Being environmentally conscious doesn’t mean you have to install solar panels or grow all of your own food. There are plenty of quick and easy ways to green your home that will save you money rather than cost you money, and that don’t require a whole lot of effort on your part.
Here are some of the quickest and easiest ways you can reduce your environmental impact and green your home:
1. Recycle. This one is a no-brainer. It’s simply a matter of sorting your trash into the right bins. It’s 2010, people. Who doesn’t recycle at this point? If it’s you, it’s time to start.
2. Switch out old appliances. OK, this isn’t always the cheapest way to green your home, but it certainly can be easy. Your appliances usually total around one fifth of your total energy usage in a month. Updating your refrigerator, for example, will not only use less energy it could save you as much as $150 a year. Make sure you choose appliances with the Energy Star logo. These use between 10 percent and 50 percent less water and energy.
3. Check your temperature. Around half of the energy consumed in your home is from heating and cooling. If you can hack it, keep your furnace at 68 degrees in the winter and at 78 degrees in the summer. Consider a programmable thermostat (they can be had for around $45) to adjust the heat and cooling when you’re not at home.
4. Do some furnace work. If your furnace is 20 years old or older, you’re wasting about a quarter of the energy it uses. Consider replacing it with a newer, Energy Star model. Make sure you clean your furnace filter during heavy months, too.
5. Conserve water. There are several easy ways to use less water in your home. You can put an aerator on your faucets, which can reduce your water use by half. A low-flow toilet will also help. If you don’t want to invest in a new toilet, drop your float valve down to let less water into the tank. Even using a broom instead of the hose to clean your driveway can save water.
6. Use energy efficient lights. CFLs are in vogue for a number of reasons. Forget for a moment the lower power use. These bulbs last several times longer, meaning you’re up on a stepstool less often changing bulbs.
7. Garden Green. There are a number of things you can do in the garden to go green. You can compost. You can stick with perennials instead of annuals. You can stop using chemical pesticides. If you’re really up for a good workout, you can even find yourself an old-fashioned push lawnmower to trim your grass.
Brian Kinkade is a broker and team lead with Cherry Creek Professionals Realty, a full service Denver real estate firm. His team specializes in Denver luxury homes, equestrian properties and International real estate sales. Brian invites you to visit his website for more information.
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Heating and air conditioning units require regular maintenance and attention to work in peak condition. Just hoping your systems work seamlessly will often lead to problems and expensive bills down the road. Take the time to call your local HVAC company and discuss maintenance contracts with them.
R. Howard
Mitchell Mechanical