Many home buyers are falling for the trap of buying outdated homes at a cheaper price in attempts to save money. However, eco-friendly homes are more affordable in the long run because they save you money on utilities, and often are installed with more up to date appliances that won’t need replacing anytime soon. Here are a few important parts of your home that you can update after buying the house, and others that should absolutely be updated by the time you move in to save you money.
Better HVAC Set-Ups
A programmable thermostat sets what temperature you want and at what specific times of the day and can be easily installed by the home buyer later in the process. A non-programmable thermostat is the one where the temperature is manually set with a dial. Not only does the programmable one make your rooms automatically more comfortable, but monitoring the cooling and heating systems can bring down your energy bill a great deal.
Of course, a thermostat is just one part of the whole when it comes to your HVAC system. Make sure that the home you choose is set up with the latest models for the AC and heating system. Modern styles are made to match higher standards of quality when it comes to energy efficiency and will save you more money in the long run.
High Quality Plumbing
Residential plumbing should be up to date. While elements like the showerheads and faucets can be easily replaced by a plumber for low-flow options, it is much more costly on the homeowner to replace things like the toilets, tubs, and other major fixtures. Long lasting materials like copper make for more sustainable piping as well and should be listed in the features you look for in a high quality eco home.
Electricity
If the electrical wiring hasn’t been updated in the last 10 years, you’re going to be looking at inefficient and spotty electricity use and an expensive and complicated renovation to fix it. When looking at new homes, you absolutely should ask about the wiring and check the outlets to make sure they are all working well from the get-go.
The Smaller Details
Easy additions you can add yourself later, however, include changing out the lightbulbs for LED’s. In addition to saving the environment, using less electricity, and lasting longer, energy-efficient light bulbs also save a huge chunk of money and have to be replaced much less often.
Finding a green home can be difficult in the current buyer’s market that we’re facing today. However, companies that are truly trying to appeal to their customers are working harder than ever to offer green alternatives with affordable pricing. Look for these amenities when examining homes and be sure to ask your realtor about homes being specifically marketed as eco-friendly.
