When choosing a roof and solar system the homeowner wanted a worry-free and maintenance free product and after some serious debating, finally decided that a Solar Thin Film Metal Roof was the best and only option. Some of the main concerns regarding the roof project were the close proximity to the ocean and salt water as well as the risk of high winds.

Here are some of the main criteria used to choose an Integrated Solar and Metal Roof over a Traditional Shingle and Solar array :

• Most solar panels have a life expectancy of 25 years but the average shingle roof is replaced every 20 years with even short life expentancy in shore regions
• Metal roofs and in this case Galvalume have a 40-50 year life expectancy which is 2 to 2.5 times that of shingle roofs
• The new jersey shore line can be subject to high winds and no other system offered better wind ratings than metal and solar film
• Glass solar panels tend to draw in more of the moisture and salt water air requiring constant cleaning and monitoring
• Solar thin film and metal roofing looks 10x better and adds more value to any shore home where house value is at a premium (see pictures)
• Solar thin film roofs are considered Building Integrated Photo Voltaics (BIPV) and allow for a 30% tax rebate on the entire system including areas where the metal roof is covered by the solar panels! The metal roof becomes part of the whole system!!

After some permit issues, color selection and waiting on NJ State approval, the homeowner now has the home of their dreams with a metal and solar roof that is set to pay them back in full in as little as 5 years!!

Call 888-234-2929 for your free metal and solar consultation!

It is not only important to ask your metal roofing contractor for referrals but also to ask the referrals the right questions. Global Home Improvement has hundreds of referrals in PA, NJ and DE and can shed some light on choosing the right metal roof contractor.

You should always ask:

Why did you hire this contractor? (Were any other contractors considered?)

Did they communicate well with you (before, starting and during the project)?

Was the work crew pleasant? Were they neat?

Did they clean up on a daily basis? And after the job was completed?

Did the job finish on time? (If not, why not?)

How long ago was the roof completed, and have you had any problems since then? How did they handle them?

What overall rating would you give the quality of work? (Excellent, Average, Poor, Very Poor)

Did your job come in according to budget? Were there any cost over-runs or unexpected costs? What were they?

Were the results what you expected? Were you fully satisfied?

Would you do anything differently if you had to get a new roof again?

All these questions are important because having the metal roof of your dreams often times comes down to the contractor installing the metal roof. For a Free Metal Roof Estimate call Global Home Improvement at 888-234-2929!

While all of us are well aware of the beautifying effects of the replacement windows, very few are aware of the fact that replacement windows come with energy ratings as well. This simply means that you can cut down on your regular usage of energy to a great extent with their help. Let’s know more about how installing replacement windows can prove beneficial for your pocket and energy consumption.

In comparison to regular windows, replacement windows ensure that the home remains cooler during summer months. Most of the replacement windows come equipped with glazed coatings. Such coating help reflects back the scorching summer heat that falls on window panes. In this manner your home remains a lot cooler, preventing you from relying on the air conditioning systems for bringing down temperature in your home. This in turn saves electricity consumption to a great extent.

Replacement windows also help maintain an ideal temperature in the home during the winter months as well. These windows help in insulation and thereby prevent the inner warmth of the house from escaping out. These futuristic windows reduce your dependence on the heating systems that you install in your home to keep it warm and comfy. Here too these technologically advanced windows help prevent unnecessary usage of energy. Even the window frames of the vinyl and wooden replacement windows offer the advantage of energy saving. They help prevent any leakage of heat outside the home, helping in order to maintain ideal insulation in the home.

The market is flooded with several brands that are renowned for offering energy efficient replacement windows. Simply choose your pick as per your needs and requirement. If confused as to which one to go for, you can seek advice of professional companies that deal with replacement windows in South Jersey, Montgomery and many more. Get in touch with the nearest roofing company to get them installed in an appropriate manner. Roofing contractors in Bucks County can also prove to be of considerable help to the interested buyer.

Going by the abovementioned information, it is abundantly clear that replacement windows are a one-time investment. While purchasing them might pinch you a little in the beginning, it will worth the purchase in the long run.

So, if you wish to enhance the style quotient of your house, all the while ensuring that you save on energy and your electricity bill, it makes sense to go in for replacement windows pronto.

Take a look at these photos!! Can you tell the difference between a shingle roof and a DECRA shingle roof??

DECRA roofs are a stone coated steel product that offers seamless transition and classic design for development homes in PA, NJ and DE!

• DECRA Shingle Roofs are more environment friendly, with more recycled content than asphalt shingle – 20 30% recycled content
• DECRA Shingle Roofs are more energy-efficient than shingle with a higher emissivity and in some cases energy star reflectivity
• DECRA Shingle Roofs are more durable than shingle with resistance to wind, hail and fire – 120 mph wind warranty and class 4 impact rating
• DECRA Shingle Roofs are more beneficial to your home’s value as it lasts 50+ Years

Call 888-234-2929 for your FREE Metal Roofing Estimate or Check out other Great DECRA Roofing Styles here!!

But what about the future? Is this tax credit really going to expire for good or will it be extended and possibly even increase in 2011 and 2012?!?

Well, at Green is Global we may not have the exact answer but we have some very good insight:

Earlier this year the House passed, a measure to create a similar tax credit that would be $3,000, that has been called “Cash for Caulkers.” Currently, the bill is sitting in the Senate.

The bill was formally called Home Star.  Home Star would employ a two-tiered structure for energy-efficiency rebates. Its Silver Star program tier would provide up to $3,000 per home in prescriptive rebates for straightforward home upgrades, including insulation; efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units; new windows; and other measures. The Gold Star program tier would offer $3,000 rebates for more comprehensive energy retrofits achieving at least 20% energy savings, with rebates increasing up to $8,000 per home for retrofits achieving 45% energy savings. Quality assurance inspectors would visit 10% to 15% of both Silver and Gold Star participating homes to ensure measures are properly installed. H.R. 5019 authorizes $6 billion in funding for the program (for FY10 and 11).

So, although there is no guarantee that there will be a federal tax credit, there is certainly hope!

• 100% Recyclable at the end of it’s lifespan
• Metal roofing has a lifespan 2-3 times as long as shingles
• Metal roofs already have recycled content of 20-30%
• Steel is the most recycled material in North America
• Shingle Roofs are made up of more oil and raw materials (see chart)

But what about rainwater? Is there more poluttion from a metal roof or a shingle roof? The answer is shingle roofing is more toxic because:

• Shingle roofs have a permeable surface and rain water washes away the oils and particles that rise to the top of the shingle as the shingle drys out

But what about solar reflectance and insualtion? Which roof is more energy efficient? Metal roofing is more energy efficient because:

• Metal roofs are coated to reflect sunlight and have infared pigments to keeo the roof cool in the summer
• Metal roofs are also much thinner and have less mass which means they hold less heat given them a higher emissivity
• Metal roofs are tax credit eligible for the $1500 rebate!

And finally, what about integrating solar? Metal roofs are the best option for solar because:

• You can go with traditional solar panels using an s-5 bracket which requires no roof penetrations or
• You can go with solar thin film, an aesthetically pleasing and extremely durable option

For more information or a FREE metal roof estimate call Global Home Improvement at 888-234-2929

To understand solar thin-film we need to understand: What exactly is solar power ?

The energy of the Sun comes from within the sun itself. Like other stars, the sun is really a big ball of gases––mostly hydrogen and helium atoms.

The hydrogen atoms in the sun’s core combine to create helium and generate energy in a process called nuclear fusion.

During nuclear fusion, the sun’s extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. Four hydrogen nuclei fuse to become one helium atom. But the helium atom contains less mass compared to four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is lost during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.

Simply a small part of the energy radiated by the sun into space strikes our planet, one part in two billion. Yet this amount of energy is enormous. Every day enough energy strikes the usa to supply the nation’s energy needs for one and a half years!

Where does all this energy go? (If you want it to go to your house…click here for solar thin film estimates)

About 15 percent of the sun’s energy that hits the planet earth is reflected back into space. Another 30 percent is used to evaporate water, which, lifted into the atmosphere, produces rainfall. Solar energy is also absorbed by plants, the land, and the oceans. The remaining could be used to supply our energy needs.
How we use solar energy and solar thin film today ?

Solar energy can be used in a number of different ways, of course. There are two simple kinds of solar power:

* Solar thermal energy collects the sun’s warmth through 1 of 2 means: in water or in an anti-freeze (glycol) mixture.

* Solar photovoltaic energy converts the sun’s radiation to usable electricity.

Listed below are the five most practical and popular solutions solar power can be used:

1. Small portable solar photovoltaic systems. We see these used everywhere, from calculators to solar garden products. Portable units may be used for everything from RV appliances while single panel systems are used for traffic signs and remote monitoring stations.

2. Solar pool heating. Running water in direct circulation systems through a solar collector is an extremely practical method to heat water for your pool or hot spa.

3. Thermal glycol energy to heat water. In this method (indirect circulation), glycol is heated by sunshine and the heat is then transferred to water in a warm water tank. Using this method of collecting the sun’s energy is a lot more practical now than ever. In areas as far north as Edmonton, Alberta, solar thermal to heat water is economically sound. It can pay for itself in three years or less.

4. Integrating solar photovoltaic energy into your home or office power. In numerous parts on the planet, solar photovoltaics is an economically feasible method to supplement the power of your property. In Japan, photovoltaics are competitive with other forms of power. In the USA, new incentive programs make this form of solar technology ever more viable in many states. An increasingly popular and practical way of integrating solar energy into the power of your home or business is through the usage of building integrated solar photovoltaics.

5. Large independent photovoltaic systems. For those who have enough sun power at your site, you could possibly go off grid. It’s also possible to integrate or hybridize your solar power system with wind power or other kinds of sustainable energy to stay ‘off the grid.’

How do Photovoltaic panels work ?

Silicon is mounted beneath non-reflective glass to create photovoltaic panels. These panels collect photons from the sun, converting them into DC electrical power. The power created then flows into an inverter. The inverter transforms the energy into basic voltage and AC electrical power.

Solar cells are prepared with particular materials called semiconductors such as silicon, which is presently the most generally used. When light hits the Photovoltaic cell, a specific share of it is absorbed inside the semiconductor material. This means that the energy of the absorbed light is given to the semiconductor.

The power unfastens the electrons, permitting them to run freely. Solar power cells also have one or more electric fields that act to compel electrons unfastened by light absorption to flow in a specific direction. This flow of electrons is a current, and by introducing metal links on the top and bottom of the -Photovoltaic cell, the current can be drawn to use it externally.

Solar Pro Arguments

- Heating our homes with oil or gas or using electricity from power plants running with oil and coal is a cause of climate change and climate disruption. Solar energy, on the contrary, is clean and environmentally-friendly.

- Solar hot-water heaters require little maintenance, and their initial investment can be recovered in just a relatively limited time.

- Solar hot-water heaters can work in nearly every climate, even in very cold ones. Simply choose the best system for your climate: drainback, thermosyphon, batch-ICS, etc.

- Financial incentives (USA, Canada, European states…) can help to eliminate the price of the first investment in solar technologies. The U.S. government, as an example, offers tax credits for solar systems certified by by the SRCC (Solar Rating and Certification Corporation), which amount to 30 percent of the investment (2009-2016 period).

Solar Cons Arguments

- The first investment in Solar Hot water heaters or in Solar PV Electric Systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heaters systems.

- The payback period of solar PV-electric systems is high, as well as those of solar space heating or solar cooling (only the solar warm water heating payback is short or relatively short).

- Solar water heating do not support a direct combination with radiators (including baseboard ones).

- The efficiency of solar powered systems is rather influenced by sunlight resources. It’s in colder climates, where heating or electricity needs are higher, that the efficiency is smaller.

The author – Barbara Young writes on solar RV panels in her personal hobby site 12voltsolarpanels.net. Her work is focused entirely on helping people save energy using solar powered energy to reduce CO2 emissions and energy dependency.

What we didn’t fully address last time was the severity of the down-the-road consequences that this spill is generating. Now on it’s 51st day we are starting to see serious political reactions, economic implications and wildlife deaths everyday. Because this world is one big ecosystem and in many ways so is our economy (all inter-connected) let’s look at the quality of life consequences we are soon to face and what we NEED to plan to do about it.

•    According to the US government 600,000 to 1.2 million gallons a day of oil are leaking into our ocean
•    Marine scientists have already found a 100-foot-thick layer of oil 1,300 feet below the surface about 45 miles from the well site with more discoveries each day
•    The National Wildlife Federation reports that already more than 150 threatened or endangered sea turtles are dead as well as 316 sea birds with more dying everyday
•    The oil is already in the Loop Current a significant hazard to the Florida Keys, (and entire East Coast) as well as areas of the west coast of Florida, Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

In addition, more immediate and grave threats include:
•    The risk of even more ferocious hurricanes with oil skimming off the surface and onto our mainland because crude accumulating at the surface could be raising the temperature of the surrounding water
•    The risk of disease and widespread illness as the oil passes through the food chain and reaches us due to the bioaccumulation of chemicals and toxins

NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!!!! What can be done to save our planet and our economy??? One of the answers is Solar Thin Film and Metal Roofing

Although, this is not the complete answer it represents a better way of thinking based on:
•    Renewable and clean energy
•    Low lifecycle costs
•    Sustainable material usage
•    Long-term economic value

I don’t think any of these concepts are radical but they all make sense. And here’s how:

Renewable and Clean Energy

The Sun blasts Earth with enough energy in one hour-4.3 x 1020 joules – to provide all of humanity’s energy needs for a whole year! Solar thin film is made to harness that electricity, and convert it to usable energy that gets hooked up to your energy meter and sent back into the electrical grid. On average, homeowner’s offset anywhere from 30-60% of their home electrical usage for the entire year.

This fairly new solar thin film energy system has already offset 14.2 barrels of oil in its lifetime! That’s over close to 600 gallons for just one house in less than 1 year!! Extrapolated, that’s over 15,000 in it’s lifetime.

Low Life-cycle Costs

As mentioned before, metal roofing is the least expensive roof over the lifetime of the metal roof. That includes maintenance, replacement costs and energy savings. That is just one of the reason’s solar thin film loves metal roofing. The other reason is that you get a tax credit (30% with no limit) for the metal solar roof when you laminate the solar film onto the panels. These two products combined give you 50+ years of roofing and 25 years of solar output at a high level.

In addition, the efficiency and low cost to product of solar thin film will eventually combine to eliminate crystal panels all together. At that time you will just have to re-laminate new solar panels over top the metal roof when the 25 years is up.

Sustainable Materials

Solar thin film is made in America and is much less expensive to mass produce than traditional silicon photovoltaics. Thin film solar cells use a fine layer of semi-conducting material, such as silicon, copper indium gallium selenide or cadimium telluride to harvest the electricity form the sun at a fraction of the cost.

Long-term economic (and ecological) value

As mentioned metal roofing is already a more sustainable, longer lasting and a more value-adding product over time than any other roof, especially asphalt shingle. But, what about the solar aspect?

Solar installations on metal roofs have become more and more popular because of the quick payback period (3-8 years) and the long term ROI (20-30%).

Another reason for the recent increase of metal and solar installations is the ever increasing price of OIL and FUEL. When estimating solar ROI it is impossible to predict the future oil prices but with recent events such as the BP oil spill, government regulation will increase, causing supply to decrease and energy prices to increase.

At Green is Global, it’s our hope that almost every home in America can afford solar and metal roofing. Think about your Flat Screen TV, with all the benefits at the current prices, isn’t it hard to live without one? The same goes for solar including same-as-cash financing up to $45,000!

Call Global Home Improvement at 888-234-2929 or email adam@greenisglobal.net to tell us how you feel about our solar thin film, metal roofs and the world (global) views addressed in this article.

According to Citizendium.org asphalt (petroleum) is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most petroleum crude oils and in some natural deposits. The largest use of petroleum asphalt is for making asphaltic concrete for road construction and accounts for approximately 80% of the petroleum asphalt consumed in the United States. Roofing shingles account for most of the remaining 20% of asphalt consumption in the United States.

Every year, 13 billion pounds of asphalt shingles go into landfills, whereas metal roofing is 100% recyclable at the end of its very long lifespan (50+ years).

Think about that, over the next ten years, 130 billion pounds of petroleum based products will be put back into the earth via landfills. So if:

Texas Crude Oil Density = 873 kg / cubic meter
1 cubic meter = 264.172 gallons
1 barrel of oil = 42 gallons
42 gallons * (1 cubic meter / 264.172 gallons) = .15898 cubic meters / barrel
.15808 cubic meters / barrel * (873 kg /cubic meter) = 138.8 kg / barrel of oil
138.8 kg / barrel of oil -> converted to pounds -> 305 pounds/barrel of oil

Assuming that Asphalt shingles contain as low as 5% crude oil and as high as 20% crude oil, the number of barrels of oil deposited into landfills over the next 10 years will range anywhere from 21.3 million barrels to 85.2 million barrels!!

Although this number is an estimate, it does not even take into account all the oil from:

• The energy it costs to make asphalt roofs or
• The transportation costs of shipping foreign oil and asphalt
  
• The high transportation costs of asphalt roofs in general (to job site)

Conversely, standing seam metal roofs are the clear choice for energy efficiency, and oil preservation for the following reasons:

• Metal roofs have 2-3 times the life expectancy of asphalt shingle roofs
• Metal roofs contain 20-30% post consumer recycled material
• Metal roofs are 100% recyclable at the end of their lifespan
• Metal roofs reflect the sun’s rays saving 20-40% on building cooling costs (1/6 of all energy in US is used to cool buildings)
• Metal roofs are up to 1/7 as light as asphalt shingles and what can be shipped in a single truck load of metal would take the equivalent number of shingle roofs up to 3-5 times as many trips

If this information wasn’t enough to realize that metal roofing is the obvious sustainable choice, think about the hazardous run-off of petroleum as shingle roofs dry and get washed over, whereas metal roofing runoff is so clean it would be considered drinkable (if you wanted to drink roof water)! But now think where that runoff goes…into our public drains and back into our drinking water!!

And finally, if you absolutely, positively do not think metal roofing is the best roof choice, than stay tuned for the renewable energy product that is revolutionizing the solar industry as well as the energy industry…SOLAR THIN FILM INTEGRATED WITH METAL ROOFING….Stay Tuned for Part II of this article Next Week!

Enjoy Memorial Day and Be Patriotic by installing an American Made, Foreign Petroleum Asphalt Free, Standing Seam Metal Roof!! Visit GlobalHomeinc.com