The green product resource for your home remodel.

You are driving down the street, it is raining, and THEIR sprinklers are on!  Or…I am driving down the street, it’s raining, and YOUR sprinklers are on!!  

What can you do about it?  You’ve left for work, it started to rain, and the automatic sprinkler systems does what it is supposed to do - it turns on at 7:30am.  Well there is a solution for you, and it is called an automatic rain shut-off sensor, or moisture shut-off sensor.   Craig Borglum of Lawn and Garden Irrigation discusses the technology and savings in his short article about automatic rain shut-off sensors for sprinkler control systems.  Craig also discusses the potential water savings in terms of $$’s as well. 

If you are looking for a rain sensor…Hunter Industries Incorporated offers their Mini-Clik rain sensor.  Price point is about $25.  Rain Bird Corporation also offers a sensor, the RSD Series Rain Sensor, for about $27.

How do we talk about leaving the planet the way we found it?  The next generation inherits what we leave behind, so as we are looking to build a better tomorrow for them, lets use responsible materials for them to play on today. 

There are several manufacturers of backyard playground equipment that are leading the eco-friendly way.  These manufacturers are using FSC Certified wood and 100% recycled plastics materials.   Let’s take a look at a few that we found: 

Kompan
The KOMPAN NATURE line is suitable for children aged 2 to 12.  All KOMPAN Nature play equipment is produced from FSC certified hardwood.  They claim their wood comes from forests which have been assessed to be well managed according to strict environmental, social and economic guidelines.

“Children at play want challenging equipment. Keywords are quality, safety and a long life and that applies just as much to the natural environment and the people who live there. That’s why KOMPAN has opted to process only timber from well-managed forests. The FSC certificate is the only one to provide that guarantee. We are incredibly proud that, in a period of 4 years, we have succeeded in being able to offer playground equipment made entirely from FSC certified timber.”    Willem van Veenendaal
Managing Director KOMPAN BV
Pros:  Great use of FSC Certified wood
Cons:  They are located in the Netherlands

Play Mart, Inc.
The Play Mart team has taken the time to give you the blow-by-blow on all the materials used in their products.  The plastic used in the posts, decks and structural supports of their playground equipment is made from 100% recycled structural plastic (RSP).  An average Play Mart playset recycles 25,000 milk jugs (nearly 7 jugs/lb of RSP).   And are you looking for This post continues… »

Most will agree that concrete, and its many varient colors, make it a beautiful and stunning alternative to the ever so popular and less sustainable granite.  The science behind concrete countertops is advancing every year, new ceramic ingredients are making it stronger, lighter and potentially less expensive for  homeowners.  

Inevitably during the countertop decision buying process you will ask yourself, what about the maintenance and upkeep behind concrete?  How often do I have to seal it?  Doesn’t it stain?   Yes, and yes…but the answer is yes for many other surfaces as well. 

 

What concrete offers over a granite alternative is patina.  Patina is the fading, darkening or other signs of aging which is natural and unavoidable to some surfaces.  To draw an analogy from the kitchen (and one of our employees), patina for a concrete countertop is like the seasoning of an iron skillet.  The aging and use of a concrete countertop gives the surface character, beauty, while at same time capturing memories.   Capturing memories you ask?

Owners of concrete counters are quick to share the patina of their tops. As one owner put it, “…here are the glass marks from that memorable get together two years ago where everyone celebrated with tequila shots and limes.” And Stephen Rosenblatt remembers, This post continues… »

It’s been available for sometime, and we wanted to bring it to your attention.   Wellington Polymer Technology, Inc. offers a composite roofing product that resembles the look of an antique cedar shake roof.  The product is called Enviroshake®. 

 

The company claims Enviroshake is “predominantly” made from reclaimed materials such as post industrial plastics, recycled rubber elastomers, and cellulosic fibre materials.  The composite formula is designed for durability, UV protection, wind and hail resistance combined with superior mold, mildew and insect resistant properties.   Wind rating on the product is approximately 110 mph.  The product does not require any maintanance and carries a 50-year limited warranty!

Enviroshake comes in one color.  It starts out as a brownish grey color and ”weathers” over 3-6 months to a silver-grey color that resembles cedar shake.  The product does not require breathing like a cedar shake roof, so it can be applied to the same plywood that exists under your present asphalt roof for example.  

While you are caught up in your remodel whirlwind, remember that there are likely Federal, State, Local, and Utility provider incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.  Virtually all the products we discuss on GetWithGreen.com have some form of incentive attached to them by one of these parties (or the manufacturer).

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE) is one of the best and most comprehensive sources on the web for finding incentives and rebates.  DSIRE is an ongoing project of the North Carolia Solar Center, and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

   

The names and logos above should not fool you — this database goes beyond North Carolina to cover the entire U.S., and it goes beyond solar to cover interest free loans, appliances, and more! 

To leverage the database we recommend you to start browsing by State.   At the State level you select either…

• Federal Incentives:  Here you will find all of the Federal Incentives available.  As a homeowner you need to look for “Applicable Sectors: Residential”.  By clicking on each incentive you will quickly see if the incentive is Commercial, Industrial, or Residential.

• Homeowner Incentives:  Here you will find all of the incentives, from local entities such as your State, County, City, and This post continues… »

With the release of the J.D. Powers and Associates Report on Windows this morning, we wanted to present to you the questions again about your favorite windows, or those windows that you would recommend, or not recommend and why?  Before we do that here are how your favorite brands faired:

Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking
(Based on a 1,000-point scale)

Points   Brand

796       Pella
794       Andersen
788       Milgard                              
782       Weather Shield                
780       Loewen                              
780       Industry Average            
762       American Craftsman        
756       Marvin                               
754       Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork   
753       JELD-WEN

The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction among consumers who purchased new windows or patio doors, based on performance in six factors (in order of importance): ordering and delivery; price competitiveness; operational performance; appearance and design features; operational features; and warranty and replacement. Respondents may have installed the windows or patio doors themselves or with help from family and friends; hired an independent contractor or remodeler; used an installation service provided by a home improvement retailer; or used an installation service provided by the product manufacturer.

Pella ranks highest in customer satisfaction with windows and patio doors, achieving a score 796 on a 1,000-point scale. Pella performs particularly well in operational performance — which includes ease of use and operation, energy efficiency and ease of cleaning — and in ordering and delivery. Following Pella closely in the rankings is Andersen with a score of 794, performing well in operational features — which includes the number and variety of energy efficiency options offered — as well as in appearance and design features. Milgard ranks This post continues… »

What can you do for roofing that is a bit greener and eco-friendly?  Performing a Google search will have you growing Kentucky Bluegrass on your rooftop.  I don’t know what neighborhood or climate that is practicle in,  but I haven’t seen a house growing a lawn on their roof around our offices here in California.  So we decided to highlight some green alternatives that are more in line with familiar, traditional, and practical roofing options that we are most familiar with — the shingle roof.

Fiber-Cement Composite Roofing
Fiber-cement roofs are long lasting, fireproof, and often use recycled wood fiber in their composition.  At the end of the life of this product, it can be ground up into sand so it is recyclable.  According to sources, these roofs do well in wet or humid areas, but not so well in freeze-thaw climates - check with the manufacturer for where their warranties apply.   

         

Re-Con Building Products
Naturals product fall under two brands, Rustic Shake and Quarry Slate.  These cement composite roofing products are simulated shake and slate products respectively.  Both products carry a 50-Year Limited Warranty, and they are warrantied against wind damage, breakage, and appearance - read the details of Naturals’ warranty.  The products have a high concentration of recycled materials in their ingredients.  All carry a Class A Fire Rating, Class IV Hail Rating, and a wind rating up to 200 mph.  Their products are resistant to moss, mildew and of course termites.  No maintenance is required with this roofing material according to Re-Con  Re-Con is a subsidiary of Stone Mountain Holdings.   

 

Metal Shingle Roofing (yes metal shingles)
Metal shingles have a high concentration of recycled materials that contribute to the eco-friendliness in the roofing category.  These shingles have come a long way in their resemblance to wood, tile and stone.  In most cases they are light weight and can be applied over two layers of asphalt that may exist on your roof already - saving tear-off, installation and the landfill waste (National Association of Home Builders Research Center reports 20 Billion pounds of asphalt shingles are dumped into U.S. landfills each year).  And noise?  The roofs are designed in a way so that This post continues… »

How many times do you want to add that extra sensor light for safety, and realize there is no electrical available?  There are solar Flood Light options for you to take a look at!

This short article from Wednesday morning’s CBS Early Show takes a quick look at solar lighting for the backyard.  

Solar Lighting Options from CBS Early Show