From Guest Blogger Amelia Atkins: How to Renovate a Home and Stay Green

Home renovation is always a big task. The owners need to consider a lot of different aspects of the project in order to make the home more comfortable and increase its value. Modern homeowners also need to have in mind how eco-friendly their home is and how the renovation can help with that.

Adding eco-friendly features to your home can also be an advantage in terms of lowering your bills. Almost all green additions cost more to be installed, but save a lot of money in the long run because they allow you to use less of traditional energy sources.

Solar panels

Solar panels are probably the most complex addition to your home that can be made during a single renovation project. However, they are also the most meaningful because installing solar panels means getting off the grid and relying on a natural power source.

The panels can be used to replace the central electrical grid entirely or they can substitute a portion of it. It depends on the weather in your area and your energy needs. Most decide to use both for a while and slowly transition into a solar household.

Water conservation

Water isn’t usually thought of as a resource that needs to be conserved. It’s something that everyone just takes for granted but this isn’t going to be the case for much longer. Clean drinking water is becoming a scarce resource and each household should start working on measures to use it rationally and carefully.

Some of this can be done with small changes to your kitchen and bathrooms where most of the water is being wasted. For instance, sensor activated faucets can save a surprising amount of money just by turning off the water as soon as you’re not actually using it.

Wood floors

Wood floors are one of the most popular remodeling options and there’s a good reason for it. They look great with almost any home design and they are relatively easy to install. If you use a length stop measuring system, you can design the floor yourself.

The best thing about wooden floors is how easy they are to insulate. Once the floors are insulated, the whole room becomes much easier to heat and this, in turn, leads to great savings on the energy bills. It’s also a green option if the wood is recycled or found locally with environmental concerns in mind.

Lights

Changing the lighting can be a delicate and difficult thing. The lights are responsible for the mood of the entire home and, if chosen correctly, they could also reduce energy waste without jeopardizing the comfort of the occupants.

Start by switching to LED lights that have a similarly warm look as the traditional lights but use much less energy. Gadgets such as timers and motion sensors are also easy to install and they can save quite a lot of energy during the year.

Green walls

A green wall refers to the plants on the walls and the roof of your home. It’s a striking aesthetic decision that makes the house look older and lush. This looks best if you also have a large and well-kept yard to accompany it.

The wall takes some time to be installed and you need to choose the plants carefully in order to maintain it throughout the year. However, when this is done, the wall keeps the home insulated and reduces both heating and air conditioning costs significantly. Have in mind that there are also some costs regarding the upkeep. This can be something you do yourself or you can hire a gardener if you want to have the perfect results without too much hassle.

Home renovation presents a great opportunity to make your home more eco-friendly. This change isn’t just good for the environment but for your bottom line as well, at least in the long run.