Going Green Can Save You Green
In addition to being writers, my husband and I own a home improvement business called Mr. Handyman. It’s a national franchise and we own the greater Los Angeles territory. We noticed that customers are increasingly interested in greening their homes and businesses and with the newest advances in building materials and products, it’s becoming more accessible and affordable than ever. But it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the choices and to learn all the lingo.
Now that the green movement has become trendy, we often forget that sometimes the most old-fashioned, low tech home improvements are still among the most effective at saving energy in your home. And saving energy is not only good for the environment by conserving resources, it conserves your hard-earned dollars as well.
These small investments can pay big dividends and increase the value of your biggest investment and biggest expense – your home. Depending on your level of know-how, this is any easy job for yourself or the handyperson in your life.
1. Insulate – For maximum energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundations.
2. Plug those overlooked energy leaks around the house! Use low VOC caulk and foam strips around windows and doorframes that leak air. Add door sweeps and door shoe gaskets around threshold and exterior doors. Did you know that your light switches can be an overlooked source of air leaks? Simply hold a wet hand in front of a light switch plate or outlet and if you feel air, you have a leak. Installing foam gaskets behind all the light switches and outlets can stop these energy leaks.
3. Sealing cooling and heating ducts with duct wrap or mastic sealant can save up to 25% on your energy bill.
4. Insulating your hot water heater with electric hot water heater blanket can cut your home’s co2 emissions and save you around 4% to 9% in water heating costs. You also reduce standby heat costs by 25%-45%. You probably don’t know your water heater tank’s R-value, so simply touch your heater. If it’s warm to the touch, it needs additional insulation.
5. Insulating your hot water pipes with pipe sleeves conserves the water heat on its way to your faucets. Not only does this raise the end-use temperature with a lower water temperature setting, you also conserve water since you don’t have to wait as long for warm water whenever you turn on a faucet or a shower!
6. Install a timer if you have an electric water heater which can turn hot water off at night and on again in the morning.
7. Fix plumbing leaks – a single drippy faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month.
8. Replace showerheads with low-flow heads and replace faucets or just the aerators (the screw tip of the faucet), if you want to keep your old faucet. These low-flow showerheads can save you between 10% to 16% of water heating costs and reduce your water usage by 20,000 gallons per year.
9. Low flow toilets use 1.6 gallons or less per flush.
10. Install ceiling fans and cut air conditioning costs by 40% in summer. On moderately hot days, the fans can replace the a/c altogether. They can make your air conditioner’s job easier by circulating the cool air and allowing you to set the thermostat higher. Alternatively, in the winter, these ceiling fans work to circulate warm air from the ceiling back down to the floor.
11. Energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs may cost more initially, but they last 8 to 12 times longer. Just one bulb alone can save at least $30 in electric bills over its lifespan and reduce greenhouse emissions from power plants. If every U.S. household replaced 5 bulbs, it would be the equivalent of removing one million cars from the road per year.
12. Consider outdoor solar lighting. They’re easy to install and virtually maintenance free. Best of all, they provide free electricity.
13. Lighting controls and timers can save energy. Dimmers can vary the amount of light needed in various situations. Motion detector outside can increase security and decrease energy expenditure. Timers can be set to turn lights off and on and predetermined times.
14. Replace old windows with new high performance dual pane windows with low-e coatings. Or alternatively, apply self-adhesive reflective film on the windows. These films work by reflecting solar heat and u/v rays and reduce air conditioning bills. In addition, reflective film can eliminate interior upholstery fading by blocking harmful uv rays.
15. Install shades, drapes, awnings or sunscreens to block light on hot sunny days and keep cooling costs down. On overcast days or at night, closing these drapes can retain warm air. This may seem like an old-fashioned and low tech, but it’s surprisingly effective and time-tested tactic.
16. Reuse and Recycle! Home improvement projects generate a substantial amount of solid waste. How about donating perfectly good cabinets, sinks and other appliances to Habitat for Humanity Reuse store? Get a tax write-off, help someone else in need and save room in the landfill – a win win situation.
These are just a few, inexpensive ways you can go green without going broke in the process. For more information, check out these links.
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Fun fact! minsun wrote this story just for you on December 26th, 2007 |
