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Making Your Older Home More Eco-Friendly

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Making your older home energy efficient doesn’t mean you have to get rid of running water or your adt security system – a few simple changes can really reduce your energy footprint and make you feel better about your drain on the environment
New Insulation – If you suspect your home is leaking energy you may want to have a home energy audit. If leaks in the foundation and within walls are detected you’ll want to invest in spray insulator, a better solution than typical foam insulation.
New Rood – If it’s time for a new roof you’ll want to get shingles certified by Energy-Star. Not only will you receive up to a 30 back tax credit you’ll be saving yourself money in the long run by better insulating your roof against the elements.
New Flooring – Don’t replace old floors if you don’t need to but if you do, remember that some floors are more energy efficient than others. If you like the look of wood opt for eco-friendly bamboo flooring and if you’re all about tile purchase some salvaged, refurbished stones.

How to Find and Visit Local LEED Buildings.

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Buildings that are certified with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) under the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) can be homes or businesses. To locate LEED buildings in your area and arrange a visit, you can search the registered LEED buildings by city. Visit the USGBC website and click on Programs and Guides under the LEED drop-down menu. Next, click on LEED Certification Process and then LEED Project Directory. Here you can search registered LEED buildings by city, state or country, as well as see the certification level and view a snapshot for some buildings. Keep in mind that buildings are listed only if the project leader for each building has consented. Also provided are the addresses (under project name) and names of the owner or organization. Once you find an interesting building in your area make sure you check the hours of operation if it is a building open to the public. For homes and other occupants, contacting them for an appointment ahead of time to visit or tour their space is highly recommended. Like what you see? Visit the Green Home Guide online for some useful home projects to start making your home efficient, healthy and green.

A Simple Guide to LEED Certification.

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

You will need this simple guide to LEED Certification if you would you like your new home to be Eco-friendly or a “green’ home. To go about it properly is not as daunting a venture as you may think. Draw up a plan and a budget to follow. Then follow a few steps to achieve the LEED Certification:

The Team
Assemble a team, consisting of you, an LEED knowledgeable architect and contractor (make sure both are LEED certified), a Green Rater (assures you are within the proper guidelines for your rating), LEED Provider (turns in the paperwork at the end of the project). Assemble your team frequently, for progress meetings, budget reports and any changes needing to be made to your project. Keep in mind that these team members and the LEED Certification will all require fees.

Money Saved
The money saved with your green home will offset those fees over time. You save on energy, get government incentives, and can earn for creating extra energy. Your home, or other building, will bring more on the market. Enjoy knowing you are helping your community and environment. Goal accomplished.

Certification has four levels: Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum and includes a plague.

Putting an End to Junk Mail.

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Some people dread visiting the mail box daily due to the plethora of mail items that are found. Have you ever had the problem of stuffed mailboxes full of junk mail? If so, you may be tired of all of the paper that is wasted on a daily basis. Perhaps you have already given up on putting an end to this madness and assume that there is no way to make it stop. However, you are wrong for there are options to reduce the amount of mail that you receive. If you have credit card statements and other bills sent to your home, you can consider going online and setting up an online account. You can then sign up for paperless statements. Many companies who are also trying to be eco-friendly offer certain incentives to customers who switch to paperless statements. Once you have gone online and visited each website you should reduce the amount of paper found in your mailbox. If you are receiving advertisements or other mail listserv items, you can oftentimes find a number on the mail that allows you to un-subscribe. All in all, there are many ways to help reduce the amount of junk mail that you receive.

Do Energy Star Appliances Really Make a Difference?

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The answer is yes, they do make a difference. When purchasing a new home and appliances it is wise to purchase energy star appliances, it can save you significantly amounts of money over the years.

Although energy star appliances cost more, the Department of Energy offers rebates on some appliances, in addition to a 2011 Tax Credit, of 10 of the cost up to 500 or a specified amount of 50 to 300, depending upon what you purchase. It expires on 12/31/11 and it must be an existing home and principal residence.Get more information here. http://mmejocelyne.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/the-energy-stars-in-the-home-appliance-market/

The energy bill for a year in an average single home is around 2,200, with the typical breakdown of energy cost being:

Heating at 29
Cooling at 17
Water heating at 14
Appliances at 13

An energy star refrigerator, for example, will use less than half the energy of a model that is 12 years old or more. If you replace a 1980 fridge with an energy star model, the new refrigerator will save an additional 15 percent or more by having better insulation, efficient compressors and precise temperature controls and defrost levels, and refrigerators with top freezers use 10 to 15 less energy than a side-by-side model of the same size.

How to Find the Green Tax Credits Available to You.

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are tax credits available to most homeowners. There are even credits available for your second home provided it is not a rental property. Tax credits exist on the federal level as well as the state level.

To find out if you are qualified there are several avenues to research. The first place to look is in the US government Department of Energy site for energy tax credits. There is information here as to what you can claim and the requirements to meet the standard. There is also some information about how to file the credit on your taxes at the IRS site.

Most states now have some level of credits available and this information is obtainable by going to the official state websites and looking into green tax credits and incentives. Perhaps another avenue to discover this information would be to contact your local utility providers as they keep up on these programs too. Lastly, contact your local green providers such as, plumbers, solar energy providers, and installers. These companies usually will be current on the credits available and how to apply for them as it is a help to their business. Enjoy the extra benefits of going green.

Caulk Your Way to Lower Energy Bills.

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Most people would like to have a more energy efficient home, and the lower energy bills that go with it, but they may not know where to start. One easy step to improve a home’s energy efficiency is caulking, which does not require specialized skills or tools, so most anyone can do it.

New or old, it is a good idea to periodically check a home’s air seals. New homes are never perfect, and old homes deteriorate with age. Along with the more obvious locations to check, such as doors and windows, other areas which should be checked include utility entrances, vents, and between structural and material joints.

There are many different types of caulk. They vary by price, ease of use, durability, and paintability. A salesman at a home improvement store should be able to help select the right caulk for the job.

Apply caulk with a caulk gun by pushing the caulk gun along a joint while squeezing the gun. Then, run a finger along the caulk bead to smooth it out.

A tight air seal will improve energy efficiency and lower energy bills and also provides the added benefit of reducing the intrusion of moisture and insects.

Don’t Forget to Turn Off the Light.

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

One focus regarding saving the environment is energy expenditure. Reducing the amount of energy used is the main goal. Replacing electricity with solar power and using energy efficient appliances are valuable ideas, but a change in oneself may be the best place to start. The simple approach of changing old habits and creating new ones is as easy as flicking a switch – a light switch.

So often, people leave a room, the house or the office and don’t bother to take the time to think to turn off the lights. This unnecessary lighting is excess energy which is synonymous with wasted energy. Turning off the lights in empty rooms and buildings keeps from uselessly expending energy. Think of all the energy that would be saved by simply not forgetting to turn off the light. Money spent not only on paying the electric bill, but on the purchase of replacement bulbs, is also saved.

It is amazing how often this simple step is ignored. It takes very little time and energy, it delivers wonderful results, yet it is repeatedly forgotten. For the sake of the environment, reduce the amount of energy used. Please, don’t forget to turn off the light.