Sooner or later, the piece of property that you own will be up for the remodel. This is not a foreshadowing; it’s a simple inevitability of being a homeowner. Still, from this point on, your path can diverge in a couple of directions. First of all, you can work towards boosting the resale value of your home. This is usually achieved through a series of smaller projects that don’t impact the lifestyle quality that much, yet give an amazing resale ROI. Nonetheless, if you decide to make your home green, you’ll not only make an ethical choice but also help make life in it simpler, healthier and more frugal. Here are a couple of tips you can adhere to in order to make this work.
Green roofing
The first objective you need to set for your green home is making your roof more energy efficient. On average, about 35 per cent of all heat leaves your home via a roof, which is why making a change here should make a massive difference. You have several ideas worth considering at your disposal. First, a lighter colour may influence the amount of direct heat that the roof receives. Second, roof insulation is cheap and simple to install and can have a great impact on the house temperature. While they’re the most frugal, asphalt shingles aren’t the only option to count on. Other than this, coating the roof and improving the ventilation might also do the trick.
Insulation
The next thing you need to understand is the fact that the rest 65 per cent of the energy leaving your home does so via walls and windows. So, your next logical step would be to invest a bit of time and energy (no pun intended) into the issue of insulation. Some governments offer grants for insulating one’s home, while there are some regions that even go as far as to provide materials for those willing to self-insulate their home. This way, they reduce the national energy consumption, which greatly benefits the environment.
Now, replacing all the single-pane windows with double-glazing ones is expensive, yet, it might return the money in just a couple of years. While you’re at it, you might also consider the idea of installing exterior insulation and doing some work on your façade. Just keep in mind that this also adds to the overall cost of the project in equipment and workforce as well. For instance, unless you have a scaffold nearby, you would have to look for scaffolding rental local companies. By keeping in mind that this is a one-time project, you might find the cost much more agreeable.
Reclaimed floor
The biggest misconception about making your home eco-friendly is the absurd idea that it can’t be stylish at the same time. This can be immediately disputed by installing barn wood flooring within your living room. This is a rustic style that goes along great even in urban environments, yet, it’s far from being your only option. A reclaimed kitchen floor or reclaimed parquet flooring is just as good of a choice. The only difference lies in the end-effect that you want to achieve. Still, by applying a stain, a finish or by doing some paintwork, you can make a massive difference.
Materials, tools and methods
At the end of the day, you need to understand that sometimes the end result isn’t all that counts. Sometimes, what you achieve along the way may matter just as much. For instance, getting a locally produced material can be eco-friendly, just because you’ve avoided the necessity of dragging all of this all across the country. Same goes for tools and methods. The very same end result can be achieved through different means, so, why not go for the greenest one? With methods it’s quite easy to tell the right course of action, due to the fact that you can easily see the environmental impact being made.
Conclusion
There are various degrees to which you can make your home green, from making it slightly more energy-saving to turning it into a zero-energy home. Either way, the amount of money, effort and time necessary to make these changes varies depending on your objectives. Nonetheless, following the above-listed four tips is always a step in the right direction.
