Follow These Great Methods To Become More Energy-Conscious

We’re privileged to be living in an age dominated by innovation and technology. Smart technology, easy transportation, and utility apps are everywhere. This makes it easier for many of us to live more efficiently. Even with all this fantastic innovation, many people still aren’t living greener and becoming energy efficient. Energy efficiency means you’re using lower energy to do the same jobs. On a household level, it can be the difference between cutting down your home’s energy waste and saving money. It involves more than just using less energy – it requires you to become mindful of how energy is used, where it’s wasted, and how you can use energy more efficiently. Follow these simple guidelines to help your home save energy and be more efficient.

Consider Renewables

Wind, solar, and geothermal technology is quickly advancing. In recent years, these options are becoming more available to consumers. A solar power system, of course, is the most widely known and cheap option. If you consider solar, ensure you work with experts who are committed to making the environment greener. Installing solar panels in your home can provide a significant drop in your energy use. Additionally, if you install more of them, you might even sell energy to your neighbors! Switching to a cheaper energy deal like solar means you could use the savings to invest in more ways to make your home energy efficient.

Water Tips

A big chunk of energy consumption in many households comes from heating water to wash clothes or clean utensils. Switching to cold water can make a huge difference. You can even find washing detergents that are formulated for cold water. If your washing machine and water heater are older models, consider investing in a leak detector. This helps you cut down expenses from wasted water and keeps water from flooding on your floor. However, it’s challenging to save energy with a clothes dryer. Consider adding a clothesline in your backyard. However, if you live in an area where it’s not allowed, set your dryer to an automatic cycle instead of a timed one. It automatically stops your dryer once the sensors determine your laundry is dry.

Replace your HVAC System

Your HVAC system is combined with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment. Heating alone takes up over 40% of your home energy use. Upgrading your HVAC system can save you up to 13% on your energy bill. This translates to savings of about $37 per year. Air conditioning isn’t a massive contributor to energy bills. Ideally, it only makes 5.5% of the total energy use of your home. An air conditioning system is usually linked with heating systems. This means that you should buy a new furnace and air conditioner at the same time if you want the air conditioner to perform at maximum efficiency.

Switch to LEDs

Start by replacing the incandescent lights in your home. Statistics show that the average household commits 10-to-11% of its energy budget to light. Standard incandescent lights convert only ten percent of the energy they consume into light. The rest becomes heat. Using new lighting technologies such as LEDs can cut down the energy use required by lighting by 50-to-75 percent. Improvements in lighting controls provide more energy-saving by cutting down the amount of time that lights are on but not used. Additionally, LEDs offer longer-lasting light and are more energy-saving than your standard incandescent lights.

Conduct an Energy Audit

This is an excellent way of assessing if you need upgrading or replacing cooling or heating systems. Purchasing a new cooling or heating system might seem like a huge investment. However, it will save you money in the future and even raise the value of your house. There are utility companies that conduct energy audits for free or charge a fee. This means you can view where your systems may be costing you money. Consider hiring a professional contractor to evaluate how your home’s systems function together as a system and compare the data against your utility bills.

Insulate and Seal your Home

This is another cost-efficient way to make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient. What’s more, this is something you can do yourself. A well-sealed home can improve comfort and indoor air quality. This can also reduce your utility bills. Get an energy auditor who can evaluate leakages in the building and provide fixes to increase your energy savings.

A homeowner who takes the initiative to make these changes will be making substantial energy savings. Additionally, consider switching off electric gadgets when they’re not in use or unplug them—becoming more energy-efficient starts by taking those small steps, such as remembering to switch off your computer or lights. If you make a little effort today, it will have a significant impact in the future.