Sunshine – isn’t it lovely when we can get it? It makes us feel great, puts us in a good mood, and is even good for our health. But what about our homes? If we can get so much out of sunshine, can our properties do the same? 

You might think whether a home is sunny or not wouldn’t make much difference – it’s still the same building, after all. However, the truth is that sunshine really can make your home better, so adding as much natural light into the building as you can should always be a priority. With that in mind, here are some of the reasons this is true, to help you take the first steps in making your home a sunnier one. Read on to find out more. 

Photo by Tiana

Boosts Mood And Productivity 

We’ve already briefly mentioned how sunshine makes human beings feel good, so the fact that your home is sunny has to count for something; you’ll be in a good mood and feel a lot more productive when you’re at home as well as when you’re out in the sun. 

With more and more people working from home these days, this is actually something that shouldn’t be ignored; if you want your home office (or where the kids do their homework, or anywhere else in the house, come to that) to be as productive as possible, you’ll need to let in as much natural light as you can. 

This all works because sunlight triggers the release of serotonin in the body, which is a neurotransmitter that makes you feel happy and improves your wellbeing. So, when your home has plenty of natural light in it, you’ll have enough serotonin in your system to make you productive and elevate your mood. 

Reduces Energy Costs

Having more natural light in your home can save you money, at least when it comes to your energy costs. That’s because of one very simple reason; if your home is lighter and brighter because the sunshine can get inside, you won’t have to use as much artificial light, and that means lower electricity bills. This idea might even extend to your heating because your home will stay warmer, so you’ll potentially need to use your heating less, or at least put it on a lower setting on your thermostat. 

But there’s another reason why sunshine can make your home better in terms of your reduced energy costs; solar power. By installing solar panels on your roof, you can harness the sun’s energy and use that to power your home, and that will pay for itself over time. 

Don’t worry about wasting the energy you make through your solar panels either. By using a solar battery, you can store anything that’s left over and use it another time – that’s why solar battery education is so important, as it means homeowners will be able to understand a lot more about how to use solar energy and how it can benefit them – and it’s all thanks to sunshine making your home better. 

Improves Air Quality 

No one wants to live in an unhealthy home, yet many of us do without even realizing it. There could be damp and mold hidden all around, not to mention the fact that the air could be full of other allergens like dust and mites. Although the sun can’t help with every health issue you might be having, it can certainly help with some because it improves air quality. 

Amazingly, sunlight can be thought of as a natural disinfectant because its ultraviolet (UV) rays can kill off bacteria, viruses, and even mold that could be lurking in your home. As well as the fact that UV can kill off lots of nasty, illness-causing bugs and germs, it can also help to reduce humidity levels, which can then mean fewer allergens and other harmful microorganisms are able to grow. In other words, when you allow more sunlight inside, you’ll be helping to make your home a lot healthier at the same time as making it a more enjoyable place to be anyway. 

Boosts Property Value 

You might not even be thinking of selling your home right now, and perhaps you don’t think you ever will, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t want it to be worth more in the long run, and if you do intend to sell at some point, making sure the property is worth as much as possible is always going to be a priority. 

As you might expect, sunshine can definitely help here. If your home is flooded with natural light, potential buyers are going to be more likely to want to live there themselves – they’ll feel a lot more positive about your home than if it’s dark, for example, and they’ll be able to see all the lovely elements you’ve added to make it look good. When you invest in adding more natural light to your home in whatever way works for you (a skylight or two, large sliding doors, sheer curtains, and so on), you’ll boost the price because more people will be interested in buying, and they won’t have to do so much work to the property to make it light and airy once they move in. 

Enjoy More Plants 

We’re often told that we should have more plants in our homes – they’re good for air quality (and we’ve already seen above how important that is), not to mention the fact that they make a home feel much more comfortable and help people relax. Plus, if you have a bit of a green thumb, you can enjoy a soothing hobby right there in your own home when you take care of the plants (and if you’re not so green-thumbed, you can always choose plants like succulents that don’t need so much looking after). 

When you have plants, you’re going to need lots of sunshine to make them thrive, so of course, this is another way that sunshine makes your home better. Check how much sunshine the specific plants you have or want in your home need, and that will help you find the ideal spot for them in your home, depending on how much light comes in. In this way, the plants will grow and look healthy, and they’ll be much easier to look after while also improving the look of your home.