julie-carter / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Non-toxic, naturally-dyed Easter eggs
Lifestyle and environment

DIY non-toxic & all natural Easter egg dye.

Dying eggs is one of my favourite spring traditions. Sadly, many conventional food dyes and artificial colourings are far from benign. According to a 2010 study conducted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks, "The three most widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, ar...

Reduce water consumption with residential gray water recycling systems
Plumbing and water heaters

Gray water recycling

What is gray water? Or indeed grey water! The term “gray water” refers to all domestic waste water that is drained from sinks, showers, bathtubs and washing machines. While gray water can be reused, water from kitchen sinks or dishwashers is generally not recycled as it contains substantial amounts of grease and organi...

Water efficiency
Plumbing and water heaters

How to save money on your hot water bills!

How to save money on hot water: We will discuss a number of ways to conserve water, particularly hot water, but all of that starts with using less in the first place! Choosing low flow fixtures and toilets will save a considerable amount of water and money, and probably the quickest and cheapest way to save hot water i...

Gas powered tankless water heaters
Plumbing and water heaters

Are tankless water heaters good?

Tankless water heaters , on demand water heaters and  instantaneous water heaters are different names for the same thing - domestic hot water systems that do not include the storage tank that comes with traditional water heaters.  This type of water heating system can be advantageous in some climates, provided they use...

Installing a rainwater catment system
Rainwater Collection & Watering

Installing a rainwater catchment system

setting up a rainwater catchment system If it is not for financial reasons, why are you installing a water tank? Here are some reasons: To do your part for water conservation; to be able to water your garden with some independence from water restrictions; to use rainwater for laundry, showers and toilets; for increase...

How to choose the best home EV charger or EVSE?
Lifestyle, location and commuting

EV home charging stations & How to decide which is the best EVSE for you

Which is the best home EV charger? That depends... Here's a suprising fact for many new EV owners - the charger for a shiny new Electric Vehicle is actually inside it! The charger is not the box on the wall, but is the equipment installed inside the car that takes the AC Alternating Courant electric sourced from your r...

Hydraloop gray water recovery and treatment systems
Greywater Recycling

At last, a compact & easy to maintain solution for gray water recycling & treatment - the Hydraloop

At last, a packaged solution for gray water treatment & recycling - the Hydraloop Reducing home water consumption is an increasingly important issue, as the world is already facing a global water shortage crisis. We don’t think much about it in Canada & America because most of us have yet to suffer the extreme ...

Are low-flow shower heads worth the money?
Bathrooms

Are low-flow shower heads worth the money?

Are low flow shower heads worth it? So, let's start with this somewhat shocking reality -  North Americans will on average use over 1.4 million litres of water per year, or about 4 to 5 times that of most European citizens. This is according to the SDWF (Safe Drinking Water Foundation). That makes Canada and the US the...

Heat pump hot water heaters, why they're a good idea
Plumbing and water heaters

How heat pump hot water heaters work and why you should get one

Heat pump electric hot water heaters, good or bad idea? Water heaters are generally the biggest energy drain in a home after heating. so Air-to-water heat pump water heaters are potentially a big energy saver, particularly when the main heat source in a home is an air source heat pump, as the water heater can in effect...

Water efficient bathroom fixtures
Plumbing and water heaters

Plumbing & water

Home water consumption in Canada: On average, Canadians use over 300 litres of water per person, per day. Compare this to consumption in the UK of 200 litres per day, and 150 litres per person per day in France. Hopefully, as we see the beginnings of water shortages hit closer to home, this serious issue will garnish m...

Grey Water Recycling Never Looked Better
Greywater Recycling

Greywater recycling never looked better

The Eco Bath concept is simple: use the waste water from the sink to flush the adjoining toilet. The execution is nothing less than stylish. Though compact, the Eco Bath’s water tank is comprised of two compartments, one that holds drainage water from the adjoining sink and one that contains fresh water in case the nee...