Top Tips for Running an Eco-Friendly Household in 2020
Today, it is more important than ever to make sure your home is as eco-friendly as possible. As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to ensure you are doing your bit for the environment and monitoring how much energy you use. There are lots of different things you can do to conserve energy in your home each day, including turning the lights off, taking shorter showers and not leaving appliances on standby.
However, there are also some more permanent changes you can make around your home to ensure it is as eco-friendly as possible. From choosing the right appliances for your kitchen to installing an eco-friendly lift (yes, you can have a lift in your house and be eco-friendly!), there are lots of different options to explore.
Below, we share our top tips for transforming your home into an eco-friendly hub.
Did you know that most of the heat in your home escapes through the roof? If you want to transform your home into an eco-friendly haven, you need to start by cutting down on your energy usage - and one way to do this is by insulating your home.
Ensuring your home has sufficient insulation is key. Not only will it help you cut down on your energy usage, but it can also save you hundreds of pounds on energy bills too. Insulating your home will make it more efficient at trapping in heat, meaning you’ll use your heating system less and use less fossil fuels.
Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs
Switching to LED light bulbs will make a huge difference. Traditional incandescent light bulbs lose up to 80% of their energy as heat, leaving just 20% for light production. LED light bulbs, on the other hand, only lose 10% of their energy as heat and use ten times less energy than an incandescent light bulb.
In addition, LED bulbs last far longer than their traditional counterparts and they’re also completely silent. It makes total sense to switch to LED bulbs in the home if you want to conserve energy and save money.
If you’re serious about your energy usage, you should consider installing solar panels. Solar energy is a clean, green source of energy and is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. With a solar panel system, you can generate free power for your home, taking your home ‘off the grid’.
Traditional electricity relies heavily on fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas - not only are these resources limited, but they’re also bad for the environment. When you install solar panels, you can use clean, renewable energy in the form of sunlight and convert the light into electricity. This will reduce your carbon footprint and again save you money on electricity bills.
When looking to create an eco-friendly property, it’s important to be smart with your energy consumption. When it’s cold outside and temperatures are low, it can be tempting to turn your heating system up to the highest setting; however, this uses lots of energy and can make your bills rocket.
Instead, consider installing a smart energy meter to help you carefully manage your energy usage. Smart meters can be programmed so that the heating only comes on at specific times during the day, such as first thing in the morning or for an hour in the evening. With sufficient insulation, an hour of heating in the morning and again in the evening should be enough to keep your home warm.
Choose energy-efficient kitchen appliances
The kitchen is the beating heart of any home. It’s where we cook up culinary delights, sit down for dinner with our family and enjoy a catch up and glass of wine with friends - but just how environmentally friendly is your kitchen? As we spend so much time in the kitchen, it makes sense to ensure it is as eco-friendly as possible.
Switching to energy-efficient kitchen appliances can help you cut down on energy usage and save you money on bills. When shopping for appliances for your kitchen, pay attention to the energy labels. An energy label gives the appliance an energy rating (on a scale of G - A+++) and provides you with information such as annual energy consumption and estimated water usage. Understanding these labels and choosing appliances that have a high energy rating is key.
It’s not just about electricity - if you want your home to be as eco-friendly as possible, you need to cut down on your water usage too. There are plenty of ways to do this, from taking shorter showers, turning the tap off when you brush your teeth and fixing any leaks around your property.
There are plenty of ways to make your bathroom environmentally friendly. Low-flow shower heads restrict water flow, saving water and money. Switching to automatic faucets can also help you cut down on the amount of water you use (this is useful if you have a house of little ones who often leave the taps running!) and low-flow toilets and dual flush systems can help you turn your bathroom green.
When you do need to buy new items for your home - whether it’s a new television because your current one has broken down or a new coffee table - opt for recycled or upcycled items. You can have lots of fun upcycling and turning old pieces of furniture into new, trendy models or, alternatively, hit up your local charity shop to purchase second hand. Being energy efficient goes hand in hand with saving money, so always recycle and upcycle where you can.
Install an eco-friendly lift
Many people think of having a lift in your home as an expensive luxury. You may be surprised to learn there are lots of energy-saving lifts on the market today!
If you suffer with mobility issues, installing a lift in your home can be extremely useful, helping you to move between floors in your home with ease. Fortunately, there are eco-friendly lifts available to make sure your home remains environmentally friendly. Eco lifts perform the same function as any modern day lift, but they utilise sustainable energy recovery technology to guarantee a more efficient, eco-friendly machine.
In fact, many eco-friendly lifts consume less energy than your average washing machine and television! Sleek and stylish, an eco lift can help you maintain your independence in your home while transforming the appearance of your property - and helping you save energy all at the same time!
At ADL Lift Services, we’re proud to be one of the leading lift companies in Scotland and specialise in eco lifts. Our team of professionals offer quality service as well as all of the equipment and parts you need to ensure your lift continues to work the way it should.
If your business requires lift installation or maintenance, we’re the company to turn to. We can tailor the work that we do for you to ensure it perfectly meets your needs and exceeds your expectations. Our team of lift manufacturers in Scotland provide some of the very best services across the country, with expert knowledge, years of experience and unbeatable customer service. For more information about us and our services, visit our website.
