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Going green on your next remodel? Add tile to your green product list

By
Real Estate Agent with Future Home Realty-Tarpon Springs, FL

LIVE IN TARPON SPRINGS, FL

(ARA) - Are you planning an upcoming remodel for your home? Going green and using sustainable building materials continues to be a top trend in home improvement. Remodeling green isn't just about using products with recycled content, it's also about using superior products that will stand the test of time and reduce energy costs.

You can choose from a number of options when remodeling green, including modern energy-efficient appliances and low-VOC paints. Traditional products can also be environmentally friendly. For example, many homeowners choosing to go green are selecting ceramic tile for a variety of reasons.

Ceramic tile is inherently a sustainable product. It's a great choice because it lasts up to four times longer than carpet and wood flooring. It never needs to be refinished like wood floors do, contributing to a low lifecycle cost. To clean, all you have to use is hot water which means no harsh chemicals are flushed into the ecosystem.

Tile also doesn't release fumes or fibers into the air like carpet can. Many people dislike carpet because it houses microbes and other germs, and dirt can become deeply embedded, requiring a costly cleaning by a professional. Tile eliminates these issues entirely.

Getting all the great eco-friendly qualities of tile doesn't mean a sacrifice of good design. Tile of Spain manufacturers offer stunning options in any size, format, texture, color and pattern. From modern, sleek designs to ornate, classic patterns, visit www.spaintiles.info to find tile that will perfectly suit your design personality.

Emerging technology has eliminated some of the concerns people tend to have when it comes to tile. Adding new tile used to be a daunting task. Tearing out old layers and disposing of them is messy and time-consuming. New slim tiles are only 3 to 6 millimeters thick and thin enough to be applied over existing tile, offering a new look to walls and floors with less hassle, and saving construction waste from the landfill.

Tile no longer has to be cold. It's an ideal product to use in raised flooring and radiant heating. In fact, technological advances now allow for the tile to work in tandem with a home's HVAC system. High-tech tiles adopt the temperature of the room and once past a certain temperature use nano energy storage cells to absorb thermal energy and then slowly release it back into the room. This technology alone can save the average home more than 16 percent in electricity bills.

Dry setting tile is now an option for home remodelers as well. Tile can be applied without mortar or grout, which means if you move, you can take the tile with you. Or you can change it in a few years without a lot of work.

If you don't like the appearance of grout lines and worry about keeping these areas clean, there are new options in large format tile which can lessen the number of joints. Additionally, rectification of tile, a process where the edges of the tile are shaved off for perfect calibration, makes it possible to get a very tight "credit card" joint that allows a more seamless appearance.

If sustainability is a key consideration when remodeling, make sure the products you select are durable, easy to clean and are good for the health of your home and the environment. Ceramic tile helps you accomplish all of the above on your green check list.

Rob Dandrea Future Home Realty

Directly: 727-510-2100  Fax: 800-584-2449
I SELL HOMES, NOT HOUSES
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By the way, if you know someone considering buying or selling real estate, I would be happy to help them.  If someone needs help in another city or state, I can even help find a good qualifed agent for them in that area.

 LIVE IN TARPON SPRINGS, FL

Comments (2)

Jeff Armbruster
Century 21 1st American - Tucson, AZ
CDPE,PSC,SFR ph:520.289.7905

Green is the only way to go.

Mar 19, 2011 07:37 PM
Dan Edward Phillips
Dan Edward Phillips, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA - Eureka, CA
Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, CA

Good Morning Rob, great input on current tile selections.

Mar 19, 2011 08:01 PM