8 Essential Tips to Create an Energy-Efficient Home
Discovering methods for conserving energy at home is incredibly important for lowering bills, improving the environment, and securing the future.
If you’re interested in creating an energy-efficient home, follow these 8 essential tips for success:
Identify Your Energy Usage
Conserve energy in your home by identifying your energy usage.
Typically, the majority of a home’s energy consumption is divided into air conditioning and heating at 46%, water heating at 14%, appliances at 13%, lighting at 9%, and electronics at 4%. To gain a complete understanding of your specific energy usage, perform a home energy audit.
Determine your home’s electricity consumption to target precise areas and make a meaningful difference.
Replace Lights
Reduce wasted energy by replacing light bulbs.
According to Neeeco’s mass save energy assessment, Traditional incandescent light bulbs consume massive amounts of unnecessary energy. Energy-efficient light bulbs, including halogen incandescent, CFLs, and LEDs, use approximately 25%-80% less energy and last 3-25 times longer, effectively saving you money.
Replace your home’s light bulbs with energy-efficient options to easily conserve energy every time you flip a switch.
Unplug Electronics
Eliminate unused electricity by unplugging your electronics.
On average, 75% of the energy used for electronics is consumed while they’re turned off, costing you almost $200 per year. Unplug your electronics to minimize the issue and save money.
Utilize power strips to simplify the process by unplugging or switching off every electronic at once. In addition, consider smart power strips, which automatically turn off electronics at an assigned time or after a period of inactivity.
Be mindful of plugged-in electronics to effectively reduce your electric bill.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Install a smart thermostat to limit your largest electricity expense.
Programmable or smart thermostats allow you to create personalized settings and control the temperature using your smartphone. If you’re at work or asleep, you can change the temperature to stop useless heating and cooling, saving you an average of $180 per year.
Efficiently heat and cool your home by installing a smart thermostat.
Conserve Hot Water
Decrease energy expenses by monitoring your hot water usage.
Water heaters require ample amounts of electricity to continuously heat gallons of water daily. Numerous methods are available for reducing your water heater costs including:
- Using less hot water, e.g. washing clothes in cold water
- Adjusting the temperature on the water heater, potentially to a warm setting (120 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Adding insulation to the water heater and surrounding pipes
- Purchasing an energy-efficient model
Discover the best solution for your home to conserve hot water.
Purchase Energy-Efficient Appliances
Purchase energy-efficient appliances to constantly save energy all while making your home’s interiors more eco-friendly.
Pay attention to two primary considerations when upgrading your appliances: The initial price and the annual operating costs. While energy-efficient models may cost more upfront, operating costs are generally 9%-25% lower, meaning you’ll save more money over time.
Additionally, find appliances with an “Energy Star” label, which serves as a federal guarantee that the appliance uses less energy overall than traditional models.
Purchase smarter appliances to create an energy-efficient home.
Seal and Insulate
Properly seal and insulate your home to reduce your electric bill.
Weatherize your home by sealing cracks or openings around your vents, windows, and doors. Weather-stripping and caulking are common methods for sealing leaks to regulate your home’s temperature.
Insulate your home by adding insulation to your attic, walls, floors, basement, and crawlspace. Proper insulation will retain heat during the winter and keep heat out during the summer.
Seal and insulate your home to limit your heating and cooling costs by maintaining the temperature.
Consider Alternative Energy
Consider alternative energy sources to boost the efficiency of your home.
A popular alternative for powering homes is solar power. Solar power harnesses the sun’s energy and converts it into usable electricity by using photovoltaic technology. The sun is a free and natural resource, making it an excellent solution for cheaper and more environmentally-friendly energy.
Save money by participating in community solar rather than purchasing personal solar panels.
Third parties fund and operate community solar projects by installing numerous solar panels in a certain area. Electricity produced is delivered to the local power grid and distributed to homes and businesses by the utility company. Join a community solar project by searching for solar farms in NY and subscribing to the service to immediately reap the benefits.
Improve the environment and boost efficiency by powering your home with alternative energy.
Follow these 8 essential tips for creating an energy-efficient home to successfully reduce expenses, preserve the plant, and secure the future.
