REMODEL GREEN              

By Arlena Schott 

Garden Wise Living

With eco-responsibility in the spotlight, green built homes are popping up across the nation. Many of us home owners would love to have a green built home but cannot afford one. Remodeling an existing home gives us as homeowners many options, allowing us to make small and affordable steps in the green direction.

The first step should be to have an independent home assessment done. The Focus on Energy Group has a list of authorized Home Evaluators on their website. The home assessment takes about two hours and in that time the evaluator will make notes and present you with a list of recommended changes that you can do for a more energy efficient home, giving you a goal to reach for.

Keep in mind that our goal through these remodels is to be more energy efficient and by choosing materials that are Green Build approved or have an Energy Star rating we can make our remodels an affordable way towards a greener home. Do your research and call the companies to ask questions. If possible, visit the manufacturers and make an educated selection of the materials you use for your green remodel. Choosing a contractor that is familiar with these products and knows the importance of the correct installation practices is equally important.

That is exactly what we are doing here at Garden Wise Living through a series of episodes we call “GreenBuild Remodel”.

Garden Wise Living enlisted Dave Giessler, an energy assessment specialist from the Wisconsin Focus on Energy Group to do an evaluation of our project home. Filming that episode was very enlightening. We were unaware of the areas that were categorized as energy loss hot spots in our home. Mr. Giessler’s assessment gave us a clear picture of the needed remodels that would take us towards our goal of a more energy efficient home. With the assessment in hand we set to work.

Numbers 1, 2 and 3 on his list of suggested changes were the roof, rock veneer,

and siding on the home. For us as well as Mr. Giessler this would be the place to start.

Number 1: Roof

Our conventional shingles were deteriorated to the point that we were losing a huge amount of energy, and thus jeopardizing the structural integrity of the home.

Number 2: Rock Veneer

The rock veneer was crumbling away, leaving the shell of the home exposed to the elements and causing energy loss.

Number 3: Siding

The home siding is old, outdated vinyl, and needed to be replaced to stop energy from escaping. With the start in place I did what any good consumer should do: I called, wrote and researched not only the materials for the project, but the manufacturers as well. We visited and filmed at their manufacturing plants, ensuring that Garden Wise Living was choosing the best possible materials as well as companies for our GreenBuild remodels.

The roof we selected is from Metal Sales, a manufacturer in the United States that has proven throughout the years that they are in it for the long hall and care about the products they manufacture. The Metal Sales roof that we chose is Energy Star Rated and will give us a lifetime of energy savings.

The rock veneer was also selected for the integrity of its sustainable product made from over 85% recycled materials right here in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Pride Stone stands behind its products and their company.

After a lot of research we chose E-Log siding, a small independent company based in Michigan. I know, you’re going to say “Log siding on a green remodel?” The answer is yes. E-Log is a veneer log siding with a styrene back that gives a high R-value to the exterior of the home. Most siding is not Energy Star Rated or has the insulation value as well and sustainable aspects of the veneer log.

These are huge, and are structurally important for green remodels such as our project home. There are smaller and affordable changes in your home however that will save you energy and help you to become more energy efficient. For instance, our assessment pointed out that even though we had energy efficient windows in the home, the contractor that built the home neglected to insulate around the windows causing huge energy losses.

By simply removing the trim from around the windows and stuffing insulation in the walls around it you can greatly reduce any energy loss. Sealing your chimney access with a code-approved caulk will lessen energy loss. Covering all air conditioners with an insulated box keeps cold air out and warm air in. Check all windows and doors for leaks and if needed, add weather stripping to prevent energy loss.

Become a wise consumer and make educated choices and you too can afford green remodels to attain a more energy efficient home.

If you would like more information on the GreenBuild Remodel episodes on Garden Wise Living please log onto out website www.arlenagwise.com and follow us on face book and twitter.

I am your host of Garden Wise Living Arlena Schott.  ‘Don’t forget to Garden Wise”

Green Blessings Arlena Schott

Garden Wise Living

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