As we become more aware that we need to make changes in our lives and become more eco-friendly, people are looking for ways to make better choices. This can be a hard thing to do, especially if you’re not sure how to get started, but the truth is, it can be made easier if you focus on your home. If you’re able to make your home more eco-friendly, this is a big step forward, and it might help you understand what else you can do. However, even if you only make changes within your home, that’s still a positive thing to do.
If you have an older home, you might not think there’s much that can be done to improve it; after all, they’re just not built to be energy efficient. Although it might be a little trickier, it’s definitely not impossible to make an older home more eco-friendlyand with this in mind, read on to find out more about what you can do.
Install Solar Panels
When it comes to renewable energy, solar panels are one of the best things you can install in (or rather on) your home. When you have solar panels or a Hybrid Solar Panel System (which is boosted by batteries if need be), you can use a lot less energy from your old energy sources which means that not only will you save money, but you’ll be doing a lot for the planet too.
Older homes can certainly have solar panels installed on the roof, but it’s wise to have the roof checked out first to make sure it’s strong enough. It could be you that need to make a few repairs, but it’ll be worth it if you’re then able to have solar panels on your home.
Replace Insulation
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to living in an older home is that the insulation might not be very effective, or it might not be there at all. This could be because over the years it’s been moved around or entirely removed and never replaced, and the more people who’ve lived in a property, the more changes will have happened — over the years, missing insulation will just get forgotten.
Whether the insulation isn’t there at all, it’s old and therefore no longer doing a good job, or it’s made of material that just isn’t as good as modern day insulation, it’s wise to put in some new layers. Having good insulation in your home means that you can use less heating and cooling, which is a good eco-friendly step forward, and you’ll be more comfortable in your home as well.
Use Energy Efficient Appliances
One thing you can definitely do quite easily no matter how old your home is, is to look at your appliances and upgrade them to more energy efficient ones if possible. This will cost money, so you might only want to do it once your current appliances have started to fail, but no matter when you do it, checking the energy rating and buying the best appliances for the planet that you can is vital.
The great news is you can get all kinds of different energy-efficient appliances, including:
- Washing machines
- Dishwashers
- Tumble dryers
- Fridges
- Freezers
So, you can upgrade everything for the better.
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