By Christine Fisher THERE’S A NEW MAINE-MADE BUILDING PRODUCT on the market, and while it began as a way to prove that masonry homes can be energy-efficient, it has found another welcome yet unintended niche: the healthy home market. Based on German design, Comfort Block™ is a 16-inch thick concrete block with three pockets of…
Fall is a great time to prepare for the upcoming heating season, and many Maine homeowners are now relying on heat pumps for most of their heating. More than 20,000 high-efficiency ductless heat pumps have been installed in Maine homes and businesses in the past 3 years. So whether you are considering a ductless heat…
By Laura Seaton Have you ever sat by your windows in January and felt the heat being pulled from your body? Do cold drafts chill your home? Windows are a major source of heat loss—especially the antique, single-pane windows found in Maine’s historic homes. But cold windows are not limited to older homes—even newer, double-paned…
By Steve Caulfield If you need a new water heater and your basement is somewhat humid and musty, you might consider a heat pump water heater to solve two problems: heating the water and conditioning the air. Heat pump water heaters may sound complex, but they operate just like your refrigerator in reverse. The refrigerator…
By Travis Ritchie It seems that 2017 is the year for the return of the electric car in America, with the release of three mass market high-range vehicle models that offer the opportunity to go more than 200 miles on a charge. Look around—a hybrid can be spotted at every stoplight and you’ll probably see…
Appraising & financing high-performance homes By Parlin Meyer Few people who embark on the adventure of building a new home have done so before. If you are venturing down this road, there are key things to know before the first shovels hit the ground. And a significant portion of this knowledge lies in the financing…
Buses will be bringing people to the 2017 Common Ground Fair from several locations around the state, sponsored by several Maine Adult Education programs, in a further effort to reduce carbon footprint and traffic load. Travel costs vary by distance; Fair admission price is $8 for bus riders (and free for all members). To sign…
By Lynn Ascrizzi SWEET-SCENTED AZALEAS, bee balm, roses, and phlox. Moss-lined pathways meandering amid green light and shadows. Reflecting pools, cedar-fragrant, sun-warmed air, and artfully planted herbaceous borders bursting with Japanese irises, delphiniums, velvety lamb’s ears, poppies and sunny dahlias… This is a mere sampling of the unfolding seasonal riches to be discovered in the…
Maine’s craft ciders offer a wild taste of history By Caitlin Gilmet JOHN ADAMS DRANK a tankard of hard cider every morning before breakfast. The drink was served at the Battle of Concord—to both sides. And Benjamin Franklin once quipped, “He that drinks his cider alone, let him catch his horse alone.” Maine’s wild and…
By Carey Kish JUST AS WE are drawn to the alpine heights of Maine’s windswept mountaintops or the seemingly endless expanses of sandy beach at the ocean’s edge, so, too, are we captivated by the thundering roar of waterfalls, the rainbows amid the glitter of the misty spray, the raw power of water rushing through…