Each year more and more people are choosing to make green friendly enhancements to their homes to reduce costs and allow them to run more efficiently. Such upgrades include the installation of Energy Star appliances, tankless hot water heaters, and new windows.
Fortunately, when you're starting the custom home building process, you have a leg up on your peers as you can choose to go green from the start.
Many homeowners wonder where they will get the most bang for their buck for choosing green friendly upgrades. With that being said, here are 4 ways to go green with your custom home building project that have the potential to make a big difference in your budget over time:
1. Insulate
While we're fortunate to have fairly mild winters in Central Florida, the temperatures certainly heat up during the summer months. Opting for energy efficient insulation throughout your home can save you anywhere from 10 to 50 percent on your heating and cooling bills.
While there are many different types of insulation options available today, one that is gaining popularity is spray foam insulation. This type of insulation will not only help you to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home all year round, but it will also reduce the amount of effort that it takes for your HVAC system to heat and cool your home, reducing both energy output and utility bills.
2. Go low-flow
Showers and toilets are two of the biggest culprits of wasted water in the home. To help reduce the amount of water you are using at home, consider installing low-flow toilets and shower heads.
By installing low-flow fixtures inside your home, you have the potential to reduce your water consumption by as much as 50 percent. Also, some counties in Central Florida are offering rebates for installing low-flow fixtures, so be sure to ask your custom home builder about these programs.
3. Install a programmable thermostat
Did you know that the average household in America spends approximately $2,000 a year on energy bills? Installing a programmable thermostat is an easy and affordable way to get a better handle on your home's energy usage. Simply by resetting the temperature of your home when you're away or sleeping, you can save as much as $150 a year on energy costs.
4. Choose energy efficient windows and doors
There are many decisions that you need to make when building a custom home, and one area that deserves heightened attention is your choice of windows and doors.
While many homeowners are choosing to go with aluminum-framed windows today, an energy efficient alternative is to go with wood-framed energy efficient windows.
When choosing doors for your home, avoid hollow metal doors as they allow the outdoor air to infiltrate right through your home.
As you can see, these are 4 very important green friendly considerations to make during the custom home building process. Many of our custom home building clients want to incorporate the latest green design trends into their homes, and we've listened to their ideas as well as suggested some of our own.
For more ways that you can go green when building your dream home, please contact us at Empire Custom Builders.
1. Insulate
While we're fortunate to have fairly mild winters in Central Florida, the temperatures certainly heat up during the summer months. Opting for energy efficient insulation throughout your home can save you anywhere from 10 to 50 percent on your heating and cooling bills.
While there are many different types of insulation options available today, one that is gaining popularity is spray foam insulation. This type of insulation will not only help you to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home all year round, but it will also reduce the amount of effort that it takes for your HVAC system to heat and cool your home, reducing both energy output and utility bills.
2. Go low-flow
Showers and toilets are two of the biggest culprits of wasted water in the home. To help reduce the amount of water you are using at home, consider installing low-flow toilets and shower heads.
By installing low-flow fixtures inside your home, you have the potential to reduce your water consumption by as much as 50 percent. Also, some counties in Central Florida are offering rebates for installing low-flow fixtures, so be sure to ask your custom home builder about these programs.
3. Install a programmable thermostat
Did you know that the average household in America spends approximately $2,000 a year on energy bills? Installing a programmable thermostat is an easy and affordable way to get a better handle on your home's energy usage. Simply by resetting the temperature of your home when you're away or sleeping, you can save as much as $150 a year on energy costs.
4. Choose energy efficient windows and doors
There are many decisions that you need to make when building a custom home, and one area that deserves heightened attention is your choice of windows and doors.
While many homeowners are choosing to go with aluminum-framed windows today, an energy efficient alternative is to go with wood-framed energy efficient windows.
When choosing doors for your home, avoid hollow metal doors as they allow the outdoor air to infiltrate right through your home.
As you can see, these are 4 very important green friendly considerations to make during the custom home building process. Many of our custom home building clients want to incorporate the latest green design trends into their homes, and we've listened to their ideas as well as suggested some of our own.
For more ways that you can go green when building your dream home, please contact us at Empire Custom Builders.
