Share this
Mister Wong
Digg
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Furl
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Googlize this
Blinklist
Facebook
Wikio
Print
E-mail
Tags
Are you looking for a way to go green in your home? Do you feel like your options are limited because of the expense of going green? You’re not alone. Many people would like to make their homes more eco-friendly, but with the economy the way it is and extra money going everywhere but into your home right now, you may feel like your eco-friendly home improvement options are limited.
Do you need to replace your heating system? If it’s time for you to start looking for a new furnace, you should consider going more energy efficient. There are tons of energy efficient home heating systems available now and if you choose a heating contractor who is experienced in high efficiency, they will be able to recommend the best energy star heater to compensate for your home’s heat loss.
While we’re on the heating and cooling topic, what about a programmable thermostat? This is a simple, inexpensive change that can save you big bucks. If you’re not familiar with how to install one, a “fix-it” guy can put one in for a relatively low fee. If you program your heat to go down while you’re out of the house and warm up when you’re home, you can save up to 15% on your home heating bills.
If you’re doing any kind of remodeling, you should consider new, triple paned windows and replace your old garage door with a new insulated kind. These will help you improve your home’s efficiency by up to 25%. Not sure where to start? Consider looking for any holes in your home’s thermal envelope (anywhere you feel a strong draft) and start there. Start by replacing loose window panes first. If you replace windows and doors a couple at a time, the expense won’t be too great. For even more energy efficiency, consider hanging blackout curtains to keep the draft from cooling your home.
You can also improve your home’s energy efficiency by replacing your old hot water heater with a new Energy Star model. If you’re not in need of a new hot water heater, wrap the one you have with an insulating jacket. When you pair that up with insulation for your hot water pipes, you’re likely to reduce your heat loss by up to 40%.
Consider re-insulating your home. A good contractor should be able to tell you what kind of insulation will be best for your home’s needs and can recommend what type of insulation you can use without completely remodeling your home. Be sure to ask about cellulose insulation or insulating spray foam, as these don’t require a complete renovation.
If you’re in the mood for the extreme, turn your home into a solar home. You don’t have to pay the heavy cost of solar power all at once. You can start with a solar converter and work from there. Each solar panel you install will help you to save money. Not sure what to get first? Evacuated tubes are solar collectors and work in cold or cloudy climates.
