Eco Homes and Eco Home Building Tips

72

By Has_aWayWithWords

What are Eco Homes?

Eco Homes are quite simply a home which uses much less of the materials that can be harmful to the environment. Eco homes instead make use of environmentally friendly products that are more naturally renewing and easily sustainable. Using eco friendly product technology to make Eco homes more common is not only going to make our homes more green, but it will also make your home more comfortable overall. Eco Homes will be cleaner and promote better health as well. Many of us may think that it is impossible or too expensive to make our home eco friendly when in fact, creating Eco Homes is quite simple and more affordable than ever before. Even the average homeowner can take steps to add their current home to the growing list of Eco Homes.

Eco Homes Use Low VOC Paint Inside and Out

Eco Homes are quite often painted with newer more Eco friendly paints. Using environmentally friendly low voc paints when it comes time to repaint rooms or the exterior of your home is a great way to start any Eco Homes project. This is the most common and by far the easiest Eco Home improvement that you could do as an attempt be more environmentally friendly. There are a variety of paints with low VOC content, this kind of paint is tested to prove that it does not contain the high levels of the harmful chemicals which were in older paints. Basically there are Eco friendly low voc paints like, clay based paint, milk based paint, and recycled latex paints. Any of these low voc paints may be applied on a variety of surfaces and the quality of this eco friendly paint is comparable to that of traditional paint. Therefore, there is no reason not to use eco friendly low voc paints in all Eco Homes.


Flooring for Eco Homes Include Bamboo and Cork

Many Eco Homes will have flooring installed that is Eco friendly. Eco flooring products such as bamboo or cork are the most common eco flooring choices. This is used in many Eco Homes because these products are natural and more sustainable than other common flooring choices. The idea is basic yet very beneficial. Use natural floor materials which not only have a great looking finish but are durable and are better for the environment. Typically cork and bamboo are used but reclaimed wood products can also be used in eco homes. All of these materials will have advantages and disadvantages. Cork is quite a durable material, it is comfortable to walk on and is usually installed with non-toxic adhesives. Cork offers many color choices as well. Bamboo is a fantastic option due to the natural beauty of the material. Bamboo grows much faster than other trees that are used to make traditional hardwood floors. This makes it more Eco friendly than other forms of wood flooring. Eco friendly flooring is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to add a new look and greener touch to Eco Homes.

Using Renewable Energy in Eco Homes

Solar energy has also become a part of many Eco Homes. Solar panel systems mounted on the roof of many of today's eco homes is a more high end and more costly investment but has huge rewards. By using the natural light and heat from the sun to generate heat and electricity for your home you can greatly reduce your environmental impact. Eco Homes with a solar energy or other renewable energy source like wind energy can save thousands of dollars over the years. Think about all of these options and choose what is best for you when you decide to start your Eco Home building project or other improvement designs for Eco Homes.


Comments

Papa Sez profile image

Papa Sez 2 years ago

I would have loved to install solar panels in our home. Unfortunately, the cost was beyond our reach. But we did design our house to maximize natural ventilation and light. This meant much savings in our electric bill. Thanks for the hub HaWWW.

Has_aWayWithWords profile image

Has_aWayWithWords Hub Author 2 years ago

I realize not everyone can do solar panels or even wind turbines but maximizing your energy saving efforts anywhere you can is great. I always tell people do what you can within your budget and always plan for upgrades later. This will make any future additions easier when they become more affordable and can fit in your budget.

rakhi 19 months ago

IS there any disadvantage of using bamboo flooring

Has_aWayWithWords profile image

Has_aWayWithWords Hub Author 19 months ago

The only real disadvantage to bamboo flooring is that it is a relatively soft material. If it is cared for properly it will hold up as well as any other material, however it can be marred or nicked a little easier than hard woods.

Submit a Comment
Members and Guests

Sign in or sign up and post using a hubpages account.



    • No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked
    • Comments are not for promoting your Hubs or other sites

    Please wait working