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Marin Real Estate, Going Green
Just because you are looking to buy your piece of luxury Marin real estate doesn't mean that you
are against saving money. I realize that "going green" is all the hype these days, but I thought I
would follow suit and give some environmentally friendly suggestions and tell you how you
can save some money at the same time.
Thought the word audit always had to be bad? Well, not in the case of an energy audit. The majority of
utility companies will perform an "energy audit" by request and more than likely, they will not
charge you for it. The audit will let you know exactly how much power your home is consuming. In addition, they
will also offer suggestions on how you can lower your use, reduce emissions and reduce your utility charges.
Marin is already known to be in the forefront of finding ways to utilize green power. Green power is a method of
looking for alternatives to energy use, by offering Marin homes the use of solar, wind, hydro power, or other renewable energy sources. The Marin
Clean Energy plan is already in the works, focusing on making Marin one of the first counties in California to decrease
emissions by 15%. Make sure to ask your utility company whether they have a green power option.
Another way of lending a helping hand to mother earth is to strategically plant trees around your house. Admittedly, this will
take some time to reap the benefits, however, once the trees grow they can keep your home much cooler in the summer and won't
keep the sun out in the winter. Not only will the trees look nice, but they are a step in the right direction to
helping combat emissions.
Of course weather stripping your window and doors will do wonders when it comes to keeping your home at its optimum
temperature. However, insulation tips are not just for your windows. If you are living in a two-story home, try insulating
the garage. I tried this with my previous home and it did wonders for keeping the room above the garage cooler in the summer.
Lastly, you may want to get a thermostat that you can program. This is most effective if you are living by yourself, or
if you and your wife / husband work predictable schedules. In that case, you can program it to drop back in the
afternoon while you are out of the house and then by the time you get home, the home is cooled / heated to your
preferred temperature.
Marin Real Estate Blog
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