Older homes have a lot of character and charm. But they also have some issues when it comes to amenities and features. Old electrical wiring can be a serious hazard, and outdated hardwood flooring can cause painful slivers.
The good news is we’ve compiled a list of things you can do around your new, but not-so-new, house so you can enjoy all the architectural detail without any of the problems. Here are six things you can update in your house to make your home feel new.
Install new bamboo flooring. Hardwood floors aren’t just a trend in today’s houses. They’ve become a staple of the millennial household. But the original hardwood flooring in your home may not be in the best condition to let your pets and kids run around on, especially not in bare feet. If you’re looking to update your older home, one of the best places to start is to update your flooring. Bamboo flooring, in particular, comes in a variety of colors and it’s three times harder than oak flooring. What’s more, strand-woven solid bamboo floors rarely ever need to be refinished in a residential installation, however, they can be refinished between two to four times, so you can enjoy your new floors for longer than you would traditional hardwood.
Re-paint your walls. Older homes are more likely to have lead paint, so it’s important to have any lead-based paint removed from the walls and wood around your home. After the paint has been removed, you can give your home an updated paint job to refresh the rooms and gives your home a modern look. Paint can also help to cover up the decades-old wallpaper in your entryway or dining room.
Insulate your attic. Old homes can be drafty, which can cause issues when it comes to your HVAC system’s efficiency and your home energy bills. Luckily, you can fight back against these drafts by insulating your home. Your attic is a prime suspect for drafts. You can actually tell whether your attic’s insulation is a problem in your home if your house suffers from the stack effect. The stack effect is when all the heat in your house rises to the second floor in the winter and all the cool air rises in the summer. This is because your home is trying to equalize the pressure between the air inside and the air outside, and it’s able to do that through your attic’s poor insulation.
Update your old appliances. Depending on when your home’s appliances were last updated, you may not necessarily need new ones. But ancient appliances that have seen better days are not only unappealing, they’re also not energy efficient. Just make sure if you do choose to update your appliances that they’re still the right size for space.
Retrofit your lights. It’s always good to have your electrical system updated when you move into a new home, especially when the home is on the older side. The majority of house falls are caused by faulty electrical wiring, and so it can be dangerous to use the original home’s wiring system. It’s also a good idea to retrofit your lights to LEDs. LED lighting is more energy-efficient and warmer-looking than old school lighting. LED bulbs are also more readily accessible than fluorescent bulbs.
Replace your bathroom tiles. Depending on how old your home is, your master bathroom might just reflect the decade. Pastel pinks, yellows, and blues were a favorite when it came to bathroom tile in the 1950s and 1960s. And while the colored tile is making a comeback, those colors aren’t really trending in pastels. To give your master bathroom a facelift, consider removing the old tile and replacing it with white tile and an accent color around the vanity.
Interested in installing bamboo flooring in your home?
Bamboo flooring is made from natural vegetation. Compared to other types of flooring, the bamboo plant is highly renewable. In fact, it can grow to maturity in just three to five years.
If you’re interested in installing natural bamboo flooring in your home an eco-friendly and heavy-duty flooring option, Ambient Bamboo Flooring has the installers for you. To learn more about our different types of bamboo flooring including strand woven eucalyptus and more, contact Ambient Bamboo Flooring today.