The Grass Isn’t Greener On The Other Side! Eco- Friendly Improvements For Your Home

Something that buyers are looking for more and more are properties that are eco-friendly. This is a trend that’s set to continue and become an increasingly important feature. Making your home greener means it’s kinder to the environment which is great, and on the plus side it makes your property more desirable and valuable. This is always useful, whether you pla

n on selling it or not. Here are some of the ways you can

Good Quality Windows

Double or even triple glazed windows will make your home much more energy efficient. Every time you put the heating on, it’s not simply escaping. Since power companies burn fossil fuels, every time you waste heat it means these fossil fuels are damaging the environment for no good reason.

It also means that you’re paying over the odds on your fuel bills too. If your windows are due for an upgrade, go with the most energy efficient versions you can find. Triple glazing is something to consider, although it’s costly to fit it will save money on energy in the long run.

If you don’t have the funds available to make such a large purchase, a home equity loan could be an option. This allows you to use some of the value in your home to borrow money- and can be worth it since this is then being invested back into the property.

Loft and Wall Insulation

As with the windows, if every time you heat your home, it’s escaping through the walls and loft it’s bad for both your wallet and the environment. There are many government schemes offering free loft insulation, do some research and see if you qualify. If not, paying a company to come out and do it is your best bet.

Insulation will be added to your loft to prevent heat escaping through the roof. Cavity wall insulation involves filling the gap between the internal and external walls with an insulating material.

Solar Panels

Another way to make your home kinder to the environment, reduce your bills and use less power generated by fossil fuels is to have solar panels installed. Solar power is completely renewable meaning they’re a green option. In the last couple of years, a record-breaking number solar panels were installed each day around the world making the fastest growing electricity source.

You can get on board and do your bit simply by having some panels installed on your roof, and it’s something that all homeowners can do. Again in some areas you might be entitled to free or reduced solar panels due to government incentives so find out what’s available to you. Solar panels are

Water Well

Just like gas and electricity companies, water companies burn fossil fuels which are bad for the environment. Sanitising water and making it safe to drink requires using a lot of power. You can avoid this and do your bit for the environment, as well as make you home more eco-friendly by having your own water well installed in your garden. Water from a private well is safe to drink, as it will not have been contaminated with any surface water.

On the plus side, it also doesn’t contain fluoride and other chemicals that are added to mains water meaning it’s a healthier option. You’ll need to have the water quality assessed every year to check that everything is ok but aside from that it’s completely hassle free. It means you don’t have to worry about things like hosepipe bans since your water isn’t coming from the mains supply.

Eco-Friendly Renovations

If you’re thinking of renovating your home, there are a number of ways you can be kinder to the environment. First is to use recycled materials. Look online to see if anyone is getting rid of anything in your local area, not only is this more eco-friendly than buying new but it will also save you some money as well.

Secondly, recycle any materials you no longer need. If you’re knocking down walls, for example, someone else might be able to make use of the bricks for hardcore or filling in a hole in their garden. Using environmentally friendly paints, those with low VOC levels is another thing you could consider.

These don’t release volatile chemicals that damage the environment and ozone layer, so is another small way to do your bit. The more people choose these kinds of products; the more demand is created for them. So opting for the environmentally friendly versions of things is better long term too.