Green Your Home on a Budget
(Page 4 of 4)
May/June 2008
By Kim Wallace and Trevan McGee
Adding weather stripping to drafty doorways also cuts energy loss. You can buy weather-stripping packages at hardware stores, often for less than $20.
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Screen the sun.
Solar screens, which control the amount of sunlight and ultraviolet rays that come through your windows, can help lower cooling costs. A wide variety of sun- and heat-diffusing options are available; expect to pay $30 to $50 per window. To further limit spending, buy screens only for the windows that get the most sunlight.
Try Hunter Douglas’ shades made from PVC-free, recyclable and non-outgassing Greenscape fabric.
Say goodbye to standby.
We pay to operate appliances and electronics we think we’ve shut off, when really they are in standby mode. These energy vampires account for 5 percent of home energy use, drawing 1 to 7 watts per hour. Eliminate standby draw by connecting your appliances to a surge protector, which you can buy for $20 or less, then click it off when appliances are not in use.
Also, look for electronics with an energy-efficient standby feature. Energy Star devices are usually the best.
Lose the shoes.
Here’s an easy one: Take your shoes off when you enter your home. Shoes track traces of dirt, dust and other toxins into the house, which leads to poorer air quality and more vacuuming and cleaning.Designate a place near your entryway for footwear.
Stock up.
Keeping your fridge well-stocked means the compressor cycles less often. It’s easier to chill food than the air surrounding it.
Combat clogs
Baking soda and vinegar work magic on bathtub drain problems. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a cup of vinegar (preferably hot) to unclog the drain. The baking soda fizzes after the vinegar combines with it, and it eats away at clogs. If your drain backs up, don’t use a declogging chemical; first try a drain auger or "snake." For small clogs, mini-snakes work as well as full-size snakes—and they’re cheaper.
Kim Wallace
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