Here are just a few things to consider when trying to make your next remodeling project more green. When it comes to green impacts, these larger concepts and changes could end up having some of the biggest bang for your buck in terms of helping the environment and saving you money.[hr]
Have an open mind about your space
When many people think about remodeling, they picture additions and making their home larger. That is not always necessary and not the most cost effective approach either. Having a professional remodeler talk to you about the way you use your home on a day-to-day basis, along with their analysis of it’s construction can open up many possibilities that might not have been obvious to you when you started thinking about your remodeling project.
If you can customize your home’s floor plan to the way your family lives, it can make a tremendous difference in the way the same amount of space or square footage can feel once it’s redistributed in a new layout. Thinking about a remodel in terms of quality and not quantity will serve you much better in the long run. Remodeling your home is one of the most expensive investments you’ll probably make in your lifetime, so you want it done well and at the same time you can do it in a more green way.
Think outside the box
The exterior of your home has a big impact in many ways. It can either make you money or lose it for you very easily. Energy loss from poor insulation, old windows, doors, and siding can really make a wallet or pocketbook take a beating here in Minnesota, as our extended winter this year has helped prove! Visually the outside of your house is the first thing someone sees when they come to your home. The curb appeal can be aesthetic and very functional thing too. If the time comes and you need sell your home it’s the first thing potentials buyers are going to see. It’s either going to seem welcoming and inviting or cold and run of the mill.
Your return on investment in making improvements to the exterior can mean a couple different things. Improving the shell of the home with new windows, doors, siding and insulation will help your home perform to it’s maximum capability and in doing so gives you a greener, more efficient home. This reduces the overall energy and maintenance costs for the home as well. You get to enjoy those benefits for as long as you live in the home and potential buyers will take notice of that too. Fiber cement siding like Hardie board siding for example can look great, require little maintenance and last for up to 50 years!
Lighting, naturally
How a space is lit has an incredible effect on the people in it and how that space is perceived. Through the thoughtful placement of light fixtures and utilizing newer energy efficient technologies, a space can gain the right amount of light to give a room character and really help set the mood. This makes a space feel comfortable and welcoming. Also thinking about how natural light enters into your rooms and where window placements should be can help bring life to a space as well. This will also reduce energy costs, adding to the benefits of a remodel.
Appliances
More and more energy-efficiency upgrades are coming out all the time. From the kitchen to the laundry room there are a lot of choices for you. Try and find a balance between all the features and requirement for an appliance and still keeping your choice as green as possible. A new efficient dishwasher, for example, can use a lot less water than washing the dishes by hand in the sink.
A good place to start is the the government Energy Star ratings. They’re available for kitchen appliances including stoves, refrigerators, freezers, and dishwashers. There are also ratings for washers, dryers, water heaters, and furnaces as well.
These tips are just the beginning to many decisions you can make about the eco-friendliness of your remodeling project. Contact us to talk more about your specific remodeling project and other elements to make your house more green from sustainable materials and less toxic materials.