Home renovation is an inevitable thing for all homeowners. While various companies promise their paints, carpeting, wallpapering, roofing and plumbing work to last for almost a lifetime, the chances of a complete home overhaul may not really be that far out in the future. But before it’s time to hit the hammer on the nail, it’s best if you get as many information first about how you can transform your home into a hard-wearing, comfortable, energy-efficient and environment-friendly abode.

Consult a green builder. By seeking the help of a green building professional, you can make sure you’ll be working with someone who’s skilled enough to keep the renovation process clean and safe, and the finished work seamless. But aside from this, you will also be working with a skilled practitioner who shares your eco-friendly ideals.

Minimize your resource requirement. Think of ways to lessen the materials you need to renovate your home. For example if your concern is space, there are ways to make things feel lighter and more spacious. Use natural lighting by installing windows, glass doors and other wide apertures to let sunlight in. Remove unwanted furniture and mount large reflective mirrors to create an impression of greater space. This is a lot less expensive and more practical than tearing up entire walls. Moreover, when choosing fixtures and furniture, you can opt for recycled or reclaimed materials instead of buying new ones. Remember, the more stuff you use or destroy, the greater your carbon and environmental footprint will be.

Choose energy-efficient comfort systems. In order to make your home heating and cooling systems more efficient, make sure that your insulation system is working properly. You can check with your contractor if it is possible to install renewable energy heating and cooling systems like those that depend on solar or wind energy to run or function.

Choose water-efficient plumbing fixtures. If you’re overhauling your plumbing systems, it’s best to install water efficient fixtures. Choose faucets, toilets, washing machines, showerheads and other fixtures that are able to maximize their functions but also minimize the amount of water they use. Always make sure to provide your home with adequate ventilation to discourage the growth of molds.

Use natural light and energy-efficient light fixtures. Installation of natural lighting implements like skylights, light tubes and apertures can help you save energy during the day by utilizing daylight to keep your indoors bright. For night lighting, you can help save money and energy by opting for energy-efficient light fixtures that make use of LED lamps and compact fluorescent lighting.

Choose environment-friendly materials. Always opt for renovation items that are less likely to cause damage to the environment. Choose low-VOC, non-VOC or natural paints, organic carpeting and draperies, furniture and wood flooring made from sustainably-grown and organic wood, natural clay for walls and natural linoleum for flooring.

Dispose of hazardous waste properly. Always let the professionals do the handling and disposal of potentially hazardous home renovation wastes like lead-paint scraping and asbestos insulation. Before re-occupying your home, make sure that you clean it first with safe, organic and natural household cleaning solutions like those from BabyGanics.

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