ECO-FRIENDLY RENOVATIONS | TIPS FROM RENOVCO TEAM

Eco-Friendly Renovations Tips

• Tip1: Say no to demolishing

Don’t think to tear down the walls and floors or throw away pieces of furniture from your home, it can cost a lot and perhaps it’s not even necessary for you to do it. Take a look around the house and estimate what exactly you can save by repurposing or reusing it. Having an old chandelier may not look great in the living room, but may still serve you well in the kitchen. Another interesting way is to give a new purpose to your doors by turning them into a swing, bed frame, shelf, photo frame, or a bookshelf.

• Tip2: Buy reclaimed

Don’t worry to get caught up with having to have the newest and shiniest. The most important thing is thinking about other materials like reclaimed wood which is not only an environmentally sound choice but sublimely handsome and growing in popularity in all sorts of home renovation projects. It is a great choice for counter-tops, flooring, and walls.

• Tip3: Reface your place

Take a look at your cabinets and closets, they might have lost their sparkle, but if the wood quality is still excellent, then don’t throw them away! Furthermore, they will save some money and you can spend the money on new things. It is very essential that your creative flow mix with eco-friendly renovations. In a simple way, you can reface your cabinets and closets with self-adhesive wallpapers and the best thing is that you can do it yourself in a very short time.

• Tip4: Donate your unwanted items

If you have old fixtures or furniture like chandelier, armchairs, or bed, don’t toss it, instead bring it a consignment shop or gave it to a friend who might enjoy repainting and re-purposing it. With this in mind, not only are you being eco-friendly, but you are truly giving back to the community.

• Tip5: Another manner doing eco-friendly renovations is thinking for energy-efficient

Buying new appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens have to be energy-efficient. This will help you be more eco-friendly. All energy-efficient products have the Energy Star logo right on them and will give you all the information you need.

• Tip6: Give a chance to reclaimed wood

If you are looking for shops for new pieces of furniture or floors, you can still go green about it. You can consider getting pieces of furniture made of reclaimed wood, as a result, you will preserve more trees, reduce the amount of lumber waste and the usage of harmful chemicals in the lumber business.

• Tip7: Reface instead of replacing

As we just mentioned, the greatest expense of any kitchen remodel may very well be your cabinets. Rather than replacing them altogether, consider repainting them or simply refacing them. Replacing doors and drawers can give seemingly tired cabinets a whole new life and eco-friendy renovations.

• Tip8: Use low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints

Have you thought that by repainting some pieces of furniture at your home and still protecting nature? Of course, it’s possible! All you need to do is to use low VOC paints and eco-friendly renovations. Low VOC paints are earth-friendly and better for you and your family too, because you won’t inhale all those bad chemicals that regular paints contain.

• Tip9: Insulation

One of the best investments in your home is high-quality insulation. Of course is known that the better insulated your home is, the better it is protected from the elements. Remember that are many weatherproofing benefits, such as the fact that insulation will make it cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter. As a result, you won’t need to use the air conditioner and heaters as much and as a result, you will save energy and reduce electricity costs.

• Tip10: Facade

During your home renovation, you should also pay attention to your exterior. The simplest manner to update the facade is to repaint it, and it is recommended that you use low VOC paints here as well. If you have an insulation home, it will be for nothing if you don’t replace old windows that are letting all the cold and hot air inside your home. During this process, you will need a safe ground under your feet that won’t wobble, and that’s exactly why you need to get some high-quality scaffolding for the job and to give a brand new look to the facade of your house.

• Tip11: Use solar energy

A lot of people are starting to consider solar energy when renovating their homes. Why not take advantage of the sun’s energy to power your home with solar energy?! Solar energy can impact your heating bill as well. Solar energy can be used to heat, or help heat a home, and often give enough power for small items like fountains to run.

• Tip12: Visit salvage yards and antique shops

Antique shops and consignment shops are the best places to visit for items such as doorknobs, light fixtures, and even mantels. This not only helps your bottom line, but these repurposed items will add charm and warmth to your home that simply cannot be replicated by their newer counterparts. The conclusion is that choosing eco-friendly renovations for your home not only helps the environment but allows you to do so while giving back to your community while saving some serious money.

Having eco-friendly renovations is essential but you need some cleaning methods too. In winter months, things can somehow seem messier, dirtier and less organized. Here are some ideas about how to tackle in time with home cleaning and not only to leave yourself feels fresh for spring.

• Firstly you have to go through all your closets and clothes and divide them into keepers and giveaways.
• The second step is to pair up mitts and stack them neatly where they can be easily accessed without falling into a jumble again; singletons should be thrown out.
• The third one is to clean boots thoroughly and spray with protectant.
• The fourth step is related to the budget. A new year is a great time to create, or overhaul, your budget. Create a budget that has flexibility in it and resolve to stick to it.
• Another step is to pull your taxes together; if you start early, there will be plenty of time to go after missing receipts and add up deductions.
• Don’t forget to schedule dental checkups and annual visits to the doctor and various specialists (eye doctor, gyno, orthodontist, chiropractor, etc.).
• The next step is to make an appointment with your financial advisor or bank, to check the health of your RRSP and other investments and make any adjustments.
• Take a look if you can find a convenient storage system for frequently used pans, such as a hanging rack (or drawer) near where they’re used.
• The next step is to go through your spices and throws away those that are expired or have just a teeny bit left in the bottom.
• Make a deep clean and pull all those cans and boxes of food out of cupboards and reorganize them.
• If you do a lot of work at home or make your living there, inevitably piles of papers, books, and files grow, but now is the time to go through them systematically.

Renovco is the leading eco-friendly renovations company in Ottawa, and not only. Our skilled team and technicians offer the best services for renovation, cleaning, decontamination, and emergency services. Feel free to call us at 613-727-7070 or to send us an email at info@renovco.com.