When you’ve owned a house for several years, eventually, there will come a time when you’ll need to upgrade some elements and give your home a remodel. Be it a bigger or smaller project, you should always do it with the environment in mind. Is your home eco-friendly enough? How is your insulation? Are your windows and doors efficient enough? How about your plumbing and electrics? If none of those elements is green enough, you should consider including them in your home remodelling. Here’s how you can spruce up your house in an eco-friendly manner.
Donate or recycle items you don’t need anymore
One of the first steps of an eco-friendly home remodelling is sorting furniture that you don’t need anymore. Have you thought about giving it to your parents or siblings? Maybe your friends could make good use of your old armoire. Instead of throwing it away and letting it rot at a junkyard, consider the option of recycling. Be it a bed, carpet, desk or any other furniture piece, it’s always better to find another home for it than to throw it away.
Decorate with used items
Once you’ve donated or sold old furniture, don’t immediately browse through fancy furniture stores in search of new chairs and sofas. Give used furniture a new chance to shine in your home. Look at vintage shops or at online sites that sell used furniture. With a little touch-up, you can bring back the old shine to dingy items. Not only will it be better for the planet, but more affordable for you as well.
Replace inefficient toilets
Wasting water and power hurts the planet beyond meaning. Therefore, when remodelling a home, check your faucets and plumbing. How’s your toilet doing? Is it wasting more water than you’d like to admit? Toilets approximately use 30% of a household’s total water amount. With that in mind, you’ll need to look into your toilet quality and check whether they’re efficient enough. By hiring professionals like Easy Solutions Plumbing, you will get an accurate estimate of your toilet’s condition and be able to upgrade or replace it. Leaky toilets require immediate fixing and if your budget allows, consider upgrading them to EPA-certified models.
Upgrade windows and doors
Only a well-insulated home is an eco-friendly home. That’s why you should inspect your windows and doors for any cracks when you decide to remodel your home. Upgrading your windows with low-E coatings will keep the heat from the room inside even during colder weather. When the temperatures rise in the summer, the unwanted heat will stay outside. Dynamic glass is also an eco-friendly option worth considering as it will automatically adjust the window tint throughout the day. Avoid using the AC when it gets hot, but upgrade the windows with dynamic glass that will immediately darken as the sun starts to warm up the window. Use fibreglass to update the door. Fibreglass is very lightweight, so transporting the door won’t require as much fuel as transporting other materials. If your current doors have cracks and need replacing, consider those made of reclaimed wood or wood chips.
Repaint and re-face
If you’re thinking about replacing your kitchen cabinets just because they look old and dingy − think again. Save money and contribute to saving the planet by repainting the surfaces. Spend some time taking the surface layer off and repainting the cabinets with low VOC paints of your choice. Look for the newest kitchen trends and find the design that fits your taste the most. Upgrade handles and knobs on the kitchen cabinet doors for an even better effect. Offer a new life to your kitchen cabinets and have them look shiny and new for many more years.
Shop locally for all the materials
While some furniture can be donated and reused, other items will likely need to be ordered brand new. When looking for new furniture and fixtures, try to shop locally. Whether you need a new set of tiles or patio furniture for your backyard, as long as you shop locally, you will contribute to a lower carbon footprint. Do a thorough search, and you will certainly be able to find what you’re after at your city’s store and avoid ordering items from abroad or on another continent. Not only will that be better for your budget, but for the planet too.
Final thoughts
Remodelling a home doesn’t have to hurt the planet. If you put a bit more thought into it, you’ll realize that an eco-friendly home remodelling is a better choice for your home and the planet. So, when you start planning for new upgrades and updates, keep in mind that not everything needs to be brand new. Invest in reused items and donate your furniture to someone else. Fix the toilets or install more efficient ones and make sure your windows and doors provide good insulation from cold and warm temperatures.