Because of all the working parts involved, home upgrades can amount to a big project, and if you’re concerned about the impact these upgrades have on the environment, this is the article for you. Below, we shall be taking a look at some of the ways you can upgrade your home to conserve water, increase efficiency and save energy.
Top eco-friendly home upgrades.
Glaze Around old Windows
For older homes, some glazing cracks may have developed around the window panes. These cracks can affect the amount of heating and cooling in your home, thus, costing you more in energy bills. A simple solution to this would be repairing the cracked glazing of your windows. Although the process can be time-consuming, it is not very difficult or expensive. All you need is a one-inch putty knife and some glazing material. In addition to addressing glazing issues, another practical and aesthetically pleasing option is uPVC window painting. This process can refresh and update the appearance of your windows, making them look virtually new and significantly enhancing the overall curb appeal of your home.
Repaint With No-VOC Paints
A paint job can last between 7-10 years on average before it starts to look faded or worn out. A new coat of paint can dramatically transform and upgrade the appearance of your home. Spray painting is an excellent way to upgrade the colour of both the interior and exterior walls of your home. Apart from the interior and exterior walls, other components of the home that can be upgraded with spray painting include the front door, garage door, window trims, fascias, soffits, radiators, cabinets and claddings.
With the increased awareness about all the health risks associated with toxic chemicals, the most eco-friendly choice of paints to use for your home would be no-VOC paints and finishes. These paints also tend to offer better coverage (especially when sprayed) and durability (the specially formulated paints used for spray painting leave a quality finish that can last more than 10 years). For the best outcome, do make sure to hire a professional spray painting company for all your spray painting needs.
Install Insulation in Your Attic
Proper insulation is the best way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. This means that installing good insulation for areas of the home, like the attic, will definitely affect your cooling and heating bills. As a matter of fact, your energy bills can be reduced by up to 10-50% with a properly insulated attic. To make things eco-friendly, you can use a blower to blow in some wool insulation. Another cheap option is to use batts of recycled cotton denim insulation.
Spray Foam Around Exterior Door and Window Trims
If your home has old wood siding, chances are, you will find gaps around the window and door trims if you check them from the outside. These gaps (holes) can usher energy out while welcoming drafts into your home. Thankfully, fixing them is quite easy and quick. All you need to do is get small cans of spray foam (this can be found at any local hardware store) and fill in all the gaps with the expandable foam. Once dry, you can use a utility knife to cut away any of the excesses. For very small gaps, caulk can be used in place of spray foam.
Caulk Around Interior Door and Window Trims
Once you’ve addressed gaps or cracks on the exterior of your home’s windows and doors, you will also need to check for cracks around the doors and windows in the interior. Unlike with the exterior, interior cracks and gaps are sealed with caulk (waterproof filler or sealant), preferably the paintable kind, so you can paint over the sealed gaps once you are done.
Upcycle or Repurpose Used Materials
Thanks to yard sales and the Internet, it has become incredibly easy to find several home fixtures that you can upcycle or repurpose. These fixtures include; cabinetry, sofas, flooring, vanities, chairs, lighting, bed frames, desks and almost every other home item you can think of. If you also have old pieces of furniture just sitting in storage, you can upcycle them to not only perform a new function but serve as a unique and eye-catching piece in your home.
Finding creative ways to upcycle and repurpose several home items is not only a very cheap form of home improvement, but it is incredibly good for the environment seeing as how no new natural resources will be used. An added bonus is that you will be keeping these items from ending up in landfills.
Conclusion
A home is something that requires upkeep in order to keep functioning and looking its best. Thankfully, home upgrades don’t have to be super expensive or contribute to a carbon footprint. With the eco-friendly upgrades above, you can effectively transform your home while making sustainability a top priority.