JAMES DULLEY Cutting your utility bills Added to kitchen, thermal mass boosts efficiency

Q. We are remodeling our kitchen. When cooking, it always seems to be warmer than the rest of the house, uncomfortably so in the summer. Would installing a high-mass solid surface countertop help this at all?
A. A kitchen is the highest energy-usage room in a home. Most of this energy is just wasted in the winter and causes overheating in the summer. A gas range, with all the burners on, is equivalent to running a small furnace.
Your idea of adding thermal mass in the various components in your kitchen makes a lot of sense, both for improved comfort and lower utility bills year-round. As the heat is being produced while you cook, it is slowly absorbed by the thermal mass instead of overheating the room air.
Mostly for aesthetic reasons, high-mass, solid surface countertops (slate, colored concrete, granite, tile, marble, etc.) are becoming increasingly popular for modern kitchens. With skyrocketing gas prices and the recent electricity shortages, energy efficiency should also be a consideration.
Low maintenance: Natural slate is one of the most attractive and durable high-mass (more than 20 pounds per square foot) countertop materials available. Slate is nonabsorbing, so it will not stain and requires very little maintenance. Most countertop slate has a beautiful honed matte finish with an eased (rounded) edge.
Colored concrete is becoming very popular and will offer the equivalent thermal mass and maintenance-free durability of slate. Concrete can easily be cast into any unique countertop shape. It is typically about 1.5 inches thick and is finished with either a troweled or a veined surface texture.
Granite has always been a popular choice for upscale countertops. It is not as heavy as the concrete or slate, but still has adequate thermal mass for efficiency and comfort. Granite is available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. It is a porous material and it must be sealed periodically.
Decorative patterns: Ceramic tile is an excellent countertop material because of its durability and decorative patterns. If the tiles are set in a heavy mortar base, its natural heat transfer properties can be effective. Ones with a color glaze look brilliant, but scratches are less apparent on natural unglazed tiles.
Engineered stone is another option and is often more reasonably priced.
It looks and feels like real marble or granite, but it is actually made of 93 percent quartz aggregate bonded together with resins. This creates a material that is often more durable with a more uniform surface appearance.
Other less massive, but attractive countertops includes solid wood (maple or oak), various durable laminates, solid resins and stainless steel.
Q. I moved into my first all-electric home that has a heat pump. The blower seems to run almost all the time and when I go outside, the air conditioner is running. Is there something wrong with it?
A. That is how a heat pump is supposed to operate, so there most likely is nothing wrong with it. The heat pump and central air conditioner are the same unit, so that is why the outdoor unit is running.
If you put your hand over a register, the air will not feel hot like it does with a gas or oil furnace. Since the heat pump produces heat at a lower temperature, it will likely run more frequently to keep your house warm.
XWrite for Update Bulletin No. 419 which is a buyer's guide of 13 attractive, high-mass countertop manufacturers listing materials descriptions, colors, features and a countertop material/pricing selector chart. Please send $3 and a business-size SASE to James Dulley, The Vindicator, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. For an instant download, visit James Dulley online at www.dulley.com.