Following some of these tips can help your house become more ecologically friendly. Unfortunately, these may not necessarily change the value of your house.
Health
Freshen air with fresh air
Opening windows for a short time can prove cheaper and less energy-intensive than chemical-rich plugin air fresheners.
Reduce dust mite allergies
Dust mites can aggravate conditions such as eczema, asthma and other allergies. Using a steam cleaner on soft furnishings kills mites and you can reduce exposure by replacing carpets with hard flooring.Source: The Healthy House Ltd. (2007) Dust mite allergy [link]
Heat and Power
Drop boiler thermostats
Dropping the thermostat on your boiler can save you 10% of your energy bill. nPower suggest 80°C in winter and 70°C in summer.Source: ThisIsMoney.co.uk (2007) How to make your home greener [link]
Insulate garages adjoining your house
When insulate their homes, they often forget about garages adjoining the property. Insulate garage walls and ceilings to prevent further heat loss.Source: Empower (2005) Practical advice for managing energy at home [link]
Choose the right double glazing
When choosing double glazed windows, consider the initial price, warranty, maintenance costs, quality of manufacture and installation companies, low-E coatings, Energy Star and 'U' values.Source: MakeYourHomeEnergyEfficient.com (2007) Make All Your Windows Energy Efficient Windows! [link]
Use energy saving bulbs
Energy saving bulbs last around 12 times longer (reducing landfill waste) and one can save you around £100 in replacement bulbs and energy during its lifetime.Source: Energy Saving Trust (2007) Cheap and Simple Tips [link]
Paint rooms lighter colours
Light colours reflect more sunlight, reducing reliance upon artificial lighting and allowing use of lower energy bulbs.Source: Empower (2005) Practical advice for managing energy at home [link]
Jacket your boiler
A 75mm thick insulating jacket can cost just £15 from a local DIY store and can pay back in just one year.Source: Energy Saving Trust [link]
Water conservation
Use shorter runs of pipework
Shorter runs of pipework provide hot water quicker, so there's less need to 'run the tap.'
Source: Three Valleys Water (n.d.) Where is your water going? (p13)
Flush efficiently
Toilets account for 30% of domestic water usage. Reduce consumption by using slim cisterns, save-a-flush bags and dual flush WCs.
Source: Three Valleys Water (n.d.) Where is your water going? (p11)
Fix dripping taps
A tap dripping once a second wastes 17 bath-fulls of water per year. Washers can be replaced for under a pound in around 10 minutes.
Source: Three Valleys Water (n.d) Where's your water going? (pp12, 14)
