Going green with Creative Eco-Friendly Home Improvement Ideas
Remodelling a home is a huge step, but when you decide to make it environmentally friendly, it becomes even more challenging. However, introducing eco-minded solutions into your home will benefit the environment immensely, while saving you the money at the same time.
Going green with home remodelling will provide you with both stylish and eco-friendly home, so don’t think twice before investing in some of the following solutions.
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Resurface
Contrary to the popular belief, new furniture doesn't necessarily have to look better than the old one. Therefore, if you've thought about investing in new kitchen cabinets or new wooden dressers, think again. It would be a much better idea if you resurfaced the ones you already own. It’s both a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution.
Furthermore, one of the best ways to give your kitchen an updated look is to replace the old countertops. Therefore, use eco-friendly materials to create a brand new kitchen with minimal impact to the environment. Recycled countertops that use cork, paper and glass are the perfect alternative for granite.
Use Reclaimed Wood
One of the things you'll certainly change during the remodelling process is your old dingy hardwood floor. It's important to go green in this segment as well, and go for sustainable solutions. Consider reclaimed wood as one of the potential choices. Furthermore, bamboo can also be a good pick, and not only for living rooms or kitchen, but for the bathroom as well.
Considering bamboo withstands damp environments well, it would be perfect for making a bathroom vanity that would be topped off with a bamboo sink. Bamboo flooring will look stylish as well, and since they're moisture-resistant you won't have to worry about replacing them anytime soon.
Go For Low VOC
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) as formaldehyde that can be found in various paints, adhesives, and other remodelling supplies can jeopardize your health if you are exposed to their fumes for a long time.
Eco-friendly paints, on the other hand, contain less to no odour, unlike conventional oil- and water-based paints do. They are almost completely free of chemical fumes, so they’re not hazardous for your health. Furthermore, use low VOC adhesive for your eco-friendly renovation, if you decide to place bamboo in your home.
You can laminate the bamboo easily, without having to be exposed to toxic vapours. Wood-plastic composite planks, steel studs, untreated, kiln-dried lumber, and joists, are some of the good low-VOC materials as well.
Solar Energy
The sun is one of the renewable sources of energy more people rely on to keep their home warm and functioning, every day. Therefore, think about installing solar solutions and let your home run solely on the power of the sun that they collect.
Not only will you protect the environment, but you’ll also be saving money thanks to solar-cell systems and energy storage systems like sonnenBatterie. You’ll never have to pay for electricity again, and you’ll reduce the greenhouse emissions drastically.
Invest In Energy Efficient Appliances
Replacing the old appliances with those that have a high Energy Star rating is one of the best ways to make your home eco-friendly. They won’t use as much energy as the old appliances did, and what’s better, you won’t have to spend a fortune on buying them.
Conclusion
If you need to remodel your home do it by not harming the environment. Choosing eco-minded solutions will have low impact on the planet, while saving you money in the long run as well. Furthermore, going for low-VOC materials is not only beneficial for the environment, but for your health too.
Investing in energy efficient appliances is both cost-effective and eco-friendly, and sometimes it’s just better to update the old furniture, than to invest in the new one, to have a high-end home.