Sustainable Living: 10 Tips for a Greener Home

Take a look at this list of important changes you can make to your home to lessen your impact on the environment, reduce your utility bills, and achieve a more sustainable lifestyle.

1. Switch to LED or CFL lights: Lighting accounts for about 9 percent of a typical home’s energy use. A cheap and simple way to reduce your energy bill and your environmental footprint is to replace all your light bulbs with LED bulbs. On average, LED bulbs consume 80% less energy.

2. Seal gaps and doors and windows: If your home has gaps, the air coming from your HVAC system will be going out the window. This will make your energy bill increase and your carbon footprint larger. Putting weather stripping around doors and windows will save you money on your heating and cooling bill, and will make your home more energy-efficient. You can buy weatherstripping from any hardware store and install it yourself in a matter of hours.

3. Fix leaking toilets and faucets: Pay attention to any dripping noises you might hear around the house. And, pay close attention to your water bill. An unexplainable spike in your monthly statement can be a sign of a leak.

4. Create a recycling and compost station: To make recycling and composting as easy as possible, make sure to have bins for trash and recycling in more rooms than just the kitchen.

5. Collect rainwater to water your plants: One night of rain can dump 300 gallons of water on the roof of your house. Rainwater collection barrels can be part of the solution where you attach a hose to the barrel to water.

6. Insulate your attic and install an attic fan: If your attic is properly insulated, it will act as a tight seal for the air in your house, keeping conditioned air from escaping so your HVAC systems don’t have to work extra hard. Installing an attic fan is another excellent way to reduce the amount of energy spent on heating and cooling your home, and can reduce the potential for moisture buildup in your attic.

7. Install solar panels: Solar panels will reduce your energy consumption and your energy bill. While that may seem like a lot, the panels will pay for themselves over time, and significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

8. Install low-flow showerheads and toilets: Low-flow showerheads, use less than two gallons per minute, conserving more water and cutting down your water bill. Because these shower heads use less water they reduce demands on water heaters which saves energy as well.

9. Purchase energy and water-efficient appliances: Energy efficient appliances cost more than a regular appliance but are offset by lower water and energy bills.

10. Maintain or replace your water heater: If you turn it down a few degrees, from 110 to 105, and put an insulating wrap around it, you will save a lot of energy. Installing a tankless water heater is even a better option. It only heats water when you need it, using electricity only when it’s engaged. And because it’s electric, it will work well with solar panels.

*Courtesy of RedFin

* Specific loan program availability and requirements may vary. Please get in touch with your mortgage advisor for more information.