It’s time to make greener changes in the home.
We’re all becoming more aware of the need to be eco-friendly and sustainable these days, throughout the home, what we wear, eat, buy, how we travel and our hobbies. Gone are the days when we could just recycle at home and call it a day. Today demands for more environmentally friendly practices – some big, some small – that go a long way to helping us lead a more sustainable way of life.
To help you get started, we’ve rounded a few upgrades to make your home – and lifestyle – more sustainable.
Make your home more sustainable
1. Insulate your home properly
Ask any housing sustainability expert, and the first energy-efficient modification they’ll suggest is likely going to be your home’s insulation.
The first places you’ll want to tackle are your loft and walls, which are areas that will be losing the most heat. Make sure they’re well-insulated, and you’ll see dramatic benefits both in the warmth of your home and your energy bills. Thick curtains over windows and doors can also help to keep your house insulated too (we’ll get to this in a moment).
2. Double glaze your windows
Single glazed windows are out, replaced by double or even triple glazing. This not only keeps your home more energy-efficient and saves you money, but it’s an attractive quality when it comes time to sell the property.
3. Switch to energy-efficient lighting
Although energy-efficient light bulbs have been on the market for a good number of years now, it’s only in the last few years that the general public have started to become more educated about their effectiveness and how they can save money around the home.
Energy-saving light bulbs last up to 12 times longer than traditional bulbs, while providing the same amount of light quality for much less energy. Around 80% of the energy used to power traditional bulbs is lost in heating energy, while LED bulbs run at 80-90% energy efficiency.
4. Ditch blinds and opt for thicker curtains
Even if it’s more in keeping with the décor to have blinds in the home, don’t discount having thicker curtains in certain rooms, particularly the bedroom. They can be a great energy conserver and can help to keep rooms cooler and darker in summer.
5. Service your boiler regularly
The latest boilers on the market are a lot more heat and energy efficient than their older counterparts. Even so, they need to be serviced regularly in order to keep them in top condition. Older boilers can still work efficiently, provided they are well-maintained and used wisely. It’s recommended that you renew your boiler every 10 years or so.
6. Keep house repairs local
This might seem like a bit of a simplistic point – but isn’t it better to think locally if your home needs work doing to it? Instead of employing a tradesperson to travel 50 miles to repair your boiler, search in your local neighbourhood for a qualified technician to help.
7. Think green when cleaning
We all have our go-to cleaning detergents that we’ve used for years, and never really thought about the harm they could be doing to the environment. Once they’re washed down the drain, they filter into the water supply. It takes a lot more energy and work to purify the water again at treatment works.
Instead of these harmful products, opt for eco-friendly switches. Use bicarb of soda, lemon juice or vinegar instead of bleaches and detergents. Switch to steam cleaners as a way to disinfect and kill germs – as no cleaning products are needed except for water!
With these tips in hand, you can work to make your home more sustainable over time. Before you get started, take a look at your home’s value so you know where you could improve your profit if you decide to sell.