10 Green Remodeling Resolutions for a Sustainable New Year
Monday, January 4, 2010 at 2:38PM by Theresa Dias
You’re probably making plans for 2010, and updating your home likely falls somewhere on that list. We’ve provided here a list of relatively simple steps you can take to stretch a little further into sustainability. The list runs from simplest to more complex.
1 Get a programmable thermostat! This is the easiest thing in the world. Just unscrew that old dial-type one from the wall, and you will find a little low-voltage wire sticking out of the wall. Tie this into the back of a battery-operated programmable thermostat from the hardware store, and voila! Now all you have to do is actually program it (don’t worry, it’s easier than programming the VCR was, remember that?) We recommend setting the heater to 68 degrees in the mornings and evening when you are home, and to 62 degrees when everyone is gone or is asleep in their fleece jammies. (Guess what, it’s winter! You’re supposed to need a sweater.)
2 Integrate recycling more fully into your home garbage systems throughout the house. Do you have a recycling container in the kitchen that is at least as big as your garbage can? In my house, the recycling has to be taken out even more frequently than the trash – there is a lot you can put in there. What about the other trash cans throughout the house – how are you collecting toilet paper rolls and toothpaste boxes? And most Alameda County residents can put their foodscraps and pizza boxes in the greenwaste bin – an easy first step in the direction of composting…
3 Use a HEPA MERV-8 filter on your forced-air heater. Use HEPA (high efficiency) filters and bags on your vacuum cleaner. Sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it’s about your health – and getting some of the dust and allergens out of the air go a long way toward making everyone feel better. Get the one that looks like a pleated fan, not the fiberglass mesh. MERV refers to how small the particulates are that get filtered out, and 8 is tight enough to make a difference in the air quality at home – but not so tight that it will be a burden to your air-handler.
4 Take showers, not baths, AND, switch to a low-flow showerhead (or add in-line flow restrictors). A reasonable shower actually uses less water than a soak in the tub – and let’s face it, a soak in the tub starts out hot and clean, but it doesn’t end up that way… Use a low-flow showerhead and make a good thing even better.
5 Switch to fluorescent lightbulbs! Just because you can still find the incandescent type at the store doesn’t mean you should buy it. They have some really attractive ones now without the coiled-snake shaping, and don’t forget they use 75% less energy. Just remember that these bulbs do contain mercury and take care not to break them or throw them in the garbage (they must be safely recycled). Now there are also available low-mercury fluorescent bulbs, which are a win-win!
6 Get rid of your front lawn! Irrigation accounts for 70% of home water use, and opting for shrubbery in lieu of lawn could cut that in half. (Not to mention it’s lower maintenance… and you aren’t picnicking out there anyway.) In fact, put in a Bay Friendly Landscape or even a xeriscape (using plant choices that don’t require any irrigation at all). Now if you MUST keep all that turf because the kiddies are practicing for a soccer scholarship, then at the very least switch out your sprinkler heads to the low-flow non-misting type.
7 Re-seal around all your exterior doors and windows, and seal around electrical outlets and baseboards too. This is two-fold: having a tighter building envelope will prevent heat loss (or heat gain in the summertime) and energy consumption; also be on the lookout for a low-VOC caulking option.
8 Plan ahead to buy no-VOC interior paints for any interior updates you do during Spring Cleaning. What a difference a can of paint makes, so choose the right one! I used a low-voc version a few years ago for my daughter’s room, and was amazed that the smell was very minimal and didn’t permeate the whole house – but now there are even better no-VOC paints available. Smelling all those fumes is bad for brain cells, and is the cause of sick-building syndrome – a serious problem. Be on the look-out for minimizing fumes from new upholstery, carpets, and other finishes as well. You may not be able to find this on the shelf at your big-box retailer (yet), so call around and find a retailer who stocks it.
9 Add more insulation to your attic. This very well might have the greatest impact overall on lowering your family’s energy consumption and thereby lowering that PG&E bill (because really, you should have already replaced that thermostat years ago). Have you noticed how much more you pay for utilities in the wintertime? Start here for instant savings, and get a rebate to boot.
10 Are you planning a larger-scale renovation or addition? Definitely use a green score card to help evaluate some of your priorities and decisions. Making more sustainable choices will directly improve your comfort and quality of life in your home renovation, and you can rest easy in trusting a scorecard, rather than wading through the myriad of claims made by various product sales representatives. GreenPoint Rated for Existing Home is a reliable, accessible rating program – and you can apply for the certification if you want to demonstrate to others in a more public forum the great choices you made!
You may be surprised that we didn’t say, ‘dump that old water heater!’ Or, ‘buy a new furnace!’ That is because if your appliances have 15-years of life remaining (or more), then please don’t throw them in the landfill. If you do want to upgrade to new machinery, then at least be sure to sell the old one (or give it away) through Craigslist. Dumping these things in the landfill is an even worse waste of materials and resources.
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