How to create an eco friendly home

We all want to do our bit to help lower our carbon footprint and so reduce our impact on the world and its resources. This can be expensive and time consuming however, and in the busy world of today we just can’t seem to find the time. But it needn’t be as difficult as you think, and it definitely needn’t be as costly. In fact, it can actually save you money in the long run. There is also the philosophical reward that you have chosen to take positive action to do something you believe in. Think of what you’re teaching your kids, too.

So, what are the best ways to make your home more eco-friendly? There are up to fifty ways, but we’ll break down our favourite five.

Double-glazing

This applies to old houses as much as new. Many period house owners are now opting for double glazing because the new designs and styles fit much better with the period look. If you are going to invest, you need to do the whole property, which includes doors, because if you want to see real results in warmth there’s not much point in just doing one room. In addition to the double glazing, it can be a great idea to build a sun room or conservatory. If you do this right, then the sun will heat the sun room during the winter and this heat will radiate into the rest of the house.

Insulate the loft and fill cavity walls with insulation

Heat rises, so if you want to reduce the amount of energy you need to heat the house then get the loft insulated. It can save up to £300 on a standard house. Doing the cavity walls will also deliver massive reductions in your heating bills.

Invest in solar panels

This involves a big outlay and the return can be lengthy, but you can sell the excess back to the grid and you can choose between solar for electricity and solar to heat the water. You also get the added benefit of being off-the-grid should the power go down for any reason.

Buy an eco-kettle

Kettles use a lot of electricity to heat the water, and because we’re British, we use the kettle a lot. Only boil the right amount of water. And, consider getting a thermos and boiling the kettle once in the morning before using the hot water from the thermos throughout the day. This saves a lot of time when you fancy a cuppa in the afternoon, too.

Service your boiler if you want an eco friendly home!

Ideally, the boiler should be replaced every ten years. Just like a car, the efficiency drops away year on year. Try lowering the thermostat a degree or two on the water, as well.