Category Archives: Home Improvements

Choosing the Right Hot Water System Size

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When getting a new hot water system, you have to think about the hot water system size you need for your home. Believe it or not, there are numerous hot water system sizes that make shopping for a new one somewhat challenging. Fortunately, you can follow some simple guidelines to help you choose the right hot water system size for your needs. While your individual hot water needs might differ slightly from these recommendations, they will give you a good idea of what size will work best for your home.

how to choose the right water system size

General Estimate

To really understand what size hot water system you need, you’ll want to calculate the amount of hot water your household uses during the time of day when you use the most hot water. However, if you just need a general estimate for size to start shopping around or to get a loose idea of how much it’s going to cost you to buy a new hot water system, you can use these basic numbers to find the right water heater size:

  • If there is one or two people in your household, choose a 30-40 gallon system.
  • If there are two or three people in your household, choose a 40-50 gallon system.
  • If there are three or four people in your household, choose a 50-60 gallon system.
  • If there are five or more people in your household, choose a 60-80 gallon system.

As you can see, there is some overlap in the right size hot water system when there are two or three people in your household. This is why you’ll need to more carefully consider your household’s hot water usage before actually deciding on a system and having one installed.

Hot Water Usage Habits

The larger factor in what size hot water system you should purchase is your household’s hot water usage habits. Some families of five might be perfectly fine with a 30-gallon system because they don’t use very much hot water. Maybe they’re used to taking short showers and washing their clothes in cold water. Perhaps they have very few hot water appliances in their home and are very conservative when using hot water throughout the day. A 30-gallon system might make perfect sense for them.

Conversely, a couple could need a 60-gallon hot water system because they enjoy taking long, luxurious or multiple showers and believe their clothes can’t get sanitized without being washed in scalding water. They may also run their dishwasher frequently, which also increases the usage of hot water. In their case, the smaller recommended size hot water system for one or two people wouldn’t meet their needs.

hot water guide

Calculate Your Exact Usage

As previously mentioned, the best way to determine the right size hot water system for your household is to calculate your actual hot water usage. You can do this by estimating the amount of hot water you use for various activities (10 gallons for a shower, four gallons for handwashing dishes, six gallons for using an automatic dishwasher, and seven gallons for a clothes washer) and multiply each activity by the number of times it happens during your peak hour of usage.

Conclusion

Once you’ve calculated your exact water usage, you can find the first hour rating (FHR) for a hot water system that matches your peak hour usage. This will ensure you have the right amount of hot water for even you heaviest usage times.

Combating Concrete Through Sustainable Building Materials

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Around 5% of the world’s CO2 emissions are caused by concrete production, so finding sustainable alternatives is essential to slowing down climate change. Fortunately, there are plenty of materials out there which are perfect for mass home construction, without the same ecological damage. If you want to continue to do meaningful things, such as travel the world or live in safe and comfortable accommodation, then finding alternative building materials is the route to doing this sustainably.

1. Hemp Concrete Substitute

By compacting hemp and lime, it is possible to create a building block comparable to concrete. Unlike concrete, however, hemp absorbs carbon dioxide rather than emits it. This means that during the production process, 1m3 of hemp concrete wall will suck up 165kg of CO2. It is just as durable and robust as regular concrete, but will require cannabis legalisation before manufacture can begin.

In countries where the plant is already legal to produce, then the switch to hemp alternative building material should begin immediately. Hemp plastic is an attractive sustainable building material which holds great potential worldwide.

hemp as a construction material

2. Bamboo and Straw

Wood has long been a popular home building material, but not all plants are equally green. Bamboo has the quickest regrowth time of any plant, meaning that it can be replaced as quickly as it is cut down. It is strong and durable. Meanwhile, straw, when packed tightly, is a perfect eco-friendly insulation material. Together, this makes the most environmentally conscious wooden cabin.

In the debate of manufactured vs modular cabins, the latter tends to be preferred due to its rigidity and durability, while the former is more affordable. By constructing modular bamboo cabins, however, you are able to produce a long-lasting, energy efficient home at a much cheaper cost.

bamboo as a construction material

3. Reused Plastic Waste

The world purchases a million plastic bottles a minute or 480 billion a year. We need to seriously start thinking about how we can reduce our consumption of single use plastics, but also what to do with the waste in the meantime.

One thing that the bottles can be used for is the construction of houses. When filled with sand and stacked together, they form a durable and insulating wall. In some countries, this is being used as a way to bring affordable housing to those living in poverty. It is certainly a creative way to build homes without using more of the Earth’s precious resources.

Final Thoughts

There are so many alternatives to concrete out there. Governments and construction companies need to come together to move towards sustainable building practices. This will help to ensure that everyone has a safe place to call home, while recycling resources and cleaning the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Have a Dehumidifier at Home

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Air quality is one of those things that many homeowners frequently overlook. We assume that the air indoors is better or less polluted than the air outdoors because we’re not dealing with things like car fumes and pollution.

However, your indoor air can be just as bad as the atmosphere outdoors, particularly when you have problems with humidity. Too much humidity in your air can increase the risk of things like respiratory problems, mould, and even an overflow of dust. Here are 3 reasons to consider bringing a dehumidifier into your property.

1. They Combat Mould, Mildew and Dust

Damp in your home caused by humidity can lead to mould and mildew. Often, these problems are the root cause of health issues, such as asthma, respiratory conditions, and asthma. What’s more, constant exposure to mildew and mould may even increase your chances of nervous system disorders.

Taking steps to avoid your risk of moisture build-up by keeping your sewer line clear and fixing leaky pipes is great. However, homeowners can consistently keep their risk to a minimum by investing in a dehumidifier. These crucial tools remove the extra unnecessary moisture from the air, so that it can no longer feed mould spores in your home.

Having a dehumidifier can also help you to get rid of other pesky substances like dust on your mattresses, bedspreads, and other furniture too. That’s because it’s easier for dust to cling to your surfaces when there’s moisture in the air. When the air is dry, regularly vacuuming your home will get rid of a larger portion of dust, keeping the risk of allergy to a minimum. Dehumidifiers even eliminate the risk of dust mites by keeping humidity levels at a inhospitable level for those critters.

2. They Reduce Damp and Condensation

Too much humidity in your home causes a “damp” atmosphere. When the air is moist, the most obvious result is discomfort. You might notice that your breathing feels more laboured just because you’re breathing moisture-laden air. Damp doesn’t just stay in the air however, when it reaches excessive levels, it also begins to build up on the surfaces around your home, particularly in the winter when the cold of the outdoors interacts with the warm humidity indoors.

Humidity causes long-term damage to your woodwork and soft furnishings through damp and condensation. Although it’s common to have condensation in your home from time to time, humidity exacerbates it to dangerous levels, potentially causing peeling wall papers, shrinking wood, and stains on your sofas and curtains.

A dehumidifier will reduce the moisture in the air to reasonable levels again, protecting your belongings and your comfort.

3. They Improve Air Quality for Better Health

Finally, the most important reason to invest in a dehumidifier is that they allow you to improve your air quality and eliminate common health problems. Humidity in your home can lead to an increased risk of respiratory conditions, allergens, and even problems with coughs and stuffy noses. As mould and mildew begin to build up, the effects on your health grow even greater.

Placing a dehumidifier into your home does more than just get rid of musty smells throughout your property. It also absorbs the excess moisture that could be harming your health over time. Remember, the quality of the air in your home isn’t just measured by the amount of toxins that you could be exposed to. Your air quality also depends on the level of humidity in the air too.

Dry air is less likely to feed the bacteria in the atmosphere, reducing your risk of catching bugs and respiratory illnesses. According to studies, dehumidifiers are even useful in preventing asthma attacks because they remove asthma triggers like dust mites, mould, VOCs and building wastes.

Should You Get a Dehumidifier?

In a world where indoor air quality isn’t much better than the polluted air that we find outside, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself, your family and even your home. A dehumidifier can help you to improve the air quality that you’re exposed to every day.

By eliminating the unnecessary moisture in your home, your domestic dehumidifier will improve your quality of life, reduce the risk of mould and mildew, and even protect your health.

5 Things You Need To Know To Reduce Your Electricity Bill

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If you are a homeowner, you have probably thought of lowering your electricity bills every time you get your bill is logical. According to a recent study, the electricity bill is the second-highest cost most homeowners pay every month. That’s not surprising because thanks to modern science, we use electricity to run appliances for everything around the home nowadays.

Especially during this time when coronavirus has damaged the world economy, people are struggling to pay their bills. Meanwhile, lockdowns mean more time at home and higher electricity use than if you were in the office most of your day. You can reduce your electricity consumption if you use it smartly. As a result, your bill will reduce too. If you are looking to cut your electric bill, this article will give you some ideas on how you can do that.

reduce-electricity-bill

1. Get A Smarter Thermostat

In case you didn’t know, your heating and cooling system takes up almost forty-five percent of your total electricity consumption every month. So, if you can reduce at least some of your thermostats consumption, you will see a huge difference in your total bill.

Depending on your local weather, you may need to run your heater or cooler throughout the day. Though this is almost half of your total electricity consumption, that doesn’t mean you need to give up your comfort to reduce the bill. All you need to do is to make the job a bit easier for the thermostat. Control your urge to set the temperature too high or too low. For instance, put on a few extra layers of clothes to stay warm instead of setting the temperature too high on the thermostat.

eco-friendly-business-practices

If you don’t want to take up the work to adjust the temperature from time to time continually, look into getting a programmable thermostat. With these thermostats, you can program the temperature for each time of the day. This way, you won’t need to change it frequently, but it will run in just the required temperature all the time.

2. Use Solar Power

As mentioned before, if you want to reduce your energy bills, that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice your comfort. A great way to reduce your energy consumption is not to use it all the time. You don’t need to use electricity all the time when you are getting unlimited solar energy every day.

Solar energy is also known as green energy. Using solar energy is an emerging trend worldwide. Solar panels are installed on the roof, and these panels then convert sun rays into solar energy. It is a pretty simple process, but it can work wonders for you. The best part is they are not overly expensive to install – but the energy savings are significant.

solar-energy-texas

You might be thinking that the sun will provide energy only during day time. How are we going to run our utilities at night? The answer is pretty simple. You can get solar battery storage. These storage cells store the excess energy that you don’t need in the daytime and let you use it at night. This way, be it day or night, you can get everything done using solar energy.

3. Use Ceiling Fans

If you live in a warm climate, most of your electricity consumption is used by your air cooler. Although new technologies are coming every day, and you can get energy-efficient air conditioners now, but they still consume a lot of energy. While you can’t get rid of your air cooler completely, you can sometimes use a ceiling fan to create an airflow that cools the room down.

A ceiling fan is a great cost-efficient option. These fans pull out hot air and circulate cold air. It may not give you the same effect as an air cooler, but it will surely make your room a bit more comfortable as it circulates cold air. But the best thing is a ceiling fan takes up a fraction of the electricity that air cooler consumes. So, even if you don’t use it all the time, you can alternate between the ceiling fan and the cooler.

There are a few hacks that can help you stay comfortable even with the ceiling fan. For instance, try keeping the windows and doors which are facing the east covered. This will minimize the heat that comes from the sun.

4. Minimize the electricity your laundry takes

Washing your laundry with hot water takes up a lot of energy. The heater has to work a lot to provide this much hot water to your washing machine. Try using cold water to wash your clothes. You would be surprised how using cold water can reduce almost half of your laundry cost.

The key here is to use appliances. So if you are using your washing machine, try using it as little as possible – save the laundry loads and do them all at once during off-peak hours. So if you are using your washing machine to dry your clothes, you need to reconsider that. Drying clothes is a chore that can easily be done without using any energy. Line drying laundry is an easy way that takes no electricity. It may take longer, but it is free.

5. Reduce Phantom Drainage

If you haven’t heard of phantom drainage before, you are in for a bit of a ‘shocker’! It is also known as standby power. You may think that it is unnecessary to remove the plug when you are not using the appliances. They are turned off after all. But the truth is, your devices consume electricity even when they are not in use.

According to a study, appliances consume almost fifty percent of the total energy when they are actually not used. So, this energy is going nowhere, and you are the one paying for it. Not only is it a loss of our valuable energy and degrading our environment, but it is also a waste of money. So always make sure to remove the plug when you are not using an appliance.

To Sum Up

Reducing your electricity bill is not something that can be done in a day. It’s a day to day practice. Following these simple tips will lower your utility bill remarkably. But these are not the only things you can do.

There are many small things you can do to get better results. For instance, try to install energy-efficient appliances. They take up a lot less energy than regular ones. You should also be mindful of wasting energy by keeping lights or coolers on when they are not required. Last, but not the least, use a budget calculator to keep a tab on where your money is going.

5 Amazing Tips for Maintaining a Wooden Fence

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Your fence is a vital aspect of your yard and property; if it’s well-maintained, it may offer beauty, seclusion, and elegance, but a weary or decaying fence can make your house appear uninviting and unwanted. And you don’t want that?

It’s critical to keep up with the repair of your wooden fencing because if you don’t, you may have to replace it. It also looks horrible if you decide to sell your property, and it’s such a simple action with tremendous consequences.

Tips For Maintaining A Wooden Fence

With our top 5 recommendations, you’ll be able to confidently attack your wooden fence and bring it back to life. Here goes a list of tips you should consider: 

  • Get proper equipment
  • Protect grass and plants( also animals)
  • Bleach panels
  • Let the fence dry out
  • Repeat process if needed

1. Get proper equipment

If you want everything to go smoothly and without any troubles, you should get all the needed equipment first, before you start doing anything else. With this step, you can make yourself easier, and also you will save a lot of time. You won’t have to stop halfway through the work to pick anything up, which will reduce tension farther down the road. The following are the primary items required to clean your fence:

  • Wood stain
  • Power washer
  • Sheets to protect the ground
  • Brushes
  • Bleach or any other wood treatment

2. Protect grass and plants

You don’t want to ruin your backyard and all the beautiful plants you have, do you? You need to know that you are about to do some blasting with a washer machine, but also you will going to use bleach and other solutions which can do harm to your plants, animals, and ground.

Just to be sure that solutions and washer machines not going to ruin your backyard or garden, use plastic sheets to cover up the ground around your fence, and around the area with your tools and equipment. Before you begin, take any potentially damaged plant pots or outdoor furniture out of the way.

3. Bleach wooden panels

You can buy a decent wood cleaning fluid at most home improvement stores, but you can also make your own by diluting bleach and applying it to your fence. One part bleach to every two parts water is the easiest method to calculate this.

Place this mixture on your fencing and leave it to work for a few minutes. You may use a power washer to eliminate the liquid after you observe it removing mildew and grime. If you don’t have access to a power washer, a basic hose should suffice.

4. Let the fence dry out

After you’ve given it a good bath, you’ll need to wait for the wood to rest before applying a fresh seal. It’s crucial to do this because if the wood below is moist, the fresh wood stain will be rendered useless.

Make sure you’re not painting your wood – wood stain comes in a variety of colors and is designed to protect your wood, and if you just paint it, you’re not protecting it as effectively as you might be. There is a lot of product nowadays on the market, if you are not sure about them, you can always call wood fence specialist.

5. Repeat this process

You are in charge of the accuracy with which you carry out this procedure. The majority of individuals choose to do it every two years, while some prefer to wait longer. In reality, you’ll have to keep an eye on how your fences appear because they’ll fade faster and collect more green stains if they’re exposed to high levels of water and sunlight.

how to maintain a wooden fence

You can usually get away with just giving the wood a brief wash with the spray gun, but eventually, you’ll need to re-stain it to restore its vibrancy.

Wooden fences are usually easy to maintain, and that is why they are people’s first choice when it comes to fencings. We hope that we helped you in process of maintaining the wooden fencing, and these steps you can always recommend to someone of your friends or family, they will be amazed how easy they can repair their fences.

How To Design Grow Rooms For Your Plants?

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So, you’ve decided to set up a grow room for your plants. Despite being such a great idea, not many people get to make it a reality, perhaps due to its seemingly intimidating nature. All plants require specific levels of nutrients, humidity, air circulation, and lighting. As such, it may appear quite complicated, especially for the beginners.

However, recent innovations in the construction industry and other technologies have made it simpler to build a grow room. All you need is to find enough space that’ll serve the purpose and you’ll be ready to roll. Wondering how to go about your next project? Read on for some tips on designing indoor grow facilities.

grow-room

Deciding On The Space

The best thing about this project is that you can use just about any space. For instance, if you have spare bedrooms, sheds, walk-in closets, or garages, then you have a place to start. The next step will be to decide how much space you actually need to avoid congestion while also preserving parts of your home for other purposes.

However, don’t stress yourself too much on this as any space you have can work fine. Anything upwards of 2x2x4 should be adequate for your plants. You just need to plan it well to not only sustain the plants but also accommodate the equipment that will be used in creating the right environment.

Creating A Controlled Environment

To have a successful grow room, you’ll need to control the environment to favor the growth of plants. This entails the use of various techniques and tools such as dehumidifiers, LED lights, and an air circulation system. Of course, some of these things will depend on your geographical location and the room itself.

1. Lighting

One of the biggest investments you’ll need for your grow room is proper lighting. The best option when it comes to this area is the LED grow lights which will not only provide sufficient light, but also help in the temperature department. In addition, you may need to buy a few cables if the room doesn’t have a power supply.

Keep in mind though that these bulbs are high-wattage and will consume a significant amount of power. As such, make sure to make a few adjustments in your utility bill budget as it will most definitely increase with time.

2. Irrigation

Of course, a grow room isn’t complete without a water source as this is one of the basic needs in the growth of plants. You’ll need to design an irrigation system, which will require a set of pipes and a tank or a connection to your home’s main water supply. While still working on plumbing, install a floor drain to avoid stagnation and ensure that you use waterproof walls for durability.

grow-room-plants

3. Air Circulation

A good grow room is one that supports sufficient air circulation to ensure proper growth of plants. Therefore, your HVAC system must be able to accomplish this need. If your geographical location hinders the quality of air, you can use a filter to ensure that the air within the room is of a higher quality. The reverse can also be done if the air from the room emits a distinct odor.

4. Temperature Control

There’s a need for consistent temperature and humidity control as this is crucial in the success of your project. If the temperatures are too low, plants will grow slowly and might not reach their desired level. Hot environments, on the other hand, will lead to damaged crops. Most people with indoor grow rooms use air conditioners for this purpose and fans to get rid of the hot air. The fans also prevent the lights from searing your plants. To enhance the operation of all these instruments, it would be a good idea to insulate the room, especially if the temperatures in your region are not favorable.

Conclusion

Although it might seem quite straightforward, coming up with a well-designed grow room is a demanding adventure for many people. However, you’ll find it a lot simpler if you follow the tips discussed in this article. Decide on the room that you’ll want to redesign for this project. Apart from the size and other basic features, make sure that it’s at a safe distance from your main home, especially if you expect a lot of noise from fans and other machines.

Among the most important factors that will need a little investment on your part include lighting, plumbing, flooring, walls, water supply, and air conditioning system. Remember that bringing new components like bulbs and fans into the mix will have a significant impact on your utility bills. Therefore, be ready to make the necessary adjustments going forward.

4 Essential Tips for Building an Eco-Friendly Deck

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Building an eco-friendly deck requires carefully sourcing materials, strategically creating designs, and researching quality maintenance practices. If you’re interested in building a beautiful and sustainable deck for your home, follow these 4 essential tips for success.

green-deck

The Importance of Going Green

Gradually, the importance of living an eco-friendly lifestyle is gaining in popularity. People strive daily to discover sustainable changes they can implement in their lives to truly make a difference for the planet.

Reducing your carbon footprint can be accomplished in a variety of ways from simple changes, like choosing reusable over plastic, to major alterations, such as experimenting with alternative energy sources.

Analyze your life to uncover eco-friendly habits you can start forming today.

Building a deck is not exempt from green practices. By carefully planning and strategizing, you can build a sustainable deck that won’t harm the environment.

Ensure every aspect of your life aligns with your eco-friendly goals by discovering how to create an environmentally-friendly deck for your home.

1. Choose the Proper Materials

Constructing an eco-friendly deck involves selecting the proper materials for the job. Take time to search and analyze numerous potential materials to utilize for your deck project.

Potential sustainable and quality building materials to choose include:

When talking about sustainability, one needs to consider maximum durability and longevity. With long-lasting metal stair railings, you get good value for money and avoid adding more waste to the environment. Metal railings are a long-term investment. This means that, unlike wooden rails, it will take years and decades for them to rot and lose their function. This doesn’t only save you on costs but also helps protect the environment. When hiring professionals, notice their equipment and tools. For selecting industrial ladders for your decking project, find here the best recommendations.

Each material option provides different advantages and disadvantages for the earth and your deck. Research each type of building material to discover the decking that’ll suit your green project. Contemplate important information related to locality, production, maintenance, longevity, and recycling.

Create a pro and con list to determine the perfect decking material that aligns with your eco-friendly conscious.

Choosing the proper building materials for your sustainable project is the first step to ensuring you build an ecological deck.

2. Select a Conscious Design

Planning your dream deck should be completed with an environmentally-sound focus. Guarantee your deck design minimally impacts your carbon footprint by carefully considering important aspects.

How will you build your deck? Avoid excessive digging by marking the location of your support beams and only digging in the specific spots.

How will you position your deck? Evaluate your home and deck building space. Choose a location, if possible, that’s protected from the sun and utilizes the shade of trees. Arranging your deck with sufficient shade will help you avoid building additional structures in the future.

How will you decorate your deck? Select eco-friendly decorations to support your sustainable deck. Purchase recycled deck furniture, install solar lighting, and incorporate plants.

Create an environmentally-conscious design to guarantee you build a beautiful deck.

3. Perform Deck Maintenance Carefully

Preserve your sustainable deck by performing regular maintenance. Avoid harsh chemicals and select eco-friendly cleaners that’ll keep your deck beautiful and help save the planet.

Research a variety of methods for cleaning your deck. Search for natural cleaners, homemade solutions, and chemical-free products.

Natural cleaners for decks can be located online by performing a simple search. Research reviews for different cleaners to discover the best option.

Household solutions, such as white vinegar, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide, can be combined with water to create a green cleaner for your deck.

Chemical-free products that serve as deck cleaners include oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach will clean your deck without damaging or bleaching the wood.

Contemplate your deck maintenance options to ensure you don’t undermine the integrity of your eco-friendly deck by choosing improper cleaners. A lot of these improper cleaners are products that many people have sitting around in their homes… these items are what you would call household hazardous wastes.

4. Seek Assistance

Purchasing materials and designing a deck is a difficult process, especially if you’re inexperienced. Consider hiring a professional if you need assistance building a quality, eco-friendly deck.

Research different decking companies in your area. Ask friends and family for business recommendations. During your search, specifically review each company’s skills, style, and eco-friendly focus.

Ask questions about building materials, designs, and maintenance possibilities. Guarantee they’re aware of your desire to create a sustainable deck.

Select a decking company capable of completing your green project and talented at building quality Kansas City decks.

If you’re interested in building an eco-friendly deck, follow these 4 essential tips to ensure you create a beautiful deck while reducing your carbon footprint.

The Greener Garden: 4 Sustainable Options To Explore

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Many of humans’ daily activities contribute to the decay of planet Earth. In fact, even when gardening, carbon emissions are released, which might add to the current problem of global warming. However, the good news is gardening can be done properly through various efforts and actions.

Minimizing environmental impacts should be your ultimate goal for a greener garden. If you’re wondering what sustainable practices could eliminate lesser waste in your garden, there are certain changes you can do. No matter how minor they are, these small steps can accumulate. And soon, you’d be able to fully adopt healthier and greener gardening methods. Here are some sustainable options you can explore to turn your garden greener.

sustainable options to turn your garden greener.

1. Reuse Materials That Can Be Used For Gardening

Recycling is a popular effort to make to go green. By incorporating used materials into your garden, you can do impactful initiatives to help save the environment.

For instance, you can declutter your home and find items you can repurpose into garden materials, like pots and plant vases. Whether you need upcycled stuff for your indoor hydroponic vertical farming or outdoor conventional garden beds, there are many recyclable things you might find in your garage or attic. Or you can also check out recycling shops and find materials you can repurpose for your garden needs. Who would have known your stunning flower pots were made out of recycled items?

You can refer to some online sources to learn how to make gardening materials out of buckets, clay pots, used pipes, and worn-out furniture. Just exercise your own creativity when recycling objects. Doing so may even allow you to expand your home’s individuality and explore new styles for your garden. This green trick wouldn’t only help the planet but would also allow you to enhance your creativity and resourcefulness.

2. Incorporate Native Plants

Choosing the right plants is a critical aspect of growing a sustainable garden. It’s therefore essential to incorporate native plants in it. These plants are a part of the balance of nature, which have existed in your region for many years. They’re easy to plant, grow, and maintain.

For example, one of the easiest plants to take care of is perennials that are already adapted to your climate, rainfall, and soil type. These require less maintenance, use less water, and thrive better than other plants. Of course, you can add trees and shrubs into your garden, but perennials are perfect to serve as a permanent garden display since they last all seasons long. You may also use self watering window boxes to conserve water.

3. Attract Wildlife

Attracting wildlife is another helpful strategy to raise a greener garden. Garden animals, such as worms, toads, and bees, could be pretty significant as they serve different roles and purposes. For instance, frogs feed on pests like bugs, beetles, or grasshoppers, which if left lingering in your garden might cause damage to your produce or plants. Another helpful animal is earthworms, which could bring more air and water into your soil. Lastly, bees pollinate flowers, which could add to the overall beauty of your landscape and garden. You can bring more life to your garden by making it bee-friendly.

bee-friendly garden

To have a healthy garden, you need more living organisms, especially in your soil. A healthy ecosystem is formed by hundreds of thousands of microbes interacting with each other and with plant roots. One way to encourage healthy microbes forming in garden beds is to use compost and organic mulch as fertilizers.

For a garden ecosystem to be resilient, the soil ecosystem must be healthy. In the plant roots, bacteria and fungi release nutrients that are carried by worms deep into the soil. These rich nutrients would make your produce fresher and more nourished, too. When you generate more living things, it would create rich biodiversity in your garden, which would, in turn, make your garden greener.

4. Shift To Organic Gardening

Organic gardening, a method of growing fruits and vegetables without using synthetic fertilizers, is an essential part of sustainability. Using fewer chemicals in your garden is not only ecologically sound but also more cost-effective. An added benefit is that organic produce would be healthy for you and your family.

You can do small baby steps by simply adding organic compost to your soil to make it healthy and rich in nutrients. And when you need to handle pests, there are natural and organic matters you can use to help you get rid of them. In fact, there are homemade pest control remedies that could work wonders in your garden.

Conclusion

Making your garden more organic and greener is enough effort to help save the environment. In addition to being beautiful and sustainable, stewarding nature enhances the garden as a whole. Hopefully, with the tips mentioned in this article, you’d be able to grow a fruitful and biodiverse garden.

5 Money-Saving Upgrades To Make Your Home Energy-Efficient

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Did you know the average American household spends about $2,000 annually for utilities? What’s more, $200 to $400 is money wasted due to drafts, air leakage, and outdated HVAC systems. That’s a lot of money, right? You can save that money by making energy efficient upgrades to your home.

Let’s take a look at these money-saving upgrades, shall we?

1. Insulation

A very cost effective way to save on energy is by adding more insulation in the attic, or switching out the typical blanket insulation for either cellulose loose-fill insulation or spray foam insulation. The spray foam insulation is the most effective type of insulation for energy efficiency.

home-insulation

With that in mind, installing spray foam insulation requires professional installation and it can range anywhere from $1 to $1.50 per square foot.

2. Energy efficient appliances and HVAC system

Older appliances tend to use a of energy and are nowhere near as energy efficient as newer models. Look for appliances and electronics that are ENERGY STAR approved products. By replacing the refrigerator, washer and dryer and even the ranges, you can save 15% on how much energy your home uses.

The same with heating and cooling. When you upgrade your HVAC system, you can save up to 20% to 50% on your energy bills – providing you make some of the other upgrades on this list.

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3. Programmable thermostat

It seems like everything is a smart device doesn’t it? Smart thermostats are an excellent way to reduce the amount of heating and cooling is used, especially when you’re not home. In the winter, you can decrease the temperature when you’re not at home and increase it to a comfortable temperature about 30 minutes before you get home, and vice versa.

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If you don’t want to go the smart thermostat route, there are programmable thermostats where you can change the settings so the temperature is where it’s set to at the desired time.

4. Eliminating air leaks

One of the biggest culprits of wasted energy is air leakages. A whopping 40% of a home’s heating or cooling is lost due to drafty doors and windows and ill-fitted air ducts. You can prevent this by upgrading your doors and windows to high energy options. Not only are the new doors and windows themselves energy efficient, but the new seals will prevent air leakage. Save your precious time by using an estimating software to find out the cost incurred in home upgrades.

If you cannot afford new windows or doors, you can always use exterior-grade caulking and new weatherstripping to seal up cracks or gaps you may find.

5. Install ceiling fans

Ceiling fans are a great way to add a bit of style to a room, but they can also help circulate the air, regardless of the season. Most fans have a switch that allows you to change the direction the fan moves. In the summer, it should rotate counterclockwise to push the cooler air down, therefore making the air feel cooler than it actually is. In the winter, it should rotate clockwise to pull the cool air upward and push the warm air downward.

Keeping your home’s energy costs as low as possible isn’t just smart as a homeowner, it’s also a good way to increase the value of your home. And, according to HomeLight’s Q2 2020 survey, we are in a seller’s market! 60% of agents who participated in the survey said there were 60% more bidding wars in June 2020 and the market doesn’t seem to be slowing.

That means if you’re looking to sell, these energy efficient upgrades are a great way to pique a buyer’s interest – maybe even more than one!

Weather-Resistant Building Materials for 2022

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Homeowners are always wary of extreme weather conditions such as flooding, severe rain, excess heat, and extreme coastal surges. Extreme weather can either damage the exteriors of a home or your garage flooring Minneapolis or make the indoor temperatures. That leads to expensive repairs or high costs and energy saving is at the forefront of every homeowner’s mind. To protect a home from extreme weather, the best thing to do is build using water-resistant materials and to elevate your house in a way that surging floods don’t sweep your house away.

If you have resolved to build a new home in 2022, here are some of the most weather-tolerant materials to consider:

1. Concrete

Concrete is one of the strongest building materials out there, particularly when it comes to withstanding pressure and stress. This material can be pre-casted to become water-resistant, it doesn’t expand or contract in extreme weather, and when reinforced with rebar and pre-stressed, it can be extremely durable.

What’s more, concrete is readily available all over the world at very affordable prices. You can use it to build your basement walls or a slab foundation for your home or rental property by hiring services of specialized companies.

2. Wood

Wood is one of the oldest building materials. I mean, it was used to build shelters in the mid-stone age. You can use wood as a primary siding material or reinforce it with concrete or metal to make it stronger and more durable. Wood is also a bad conductor of heat, making it an ideal material to use in areas that experience extremely hot or extremely cold seasons.

However, wood has one key disadvantage: It can decay when exposed to excess water for a prolonged period. It can withstand moderate moisture for a decade or two especially when there is an occasional sun to dry it up, but it will eventually decay. The positive thing is that wood can be painted and treated to prevent it against moisture damages.

3. Vinyl

Vinyl is a great siding installation due to its ability to shed rainwater away. It is not 100% water-resistant, but it has superior water resistance than wood. In most cases, vinyl is installed in a standard interlocking horizontal wall, so it does not retain much dampness or snow after a rainy season. Modern vinyl panels are made with “weep holes” that aid in channeling away excess water in order to keep the siding wall dry at all times, consequently increasing its durability.

You can also reinforce it with an insulation board so as to keep away any stubborn moisture that refuses to dry away through the weep holes. A house wrap is also a great secondary reinforcement- it ensures that moisture doesn’t penetrate the sidings, consequently keeping your interiors warmer than the exteriors.

4. Metal roofing

For the homeowners who live in hailstone-prone areas, metallic hail-resistant roofing shingles are your best bet. Such roofing will withstand storm damage and remain intact even when high winds blow through your region. If you want a hail-resistant roofing option that is also stylish and contemporary, you can try the stone-coated metal roofing tiles.

5. Fire-resistant materials

There are areas that are more prone to fire outbreaks than storm damages. California, for example, experience lots of wildfires during summer months than they experience storms during winter. If you live in such an area, then you need to use building materials that make your home as fire-resistant as possible. Sometimes it is hard to avoid these acts of nature, but your contractor can help you mitigate their effects.

You can, for example, install fire-rated roofing that resists ignition even when exposed to extremely high temperatures. There are also windows that don’t shatter in heat. Even if these materials won’t be salvaged after the fire, they will at least prevent your interiors from the fire. You will only need to do minor rehabilitations to your home’s exteriors once the fire subsides.

6. Stone

Most ancient buildings world over are made of stone. This material is durable and can withstand almost every extreme weather condition you can think of. It is also classy and readily available.

Conclusion

There are many weather-resistant materials to check out in 2022. More new materials will be invented going forward, and the existing ones will continue being reinforced in order to increase their durability and strength. The six materials discussed above will get the job done. If you need more, make sure you research widely and talk to as many homeowners in your area before settling for a material.