Energy efficiency is not only about saving you money on your utility bills, but also about doing your part to use fewer natural resources.With the climate in Louisville, KY, there are plenty of strategies you can use to affect the energy efficiency of your home.
Here are some of the best ways to have a more energy efficient home.
1. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout your home, which use much less energy than incandescent bulbs. In addition, turn off lights when they are not in use. Although may be difficult for some people, try using small Post-it notes for a few weeks reminding yourself to turn off the lights every time you leave a room.
2. Add insulation in your attic and walls to help maintain your indoor temperature with less energy use. This one step can give you a much more energy efficient home.
3. Install a programmable thermostat and set it to decrease the load on your air conditioner and furnace overnight and when you are not at home.
4. Plant large trees around your home to help shade it from summer heat. You can also install the outdoor portion of your air conditioner in the shade to help reduce the temperature of the air around it and reduce the amount of energy required to cool your home.
5. Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater so you are not paying to heat the water hotter than you need it to be.
In addition, ensure that your hot water heater is sized appropriately for your home, or consider an on-demand water heater.
6. Seal your windows and doors to prevent heat loss. But wait, how do you know which doors or windows are loosing the most heat? Simple, by having a professional energy audit done, you will be shown exactly where the most energy is being lost in your home. Just think, if you only have to seal 5 windows out of 20, you are saving lots of time and money.
7. Reduce your hot water use by washing clothing in cold or warm water rather than hot and only running full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. If you really want to drastically make a difference, you can turn off the water while you are soaping up in the shower. That is what we call dedicated home energy saver!
8. Replace older appliances with models that have top-notch Energy Star ratings. This is especially important with large appliances that pull a lot of energy. If you have Energy Star rated appliances already, but you are not sure if they still work efficiently you can have a RecallChek done. RecallChek is a consumer appliance reporting system that tests all of your appliances. You then receive a report informing you of how efficient your appliances are.
9. Turn off and unplug computers and other electronics when they are not in use. You can use a smart power strip to turn off computer peripherals when you shut down your computer. This tip also works for unplugging all appliances when not in use. You don’t have to go crazy and have every single electric item unplugged, but you can find appliances that aren’t used on a daily basis.
Some examples are toasters, blenders, microwaves, DVD?players, phone chargers, and hair dryers.
10. Follow the steps to fix areas pointed out in your energy audit. As a professional energy audit company in Louisville KY, our results offer tips and guidances about your homes problem areas. This is a great way to make your home more energy efficient and save you money!
There are several ways you can start saving money on your energy bills and improving your home’s energy efficiency. It will take time, but once you get in the habit of shutting off lights or unplugging appliances, you will see a difference in the money spent on home energy costs!
