Green Household Projects

Rainwater Collection

• Select a location for a rainwater-collection barrel that is close to the area you intend to irrigate. Rain barrels are available in capacities from 40 to 80 gallons that you can connect to a downspout. Connecting a hose to a valve fitting located on the bottom of the barrel then allows you to use rainwater in an irrigation system.

Composite Decking

• Replacing worn wooden decking with composite material will benefit the environment by saving some trees. Since wood is not necessary to repairing a worn deck or building a new one, you get the extra benefit of using recyclable materials that have the potential to last as long as 25 years.

Waterless Urinal

• Urinals are not just for commercial locations. The installation of a waterless urinal in your bathroom can become a green project that serves as an effective water-conservation method. As the name implies, no water is flushed when using one of these fixtures, which translates into a saving of a gallon of water per flush.

Tubular Skylights

• Tubular skylights are a green choice that result in less use of electricity through a natural means of lighting. Tubular skylight designs vary considerably in material as well as size. Since no complex framing is necessary, installation of a tubular skylight is often easy enough for homeowners to do on their own.

Programmable Thermostat

• A programmable thermostat for the heating and cooling system of your house offers you precise control over the system. These thermostats can be installed in place of your current thermostat and come with a variety of different capabilities. The more options available, the more control over the distribution of heating and cooling you'll have, but even a simple programmable thermostat can be set to automatically change the temperature setting when you leave in the morning and before you come back at night.

Direct Vent Fireplace

• Installing a gas fireplace insert that features direct venting results in combustion air being pulled into the house from outside rather than from inside. Another benefit of a direct venting fireplace is that the interior air and combustion air don't mix, thus keeping the indoor air clean. One last benefit is that heated air is not wasted rising up a chimney.