Making your home more eco-friendly is a win-win—it benefits the environment and your wallet. Here are my top eco-friendly home tips.
Consider replacing your traditional HVAC unit with a heat pump. Heat pumps can decrease your energy consumption by as much as to 60 percent, making them one of the most impactful eco-friendly swaps. You can choose from a variety of heat pump options, but geothermal is likely to be the most efficient. However, geothermal pumps do require a lot of yard work to dig and bury the pipes necessary to gather geothermal energy.
If your appliances are reaching the end of their life, it might be time to upgrade. I recommend looking for Energy-Star-certified appliances to find the models with the best energy savings. Appliances get more efficient every year, so even a decade can make a big difference in how well your next one will work.
Eco-friendly projects don’t have to be big. Consider switching to low-flow faucets or toilets to reduce your home’s water consumption. For an even easier swap, replace your traditional light bulbs with LED versions. It’s also a good idea to replace any outdoor lighting with solar-panel versions.
Of course, the best way to be efficient is not to lose energy you’ve already used. Window, door, and foundation leaks can really overwork your HVAC system during extreme weather. So take a look at doors and windows to save energy. Apply weatherstripping to seal gaps, and caulk where necessary. Do the same to the frames of your windows, and install solar window film if your windows aren’t already energy-efficient.
Make sure your attic is properly insulated and ventilated. Poorly insulated attics can be responsible for both hot summers and ice dams on roofs in winter. According to the EPA, proper sealing and insulation can account for as much as 11 percent of your total energy costs. For a larger project, consider replacing your roof with an eco-friendly material that improves insulation, ventilation, and sun protection. All these things will lower energy use and drop your utility bills by as much as 15 percent.
If you want a project with a long-lasting impact, consider adding solar panels to your home. More than 10 percent of homeowners plan to install solar panels in the next five years, making it one of the most popular projects according to the Angi 2024 State of Home Spending report.
If you’re on a budget, consider starting with just a few and adding more over time. As a bonus, solar panels can significantly reduce your energy bills once they’re paid off. The federal government currently also offers tax credits when installing solar power. Talk to your solar pro about these tax benefits, as well as whatever other state and local incentives are available. If you live in an area with net metering, not only do you generate your own power, but you’re paid back for the unused energy your solar panels send back to the system.
