If you are going to build a new home or plan on having a big renovation some of the things you can do to save energy big time is by doing the following things.
Install Skylights - Installing skylights in the common areas such as the living room and kitchen will save you a lot of electricity. Instead of having to turn a light on in the morning you can do the usual stuff using only sunlight. Make sure that the sunroof is cleaned regularly though to allow the maximum light inside the house.
Go big with windows - Bigger windows will not only allow more light in but will also help cool the house by allowing the breeze in. Open the windows instead of turning on the air conditioner during warm days. Just make sure all the windows can be tightly sealed so that it wouldn’t add to heat loss during the winter.
Go Solar - If you are building a new home you can opt go completely solar but if not it might be more difficult so you can simply install some solar devices when something needs replacement. Some examples of solar-powered devices you can install at home include water fountains, lights, fans, etc.
Remember sprucing up your home equals taking care of your investment. Taking it a step further by greening up your home means that not only are you investing in your own home but everyone’s home - our Earth.
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Clean your appliances - Cleaning your appliances regularly might not seem like something that will help the environment or your wallet but it actually does. By keeping your appliances clean you will ensure that they will be working most efficiently. In the end this will save you money on your electric bill and it will help the environment by saving power. It will also make your appliances last longer so you won’t need to replace it time and again. As a bonus, if you plan on selling your home the well kept appliances will be an added selling point. Even if it will not be included in the actual sale clean and sparkling appliances will make the house look better and easier to sell.
Landscape your yard - You do not need to spend large amounts of money if you do your own gardening. Get some ideas on how come up with an energy efficient landscape. An energy efficient landscape should help keep the sun out in summer, will help as a wind breaker and act as natural insulation. The best thing is usually to have trees in your backyard so if you are thinking of cutting down that tree - DON’T. You can also plan for the future by planting saplings in key locations. Remember not only will it make your yard look really pretty it will also lower your electric bill. Oh, and planting trees will definitely help the environment. A tip opting to plant a tree though, make sure you plant a fast grower so that you will reap the benefits sooner.
to be continued…
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Color your house green - I don’t mean literally green by this. You can repaint your house whatever color you like but make sure that the paint you use has low levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Ordinary paints look as good but the high level of toxins can be dangerous not only to the environment but only to your health. We all know that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure so ensure your family’s health by using “green paint” whenever you repaint your house.
Get indoor plants - Add to the cozy feel of your home by installing potted plants in areas where you need a little brightening up. This will help not only make the rooms in your house look more airy but it will product more oxygen for you in the morning giving your house a natural air filter.
Insulate your home properly - Insulating your home properly will save lots of energy both in the winter and summer because you won’t need to crank up the heater nor the air conditioner just to get the temperature you want. If you don’t have the money to spend on an overhaul of your insulation system you can take simple steps such as using reflective foils behind radiators, making sure that cracks under window sills and doors are sealed, and installing blinds and shades in your home.
to be continued…
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One thing I am happy about these days is that more and more people and becoming aware of the importance of keeping our environment healthy. In fact more and more people are taking active steps to ensure to help better our environment.
When it comes to home improvement there are actually plenty of ways, both big and small, that home-owners can do to help take care of the environment. Here are some tips to green up your house.
change your light bulbs - If you still use incandescent bulbs change them. There are plenty of energy-saving light bulbs in the market that will not only help save the environment but will also mean a lower electric bill for you. To help you find a light bulb that suits your need and taste here’s a website that lists all the kind of light bulbs for every kind of fixture you can think of.
change your faucet - A low-flow faucets, shower heads and even urinals and toilets are available and should be used to save water. These low flow fixtures may be a bit more pricey but again considering the amount of water saved in the long run you’ll end up happier about your water bill and the environment will also be better for it. If you are concerned that low-flow fixtures means it will be harder to rinse of soap from your hands or the dishes note that they are designed to reduce the amount of splashing so that the wet efficiency is increased making you feel as wet even with less water used.
to be continued…
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Add a new room - Sounds expensive? It doesn’t have to be. If your house has a den you can convert it into a full-blown “new” room by simply adding a closet. This way instead of listing you can add a bedroom to your house listing. If you have a 2-bedroom house with den you can now list it as a 3-bedroom house. The increase in the value of your home is well worth the money you need to have a custom closet built for the den-turned-bedroom.
Color coordinate - Making everything monochrome would make the house look dull but make sure that the color palette found in each room is cohesive. In the kitchen this would mean hiding appliances that are different colored. If the huge appliances do not have the same color try having the panel of one appliance changed. If it is the dishwasher that is differently colored though unscrew the panels and screw it on backwards. Most dishwashers have panels that are white on one side and black on the other. That way you won’t even need to get new panels. For the other rooms just make sure the curtains match, the sheets and pillow cases go with the room’s overall color, and bright furniture that are out-of-place are nowhere to be seen.
The reason why color coordinating rooms in your house, especially the kitchen, is that cohesive looking rooms have a greater appeal to most house buyers. It is also proven to affect their perception of the value of the home raising the price automatically.
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Everyone knows that a shabby looking house is harder to sell. If you are planning on putting your house in the market you’d better start sprucing it up. However, if money is the reason why you need to sell your home then you probably do not have or at least do not want to spend the extra bucks just to sell a house you’re going to say goodbye to. To make sure that your house looks as pretty as it can be without breaking your bank here are a few things you can do:
Hold a garage sale - Sell all the things you do not need to make tidying up more easy as well as to add to get some extra money. You can use the profit to do much needed repairs to your house. Give the stuff that are left at the end of the garage sale to charity. Charities do free pick-ups so you won’t need to pay to get your junk hauled away.
Change broken and run-down fixtures - It won’t cost much to replace the old faucets with shiny new ones. You can also buy cheap new handles for the cabinets and drawers to make everything look nicer. This may not seem much but you’ll be surprised how much these little touches can add to your house’s market value.
Spring clean - Whether it is spring or not it’s time to do some general cleaning. Dust, wipe, buff, and varnish everything single nook and cranny. If you hold the garage sale before you do your spring cleaning it should make things easier.
to be continued…
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In my early teens Popular Mechanics and I had a short lived romance. I was exiting boy scouts and was enthralled with all things science and guru related. This article would have really been a favorite of mine then, and well it really hits home today.
25 Tips Every Man Should Know. included in this list is one of my favorite DIY activities which is Painting A Room
17. Paint a Room
Good paint jobs start before the first can of paint is opened.
Prepare the room by removing all hardware (door latchsets, receptacle and switch plates). Don’t just fill small holes in the plaster or drywall; enlarge them first so the compound can be pushed in place, and wet the hole to slow drying. Sand rough spots, wash dirty areas, then prime.
Paint the ceiling, then the walls. Use a 212-in. brush to cut in the finish color at all corners and against the trim. Switch to a roller, apply paint in a W pattern and fill it in. After you dip the roller in the paint tray, 70 percent of the paint comes off on the first downstroke; avoid splatters by starting at least 9 in. from the corner. Apply two coats.
Growing up I didn’t realize the things I was doing would later be neccesary skills in everyday life but it’s true. That’s what makes this a great article. I can imagine not everyone has a handy Dad to show them how to do all these things.
Finish by painting the woodwork and trim with a gloss or semigloss paint. It’s safest to mask off the walls beforehand, although pros often skip this step. If you do mask, use a tape designed for the purpose so the adhesive doesn’t pull the paint from the wall. Once the final coat dries, reinstall hardware.
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I was watching TV late at night one evening when on came a guy who was trying to order doors over the internet. The company wouldn’t sell to him at a wholesale price. So what was the guy to do but setup a website,get a new phone #, and claim to be a company looking to order the very same doors. And guess what? He got those doors at a much discounted rate and ended up saving a whole lot. Even with the time spent building a website.
So if you are looking to save a few bucks setup a website, and start making calls I bet ya you can get a discounted/wholesale rate and save a bundle on improving your house.
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If you are going to build a new home or plan on having a big renovation some of the things you can do to save energy big time is by doing the following things.
