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Condo Owners Can Take Advantage
Environmentally conscious New York condominium and apartment dwellers have all the reason for feeling a bit “green” over those living in detached homes because they are free to make just about any earth-friendly renovations they like. Unless they live in a building with a homeowners association that has embraced the earth-friendly way, New York condominium owners are comparatively limited in the range of upgrades they can make to enhance their energy savings. The renters are often lucky if they can get permission to paint, much less rip out flooring, countertops and cabinets. However, that is no reason not to take advantage of the trove of products that are on the market to whittle down that carbon footprint, eradicate airborne toxins and increase the use of recyclables.
The first things New York condominium and apartment residents should do to cut their costs is toss out their incandescent light bulbs and replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs or light-emitting diodes. Compact fluorescent bulbs come in many models to simultaneously make the home look unique and cut your electricity bill. Another efficient move is to use only Energy Star-rated appliances and programmable thermostats to manage when the air conditioning or heat turns on, so that they are on for less time during the day thereby saving energy and cutting the cost.
Indoor air quality can be a significant problem in residential buildings particularly for renters whose apartments have carpeting. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified filters for air conditioners can help snatch up small particles of dust and other allergens not caught by conventional filters. A medical-grade air-filtration unit can absorb chemicals and odors and wipe out nearly all airborne particles. Another way to make the air inside an apartment or New York condominium cleaner is to repaint the walls with low volatile organic compounds, or paints. To help save water New York condominium owners can try dual-flush toilets, which give users two options on how much water to use per flush. Those thinking about redoing their flooring have more environmentally sustainable choices than ever, including reclaimed wood, bamboo, cork and natural linoleum made out of flaxseed, linseed oil and other biodegradable materials.
The renovation of kitchen cabinets with similar alternatives to wood, such as the authentic looking composite vaneer, can add an exotic wood-like appearance to your kitchen. Options for swapping out kitchen counters for more eco-friendly materials now include using recycled bottles and glass recovered from landfills. Metal, reclaimed wood and stone are also good alternatives. There is no longer any shortage of these green products and nowadays, not only people living in detached houses, but even people living in condominiums can make good use of them.
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