How-To DIY: Natural/Passive Heating & Cooling.

How-To DIY: Natural/Passive Heating & Cooling.

The following how to overview on natural/passive heating and cooling is taken right from a guide I wrote on the subject available at www.agua-luna.com.

Either you’ve just spent the last months constantly attempting to keep your home warm during the fridged winter months or you’ve battled endlessly trying to keep your home cool in this smoldering unending summer heat.

Or maybe still you’ve spent the last months be it summer or winter nice and comfortable, yet you’re dreading the end of the month when that $2,000.00 utility bill arrives. Either way one or the other is just around the bend and it’s now, once again, time to make the proper preparations to your new or existing home.

Why not stop the loosing battle now! Don’t repeat the endless mistakes of so many millions of Americans by simply adding more fuel to the furnace or burning more energy in that AC this year. Incorporate some form of FREE Natural or Passive Heating and Cooling in your home today!

Natural heating and cooling systems utilize Free passive and Natural methods in order to save YOU money and the planet heartache. In fact, it doesn’t really matter whether you are getting ready for winter or summer, since most of the natural heating and cooling systems I will be showing you how to build in the following chapters, not only protect your home from the upcoming heat, but the same methods will protect your home from the cold weather as well.

We all know that Air conditioners are probably the best method for keeping a home cool. However we ALL also know that the quality and massive cooling properties of air-conditioning, doesn’t come without its downfalls… COST.

Air-conditioning units, especially central air-conditioners are VERY expensive to buy and install, and even cost more to maintain and run. Actually, most homes in the US don’t even have air-conditioning for this very reason and only a small percentage have central air-conditioning which come with a very large price tag indeed. It costs upwards above $20,000 to install central ACs in homes without existing central air conditioning installed.

Alternatively, folks that can’t afford such extravagant systems opt for window based models which are far cheaper, but lack greatly in their ability to cool large areas and require a much larger supply of electricity, resulting in skyrocketing monthly utility costs. Basically, what’s saved in the purchase and installation costs goes right out the window (literally) in utility bills.

Minisplit air-conditioning systems are a combination of central and window based technologies making a system more economic on the pocket book, while bringing the cooling power of a central system to the masses, however these products aren’t available widespread in the US as of yet.

Conversely, most homes do have heating systems, which is a problem within itself. Every year as coal, diesel, oil and wood are burned in home furnaces, millions of tons of Carbon Dioxide CO2 (which does not burn and is in fact a large percentage by weight of the fuel burnt) enters the earth’s atmosphere not only destroying the ozone layer but creating a greenhouse effect as well. This waste of resources is contributing to global climate change and you’re not only letting it, your paying for it as well. You’re actually paying for the majority of your heat (just like your cooling) to go right out the chimney, again literally.

FACT: The current heating and cooling systems in your home, uses far more energy than any other appliance in the building.

Air conditioners can use up to 1/6th of the electricity generated in the U.S. daily. On the hotter summer days, ACs actually consume over 43% of the United States peak power load and are frequently the cause of super grey or blackouts, often leaving not only entire cities but sometimes entire states or multiple states in the dark with not only no power but no type of cooling what’s so every.

Exactly like what occurred in 2003 in the north east United States. Refer to the below link and Image.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/08/15/national/main568422.shtml

Over 50 million people were left without electricity, and worse, without cooling systems of any kind when a single power plant experienced excessive draws due to air-conditioning overuse, triggering an overload shutdown process in itself starting a domino effect; which caused the shutdown of 265 additional power plants, 22 of which were nuclear. This in turn caused blackouts from New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio up into Canada. Street lights, all phone services including cell phones, TV, radio stations, internet, trolley’s, trains, airports, business, of course electricity, even water couldn’t be pumped to homes; all failed because of the blackout.

Funny outcome to this story though; for the first time since the East had become a major metropolitan area way back in the early 1900’s, residents were “surprised to see thousands of strange bright lights in the sky” (stars). Folks that had never left the city their entire life could, for the first time, see stars, only possible through the lack of light pollution in the region as well as air pollution and smog because the factories and power plants were offline as well.

According to the US Department of Energy, heating and cooling systems emit over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, contributing greatly to what we call for the lack of a better term, Global Warming or now referred to as Climate Change. They also generate about 24% of the nations' sulfur dioxide, a chief ingredient in acid rain. So it’s no wonder that having an entire region of one of the most densely populated and industrial countries in the world, shut down and offline for a week would clear up the night sky enough to give its inhabitants views of the celestial body’s.

We may laugh at the thought of people having never seen stars before in their life, but the story doesn’t have a great ending…

The blackout occurred on August 14^th 2003 and lasted 5 days until August 19^th when the last affected areas were back on the grid. Unfortunately because the temperature those days were over 95°F, and because the buildings were never built with natural heating or cooling in mind, in fact many buildings had windows that were designed to not open at all in the first place. This caused heat to build up quickly inside of these structures, turning bedrooms into instant furnaces, literally cooking many to death in their beds. Deaths were not only caused by cooling issues, several reports found deaths caused by fire due to the use of candles for lighting, heart attaches from having to climb several flights of stairs to reach apartments when elevators became non operational and food poisoning from rotten unrefrigerated meat. All of which could have been avoided with a few simple and cheap natural cooling fundamentals, added during the initial construction.

Natural cooling doesn’t need to cost a fortune, it doesn’t require any expensive retrofits or professionally installed systems what’s so ever, in fact, in most instances the consumer can implement natural heating and cooling modifications to their own home and cool or heat their home for free or very inexpensively, while causing less or no impact to the environment as well as their pocket books themselves.

You’re probably wondering now, ‘What exactly is natural heating and cooling anyway?

Natural or Passive heating and cooling methods employ the sun to work both as a heating agent warming your home during the cold months, eliminating the need for extra or traditional indoor heating; and a cooling agent during the warmer months, cooling the home drastically, when the sun is at it’s hottest.

Surprised? Sounds like a contradiction in physics right? Wrong, in fact physics, more specifically, thermal dynamics, is exactly what allows the sun to actually cool your home so much, that the need for additional cooling or air-conditioning isn’t needed at all. But we’ll talk more about that later.

Most folks think that the term ‘passive’ means or relates to solar power. Although some passive heating and cooling systems do and can incorporate direct solar interaction or gain, it’s not necessary to carry out passive or natural cooling and heating with direct sun light. Rather natural cooling and heating focuses more on how the building is designed, the direction it’s facing, its location, the material it’s made with, and the incorporation of indoor and outdoor heating or cooling blocking or reflecting medias and techniques.

Check out the next part of the guide next week.

And don't forget to pick up a copy Dan Martin's newest book: Apocalypse, How to Survive a Global Crisis, available in bookstores now.

Flexible Fuel Vehicles and DIY Ethanol. How to run your car with alternative fuel.

Flexible Fuel Vehicles

Children, during their younger elementary days, have been taught in school that cars pollute the air and cause damage to the environment. However, as they get older, this information seems to slip their minds and some even get into the hobby of cars.

However, although in general, that information is true, there are actually some cars that do not cause a lot of damage to the environment. One of these is the FFV or Flexible Fuel Vehicles, also known as dual-fuel vehicle and flex-fuel vehicle. A flex fuel vehicle is environment friendly and it doesn’t cause much hassle on your part.

Are Flex Fuel Vehicles Expensive?

If you’re thinking that you will be shelling out more money to convert your car into one, think again. Many cars out there today – yes, most likely even the one you’re driving – is equipped to run on fuel other than just gasoline. That means that your car may be ready to run as a flex fuel vehicle and you don’t have to go on spending a lot on gasoline and polluting the environment at the same time.

Since the car you are driving is readily equipped to be a fuel flex vehicle, all you have to do is learn how to create ethanol alcohol to enjoy cheaper and cleaner fuel, which by the way may even extend the life of your vehicle – which in the long run saves you money!

How Do Flex Fuel Vehicles Work?

Flex fuel vehicles should not be confused with bi-fuel vehicles. Bi-fuel vehicles run on two kinds of fuel, each stored in a different tank and each used one at a time. Flex fuel vehicles, on the other hand, only has one tank where the fuel mixture is stored. The blend is being burned or used up by the engine as fuel injection and spark timing are automatically adjusted by engines with flex fuel capabilities.

Flex fuel vehicles run on a fuel blend of gasoline and ethanol. The most popular one is the E85 flex fuel vehicles, which means 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol. Although in some countries during winter, the proportion is adjusted to E70 (in America) and E75 (in Sweden). However, a variation in flex fuel vehicles include the Brazilian flex fuel vehicles which can run from E20 up to E100 (100% hydrous ethanol alcohol) – and is just equipped with a small built-in gasoline reserve tank for starting purposes during days when temperature is below 15 ^oC.

Why Ethanol?

Ethanol is not a fossil fuel which means it is much cleaner than the usual petrol gasoline. Ethanol is a renewable fuel made from plants and is biodegradable; which means no harmful effects on the environment, plus it doesn’t increase greenhouse effect. It also has a high oxygen content which lowers carbon monoxide levels by 25-30%. And the best thing is: ethanol blends can be used in all petrol (gasoline) engines without modifying it.

DIY Ethanol

Making your own Ethanol is not that hard and can save you hundreds of dollars if done correctly. The price of your fuel can be as little as $1.00 per Gallon.

If you’re fed up with the price hike in gasoline these lasts months, Agua-Luna DIY Ethanol guide is for you. If you have ever made your own beer or wine, the process will then be very familiar, but if you haven’t made beer or wine, don’t worry about it, we will guide you step by step, is very easy!!!!. The real good news is that you may not have to do any mechanical work or changes to your car or truck. It may already be factory ready for E85.

Create a healthier tomorrow for your children and start saving hundreds, start the flex fuel habit today.

Agua Luna - Build Your Own Solar Cell: Should You or Should You Not?

The sun seems to be the ultimate resource of the planet. Agua Luna Solar Cell provides light for daytime, it is needed by plants for it to grow and bear fruits, animals and other mammals’ bodies generate vitamins and minerals that need the sun to activate it.

However, because of climate change and the thinning of the ozone layer, most people have begun associating the sun with negativity such as skin cancer, heat stroke, sun burns, and the like. But what people have missed out is that the sun has one more gift to mankind: unlimited (and free) energy.

Find how to Build your own solar cell at http://www.agua-luna.com on our product section.

How Does the “Agua Luna” Sun Power Things?

Basically, the sun’s energy is capable of powering a really big area, but it needs an instrument for this energy to be converted into electricity. This is where the Agua Luna solar cell comes in.

The solar cell, also known as a photovoltaic cell functions mainly as a device that absorbs sunlight and converts it into electricity – but it doesn’t get converted just like that, there’s a process involved.

The photons (from the sun’s light) are absorbed into the Agua Luna solar cell by a semiconductor material. The electrons are then released from its host atom which then allows them to move freely as electricity. Since a single solar cell can only generate a minimum amount of power, a number of cells are put in a series – just like batteries, so that the power generated becomes bigger. The electricity from this cells passes through a larger array where it becomes DC (direct current) energy – the same kind of energy you get from batteries. However, since appliances and other things in a household need AC (alternating current) energy, it is converted into this through a device called a converter.

Are “Agua Luna” Solar Cells Practical?

The answer is: of course, it is. The solar cell is actually made of silicon – an environment friendly material and totally non-toxic; although today, there are experiments as to other substances that may be used for this kind of concept which might be cheaper and much more practical for the budget of the average Joe.

Plus, because of the social awareness of Agua Luna saving the environment, there are some countries or areas that actually give incentives to people who “go green”. People who make efforts to take action for the earth’s preservation are actually given consolation. So for those who have solar cells, if the weather is extremely sunny and hot, you are most likely to have excess energy by nightfall and this excess energy can be sold back to the grid. And it is usually bought from you for a higher price as an incentive for your efforts to “go green”.

So not only do you save the environment, but you also save money as well. So if you’re asking if it’s practical, then it definitely is.

Find how to Build your own solar cell at http://www.agua-luna.com on our product section.

Save Hundres on Utilities by using the Sun: Solar Water Heater is a Must. Learn How to DIY!!!

All throughout the world, almost 70% of the total energy in residential and industrial communities is used for heating. And since alternative source of energy is constantly being advocated, solar energy has been found useful for water heating by using the principles of natural conductive heat transfer.

Natural conductive heat transfer happens when heat is transferred by the fluids, as it maintains a circulating motion, due to its buoyancy from the change in density induced by heating itself. And in order for this to be applicable for the convention of families and individuals, solar water heaters were developed to suit the needs of every household.

Solar water heater is an economic and environmental system to produce hot water for your convenience. They are very ideal in almost all kinds of climate, and you no longer have to bother refueling it.

Basically, solar water heaters have two types, the active system and the passive system. The active solar water heater mainly depends on the external power that generally run the pumps in order to allow the flow of heat that had been gathered. While passive solar water heaters are much dependable and would costs less per unit of heat it stores. The simplest form of this is the Integral passive solar water heater which is also called as batch heaters. They are very cost – effective due to its ability to become independent from external power which leads to longer use.

The majority of solar water heaters involve a well-insulated storage tank. They (solar storage tanks) have supplementary outlet and inlet connected to the energy collector.

There are three varieties of solar collectors for residential use to choose from that would specifically suit your needs and tastes:

a. Flat-plate collector is an insulated, weatherproofed box which contains a dark plate absorber beneath one or more glass or plastic polymer covers.

b. Integral collector storage system, also known as ICS or batch systems is an insulated, glazed box which features one or more black tanks or tubes.

c. Evacuated-tube solar collector contains rows of parallel transparent glass tubes.

Remember that in choosing the solar heating system to be used in our household, we should always consider the economics and effectiveness of the solar water heater model and system in order that we put more value into every dollar that we invest into it.

You do not have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a solar water heater like the ones on market today,

you can build your own Solar Water Heater good enough for all your home needs or at least lower your gas or electricity consumption using a hybrid system solar-regular water heater.

Check out Agua-Luna.com product pages where you will find the How to Build a Solar Water Heater book containing 3 sets of plans simplifying construction and installation saving you hundreds. Perfect for pools, hot tubes, residential and industrial needs.

New Book “How to build a Compost Toilet”

When it comes to your needs, everything is provided for by nature. So giving something back to Mother Nature is just what you should be doing. But then, what could Mother Nature need from you? Simple; just take care of the environment, and you will be taken cared of too.

Nowadays, many environment preservation plans have been put into action, including waste management. The Compost toilet perfectly answers this call.

Also known as “waterless toilets”, “dry toilets” and “biological toilets”, the composting toilet is actually a toilet with the main goal of breaking down human waste into humus, a substance that resembles soil, rather than flushing it down the sewer system where vast amounts of chemicals and water are used to do what nature does naturally.

Today, compost toilets are popularly used in RV’s (Recreation Vehicles), boats, cabins, hunting lodges and even suburban homes. While some go for the commercially manufactured ones, others prefer to make their own which is less expensive and in mo

st cases, more functional than the store-bought ones.

Agua-Luna.com NOW brings you the secrets on how to build your own affordable Compost Toilet . Find it in our Product section!!!

Unique 160ac 100% self sufficient homestead up for auction on eBay

Agua-Luna has a very unique auction on eBay of an interesting Eco home/homestead, that was built to allow the owners to sustain the “fall of civilization in 2012” or at the very least live without bills.

It has its own hydroponic gardens and manages livestock for food, rain water harvesting and purification system for water and, solar panels and wind turbines for electricity. Because of this it is entirely off the power grids and the owner doesn’t pay any utility bills. On top of this it’s built entirely out of recyclable and reclaimed materials.

I’m posting here to show people about this place, put it out there and get more people thinking Eco orientated and on renewable energy. Because you always hear on the news that this sort of thing is impossible or impractical, yet here it is.

Their place can be seen on their website http://www.agua-luna.com or the eBay auction is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170455571520

How to make a solar panel power electricity system for less than $150 dlls. Solar Home design research.

Agua Luna brings to you a NEW BOOK.

The wonderful world of Photovoltaic’s, otherwise known as solar power, doesn’t have to be restricted to the rich. You can build a simple solar panel power set-up that can run all the lights in your home, a TV, stereo, computer, or similar electrical device. All you need is 1 solar panel, 1 battery, 110 volt inverter and a set of car jumper cables. All the parts for no more than 150 dlls.

You can now run electricity your laptop, Blackberry, Ipod, Iphone or any other electronic, wherever you are. You can even run any 12v appliances. Take them camping, to the beach or as a solar home design and you’ll never be far from a plug again.

This is a simple solar battery power system to run some basic electronics that anyone can put together. However if you’re looking for a more complex system, or to learn how to make your own solar cells and panels, check out Agua-Luna’s Free Energy DIY plans to build Solar Cells.

http://www.agua-luna.com