Easy Eco Friendly Home Improvements for a More Ecologically Sound Home

There are many ways to make your home more eco friendly among them are the use of solar panels, low flow showerheads, and window tinting. In this modern age of "green" consciousness, many people are trying to make their homes more energy efficient and more environmentally positive. Making your home more eco friendly doesn't have to mean spending a lot of money. In fact little things can help save money and energy.

Compact florescent light bulbs use 75% less electricity than conventional light bulbs. Although they are much more expensive than regular light bulbs they last years as opposed to months or a single year. Switching to all compact florescent overtime can be a worthwhile investment by saving you money on electric bills over time and they save the energy it takes to produce power. Placing lights (especially those outdoors) on a timer will save energy and keep outdoor areas well lit when needed. Uses of solar panels are also another option, but aren't inexpensive by any means. The best options for those wanting to use solar panels may be to buy them used.

Saving water also helps save money and makes for easy eco home improvements. Low flow toilets use less water per flush. Newer government mandated toilets use one to two gallons per flush unlike previous models made before the 2000s.Three and a half gallons of water per flush were typically used in older toilets. If you don't have a newer toilet, kits are available to make it use less water. Low flow shower heads are also available to reduce the amount of gallons used per minute of a shower. The average shower head releases a whopping 80 gallons a minute. Imagine how much a 15-20 minute shower uses! Faucet aerators are available as well.

Increasing efficiency also helps things around the home become more eco-oriented. Having your windows tinted helps them to reduce glare that can come into the home, thereby reducing the heat brought indoors by the sun. Tinting also helps hold heat in during the winter. Cleaning and replacing furnace and air conditioner filters helps them not work as hard to achieve the same heating and cooling.

If you can't afford to make all of these changes don't worry. Every bit helps and there are things you can do to reduce your energy use. Turning the thermostat down a few degrees in winter helps save energy as well as keeping the air conditioner at a lower setting. Not having water running while brushing your teeth or shaving helps. Taking care of leaks, air or water, right away will help reduce the need to use so much energy. Installing home insulation also helps keep heat in your home. The ways you can help the environment are almost countless, but even the smallest thing can help.