Sustainable home renovations are increasingly popular and easy to achieve. Recycling renovation waste and finding construction materials made from recycled materials has never been easier.
Recycle Your Renovation Waste
From old, asphalt roof shingles to windows, nearly everything you remove while renovating can be recycled. For example, make sure your roofing company sends the old asphalt shingles to a recycling center, to be ground up and turned into paving material. Wood can also be recycled, either in new construction or chipped into landscaping mulch or paper. Metal can also be recycled.
Old windows, doors, and tile can be directly recycled into new construction, and you can even sell these yourself online, or at a yard sale. Doors, windows, and old appliances can also be donated to charity.
Don’t let what you tear out during your renovation go to waste. Recycle it instead.
Use Recycled Material
Reclaimed wood, windows, doors, and tile all add to the character and charm of a home. Not only that, they are often less expensive than new materials. However, finding reclaimed, intact items can be a challenge, but the hunt can also be fun.
You can also use new materials that have been made from recycled materials. For example, recycled quartz countertops are readily available. Everything from discarded dinnerware, glass bottles, mirrors, waste stone, and metal are ground up and bound together in a resin to create these countertops.
You can also find carpeting, insulation, and even roofing tiles made from recycled plastic. Recycled metal can be found in roofing, fencing, and much more. It takes a little work to find these things, but it’s worth it.
Solar and Wind
Converting your home to solar or wind power not only makes it sustainable but can save you money in the long run. If you are adding a room or a detached garage, you could make these new additions free-standing solar. Outdoor lighting can also easily take advantage of solar energy.
Home wind turbines are not as practical as solar in an urban setting but are sometimes found in rural areas. With a little creativity, you can incorporate solar and wind power into your home renovation.
Use Environmentally-Friendly Paint
Most paints are harmful for the environment. However, you can find paints that are formulated to reduce the outgassing of volatile organic chemicals, or VOCs. This not only benefits the environment but also your family’s health. They’re also made from natural materials, including clay, and various minerals.
With some forethought and a little extra work, sustainable home renovations are entirely possible.