Affordable Ways To Increase Eco Friendliness Of A Home

Making green improvements to your home can have a positive impact not only on the future of our environment, but also on your family’s health and well-being. If one is willing to spend a little time thinking ahead, planning, prioritizing and budgeting for the environmentally friendly changes one chooses to make, both your home and your family will benefit in the long run. Some of these changes can be quiet affordable, while others require an initial investment which is recouped through energy savings over time. Being a good global citizen can be both affordable and fun.

Lighting

Changing to compact fluorescent light bulbs will quickly add up to significant savings for any homeowner. Replacing a single 75-watt incandescent bulb in your home today with a 25-watt CFL will add up to a savings of about $80 over the life of the bulb. The difference between the two bulbs is that CFLs convert most of their energy into light rather than heat.

Cost: CFLs generally cost less than $5.

Security

Many homeowners use security systems throughout their homes. Green security systems are quickly becoming available. For example, Vivint is a home security solutions company offering a green home security system. For homeowners with solar panels, they offer an energy efficient smart home security system. It allows homeowners to program appliances and monitor electricity usage from their smart phone.

Cost: After the initial cost for solar panels, Vivint charges a one-time $99 set up fee and monthly maintenance is under $50.

Recycle Electronics

Electronics disposal in the United States is a looming problem. Using local recycling facilities for electronics is one option. Another is reselling your electronic devices. It is estimated each American household has three cell phones languishing somewhere in the home. Each of these can be sold to organizations like green phone.com, where they are be refurbished and resold.

Cost: Selling your used electronics can net you anywhere from five dollars to hundreds.

Leaky Plumbing

A leaky faucet can waste over 70 gallons of water per day, while a leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons. Repairing a leaking toilet will save a homeowner about $30 per year and will save about 70,000 gallons of fresh water.

Cost: Replacing washers on faucets can cost less than a dollar. Simple toilet repair usually runs under $10, while a plumber’s visit could be closer to $100.

Green Appliances

At first, upgrading appliances sounds overwhelming. Prioritizing which appliances are real energy hogs can help make the decision easier. Usually, the first appliance to consider is the refrigerator. Appliances utilize approximately 18% of the homes annual energy bill but the fridge uses more energy than other appliances. Refrigerators older than 10 years should be replaced with energy-efficient models for a 10% to 50% savings on energy consumption. Changing to greener appliances can be done one appliance at a time.

Cost: New appliances will vary. Watch for sales and compare prices online.

Every homeowner can take simple cost-effective steps towards green home ownership. Every step has an impact on the environment and the health of others, including those we love. It helps to bear in mind that going green doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Small steps add up quickly and results become evident after just a short time.

Peter Brady is a security analyst who also contributes content for Security Systems, a great site to research your home monitoring costs and find reviews of various systems.