Sunflower House: Green Rehab for an Older Home

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Last week, I chatted with Wanda Urbanska of the popular public television show Simple Living. The fourth season is just beginning, and it’s all about green living. If you’ve been wanting to green your home but don’t know where to start, look no further. Wanda was kind enough to stop by EcoSalon again this week to share how she "rehabbed" her own older ranch home, the Sunflower House, into an eco wonder. The best part is that it required no structural remodeling or second-mortgage-worthy expense.

Wanda says that it’s important to recognize that "first, the greenest thing that you can do is to modify an existing structure rather than compromising open space and incurring a high carbon cost with new materials. It’s so much better to upgrade a pre-existing home."

That’s great news for those of us who don’t have the means to start from scratch or to do extensive remodeling but want to reduce the carbon impact of an older home.

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Here’s what Wanda and the Simple Living team did:

Systems before aesthetics!

Wanda didn’t just focus on the "fun, feminine stuff" like draperies, carpets, paints and furnishings. She and her expert team examined the systems and structure of the house to determine if there were modest changes that could be made that would still yield big green results.

– In the attic, the old insulation was falling apart. Wanda and the team ripped out the toxic stuff and replaced it with eco-friendlier spray foam insulation by NCFI Polyurethanes. (The basement was improved with Johns Manville insulation.) This sealed off the attic and also harvested some new space. Though spray foam insulation is expensive, the cost savings on Wanda’s energy bills will more than make up for the investment.

– Next, Wanda tackled the seams: windows and doors were resealed and repaired where necessary to reduce drafts and wasteful energy leaks. She also replaced the windows with more efficient Norandex panes and screens.

– The heating and cooling systems were updated with some simple modifications like a thermostat timer and ceiling fans. For minimal expense, the Sunflower House’s temperature is managed more efficiently, translating to less waste and greater savings! The Sunflower House team made other changes, as well, such as the installation of an HVAC system and elimination of the oil heating system. Those are a bit more costly, but the savings over time will pay for the initial investment.

Because the home was built in 1956, there were flaws, but that shouldn’t be cause for stress. "Despite the flaws, the home has good bones," says Wanda. "Nothing is perfect – we really have to get away from this concept of things needing to be perfect. Work with what you have."

Once basic modifications were made to the "guts" of the home, it was on to the steps we all love: decorating and making cosmetic changes.
The previous owner had opened up some rooms in the house, which did help to update the home. Other  changes weren’t so sensible, like carpet and paint. "So often when we remodeled in the 80s and 90s," Wanda says, "we only made things worse!" The team took things a green step further with a host of smart improvements:

– Walls were painted with low-VOC paints in soothing shades of yellow and crisp brights like aqua.

Dual-flush, low-flow commodes were installed in the bathrooms and old appliances were replaced with energy-efficient models.

Crown moldings were added to give the home instant classic appeal, but in lieu of conventional, toxic plastic moldings, the team sourced wood scrap.

Formica countertops were replaced with granite. "It turns out that the world’s largest granite quarry is just 3 miles away. Not only do we have local wood in the house, we now have local granite!" jokes Wanda. (The Sunflower House is located in Mt. Airy, N.C.)

– Toxic popcorn ceilings were smoothed and painted with low-VOC paint. "Not all popcorn  ceilings are toxic," says Wanda, "but the energy in your home is really different when you open up space and smooth the ceilings. I noticed a difference right away."

– Synthetic Berber carpeting was pulled up and the local oak floors beneath were given new life.

– Furnishings, draperies and bedding were supplied by eco-friendly retailers like VivaTerra, Magnolia Lane and others (be sure to watch the show to see them all).

With indoor pollution minimized, and eco-friendly decor secured, the Sunflower House team made other changes to invigorate and warm the ambience of the home. "In the study, there’s a chestnut mantle made of reclaimed chestnut," says Wanda. "In fact, that species of chestnut is now extinct due to a blight 100 years ago, so it’s a very special piece."

Wanda also found ways to reinterpret cherished heirlooms: for example, a vintage 60s scarecrow skirt of her mother’s became darling kitchen curtains and spared the carbon cost of brand-new curtains.

She made further eco-sensitive changes: a reclaimed tablecloth found new life as bedding, and the laundry room was made both welcoming and efficient with some simple reconfigurations. "We even put up a clothesline to let the sun do its work and save energy," says Wanda.

Through a combination of modest structural and system changes and decor and appliance updates to maximize energy savings and eco-friendliness, the Sunflower House is officially "clean". You can learn more, and get tips to green your own home, by watching the show. Check your local listings for more information.

Images: courtesy Human Graphics