Tags: Remodeling, Green Design, Home Building
A healthy interest and commitment to ecological concerns can be best realised at home. The thinking behind a sensible green home makeover should be to modify and remodel, rather than to attempt a complete restructuring program. A remodeling can be done in a logical manner that makes the most of tried and tested techniques of both money and energy-saving procedures. Here are five of the best ways to create an eco-friendly home.
5. Recycle
When undertaking a large scale home renovation it can be tempting to take an 'out with the old and in with the new' approach to remodeling. From both an ecological and financial point of view, this method of simply throwing things away should be avoided at all costs! The key idea here should be to recycle. Home residents should aim to reuse items themselves wherever possible and if not, to take them to a registered charity or ecological group. The dumping of perfectly recyclable electronic items can cause highly toxic waste. This can be easily avoided through the use of eco-companies that can collect and recycle items. Customers may even be able to sell them their old phones, TVs and computers as an extra cash incentive.
4. Sensible insulation
A logical and well thought out attitude to home insulation should be taken by everyone about to remodel their home. Practical methods of keeping the heat in and the cold out can offer drastically reduced energy bills as well as a greater degree of comfort in the home. As well as using high quality insulation materials on widow and door openings, a certain amount of common sense can make a great amount of difference too. Check for drafts and seal them off wherever they appear. This can soon make a home more efficient and can save both money and heat.
3. Eco-friendly home heating
A correctly balanced and green method of heating lies at the heart of every home. An energy efficient method of keeping interiors warm is important not only for comfort but also for the confidence provided by the knowledge of taking the greenest option. Companies such as Dimplex Canada can be a great way to do this. Their range of easy to manage floor and wall heaters can offer the most advanced forms of economical and proficient heating sources.
2. Full energy audit
A complete energy audit is an absolute essential for everyone looking to enjoy an ecologically healthier home. This form of assessment should be realistically completed before anything else, so that the residents know exactly what kind of a remodeling task they have in front of them. The ability to see a complete breakdown of exactly where and how energy is being used throughout the home can point the way to making the best savings. It has been estimated that a great degree of carbon emissions can be effectively cut through the use of regular audits to inform the remodeling process. Energy efficiency should also be central in the minds of anyone installing new electronic equipment. This is especially true of refrigerators, a notorious energy drainer.
1. Buy reclaimed and re-owned
Rather than spending money on brand new items for a remodeling, why not make use of reclaimed and re-owned items? This can have a positive effect on both a bank balance and the world in general. As one of the simplest ways to take a green approach it is one of the simplest, and potentially the most effective.
Author Bio,
Jeremy Thompson is a freelance writer from Toronto, Ontario. Most of his article cover environmental issues and what can be done to make the world more sustainable.