Green Tips

Are you interested in making some home improvements that are good for the environment?  Consider these Ten Green Home Improvement ideas:

1. You could save up to $180 a year by installing a programmable thermostat.

2. Switch to a tankless water heater which can last twice as long as electric or gas models.

3. Install CFL (compact fluorescent) bulbs to save up to $30 over the course of each bulb's life.

4. Repair leaky fixtures because one drop per second from a leaky faucet can waste as much as 10 gallons of water each week.

5. Replace old windows with windows that have dual panes. Also consider self-adhesive reflective film on the windows which can reduce air conditioning bills.

6. Install weather stripping around doors and caulk cracks around window to stop drafts.

7. Install low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets. Low-flow faucets reduce water consumption and the cost of heating water by as much as 50 percent; using a low-flow toilet can save Americans 2.1 trillion gallons of water and $11.3 million nationwide every day.

8. Conserve energy by installing major appliances with an Energy Star rating. Compared to a 1990 model, an Energy Star-qualified refrigerator would save enough electricity to light a home for more than four and a half months.

9. Install motion sensors, photocell controls or timers so outdoor lights are only on when needed.

10. Install flooring products made from rapidly renewable resources, such as bamboo. Bamboo is one of the fasted growing plants in the world, requiring no replanting and little fertilization or pesticides.