There are many different ways to make your home green.
Published: 09/27/2009
There are many different ways that you can green your home and your options will vary depending on your home improvement skills and what your budget is. You can find lots of things to do on a low budget, but they might require more work on your end to get the job done. On the other hand, if you have a higher budget you’ll find that your options are pretty much limitless as far as what you can do.
To start with some easy steps you can take to green your home, a simple change of appliances can make a huge difference. Energy efficient appliances have come a long way and not only do they help the environment, but they also greatly cut down on your energy bills. The initial cost of buying brand new appliances, such as a washer and dryer or a refrigerator, can be high, but eventually you’ll make back what you spent with what you save on electricity. If you don’t have enough to buy brand new appliances, look into older models of energy efficient appliances. They will still use less energy than your current appliances but will cost less than buying them brand new.
Another possibility which you can either do yourself or hire someone to help you with is to replace your windows and doors. The materials of the windows and doors aren’t exactly environmentally friendly, but by replacing your old ones you will cut down on the energy use and thus green your home. Many new windows and doors have been designed so that they let light in without letting heat in, saving you money on cooling in the summer. They also are sturdy and don’t have leaks in them so the comfortable temperature stays in your home. The cost of materials isn’t too expensive so if you can do it yourself you will find it to be a rather cheap project. However, if you aren’t sure you can install them properly you should hire someone to do it for you despite the costs so you don’t lose the desired effect of keeping air in.
If you have been meaning to replace any of the floors in your house, you could use this time as an opportunity to green your home. Rather than getting carpeting or hardwood floors, you can use bamboo flooring instead. Bamboo is a renewable source that grows much faster than trees do so when you use it for your floors, you are saving a few trees. Bamboo flooring comes in a few different colors and resembles hardwood floors. It is also an inexpensive way to replace your floors since it can be cheaper than some of the wood flooring options available. This is another project that you can handle yourself if you know how to tear up your old floor because there are many do it yourself kits for bamboo flooring. Most flooring companies are well trained in laying down bamboo flooring and have it for an option if you’d feel safer hiring someone to do it.
Photo Gallery
