Everyone wants to save money on their electric bill by improving the energy efficiency of their homes so check out these 8 Amazing Home Energy Efficiency Improvements.
But which are the best improvements to make for the money?
Below we highlight some of the best bang-for-your-buck efficiency upgrades for your abode.
Table of Contents
Install Energy-Efficient Windows
Many Americans live in homes that are decades old, and those old windows were often made when energy efficiency wasn’t the big deal it is today.
If you have a home that dates to the 1970s or 1980s, you may even have aluminum frame windows; these were cheap for the builder, but they produce a lot of heat in the summer and cold in the winter.
That means higher utility bills every month.
Those older windows also are probably single glazed, which are awful at insulating your home.
But when you put in double-glazed windows, you’ll save significant money, and your home will be quieter, too.
Modern windows with vinyl or wood frames and triple panes are much better at keeping the heat out in the summer and the cold out in the winter.
Consider looking for a high-quality window replacement company in your area to find out more.
Add Energy-Efficient Doors
You might be surprised to learn how much heat you lose from a door that isn’t well insulated.
A new, energy-efficient door usually features a frame made of steel with insulation inside the wood, metal, or fiberglass door.
If your installer is worth their salt, you probably don’t need to add weather-stripping around your new door.
Put In Insulation
The Department of Energy recommends crawling up in your attic and putting in new insulation.
They claim that adding insulation to your home is one of the least expensive and effective ways to cut your utility bills.
Experts recommend having a layer of insulation in the attic that is about 10 inches thick.
If you haul it up there yourself, you can save almost $1,000 versus having a contractor do it for you.
When you live in the north with cold winters, it can be worth it to blow insulation into your home’s walls.
This is a good project if you replace your siding as you can blow the insulation as you have the siding removed.
Buy A Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat that connects to your Wi-Fi may seem kind of space-age and unnecessary.
But if your home is empty during the day, why should your air conditioner cool for empty space?
You can purchase an excellent smart thermostat for about $50, and you can tell it to turn down the AC or heat when you’re away.
Also, changing the temperature before you get home is convenient; how about turning up the heat five degrees about 10 minutes before you get home on a bitter January day?
Replace Your Air Conditioner
Air conditioner units are much more energy efficient today than decades ago.
When you are ready to replace your AC unit, make sure you hire an HVAC professional who knows the proper size for your home.
Many people think that a bigger air conditioner will always cool better, but that’s not so.
Equipment that is too big for your house can lead to wasted energy, noise, and lower overall comfort.
An oversized air conditioner also may turn on and off too often, which also wastes electricity and may shorten its life.
Install An Attic Fan
If you live in a home without a basement, such as in Texas and Florida, you may have part of your air conditioner in the attic.
We all know how insufferably hot the attic can get in the heat of summer.
If the attic is 100 F or more during the heat of the day, it heats up your air conditioner vents and piping, which wastes energy.
Installing an attic fan can significantly cool your attic and make the air conditioner work more efficiently.
Put In A Tankless Water Heater
Water heaters that operate on demand, such as a tankless model, give you hot water only when you want it.
A traditional electric or gas water heater expends energy to keep 40 or 60 gallons of water hot when you need it.
This wastes a lot of energy and getting rid of your traditional unit will save you hundreds in electric costs per year.
A tankless unit heats the water directly and immediately without storing it in a tank.
When you switch on the hot water tap, cold water flows to the tankless water heater.
An electric or gas burner heats the water quickly, so you get a steady flow of hot water.
A tankless unit is more expensive, but the cost savings over time make it worth it.
Plus, you can take a shower for as long as you want!
October is a good month to take steps to save energy. How great is that?
Replace Large Appliances
Big appliances, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers can waste a lot of energy, especially if they are more than 10 years old.
Old dryers are especially wasteful with electricity, so say goodbye to an outdated unit as soon as you can afford it.
When you are hunting for new appliances, always be on the lookout for the Energy Star label.
These appliances have been designated by the EPA to be highly energy efficient.
You can save up to $70 per year with an Energy Star-certified appliance, compared to one from 10 years ago.
Over the life of the appliance, you can expect to save between $500 and $1000.
Multiply that by several replaced appliances and you’re talking serious money.
We’re fortunate that technology has come so far in the last decade as far as energy efficiency goes and this can work on Century Homes.
Now you can make upgrades and changes in your home that – added together – can easily knock hundreds or even thousands off your annual electric bill.
Saving money is always wonderful, but helping the planet also is the right thing to do.
