Energy efficiency can not only benefit the environment, but it can also help save you money.
You’re saving more than just the earth when you improve your home’s energy efficiency – you can save plenty of money on your electrical bill, too! We’ve put together some of the best ways to reduce your power consumption, save energy, and make your house greener.
Air Conditioning and Heating
These two are responsible for almost half of a typical home’s energy usage. It takes a lot of power to keep our homes at the right temperature inside every day! One of the most effective ways to reduce heating costs is by replacing old windows or improving your home’s seal.
A shocking amount of air can slip through cracks or windows that are getting old, have been poorly installed, or are single-paned. Newer windows can insulate far better thanks to tighter seals, multiple-paned construction, and thermal coatings.
On the other hand, one of the easiest ways homeowners can reduce heating and cooling costs is by not using them as often. In the summer, you may be able to turn off your air conditioner entirely some nights as the Sun sets and the air outside begins to cool.
In winter, you can bump the thermostat down a degree or two and make up for it by dressing warmer or using a blanket.
Similarly, in spring and fall, there may be some days you don’t need to heat or cool the house very much at all depending on the temperature outside. Getting a programmable thermostat that allows homeowners to schedule heating and cooling during the day can also help achieve optimal temperature for minimal costs.
Lighting
We’re all familiar with the concept of energy efficient light bulbs by now. The curly and sometimes strange shapes they come in have been helping homeowners save money for decades, using less power and lasting longer than typical bulbs.
LED light bulbs, on the other hand, have been around for just as long but only recently have grown in popularity. They use 75% less energy than a traditional light bulb, last 10-25 times longer, and are perfect for indoor or outdoor lighting. For those reasons, they’re quickly becoming the most popular light bulb in the United States.
Appliances
Ensuring your home has energy efficient appliances is an important part of improving your home’s energy consumption, as older, high-energy, and out-of-date appliances can be worse for the environment and cost more to power than modern appliances. This can include refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, TVs, and more.
Looking for Energy Star certified appliances when shopping is a simple way to ensure the product can help you waste less – and it’s cost-effective, too.
Use Renewable Energy Where It’s Worthwhile
You may have considered getting solar panels for your home at one point in time. Depending on where you live, it may be worth seriously considering.
The Western, Southwestern, and Southern United States are by far the best regions for solar power and can provide homeowners a lot of benefits, but other regions may be viable as well. If you live in an area where the sun doesn't generate enough electricity, geothermal heat pumps are another great way to spend less on power with renewable energy.
Look for Waste
You don’t always have to buy new products when trying to be energy efficient! Sometimes all it takes is looking at your surroundings to find wasteful habits.
Just like lowering your thermostat in winter or raising it in the summer, there are many small adjustments you can make in your daily life to reduce the amount of energy you use at home. Things like unplugging electronics when not in use, using cold water if there’s no need to use hot water, opening your oven less while it’s hot, and turning off lights that don’t need to be on.
Want more homeowner tips? Visit our Home Life page for more.
