People have become more conscious of environmental concerns, and so has the building industry. When you choose to add to your existing home rather than building a bigger one elsewhere is itself an environmentally friendly action. Here are the eco-friendly improvements you can take when re-designing or building your home.
Use Energy-Efficient Appliances
There are significant differences in terms of consumption with several energy appliances. In all vital heme electrical devices, there is an energy guide label attached. The labelling can help you choose the most efficient models. The tags compare the specific model’s water and energy consumption with other alike models.
Select Building Materials Wisely
First of all, you need to use local building materials when and where possible in your project. Also, use eco-friendly engineered wood products such as trusses and wood joists. Engineered wood products are consistent in precision and strength and too stable. Several environmentally friendly compost materials made from recycled plastics and wood are also available for trim and decking work. Use water-based finishes and paints. Additionally, pressure-treated products contain VOC (volatile organic compounds) such as formaldehyde. With time the leaching out may pose a health hazard after prolonged exposure. Alternatives that can be used include non-VOC materials such as steel studs, joists, wood-composite or plastic impregnated planks or kiln-dried lumber.
Consider Your Flooring
Some flooring can contribute to indoor air contamination. The contamination occurs due to leaching of the VOC (volatile organic compounds) used in their manufacture. Natural fiber carpets and linoleum are some of the flooring materials that come from renewable sources and are durable. Natural carpet-type are made from reeds and glass while linoleum is a product from cork harvested from cork tree with care not to damage the tree. Other choices include stone, hardwood, bamboo and ceramic. Where adhesives are used, air out your house after installation.
Maximize on Solar Energy
During summer, reduce the solar exposure to the sun whereas in winter take advantage of passive solar heating by making maximum use of sun’s heating effects. You need to consider the proper orientation of your solar as well as the appropriate placement and ventilation of the windows.
Go Green with Boiler Installation
When it comes to new boiler installation, make sure you install a high-efficiency boiler. You can tell the efficiency of a boiler by assigning its annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. A boiler with an AFUE rating of higher than 90 can reduce your heating costs by 30% overnight. You also reduce the carbon footprint of your home by 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide annually. New boiler installation or boiler repair can help achieve these eco-friendly ratings.
Install Vapor Barriers
Vapor barriers help to promote the quality of indoor air by preventing pollutants and moisture from seeping in. With correct installations and proper mechanical types of equipment for vapor, barrier ventilations can reduce energy consumption. They also cut drafts hence decreasing the use of energy.
Check the Insulation
You can use cellulose fiber loose-fill insulation that is made from recycled paper. In an existing house, check the insulation heating and cooling ducts if they are properly done. Install windows that have insulated glass.
Install Low-Voltage Lighting
With conventional lighting systems, they use a line-voltage wiring as well as incandescent bulbs (lamps). These bulbs waste a lot of energy by producing light together with heat. When using low-voltage systems, the transformer reduces the voltage saving energy. There are particular types of bulbs such as halogen or fluorescent that converts significant energy to light.
Eco-Friendly Pest Control
It’s better to prevent than to cure. Eco-friendly pest control measures clear your home of any possible infestation before it turns out to be a problem. To get rid of pests in your home, use a pest exterminator who will visit your home and provide you with the best eco-friendly control program for pests.an example is an ant exterminator.
Low-Pressure Water Fixtures
Use energy-saving low water use fixtures. Quality low-flow fixtures such as showerheads, skin faucets and toilets perform just as well as traditional installations but at much lower operational costs. The different accessories in the current market give comparable results, though there are more improved varieties that provide superior results.
Plan Healthy Sitting
A leaky basement with poor drainage can lead to mildew and mould growth on the interior surfaces and walls. To avoid this, plan a proper sitting. Your additions should not disrupt natural drainage patterns. Consider building your addition on a crawl-space foundation that is well ventilated, or on piers, or a concrete slab. Installing a dehumidification system or placing plastic sheets under the basement is equally reasonable measures.
Conclusion
To sum up, there are plenty of options that can save the environment when choosing to renovate your home in an eco-friendly manner. Being environmental savvy while giving back to the community will also save monies in your bank account.