5 Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
With the summer season right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about ways to make your home more energy efficient. You don’t have to panic every time you see the electric bill come in the mail any more! Take a look at our top 5 easy ways to keep the energy inside your home and save you money!
1. Find Any & All Leaks
The first place you should start is by doing a total walk through of your home to see if there are any energy leaks. Any areas where you feel cold air or heat seeping outside or inside should be addressed and fixed properly. Some common places where you will find energy loss are: around windows, doors, attics and basements.
2. Use the Proper Insulation
Having proper insulation throughout your home can drastically lower your heating and cooling costs. Insulation will prevent the flow of cool air and heat from leaving and entering your home. The key is to have it properly installed by an experienced contractor.
3. Install an Energy Efficient Thermostat
Installing an energy efficient and programmable thermostat will save you a pretty penny throughout the year. This will allow you to control the temperature of your home throughout the day. For example, if you are at work all day, you don’t want the air conditioner running and cooling down an empty house. Programmable thermostats can be set to a certain temperature while at work and be set for the temperature of your liking when you arrive home from work. The most recent thermostats even have smart features to control them from your phone or computer!
4. Get Energy Star Appliances
Energy Star appliances such as, refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, televisions, washers, etc. meet the energy efficient requirements that are set forth by the EPA. (The United States Environmental Protection Agency) These appliances use 10-50% less energy than other standard appliances and also reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
5. Change Your Bad Habits
Every one of us has most likely been found guilty of leaving the lights on when they leave a room or falling asleep with the TV on. Well, let’s try and break those habits! Other habits such as, keeping your phone charger plugged in when not in use, turning up the heat when blankets will do the job and taking extremely long showers can also add to your energy bills. Stopping these bad habits, will save you a lot of money at the end of the year for little to no cost.
