Making green home improvements can become quite lucrative over the long-term for homeowners. Not only do homeowners receive the benefit of energy and savings, but green home improvements can also provide them with an increase in the value of their property. In fact, research studies have shown that homes with green upgrades can sell up to 5 to 20 percent higher than comparable homes without green improvements.
Not only can green home upgrades help appreciably with the selling price of a home, but prospective buyers are also more likely to choose homes with green improvements over conventional ones. These are just two of the many reasons why making green home improvements are becoming popular.
Before undertaking home upgrades to add lead to green improvements, homeowners should consider doing some cost-benefit analysis to determine if it is the right decision for them. Juggling the cost, savings from green improvements, and the potential increase in property value of their home, homeowners must choose to make green improvements that fit their needs.
Green Home Improvements for Reducing Energy Costs
Homeowners looking to make green home improvements have many options. From energy-efficient appliances to replacing windows with dual-paned insulated glass, simple changes can make a huge difference in savings. Solar and geothermal systems also make great investments for homeowners looking to make a more permanent energy cost savings investment.
Certain types of improvements such as replacing older windows or improving insulation can reduce energy costs by up to 24%. Other improvements such as installing energy-efficient lighting throughout the home, installing solar hot water heaters, and utilizing occupancy sensors can also save substantial amounts of energy and money.
Green Home Improvements for Aesthetics
Making green home improvements often involves making more sustainable changes to the landscape and interior of the home. Planting trees around the home provides several advantages from lower outside temperatures to attracting more birds and wildlife. For interior renovations, selecting materials such as bamboo, concrete floors, or cork wall can add a unique look and feel to a home.
Other green improvements include painting interior walls with low or no VOC paints and installing wood floors made from sustainably harvested materials. Modern stylish green improvements include the use of recycled materials to build decorative walls and replacing counter tops to create a unique look.
Making the buildingsite of a new home more eco-friendly can also be as easily accomplished. Using recycled and locally harvested materials and using drip irrigation systems to make efficient use of water are some of the ways that owners of new homes can make green improvements.
Reduce Maintenance Costs with Green Home Improvements
- Replacing traditional shingles with recycled materials or metal roofs.
- Installing durable attractive siding made from composite materials.
- Installing vinyl windows that are very low-maintenance.
- Adding decks made from recycled wood or forest-friendly products.
- Installing water-saving fixtures with low-flow toilets.
- Installing easy to clean green bathrooms with wall-to-wall tiling.
Conclusion
Making green improvements to home is a great way for homeowners to benefit from increased energy efficiency and potential property value increases. By researching green home upgrades that appeal to their budget and their style, homeowners can easily add green improvements to their home both indoors and outdoors.