Green Tips for Your Home Remodel
Whether you are remodeling your bathroom or renovating your entire home, there are many ways to make your reno more sustainable! There are green alternatives at every level of investment, for every part of your home – inside and out. Here are a few tips for every investment level!
$$ Low Investment Level
1. Flushing your toilet accounts for 26% of total household water usage. Replacing your toilet with a low flow toilet can cost less than $100 and make a huge difference to your water consumption.
2. Re-facing instead of replacing those kitchen cabinets is a very economical way to provide a facelift to your kitchen and keeps building materials out of the landfill.
3. Using reclaimed materials like wood beams and stained-glass windows can be a very bold and striking part of your interior design, all while upcycling materials and reducing waste.
$$$ Medium Investment Level
1. Energy Star appliances are a great way to update burnt out, old appliances. Consumers can save up to 50% with energy efficient appliances, which will continue to save money and conserve energy far beyond the purchase price of the appliances.
2. Bulking up your home’s insulation in the attic and in walls is an excellent way to make your entire home more energy efficient in all seasons. In addition, there are sustainable insulation options like ThermaCork, which is made from tree bark, cellulose insulation made from recycled newsprint and paper, and Icynene – a spray foam made from castor oil.
3. Installing smart switches and dimmers are an easy way to bring your home into the 21st century, monitor your energy use, and save money. Smart switches can be controlled from your phone while you’re out of the house, so you never have to wonder if you left all the lights on – you can simply manage them from your phone. Smart devices also allow you to dim the lights which saves money. Scheduling your lights during certain periods is a great way eliminate wasted electricity and can be done with the click of a button.
$$$$ High Investment Level
While these options are at the highest level of investment, they often pay for themselves over the years and have a very long lifespan. These options can make your home very self-sustaining, lower your utility bills to next to nothing, and some utility companies will even pay you for the excess energy your home is harnessing with these programs.
1. Home wind turbines are no longer a thing of the future and are much more accessible than even just a few years ago. In fact, you can purchase home wind turbines on Amazon for a few hundred bucks.
2. Solar power is now the cheapest form of renewable energy, according to the International Energy Agency. Home solar panels can support your entire home’s energy requirements, plus some. In the US, there are significant tax credits available to help mitigate the upfront costs of these systems.
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