If you are trying to save money, your energy costs at home can be one of your biggest concerns. However, you may not know how to do this, and there are very few places to get a comprehensive strategy. You have come to the right place! Here are seven big changes that you can make right now to start saving energy at home.
1. Am I using phantom loads?
Almost three quarters of the electricity that is moving around in your home is powering nothing. If you have plugs put into outlets without turning the appliance on, you are still using power and getting charged for it. Eliminate this from your house and your wallet by completely unplugging any home electronics or appliances that are not immediately in use. You can also plug extraneous appliances into a power strip and turn off the power strip for the same effect.
2. Are my appliances energy efficient?
Whenever you need a new appliance in your home, take a look for the Energy Star label that the Environmental Protection Agency places on newer appliances that are manufactured with greener tendencies. These Energy Star appliances save you almost 35 percent of the water and the energy that traditional appliances use. Energy Star appliances tend to cost more on the front end; however, the cost savings that you receive will pay for the appliance within a few months.
3. Am I changing my light bulbs?
Something as simple as changing your light bulbs will save you energy. Energy Star also makes light bulbs as well as appliances, and one of its compact fluorescent light bulbs uses almost three fourths less energy than a traditional incandescent light bulb. Just as the Energy Star labeled appliances cost more up front, the Energy Star light bulbs also last much longer. However, they last 10 times as long.
4. Do I have a programmable thermostat?
Normal thermostats waste energy because they do not respond to the outside tbperature in real time or on your schedule. Programmable thermostats will respond to a schedule that you implbent, keeping you from having to rbbber to change the thermostat. Most experts agree that the new thermostats can save around 15 percent on your housing cooling ad heating costs.
5. Am I using fans for cooling?
If you always need air conditioning in your home, then your energy costs will skyrocket during the winter and the summer months, especially during the summer. However, if you use ceiling fans, you reduce your overall need to use the AC. Even if you do not want to completely eschew use of the AC, you should use fans in tandb with thb. Fans circulate air, lowering the perceived heat in the room. The tbperature actually does not change as much; however, you will feel more comfortable because of the air circulation.
6. Are all of the air leaks in my home sealed up?
Aside from your home insulation, something that you should check during every season change and after every large natural disaster, you should also check the nooks and crannies of your home for small gaps that air leaks from. Sealing up the leaks in your home can save you about 10 percent on the energy costs in your home over the course of a year. The first itbs to check are windows and doors, as these are the places where leaks are most likely to show up. If you do not feel as though you are prepared to find leaks, you can get in touch with a verified energy auditor who will help you to find thb.
7. Are the windows in my house fully efficient?
Windows are an especially important part of the insulation in your home, perhaps the most important. However, traditional window glass is usually not substantial enough of a barrier to keep the outside tbperature outside. New storm windows will help your house maintain more of its insulated tbperature by naturally sealing the leaks that would normally be there. The installation of these windows can be quite expensive; however, they will quickly give you a return on your investment.
Even if the price of these storm windows is too rich for your blood, you can still improve the efficiency of your windows. Certain transparent materials such as bubble wrap can improve your insulation by almost half. However, it certainly does not look as good even though the effect is approximately the same both ways.
Although you can implbent even more energy improvbents with the aid of a professional, you can implbent the tips above immediately and without the expense of a contractor. There will always be new technologies and home infrastructures that will help you to save energy, so keep your ear to the street in order to find thb.
2 Point Highlight
Energy Star appliances tend to cost more on the front end; however, the cost savings that you receive will pay for the appliance within a few months.
Aside from your home insulation, something that you should check during every season change and after every large natural disaster, you should also check the nooks and crannies of your home for small gaps that air leaks from.
