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22 Great Tips to Make your Student Room a Home

Student rooms don’t have to be dull, bland and boring. It is easy to transform them into a home-from-home using inspirational ideas you will find in this infographic. Instant makeovers don’t have to cost a fortune; simply by moving furniture around you can change the look of a room.

Put some color and energy onto walls without painting or wallpapering by displaying personal photographs, posters or wall decals. Have fun with the display, make it heart shaped or randomly placed to cover unsightly marks.

Brighten up a student room by using inexpensive fairy lights, which are much kinder to your eyes than a central ceiling light. Alternatively add table lamps to highlight dark, gloomy corners.

Storage doesn’t have to be a problem either. Think outside the box so to speak, and use the space under your bed or use decorative boxes and make a feature of your stored items.

Bring a fresh smell into the room using scented candles or reeds, much nicer than stale odors or your room mates’ smelly socks.

One aspect you should try to keep in order clutter. It may be easy to have a floordrobe, but it will only make your room look and feel much smaller, not to mention a messy state that you’ll soon tire of.

Use the infographic to get a handle on how to make your student room more livable. It will boost your morale and give you a place you can call home.

 
 22 Great Tips to Make your Student Room a Home Infographic
22 Great Tips to Make your Student Room a Home Infographic by The Rug Seller

3 Secrets for Home Shopping

3-secrets-for-home-shopping

Everyone wants to have a home, but for many, this excellent goal is hard to achieve practically. What with high price inflation, and low salaries, the cost of a typical home in the United States is usually 4-5 times the annual wage of a typical worker. Many people throw up their hands in despair, and go for a long term mortgage loan in order to eventually meet their goal of home ownership. Sadly, this goal is often far away, and refinancing, along with recent housing crisis, causes it to not be as tangible as one might wish.

What are the secrets to becoming a home owner outright? For the first tip, Warren Buffett has a general phrase for all who want to practice his billionaire wisdom. “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful” How does this apply to housing?

When it comes to buying their first home, most people automatically jump to a multi-decade mortgage loan. The mortgage loan industry in the United States is gigantic for this reason, and the government incentives for refinancing are large. Citizens of this country are greedy in this area, judging by Buffett’s principle. Buffett would caution us to be fearful when others are greedy. Now, many people would say, “But how can I get a home then? The prices are so outrageous!”

This brings us to our second secret, sheriff’s and foreclosure auction web sites. Searching Google for auction and foreclosure brings up a lot of gems that just need a little polishing. Many places that are high crime, or have a reputation for being full of certain ethnicities that some are prejudiced against also have a very low price level. A great example is Detroit, Michigan. After the 2008 economic bailout of General Motors, the city of Detroit literally went bankrupt. There are still decent houses in Detroit selling right now for $1000 cash, out of the city’s desperation to sell. As a caveat, sometimes such houses have to be fixed up to code, but this is a far cry from a cracker box mansion that goes for 5 times a worker’s annual salary.

The third secret to home shopping is to look internationally. Sites like Land Watch and Craig’s List are a great place to start. Price levels overseas are usually far lower than in the US. Homes in China, the Philippines, or Mexico, are often within reach for 1 year of savings from a hard American worker. This technique profits from the distortions that are prevalent in global finance. Powerful countries often manipulate their currencies to be artificially high, so people will sell to them. Weak countries manipulate their currencies to be artificially low, so people will buy from them. This leaves a lot of undervalued assets just across the border. If an individual can swallow their patriotic pride, and consider investing overseas, the benefits are often immense.

Now, in selecting your home, it pays to remember what you actually need. Many people buy a home that is a cracker box mansion, but they are only in it for 3 hours a day. This home is pretty much a waste, and a drain on your personal finances. Identify what you actually need. If you need the huge mansion, then great, but the essentials are often met with much less.

Balancing quality and price are important as well. In the Detroit homes above, many people would shy away from such a purchase because of the perception of low quality. However, an ancient Jewish king once observed, “He who builds a high gate invites destruction.” Having a fancy home in a nice neighborhood can often make you a target for vandalism and theft. It is important if your home is nice to have at least a small home warranty, which adds an additional expense to an already overpriced asset. Keeping things simple, and laying aside prejudices can make even the poorest of us happy home owners.

 

 

Proper Ways to Manage a Construction Company

Having gone through one of the most difficult periods, the construction business is back in the saddle. What’s more, the residential building construction industry was the fastest growing industry for small businesses recently (source: Sageworks). This is mainly a consequence of significant rise in housing demand.

Also, another five industries among the top 10 fastest growing ones among small businesses are closely related to the construction industry, including professionals such as contractors, realtors and architects. With the expected growth and development in the field of commercial construction, we’ll probably notice increased demand for business office space and retail buildings.

For those thinking about entering the world of the construction industry, these are all encouraging signs. For those already there, the future holds some great challenges imposed by the more demanding tasks requested by clients and by stronger competition than ever. Let’s look at some aspects that need your special attention in order to run the organization as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Proper Ways to Manage a Construction Company

Expenditure

You need to examine and re-evaluate your expenditure carefully, particularly your fixed costs. Those are the things you have to pay for even if you have no job to do and no income to make, such as rent, utilities and salaries. Having a detailed understanding of your overhead is essential for you as a manager/owner, since it needs to be taken into account when bidding on jobs and making profit.

Flexibility

Clients tend to change orders from time to time, which means you’re asked to do something that’s not within the scope of the original contract. If not analyzed and answered properly, such requests can endanger the profitability of the whole project at the end. However, if dealt with flexibly and shrewdly, they are an excellent opportunity to make extra profit, since you already have a contract and don’t have to compete with anyone. If you manage and complete change orders and turn the additional work into billable time, you’ll reap the rewards for being flexible and well-organized.

construction business

Accounting

This is an area where you definitely need professional assistance from an expert, who’ll be able to advise you on the best accounting software program and the way you should set up your accounts and generate reports. This is also an aspect of your job where an early investment will pay off in the long run, since you’ll be saving time and you’ll be able to manage cash flow more efficiently. Also, you might need advice from experts on various other matters, such as professional asset remarketing, choosing the right benefits for employees, etc.

Professional development

Like in all other types of business, one of the key issues and possibly your unique selling proposition is quality staff. If your system encourages growth, promotion and rewards, your employees are much more likely to be loyal, meaning you won’t need to spend unnecessary time dealing with staff turnover. This is particularly important for small businesses, even more so if the person leaving your company was in a strategic position. You waste both time and resources looking for a replacement, which is an exhausting task.

Furthermore, if your employees have a chance to get training, embrace responsibilities and be rewarded accordingly, your organization will operate more efficiently.

Another tip is to invest some time initially to write down the procedures to be implemented. That will streamline unnecessary questions, minimize errors and prevent redundant costs and damage on the site.

Being in this business also means you need to adhere strictly to many state regulations related to chemicals used and safety at work. Your procedures are one measure of compliance, but they aren’t carved in stone. Feel free to revisit and redraft them to accommodate any changes taking place in the meantime.

 

 

A trend to follow: kitchen inspired by a natural look

According to an AGA Cookshop research, people spend 3 years of their life in the kitchen. Converted to hours, it means you’ll spend 27,156 hours of your precious lifetime sweating over a hot stove. Having this in mind, it’s normal that you feel the urge to turn this part of your home into a comfortable but also practical space. So, if you’re thinking of renovating, consider the natural look as an inspiration. Natural materials, neutral colours, lots of light – those are the trendy kitchen options lately. Besides the fact that they look great, natural kitchens are also affordable, environment-friendly and easily adjusted to every kitchen size. Now that we got you interested, here are a few basic guidelines.

Give greenery the green light

Being in the centre of the spectrum, green is the color of balance. It’s soothing for both the eyes and the soul. Green paint on the kitchen walls or green kitchen cabinets will turn your cookery into a peaceful oasis but why not take a step further, and have a literal green wall inside your house? Choose a wall and cover it partially or completely with greenery. You’ll need a growing medium, such as soil, but the possibilities are endless. You can have the best of both worlds by using the green wall to plant herbs and have home-grown fresh ingredients for your meals every day. Aloe Vera or spider plant makes the great air purifiers so consider that as an option for your green wall.

basil green

As cool as natural stones

Granite, marble, limestone, slate – you name it. Natural stones are a timeless option for home décor. They can be used for everything from countertops to walls and floors, but bear in mind that stones are cold so you might want to avoid putting it on the floor. Consider wooden floors instead, or invest either in underfloor heating or big, cozy rugs made of naturally warm materials such as wool. Marble kitchen countertops or dining tables will bring a dash of elegance into every home. Besides, natural stones are a long-term option for any part of your home due to their endurance and longevity.

stone

Feel the warmth of the wood

Wood is very versatile and a true classic among home décor materials, therefore, always a good idea. Almost any surface in your kitchen can be covered with wood, you just need to choose your colour palette. Another good news is that you can easily get crafty and decorate your kitchen yourself. Invest in a high-quality delta drill press, get a hammer, a tape measure, and other woodworking tools and start tinkering. Choose the timber that matches your desired colour palette and your budget, decide whether you want a glossy or matte finish and you’re good to go. You can opt for affordable woods such as walnut, oak, poplar, or go exotic with cedar, mahogany, and teak – any type of wood will blend perfectly into your natural-inspired kitchen.

kitchen

Let there be (day)light

Nothing says Mother Nature like lots of natural light in your home. Light makes any room look more spacious and it’s proven to be beneficial for relieving stress and enhancing focus. Big windows with curtains made of light materials are the best option for your kitchen, of course, but what if this is not possible in your house or apartment? Consider adding a mirror or two to help create an illusion of a lighter and bigger space, or opt for good artificial lights. Picking the right colour temperature is essential so make sure your lamps are at warm Kelvin temperature (2700k-3500k). Also, opt for LED lamps since they last much longer than traditional light sources and use much less energy. With smart lamp positioning, your kitchen will look much bigger and like it’s naturally lit.

If you didn’t think about renovating your kitchen to look more natural earlier, you certainly will now. The good news is that it’s pretty simple – opt for natural materials and neutral colours and your kitchen will get the organic, rustic, all-natural vibe in no time.

Bio: Nicole is a lifestyle blogger passionate about travel, healthy living and interior design. She enjoys sharing her experiences with others. In her free time she loves to design clothes and furniture. You can find her on Twitter and FB

It’s Never Too Late With Emergency Plumbing Services

A clogged toilet is surely a big inconvenience for the people; however, matters tend to get worse when it happens at 3am on a weekend which makes the situation just a tad more chaotic. This results in a complete meltdown for the individual and, since it is the early hours of the morning, finding a plumber difficulties a difficult affair. The problem of emergency plumbing is not something that tends to bother a lot of people, be it residential or even a commercial business which has a lot of emphasis on plumbing. Any type of emergency can arise any time and this is when a plumber is required. A proper professional can now be availed at any time of the day and night with the emergency plumbing services.

emergency plumbing services

Service at any Time

There are now many agencies that provide emergency plumbing services for commercial businesses and residences at odd hours in different cities. These services are a life saver for the emergency situations such as clogged piping to even faulty valves, the professionals are luckily at hand to address the problem and help in fixing it permanently.

Making a right Decision

Although, there are a lot of services available, there are also agencies out there that often tend to overcharge and such companies have the exuberantly high costs that they charge the customers to arrive at an odd time or emergency situation. To avoid being overcharged, it is best to check with the local agencies providing the service and choose the one with the best quote.

Checking Their Services

In terms of the services that are provided, the list is comprehensive and includes every possible specialist based on what the customer chooses while he/she is calling for an emergency service. The customer will be given a rough quote when they select the required service and can be observed as follows:-

  • Drain specialists
  • Checking, fixing of underground water, sewage and gas lines
  • Garbage disposal from piping
  • Observation of piping through video cameras
  • Trenching services
  • Backhoe services
  • Fixing of backflows

Services like the ones mentioned earlier are something that happens in an emergency situation and these are difficult for customers to handle on their own and compulsorily requires the need of emergency plumbing services. The customer needs to be aware of the different services in the area and keep a track on the agency they wish to call for any kind of emergency situations if they arise.

  • The best way is to go through customer feedback on various consumer report sites which help the customers in finding out what their experience was with a particular company and this helps them in better understanding the quality of the services being offered as well as the company’s pricing policy and the way they treat their customers.
  • This helps in discovering any forms of hidden costs which some companies tend to charge in order to inflate the bill even further and can be extremely inconvenient to the customer and having a good feedback with a detailed list of pricing can do wonders for the company and help it in attracting more customers as well.
  • When it comes to the corporate based services and even jetting services, the emergency plumbing services are one of the most critical services that are in need. Businesses that often rely on a lot of plumbing can face troubles at odd times which can range from simple backflows to even problems with their gas lines which need fixing.

An emergency plumber in this situation can help them in easily identifying the problem and fix it before any damage is done.

Dog Friendly Offices

Having a dog friendly office is beneficial to employers and employees in a number of advantageous ways. This infographic shows how having a dog in your work office can increase productivity, help employee retention and lower the number of sick days staff take.

For dog lovers, dog-friendly offices are welcome – why leave your pet at home when he can sit beside you while you work? When you become stressed, reach down and stroke your dog and the love hormone Oxytocin will be released into your bloodstream  helping to lower blood pressure and de-stress you.

Dogs in the work place can also help improve employee morale and attract a younger workforce, as nearly 50% of people who completed the survey stated that they would be more likely to apply for a job if they could take their dog to work with them.

Large employers, including Google, Amazon and Ben and Jerrys are taking the lead, so to speak, by having dog-friendly office events and days. While all employers are encouraged by events such as Bring Your Dog To Work Day to raise money for charities that are dedicated to dog welfare.

The benefits of having a dog-friendly office are highlighted in the guide, along with ways to make an office more dog-friendly.

”Making
Making your Office Dog Friendly by Euroffice.

 

What Is the Significance of Instant Hot Water System in Households?

The process of heating water is thermodynamic, where an energy source is utilized to heat the water above the initial temperature. The typical uses of such water include cleaning, cooking, bathing and at times space heating as well. To offer a continuous supply of hot water there are a wide range of appliances used, one such potent type is the instant hot water heaters which are gaining immense popularity. They are powerful heaters, where water flows across a device and is not retained internally, except for the amount essential inside the heat exchanger coil.

For optimal efficiency, most of the instantaneous water heaters are equipped with copper heat exchangers that are known for their ease of fabrication and thermal conductivity. Important thing is that they can be installed at multiple point of use, which can both be larger than that of the centralized models or far from the water heating areas and yet be able to provide hot water for the entire house. One of the best advantages of these heaters is their continuous flow, giving you plenty of water without any limits and in turn ensuring high savings too.

Instant Hot Water System

3 Promising Advantages of Instant Hot Water Heaters

There are three impressive advantages offered by these water heating systems, which have made them what they are today:

  • Tankless: This is perhaps one of the most obvious benefits of going with the instant hot water systems and i.e. they are tankless. This means they do not have any sort of storage tank within the device, rather heat the water directly from the supply. Put it simply, as the tap is turned on then the cold water flows across the pipes, where it is heated by electric, burner or gas elements, offering constant supply of water. With this you will never have to wait for the tank to fill, heat the water and then supply it to the household.
  • Tankless Water Heating Elements: These heaters have the ability to provide water with a rate of 3-5 gallons in one minute. Moreover, the gas powered systems have the ability to produce better flow rate. However, the only concern with them is that they are unable to come with hot water in multiple areas at one time. For example, if you are washing dishes and taking bath at the same time, then even the tankless water heater will be tested beyond its limits.
  • Energy Saving: There is a lot that you can save with the help of these heaters. An ENERGY STAR rated device can save almost $100 or even more per annum and the best part is that they come with a lifespan of more than 20 years. This is what makes them a wise investment for house, because you spend less and get many benefits at once.

How to Select the Right Tankless Water Heater?

Hot Water Heaters

Whether you are planning to replace your existing water heater or installing a brand new unit, having the instant hot water systems can be a remarkable solution. But, the important thing that should be noted here is that every heater is not the same, they differ greatly in terms of the type of heating element, efficiency, size and price. Therefore, before starting your hunt for the best one it is vital to prepare a budget and then enlist your requirements in accordance to it.

Once you are ready with your set of requirements, make sure that you take care of the following aspects

  • The type of system that will suit your climate
  • The energy resources that are available with you
  • The running cost and purchase cost of various models
  • The amount of water required for your daily household activities.

There you have it- consider the aforementioned tips and you will be able to find an instant hot water system in no time.

Author Bio:

Joseph Webb is an excellent blogger and philosopher, His keen observation to provide useful information which helps readers to get more idea. Follow him on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

Design your Own Custom Made Cabinets for Home Kitchen

The internet search for custom kitchen cabinets gallery, custom cabinetry, and plain fancy cabinetry kitchen, custom made cabinets are most common searched terms when people are looking to furnish a residence, unfurnished homes and semi-furnished homes. The kitchen is one place you frequent on a daily basis. Either to get you hot cup of coffee, to have a chilled beer, or to cook a healthy meal for your family, your kitchen is the place. A lot of homes, where the dining table is accommodated in the kitchen have a happy time hosting friends or even just the family having dinner after a long days work. Being such an important part of the house and a space that actually hosts so many smiling faces, it needs to be perfect – in terms of cleanliness, creativity, convenience and cool.  Let’s call it the 4 Cs.

kitchen cabinets

Cleanliness: A kitchen is clean, when you have enough storage space to put away all the utensils and enclose other kitchen equipment. Also, avoid cabinets’ right above your gas hob, as it makes the cabinets too sticky with grease. You will end up cleaning your cabinet more often. Also decide how many cabinets you will need.

Creativity: Put on your thinking cap and see how you can custom make your kitchen. Come up with ideas and utilize every inch of your kitchen in order to keep it clean. 

Convenience: The cabinets must be arranged in such a way, that you get your cooking essentials quickly and hassle free. The cabinets must not be arranged too high, if the person who cooks is short. These are the various small but essential things to keep in mind.

Cool:  The reason for furnishing your kitchen is for all the above reasons and to make it look cool. Impress your family and friends with your new kitchen

Where to Find Kitchen Cabinet Ideas

If you bought an unfurnished home, you can design your own home kitchen with the below mentioned Kitchen ideas for storage space. Furnishing your home kitchen may take a couple of weeks’ time. You can find affordable kitchen cabinets online or from nearby home decor showrooms.  You will find plenty of ready-made items. But customizing your kitchen helps you save a lot of space.

Get Kitchen Cabinet Ideas from your Friends and Relatives

You may have visited many of your friends and relative’s homes whose kitchens may have impressed you. You can consult with them and hire the services from their contractor or home improvement services.

custom kitchen cabinets

Check Online for Custom Kitchen Cabinets

The smart way to get custom kitchen cabinets is to search online. There are thousands of kitchen cabinet designs available on the web. It is advisable to select those kitchens cabinet designs which suit your home kitchen. The advantages of checking online are:

  • You can find the latest designs in home kitchen cabinets.
  • There are many designer kitchen cabinets, fancy kitchen cabinets, and plain kitchen cabinets, which you can custom make for your home kitchen.
  • You can get an idea of price for making wooden cabinets, metal cabinets and fully laminated stylish cabinets.
  • You can read the real time customer reviews of custom kitchen cabinets.

Hire the Service from Professional Home Decorators

You can furnish your dream home kitchen by hiring the professional service from a trusted home decorator near your place. Advantages are :

  • You can talk to them face to face and provide your own cabinet designs and they will design them accordingly.
  • You can get the exact cost for wooden cabinet if you like woods in your home kitchen.
  • They can construct at your home or do it from their place and fix them accordingly.
  • They are the excellent service provider to do custom design of your dream kitchen.
  • You have complete control on what they are offering you. You can walk into their office if you have any concern.

Hire the Service from Professional Interior Designers

The home interior designers are the best when you wish to furnish your kitchen at an affordable cost. If you have unique cabinet designs for your home kitchen, they do it as per your requirement. They do arrange second sale kitchen cabinets, if you wish to furnish your home kitchen quickly.

3 Simple Backyard Improvements That Will Expand Your Living Space

3 Simple Backyard Improvements That Will Expand Your Living Space

Your house is just a fraction of your living space. There are several ways to upgrade your backyard to make it a more appealing and inviting space for entertaining or simply for relaxing in the fresh air. The following backyard improvements will provide you with enjoyment for years to come. They can be completed as a do-it-yourself project or subcontracted out to professionals.

Fire Pit

Fire pits are a simple addition to your home enjoyed by one person on a quiet night or several people during a party or after dinner. You can build your fire pit in a weekend day with materials from your local hardware store. You can construct a simple paver or concrete block fire pit as a circular or square design. Make sure to build the structure to accept the fire pit insert, and stabilize the structure by staggering each block layer.

Gather ideas about materials, mainly shape and color by browsing fire pit galleries online.

fire pit

Garden Swing

This isn’t your kid’s swing. Garden swings or arbor swings are sturdier and larger to accommodate adults. While the project is more labor and time intensive than the fire pit project, it can still be completed in a weekend. The tools for this project are also more specialized but need not be purchased. You can often rent the tools you don’t own from a local home improvement center or equipment rental business.

Wooden-Garden-Swing

Arbor swings usually start with square or round beams sunk in concrete. An auger can make digging the hole much easier. This is one of the tools you can rent if don’t own one. After sinking the upright supports, shad is created with the addition of a trellis. Make sure the concrete is dry and the beams are straight before building the trellis. The final step is hanging a swing with chains from the trellis. There are several videos and plans available online giving step-by-step instructions for the project. You might also be able to find plans at your local woodworking center.

Pub Shed

Who hasn’t dreamed of owning their own bar? Possibly, that fantasy involved a cozy little place where friends gather to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company. The dream can come true without the headaches of real bar ownership. Build your own pub shed! This is the most complicated of the projects. The time and complexity will depend on how much of the actual shed construction you take on. Pre-assembled sheds are available if you want to save. Building a shed may take a weekend to a week to complete.

Irish pub

The time it takes to decorate your pub depends on how fancy your interior decoration. Your dream pub may continue to look like your neighbor’s garden shed from the outside. What makes them different is what’s on the inside. Your shed dimensions will dictate how intricate the interior may be. The smallest pub shed might resemble a small food stand, with a window and counter where friends can drink their favorite ale while the host plays bartender inside.

Looking for a more elaborate project? A larger shed might offer a bar area for standing and an open area with chairs or couches for people to sit on. Outside of physical dimensions, money and imagination are your only restraints. So, whether you fancy a traditional English pub or have always dreamed of owning a bar on the beach, create your shed to make your dream come true.

Store Bought or DIY

Whether you want to build your own fire pit, garden swing or pub shed, contract it out, or do something in between, decide how much effort and money you want to invest before you begin. Plans are often available online or at your local home improvement store. Garden shed plans are a good foundation for building your pub shed.

Author Bio

James Houser is former Navy and a father of two. He has a 4yr old son who is currently training to become a Jedi and a 21 month old daughter who is already prepared to rule the galaxy. When James isn’t building forts or being used as a climbing gym by his kids, he enjoys writing, gaming, and listening to the Truth & Justice Podcast. Follow him @sifuhouser.

Basic Guide to Green Home Improvements and PACE Financing

green home improvements

If you are one of those people who are concerned about the environment and the effects of humans on the state of the planet, then green home improvements are most probably something you are already seriously considering. Perhaps you even started introducing such solutions to your home.

However, even if you are still somewhat skeptical about how much of an effect humans as a species have on the environment, you should definitely consider green home improvements for a very simple reason.

This reason, of course, is that such improvements can significantly increase the value of your home should you decide or sell it in the future. Even if not, green home improvements can help you save money. But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

Different Types of Green Home Improvements

Before we get into the whole increased home value thing and the ways in which you can finance these green home improvements, we should say a thing or two about the different choices that you have in front of you.

On the cheaper end of the spectrum, you have solutions such as big ceiling fans which consume only a fraction of the electricity needed to power an A/C system and which are surprisingly effective at cooling down a room. In many countries in the Mediterranean, like Malta for example, most homes do not even have A/C and they employ ceiling fans for all their cooling needs.

Another way to cut down on the amount of energy you spend on your A/C is by installing a programmable thermostat which will allow you to keep your home at the perfect temperature without the need to blast it full on once you come back to a hot or cold home.

There are also plenty of bathroom green improvements that will save you both water and electricity. Conserving water is just as important as reducing the waste of electricity, especially in certain parts of the world. California is probably the most obvious example in the U.S., as a state that is facing a serious water shortage in the very foreseeable future.

Of course, you can always go for the more elaborate and comprehensive green home improvements, such as installing a solar panel system or redoing the insulation on your entire home.

Money Concerns

Different green home improvements will require investments on a different scale. For example, getting a ceiling fan is not going to cost you more than a fine dinner for four at a fancy restaurant. On the other hand, installing solar panels can be quite costly.

One thing to remember here is that, for the most part, green home improvements will save you money on the long run, while also increasing the value of your home, should you wish to sell it. There is a great article on how green improvements increase property value on the Boston Globe website.

Finally, there are also certain ways in which you can make your investment in your green improvements more affordable. One such way is PACE financing.

PACE Financing 101

PACE stands for property assessed clean energy and this type of financing involves the homeowners who wish to install green improvements to their property, the state and local governments which implement PACE programs to help their citizens go green, as well as companies that provide the actual financial means to put these programs through.

This is best explained on a case. We will use Ygrene, one of the country’s few PACE financing companies as an example. Let’s say that you wish to put up a solar panel system on your home, but the initial investment is too pricy. You reach out to Ygrene (or some other company available in your area) and they pay for the whole system. You immediately start saving money on your energy bills and you only start paying them back after a certain amount of time has passed.

Once you start repaying, this becomes part of your property tax and you pay it that way. One thing to point out is that interest rates are tax-deductible, meaning that you are only paying for the principal. If you decide to sell the home, the repayments stay with the home, meaning that you do not keep paying for the improvements you no longer use.

All in all, it makes for a much better way to finance your green home improvements, especially since these programs are usually overseen by state or local governments which prevents shady stuff that often comes with novel financing methods.

Closing Word

The time was never better to start installing green home improvements to your home, especially with financing options like PACE. These improvements will reduce your bills, increase the value of your property and, what may turn out to be the most important factor, these improvements will also help conserve the environment.

AUTHOR: James Burbank has spent too many years in the trade show industry. He usually blogs about business, but from time to time, he likes to do an article on one of his main passions – green living. Check him out on Twitter – @JBurbank2019.

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