Green Home Remodeling – How to Make Your Home Environmentally Friendly
People are becoming more aware of how their environment affects their quality of life as well as the Earth as the green movement grows in their communities. Here are some ideas to make your home more environmentally friendly.
Heating and Cooling:
You can reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your energy vills by installing an efficient HVAC system. You can also improve your indoor air quality by installing an efficient fileter within your system that will trap chemicals and other pollutants along with dander and dust. Your family will experience less allergies and asthma and breathe in fewer toxins with cleaner indoor air.
Before buying a new furnace or AC unit, be sure to check out your duct system and make any necessary repairs. An AC unit also needs to be the right size for your home in order for it to dehumidify effectively, so you should get an outside consultant or HVAC contractor to assist you. Be sure to look for a seasonal energy-efficiency rating of at least 16 for a replacement AC unit. For a replacement furnace, look at the amnual fuel-utilization efficiency rating; you may also want to consider a geothermal HVAC system. If a replacement system is not affordable, you can improve your current equipment at a much lower cost.
Sealing and Installation:
You’ll want to identify “leaky” windows and doors. Have a professional measure your home’s air transfer by pressurizing the entire house with a blower. Insulate and air seal your home as completely as possible. Spray foam insulation can be applied between attic rafters for sealing cracks. Using Icynene, a green-approved product, can earn your home points toward green-builiding certification.
Windows:
Applying solar film to your windows can help reduce your heating and cooling bills, and you can also earn a significant tax credit. You may also want to consider window replacement. Installing argon-filled low-e double-paned windows will reduce solar energy penetration.
Water Heating:
The traditional hot water heater heats and reheats the same water 24/7. A tankless hot water heater made by Rinnai and other manufacturers is more efficient as it heats water quickly and delivers a virtually enless hot water supply.
Interior Decor:
There are many green products that will fit in with almost any type of home decor. Countertops and tile are available that are made of recycled glass. Bamboo is a rapidly renewable material that is used for flooring and window treatments. Installing formaldehyre-free furniture and cabinets and applying zero-VOC, nontoxic finishes and paints can help improve air quality. Ceramic stone and tile also emit no VOCs.
