SUSTAINABILITY ON A BUDGET
Easy ways to keep your home green without breaking the bank
Kermit got it wrong: Being green can be easy — at least when it comes to owning a green home.
Though some eco-friendly improvements can be expensive, there are a number of budget-friendly changes you can execute to make your house better for the environment.
Here are eight expert-recommended moves that will make your home more sustainable without draining your bank account.
Clean green: When asked to pick the attributes they seek when purchasing all-purpose cleaners, 40 per cent of people recently surveyed by research company Nielsen said they want to use environmentally friendly cleaning products. Unfortunately, many people still make the mistake of using home-cleaning products that contain substances that are toxic for the environment, Oppermann says. His solution is simple: “Using natural cleaning products like Seventh Generation, or Method, and others are good ways of maintaining a healthy space at home.”
Or, you can take the do-it-yourself route by creating a simple mixture of 1 cup (250 mL) water, half a cup (125 mL) of white vinegar, and one-fourth (60 mL) of a cup of grease-cutting dish soap — a combination that will clean most surfaces in a home, says Debbie Sardone, co-owner of SpeedCleaning.com.
Add some greenery: Looking for a way to spruce up your home decor that will also protect the environment? Karen Kalmek, co-founder of home design firm Green Home Chicago, suggests buying houseplants. Plants purify air by absorbing carbon dioxide. Also, studies have shown introducing certain plants into your home can enhance your mood, reduce stress and improve your concentration.
Don’t have a green thumb? Consider purchasing spider plants — these low-maintenance plants are effective at removing formaldehyde from the air.
Plug air leaks: Air leakage in your home can drive up your heating bill. Chris Briley, a green home consultant and architect in Portland, Maine, advises homeowners to seal air leaks. “Common culprits could include attic hatches, bath fans without dampers, fireplace flues that do not seal when closed or even windows that have been closed but not latched,” Briley says.
Insulate your attic: Adding attic insulation is one of the most effective
ways to insulate a home, Briley says. There’s more good news: it won’t put a huge dent in your wallet. Although estimates vary depending on the type of insulation and where you live, insulating a 1,000-square-foot attic in Canada costs only about $1,000, according to building expert Steve Maxwell. Get a heat pump water heater:
Instead of generating their own heat like a traditional electric water heater, heat pump water heaters (also known as “hybrid” water heaters), use electricity to move heat from one place to another. As a result, “they can be two to three times more energy efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters,” according to Energy.gov.
Heat pump water heater prices range depending on their size.
Change your thermostat: Another way to clamp down on your home’s heating is by installing a programmable or smart thermostat. Both will give you better control over your heating and air-conditioning system.
A programmable thermostat functions as a “set it and forget it” product that lets you control when your home’s heating or air-conditioning system turns on according to a preset schedule.
A smart thermostat offers even greater convenience. Typically, these devices let you adjust your home’s thermostat remotely from an app. Some can even detect when you’re away from your house by tracking your phone’s location.
Buy LED bulbs: Light-emitting diode bulbs generate less heat and last longer than traditional incandescent lighting. In fact, LED products produce light about 90 per cent more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs, EnergyStar.gov says. The caveat? LED light bulbs generally cost more. However, “the cost of LED lights has dropped” significantly over the last decade, Briley says. Tweak some of your habits: Phil Kaplan, a green home architect based in Portland, Maine, at Kaplan Thompson Architects, says people can make easy, low-cost (or, in some cases, free), adjustments to their behaviours around the house that will benefit the environment, including:
Using timers on electrical outlets ■ to turn off appliances when not in use.
Opening blinds or shades on ■ south-facing windows during the winter to get solar warmth — and closing them in summer to keep your house cooler naturally.
Turning off ceiling fans when not ■ in use.
Regularly changing air filters in ■ HVAC systems.