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Show r Friday. September 20, 19H THE DAILY HERALD, HtSniM? Mdfcfcfifce, Page 5 iolar .water heater cuts utility bills year-roun- d Q:. Does it make economic sense to install a solar water heater. I want a simple system that I can install and maintain myself to lower the cost What are the best types of solar water heaters available? - G. T. A: Installing a solar water heater can cut your annual utility bills by $200 or more for a typical family of four. Over the life of the solar system (many have ten-year that you cannot distinguish them from a flat skylight on the roof. Many are sold as complete kits with all the components and fit- tings included. New solderless fittings and simple controls make installation easy for even the inexperienced Evacuated tube solar collectors are, one of the most efficient designs. These work like a Thermos bottle. The water flows in a finned copper pipe which is h diamemounted inside a ter glass tube. The air is drawn out of the glass tube and sealed creating a vacuum, one of the best insulators available. Very little of the sun's heat gets wasted. One unique evacuated tube design provides for the tubes to be rotated to face directly toward the sun. This allows the collector to be mounted flat or at any angle. It can therefore be hidden in an place. Standard flat plate solar collectors are an older, yet still effective design. With new types of foam insulation, like phenolic, and special black chrome energy absorbing paints, they are very efficient. five-inc- Sensible Home James Dulley warranties) one easily pays back its cost . : Changing technology of solar water heater is constantly improving the efficiency, appearance and ease of installation. Some collectors are so shallow AFRICA: - (Continued from Page 4) who were deeply influenced by African masks in the company of headdresses from Cameroon, and they stencil their own jumpy patterns in bands, like molding, around their rooms. "Consider producing your own work," Algotsson and Davis say. "Whether it is ... reupholstering furniture with an Ashoke textile, or painting a freehand window trim. As Africans have long known, we can all become artists, telling our stories through the objects and spaces we create." BOOKMARKS Unlike many books on exotic interior design, this one is stocked with practical advice and a list of resources around the country. Among the authors' many tips: Cover floors with natural-fibe- r carpeting such as sisal, jute, sea grass or wool. Over it, you can layer Moroccan rugs in radiant colors. Or paint a geometric border around a wood floor, copying simple motifs from pictures of textiles and art. Buy African fabrics (or good copies) to cover pillows, hang as art, drape over a table or use as upholstery. One dazzling example is Kente cloth, easily recognized by its weave of wide strips of patterned fabric. In red, it represents death; green means fertility, white symbolizes purity or victory, yellow is for glory, and blue is for love. ' Plant an African garden. Aloe, Susan, calla amaryllis, black-eye- d lily, impatiens and hibiscus are all common in Africa, and easily available here. Be wary of safari cliches. One leopard or zebra pattern looks exotic, but a room filled with animal prints and wicker trunks can look like a movie set African style is about mixing, not matching. From Bauhaus to Berber, almost all simple and clean-line- d furnishings and art will complement each other and make for a comfortable home. Dylan Landis is the author of "Designing for Small Homes" (PBC International), and a contributing editor to Metropolitan Home. ' A design by Thermomax uses the U.S. space program' s heat pipe technology. The sun's heat is transferred to the water by means of a heat pipe. This is efficient saves space and eliminates back flow heat loss. Complete passive, thermosi-phonin- g solar water heater kits (no pumps or controls) are the simplest and least expensive to install. The less dense hot water naturally circulates up to a built-i- n storage tank. Active solar kits with pumps and electronic controls are most efficient and produce the greatest amount of hot water. These can either be connected to an existing water heater or to a specially designed new tank. To simplify installation, many kits include a small solar cell panel to produce its own electricity. No standard wiring is required. This is a natural solar fit because the heat and electricity are outputs hi-te- ch , Sun-heale- Thermosiphoning collector d water naturally flows up to the tank 1 rf Water pipes to existing water heater Can be mounted flat against roof Some designs use heat pipe F3 technology Double pane solar glazing . at ' Ill ' matched. Write for Update Bulletin No. of the most efficient solar water heater kits, specifications, plumbing layouts and various design descriptions. Please include $2 and a business-size SASE. James Dulley, The Daily Herald, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 Q: There is too much glare from the lights in my kitchen. I was thinking of installing a dimmer switch, but I have never done any wiring. Is one easy to install and is it worthwhile? - G. D. A: Installing a dimmer switch is worthwhile and about your only option for overhead kitchen lighting. You must have standard incandescent bulbs, not fluorescent bulbs. Standard fluorescent bulbs cannot be dimmed. Dimmer switches are easy to install. Always switch off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse. It is just a two-wihookup, so following the package instructions is easy. Neatly bend the wires so they fit into the conduit box. 713 showing a buyer's guide Flat plate tube collector Lightweight frame Heavy: insulation Designer Laura Ashley changes accents in bedrooms for children If cartoon character cut outs just aren't what you envision for your child's room, you'll find plenty of different ideas in "Laura Ashley Decorating Children's Rooms" (Crown, $18). One of the most fascinating projects takes a room from nursery to childhood to teen-ag- e years keeping the same striped wallpaper and stenciled ceiling bordei as the basic background while changing accents and furniture. re In addition to specific suggestions on basics such as painting, wallpapers, bedding and furnish-- , ings, the book offers more than 30 projects, including a crib mobile, a cut-olampshade, wall hangings and even a playhouse. The bedroom gets the most ut attention, but children's bathrooms are also a focus and there are tips for making the general living areas friendly and safe for children. mrumd 377-- 5 ASSOCIATES! 00 Franklin Park Float Estate LLC PAYMENTS Condominiums 215 South 1050 West, Provo FROM Q9 0 i Q 3.5 INTEREST Call just off Qwwvi Roerf at 1 300 N. in Provo CALL 377-49OPEN DAILY MONDAY THRU FRIDAY 12 MOON TO 7 PM SATURDAY 11 AM. to S PM PRICES FROM $94,500 TO $1 1 1 ,500. 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