You don’t have to buy a new home to become an energy-efficient household. Many homeowners mistakenly believe that if their home is decades old, they’re doomed to live with high energy bills. However, turning your home into an energy-efficient living space has never been easier, especially in this age of innovation.
Options like fluorescent light bulbs, vinyl-lined windows, and cool wall systems are easy to install and may significantly reduce your energy costs. Here are six easy ways to make your home more energy efficient and ensure your living space offers eco-friendly comfort—at the right price.
- Schedule an Energy Audit
If you’d like to make your home more energy efficient, but don’t know where to start, consider scheduling an energy efficiency audit. Energy auditors can help you determine which areas of your home could benefit from energy-efficient upgrades.
You’ll be able to see which areas of your home need immediate attention. Once you’ve pinpointed these areas, you can select from a variety fixtures and upgrades that increase efficiency. An energy audit is more than worth the investment, and many utility companies provide this service for free or for an insignificantly small fee.
- Insulate Your Walls and Attic
Poor insulation can result in air leaks, forcing you to rely more heavily on your home’s heating and cooling system—which leads to increased energy costs. In the summer, running air conditioning to cool off your home can be extremely expensive, and using your heater 24/7 in the winter can quickly add up. Overreliance on an inefficient HVAC system can also cause long-term damage to the environment. There are plenty of ways to improve your insulation, whether you opt for blown-in or blanket insulation types.
- Give Your House a Paint Job
Painting your home offers an instant aesthetic upgrade, but selecting the right type of wall coating can also make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Instead of grabbing a regular can of paint, opt for cool wall systems; this exterior wall coating is designed to reflect the sun’s rays to lower your exterior wall’s surface temperature by almost 40 degrees. Lower exterior temperatures lead directly to lower interior temperatures, meaning you can upgrade your home from the outside in.
- Upgrade or Replace Your Windows
Older windows can also cause leaks, causing the air from your heating and cooling systems to drain excessively while your energy bill continues to rise. Upgrading older aluminum or single-paned windows is one of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more energy efficient. Argon-gassed windows are especially helpful, as the argon between the glass panes is a highly effective insulator. Opening your blinds and keeping them open during the day can also cut down on your energy bill, as you won’t be relying on overhead lighting or lamps as a source of light in your home during daylight hours.
- Get Rid of Older Appliances
Clunky, dated appliances simply can’t compete with newer, energy-efficient models. When researching appliance brands, make sure you look for models that are labeled Energy Star Certified, as these meet the energy efficiency standards set by the EPA. These refrigerators, washers, dryers, and water heaters will save you hundreds of dollars on your energy bill each year.
- Save Water with Landscaping
As you select plants for your yard, consider native species. If you live in an area affected by drought conditions, check out xeriscaping. This is a landscaping strategy used in areas that rely on water conservation. Xeriscaping might involve grouping plants together by their water needs and opting for native plants that need little care and maintenance to thrive. There are plenty of landscapers that specialize in this technique, so do your research and find a professional that can make your landscaping vision a reality.
Making your home more energy efficient is budget- and environmentally-friendly. Consider adding one or two of these ideas to your home and ensure your energy bill never skyrockets again.
Hi Eric, great that you are promoting improving the energy efficiency of homes, but you omitted the most effective way to reduce energy – air sealing. Caulking baseboards, window/door trim, other ceiling and wall penetrations, weatherstripping windows and doors, adding foam gaskets behind electrical outlets, etc. etc. Up to 40 % of the heat you have paid for leaks out through cracks in the external walls and ceiling of your home. Air sealing is the most cost-effective thing anyone can do to reduce energy and save money. Along with reducing heat loss, air sealing also stops moisture from traveling into cold walls and attics, potentially getting trapped and rotting the home’s structure. Protecting the durability of your investment is well worth the money and effort !!
Fantastic that you recommend first and foremost an energy audit by a professional. This trained person will help prioritize your options and provide some good advice on how to do the work and how to find contractors who understand the building science behind how our homes work as systems.