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Going Green With Home Remodeling

What exactly is “going green” with regard to your home remodeling project?  It can be confusing, but remember that even the simplest things can make a big difference. 

Repurposing or donating items such as cabinetry, plumbing fixtures and lighting puts the items to good use.  Kitchen cabinetry being reused for an art area or laundry room are great examples

Energy efficient appliances and light bulbs save energy and run longer

Use automated climate control for your HVAC system or review conversion to a geothermal option

Tankless hot water heaters are both Red Door Homes Reviews energy efficient and space saving

Replace windows and doors with insulated versions

Insure your contractor purchases from environmentally responsible companies.  An example of this is the cabinet companies, which are certified by the KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program

By using the design/build approach and making your contractor the first and last point of contact on a home remodeling project, you can insure that all of your concerns to “go green” can be addressed and incorporated into your project, along with the usual concerns of Electrician Bad At Math, budget, design, engineering and selection of materials.

In selecting a design/build contractor for your remodeling project, it is important to thoroughly research any company you are considering. Make sure they have done similar projects on homes like yours. Ask for references and be sure to ask about their satisfaction with the process, cost controls and of course the end result. Ask is you can visit them to view the completed projects for yourself. And be sure you meet the person who will manage your project. You may also want to also inquire about the real time design capabilities of the firm.…

December 7, 2019 by Building Contractor

Metal Buildings Promote The Green Lifestyle

If you are considering erecting a building in the future, you may want to consider having this building constructed with metal materials. Typically, whenever a contractor begins planning the makeup of a building that they wish to construct, they will want to ensure that the building is durable and can easily be customized to their consumers liking. Metal buildings will give you the option to have a strong structure that can easily be transformed into anything you can imagine.
A lot of people when they begin considering building a structure out of metal will automatically begin brainstorming about the costs of the project. In fact, many people steer away from erecting these structures because they believe that their present budget will not allow for it. What many people tend to not realize is that even though purchasing the materials for this project may be a little bit more than normal structures, the longevity of the project speaks for itself.
Regardless of what type of climate that these structures are built in, they can easily withstand the test of time. The structures will not buckle under harsh weather conditions, nor will they rot or decay in the same manner wooden structures tend to do. Water is not an issue when it comes to these metal infrastructures either.
Another positive thing about these buildings is a lot of manufactures are beginning to sell them in kits. All of the kits come with marked pieces that are ready to be put together. Every piece that is found in these kits will fit together Simple Home Plan without any qualms, once they are bolted into place. This means you will not have to worry about measuring or cutting any pieces, thus making the project of erecting one of these buildings a lot quicker than their wooden counterparts.
Structures that are made from these durable materials cannot be damaged by insects or other animals either. Both termites and mice can cause an immense amount of damage to wooden Simple 3 Bedroom House Plans structures, which cause the value of the structures to decrease immensely, these problems can easily be eliminated whenever metal is used to create a specific building.
Also, once metal is contorted to form a specific shape, it will be able to hold this shape even when it is under severe stress. Some common stresses involve outside weather conditions, or even additions onto the existing building. Wood on the other hand, has the tendency of warping or bowing out over time. Not only is it costly to fix these problems, but it can also be complex depending upon the severity of the ailment.
Getting insurance for one of these buildings is relatively easy to do as well. Metal buildings are not susceptible to fires or other problems that could occur with a traditional styled building. Therefore, since these problems do not exist with these infrastructures, you can expect your premiums to be a lot lower for these specific types of infrastructures.
These buildings …

October 13, 2019 by Uncategorized

Green Remodeling – The Kitchen

You want to be green and remodel your kitchen, but you want to make the least impact on the Earth as possible -what do you need to know?
The simplest changes you can make include upgrading appliances to more energy efficient Energy Star appliances and replace the lighting with fluorescent or light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. Just these two actions will save you a bundle of money in the long run.
If you’ve decided to redo your kitchen from top to bottom, there are many sustainable countertops available – from stainless steel to paper composite to terrazzo to wood. Among many Industrial Electrician companies in Chicago, Taty Construction, can assist you with your green kitchen ideas.
When considering a wooden countertop, make sure the wood comes from sustainable wood or forests. If you’re not sure how to find sustainable woods, visit the Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC). The FSC has created standards, which finds solutions for existing bad forestry standards.
Terrazzo consists of glass, stone and binders. Some companies use up to 100 percent of recycled glass. What makes concrete green? The manufacturing process requires a lot of input, but fly ash can be substituted for cement, which lowers the energy required to produce concrete. Concrete with 30 percent fly ash or more does not House Plan 4382 contaminate indoor air quality and is completely recyclable. Salvaged metal or recycled metal can be used to create sustainable steel countertops. And, no glue is needed when installing countertops, reducing the resources used and potential contaminants. Also, these countertops are extremely durable and have a long life span.
Flooring is also an integral part of green kitchen remodeling. Linoleum flooring and cork are extremely durable and are comprised from natural, renewable resources. Linoleum is derived from linseed oil, pigments and pine rosins and does not off gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Cork is derived from of the bark of cork-oak trees. Cork flooring sheets are produced from leftover wine bottle corks.
Other natural flooring options include bamboo or reclaimed or sustainable wood, such as Cane, Mango or Maple. This flooring should then be finished with natural oils or sealants.
Next is the cabinetry. Reusing your existing cabinetry is always an option. Other options include using low to zero-VOC panel products, FSC-certified plywood, rapidly renewable agrifiber boards, such as wheatboard or reclaimed wood.…

October 11, 2019 by Building Contractor

Green Construction For a Better Housing Management

Along with the increasing concern on the need to preserve our environment more tightly, nearly all parts of modern people life have now being ruled. It is a good step to help people become aware and also feel like this is also their part to participate in this revolution of the environmentally friendly attitude. In housing management or architecture, the environmentally friendly attitude is also renewed. Green Plumber Requirements is a term that is given to this new trend of green and ecological attitude towards anything related to life style. Green construction is basically a concept that tries to break down the possibilities of making architecture with the essence of environmentally friendly attitude.
It also usually embodies the more detailed concept of green sustainable design which consists of guidance in how to consider architecture and building housing and managing it dealing with the urgent needs of our earth to breathe ad to be preserved by human being, the one, and us who contribute Best Custom Home Builders Near Me the highest level of earth destruction. It usually consists of some consideration including the place of housing, the interior design, the exterior design, the sanitary, and the materials and so on. It is valuable to make us feel relieving to buy something on this fragile earth.
The green building, from its name has explicitly talked about the need of any kinds of building that should meet environmental analysis on the appropriateness of the environment to be fitted with the need of the building design. By compromising the design without sacrificing the beauty of the building, the green building tries to fulfill people need along with the environmental needs to revitalize themselves. So, it is very important o consider the products of the building that must be very valuable regarding our environment vitality. It is a very solution for our present problems of buildings.…

July 19, 2017 by Choose Contractor

4 Green Building Materials – Selection and Criteria

Green building materials help homeowners save on energy, resulting in tremendous savings in the power bills. Apart from increased energy efficiency, home owners also benefit from increased flexibility on count of maintenance costs too. Improved design flexibility is also another reason why people go for green building materials for their homes.

Here are 4 criteria for you to choose green building materials for your homes:

1. Resource efficiency – Resource efficiency can be targeted by making use of the products that meet the below mentioned metrics.

Natural and renewable – Basically, preference is given to materials that come from Renovate Old House To Modern sustainable managed resources and are certified by an independent third party body.

Manufacturing processes’ efficiency – The products that are produced with the help of resource and energy efficient process, take precedence in the final choice.

Local availability – One of the main benefits of using green building materials is that they are and should be locally available.

A� Durability – The materials used in constructing such buildings must last longer than other conventional materials used for construction purposes.

2. Improvement in air quality – Products or materials that meet the below mentioned criteria, should be used.

Non-toxic content – When used, the materials shouldn’t emit any toxic wastes, either in solid, liquid or gaseous forms.

The products should also have minimum emissions of volatile organic compounds. Such materials should be able to maximize or optimize energy efficiency and in the process, should also reduce chemical emissions.

The products and the materials should be able to resist moisture or any unforeseen moisture attacks.

3. Energy efficiency is an important metric to look out for, which can be fulfilled by selecting building materials that help in the reduction of water consumption in buildings and other associated facilities.

4. The building materials used in green buildings construction should be able to reduce water consumption in buildings.

Constructing green buildings is clearly a good idea for developers and home owners to work with, especially if they wish to save a lot of energy. These buildings will definitely help in conserving energy and improving health and productivity, but that can only be achieved if the right building materials are used. By following the criteria mentioned above, developers could look forward to selecting the right building materials for a green building design.…

July 2, 2017 by General Contractor

Making Construction Green

Throughout the world today we are being told to consume less. The mantra for the green movement has been to reduce, recycle, reuse. This environmentally responsible attitude is being accepted by people and businesses as the way of the future. What may surprise people is that even the construction industry is trying to become greener. They are looking to products that will not only save energy in the future, but that will be environmentally friendly during the construction process.
A great example of Bali Garden Landscape Design going green is the increased use of insulated concrete forms (ICFs). This method of construction is one of the most green building methods available to contractors. When developed properly, the foam forms are made from almost all recycled materials. They are shipped to the exact size requested, and they quickly lock into place. In other words, the environment is helped because materials are recycled, less waste is created at the construction site, and less energy and time are used to build a building’s walls.
The walls that are constructed are of course green. By using ICF concrete $15000 Bathroom Remodel a contractor uses less wood. This is because walls are no longer made of wood studs. Instead, walls are concrete sealed in foam. The less wood that is used in home construction means more trees being left in the forest. Most people who are thinking green agree that saving a tree is a good way to help the environment.
Another way to help the environment is to keep material out of landfills. As mentioned earlier, the ICF concrete form can be made of mostly recycled materials. The key to this is the center support structure of the form. This structure should be made of a recycled alloy metal. This keeps the metal out of the landfill and adds a “rebar” strength to the center of the concrete wall. Plus, a well constructed ICF will have an alloy center that folds together. This reduces the amount of fuel used to ship the forms, and saves money.…

June 5, 2016 by General Contractor

Green Kitchen Remodel Tips

If your idea is to do some kitchen remodeling, then you need a plan and a budget. While making your plans you should consider a green kitchen remodel.
A green kitchen remodel could be healthier for your home and the environment.
As a healthy side note, if your home is older and you plan on ripping out anything you may need to check for lead based paint and asbestos.
With these two items checked and resolved High Paying Electrician Jobs Overseas – if needed- it’s time to make your plan.
If you would like to go green but you are afraid you don’t have the green to spend you will be interested in the first low cost green remodeling tip:
• Keep the same kitchen layout and renew as many items you have now. As an example, you could reface your cabinets, or paint, or stain them.
However, not all items should be renewed. You could paint your appliances and give them and updated look. But, if you have the money, you should update the appliances, and buy energy efficient ones. You should also consider energy efficient windows, doors and skylights. A skylight would add additional daytime lighting.
After planning on all the new windows, doors, and appliances you may decide to go green entirely. If you do, then I have the second green remodeling tip that is good for the environment:
• Remove items from the kitchen carefully. In this way they could be reused by someone else. Donate to a local reuse shop or list in newspaper or online.
Now that the kitchen is gutted it’s time to get green. What is green? Listed below are some green options:
Cabinets- Will take a big chunk of your kitchen remodeling budget. When choosing green cabinets, buy natural or sustainable harvested materials. Choose low VOC finishes and for your adhesive the book, “Prescriptions for a Healthy House,” recommends solvent free carpenters glue as the adhesive. If you are ambitious, you could make your own cabinets with formaldehyde free plywood and buy your doors.
Countertops and backsplashes-Recycled materials can be used, such as stone and glass tile. You could make concrete countertops, or use stainless steel, or even butcher block.
Efficient Lighting-LED lights can be added for efficient task lighting. Compact fluorescent light bulbs should be used in your other lighting fixtures.
Faucets- according to the website “For maximum water efficiency purchase aerators that have flow rates of no more than 1.0 gmp”
Paint – Use only low List Of Construction Companies Near Me or no VOC paint.
Flooring – Do not use vinyl on the floor. Instead you can use bamboo or cork, or sustainable harvested wood. However, if you like the styles of vinyl then choose natural linoleum instead.
As you can see it is possible to save green and go green in a kitchen remodel. If your budget allows and you can go completely green that’s great. However, if you can’t, even a little green is better for …

March 22, 2015 by Electricians

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