Owning a house is more than just a rite of passage. It’s a responsibility—one that involves maintaining the property, upgrading it when necessary, and of course, making sure your home remains the cozy haven it was always meant to be. But what if your home could be more than that? What if it could help you save energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and lower your monthly bills?
Learn about sustainable home upgrades that save energy and can positively impact your life and your wallet.
What Are Sustainable Home Upgrades and Why Should Homeowners Care?
Sustainable home upgrades are improvements to your home that increase energy efficiency, decrease reliance on nonrenewable energy sources, and help you save on your energy bills.
For example, you know those incandescent light bulbs that keep burning out? With a simple swap to LED bulbs, you’ll benefit from longer-lasting lights, and you’ll save energy and cut down on your electricity bill. That’s just one of many changes you can make inside and outside your home that will save energy and contribute to the global effort to reduce carbon emissions. Below are some other sustainable home upgrades you can easily incorporate into your life.
Upgrade to Energy Star Appliances
Your old appliances may have served you well, but their energy usage is likely far from optimal. By creating a more sustainable kitchen, including replacing energy-hogging old refrigerators and dishwashers with Energy Star-certified kitchen appliances, you’ll be doing your wallet and the environment a favor. Energy Star appliances use 10–50 percent less energy than standard appliances, so they’re undoubtedly worth the investment!
Cash-In on Electrification Tax Credits, Refunds, and Subsidies
Before you start any major upgrades, check for available tax credits, refunds, or subsidies that could help you save some serious dough. By installing solar panels and heat pumps or switching to an electric stove, you could score significant savings and boost your home’s energy efficiency. Now’s the time to start harnessing the power of the sun and government incentives!
Replace an Aging Roof
A new roof isn’t always the most exciting upgrade, but the time will come when your roof will have outlived its usefulness. When shingles are curling or flying away in the wind, moss is growing, and leaks happen every time it rains, it’s a sign you need a new roof. It’s also an opportunity to reduce your energy costs with new roofing engineered with energy savings in mind. New roofing products reflect more sunlight than a traditional roof, which helps reduce heat gain and lower your cooling costs.
Sustainable home upgrades that save energy may seem expensive upfront, but the reduction in your energy bills over time will offset the initial investment. And making those upgrades incrementally will spread the cost out so you don’t take a big financial hit all at once. Plus, you may be eligible for subsidies or tax refunds when you make energy-efficient changes to your home. So when you’re eyeing a tired kitchen, an aging washer-dryer, or an old roof that’s starting to lose shingles, consider replacing them with energy-saving home improvements. In doing so, you will save money and be kinder to Mother Earth.
