Many people are becoming more eco-conscious these days. While many strive to achieve big sustainability goals, others are starting in their homes with environmentally friendly upgrades.
Yes, eco-friendly investments can be expensive upfront, but these costs don’t compare to the amount of money you’ll save in the future. Smart sustainable upgrades can also increase the value of your home.
Where should you start? These four sustainable upgrades can boost your home’s value and save you money in the long run.
Replace your appliances with energy-efficient ones
Solar panels(opens in new tab) can be influential in your efforts to use energy more responsibly and reduce electricity costs. However, this investment should be considered only when your budget for sustainable upgrades is large enough.
Instead, you can better manage your home’s energy costs and carbon footprint(opens in new tab) by replacing your appliances with energy-efficient ones. High-efficiency appliances use significantly less energy than older equipment, which reduces your electricity bill and saves you a chunk of money each year.
In addition, energy-efficient appliances can make your house much more valuable to potential buyers. And that is something that can be reflected in your listing price when it’s time to sell your home.
The first step is to identify which appliances you want to swap out for energy-efficient replacements. After that, determine how much money you can spend on energy-efficient alternatives. Then, thoroughly research appliance options before moving forward with replacing your first one.
Upgrade windows and lightbulbs
Don’t feel like you have to begin with a very pricey eco-friendly upgrade. Start with something simple instead, like upgrading your lightbulbs and windows.
Energy-efficient lightbulbs are beneficial because they use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Energy-efficient light bulbs also give off less heat, helping your rooms stay cool during warm seasons.
Energy-efficient windows can help insulate your home(opens in new tab). You can stay warmer without having to use heaters excessively, and air quality and indoor temperatures are better as well. Moreover, new, energy-efficient windows improve how your home looks, thus contributing to its increased value.
You can pick up your lightbulbs at a local hardware store. And you can have a reputable window installer walk you through the process and give an estimate for energy-efficient window replacements. The team at Reece Windows & Doors(opens in new tab) puts the ROI case plainly: “Most homeowners are surprised by how quickly energy-efficient windows pay for themselves. Between the reduction in heating and cooling costs and the increase in appraised home value, the return on a quality window replacement is one of the most consistent upgrade investments you can make — and it starts working the first season after installation.
Make sustainable landscaping choices
A sustainable upgrade to the outside of your home is a smart move. Your home could be beautiful on the inside, but if the exterior isn’t well-kept too, the value of your home will decrease. So, put in some extra effort to care for the outside of your home and ensure you have built in some sustainability there.
For example, planting trees, hedges and even an entire shrubbery can add greenery to your outdoor space, making it more visually pleasing. Trees and hedges can also block cold air from engulfing your home in the winter. As a result, you won’t have to use your heaters so much, and your energy bill will thank you for that.
Designing a garden space is another sustainable outdoor upgrade idea. The value of your home goes up. And, if you learn to garden effectively, you can eat your own produce rather than food you would buy from a grocery store. This leads to less travel, contributing to a lower carbon footprint.
Focus on eco-friendly storage methods
When you’re renovating and making sustainable upgrades to your home, there will be times when you need to get rid of things or store them, especially if you’re working on a fixer-upper(opens in new tab).
The good news is, there are plenty of ways to increase your home storage space(opens in new tab), many of them eco-friendly. You can build something permanent in your home, like shelf-legged furniture, bookshelf doors or chest benches. Or you could put a shipping container on your property. You could repurpose a recycled storage container to store as much as you need until you can find ways to upcycle or dispose responsibly of things you don’t need.
Watch home improvement shows(opens in new tab), read books on sustainability, and use social media to keep up with guidance on sustainable upgrades. Then, start with one of the ideas we have described to see the positive impact sustainable upgrades can have on your finances and your home’s value.
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