Did you know worldwide energy consumption increased by a third in the last 20 years? By 2040, worldwide energy consumption will have grown by another 30%.
If you want to lower your energy consumption, you can start by making some small changes at home. This guide will discuss some easy ways to increase energy efficiency in your home. Keep reading to learn what they are.
1. Upgrade Your Lightbulbs
One of the simplest ways to decrease home energy consumption is by changing to more energy-efficient lightbulbs. LED lightbulbs will light your home without consuming as much energy as traditional incandescent lightbulbs.
While the price for LED bulbs might be higher, these bulbs last longer. This makes it worthwhile to invest more money upfront. You’ll end up saving money because you’ll be buying fewer lightbulbs throughout the year and reducing your energy bill too.
2. Start Composting
You can also increase energy efficiency at home by composting. Composting doesn’t require a lot of effort or resources. You’ll just need a container to store everything you collect.
Throw scraps leftover from your fruits and vegetables into a compost container. These will decompose over time. Leave them in a tightly sealed container in your backyard if you’re worried about a smell.
Composting can save you money on fertilizer for your garden. It’ll also reduce the amount of food waste you produce after cooking and eating your meals.
3. Get Your Windows Replaced
Home window replacement is another way to increase your home’s energy efficiency. Quality windows will keep the air in your home cold in the summer and hot during the winter.
If you have older windows, air might be escaping through them. This is especially true if they aren’t fitted properly.
Upgrading your windows can decrease your energy consumption by keeping excess sunlight and moisture out too. Secure windows won’t require your HVAC system to work harder and therefore won’t raise energy consumption and bills.
4. Adjust Your Thermostat
Adjusting the temperature on your thermostat will help regulate your energy consumption too. Lowering the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees can save you a lot of money on your energy bill.
Turn down your thermostat’s temperature at night since it tends to be cooler when the sun goes down. You should also make sure to turn off your air conditioner when you won’t be home for a long time.
You can consider getting a programmable thermostat too. These thermostats can be programmed to be turned down when you leave your home. You can reduce energy consumption without having to give it too much thought.
5. Patch up Any Holes in Your Home
Complete a few home improvement projects around your house if you want to increase energy efficiency. Holes in a wall or door aren’t just a surefire way to let pests into your home, they also allow air to escape.
When the air is escaping through a hole, your HVAC system has to work harder to keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This leads to more energy consumption.
Patching up the holes with caulking should resolve this problem. Make sure you caulk around door frames and window panes too. The caulking will prevent air from escaping and keep your HVAC system from going into overdrive.
6. Use Cold Water for Your Laundry
Using cold water during your laundry cycles can increase energy efficiency as well. Hot water consumes more energy and will be harsher on the planet and your energy bill.
You should also wait until you have a full load of laundry to wash it. Half loads will use and waste more water.
Since producing heat consumes more energy, consider ditching your dryer. Line drying your clothes in the sun will improve energy efficiency in your home.
7. A Low-Flow Showerhead Can Help
Installing low-flow showerheads in all the bathrooms in your home will help you save water and increase energy efficiency. Low-flow showerheads produce water at a slower rate and decrease the amount of water you waste while showering.
You can also consider turning off the water while shampooing to avoid wasting water. Using less water is kinder for the planet. It will also decrease your monthly water bill.
8. Change to Energy Efficient Appliances
Making some home upgrades will reduce your energy consumption as well. Switching to newer and energy-efficient appliances will do a lot of good for the planet and your pocket.
While it might seem like a large investment to get a new stove, refrigerator, washer, and dryer, energy-efficient appliances can save you more money in the long run. Energy-efficient versions of these appliances will decrease your energy usage and bill every month.
9. Use a Ceiling Fan When Possible
You can also make your home more energy efficient by using your ceiling fan more often. Ceiling fans work to keep your home cool without an air conditioner.
A ceiling fan doesn’t consume the amount of energy your HVAC system does. Consider turning off your air conditioner at night and turning on the fan in your bedroom. Since you won’t need to keep the other areas of the home cool, you only need the fan on in your bedroom.
When the weather permits, you can also turn off your air conditioner and open your windows. This will help air out your home and let fresh air inside. Fresh air is great for giving you more energy and focus.
10. Use Curtains
Blackout curtains are great for those rooms in your home that tend to be warmer than others. If these rooms get more sun than the rest of your home, it’ll take your air conditioner longer to cool them.
Instead of wasting more energy by keeping your AC running longer, you can invest in quality curtains. Blackout curtains will keep the room completely dark. This will help keep the sun out and the room cooler.
11. Change Your AC Filters
Save energy in your home by keeping up with your AC maintenance. This means you should get your HVAC system checked by a professional at least once a year. This will help ensure you take care of any issues before they get out of hand.
When your HVAC system is running smoothly, it won’t require as much energy to do its job. An easy part of AC maintenance is changing the filter.
You should change the filter every three months. A dirty air conditioning filter will cause your system to overwork itself to try to keep your home cool. This wastes more energy.
12. Unplug Appliances You Aren’t Using
A simple way to increase energy efficiency in your home is by unplugging appliances not being used. While you might not want to unplug your TV just to plug it back in every day, there are things you can unplug easily. Coffee pots or toaster ovens are some examples.
Computer and phone chargers are other examples. Even when you aren’t charging your devices, leaving these plugged in can consume a lot of energy.
13. Increase Energy Efficiency While Cooking
A lot of energy is consumed while using appliances and cooking in your kitchen. Besides purchasing energy-efficient appliances, there are other ways to reduce energy consumption.
A convection oven will cook your food while consuming less energy than a traditional conventional oven. Since convection ovens use fans to circulate the hot air evenly, you can cook your food at a lower temperature.
Cooking food with lids will cook it faster and will consume less energy too.
14. Greenery Can Help
Another way to make your home more energy efficient is by investing in some greenery. Adding some native plants to your home is great for the planet, it can increase your home’s curb appeal, and can reduce your energy consumption too.
Adding some trees near the windows in your home can produce some natural shade. This will keep your home cooler without needing to rely so heavily on your air conditioner.
15. Natural Light Can Reduce Energy Consumption, Too
Reduce your energy bill and increase energy efficiency by using natural light as much as you can. If keeping your curtains drawn isn’t making your home too warm, you can use the natural sunlight instead of turning on lamps in your home. Keeping the lights off as long as possible will reduce the amount of energy you consume.
Increase Your Home’s Energy Efficiency With These Tips
If you want to increase the energy efficiency in your home, you should follow the tips in this guide. You can upgrade your home by getting new windows installed. You can also make smaller changes like opening up your windows or using your ceiling fan instead of turning on your air conditioner.
Check out some of the other home improvement blogs on our site for more energy efficiency tips.
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