Archives

March 9, 2010

Long Fence and Home Shares an Evening of Laughter at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

It’s not every day you get the chance to do something nice for the men and women of the Armed Forces, who sacrifice so much for us all. We’re just glad we did.

As part of our celebration of Military Appreciation Week last fall, we invited Comics on Duty to perform a two-headliner show for 300 soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines recuperating at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. 

It felt so great to see the audience’s excitement as they came in, and to hear them laughing and joking with each other afterward, proving that laughter is indeed, the best medicine. Read more…

March 3, 2010

Go Green and Save Green!

If you were thinking of converting over to a wood-burning stove, installing a couple of solar panels on your roof, or replacing your existing windows and doors, now is the time to do it!  The incentives built into the Federal Stimulus bill will expire at the end of the year.

Here’s a quick rundown of the tax incentives offered and how you can take advantage of them.

Read more…

March 2, 2010

The Top 5 Myths About Insulation

Myth #1: Insulation will stop hot/cold air from entering my house.

Truth: Insulation does not actually stop the air from getting inside; it merely slows the convection of heat from one side of a panel to another. How long it takes the hot/cold air to penetrate your home will depend on the type and amount of insulation you have, but eventually it will get there. Adding a radiant barrier to your attic insulation and insulated siding to the exterior of your home are two good ways to put an extra layer between you and the outside elements.

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March 1, 2010

How To Select The Right Windows For Your Home.

When you’re shopping for windows, there are some things you’ll need to know about that probably aren’t part of your everyday life: R-value, U-factor, Argon and Krypton.  We’ll shed a little light on what these terms mean and give you a checklist of things to look for when you’re window shopping.  Literally.

What is the benefit of having a high R-value?

It’s simple. The higher the R-value, the greater your comfort and the lower your home energy bills. Some high R-value windows do such a good job of keeping your home insulated that you might need to open your front door to know what the weather’s like outside. An energy-efficient window also will last longer, due to its ability to withstand expansion and contraction caused by heat loss/gain.

What is an R-value and why is it important?

When shopping for windows, it won’t take long before you come across the term R-value. A measurement derived from physics, the R-value stands for resistance to heat flow, or how well the window will insulate against the elements. In other words, how well it keeps your home guarded from the outside temperature. The higher the R-value, the better the window will help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

What is a U-factor and how is it different from an R-value?

Another term you likely will encounter is U-factor, or the measure of the rate of heat transferred across a window. While some manufacturers prefer to talk about one measure versus another, keep in mind that the two values are inversely proportional: Energy-efficient windows will therefore have a high R-value but a low U-factor, indicating that the window is good at controlling inside temperatures and comfort levels in all seasons.

  Read more…