Fast and Simple Green Home Improvements Simple and efficient green home improvements are on the minds of many homeowners. If you are seeking to go green yourself or if you are planning on selling a home that will be more attractive to buyers, green additions are plentiful.
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Being a part of the green movement can make your home cheaper to heat and cool and will allow your home to be more comfortable. A number of these changes can help your older home be more like the newer homes out there. You may be able to increase your asking price. While such improvements can have an appeal to some homebuyers, other buyers may not care about how green the home is. If you, for example, document your utility bills before and after the changes, such improvements might be of interest to a buyer.
Here are some green ways to improve your home that are practical and economical.
1. Use energy efficient lighting bulbs. There are highly compact fluorescent-based bulbs that are more costly to buy but will last for many years, using a tiny amount of energy when compared to regular bulbs. Put the first ones in places you tend to light often, such as any lights left on continuously or those that people forget to turn off. Start with  bulbs in permanent fixtures if you plan to sell your home.
2. Put in reflective insulating window coverings. There are window coverings you can buy which are found in a variety of UV ray and light blockage levels. You can pick from several different colors and textures, keeping in mind the degree of direct sunlight the windows get. There is also window film found in many home improvement and hardware stores that is simple to install.
3. Put in weather stripping around window frames and door frames. It is relatively cheap and easy to install weather stripping around door and window frames. This reduces the degree of heat leakage by placing a seal on openings or cracks. Doing this can make your home more energy efficient, comfortable and friendly to the environment.
4. Put in low flow faucets and shower heads. You can hire a handyman to do this or you can attempt the project yourself. It involves using shower heads and faucets that utilize less water but do not block water flow. Water will be saved, as will water and sewer bills you pay.
5. Change your toilet float so less water is used. You can do this adjustment simply or hire someone to do it. If it is not able to be adjusted, place an item in the bottom of the toilet tank which will displace a certain amount of the water. Make certain the item you place won’t rust or impact the flushing mechanism.
6. Put insulation around the hot water pipes in the house. This is a cheap option that helps your hot water pipes retain their heat. Do this in the hot water pipes that go from the hot water heater to the bathroom and kitchen. It will reduce the amount of time it takes to receive hot water.
7. Put in reflective or insulating window treatments. Put in reflective blinds or shades, particularly in windows that receive direct light. Close these window treatments whenever the sun is directly shining on the windows. Heating and cooling bills will be reduced.
These are seven excellent steps to attempt to give you a greener home. Your utility bills will be less and may actually pay for the improvements you installed in short order.
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