There is nothing as comforting as a toasty fire on a cold winter night. Frigid, outstretched fingers absorb the heat emanating from the fireplace. While most homes offer heat in one form or another, energy costs may make you think twice before turning up the thermostat. You can improve your comfort and make your home more energy efficient this winter by checking for air leaks and inspecting your heating system to ensure it is working properly. In addition, you can improve your energy efficiency by using electric fireplaces with an electric fireplace insert featuring patented flame technology. Look for highly efficient heaters and fans inside efficient fireboxes and furniture quality mantels that provide heat exactly when and where you want it.

As much as most people enjoy a good fire, most homes do not offer fireplaces for a variety of reasons. Many people living in apartments and condos didn’t even have the option for a fireplace until now. Today’s technology has created an electric solution that provides all of the heat and ambiance of a traditional, masonry style fireplace, but without the mess, the fire hazards, or the lumber requirements traditionally associated with fireplaces.

Save Money with Supplemental Heat

Most homes use central heat, a furnace, or radiant heaters to provide the heat they need in winter, but these can quickly become prohibitively expensive. Heating and cooling your home represents approximately 56% of your annual energy bill, which is why these fireplaces are worth your consideration. Checking the insulation of your home, caulking and weather-stripping around doors and windows, maintaining an efficient heating system by changing filters regularly, and having the system maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions are also important.

One way to significantly reduce your heating bill is by making use of supplemental heat. Supplemental heat allows you to only heat the areas of your home that are being used. Instead of heating your entire home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you can keep your thermostat at a lower temperature and use supplemental heat sources to keep specific areas of your home warmer when you need it. Electric fireplaces with an electric fireplace insert can generate enough heat to maintain 400 square feet at a comfortable temperature for only pennies a day.

Selective Heating Saves Money

While electricity rates vary by region, the efficiency of various heat sources is relatively constant. Gas fireplaces generally operate at a cost of 17 to 24 cents per hour, while electric fireplaces provide realistic looking flames for about 3 cents per hour and flames with heat for around 8 to 12 cents an hour. Instead of heating your entire home, you can save money and energy by supplementing your heat needs, allowing you to maintain a lower, overall temperature while staying comfortably warm even on the coldest winter days and nights.

An electric fireplace insert allows you to get the best of both worlds: a traditional fireplace hearth and mantel with the convenience, efficiency and low maintenance aspect of an electric fireplace. Each electric fireplace insert can provide clean, inexpensive heat that only takes the touch of a button to start heating your room. Instead of adding to the problems of air pollution and creating a mess to clean up, you can easily install an electric fireplace insert as a replacement for your existing grate and enjoy 4700 BTUs of heat each hour for far less than most other heat sources.

Suit Your Style with Mobile Heat

Electric fireplaces use patented flame technology to give the appearance of a genuine fire, complete with logs and embers, without any of the negatives associated with a real fire. Another advantage to using an electric fireplace with an electric fireplace insert is the variety of styles available. Whether your current decor is modern, colonial, or anything in between, there is an electric fireplace specifically designed to meet your needs.

The mobility of these fireplaces makes them especially useful in only heating the rooms being used. If you select an Amish electric fireplace, all you have to do to heat a different room is wheel the unit to where you want it. Easy to maneuver, the quality craftsmanship that goes into making these premium Amish electric fireplaces explains their furniture quality design and their attractive appearance.

Keeping your home well insulated, eliminating leaks, and making use of supplemental heat from electric fireplaces and electric fireplace inserts can mean the difference between a miserable winter spent fighting off colds and aching joints or the cozy comfort of a well heated home that doesn’t break your bank account.

There are some plumbing Jobs you just should not attempt yourself. That may even include some you think you can do. D.I.Y. plumbing is not for the faint of heart.

You will find that pipes in walls and ceiling are problematic to work on not a D.I.Y. plumbing job. It is often best to consult a plumber when trying to locate and fix water damage do to pipes that are in walls or ceilings. Often it can be much bigger then you might think such problems will often require much more than just fixing a leaky pipe often the damage from the leak is worse than the leak.

Think for a moment, we have all been there. The toilet wont flush down, the bowl is over flowing you try to fix. You get out the plumber out and work away at it but youre not sure why the water in not flushing through. The next thing you know there is water and other matter all over the floor. You soon realize that the plunger isnt working. D.I.Y. plumbing I think not, it is time to get professional advice. Call in a plumber

Now you head to the shower to clean up, where you are scalded when one of the kids flush the newly fixed toilet. This is not a D.I.Y. plumbing job either. You will need someone who knows how to set up the plumbing so that you get equal pressure. You will need to have a plumber install a plumbing manifold.

Manifold systems (which maintain the temperature throughout the house regardless of use) can accept all common supply line sizes. Typically, a parallel supply line layout or a hybrid version of this will be used with a manifold, so fewer fittings are required therefore, less drop in the pressure occurs

Now youre all cleaned up and ready for dinner, however, the water takes so long to drain out of your tub, then you are always left with a puddle of grunge at the drain. You scrub the tub and wipe it out but the pooling water is a problem. D.I.Y. plumbing?

It is possible that you have galvanized pipes and they will need replacement with new pipes. Galvanized pipes can become clogged solid requiring replacement. As for the pooling around the drain it could be that the tub was not installed correctly or that there is a dint in the tub causing the pooling water. A Plumber will be able to assess the situation

Need to replace your hot water tank? Replacing a hot water heater is not a D.I.Y. plumbing job. You will want to have it professionally installed. Once you have it installed, you may want to insulate it for energy efficiency.

There is a list of plumbing jobs not considered D.I.Y. plumbing projects. For instance, damage to a sewer line do to tree roots, or a clogged sewer line. You may what to put a new bathroom in the basement. This will require braking up the concrete for new drains and pipes. You may be looking to Installing a new dishwasher or garburator. What ever the project you may want to think about the money you can save by using a professional the first time.

There are dangers to consider if D.I.Y. plumbing is what you wish to do. Which include damage to your property. For example flooding, you could even suffer bodily harm. Drain cleaning chemicals can be hazardous to your health as well.

D.I.Y. plumbing can be fine for little projects, however, when things get bigger then you expected, do not wait until its too late- call a plumber.

The business case for energy efficiency is a powerful one. At the end of 2010, the Carbon Trust reported that the average return on investment of energy-efficiency projects carried out in commercial premises is 48%. Increasingly, it is becoming clear that to invest in sustainability is to save money.

But while the UK government is supporting carbon reduction by introducing grants and green initiatives, these have done little more than skew people’s perception of what represents an energy saving. With heavy focus applied to insulation and heating, cooling strategies have been left rather more out in the cold.

The hot topic

The government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) was announced in March 2011 to drastically alter the way heat is generated and used in buildings and homes. Britain’s largest energy users are required by the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme to start lowering carbon emissions so will naturally be enticed by such offers. But incentives like the RHI fail to acknowledge that when a commercial building is designed, the crowds of people and electrical appliances that then occupy it are not taken into account.

Human bodies and devices such as computers, printers, coffee makers, toasters and refrigerators generate an exceptional amount of heat and cause room temperatures to dramatically increase. So, instead of heating, most commercial buildings need to bring temperatures down in order to maintain a comfortable environment and maintain staff productivity.

Office cooling, namely air conditioning, represents a huge energy burden, and can increase a building’s emissions by 100%, according to Carbon Trust research. So, to use it on a daily basis yet take a grant to invest in heating and insulation is a notion most people would surely see as perverse.

The reality of air conditioning is that, despite its widespread use, the energy it consumes often goes to waste. Realistically, without tackling this problem it is unlikely than any commercial building will be able to create a truly energy-efficient environment, no matter how much government grant money it is awarded.

Here comes the sun

As we all know, when the sun comes out in the UK, it is met with something resembling blind panic. Whether in the heights of summer or the depths of winter, sunshine causes heat to build up through unprotected glass windows. These windows then get thrown open to create a through draft, or in colder months, blinds will be snapped shut to block out the sun’s glare, meaning that lights have to be switched on. Either way, this behaviour ends up negating the effect of air conditioning, causing wildly fluctuating internal temperatures and eating up a large, unnecessary supply of heat and energy.

Such widespread and basic energy wastage should not be allowed to continue. Maintaining stable internal temperatures requires more than efficient heating and insulation; businesses need a cooling solution that minimises air conditioning, allows natural light to enter the building and helps to block out heat, rather than trap it within the building. One of the most simple and most cost-effective solutions that can deliver all of these benefits is one you may not have heard of: solar-control window film.

By rejecting up to 82% of solar energy, window film can reduce internal temperatures by up to ten degrees. This stops air conditioning units from being maxed out during sunny spells, meaning that internal temperatures are kept stable and extreme peaks in energy usage are reduced.

Cooling systems can therefore be run more efficiently and inexpensively, reducing a building’s cooling load by 30%, or roughly 5% of the energy bill. If window film were taken into consideration during the design stages of a new building, savings would be greater still as businesses would reduce cooling requirements from the outset; using smaller, cheaper air conditioning units that are easier to install and maintain. In plain English, this could mean thousands of pounds in savings to many UK firms.

Love in a cold climate

With budgets being squeezed and such significant carbon reductions to be made, the heat is on for UK businesses to find meaningful ways to lower emissions. It is the responsibility of our government to steer them in the right direction. Improved insulation and heating is, without doubt, an effective means of preventing energy waste, but without considering the likely effects of over-heating, businesses are in danger of missing the bigger picture.

While most UK businesses will currently look to insulation as their first port of call for energy savings, more vocal support for solutions such as window film by government schemes and incentives, would show these companies that such measures are just the tip of the iceberg.

An all new crossover SUV or multi-purpose vehicle enters the Ford line up this year. The C-MAX, a model that has been sold in Europe for several years, will be sold in the United States and Canada beginning this fall. Based on the platform underpinning the all-new Ford Escape, the Ford C-MAX will be offered as a hybrid only, sold as a conventional and plug-in hybrid editions.

Price Check

The standard C-MAX Hybrid will retail from $25,995, about $1,300 less than the competing Toyota Prius V. Its estimated fuel economy is 47 mpg, beating out the Prius V by 3 mpg. Expect Ford and Toyota to battle heavily for customers in this hybrid niche.

Ford powers the C-MAX with a 2.0-liter four cylinder engine that runs on the efficient Atkinson cycle and pairs it with a continuously variable transmission. This model also features a lithium-ion battery that is smaller and lighter than the previous generation nickel-metal-hydride batteries used in previous Ford hybrid models. The C-MAX makes use of regenerative braking to harness electricity and store it for later use.

Ford is building the C-MAX at its Wayne Michigan Assembly Plant. Another model, the C-MAX Energi, will also be released, the latter a plug-in variety that will yield even greater fuel efficiency.

Economy Aids

The C-MAX allows drivers to benefit from SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a feature that offers real-time information that allows drivers to enjoy improved fuel efficiency. SmartGauge “teaches” drivers how to best maximize fuel economy, by displaying what driver actions help fuel economy and which ones hurt it.

The five-passenger C-MAX is equipped with seven airbags including a driver’s knee air bag. This vehicle features an advanced roll stability control system and offers SYNC with MyFord Touch, a voice-activated telematics system that controls the cell phone, navigation, climate and entertainment functions.

Advanced Technologies

Advanced technologies can be found in many of today’s Ford vehicles and the C-MAX is no exception. This model features active park assist, an available option that uses sonic radar to help drivers find a suitable parking space and automatically steer the car into its place. Curve control ensures that the C-MAX always stays planted on the road and electronic power-assisted steering improves handling.

One feature that is sure to please people with full hands is this model’s hands-free liftgate. The way that this works is that as long as the driver has her proximity key on her person or in the purse that she is carrying, the rear liftgate will automatically open when a simple kicking motion is performed under the rear bumper. Just kick and the trunk or liftgate automatically opens.

C-MAX Dimensions

The front-wheel-drive C-MAX seats five passengers and sits on a 104.3-inch wheelbase. This vehicle is 173.6 inches long, 72.0 inches wide and 63.9 inches tall. Weighing from 3,682 pounds, the C-MAX offers 99.7 cubic feet of total passenger volume, 24.5 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the rear seat and 52.6 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

Forward thinking companies have immediately taken steps towards initiatives in response to the Global energy Efficiency Challenge that was recently launched by the U.S. government. While some initiatives are very diverse and also niche related, others are focused on the promotion of education and awareness towards taking action in the mainstream market. Most of such initiatives were already launched at the Clean Energy Ministerial that recently took place in Washington DC. The United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) points out that there are recently significant investments made on energy efficiency across the board. Most of such initiatives are focused on building efficiency, that are estimated to account for about 60% of the GHG emissions worldwide in every year. Seeing such as a priority, the DOE has already invested funds for the certification of inspectors, operators, technicians, auditors while allocating grants for research as it is pushing energy efficient initiatives.

A variety of forward thinking initiatives have been created as a result of the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge, which was launched recently by the United States government. There would be diverse initiatives which could also be niche related, with the other aiming towards the promotion of education and taking action in the mainstream. The Clean Energy Ministerial has launched many of such initiatives in Washington DC.

The Global Superior Energy Performance Partnership (GSEP) is among the most significant initiatives out of the Clean Energy Ministerial. This partnership involves a three-pronged approach to efficiency improvements in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Some countries that have participated in the Copenhagen energy Summit have thrown criticisms at the United States, and the United States government’s initiative on the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge could concoct a very welcome buzz. There are some other countries which have signified support to the project to become part of such partnerships, with such countries combined would represent over 80% of the total worldwide energy consumption.

One of the primary goals of the GSEP is to develop a certification process to make sure that energy efficiency improvements are meaningful and sustainable. The companies that are participating in the pilot program will need to adopt an energy management system and establish baseline energy performance. There is also a need to undergo a process that ensures the improvements of efficiency in the future, which are to be done according to approved protocols that have been subjected to unbiased validation. Large companies like Target and Wal-Mart, which comprise the largest retail outlets across the globe, have signified commitment to have a dedicated staff implement partnerships which are created under the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge. The staff will in turn ensure that employees within the organization are trained on the program. Participating companies will upload their findings to a centralized database, where the data will be made available as generic sector benchmarks.

The companies selected to take part in the GSEP represent commercial buildings, retail operations, industrial facilities, public buildings and educational settings and the information collected from their operations will be made available as application specific case studies. As soon as the feedback is achieved, the actual process of certification shall be deemed final which will be released to be adopted across the board. Companies are in a waiting list, ready to participate, which is also an indicator that the GSEP pilot project is very popular. The GSEP partnership and the Global Energy Efficiency Challenge are further reminders that every organization needs to be fully aware of its relative efficiency. This program is so popular, which becomes a very strong indicator of its consequent impacts to energy efficiency that would bring gains in any company’s reputation and improving an organization’s proactive stance in such direction.