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Show Fife 6 Home Mtfizme, THE DAILY HEJtALO, Fndiy, October 16, i i i 9W Concrete paftios capture sun's heat in winter Dear Jim: I plan to build a decorative concrete walkway and small patio along the south side of our house. Will this concrete patio capture the sun's heat in the winter and do you have any Paul M. building tips? Dear Paul: Your concrete walkwaypatio idea is a good one and very simple to build yourself. With the high heat capacity of concrete, it can capture a lot of free heat from the winter sun. This creates a warm air buffer near the wall and reduces heat loss even late into the evening. The south side is the best location for your solar patio. First, it is easy to shade the south side of your house in the summer with deciduous trees or awning kits because the sun is so high in the sky. Also, the prevailing summer winds are from the southwest, so warm air by the patio will blow away. The winter prevailing winds are often from the northwest, so the warm air from the patio will stay near your house. For the first-tim- e to the professional, using precast concrete pavers on a sand bed is a good, cost effective method. There are many unique shapes and colors of concrete pavers. Some even are shaped like lizards (Gecko Stone) and frogs (Frogrock) that interlock perfectly. Hundreds of decorative paver crete paver patio is proper planning and ground preparation. Generally, about four inches of 2A quarry stone is used as the base. This is covered with about one to two inches of sharp coarse sand. The sand is leveled and the pavers are placed on the smooth sand bed. Some pavers are cast with separator spacers. If you purchase ones without spacers, h space them no more than inch apart. Write for (or instant download www.dulley.com) update bulletin No. 753 list of manufacturers of unique pavers, molds, lights and layout guides, 60 paver manufacturers, patterns and patio building instructions. Please include $3 and a patterns are possible by using various sizes, shapes and colors. Several companies make safe, decorative border treatments and paver lights. The (only 12 volts) lights are efficient and you won't have the expense of hiring an electrician. By doing the work yourself, you should be able to build an attractive patio or walkway for about half the cost of a professional installation. Also, the free solar heat buffer it creates will lower your utility bills. To save even more money, make your own pavers with reusable molds. Molds for the Gecko Stone and Frogrock (sounds strange, but they are attractive), and other conventional shapes are available. This takes more time, but you can get creative with unique color patterns. The key to building a con- easy-to-insta- ll low-volta- To Be True. But Kt'o Too Good To Laot. There are hundreds Call your local loan representative today m m at 24 The NAghborhooi Loan Centef WORLD SAVINGS9 Fixed Rate Rates Subject To Change 1 5-Y- Frogrock business-siz- e These two unqiue patterns are available as molds concrete pavers yourself and you make the low-co- st Decorative paver patios are simple to make yourself SAE. James Dulley, The Daily Herald, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 Dear Jim: I argue with my husband about which corn popping method uses less electricity. He likes the greasy microwave method (his waistline shows it), but I like it air popped. What method uses the least enerBarb J. gy? Dear Barb: Unfortunately the microwave afterwards. If you are energy and wai: ' line conscious, definitely avoil popping corn in a pot on the for your husband's waistline, using a microwave oven consumes less energy than air popping. I still always use an air popper myself to avoid that greasy smell every time I use range. These electric heating elements or gas burners are large and it takes time and energy just to get the metal n hot. Watt Ho A division of W.L. Homes Mnunnino Ptai Fra$1E5,C:T0$2E3,C:3 l.W But hurry. This low, low rate offer won't last If II shapes and patterns possible of Gecko Stone n. ypk III. m I 3 IHodTutSui in. nni7m iom World just made getting into a new home loan easier. I Cobblestone Victorian Rectangular one-eight- James Dullev It'o Riot Too Good 6H Zurich 'Prices A terms subject to change & prior sale. atoca ijfe mi V Vk w S5 2U. NFW HOMFC r.DOUP wcxir3TTaitcaoAwoew Visit Our Website At www.watthonMS.com A MASTfcK PEnNNED COM 4 ITY nr www.poteOwbhg.com |