Ways to Go Greener at Home
As the climate changes and we experience unusual weather and other phenomena, a lot more people are starting to become environmentally-conscious. Many of these people are looking for ways to make their homes more eco-friendly. The good news is that there are some simple things you can do to achieve this goal. Here are a few of them.
Use Smart Meters
The use of electricity contributes directly to the burning of fossil fuels. To help reduce this, many more people should install smart meters. Heating is one area where we consume a lot of electricity in our homes, especially during the winter. During these colder months, it is common to leave the heater running longer than necessary. A smart meter can be programmed to turn the heater on or off at designated times to reduce the amount of time it is on and, therefore, the amount of electricity it consumes.
Insulate Your Home
Besides using a smart meter, insulating your home can also reduce your heating bill. There are lots of places you can target but start with the roof and walls. These might already have insulation but if you live in an older home, you may need to replace the insulation. Next, cover any exposed floor areas and double-glaze your windows if they are not already.
Switch to LED Lights
Energy-efficient lightbulbs come in many forms, but a good option is LED lights. These use a fraction of the energy that incandescent lights use, and they are also cheaper. Besides using less electricity, they also last much longer than most other bulb types.
Go With Solar
This is one of the most important things you can do when looking to make your home greener. Switching to solar ensures you are running on clean energy, thereby reducing your carbon footprint. They can also help you save and make money; some states allow homeowners who have solar panels installed to sell power back to the grid. Since solar panels are a long-term investment, you should get a qualified solar panel contractor to install them for you.
Reduce Your Water Usage
Having a greener home not only means using less power but it also calls for a holistic approach. One of the areas of concern is reducing the amount of water you use. First, find out how much water you consume using a water flow meter. Once you have this number, you should find areas where you can use less water. For example, you could water your lawn less frequently.
Next, you should check for leaks and fix any that you find. Some other simple changes including switching the tap off when brushing your teeth or shaving. Also, invest in a low-flow showerhead. These have been shown to save tens of thousands of liters of water for families of three or more.
Reuse and Recycle
Thousands of tonnes of waste are disposed of every year and this is a problem. If you do not want to be part of the problem, try to reuse and recycle as much as you can.
Making your home greener does not have to be difficult or expensive. There are a few things you can do or change to make this happen. If you follow the tips above, they will go a long way in helping you make your home greener.
