If you’re looking to remodel part, or all, of your home, consider working some green ideas into your budget. If money is not an issue, you can certainly go all out, but with eco-friendly products flooding the market due to an increase in demand over the last several years, you can often find green options that are similar in price or can even cost you less for comparable products. And with government incentives and continued energy savings, some of these products can be the gift that keeps on giving. Here are just a few of the many options available if you’re looking to keep the planet healthy while you beautify your home.
- Start on the bottom. Green flooring doesn’t have to be concrete or laminate. There are a wide variety of materials to choose from that are sustainable, renewable, and energy saving. You can go with recycled materials like glass tiles or reclaimed hardwoods and stone, or you can opt for something modern like bamboo (which renews in three years, unlike hardwoods, which can take up to thirty). Many green flooring is also engineered to provide increased insulation to cut down on heat or cooling loss.
- Re-use and re-use again. If you’re looking to upgrade shabby cabinets, consider donating them to a local center that will restore and sell them. You can also consider purchasing your new cabinets at such a store. You’re sure to find something nicer than your current cabinets, but at a much more reasonable price than retail stores. You trade in your car, why not your cabinets? Plus, that’s two sets of cabinets you’re keeping out of the landfill.
- Go low-flow. Installing low-flow or dual flush toilets can have many surprising benefits. For one, you probably won’t even notice the decreased water level half the time. And while you stand to save quite a bit on your water bill, you can also get a mail-in rebate from your water company (most will send you up to half back on your toilet purchase if you mail them a copy of your receipt). Also, consider a tankless water heater to replace that ancient behemoth in your basement. It takes up a lot less space and it only heats the water you use rather than wasting energy on warming water that sits all day.
- Get energy efficient. Energy-star appliances will not only cut your electric bill (even light bulbs claim to save you up to $30 over the life of the product), you can also benefit from government incentives. The federal tax credit will allow a return of up to $1,500 on qualifying items (and installation), so check to see if you can take advantage of these additional savings.
- Install solar panels. These are the greenest of the green when it comes to energy. They produce absolutely zero pollution. They do come with a eye-popping price tag, but keep in mind that you can work the system to get some of that money back through government programs (do some research to see what your state or county offers). And if you do it right, you will not only save the money you would have spent on electricity, you can also sell any extra energy to the power company for use in other homes, cutting down on pollution from other sources. That’s a pretty sweet deal!
Jennifer Kardish is a communications coordinator at Kitchen Cabinet Mart. You can check out their free design tips for your kitchen and home.
