I think we’ve officially hit the “dog days” of summer! It’s been a long time since I can remember a summer starting out as sultry as this one has. Temperatures are high … and so will be energy bills! For those homeowners who didn’t feel the sting of their electric bill over the winter months, you probably are now that the air conditioning is running 24/7 to keep your family comfortable.

Don’t forget: there are still Federal tax credits available through the end of 2010. I encourage anyone considering a home improvement project to heavily weigh the benefits of doing it NOW so you can take advantage of the tax credits – and energy savings.

This month’s article is about making your home green (and energy efficiency is, naturally, one of the aspects).
________________________________________
FEATURE ARTICLE: WHAT MAKES A HOME GREEN?
It wasn’t that long ago when we rarely heard of anything being sold as “green,” yet today, you’d be hard pressed to find an industry that isn’t branding themselves as greener, more environmentally conscious, and/or more energy efficient.

In fact, the home building industry is no different, and you are probably seeing more and more new homes touted as “green.”

But do you know what makes a home green?

As one of the first Certified Green Professionals (CGPs) in the area, I often get asked this question, and here’s my answer.

There are five broad-based categories that go into making a house (or any building, for that matter) green. They are:
1. Site selection and preparation
2. Energy efficiency
3. Efficient use of building materials
4. Indoor air quality
5. Water conservation

Let’s explore each one in a little more detail.

Site selection and preparation – One of the first steps in building a green home is the selection of where the home will be built. In the green building process, it is important to select a site where infrastructure (utilities, roads, etc.) already exists. Additionally, site preparation is extremely important in the green building process. The builder will try to preserve mature trees; this reduces landscaping and future energy costs. Trees also help provide winter wind breaks or summer shade.

Energy efficiency – There is so much about a home that falls under this category. Windows, doors, insulation, appliances, water heating units and the home’s mechanical system all play a huge role in how efficient your home is, and ultimately, what amount of natural resources (i.e., gas, oil or coal) your home uses to stay comfortable. A great place to begin is to select EnergyStar® appliances and electronics.

Efficient use of building materials – Factory-built components including trusses and pre-hung doors allow for more efficient use of raw materials, which makes the most out of every piece of lumber. These products also eliminate the need to cut wood on the jobsite, further reducing waste.

Indoor air quality – Choosing low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials – wood flooring, carpets, paints, stains, varnishes and caulks – improves the indoor air quality of the home. Additionally, the filter attached to the mechanical system that controls the home’s heating, ventilation and cooling can remove the majority of the allergens inside your home.

Water conservation – New toilets have redesigned bowls and tanks that use less water, but function more efficiently than the first-generation low-flow models. Advanced shower and sink faucet aerators provide the same flow regardless of pressure to reduce water use and the energy required to heat it. Some homeowners have even installed rain barrels to collect rain for use in watering flowers or washing their cars.

In the coming months, I’ll go into more detail about each of the five categories. However, if you are thinking about improving the energy efficiency of your home this summer, give us a call at (717) 560-3400 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We’d be happy to discuss options that will work within your budget.

(Source: NAHB)

If you are considering remodeling your home, don’t forget about your outdoor living space. The exterior of your home contains valuable outdoor space and making certain changes or additions can help ad value and appeal to your real estate investment.

Improvements to the exterior of your home can involve something as simple as new patio furniture and a fire pit, adding a patio or deck, or installing an outdoor oven. An attractive and usable outdoor area appeals to family living as well as entertaining.

Landscaping additions can involve making an area more green by the addition of low maintenance plants that use less moisture. Landscape architects are more and more adept at making more sustainable environments.

Other appealing elements can include fountains, swimming pools, solar lights, tennis courts and the like. Realize that much of what you put into the space that surrounds your home will enhance its value and catch the eye of a potential buyer. Often an investment to the outside living space gives a better return than interior improvements to your home.

Great place to start your search for landscaping ideas-John Shelly’s Landscaping & Nursery!

 Sourced from: Kinetic Content Library

 I love the return of spring and the added hours of sunlight. The only problem, the increased evening sun highlights the accumulation of winter dullness on my windows. I ran across this great solution in an artile by Annie B. Bond.

     ‘If you have tried to clean your windows with plain vinegar and gotten streaks, there is a simple reason and an easy remedy.

Oddly enough, it was the task of cleaning windows that turned a huge number of well-intentioned, environmentally friendly consumers away from non-toxic cleaning using the simple ingredients that can be found in most kitchen cupboards. Around Earth Day 1990, every newspaper in the country (or so it seemed), offered tips for cleaning in ways that didn’t harm the planet, and the recommendation for windows was almost always to clean them with nothing but vinegar and water. People by the thousands tried this, and many swore off cleaning with homemade products for good because the formula left streaks on their windows. (I wish I had $1 for every time someone has said to me, “Well, I tried non-toxic cleaning and it didn’t work. I used vinegar to clean my windows …”)

The problem was that the commercial window cleaner used before the switch to vinegar left a very fine wax residue. The vinegar alone wasn’t enough to remove it, and the result was streaky windows. If instead, everyone had added a dab of liquid dish soap to the vinegar and water, the wax would easily have been removed and the windows would have been cleaned perfectly! My favorite recipe is to combine 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar, and up to 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent in a spray bottle. That’s all there is to it. (Make sure to label the bottle and keep it out of the reach of children.)”

 If all of this seems like too much hardwork, you can contact a local window cleaning company. We have personally used Squeegee Klean and were very pleased with their results. You can obtain additional information at their website SQUEEGE KLEAN. If you are interested, drop me an email and I will provide you with a 15% discount on your first cleaning bill.

Homegain recently released the results of a national survey of the top low cost (under $5,000) do-it-yourself projects for sellers getting their home ready to list. The top 5 based on average cost and return on investment (ROI) to sellers, are:

Cleaning and de-cluttering ($200 cost / $1,700 price increase / 872% ROI / 98% recommended)
Home staging ($300 cost / $1,780 price increase / 586% ROI / 82% recommended)
Lightening and brightening ($230 cost / $1,300 price increase / 572% ROI / 95% recommended)
Landscaping ($320 cost / $1,500 price increase / 473% ROI / 94% recommended)
Repair Plumbing ($385 cost / $1,250 price increase / 327% ROI / 88% recommended)
As you know, every real estate listing is unique and will benefit from a personalized and professional review of where to focus. Give us a call to assisst you with getting your home ready for market.