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5 Green Additions You Can Add to Your Home

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5 green additions you can add to your home

There are many reasons to make your home “greener,” from reducing your utility bills to lessening your impact on the environment. It can even help you get more for your home if you decide to put it on the market among the San Diego houses for sale, or anywhere else in the country.

The US Green Building Council notes that over half of consumers rank green and energy-efficient as top requirements for the next home they purchase.

These five green additions are just a few that you should consider

Solar Panels

One of the most important features a true green home can have is solar panels. While they’re a long-term investment, they provide totally clean electricity that can sometimes produce enough energy to allow you to sell some back to the grid.

While you may still have to use some traditional electricity, solar panels will reduce the amount your household uses, often resulting in significantly lower electric bills.

Low Flow Toilets

If you’re looking for a less-costly option, consider replacing standard toilets with low-flow toilets as they typically use a quarter of all water usage in a home. If your home is older, you may have toilets that use as much as 3.5 gallons for every flush.

Today’s standard toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush, while high-efficiency toilets use even less, as little as 1.28 per flush. That can mean saving 3,000 gallons of water a year, for every toilet in your house.

While eco-toilets tend to be pricier than standard ones, buying an earlier high-efficiency model instead of the latest model can make it a more budget-friendly purchase.

A Smart Home Hub

One of the most popular additions for any green home these days is a smart home hub. It provides unbeatable control over all the lights and appliances and lights in your home.

When it’s connected to the Internet, you can control electronics in the home with your laptop, tablet or smartphone. Say you want to make sure the lights are all off when no one is home, you can easily do so by setting up a schedule or timer which eliminates the need to worry about whether you left the lights on.

Of course, that also eliminates the extra unnecessary energy being used, therefore lowering electricity bills. The devices also provide remote access to security systems so that when you’re away, you can be aware of who’s at your home and help protect it from intruders too.

Energy-Efficient Windows

Windows are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to high energy bills. By replacing old windows with double pane windows, they’ll help a room retain more heat in the winter while preventing heat gain in the summer which can help save a significant amount of energy. Double panes also provide more insulation from traffic and other outside noises.

Skylights

Adding skylights will help increase natural light, reducing the amount of electricity used as well. While it might be over your budget to install them in every room, consider strategically placing them in the most commonly used areas like the kitchen and living room.

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