We all try to reduce our home’s carbon footprint as much as we can. But the heating season is the time when we should really focus on how much energy we use and waste, and how reasonable we are when it comes to managing our homes. There are certain things that you can do today that will not only make your home more sustainable for winter but also save you money long term. Below you will find a couple of small projects you can work on before the icy winds arrive.
How To Make Your Home More Sustainable For Winter
Insulation
The first thing you need to look at is the insulation of your home. If you live in a colder climate and have an older home, chances are that the weather has taken its toll on the wooden frames and the walls, as well.
Get in touch with an insulation expert. Find out whether secondary glazing or added insulation sheets would make your home greener and more energy efficient for the next few decades. Sometimes just the addition of insulation is enough to make your home more sustainable for winter.
Heating
Next, it is important that you get your heating and air conditioning system checked. Make sure that it is working as efficiently as possible. Even small dust particles in the fan or dirty ducts can cause breakdowns and faults. These can cost you a lot of money to fix.
Arrange a meeting with a heating repair company to get a full assessment. Get the filters changed, the motor diagnosed, and the efficiency of your HVAC system measured. This way you can save money and hassle heating your home during the winter. This also makes your home more sustainable for winter. n addition, you can also have the Most realistic electric fireplace at your place.
Hedges and Boundaries
To protect your home from the cold wind, you might want to look after your hedges and the boundaries. Don’t cut back the hedge until after the spring. Get a natural barrier, as well as a nesting place and hiding place for the wildlife in the spring.
Check the condition of your fence, so you don’t have to repair it during the winter, and it doesn’t cause damage to your property when the winds pick up. However, do get your older trees checked if you are expecting winter storms. This is to make sure they are able to withstand the force.
Having the right hedges and boundaries around your property protects your property. It also makes your home more sustainable for winter by protecting it from the elements.
Windows and Doors
Insulating your loft and your walls are important. Especially when you are trying to make your home more sustainable for winter. But most of the heat is lost through the doors and windows of your house.
Make sure that you are getting them checked and replaced. A double pane unit – when fitted professionally – can retain most of the heat. You might also think about solar windows that will help you heat and power your home during the winter months.
Appliances
Once you have dealt with your heating and energy conservation project, it might be time to look at how much electricity and gas all your appliances are using. You will need to look at the energy star rating of your washing machine, your tumble dryer, and other equipment.
Everything with a heating element is likely to use more electricity than small lights. It is important that you find out how much running each household appliance costs you. Replace them when you can with a more energy efficient unit. This is another way to help your home be more sustainable for winter.
Energy Monitors
It might also be a good idea to install home energy monitors. These help you to find out when you consume the most electricity. They also tell which activities contribute to your carbon footprint increase.
If – for example – you find that your electric fireplace is too expensive to run, you might want to invest into a more efficient one, use alternative heating solutions, or simply improve your main central heating system, so you don’t have to use it so often.
All of these factors can contribute to issues when trying to make your home more sustainable for winter.
Rainwater Collection
If there is enough of something in the winter, it is rain and snow. We all know about the impact of global warming and the lack of water in some regions. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could collect rainwater and use it for washing your car, flushing the toilet, or water your indoor plants?
You can set up a simple rainwater collection system with a pump that allows you to switch between tap and rainwater. We waste too much of our resources unnecessarily.
Keeping your carbon emissions low in the summer is easy. But the winter has its challenges. Invest in better performance and efficiency appliances and heating systems. Conserve water and make the most out of your opportunities to save electricity every day.
After all, we need to keep this planet habitable for our kids and their children, too. By following these tips you can make your home more sustainable for winter.
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