Easy ways to help make your house greener [Infographic]
Estimated read time: 2 Minutes
Building a home with sustainable features isn’t just environmentally friendly; it’s also a smart way to save money. Here, we outline some features you can add to your home to make it more energy efficient and economical.
Start with what nature gives you for free
Harvest the skies
Collecting and using rainwater can lead to a healthy drop in your water bills.1
Sun worship
Rooftop solar can deliver $9.3 billion in cost savings for people living in apartments or houses. With an average annual household bill savings $1,300 each year.2
The power of plants
Not only do they look great but plants may also have some health benefits for home owners. They may reduce anxiety and stress, sharpen attention, and could even make you more productive. 3
Build green savings into the house itself
Wear white
In sunny climates like ours, buildings with white roofs need less energy for cooling than those with black ones, saving heaps on your cooling costs.4
Seal the leaks
Good ventilation of your home is essential for your health. But air leaks account for 15-25% of your houses winter heat loss. Sealing your home is one of the simplest ways to reduce those power bills.5
Pad up
Insulation helps to keep heat inside the home in winter and outside the home in summer. Insulating your roof and walls could lower costs and keep your winter warm.6
Get economy out of your electricity use
Be efficiency led
LEDs consume a fraction of the energy of normal bulbs and have a much longer lifespan, so you save money on energy bills and replacement costs. Slam dunk.7
Kill the vampires
Vampire Power is the name for energy that is used by almost all your appliances when they're in 'Stand By', which can be up to 25% of a household's electricity bill. So it's a great place to start looking for savings.8
Follow the stars
Take a good look at 'The Energy Star® Label' before you buy your next appliance. The more stars, the less it costs to run.9
Thinking about making some green choices or improvements to your home? Consider applying for a personal loan online and get the smaller projects underway!
You could also refinance your current home loan to help fund the larger renovation projects. Try our home loan borrowing power tool and find out how much you might be able to borrow.
Sources:
1 Greener Ideal: Rainwater Harvesting
2 University of Sydney: Rooftop solar can deliver $9.3 billion in cost savings
3 Time Magazine: Your Houseplants Have Some Powerful Health Benefits
4 Heat Island Group: The cool science of a light roof
5 Your Home: Air tightness and ventilation
6 Your Home: Insulation
7 Energy.Gov.Au: Lighting
8 NRDC: Avoid the Energy Vampires
9 Energy Rating.Gov.Au
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Information provided is factual information only and is not intended to imply any recommendation about any financial product(s) or constitute tax advice. If you require financial or tax advice you should consult a licensed financial or tax adviser.
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