Rising temperatures often lead to increased water and energy consumption, which can mean higher utility bills. As customers’ bills skyrocket during the summer, so does demand for water and energy-efficient renovations, especially in the West and Southwest, which continue to face tough drought conditions.
When demand for this type of job and these product categories goes up, remodelers can add value for clients by identifying opportunities to increase efficiency and sustainability in almost every aspect of home improvement.
Reduce Energy
Upgrade lighting: LED lighting is efficient and increasingly affordable, which can translate to big savings when purchasing light bulbs for jobsite installation.
- Add value by installing LED-powered track lighting systems or fixtures. Hampton Bay’s Oil-Rubbed Bronze Track Lighting Fixture has a 24,000-hour LED life – lasting nearly three years with average use.
- Replace incandescent lightbulbs with LEDs, such as Cree or Philips 60W, that use 84 percent less energy and last 25 times longer. By downloading the Wink app, clients in larger homes can keep energy bills low by controlling certain light bulbs from their smart phones.
- Save time and money by purchasing bulbs through The Home Depot’s Pro Direct program, accessible at the Pro Desk in local Home Depot stores.
Upgrade and maintain HVAC: Reduce in-home air conditioning energy up to 50 percent by switching to Energy Star qualified high-efficiency units. After upgrading, educate customers on annual maintenance practices, such as cleaning evaporator coils, preventing clogs by passing a wire through units’ drain channels and routinely replacing / cleaning air filters.
Install programmable thermostats: With Nest or ecobee thermostats, clients can adjust their homes’ temperatures from their smart phones. Using the Wink App, they can also receive reminders to change filters or receive alerts when faced with extreme temperatures.
Save Water
Renovate bathrooms with WaterSense-certified products: Save households up to 11,000 gallons of water over the course of 15 to 20 years by installing WaterSense®-certified products. For example, Delta offers faucets, toilets and showerheads – providing a range of options for bathroom renovations.
Upgrade water heaters: Save water and energy by upgrading customers’ water heaters to compliant models. For example, the Rheem XR 90 Model, has the footprint of a 30-gallon water heater but the output of a 50-gallon unit – making it an excellent option if more hot water is needed but space is limited.
Fix leaky plumbing: Annual household leaks waste one trillion gallons of water nationwide, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Reduce clients’ potential plumbing leaks by examining the functionality of all toilets, faucets and showerheads and replacing faulty appliances with WaterSense-certified products.
Integrating sustainable products and solutions into residential jobs can save time and money both for the client and the service provider.
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