Go Green
I believe the best way to go green is to use the following:
Timeless designs:
Ensure that your project is done right and built for the long haul. Many of the current products are faddish, and not tested for durability. Thumbing thru 5 year old trade magazines one finds that products that were coined as “revolutionary” no longer exist. No matter how sustainable the products used, if it needs replaced in ten years due to fashion trends it is NOT green.
Best products:
For example, many 30 year old Andersen Windows operate as nicely as the day they were installed, and if there is a problem, we can get exact replacement parts directly from Granville Lumber. We are told that we are “green” and can save 30% by using the latest product, however if it goes into the landfill in 15 years, what have we really accomplished?
Best practices:
Many of the oldest homes in the area used poplar and pine for the exterior trim and 100 years later, it is still in excellent condition. Today, we don’t consider these to be exterior grade materials. The difference is that it was properly installed and maintained. Many of the newer homes in our higher- end subdivisions have more hidden water damage and mold issues than our historic homes. The difference is in the quality of the installation and proper maintenance.