Your house, your castle right? It can be so satisfying to improve things around your house, to make it better, more liveable, or more to your liking.
But in today’s age, you have a responsibility to examine the way that you are carrying out any improvements. If you can complete them in a sustainable fashion then you will not only do good for the environment, but you could save some money in the long run. If you make your home more energy efficient then there is less of a drain on resources and you will save money on your power bill.
Those resources do not come from a bottomless pit, so if you can do things sustainably then everyone will benefit.
Window Rejuvenation
You might exit your house through the front door, but most of the heat in your home exits through the windows. Investing in double glazing will increase the all-round insulation of your home and be the biggest way that you can reduce your energy consumption.
If that isn’t in the budget then consider replacing the rubber seals on your aluminium windows, or fitting draft exclusion products to wooden frames.
Curtains are another great way to keep the heat in after nightfall. Invest in high quality, thick curtains that fit your windows as they should. Make sure they are the type that can be pulled back from the windows in the daytime to let natural light in.
Shine Some Light On It
At some point in the evening, you are going to need to turn on some lights. Standard light bulbs are not at all energy efficient. So why not try an LED version?
LED bulbs use 80% less power than their standard counterparts, and they last longer. There will be an initial investment to swap all of your light bulbs over to LED ones, but once that investment has been made you will see a reduction in your energy usage. So over time, you will make your money back… and some!
A Lofty Goal
Heat rises, so it makes sense to check your roofing insulation. You could be losing a lot of heating out of your roof. Almost half of an average winter power bill goes towards heating. Ensure that your roof space is really well insulated to reduce your overall energy costs and consumption.
Insulation is not the only consideration when it comes to your roof space. Do you, or could you have the makings of a wonderfully cosy loft room? Loft conversions can be a great way to add value to your home and maximise the energy efficient space available.
Move It Outdoors
You don’t have to focus your improvement efforts to the interior of your home, the outside can be more eco-friendly too.
One of the most common outdoor improvements is to overhaul your driveway or patio area. If this is on your to do list, then consider permeable pavers for the job. They allow excess water to drain away easier and can even filter water to be collected and reused.
You can create your own ecosystem in your backyard and minimise the potentially damaging effects of flood waters.
Go Solar
Solar panels are probably the most recognised eco-improvement that you can make to your home. You will thank yourself for years to come when you invest in solar panels.
If the panels are placed correctly, not only do you power your own home, you can actually sell your excess energy resources to your local power company so that you power your neighbour’s homes as well.
Solar power is the cleanest and most renewable source of energy on the planet, why wouldn’t you want to utilise it?