Recycling is one thing, but a composting toilet? That’s when you know you’re taking the going-green trend to its, um, “natural” conclusion.
While many home owners and builders are beginning to make changes to homes to incorporate eco-friendly products and materials, these are just the bud of the going-green trend. To really get the low-down on what the seriously green-minded homeowners can do to help the cause, we’ve rounded up a list of fixes that can be done in a house, whether it was built in 1912 or 2012.
Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisalserv.com for your value questions regarding green updating and how it adds value to your home.
Update your bulbs
You’re going to have to change out your standard incandescent bulbs eventually. This year marked the first stage of phasing out 100-watt incandescent bulbs under the CLEAN Energy Act, but 70-, 60- and 40-watt bulbs are next on the chopping block. Switching to compact fluorescent lights (CFL) or LEDs not only conserves significant electricity, but significant savings as well — more than $57 over the life of the CFL, one report found.
Energy-star appliances
One of the simplest ways to upgrade your home in a green way is to purchase an energy-saving appliance. The best bet is to find one that earns the government’s “Energy Star” rating. The appliances are designed to reduce greenhouse emissions as well as your energy usage over time. Many products can mean tax rebates for your green efforts.
Read more at: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2012-04-11/green-home-trends-from-baby-steps-to-extreme-updates/
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Green Real Estate Appraiser 