Going green in your home helps in so many ways. Whether it be preserving the environment to cutting costs on utilities, being eco-friendly has so many benefits. Here are four SIMPLE things any homeowner can do that will not only sustain the world around us, but also lower their cost of living.
Keep your home airtight
Stop the drafts once and for all, whether it is coming from cracks in the windows, holes in the wall, or even the space underneath doors. The colder your home, the more expensive it is to heat up. Some ways you can fix this is adding draft dodgers to underneath doors, replace your windows and/or doors, and insure you house is insulated properly. While a couple of these tasks may seem pricey, it will offset the expensive utility payments you would have to make in the long run.
Go LED
Replacing your fluorescent or incandescent lightbulbs with LED bulbs is such an easy fix. LED light bulbs save 80% more energy than the alternate options. Again, while LED bulbs are pricier, the costs offset due to the fact that they last approximately 50x longer than standard bulbs and save 80% of your lighting electricity costs.
Check your water use
Keep an extra eye out about how much water you run in your home. It is all too common that we leave the faucet running while we brush our teeth and wash our face. We tend to take extra-long showers, flush the toilet without a second thought, and run washing machines almost daily. Next time put some thought into what is really necessary. Shower only how long you need to get cleaned. Wait a week in between washes and wash everything at once. These little things add up, save the environment, and lessen your water bill expense.
Invest in energy efficient appliances
One of the best methods you can do in terms of making your home more sustainable is switching over to energy efficient appliances. Today there are plenty of appliances that are available for purchase. Generally, convention ovens are more energy efficient than standard gas or electric conventional ovens. In convention ovens the heated air is continuously circulating around the food being cooked – making for less heat needed, shorter cooking time, and evenly cooked meals. You should also invest in a hood vent. Hood vents rid the heat and odors that are coming from your stove top or oven. This helps keep your home cool and smelling fresh, which prevents the need to open windows and doors, and cranking up the AC.
These are the simplest things any homeowner can do to protect the environment and save themselves money. If you want a healthier, long-lasting home, definitely invest in one, if not all, of these ideas. In the long-run I assure you it will pay off.
Source: http://massrealestatenews.com/sustainable-additions-home/
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