Archive for March, 2010

Tweet The Arizona Department of Commerce’s Energy Office just announced the Arizona Appliance Rebate Program. Details are still sketchy, but I’ll give you a low-down on what you need to know in this week’s posts. There are three items that are eligible for this rebate: clothes washers, dishwashers and water heaters. The reason Arizona decided to give rebates on these three items and not others is because it feels that these three items address the usage of water as well as energy, which is a uniquely important aspect of living in the desert. To get this rebate, you need to…

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March 04, 2010

Is Laminate Flooring Green?

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet Laminate flooring has a great deal going for it:  it can look good, it’s very easy to install, and it’s inexpensive.  It’s become a very popular floor for DIYers for those reasons.  But is it green?  The answer is:  it’s complicated.  Take a look at this video for the low-down on the green aspects of laminate flooring. laminate flooring video

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March 01, 2010

3 Reasons Concrete Floors are Great in Phoenix

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet I think concrete floors are a really wonderful option for Phoenix homes.  In fact, many of the mid-century modern homes built here had concrete floors.  3 Palms, our 1963 duplex is one of those.  Underneath the peel-and-stick Vinyl Composite Tile that we removed, we discovered this beautiful integral-colored sepia concrete floor. Aesthetically, concrete floors are beautiful and they evoke a raw cool feel that’s appropriate for our hot desert climate.  Here are three reasons to consider concrete floors: They keep your house cool during the summer.  This passive cooling is invaluable for our Phoenix climate and is why it…

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