5 Tips for Making Your Home More Energy Efficient
If you’re looking to save money on your energy bills or just looking to make some basic improvements to be a little greener, then focusing on affordable changes you can make to your home is the best solution. While it’s true that some of the solutions we’ll offer are a bit pricey to start, the savings you’ll get will offset the upfront cost and pay for itself in no time.
In this post, we’ll cover a few tips and suggestions for improving energy efficiency throughout your home.
Tip #1: See if Solar is a Fit for You
Now, we know what you’re thinking, aren’t solar panels expensive? The truth is, yes they can cost a pretty penny, averaging around $16,000 for a full home installation, but this can easily be covered by a home improvement loan. Not only that, there is a tax credit available for installing solar. With a little research, you may even be able to find other incentives available as well.
It’s a good idea to start by getting a quote to see what options are available and if there’s one that is right for you.
Tip #2: Upgrade Your Windows
This is now a much less expensive and viable option for most homeowners. Window technology has improved and the energy savings are pretty drastic. You can improve your HVAC system’s performance and shave off the cost of your electric bills
You can find a variety of types and styles from the triple pane, to argon-filled windows that cut costs.
Tip #3: Make General Repairs
This tip is one that sometimes gets overlooked but is essential to energy efficiency. Something as simple as not servicing your HVAC system, changing air filters, or sealing around doors and windows can cause lots of wasted energy
Getting the ventilation checked and cleaned is another way to improve air flow and reduce energy consumption when heating or cooling. Making sure there are no cracks in your walls, roof, or floors that could allow air to seep in and your air conditioning/heat to seep out is also important.
Tip #4: Update Your HVAC
Getting a new heating or ac unit can save you a bundle on your energy bill and improve overall energy efficiency tremendously. Not only are there energy-efficient options for standard heating and ac units, but there are also different options available such as radiant heating and cooling and geothermal.
This offers a variety of ways to improve energy usage and potentially go green with more eco-friendly options that use less power and don’t rely on harmful additives to create heat or cool.
Tip #5: Improve Your Insulation
Whether you opt for installing all-new energy efficient insulation or just for plugging gaps and adding to your existing insulation, this will have a major effect on how easy it is to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
When your home is not insulated, or there are gaps, your HVAC system has to waste large amounts of energy trying to keep it at temperature. Insulation can be eaten away by rot, mold, animals, and other problems, so it’s important to take a look at it every so often and make sure things are still in good shape.
We hope these five tips help you gain the energy efficiency and saving you desire from your home.
