Have you been unhappy with the energy efficiency in your home? Perhaps you’ve done an audit, or you’ve noticed that it isn’t performing very well due to your energy bills being quite high. Ormaybe you simply understand the environmental impact of increasing energy efficiency, and you, therefore, want to do the necessary upgrades in order to play your part in preserving the environment.
Whatever your reasons for thinking about the upgrades, the truth is that you’re definitely making a smart move, both for you and for the environment. The only thing is, of course, you will have to know what kinds of improvements to actually make to your home in order to increase its energy efficiency. Click this to learn some more about it.
So, here is what we are going to do. Below I will share some tips that will help you achieve this important goal. Of course, you can use all of them, or you can opt for just some of them, at least in the beginning. After all, some require you to make quite big changes that you may not be ready for at the moment but keeping them in mind at least could result in you making some further changes in the future as well. Anyway, without any more ado, let us start checking out what you can do.
1. Do an Audit
Sure, you can start making improvements even without doing an audit. But, to really improve energy efficiency, you really have to know where energy is being wasted in your home. Doing an audit, thus, will help you prioritize specific upgrades. And you can try and do this alone, or you can hire a certified auditor to do the inspection and put everything clearly on paper for you.
2. Upgrade Your Doors and Windows
Perhaps one of the first and most important improvements you should make is this – upgrade your doors and your windows. These parts of your home, and especially the windows, are big sources of heat gain and loss, which is why upgrading them is essential, as it can improve the overall energy performance of your home. For instance, double pane windows will improve insulation, retain heat in the winter and keep it out in the summer, while at the same time making your home feel much more comfortable than before. Apart from that, you could also think about investing in shades, curtains, or blinds, to further improve the performance of the windows.
Now, upgrading doors and windows doesn’t simply mean replacing your old ones with new ones. Sure, that’s the whole point, but the thing is, you have to carefully choose those new ones so as to get the best results. So, what you should do is check out what Paradise Exteriors and other suppliers have to offer, and perhaps even get familiar with impact resistant windows. After all, in addition for being perfect for storm proofing your home, they are known to significantly increase energy efficiency, which is precisely what you want.
3. Upgrade Insulation
The next thing to do is think about upgrading your insulation. Sure, replacing the old windows and doors will certainly contribute to this. But there is more you can do. For one thing, you can seal the gaps around those windows and doors to prevent air leaks and think carefully about the insulation materials and techniques you want to use. And then, of course, you should know precisely which areas to focus mostly on, with the attic being the number one priority, and the walls and floors right behind it.
4. Upgrade Your Appliances
When people think about energy-efficiency, the first thing that usually pops to mind is the idea of upgrading their appliances. Well, while this is certainly not the only thing you can do, as you have probably understood already, given that I’ve already talked about some methods below, we cannot deny the fact that it does play a significant role in achieving this particular goal. After all, energy efficient appliances will consume less electricity, thus reducing the environmental footprint, as well as your electricity bills. So, start switching to appliances that meet energy efficiency standards, and don’t forget to maintain them regularly, for the best results.
5. Optimize Your HVAC Systems
While you’re upgrading your appliances, don’t forget to also upgrade and optimize the actual HVAC system. If your heating and cooling devices aren’t working efficiently, you are bound to see that reflecting on your bills, and to wonder if any of your other methods of improving energy efficiency have actually worked, or if it had all been a colossal waste of time. The truth is that it certainly hasn’t been a waste of time, but that, in order to achieve the best results, you’ll have to upgrade your HVAC systems by replacing the old units with new ones, as well as remember to optimize them by always keeping the air filters clean and generally regularly maintaining the entire system.
6. Switch to LED Lighting
Switching to LED lighting is another easy fix you can use. And, while it is a rather simple solution, it actually has quite a huge impact, and can lead to substantial savings when it comes to energy bills. In case you didn’t know, LED bulbs actually last around 25 times longer than the regular ones, while consuming as much as 75% less energy. So, you do the math, and you’ll figure out just how much you can save if you switch to this solution.
7. Switch to Renewable Energy Sources
One of the big steps you can take is actually switch to renewable energy sources completely. Installing solar panels, wind turbines, and even solar water heaters can significantly improve energy efficiency. While this is a big change, it is definitely worth it, so you may want to consider it.
8. Take Small Steps for a Big Impact
Of course, there are also those pretty small steps you can take to achieve this goal. Don’t forget to switch the lights off when not in the room. Keep the windows and doors closed while heating or cooling the space. And, of course, use your appliances, such as the dishwasher or the washing machine, smartly, that is, only when you have full loads.
