Green Home Building

August 3, 2010 | By In living green | Comments(0)

Green homes are expected to make up to ten percent of new home construction over the next several years, according to a study done by McGraw-Hill Construction. Homeowners are interested in purchasing green homes because of the benefits they offer- from healthier indoor air to energy savings.

What are some of the primary benefits of a green home? Such a home is constructed with much thought given to the materials used in construction. Building materials are expected to be toxin-free, sustainable and energy-efficient. The use of toxin-free building materials helps combat indoor air pollution. Since we are exposed to the air in our homes as much or more often than outside air, indoor pollution can pose serious health risks to residents. A healthier home means fewer visits to the doctor and hopefully fewer respiratory problems.

Besides potential health savings, the net cost of owning a green home is typically comparable to, if not cheaper than a standard home. People who live in green homes save money by consuming less energy and fewer resources than standard homes. The savings add up over the years in decreased energy and water bills.

Insurance companies are becoming convinced that green may be the way to go. More and more insurance companies are offering discounts on policies covering green homes. Similarly, there are even a few mortgage companies offering discounted loan rates for home buyers buying green.

Here are some of the reasons for the heightened interest and discounts offered by the business community:

A green home is often more durable than standard homes because of its high-quality building materials and construction processes, requiring fewer repairs.

The value of a green home is often higher than that of a comparable standard home, and the market demand for green homes is expected to rise. A green housing development in New York has demonstrated the ability to command ten to fifteen percent higher rental rates than comparable units in the surrounding area.

And local, state and federal governments are increasingly offering tax breaks and incentives for building a green home or adding green features to an existing home.

What are some of the features of a green home? Efficient plumbing and bathing fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping and water-conserving irrigation systems help green homes use less water than standard homes. This feature will become increasingly important as the prospect of water shortages loom in some parts of the country.

Because many green building materials incorporate significant recycled content, they require the use of fewer natural resources. The amount of excess building materials dumped in landfills is significantly less than the amount generated by traditional practices.

Some green homes incorporate carpets and floor tiles from recycled tires and bottles. Other homes use salvaged materials or renewable and sustainable products, such as bamboo, hemp and soybean. Homeowners can choose countertops made from recycled street lights and other recycled glass.

Low-volatile organic compound paints and finishes inside the home reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. Formaldehyde-free insulation also insures fewer dangerous chemicals are released into the atmosphere.

Energy-efficient appliances, insulation, roofing materials, doors and windows lower heating and cooling bills.

In many cases, builders are also including universal design elements into green homes. These designs, which include wider doorways, no stairs, flat entries and accessible bathrooms, sinks and showers, assure that people with varying abilities can live in and age in their homes and their neighborhoods.

Preston Sandlin is a home inspector and real estate investor in Charlotte NC. He has been performing home inspections and buying real estate in Charlotte NC for over 12 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Home Inspector’s Association, the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association, and the BBB.
For more information please visit our websites: http://askthecharlotteinspector.com/ http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/
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Green Chemicals – Powerful, Environment-Safe Cleaning Solutions

October 19, 2009 | By Articles are the property of their respective Authors In environment | Comments(0)

Green Chemicals – Powerful, Environment-Safe Cleaning Solutions

Cleaning is always an irksome task – no matter what kind of cleaning you are
involved in. Cleaning your home, car, business, or carpets can involve a lot of
washing, scrubbing, and wiping to make surfaces clean and fresh-smelling. Most
of us face this daily ordeal of cleaning armed with a range of cleaning
chemicals.

Commercial cleaning chemicals often contain abrasive detergents and harsh
chemicals that can pose health risks. However, with green chemicals, it is now
possible to achieve outstanding cleaning results without risking exposure to any
toxic chemicals. Green chemicals allow you to also accomplish similar or better
cleaning results than can be achieved with commercially available cleaners.

Powerful yet Safe Formulation

Green chemicals are powerful yet completely safe primarily due to their unique,
plant-based, natural formulation. Being sourced from nature, green chemical
products are non-toxic, chlorine-free and non-corrosive. This means they are
absolutely safe for use around plants, kids or pets.

The technologically advanced formulation of these green cleaners empowers them
with enhanced cleaning power. The nano-sized particles comprising these green
chemicals can penetrate into grease, dirt, and stains better than the
traditional cleaning solutions rendering these residues easier to remove. No
wonder, these green cleaning solutions are widely used in a host of industries
ranging from aircraft maintenance, auto detailing, and hospitality services to
carpet cleaning businesses, industrial fleet maintenance and odor control
services.

Green Chemicals for Different Applications

Now let us take a look at the different applications of green chemicals:

# Auto detailing

Green car wash chemicals contain powerful natural ingredients that can tackle
heavy-duty car-cleaning jobs without causing any damage to the vehicle surfaces.
The superior cleaning action of these green chemicals not only helps eliminate
dirt but also ensures that the dirt particles do not reattach to the vehicle
surfaces. Whether you use these green chemicals by hand or with pressure
washers, these green cleaners will leave your vehicle cleaner for longer.

# Truck Detailing

Although green truck wash solutions are meant for cleaning the exteriors of
trucks, you can use them in combination with mobile detailing machines to clean
a range of surfaces like metal, aluminum, rubber, vinyl, leather, painted, or
upholstered surfaces.

# HVAC cleaning and maintenance

The micro particles present in green coil-cleaning chemicals makes cleaning and
maintenance an easy job for HVAC professionals. Using green coil cleaners is a
guaranteed way to increase the surface area of exposed coil, and thus, the heat
transfer rate. Being completely free of petroleum derivatives, corrosives, or
benzenes, these green chemicals are safe solutions for powerful cleaning.

# Carpet cleaning

There are also green chemicals available for cleaning carpets. These carpet
cleaners include natural and powerful ingredients that can remove the most
stubborn stains unbelievably fast. Green carpet cleaning solutions work by first
trapping dirt particles and then crystallizing them so that the dirt does not
reattach to the carpets. The crystallized dirt particles can later be vacuumed
off.

# Degreasing

You also get to purchase green versions of degreasers. These degreasing
solutions are especially great for tackling the grease of vehicles. These
plant-based degreasing solutions are amazingly effective in removing grease and
oil without damaging vehicle surfaces.

The list does not end here. Regardless of what your cleaning requirements, there
are green chemicals available from reputed suppliers to help you simplify
cleaning tasks while doing your bit to protect the environment.

Daimer markets the most complete line of environmentally safe green chemicals,
including janitorial, marine, agricultural, and many other green cleaning
products formulated using Micro-Blasting technology for auto detailing, pressure
washing and carpet cleaners.