Tankless water heater — Most of us have a 30- or 40-gallon storage water heater in our houses. Even when you are not home or sleeping, that water heater is diligent in keeping your hot water ready at all times. Modern advances in storage tank water heaters reduces the number of times it must fire to maintain temperature, but the basic operation remains the same. Tankless water heaters are designed to wait until you actually need the hot water and on demand to fire up and raise the water temperature very quickly to operating level. The term instantaneous is often used for these heaters and generally by the time the water clears the heat exchanger inside, it's ready for use. Additionally, these water heaters take up less space than a storage tank type. The amount of fuel needed to reach temperature quickly usually exceeds most storage types, but it reaches temperature in a lot less time and a lot less often.
Title 24 — Title 24 is contained in the California Code of Regulations (CCR) and is the embodiment of most of the construction and energy conservation requirements for the state. All cities and counties are mandated to enforce the requirements of Title 24.
Treated wood
- CCA (chromated copper arsenate)
— As the name implies, the chemicals used to treat wood to prevent attacks by wood-destroying organisms, such as boring insects, fungi and dry rot, contains arsenic, a rather nasty poison. Since December 31, 2003, the distribution of CCA has been severely limited and is generally not available to the average homeowner anymore. It still can be manufactured for very specific commercial applications, such as underwater saltwater pilings and cross member materials, but not for the decking, above-water bracing or railings.
ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary, or Quat) — This method of treatment uses copper as the primary active ingredient. While the material is effective for direct contact and above-ground protection, it is highly corrosive to fasteners and fittings, and special precautions must be taken in their selection (usually hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel fasteners) and the handling of the material.
CA (copper azole) — Like ACQ, the primary active ingredient is copper. While not quite as corrosive as ACQ, the material does have a tendency to migrate into the soil. Again special care in selection of fasteners and handling is required.
DOT (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) — DOT or simply borate- or boron-preserved wood is the least corrosive of the treatments. The material is intended for interior or protected use only and must be protected from direct water exposure, which can leach the material out of the wood. Protected in dry conditions, the borates will migrate into the wood even deeper than the initial pressure injection application over time. The material is very effective against many wood pests, including the voracious Formosan termite.
TXV (Also TEV) Thermostatic expansion valve — A TXV installed on an air conditioning system can dramatically improve the efficiency of the unit. When cooling demand is high, the valve opens up and lets more coolant pass through the indoor coils. When demand is low, the valve closes to reduce the refrigerant flow. AC units not equipped with TXVs have either a fixed orifice or capillary tube system.
Volatile organic compound (VOC) — Many of the products that we buy are made with materials that off-gas VOCs, usually in the form of formaldehyde gas, a by-product of hydrocarbon-based materials. Building materials such as particle board, plywood, adhesives, paints, varnishes, carpet, drapes and furniture are often made with formaldehyde products. Other sources include some you may not think of: tobacco, burning gas, perfume, cleaning agents, hairspray and even copy and printing machines. Degrees of exposure to VOCs can cause everything from mild symptoms such as irritated eyes, ears and throat to more severe reactions such as wheezing and lung, memory and anxiety problems. By using low-VOC products, exposures are reduced and indoor air quality is improved.
Whole-house fan — Essentially a large fan that draws hot air out of a building and replaces it with cooler exterior air, as opposed to attic fans that only remove the hot air from the attic. Compared with an air conditioner, which can draw up to 6,000 watts, whole-house fans use about the same amount of electricity as a couple of light bulbs, or around 120 watts for smaller units up to about 700 watts for larger units. New homes of especially tight construction may need to have barometric vents installed a distance away from the exhaust intake to prevent negative pressure problems in the house, which could have an adverse effect on fuel-burning appliances. (Simply opening a couple of screened windows can also equalize the pressure.) It is important to prevent creating negative pressure around fuel-burning appliances in the house and starving them for combustion air as the fire can actually leave the firebox looking for oxygen. A good whole-house fan can reduce the interior temperature of a house by 10 to 15 degrees within about 20 minutes, as well as create a "sensible" feeling that the moving air is cooler. The exhaust intake is usually located in the highly heated attic air space, and many homes use a gravity damper system in the ceiling that opens automatically as the systems operates and then seals closed upon shut-down.
Zero water urinal — This wall-mounted urinal uses virtually no running water, with the exception of an occasion servicing to clean the unit. The units rely on simple physics: Urine has a specific gravity that is greater than a special sealing liquid. Several inches of the liquid are used to create a trap seal allowing the urine to flow into the system. The super slick surfaces do not allow material to remain behind and thus reduces odor and maintenance. The obvious advantage is a significant reduction in water usage over long periods of time. A disadvantage to steel plumbing is a build-up of salts on the pipe interiors, increasing corrosion. Careful maintenance schedules must be followed to keep systems working properly.
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