What does “going green” really look like in your home? Everyone would love to save money on their electric bill while knowing that they are doing good for our environment. While many homeowners desire to make their homes more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, they may be stumped as to where to start. Let’s look at a few ways you could consider going green in your home.
Utilizing Natural Light
Natural light is something everyone loves in a home and it can bring new life to a dark space. The addition of windows or skylights to a room allows you to use less electricity during the day, and they can be installed with relatively little hassle and cost. Already have plenty of natural light? Consider then how good your current windows are at holding the temperature of your home. Do you feel a draft when walking by a window? Old or outdated windows can lose up to 40% of a home’s heating and cooling efficiency. Replacing old windows with Energy Star windows will help bring your utility bill down and keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
New Insulation
Heading toward the hot summer months, everyone is dreading the cooling bills that follow. Controlling those bills starts with proper insulation. Insulation helps your home retain heat in the winter and cool in the summer. Adding a few inches of blown insulation can cut energy consumption by up to 20% in older homes.
Kitchen Update
More than just a beauty treatment, updating the kitchen can save money in the long run. Replacing old appliances with Energy Star appliances is an investment that will pay great returns in a home. Not only will you have a new and beautiful look to your kitchen, you will also have satisfaction knowing that your home is costing you less per month.
Reclaimed Materials
Old can be new again when you repurpose beautiful materials from another time. Whether it’s your flooring, counters or doors, giving old materials new life can bring a charm to your home that you wouldn’t be able to find otherwise. Repurposed wood makes wonderful flooring that will become an indispensable part of the beauty of your space. When looking to use reclaimed materials, talk to your contractor and ask for examples from their portfolio. Look for someone who has experience with breathing new life and beauty into older materials.
