Five Ways To Go Green In Your Home!

This article is provided by Katherine Smith.

As a homeowner, there are many reasons why you may be contemplating the decision to go green in your home, with the most common reasons being to improve the environment and slash energy costs. An efficiency in energy consumption will not only cut your energy bill, but it will also improve property value.  

Here are five reasons why the idea of making your home eco-friendlier is more popular than ever in the US.

1. Going solar will reduce and possibly even eliminate your electric bills.  

Going solar can be counted as one of the things that you could do that would make the biggest impact because you will get a fabulous return on your investment, protect your household budget against rising energy costs, and increase the value of your property. Moreover, besides encouraging other homeowners in your neighborhood by demonstrating your commitment to environmental sustainability, you will benefit the nation's initiatives to acquire more energy independence, create more local jobs, and protect the environment.

According to Enver, a solar company in San Diego, solar energy provides an affordable, reliable, and clean energy solution for homeowners. Since your electric costs usually take up a large chunk of your monthly utility expenses, installing solar panel equipment will generate free power for at least 25 years if you are able to produce 100% of the energy your household needs. However, even if you can not rely on solar energy production all the time, you will still drastically reduce how much you pay for utilities. 

2. Upgrading your home with proper insulation will improve indoor temperature control.

While it is best to insulate your home during the construction phase, it is not too late to take care of it afterward. Since both heating and cooling will account for about half of your home's consumption of energy, it only makes sense to ensure that the energy that you are paying for is not leaking out through doors, windows, or the roof. While you may not be able to completely prevent hot air from escaping in the colder seasons and from entering your home during the warmer seasons, you can make a difference in slowing the rate of energy loss by insulating the walls and the attics with foam, fiberglass or cellulose. You can also reduce energy loss from older windows and doors. Simply upgrade weather stripping and sealant around both windows and doors. 

3. Upgrading your HVAC system will reduce the cost of heating and cooling your home.

On average, it costs about a grand a year to heat and cool your home. By using an HVAC system that has been ENERGY STAR-rated and installed according to Quality Installation (QI) guidelines will improve the heating and cooling efficiency of your home.

4. Heat water more efficiently by using a tankless hot water system.

When you have a shower or bath, you are getting hot water from a tank. In order to receive hot water without the need to heat, store and reheat water in this tank, you could use a tankless water heater. An electric coil heats the water that you need when you need it. This eliminates the waste of energy that arises from using an energy-inefficient tank.

5. Prefer Energy Star appliances.

An appliance that has the ENERGY STAR symbol is one that has been approved by the government program that was initiated to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. This means that the appliance conforms to the energy-efficiency criteria set by the EPA. Not only do these appliances work far more efficiently than regular appliances, but they can also help you reduce your energy and water bill.  

So, what is the downside to greening your home? Initially, it may cost more to transition from the standard model for energy consumption, but, in the long run, everything will work more efficiently and be more cost-effective. 

Additionally, many manufacturers and service companies are listening to consumers who can not afford the initial cost to go green. As a consequence, they are working to develop less expensive equipment and installation fees as well as arranging financing to make it easier to make the switch.

While the motivation for going green will vary from one person to the next, the move to make this positive switch will provide significant environmental, economic, and personal benefits. In essence, it is a win-win situation for everyone- for you and your family, for the country, and even for the world. While the government can suggest ways to go green, ultimately it is your decision that will contribute to a more sustainable environment.