Making Your Home More Eco-Friendly

Earth Day is a great reminder to take a look around and see what small changes you can make to be a little greener.  Sure, there are big lifestyle changes that would have a large impact, but even small changes can make a significant difference over time, especially if everyone makes a few minor adjustments.  Plus, most changes can also have benefits to the homeowner, so it's a win-win!  Here are a few things to consider doing this Earth Day. 

Replace old windows

Older, single pane windows lose heat and cool very easily, which causes your A/C and heater to have to run longer to keep your home comfortable.  Replacing these windows with newer double pane options will eliminate drafts and help your home retain a consistent temperature, causing less stress on your system.  Plus, your home will look fresh and up-to-date by upgrading to newer, more efficient windows.   

Change lightbulbs to LED bulbs

This is a very easy, low-cost option to go green.  Swapping out old incandescent bulbs for new LED bulbs is great not only for the environment, but good for your to-do list.  Because these bulbs are made without a filament like incandescent bulbs, they use far less energy and have a very long life span.  It will only take a quick trip to the home improvement store and a little bit of time to swap out the bulbs, but then you won’t have to worry about bulbs burning out for years!

Add insulation to the attic

Even though it can fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” category, don’t forget about your attic space!  The insulation in your attic plays a big role in keeping the heat and cool trapped in your house, thereby reducing the run time of your HVAC.  Adding additional insulation can have a big impact on how much it has to run, so consider adding a fresh layer.  It’s relatively inexpensive and can save big bucks on your electricity bill.

Install a smart thermostat

There are a number of smart thermostats on the market, and installing one can reduce the run time of your system to save you dollars while cutting your home’s carbon emissions.  These thermostats make it easy to  control the temperature of your home from your smartphone or computer and can recognize usage patterns so it only runs when needed.  

Traver Construction can help you make your home more eco-friendly and comfortable now or any time during the year.  Visit our connect page for details.