From Guest Blogger Lizzie Weakly: Four Greenest Home Improvement Projects

Four Greenest Home Improvement ProjectsThere are a lot of reasons to go green when it comes to improving your home. Green home improvements can make a difference for the environment, but they also make economic sense. Most of these improvements can save money on energy bills by increasing efficiency, and they can also significantly increase a home’s value.

Replace The Boiler

It takes a lot of energy to heat water, so a high-efficiency boiler can lead to significant savings over time. The United States Department of Energy judges boilers by the amount of energy from the power source that they can convert into usable heat. Older systems range from 56% to 70%, while modern, high-efficiency boilers can reach more than 90% efficiency. The change can reduce yearly carbon emissions for the home by as much as 2.5 tons, depending on the home’s energy source. According to some plumbing experts in Spanish Fork, water softeners may need to be installed to prevent hard water build up not only in sinks and bathtubs, but in pipes as well. A water softener can also increase the lifespan of a home boiler or hot water heater, saving you money in the long run.

Efficient Windows

Heating takes a lot of energy, but it won’t accomplish much if the heat keeps escaping. Most homes lose most of their heat through the windows, so replacing them can significantly reduce the cost of heating or cooling a home. Old windows allow energy loss through cracks and gaps between the window and the wall, and also through the window itself. Replacing old windows with new ones that offer a better fit can fix the loss through cracks, but only high-efficiency windows can reduce the loss through the glass.

Renewable Energy

Using too much energy harms the environment because most modern power plants rely on fossil fuels, but green energy is harmless. The easiest way for most people to get green energy is to generate it themselves, which can completely remove their energy bill in some cases. The most famous option is solar power, and it’s often the cheapest because many local governments offer incentives for installing it, but it is not the only choice. Wind turbines and geothermal heating can also generate power under the right circumstances. The most important step is picking a power source that can work under local conditions, so it’s usually best to consult with an expert before making the choice.

Rain Collectors

Water conversation is as important as reducing energy use. Rain water collection systems can reduce a home’s water consumption significantly, and they’re easy to set up. Basic systems are little more than barrels under gutters, but advanced collectors can attach to irrigation systems to water gardens or provide water to washing machines. Rainwater has an additional benefit in that it doesn’t need to be softened—the minerals hard water deposits are not present in rainwater.

It’s important to protect the environment for future generations. Fortunately, green home improvements often make economic sense. They’re a great way to conserve resources, and saving resources saves money.

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One comment on “From Guest Blogger Lizzie Weakly: Four Greenest Home Improvement Projects
  1. Frank R. Eggers says:

    From the article:

    “A water softener can also increase the lifespan of a home boiler or hot water heater, saving you money in the long run.”

    If the boiler is correctly installed, a water softener will have NO effect on its life.

    Normally, the heating system, including the boiler, is filled only once. Unless there are leaks, no more water will need to be added. Therefore, after the original fill, no more water-borne minerals will be added to the water in the heating system. I have radiant floor heat and have closed the fill valve. The pressure always remains well within proper limits without adding water. If a heating system requires additional water from time to time, the reason should be determined and corrected.

    Water heaters are a different matter. If the city water is heavily mineralized, adding a water softener may increase the life of the water heater. I say “may”, because the matter is slightly more complicated than that. A lot depends on the chemistry of the water heater and I don’t feel competent to comment adequately on that.

    Demand-type water heaters are especially sensitive to mineral build-up. Actually, a demand-type water heater is not always a good idea anyway. If a house has only one or two occupants and they don’t use a lot of hot water, a demand-type water heater makes sense because it has no standing losses. However, it is less efficient at transferring heat from the flame to the water than a storage type water heater. So, if a house has several occupants and uses a lot of hot water, a storage type water heater can be more efficient.

    Whether instilling a water softener is a reasonable thing to do is not a simple matter. A water softener replaces the minerals in the water with sodium chloride, i.e., salt. That means that people who drink the water will have an increased sodium intake which, for some people, will cause increased blood pressure. Moreover, during the wash-down cycle, a water softener uses water. That is not a good idea if one lives in an area where water is scarce. The water softener will also discharge salty water into the drain which can cause problems with efforts to recycle water.

    Some ideas which seem simple and responsible actually are not. The “one size fits all” approach to environmental responsibility has serious limitations which are ignored entirely too often.