Green Home Tips

San Diego Wildfires, Part 1 of 4: Myths and Reality

San Diego Wildfires: Myths If you live in San Diego County, you already know that wildfires are a common hazard. First, we need to dispel some common myths about wildfire. Second, we need to learn how to prevent wildfires, so that we can protect ourselves in the future. “San Diego Wildfires are Naturally Frequent.” Myth: San Diego Wildfires are nature’s way of clearing brush, so they’re necessary. Frequent wildfires have been happening for thousands, if

Rain Barrels and Rebates for San Diego County Homeowners

San Diego County residents qualify for reduced-cost rain barrels! Why Rain Barrels? You already know that we are in the midst of a devastating drought. Even though we had snowfall in the Sierras in 2023, we do not have a surplus of water. Farming activities in the 20th century have dried up our natural water tables. Today, we use so much water from the Colorado River, that it dries up 90 miles before it’s supposed

Selling with Solar – Selling Your Home with a Solar Lease or Loan

Selling with Solar – What You Should Know More and more homes in California have solar systems. If you have solar panels on a house you’re selling, what should you know? Will the solar panels help you sell the house, or will they make the house harder to sell? This article answers some common questions about selling with solar: How will a solar system affect the sale? Can a Buyer assume a solar lease or

Home Maintenance Quick Tips – Tree Trimming Season

Trees and Your Home Real estate agents love trees. They boost property values, and they enhance the walkability of neighborhoods. Research has even shown that people drive more slowly on tree-lined streets, which makes neighborhoods safer and calmer. As a volunteer tree steward with Tree San Diego, I advocate for tree installations all over San Diego County. Trees improve air quality, protect our watershed, support our wildlife, and beautify our neighborhoods. A well-positioned tree can cool

Smart Irrigation Controllers – FREE for San Diego County Residents!

San Diego County residents are eligible for a FREE Weather-Based Smart Irrigation Controller. Both homeowners AND renters are eligible! A professional will come to your home and replace your old controller with a weather-based smart irrigation controller. You could save $$$ on your water bill. WaterSmart’s Free Smart Irrigation Controllers WaterSmart San Diego currently offers free weather-based smart irrigation controllers. Funding comes from Synergy, the parent company of SDGE. The program provides both the equipment and installation

Choosing a Solar Power Contractor – Residential Solar Power, Part 3 of 3

Part 3 of my Residential Solar Power series is Choosing a Solar Power Contractor. Here are some questions to ask before hiring a solar power contractor to install solar panels on your roof. Solar panel installation is mostly simple (read about Solar Power Basics). There are established guidelines that most contractors follow, depending on the direction of the panels, the roof’s pitch, and other factors. If the solar array is installed properly, there should be little variance in energy efficiency from one company to another. Solar panel installation

What to Do Before You Buy Solar Power – Residential Solar Power, Part 2 of 3

Part 2 of my Residential Solar Power series is What to Do Before You Buy Solar Power. Here’s a checklist of what to do before installing solar. These steps could save you thousands of dollars. Before you buy solar power: Make your home energy efficient. Check your energy use. Check energy costs. Decide how much energy you want to produce with a solar system. Make Your Home Energy Efficient The first step to saving energy, money, and the environment, is

Solar Power Basics – Residential Solar Power, Part 1 of 3

Solar Power Basics: What You Need To Know Solar power advertising is everywhere. Salespeople call, knock on doors, set up booths at fairs, and cover the Internet and television with solar power ads. It’s hard to know where to go, what to ask for, and how to know you’re getting a good deal. As an advocate for green technology and sustainable living, even I approached the solar industry with caution. I was confused by all

Clean Energy Credit for Homeowners – earn tax credits for solar and more

Clean Energy Credit for Homeowners Clean Energy Credit is now available to homeowners. Are you presently thinking about installing solar, doors, windows, or new appliances? In any case, you may be eligible for tax credits. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, homeowners can now benefit from two tax credits. These are the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, and the Residential Clean Energy Property Credit. This article covers: Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit for

Turf Replacement Programs in San Diego County – Get Paid to Kill Your Lawn!

Turf replacement programs are available for San Diego County residents . Yes, you can get paid to kill your lawn! With the news coverage of our catastrophic drought and water shortage, you may have already heard of turf replacement programs in San Diego County. These programs essentially pay you to kill your lawn and install a water-wise landscape, including trees. This is an environmentally responsible move for many reasons. I am a long-standing proponent of killing lawns and

Choosing the Right HVAC System for Your Home

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Many homes in coastal San Diego County were built without a central air conditioning system. As summers are getting hotter, more and more homeowners are installing air conditioning. Central air conditioning systems often cost anywhere between $5,000 – $10,000. In addition, if you have an inefficient air conditioner, you could experience high utility bills during the summer. Before you install a new air conditioning system, here are

How Much Solar Do I Need for an Electric Vehicle?

Electric Vehicles are becoming more and more popular. I have also noticed that there are more all-electric vehicles, in addition to plug-in hybrids. (Check out this LA Times article about electric vehicle sales.) Not only is California the largest car market in the country (10% of all car sales), Californians buy almost 50% of all plug-in cars bought in the United States! Often, new construction homes include a 220 Volt outlet in the garage to

6 Ways to Finance Energy Efficient Upgrades for Your Home

Energy Efficent Upgrades for your home can improve your property’s value, make your home healthier and more comfortable, and lower your utility bills. They can also cost thousands of dollars. So what’s the best way to finance energy efficient upgrades? If you are thinking of buying a home, there are programs to finance energy efficient upgrades into your first mortgage. If you are a current homeowner, there are many ways to finance energy efficient upgrades, either as

Home Appliance Tricks – Keep Your Washers Like New

Home Appliance Tricks – 5 Ways to Keep Your Washers Like New

Home Appliance Tricks to Save You Money Owning a home can be exciting… until something expensive breaks down! Here are some home appliance tricks to help you save money on your washer and dishwasher. Keeping a well-maintained home is like keeping a well-maintained car: it usually lasts longer, and requires fewer major repairs. Your washer and dishwasher are expensive appliances, and five quick and easy home appliance tricks can help keep them running like new.

Solar Water Heating – Solar Thermal vs. Electric Heat Pumps

Are you tired of using natural gas to heat your water? Have you considered switching to clean solar power? If you are an SDG&E customer, there are generous rebates and tax incentives available for solar water heating systems. Here’s a comparison of two popular options for solar water heating: solar thermal systems, or an electric heat pump water heater, fully powered by solar panels. Ten years ago, solar thermal systems used to be the least expensive option. Since then,

San Diego Native Plants – Native Garden Tour on April 4, 2020 – CANCELLED

UPDATE: this tour was cancelled for 2020. I will post updates once the Tour is rescheduled for 2021! Native plants are a perfect addition to any garden. Come check out some great native gardens on April 4 at the CNPS-San Diego Garden Tour: The Artful California Native Gardens of East San Diego County. As I have said before, here are five reasons: Why Native Plants Are Awesome Native plants need very little water. They require

Energy Efficient Home Upgrades with PACE Financing

If you live in California, you may have already seen ads for HERO financing for solar panels and other green upgrades. HERO, Ygrene, and CaliforniaFirst are PACE Financing programs. PACE Financing is a popular way for homeowners to make energy efficient home upgrades with clean energy and water conservation improvements. Qualification is easier than a bank loan, and contractors can handle most of the paperwork for you. While the PACE financing is easy to access, there are things

SDGE Rebate Programs – Get Paid to Upgrade!

Did you know you that San Diego Gas & Electric will pay you to make your home more energy efficient? SDGE Rebate Programs can reimburse you for energy upgrades, including approved washers, room air conditioners, water heaters, furnaces, insulation, and more! What SDGE Rebate Programs are available? As of October 2019, I found four SDGE rebate programs that are currently active. These rebate programs change often, so check with SDGE to confirm availability: Instant In-Store

San Diego Wildfires, Part 4 of 4: Fireproof Your Neighborhood

Once you have taken steps to fireproof your house, and fireproof your property, the third level of wildfire preparation is to fireproof your neighborhood. This is an ongoing community effort, which includes spreading awareness of fire prevention, as wells as identifying fire hazards in our common areas. Fireproof your neighborhood by making our common areas and wildlands more firesafe, with wildland maintenance, and prevention education. Wildland Maintenance and Habitat Restoration While some may look pretty on our

Home Maintenance Quick Tips – Attic Sealing and Attic Insulation – Tax Credit Available!

Attic Sealing and Attic Insulation – Get Paid to Upgrade! Good news! The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit will help you to pay for your attic sealing and insulation. San Diego homeowners can benefit from lower utility bills, and cleaner air quality. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit provides a 30% tax credit for sealing and insulation. There is no maximum credit. Here’s some information to help you decide if you should take advantage of this awesome program: Attic Sealing –

San Diego Wildfires, Part 3 of 4: Fireproof Your Property – Defensible Space

Once you have taken steps to fireproof your house, the next level of preparation is protecting the land surrounding your house. Fireproof your property by: removing flammable objects, and creating a defensible space of hydrated and maintained natural vegetation. There are conflicting opinions about what kind of defensible space will most effectively fireproof your property. Clearing vegetation down to the dirt has been shown to accelerate the spread of wildfire. Removing native vegetation can cause non-native grasses to

San Diego Wildfires, Part 2 of 4: Fireproof Your House

Now that we have dispelled some myths about wildfire, here’s how to reduce your risk. The first step is to fireproof your house. Houses are your first target, because they are highly flammable. As a result, when houses burn, they burn at hotter temperatures than vegetation. Fireproof Your House: The Basics Site selection, building design, and building materials can significantly reduce your chances of losing your home in a wildfire. Here’s what some local San

Natural Gas Fireplaces – Cheaper, Cleaner, more Energy Efficient

Wood Burning vs. Natural Gas Fireplaces After growing up with wood burning fireplaces, I was surprised to learn that natural gas fireplaces are the cheaper, cleaner, and more energy-efficient option. If you have a wood burning fireplace with a gas starter, consider making the change to natural gas. Reasons to Stop Burning Wood Here are some reasons why you should stop burning wood: It isn’t good for the earth. Wood burning emits a lot of

Native Plants in San Diego – Join Us at the CNPS 2019 Native Garden Tour

Photo credits: Torrey Neel and Judie Lincer Have you thought about improving your landscape with native plants? Learn how to do it at the California Native Plant Society’s 2019 San Diego Garden Tour on April 13 & 14. First, here are five reasons: Why Native Plants Are Awesome Native plants need very little water. They require very little maintenance, so no weekly mow-and-blow service needed. Native gardens attract wildlife, including songbirds. No need for fertilizers in