Most people that own their homes reside in a house of some description. All houses will have a house, which is obviously designed to keep wind and rain out of the home and keep any heat from escaping into the atmosphere.

The thing about roofs is that they take up a vast amount of space and don’t do much else. But if you are a “green” homeowner, did you know that there are lots of things you can do with your roof to make your home more eco-friendly?

Beautiful home - Photo by james.thompson

Here are some awesome ideas that you can check out. Some of these you will probably know about whereas others might be something that you would never have thought is possible!

Solar Panels

Solar panels - Photo by ell brown

One of the most-obvious ways to do something with your roof and be more eco-friendly is to have some solar panels installed on it.

Solar panels harness the sun’s energy and convert it into a usable format around the home, such as for the purposes of generating electricity or heating water.

Vegetated Roof

Vegetable roof garden - Photo by  New Brunswick Tourism | Tourisme Nouveau-Brunswick

If your home has a flat roof, one thing you could do is turn it into a vegetated roof! In the example above, you can see that all sorts of plants and vegetables are being grown on the roof.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is not only rewarding, but it saves you cash on your grocery bills too.

You just need to make sure that your roof can support the extra weight, as you don’t want to wake up one morning to discover the upper floors of your home covered in dirt and plants.

Why not take a look at Chris Bowers & Sons for some ideas on the different types of fruits and veg you can grow!

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater Harvesting - Photo by sarahemcc

Do you live in some part of the world where it always seems to rain? If so, then you should consider investing in a rainwater harvesting system!

In a nutshell, all you would need to do is connect your roof’s drainage system to a water tank, and then you can use that water for a variety of purposes such as flushing your toilet, watering your garden or even washing your car!

As well as being eco-friendly, rainwater harvesting systems also have the added benefit of saving you money on your utility bills.

Light Tubes

Light Tubes - Photo by Sarah G...

Are you fed up of spending money lighting up your home? One eco-friendly alternative is to use light tubes! In layman’s terms, these are tubes that run from your roof down to any rooms underneath.

They have glass or plastic coverings at the top and bottom to prevent rain or debris from entering your home, and on a sunny day they can provide lots of illumination in your home – all thanks to the sun!

Light tubes are also ideal for single-storey homes, and the main benefit of them is that they can significantly reduce your electricity bills at the same time.