West Hartford Green Home - So you want to buy a green home in West Hartford, but don’t know where to start? There are many points to consider when evaluating if a home is environmentally friendly. Being green is more than just using eco-friendly products. Other items to look at include sustainability and efficiency.

Of course using products that were produced with the environment in mind is important. However, sometime it can be green to use an older product. Recycling vintage products such as antique flooring or decorative hardware is eco-friendly because new materials and energy are not being consumed to create the product and the previously used items are not going to the landfill. New homes and newly remodeled homes are using this practice more and more. A great source in the West Hartford area is The ReCONNstruction Center. 

When new items are purchased for a West Hartford green home there are several points to consider. Water and energy consumption are big factors. A green home can appear to be the same as a traditional home. Both homes have toilets, water heaters, showers, clothes washers, and garden irrigation systems. The difference between the two houses is the green home chooses environmentally conscious designed appliances to do the job. A tankless water heater uses less energy to heat because the water is heated only when called for. Traditional water heaters use energy to keep the water in the tank hot 24/7. Showerheads in the bathroom and faucets on all of the sinks can be installed with flow restrictors. This will use less water. A front load washing machine uses much less water than a top load machine, in fact the University of Leeds has designed a machine that uses just one cup of water per wash!

The landscape of a home can tell a lot about how efficient and sustainable it is. The orientation of a home on the land should be eco-friendly. When looking at homes in the West Hartford area notice how the home sits on the property. It should make the most out of daylight. This will reduce the need for heating and lighting. Landscaping is important too. Plants that are native to New England have many benefits over other landscaping. Native plants use less water, need less maintenance, and generally are less susceptible to pests. Other green landscaping practices include a system for gathering rain water and grey water to use as irrigation. Well placed trees can make the property look good and also help shield the home from the summer sun thereby reducing your cooling needs and costs.

Green homes help the homeowner’s budget as well as the environment. Looking at a home which needs renovation, consider a “green” renovation and an FHA 203k loan that allows you to finance both the cost to purchase the property but also the renovations. Get the money to install that super efficient furnace, insulation, energy star appliances and more. Ask me for information about how you can finance your “green” renovations.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying a green home in West Hartford. For complete information about the West Hartford real estate market including current homes for sale, property values and more please call me on my cell at 860-306-8029 or email me.