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Remodeling Your Home with Kids and Green Wise
Imagine, if you will, letting your child run rampant through an active construction site. We apologize for that terrifying vision. Now, there’s no way you would actually let that happen, but even the smallest of home remodel projects can quickly turn into a playground of peril, with live machinery, open crevices at any given moment, and sharp objects lying willy-nilly throughout the room.
Remodel projects can last anywhere from a single day to several months, and will likely include any number of inconveniences that can disrupt daily life. The good thing is that you can help save stress on your family by following a few simple guidelines.
1. Put a plan into place
The best prep is simply not to panic if and when things go awry. A calm and prepared parent is a proactive parent. Here is what else you need to remember.
2. It may get loud
Play or nap time doesn’t work as well with constant whirring and buzzing or taped off areas taking over attention. Be ready to change other daily habits too, especially with very young children. Certain rooms may become off-limits areas, while on-the-go breakfasts and delivery dinners become the norm. Routines will need to change, if only temporarily. Make alternative plans to get the kids ready for school in the morning and fed at night – without a full bathroom or kitchen. If you treat the transition well, chances are the little ones won’t skip a beat. For help, just think about how great that new open kitchen will feel!
3. Don’t sleep on dust
Dust and particulates trigger allergies and can pose serious health concerns if not properly dealt with. Protecting inside air quality is paramount to ensuring your children’s well-being during construction season. Be sure to seal off HVAC ducting and vents in the affected areas, use plastic sheeting to guard against flying particles, and keep workspaces clean by wiping with disposable cloths and vacuuming with a HEPA-filtered vacuum as many as two times a day – or more, depending on need.
4. Watch out for waste
Debris piles consisting of sharp glass, protruding nails, or other such nasty objects are just inviting little ones to incur bodily harm. Have a dedicated bin or container to put dangerous parts into, one that’s out of reach and sealable. This is especially true for any toxic chemicals that may be a part of the work process.
5. Tools are not toys
As much as they look the part. Don’t leave tools out when not in use – and it’s especially important to unplug them if not in your hand or in your line of sight. This sounds easy, but can become surprisingly difficult to keep track of during the hustle and bustle of renovation. If you have workers helping you out, give them plenty of space to work – maybe plan a park day or early dinner outing while they’re nailing, cutting, and moving large objects around.
Remember to keep a positive attitude throughout the process and eventually, things will get back to normal for you and your family. Until then, stay keen on the above reminders, and both you and your tots will come out unscathed – and with a brand new home addition.
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Tips for Remodeling Your Home with a Green Emphasis
For homeowners, remodeling offers an opportunity to recreate the look and feel of a home to arrive at something new – or the home of their dreams. It is also a wonderful time make your home greener and more sustainable by ditching the energy inefficient areas and replacing them with greener alternatives. To make green improvements during any remodeling project, these six ideas can help set the stage for an improved and environmentally friendly home.
1) Invest in a Home Energy Audit
The more homeowners understand about their home's current energy inefficiencies, the easier it will be to see opportunities for improvement in the home's efficiency and sustainability. Hiring a professional to conduct a home energy audit provides homeowners with a baseline of their current situation. Because of this, scheduling the audit should be one of the first steps of any home remodeling project. These suggestions can be used to form the foundation of any remodeling effort.
2) Replace All Energy-Inefficient Appliances
Homeowners looking to make an immediate impact should replace older appliances with energy efficiant models as soon as possible. Laundry rooms can be outfitted with energy-efficient washers and dryers, and HVAC systems can be updated to improve efficiency and curb waste. Even a simple light bulb change to LED's can reduce energy usage and save homeowners a couple of dollars a year per bulb. To better understand all of the potential energy savings and replacement options.
3) Rid the Home of Wasteful Water Use
As the number of people living in a home increases, so too does the potential for water waste. This can be curbed by incorporating smart design elements into the remodeling process. If the project includes significant alterations to the kitchen or bathroom, incorporate low-flow faucets and shower heads into the plan. These easy replacements will have an immediate impact on the home's water usage and family members will get used to them in no time.
4) Reclaim the Floor
Hardwood floors are very popular in modern homes, and green remodeling projects don't have to forgo this trend just to save trees. Reclaimed wood flooring options are made from recycled wood materials and deliver the same look and feel without creating additional tree loss.
5) Be Smart About the Sun
Incorporating the sun into a home remodel is an easy, effective way to stay green and conserve energy. Homeowners can capitalize on natural light via large windows and skylights. They can also solve some of their energy needs by installing solar panels on the home's roof. Finally, homeowners may be able to supply heat to their home through passive solar building design options. This process uses concrete floors and walls to capture the sun's heat during the day and release that heat into the home once the sun has set.
6) Be Smart About the Trash
Focusing on making new improvements to a home is easy during a remodeling project, but homeowners can't afford to ignore what they throw away as well. Some items must be disposed of through a conventional trash-collection service, but other options remain.
Before throwing an item away, first see if it can be donated to an area charity, second-use store, or shelter.
Find out if friends and/or family are interested in the item.
Talk with your local trash collector and recycling center to see what they will take from a home remodeling project.
Basically, the more trash you can keep out of landfills and recycled into other products, the better – and this goes a long way to making your home remodeling project as green as possible.
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Denver, Colorado