This is guest post by Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s home expert. Lou is a nationally recognized home and do-it-yourself expert who has an energetic and entertaining personality. Lou is a master at giving tips on greening your home, home maintenance, home projects that can save you money, and do-it-yourself projects in a way that even the most novice do-it-yourselfer can understand. He has authored five DIY books and hosts a nationally syndicated TV program called House Smarts as well as The Mr. Fix It Show, Chicago’s number one Saturday morning radio program.
Who says completing green updates around your home should take a long time and cost a lot of money? Here are some simple ways that you can enhance your home with products that are better for the environment, and save money.
1. Install a super low flow showerhead in your bathroom. A standard showerhead uses 2.2-gallons of water per minute. You can find a 1.5-gallon per minute showerhead at your local Ace like the Whedon Standard 1.5 Saver Shower Head, and install it in about five minutes.
To do this, remove the old head by holding the shower arm with a pair of slip joint pliers while you loosen the showerhead with another pair of slip joint pliers. Next, clean the treads on the shower arm and apply some Teflon tape to help seal the threads. Once this is done, simply install the new showerhead and enjoy all of your water savings!
2. To improve indoor air quality, add more plants to the inside of your home. Plants not only add life to your home, but they also help to clean the air.
3. Replace the six most used light bulbs in your home with either CFL or LED bulbs to save up to $60 per year. GE has a line of Energy Smart LED light bulbs in various wattages as well as a line of CFL light bulbs that are great options for your home.
4. Convert your toilet to a dual flush model using HydroRight’s Dual Flush Converter. It’s quick and easy to install and can help your home use up to 70 percent less water.
5. Apply dry erase paint, such as the one made by Rustoleum, to a wall in your home and you will never have to use or purchase a paper sticky note again. By painting a wall in your home with this new product, you can turn any surface into a dry erase board. It’s a fun and smart way to eliminate the use of excess paper around your home.
You can learn more about all of the above tips at your local Ace Hardware store and by visiting the Ace Hardware website.
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