Go Green
A Blog by WARM Training Center
Recycle Light Fixtures
Oct 13th
I was wondering if you take old light fixtures for reuse in other homes – it is not an antique – but it is in good shape. If you do not – do you know of an organization in the metro area that I could take it to to be reused.
- Lisa in Detroit
Hi Lisa,
We take old light fixtures like we take guff: as little as possible! Seriously, we don’t handle green products, sales or materials at all. However, you’re in good hands because we have two (plus) great local organizations that do. And here they are: Continue reading “Recycle Light Fixtures” »
New Heating System
Oct 1st
I live in Ferndale and am currently in the process of converting my home to a new heat system. I have 1940′s electric baseboard heat and have arranged for a furnace to be installed Friday. However, it occurred to me today that there may be a better, more ‘green’ option than just the 95% efficient furnace I ordered. I am looking for advice and hope you can help!
- Rachel in Ferndale
Converting from an electric heating system to a 95% efficient furnace is a great move! That should do very well and is likely what I would recommend to most folks. Here are some other possibilities: Continue reading “New Heating System” »
Energy Audits
Sep 25th
We have a superinsulated home and a superinsulated business in the Brighton area. We would like to have someone come out and do energy audits and thermal scans to find the leaks and losses and improve them further. Who does this in the area? Any idea of the cost?
- Jim in Brighton
You’re certainly off to a good start – and incentives are now available for this service! Of course, energy audits are not all made from the same cloth, and different folks offer different services. Let’s start by considering the primary options offered: Continue reading “Energy Audits” »
Energy Star Home incentives
Sep 3rd
Can you give me information on whether any home finance lenders have incentive for Energy Star homes?
- Trisha, Macomb County
Well, there’s no one simple fix for this, but there are a variety of programs in place right now that might help. Continue reading “Energy Star Home incentives” »
Cooling without AC
Sep 3rd
It’s ridiculously hot out right now. But I don’t have an air conditioner and I don’t really want to buy one. I’ve heard that there are better and worse ways to use a fan to cool down. Is that true?
- Amy in Ann Arbor
Hi Amy,
Summer days in Michigan can get pretty hot. But cooling is not nearly the challenge here as heating is.The good news is that we generally only need to cool things down a little to be comfortable. Just blowing a fan helps a person feel cooler while the fan is on them, but it doesn’t necessarilly cool the home down at all. With a little more strategy, fans can be a powerful tool for keeping your home cool. Continue reading “Cooling without AC” »