Photo Attribute: @Asheesh via Twenty20

Whether you believe all the science about climate change or not, you can make your current home more eco-friendly and it’s a good thing. Not only can you better protect the local environment, but you may also be able to save a little cash.

It doesn’t matter what type of home you currently own, you can make it more eco-friendly. You don’t have to spend a ton of cash or install expensive solar panels to do it, either. Let’s look at a few of the best ways you can make your current home more environmentally friendly.

Top 7 Ways to Make Your Current Home More Eco-Friendly

1. Add More Insulation

Adding more insulation to your home will help to make it more environmentally friendly. Even if you purchased a newer home, it may not have enough insulation. Often, home builders only use the standard amount of insulation, not the optimal amount.

Those with older homes will likely need more insulation, as well. If you can touch your walls and they don’t feel a bit warm and dry, you probably need more insulation. This can also be the case if you have higher heating and cooling bills or the temperature fluctuates throughout your home.

An energy audit can be done to figure out exactly where you need more insulation. Then, once the insulation is installed, you’ll likely notice lower energy bills year-round.

2. Upgrade Your Appliances

Even if your appliances were made in the past five to ten years, they might not be the most energy-efficient option. Replacing your appliances with the most up-to-date ENERGY STAR-certified options to help you make your current home more eco-friendly. It can even save you an average of $450 per year on your energy bills.

3. Install Smart Lighting

Smart lighting gives you convenience, while also making your home a bit eco-friendlier. This type of lighting will decrease the energy used. It can be controlled through an app and can even be automated. You can have the lights turn off at specific times when you know you will not be home to save energy.

4. Install a Smart Thermostat

One of the most budget-friendly and most impactful ways to make your current home more eco-friendly is installing a smart thermostat. This type of thermostat can save you on your energy bills year-round. With a smart thermostat, you get the benefit of automatic adjustments throughout the day.

While you can certainly control this device from an app, it can also be automated. When you leave for work, the temperature can be adjusted to save you money. Then, it can be adjusted again right before you arrive home to give you the comfort you need.

5. Upgrade your HVAC

This one is a bit more costly, but it can be well worth it. If you want to make your current home more eco-friendly upgrade your HVAC system. Getting an ENERGY STAR certified HVAC system can make a rather big difference.

When you have an older or simply inefficient HVAC system, you might be paying too much each year for your energy bill. Upgrading can make your current home more eco-friendly, and also save you money.

6. Upgrade Your Washer and Dryer

With a high-efficiency washer and dryer, you can make your current home more eco-friendly. If you currently have a gas dryer, it might be an environmental hazard. These dryers cause emissions, which can be harmful. Upgrading your washer and dryer can help you save on your energy bill, cut emissions, and make your home eco-friendlier.

7. Start a Garden

It might seem like it won’t really help make your current home more eco-friendly, but a garden can have a very nice impact. When you grow some vegetables and fruits during the summer, those are items you won’t be buying at a store. This means you won’t be contributing to the shipping of this food to the grocery store.

Plus, a garden can help make your property more environmentally friendly. Plants use carbon to grow, which can help make the air cleaner around your home. Of course, eating your produce is also very healthy, which in its’ own way is eco-friendly.

You can make small changes or bigger changes to help make your home eco-friendlier. These are just a few of the many ways to achieve a lower carbon footprint in your space, whether you’re a first-time home buyer or you’ve owned your home for years.