Several Hints on Making Your Home Truly EarthFriendly

As much as we all hate to admit it, living in a house usually implies that the hustle never ends. There is always something to do, repair, paint, remove, replace and fix. While this is also true for apartments, the level of care and maintenance a house requires is incomparable. Unlike an apartment, a house is an independent building, which supports itself, and is directly exposed to its environment and weather. In addition, maintenance effort of a single house falls directly to the homeowners, as there are no other tenants. It is only logical that many people choose a green and budget-friendly approach, which ensures long-term maintenance and healthy living environment.



Energy Efficiency
Much energy can be saved by overhauling the windows and doors. The wood deforms over time, and heat is wasted through air leaks, adding up onto your gas or electric bills. If you decide on replacing your windows and doors, you should know that they can be taken to a wood recycling center, where it will be put to good use, preserving a bit of the planet’s forest resources.



Plumbing
Old pipes and fixtures can crack or give way to corrosion, causing water leak that can damage your house, not to mention water contamination, if the waste water pipeline is damaged. You should check the valves and taps regularly, as well as any sign of leakage. Communities around the world struggle with drinking water losses through leakage caused by old plumbing. Do your part in helping save the world’s water resources by timely detection of water leaks and fixing them , in addition to replacing the aging fixtures in your bathroom, kitchen and backyard.

Cleaning
With all sorts of 'magical' cleaning products, house maintenance seems to have never been easier. Still, we often forget how much chemistry and engineering is invested in those power cleaners. And the environmental impact is not high on the list of priorities. Avoid using harsh chemicals for cleaning your house, whenever you can. Instead, you can use natural methods, like a heated mixture of vinegar and baking soda. This easy-to-make cleaner can do wonders for sinks, basins, bathtubs and other fixtures, removing remains of soap, shaving foam and even lime scale. You can also make use of many other natural solutions for cleaning your home .



Floors
If you take regular care of your ceramic tiles or natural stone floors, there is no need for aggressive chemical products that present a potential hazard to the environment, not to mention strong odours and vapours that can cause nausea among other things. A simple sturdy sponge and hot water is enough for removing dirt and dust. When it comes to wooden floors, you can add a couple of teabags in the hot scrubbing water, ensuring the perfect shine. You should also get familiar with different protective actions that will make your floors last longer.

Dealing with Old Items
No matter how you love that armchair you inherited from your grandma, pieces of furniture and other decorative items do have their lifespan. Sometimes these items can be successfully restored or upcycled, but if they are damaged beyond repair, you should take them to the nearest recycling facility instead of simply throwing them out.



In the Yard
While applying earth-friendly methods in the house interior where your family spends most of the time is important, you will do more benefit for the environment if you apply the same in your yard. If, for example, you want to build a spacious garage, tool shed or even an outdoor kitchen, you can avoid spending a small fortune on building materials, contractors and workers who will trample around your lawn, not to mention the debris and noise pollution. You should consider using container shelters , which are easy to set up, and require virtually no construction work. They are relatively easy to obtain and can be transported around the country on flatbed trailers.

As in all aspects of our lives, earth-friendly practices should become a norm in housekeeping. Behaving in this way, you will not only save energy and reduce the water bills, but also have a peace of mind that you and your family live in a truly green home and contribute to the health of our planet.


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