Energy Efficient Remodeling Ideas That Increase Your Home’s Value

You’ve sketched out beautiful ideas and picked out favorite colors. It’s all coming together, so you’re really excited. Remodeling the house is a decorating dream come true, but it’s also a chance to hit the reset button on more than the looks of the family home. Whether you’re adding new space or refreshing old rooms, investing in energy-efficient strategies now will pay off for years to come. Inside and out, you can add to the value of your home and count on future savings.

Think Outside the Cabinets

It’s easy to think of remodeling in terms of redecorating instead of replacement. You’ve picked out new cabinets for the kitchen and bright colors for the bath. How about choices that cut down on energy bills and conserve water usage? ENERGY STAR appliances are government certified and make a big difference in the cost of everything from baking cakes to keeping the milk fresh. These stoves and refrigerators are just as stylish as their less-efficient cousins, so think about swapping out the old for new models that save energy and money. Upgrading your bath with low-flow faucets, shower heads and toilets makes a big difference too. With today’s modern technologies, these fixtures provide the same strong, dependable water pressure as traditional plumbing.

Insulate Against Energy Costs

Of all your energy-saving strategies, the most important are the ones that best insulate your walls, doors and windows. With the right architectural design and color, new siding and windows can give the home a fresh, new look, but also, smart insulation choices turn that upgrade into years of savings on heating and cooling bills. Your contractor can explain how adding ventilation to the insulation keeps the air inside your home fresh and still reduces the temperature transfer that drives up energy costs.

He’ll also recommend vinyl replacement windows with double panes and high-tech glazing. These energy-efficient units are just as attractive as traditional models, and they never rot or splinter like wood windows. These windows provide an extra source of natural light, but also withstand the hardest of weathers, proven by window replacement Calgary, Canada’s residents have experienced. Installing steel or fiberglass doors with the latest in high-tech stripping also keeps the weather outside while you enjoy lower utility bills inside a home that’s always comfortable.

Design Smart Landscapes

You might not consider landscaping a part of remodeling, but this is a great opportunity to install systems that efficiently keep lawns green and your home more secure. Automated sprinklers save you from weekend wrestling matches with the hose, and drip irrigation is a smart alternative in hot climates. Controlled watering helps to keep the yard healthy and costs under control. Set your design talents loose in the garden while the contractors work on the kitchen. Plant trees and shrubs that thrive in your climate, and their natural shade will help keep the house cool. Let the sun do some of the work by installing solar light fixtures along walkways and over entrances. You don’t have to worry about turning on the porch light every evening, and the house is safely lit with a soft, energy-efficient glow all night.

When the remodeling is finally finished, you’ll love the new looks of your home. With smart energy-saving ideas, that initial investment starts saving money as soon as the job is done. You can’t see the insulation behind the walls or the technology that makes the appliances more efficient. They do their work quietly, but you can count on them as a remodeling investment that will increase your property value and pay off for years to come.

Lisa Coleman shares ideas to help a person remodel in a more energy efficient way while adding value to the bottom dollar of their home, and creating savings in utility expense. Greg Martineau Projects is a siding and window replacement Calgary, Canada- based company that specializes in architectural design and energy efficient remodeling while helping a homeowner to make their home more valuable.