5 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Greener

When you understand the impact of your carbon footprint, that knowledge should be enough to make you evaluate many of your typical choices. Luckily, Palm Beach, Florida, residents can engage in a few simple at-home practices to create a more sustainable lifestyle with minimal effort. Overhauling your entire life at once to become greener is a big deal, but implementing one or two small changes over time adds up to real benefits for your home and the environment.

Learn to Compost

One of the easiest composting methods involves building a compost and then simply tossing in your compostable materials as you go. More complex versions require worms, layers of soil, and other mechanisms, but a simple method will provide a viable way to manage household waste and create rich soil that will help your grass and your garden to flourish.

You can compost items such as vegetables, grains, coffee grounds, and eggshells that you would normally throw away. Outdoor debris, like grass clippings and raked leaves, are also great compostable materials. After a few months, the material at the bottom of your compost bin will become dark brown soil, and you can use it in your yard!

Maintain Your HVAC System

Your HVAC system is built to perform at a particular level of efficiency, but it can only achieve that efficiency when it is properly maintained. The simple things you do yourself like changing the air filters, and the complex maintenance tasks a professional does, combine to create the most efficient HVAC system possible.

Preventive maintenance lowers your energy bills, which in turn lowers your carbon footprint. The HVAC system uses a considerable chunk of your household’s energy, and you don’t want it to use more energy than it should provide ideal air conditioning.

Collect Rainwater

Cut down on your water usage by harvesting rainwater for watering your plants, your grass, and even for use indoors. You can create or buy a rainwater barrel that collects the rainwater from your gutters. Overall, it is a smart alternative to turning on the taps, so that you can reduce water consumption.

If you want to start collecting rainwater, check Florida’s laws before you do it. Some states legislate how you’re allowed to collect rainwater and how you’re allowed to use it. The National Conference of State Legislatures has a handy list of all the state laws regarding collecting rainwater.

Invest in Energy Star

Modern Energy Star HVAC equipment is designed to use less energy than older counterparts. Some of the best HVAC systems with Energy Star ratings pair with smart thermostats to give the best results in air conditioning relative to energy consumption. These units help you to improve comfort and your energy bills.

Fix Leaks

The EPA offers some sobering facts about household leaks. A faucet that drips once per second wastes 3,000 gallons of water a year, and that the average leakage for a household accounts for enough water to do 270 laundry loads. The EPA also reports good news: if you fix the leaks in your home, you can save as much as 10 percent on your water bill! You can see why fixing the leaks in your home is one of the easiest things you can do to bring sustainability into your household.

Typically fixing a leaky faucet can be simple for those who have a bit of DIY experience. However, some jobs definitely need a professional plumber.

Make sure you’re not leaving your HVAC system out of your green efforts. At Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, LLC, our trained professionals have the knowledge and experience to ensure that your system runs at top efficiency. We’re also here to help you find new, greener HVAC products for your home. We look forward to helping you achieve your efficiency goals. Call us today at (561) 202-1422 for more simple and affordable tips.

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