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It’s no secret that many people view owning a home as a major milestone in their lives. After all, it’s one of the best ways to increase your overall net worth.
However, it is important to acknowledge that there are also plenty of ways you can make your home more environmentally friendly.
Not quite sure where to start? Let’s take a look at some of the most noteworthy upgrades that you can make for an eco friendly home.
Attic Insulation
One of the most efficient ways to help reduce your home’s environmental impact is to install attic insulation. For those who are unaware, this comes with a large number of different benefits.
Primarily, you can help reduce your energy consumption in your home. By extension, though, this also means that you will also reduce your carbon footprint.
When a home is not properly insulated, it will typically experience drastic fluctuations in temperature. This could easily create a situation where your HVAC unit is constantly running.
This is particularly true for homes that have more than one floor, as hot air will eventually rise to the upper parts of the house.
Additionally, putting less strain on your HVAC system will allow it to last for a longer period of time. These repairs are often expensive, so this is something to keep in mind.
Low-Flow Showerheads
Older showerheads are notorious for using far more water than is required to sufficiently bathe. When left unchecked, it’s not uncommon for homeowners to wonder why their water bill is so high even though they accurately monitor the time they spend in the shower.
Low-flow showerheads, on the other hand, drastically reduce the amount of water used per minute.
To help put this into perspective, let’s assume that you spend an average of 10 minutes per day in the shower. Let’s also assume that the showerhead you currently have uses five gallons of water per minute.
In a typical week, this means that your showers require approximately 700 gallons of water.
A low-flow showerhead, though, may require 2.5 gallons of water per minute. This means you can effectively cut your total water consumption in half, as using a low-flow showerhead would only require 350 gallons per week in comparison.
Waste reduction is one of the greatest ways to help make your home more suited for sustainable living. Although it might seem like a simple upgrade at first, you can save a drastic amount of energy (and money) by installing one.
Window Insulation
Similar to how attic insulation helps reduce your energy bill, the same can be said about the windows of your home. Additionally, it’s fairly easy to perform this on your own.
To achieve this, all you’ll need is caulk — something you can easily find at your local hardware store. This is a material that can be used to seal gaps or cracks on or near your window.
This will help ensure that the temperature within your home remains consistent. For those who enjoy having their window blinds or drapes open during the warmer months, you’ll find that your AC units run far less often.
In contrast, poorly insulated windows could cause your house temperature to quickly adjust to the temperature outside.
Home Appliances
As previously mentioned, old showerhead models use an inefficient amount of water. The same concept applies to older home appliances when it comes to electricity.
There are three appliances that allow you to get the most value from the money you spend:
- Ovens
- Dishwashers
- Microwaves
Modern designs of these appliances specifically prioritize energy consumption in order to make them more efficient overall.
Upgrading a single appliance may not have a monumental impact on your energy bill. However, making multiple upgrades within your home could substantially reduce the amount of energy that you consume through everyday tasks.
As a result, you can also make a substantial dent in your carbon footprint.
Solar Energy
As you might expect, solar energy is one of the most prominent home upgrades in this category. You can even add a substantial amount to your home’s value through solar panel installation.
Those who live in regions with notably sunny climates will benefit the most from this type of technology. So, this means residents of Florida, Arizona, Texas, and California will likely see the most energy savings.
Interestingly, many people are unaware of the fact that the government offers tax incentives for homeowners who install solar technology into their homes. In fact, homeowners who decide to install solar panels before 2023 can benefit from a 26% tax credit.
Of course, you can’t neglect the impact this will also have on your home’s electricity use. One of the most efficient ways to reduce your environmental impact is to minimize the amount of electricity that you use on a regular basis.
It’s also important to note that all of these factors combined essentially allow the solar upgrades you make to your home to pay for themselves. So, this is something to consider if you’re on the fence about whether or not you would like to invest money in solar technology.
Obtaining an Eco Friendly Home Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult
The above information will help you choose the upgrades that are best for you and your family. From here, you’ll be able to take full advantage of having an eco friendly home in the future.
Want to learn more about what we have to offer? Feel free to get in touch with us today and see how we can help.
