Cash For Caulkers

Cash for Caulkers is nearly here. Earlier this summer the House of Representatives passed the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. The bill still needs to be approved by the Senate, but supporters predict it will be approved before the end of the summer.

In the meantime, homeowners need to "do their homework." The bill outlines 13 different types of energy efficient retrofits, and each has unique requirements and rebate amounts. Take for example, duct replacement and sealing. Homeowners can receive up to a $1,000 rebate for replacing and sealing 50 percent of the ductwork in their home. But in order to qualify, the sealing must be installed in accordance with BPI standard or other procedures approved by the Secretary of Energy.

Fortunately there are many online resources that homeowners can use to learn about the bill's eligibility requirements. Software Advice, an online technology resource for HVAC contractors, has put together a starter's guide on "cash for caulkers." In addition to covering the specific details of the bill, they provide a good overview of how homeowners can qualify for rebates. Here's an excerpt from their post:

The Home Star bill offers two rebate programs, the “Silver Star” program and “Gold Star” program. Here are details for each:

Silver Star – Homeowners will receive a $1,000 rebate for each retrofit described in the bill. The maximum amount of rebates paid out will be $3,000 or 50% of the total cost, whichever is lower. For example, if a homeowner spends a total of $4,000 on eligible retrofits, they will get $2,000 or 50% back as a rebate. If they spend $8,000 on eligible retrofits, they would only receive $3,000 in rebates instead of $4,000 (which would be 50% of the cost).

Gold Star – To qualify for the Gold Star program, homeowners must reduce their total home energy consumption by 20%. A $3,000 rebate will be rewarded for this reduction. Homeowners can receive an additional $1,000 for each additional 5% reduction, up to a total rebate of $8,000 or 50% of the total retrofit cost. Rebates may be provided for any of the retrofits listed under the Silver Star program, or for any other energy-saving measure, including: home energy management systems, high-efficiency appliances, highly reflective roofing, awnings, canopies, and similar external fenestration (window) attachments, automatic boiler water temperature controllers, energy-efficient wood products, insulated vinyl siding, and mechanical air circulation and heat exchangers in a passive-solar home.

To continue reading, visit: http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/construction/cash-for-caulkers-the-definitive-guide-to-the-home-star-bill-1061110/

Concept of Green Cleaning

Green cleaning is becoming a term used in our daily life. People are indulging themselves actively towards green home cleaning and many people who are not directly involved in green house cleaning still are trying to understand the meaning of it. All said and heard, but how many of us actually understand the exact meaning of green house cleaning? As the name suggest most individuals can make out that green cleaning is associated with conserving our surroundings and environment but what are the efficient ways for it, how is it done, what products are used, are they really environment friendly, are some of the obvious questions floating in our mind.

Green cleaning can be defined as- Cleaning of our house/offices with the help of products and equipments which don’t contain toxic and harmful chemicals for our environment. There is a generic division between cleaning products, one category is of Toxic products and the other is of Nontoxic Green Cleaners. Both products are easily available in the market, where as toxic cleaning products are efficient in cleaning on the other hand they have a stringent adverse effect both on our health and environment. Green cleaning products are significantly marked as green or environment friendly, however one should take due care in choosing among them as they do not follow any specific guidelines or standards.

Green Cleaning Means Improved Air Quality

Most of us spend a considerable portion of our lives indoors so using green cleaners makes correct sense for us as they preserve the indoor air quality from contamination. This is especially true when combined with an air duct cleaning company who implements non-hazardous sensitization techniques. Among so many other activities contributing to air, water and land pollution using green cleaners may sound like a minuscule movement but it can prove a significant one in long run. From price point of view as well green cleaners have out casted the regular cleaners by far. Green cleaners are cost efficient and according to last amendment it is feasible to attain more than 20 percent credit on existing buildings certified by the adoption of an officially acknowledged green cleaning program.

Many governing bodies have taken giant steps for preserving nature and making green movement an out an out success. Green movement results from preserving the existing plantations as well as encouraging the new ones however either of them may go waste in case of the counter part failure. If the existing greenery is not being preserved than encouraging new plantation does not make sense and vice versa. In nutshell it can be concluded that going green in every manner is helpful towards our ecological balance, be it green cleaning.

From Government to Small Businesses, Green Cleaning is for Everyone

Green cleaning should be encouraged not only at our homes but at our workplaces as well. Mostly the big areas building cleaning causes more harm to environment than the house cleaning. However houses have a significant portion in contributing towards green cleaning as they are huge in numbers. Green cleaning discourages the use of harsh chemicals and toxic contents to the core, subsequently making our living places more healthy and productive.

Workplaces are often air constrained with most of the buildings being centrally air conditioned therefore green cleaning makes proper sense for such areas. In these buildings the air transition is zero or bare minimum so the indoor air quality is as it is deteriorated, using toxic products for cleaning further worsens the air quality.