How to Go Green Without Ruining your Home’s Aesthetic

When you’ve spent thousands upon thousands of dollars to make the interior and exterior of your home look majestic, it may be the very thing that’s hindering you from switching to a much more eco-friendly way to power up your property!

But here’s a secret, there are ways for you to be able to reap all the benefits of solar energy while at the same time staying true to the motif of your home, no matter how majestic it might look. If you don’t believe me, read on to find out how to do just that.

1. Solar Bulbs

One of the easiest ways you can utilize the power of the sun for your needs is to buy solar bulbs or solar lights. These small contraptions don’t need to be plugged into an outlet or be given their own battery. Instead, it generates its own power through solar energy. Solar bulbs have small photovoltaic cells that capture and store power in a battery. And when the sun is down, a sensor will detect the change and will turn on the light for you. It’s cheap, effective, and inconspicuous, too!

However, just to remind you, solar bulbs need to be placed in a strategic area where their access to the sun won’t be blocked off by a tree, a bush, or even your roof! It also needs a particular amount of solar power to last all night long. Be wary of this during winter because nights are longer and snow can actually build up on top of your solar lights preventing them from storing enough power.

2. Solar-Powered Garage

If you can afford to put a little bit of a solar panel sitting atop your roof, you can do what this guy did in his house and installed his very own solar panel to power up his garage door. While this may look tricky, it still certainly looks cooler and is obviously cheaper for you in the long run. If you can’t put anything at all on top of your roof, then perhaps you can install the panel from your yard. Basically, with a panel as small as that, you won’t be ruining your home’s aesthetic too much, especially if you have a much more modern design.

Plus, the panel can do more than just power up your garage door. The garage itself could be completely powered off using that system which, of course, is a more practical thing to do.

3. Install a Discreet Solar Ventilating System

Solar ventilating air heaters or simply solar preheaters are simple machines used to preheat ventilation air. Such systems have been available since the 90s and are often used by large industrial buildings that need a powerful ventilation system. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be used to properly ventilate your home.

The thing is, it may be a bit difficult to install (yes, more difficult than putting up a solar-powered garage system). You need a few things like a solar collector that goes on top of your roof, mounting tools, a ventilation fan, ductwork, and bypass dampers.

While this sounds intimidating, such solar roof vents are now really small and almost unnoticeable that it fits quite nicely on your roof.

4. Buy a Solar Grill

Solar grills are perfect for backyard barbecue parties, gifts for dad, and camping in the woods because, of course, solar cookware will give you enough heat to make a mean meal wherever you may be (during the day that is). Purchasing a solar grill if you’re somewhat of an eco-warrior and adventurer at the same time is definitely worth it in that regard.

Bring it with you during your travels or keep it for your personal use at home. Whatever the situation may be, using such a simple tool can save you money and can save the environment, too!

5. Opt for a Solar Farming Subscription

If you’re not really into the idea of adding devices and what you want is to use renewable energy for your entire home, then there’s another option. You can always just subscribe to a solar farm in your area. Solar farms or community solar systems are subscription-based services that provide power generated from solar energy by building large-scale solar panel areas within a specific community.

Many states have mandated the creation of such systems within their jurisdictions not only to power homes but even government facilities. So if you want to learn more about this option, here’s a community solar guide you can check out.

By learning about all the ways you can use solar power in your home, I do hope you consider setting up any of the above mentioned systems to minimize your carbon footprint and contribute to making the world a cleaner