Wales often finds itself on top lists of the most beautiful countries in the world, with keeping clean and green a core part of our national identity. It’s a reputation we’ve earned, and it’s not one we can afford to let slip by. This being the case, it’s little surprise that more people are taking the extra step and including more green initiatives in their homes. Not only can this help with the environment and save money, but it can also boost a home’s value while looking towards Wales’ future. So, how can you follow suit?
Figuring Out Your Value
Before looking at improving your value, it can be helpful to know your starting point. To this end, there are a variety of helpful tools which can answer the question of ‘how much is my house worth’. This online method uses a specially developed algorithm which looks at thousands of different data points to help you know exactly where you stand on the house value spectrum. From the basis of these calculations, you can then explore how much you might add to your house value with new green additions.
Green Approaches
There are a huge number of different options you can explore for green additions or modifications to your home, but we need to be confident we can meet regulations before we start. To this, be sure to check the Welsh government website for details on different planning permissions, so whatever you change is fully legal and without risk of being removed.
The most common starting place in green modifications to a home comes from the addition of solar panels. These can supplement your energy consumption, replace your reliance on the grid, or even pay you as they return electricity to other citizens. Combined with storage batteries, solar can keep you covered in instances of power failure, and even better, can be made cheaper thanks to grants and financial aid from the Welsh government.
Another classic step for anyone with a yard is to grow your own vegetables. Even if you don’t have a particularly green thumb, getting started with easy vegetables like cabbage, garlic, and tomatoes can save you big on rising supermarket prices. Excess produce can then be sold for a profit, so you can invest more in growing next season, or in other green additions to your home.
Our last major recommendation is that you consider upgrading your oldest appliances to newer and more energy-efficient models. As much as we can love an old fridge that has served us for decades, for example, a modern machine can be up to three times more energy efficient than one built in the 1990s. You don’t need to replace everything, but some Google searching on your appliances and how they stack up against modern energy-efficient models can reveal some key areas where you can upgrade to save on energy costs and reduce waste.
Being green in the disposable age may not be convenient, but it is important. For decades, humans have been cashing cheques against the future, and in the 2020s, the bill is coming due. To keep Wales beautiful, reduce our waste, and increase the value of our home, going green is an increasingly valid solution that can make an appreciable difference.