Five Things You Can Do For A More Environmentally Friendly Garage
Don't let your garage be the energy pit of your home any longer. Homeowners looking to increase the efficiency of their home should be aware of the fact that the garage tends to increase a home's carbon footprint in a variety of ways.
The following are five little changes you can make in your garage to reduce utility bills, create a safer home, enhance comfort, and more:
Save and use water that falls on the roof of your garage
Many cleaning tasks typically performed in a garage require water. For example, washing your car or cleaning the garage floor. This type of task also tends to require water that doesn't need to be pristine like the drinking and cooking water you use inside your home.
Therefore, you can conserve water and reduce your utility bill by installing a cistern system that will collect rainwater on your roof so that you can use it. Not only can you use this water to wash vehicles and other pieces of equipment, but you can also use it to water your lawn and assist with your landscaping efforts.
Insulate your walls, ceiling, and door
One reason why a garage tends to be an energy drain is because hot and cold air can often penetrate your home more easily through your garage. This makes it so that a garage can detract from the efficiency of a home's HVAC system.
Insulating your garage is a good way to reduce energy loss. Not only can you have insulation installed in your door, walls, and ceiling, but you can also insulate ductwork and pipes to maximize the weather-tightness of your garage.
Use LED or CFL lighting
This is probably the easiest way to make your garage more green. LED and CFL lighting are more efficient than traditional light bulbs. Simply replace your traditional bulb with a LED bulb the next time it burns out.
Get a fan to ventilate your garage
Garage ventilation is especially important if you're working with substances that give off strong fumes because it will prevent fumes from building up and making the air dangerous to breath.
Ventilation is also important because it prevents hot air from building up in your garage in the summer months and forcing your air conditioner to work harder to keep your home cool.
Develop a system for taking care of potentially toxic substances
Our garages tend to contain many toxic substances used in home improvement, yard work, driveway maintenance, and more. Keep toxic substances separate and make sure they're properly marked.
Also, take care to clean harsh chemicals and other toxic substances off the floor of your garage immediately if a spill occurs. Substances that give off powerful fumes can cause severe injury if they are left to build up in a garage. Be especially careful to clean up spills of paint, pesticides, and auto fluids.
For more information on garage doors, contact a company like Tristate Garage.
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