Lighting inside the home.

Light and lighting can be obtained either naturally through windows or through electric lighting.
Obviously windows are restricted in that they are built into the house and it takes a major effort to change them, so unless you are building a new home or you are doing major renovations, you will basically be stuck with what you have.
Note however that you still need to think about your windows when planting trees, buying curtains and placing furniture and paintings.

Electric lighting is much different off course. Changing the position of electric lights is not too difficult, and if you don’t feel like moving the lights in the ceiling because of the hassle of fixing the ceiling afterwards, you can always make use of lamps to get the desired lighting effect that you want.

When it comes to interior decorating, the use of lighting cannot be overstressed. The placement of objects, especially paintings, should be so that they get maximum benefit from both natural and artificial lighting.

Personally I do not like spotlights, as they only light a small part of the room, and you get very light for your money’s worth. Rather go for a light that gives you the most light, so that you do not end up with parts of the room draped in shadow.

Rooms that are functional in nature, such as office or study space, should be especially well lit, while if you have a dedicated T.V. room, you can tone down the lighting in there a bit. (Remember though that the T.V. room should always have a bit of lighting to protect your eyes. The ambient light in the T.V. room should at least match the light output of your T.V. screen).

Loose standing lamps are ideal in that they can be switched on and off, and they can be moved around to match the lighting you may need for a specific occasion.

When next you look at your rooms with your eye on interior decorating, remember to have a critical look at the lighting, and you might be pleasantly surprised at what you can do.

Remember to check out the forum at http://www.sahometalk.com/index.php

Photovoltaic Roof Tiles

The latest issue of EasyDIY magazine has an article on photovoltaic roof tiles. These roof tiles can replace your existing roof tiles or can be placed over your existing roof, and with enough tiles, it can produce enough electricity to power almost everything in your house except the geyser, which can be solar powered by itself.
The tiles need a strong roof, because they are heavier than normal tiles, and of course they need to face the sun where there are no trees so that they can make maximum use of the suns rays. Another thing to consider is that they have to be washed every few months, and they also have a lifespan which means they have to be replaced at some stage.
According to the article, the overall cost of the PV tile installation would be R50 000, but they don’t actually say how many tiles this would be, and if it includes things like batteries, wiring and converters.

If it would take you off the grid, it might be a good option to look at.

Remember to check out the home improvement forum at http://www.sahometalk.com/index.php