Even the most basic energy-efficient improvements to your home can make a world of difference. While certain tweaks and refurbishing might look like hefty immediate expenditures, the reduction of monthly bills stack up incrementally as time goes by, so these changes are well worth the investment. If you want to save money and be ecologically responsible, here are the most reasonable ways to create energy-efficient homes.
Reconsider the walls
In order to create a more energy-efficient home, you should start your renovation considerations by looking at your exterior and interior walls first. If you are building your house from scratch, you should apply the advanced framing strategy for building it. This is a very specific technique that minimizes the waste of precious material resources and uses more insulation. If your house has been finished for quite a while, look for methods to insulate your home (green insulation foam is one of the most popular and time-efficient options) and seal the important weak spots.
Reinforce the weak spots
Take a good and hard look at the weak spots of your household – more specifically windows and doors. These either need to be reinforced or replaced with energy-efficient models if you really want to notice that difference in numbers when the bills come, since you won’t have to rely on heating up or cooling down your interior as often as you do. When it comes to doors, replacing the old ones with the energy-efficient variants is the quickest and the best option. When it comes to windows, there are several strategies you can employ, and finding the most efficient experts for double glazing in Canberra is a reinforcement option that works wonders.
Replace the incandescent light bulbs
Incandescent light bulbs are a serious energy waster. One such bulb turns only 10% of the energy it consumes into light. The rest is wasted on heat, which can be a true nightmare if you live in a predominantly hot and humid part of the globe (which also appears to be increasing at an alarming rate). Instead, you can replace them with either LED bulbs or CFL lamps. CFLs, or fluorescents, are a sound energy-saving choice but they are also filled with harmful chemicals and toxic metals – which turns them into a real liability since they can easily be broken when handled.
On the other hand, LED lights – or sources of light that are based on diode grids, are both the harmless and the healthiest option. They convert most of the energy they use into light, they tend to last for two years to half a decade (which is an eternity when compared to incandescent bulbs which last for a few months) and they consume a lot less electricity overall.
Look into your water resources
If your faucet, fixture or appliance that releases water malfunctions, do not replace it with a model that doesn’t have an Energy Star rating. These are certified appliances and items that are engineered from the ground up to save the resources they are using, be it water or electricity. Go low-flow and purchase showerheads that rely more on dissipating water via air pressure than free-flow. Toilets tend to consume up to 40% of total water wasted in homes, which is a positively staggering fact. When it comes to toilets, you have several options to choose from, including low-flow toilets, vacuum-assisted toilets and dual-flush variants (which are predominantly used in Europe and Australia).
Change your laundry-washing habit
While it still stands that you should purchase a washing machine that has an Energy Start stamp on it, it is quite remarkable how some casual changes in your laundry-washing habits can turn into an impactful energy-saving method for your home. For example, avoid using the medium settings on the machine and only wash when you have a full load of clothes. If the clothes are not noticeably stained, avoid high-temperature settings, and if you have an air dryer, skip on using it if the day is sunny and you have available space where you can air-dry your clothes. If you must use the dryer, clean the lint trap after every use (or before).
We have so gotten used to liberal use of electricity and energy resources that we tend to forget how easy it can be to save energy. Implementation of certain prudent habits coupled with the latest and most sophisticated renovations in the world of green living will make your life both healthier and less costly. It is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.
About The Author
Carolin Petterson
Carolin Petterson is a businesswoman and content marketer with years of experience under her belt. She has had the opportunity to contribute to a number of popular business and marketing websites.