Making your home eco-friendly is something that all homeowners should strive for. Not only does it save you money in the long run, but it helps create a more healthful earthly environment for everyone around you. There are several ways that you can make your home eco-friendly — some you may not have even thought of. Here are some of those ways:
Get a home energy analysis
If you want to make your home more eco-friendly, one of the first things to do is to get a home energy audit from a licensed professional to determine what fixes, if any are needed to improve the energy use in your home.
Depending on the age of your home, you may have things that you aren’t even aware of that are causing you to use unnecessary amounts of energy. Things like leaks in the attic at the top of your home barrier or improperly sealed windows and doors. Perhaps your insulation inside walls and ceilings isn’t adequate, or your energy-related equipment isn’t up to date or functioning properly.
Taking time to check these areas and get them fixed is a fantastic first step toward an eco-friendly home.
Use eco-friendly lighting
LED light bulbs have been around a long time, and are a simple way to save money in the long run and be eco-friendly. According to Energy Star, LED lights are “directional” light sources, that emit light in a specific direction rather than incandescent and CFL lights that emit light and heat in all directions. This allows LED lights to use light and energy more efficiently.
LED lights, however, are not the only way to get light in an eco-friendly way. Skylights are a great way to bring natural light into your home throughout the day. If you are a fan of natural light, open up your curtains and blinds during the daylight hours, while keeping the lights in the house turned off.
Check the plumbing
It isn’t just making sure you are using electricity wisely that can make your home eco-friendly. Wasting unnecessary amounts of water is damaging to the environment as well. That leaky faucet or toilet may seem like a small nuisance to you, but over time, the amount of water it is wasting, adds up to a lot of water that could be used for necessary things.
It could also be possible that you aren’t even aware that you have pipes in your home that are leaking. Have a licensed plumber come to your home to fix leaks and find any that need fixing, so you can rest assured you are not wasting our most valuable resource: water.
Buy eco-friendly furniture
Unlike cracks in your doors or leaks in your faucet that are causing unnecessary energy to leave your home, buying eco-friendly furniture brings in products that were made with the environment in mind.
In order for furniture to be considered eco-friendly, it needs to be made with materials harvested from sustainable resources and recycled goods.
When purchasing wood furniture, you may even want to look for pieces that have been crafted from sustainably harvested forests, tree farms, and even reclaimed wood. Look into how the furniture was made, and if it was done so with responsible production practices in mind and with a focus on fair trade.
Not only is it your home that you are living in, but a home within a world we all live in. By taking the time to make your home eco-friendly, you can rest assured that you are doing your part to make this world a more healthful place to live in for many years to come.
Author Bio: Arianne Brown loves hearing and sharing stories. As a mother of eight, she knows the importance of keeping the house organized and in order to create a home for her family. See her writings about home, family, and more at "A Mother's Write" on Facebook.
