Going Green will save you some Green There are many ways to save money by choosing from a large list of home energy improvements. Heartfelt Properties is excited to provide you with a list of things you can do or even call us and we will take care of it for you. These green solutions will help you save money all year-round.
In your Kitchen:
- Vent your Energy Star-rated exhaust fan directly to the outside to remove
smoke, gas, and odors.
- Switch your bulbs to energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs.
Advancements in the bulbs now provide better color & light quality.
- Replace your faucets with new low-flow fixtures. You'll get the same
pressure with much less water use.
- Avoid cabinets using formaldehyde-based particle-board.
- Without sufficient ventilation, the toxic substances in conventional caulking
can have serious health impacts.
In your Bathroom:
- Older toilets use as many as 5 gallons per flush. Replace old toilets with a
dual-flush model. They can be as efficient as 1.6 gallon per flush, saving 22,000 gallons of water per year for a family of 4.
- A typical household of 4 uses 260 gallons of water every day. Most of that
water used in the bathroom. An efficient showerhead costs less than $15 and cuts water consumption by half.
- Install an new aerator on every bathroom faucet, costs only $2.
In your Bedroom:
- Turn the thermostat down. Install a timed, programmable thermostat; it can
warm up your room before you wake up.
- Use zero-VOC paints to create a non-toxic nursery.
- Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting, it traps dust mites and allergens. Replace with
quality wood flooring
Around your Home:
- If your home is more than 20 years old, chances are, it is missing important
features such as insulation, energy-efficient windows, and water saving fixtures.
- The toilet accounts for approximately 30% of household water. High-
efficiency toilets use at least 20% less water than standard toilets.
- To cut the water-heating bill in half, turn down your water heater to 120
degrees and insulate it.
- If your gas water heater is more than 10 years old, it is inefficient and should
be replaced, and if it’s electric, get one with a timer so that it heats water only when you need it.
- Windows are thermal holes. An average home may lose 30% of its heat or
air-conditioning energy through the windows.
- Install natural insulation in your walls & attic. Between floor joists as well.
- Test your home for radon.
- Insulate your roof.
- Install solar panels.
- Install a whole-house fan.
- Buy/Install a water filter instead of bottled water.
- Add pipe insulation to the hot-water pipes.
- Install a solar attic fan to vent hot air from your attic.
- Weatherize your windows and doors. Use caulk, sealants, and weather-
stripping.
- 1/3 of the heat in your home is leaking out of your ducts. Seal the joints in
your duct work with low-toxic mastic compound.
- Clean your air conditioner filter regularly. If you shade your air conditioner, it
will not have to work as hard.
- Install ceiling fans instead of air conditioners.
- Clean/replace furnace filters each month of use.
- Put a foam gasket behind your thermostat so that it reads the actual room
temperature instead of the colder temperature inside the wall.
- Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs and install occupancy Sensors
which turn off lights when people leave the room.
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