Aloha Sheryl, So glad you have finally joined us. I just know you'll enjoy your time here. Your house is great, and I mentioned your cool-wall paint on this list and told them the results of my scientific experiment that I conducted by placing my hand on the wall and how amazed I was at the coolness of it. Good going, Betsy At 10:54 AM 2/5/2010, you wrote: > > >Aloha everyone, My name is Sheryl and I am a long time friend of >Betsy. She has told me about this list and I finally joined and have >been reading the incoming emails. >I bought my first house three years ago and have done an extensive >remodel, renovation or improvement, call it what you like. My house >is a 1920 bungalow style house on post and peer construction which is >quite common here in Hawaii. I have 9 foot ceilings, an unusually >shaped lot and a one car stone garage. I have a large Mango tree that >provides shade for all who visit to sit under. The house needed some >tender loving care as the previous owners were going to remodel but >decided to obviously sell instead. I picked my contractor who >fortunately I picked someone I like working with. I then began doing >research on products for the house. The contractor is great at the >building but wasn't so great at making recommendations for products >so I did extensive research from windows to paint. I'll share >information about two things I love. the "feather river" exterior >door from Home Depot I have as my front door is wonderful. The door >itself is fiberglass with an oval shaped glass insert . I spent hours >and hours looking for a door. The front of my house has a west >exposure and the sun would be harsh on a wood door. Many fiberglass >doors I looked at were cheap feeling with a hollow space between the >outer door and the core. The door matches the time period of my house >which is important to me. It is energy star rated so get about a >$300.00 tax credit. My contractor couldn't even tell if this is >wood or not that is how wood like it looks and feels. The door is >worth all the time it took to find just the right one. The second >product I want to tell you about is "cool wall exterior paint" which >cost about $10.00 more per gallon than other paints. Keeping the >exterior walls cooler keeps the interior of the house cooler and IT >WORKS. When you touch the exterior of the house it doesn't even feel >Luke warm it has a much cooler surface than paint otherwise would. >For tropical and warm climates like Hawaii it seems perfect. The >research showed that it helps with keeping the house cooler by >keeping out radiant heat. One of the reflective components in the >paint is recycled glass. The paint is rich and thick and smells >different than other paints. Of course you can't block all the heat >but cutting down helps. My bedroom is also on the west side of the >house which was hot. I can now sleep comfortably and removed the >window air conditioner. The "cool wall paint" new windows and my >solar attic fan all help in the cooler house process. I still can >enjoy the fresh air while feeling comfortable. I next will plant >grass and have found a grass that takes "little care." Will tell you >more about that after I know more. >Thanks for all the great posts and information. Aloha have a great >day. Sheryl > >
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