Last month we celebrated Earth Day, a time where efforts are made worldwide to improve each one of our lives and make the world a better place. When the people from all over the world pledge to contribute in some way or the other to saving the Earth, you can start that drive from your home. After all, every action, no matter how small it is can have a significant impact on our environment. So, how can you make your home greener this year? Follow the five strategies that will help in reducing your home’s carbon footprint in 2016 –
- Perform a Home Energy Audit
A home energy audit helps in determining the energy-efficiency of your home and the auditor will give you some energy-saving tips. By employing these tips in everyday lives, you can keep your home greener throughout the year.
- Seal Gaps Around Doors & Windows
To determine if your HVAC unit is leaking, you may conduct a simple test yourself. Simply light an incense stick and slowly wave it around the seals of the doors and windows. If the smoke gets out of your home, install weather-stripping things like plastic or foam or caulk the seals. This is another way for keeping your home greener.
- Consider Installing Geothermal Cooling System
One of the clean and sustainable resources of energy is the geothermal cooling system. When the land gets heated up with sun’s rays, the energy gets stored beneath the Earth and you can convert that energy to cool your offices, home or building. Considering the long-term positive effects it brings, it is a one-time investment.
- When the temperature is moderate, use portable fans
There’s a cheaper way to cool your home when the sun doesn’t soar at its peak. So, when the temperatures are moderate, you can easily make use of the portable fans and/or ceiling fans which do not pose an adverse threat to the environment.
- Replace OLD Appliances With ENERGY STAR Equipment
To keep harmful gases at bay, it is only fit to change your electric equipment with a Star-rated appliance. They consume lesser energy and keep the harmful greenhouse gases out of the environment. As per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ENERGY STAR products have prevented the release of almost 2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere in the last two decades.