If you intend to spruce up your house, it is the perfect time to think about how you can do it in an environmentally friendly way. Green home improvement has multiple benefits. Not only will it preserve our natural resources, but in the long-run, it can save you money on utility bills. Green choices are also better for your health because usually, more natural methods are used instead methods that involve chemicals. If you want some ideas of green home improvement projects, read over this article.
Old incandescent light bulbs use a lot of energy. These bulbs are being phased out in the industry, and environmentally friendly CFL bulbs are being used to replace them. Many businesses have already gone down that path to make the conversion to CFLs. Since these bulbs use less wattage to produce the same number of lumens, the utility cost can be greatly reduced. Therefore, look around your home, and see where you can change your incandescent bulbs to CFLs.
People usually leave on their exterior lights in the evening for the sake of home security. However, that can consumer a lot of energy. A better solution would be to install motion detectors for your exterior lighting. The lights come on only when it senses someone approaching. This will not compromise your home's security, and it will save you on utility costs. You can install lights and motion detectors near the windows that are on ground level in addition to your doors.
Water leaks waste hundreds of gallons of water every year. Check all of your fixtures for small leaks. Check your garden hose as well because loose connections waste a lot water. Check your toilet for slow leaks by putting some food coloring into your tank's water. If you see the same color in your toilet bowl, you know that your tank water is leaking to your bowl.
You should install power strips to control your electronic devices. Sometimes, it is cumbersome to individually turn off your speakers, DVD player, television, etc. When you connect them to a power strip, you can turn everything with just a flip of the switch.
Cut down your dependency on your central cooling and heating system. Instead, install a ceiling fan in each room. During the summer, the fan can cool off a room by creating a refreshing gust of wind. During the winter, reverse the direction in which the fan blades rotate to circulate the warm air evenly through the room. If you use your heating unit with your ceiling fan, you can turn down your thermostat a couple of degrees and still can enjoy the effects of a warm room.
If your budget allows, consider install solar panel on your roof. You can harness enough solar energy to power up your appliances. Even if you can only afford a few small panels, you can still save money on your energy use.
These suggestions can improve your home in more environmentally friendly way. Research your choices, and make the best decision for your home and the environment.