How to Make Your Home More Eco-Friendly

 

 

 

 

Although some property developers are increasingly building houses with the environment in mind, we still have a long way to go before modern homes in the UK are fully eco-friendly. If you’re environmentally conscious but feel that your home isn’t quite living up to your dream of a greener space, then we have some top tips that you can use to make some changes. Adaptations that make a big difference don’t need to be expensive – there are plenty of things you can do to make your home more eco-friendly on a budget. Read on to find out more! 

Install a Smart Thermostat

Smart thermostats are designed to help you identify how much energy you use on a daily basis, and then work with you to reduce your usage throughout the week. This means that you can more effectively manage your energy consumption, as the thermostat will have a number of different functions that can help:

Control From Anywhere

Wherever you are, a smart thermostat lets you control your heating through temperature adjustments or shut offs. This is a great way to improve your energy efficiency and make strides towards a greener home, and you can also use this feature to turn the heating on as you travel, ready for the hallway to be toasty when you walk through the door!

Safety Features

While smart thermostats primarily centre around the heating system, many come equipped with other safety features that can bring you some extra piece of mind. For example, some of the most popular models can be combined with smoke alarms to check for carbon monoxide leaks, and if one is identified they will automatically shut your boiler off. If you work away from home or have a busy family of people coming and going, then this feature might be lifesaving. 

Learning with You

One of the best things about smart thermostats is that they learn with you to monitor your usage and identify your heating schedule and preferred temperatures. They also use external factors to influence their usage, like the weather and your home’s insulation, making your home greener and giving you the most efficient heating system possible for your personal circumstances. 

As well as benefitting from these smart features, if you’re struggling with the rising cost of living then a smart thermostat can be an invaluable tool. By monitoring your behaviour and adjusting your temperature to your preferences or schedules, your new thermostat will reduce your usage and save you money when heat isn’t needed. 

Revamp Your Lighting

Your lighting plays a bigger part than you might think in the green rating of your home, so revamping it for an environmentally conscious solution can make a big difference. One of the best things you can do in the lighting space is to switch out your standard lightbulbs to LED bulbs. Not only can they save you money – around £170 per year on average - but they also come with a host of benefits that can make your home greener:

Less Energy Wastage

Above all, LED bulbs waste far less energy than traditional options, and as a result are more energy efficient than conventional bulbs. For instance, fluorescent lights convert around 95% of the energy that they produce into heat, not light! However, the opposite is true for LED bulbs, where 95% of their energy is used for light. Because of this, they require less power and have a kinder impact on our planet. 

Longer Lifespan 

Most people who switch to LED bulbs do so because of the cost and energy savings that they can make, and a big element of this is the longer lifespan that these bulbs benefit from compared to traditional equivalents. LEDs last longer than most halogen or incandescent bulbs because their light isn’t produced by heating a filament component that burns out. Instead, light is produced by the passing of an electric current through a semiconducting material, which allows the bulb to shine brighter for longer! 

Non-Toxic 

Another benefit to LED bulbs is that they are non-toxic. Unlike fluorescent lights, which contain elements like mercury, LED bulbs don’t use any toxic chemicals that harm the environment. This also means that there are no restrictions around their disposal. 

By making the simple change of upgrading your light bulbs, you can experience all the benefits and cost savings while doing your bit to help the environment. 

Upgrade Your Laundry Routine

Most people don’t realise that their laundry routine actually has huge potential for eco-friendly upgrades. Next time you do a load of washing, why not try some of these low-budget changes?

Try a Cold Wash

Research has unearthed the staggering statistic that up to 60% of our laundry’s carbon footprint comes from the way our machines heat water, so trying a cold wash every now and then is an effective way to make your home more eco-friendly. While you might think that this would have a negative impact on the wash quality, the opposite is actually true. Hot water sets stains, so a cold wash is preferred for heavily soiled loads. Turn the temperature down and your laundry will thank you! 

Clean Your Dryer Filter

Every time you use your tumble dryer, it’s vital that you clean out the filter to reduce the risk of fire before you start the cycle, but there’s actually a green benefit of doing this. By cleaning the filter regularly, you’ll boost the efficiency of the machine, and each cycle will therefore be kinder on the environment – it’s a win-win. 

Use Dryer Balls

Typically made of compressed wool, rubber or plastic, dryer balls are small objects that can be added to your laundry before putting a load in the tumble dryer. While the cycle is running, they fall between fabrics and prevent your clothes or linen from clumping together, giving warm air a better chance to circulate and reducing the time it takes for your machine to dry the load. This makes your machine a lot more eco-friendly, and the best part is that you can use your dryer balls again and again, to lower your single-use plastic usage. 

Skip the Dryer Altogether! 

On top of these small changes to your appliance use, why not try skipping the dryer altogether where possible? An average dryer cycle uses just over 4kwh of energy and produces around 1.8kg CO2, so switching to the trusty clothesline is one of the easiest ways to do your bit for the environment. 

Install an Electric Car Charger

If you’re lucky enough to have a driveway or space next to your property, then installing an electric car charging point is one of the best ways to make your home more eco-friendly, as it will work wonders to reduce your overall carbon footprint. If you don’t have an electric car yet, then installing a charger will do a fantastic job of encouraging you to make the switch – here are the benefits of going electric. There’s a lot more to electric vehicles than simply being eco-friendly; you’ll save money and experience a smoother, quieter drive. It’s really a no-brainer! 

From upgrading your thermostat and switching out your light bulbs to installing an electric car charging point to your property, the possibilities that you have to make your home more eco-friendly are truly endless! By following this guide, you can be certain that you’re doing your bit for the planet, as well as saving money and benefitting from the best features modern technology has to offer.