Are you thinking about living a greener lifestyle? Are you super passionate about low-waste practices? Is sustainability important to you? Do you wish to make a positive impact on your environment? A typical home improvement can oftentimes end up being extremely wasteful. But, there are lots of ideas you can implement to make your project both efficient and low impact. Here, at Top Rated General Contractors, we believe in lending a helping hand to the only planet we have. And, for this reason, we share some ideas for going green with your home improvements.
Why going green with home improvements is a great idea?
There are numerous benefits to going green with your house renovation project. Listed below are some of the major ones:
- It saves you money. A greener home will reduce your maintenance costs and your utility bills. And, undoubtedly, this is something that will attract homebuyers. For this reason, if you wish to put your house on the market sometime in the future, you are in luck! A higher market value and bigger demand will help you sell at your original price. Additionally, a lot of USA states offer incentives to homeowners to use alternative sources of energy.
- It saves your health. Green living means low VOC paints, finishes, sealants, etc. These lead to better indoor air quality. In a traditional home, on the other hand, high VOC lead to many respiratory symptoms. In contrast, clean indoor air strengthens your immune system and have a positive impact on your overall health and productivity.
- It saves the planet. Going green with your home improvements and room additions Los Angeles means utilizing clean and renewable energy sources and recyclable materials. This lessens your home’s reliance on depleting sources of energy such as fossil fuels, as well as construction waste.
Ideas for going green with home improvements
A solar power system
The first on our list of eco-friendly home remodeling ideas for homeowners to try is solar energy. A solar power system is a worthy addition to your home. There’s nothing about it that is harmful to mother nature or you. It derives a clean, green form of energy directly from the sun, which makes it a valuable source of energy. This way, it also reduces your home’s carbon footprint.
Next, the USA provides incentives through tax credits and utility rebates to homeowners willing to switch to alternative sources of energy. Moreover, since this energy is created on your rooftop, you’ll have no issues with service interruptions.
Insulation
Making sure the state of your home’s insulation is adequate is one of the first things you ought to do. This is the best way to make your home energy-efficient. Proper insulation will lower your energy bills because less heating or cooling will escape your home. Secondly, you will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, some eco-friendly options homeowners can resort to include loose-fill fiberglass insulation.
Green flooring
Another great way to explore home remodeling Los Angeles project is by switching your traditional flooring with its green alternative. Green flooring materials are made of renewable, recyclable substance, which has a lot of environmental benefits. They are also non-toxic and non-pollutant, contributing to an overall healthy indoor environment of your home. Some choices are cork flooring, recycled carpet, metal or glass tiles, bamboo, natural linoleum, sustainable hardwood, etc.
Energy-efficient windows
The next detail you’ll need to green up your residence? Windows, but with some upgrade. We’re talking about dual-paned windows. Windows with the best thermal performance keep heat inside during cooler months, and out during the warmer months. This type of windows qualify for credits and rebates and reduce your home’s energy expenses. On top of it all, dual-paned windows are available in a variety of styles and materials.
Low-VOC Paint
As environmentalism grows more popular, more and more people opt for low-VOC paint. As opposed to traditional paint, low VOC options contain less volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These let off a lot of harsh chemicals that can lead to respiratory problems, cause nausea, and even harm the central nervous system. Although they are a bit more expensive, opting for low-VOC paint will help you preserve your health and environment.
Eco-friendly version of home appliances and products
Lightning sources
Changing your lighting bulb or lighting fixture? It’s one of the simplest ways of going green! Incandescent bulbs are old news for some time now. Therefore, you might have already switched to CFL or LED lighting bulbs. LEDs, for example, reduce your energy consumption by almost 90%. But, while we are at percentages – have you heard about Energy Star ceiling fans? They are 60% more efficient than standard fans. Also, thanks to their advanced blade designs and motor systems, they also lessen your energy consumption.
Tankless water heater
Tankless water heaters bring a variety of benefits to the table. The biggest one? The immediate hot water supply. You will never again run out of hot water. These work on demand. But the system works in such a way that it heats up the water in a matter of seconds, as soon as you turn on your shower or sink. Also, as opposed to typical ones, tankless water heaters do not eat up energy, take up less space, and conserve water.
Smart thermostat
Next in line is swapping your traditional thermostat with its green version. By purchasing a programmable thermostat, you will achieve greater control over the temperature in your home. These help you reduce your energy consumption and your dependence on fossil fuels. You can set them to produce less heat or air conditioning when you are out of the house or asleep. Some run on motion sensors and some you can control via your smartphone. Also, they don’t stress your HVAC system as much as standard thermostats, so you will save a lot of money in the long run.
Going green with home improvements – takeaway
Realizing the numerous benefits of going green with home improvements is a great place to start. Firstly, this can help you both save some bucks and boost your home’s market value. Secondly, the decrease of air pollutants will set your path to a healthier lifestyle. On top of it all, you will help your environment, and, hopefully, inspire more people to do the same. Good luck!