Improving your home’s energy efficiency saves you money, might earn you tax credits, and it’s as good for your community as it is for your checkbook.
Even in an older house, you can take steps to make your home more energy efficient – without needing any major remodels or a big budget.
Small changes can make a big difference.
Is your home ready for an energy makeover?
5 Ways to Increase Your Energy Efficiency
Windows
If you have single paned or drafty windows, they’re costing you.
Most modern windows are energy efficient because they block UV light, insulate better than old designs, and seal up tightly to prevent drafts or leaks that cost you more in climate control.
Even if you don’t want to replace the windows in your home, you can use weather stripping and storm shudders to update and improve your efficiency.
Black-out curtains and good quality shades help, too.
Thick curtains block bright sunlight, keep the temperature inside your house more regulated, and help lower your energy bill.
Landscaping
Deciduous trees are the heroes of energy efficient landscaping.
Plant trees near your house to help block the hot summer sunlight, and your AC won’t have to work as hard.
Meanwhile, in the winter when you need the extra heat, deciduous trees lose their leaves and allow the sunlight to help keep your home delightfully warm and cozy.
Shrubs outside of windows can help prevent drafts, too.
Lights
Did you know that the cost to power a lightbulb is normally much higher than the purchase cost of the bulb itself?
Replacing your incandescent lights with CFLs or LEDs uses anywhere from 25% to 80% less energy, and they last anywhere from 3X to 25X longer.
The higher upfront cost for energy efficient bulbs is more than offset by the significant energy savings over a much longer life, and it’s one of the cheapest and fastest ways to make energy improvements to your house.
Hot Water Heater
If you have an older hot water heater, you might be wasting money on energy costs.
Compare different types of water heaters, like tankless or heat pump models, with your current fixture.
Fuel costs and availability differ by region, so do a little homework, and you might save a lot of money and energy with an update.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofs are durable, lightweight, and environmentally friendly.
A metal roof reflects solar energy, thus keeping your home cooler in the hot months, and it acts as an effective insulator to keep the temperature inside your home regulated.
Unless there’s some kind of unexpected damage, you probably won’t need to replace your metal roof for decades.
Plus, by using recycled materials, our metal roofs are even more environmentally friendly.
How energy efficient is your home?
Maybe it’s time for an update.
