How much electricity are you wasting in your home every month? Chances are, you’re wasting more of it than you might realize.
Studies have shown that the average American home wastes about 35% of the electricity that it uses in total. Every time you leave something like a computer, a TV, or a gaming console plugged in when you’re not using it, it could send your electric bill skyrocketing by burning through energy unnecessarily.
If you’re trying to figure out how to make your home energy-efficient, you can begin by cutting down on the amount of electricity you’re wasting on a regular basis. You can do this by unplugging appliances, electronics, and other things that you’re not using.
You can also make your home energy-efficient in lots of other ways. Going green at home is actually easier than you might think.
Here are some great tips for making your home energy-efficient and keeping it that way.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Are you still using an ancient thermostat to control the temperature in your home? If so, you’re missing out on all the benefits that a smart thermostat can provide.
Smart thermostats make it so easy to turn your temperature up and down from anywhere in the world. They also get to know how hot and cold you like it in your home so that they can make adjustments to your home’s temperature on their own based on your preferences.
Plus, most of them now provide people with customized reports to show them what they could be doing to save some money on heating and cooling costs. If you’re trying to figure out how to make your home energy-efficient, buying a smart thermostat is one of the very first things you should do.
Schedule Routine Service for Your HVAC System
When is the last time you had your home’s HVAC system serviced? If you’re sitting there scratching your head right now, that probably means it’s been way too long since you did it.
You should service your HVAC system at least once every year. And typically, homeowners often try to do it twice every year, at the start of the summer and winter seasons.
When you have your HVAC system serviced by an HVAC specialist, they’ll take a look at it and see if anything needs to be fixed. They’ll make your HVAC system more efficient, which will, in turn, make your house as a whole a more energy-efficient home.
Upgrade Your Windows and Doors
Are the windows and doors in your home more than 20, 25, or even 30 years old now? They could very well be the problem when it comes to your home’s energy efficiency.
Many older windows and doors don’t insulate your home like newer ones would. You should replace them accordingly so that your windows and doors don’t allow air to leak in and out of your home anymore.
Check out these reasons to see why it would make so much sense to install new windows and doors in your home.
See If Your Attic Needs Insulation
Does your attic have enough insulation in it at the moment? Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know the answer to this question.
If your attic space is lacking insulation, it could be forcing your HVAC system to work so much harder than it should have to to heat and cool your home. Much of the air that it’s producing is likely floating up and out of your home with very little resistance.
By sticking fresh insulation into your attic, you’ll insulate your whole home better and lighten the load on your HVAC system. You should see a dramatic drop in your electric bill almost right away.
Replace Incandescent Light Bulbs With LED Ones
Have you gotten around to replacing all of the incandescent light bulbs situated throughout your home with LED light bulbs yet? Just about all of the energy-efficient homes in this country have these types of light bulbs in them.
LED lights use just a fraction of the energy that incandescent lights do. They also produce better quality light and last longer, too.
They will call for you to pay more for light bulbs in the beginning than you would otherwise. But they’ll pay off in the end since they’ll save you money on your electric bill and prevent you from having to replace them anytime soon.
Run Your Washing Machine With Cold Water
Do you almost always use hot water when you’re washing clothes? It might feel like you have to do this in order to get your clothes clean, but this is not the case.
There are some instances in which you’ll want to use hot water when washing clothes. But oftentimes, you can get away with using cold water and get your clothes every bit as clean as you want them to be.
Perform an Energy Audit Every So Often
Are you having a hard time figuring out how to make your home energy-efficient? Maybe you tried everything else mentioned here and still can’t get your electric bill to come down.
In this case, you should think about performing an energy audit with help from a professional who can also assist you because you have the power to choose among the energy source of your electricity plan, as you can enroll in plans that safeguard the planet. Explore the Green Mountain Energy rates to see how they can help you live a green lifestyle and save money.
Now That You Know How to Make Your Home Energy-Efficient, Go Do It
No matter how hard you may have worked to improve your home’s energy efficiency in the past, there is always room for more improvement. Use the tips that we’ve talked about here to cut your electric bill down to size once and for all.
By making a few adjustments around your house, you can start to save electricity and feel better about your commitment to doing it. It’s how to make your home energy-efficient in the simplest way possible.
Interested in getting additional tips on increasing the energy efficiency of your home? Read the articles on our blog to find more useful advice.
