Eco friendly home improvements
Want to make eco friendly home improvements but not sure where to start? You’re not alone. With 9 out of 10 people in the UK taking steps to become more sustainable, it’s safe to say that going green is a movement sweeping many people along with it. Whilst this is amazing news, many people are taking small steps like recycling more, eating less meat, and using paper straws. Whilst this is positive, there are bigger steps we could be taking that start right at home.
These changes can make a huge difference to both your carbon footprint and your wallet. Whilst many of these solutions will cost you a chunk of change to begin with, they could save you money in the long run whilst also helping you go the extra mile to save the earth. So what eco friendly home improvements can you make?
Eco friendly home improvements can include getting better heating controls
More than 60% of the energy consumption in an average household is used for heating the space. Using smart heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls, you can reduce this to as low as 25%. This is because HVAC controls can be used to run individual rooms at different temperatures, so if you’re spending the evening in the living room you’re not also heating the kitchen.
Temperature regulation is key. A one degree temperature drop in one room can equate to a 10% energy save overall, which is great for the environment and for your budget.
Wireless smart HVAC systems are relatively easy to install and start at around £250.
Glaze it better
Over 10% of your home’s energy can get lost through windows. If they’re not performing well, you’ll be paying to waste energy. Double or triple glazing is one of the most affordable and accessible eco friendly home improvements you can make.
This is another one to consider before installing costly renewable energy sources.
Recycle water
World Water Day has made many people more aware of their water usage, but the average person still uses around 152 litres per day. On top of this, 113 litres per property can get lost through leakage every single day. This means if your house is a home to 4 people, you could be using around 720 litres of water a day.
But what can you do about it? Well, thousands of litres of rainwater fall on your roof every year. Why not use that? You could collect enough rainwater to cut your water bill by a third. This water can flush toilets, water gardens, and fill washing machines.
Consider installing a rainwater harvesting system. These collect rainfall from your roof, then filter out leaves and dirt, finally storing usable water in a tank.
On top of this, you could minimise water usage by switching to a low flush toilet and a low flow shower head.
One of the biggest eco friendly home improvements is renewable energy sources
We’ve talked about the things you can do before making one of the ultimate dedications to an eco friendly home, but they’re all small steps compared to renewable energy. There’s nothing more sustainable than taking a natural approach to heating and powering your home.
You’ve got a few options:
- Solar panels which can be used to produce hot water or generate electricity
- Costs can vary, but most often will be upwards of £10,000.
- Water based systems which draw energy from the sun to warm domestic water
- Ground-source heat pumps that use buried pipes to extract earth heat for your home’s heating and hot water
- You can buy some of these for around £1500, but more efficient options can be pricier, running up to about £5000
- Air-source systems work similarly but instead extract heat from the air
- These are one of the cheaper options, usually starting at £2000
- Wood-fuelled heating systems and biomass boilers burn pellets or logs to power central heating or warm one room
- These usually cost about £9000 including installation
Make eco friendly home improvements by downsizing
This is the big one. If you really want to dedicate yourself to having the most eco friendly home possible, it’s time to downsize. It may sound extreme, but downsizing can cut your ecological footprint by up to 45%.
Downsizing to a tiny home is one of the best possible moves you could make both in terms of going greener and your budget. But it’s not easy, and it’s not for everyone. It requires a lot of dedication in terms of decluttering and getting rid of your possessions.
If downsizing is a step you want to take but you’re not sure how to start, have no fear! There are plenty of resources online to help you downsize and to help you take tiny home living in your stride. And then when you come to think about the actual move, we’ve got your back. Self storage is one of the best ways to help make downsizing easy on yourself. Whether it’s storing pieces of furniture that are too big to fit in your new home or helping you declutter to make packing up easier, we can help. Here at Currie Easy Self Storage, we’re here to make your living situation easier by freeing up some space for you.
And, if you’re not ready to downsize but you still want to make eco friendly home improvements, we can help you there too. Home improvements can be hard enough without trying to work around all your furniture and clutter. Give us a call today on 08000 556 556 to find out how we can help you.