By Marc Mazzei President, Southern Tier Home Builders & Remodelers Association In March, many Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by attending parties, wearing green clothing, and even bedecking their homes with green shamrock and leprechaun-adorned decorations. With nearly 37 million Americans claiming Irish ancestry (according to Ancestry.com), that’s no surprise. But what may surprise you are the many ways that you can “green” your home that will last well beyond March 17, and save you money on utility bills year-round. Here are a few recommendations from NAHB Remodelers to home owners who want to increase their home’s efficiency, decrease costs, and take advantage of the other benefits of “greening” your home. • Add insulation Adding insulation will help save energy costs, increase comfort by better controlling temperature, and improve indoor air quality by eliminating many gaps through which dirt, dust, and other impurities can enter. Insulation is rated by its ability to resist heat flow, known as the “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the better its ability to resist heat flow. • Install high-efficiency windows [...]

The decision to hire a home remodeler can be intimidating. This section will give you the tools and inside information on finding, evaluating, hiring and working with a remodeler. Your home is your biggest investment, and the best way to protect it is by hiring an ethical, professional remodeler. Let’s get started! Find a Professional When you hire a remodeler, you are buying a service rather than a product. The quality of the service the remodeler provides will determine the quality of the finished product and your satisfaction. Get a List: The first step to hiring a professional is to build a list of candidates, and flipping through the Yellow Pages is not the ideal method. Learn the best way to begin your search. The Inside Scoop: Once you have your list of remodelers, how do you properly evaluate their credentials? Get the inside information on what to ask and look for in home contractors. Evaluate References: You don’t want to just question the remodeler, but also learn first hand from the remodeler’s current and [...]