Attended Lakeside Living Expo in Gilford, NH

By Mark J. Donovan

This past Saturday I attended the Lakeside Living Expo in Gilford, NH and got a chance to see some of the latest in green technology. Of particular interest to me was the geothermal heating and cooling system offered by Dragin GeoThermal of Meredith, NH. In the winter time, a geothermal system works by drawing BTUs from the ground to heat a home. In the summer time, the processed is reversed by drawing BTUs from the home and sinking them into the ground to provide air conditioning. The geothermal HVAC process is relatively simple in function however it provides a much higher efficiency than oil and gas furnaces. In addition, geothermal systems are eligible for energy efficiency tax credits.

Besides geothermal, there were other neat booths that showed off the latest in solar and wind energy systems designed specifically for the home.

I was also impressed with a steel roofing product that is designed to emulate the look of architectural asphalt shingles. It is guaranteed for 50 years, and from just a few feet away looks like any other standard architectural asphalt shingle. The material cost of this type of roofing is about 30% higher than standard asphalt shingles; however the labor costs are on par, to a little less, than installing standard asphalt shingles. They are also designed to support wind velocities of up to 100 MPH.

There were also a number of lake home builders in attendance showing off pictures and sketches of their lakeside home construction projects around the New Hampshire lakes region area.

Furniture and accessory suppliers who cater to lake side homes were also in abundance. Some of the furniture was quite ornate in appearance. Natural building products and faux fauna indigenous to the area were heavily emphasized in the displays.

There were also a couple of chainsaw wood carvers/artists who were showing off and demonstrating their work. Each made a variety of bear and other animal statues out of White Pine logs.

Overall the show was very interesting, however the weather was quite warm and humid.

Summers the Time for Deck Construction

Increase the Value of your Home by Building a Deck this Summer

Mark J. Donovan

What better way to enjoy the great outdoors than with a backyard deck. Summer is the perfect time of the year for deck construction. A deck addition provides exterior living space to your home and is highly prized by homebuyers.

Before contacting a deck building contractor make sure to initially jot down your top level deck requirements, and preferred decking materials. Also, sketch out the size and location of your deck, making sure to include dimensional information. Documenting deck addition plans upfront will ensure that your discussions with prospective deck contractors will be fruitful. In addition, your deck construction quotes should be more accurate and the chances of getting a constructed deck to what you’ve envisioned will be dramatically improved.

See my Deck Installation Bid Sheet if you would like more tips on how to build a deck and hire the right deck contractor.

If you are in need of help in finding a local and pre-screened deck building contractor visit Find Local Deck Building Contractors at HomeAdditionPlus.com.

Double Dip Housing Market Looms Ahead

Mark J. Donovan

Not surprisingly new housing sales data suggests that the United States is entering a double dip housing market recession. Home sale prices stagnated in June, only increasing 0.1% and in a number of areas of the country home sale prices actually declined several percentage points.

As I have said before, this should not come as a big surprise to anyone who has their own reasoning skills. With employment at nearly 10% officially, and nearly 20% unofficially, and the end of the home buyer tax credit what else could be expected. Add to these facts looming tax increases for everyone with the soon to end “Bush Tax Cuts” and tight mortgage lending, and it is no wonder why the American public is skittish on purchasing high priced items such as homes.

So what’s causing this second double dip housing market? Not surprisingly, Keynesian economics. With Keynesian economics the government takes a more active role in managing the flow of money through lower interest rates and “stimulus spending”, such as the home tax credits that have been handed out up until the end of April. Though the home tax credit provided some instant gratification for a sagging housing market it has negatively influenced the housing market for the long haul. Pent up home buyer thirst was slaked by the home tax credit that has now expired. Unfortunately, like a camel, the housing market thirst has been quenched for some time to come.

As a result, don’t be surprised to see any real improvement in the housing market until sometime in 2011, and only if federal economic policy has begun to change. Let’s all hope so. A continued economic policy of stimulating an economy by mainly giving out government handouts with fiat money, while at the same time having no private sector job growth, is a recipe for national economic disaster.

Repairing a Punctured Tire

By Mark J. Donovan

This past weekend my son reported that the previous day he noticed that there was a warning light on in the car. After going out to check we quickly discovered that the front passenger side tire was flatter than a pancake.

After swapping out the flat tire with the spare tire and seeing there was a nail hole in the tire, I ran down to the local garage. Unfortunately it was closed for the day. So, with little other choice, I ran over to a hardware store and picked up one of those $5 kits for repairing a punctured tire.

Suffice it to say, within 5 minutes I had repaired the flat tire and within 30 minutes I was back home with the tire reinstalled on the car.

The tire repair kit consisted of two tools. One basically was a threaded reamer that you slid into the hole and pushed and rotated a few times in the nail hole. The second tool was for installing a rubber plug. After reaming out the nail hole, all I needed to do was insert the plug into the end of the other tool, apply some adhesive glue to the rubber plug that came with the kit, and push the tool with the plug attached to it into the tire. After sinking the plug into the tire, I quickly pulled the tool out of the nail hole, leaving the plug in place.

The plug should be placed into the tire about 2/3rds of the length of the folded plug.

After repairing the punctured tire, I immediately filled it up with air and it was ready to reinstall on the car.

So with my new found skill, the next time I have a flat tire I plan to skip the garage.

Sorry Sir, I need to Inspect your Head

By Mark J. Donovan

Yesterday while going through airline security I experienced yet a new low in airline travel. I had just gone through one of the new X-ray backscatter imaging machines and was told to stand aside and wait. While I stood next to a TSA employee, he was on his radio going back and forth with one of his colleagues on what to do with me. At first, I was not sure what the issue was. The TSA did not attempt to wand me down or explain to me what the issue was. Finally, after a minute or so of back and forth conversations on his radio, he finally spoke to me and said, “This is going to sound funny, but sorry sir, I need to inspect your head”. At 6’ 4” I was apparently too tall for the X-ray machine and consequently my head didn’t get scanned. As a result, he had to do an “inspection of my head”. My first reaction to him was “are you kidding, I’m not wearing anything on my head”. To myself, I thought what is he going to do, pat down my head? Instead he said, “No problem” and then proceeded to walk around me visually inspecting my head. A couple of seconds later I was allowed to proceed on to my gate.

Though the TSA employee acted professionally and we both got a good laugh out of the incident, this episode was just another example in my mind of the pure stupidity of our current security processes through airports. In an attempt to not offend a few, we instead abuse all by putting every air traveler through the ringer. Besides the wasted time of millions of air travelers every day we are now being nearly stripped of all personal dignity. The new X-ray scanners require a person to strip down to a level not typically required of the basic metal detectors. For example, belts, shoes, and wallets MUST come off to go through the new X-ray scanners, where as with the traditional metal detectors much of the time you could leave these items on. In addition, when standing in one of the new X-ray scanners, you need to turn sideways, spread your legs, and put your hands over your head. Do these words sound familiar to you? Do they make you feel a little nervous or wonder where we are headed as a “free country or people”?

The other concern I have is that though the TSA’s website talks about the low level of radiation doses each person is receiving with the backscatter X-ray machines I was surprised that there were no placards on or near the machines stating this. Ironically there was a large placard stating “No snow globes aloud in carryon baggage anymore”. Yes, the little glass balls you shake with the little snowflakes in them.

I also wonder, that even though the radiation doses were low per individual per scan, what the total dose accumulated over hundreds or even thousands of flights throughout a person’s lifetime could be. X-ray radiation accumulates in the body, so how many airport X-ray scans can a person go through before the total X-ray radiation exposure IS a concern. And how about for the TSA employees who stand hour after hour near the machines. Are they safe? Finally, what is the X-ray radiation exposure level that air travelers, as a whole, are being subjected to, all for the sake of not offending a few?

Though my latest air travel experience produced a laugh, it also raised my frustration and concerns again for the United States policy on airline security. I find it ironic, that in the age of incredibly intelligent search engine and database technologies, that smarter and less obtrusive ways of screening air travelers cannot be performed. I also find it ironic, that in order to protect the rights of a few “risk travelers” that all travelers must be subjected to abuse and a loss of dignity. I have no doubt, with the current Crow Magnum approach to airport security it won’t be long before we are fully undressing at airports and standing in line to walk through a door marked with a rubber glove placard.