With the constant increase in electrical usage the quality of our electricity coming into our homes and businesses has continued to go down. Red’s Electric Company has the answer – PowerwoRx e3. It provides a Whole House Energy Management System for the best possible energy savings and Total Home Protection based upon a unique technology that provides three key benefits:

• Equipment Protection
• Electrical Noise Filtration
• Energy Savings

Cost

$795.00 includes unit, permit and installation (single panel residential home).

Equipment Protection

PowerwoRx e3 is like having an ELECTRONIC BODYGUARD for your home or business! PowerwoRx technology provides Surge and Spike Suppression, a feature that will help protect and extend the useful life of your electrical equipment. Voltage surges and spikes come from many different internal and external sources such utility grid changes, damaged transformers or electrical lines due to accidents or acts of God, old or out dated utility transformers that supply electrical power to your home, lightning and turning on and off major motor loads in your home. Typical homes in the United States are bombarded with literally hundreds of surges and spikes a day that damage sensitive electrical equipment over time. These surges and spikes will damage your expensive electronics and will cause them to wear out at a faster pace. A combination of the PowerwoRx e3 harmonic resistant capacitors and metal oxide varistors (MOV’s) give the home owner the maximum protection available on the market today. The external lights on the PowerwoRx e3 system provide an easy visual indicator that the system is protecting your home.

Electrical Noise Filtration

PowerwoRx e3 technology provides Harmonic Filtration which has become more important since the 1980’s and almost mandatory going into the 21st Century due to the proliferation of computers, fax and copy machines and variable frequency drives which are known as “nonlinear loads”. “Nonlinear loads ask for and use electric current in “pulses” unlike traditional electrical equipment. This pulse use of electrical current creates damaging noise, interference and heat on today’s electrical systems causing interference within sensitive electrical equipment or worse causing them to overheat and fail. The use of computerized electronics within the American home has been growing at exponential rates and the need for filtering out the interference, noise and heat created by nonlinear loads has never been greater. Installing the PowerwoRx e3 system in your home will reduce the need to produce electrical energy reducing the amount of coal and oil being burned to generate the electric energy resulting i the reduction of environmentally harmful emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide. It is Red’s Electric Company’s mission to install PowerwoRx e3 systems in 500,000 homes across the Portland/Vancouver area which will annually reduce the need to generate 17 megawatts of electricity saving 42,250 tons of coal or 231,500 barrels of oil and reducing by 98,250 tons of carbon dioxide, 42,000 pounds of nitrous oxide and 221,500 pounds of sulfur dioxide of annual greenhouse emissions.

Energy Savings

PowerwoRx e3 provides energy savings by reducing the amount of power drawn from your utility with the use of specially designed harmonic resistant capacitors. On average a homeowner will save 8% – 15% off their monthly bill. PowerwoRx e3 systems optimize your homes power factor thus reducing the amount of energy your homes motor loads use such as air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers, pool pumps, vacuum cleaners, furnace blower motors, fans etc. Motor loads (inductive loads) inherently require more energy to do their work compared to other electrical equipment in your home. The PowerwoRx e3’s“power factor optimization” significantly increases the efficiency of your motor load and stores waste energy resulting in decreased demand and usage of electricity from your utility company. This can equate to cost savings for you the home owner. Power factor is the measurement of how efficient your electrical system is using the energy delivered to your home from your utility company. For example, your stove and dryer heating coils and incandescent light bulbs have a “power factor rating” of unity or 1. This equipment converts electric energy to heat and light. Motor loads as described above can have “power factor ratings” as low as 0.2. This combination of electric loads in American homes results in an average “power factor rating” of .77 or less. The .77 indicates that your home is using more energy than it should to operate your electrical equipment. The PowerwoRx e3 technology has a proven track record of increasing a home’s “power factor rating” to .98 or better. So what does this mean as far as real savings? The answer is “it depends”. Actual results will vary depending on inductive loads. The value of PowerwoRx e3 is all three features: Equipment Protection, Electrical Noise Filtration, and Energy Savings.

Brian D. Ruffner

M: 503.351.6272   O: 503-233.6467 | redselectric.com

Red’s Electric Company, Inc

“making a difference every day”

First I’d like to tell you a little about my experience with the store. Surface is a truly unique finish materials boutique. I recently worked with them to help one of my clients select flooring, countertop and backsplash materials. My sales person was David Horn. His professionalism, helpfulness with my client and expert product knowledge was all first rate. The staff members are all very respectful of the designer/client relationship and will help you as much or as little as you want. The showroom has a warm and comfortable ambiance with nice big work tables to lay out and compare all your possible choices. Enormous windows give you great natural light so you can really see the colors and textures. If you like a little privacy, they also have a separate conference room where designer and client can really brainstorm uninterrupted.

For my last client, I went in alone to preview their selections, then when I knew I was coming in with my client, I phoned ahead and David had all the selections pulled out and arranged on a work table for us when we arrived. Their vast selection is encased in big rolling carts so not everything is on view at once. Initially, I thought this would make it harder to view products, but after being in there with a client, I really appreciated that this display system kept us from going into overwhelm or being distracted with too many choices.

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Kerlite:

This product is an ultra-thin – just 3 mm -  super strong, porcelain tile that comes in seven sizes, including huge sheets. You can use it on floors or walls, but here is the very cool thing — you can put it right over existing materials including old tile or even linoleum without having to take out the old material. This is true even going over textured floor tiles.

Available in 26 colors and 3 finishes, my favorite is the tone-on-tone floral pattern. The photos of the bathrooms and living room are from the manufacturer’s website and they show the use of the huge sheet sizes to minimize grout lines. It’s also perfect for great kitchen design applications such as backsplash walls.  Kerlite is even frost proof so it can be installed outdoors. I’m told that this product has even been installed as siding on a home exterior. I’d love to see that.

In keeping with my desire to find sustainably made options for my clients, according to Coto d’Este, Kerlite ceramic tiling material is “obtained from natural and carefully selected raw materials, such as light clays and pure feldspars,” and “firing is carried out in electric kilns without any release of polluting fumes.” With seemingly endless uses in both interior decor and exterior design applications, it is a product worth checking out. As porcelain tile goes, this is rather high-end, retailing around $12 per square foot. But for the amazing flexibility and lack of demo work, it could be a great idea for your next design project.

As the rain has started to come down in sheets and the nights have turned COLD, my fireplace has been put into use in a big way. Many years ago, urban living in lofts, condos and apartments meant living without a fireplace. But technology has changed all of that. One potential client who recently contacted me said his one concession in buying a condo in the John Ross Condomiums in the South Waterfront district was to forego a fireplace – but we have a solution for him. Another client in The Wyatt high rise apartments in the Pearl District had a fireplace listed as one of her first items to add to her decor. I was also in the 937 Condominiums in the Pearl District last week and felt sad that for almost half a million dollars, you end up with no fireplace! So, this post is for you! Whether you have a condo in the Pearl or South Waterfront, or a house where there is no built-in fireplace, with today’s technology, there is now a fireplace for everyone, every room, and just about every budget! Read on to see several fireplaces that can be added to homes without an existing one. There are free-standing models,  wood burning models, environmentally friendly models, suspended ones and wall hung types. Links on where to shop for these are at the end of the article. Make yourself a nice cup of cocoa and imagine sitting next to one of these!

Pangaea’s Picks: Top Ten Fireplaces

1.  Harry Leenders – Hands down, my fave for a suspended, rotating fireplace. Love the sleek lines.

2.  EcoSmart’s Denatured Ethanol burning fireplaces can be set into a built in display or they have many free-standing styles. Environmentally friendly and renewable fuel is a plus.

3. This Eurofocus has nice clean lines and is angled to look great in a corner.

4. Rais is just simple and lovely.

5. What top ten list would be complete without the modern classic Fireorb suspended fireplace?

continue reading …

Whether you love the rich reds of mahogany and cherry, the pale brightness of maple, hickory and birch, or the deep and dark loveliness of walnut, there is a wood floor for you!

photos courtesy of US Floors

Yesterday I attended the monthly meeting of the Interior Design Society, Portland chapter. We were hosted by Tualatin’s Treadline Construction, specializing in hardwood flooring. I’d like to share just a few tips on choosing hardwood flooring and some very nice sustainable options.

1. The color, grain, size of planks, and character of wood can set the tone for the look of your home just as effectively as your furnishings. So, choose a look that will work with the style of your home’s architecture and furnishings. Wide planks of reclaimed wood with the patina of years of use fit beautifully in a casual style, traditional home. In a contemporary space, I love the look of narrow strips of palest birch or maple, or the deepest color of “ebonized” ash. Rich mahogany or cherry seem to evoke a feel of rich elegance.

photos courtesy of Stone River Hardwoods

2. Select wood not only by it’s color and grain, but by the area and use for which it is intended. All trees are not created equal. Some are much harder than others. If you have a high traffic area, children or pets, you’ll be better off with a wood which has a higher rating for “hardness”. They will all scratch & scuff with enough abuse … high heels and dog’s claws are no friends of wood …  but the harder the wood, the better it will hold up. Brazilian Cherry is one of the hardest woods which is readily available in flooring. The experts at Treadline have a chart that compares all the types of wood and can give great advice on the most suitable wood for your application.

3. Wood is generally considered to be a “green” option because it is renewable. To be sustainable though, be sure the wood you are buying is certified as being sustainably harvested. There are a number of certifications out there, but at the moment, the only one that will get you LEED points (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. Other sustainable practices include harvesting dead or dying trees, sunken logs, or using reclaimed or recycled wood from old buildings.

A couple of particularly notable options in sustainable wood flooring are:

Cork: Cork flooring is made by taking bark from trees without killing the tree. The bark grows back and can be harvested repeatedly … a little bit like shearing a sheep for wool. Aside from being a wonderful sustainable option, cork is beautiful and is extra cushiony under your feet. It comes in quite an array of colors and with a range of looks from very fine grains to large inlaid pieces which are very striking.

photos courtesy of US Floors

Bamboo: If it has been awhile since you looked at Bamboo flooring, check it out again. There are several new looks on the market including very narrow strips which look quite contemporary and also an end-cut mosaic pattern of tiny rectangles. Bamboo is rapidly renewable, but some manufacturers use formaldehyde in the process, so look for bamboo flooring that is formaldehyde free.

photos courtesy of Allwood Imports

Wood is a beautiful flooring option that feels great under your feet and adds value to your home. With proper care it will last a very long time. For help with choosing flooring or anything else for your home, please contact me at 503.816.4394, or email me at design@pangaea-id.com. You can see my portfolio online at http://www.pangaea-id.com

This classic Adirondack style chair is being made in a totally new and sustainable way by Loll. And who can resist ‘going green’ when it looks this good?!

These chairs are made from 100% recycled post consumer “high density polyethylene” which is a plastic resin made from recycled items such as milk jugs, margarine tubs, detergent bottles and so on. While I love the leaf green shown here, they make these in several colors and alternate styles.  To find out about more styles and other items — even your DOG can have sustainable options at Loll — and to get buying info, read the longer version of this article on the Pangaea Interior Design Blog.

I also found a local craftsman making classic Adirondack chairs out of 100% reclaimed wood from industrial construction pallets. If you prefer wood to plastic, it’s tough to beat this combination of reclaimed wood and local manufacture within 15 miles of Portland, Oregon.

So pick the one that fits your aesthetic and your pocket book and sit back with a tall, cool glass of Lemonade. Enjoy the sunshine!

Pangaea Interior Design offers full interior design services to residential clients as well as home staging in Portland Oregon.