energy efficiency

How To Reduce Energy Use In Your Home

energy saving
reduce energy cost

Are you looking to reduce energy use in your home? Has your home’s electricity bill spiked of late? Would you want to save some money from the bill or are you an environmental enthusiast who wants to live more sustainably? Whatever your reasons for trying to cut your homes energy consumption, there are different methods that you can use to meet your home’s desired energy consumption.

How To Reduce Energy Consumption At Home

Replacing The Bulbs

Most of ordinary bulbs tend to consume more electricity. One major way of minimizing the consumption of energy in your home, therefore, is by changing all the incandescent bulbs in all the rooms. Replace them with bulbs that use less electricity such as halogen bulbs, light emitting diode bulbs, and compact fluorescent lights, all of which last around 25 times longer than traditional bulbs do and can help you save up to 80% of electricity.

Traditional bulbs may be cheaper when compared to energy-efficient bulbs but the bulbs that help you save energy are definitely cheaper in the long run. This is because they are durable and will consume less electricity.

Use Appliances That Are Energy Efficient

Do you know that the electric appliances in your home make up about 13% of the total energy use? This means that when buying appliances, you should check their annual cost of operation in addition to their cost.

It is worth noting, however, that many stores price appliances that save energy higher than the normal electric appliances that guzzle energy. This means that you will need to consider which cost is worth. Either you incur the initial cost when purchasing the energy-saving item, which allows you to enjoy its durability as well as low utility bills, or you save money by buying cheaper electric appliances, which will end up using too much electricity and result into higher utility bills.

Look for appliances that have an energy star because the star is a federal guarantee that the appliance will not consume too much energy.

Minimize Expenses Like Water Heating

One major factor that leads to high energy consumption in your home is water heating. There are various methods that you can use to reduce the expenses that result from heating water in your home. One of them is using less heated water. If you have been using heated water when showering, you can reduce your expenses by showering with cold water occasionally.

Another effective way of reducing the energy consumed from heating water is by turning down the thermostat feature in your water heater. You can also use insulation as a way of consuming less energy. For instance, you can insulate the water heater for the best results.

You could also purchase a more energy-efficient water heater if the one you use is consuming too much power.

Use Windows That Conserve Energy

The windows in your house contribute to about 15% of the energy bills in your home. This is because a lot of heat escapes from your home through the windows. You can prevent this heat loss by installing new double-pane windows to replace the single-pane windows. If you live in regions where the weather is mostly cold, you can use windows filled with gas and have low-coatings in order to preserve the energy within your home better.

Exterior or interior storm windows can also be of great use in reducing the amount of heat lost from the house by about 20%. Storm windows are the best option for people who live in areas that encounter extreme weather conditions regularly.

Seal The Air Leaks In Your House

Loss of heat from your home could also result from air leaking from your house. The main common sources of air leakages from most homes are the roof, vents, doors, and windows. As such, be sure to seal all the leaks in your home by covering all the cracks and openings between the vents and the walls, doorframes, and even windows.

How will you seal the gaps between solid objects like the window frame and the wall? The best way to seal air between such stationary objects is by use of use of caulk. If the cracks are between mobile objects, such as doors and windows, however, you can use weather stripping to solve the problem.

Openings made in the floors and ceiling to aid in electrical wiring, plumbing, or ducting could lead to heat loss. As such, you will need to cover them too.