I live in a large home in the south and have so many issues with it. It is a familial home and there is no way I could sell it. My parents were raised in this home and myself and my siblings too. I just have problems with how inefficient it is. It was built by my grandfather in the early 1900s and it can be a nightmare. It has gone through a few renovations over the past 100 or so years and it needs so much more work for me to not feel like I am part of the environmental problem.

So I would like to know what people think are the most important or best things to do in order to make this old energy hog into a reborn eco-home.

Just take one step at a time. Some of the first steps that you might consider are: installing a programmable thermostat, tape the duct joints in the cellar or basement, switch to low flow showerheads, and replace your incandescent bulbs with CFL's. These are some of the actions that you can take that will have the quickest payback. Then take your savings from implementing these strategies and invest it in a few more: weatherizing your house, adding insulation in your walls attic and on your hot water pipes.

Good luck.

Dan Bossenbroek
www.JustGreenHomes.com

I say if you have the funds, I would start with a big ticket item. Insulation, windows, new furnace, solar hot water, new tankless hot water heater, etc... I say this because the payback will be higher on this item and allow you to either a) move forward with other large ticket items or b) do many smaller steps.

If you live in the south, you probably don't need as much of the cold weather side as someone like me, but insulation works both ways. I think the solar things are probably one of your best bets. I know that solar hot water has a pretty good ROI. If you are considering some MAJOR renovation, you could combine that with a new radiant floor system and really rack up the savings.

Whatever you do, just keep us up to date. This sounds like a great project.

I say go with a combo of one or two larger projects with a spattering of small projects. Find ones that work well together. Tankless hot water heater with a solar hot water system or stomwater/greywater collection system. All deal with plumbing and could save you with a professional.

Find synergies in your house that can come together to magnify the savings.

Good luck

Solar hot water and greywater systems are both great and I'm all for them, but they aren't going to pay you back as fast as a whole house fan, radiant insulation in your attic, occupancy sensors or a geothermal heat pump will.

whatever you do, go at it with a whole system approach. Don't just look for the little things you can do, but rather look at all the things you can do and work toward the ideal, bit by bit.