Magnetic Refrigerators
Magnetic Refrigerators
Oak Ridge National Laboratory and General Electric have teamed up to create a revolutionary new type of refrigerator that uses magnets to create cold, also known as the magnetocaloric effect (lowering or raising the temperature of the material by changing the magnetic field).
Ultra-Efficient Heat Pumps
Ultra-Efficient Heat Pumps
The Building Technologies Office is ushering in the next generation of heat pump systems, which warm and cool your home by moving heat from one space to another. A fuel-fired, multi-function residential heat pump that can reduce primary energy consumption by 30 percent.
Clothes Dryers
Clothes Dryers
The same concept behind heat pump technologies that keep your home comfortable can also be used for another important application: drying your clothes. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and General Electric are developing a new type of clothes dryer that uses a heat pump cycle to generate hot air needed for drying.
Smarter, More Connected Homes
Smarter, More Connected Homes
We live in an increasingly connected world -- the same is true for our homes. New electronic devices and appliances can now be linked to the Internet to provide real-time data that makes it easier to understand and lower energy use.
Next-Gen Insulation
Next-Gen Insulation
Insulation is one of the most important ways to reduce your home heating and cooling costs. The Industrial Science & Technology Network is developing new foam insulation made with environmentally friendly and advanced composite materials that ensure heat doesn’t escape from the attic, walls and other areas of the home during cold winter months.
Advanced Window Controls
Advanced Window Controls
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Pella Windows are working on new highly insulated windows that use sensors and microprocessors to automatically adjust shading based on the amount of available sunlight and the time of day to ensure proper lighting and comfort, saving consumers energy and money.
Reflective Roofing Materials
Reflective Roofing Materials
Cool roofs coated with materials containing specialized pigments reflect sunlight and absorb less heat than standard roofs. Expect these types of roof systems to get even “cooler” due to new fluorescent pigments developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and PPG Industries that can reflect nearly four times the amount of sunlight of standard pigments.

Energy-Saving Solutions

From heating and cooling to electronics and appliances, it takes a lot of energy to power our daily lives. Our homes use 37 percent more energy today than they did in 1980. But without energy efficiency -- through technology innovation and federal energy conservation standards -- this number would be a lot higher. In fact, even though our total energy use has grown, our energy use per household is down about 10 percent, despite that our homes are larger and contain more devices.

Energy Conservation Solutions

26 April 2024

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What to do with Peeling Laminate Cabinets?

Category: Home improvement tips
Here are some quick tips you need to consider when and how you can solve your problem, suggested by kitchen cabinets Westhampton.
Only Peeling
Between the laminate and substrate, slip a corner of sandpaper and gently scuff up the wood or particle board.
This would eliminate any excess adhesive and make it easier for the laminate to be kept in place by the new adhesive.
Between the substrate and the laminate, squirt a tiny amount of waterproof adhesive.
How can you get the veneer cabinets removed?
With a utility knife, score the veneer surface in many places. With a towel, clean a mixture of equal parts of white vinegar and water on the surface. Let the vinegar and water soak in the veneer, then try using the putty knife to pry the veneer up.
How do I strip adhesive from cabinets in the kitchen?
Mix a few drops of dish soap with the solution in around 2 cups of warm water.
To remove surface dirt and dust, soak a sponge in soapy water and wipe down the cupboards.
Soak the sponge in clean water, including around the hinges, knobs and handles, and thoroughly rinse the cabinets.
How is it possible to strip laminate from wood?
In the crevice between the laminate and the wood backing, gently insert the tip of your 5-in-1 putty knife. Pry apart the two surfaces, releasing 1/8 to 1/4 inch at a time from the adhesive. To avoid damaging the laminate, take your time and work slowly.
How to Repair a Cabinet Door with Peeling Laminate
Unscrew the hinges with a screwdriver from the drawer.
Lay the door flat and peel the laminate back as far as it will go with your fingertips.
Using a small paintbrush to apply solvent-based, waterproof contact cement to the exposed core as well as the underside of the laminate surface that you have peeled away.
Is it possible to peel laminate off cabinets?
The laminate can be stripped off the cabinets and the pressed wood can be painted. The downside is that when you pull the laminate from the wood, the pressed wood, or particle board, can flake off. This results in an uneven surface before adding paint that must be patched and sanded.
Should cabinets with laminate be refaced?
Refacing kitchen cabinets may be "superficial," but there are drastic effects and savings. Covering the exposed frames with a thin veneer of real wood or plastic laminate means refacing the kitchen cabinets. To fit or complement the fresh veneer, doors and drawer fronts are replaced.