Green Renovations to Make your Home More Energy Efficient
Every change that you make to your home is an opportunity to make it more energy efficient. With so many homeowners, builders, and construction companies becoming more conscious about their impact on the environment, green renovation options continue to become more popular and readily available. While you may have to pay a little more upfront for your home renovation, it will more than pay for itself in the long run, not to mention all the benefits of choosing to do a green renovation.
Why choose a green renovation?
Here are some of the benefits of choosing to do a green renovation:
- It makes your home more energy efficient
- You will reduce your carbon footprint
- Save money on your energy bill
- It can increase the value of your home
- You could qualify for a rebate from your provincial government. Check out the Save ON Energy Website and see how you could save money if you live in Ontario.
What green renovations should you choose?
If you are not sure which green renovation is your best option, it is a good idea to get a home energy audit to identify areas of your home that need to be updated to make them more efficient. Make sure you select a certified company to assess your home and help you find the best options for your green renovation. However, no matter what home renovation project you choose, you can still approach it in a “green” way.
Here are some of the most popular green renovations that Canadian homeowners are performing in 2014:
- Energy efficient windows and doors
- High efficiency toilets
- High efficiency show heads and faucets
- Energy efficient light bulbs and lighting
- Adding insulation to your basement and attic
- Applying weather-stripping
- Purchasing energy efficient appliances
- Replacing your old and less efficient furnace and hot water heaters
- Installing solar panels
- Radiant floor heating
- Geothermal systems
- Solar water heating
- High efficient digital thermostats and HVAC systems
Remember that you don’t need to do everything at once. Over time making little changes here and there will add up and make your home more energy efficient. You can start with the room or area of your home that needs to most attention and choose green options and incorporate them into your current renovation plans.
Are you planning a green renovation this year? If you are, what renovation project will you invest in?