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Summer will be upon us in a few short months - is your attic ready?

Attic temperatures during the summer months can reach staggering temperatures - as high as 160 degrees in some parts of the country. this heat buildup not only increases your air conditioning bill but also degrades your sub roof. A 25 yr shingle is worthless on a roof that has rotting or buckling plywood underneath due to heat damage.

This past summer, I installed a solar powered fan to remove heat, moisture, and stagnant air in the attic. The benefit is that the fan only operates on sunny days and does not increase your power bill. If you have room for gable vents on either side of your house it is an easier installation than a roof penetration. Note: Though not required, the best time to install a a fan like this is prior to siding or re-siding your home.

Step 1 - Install some attic lighting if you don’t have some already. Measure the opening in your attic walls and get a pair of vinyl gable vents, make sure you have a good quality ladder, or borrow one from a friend. (Typically the installation will require you to be both inside and outside on the roof, with your final steps to be done outside after the fan is installed.)

Step 2a - pencil out on the inside and drill a hole in your attic wall through each corner of the portion of the vent that protrudes through the wall. This will be for the inlet side, as the attic fan will not work properly unless it can draw air across the attic. double check, then saw-zall out the rest of the required cut-out. Note: If you have properly functioning ridge vents or soffit vents this step is not required.

Step 2b (Many houses have a window in the attic that you can use to install your attic fan, in that case, remove the all or a portion of the window and make a cutout of OSB or plywood with a vent hole to accommodate the new gable vent/fan combo. Wrap the OSB with Tyvek so that you keep the wood free from damage, use staples to hold it in place. P.S. get the yellow handled staple gun, other kinds are not good and will have you cursing.

Step 3- Secure the fan in place and ensure that the power cord goes through the vent to the solar panel.

Make sure the solar panel is facing South or Southwest , you want to collect the most sun later in the day, as the attic won't really heat up to maximum till mid to late morning. When securing the panel to the roof, make sure you cover up the bolt holes with lots of silicone sealant to avoid leaking issues. Tighten all the panel adjustment bolts, so that you don’t have any surprises from the wind. Use a temperature thermostat to keep the heat in your attic in the winter time to save on your heating costs, (otherwise the attic fan will run whenever the panel is exposed to the sun.) Also, you can get additional modular panels to double the power of your fan, or install them at different solar collection angles, but I have found that the single 10W panel is plenty to cool a 700-1000 square foot attic space.

Step 4 - Fasten the OSB board into the window frame or cut out that you made for the fan, I like to use hurricane clips as they are inexpensive and very flexible in their mounting configurations. Secure the fan in four locations on the inside to prevent vibration, three is not adequate. Also try to block out as much airflow around the perimeter of the fan, to avoid blowback out of the sides.

Step 5 - Enjoy your lower electric bill from reduced summer cooling load, more enjoyable time when looking for items in the attic during the day, longer lasting sub roof, and increased home value..

Update: 11/15/14 added a Fire Cutoff switch - this is a good idea as firefighters have no way to turn off the fan in event of a fire. the Fire cut off switch will melt at 280 F so that the fan will not draw air into the attic, burning your entire house down with a quickness.... make sure to install one on your fan, I had to use some butt splice connectors as the spade connections that came with it did not fit.

If you're follically challenged like me - going to the barber shop to get a haircut every two weeks is almost ridiculous. At $18-25 per cut plus tip, you are looking at an outlay of nearly $500 year, not to mention wasted time and gas.

I have been cutting my own hair since 2001 and wanted to share a few suggestions.

First let's begin with the items you'll need to do the job correctly.

a)Good quality Wahl clippers, the ones with colored guards are preferred

b)Wall mounted extension mirror (with a standard and magnifying side) installed adjacent to a larger medicine cabinet, but far enough away that you can see the back of your head in the reflection off of the medicine cabinet mirror - also obtain a handheld mirror

c)make sure you have decent dust pan / whisk broom or vacuum handy

You will get hair everywhere, but so long as you have a hard surface floor - no worries, cleanup when you are done is quick.

Cut your hair in the bathroom, preferably in the mid morning after you have eaten. You won't be fatigued from hunger or sleepy. Plus the lighting will be better. Clothing is optional, or you can wear a smock - don't wear socks unless you like to waste time cleaning things.

Unravel the trimmer cord, hold it from the plug end and let it spin till the kinks are out, having a smooth cord makes for a more enjoyable hair cutting experience.

Always start guard-less, with the adjuster just off the end so you don’t hurt your skin. Stand in front of the mirror faced away and use either the pocket mirror or the wall mounted mirror to shape your rear hairline profile. Next trim your sideburns and ear line. (Being a little ambidextrous is handy but not completely required.)

Next add on the #1 guard = 1/8" length to the trimmer. Make sure that the oscillating blades don't contact the guard, as otherwise it makes an annoying noise. Trim against the grain first (up from back and up to your crown) brush your head a few times to ensure that seated hairs can't escape the clipper on your second pass. Repeat with the sides your head, and again go against the grain. 

Check the back of your melon in the mirror a few times to make sure you don't have any freakish patches left over like 'Sloth' from Goonies. also if you want to leave a little more hair on top (if you have any) use a #2 or #3 and fade in the line between the sides and top.

Once your done with your new skin junk, optional man-scaping can follow - but you're on your own for guidance in that arena. (suggest at least a 1/8" guard btw) When you are cleaning up the floor, put the cousin "It"  hair clump that you have just generated into a trash can where it's not staring at the next bathroom user.

When you shower afterwards, make sure to really shampoo well and massage the scalp thoroughly, it will help to reduce ingrown hairs. also, check your ears twice - little hair clippings always seem to loiter there for awhile after a haircut.

After you cut your own hair a few times you will learn what works best and have it down to about a 10 minute operation. Good luck!

It's nighttime and dark in the bathroom - if your frugal like me, you rely on a motion activated daylight sensitive LED nightlight. Nightlights that stay on all night are silliness, unless: 

• you have guests staying over
• have a small child who is afraid of the dark
• make it a habit to leave hazards on the floor in random places. 

Studies also prove that exposure to bright lights in the middle of the night mess with your body's internal sleep cycles. Properly functioning "smart" nightlights will remedy this situation. The kicker is that using the nightlight will save you money over time vs. turning on the full bathroom light.

Incandescent lights are not efficient, they generate a lot of heat and the bulbs burn out. Get rid of your old school night lights and upgrade to a more functional model. Unplugging and plugging, or switching on and off "dumb" nightlights is ridiculous in the modern era.

Below is a model I recommend, just make sure the seat is down when you're done :-)