{"id":5550,"date":"2022-06-17T09:35:22","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T16:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/?p=5550"},"modified":"2022-06-16T16:42:10","modified_gmt":"2022-06-16T23:42:10","slug":"ideas-to-make-home-eco-friendly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/ideas-to-make-home-eco-friendly","title":{"rendered":"Ideas to Make Home Eco-Friendly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Keeping a home\nin constant tip-top shape can be a challenge. When it comes time to fix,\nremodel, or install upgrades, many people are now considering the environmental\nimpact. Eco-friendly upgrades can help you save money, live comfortably, and\nminimize your environmental footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many\nchoices when it comes to improving your home\u2019s energy efficiency and\neco-friendliness. Read on for some affordable ideas to make your home greener! <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Power Strips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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If you have an\ninterest in electronics and appliances, you might know about standby power or\nenergy vampires. It refers to the \u201cjuice\u201d electronics consume when they\u2019re\nswitched on but not in use. Common culprits include televisions, computers, and\ncable\/satellite boxes.  According to the\nDepartment of Energy, these types of electronics and appliances account for 10% of the energy<\/a>\nused in your home. In the US, that totals the amount of energy produced by 26\naverage-sized powerplants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make your home eco-friendly and reduce your energy consumption by plugging devices and appliances into a power strip. By doing this, you can power off all devices at once. It is an affordable way to ensure that the appliances in your home consume energy only when you use them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water Filters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many homeowners purchase water weekly via\ndelivery service or at the store, which isn\u2019t an ideal practice. To reduce the\namount of plastic that ends up in a landfill, consider a simple upgrade in your\nhome: add a water filter<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A high-quality water filter reduces and\nremoves many of the contaminants commonly found in tap water.  Opt for an easy-to-install faucet attachment\nthat costs under $50. Combined with a reusable bottle, you will be able to\nreduce the amount of plastic waste in your home while saving money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steel Doors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that steel doors can help you save a significant amount on heating and cooling? While it\u2019s not an inexpensive upgrade, it\u2019s something to consider when you are ready to replace your doors with something eco-friendly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they are made\nof sturdy steel skin that has a polyurethane foam core for insulation, steel\ndoors can fit in the doorframes more snugly and keep the air from exiting or\nentering the home. While steel doors may make you think of bank vaults and jail\ncells, they come in a variety of styles and colors to complement your home\u2019s\naesthetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Window Treatments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You might\nconsider shades, drapes, and blinds just a design statement to adorn windows.\nHowever, 30%\nof a home\u2019s heating energy is lost through windows<\/a>. To maintain an optimal\ntemperature in the house, consider installing insulated cellular shades,\nVenetian blinds, window film, or curtains. Quality window treatments help moderate the temperature\ninside the house during heating and cooling seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several options<\/a> for eco-friendly window treatments for your consideration. For example, look for blinds made from bamboo, jute, and other natural fibers that can be sustainably harvested.\u00a0 There are also faux wood options that are made from recycled materials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low-Flow Showerheads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Roughly 17% of residential water use<\/a>\n(indoor) can be attributed to showers. That means an average family uses about\n40 gallons of water per day. To reduce your water usage, look for showerheads\nthat are labeled as \u201cWaterSense.\u201d  These\nshowerheads can save you 2,700 gallons of water<\/a> a year compared to a\ntraditional showerhead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Installing a low-flow\nshowerhead not only reduces your total water consumption but also the amount of\nenergy you need for a hot shower. Interestingly, the low-flow showerheads have\nthe same cost as conventional ones. They come in different styles and colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faucet Aerators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Like low-flow\nshowerheads, a faucet\naerator<\/a> is also a smart tool you can use to make your home eco-friendlier. An\naerator is a round device that attaches to the tip of the faucet.  It limits the water flow from the faucet by\ncreating a mixture of water and air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An additional\nbenefit of an aerator is that it creates a splash-free and consistent stream of\nwater, which is ideal for indoors. Choose the aerators that match the d\u00e9cor of\nyour bathroom and kitchen.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smart Thermostats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Homeowners can often save a considerable amount of money by adjusting the thermostat when they are away from home. This is particularly true in areas with sweltering summers and cold winters. Smart thermostats<\/a> such as the Google Nest or Honeywell Home T5 can make this easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest models of thermostats allow you to set the temperature via voice or app, which is convenient if your schedule varies and standard programming is less than ideal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Light Bulbs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One small change to make your\nhome eco-friendly involves swapping out old light bulbs. Lighting accounts for about\n15%\nof a home\u2019s electricity usage<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider installing LED lights in place of standard incandescent bulbs, track lights, and recessed lights.\u00a0 According to the Department of Energy, LED lighting lasts nearly 25 times longer than a regular bulb and uses up to 90% less energy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many options to choose from when shopping for new light bulbs.\u00a0 Visit Energy Star<\/a> or Energy Star Canada<\/a> to search for products that have been certified as energy-efficient. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways to make your home eco-friendly without breaking the bank.\u00a0 Make small changes over time to reduce your energy bill, save water, and reduce the environmental impact of your home. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keeping a home in constant tip-top shape can be a challenge. When it comes time to fix, remodel, or install upgrades, many people are now considering the environmental impact. Eco-friendly upgrades can help you save money, live comfortably, and minimize your environmental footprint. There are many choices when it comes to improving your home\u2019s energy … Continue reading Ideas to Make Home Eco-Friendly<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[602,782,419],"tags":[1153,374,59],"yst_prominent_words":[6271,6280,6281,1223,6269,2001,1197,6275,4752,546,6282,1614,6276,4727,6279,6273,6274,1996,6272,3766],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5550"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5550"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5556,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5550\/revisions\/5556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5550"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.realtyexecutives.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=5550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}