Radient Heating System in Floors

On average, we spend 90% of our time indoors and most of the time we are in our own homes, yet we are increasingly using products containing volatile organic compounds. VOC’s, in some cases create air quality that is 20 to 30 times more toxic than outdoor air.

If you are remodeling or going to build a new home consider the health benefits of using a beautiful concrete floor. Concrete floors that have radiant heating are much healthier for us. No air is pushed around the house in ducts that might have dust and mold spores inside. Radiant heating in concrete floors is an efficient and cost effective way to heat a home. Besides the health benefit is an easier floor to maintain than most other surfaces. Wiping up the floor with warm water is normally all you need to do.

Radiant concrete floors simply radiate heat upward from the floor to provide optimum comfort and many other benefits.

Radiant Concrete Floors

Warm water passes through continuous thick plastic tubing which is embedded in the concrete slab. A hot water heater keeps the water temperature inside the tubing a warm 75 to 80 degrees in Fahrenheit. The warm water is transferred to the surrounding concrete and the heat radiates upward into the living space, rather than blowing air around your home like forced air furnaces do. This natural heat transfer is both more comfortable and energy efficient.

Indoor air pollution is the cause of about 50% of illnesses. Common sources of this pollution include out gassing from toxic paints and finishes, carpeting, manufactured wood products containing glues high in formaldehyde, dust mites, mold spores, mildew and some cleaning products.

Bacteria in Carpet

When it comes to poor indoor air quality carpeting is one of the worst offenders. New synthetic carpeting can out gas over 100 different VOC’s. Carpet is difficult to clean and becomes a haven for dust particles, pollutants and bacterial growth. Tens of millions of microorganisms can be found in one square foot of carpet. Carpet can be a major source for mold, especially if it becomes wet and the water isn’t removed completely.

Radiant heated concrete floors are a healthier alternative to carpeting because they do not emit harmful VOC’s and are easy to sweep clean. VOC emissions from concrete building products are much lower than those for most building materials. The use of natural lime – cement plaster wall finishes and concrete counter tops can also significantly reduce total VOC concentrations inside a home.

Exposure to toxic mold in homes and buildings has been blamed for ailments ranging from headaches to severe respiratory infections and immune system disorders. Mold can thrive on any organic material, especially in warm, moist, humid conditions. Concrete floors and walls won’t support the growth of toxic mold.

Think about a beautiful and practical radiant heated concrete floor for your Marin County Home. Van Midde Concrete doesn’t install the radiant heating system but we do work with many local experienced contractors in the San Francisco Bay Area that do specialize in Radiant Heating Systems. We do however install the concrete floors and will finish the floors to your liking. We have many years of experience with concrete work in and around Marin County. Contact us for more information.

"Your appliance is in the twilight zone, sir."

Sears is the worst place to buy an appliance in the Bay Area. After buying a dishwasher for delivery, I called on February 25th asking when the dishwasher would be delivered. They told me it wouldn’t be delivered until March 25th, because a salesman made a mistake when entering the delivery date in the computer.

I was assured that this problem would be fixed. Numerous phone calls were made by Sears to their installation crew. My wife and I have made numerous phone calls to the installation company as well. As of right now the problem has still not been resolved and we’ve got no dishwasher. They are the absolute worst company with regard to selling appliances and I would not recommend them to my worst enemy.

I would recommend another store in Marin, that isn’t a big box that I should have gone to in the first place. Martin & Harris Appliances is a great store that I’ve gone to before for my appliance needs. They have wonderful customer service and all the major brand names of appliances. Give them your business before going to Sears.

By the way I am not the only person who feels this way. Just see these reviews below:

One Star Review

Two Star Review

Concrete Pool Deck

In the spring time remodeling your home has probably been on your mind. We’ve written some tips to help make your remodeling season a breeze. From concrete to curb appeal this article will help you to have a better understanding of how you can beautify your home with new concrete designs. With the season comes less rain, which means fewer delays in your project. In addition the sun is starting to shine brighter and longer, but not quite as intensely as it does in the summer allowing more time to finish the concrete properly before it “sets up” or dries to the point of being unworkable. Here are some ideas for projects you can get started now.

Concrete Pool Decks: Summer’s right around the corner and if you have a pool, but would like to replace the deck or area around it, concrete gives you the widest range of options so that you can create a beautiful pool patio that you’ll enjoy for years to come. And unlike wooden decks or earth, water dries on concrete very quickly, especially in the sun.

Raised Concrete Garden

Raised Gardens: Spring is the time for planting. With the economy in its current state many people have turned to starting their own vegetable gardens and what a better place to start them than in raised gardens. Raised gardens are created by back filling a concrete retaining wall which can be quick and easy to install. Unlike ground level gardens, raised gardens reduce erosion and can give your home instant curb appeal. Raised gardens needn’t just be for your backyard. You can turn the front of your home into an amazing botanical scene with a variety of flowers with concrete raised gardens.

Concrete Walkway

Yard Borders and Edging: Is your grass growing into your planting areas? Continuous concrete yard edging or borders are a permanent way to divide yards from gardens and edges. Concrete doesn’t corrode like metal edging, shift like brick or stones and doesn’t rot like wood. Concrete is the perfect yard border material.

Walkways or Pathways: Create beautiful new walkways or pathways with concrete Add style to your yard and make getting around easier for you and your guests. You can make your new walkway or pathway look like natural stone while eliminating the problem of weeds coming through the rocks and the problem of paving stones shifting with time.

Concrete Driveway Resurfacing

Driveway Resurfacing: If your driveway is cracked, damaged, or stained and looks dated, concrete resurfacing can make your driveway look as good as new. Pick a color, pattern or simply use a gray finish to turn your old driveway into something you’ll look forward to coming home and seeing.

Rockscape or Waterfall: The calming effect of water can be achieved with a rock scape or waterfall. Concrete is used to create the appearance of large boulders or stones that would be much more expensive to install. So realistic are concrete rockscapes that the results would fool almost anyone.

The above examples are just a few ways you can upgrade your home’s landscaping each spring.

coho salmon

In 1998 a group of volunteers in San Geronimo that I was a part of worked to improve Roy’s dam on Lagunitas Creek. We did this by creating a new fish ladder and knocking a foot off the top of the dam. The process took a few weekends, but with the help of the San Geronimo Valley community the work got done and now the salmon can more easily move upstream and out to the ocean.

The work got the attention of then Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, who came out to San Geronimo to view the job and comment on projects like ours that were happening all over the country.

Bruce Babbitt

We used an air compressor powered jack hammer to knock the dam down a foot and Secretary Babbitt wanted to try his hand at jack hammering. In the process he nearly fell off the dam! Fortunately, I was standing right next to him and was able to get my arm around his shoulders in what appeared like a back slap, but was a quick reaction on my part to keep the secretary from falling.

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt

You can read more about it by following the link here about the Coho Salmon project on Roy’s dam,  in which Secretary Babbitt gives his take on the day, one he called his most memorable in office.

Thanks,

Ted Van Midde

Marin Home and Garden Expo

The Marin Home and Garden Expo is set to take place June 4th and 5th 2011 at the Marin County Fairgrounds and Exhibit Hall. I am proud to be serving as this years Chairman of the Marin Home and Garden Expo Committee. You can click here to subscribe to the Home and Garden Expo Newsletter where you’ll receive useful information on the event as well as a my featured section titled “Ask Ted. On the “Ask Ted” section you can write me with questions about specific home repairs you may be planning and I will answer with green building and eco-friendliness in mind. I encourage you to attend this years event as there will be a great deal of information for homeowners and residents of Marin not only in the way of construction and building but in making our community a more sustainable and eco-friendly place to live for the generations to come. I look forward to seeing you there!

Ted Van Midde

Ask Ted - Home Related Questions

Concrete is a great material for people who are sensitive to the chemicals found in many stains and polishes to use in their home landscaping projects; that’s because concrete contains and emits no VOCs – volatile organic compounds. As anyone who suffers from allergies can tell you, VOCs are largely responsible for many people’s incredible sensitivity to many types of finishing products. These odorless, invisible vapors seep into the surrounding air and ground and become unknowingly ingested by people. Concrete is favored by people with extreme chemical sensitivities because it has no VOCs and won’t exacerbate existing conditions – or trigger new ones.

As a material, concrete is not only naturally recyclable and reusable, but the local concrete industry has been increasingly doing its part to improve energy efficiency and process cement in Earth-friendly ways. Many major players in the Sonoma and Marin, like Shamrock Materials,  are investing in new technologies that allow them to produce concrete and other landscaping materials  while reducing the impact on the environment. When we pour concrete in the North Bay, you can rest assured that it comes from local businesses that care about the future of our planet.

Concrete can be used as a very effective sound barrier for those that  live next to a freeway or any area with a lot of traffic noise. Thick yet attractive concrete walls can easily deflect much of the noise that comes with living next to a  highway, freeway, busy road or intersection. Many Marin and Sonoma homeowners living near the 101 have combined concrete walls with retaining walls and landscaped earth to create a pleasing look that masks its true purpose. There’s no need for a dull looking wall anymore with the today’s home improvement technology. Concrete can be styled to seamlessly blend in and complement your yard’s existing look while creating a more peace in your life.

Earth friendly characteristics of concrete? You betcha, and it is surprising how few people are aware of the fact that concrete is recyclable and about as natural as the dirt beneath it.

Concrete is the original recyclable material. Concrete can be broken up, hauled away and reused very easily. When my crew hauls away your old concrete, we go straight to the recyclers, not to the landfill.

Used concrete can be recycled again and again – without any damage to the planet or major expense. If you are looking for an environmentally friendly material for your next  home landscaping project,  give me a call and let me show you how concrete is a smart and green choice.

Home landscaping projects have come a long way in the past twenty five years or so;  more materials and techniques than ever before are being used to help homeowners enhance the beauty and quality of their yards. It’s not easy to keep up on all the tips, tricks and techniques of the concrete world but someone has to do it. Many people are surprised when they hear me say that concrete is the most versatile product to integrate in conjunction with their upcoming beautification project.  Yes, I know, many of you view concrete as being a dull, gray, lifeless material that is useful only for killing grass and ruining the natural beauty of an area and its surroundings, but not so.

Like many other home landscaping materials, concrete has changed a lot in recent years and is being used in many compelling ways to lend a surprising depth and elegance to many home landscaping projects.

Stay tuned  as I show you  the earth-friendly characteristics of concrete and how it can beautify your home and simplify your life.