Easy Green Home Improvement Ideas ~ Furniture Home Improvement

Being aware of how your living standards affect the environment you live in is an admirable goal. Making your home energy efficient can also benefit you on a daily basis, with considerable cost savings. Read on for some easy ideas on how to make your home fit "green" standards that will be beneficial on many levels.Insulation has long been touted as an energy saver, and this holds true more now than ever. Improvements to insulation have made the resources for it more effective and safer for home environments. Insulating walls, attics and loft spaces can be a huge energy saver. It can be as simple as placing sheets of approved insulation in obvious places, or it could involve hiring a certified contractor to blow insulation fibers into hidden corners and cubbyholes.Energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems are widely available in the marketplace today. Thought the upfront cost can seem high, it will more than pay off in the long run. In addition, many utility companies actually offer rebates for installing these newer systems in your home. Check with your local utility providers to determine which systems may qualify and what you need to do in order to take advantage of these benefits.Solar panels have in the past appeared unsightly and have been costly to incorporate into your existing roof structure. However, recent designs have become more attractive, and the idea has gained popularity, making the idea much more palatable for many neighborhoods. If there is not a provider of solar panels in your town, check online for national companies who can contract with smaller local companies to get the job done correctly and to code.Many homes still have the windows that came with the original construction, making them outdated by today's standards for energy conservation. Consider replacing older windows with ones that have double or triple panes of glass. This can significantly cut down on your heating and cooling costs. In addition, look for ones that are tinted to reflect the glare of the sun.Older paint jobs on your interior walls can contain elements that are not acceptable by today's green standards. You can easily re-paint walls now with paints that are free from volatile organic compounds, commonly referred to as VOCs.

Rainwater is a free resource that is easy to disregard, but has many uses throughout your home. Consider installing a system for collecting rainwater as it occurs naturally. You can use the accumulated water for washing your car or pets, watering your lawn or even inside for washing dishes and watering house plants.

An easy way to conserve water inside is by taking a look at the toilets in your bathrooms. Flushing actually requires much less water than is commonly used in older models. Replacing toilets with a short-flush option can save a lot of money over the course of a year.

Always measure the cost savings for each improvement that you make, but it is likely that going easy on the environment will also mean that your wallet will take less of a hit in the long run. Take advantage of these ideas here to get started in the right direction.

Source: http://anangrydakotademocrat.blogspot.com/2012/06/easy-green-home-improvement-ideas.html

derbyshire the matrix oceans 11 ferris state hockey tiger woods mary poppins john derbyshire