Environmental conservation and energy savings has become just as important as saving for your retirement in the world today. But making sure that your home is more energy-efficient not only lightens the load on the planet, but your wallet too. You can dramatically reduce your energy consumption and give a nod to a greener planet by trying out a few smart strategies and trying to change some habits. This blog will show you how you don’t need to ditch your comfort or style when making your home more energy-efficient.
Do a Home Energy Audit
Before you start doing any type of upgrading or putting efficiency strategies in place, you need to know where your home stands on its energy use. And the best possible way to help identify where exactly you can improve and show you where your energy vampires are is a home audit.
- DIY Audit Tools: You can do a basic self-assessment by using either online calculators or even the tools on there provided by energy companies. The most common info you need to put into these tools are your home’s size, heating and cooling system, isolation levels, and whatever might be on the list.
- Professional Audit: If details are more up your alley, then you will need to hire a certified energy auditor. They will give you a more detailed analysis after they perform an extensive assessment, blower door tests, and even a thermographic inspection. You will then be able pinpoint exactly where your energy leaks.
Insulate and Seal Your Home
If you want to give your heating and cooling system a break, then insolation is your best bet. Popper insulation can reduce the amount of heat leaving your home in the winter greatly, and also reduce the heat from coming in in the summer.
- Attic Insulation: To hit heating loss where it hurts, then start with insulating your attic. Check with your climate zone recommendations and make sure that the insulation is sufficient. And if you’re falling short, beef up the insulation right away.
- Seal Windows and Doors: To stop air from leaking out, use caulking and weatherstripping around all your home’s windows and doors, including your attic hatch or door. The gaps around your electrical outlets and baseboards can be filled-up with a foam sealant.
- Wall and Floor Insulation: If your home is on the olderside, then you need to add some insulation in the walls and floors. You might have to get professionals in to do it, but if you’re a DIY fundie, then get ready to remove panels and drill holes to add the insulation material.
Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Appliances
The waffle maker you have had since college uses way more energy than the modern version of it. Overhauling your appliances with the Energy Star label once can take a chunk out of your utility bills and push your savings up.
- Refrigerators and Freezers: Because your freezer and refrigerator doesn’t take a breather, you will need to upgrade them to a model with advanced cooling technology. The bigger your appliance is, the more energy it uses.
- Washing Machines and Dishwashers: These two are notorious for using a lot of water and energy, that’s why you need to upgrade them and make sure the new ones can give you multiple options based on the size of your load. Doing cold water washes also goes a long way to being more energy-efficient.
Optimizing Heating and Cooling Systems
Your heating and cooling system is one of the biggest energy vampires in your home. But you can combate them with simple upgrades and regular maintenance.
- Programmable Thermostats: Upgrading to smart thermostats will help you to regulate your energy usage. It’s because you will be able to set specific temperatures for different times of the day remotely, making sure that your systems aren’t running when they don’t need to.
- Regular Maintenance: It might seem like a nuisance to change your HVAC filters regularly and calling the pros to schedule a maintenance appointment, but your system will use more energy to operate with dirty filters and not working right.
- Upgrade Old Systems: If your home is sporting a system that is over 10 – 15 years old, then it might be time to upgrade it to a more modern, energy-efficient model. Also getting a heat pump if you live in a moderate climate for your heating and cooling needs will help more.
Consider Renewable Energy Sources
If you really want to drastically lower your energy bills and your carbon footprint, then throw some renewable energy sources into your home’s energy mix.
- Solar Panels: These nifty panels can very possibly cover a big part of your energy needs, just by converting sunlight into electricity. You can look into different ways to cover your installation costs like local incentives or even rebates.
- Wind Turbines: No, we are not talking about those behemoths, but the more smaller versions that you can install at your home. Just make sure that your location allows it.
Practice Energy-Saving Habits
More often than not, the thing that will really make your home more energy-efficient is just changing some of your household’s daily habits.
- Unplug Idle Electronics: Many devices still suck electricity from your plugs even when they are turned off. You can disconnect multiple devices at once when you use power strips.
- Shorter Showers: You will use less water and energy by cutting your shower time. And for more savings, change your showerhead to a low-flow one. Also close the tap when you shave or brush your teeth.
Conclusion
Making your home more energy-efficient doesn’t have to be overly complicated. If you use a strategic approach your household can become more cost-effective and sustainable. From conducting a thorough energy audit and looking into renewable energy sources, to implementing small daily changes. Not only will you see tangle savings on your energy bills and bank account, but these efforts will also reduce your environmental impact. Make your home the epitome of energy-efficiency and start embracing these tips. It really is a win-win on every front.
