Green Home Remodeling Gaining Traction in Scottsdale For 2014
Trends in the marketplace often come and go. But as 2014 begins, green home remodeling is showing signs of expansion. And for home owners in Scottsdale, AZ making the decision to ‘go green’ with all of their home remodeling projects can save time, money, natural resources and spark some creative juices to use eco-friendly materials and procedures to enhance the overall look and feel of their homes.
Three Steps To Complete Your Green Home Remodeling Project
Here are a few things to consider that will make any green home remodeling project easier to achieve this year.
Step #1 – Have an Energy Audit Completed
A great idea to get you started for any home improvement project is to begin with an Energy Audit completed. This will help you the home owner identify some of the areas inside your current space that could use improvement to increase the energy efficiency of the home. Many HVAC specialists can perform an energy audit, but the key is to factor in the results of this audit and incorporate them into any green home remodeling project you intend to undertake. It is estimated that a good energy audit can lead to up to a 50% reduction in monthly energy bills.
Another positive attribute of having an energy audit is that it will help you reduce carbon emissions from the existing house. This will help make your home much easier to maintain and healthier to live in for everybody.
Step #2 – Invest in Quality Materials for your Green Home Remodeling Project
It’s said that you get what you pay for. And this definitely applies to the materials that are used for any home remodeling project. However, when you’re secondary objective is to be environmentally friendly with your remodel a primary concern of yours should be to purchase quality-built materials for this project. Just like in the food industry, many people get hung up on buzz terms when making purchases. For example, if they are looking for healthier beverages they might only buy ‘organic’ or ‘All-Natural’ products. The end result is manufacturers and retailers will make you pay for those ‘buzz words’, while the product may not always be better for you.
The key in home remodeling is not to fall into that trap. Just because a material might say its ‘eco-friendly’ or made from recycled materials does not mean that it needs to be used for a green home remodeling project. The most important element of any responsible home improvement project is to limit the total amount of materials needed. So if you have to replace that ‘All-Natural’ cabinet in two years because it’s warped, you’re really not accomplishing anything ‘environmentally friendly’. Always make sure that any materials you buy will last a long time – that will ensure your project is ‘green’.
Step #3 – Enhance your Home Improvement Project with Sparkling Colors
The final step when planning to take on a green home remodeling project is to consider the roll that color will play. In this regard, think about using dynamic colors that will naturally brighten up a room and will require less electrical power and fewer lights. This will also determine what type of window treatments you use, or even whether to add a skylight for natural sunlight to enter a room. Remember – the key to any green remodeling project is to conserve natural resources during and after your home improvement project is completed.
Green home remodeling is going to be a growing trend well beyond 2014 as many homeowners in Scottsdale, Arizona realize the several ancillary benefits that responsible remodeling can provide. Make sure to contact a reliable and experienced general contractor that has experience in working on green home remodeling projects to ensure your job is done right, on time and within your budget.