Reduce, Reuse, Remodel: Eco-Friendly Home Upgrades that Pay You

Making money-wise and energy-wise home remodeling decisions can make a huge impact upon your return on investment. And, everyone loves to receive dividends back for the investments they’ve made – your home project should do nothing less.

With energy costs rising by an average of 6 percent a year, many homeowners are searching for home improvements that are green and efficient. The annual savings and environmental benefits resulting from these home improvements are well worth the investment.

One way to improve your home is to start from the “top down.” To obtain a green roof homeowners can install plant-filled flat rooftops, which limit water run-off and provide greater insulation. And if homeowners are also seeking a “smarter” roof, “smart” shingles/metal or reflective roofing can be installed in order to limit heat that’s transferred into attics.

Speaking of heat, the sun is our planet’s major source of warmth and light. Without the sun, life on this planet would cease to exist. So why not use the sunlight that sustains this earth as fuel for our homes? Many people are now discovering that converting solar energy into electricity can dramatically cut energy costs. You can also save energy by letting water channel from the rooftop panels to an existing tank, giving you solar hot water!

Moving from the outside to indoors, when it comes to being comfortable and staying warm in your home, flooring plays a big role! Installing flooring materials that hold temperature better, such as ceramic tile, reduce demand on a furnace or A/C. To make the flooring upgrade even better, install radiant floor heating, which will deliver efficiency and luxury! With floor heating such as our TempZone™ or Environ II™ in-floor heating, you can decrease heating costs by as much as 40 percent!

Let’s not forget about upgrading our walls! The structure of your wall can make a huge difference in your household. Walls that are properly insulated contain fewer gaps, which save you money and help reduce utility costs! And to further reduce your energy bills you can install low-emission windows, which keep the cold out while they transfer heat inward, keeping your home at your preferred temperature.

These are just a few of the many ways you can upgrade your home and save energy. These home improvements have the highest rate of return, making it the perfect place to put your money! It’s time to start off this New Year with upgrades that will benefit you, your home, and the Earth.

Author:  Linnay Grosche on 01/11/2012

Tags:  floor heating, environ ii, tempzone

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