Creating and maintaining an energy efficient home can help you save on heating and cooling costs. It also allows you to feel good about your contribution to the environment by reducing energy output. According to ENERGY STAR, an average-size household spends about $1,500 a year on energy bills, spending the most in the colder winter months and the heat of mid-summer.
Here are some tips to help you save energy and money in your home:
•Stop the leaks – Air leaks are a huge drain on the energy operating your heating and cooling equipment, costing you quite a bundle! But did you know that plastic insulation can help to keep your dollars from slipping through the cracks? Consider plastic wrap on windows and doors if you’re looking for a quick fix. Or, if you’re prepared for a more complicated remodel, rigid plastic foam panels, spray foam, and plastic home wrap can reduce infiltration of outside air into your home and help you save hundreds of dollars in heating and cooling costs each year.
•Stay dry – Humidity or any water condensation in a home can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which can lead to rot, structural damage, premature paint failure and a variety of health problems. Installing roof vents like ridge, louvers, turbines and power vents can help control moisture levels.
•Get air moving – A ceiling fan is an easy way to cut spending on air conditioning and heating year-round. A ceiling fan operating in a counter-clockwise direction will create a wind-chill effect, maximizing your air conditioning in the summer. In colder months, reverse its direction and set at a low speed to produce an updraft, forcing warm air near the ceiling down so you can enjoy all the hot air your heater produces.
•Stay bright – We know you’ve heard this one…replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs can reduce your electric bills by 10 percent. Compact bulbs are about four times more efficient and provide the same amount of light, and although they cost a little more, they’ll save you in the long run. As always, when lights are not in use, turn them off!
•Check your pipes – Insulating water pipes can help reduce 25 percent of energy use at home, minimize heat loss, and in colder climates, keep the pipes from freezing. Using cross-linked polyethylene piping (called PEX), which is durable and highly corrosion resistant, as well as lighter and more flexible than other materials, allows for multiple feed lines throughout a house, enabling hot water to arrive faster to a sink or shower, which can significantly save water use.
•Stay warm – Just like you, your water heater can get cold in the winter, forcing it to use more energy to function properly. Consider attaching a water heater blanket to insulate it, especially if it’s more than 10 years old.
•Take cover – Blinds, shades and shutters are more than just decoration! Use your blinds to block sun rays from heating up the house during the summer and keep cold air out in the winter. This can help cut down your air conditioning and heating bills.
•Keep it clean – Regularly check the air filters in your HVAC systems, air conditioners and humidifiers to see if they need to be changed or cleaned. Having a dirty filter can cause equipment to work harder, consume more energy and break down sooner, as well as lead to allergies and breathing problems.
•Don’t touch the thermostat! – It’s just like your dad said…having a programmable thermostat can cut down energy costs by 30 percent by making it easier to control energy consumption and keep the house at a comfortable temperature.
•Get a gold star – Appliances that are energy efficient help cut down on energy consumption, emit less pollution and are an attractive selling point for home buyers. An easy way to tell if an appliance is energy efficient is to look for an ENERGY guide label and the ENERGY STAR logo.
•Shut it off! – Plug all your TV components into one power strip and turn it off when you’re done watching. And, as always, if you are not using that radio, appliance or light, switch it off!
These are just some ways that you can help cut down on energy bills everyday at home. If you’d like suggestions more specific to your home, many contractors or home energy specialists can offer additional recommendations on how to make your home more energy efficient.
Want more? Watch home improvement expert Jodi Marks share the obvious ways homeowners can make their homes more energy efficient, and examples from her tour of the Solar Decathlon in Washington D.C.
Jodi Marks at the Solar Decathlon: Ways You Can Make Your Home More Energy Efficient from Plastics Make it Possible on Vimeo.
