Basic tips to start green remodeling

By amsires

Are you planning to sell you house? Small improvements can add value to your property. Try to remodel your house with green adjustments and you will see that buyers appreciate the sustainable approach.

‘Regreening’ basics

• Give your home the once over. Obtain an energy audit from a home energy expert to identify problem areas and pinpoint areas that need energy efficient improvements.

• Tighten the ship. Get a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor’s check up. Seal major air leaks identified by the energy audit, replace defective or substandard ductwork and seal all ductwork.

• Tighten it more. Increase the level of insulation in the house especially in attics and crawl spaces. Choose from sprayed-in, closed-cell and Volatile Organic Compounds-free (VOC) foam insulations that can achieve a high insulation value even in small stud or rafter cavities.

Material world

• Weight didn’t break the wagon, waste did. Reuse original components from the home. Recycle items that can’t be reused. Repurpose materials, such as grinding up old stucco for the driveway base.

• Be a good Material Girl…or Boy. Choose VOC-free paints and varnishes. Seek engineered wood products and Forestry Stewardship Council-certified (FSC) woods, as well as carpet made from natural fibers such as wool.

See the big picture

• Improve energy efficiency. To increase efficiency and lower bills, install the latest, most efficient HVAC equipment, using double or triple-paned windows with reflective coating. Select EnergyStar rated appliances. Install newer low-flow, dual flush toilets that flush once for liquids and twice for solid waste.

• Top off improvements with a green roof. Extend the roof overhangs to protect the exterior from weather and shade the house from the high summer sun. Install solar equipment on a roof area with unobstructed, south-facing access to sunlight.

Think big, start small

• One beats a zero. Include as many green upgrades as possible when remodeling, but if it all seems overwhelming, choose one and do it well. One small green step for each home, is one collective green step for the planet. Simply changing the furnace filter once a month is one of those small steps.

For more information on how to remodel your home in a green way, visit the original article in the Realty Times.

Article from The Realty Times

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3 Responses to “Basic tips to start green remodeling”

  1. commercial countertops Says:

    The problem we find with going green is the expense of most of these newer products

  2. Basic tips to start green remodeling · Real-Estate-Investing.ExplainedOnline.Net Says:

    [...] Original post by amsires [...]

  3. lacey Says:

    Remodleing is quit the chore. I had to buy a USed Uhaul truck just to get all the equipment we needed to do remodel our home. Im glad we did decide to purchase the truck it has helped in so many ways! Might want to look into it. It makes the job of loading and hauling things much much easier. Good luck with all with all the work

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