DIY Sustainability Projects
Solar energy has proven to be a great source of sustainability from its origin in the early 1800s until now, the peak of the solar industry. But it’s not the only step you can take to becoming a more sustainable household. There are tons of projects you and your family can participate in to make your home more efficient and lower your energy and water bills throughout the year.
Aerators
Installing aerators on your showerheads and bathroom and kitchen sink faucets is a great way to save water. The standard water flow from a bathroom faucet is approximately 2.2 gallons per minute. In comparison, WaterSense aerators restrict water flow to 1.5 gallons per minute. What makes this project even better is how easy aerators are to install, most models you just screw into the opening of the faucet.
Hydroponic Plants
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants in a nutrient-rich solution instead of soil. This method gives the root system of the plant direct access to the nutrients and oxygen, both of which are necessary for proper growth. One of the biggest advantages of hydroponic plants is that they mature up to 25% faster and produce up to 30% more yield than the same plants grown in soil.
Lightbulbs
Did you know that the average household dedicates about 5% of its energy budget to lighting alone? ENERGY STAR-qualified LED lightbulbs could greatly reduce your energy consumption rates. Qualified LEDs use only 20% to 25% of the energy and last 15 to 25 times longer than a traditional incandescent bulb. Additionally, they use 25% to 30% of the energy and last 8 to 25 times longer than their halogen incandescent counterparts.
Windows
As your home consumes energy to heat or cool it, there are parts of your house that are responsible for either allowing heat to escape or enter. Windows, in particular, are responsible for 25% to 30% of residential heating and cooling energy use.
Switching out your windows for high-efficiency triple paned models would be the most sustainable option, but these can get expensive. If new windows aren’t in your budget, try applying an efficiency glaze or film to your existing window panes. These will limit the amount of heat that can enter or escape through your windows.
Solar panel technology is truly the future of sustainable energy, but it’s not the only option for making your home as efficient as possible. By doing some of the DIY projects that we talked about in this blog post, you will be well on your way to a more sustainable household with lower energy and water bills.
At Energy Concepts, in Fresno, California, we can help you take the big first step of replacing your energy source with solar energy. We’ll be there every step of the way to help you with the design process through the installation. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you have, so give us a call or visit our website for more information.