When some people think of the phrase “going green,” they think of a massive lifestyle change that mandates a shift toward complex routines and constant effort. In the world of green homes, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Installing these few products we talk about in this post will cost little effort up front and generate long-term monetary gains in the future without ongoing maintenance. Since renovating a home entails appliance replacement most of the time anyway, it’s the perfect time to invest in green products in your Chicago home. Here are the top ways we recommend saving energy, water, and money.
Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat has many benefits. Chiefly, it allows you to customize the temperature of your home to suit your particular schedule. In the winter, You can program your thermostat to run lower temperatures at night and during the day when you're away from home. When you stay at home, you can then adjust the thermostat to a comfortable temperature without feeling guilty about using tons of energy.
Energy Star Appliances
Energy Star’s most efficient appliances in 2018 may be found here. The list includes washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, fans, heating and cooling devices, computer monitors, and windows.
Low-Emission Glass Windows
Low-emission, or low-e, glass windows minimize ultraviolet and infrared sunlight without making your home darker. Low-e coatings reflect interior temperatures back inside, reducing cooling bills in the summer. You can read more about the various types of low-e windows here. Renovating your home is the perfect time to install low-e windows.
LED Light Bulbs
Several years ago, most commercial business switched to using LED lights in the workplace to save money, and now, the idea is becoming more and more popular in residential homes. According to dengarden, the cost of purchasing and using an incandescent light bulb for three hours a day over the course of one year costs $8.89, whereas the cost of an LED light is $2.81. Over time and with several lighting fixtures in the home, the savings add up.
Monitoring Energy Consumption
If you’d like to monitor just how much each device in your home consumes energy, consider purchasing a smart meter, a home monitoring system, smart plugs, or a smart energy app.
Faucet Aerators
Now, some sinks come with faucet aerators built in, but if your sink doesn’t already have one, they may easily be screwed on to your faucet head. Aerators add air to water as it comes out, saving on water expenditures and helping prevent splashing.
Low-Flow Shower Heads
Shower heads should have a flow rate below 2.5 gallons per minute to save on water. Aerator shower heads, like aerator faucets, add air to the water as it comes out to reduce flow. Laminar-flow shower heads are another type of water-saving device. Laminar-flow shower heads release water in individual streams, producing less steam than aerator heads, thus making them more ideal for regions with high humidity.
Low-Flow Toilets
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, almost 30% of the water expenditure in average American homes is attributed to toilet flushing. Older toilet models consumed about 3-5 gallons of water per flush, but recent models consume about 1.6 gallons per flush, making a newer toilet model a huge water saver.
Your bank account, not to mention the environment, will thank you for implementing these products that save you money, energy, and water with very little effort on your part.
