Author: Holly Jordan

Energy-efficiency is extremely important when it comes to keeping electricity bills and fuel usage for Connecticut buildings at a minimum during the wintertime. Just like increased temperatures require a cool roof in warmer climates to air conditioning usage at a more manageable level, Connecticut commercial roofing contractors can make better use of sustainable metal and solar panel roofing systems that can better distribute heat, help your HVAC produce more of it, and prevent the heat from exiting the building.

 

Why Are Energy Efficient Roofing Installations So Important?

 

In Connecticut during the winter temperatures can commonly go below zero, and your roof plays a key role on how such temperature changes might impact your building as a whole. With the power grid already feeding your computer systems, printers, various machines and any other equipment you might have, an electric furnace or HVAC system can draw even more energy from the grid and further inflate your electricity bills.

 

With the help of Connecticut commercial roofing options designed to be energy efficient, you can counter that effect, prevent heat from escaping and make sure the building is heated far longer with the same amount of energy.

 

These types of roofs are often made from highly resilient, heat-resistant materials, or they feature protective layers of special materials that prevent heat from escaping. Some may even produce additional electricity you can add to the grid to alleviate the costs.

 

The Main Highlights and Benefits of Energy Efficient Roofing

 

Metal roofing is one of the most energy efficient type of roofing material used in Connecticut. Metal, first of all, allows snow to slide easily away, so it’s great for colder weather. Also, the destructive effects of ice damming will never be a problem with a good metal roof.

 

The more important benefits of metal, however, have to do with its energy efficiency. Due to metal’s property of retaining heat longer, a metal roof can absorb heat more efficiently both from the sun and from within your building. Also, if properly insulated it will reduce the load of your HVAC and prevent it from overworking.

 

Connecticut commercial roofing options based on asphalt, such as Bitumen, can also be highly energy efficient. Modified Bitumen roofs offer outstanding thermal performance and wind resistance that make them a good choice both for overly hot and overly cold climates.

 

Solar panel roofing has become a viable and fashionable choice both for residential and commercial applications. This type of roof is designed using solar panels, and basically features a solar panel array that acts as the roof itself. The solar panels will capture light from the sun and turn it into energy that can be used to power your HVAC during the winter even in the event of a power outage.

 

Heavy materials such as tiles and slate roofs are more commonly used for residential purposes, but are also a good energy-efficient solution for commercial roofing. They are heavy enough to withstand harsh weather, and with additional reinforcing and protective layers designed to prevent heat from escaping the building, they can also protect against temperature changes.

If you live in the capital of Colorado and you have been thinking about switching to using propane, but you are worried that installing new equipment and tank refills are just the hassle you don’t need, don’t be – installing your propane tank and propane tanks refills in Denver have never been easier. There are many great, full-service propane companies that take care of everything related to your transition to using this efficient, clean and affordable source of energy – here are a few tips and ideas about why make the switch and how to get the related tasks handled painlessly.

 

The Advantages of Switching to Propane

 

Propane is an affordable and efficient choice for households and companies as well. This high-energy alternative will minimize your energy-related costs and will also minimize your carbon footprint, so propane allows you to protect not only your budget, but nature as well. Reliability is another feature that contributes to the increasing popularity of propane, especially in areas where other sources of energy are not accessible or the maintenance of electricity systems is difficult such as in remote mountain areas.

 

Propane is also very versatile. You can use it for heating your rooms, for making hot water and for cooking as well; what’s more, there are numerous appliances that are powered with propane, so you can use them without being required to be connected to the electricity grid.

 

How to Switch to Propane

 

To be able to switch to using propane, what you will need first and foremost is a suitable tank or tanks to store the fuel. Tanks vary in size, usually between 20 lbs and 1000 gallons (the tank sizes most frequently used in households are 20, 30 and 50 lbs, while industrial appliances might require tanks that are larger than 1000 gallons, sizes also available, but only upon request for obvious reasons). You can either buy your own tanks or lease the tanks from your propane supplier. You will also need to modify installations around your home or your facility, but you can rely on your propane supplier to take of that as well.

 

How to Get Your Propane Tank Refills in Denver

 

Refills are also very easy: if you have small tanks that you can transport, you can take them to a filling station and get a refill anytime you need, you can choose to get your empty tank simply replaced with a full one (you will also have to take your tank to the station, but the ´replacement procedure is faster than the refill) or, if your tank is large or you don’t want to handle the refill yourself, your propane supplier will take care of regular refills. With today’s advanced monitoring technologies, a Denver propane company is able to monitor the contents of their tanks in the city of Denver and outside of it as well, so you can get automatic refills whenever the fuel level in your tank drops below a certain level. Either ways, getting your tanks full all the time is a very easy process and if you add the other benefits, you will see that switching to using propane is definitely worth it.

Basements are useful, potentially multifunctional, but often neglected spaces – if you are ready to take the plunge and start remodeling your basement to transform into a real gem, here are a few basement refinishing ideas to help you.

 

Decide about the Function of Your Basement

 

Every family home, every basement is different and every family has different space-related needs. Some families need extra space because the kids are growing and they need their own rooms, others need the extra space to allow members to enjoy their hobbies such as work-out, music or video games undisturbed. Decide about the functionality of your basement taking into consideration your family’s needs and the architectural properties of your basement – check the layout of the space, maybe it is large enough and structured in a way that allows you to create multiple rooms to serve multiple purposes down there.

 

Decide about the Style

 

When you have made the decisions regarding functionality, you have to make decisions about the styling as well. Many people choose to start the refinishing project and get the furnishing items on the go, just to find that the eclectic collection of furnishing pieces they have collected fail to convey the right atmosphere. You can easily avoid this by creating a design before doing anything else – if you feel that you lack the drawing skills to create an interior design on paper, use one of the great online design platforms. Many of them are completely free and they allow you to experiment with shapes and colors until you find the perfect combination. Try to design every detail – the more complete your mental image of what you want, the easier it will be to make it all happen.

 

Prepare the Basement

 

To be able to enjoy your new basement room or rooms to the fullest, you need to be sure the walls and the floors you build on are in perfect condition. You may find you have to install insulation or to eliminate an infestation with insects from among the floor boards or from the tiny cracks in the walls and your basement must also comply with the building regulations applicable in your area. Pay attention to the heating as well – the ventilation of basements is different from the rooms in the rest of the house and these differences must be taken into consideration when creating the heating system. This is a phase in the project that requires a certain level of experience and expertise, so it may be a good idea to request professional help from Fort Collins construction experts – later on, when everything is thoroughly prepared for the final, decoration phase, you can take your project back and finish everything at your own pace.

 

A Few Basement Refinishing Ideas about Furniture

 

Whatever the style and function of your basement, make sure it is comfortable. Use large, chunky pieces of furniture, soft textures and warm colors. You can use separators to diversify the space, but comfort is the most important thing in a basement room, so make it all as cozy as possible.