Have you been wondering how to make your home eco-friendly?
This article will delve into how you can join ‘Team Green’ by turning your home into an eco-friendly house of the future.
It’s 2022 — Time to make your home as environmentally friendly as possible!
The topic of climate change and global warming is now inescapable.
While planet-wide pollution and an end to the climate crisis is something world leaders will continue to discuss and hopefully work on, we can certainly all do our bit to help bring about sustainable change.
Many environmentally conscious people are already doing so. But not everybody knows how they can begin making a difference.
As your home is where you spend the majority of your time, it makes sense to concentrate our greener efforts there to begin with.
Going eco-friendly does not necessarily mean spending more money. In fact, turning your home green can actually end up saving you money in the long run.
Green homes also tend to fetch more on the market than their non-green counterparts, so investing in yours now could see you benefiting handsomely if you decide to sell.
Every property has the potential to be made more energy efficient and one of the best things about future-proofing your home is you can take things as slow as you want.
Insulation and home composting are two fairly simple improvements you can make relatively quickly, while switching to solar or wind power are larger projects you may want to eventually consider.
And if you’re thinking about a spot of home renovation, why not consider using eco-friendly materials for long-lasting results that can have a positive impact on the planet and on your pocket.
5 ways to make your home more eco-friendly
Recycle properly
When we recycle, we are reducing pollution by processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away, turning them into new products. Benefits include reducing the need for landfill space, saving energy, conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. Recycling isn’t that complicated either. Pick yourself up a recycling box, if you haven’t already got one, and place it next to the bin. This should remind the whole house of their responsibilities when it comes to recycling items like glass bottles, paper and plastic. Not everything can be recycled, so pay attention to product labels. For more information, contact your local council who should be able to offer you all the guidance you need.
Increase insulation
Insulating your home well helps to trap heat in meaning you won’t be using as much energy trying to keep it warm all the time. So, not only are you doing your bit to protect the planet, you’ll be protecting your bank balance as well. In some cases, the amount saved can be hundreds of pounds a year. Insulating your walls and roofs is a good place to start, before taking a look at the floor. Insulating layers can be placed under carpets, while big thick rugs are also a cost-effective way of stopping heat from making its way through gaps in the surface. A lot of heat also escapes through windows, which is why double, and even triple, glazing is found in so many properties now. Curtains or wooden blinds are another great way to keep heat in a room.
Introduce composting
A large number of local authorities do collect household food and garden waste, but introducing your own home composting operation can have major environmental benefits as well. For a start, home composting doesn’t involve lorries, or any transport for that matter, so the carbon footprint is already significantly reduced. You’d probably be surprised at how much of the food you currently throw away can be recycled and turned into compost. Place a compost bin in your garden and fill it with food waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings, seeds and cores. Instead of the waste being taken to a landfill, where it would be broken down to produce harmful greenhouse gases, it will now be turned into a soil-enriching fertiliser for your garden.
Opt for sustainable household products
Eco-friendly household products are proving more popular than ever, and you don’t have to go far to find them. Zero waste items like reusable shopping bags, reusable water bottles, glass food containers, and reusable coffee cups are already very much a part of people’s everyday lives now. But there may be some other ‘green’ products that you’re not so familiar with. Do you have recycled toilet paper in your home? What about recycled toothbrushes? You can even buy compostable dog waste disposal bags. Adjusting to an eco-conscious lifestyle can take time, but once you know what to look out for your carbon footprint will begin reducing rapidly.
Pay close attention to energy ratings
When appliances are tested they are given a rating which shows how much energy they use during typical use. Ratings run from A to G, with A being the most efficient, and G the least. Some appliances still use an older scale, from A+++ to G, with A+++ being the most efficient. These ratings are extremely important as increased efficiency can lower greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, as well as decrease water use. And with energy prices steadily increasing year by year, improved efficiency should also result in lower utility bills.
If you’re looking to renovate and sell… we’d love to talk
If you’ve been busy transforming your house into an eco-friendly sanctuary, and you’re after a quick sale, Hull Cash Buyers are here to help.
We are experts in managing all types of house sales, and specialise in making the process as quick and as stress-free as possible.
Get in touch today, and our team will have an offer ready for you in no time at all.