Many homeowners are choosing to live a greener life, and are finding ways to perform home improvement projects that can decrease the amount of energy consumed every year. There are proven home improvement projects that are essential to green living. They can help the homeowner save money, using energy-efficient solutions while helping to save the planet.
Through proper material selection, including recyclable and renewable options, there are many ways to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the home using green solutions. This can be anything from changing out an old incandescent bulb, with a new LED bulb that is known to produce the same amount of light for a reduced amount of cost.
Another option is changing out the traditional showerhead, for one that restricts the water flow. They can save thousands of gallons of water every year, while still providing quality baths and showers. The idea of living a green life is often taken in small steps, where minimal changes are made one step at a time.
Recycled Furniture
Many homeowners are choosing to go green by purchasing recycled furniture. They can pick up outdated, or worn out dining room tables, sofas, and chairs. With simple products found at the local home improvement store, they can easily transform these ugly, outdated furniture items into beautiful pieces of art that fit perfectly within the home.
Eco-Friendly Paint
Many homeowners are choosing to use eco-friendly paint that reduces the amount of airborne fumes during the painting process, and lasting until the paint cures. Every major home improvement retail center offers a wide assortment of eco-friendly paints that can be blended into any color in the rainbow.
Reducing the Carbon Footprint
The easiest way to reduce the family’s carbon footprint is to maximize the energy efficiency of the home. This can be accomplished by adding weather stripping around all windows and doors, and plugging up any drafty open holes in the house, attic or basement. In addition, changing out the existing HVAC system for a new energy-efficient one can reduce the amount of electricity required to heat and cool the home.
Many homeowners are also choosing to install solar panels on the roof of their home, as a way to generate their own electricity. This helps maximize the energy efficiency of the home, and minimizes their dependency on burning fossil fuels to generate heat and cooling.
Green Style Landscaping
By planting the right kinds of trees and shrubs around the home, it is easy to block out the heat of the summer sun, and minimize the amount of air conditioning required to cool the home. Heavy shrubs and high foliage trees positioned properly in the landscaping can dramatically enhance the beauty of the exterior of the home, while protecting the house from the harsh rays of the sun.
These few green living home improvement projects can save money, reduce energy costs, and help save the planet. Each one is affordable, and easy to perform. It is beneficial if every member of the family gets involved in living a greener life.
Hiring An Architect Will Improve Your Home
What is the most important investment that a person could have? It is of course your home. Your home is the most important investment because it is also where you and your beloved family spend the most of your time. Precious family memories are created in your home. Over the years as you go through the happy, yet at times, worrisome responsibilities of raising a family, these memories become even more meaningful to you and your mate.
So it is obvious that when there is a need to provide a roof for your largest investment, your home, you should call upon those who are known in community for their honest and fair reputation. A reputable architect will know who is a trusted roofing company that will do the job right. He will be able to save you money by making sure that the roofing company only performs the work that is required. This is especially important if you are building an environmentally constructed home.
It really does not matter what type of roof you want. Whether it is a composition roof, a wood roof, a clay tile roofs, a tar and gravel roof, or a metal roof, he will understand that a qualified roofing company has the expertise to handle the job, and no matter how difficult it is. The most important thing for you to remember as a home owner is that you will have peace of mind when you choose that knowledgeable architect. He will make sure that the company he recommends can offer you an industry leading warranty to back up their work.
If you choose an architect to redesign your roof because it has been destroyed by fire, then he will be able to properly deal with both the roofing company and the insurance company. However, if you believe that you have such an insurance claim because of damage that was caused by an act of nature or a fire, then you should at once call your insurance agent provider to make certain that you will be compensated for the repairs that will be done on your roof. After all, is not that why you pay those monthly insurance premiums?
Once you have placed such a call you should soon receive a visit by the companies trained insurance adjustor. Make it a point to ask the adjustor for his contact information. The information that is important is their office phone number and his cell phone number. You will be giving this information to your architect as well.
Usually an adjustor is more readily available by means of his cell phone. Let your insurance adjustor know that you would prefer that he contacts the architect that you have chosen. Then after that, make sure that you phone the roofing company to let them know that they will be dealing with the architect and that the architect will deal directly with the insurance company.
These three parties will now be able to communicate about the entire project with each other. This will be a benefit to you as you can relax knowing that the costs and installation of your environmentally new roof will be handled by the competent architect who is co-ordinating the entire project.
The architect will obtain a few quotes from different companies so that you can see their comparisons. In that way you will be able to have an idea of the total costs. Who is reputable and who is not will be a decision that the architect can make as he is knowledgeable about all of the building trade companies in the area. After the job is complete you will understand the reasons why it is important to retain the services of a qualified architect.