We all want to live a responsible lifestyle and reduce our impact on the environment,t but that’s usually easier said than done. The home is the first place to start because running a household can be incredibly damaging to the environment if you get it wrong. That’s why it’s important to consider environmental factors when you’re moving house. If you’re planning a move in the near future, here are some simple rules to help you make sure that you’re doing the right thing for the environment.
Buy A New Property
This isn’t a definite rule because there are some older properties that are eco-friendly. However, the building materials that are used in older properties tend to be more damaging to the environment (asbestos and lead paint, for example) and they’re usually poorly insulated so you’re going to be wasting a lot of energy. If you can find an older property that has been renovated or even do that work yourself, that’s fine. But it’s going to take a lot of time and money to bring an older home up to scratch and make it eco-friendly and a lot of people aren’t prepared to do that. You’re better off looking for a new build like these great ones from Make Homes instead. New building materials and better regulations mean that the building process itself will be more environmentally friendly and the house will be more efficient so you won’t use as much energy or water.
Check The Appliances
The appliances in a home are very important because they make a big difference to your energy usage. Older appliances, even ones that are only a decade old, will use a lot more energy than newer ones. If you buy a house that uses lots of older appliances, you’re going to have to cover the cost of replacing them all. That’s quite a big outlay so you’re probably better off finding a property that comes with modern appliances included.
Your Commute
This is something that people can easily forget but it’s important for a couple of reasons. First off, it makes life difficult for you if you move into a house that is a long way from your place of work and you have a long commute every day. On top of that, it massively increases the amount of driving that you do every day and that’s terrible for the environment. You’ve also got to think about where the nearest shops are and how close the schools are. If everything is miles away, you’re going to be driving all of the time and doing a lot of damage to the environment.
Build A House
If you’re struggling to find a home that fulfils all of these requirements, you could consider building your own house instead. The price difference isn’t that significant but it is going to be a lot of hard work. If you’re prepared to do that, the benefits are massive. You’ll be able to build the house to your specifications so it’ll be perfect for you and your family and you can use all of the latest materials and technology to make it as eco-friendly as possible.
These basic rules will help you find the perfect eco-friendly home next time you and your family move.
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