Issues → July/August 2007 → Home & Garden →
Real Solutions: Cooling Fans, Voles, Daylilies
Home and garden solutions from the experts
I don't want the expense or noise of an air conditioner, and I need to cool the house only on occasion. What's the best alternative? -- D.V., Norwalk, CT
The most efficient option is a whole-house fan. Here's the way it works: The fan pulls cool air from outdoors and moves it throughout the house, pushing warm air out through the attic. On the hottest days, turn the fan on in the morning and evening (the coolest times of a summer day, when the temperature outside is lower than inside the house). This type of fan can keep an entire house comfortable on the amount of electricity it takes for an air conditioner to cool only one room.
In addition to saving you money, a whole-house fan lets you systematically cool specific rooms. Just open the windows first to pull a greater proportion of cool air through, and close the windows partially or fully in low-priority areas.
Determining the correct fan (24- to 36-inch diameter) for your space is as simple as figuring the square footage of living space and matching it to the manufacturer's size recommendation. Note that if you have a medium to large house, a belt-driven fan will be much quieter than a direct-drive model (blades attached to the motor shaft). Many contractors recommend W.W. Grainger's fans. At grainger.com, type in the keywords "whole house fans" to see tech specs and coverage in square feet. A 36-inch-diameter, two-speed, belt-driven fan that will cool 2,300 square feet lists for $284.25.
After publishing this answer, Yankee home editor Polly Bannister heard from NH Public Utilities Commissioner Clifton Below who has more information on whole-house fans. Scroll down to see his suggestions.
We'd like to get rid of voles in our yard without using poison, as we have rabbits and other animals around. -- M.S., Westford, MA
Voles (field mice) build tunnels in the landscape and lawn and can cause considerable damage to root systems, stems, and other plant parts. Vole populations are cyclical and encouraged by weeds, heavy mulch, dense ground cover, and even snow, all of which provide shelter. Maintain open ground around your plants to reduce damage. Mesh fencing, trapping, live removal, and various methods of repelling are other nonpoisonous options. But these methods can be difficult, time-consuming, and often unreliable by themselves.
Eradication is the surest control and, with some precautions, can be accomplished relatively safely without poisons. Try setting a mouse-type snap trap, baited with peanut butter or bacon, perpendicular to the largest runways. Position the trigger at the middle of the run. A wire hoop over each trap helps keep nontarget animals away.
Use multiple traps when activity is highest, usually in early spring or late fall, for best results. Natural predators such as owls, foxes, hawks, snakes, cats, and even coyotes may also be helpful in controlling vole populations.
Are daylily buds edible? How do you cook them? -- F.P., Berlin, NH
The flower buds, flowers, leaves, and even roots of the daylily (Hemerocallis) are universally considered edible. But with any new food, it's always prudent to try a small amount first in case your system reacts differently. Some people, for example, may have allergic reactions to raw daylily buds but are fine with cooked ones.
Chinese cooks have used daylilies in their cuisine for centuries (the flowers are sometimes used in hot-and-sour soup). Yellow-flowered types are sweetest, while darker flowers have a stronger flavor. Pick from plants that are free of pesticides, and wash everything before eating. Then steam, boil, saute, or fry. What a way to impress your friends with your horticultural versatility!
Reader Comments
Comment from Genevieve Kennedy on July 7, 2008
I enjoy all your recipes and look forward to reading your tips about gardens. Please continue with your excellent e-mail letters and Yankee Magazine. It's a delight to receive them.
Genevieve Kennedy
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