Going Green! Tips to Help You Live a Greener Lifestyle.

Going Green. What Makes A Home A Green House?

One of the hottest topics these days is about being environmentally friendly or going green. There are many ways to preserve water and reduce energy consumption around the home. This can not only help you feel good about reducing your impact on the environment, but save you money as well by lowering your monthly utility bills. Let’s take a look at some things that makes a home green.

Reduced Energy Use

Energy comes in many forms such as electricity, natural gas, oil, etc. The creation or use of this energy results in greenhouse gas emissions that affect our planet in a negative way.

Methods of Reducing Energy Usage

Tight Insulation – One of the best things that you can do to make a green home is to ensure that the walls, windows, attic, and floors are all well insulated and draft free. The majority of the energy used in a home goes towards heating and cooling the house. Good insulation will prevent the comfortable air temperature from escaping the home and save you big on your utilities.

Energy Star Appliances – When one of your appliances has gone on the fritz, or when you are building a new home, consider installing an appliance that meets energy star requirements. This will ensure that it will use over 30 percent less electricity or fuel than a typical appliance of that type.

Advanced Mechanical Systems – On demand tankless water heaters, geothermal HVAC equipment, and even solar power is a great way to reduce the amount of energy that is wasted to run the plumbing, heat and air, and electrical systems in the home. While they can have a higher upfront cost than a typical unit of its kind, tax incentives from the government can offset a good deal of the extra cost and allow you to make the money back within a few years time.

Reduced Water Use

Water is another essential resource that can be preserved in our day to day use around the house.

Low Flow Fixtures – Many low flow shower heads and toilets developed a bad reputation in the past because they could not live up to their less efficient counterparts. Fortunately, today’s better engineered models and aerators allow you to experience the luxury and ease of use that you prefer, while additionally using a significantly lower amount of water.

Efficient Clothes Washers – Many of the newer front loading clothes washers use as little as half of the water of a typical top loading washer. For families who are constantly putting in a new load of dirty clothes, this can lead to a significant savings in cost and water usage over time.

Use Rain Water For Irrigation – For those who want to really cut down on water usage, storage tanks that collect rain water during a storm for latter use to water the garden and lawn can save thousands of gallons over the span of a summer.

These are just a few of the many ideas available that will help ensure that your home is green. Environmentally friendly decisions in the home can lead to wallet friendly results over time and allow for the satisfaction of knowing you are reducing your negative impact on the planet. If you are interested in speaking to a Myrtle Beach Builder, please contact us today.