Making an Existing Home Green

Austin is a city with a large number of citizens that are concerned about their carbon footprint and how to reduce what footprint they have. Even if one doesn’t care about one’s carbon footprint, many of the things that can be done to make a home more efficient in terms of the environment can also translate to making a home more economically efficient.

One of the easiest things to do is install CFL light bulbs. These are the funny shaped light bulbs that are more expensive than the ordinary light bulbs. While they are more expensive, they last a lot longer and also use less energy than the ordinary light bulbs. It is estimated that a single bulb will save $30 in electricity bills over its lifetime and, if the environment is your thing, will save 2000 times its own weight in greenhouse gases. This is just one light bulb.

Trees are another excellent way to make an existing home more green. Shade trees located around a house will prevent the sun from getting inside of the rooms. While this will make it darker inside, a home’s cooling costs can be reduced significantly, once the trees mature. While not quite as a quick solution as the light bulbs, the trees will still remove carbon dioxide from the air which gives them an immediate benefit in terms of the environment.

Insulating a hot water heater and the attic will also help a homeowner avoid unnecessary energy use. These things will also prevent heat loss. In the summer, this means that the home will take less energy to stay cool and in the winter it means that the heat that is being used will not be lost to the outside.

Contact an Austin Realtor

To learn about Austin’s best green homes or how to make your own home more green, contact the Austin realtors of The Carvajal Group at 512-419-7770.