Eco-Friendly Renovations

5 Ideas to Greenify Your Home

If you’re eager to get on board with sustainable living, there’s never been a better or more important time. Taking small, individual steps are fundamental to improving the health and welfare of our planet. And adopting habits that positively affect our environment can be easily implemented into your everyday life. Here are a few ideas to greenify your home this spring.

Reduce Water Consumption

We’re all guilty of wasting far too much water – whether it’s ignoring that leaky faucet, leaving the tap on while brushing, or taking long showers. But when you consider that over 700 million people around the world don’t have access to clean water, it makes you realize how much we take it for granted. Reducing your water consumption can be achieved in many different, simple ways. For example, if you have a leaky tap or toilet that you’ve been ignoring, these items alone can waste a whopping 10,000 gallons of water per year.  So start by having any leaks fixed, switch to a low flush toilet, and reduce the duration of your showers.

Use Upcycled, Sustainable Materials

Using upcycled or sustainable materials in your home is another great way to greenify your home. Using reclaimed wood or incorporating old, repurposed and refinished items into your bedroom, bathroom, and general design can give your home a unique character while keeping in line with a more sustainable outlook. Also consider opting for materials like bamboo that are sustainable, ethically sourced and very versatile to use.

Switch to Energy Efficient Appliances

If you still have old, outdated appliances and fixtures throughout your home, it’s time to make the switch. Appliances account for up to 30% of your home energy use, and considering just how much we use and depend on them; upgrading can help to significantly save on energy usage and your monthly utility bills.

Avoid VOC Materials

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in many different areas around the home, such as paint, wood finishes, caulking and adhesives. So when you’re shopping around for items for the home, make sure to check the label to ensure it says “low-VOCs” or “zero-VOCs.”

Choose Environmentally Responsible Brands

When you’re renovating and redecorating your home, spend a little time researching some environmentally responsible brands and businesses that are making an effort to focus on environmentally-friendly products. You can help support their initiatives by using sustainable alternatives that won’t have a negative impact on our planet.

When you’re looking for ideas to greenify your home, keep these tips in mind. By making a few adjustments one step at a time, you can drastically reduce your ecological footprint, while creating a healthier, happier, eco-friendly home for you and your family.  Contact us, of give us a call at (613)727-9427

Planning an Eco-Friendly Kitchen Renovation

Wondering how you can make your kitchen more eco-friendly? Well, there are plenty of ways – from big changes and additions to simple ones like using non-toxic paint on the walls, minimizing wasteful products, and encourage recycling and composting. But those are just the tip of the iceberg. For more ideas when planning out an eco-friendly kitchen renovation, read on.

Install Natural Flooring

Starting from the ground up, consider the type of flooring that will be installed. There are plenty of natural options like hard wood, or linoleum that don’t contain the toxins that are found in many other manufactured materials. But one option that is gaining popularity is cork.

This is a very sustainable material and is of course, non-toxic. It’s a better eco-friendly option in comparison to other natural woods such as oak since cork trees regenerate every nine years as oppose to oak trees (among others) that can take over 30 years. That’s a big difference!

So when considering what floor to place down, give some serious thought to cork, which is available at roughly the same price as other wood flooring.

Upgrade to Energy Efficient Appliances

Between the amount of appliances that get used in the kitchen, this is where a great deal of energy can be wasted, which adds more stress to our environment. If you’re considering an upgrade, make sure to look for that Energy Star label that will tell you it’s energy efficient. And if your budget can’t stretch as far to replace all of your appliances, then just consider some of the ones that are major energy hogs like the fridge, oven and dishwasher. These three are generally the most wasteful and expensive, so by upgrading you can save money too.

Use a Water-Saving Faucet

Wasting water is something we are all guilty of. But there are ways to help combat our bad habits. For example, installing a water-saving faucet is a really helpful addition to any eco-friendly kitchen plan. With a flow rate around 2.2 gallons per minute, it helps you conserve water without even thinking about it.

Refinish & Refurbish Rather Than Replace

Think your cupboards look dated? Well instead of ripping them down and adding that to a landfill, consider saving time and money by giving them a facelift. As more homeowners are looking for ways to cut down on costs, refurbishing older items to look better than new, is more popular than ever. Give them a good sanding and get creative with your (non-toxic) paint.

When you’re ready to get on board with an eco-friendly kitchen renovation, take note of these key areas that can transform your kitchen into something beautiful for both you and the environment.  Contact us, or give us a call at (613)727-9427

Creating an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

Many people think that the kitchen renos Ottawa homeowners undergo are far too expensive for their own budgets. However if you take an eco-friendly approach to your kitchen renovation you will find it can become quite affordable. Here is the perfect way to create an affordable eco-friendly kitchen for your home:

Repurposing Countertops

Take a look at your counterops. They may be in perfect condition and do not need replacement. Many people discard their old countertops which is a major addition to the local landfill. If your countertops are in good condition they can be reused. With the addition of newer features throughout the kitchen you can take focus away from the counters.

Energy Star Appliances

You would be surprised at how much energy your old fridge can use up every day. A new Energy Star fridge will be an investment up front but will then save you money in the long run. It is also the eco-friendly choice as it will reduce your energy consumption. The addition of Energy Star appliances is also a perfect way to update the look of the kitchen renos Ottawa contractors’ offer, even with minimal work to the rest of the space.

Natural Light

Consider adding a window to your kitchen to bring in natural light to reduce your use of electricity. Install a window over the sink where you are doing much task work as well as a major stretch of counter space where you will be doing food prep. Windows with soft curtains will bring in much needed light. In some kitchens you can even consider adding a skylight.

Recycled Cabinets

Get creative with kitchen renos Ottawa contractors offer by seeking out recycled cabinets. You can also search local flea markets and garage sales for interesting shelving, side boards and other furniture pieces that can be repurposed to create upper and lower cabinets as well as islands. Think outside the box and consider items in your home as well. You can also use your existing cabinets and reface them with a new coat of paint or a different colour stain. If you do replace your cabinets ask your contractor to save them and donate them to a salvage company to reduce waste.

The kitchen renovations Ottawa contractors’ offer can be more affordable when you look at eco-friendly options. Repurposing and less waste saves money and the planet.  To get in touch to schedule renovations, you can fill out an online form or give us a call at (613) 727-9427.

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