Green Remodeling

Greener building for a healthier, more efficient home.

ReCraft is proud to have been awarded the very first “NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Research Center Green Certified” Certificate in the City of Houston for one of our medical center area green remodeling projects.

Some of our customers don’t ask for a “green” home. They tell us they do not want to pay more for the green products and labor, and they only want to use products that are tried and true. That’s perfect – because ReCraft Construction and Green Remodeling wouldn’t have it any other way. The reality these days is that it does not necessarily cost more to do a “green” remodeling project, you just need a contractor that knows what they are doing.

Learn more about:

• How ReCraft saved one family 80% on their monthly bills
• Why indoor air quality matters to your family
• Why water efficiency is no longer about weak showers

Energy Efficiency Pays Off

In 2011, a city-wide contest, called “Energy Home Make-Over”, asked Houstonians to submit their homes for a complete home makeover focused on energy efficiency. ReCraft was honored to have been chosen as the head contractor on this project.

We started the project by doing a whole home Energy Audit measuring the energy loss and finding the “holes” in the house (around windows, doors, attic access, openings in ceilings where lights and ac vents were located, low or no insulation in walls and attic, etc). We started in the attic and made our way through the house adding radiant barrier, solar attic vent, gable and soffit venting (attics need to breath properly), insulation in walls and attic (non-toxic), new low e windows, super efficient HVAC, etc.

The net result of all of these upgrades resulted in a whopping 80% savings (documented results) of the winning family’s energy bills. Average monthly bills that were previously over $900 a month dropped to around $200 a month on a 1700 square foot home. These results gave us an Emerald Certification from the NAHB Research Center….a very difficult task and the highest level of certification a building can receive.

Some of the products and best practice techniques that ReCraft uses to cost-effectively reduce energy use on our projects include:

• Radiant Barrier
• Solar Shingle Roofs (blocks 75%+ of the radiant energy from entering the home)
• “Green” (non-toxic) insulation materials
• Leak proofing techniques to create a tight seal in the house – find out where your attic, doors and windows are
  leaking
• Design and techniques to get the attic “breathing” correctly – you must have the correct amount of air intake and output to properly ventilate your attic
• High quality, low E, double pane, insulated windows
• Energy Star appliances
• New high efficiency HVAC systems
• Low voltage fixtures and lighting
• Solar panels

Everyone Wants a Healthy Home

Most of us assume that a home that looks clean is healthy. But most people don’t realize that leaking air from their attics, carpet, toxic fumes from paints and stains, improper ventilation and other indoor air quality problems can contribute to allergies and other health issues. These things may sound small, but they add up quickly. For example, did you know that the average life span of a painter is only 54 years old? And that the same toxic fumes painters are exposed to are off-gassing from your walls and trim for over two years if you’ve painted with traditional paints? At ReCraft, we know that making your home comfortable and beautiful is equally as important as making it healthy. That’s why we prefer to use no-VOC and low-VOC products, and pay attention to details like these when remodeling your home:

• Vacuuming all traces of old, dirty insulation when replacing it with non-toxic green insulation
• Properly sealing around can lights and air ducts so that dust from your attic isn’t pouring into your home (also helps with energy efficiency_
• No or low-VOC paints and stains (non toxic, no harsh fumes)

 Water – You’re Gonna Miss It When It’s Gone

Every day we turn on the faucet or flush the toilet without giving it much thought. But record droughts in recent years are a reminder of the importance of water efficiency. The good news is water efficiency doesn’t have to mean weak showers and ineffective flushes. One great example is the ‘instant-on’ or tankless water heater. You turn on your shower and climb right in without waiting for the water to warm up, which translates into over 15,000 gallons of water saved each year. Here are a few examples of techniques and products that ReCraft can add to your remodel to improve your homes’ water efficiency:

• Water circulation pump
• Instant on hot water or tankless water heater
• Efficient yet effective plumbing fixtures
• Drought resistant landscaping
• Sprinkler systems
• Rain-water capture systems

Green Credits

ReCraft is proud to have been awarded the very first “NAHB Research Center Green Certified” Certificate in the City of Houston. ReCraft was one of the first company’s in the nation to have Certified Green Painters.