We have all witnessed an expansion of eco-friendly building in the recent years. It’s something more people are attracted to every day, and they are attracted to it for a reason. When you sum it up, building an eco-friendly home is immensely beneficial. However, if you already have a home built in a different way – don’t despair. There are loads of things you can do to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
We did a bit of researching, and we’ve come up with this short guide through some of the ideas which should help you improve your home’s overall energy efficiency. Some of these ideas are incredibly cheap and easy-to-do. Hopefully, this article will help point you in the right direction when it comes to lowering your energy footprint. So, without further ado, let’s get straight into it.
Using Natural and Recycled Materials
Probably the first thing most contractors will tell you when you ask about materials is to go with natural materials or use recycled ones. Using natural or recycled materials is not only more affordable, but it’s also very energy efficient. For example, using bamboo for your new flooring is probably a smarter thing to do than to pick other materials. Recycled wood offers even better qualities when it comes to water and heat resistance, overall longevity, and affordability. There are tons of eco-friendly and green materials that you can pick for your own home renovation, as they have proven to save quite a lot of time, effort, and money in a long term. Do your homework, learn about recycled materials, and affordable natural materials which will help your home look amazing, and yet function as efficiently as possible.
Seal Air Leaks
Probably the biggest hit on your budget comes from utility bills. More specifically, the electricity bill. Those incredibly hot summers and harsh winters really take their toll on your home budget. However, you would be surprised at the amount of energy that actually takes to cool down or warm up your place. It’s not as near as you might imagine. So why are your utility bills so high? The answer is – improper insulation and air leaks. Various studies have shown that improper insulation on doors and windows diminishes the AC system by more than 25%. That’s 25% of the energy you’ve spent, which never warms or cools your home. That’s why you need to make sure your doors and windows are properly insulated. Also, make sure you regularly inspect and maintain any potential cracks and breaks where air might leak through. Seal those cracks and breaks and you will start noticing the change quite fast.
Using Energy Efficient Lighting
Not all of the energy you’re using is spent in the interior of your home. There’s quite a bit of that energy needed for outdoor spaces as well? If you have a garden and garden lights, you have your own little piece of paradise. However, even the smallest things like improper light bulbs can cause quite a lot of energy loss. No one says that you have to take out all the lights from the garden, but consider changing or replacing old light fixtures with new ones. There are some amazing outdoor LED lighting solutions which can make your garden look even better, and the best thing is – it’s affordable and amazingly energy efficient. You may even consider adding different colored lights to change the entire setting of your garden, and transform how your home exterior looks altogether.
Plant a Tree in Your Garden
While we’re talking about outdoor things you can do to improve your energy efficiency, we have to mention that garden again. Needless to say that having your own herbs and plants will both help you save money, while you’re improving the overall quality of your immediate surroundings. However, there are some things you can do to seriously improve the quality of your life, and one of those things is to plant a tree or a few of them in your garden. Trees need a lot of space to grow, and most of them don’t grow very fast, but the benefits of having a few trees in your garden are numerous. From fresh products (apples, pears, peaches, apricots, and so on), through having an amazing shade which helps your home during the summer, and all the way to the dry branches and sticks you can use for making a fire. Trees also help with the soil consistency and its overall health, so planting a strong-rooted tree in your garden is a win-win situation. However, you must make sure you trim the branches and leaves and maintain your trees frequently.
Use Technology
The last thing we would like to mention when it comes to energy efficiency is to do your homework and focus on technology a bit. It may seem counterintuitive, but investing some funds in smart home systems, programmable thermostats, central AC, and similar technological advancements. As the technology evolves, so do the systems that help us save energy? Research technological gadgets that might help you save money, but also time and effort.
Wrapping it up
Going green has become somewhat of a trend all over the world. It calls for some time and effort, but in the long run, adapting your home so it’s the most energy efficient as possible is something that everyone should focus on. These ideas are just some of the things you can do, to make your home energy efficient, but there are loads of other ideas and tips out there, so do your research, and you will be living in a green home in no time.
