25 Ways To Make Your Home More Efficient

Energy efficiency allows you to use less energy while achieving the same end results.

Technology and modern inventions have improved the quality of life for many people around the world. Many of the products we use on a daily basis in the home consume significant energy. Making energy efficient choices can help you reduce your energy consumption, lower your energy bills and also reduce your carbon footprint in the environment. Here are 25 tips to make your home more energy efficient organized by immediate and larger options.

Steps To Take For Immediate Improvements

1. Decrease Your Thermostat in Colder Months and Increase in Summer Months

Lowering your thermostat during cooler months by just three to five degrees will decrease your monthly energy bill. If you drop that down by 10 to 15 degrees during work day hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can save as much as 5 to 15 percent every year, according to Energy.gov. Set your thermostat as high as you can possibly in the summer and as low as possible in the winter for maximum savings

2. Use Natural Light

Whenever possible, use natural light.

3. Wash Any Clothes You Can in Cold Water

Washing clothes consumes a lot of energy. Turn off heated dry on your dishwasher and air dry instead.

4. Keep the Refrigerator at the Manufacturer Setting

Set your refrigerator temperature to the manufacturer’s recommendation to avoid excessive cooling and wasting energy.

5. Turn Your Computer Off

This goes for related equipment too like your printer or fax machine.

6. Use Dishwashers and the Washer/Dryer at Night

This keeps the house cooler.

7. Keep Appliances Away From the Thermostat

Avoid placing appliances such as lamps or TVs that give off heat, near a thermostat.

8. Turn Off the Oven a Few Minutes Before the Cooking Time is Up

Your food will continue to cook without using the extra electricity.

9. Unplug Your Cell Phone and Unused Chargers

Only charge your phone for a few hours. It does not need to be plugged in overnight.  The average charger consumes 0.26 watts of energy when not in use and 2.24 watts when connected to your phone. Many chargers together can add up to 10 percnt of your energy bill, according to Energy.gov. Unplug your chargers when not in use.

10. Install Low-Flow Showerheads

Install low-flow showerheads to improve the water efficiency of your home as low-flow showerheads have a flow rate of less than 2.5 gpm (gallons per minute), compared to regular showerheads at 5 gallons per minute.

11. Replace Filters

Dirty air filters make heating and cooling systems work less efficiently.

12. Start a Compost Pile

This works best if you live in a home instead of an apartment. Compost consists of organic waste that decomposes over time and can serve as rich fertilizer for your fruits and vegetables, while also lowering your trash volume.

13. Turn Off the Lights When They’re Not in Use

Lights can add up to 12 percent of a monthly bill.

14. Turn Off Unnecessary Water

Small changes in water usage at home can lead to significant energy savings over the year. This includes turning off the tap while brushing your teeth; showering more often than bathing and always running laundry loads at full capacity instead of many smaller loads.

15. Reduce Space Heater Use

Space heaters can be very inefficient, consuming 1,500 watts of energy to run or more, leading to expensive energy bills.

16. Seal All Windows

Prevent air leaks by sealing windows. You can add weatherstripping around the frames or a bead of silicone caulk over drywall cracks or shrink film to your windows.

17. Replace Incandescent Bulbs with Compact Fluorescents

Halogen bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs offer longer lasting light than incandescent bulbs and are more energy-efficient.

18. Defrost Regularly

Defrost both your refrigerator and freezer before ice builds up past a quarter inch thick. This will improve the energy efficiency of your refrigerator and freezer.

Steps That Take Some Planning

19. Add Insulation to Your Attic

Seal air leaks and lower both your home’s heating and cooling costs by adding insulation to your attic.

20. Install a Storm Door

Adding a storm door can offer better protection all year, reducing energy loss by up to 50 percent. Storm doors are long lasting too, averaging between 25 and 50 years.

21. Do an Energy Audit

Hire a professional energy auditor to evaluate your home and help you figure out what areas are energy inefficient so you can address them.

22. Buy Energy Star Products

Choose energy efficient products such as Energy Star products thave been consistently rated for meeting  energy-efficient specifications set by the EPA. This ranges from refrigerators to televisions, stoves, washers and air conditioners.

23. Tune Up Your HVAC System

Get a tune-up on your heating and cooling system every year to keep your furnace and A/C running at peak efficiency, checking that connections are tight, parts properly lubricated and coils cleaned. This can help you avoid having to replace your furnace, which can be an expensive process..

24. Replace Your Desktop Computer

Choose an energy efficient desktop computer. Laptops also use less energy than desktop computers.

25. Install Solar Panels

Finally, consider installing solar panels. Solar panels are an upfront investment that help you save money over the long run by generating electricity for your home while lowering your fossil fuel usage. You may also be eligible for a tax incentive when you install solar panels.

Implementing some or all of these energy efficiency tips can have a dramatic impact on your energy consumption at home, leading to lower energy bills and less of an impact on the environment.

Related Info

https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_save_energy_at_home

energy.gov/articles/are-energy-vampires-sucking-you-dry

www.energystar.gov/