Home energy efficiency improvement is one of the smartest moves for every homeowner. It helps save on utility bills, reduces your carbon footprint, and enhances living conditions and comfort.
No doubt it’s a total win-win situation with some small changes in your daily life. So, if you’re curious how to do it, let’s head right in!
1. Clean the air vents
Spot all the air vents in your home and ensure they are clear from obstructions. If there is any furniture, appliances, boxes, or toys around them, get them away immediately.
A clear space around air vents ensures better air circulation. It reduces strain on heating and cooling systems, consuming less energy.
2. Prevent air leaks
Another major issue that affects your home’s energy efficiency is air leaks around the windows and doors.
Check whether your windows and doors are airtight by holding a lighted incense stick near them. If the smoke moves in a certain direction and not upwards, there’s a draft/air leak. Then, replace the weather stripping and apply caulk around the doors and windows. You can also spray foam insulation from the exterior and fill any gaps around the windows.
After all treatment, do the incense stick test again. If the draft is still there, there is some serious wear and tear in the structure. A simple hack won’t help. Instead, sign in for window replacement Richmond VA services from a reputable window installer.
3. Service the furnace
If your furnace is new, it’s still energy efficient. However, if it’s quite old, seek professional servicing. This ensures they deep-clean your furnace, including the areas you can’t reach.
You must also replace filters every three months, especially if you have pets or have recently undergone renovations. This will extend your furnace’s lifespan.
4. Prevent phantom power consumption
Several electronic appliances consume power when they are not used, i.e., switched off but connected to an outlet. This is called phantom power consumption. To prevent this, unplug all devices from the outlets when not in use.
Invest in power strips if your appliances need to be connected and disconnected frequently. They help disconnect several appliances at once.
If there’s an option, switch to sleep mode or power-saving mode for your computers. While using, lower the screen brightness of the TV and smartphone to save energy.
Don’t forget to unplug the chargers after using them as well.
5. Improve your laundry habits
Modern detergents work way better at room temperature water. So, unless your laundry is stained with something stubborn, use cold water for laundry. Additionally, clean the lint trap more frequently to maintain the washing machine’s energy efficiency.
6. Get a clothesline
Instead of using your dryer all the time, hang some clothes on the clothesline. During the warm months, install the clothesline outdoors to air dry faster. If it’s snowy or rainy, install it indoors.
7. Wrap your heater
Electric hot water tanks lose heat with time. To ensure they don’t rapidly lose heat and have to keep working consistently, wrap them with an insulating blanket.
Alternatively, you can switch to an on-demand water heater. They are more efficient as they heat water only when needed.
8. Opt for LED lights
The US Department of Energy states that incandescent bulbs use 90% of the energy consumed, and CFLs use 80% of the consumed energy to release heat. So, replace all CFLs and incandescent bulbs in your home with Energy Star-rated LEDs.
9. Play around with the sun and shade
During winter, open the curtains, blinds, and shades of your doors and windows. Let the sunlight enter your home and naturally warm up the place.
In the summer, use blackout curtains and keep the blinds and shades closed throughout the peak hours. This will prevent the scorching sunlight from heating up your indoor air.
This ensures your heating and cooling systems aren’t overworked and don’t consume more energy.
10. Use the dishwasher wisely
Washing dishes by hand leads to more water usage. If you pre-rinse your dishes before loading them in the dishwasher, the machine thinks the dishes are clean and don’t need intensive cleaning.
So, it’s always better to run a full load to use water and energy efficiently. Pre-rinse only if you run the dishwasher after a few more hours.
Lastly, don’t use the drying cycle of your dishwasher to dry the dishes. Instead, air-dry them on the counter. You can wipe them clean to speed up the process.
Conclusion
Energy efficiency is not only important to save on energy bills but also for protecting the environment. So, start embracing these strategies now and prepare for a better tomorrow!
