Kitchen Remodel

Kitchen Remodeling in an Energy Efficient Way

The kitchen is the hub of almost every home; it’s where the family gathers to share their meals and talk about their day. It’s a very personal space, which is why kitchen remodeling both exciting and challenging!

It’s also the perfect place to begin making some energy efficient changes to your home. By taking energy efficiency into account, you can remodel your kitchen to be more comfortable, help lower your energy costs and increase the value of your home. In fact, with a new, energy efficient kitchen in place, you can probably recover anywhere from 70%-90% of your remodeling costs when you decide to sell your home.

So, what are some of the things you can do when kitchen remodeling in an energy efficient way?

Start with the Appliances

Older appliances tend to use a lot of electricity, thereby contributing greatly to high energy bills. By replacing your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave with Energy Star certified models, you not only save energy but a lot of money as well!

Look at Lighting

Up to 15% of your home’s energy costs can be traced to lighting and because the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, a large percentage of that cost can be traced back to it. Consider replacing regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones (CFLs), which generate less heat. Also look into Energy Star certified lighting fixtures that use 75% less energy, generate 75% less heat and last up to 10 times longer than standard lighting, while producing a bright, warm light.

Make Full Use of Natural Light

Consider ways to increase the use of natural light in your new kitchen; this will help reduce both your lighting and heating costs. Enlarge windows; add skylights or French doors that let in more light. Can you remove any unneeded walls, to make the kitchen brighter still?

There are an incredible number of benefits to kitchen remodeling in an energy efficient way; contact a Certified Green Professional, CGP and Certified Aging in Place Specialist, CAPS to discuss what you can do to make your kitchen energy efficient as well as functional.