The post is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
When you make your home more environmentally friendly, you are helping to improve the environment. Home sustainability can reduce your home’s operating costs by conserving energy, water, and reducing the need for system and appliance maintenance. More importantly, you create a healthy environment for yourself, your family, and your pets.
Here’s how to transform your home into a sustainable, eco-friendly haven:
What is a Sustainable Home?
A sustainable home is one that is designed or rebuilt in a way that conserves resources, optimizes energy and water use, and is built to function longer with high-quality systems.
Low-impact, high-performance materials are used in sustainable homes. They are productive in terms of manufacture, transportation, and installation. Furthermore, because high-quality materials and systems fail less and last longer, they produce less waste.
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Consider Installing A Smart Meter
During the winter months, it’s easy to leave the heat on longer than you need to. As homeowners or renters, our boilers and heating systems consume the most energy.
Installing a Smart Meter in your home is an excellent solution to this problem. For example, you may use one before you get home from work or just before you get up in the morning during the colder months so that the house is warm and toasty when you return.
For everyone worried about their carbon footprint, as well as those who are concerned about the rising expense of their energy bills and would like to reduce them, these devices are a tremendous advantage.
It’s an eye-opener and a terrific way to motivate you to save on your electricity usage. Learn more about the psychology behind motivation here.
Look Into Getting Energy-Saving Light Bulbs
Despite the fact that energy saving light bulbs have been around for some time, the general public has only recently been aware of their usefulness and how they can save money around the house.
A few people have complained that they don’t provide enough light, or that it takes a long time to illuminate a room.
There are always new advancements in their technology, and now is the best moment to make the transition. They not only use less electricity, but they also don’t need to be replaced nearly as frequently as traditional light bulbs.
Build a Solar-Powered Home
Solar panels are a must-have for any house that aspires to be truly eco-friendly. Even though there will be an initial outlay of cash, these are long-term investments in which you could save more money than you spend.
Some people are fortunate enough to be able to entirely disconnect from the grid thanks to solar panels.
Go Green With Your Cleaning Products
All of us have a favorite detergent and cleaning product that we’ve been using for a long time and haven’t given much attention to the environmental impact they may have. They end up in the water supply and must be removed at treatment facilities, where they can require a lot more time and effort.
However, you can make a few easy adjustments. If you don’t want to use bleach and detergent, you can use bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, and vinegar instead.
Other than water and a steam cleaner, there are no cleaning products required when using a steam cleaner for disinfection and germ killing.
Buy Secondhand Furniture
Do not go to a big brand furniture store to acquire the trendiest products. It’s becoming more and more common for furniture to be created from recycled wood or other environmentally friendly materials. You’re still getting a brand-new product, but it’s been thoughtfully constructed from materials that would otherwise have been thrown away or recycled.
Continue the theme by looking for larger pieces of furniture on auction sites or in thrift stores. Oftentimes, a family may get many more years of use out of a pre-owned item with only a little bit of upkeep. It’s also a lot of fun to search for antiques, rather than traipsing around a massive department shop.
Conserve Water Usage With A Low-Flow Showerhead
We’ve all been advised that showering is more environmentally friendly than taking a bath. Many of us think we’re saving a lot of water, but we end up soaking in the shower for thirty minutes anyway, or we use an overly powerful shower head that wastes water.
A low-flow or aerated shower head will save you the most water and energy. Reduce the amount of time spent under it as well. Keep it to no longer than 10 minutes if you can help it. This is the perfect span of time to wash your hair, body, and perform your other personal hygiene rituals.
Keep A Boiler Well-Serviced
The newest boilers available are far more efficient in producing heat and less wasteful of energy. In order to keep them in peak condition, they will still require regular maintenance. If they are properly maintained and used appropriately, older boilers can still perform well. However, it is still advised that your boiler be refreshed and renewed every ten years or so.
If you want to save money and make sure your thermostat is functioning properly, keep an eye on what temperature it is set to and try to lower it a few degrees. A small reduction in temperature can have a huge impact on your monthly energy costs.
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