Every house requires maintenance. And for most homeowners is mostly just a pain. But for those who favor green living, home maintenance can be an opportunity to take additional steps down that green path.
Here are some home maintenance tips that can get you started:
1. Hot water heater maintenance. First, if you have a working hot water heater and there's no need to replace it, then make sure you wrap a blanket around the tank. This will help hold in the heat and reduce your monthly energy expenses.
Second, if it is time to replace your hot water heater, consider a tankless system. The hot water is supplied as needed and heated instantly. You can save 15%-20% because you aren't heating a full tank of water.
Third, if you're really ready to go green, replace your hot water system with a solar heater. While the system may be a little more expensive upfront, it should last twice as long as any other system, and it'll dramatically reduce your carbon emissions.
2. Leaks. Houses shift and settle over time and before you know it, you've got small openings around your doors and windows, along your baseboards and molding. Spend a little time caulking those leaks and repairing that weathered molding and you'll save a small fortune on your energy bill. Do double green duty and use an adhesive caulk with a VOC (volatile organic compounds) level of three percent.
3. Use green roof insulation. If you find yourself needing to beef up your home's insulation consider green roof insulation. Sheep's wool, soy, recycled denim, and recycled cellulose fiber are all commonly used as green insulation.
4. Time to add to the backyard deck? Or maybe it's been neglected for awhile and is need of some attention. Either way, green living is all about the materials. Instead of plastic, use natural wood. In the past, stains and wood preservatives such as creosote have been the only options for maintaining your deck's health. Today, however, you have a number of environmentally responsible, non-polluting paints, stains, wood finishes, and sealers. Take advantage of them!
