Many homeowners are trying to do their part in making the world a greener place. Whether you are recycling, turning off lights when not in use, or using less water, every effort can add up to make a big difference. A greener home not only means more energy conservation and monetary savings; it also means that you can value to your home with energy-efficient appliances and features.
While some long-term goals of energy efficiency involve a good deal of money, there are less expensive things that you can do as a homeowner order to save dollars, resources, and energy. Here are a few inexpensive tips for a greener home:
Make use of indoor plants. You can really make your environment greener with indoor plants. Bamboo, azaleas, and English ivy all have the ability to improve air quality by removing chemicals in the air. And they can make your home literally greener as well.
Get an energy audit. An auditor can show you all of the weak spots in your house, and they can tell you how to fix them. You can get online energy audits that are accurate for free on some websites.
Use eco-friendly cleaning products and practices. Instead of using products that have chemicals and allergy triggers, try using plant-based cleaning products. The greenest cleaning solutions are usually the cheapest ones. Baking soda, white vinegar, borax, lemons, and washing soda are all great natural alternatives that are eco-friendly. Plus, they do the job well!
Add insulation. You can greatly reduce your home’s energy use by adding insulation to doors, windows, and ducts. Also consider putting up thermal shades that can help block the sun when it’s hot out and retain heat in the wintertime.
Begin a compost pile. If you want to reduce waste plus have rich fertilizer for your garden, start a compost pile. You can compost leaves, fireplace ash, eggshells, teabags, and coffee grounds, to name just a few things.
Switch to a programmable thermostat. You can save money on your yearly energy costs by switching to a programmable thermostat. They automatically reduce the heating or cooling in your home when you need it least, and most models have the ability to let you program at least four temperature settings per day.
Your energy-efficient changes have the potential to add value to your home. In order to find out if you’ve made smart changes, you can obtain a free home valuation report from Neighborhood IQ to find out how much your home is worth. Also, the Home Loan Advisor can analyze your property, current market conditions, local market comps, and other variables in our proprietary algorithm, and match you with potential lenders.
