It’s no secret that energy gets expensive. The costs of household energy bills rise every year. But don’t worry, you can do something to reduce hefty bills. You can start with running an eco-friendly home. There are a lot of green home improvements that you can do and your every action counts.
Here are a few projects to get you started. These can save you money, revitalise your everyday life, ensure comfort and peace of mind, cut carbon footprint, and safeguard the planet.
Power your home with solar panels
The best way to cut household costs is to find a sustainable source of energy. On top of our lists are solar panels. It’s a clean and environmentally-friendly way to harness the sun’s energy.
If the solar panels are too bulky for your taste, consider solar roof tiles that blend with your roof. These will give you energy independence without compromising your exterior design. The photo above is Tesla’s solar roof tiles.
In addition, homeowners who use solar energy might be eligible for discounts and other financial incentives under the Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
Invest in Energy Star appliances
Appliances have a lifespan. One of these days, you may discover that it’s time to replace your old ones with Energy Star rated appliances.
For example, there’s an Energy Star rated washing machine with an ‘eco’ option when washing clothes. This feature washes a batch of your clothes in cold water (if the clothes does not require a war wash).
In addition, we recommend unplugging the appliances instead of just switching them off. It keeps the device from drawing electricity.
Do these little things and you will see the drastic changes in your electric meter.
Use eco-friendly lighting
Another way to save energy is to swap your incandescent bulbs for LED or CFL light bulbs. These bulbs don’t use that much energy, lasts 35x longer, and produces a brighter light compared to incandescent bulbs. Above all, LED and CFL bulbs don’t emit heat, unlike the the yellowish bulbs we use before.
In addition, some LED light variants emit light at a specific blue wavelength, mimicking natural light. These LED lights are ‘human-centric’ and can help you feel comfortable indoors.
Even though LED and CFL lights consume less electricity, you should always switch off the lights when not in use. For accent lighting, consider using motion sensor lights. These turn off automatically when you’re not around to use them. These are perfect for under-cabinet and toe-kick lights.
Above all, welcome natural light in your home. Open curtains, shades, and blinds to let daylight in. When possible, install skylights. Position it in a spot where it captures most of the sun’s rays.
People have different ways of adding greenery in their homes. You can display indoor plants to improve your home’s indoor air quality. Orchids, succulents, and bromeliads are the some of the easiest plants to grow indoors.
You can also grow your own food. Consider having a vertical garden of herbs and a dwarf lemon tree (or other fruits) in your kitchen. You’ll be thankful because you don’t need to include herbs and lemons in your future groceries.
Want to take eco-friendly to the next level? Ask Superdraft how to renovate your home sustainably. Get in touch with us here.