
Wouldn't it be nice to boost the energy efficiency of your home, improve your comfort, and benefit the environment in the process? Eco-friendly home improvement projects offer all of those benefits and more. Whether you're aiming to add value and increase buyer interest for an eventual sale or you're looking for home improvement projects to improve your own enjoyment of the home, eco-friendly upgrades are a great place to focus. Get started with our guide to 6 eco-friendly updates for your home that can help you save money and make your home more energy-efficient.
- Replace Regular Light Bulbs with Energy Efficient LED Bulbs
Replacing them with efficient LED bulbs is such a simple home improvement project and one that can save you real money in the long run. LED bulbs provide excellent lighting for a much lower energy cost, and can usually be purchased wherever you get your regular bulbs.
- Opt for Energy Star Approved Appliances
Planning a big home improvement project for your kitchen or laundry room? Consider upgrading to efficient, Energy Star approved appliances for those rooms. With an Energy Star approved appliance, you can be confident that your purchase will be eco-friendly and save money on energy costs. Just look for the Energy Star logo, which is displayed prominently on approved appliances, whenever you shop.
- Make Sure Your Attic and Home Are Properly Insulated
If you want to make the biggest eco-friendly impact with your next home improvement project and only choose one item from our list, make it proper insulation. This is especially true if your attic is lacking in insulation, or has old, lower quality insulation. An energy audit can help you determine your insulation needs, and the cost of having new insulation installed is made up quickly with the money saved by improved energy efficiency.
- Use a Programmable Thermostat to Keep Your Home Comfortable and Efficient
With your home properly insulated, adding a programmable thermostat is an affordable home improvement project that can help you save even more on heating and cooling costs while ensuring that your home is always just the right temperature. Keep your home comfortable while you're there, and avoid wasting money on unnecessary heating/cooling while you're out of the house.
- Install Faucet Aerators and Low-Flow Showerheads
Even if you're careful about water use, regular shower heads and faucets often waste significant amounts of water. So why not opt for something a little greener? Faucet aerators cost only a few dollars, can be installed DIY, and significantly reduce water use without sacrificing water pressure. Low-flow showerheads are also a great option to help minimize water waste and make your shower more comfortable.
- Update Your Garage Door with an Energy-Efficient Model
While it may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to saving money on energy, an old, poorly insulated garage door can lead to significant energy waste, increased heating/cooling costs, and higher energy bills. The up-front cost of updating your garage door with a newer model can largely be recouped simply by the money that you'll save on energy bills. For the ultimate eco-friendly garage door home improvement solution, opt for a model that has been built with recycled materials.
Whether you're thinking big or planning to start small, every eco-friendly home improvement update helps to improve the energy efficiency of your home while saving on energy costs. Eco-friendly updates offer some of the best ROI of any home improvement project and can add significant value to your home.