Even if being eco-friendly isn’t your top priority, we have a feeling you like to save money on your home utilities. And the truth is, they’re usually one in the same. A few simple switches in your home’s plumbing, heating, and cooling, can help you eliminate the anxiety of your upcoming monthly utility bills while also helping you save the environment. Here are five easy, eco-friendly solutions for your home to get you started.

1. Upgrade Your Thermostat
If you’re still using an older thermostat, you could be wasting a lot of excess energy. It’s time to consider a programmable thermostat. They’re fairly easy to replace on your own, and make life much easier once you have one. Forget about making yourself notes to lower the temperature setting before you leave the home or getting frustrated when you forget. Instead, you can pre-set your ideal temperatures on a timer, so you can just adjust it once and then forget about it, saving you energy and keeping you comfortable all season long.

2. Review Your Weather Stripping
Did you know that 7-12% of your home’s heat is lost due to insufficient weather stripping? This process of sealing the cracks and openings in your windows and doors can eliminate unwanted drafts from leaking into your home. Weather stripping is easy to do very inexpensively. Pay a little now to make sure everything is sealed and save a lot in energy costs in the long run.

3. Eco-friendly Bathroom Fixtures
Not all bathroom upgrades have to be super costly; especially eco-friendly ones. Start with an aerator – an inexpensive gadget that restricts water flow from faucets and shower heads to help reduce your water use. For perspective, an 8min shower uses an average of 136 liters of water each time, so making the switch to an aerating head will use far less water and energy, while still maintaining the power of your shower. Automatic faucets are also a great way to reduce your water consumption. While it seems like an easy task to turn off the water while brushing our teeth, most of us don’t. For the kids’ nightly bedtime routines and your pre-work morning rituals, automatic faucets help force you to be eco-friendly without having to think about it.

4. Clean Your Drains with Different Products
Drainage pipes are an essential part of your home, consistently working all day long to maintain smooth water flow and remove waste. Because of this reason, they need to be cleaned every 4-8 weeks. While most homeowners will rely on off-the-shelf cleaning products, many of these conventional drainage solutions will contain sodium hydroxide, a toxic man-made chemical that’s harmful to the environment. The good news is that there are a number of eco-friendly cleaning products out there that cost just about the same as conventional cleaners. Check out Unique Natural, Biokleen or Home Solv at your local stores.

5. Schedule Regular Maintenance
Regular HVAC tune-ups are one of the most important things you can do for your heating system. Dust and debris, as well as leaves and dirt, can clog up both indoor and outdoor units, increasing friction and inhibiting the ability to run efficiently. It also makes it more prone to operational issues that require costly repairs or replacements. During a routine maintenance check, a certified HVAC technician can advise you on the necessary actions to help minimize your energy consumption and heat your home inexpensively.

For more tips on how to make your home’s plumbing, heating and cooling systems more eco-friendly or to learn more about our solutions, contact our experts to discuss your specific needs today!