When deciding to build a new home or remodel and update an existing home, more Richmonders are taking the plunge and decide to go ‘green’ in order to help the environment as well as save their own green from rising energy costs. Green home improvements and remodels almost always offer an excellent return on the investment, but thehigh cost of getting started in the world of green building can be a greater than most home owners anticipated.
Don’t despair, here are some tips that will help you go ‘green’ and save your green too.
- Make routine visits to the local second hand stores like the local Richmond Habitat Store. There may be products available that are brand new, but discontinued lines or they may be previously used from somebody else’s remodel job. You can have the safety of an item checked out, such as does it contain asbestos, lead paint or other contaminants. But once they have been determined as safe, they will add character to your home at a fraction of what the new stuff will cost. * When thinking of saving water and reducing water bills, consider going without a garbage disposal. While they are a convenience most of us have gotten use to, they use a large amount of water. And all those organic materials you send down the drain (and eventually in to the water system) could be used to start a compost pile. Your food scraps can gain you rich topsoil filled with nutrients for the best garden fertilizer possible!
- If you are replacing or installing appliances, or windows make sure you look for energy saving pieces. While you may pay a higher price to get the product, you are going to save anywhere from 10 to 50 percent on your energy bills. The existing tax-credits will save you even more these days if you install qualifying materials.
- If you are building new, think on a smaller scale. The larger you build your home the larger the heating, cooling and utility expenses will be later down the road. So rethink all that square footage and make sure it’s going to be put to good use. Do you really use that formal living room now, or do friends and family all move to the den to socialize? Though vaulted ceilings are popular, heat rises and many homeowners find that upstairs bedrooms are cold in the winter and hot in the summer.
- After your remodeling or build, go back to those second hand stores and sell the items you replace and no longer need like the leftover lumber and building materials. Your old stuff could be the finishing piece for somebody else. Keep your project from adding to our landfills.
These tips will still give your new or remodeled home the look you want at a price you can afford, and help the environment too.