Nowadays, sustainability has become more important than ever before. The choices you make in your day-to-day lives can have a significant impact on the environment. One area where you can make better decisions is when renovating your homes.
Home renovations in Kildare provide an opportunity to reduce your environmental footprint through eco-friendly designs, materials, and practices. By opting for sustainability, you can lower energy and water usage, reduce waste, and create healthier indoor spaces.
This not only benefits the planet but also saves money in the long run. With some careful planning, you can get the home upgrades you want in an environmentally responsible manner.
How to Reduce Environmental Impact While Getting Home Renovations
- Consider Renovating Your House in Summer Months
With more daylight hours, you can maximise natural lighting and minimise energy consumption. The warmer weather also allows materials like paints and adhesives to cure faster with less need for heating.
Planning renovations in summer also means you can take advantage of sales on appliances and fixtures during this off-peak season. Just remember to keep energy efficiency in mind when installing new air conditioning units.
- Insulate Your Home
Make sure new walls and attics are insulated per building codes and seal any cracks or gaps. This prevents conditioned air from escaping and having to use more energy to heat or cool your home.
Consider spray foam insulation as it air seals and insulates in one step. Upgrade to energy-efficient windows and doors as well. A snug, well-insulated envelope is key for an eco-friendly house.
- Furnish Your Home With Reclaimed Furniture
When furnishing spaces like kitchens, living rooms, and bedrooms, opt for pre-owned, vintage, or upcycled furniture. Some sites often have quality secondhand furniture at a fraction of the cost. You can visit vintage stores to find unique retro pieces.
Reusing furniture saves these items from landfill. It also reduces the environmental impact of manufacturing brand-new furnishings. Look for solid wood pieces that can be refinished to last for years.
- Say No to Nasty Chemicals
Many mainstream cleaning supplies, paints, and finishes contain harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds). They are toxic to human health and the environment.
When getting home renovations in Kildare, look for low-VOC or VOC-free alternatives. Use milk or citrus-based paints and stains.
Clean with solutions containing plant-based ingredients like vinegar, lemon, and tea tree oil. Always ventilate properly when using any chemical products.
- Install Water-Saving Taps
Bathroom and kitchen renovations present opportunities to install water-efficient faucets and fixtures. Look for taps with aerators that mix air into the water stream to maintain pressure while reducing flow.
Low-flow showerheads also conserve water by using only 6-7 litres per minute, whereas, traditional models use 11-18 lpm. Dual-flush toilets use 0.8 gallons for liquid waste and 1.6 gallons for solid. Simply repairing any leaks helps avoid wasted water as well.
- Replace Traditional Bulbs with LED Lighting
Take advantage of a lighting upgrade by switching to energy-efficient LED bulbs. They use up to 90% less electricity and last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent.
LEDs are more affordable and come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colours for any aesthetic. Place lights on dimmers and motion sensors to use them when needed.
Maximise natural light by installing more windows or skylights when possible. The right lighting cuts energy use significantly.
- Use Eco-Friendly Paint
Interior paints can contain high levels of VOCs and be detrimental to indoor air quality. When repainting walls, trims, and ceilings, use low- or zero-VOC paints made from plant-based ingredients. These are safer for you and the environment.
You can opt for paints certified to meet sustainability standards when getting home renovations in Kildare. Stay away from oil-based paints as well. Using eco-friendly paint improves your home’s air purity.
- Install Solar Panels
Solar PV systems can offset a significant portion, if not all, of your home’s electricity usage. This saves money on utility bills and shrinks your carbon footprint.
With options like lease-to-own, solar loans, and tax incentives, there are more affordable ways to go solar. A home powered by the sun helps conserve finite resources.
- Be Wise with Your Water Heater and Boiler Setup
When replacing outdated or inefficient water heaters and heating boilers, consider energy-efficient models like tankless water heaters and condensing boilers. Insulate all pipes to prevent heat loss.
Install thermostatic radiator valves to control each room's temperature. Use programmable thermostats to lower temperatures when away. Place systems close to where hot water is needed. Optimising your water and heat systems reduces energy consumption.
- Remove Your Rubbish Responsibly
Home renovations create a lot of waste. However, many items like wood, concrete, tiles, fixtures, and more can be reused or recycled.
Avoid sending renovation debris straight to the landfill. Recycle what you can and donate leftovers to community projects through County Council.
Rent a skip from a responsible company that sorts waste at certified facilities. Disposing of renovation rubbish sustainably is crucial.
Conclusion
Eco-friendly house renovations allow you to have your ideal living spaces while being mindful of environmental impact. With some creative planning, you can uphold aesthetics, functionality and sustainability.
The choices you make today shape your shared tomorrow. Thus, choose green, sustainable options when obtaining home renovations in Kildare. Collectively, your actions can preserve the planet for generations to come.
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