in

6 Sustainable Home Improvements That Will Add Value to Your Home

6 Sustainable Home Improvements That Will Add Value to Your Home

More and more property buyers want sustainable homes. 

It’s hardly surprising—thanks to a mixture of rising fuel costs and a greater awareness of how our own impact on the environment—eco-friendly living has rapidly grown in popularity over the last few years. 

6 Sustainable Home Improvements That Will Add Value to Your Home

So, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, making changes in your own home is a pretty good place to start.

In fact, when it comes to household CO2 emissions, the average UK property produces a staggering 2.7 tonnes of CO2 a yearso any effort you can make to reduce this will count.

The good news is by making sustainable home improvements not only will you reduce your CO2 emissions, but you will save money on your bills too, and add value to your home. Research conducted by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), found a 38% increase in house value following the installation of energy-saving improvements. And, a more energy efficient home is attractive to buyers too.

6 Sustainable Home Improvements That Will Add Value to Your Home

Sounds good—so, how do I get started? 

Here are the six best ways to make your home super eco-friendly.

  • Install solar panels 

Solar panels have lots of great benefits.  Firstly, 100% clean so don’t produce any polluting emissions unlike when you burn fossil fuels. They’re easy to purchase and install with lots of options available. You can mount them anywhere on your roof-top and mould the panels according to your need. By generating your own solar power, not only do you reduce your overall carbon emission but your run all your household appliances from lights to the washing machine.

  • Insulate

There are lots of great reasons for insulating your floors, the loft and any crawl places—these include reduced heating bills, less chance of damage due as a result of heat or moisture which can cause wall erosion and encourage mould growth. 

Also, by insulating your home, you massively improve the air quality and create an evener flow of heat—making your home more comfortable to live in. 

  • Replace old windows

There are lots of ways to increase your windows energy efficiency and energy and in the process make your home more comfortable. 

More efficient windows limit heat loss, reduce cold spots, keep the noise out and say bye-bye to condensation. 

Your options include the following: 

  • Double-glazed windows—there are two sheets of glass with a gap in between (sometimes filled with gas), which creates an insulating barrier helping keep the heat in.
  • Triple-glazed windows—same as above just with three sheets of glass

The most energy efficient frames are wooden while mental frames made from e.g. steel last a long time and are recyclable. So, either is good options. 

  • Install under-floor heating

Conventional radiators are not very efficient, as well as a bit of an eyesore. In contrast, underfloor heating is economical, so it saves you money, eco-friendly and not too expensive install. A popular place to locate your underfloor heating is naturally in the bathroom as there’s nothing worse than standing on cold tiles after a long hot bath. 

  • Make your bathroom green 

By upgrading your bathroom with a few eco-friendly touches can significantly help save water and energy. 

Here are a few ideas to help you reduce water wastage in the bathroom:

  • Install low flow taps 
  • Dual flush toilets
  • Install a low-flow showerhead 
  • Create your own eco-garden 

6 Sustainable Home Improvements That Will Add Value to Your Home

There’s no denying that an eco-garden has a whole heap of benefits for the environment. But, don’t worry, you don’t need or a degree in horticulture to make your garden into an eco-garden.

Here a few tips to help you:

  • You don’t need to keep plants with similar plants. Instead, grow different plants next to each other—this is called companion planting and helps the plants grow more.
  • Grow plants according to their growth cycles—this is called interplanting. So, you can maximise your space by planting a variety of crops or companion plants in one area. 
  • Make your own compost. It’s also a great way to recycle unwanted food and adds lots of nutrients to your soil helping to feed the growing plants.
  • Install a pond and create a new habitat to encourage a wider range of wildlife into your garden. 

Need help selling your house?

Committing to house improvements isn’t for everyone and if you’ve found the perfect eco-friendly home, you probably want to move-in straight away. But, if you’re don’t fancy waiting for your current home to sell, don’t worry. Companies like House Buy Fast offer a ‘we buy any house’ service that can help by purchasing your home and organising all the paperwork on your behalf quickly and without any hassle. Leaving you free to focus all your energy on moving.

Images from: North Beach House by Darklight Design – See the full story here

First Gucci Boutique Dedicated To High Jewelry opens in Place Vendôme

First Gucci Boutique Dedicated To High Jewelry opens in Place Vendôme

Next Gen Park by KOGAA Studio

Next Gen Park by KOGAA Studio