Photo by Layton Diament on Unsplash
Large homes use a considerable amount of energy throughout the year, especially from heating and cooling. Making some upgrades to your home can significantly reduce your energy usage while also boosting the value of your home. If you’ve been thinking about making your home more energy-efficient, consider one or more of the following eco-friendly upgrades.
Solar panels provide you with a way to generate energy for your home without having to rely on fossil fuels or other sources of nonrenewable energy. These panels convert sunlight into usable energy to power appliances, lighting, HVAC systems and other items in your home. Having solar panels means you’ll be using a renewable source of energy to produce electricity, which decreases your dependence on fossil fuels.
When you install solar panels, you can also expect the value of your home to rise. According to Money Magazine, solar panels raised home values in the U.S. by roughly 4 percent. This increase in value could add thousands of dollars to the sale price of your home when you put it on the market.
Making your large home more eco-friendly can involve literally making it more green. Bringing greenery into your home helps improve your indoor air quality by removing pollutants and allergens. Having plants around has also been linked to better physical and emotional well-being through improved mood and reduced stress, according to a study published in Environmental Science and Pollution Research.
Rather than placing a few houseplants around your home, consider going bigger with a living wall. These are walls or columns made out of various plants and flowers. Living walls can provide you with the health benefits of indoor greenery while also making your home more decorative. The types of plants that would work best for a living wall in your home will depend on different factors, such as the amount of sunlight that part of your home gets.
From floor lamps to chandeliers and landscape lights, the amount of energy your home uses for lighting adds up quickly. Changing to energy-efficient lighting provides a simple way to reduce this type of energy usage. Switching to LED bulbs can help you use roughly 75 percent less energy compared to traditional light bulbs. Having skylights installed is another way to use less energy for lighting your home. Skylights allow you to enjoy stunning views of your surroundings and increase the amount of natural light your home gets on a regular basis. Adding skylights in one or more rooms or areas can also boost the value of your home.
Meet Kimberly Jokela:
With a genuine passion in people Kimberly loves helping her clients make their real estate dreams or needs come to life! Specializing in Luxury, Vacation, Retirement or Investment properties.
Born and raised in the midwest in a family with a strong work ethic, filled with creativity & dedication.
Her determination lead her to attend college at the "Philadelphia Performing Arts" where she had the opportunity to follow her passion in the Arts & to travel. Living in California with her husband Rick for 15 years together they built a successful business. After the birth of her beautiful daughter Brittany, seeking a "small town” coastal lifestyle, they took a trip to Naples Florida & fell in love with all it has to offer and made the jump!
With now over 17 years experience as a licensed Realtor serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Marco Island, Estero & Fort Myers.
A great listener, negotiator & connector, Kimberly is dedicated to helping her clients looking to BUY their ideal Florida property!
Her warm & friendly personality is present in everything she does on her clients behalf!
Kimberly’s creativity & "out of the box" thinking gives her clients the extra leverage they need when SELLING a property.
Her well organized marketing includes professionally produced photography, video, drone imagery, media presentation in print, numerous online websites & social media!