What with the natural disasters amidst the pandemic that happened last year, the world is certainly going into an era of inexplicable mayhem right now more than ever. Flash floods, bushfires, and tsunamis, among a few, are certainly a product of the neglectful attitude of humans towards the environment. Deforestations are still rampant worldwide, making way for newer establishments for people’s convenience and entertainment. But is it worth it?
Going green is indeed a priority right now, especially when it comes to the lifestyle you embody in your homes. Even certainincentives are offered for people who opt to build or revamp their existing homes into an environmentally sustainable abode. Owning one may even deduct your tax contributions. If you ultimately decide to revamp your home to its environmental finest, then you must consider some factors such as:
- The location.To have a sustainable home, you must be equally aware of the certain circumstances that the location goes through all year round. You must also consider the frequent weather conditions and the overall temperature to ensure that the materials you would use are suitable for the living conditions in the said area.
- Exposure to sunlight.It is quite practical nowadays to utilize solar panels as a way to use energy efficiently at home. It also reduces the overall cost of your running electricity, which is indeed something you can never say no to.
- Reliable contractor or installation service providers.You must be able to find a construction service provider that you would see eye to eye with. Ensure that you both understand your vision and plans, and you must also be willing to compromise when they give certain suggestions that are good for your home.
More importantly, you must also identify the parts of your home that need revamping up. You must set your vision straight and opt to make everything harmless to the environment as much as possible. You may check the following as a guide to gradually convert your home into a greener one:
Maximizing the use of natural light
While LED bulbs generally consume less energy and are much environmentally friendly to use as a substitute for your usual incandescent and fluorescent bulbs, opting to maximize the use of natural light will certainly decrease your energy consumption a lot more. By avoiding the use of any form of electrical energy during the day, you save energy and a lot of money. Reserve your LED bulbs during night time and invest in installing bigger windows or consider installing a skylight!
Throwing out harmful cleaning chemicals
Store detergents and sprays are certainly a lot more convenient to use when cleaning your home, but there are also a lot of natural alternatives to using for your day-to-day cleaning activities. Washing away harmful chemicals down the drain means you are still putting them back into the water supply, which would take a while to be purified again. You may consider using vinegar, baking soda, salt, or lemons to substitute your minor cleaning products and avoid using harmful ones as much as possible.
Go tankless
Tankless water heaters considerably use a lot less energy than your usual ones. It also saves a lot of space because-well, it’s tankless. Water heaters that utilize storage tanks continuously heat water even when it’s not needed, wasting valuable energy in doing so. With tankless units, you are still supplied with hot water at a limitless amount, and you get to save money and savings at the same time. It is a great investment as it also has a long life span and may only require minor fixes and maintenance throughout the years. Be sure to find a reliable plumbing service provider when considering this!
Consider installing modern heat pumps
Many heating systems usually use electricity or gas to work properly, so finding a much harmless alternative such as modern heat pumps is a great way to go when revamping up your home. These heat pumps do not use electrical energy for heating, but rather, it only uses it as a way to kickstart power. It also uses energy in the air or ground to provide you a cool or warm comfort inside your homes, depending on which one you desire. There are many heat pump variations available, so you should ensure which one would be compatible with your home.
Prioritize insulation
If you do not want to waste even the little energy that heat pumps use to warm your home and save them only for cooling in hot weather conditions, you must invest in insulating your home. Keeping the heat inside your home will essentially keep you from reheating it from time to time. You may opt to double glaze your windows and invest in area rugs to keep air from sneaking out. There are many options and types to choose from when insulating your home,so it is best to take them little by little, considering the suitable ones for your house.
Opting to renovate your home to be more environmentally friendly is a win-win situation no matter which angle you look at it from. Our world certainly needs more greener mindsets that are willing to save energy and resources as much as possible, even if it’s just inside their homes. So do not be hesitant to go green with your lifestyle. It pays off!