Going ‘Green’ with Environmentally-Friendly Home Improvement Products

admin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:04:27 +0000

Over the last few years, buying environment friendly products for the home has become an increasingly important consideration for homeowners looking to make “green” improvements to their living space. To address this growing need, products such as flooring, lighting and paneling, as well as materials like paint and varnish are now readily available for virtually every remodeling project and every room in the house.

Numerous States have now also adopted legislation that limits the use of products that contain harmful fumes or chemicals. The good thing about this is, other than the obvious Green benefits, that many of the products that adhere to the new legislation are also becoming more affordable and are therefore more likely to be found on the shelves in our local hardware and home improvement stores.

See The Light! And Still Save on Energy Bills

It’s no secret that energy prices have soared and if you are planning a home improvement project, one of the simplest ways you can protect the environment – as well as save money – is to use less electricity.

Lighting and major appliances consume the most electricity; simply by switching to fluorescent bulbs, you can save up to 30% a year on your electricity bills. You can save a noticeable amount of money on your lighting costs by painting walls a lighter color, thus distributing light more effortlessly as well as making rooms appear brighter.

Leaking ducts can account for a surprising amount of wasted energy – up to 30%. If you are planning to caulk around ducts, vents and windows be sure to use a product that complies with recent regulations concerning the use of less VOCs in its manufacture. These are volatile organic compounds which contain pollutants that damage the ozone layer, and also contribute to producing smog.

Paint may be your biggest cause of concern if you are planning a home improvement project. Read the small print on the tin to make sure it complies with VOC standards – almost 30 brands are now readily available. Typically, lighter colors of paint tend to contain fewer VOCs.

Tip-Top Countertops

Kitchen countertops are an area where it is possible to help the environment. A recent innovation is a countertop made entirely of recycled paper and water-based resin. You can also install countertops made of paper and cement so that the production involves no quarrying that damages the land.

The bathroom is one of the most important areas where you can help protect the environment. Around 75% of all water used in the home is used by the bathroom shower, toilet and sink combined. Low flow or adjustable showerheads are easy to install and a dual flush toilet – offering a full or half-flush – can potentially lower a typical water bill by up to $75 a year. An estimated 4 trillion gallons of water would be saved every year in the United States if every household installed a dual flush toilet.

The Japanese are well known for their inventive labor-saving and technologically advanced devices. One of their latest innovations may soon be commonplace in the United States – an ingenious combination toilet/bathroom sink – you wash your hands in water that is then used to flush the toilet.

Get Floored! In The Utmost Style of Course

And one of the biggest trends in home improvement? Many people, especially those moving into a new home, consider installing a new floor covering as one of their most important projects. Cork, bamboo and reclaimed wood flooring all have a strong visual appeal as well as helping the environment, and in recent years, these alternative materials for flooring have become popular.

Cork flooring has excellent insulating qualities and can save on energy costs; it also reduces noise and can help keep a home free from allergens. What’s more, it is surprisingly tough as well as being water resistant.

And one other thing to keep in mind if you are “going green” when remodeling or improving your home. Always dispose of old or unwanted materials safely – many materials can be donated for people to reuse, or otherwise recycled. If in doubt, check with your county recycling program.

The next time you are making improvements to your living space be sure to do your bit to protect our precious planet… Go Green!

By: Tom Willmar

Which Home Improvements Pay Off (and Which Ones Don’t)

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:37:26 +0000

There are two main reasons people take on home improvement projects: for their own pleasure and in hopes of increasing the resale value of their homes. As long as you spend time and money for the first reason, you’ll be okay. It’s when you start thinking more about the second reason that you may be in for a disappointment. Even if improvements add value to your home, few recoup the money they cost. For example, a swimming pool, which costs tens of thousands of dollars to install, adds little to no resale value to a home. People are turned off by the maintenance aspect, and parents with small children will worry about safety issues.

So, what improvements do add enough value that you’ll come close to making back what you spend? It’s the highly visible improvements that will help most. Unfortunately, the less visible ones don’t impress. Replacing the roof or furnace, while they may need doing, won’t convince a home buyer to pay more. Likewise, new energy-efficient doors and windows are not likely to recoup the cost of installation (However, if you are going to continue living in your home for the next few years, $1,000 spent on insulation and caulking existing windows and doors can help you save on your energy bills).

The biggest home improvement you can do to impress homebuyers (and make them want to pay more) is one of the cheapest. Paint. As long as you pick colors that will appeal to a wide audience–and you do it right before you list (before it has time to get mucked up)–you’ll increase appeal. Likewise crown molding is relatively inexpensive to install but adds the wow factor to otherwise regular rooms.

So, what else is worth doing? You may have heard that kitchens and bathrooms are what sell a house, and this is true, but don’t think you have to spend tens of thousands on a whole-room remodel. Getting rid of outdated wallpaper or paint will help tremendously. Also sand and paint/stain old cabinet doors to make them look new. Switch out the dated cabinet hardware for something stylish and modern.

Any time you can take dead space (i.e. an attic or basement) and turn it into functional space (i.e. bedroom, office, media room), you stand a good chance of recouping much of the money you invest in the project (85% of the cost returned at resale is the national average).

If your house only has one bathroom, you can recoup about 90% of the cost by adding a second. (Adding a third gets you back less).

Landscaping can also improve curb appeal and salability of a home, but don’t spend thousands on hiring a professional (it won’t increase the value anywhere near that much). Tackle landscaping projects you can do yourself instead.

Keep this advice in mind before you open your pocketbook to hire contracts and buy materials for massive remodeling projects. If you’re going to spend a lot, make sure it’s–first and foremost–for you and your family, with resale of the house a distant second consideration.

By: TC Thorn

Home inprovement » Energy Bills

Going ‘Green’ with Environmentally-Friendly Home Improvement Products

Which Home Improvements Pay Off (and Which Ones Don’t)