Tips To Transform Your Humble Abode Into An Eco-Friendly Home

It is great news that many people around the world are now becoming more conscious of the environment.

Whatever your motivation is — maybe you just wish to be environmentally responsible in life and save the earth or you need to cut down on your utility bills and save a bit more money— there are myriad of ways to go greener.

Here are some tips on how you can transform your property into a sustainable, eco-friendly home that will certainly get a thumbs up from Mother Earth!

1. Get Serious About Water

When we talk about “sustainability”, we usually think that it only relates to the consumption of energy. However, being truly eco-friendly means that you take a holistic approach, so you will also need to get serious about your water consumption.

Firstly, you will need to take the time to fix any leaks you might have. Which after, there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make to save water. For instance, you should make sure that you do not run the tap when shaving or brushing your teeth. It is also a great idea to install low-flow showerheads which can save up to 160,00 liters of water for a family of four.

You can also try “gray watering” or the reusing of water. You can collect water in a bucket when you shower and then use the collected water for flushing the toilets. By doing this, you can save water on a large scale every month. Another option is to install a Greywater Systems that collect the water draining from the bathroom sink and then channel it back to your toilet to use for flushing.

2. Insulate, Insulate, Insulate

One of the smartest ways you can improve the eco-friendliness of your home is to make sure that you use as little energy as you can. And investing in insulation is a great way to do this. Good insulation can help to keep heat inside and cold outside, depending on the season. By maintaining a comfortable temperature you won’t have to burn energy in re-heating your home all the time.

For instance, insulated roofs keep the heat inside your home so you don’t need to use heaters during the colder months, but also helps to prevent excess heat from entering your home during hotter months, helping you save on energy used by ACs.

It is also smart to consider double glazing for your windows. Also, think about covering any exposed hardwood floors. Choose area rugs as a stylish and cost-effective way to insulate your home and prevent air from slipping through the cracks in the floor.

3. Utilize Those Windows

A cost-free way to cool down your house during the summer is night flushing. This requires you to open the windows during the night to let the cool air in and closing them and drawing the shades in the morning to trap the air inside.

If you have more money to spend, you can upgrade to energy-efficient, high-performance windows with a low U-value or heat transfer rate.  You can also consider tilt-and-turn or casement models that can be opened fully and more easily which allows for greater airflow.

4. Install Solar Panels

Solar panels are a crucial feature for any eco-friendly home. Providing you with completely clean electricity, solar panels can sometimes even create enough energy in order for you to sell some back to the grid.

An excellent long-term investment, solar panels have been suggested to take at least 20 years before they’ll need replacement, depending on where you live. However, this is not just a monetary investment, solar panels are a great opportunity to help Mother Earth.

5. Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Light bulbs that are energy-efficient have been here for a while. However, it has taken a good amount of time for the majority of people to come around to the idea. And it really makes a lot of sense to completely make the switch.

Energy-efficient light bulbs not only use less electricity, but they also last longer than traditional bulbs, meaning you do not have to spend money as often to replace them. Think LEDs or CFLs since they use up to 80% less energy than incandescent.