There are a number of steps you can follow to make your household more energy efficient. Some of them might require additional investments, while others are things we can practice in our day to day lives. These steps are highlighted below:
Insulate your home:
This is one of the easiest techniques of making your home more energy efficient. By adding layers of insulation to your walls, ceilings and attic, coupled with the use of weather stripping or caulking to properly seal your doors during winter, you will be able to keep the interior of your home warmer during the cold winter season and cooler during the hot seasons. Doing this reduces the use of furnaces, air conditioners and heaters in your home, thereby saving a lot of energy.
Replace old Appliances:
Old-fashioned appliances utilize excessive energy. Replace them with appliances which are Energy-star certified. Such appliances are known to consume lesser amounts of energy and help to significantly reduce your electricity bills. When shopping for new appliances, always check for brands labelled as ‘Energy-Star Certified’
Fix Some Solar Panels:
Most of us tend to believe that installing solar panels is expensive. This is not usually the case. You can purchase cheap solar cells and other necessary items from EBay, then research for simple online DIY (Do-it-yourself) tutorials on how to assemble and install them. As you already know, solar panels use free, natural energy from the sun. If you manage to come up with a powerful one, then you may totally say goodbye to electricity bills!
Use Fluorescent Bulbs:
Incandescent bulbs may be cheaper, but will eventually cost you more in terms of the higher electricity bills paid. Invest some cash in fluorescent bulbs. They not only last 8 to 12 times longer than the incandescent bulbs, but their overall energy use is considerably less as well. More so, the glowing look of fluorescent bulbs will make your home look more attractive.
Landscape your Garden:
Plant some deciduous shade trees in your garden to shade that side of your house that receives intense sunlight during the hot weather periods. These trees will keep your home cooler during the hot summer and bare during winter to let some warmth in if the sun comes out.
Revamp your Windows:
Your home loses a lot of heat through windows. Do the following to reduce the loss of heat:
– Use vinyl frames instead of aluminium frames. The latter is more resistant to the transfer of heat.
– Tint your front and back windows to keep away unwanted cold and heat.
– Open your window blinds during the day to allow sunlight inside your home, instead of lighting bulbs.
Maintain your Furnace and Air Conditioner:
Regular maintenance of these devices makes them work more efficiently and consume less energy. Change their air filters and seal their ducts to prevent them from working more than necessary. In addition, you may fix a programmable-thermostat to ensure that the furnace does not turn on when you are away from home. Find a good electrician if these devices need repair.
In summary, the above steps will greatly help in making your home more energy efficient. Nonetheless, this is not to say you should implement them all, following at least three of the above recommendations will go a long way in promoting your energy conservation efforts.
