Remodeling Your Dream Home
- Is it Time to Remodel?
- Selecting a Remodeling Professional
- Beware of The Weekend Warrior!
- Top Ways to Add Value to Your Home
- Energy Efficient Remodeling: Going Green Saves You Some Green
Energy Efficient Remodeling:
Going Green Saves You Some Green
It pays to go green when remodeling, according to research by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the NAHB Remodelers. And greening up your home to save on energy bills is easy to do if you know where to start.
Stop Wasting Water & Money
A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy show that water is one of the biggest sources of waste in America’s homes. It is also a place where home owners can make a big energy difference. By doing something as small as reducing how much water a bathroom uses, home owners can save hundreds of dollars a year.
Replace Showerheads
An ENERGY STAR-rated low-flow showerhead can save a homeowner up to $145 per year over the showerhead’s lifetime. With that in place, according to ENERGY STAR, “A 10-minute shower can use less water than a full bath.”
Replace Inefficient Toilets
Toilets are another area where water conservation is a worry. The average bathroom toilet lasts about twenty years, according to the SLEHC, but a new energy-efficient toilet would make it worth remodeling earlier than that. High-efficiency, dual-flush toilets save thousands of gallons of water compared to their conventional counterparts, and pay for themselves in 10 years.
Replace Light Bulbs & Upgrade Fixtures
The Department of Energy has also found that lighting is a big contributor to home energy use. Fortunately, it is also a place where homeowners can easily take action. By replacing five of the most-used light bulbs in a home with ENERGY STAR-rated lighting, home owners can save up to $60 a year on their energy bills and also equip their homes with fixtures that give off less heat.
Tap Into Federal & State Tax Credits
The government is another source for consumers wanting to save while going green. Home owners can become eligible for federal tax credits by putting in a solar water heater, which pays back its $3,000-$5,000 cost in 10 years.
State tax credits are also available. Check out the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency to learn more.
With all of these options, home owners have every reason to dive into the world of green remodeling.
