At Schell Brothers, we focus on home qualities that matter to you and your family, such as comfort, durability, and efficiency. Every Schell Brothers residence at Heritage Creek is Energy Star certified, undergoing a rigorous verification process to ensure that it will be 20% to 30% more efficient than standard homes, providing you with considerable comfort and savings for years to come. Custom features such as high performance windows that keep your home cozy and your furniture more fade-resistant are included in every Schell Brothers home. We are proud to offer renewable energy options such as solar panels, tankless hot water heaters, and upgraded insulation packages that demonstrate a commitment to excellence and a respect for the environment. Your Schell Brothers home will enhance your life - from the moment you move in until you've lived in it for many years.
- Solar Panels [more info]
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From U.S. Department of Energy, How Small Solar Electric Systems Work
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/electricity/index.cfm/mytopic=10720
Solar electric systems, also known as photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert sunlight into electricity.
Solar cells - the basic building blocks of a PV system-consist of semiconductor materials. When sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the solar energy knocks electrons loose from their atoms. This phenomenon is called the "photoelectric effect." These free electrons then travel into a circuit built into the solar cell to form electrical current. Only sunlight of certain wavelengths will work efficiently to create electricity. PV systems can still produce electricity on cloudy days, but not as much as on a sunny day.
The basic PV or solar cell typically produces only a small amount of power. To produce more power, solar cells (about 40) can be interconnected to form panels or modules. PV modules range in output from 10 to 300 watts. If more power is needed, several modules can be installed on a building or at ground-level in a rack to form a PV array.
PV arrays can be mounted at a fixed angle facing south, or they can be mounted on a tracking device that follows the sun, allowing them to capture the most sunlight over the course of a day.
Because of their modularity, PV systems can be designed to meet any electrical requirement, no matter how large or how small. You also can connect them to an electric distribution system (grid-connected), or they can stand alone (off-grid).
To learn about current Delaware Solar Panel incentives , visit Clean Energy USA.
- Tankless or Demand Hot Water Heaters [more info]
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From US Department of Energy, Demand Hot Water Heaters
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12820
Demand (tankless or instantaneous) water heaters provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't produce the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save you money. Here you'll find basic information about how they work, whether a demand water heater might be right for your home, and what criteria to use when selecting the right model.
How They Work
Demand water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. Therefore, they avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. Either a gas burner or an electric element heats the water. As a result, demand water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don't need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water. However, a demand water heater's output limits the flow rate.
Typically, demand water heaters provide hot water at a rate of 2-5 gallons (7.6-15.2 liters) per minute. Gas-fired demand water heaters produce higher flow rates than electric ones. Sometimes, however, even the largest, gas-fired model cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. For example, taking a shower and running the dishwasher at the same time can stretch a demand water heater to its limit. To overcome this problem, you can install two or more demand water heaters, connected in parallel for simultaneous demands of hot water. You can also install separate demand water heaters for appliances, such as a clothes washer or dishwater, that use a lot of hot water in your home.
Other applications for demand water heaters include the following:
- Remote bathrooms or hot tubs
- Booster for appliances, such as dishwashers or clothes washers
- Booster for a solar water heating system
Although gas-fired demand water heaters tend to have higher flow rates than electric ones, they can waste energy if they have a constantly burning pilot light. This can sometimes offset the elimination of standby energy losses when compared to a storage water heater. In a gas-fired storage water heater, the pilot light heats the water in the tank so the energy isn't wasted. The cost of operating a pilot light in a demand water heater varies from model to model. Ask the manufacturer how much gas the pilot light uses for the model you're considering. If you purchase a model that uses a standing pilot light, you can always turn it off when it's not in use to save energy. Also consider models that have an intermittent ignition device (IID) instead of a standing pilot light. This device resembles the spark ignition device on some gas kitchen ranges and ovens.
For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%-34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8%-14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water - around 86 gallons per day. You can achieve even greater energy savings of 27%-50% if you install a demand water heater at each hot water outlet.
- Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation packages [more info]
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From US Department of Energy, Sprayed-Foam and Foamed-In-Place Insulation
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11700
Liquid foam insulation materials can be sprayed, foamed-in-place, injected, or poured. Their ability to fill even the smallest cavities gives them twice the R-value per inch than traditional batt insulation.
Types of Liquid Foam Insulation
Today, some foam insulation consists of materials similar to those found in pillows and mattresses. Also, most foam materials can now be used with foaming agents that don't use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are harmful to the earth's ozone layer.
Some types of available liquid foam insulation materials include:
- Cementitious
- Phenolic
- Polyisocyanurate
- Polyurethane.
Some less common types include Icynene foam and Tripolymer foam. Icynene foam can be either sprayed or injected, which makes it the most versatile. It also has good resistance to both air and water intrusion. Tripolymer foam, a water-soluble foam, is injected into wall cavities. It has excellent resistance to fire and air intrusion.
Urea-formaldehyde (UF) foam was used in homes during the 1970s and early 1980s. It is no longer available for residential use because of health-related concerns.
Installation
Liquid foam insulation, combined with a foaming agent, can be applied using small spray containers or in larger quantities as a pressure-sprayed (foamed-in-place) product. Both types expand and harden as the mixture cures. They also conform to the shape of the cavity, filling and sealing it thoroughly.
Slow-curing liquid foams are also available. These foams are designed to flow over obstructions before expanding and curing, and they are often used for empty wall cavities in existing buildings. There are also liquid foam materials that can be poured from a container.
Installation of most types of liquid foam insulation requires special equipment and certification. Therefore, you'll probably want a certified insulation installer to do it.
Following installation, an approved thermal barrier, such as drywall, must cover all foam materials. Also, some building codes don't recognize sprayed foam insulation as a vapor barrier, so installation might require an additional air barrier, like polyethylene or some other vapor retarder.
Liquid foam insulation products and installation usually cost more than traditional batt insulation. However, liquid foam insulation also forms an air barrier. This can help eliminate some of the other costs and tasks associated with weatherizing a home, such as caulking, applying housewrap and vapor barrier, and taping joints. When building a new home, this type of insulation can also help reduce construction time and the number of specialized contractors, which saves money.
- Upgraded Insulation Packages
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- High-Efficiency HVAC systems
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Schell Brothers
