7 ways to make your home more energy efficient

Running an energy efficient household is a worthwhile goal for all homeowners. Not only will you be doing your part to help save the environment by conserving energy, but you’ll also be reducing the amount of money you spend on powering and heating your home. With energy bills across the United States continuing to rise at an albeit slow but steady rate, that can offer a big boost to your family’s finances.

If you’re looking to become more energy efficient, then there are several strategies and products which you can use to reduce your homes’ energy bills and potentially improve your financial situation.

Here are seven for starters.

Improve the insulation of your home

How well insulated your home is can have a considerable say in how energy efficient it is. If you can do everything in your power to prevent heat leaving through the walls of your building, you’ll end up having to use less energy to keep it warm in the winter. You can insulate your home in many ways, but some of the simplest include using draught excluders on the doors, using rugs and carpet to insulate the floor better and shutting your curtains earlier in the evening to prevent the heat generated via the day’s sunlight escaping too quickly.

Install new windows

Did you know that a property’s windows can be responsible for 25 to 30% of a home’s heat gain and heat loss? Upgrading your old and less efficient windows with the latest window technology can, therefore, make a huge difference in how much energy your house uses. Contacting a reputable company such as HCS Restoration who specializes in window replacement can help you keep heat in your house during the winter and ensure that coolness doesn’t escape in the summer when your air conditioning is on full blast.

Use compact fluorescent bulbs

If you are using older lightbulbs, to light up your entire house, then you could well be using much more energy than you need to. That’s why compact fluorescent bulbs – or CFLs – are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners all over the country. In comparison, the bulbs can last up to 12 times longer than traditional incandescent lightbulbs and use far less energy. Although you may feel like it is a bit of an initial outlay to replace every bulb in your home with a CFL to start with, the difference it can make to your energy consumption will be well worth it in the long run.

Be clever with the thermostat

Clever management of your home’s thermostat can help to reduce how much energy you use to heat your home. If you are constantly changing the temperature on your thermostat, then you’ll be asking it to use more energy – which is bad news for your energy bills and the environment. Find a comfortable temperature and stick with it rather than frequently adjusting it up and down throughout the day.

Buy energy efficient appliances

Next time that your dishwasher gives up on you or your refrigerator needs replacing, then be sure to get an energy efficient appliance in its place. Purchasing an appliance which is Energy Star certified means that you’ll be getting a piece of equipment that is proven to need less energy to run.

Replace your desktop computer

If you are still using a desktop computer, then you’ll be using up a lot of unnecessary energy because desktop computers are permanently plugged in. Therefore, they are constantly sucking on electricity, even when they aren’t switched on. Even worse is if you leave your desktop computer permanently turned on as most offices do, or on standby mode. According to technology experts, you should update your computer every four years to ensure that the technology isn’t becoming obsolete or open to increasing security risks. So, when the time comes around for you to upgrade then consider buying a laptop rather than a desktop. Laptops use up to 80% less electricity.

Install solar panels

Although solar panels aren’t cheap, they are one of the best ways to make your home more energy efficient. By harnessing the power of the sun to turn it into energy for your own personal use, you’ll be saving huge sums on electricity bills as well as taking a significant step towards saving the planet. Thanks to the solar tax credit, you can also deduct 30% of the cost of installing solar technology on your home from your federal taxes.