Being a tree hugger, I do my best to be eco-friendly to preserve our beautiful planet for the future generations, i.e. recycling, biking more, having a gas friendly car, green home improvements, etc. Besides helping the planet, you also help retain more of that green that's in your wallet.
Here is a list of eco-friendly home renovations that both lower your utility bills and increase the value of your home.
1. Upgrading your windows - Upgrading your windows to air-tight, low-emissivity models can save you a substantial amount on your heating and cooling bills. And according to Remodeling magazine, you get a 74% ROI when you sell your home.
2. Installing skylights - Did you know that artificial lighting accounts for 40% of your home's energy usage? The natural light from skylights dramatically reduce your electricity costs. If you do install a skylight, make sure to install 1 that can open so that it can help ventilate your home during the summer months and that can save money on AC costs. Not only will you lower your energy bill by 7-15%, according to energystar.gov, but you make your home more appealing to potential buyers when you sell your home.
3. Upgrade your garage door - By upgrading the garage door to a well-insulated 1, you can decrease the amount of cold/hot air let into your home from common walls and save on the energy loss. It also has a 91.5% ROI according to remodelingimage.com.
4. Replacing your grass - You can reduce your home's water usage significantly by swapping out that grass with alternative lawns and drought-tolerant landscape materials. Bewaterwise.org reports that you can save up to 44 gallons of water per square foot per year and realestate.com says that spending 5% of your home's value on landscaping may result in a 150% ROI.
5. Swap out your water heater - According to energy.gov, water heating is the 2nd largest expense in your home, accounting for 14-18% of your utility bill. Getting a tankless water heater is 8-34% more energy-efficient than a storage water heater. It will cost more upfront but you will save money over time. You'll also get a better ROI because tankless water heaters last 2x as long as a storage water heater.
Sources: energy.gov, bewaterwise.org, realestate.com, remodelingimage.com, energystar.gov
Photo by Ramdan Authentic on Unsplash
Here is a list of eco-friendly home renovations that both lower your utility bills and increase the value of your home.
1. Upgrading your windows - Upgrading your windows to air-tight, low-emissivity models can save you a substantial amount on your heating and cooling bills. And according to Remodeling magazine, you get a 74% ROI when you sell your home.
2. Installing skylights - Did you know that artificial lighting accounts for 40% of your home's energy usage? The natural light from skylights dramatically reduce your electricity costs. If you do install a skylight, make sure to install 1 that can open so that it can help ventilate your home during the summer months and that can save money on AC costs. Not only will you lower your energy bill by 7-15%, according to energystar.gov, but you make your home more appealing to potential buyers when you sell your home.
3. Upgrade your garage door - By upgrading the garage door to a well-insulated 1, you can decrease the amount of cold/hot air let into your home from common walls and save on the energy loss. It also has a 91.5% ROI according to remodelingimage.com.
4. Replacing your grass - You can reduce your home's water usage significantly by swapping out that grass with alternative lawns and drought-tolerant landscape materials. Bewaterwise.org reports that you can save up to 44 gallons of water per square foot per year and realestate.com says that spending 5% of your home's value on landscaping may result in a 150% ROI.
5. Swap out your water heater - According to energy.gov, water heating is the 2nd largest expense in your home, accounting for 14-18% of your utility bill. Getting a tankless water heater is 8-34% more energy-efficient than a storage water heater. It will cost more upfront but you will save money over time. You'll also get a better ROI because tankless water heaters last 2x as long as a storage water heater.
Sources: energy.gov, bewaterwise.org, realestate.com, remodelingimage.com, energystar.gov
Photo by Ramdan Authentic on Unsplash
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