Homes grow old and tired and after a while, they require a little refreshing to make more for growing families or incorporate new interior design styles. The idea of updating your home can be exciting, however, spending wisely is a factor that might become daunting for the homeowner. There are numerous things to consider that require vast research and will allow sustainability into your home remodelling. We have put together a guide, however, on how you can sustainably remodel your home by choosing environmentally-friendly materials, all without breaking the bank.
Renovating your home will not only give it a facelift but will make it to better accommodate your lifestyle, current needs and make more room. Keep reading to see how you can sustainably remodel your home without spending a fortune.
Deconstruct, Don’t Demolish
Demolition results in material waste that harm the environment. Before you begin remodelling, think strategically about the items you already own, walk around your home while salvaging what you can and what you think can be re-used. This will help you to save money by minimizing your list of materials to buy, and it is also eco-friendly as these items may have ended up in a landfill. From bricks, light fixtures, cabinets or tiles, consider re-using everything you possibly can, and see where they could potentially be repurposed to make them even more efficient than they are now.
Think Energy Efficient
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When shopping for appliances, such as ovens and refrigerators, consider investing in ones that are most energy-efficient and certified using Energy Star. Since the inception of Energy Star appliances, greenhouse gas emissions have been incredibly reduced, and this helps with their overall sustainability. Think about potentially incorporating solar panels, which will make you create your electricity while providing numerous benefits to the environment and your home without causing pollution. Solar energy is extremely cost-efficient and the technologies around solar energy can be used for heating your water or even lighting.
Buy Reclaimed Materials and Shop Local
The newest and shiniest is not the way to go when sustainably remodelling your home. Reclaimed materials, such as wood, are often chosen for home renovation projects and are far more environmentally friendly compared to laminate flooring types. Reclaimed wood can be used for flooring, walls, and countertops, which not only saves money and time but energy. By shopping locally you will save on materials and resources, and this will enable you to use locally handmade materials. Shopping locally does not incur any shipping costs, and this will help you to cut down the renovation costs.
Use Low VOC Paints
Paint technology has undergone a series of innovations resulting in low VOC paints that are much more eco-friendly than traditional versions. This paint is odourless and will be better for you and your family. Water-based paint is as close as to natural as paint can get and they give a smoother finish and do not contribute to indoor air contamination. Water-based paint is safe to use, easy to clean off your arms, and has a longer-lasting life. It is important to sustainably dispose of the cans and extra paint in an eco-friendly manner by turning them into solid waste.
Allow Natural Light In
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Most home renovators are using interior design styles that allow natural light in the house since it has grown in popularity. This enables the homeowners to minimize electricity which is cost-efficient for them. By allowing the sunshine in a living space it breathes new life into the home and this provides benefits to those living there. Natural light is integrated with the use of mirrors to bounce back the light and this perks up your home by giving it a modern yet sustainable interior design look.
Insulate
Try to choose sustainable materials to insulate your home your home where possible. Insulating your home will help you save money that would have been used in the power bill. By insulating your home you will reduce wasting energy, and this is good for the environment as well as your pocket. Sustainable and energy-efficient materials insulate better, are easy to repair, and last longer when compared to other materials.
Refresh Instead of Replacing
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Whether it’s the kitchen cabinets or any other light fixtures first reface them and then repurpose them. Replacing all of your things all together is costly, and it will contribute to waste disposal. Most of the things are in great condition and by refacing or repainting them you can re-use them in a great way. You can give your cabinets a whole new life by painting them your favourite colour.
Use Sustainable Materials
This is the most difficult part of sustainably remodelling your home. When purchasing appliances and products you need to be meticulous to ensure you choose sustainable materials since there are no EPA regulations on terms like organic and natural. Sustainable products vary depending on the manufacturer and thus you need to ensure that they are certified so that you can use them. Among the certifications, you can look for are Greenguard Certification and Energy Star. Avoid products that will contribute to air pollution in your home and may pose long-term health problems.
Conclusion
By sustainably remodelling your home not only will you not spend a fortune but will help the environment in a great way. The future is in our hands, and it is up to us to do the things that matter to conserve and protect the environment.
Author bio: This article was written by Martin O’Callaghan of Wood Flooring Ireland who are passionate about creating sustainable and bespoke herringbone flooring for homes and businesses.
Top Photo by Milivoj Kuhar on Unsplash.
