Are you wondering why your home isn’t nearly as eco-friendly as you’d like it to be? Well, that’s entirely understandable! Besides, what are the options you’re even going to have? For the average person, when we think about making our homes more eco-friendly, typical suggestions like switching to LED bulbs, upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, and improving insulation come to mind.
And why not? All of these are known for working, and these are even known for making a massive impact, too! However, there are several less obvious culprits lurking in our homes that might be undermining our green efforts. Yes, you read that right! There are actually a few unusual suspects that the average person just doesn’t know about because there isn’t a light shining on them. So, with that all said, here are some factors that just might be causing your home to be less eco-friendly than expected!
Old Carpets
But carpets are eco-friendly; they’re great for insulation, so what gives? Well, your cosy old carpet could be a hidden source of environmental concern. Over time, carpets accumulate dust, dirt, and allergens, but they can also contain older chemicals that are no longer used in newer carpets, such as VOCs, which can release toxins into the air for years. Plus, it gets to the point where the old carpet is so worn down that it’s not a great insulator anyway. If upgrading, consider eco-friendly options like carpets made from natural fibers (like jute).
Inefficient Fireplace
A crackling fire in an open fireplace might feel homely, but it’s surprisingly inefficient. If you’ve ever seen a fireplace with cast iron cages, it’s actually due to that! It’s something that the Victorians would use when focusing on energy efficiency and warmth.
So, with that said, most of the heat escapes through the chimney, and the burning of wood contributes to indoor and outdoor air pollution. If you love your fireplace, consider switching to a more efficient wood stove or a gas, ethanol, or electric fireplace that provides heat without pollution.
Conventional Paints
The walls around you could be subtly off-gassing chemicals. Conventional paints use solvents that emit VOCs (just like old carpets), contributing to indoor air pollution and potential health risks. But your walls would have to be really old in order for this to happen.
The Effects of Clutter
Not only can clutter make your home feel less peaceful, but it can also be environmentally unfriendly. Yes! It’s actually true! Just think about it for a moment; it leads to extra cleaning and sometimes even extra heating or cooling requirements. Besides, this could even lead to you accidentally buying more of something that you didn’t need to buy in the first place.
Your Ceiling
So, chances are, you already knew that your roof- if not well-insulated could cause your home to be eco-friendly, right? But did you know that your ceiling could do the same? It doesn’t matter what room it is, either. But how exactly? Well insufficient or outdated ceiling insulation batts can result in energy loss as heat escapes through the ceiling. So it’s about checking up on this and getting around to making an upgrade when you can. Just make sure to reach out to a professional and let them see if this is a problem in your house.