Homes that are energy efficient have started to become more popular in the last decade. People have started to become more conscious of their carbon footprint which has led them to make many lifestyle changes to help. There are so many advantages to making your home more energy efficient so let’s have a look at a few.
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1. It saves you money on your monthly bills
Many energy-efficient systems require a bit of a cost to install but they will be worth it in the long run when it comes to your energy bills. Something like solar panels seems like a large initial investment but by the time you need to replace them, they will have likely paid for themselves along with greatly reducing your energy bill every month. The same goes for things like irrigation or lighting systems.
Any system that allows you to control it remotely will help you save energy. If you can turn off your irrigation system from the office if a big storm is rolling in or turn off any forgotten lights at home while you’re away on vacation then you won’t need to worry about energy being wasted.
2. It helps your home sell
One of the best selling points your home can have in recent times is being energy efficient. People have been switching over parts of their older homes like HVAC systems or plumbing to reduce their carbon footprints. If your home is already equipped with these things then an eco-conscious buyer will likely prefer it over an older home that the buyers would need to adjust.
If you are thinking about selling your home then try looking at what you can easily switch over to make it more appealing to an eco-friendly buyer. Adding things like rain barrels (for collecting rain to water your garden), smart lights (lights that can be connected to wifi and adjusted from your phone) and water sense faucets (which use 20% less water than regular faucets) are a great way to add some eco-friendly touches.
3. It will help your health
Your energy-efficient home can be beneficial to your mental and physical health for so many reasons. Mentally, you’ll have less stress about high bills and you will worry less about the impact you’re having on the planet. There are also several physical issues that energy-efficient homes can help with.
Eco-friendly homes often have better air quality, they’re less draft and less likely to produce mould. For anyone with lower immune systems, these are all very important things that make them feel better about their home. For anyone who is immunocompromised, staying healthy is the most important thing and knowing your home won’t hurt you is a huge relief.
4. They can give you a tax break
Many places offer tax breaks for certain eco-conscious upgrades so loom into the tax breaks in your area before you start purchasing upgrades for your home. These tax breaks are in place for homeowners to encourage them to make a change so make sure you take advantage of them. You can also receive direct rebates like the Heating and Cooling Upgrade Rebate that gives Australian residents up to $2000 to upgrade their older systems into new energy-efficient systems.
If you want to claim any upgrades on your taxes then you need to make sure you’re keeping track of everything as much as possible. Save any receipts, even if you are unsure of whether or not they will be counted and make sure you get good records of any larger systems that are installed. This is the best way to ensure that they are counted properly by your tax professional.
5. You can save money on your mortgage or loan
Some banks (such as Bank Australia) offer home loans that are tied with energy-efficient upgrades. These loans usually offer a discount for a period of time for those who need the money to either start building an energy-efficient home or make improvements to their existing homes that make them more eco-friendly.
If you want some ideas on which improvements to make then check out the Australian government’s energy website for great tips and a list of rebates, information and assessments you likely qualify for.
6. You are saving the planet and helping the strain on Australia’s power grid
Australia has a limited amount of power and the 2016 blackout has made many people realise how much they rely on the power grid. Using renewable sources like wind and solar energy are much better for the environment but they also allow you to have power during prolonged blackouts.
The most obvious advantage is the peace of mind you will have knowing that you are doing your small part to make the earth a cleaner and better place. It’s no secret that there are many issues that energy-efficient buildings could help and it’s a good feeling to be able to make a difference.
Energy-efficient homes are the wave of the future so it’s a great idea to look into making some changes now. Moving to an eco-friendly lifestyle is one of the best choices you can make for yourself and the planet. Energy-efficient homes have so many great things about them so have a look around and see where you can make some improvements.
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