Change or Upgrade Your Fixtures

The first small change you can make to your home’s fixtures is switching out your regular bulbs for energy-efficient ones. By changing your light bulbs, you can cut down on your energy bill, reduce carbon dioxide emissions from your home and lower the heat emitted from the bulbs. If you don’t already have a smart meter, you should consider having one installed. While it won’t necessarily reduce your bills, it will likely make them more accurate. You can also use the smart meter to get a picture of how much energy you use and which appliances use the most. Having a smart meter can also pave the way for installing solar panels. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you should know how much energy your house actually needs in order to run before installing solar panels. You’ll also need to look at anything that might affect your home’s ability to support a solar panel such as an aging roof or insufficient exposure to sunlight.

Change Your Cleaning Habits

The chemicals you use to clean your house can have a detrimental effect on the environment, especially when used in areas where they will be flushed down the drain. The Spruce lists some ways you can effectively clean your home without using harsh cleaning chemicals. You can start with simple products like white vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda when cleaning your windows and the oven. For your shower drain, it’s suggested that you use a plunger to dislodge the clog and then use a combination of vinegar and baking soda to clear the drain. You can buy commercial green cleaning agents (such as a floor cleaner found at Target for less than $5) or experiment with making your own by using items such as unscented soap and cornstarch.

Change Your House

If making changes to your current home isn’t possible because of space or other constraints, you may want to consider buying or building an eco-friendly house that suits your needs. Begin by researching the area—you’ll also find market statistics that will be useful for house hunting. For example, Streamwood homes have sold for an average of $212,000 this past month. When it comes to features, you should look for solar panels, appliances that conserve water and dual-pane, low-emittance windows. Alternatively, you could build a home using sustainably sourced wood. You should also make sure to include renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind power. A rain garden and a system that recycles rainwater are also nice features to include. If you’d like to cut down on how much space you occupy, then downsizing to a tiny home is an excellent option. Eco-friendly tiny homes usually make the most of natural lighting, including composting toilets and use recycled materials.

It’s commendable that you’re interested in making changes in your life that will help to reduce harmful impacts on Earth. Try implementing as many of these tips as possible, and make your contribution to saving the environment.

Guest Post: Dadknowsdiy.com

Photo courtesy of Pixabay