Going green is not a new term in today’s world. With new studies of the current supply and demand of natural resources we have become a country that is working hard to preserve our resources and find alternative ways to maintain our current standard of living.  The going green initiative has brought us hybrid and electric cars and has now transitioned into green homes. When buying a home or even selling a house, going green has become a buzzword.  Many believe that a great time to make the change to go green is when you first purchase a home.  When buying a Bay Area home there are so many local resources to allow you to achieve your goal of going green. Now, you may associate going green as expensive, but here are 3 things you can do to update your homes green thumbprint that will pay off.

  1. Seal Gaps Around Widows & Doors

This is particularly important for older Bay Area homes. Older homes tend to have more gaps around windows and doors which add up.  You have the indoor heat from a cold winter’s day or the cold from a summer’s day seeping out the gaps becoming wasted energy and money. Some East Bay homes would see this impact even more in the extreme cold days.  Sealing the gaps will keep the air in and conserve energy all while saving you money each month. Some homes depending on the age may need the windows to be updated to dual pane glass. Danville and Alamo have a large amount of older homes so if you are buying a home in Danville or Alamo this may be something that you want to take into consideration and budget for at the time of purchase.

  1. Switch Light Bulbs to LED

This is an easy fix! LED lightbulbs have become a common choice when it comes to lighting. LED lightbulbs use up to 75% less energy than standard lightbulbs. That is a HUGE difference.  Not only do they conserve energy they also have a longer life span compared to the standard lightbulb. This is such an easy thing to change you could do it when you buy your home or even when you decide to refinance your Danville home or Blackhawk house. The benefits are well worth it. They last longer, save energy, and save you money- why haven’t you changed them yet?

  1. Fix Leaky Faucets

We have all had that sink that has the permanent drip, drip, drip. Don’t just ignore it! As small and silly as it may sound, it is wasting water and costing you money. Walk around your East Bay home and make note of all leaking faucets and toilets and get them fixed. Not all leaks are clearly visible from inside the Bay Area home. A key indication that you might have a big leak is if you see a sudden spike in your water bill. If you see this, do not put it off! This is a mistake that so many Bay Area homeowners make before they sell their home. If you do not fix the situation as soon as possible it can become an even more costly project down the road. It is important to note that if you are in the process of buying a Bay Area home that you make sure your home inspector looks for any leaky faucets to ensure that they haven’t caused any big problems.

Whether you are buying a home in Danville that needs a full energy efficient update or just wanting to make a few small changes to your San Ramon house, you can easily turn a non-energy efficient Bay Area home into one by implementing these 3 steps and you are well on your way down the path to green living!