Lots of homeowners will spend their summer taking on home renovation projects. Everything from deck and pool installations to kitchen upgrades, those are all great aesthetic additions you can make to your home, plus, they increase the overall value of your home. But some of the hottest home renovations taking the real estate industry by storm this summer comes in the form of energy-efficient projects.
According to the International Energy Agency, only 2% of the world is using solar energy. But the good news is that as the popularity of solar energy increases, it’s projected that by the year 2024, solar energy will make up 60% of the world’s power source! In fact, one of the biggest innovations in solar energy now is community solar developments. Rather than using traditional utility electricity, you can lease solar energy from a solar farm. This allows people in any housing type to benefit from solar energy, whereas it was once only for homeowners.
Being the hands-on DIY’er you are, you’re probably eager to get your “green” renovations started… Well, at this point, you just need to figure out what type of energy-efficient renovations you want to take on. There are actually quite a few to choose from but please take all safety precautions… your safety comes first. But in the spirit of doing it yourself, here are a few energy-efficient renovations for you to take on this summer!
Energy-Efficient Home Renovation Projects That Are Perfect For This Summer
Green Flooring
Green flooring is an excellent eco-friendly alternative to traditional flooring. Not only is the flooring good for the environment but also, green flooring further promotes sustainable living in the fact that it eliminates the need for harsh chemicals to clean the floors and they reduce indoor pollutant levels.
Typically, green flooring comes in three options:
- Bamboo
- Cork
- Carpet
All three green flooring types are usually sustainably sourced and are durable and attractive, making it the perfect summer renovation project to take on this summer.
Insulation
Your home’s insulation is actually one of the first things you want to look at when considering which green renovation projects to take on. When checking the status of your home’s insulation, you’ll want to look for any type of air leaks in your home. If you find any, get them sealed as soon as you possibly can. This is a very cost-effective home improvement and can lower your energy bill by almost 10 percent! Even in your efforts to properly insulate your home, you can still go with eco-friendly options as well. Look for loose-fill fiberglass insulation, if you can find it.
Appliances
When you’re considering green renovation projects, installing green appliances is one of the best projects you can do. As you already know, electric bills go through the roof during the summer months, so finding a way to reduce those costs is a prime focus for lots of households. In efforts to lower electric bills, people will even minimize the use of certain household appliances just to save on their electric bills. With ENERGY STAR appliances, you wouldn’t have to worry about that. These appliances are specifically designed to utilize advanced technologies to drastically reduce energy consumption. In fact, by using ENERGY STAR products, homeowners have seen a 10 to 50 percent decrease in their bills. So whether it’s a washer and dryer or a stove, you can expect to not only save energy and money but also do your part in reducing emissions.
Direct-Vent Fireplace
Lots of people don’t know that you can have an eco-friendly fireplace and it’s by way of the direct-vent fireplace. These fireplaces are the perfect twist to traditional ones in the aspect that they’re safer and more efficient. With traditional fireplaces, indoor air is used for combustion. Direct-vent fireplaces use outdoor air and pull it through an outer chamber while the inner chamber works to exhaust fumes. The best part about it is that you still get the same experience with direct-vent fireplaces as you would with traditional ones. So if you enjoy sitting in front of the fireplace during the winter months, you can still enjoy that same feeling.
HVAC
Have you ever sat in your home in the winter bundled in heavy blankets just to keep from turning your heat up too high? Better yet, have you ever sat in your home wearing a swimsuit to keep from turning the temp down too low? That’s how lots of people adjust to the extreme temps to keep from raising their electric bills. More than half of your home’s energy costs come from heating and cooling and with both extremes, it can drastically raise your bill. ENERGY STAR recommends that if your HVAC system is more than 10 years old, it should be looked at by a professional. One way to remedy this is by installing a solar water heater. This option is compatible with gas or electric backup systems too.
