People who wish to help protect local environment often begin by looking at what they can do in their own homes. Lowering energy consumption can help make the world greener. It also has the added benefit of decreasing your monthly bills.
Fixr.com gathered data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) to see what appliances use most energy at home. With this data, homeowners know where they should focus their energy saving efforts. Here are 5 ways to tackle the big home energy consumers.
First Things First: Get An Energy Audit
Space heating appliances account for 31.3% of the total gross end-use energy consumption in single family households. Combine that with the 10.7% from space coolers and you have just under half of a home’s energy consumption. An energy audit can tell you where heat or cool air from these systems is either escaping or entering your home. The results mean you know what you need to do, and where, to stop any waste of energy usage. An energy audit costs on average around $250.
Seal Up the Gaps the Energy Audit Detected
Once you have had an energy audit, you know where to focus your energy saving methods. One common problem is having gaps around doors or windows, or holes in roofs and walls. Caulking these gaps is one simple solution. Another, more complex, way is to have a complete weatherstrip your home. Weatherstripping a home usually costs in the region of $350. Installing more energy efficient windows can also help lower the reliance on heating and cooling systems. Although this may require bigger investments.
Update Your Old Appliances
If your household heating and cooling systems are in need of an upgrade, then waste no time in installing new versions. Newer appliances, like high-efficiency furnaces, are known to be up to 98% efficient by optimizing energy use. To the same end, a water heater uses up 13.6% of a home’s energy. Therefore, replacing it with a tankless version is recommended. Tankless water heaters cost between $2,500 and $4,500 and work on demand, heating water only when necessary.
Buy Energy Star Rated Appliances
Refrigerators and clothes dryers are another two of the most energy consuming household appliances, using up 4% and 3.2% of the total energy respectively. One of the best ways to bring this energy use down is by replacing old appliances with new, energy star rated ones. Depending on the size and style, they may cost more than standard versions. However, they are designed to be more efficient. They use a substantially less amount of energy each year.
Adapt Your Home With Smart Technology
There’s a reason it’s called ‘smart’ technology, and that’s because it is intelligent in how it is designed to work. This is especially true when it comes to saving energy. Lighting a home accounts for 2.8% of the overall energy consumption. Smart bulbs can detect when you leave a room and switch off so as not to waste electricity. Smart thermostats can also play a big role in energy saving by controlling more efficiently the heating and cooling of your home.
Follow the Steps
Whichever method you choose, whether it be some or all, these steps will ensure that your energy saving efforts at home are successful. While helping the local environment, you’ll also be saving on monthly bills and have a more comfortable living experience in your home.
