How to Make Your Home Environmentally Friendly

The environmental footprint of a house is something that more new homebuyers are paying attention to as they are looking for their first, and maybe even forever, home. Finding or making a home more environmentally friendly can be good for the earth and your wallet over time. There are a number of simple things to look for, and a set of improvement options to consider, to make sure your home is as environmentally friendly as possible.

Windows, Insulation and the Roof

Check on the age and condition of the windows, doors, and the roof as you are looking at the home, and even hold your hand up to the borders to feel for drafts. If air is drafting in, that also means heat and cool air will be escaping out and your furnace/air conditioner will be working overtime to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. Drafty windows can be fixed by replacing them, adding insulation around the borders, or even with caulk to reseal spots in the frames that may be breaking down. An older roof could also result in heat loss and a less-than-efficient home. 

Similarly, insulation is a huge piece of the energy puzzle in a home. Your home inspector can help to gauge where insulation is adequate, and where it may be lacking, like in the attic, basement, and along outside walls. There are ways to insulate some of these areas on your own using products you can buy at a home improvement store, and there are also many local services that specialize in improving insulation and energy efficiency. 

Replacement windows and a roof can be a higher-cost renovation so either build into your homebuying budget now or consider exploring with a home equity line of credit down the road. First time homebuyers are also eligible for grants to make their homes more environmentally friendly so do your research before you write that check. 

Age of Appliances

In general, newer appliances are better for the environment and your bottom line. In addition to requiring fewer repairs (yay, budget), most manufacturers are taking the environment into consideration to make higher-efficiency machines like refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, waterless tanks and heating and cooling units. This means you will pay less on your energy bills, and put a lower amount of pollution into the air. Not-so-new appliances? Ask about average energy bills and consider negotiating on the price to help update some of the older pieces. 

Small Changes that Lead to a Big Impact

Investing in solar panels or other bigger-ticket sustainability features is a great option if you can afford them and are ready to make that type of commitment. However, your home maintenance and living habits can also impact the overall energy efficiency in your home. Simple switches like updating lighting fixtures to energy-efficient bulbs, doing laundry in larger loads using cold water, installing water-saving shower heads, and powering down or unplugging electronics when not in use will decrease your environmental footprint and your energy bill over time. 

Find Out More

Talk with your real estate agent and home inspector to learn about your new home’s energy and efficiency features. Your mortgage team can also help you figure out how to afford and finance your new home and offer a perspective about improving your overall environmental footprint, and how that will ultimately affect your mortgage decisions and homeowner budget.