Eco Friendly Ways to Renovate Your Home

Eco-Friendly Ways to Renovate Your Home

~ By Cooper Klein

Eco-friendly home improvements are a valuable investment since they can provide you with numerous benefits. Aside from boosting the value of your home, they can help you increase your savings by reducing your utility bills. Furthermore, they come with a great return on investment if you ever decide to sell your property. There are numerous eco-friendly renovation ideas that you can try.

Choose sustainable materials

Whether you decide to install a new flooring solution or build new kitchen cabinets, it’s important that you go with sustainable materials. Reclaimed wood is a popular option that can bring a rustic vibe into your home while also boosting its sustainability. Bamboo and cork are also lovely solutions that you can use for a range of different elements, from floors to furniture. You can also go with brick, natural stone, recycled glass or steel and other sustainable building materials. If you have some old materials, try to think of different ways to repurpose them. For instance, you can disassemble an old furniture piece and use the materials for something else.

Update, don’t buy

Another simple way to go green when renovating your home is to give your old items an uplift rather than buying new ones. This will help control waste and relieve pressure on finite resources. It will also provide you with an opportunity to reduce your expenses. For instance, instead of buying new kitchen cabinets, you can update your old ones by installing new doors, painting them or replacing the hardware.

Eco Friendly — Buy pre-owned items

If you do need to buy some new items, furniture and other design elements, consider choosing second-hand pieces. This is an eco-friendlier and more affordable option that can even give your space a unique vibe. You can find exceptional pre-owned pieces that are in great condition while others may need a bit updating.

Eco Friendly — Check your drains and conserve water

You’d be surprised how much water is wasted due to broken or leaking pipes. Therefore, you should definitely check your drains thoroughly for any leaks or damage. If you notice an issue, make sure to fix it as soon as possible before it turns into a major problem. However, when fixing your drains, you should implement efficient pipe relining solutions because this is the eco-friendliest option. You won’t have to dig out pipes, so you won’t disturb your landscape and you’ll avoid unnecessary remodelling work.

Eco Friendly — Invest in energy-efficient improvements

Boosting the energy-efficiency of your home is one of the most profitable green home improvements that will help you reduce your energy consumption and increase the value of your property. There are numerous energy-efficient improvements that you can try, but you may want to go with smaller ones first. For instance, you can start by installing LED lighting or a smart thermostat before choosing Energy Star appliances. Later on, you can even switch to a renewable energy system. Solar panels are the most popular option on the market, followed by geothermal energy systems.

Eco Friendly — Insulate your home

Home insulation is of the utmost importance for the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of your home. It’s also one of the improvements with the highest return on investment, so you should definitely consider insulating your home properly. Attic insulation, in particular, plays a great role in making your property more energy efficient and comfortable. However, you should also pay attention to the insulation around your doors and windows and check whether there are any air leaks that might be wasting your energy.

Eco Friendly — Go VOC-free

Whether you want to freshen up your façade or introduce a sense of novelty into your home, painting is always one of the simplest, yet most effective home remodelling ideas. However, you should avoid using conventional paint because it contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs), dangerous chemicals that can lower your indoor air quality. Instead, you should choose low-

Eco Friendly — VOC or VOC-free alternatives.

Remodelling your home the green way will provide you with numerous valuable benefits that will pay off in the long run and provide you with a healthy, stylish and sustainable home.

Author Bio: Cooper Klein is a bearded dad from Sydney. He’s interested in real estate and interior design. You can find him on Twitter.