Having the opportunity to build a custom home means you have the freedom to include all the upgrades for your new build, or incorporate the things you want when you are renovating. Making sure your home will be energy efficient can save you big time dollars in the long run, and it never hurts to do your part in preserving our environment while you’re at it. These days there are tons of new products on the market that promote going green. See below for a few of our favorites.
Clean Water Circulating Pump: Each year the average household wastes nearly 20,000 gallons of clean water waiting for their shower and faucet water to heat up. The time it takes for hot water to travel from the hot water heater to your showerhead or spigot can be anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes, or more depending on the time of year. This pump keeps hot water constantly flowing circulating through your pipes with the amount of energy it takes to power a night light, so there is no waste of clean water or electricity.
Dimmable LED Lights: Although LED lights come with plenty of benefits including an average 50,000 hour lifetime, super low power consumption, and zero toxic ingredients, the type of lighting they emit isn’t typically popular for inside the home. However new versions are being developed that use a combination of red and yellow LED lights to create that familiar and comfortable warm tone you expect from an indoor bulb, while consuming only 12 watts of electricity. Plus, its dimmable quality gives the ability to lower the wattage even further giving these bulbs an estimated 25-year life expectancy.
Wall Stud Insulation: Everyone knows the importance of insulation when it comes to energy efficiency, to make sure the heating and cooling you’re paying for is staying securely inside where it is desired. Usually, however, the focus is typically laid on the area between the studs, but lots of heat and cooling can also be lost through thermal bridging. This is where conduction is taking place in the studs, specifically with steel studs, but can happen with wooden studs as well. A product called Thermablok has recently been developed to help with this problem, virtually eliminating conduction through the use of peel-and-stick strips of rubbery material filled with an airy gel. Simply apply these strips to the studs before hanging the dry wall for maximum effect.