Tips to Create a More Sustainable Home

Organizing your home to live in an environmentally friendly way is what sustainable living is all about. Conserve your energy usage and use available resources to the fullest effect and you can have as little negative impact on the planet as possible. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Go Solar

Solar energy is a fantastic alternative to fossil fuels. You can drastically reduce your carbon footprint s by installing solar panels at your home. There are many different options available to buy upfront or lease from the solar company. Your installed panels will take energy from the sun's rays and convert it to usable power for your entire home. There are even solar batteries available so you can save any energy that you haven't used yet to keep the lights on and appliances working during the night. Solar energy takes a little bit of upfront investment if you pay for the installation yourself but after that, you should see a drastic reduction in your monthly energy bills. You may even produce enough energy to eliminate your bill altogether.

Use Energy-Efficient Appliances

Modern appliances have improved with developments in technology and materials. They are no longer as expensive to operate, and newer models are made to conserve energy. Lower heat options, shorter cycles, and even an energy-efficient cycle button are common. Conserving energy usage will also impact your bills. If you would like to know how much energy your home is using you can simply install a home power monitor. This will let you know where you currently stand so you can cut back. It also allows you to see when you're going over your expected energy usage so you can conduct an inspection to discover any problems or faulty appliances.  

Check Window and Door Seals

Gaps in your doors and windows allow heat or cool air to escape. If you're going to be paying to heat or cool your home, then you want to keep the temperature even and consistent while using as little energy as possible. Check over your doors and windows to gauge if they are properly sealed. Installing energy-efficient windows and sealing any gaps or drafty areas can go a long way toward cutting back on the use of your air conditioning or heat. You can also check that your home is properly insulated and that seals on ductwork are intact.

Build Smart

If you are considering building your own home then you can make a lot of smart choices to operate construction in a more sustainable way. The best way to do that is to buy locally and purchase eco-friendly products that are made out of recycled material or that are themselves recyclable.

Conserve Water

Conserving water is especially important during dry conditions, but it's an excellent practice to make into a habit. Aside from taking shorter showers and not letting the water run in the sink, you can start to collect rainwater.

Get some containers to place under your downspouts to collect the water. It can then be used to water your garden or treated so you can use it to wash clothes and even drink. You must have the proper cleaning system and have the quality tested before you consume any rainwater you collect. 

Try Drip Irrigation

Anyone who has a garden of some sort knows that watering it can take a lot of time and effort. You also may be wasting a lot of water. Traditional watering methods saturate an entire area of soil. A wonderful solution to help you cut back on your water usage by up to 50% is to install a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation uses plastic tubing that has many small holes spaced along its length. The tubing is then laid next to the plants that need to be watered. Connecting the end to a spigot and the drip irrigation system will release a slow and steady flow of water targeted right at the plant's roots. 

Recycle

Sustainable living is all about using your resources optimally and wasting as little as possible. Be mindful of the types of products that you purchase and recycle wherever possible. Start by getting a few collection bins to sort your plastics, glass, and metal items. Instead of throwing away soda cans and plastic milk jugs, place them into the appropriate container and then take the full bins to a recycling center. For food waste, you can start a compost pile. Save all scraps from meal preparation such as fruit and vegetable ends and even eggshells. Any organic matter can be added to the compost. Find a place in your backyard that is away from your house and start to add all of your food scraps to it. Over time the material will break down and form a very nutrient-rich compost that you can use in your garden to encourage healthy plant growth.

Go Non-Toxic

You probably don't always think about the materials that make up some common items in your household, but if you start to do research and read labels you will see that there are some toxic chemicals that can be avoided if you're more mindful about your purchases. Paints and cleaners are a big source of toxins. When you use these on a regular basis, not only do you breathe them in and get them on your skin, but the toxins can get into the air of your home where they will linger and settle on services. Anyone that comes to your home can come into contact with them. Even carpets contain toxins. Next time you're in the market for a new rug for your home make sure you ask questions about the product and go with a nontoxic option.

There are plenty of ways that you can create a sustainable home for yourself and your family. Living in an Eco-friendly manner will not only help out the environment but if you do it right it can also teach you how to conserve your resources to save money. You will also provide a healthier atmosphere for your family to live in.