In March, many Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by attending parties, wearing green clothing, and even bedecking their homes with green shamrock and leprechaun-adorned decorations. With nearly 37 million Americans claiming Irish ancestry (according to Ancestry.com), that’s no surprise. But what may surprise you are the many ways that you can “green” your home that will last well beyond March 17, and save you money on utility bills year-round.
Here are a few recommendations from NAHB Remodelers to home owners who want to increase their home’s efficiency, decrease costs, and take advantage of the other benefits of “greening” your home.
· Add insulation
Adding insulation will help save energy costs, increase comfort by better controlling temperature, and improve indoor air quality by eliminating many gaps through which dirt, dust, and other impurities can enter. Insulation is rated by its ability to resist heat flow, known as the “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the better its ability to resist heat flow.
· Install high-efficiency windows
Ordinary window glass transmits ultraviolet heat rays from the sun into your home. ENERGY STAR-rated windows can help control this. These windows may have two or more panes of glass, warm-edge spacers between the panes, improved framing materials, and microscopically thin metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on windows to reduce radiative heat flow.
· Seal exterior penetrations
Inspect your home from the inside and outside and plug cracks or openings in order to reduce cold air drafts and heat loss, especially the areas where window frames meet the structure or siding of the house. Use caulking to seal all small cracks on non-moving surfaces and install weather stripping on windows, doors and other movable parts of the home.
· Replace your appliances with ENERGY STAR-rated ones
ENERGY STAR -rated appliances, ranging from dishwashers and refrigerators to computers and televisions, meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy. Qualified refrigerators, dishwashers and vent fans use ten to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models, more than making up for the slightly higher costs of these products.
· Install low-flow water plumbing fixtures
In the average home, flushing toilets accounts for around 30 percent of water usage. By using low-flow plumbing fixtures such as toilets, faucet aerators and showerheads, you can save up to 25 percent of that water compared to conventional fixtures while providing the same utility.
· Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR-rated or tankless water heater
Tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand at a preset temperature rather than storing it. A low-cost alternative to a tankless heater is to wrap insulation around your conventional water heater, which can reduce standby heat losses 25 to 45 percent.
· Install a high-efficiency HVAC system
High-efficiency ENERGY STAR HVAC equipment can reduce utilities costs on average by ten to 30 percent over minimum efficiency equipment. It also can improve home comfort with more heating and cooling and a quieter operation, and often features higher quality components that result in longer equipment life.
Not only will green remodeling help you enjoy your home more during the time you live in it, it will make it more attractive to potential buyers when you decide to sell. According to research by the National Association of Home Builders, 72 percent of consumers report energy efficient features in a home would influence their purchase decision.
For more information on green remodeling, visit www.nahb.org/remodel or www.ashevillehba.com
