Tips From Award Winning "Green" Builder

Wilmington's Award Winning "Green" Builders Anne & Bradshaw have offered some tips for you to use at home to save energy costs and improve indoor air quality retroactively.

1) Provide exterior or interior shading (decorative shed roofs work great) for East/West facing windows to prevent heat gain in the summer

2) Add CO (carbon monoxide) alarm in the home (essential for a green certification)

3) Remove carpets and add tile/wood/laminate floors to remove allergans

4) Insulate, Insulate, Insulate - Make sure attic is well insulated and insulate under floors in crawl space (or seal the crawl space for mold control!)

5) Replace old windows with new argon filled low E

6) Check out the hvac system - make sure the ducts are well sealed and the handler/compressor are functioning at max, add programmable thermostat to the system, check that condensation is not creating a mold problem at the intake or vents, and best - insulate the area where ducts run (ie insulate the attic roof if ducts are in the attic, seal and insulate the crawl space if the ducts are in the crawl.)

7) Replace the old water heater with an on demand tankless

8) Use low flow fixtures

Etc.......

Savings could be substantial!

Anne & Bradshaw are available to do an energy consult or help with subcontractors or, of course, help with remodeling!!!

Anne & Bradshaw General Contractors, Inc

P.O. Box 221, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480

910-232-1474

(Pam Fasse is a CENTURY 21 Sweyer & Associates' agent and owns Anne & Bradshaw along with her husband.)