Energy Efficiency: Ways to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly

Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay

Building a new home allows you to incorporate the latest technological advancements into your home, and that includes the latest energy-related innovations. If you’re building a new home, consider these five ways to make a home more energy-efficient. Including one or several of them in your new home will be good for the environment — and will likely have benefits for you too.

1. Upgrade the Insulation

Homebuilders today can use several types and grades of insulation in a home, and many of these are much more effective than what has been used in the past. Upgrading to high-end insulation isn’t a change that you’ll see in the home, but it’s one that you’ll feel. 

Good insulation will help maintain a consistent temperature throughout the day and night, and it’ll reduce drafts in the house. You’ll also save on utility bills any time you turn on the heat or air conditioner. Most times, the savings that you realize over the life span of your home could exceed the added cost of higher-end insulation.

2. Upgrade to High-Efficiency Windows

After insulation, the next major energy-related item to consider upgrading is your new home’s windows. A significant amount of heat transfer occurs through windows and installing high-efficiency windows can lessen how much heat or coolness transfers through the glass. This is another upgrade that can provide substantial utility bill savings over time.

3. Install a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat affords precise control of your home’s HVAC system even when you’re not at home. The thermostat can increase comfort, heating or cooling your home just before you arrive. It can also help you save energy by managing the exact temperature settings in your home. Installing a smart thermostat is easy when the HVAC system is being put in.

4. Consider Solar Panels

For the ultimate in energy efficiency, consider having solar panels installed on your new home’s roof or in a nearby yard. Your home won’t only be using green electricity, but it’ll be generating that electricity itself. Should you generate more solar electricity than you need, you can often sell it back to the utility company in your region.

Your homebuilder may not install solar panels themselves, but they’ll likely know of and work with a specialized contractor who does. The contractor can give you a precise overview of what solar panels will do for your home, given your home’s particular location, size and other factors.

5. Consider EV Charging 

To extend your energy-efficient efforts beyond the home itself, consider having your homebuilder work with a contractor who installs EV (Electric Vehicle) charging stations. An EV charging station will let you quickly recharge an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, and you may qualify for a substantial tax credit if you have a station installed. 

While this work is most often done when someone purchases an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, it might make sense to install a charging station when you’re building a new home, even if you don’t yet have a compatible car. You’ll need a station if you purchase an electric vehicle soon, and it may be less costly to install a station during a home’s construction than afterward.

Make Your New Home Energy Efficient

Homes are becoming more energy-efficient every day, and there are many ways to make your new home more efficient. Take advantage of some of these ideas, and both the environment and you will reap the benefits.

Cultivate a Lush, Beautiful Lawn With These 4 Simple Tips

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Every homeowner wants a beautiful lawn devoid of dandelions and unsightly brown patches. Unfortunately, hiring an organic lawn care service isn’t always in the budget. However, there are some easy things you can do to manage and improve your lawn without breaking the bank or harming the environment. You can care for your lawn without poisoning the water table if you use safe methods to discourage pests and weeds. You’ll boost the beauty of your grasses and gardens while allowing helpful organisms such as bees and earthworms to flourish. Use these four tips to give your lawn a boost:

1. Aerate Your Lawn Regularly

Roots need air, water and nutrients to grow strong and lush. This is why it’s necessary to aerate areas of your lawn that have become compacted over time. This is especially important for newly constructed homes with lawns that are still trying to recover from the shock of heavy machinery. Early spring or fall is the best time to aerate soil because it allows time for new growth before the change in growing seasons. You’ll want to wait for a drenching rain before you begin.

You can rent a lawn aerator from your local home supply store. You can even use something so simple as a pitchfork. Poke it into compacted areas and wiggle the handle back and forth to create large holes. Save work by choosing only the most compacted areas of your lawn for aeration.

2. Mow Your Lawn Frequently

Allow grass to grow to approximately 3 inches before mowing, then strive to maintain that ideal height. By mowing often, you’ll generate short clippings that won’t need raking. If you allow them to sink down into your soil, they’ll become a natural source of food that acts as organic fertilizer.

You’ll also want to sharpen the blades on your mower regularly. Dull blades damage grass blades, making them more susceptible to disease and infestation.

3. Water Your Grass Efficiently

Over watering your lawn may be just as damaging as allowing it to dry out. For best results, only water when you can see footprints in the grass. But when you do water, water deeply and thoroughly. Do your best to plan around the weather by making allowances for wet days instead of sticking to a rigid schedule.

4. Use Lawn Chemicals Sparingly

If you take good care of your lawn, it will defeat weeds naturally. Most weeds that infest lawns thrive on neglect. So if you pay careful attention to maintaining a lush, green carpet, you’ve already won half the battle. If you do decide you need the help of pesticides or fertilizers, shop from the organic section of your home supply store. You can even make your own using ingredients like boiling water, vinegar or salt. These common household materials kill weeds without leeching toxic chemicals and carcinogens into the ground. For fertilizer, start a compost pile in your backyard and feed it regularly with vegetable clippings, leaves, coffee grounds and more. As it decays and turns to compost, you can spread it in thin layers on the weakest parts of your lawn to green them up beautifully.

If you keep up with your lawn in an eco-friendly way you’ll see a natural resurgence of beneficial wildlife such as beetles, honey bees and earthworms. These creatures will help you keep the soil aerated and discourage harmful pests.

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