Here are five ways you can save energy and money starting today.

1. For those of us that have dishwashers in Hawaii, don’t rinse your dishes before you place them in the dishwasher. Simply wipe the excess food from the dishes. Pre-washing your dishing can easily waste a lot of water. If the dishes have been burned or stuff is dried on it, then it may need soaking or prewashing. Only run your dishwasher when they are full.

2. Keep your refrigerator coils clean. Every so often clean behind your fridge and underneath. This will help to keep the fridge from over working itself.

2. Reset the temperature of your air conditioner. Whether you have a central ac or a window ac, setting it at a comfortable temperature.

3. Most water heaters have adjustable thermostats. Turn your thermostat between 95 degrees ferinheight and 120 degrees ferinheight, depending on the amount of people in your household.

4. Take shorter showers. Just by shortening your shower time by three minutes can cut your water usage.

5. Switch your lighten to energy-efficient. This is one of the fastest ways to cut your utility bill.

In Hawaii it’s not uncommon to own a home with a carport in place of a garage. It can be very beneficial to convert your carport into a garage.

A well-designed garage can serve many functions. A garage creates more storage for your belongings that you don’t have space for inside your home. Privacy can be a huge benefit of an enclosed garage. You are able store items, close the door and still allow your home to look presentable and not cluttered to the neighborhood.

A garage doesn’t have to be a storage space for just your car and lawn mower. Shelving and hooks can be placed around a workbench created for all your tools and equipment. Some chose to use part of the garage for entertainment like a pool table or ping-pong table.

When it’s time to decide on the garage door, pick a design that matches the rest of your home. There are a variety of types and designs available.

We had a client who converted their carport into a 6-car garage. See the photo album below.