot of extreme cold weather cooking?
3. Burner style - You do not have to settle for just one style. You can have a different style depending on weather conditions and/or altitude.
4. Boil time to fuel usage ratio - This ratio is how long does it take to boil 1L of water to how much fuel is used. This is very important when you are determining how much fuel to carry with you.
5. Flame control - Do you want to be able to simmer or not?
6. Size of group - Remember that 1-2 people are best per stove.
Note: Aluminum: "SIGG, one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of reusable aluminum bottles, actually lines their aluminum with an FDA approved coating that prevent toxins from leaching." According to Elizabeth Borelli of Nubius Organics.
For more on this topic go to http://hubpages.com/hub/BPA-Free-Reusable-Water-Bottles-Containers/.
About Me
Hello, I'm Clayton Hay. I have over 50 years of camping, hiking and backpacking experience. Most of it has been through the Boys Scouts of America in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, and New Mexico and the rest with family and friends.
If you want to learn more about backpacking tips, backpacks, tents, stoves, food, nutrition, sleeping bags and travel, then visit me at http://fossilbackpackinggear.com.
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