:131 Clearing Brush 2

Welcome to today’s 1:5:10:365 Tip for becoming a better steward for our home and planet.

1:5:10:131 EcoTip: I was surprised and pleased to see what appeared to be about a hundred goats clearing excess brush from a steep slope of Berkeley Hills the other day.

 

The goats are employed by EcoSystem Concepts of Dixon, California to clear brush for fire prevention. EcoSystem describes itself as being a “Vegetation Management Service for Rangelands, Grasslands and Pastures, both Private and Public”

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 Additional Information

Need your land cleared?

Four hundred goats can clear an acre a day, and they consider eating poison oak a special treat!

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:119 Fire Screens

Welcome to today’s 1:5:10:365 Tip for becoming a better steward for our home and planet.

1:5:10:119 EcoTip: The fire screen on your fire place chimney does more that arresting sparks going up the chimney as well as keeping out pests. Many homes that catch on fire and burn in wild fires would have been okay if they had an intact fire screen. When wild fires burn they can create a back pressure that sucks hot air and sparks down the chimney into the home – igniting it from the inside. A properly installed chimney fire screen or spark arrester can help prevent this from happening.

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 Additional Information

 The information in this post is from my new book Extreme Weather Hits Home: Protecting your Buildings from Climate Change

• Use quarter-inch fire screen over the opening of every chimney or wood stove pipe. The hot air from a fire can cause the typical air flow to reverse so outside air rushes down the chimney and ignites the interior of the home. Fire screening not only helps prevent sparks from your fireplace from causing a wildfire, but also helps prevent wild fire embers from back drafting into your home.

 

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:118 Clear Brush

Welcome to today’s 1:5:10:365 Tip for becoming a better steward for our home and planet.

1:5:10:118 EcoTip: Proper planting and grounds maintenance can go a long way towards protecting buildings from fire.

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 Additional Information

 The following is reprinted from my new book Extreme Weather Hits Home: Protecting your Buildings from Climate Change:

• Trim or prune trees so they are at least ten feet away from the roof. Ideally the area 30 feet around your home will be clear to allow fire equipment access. Forested areas should be at least 100 feet away.

• Keep the grounds 30 feet around your home well irrigated.

• Keep plants spaced away from your home, outbuildings and each other to create a fuel break that will help prevent the flames from traveling to your home.

• Trim mature tree branches so they are over 15 feet above the ground. For younger and shorter trees the minimum above-ground height should be six feet. Bushes should be no more than 18 inches high.

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:072 Dryer Duct Length

credit: Fantech

Suggested Review – :071

Welcome to today’s 1:5:10:365 Tip for becoming a better steward for our home and planet.

1:5:10:072 Tip: Check the length and number of angles for your clothes dryer’s ductwork. Ducts that are too long or have too many angles will slow drying and waste energy.

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Additional Information

The International Mechanical Code article 504.6 stipulates the requirements for Domestic clothes dryer ducts. In brief, the maximum length of duct permitted is 25 ft. This maximum length should be reduced by 2.5 ft for each 45-degree bend and 5 ft. for each 90-degree bend. The duct should be a minimum nominal size of 4 inches in diameter and shall have a smooth interior finish.

When a short dryer duct length is not possible, the “Advanced Dryer Booster Fan” by Fantech can assist in over coming the resistance by ensuring that moist air exhausts quickly. This reduces drying time and energy costs. The manufacture says their fan is suitable for duct runs of up to 60 linear feet of rigid duct with up to six elbows. 

www.fantech.net.

http://www.fantech.net/dryer_boosting.htm

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:071 Clean Dryer Duct

credit: http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html

Suggested Review – none

Welcome to today’s 1:5:10:365 Tip for becoming a better steward for our home and planet.

1:5:10:071 Tip: Clothes dryer ducts and lint screens should be cleaned on a regular basis to help prevent accumulation. This is important for fire prevention and results in more energy efficient drying (of course solar dryers* work even better).

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Additional InformationThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1998, clothes dryers were associated with 15,600 fires, which resulted in 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers.

Information about cleaning dryer ducting is available at:

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/5022.html

* solar dryer: clothes line

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