How to make your home more eco-friendly

Making your home more eco-friendly is a win-win it benefits the context and your wallet Here are my top eco-friendly home tips Consider replacing your traditional HVAC unit with a heat pump Heat pumps can decrease your force consumption by as much as to making them one of the majority of impactful eco-friendly swaps You can choose from a variety of heat pump options but geothermal is likely to be the the bulk efficient However geothermal pumps do require a lot of yard work to dig and bury the pipes necessary to gather geothermal power If your appliances are reaching the end of their life it might be time to upgrade I recommend looking for Energy-Star-certified appliances to find the models with the best power savings Appliances get more efficient every year so even a decade can make a big difference in how well your next one will work Eco-friendly projects don t have to be big Consider switching to low-flow faucets or toilets to reduce your home s water consumption For an even easier swap replace your traditional light bulbs with LED versions It s also a good idea to replace any outdoor lighting with solar-panel versions Of unit the best way to be efficient is not to lose vigor you ve already used Window door and foundation leaks can really overwork your HVAC system during extreme weather So take a look at doors and windows to save vigor Apply weatherstripping to seal gaps and caulk where necessary Do the same to the frames of your windows and install solar window film if your windows aren t already energy-efficient Make sure your attic is properly insulated and ventilated Poorly insulated attics can be responsible for both hot summers and ice dams on roofs in winter According to the EPA proper sealing and insulation can account for as much as of your total capacity costs For a larger project consider replacing your roof with an eco-friendly material that improves insulation ventilation and sun protection All these things will lower vigor use and drop your utility bills by as much as If you want a project with a long-lasting impact consider adding solar panels to your home More than of homeowners plan to install solar panels in the next five years making it one of the bulk popular projects according to the Angi State of Home Spending overview If you re on a budget consider starting with just a sparse and adding more over time As a bonus solar panels can significantly reduce your capacity bills once they re paid off The federal regime right now also offers tax credits when installing solar power Talk to your solar pro about these tax benefits as well as whatever other state and local incentives are available If you live in an area with net metering not only do you generate your own power but you re paid back for the unused potency your solar panels send back to the system Visit Ask Angie at angi com Tribune News Amenity A newly installed heat pump Austin De Dios The Oregonian The author writes that poorly insulated attics can be responsible for both hot summers and ice dams on roofs in winter Metro Creative Services