Bob Vila and project architect Michael Pierce brainstorm ideas for this small condo with a great view of Biscayne Bay. The condo, a collection of closets and closed spaces, is a pearl in the oyster, just waiting to be opened up. The interior is dark because of the closed space and the navy carpeting that absorbs rather than reflects the light that enters. Pierce suggests bringing the outside in and creating an open loft appearance if the tenant board allows. He also advises flattening the popcorn ceiling to make it smooth like the roof of the balcony so it will reflect more light. Pierce's outlook for this small space is a theme of light and views.

Jack Murdock from RMI and Craig Ryans from Vermont Castings of Mississauga, Ontario, demonstrate how simple it is to have gas appliances and heat in a rural location. With a 500 gallon underground or exterior tank, enough fuel is stored on site for most common uses and requires just a few fill ups a year. The stove being installed, a Vermont Castings product, uses a direct vent technology that draws no interior air to aid in combustion. The unit pulls air in from outside through a cylinder pipe and releases exhausts outside as a typical furnace would. Gas appliances and heat function during power failures, although electric fans that circulate the heat will not work without an auxillary power supply. The fireplace installed in the Modular Mountain Retreat project home will provide 30,000 BTUs of heat. A realistic ceramic grate burner and ceramic logs enhance the fireplace�s look.

Bob meets a project manager to discuss the repairing of the U.S.S. Constitution, �Old Ironsides�, dry-docked in the Boston Harbor. The old masts are being replaced with laminated Douglas fir. All of the material used in the repairs is from Native American stock. Much of the wood is milled on site including 40-foot oak hull timbers. The rigging is also being replaced and additional hull supports are being added to increase longitudinal strength. They review the 21-inch thick hull walls, the timbers in the keel and the copper plating on the outside of the hull.

Bob talks with Dan Driscoll of Rinnai about the new on-demand water heater being installed. Driscoll explains that the heater is a whole-house system sized for a three-bathroom household, laundry, and cleaning. An on-demand, tankless water heater is energy efficient because it does not store hot water. Eliminating the tank also saves basement space. The unit can run three showers simultaneously with a flow rate of 5.3 gallons per minute and no drop in hot water delivery. The water heater has a moveable controller on the side so that the temperature of the hot water can be adjusted from anywhere in the home. Driscoll opens up the water heater to show how the system works. Once the water is turned on, sensors detect the amount of water being used and the temperature of the incoming cold water. The system adjusts the gas burner to meet the set temperature. Driscoll shows Bob the dual-chamber sealed-combustion PVC pipe that brings combustion air through the outside chamber and exhausts fumes through an inner tube. The on-demand system is about 40% more efficient than gas-fueled tank water heaters and 70% more efficient than electric tank water heaters.

The Unico System is the ideal solution for adding central cooling to those great old houses. It uses a flexible mini-duct system that fits easily behind walls and ceilings, eliminating the need for ugly soffits and metal ducts. The vents are small and blend with any decor. For more information

…ceiling of the house. When outside temperatures are cooler than inside temperatures (usually in the early evening), the air conditioner is turned off, and the windows are opened, the whole house fan pulls cool, fresh air into the house through the open…

…XXXXXXXX Use energy-saving appliances…
…look for new energy-saving features such…
…Mind the gaps. Cold air leaking into…
…keep heat in and cold air out. Seal all…
…between your air conditioner and window…