How to Make Your Next Home More Energy Efficient

Having a comfortable home that achieves any sort of standards of comfort nowadays involves a lot of appliances and devices. And the one that all these devices have in common is that they all use energy, and usually a lot of it. Whatever it is you do in your home, the odds are that it probably is using energy in some way shape or form. And energy doesn’t come from just anywhere, getting energy takes a toll on the earth and on your wallet, paying for your utility bills. Here are a few ways that you can make your home more energy efficient to keep your wallet and the earth more efficient.

Use an Efficient HVAC System

An HVAC system is a necessity for any home, unless you are lucky enough to live somewhere where the temperature is pleasant and mild year-round. But if you are like the rest of us, then you need an HVAC system to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home, for heating in the winter and cooling in the summertime. IF you are using an older HVAC system in your home, then the odds are that your home is not as energy efficient as it could be. Your HVAC is one of the biggest users of energy in your home, so if you are looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency, then you need to start by upgrading to an efficient HVAC system.

Add Energy Star Appliances

Your home has a lot of appliances, everything from kitchen equipment to tools, utensils, washer and dryer, and many others. Appliances help our homes provide services that we need to function, like cooking our meals and cleaning our clothes. But not all home appliances are equal when it comes to energy efficiency. Energy Star appliances are the best appliances to go to for energy efficient appliances. Energy Star approved appliances are the best of the best in their industry for energy efficiency, and as such you can always know that you are using the most efficient appliances possible.

Use LED Light Bulbs

You need light bulbs to light your house. As efficient as it would be to go back to candles as the main light source in your home, it is wildly impractical. Rather than looking backwards in time for energy efficiency, let’s look forwards, towards LED bulbs. While incandescent light bulbs have been wonderful for lighting our homes, they also produce a lot of heat, and all that heat is wasted energy that doesn’t go towards lighting your home but is rather just leaking from your bulbs. LED bulbs are far more efficient at turning electrical energy into light energy, and you should be using them in your home for all your lamps and light fixtures if you have interest in making your home energy efficient.

Install Efficient Doors and Windows

Your windows and doors are the areas of your home that are the closest to the outside of your home. As such, your windows and doors are also the area of your home most susceptible to leaking air into or out of your home, which can cause your heating and cooling energy usage to skyrocket if you don’t get them taken care of. Replacing your entry door can save you money by reducing drafts and heat loss. Consider replacing your windows with energy efficient windows as well to ensure that you are keeping all your conditioned air in your home, so that you use less energy maintaining the temperature.

Install Solar Panels

Another great way to make your home more energy efficient is to install solar panels on your home. While there is a large upfront cost to installing solar panels in your home, the pay off in energy saved, and utility bill charges lowered that it pays for itself. With solar panels, you can use some of the renewable energy of the sun and use it in your home, rather than relying on unsustainable energy sources like natural gas and fossil fuels. Look into government subsidies in your state and county as well for the best deal.

Use Energy Efficient Toilets and Showers

The amount of water that is wasted in traditional shower heads and toilet flushes is astronomical. Simply by upgrading your shower head and toilet to efficient options, you can save hundreds or even thousands of gallons of fresh drinking water per year in your home. This helps to keep the environment clean and healthy for years to come, without any noticeable difference to the comfort of your showers, or your toilet’s ability to flush properly.

Turn Off Your Lights

Too many homeowners leave all the lights on in their homes when they are not being used. Simply by turning off the lights of any room that you are leaving and not planning to return to can save a truly ridiculous amount of energy. The best thing about this tip is that it takes almost no effort on your part, simply flip the light switch on your way out of any room and you’re done, saving energy, and supporting a more efficient household. You could also install motion sensor lights in your rooms, so that your house will turn the lights off for you when a room is not in use.

Unplug Unused Electronics

This last tip is for true energy efficiency die herds out there. While some of your electronics and appliances may not be turned on, if they are still plugged in, then they are using a little bit of energy anyways. There is no way to stop this from happening, other than unplugging your electronics when they are not in use. This will eliminate the passive energy usage that occurs when you have appliances plugged and help you save that extra little bit of energy every day. This is also a very easy tip to implement, when you turn off an appliance, simply unplug it as well, it’s a super easy habit to get into.

Keeping your home comfortable requires a lot of gadgets. And all these gadgets require energy. If you want to keep your home energy efficient, then check out these eight tips and make sure that you follow them for the most efficient home possible.

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