More and more people are taking responsibility for how their everyday life has an impact on the environment. This could cover everything from installing energy saving devices right through to purchasing a property that has the capacity for solar panels on the roof. If you are unsure whether the property you are looking at will fit in with your eco-friendly dreams you should discuss with the Conveyancing Solicitors Manchester way, like https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/conveyancing-solicitors/conveyancing-solicitors-Manchester that you are using for the purchase. They will be able to discuss any findings from the property surveys with you.
If you are looking to add some personality into your new home by changing the flooring, you may be interested to know there are a variety of eco-friendly options available to you.
Of course, the most environmentally friendly flooring is the one you already have. Buying something new, even if it’s the greenest option you can get, still involves some sort of cost to the planet.
However, unless you have lovely old floorboards under your carpets or stone tiles you can bring back to life, you will need to buy new floors at some point. Which is the best option?
Reclaim it
The next best thing to restoring your old flooring, reclaimed floors are made out of materials that have been recycled from other sources. For example, you can find timbers and decking that have been rescued from old barns, factories and warehouses.
Although this is a very green option, it can be expensive, so you may want to look at cheaper options instead.
Go natural
Natural types of flooring – that is, those made from natural materials – are usually the greenest types.
Bamboo is a very eco-friendly choice, as is wooden flooring, although you would be wise to ensure that any flooring you buy has been taken from sustainable sources. Reputable brands will make this clear on their packaging and advertising.
Woollen carpets are another good choice. Making carpet out of wool uses a fraction of the energy used to make a nylon one. Moreover, wool is a sustainable material, even if it comes all the way from New Zealand.
You can also get carpets and other flooring that has been made from cork, coir, seagrass or jute, all of which are excellent choices.
Laminate flooring
Laminate flooring may not be the most obvious “green” choice, but some brands are certainly manufactured with the environment in mind.
Very hard wearing, it will last a long time and can be recycled at the end of its life.
Don’t forget the underlay
There is little point being eco-friendly with your flooring if you don’t bother looking into the underlay.
According to The Guardian, there are several different environmentally-friendly makes of underlay that will do the trick.
These include those made from recycled carpet fibres or rubber – material that would otherwise go to landfill sites.aa