Environmental concerns, tax breaks or lower monthly bills are reasons many homeowners have become interested in making their homes more energy efficient.
Here are some of the numerous ways to do so.
Quick and easy options
- Adjust your thermostat when you are away from home and nudge it a few degrees higher in the summer and lower in the winter. On days when the temperature is reasonable, turn it off completely.
- Reseal your windows. Over time, the seals on your windows will pull away from the wall or develop holes. Resealing maintains the temperature in your home.
- When your light bulbs burn out, replace them with LED bulbs. They use less electricity and put out less heat.
Switch to low flow showerheads. Standard showerheads output about five gallons of water every minute, but low flow output half that amount. - Be conscious of your water usage. Do you leave the faucet on while brushing your teeth? Take baths rather than showers? Or wash clothes without full loads? All of these use a lot of extra water.
- Wash clothes with cold water. On hot cycles, 90 percent of the energy the washer uses is for heating the water. While hot water is sometimes needed, it’s not necessary for every wash.
Energy-efficient investments
- Upgrade appliances, televisions and HVAC systems to Energy Star products, as they meet specific guidelines established by the EPA. They also use about 50 percent less energy than their average counterparts.
- Get a yearly HVAC tune-up by a professional technician. If the system is operating optimally, it will use less energy. Plus, assuring your system is working with yearly check-ups will make it last and save you money in the long run.
- Insulate your attic. Insulation can seal air leaks and helps to maintain the temperature inside of your home.
The options that will work for you will depend on your budget and your reasons for becoming more energy efficient.
As you upgrade, be sure that your homeowners insurance policy still offers the correct amount of coverage for your property.
Leave a Reply