There are numerous ways to save money and live in a greener home without calling a realtor. Anyone can use these tips to make their home more energy efficient overnight. Consider using these strategies to reduce your household’s carbon footprint and start living the eco-friendly lifestyle you want.
1. Close Your Curtains
When your curtains are open, they let sunlight in. It can be refreshing and beautiful, but it also invites the heat from sunshine or the cold of winter into your home. The constant cooling or heating requires your HVAC unit to turn on more frequently. Keep your curtains closed whenever possible to maintain your interior temperature without using extra electricity.
2. Get a Smart Thermostat
Conventional thermostats monitor your home’s temperature with a sensor in the thermostat unit. If your thermostat’s hallway gets cold by your front door, the other rooms in your house that stay warm will get an overabundance of heat because the thermostat reads the entire house as one temperature.
Smart thermostats change the game by monitoring your home as individual rooms. Homeowners who install one save 5.7% on every electric bill on average. Your home will become more energy efficient right away and you’ll save money every month.
3. Upgrade Your Garage Door
Your walls keep cold and hot air out with solid materials and insulation. Garage doors are much thinner but take up the space of an entire wall. They can let outdoor air affect your home by letting it slip into your garage unless you upgrade to an insulated model.
Garage doors with insulation combine energy efficiency with style by adding insulation to the inside of the door. Instead of gluing it to the outside, your new model will improve your home’s curb appeal and regulate its interior temperature more easily. It’s a quick fix that homeowners often don’t consider, but it’s one of the leading ways to make your home more energy efficient.
4. Wash Clothes in Cold Water
Every time you need to do laundry, your water heater draws electricity to heat every gallon. You don’t necessarily need hot water if you don’t have to sanitize your clothes, so switch the water temperature setting to cold. Your machine will use much less electricity with each load without compromising the cleanliness of your clothes.
5. Check Your Window Seals
Windows have a fine line of sealant around each edge. It’s an essential part of maintaining the integrity of your windows, but it can break away with time and weathering.
Check the sealant around your windows to see if there are cracks or missing chunks. You can easily apply a new sealant layer to keep outdoor air from leaking into your home.
6. Try Low-Flow Showerheads
Your showerhead has a surprising effect on your home’s energy efficiency. Standard showerheads use 18 to 25 gallons per 10-minute shower, which requires electricity to heat before it reaches your bathroom.
Installing a low-flow showerhead reduces how much water you use with each shower without requiring less time in the bathroom. They either mix air with the water to slow how much you use or direct it through a smaller nozzle to reduce your daily water usage. Either way, you can enjoy the same shower length without needing as much electricity to heat the water.
7. Build a Compost Bin
Composting is an excellent way to reduce electricity usage. When someone throws out organic waste, the waste has more water in it than packaging materials or other types of trash. The water makes it heavier, increasing the fuel needed to transport it to landfills and the electricity required to process it.
People with compost bins naturally decompose organic matter in their backyards. It’s electricity-free and prevents your home from adding to local landfills. Consider building one or buying a pre-made container to make your household more sustainable and require less electricity to maintain your way of life.
8. Look for LED Bulbs
Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs are more energy efficient than standard incandescent bulbs. If the packaging lacked any eco-friendly certifications, you might have incandescents in your lamps and other light fixtures.
The problem with incandescents is their loss of energy. They warm up to higher temperatures to produce light, but that means shedding electricity through heat loss instead of using it to light a room. LED bulbs don’t heat up nearly as much, saving 75% of potential energy usage and lasting longer. They’re also available at almost the same price wherever you shop for lightbulbs.
9. Unplug Your Electronics
When was the last time you unplugged your television or desktop computer? They both absorb electricity while in sleep mode, so turn them off by unplugging them when you finish using them for the day. You’ll prevent any passive electricity consumption and instantly make your home more energy efficient.
10. Replace Your Air Filters
Changing your air filters might be a household chore that slips your mind. It only happens every few months, but it’s worth the investment. When filters clog with dust and debris, your HVAC system must work longer to push the same fresh air through. Replace your filters frequently to make your HVAC system as efficient as possible and help it last as long as possible, too.
Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Try using these tips to make your home more energy efficient when you’re ready to live a greener life. They’re simple ways to upgrade your house with sustainable alternatives. Every effort made in the fight against climate change helps the planet, your budget, and your peace of mind.
