It’s one of the benefits of eco friendly living houses that few people are aware of. And while getting a good night’s sleep may not be the most obvious reason you should invest in a green smart home, it does have its advantages. When you’re well rested you perform better and that leads to an overall improvement in your quality of life.
But how do eco friendly living homes promote better sleep? The two important factors that influence sleep are noise pollution and air pollution. Green and eco friendly living promotes cleaner air and a quieter environment. Let’s look at how this can be achieved.
Perfectly insulated
Insulation plays an important role in maintaining a comfortable temperature without consuming electricity. Such as:
Double-Glazed Windows:
Double-glazed windows are made up of two pieces of glass with a gap between them. The windows are tightly fitted to the frame to eliminate the possibility of air leaks. Not only does this prevent cold outside air from sneaking in through gaps, it also stops warm inside air from leaking out. It makes it much easier to control the temperature of the room which in turn keeps your room at a comfortable temperature for sleeping.
But the double-glazed windows also dampen the sound and keep the room quiet and peaceful. You’ll be able to drift off to sleep without flinching at every sound you hear.
Insulated walls
This is another green and eco friendly living feature that has a dual purpose. First and foremost, it is best to use an eco friendly living insulating material called Lambdaboard. This material is completely recyclable which makes it ideal for use in eco friendly living houses. Lambdaboard is also highly resistant to chemicals used in adhesives during the building process. This makes it sturdy and durable and unlikely to sustain any damage.
Wall insulation not only helps eco friendly living houses to retain warmth in winter, it also provides sound insulation. Blocking out the noise of traffic and making your home a haven of peace and quiet.
Ceiling insulation
It’s not uncommon for traditional houses to have some form of insulation in the roof. But this is often composed of harmful asbestos fibres which can be a health hazard. Once again, it is always best to employ an eco friendly living alternative.
Isotherm is a material made from recycled bottles, which means it’s sustainable and reduces your home’s carbon footprint. But it’s the addition of another insulating material that serves to protect your home from all forms of noise.
If you’ve never experienced a home that’s so well insulated it can be difficult to imagine how this could make a difference to your sleep. But light sleepers will appreciate the reduction in noise levels as a result of the thorough insulation offered by a greener and eco friendly living.
At the same time, all this insulation allows the kind of temperature control that ordinary home owners can only dream of. Eco friendly living homes remain warm in winter and cool in summer without needing to depend on heaters and air conditioners. If you do need to warm up or cool down a room this is achieved with the Hydronics Radiant heating and cooling system. A system of pipes laid under the floor that enables pumping hot or cold water to areas in the home where needed. The system is operated with little electricity and the temperature of each room can be adjusted independently.
It’s worth noting that the floors should also be insulated. The main reason for this is to make the Hydronics Radiant heating and cooling system as effective as possible. Once again it adds to the low levels of noise pollution experienced in a green and eco friendly living home.
It’s this even temperature that also contributes to getting a good night’s sleep. You won’t have to worry about electric blankets and heaters in the winter or running a noisy air conditioner all night in the summer. You can walk barefoot on your tiled floors all year round without any discomfort. And when you wake up refreshed in the morning you’ll have the energy you need to get through the day with ease.
Pure, clean air
Greener and eco friendly living implies that every element of a home, from the foundation to the roof tiles, is chosen with care. Eco friendly living houses aren’t just good for the environment, they’re better for the people who live in them. Green and eco friendly living extends to the way you decorate and clean your home.
You may not be aware of this, but furnishings such as carpets and wooden furniture are manufactured and preserved using harmful chemicals. That new-carpet smell is merely a sign that your carpets are leaking dangerous VOCs into the air you breathe. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) include highly toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene. Breathing in these chemicals can result in headaches, nausea and nerve problems.
Over time, these chemicals accumulate in your home, and older carpets are likely to leach even more of these toxic products into your air. On the other hand, eco friendly living houses and buildings use organic materials that aren’t treated with these poisonous products. Bamboo is an ideal material as it’s sustainable, non-toxic and durable. It adds to the clean and contemporary style of the home. Living green and eco friendly doesn’t have to mean unattractive! Bamboo is an excellent alternative to traditional carpeting. And if you would like to add carpets to your home, look for natural materials such as wool.
Paint and wood varnish are also prime sources of VOCs. There are eco friendly alternatives available. If you’re re-decorating, do some research before you buy a product and make sure it doesn’t contain toxic chemicals that could damage the health of your family. Or consider natural alternatives that don’t require chemicals in the manufacturing process. Sometimes these aren’t readily available or practical, but minimising your exposure to toxic chemicals will help you save in the long run. A healthy home means fewer visits to the doctor.
Chemicals in the home
If living green and eco friendly is important to you, you’ll want to take a closer look at the products you use to keep your home clean. There are many non-toxic cleaners you can use to keep your home fresh and clean. And the good news is that they’re often much cheaper. Baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice can clean just as well as your regular brands, just without the dangerous side-effects. Get creative and make up your own cleaning solutions. Greener and eco friendly living can be a lot of fun and easier on your pocket!
Here are some other things you can do to make sure the air in your home is free of toxins:
- Vacuum your floors regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum cleaner. These filters trap even the smallest particles and keep them from circulating in the air you breathe.
- Add a few plants to your home. Plants are good at filtering the air keeping it clean and pure. Do some research to find out which plants are particularly suited to this task.
- Open your windows. For just a few minutes every day, you should open the windows in your home to allow the air to circulate. Stale air will be forced out and replaced with fresh, clean air.
- Take your shoes off at the door. Avoid dragging in dirt and toxic particles by removing your shoes as soon as you enter your home.
- Avoid storing paint and adhesives in your home or garage. Rather, keep these in an area with good ventilation to avoid the build-up of toxic airborne particles.
When you think of a green smart home you may only focus on the features that help you to save resources and money. Additionally, true green and eco friendly living requires you to go beyond that and examine every element in your home. Your furnishings can contribute to a negative impact on the environment in ways you may not be aware of. By understanding how items are produced you’ll realise just how many dangerous chemicals are involved.
Reducing these toxins in your home is not just kinder to the environment; it also makes your home a safer and healthier space. Whether you have a young family or about to retire, ensuring the air quality of your home is essential for a healthy and happy life.
The importance of good ventilation
There’s another reason why eco friendly living houses result in a better air quality—they’re properly ventilated. Ironically, it’s the insulation that has a big role to play in a properly ventilated home. By preventing air from flowing in and out of your home through gaps in windows and under doors, the air inside is less likely to become polluted from outside sources.
But, when it comes to bathrooms and kitchens, good ventilation can prevent mould and mildew from accumulating. Mould spores are always circulating in the air, but when they find an area with the right combination of damp and warmth, they multiply. That’s why bathrooms and kitchens are most at risk. You may not be aware of a mould problem until it gets too big to ignore. By then, the damage is already done and removing it can be costly.
In eco friendly living homes, good ventilation stops this from becoming a problem. And allergies are less likely to occur when green and eco friendly living principles are applied. Ensuring the purity of the air inside your home is an advantage of green and eco friendly living that few people appreciate. And it makes a real difference to your quality of life.
Sleep easy
Studies have concluded that ‘sick-building syndrome’ does exist. It’s the reason behind poor productivity and an increase in opportunistic infections in the people who live and work in them every day. Eco friendly living houses and buildings promote better health, and it’s been proven. If that’s not enough to convince you to start living green and eco friendly, consider the effects a toxic home has on your quality of sleep.
Clean air and little noise are the best ways to get the rest your body needs. Eco friendly living homes provide these features for homeowners and the benefits are immediate. Families who live in a green smart home are healthier, happier and more productive. That all starts with a good night’s sleep and the best way to get that is to make sure your environment is clean and quiet.
Another benefit of greener and eco friendly living is the peace of mind it provides for eco-conscious homeowners. When you know that your home and way of life are not impacting the environment to its detriment, you can sleep easy at night.
