5 ways to make your home more eco-friendly on a budget

Want to make your home more eco-friendly? Good news, there are now plenty of options out there to help make your home a little greener. What’s more, many of these solutions don’t break the bank. From big projects to small ones, there are a number of ways you make some energy-saving changes.

We sat down with our design team to learn more about these tips that are kind to both the environment and our wallets…

Insulate as much as your budget allows

If you’re passionate about going green, the best thing you can do for your home is to get your insulation in order. Insulating a home can be done on a variety of budgets. You might choose to seal up the gaps around your windows and doors, or you may have the cash available to deck out both your loft and basement (which are very prone to letting in drafts).

Don’t forget, most of the heat in your home escapes through your roof, so sorting out your loft should be a top priority. To save money, you might be able to execute a bit of DIY, providing the space is easily accessible. And there are plenty of eco-friendly materials available, such as recycled wool.

Learn more about caring for your roof.

Get smart with your home

Smart metres are gaining popularity and it’s not hard to see why. If you’re guilty of leaving the heating on, or not keeping track of your bills, a smart metre can help you get on top of your consumption.

Using one, you’ll be able to keep up-to-date in terms of your energy consumption in real-time, which encourages you to adopt more conservative behaviour -especially when you see how much it costs to run a dryer!

Replace your boiler

If your boiler isn’t A-rated, then it’s time to get an upgrade. All new boilers should be hitting the top ratings, so if your boiler is more than 15 years old, the replacement is sure to be a big improvement.

The money a new boiler can save (roughly £170, should you be upgrading from a D-rated boiler) means that over the course of its lifetime, your boiler should return your investment, making it well worth splashing the cash on now.

Install a low-flow showerhead

This is a super cheap way to limit the water you use and can be done in an afternoon with a little DIY.

By choosing a low-flow showerhead, you can limit the amount of water going down the drain by up to 50% - not a figure to sniff at! This will not only help towards the UK’s depleting resources, but it’ll also help you save money when your next water bill arrives.

Collect your rainwater

If you’ve got a garden, it’s likely that you have a lot of thirsty plants in the summer. Rather than relying on your hosepipe, a more eco-friendly alternative is to collect rainwater. You can do this by installing a water butt that’s connected to your gutters and downpipes, where runoff can settle inside. In some areas, you can even request a free water butt from your local authority.

To avoid your water butt getting smelly, remember to…

• Clean your water butts annually
• Store yours in a shady area
• Use frequently to reduce standing times
• Keep your guttering clear of organic material, as this encourages bacteria

*Are you undertaking an extension or large-scale renovation and want to make sure your project stays kind to the earth? Book a free consultation with our team and enjoy expert advice for every stage of your project. *