How To Go Green and Increase Your Home’s Resale Value – Water

Post by: Adam Waks of the Andrew Scott Group and AdamWaks.com

Right after increasing energy efficiency, the easiest (and cheapest) way to green your home and increase your property value at the same time is to cut your water consumption. The average US resident uses about 150 gallons of water per day, and the average American household’s water bill each month can run from $35 to over $100 [source: LeakBird.com]. Fortunately, with the aid of a few simple, low cost fixes, you can cut that water bill anywhere from 25-75%. Showing a potential buyer that you have already taken the steps to make your property as water efficient as possible without compromising on luxury can appeal to both their hearts and their pocketbooks.

The first thing to look for when trying to increase your water efficiency is outright waste. Take a walk around your house and inspect all of your faucets and showerheads. Are any of them leaking? Even the tiniest leak from a simple faucet can add up to 5 gallons of water a day and hundreds of wasted dollars over the lifetime of your property. Why throw that money away when all it takes to fix is two minutes with a wrench? If you notice any leaks that can’t be fixed by tightening the faucet, call in a plumber. It might cost you a few dollars now, but you will more than make up for it in the long run.

Once you’re sure there are no leaks, check to see if all of your faucets have aerators installed and that all of your showerheads use low flow technology. Serious improvements in water flow technology over the past few years have led to a whole new line of low flow devices that perform as well if not better than their high flow counterparts. For just a few cents for aerators and less than $20 for showerheads, you can cut your shower and faucet water usage by as much as 40% [water-conservation].

Next, walk around your property and check on all of your toilets. Are any of them running? If not, give them a flush and see how long before they stop running. If it takes your toilet longer than fifteen seconds to shut off, you are literally flushing money (and water) down the toilet. In most cases, all it takes to fix this problem and cut your water bill drastically is some fussing with the mechanics in the tank. Check out this great wikihow article for a simple step-by-step guide.

Finally, as long as were talking toilets, lets remember that in the average American home, toilets account for almost 30% of all water usage [source: EPA]. The best way to regulate the amount of water your toilet uses is to get a dual flush toilet. A dual flush toilet is exactly what it sounds like – the toilet has two flush settings to choose from depending on what you used it for. For a family of four, dual flush toilets can save as much as 4 gallons of water per flush and up to $90 a year [source: hubpages]. You can purchase a dual flush toilet conversion kit at your local hardware store for less that $30.

Check back in next month for tips on how to green your landscaping.

How To Go Green and Increase Your Home’s Resale Value – Energy

Post by: Adam Waks of the Andrew Scott Group and AdamWaks.com

Go Green and Increase Your Home’s Resale Value

Going green isn’t just good for the environment – it can also be good for your pocketbook. Multiple studies by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) have shown that in addition to saving you money in the short term, simple, cost effective green additions to your home can pay huge dividends on the eventual sale price of your property. Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting articles to help you take advantage of some of these additions and add real lasting value to your home.

How To Go Green and Increase Your Home’s Resale Value – Energy Efficiency

According to a 2007 study by the National Association of Appraisers, every $1 a homeowner knocks off their yearly energy bill translates into a $20.73 increase in the resale value of their home [source: Eco-Smart]. Considering that the average Americans annual energy bill runs somewhere around $2,200, that leaves a lot of low hanging fruit you can use to increase your property value [source: Energy Star].

There are lots of ways to reduce your energy bills, but sometimes the simplest and cheapest are actually the most effective. Before you do anything drastic like buy new windows or replace your central air/heating unit, try the simple step of re-caulking any places in your home where expensive heated or cooled air might be escaping. We’re talking windows, doorframes, cracks, and penetrations (for example, where cables or ducting come into your home). In fact, so much energy is wasted in the average home just from simple leaks like these that the USGBC estimates you could save as much as $100 A MONTH just from sealing them [source: USGBC].

The next simple, easy way to cut your energy bills and increase your property value is to replace all of your light bulbs with CFLs. CFLs have come a long way in the past few years, and gone are the days of ugly twisty bulbs that put out a light you can’t even read by. Nowadays, consumers have a wide range or choices concerning light frequency, shape and color, resulting in a much more satisfying experience. But most important, it will also save you big money: replacing just five incandescent bulbs in your home with CFLs can save you up to $100 a year [source: USGBC].

Finally, look into getting a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat works by regulating the temperature in your home based on a schedule you set. After all, why should you waste money heating or cooling your house when you aren’t in it? With a programmable thermostat, you set the temperature you want and the hours you’ll be home, and let the thermostat do the work. The best part is that these thermostats deliver savings without sacrificing comfort, because the thermostat will have your house back at the temperature you want before you even walk through your door. And we’re talking serious savings here: the US Department of Energy estimates that using a $40 programmable thermostat can lower your heating bill by as much as 10-15% [source: USDE].