In honor of Earth Day we wanted to share some helpful recommendations on what changes you can make in your home to help reduce the carbon footprint of your home. There are small, inexpensive changes a homeowner can make themselves in their quest to go green. For example, simply changing one appliance to an Energy Star appliance is the equivalent of planting 1.7 trees and can save anywhere from 10 to 50 percent of energy. Numerous ways exist when tackling green home improvements. Handyman Matters provides the expertise for creating an eco-friendly home from floors to ceilings.
Larger renovations for going green can include changing the airflow in the home. Create ventilation and cross breezes by placing doors, windows and skylights across from each other. More windows and skylights will mean more natural light will be able to flood the space, therefore; less energy will be used on lighting. Use larger flashing along tightly sealed, shaded windows. Also, insulation of the home goes a long way in greening efforts. Use a spray foam insulation to fill the walls. It will expand to fill every little spot along the wall.
The greening of the home is generally focused in two rooms: the kitchen and the bathroom. These are also the two most popular rooms to renovate in home improvements. According to the California Urban Water Conservation Council, the bathroom is responsible for 60 percent of a home’s water consumption. Tankless water heaters, low flush toilets and aerator sinks will significantly reduce the amount of water used. By simply replacing a regular shower head with water conserving head it will save gallons of water during each shower! Reducing the water flow in the bathroom has a significant impact on the environment.
Materials matter when making changes to reduce the carbon footprint of your home. Renewable, recyclable, reclaimed are words to look for. Reclaimed lumber is a great way to recycle and since the pieces likely off-gassed years ago they are now environmentally friendly. Tiles, cork and bamboo are popular and beautiful green solutions to flooring since they are all renewable recycled or made from reclaimed materials. Using reclaimed material for flooring, cabinetry and countertops is a great way to recycle on the renovation level. Wheatboard and strawboard as compressed agricultural plant material create durable cabinets. Use quartz or natural linoleums for countertops. Use copper when renovating plumbing systems. Consider using low-VOC and Microbial-Resistant paints and sealants to reduce the amount of chemical released into the home.
Handyman Matters professionals are available to help, so find your local Handyman Matters professional and get going on your next eco-friendly project. Environmentally-friendly renovations and building is an emerging trend Handyman Matters can provide guidance and direction for. Meshing the green lifestyle together into function and design is complex and can be challenging.
Remember not to overlook simple steps when going green. Change regular light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. This is a small task with brilliant results. If just 1 regular light bulb is replaced in every American home it will create enough energy to light 2.5 million homes for one year. It also prevents an amount of greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of 800,000 cars. Look into using LED lights. In addition to CFL bulbs they last longer and are smaller.
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