Green Remodeling by Adding Ceiling Fans to Your Next Home Remodeling Project

Installing a ceiling fan is a quick green remodeling project.  When you are thinking about home remodeling, the projects don’t all have to be expensive and drastic to make a big impact.  A ceiling fan can add a dramatic feel to a room, but it also will add some green to your wallet.

A ceiling fan can reduce your energy bills year-round.  Most people understand that adding a small breeze to your living space in the summer will reduce your cooling needs.  In the winter, moving your heated air that sits near the ceiling through your living space will also decrease your heating needs.  That energy savings throughout the year makes this small improvement a great green remodeling project.

Ceiling fans come with or without light fixtures.  Most come with an extension arm so that they can be hung in rooms with vaulted ceilings.  There are many different styles available.  Newer ones even come with a remote, so that you do not need to wire the fan down through a wall to a switch.  This is a convenient way to ensure that your small home remodeling project doesn’t turn into something bigger.

Green remodeling is always a good goal in any home remodeling project.  Adding a ceiling fan to your bedroom or living room during home remodeling will help you achieve the goal of green remodeling.

(Photo Credit:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/simplycute/129749167/)

Green Remodeling and Home Improvement Using Bamboo Flooring

If your home improvement plans call for new wood floors, think about using bamboo and green remodeling.  Bamboo flooring is becoming more widely used as green remodeling ideas take hold.  Traditional hardwoods, such as oak, can take up to 120 years to mature.  Bamboo is actually a quick-growing grass, and it can be used in as little as three to five years.  It also regenerates from the roots, so it does not need to be replanted and requires very few fertilizers.  For green remodeling, the choice to use bamboo is very conscientious.

Bamboo flooring is as beautiful as any hardwood and will certainly add value to your home.  Bamboo flooring is available in different shades and colors.  You can also choose a bamboo that shows more growth rings and knots.  In general, the darker the color, the softer the bamboo wood.  Some claim that bamboo is more durable than other wood flooring, but remember that any wood flooring can scratch and all require gentle cleaning.

Installation of bamboo flooring is similar to installation of other wood flooring products in your home.  Bamboo can be installed as a floating floor, tongue and groove, or as click together flooring.  As for any home improvement project, you’ll need to assess your abilities to install the flooring yourself.

Home improvement using green remodeling techniques and materials will continue to be a trend for the forseeable future.  Bamboo flooring will increase the value of your home and showcase your concern for the environment as well as your flair for home improvement.

(Photo Credit:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/43162676@N07/4054180883/)

Kitchen Countertop Remodel with Concrete

Kitchen counter top remodeling doesn’t have to mean the use of granite.  While granite is a popular countertop surface, it can be prohibitively expensive, as well as environmentally unfriendly.  Granite is a non-renewable resource and does not fit into any green remodeling plan.

Concrete is fast becoming a popular option for kitchen counter top remodeling.  Concrete is a versatile material which can be dyed, stained, stamped and ground in order to add flair to your kitchen.  Kitchen countertops made from concrete can be any color from stark white to brilliant blue to black.  Sinks, drainboards, and trivets can even be poured along with the countertop to make a truly seamless surface.  The only special care needed is an occasional application of sealant which adds a shine to the finish and ensures that the counter top surface doesn’t stain.

Concrete countertops also fit perfectly within a green remodeling plan.  Concrete is made from rock aggregates and waste-products, such as soda ash, are often mixed in.  Speaking of green, kitchen countertops made from concrete can also save you quite of bit of green over granite.

Contractors in your area that have installed concrete kitchen counter tops should have samples that they are able to show you.  The brave at heart can also do this project themselves.  All it takes is some patience.  Pour several smaller molds for practice and to experiment with color.