Solar panels making progress….

The beast in the back yard has fallen. The giant ailing Arizona Ash was removed by Austin Tree Surgeons and we were very happy with their work. There was some minor accidental damage to our fence but they repaired it promptly. Brad took us through the process, and is a really nice guy. Chainsaw are not me favorite sound, but it was all worth it. Now we have moved on to step two, the weatherization of our house. This is a good idea for just about any house I think. Rob and Alison of Green Collar Operations have been very helpful, and have explained what we needed and why. When the guys came to do the work, I was surprised at how quiet they were. They checked our ducts, and repaired any leaks, as well as caulked our windows, and put weather stripping on our doors. They also blew 10 inches of insulation in the attic, as we only had 6, and there were gaps in several places. It has only been a few days, but I have already noticed a more consistent temperature in the house. Rob tells me that homes that are even a couple of years old are failing the test, allowing the home to be sold in Austin, of 10%leakage or less. The final step of our weatherization has been to add solar film to our southern and western facing windows. Sunsational Solutions came out and did the film. They were very courteous, and worked quickly. Sam did our evaluation and fully explained how the film works, and what different options we had. He even told me about a shatter proof option that will stop anything but a bullet. You can watch the video online to see it stop a 2x4 being shot from a cannon. The film is virtually invisible, so it would be a much more attractive option that bars on the window, and may be a good investment if you live in an area prone to storms. Chris and Jonathan did the installation. Jonathan told me has been doing this work for 15 years, but you would never believe it to look at him. When they were installing the film you could feel the difference in the heat that was let in through the window without the film, and since it blocks 99% of all UV rays, it is more pleasant to would look through. I would expect it will also help drapes, and furniture to last longer not being bleached by the sun. Overall this has been a pleasant experience. The workmen have all been efficient, and pleasant. I am looking forward to the saving that we can expect on our next utility bills. Next step the solar panels.