10 Simple Ways To Make Your Home More Sustainable

Heating and cooling our homes accounts for more than half of our total energy usage, so it’s a logical place to target for reductions. We’ve compiled a cheat sheet full of our expert advice on all these topics, to help answer your most pressing energy-saving and home sustainability questions. Hydronic radiant heating systems use water to heat a home instead of air. They are much more energy-efficient than forced air gas heating systems—not to mention a lot cheaper in the long run, Silver reveals. Plus, water-based systems reduce allergies, since “air is not being blown around, shooting dust particles,” he notes. On its face, implementing sustainable solutions can sound onerous, not to mention expensive.

• Quick showers use much less water than full baths, so minimize baths when you can.
• Sure, it takes a bit of responsibility to take care of plants but it’s surely worth it.
• Especially as the cost to install solar panels continues to decrease and the quality of panels improves, this sustainable home improvement is worth considering.

Whenever you need to replace your couch or kitchen table, see what others recently donated to upcycle your furniture. Consider adding a lovely indoor porch with floor-to-ceiling glass walls or windows. People who have sunrooms use less electricity because they use so much natural lighting from all sides of the room. Your home can become even more eco-friendly with a three-season sunroom, which doesn’t require an auxiliary heat source hooked up to your electric system.

The Inflation Reduction Act’s clean-energy incentives

Because green homes are rapidly becoming mainstream, building an eco-friendly home has never been easier. Whether you are planning to do the work yourself or hire a contractor, see how green you can go with your next home-building or remodeling project. Joe Raboine, vice president of design at Belgard, says rainwater harvesting reduces metered water use. “At a simple level, you can do this with rain barrels,” Raboine says. These capture water from your downspouts and store it for later use. People around the world use a staggering 42 million tons of toilet paper every year, according to Spencer Weidner, digital marketing director at Bio Bidet by Bemis.

Nurture your garden with repurposed rainfall from a backyard barrel instead of cranking up the hose. Eco-friendly paints have lower levels of VOCs and emit fewer toxins, which reduces indoor air pollution. Adding insulation to the walls of your home prevents warm air from leaking out in the winter. Eschew unsustainable sheep’s wool and harmful fiberglass for cotton, which can be made into thick batts for your walls. Other options include cork produced from the regenerating bark of a cork oak tree and cellulose from recycled newsprint and paper.

The Timeless Appeal of White Subway Tiles

Changing settings for when you’re away from home, adjusting the temperature based on the weather outside and using smart settings to regulate temperature has never been easier. While you’re looking at the lights, don’t forget your outdoor fixtures — they too can be driving up energy costs. According to Energy Star, replacing outdoor light fixtures and bulbs with Energy-Star certified products can save homeowners $75 per year. Energy efficient light bulbs have been around for a long time, but it really has taken a significant amount of time for many people to come around to the idea. Ultimately, though, it really makes a lot of sense to make the switch.

Consider the realistic progress you can make today, what you can add tomorrow, and what to aim for in the future. Here’s a checklist to get you started as you tackle new projects around the house this season and beyond. Instead of throwing food scraps in the garbage, keep a bin handy for composting before moving them into the yard to safely break down.

Eco-Friendly Products For The Home

Installation of solar panels can also make your house energy efficient. Appliances for all around the home are now rated from G to A+++++, with the latter being the most energy efficient. Anything in the A – C range is thought to be most environmentally friendly, and most manufacturers are now only building and selling appliances that fall into that category. Perhaps one of the easiest changes https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-make-your-home-more-environmentally-friendly/ to make in an eco-friendly house is to swap all your appliances for more energy efficient ones. Electrical equipment decreases in efficiency over the years, and anything that is older than 10 years old is likely costing you, and the environment, a lot more than you realise. According to the experts at Biofriendly Planet, “The curtains and blinds are not just for keeping nosy neighbors away.

Jhánneu Roberts, a sustainability expert for Opendoor’s 2023 Eco-Forward Cities, says clotheslines save energy and make your clothes last longer. “It’s also a great way to enjoy some fresh air while doing your laundry,” she says. Traditional turfgrass lawns need lots of water, but xeriscapes can be a great sustainable alternative.

HVAC units require yearly inspections, but scheduling them more often could make your house a more eco-friendly home. Exposure to the elements causes natural buildup and grime inside the machinery, then dust clogs the ventilation system. Biannual cleanings will help it run at optimal speeds so it doesn’t have to use more energy to work overtime and keep your home comfortable. Anyone looking for another alternative to throwing trash in landfills should start a compost bin. It’s a place for materials like eggshells, newspaper, and coffee grounds to break down into organic waste for all-natural fertilizer.

Choose recycled plastic, glass or natural products like bamboo or cork which are made from renewable materials. Using these materials can be hugely beneficial in the long run as they can reduce carbon emissions and save energy, resulting in a lower energy bill. One of the smartest ways to improve your home’s eco-friendliness is to ensure that you use as little energy as possible.