Tips for Making Your Home More Energy Efficient and Eco-Friendly
Everybody wants to do some good, save money, and pay less on their monthly bills. But it can be tough to know where to start, and how to go about making your home more energy efficient and eco-friendly. Luckily, with more and more homeowners looking to take responsibility for their finances and the environment, there are more resources than ever to assist in making this transition.
Here are some great tips and ideas to help you make your home more efficient and eco-friendly.
Inside
- Consider using milk-based paint.
- Remember to use acrylic paint that gives off low volatile organic compounds.
- Use concrete for countertops or floors.
- Consider investing in carpets that are made from wool or corn fiber. Some mats release volatile organic compounds, VOCs.
- Invest in the unbleached paper for paper towels and coffee filters.
- Consider investing in cork floors.
- Consider using flooring made of reclaimed wood.
- Replace old doors and windows that are not energy efficient. This might cost a pretty penny upfront; it will not only make your home much more sellable should you decide to list shortly, but it will also save you a lot of money in the long run.
Energy Usage
- Raise the temperature. By increasing the temperature, just one degree saves 7 percent to 10 percent on cooling costs.
- Add ceiling fans and portable fans to help circulate the air and cut down on air conditioner use.
- Consider a tankless or instantaneous water heater.
- Replace compact fluorescent lights with light-emitting diode, LED, tiny light bulbs that fit into an electrical circuit. They use one-third the energy and last five times longer than CFLs.
- Replace the clothes washer, dishwasher, refrigerator and dryer with Energy Star appliances.
- Clean the dryer’s lint filter after every load.
- Set water heater temperature to 120 degrees.
- Add attic insulation.
Your Roof
- Rooftop solar shingles are great options to help offset your energy use.
- Pick a light-colored roof to decrease heat transferred to the attic.
- Consider installing (well insulated) skylights to increase solar warmth and natural light.
- Add a durable metal roof.
Outside
Start a compost pile. Not only does composting recycle kitchen waste, but the end product is also a nourishing amendment for gardens and planting beds.
- Invest in energy-efficient LEDs for exterior light.
- Inspect your sprinkler systems for leaks.
- Leave grass clippings on your yard as mulch.
- Reduce the actual size of your lawn.
- Plant trees to increase the shade around your property.
Water
- Install a water softener to minimize mineral deposits and prolong the life of the water heater.
- Install low-flow showerheads on showers and aerators on faucets.
- Consider adding plumbing to recycle gray water from sinks and tubs to toilets.
- Only run the washer and dishwasher when you have full loads.
- Repair dripping faucets promptly.
While there are a lot of tips both here and found on the internet, no one is expecting you to suddenly follow all of them overnight. Even if you only implement a couple of these tips, you will over time notice the impact that they make on your bills, and you will be able to feel good about doing your part for the environment.