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The idea of "greening" a home is not a new one. It is, in fact, one of the most common homemaking trends. Many people, however, are still unsure as to what benefits one can really get from turning their houses into green homes.
While there may be a hundred or so personal reasons why people use building insulation products and other environmentally friendly materials to make their homes greener, there are three main benefits.
The best reason for going green at home is the significant amount of energy, water, and natural resources saved. Approximately 20% of the yearly energy consumption of the U.S. comes from home heating and cooling. With proper home insulation, energy use can be reduced up to 40%. Water usage and carbon footprint will also be significantly lessened.
Going green will also help homeowners earn extra cash additional to the money they're saving. The federal government has come up with attractive incentives that financially benefit green home homeowners. So while saving money because of reduced energy costs, homeowners are rewarded with tax breaks and other incentives.
Installing or using thermal insulation will also help keep you and the environment safer and healthier. As green homes promote economic stability and the well-being of the family, it also has positive effects on the community and the environment.
Since the average home gives off more carbon dioxide than the average family car, switching the attention to green home building is only right given the environment's current state. It is not enough that one builds a green home; it is also important to abide by particular green practices such as using building insulation products. Aside from making structures more energy efficient, building insulation also provides comfort for the homeowner. Installing your home with proper insulation will also help reduce the risk of molds and rust corrosion. Moisture is the number one cause of mold appearance and this can be effectively controlled with thermal insulation. This will also help prevent contamination of the air and surrounding environment.
Many households use products that contain dangerous chemicals. Even the materials used for building a house can contain hazardous substances. By using home insulation products, one can significantly reduce the amount of exposure to pollutants and contaminants therefore keeping the home and the environment free from harmful toxic materials or wastes.
Although there are no fixed figures that show how much a homeowner, or a community, can save by going green, it is safe to say that savings can reach thousands. A green home that has the proper building insulation products can have annual bills of around $700 or less (per year) as compared to the usual $3,000. An added benefit, of course, is that the house increases its market value for any home improvements and significant changes to ensure added energy efficiency.
As mentioned earlier, thermal insulation can help a household cut utility expenses. Homeowners can save at least $50 every month during the winter time or just as much in the summer by reducing their use of heating and air conditioning. And since the material (for the home) is preserved and protected, there will be no need for restructuring, fixing, or adding new material every year.
For the community, this means fewer expenses for building and office maintenance and fewer overall expenses.
There is another benefit for a community whose residents build green homes. If most of the community's residents switch to green homes with eco-friendly building insulation products, the neighborhood will be positively contributing to a healthier, more eco-friendly community..
Although there are no exact figures available, communities whose homeowners follow green building standards and use dependable thermal insulation in well-used parts of their homes, attract more visitors and prospective homeowners.
Steve Mroz is the Vice President of Nanotech Energy Solutions, a thermal insulation coating manufacturer. Their product, Nansulate, is one of the top building insulation products in the residential, commercial and industrial industries. Home insulation products from Nanotech have been proven to reduce energy costs by more than 20%.
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