March was taken up with a full plate of continuing education. As a result, in the very near future I shall become one of the first real estate agents in Louisiana to be awarded the Green Designation by the National Association of Realtors. I am very proud of this achievement and look forward to putting this new knowledge to work for you. See this issue’s article on how to save money at home by going GREEN!
As ever, I remain at your service.
Go Green, Save Money
What’s really interesting is that energy conservation, and being nice to good old mother earth, is now a subject that is on the minds, and in the conversations of a substantial number of Americans. Why the change? Because it is becoming readily apparent that upgrading to Green, long term, saves money.
Here are a few ways to save money in your home:
CFL’s: Compact Fluorescent Lights. Those squiggly looking light bulbs can save you a lot of money, and they last longer than regular bulbs, but dispose of them properly. Breaking them can emit mercury vapor. Check with Lowes and Home Depot as many of their stores will take your worn out CFL’s to be disposed of properly.
LED: Light-Emitting Diode. LED’s have been around for a long time but were initially not usable for home applications. Those days are over. Although they are expensive, LED’s are now available in many colors; are quite durable; use very low amounts of energy by comparison to regular lamps, or recessed lighting, and have a long service life.
Water Saver Shower Heads: These have been around for a long time and they work! But, in some instances the restriction can drastically reduce water pressure. Shop around for what works for you.
Gas Filled Windows: Many manufacturers are now filling their dual pane windows with argon or krypton gas. The goal is to reduce heat transfer, in or out. This system works, but according to some reports, it works better for home owners in the north where gas filled windows do a better job of keeping heat in.
Energy Star Appliances: Energy Star Appliances are at least 15% more efficient than those without this certification. You can quickly determine if an appliance is Energy Star rated by looking for the sticker on the appliance.
Installing Solar Panels: Not only is the energy source free, if you make more electricity than you use, there’s a good chance that your energy provider will allow something called “Net Metering” which actually pays you for the electricity you make. I asked an Entergy official about this and according to him, they do have a Net Metering program in place.
Upgrading Home Insulation: Many reports clearly indicate that the installation of attic insulation alone will help greatly, and is one of the least expensive ways that you can improve your home’s living environment while conserving energy, and lowering your utility bill.
The above offer a number of ways for you to save money through conservation and the incorporation of thinking Green in your life.
Whether you are socially conscious, environmentally concerned, or just want to improve the comfort of your home, “Going Green” will save you money. While “Going Green” is a personal decision, it is hard to deny the benefits of practicing resource efficiency and conservation, and enhancing a sense of social responsibility. Our children will appreciate our efforts to be kind to our dear mother earth!
Chinese Drywall Alert!
The title of this article sounds like something from a SciFi flick, or a grocery store check-out line magazine, but the reality is, according to reports from several sources including a local firm, Gurtler Brothers, a company that provides home inspections and engineering services, that sometime between 2004-2006, certain companies in China manufactured and exported drywall to the USA, that had “sulfur-like odorous components”. These components can corrode air conditioning coils, copper bearing materials, such as plumbing components, and electrical wiring. Further, this drywall is capable of causing serious health hazards in both humans, and animals. Major areas of use were in Florida, and areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. Once the problem was identified, the big box stores, like Lowes and Homes Depot are reported to have ceased selling it, but all of it can’t be traced.
Who is potentially at risk? Was your home flooded and renovated after Katrina, or remodeled within the past several years? You have reason to be concerned. While reports indicate that not all Chinese drywall is at fault, Gurtler Brother’s spokesman, Mike Gurtler, clearly stated that drywall manufactured in China by a German company, Knauf Gypsum, is worthy of immediate attention. The name Knauf 
is on the back of their drywall. The difficulty in determining whether or not a home has a problem is significant, and, according to Mike Gurtler, there are no standardized tests. But if a home owner has problems with a sulfurous odor in the home, or you can see the name Knauf printed on the drywall; or have unexplained pitting of copper plumbing lines, leaking A/C coils, or electrical problems such as degenerating wiring, or TV sets with unexplained problems, or anyone in the family or pets with unexplained respiratory problems, there could be a serious problem.
You may have already seen the TV ad by a law firm targeting this problem. When that happens, you know the problem is extensive. But, again, standardized testing for this problem is, to the best of my knowledge, not yet available. Having said that, there are businesses that can be contacted to perform an inspection, including Gurtler Brothers, in New Orleans. They can be reached at 504-486-8500.
Here are some excellent additional service and information resources for your assistance. Just cut and paste them into your browser.
http://swamplot.com/Chinese- drywall-and-the-smell-test/ 2009-03-24/
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=wM0NK-M3A0Q
http://zindustriesllc.com/dry, _below_deck_waterproofing. html?lid=199841534&keyphrase= chinese+drywall+new+orleans&c= 199837144&provider=google
For Sale!
Sun Filled, Open Floor Plan
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Exercise Room
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Assigned Parking
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