Homeownership seems to come with an endless schedule of improvements. Some are simple — maybe you’re making some budget-friendly upgrades like repainting some rooms or improving the available storage to reduce clutter. Other popular home improvement projects are a little more ambitious, like those designed to make your home more eco-friendly.
As a growing number of homeowners shift toward sustainable living, we’ll see a lot more of these 4 upgrades.
All Energy Star Appliances
Energy Star appliances have been around for a long time, and they get a little better every year. That doesn’t mean you should be constantly upgrading your appliances for the energy savings, but it does mean that when something gets very old or breaks down, it’s important to choose Energy Star appliances to replace them. This is especially true of your refrigerator, which consumes more energy than any other appliance in your home.
Pick Pellets For Heating
Home heating systems still vary widely, from old steam radiators to all-electric homes and those that still rely heavily on traditional fireplaces. What many don’t realize about heating, though, is that one of the most sustainable systems out there is regularly overlooked: the pellet stove. Pellet stoves are similar to woodstoves, but they’re more efficient, burning carefully calibrated sawmill byproduct pellets to heat the home. They also produce a lot less pollution.
In addition to being highly efficient, pellet stoves are also very affordable to install compared to some other options. That’s in part because they can be directly vented, so you don’t need to make significant structural changes, like installing a flue. If you want to go beyond heating, you can also install pellet-fired furnaces and boilers.
Minimize Water Waste
Water waste is a huge problem in today’s homes, but while new dishwashers and low-flow toilets can help save water, these appliances don’t address a uniquely American problem — watering our lawns. Not only is watering a lawn wasteful since it’s water that doesn’t go to producing edible crops, but many people over-water their lawns and use timed sprinklers that may run even if it’s rained recently. Luckily, we finally have a better way.
If you’re committed to keeping your lawn, installing a smart sprinkler system can help reduce water waste by providing watering recommendations based on soil type and weather patterns. Some even measure soil hydration, and while these sprinklers will let you set a schedule, they’ll also automatically alter the schedule based on local weather events.
Go Solar
No matter where you live, you almost certainly have access to quality solar installation these days – and likely with significant tax benefits or other rebates, so why not make this the year you start producing your own energy with solar panels? While there are occasions when a home isn’t a good candidate because of surrounding shade or other structural issues, most homes can support at least some solar elements. If, for some reason, your home is one of those excluded from significant solar adoption, though, you can also switch to a greener energy provider, such as one that uses solar farms to replace less sustainable electric sources.
These days, going green is easier than ever, so there’s no reason to delay. These changes will make your home more attractive to buyers if you’re trying to sell, save you money during your time in residence, and, most importantly, enable you to care for the well-being of the earth as you go about your daily routine.
