Is That Home Eco-Friendly?

Is That Home Eco-Friendly?, by Des Moines Real Estate Experts RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts

So you want to buy a green home in Des Moines, 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.  New homes and newly remodeled homes are using this practice more and more.

When new items are purchased for a 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 less water than a top load machine.

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 Des Moines 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 cooling.  Landscaping is important too.  Plants that are native to Des Moines 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.

Green homes help the homeowner’s budget as well as the environment.

There is a lot of free information available to you about buying, selling or investing in Des Moines real estate. For complete information about everything Des Moines real estate visit us at Real Estate with RE/MAX. Please feel free to contact us with any of your real estate or mortgage related questions and we will be more than glad to answer your questions. Call us at 1-800-708-5890 or email us at dsm@realestateconcepts.net.