Make Your Home Green This St. Patrick’s Day

You’re ready to make some changes to your home, but you want to be smart with your money and see a positive return on your investment.
While most homeowners don’t see that return until they sell their home, you can start seeing the benefits now through conserving energy by making your home green.
So in honor of the upcoming green holiday, stop searching for that pot of gold. Get inspired by St. Patrick’s Day to go green to cut your energy costs with the environmentally friendly renovations below. You’ll soon see the savings building up at the end of the rainbow.
·  Use Reclaimed Wood For Flooring
Instead of chopping down more green for your floors, reclaim wood that’s already been cut. While prices vary depending on the type of wood and how it was transformed, you can get a unique look and conversational piece that no one else will have.
Just think, you could be standing on the Jackson’s old barn or a dismantled ship.
·  Green Your Latrine
Install a low-flow toilet, which according to www.ConsumerReports.org could save you money. Older toilets use about 3.5 gallons per flush, while newer low-flow toilets can use less than 1.3 gallons.
If you don’t want to dish out the dough for a new toilet, then add pebbles or a sealed water bottle into the back tank to displace water and reduce consumption.
·  Install A Programmable Thermostat
This is something you can easily do on your own. Purchase a programmable thermostat at any home improvement store for around $50, shut off power to the room you’ll be replacing it in, unscrew your old one and connect the wires to the new one.
Finished! Now you won’t have to worry about remembering to turn the air down at night and you’ll save money monthly.
·  Replace Old Kitchen Appliances
If your refrigerator or dishwasher is more than 10 years old, then consider replacing them with newer energy efficient models. Look for appliances that have Energy Star labels, as these machines have passed strict energy requirements.
While this upgrade might cost you up front, you’ll quickly be saving energy and leaving greener in your bank account. Don’t get pinched this St. Patrick’s Day! Instead of just wearing green, surround yourself in it by making environmentally friendly renovations.

For more information on how to "go Green"  check out  http://www.nari.org/homeowners/tips/greenremodeling.asp 


By taking your home green, you’ll reduce your energy usage and see savings in your monthly bills!

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