Eco-Friendly Home Additions That Will Make a Difference

Green living is becoming more accessible to the average homeowner with each passing year. Saving resources with environmentally friendly home improvements not only reduces your personal carbon footprint, but also lowers your monthly bills. If you’re looking to start a big home project that will save money and the environment, keep in mind these eco-friendly home additions that will make a difference.

Solar Panels

Whenever you decide to add green updates to your home, try to use the natural, renewable resources the Earth provides. The most powerful renewable resource is sunshine. Even on a cloudy day, the sun can still power solar panels with the energy your house needs.

All renewable power resources will require you to check how much energy you use monthly. You can access this information on your recent energy bills. From this estimate, you can start to figure out how many solar panels your house needs and get them installed. The number of panels you need for your home will also vary based on how long the sun is up where you live.

Wind Turbine

Another form of renewable energy you can install outside your house is a wind turbine. Wind turbines are economical energy systems for homes in windy locations. Before you consider installing a wind turbine, you must research the average wind speed near your home. To test your wind speed, you can use your own measurement system or look at a local airport’s wind speed data.

Environmental features can burden your wind speed, so local wind speed reports may not be accurate unless done from your home’s location. There may also be zoning restrictions in your area for wind turbines. Research your neighborhood and its policies before starting the project.

Rainwater Cistern

Do you want to put rainwater to good use? Install an aboveground or underground cistern to catch rainwater off your roof. Your rainwater-catching system should have a heavy-duty filter to purify the water before you consider using it for anything—especially drinking. Make sure to clean your cistern regularly to prevent harmful contamination.

An important note is that cisterns are not the same as septic tanks. Even if you have already installed a septic tank, you should not purify or recycle this water. You can use a cistern as a septic tank, but not the other way around. Cisterns must meet FDA requirements to hold potable water, but that doesn’t automatically make the water they catch potable.

Geothermal System

The very ground you walk on can provide your home with the energy it needs to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. One of the eco-friendly home additions that will make a difference is a geothermal system. Geothermal energy won’t power your home, but it will save you money that you would otherwise use on heating or air conditioning.

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