6 Ways to Go Green in Your Bedroom
From energy-saving lightbulbs to window treatments, here are 6 ways to go green in your bedroom and save hundreds on your energy bill.
Whether you’re on a mission to make every room of your home greener or you want to lower your energy bill in the bedroom, there are plenty of ways to make your master suite more sustainable.
From energy-saving lightbulbs to window treatments, here are 6 ways to go green in your bedroom and save hundreds of dollars on your energy bill.
Upgrade Your Lighting
From ceiling light fixtures to floor and table lamps, replacing the incandescent bulbs in the fixtures you use most often with energy-efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs can reduce your bulbs’ energy output by 80%. That translates to a savings of about $70 per year.
Energy-efficient bulbs also last 25 times as long as traditional incandescent bulbs, meaning it could be years until you replace those bulbs again.
Reduce Your TV’s Energy Output
When you turn off Netflix for the evening or shut off the morning news when you leave for work, you might assume that your TV stops using energy. But most electronics continue using small amounts of electricity even when they’re turned off, leading to substantial wasted electricity over time. In fact, these “energy vampires” account for about 11% of energy use in the U.S.
Unplugging your TV after every use isn’t practical, but you can reduce your carbon footprint by using a power strip. Consider investing in a strip with a shut-off timer that activates after a certain period of low-level energy consumption. And there are plug-and-play options available to help control these energy vampires.
Update Your Window Treatments
Most people choose curtains and blinds from an aesthetic perspective, but picking the right window treatments can increase your bedroom’s energy efficiency.
Replace thinner curtains with opaque curtains that have white plastic backings. If you keep your curtains closed on hot summer days, you could reduce solar heat gain by as much as 33%. And blinds can reduce the heat in your room by as much as 45% in the summer if you close them to keep out direct sunlight during the day.
Your bedroom skylight may help bring natural light into your bedroom, but all that extra heat from the sun can force your air conditioner to work harder to keep your home cool.
Place a high-reflectivity film over your skylight to keep solar heat gain to a minimum and keep your cooling bills down. High-quality insulated shades made specifically for skylights also are available.
Go Natural with Renovations
Your bedroom can be a hot spot for harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are solids that turn into gases and often cause respiratory issues. The next time you plan to redecorate, source VOC-free paint. It has much less of a smell, and it’s better for you than conventional paint.
The same rule goes for carpet, furniture, and other decor that contains adhesives. Whenever possible, opt for natural materials and construction methods, such as wool or jute carpet and real wood furniture, so you can keep unnatural chemicals out of the bedroom.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
Whether you relax in your bedroom during the day or head straight to bed after work, chances are you spend at least eight hours in your bedroom every day. Your indoor air quality in your bedroom can affect your health while you sleep or relax, and you could experience health effects related to poor indoor air quality hours or years later.
Portable indoor air purifiers can spike your energy bills. However, central air purifiers can improve indoor air quality throughout your home without driving up your energy bill.
Replacing your air filter regularly and maintaining your home’s central furnace or air handler air filter will also help strip your home of airborne allergens and keep you and your family breathing clearer.
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