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Hank Bailey, "hankbailey"

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When you have done any "green" remodeling work, what projects did you undertake and did you consider "pay back" period for cost involved in the remodel or was simply doing something good for the economy enough?
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May 06 - Athens
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julie78787

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I started with lights, then moved to all the major appliances, and finally took out a 2nd mortgage and installed solar power.

Result: last month's electric bill was $24, with $9 of that being monthly fees.  I have, and use, all the modern conveniences and live in one of the more expensive areas for electricity in the United States ($0.20 / KWh last month).

Overall payback for everything is, as I recall, about 8 years, and that is assuming utilities stay fixed, which they won't.  The house is also much more comfortable to live in and has even more "creature comforts" than before.  The long term energy savings and environmental benefits are an added bonus.
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May 24
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Chris Cliff, "Chris Cliff"

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I do lots of different work for clients and honestly I don't know how long their green remodeling takes to pay back but I have two points to add.

First is that while there often times isn't a direct cash savings, there are some health benefits to going green. 

Just yesterday I was painting a skylight in a bathroom for a client that insisted on buying the paint themselves.  I come around for the second coat and when I get to the top I can just about not breathe and my mouth immediately gets that nasty chemical tasting coating in it.  All the VOC's in the paint were boiling off and floating up into the skylight.  Had to hold my breath and finish, but it was nasty.  I always suggest people use a low or no VOC paint because those chemicals boil off into your homes for years to come.  The cost for no-VOC paint is small in relation to the cost of the paint job overall and the health benefits are immediate!

The other point I wanted to make was that green remodeling doesn't have to be big or trendy.  Just making sure that your attic vents are clear, working and actually are sufficient to clear the heat out makes a huge difference in your heating and cooling bills.  That and making sure that all the vents actually go up and out of the roof, but I will save that for a later rant. 

Doing basic energy efficiency work on your home is probably the fastest way to go green and save money at the same time.
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May 26
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CheckmanJeff

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Nothing pays back faster than a tube of caulking!  For about $4 you can save plenty on heating and cooling costs! Chris is also right on the attic vents. There are so many simple inexpensive things people can do to save energy!  I think that solar and geothermal systems will make a big change in the way we think and build over the next ten years.  The other item that almost always pays back quickly ( at least here in the N.E.) is added attic insulation.  About 80% of all homes I inspect have 6 inches or less!
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May 26
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Michael Emery, "MikeEmery"

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Don't forget the Federal tax credits for improving energy efficiency.

And some utilities have incentives for energy efficient appliances.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#s1
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May 26
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Hank Bailey, "hankbailey"

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Thanks for the link Mike!
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May 27
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Brandon Handyman.com, "_Realtors_Fix It Guy"

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One should keep in mind that the overall benefits of remodeling with a sense of "green" will ultimately exceed both cost analysis and economics.

The future of our children's children, those issues in health, and atmospheric circumstances are widely affected by today's purchasing decisions. 

A scientific conscious awareness with an approach to a consensus of well being is a kinetic evolution rather than such a potentially diminishing existence.
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September 08
 

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