Looking for ways to save money as prices rise on necessities like food, rent, and gas? These four ways to make your home more energy efficient may help reduce your energy bills, easing the strain on your budget.
Manage Your Thermostat
Keep your thermostat no lower than 78 degrees in the summer and no warmer than 68 degrees in the winter to save on heating and cooling costs. Use a smart thermostat if your home can accommodate one. These devices respond to your schedule, regulating the temperature appropriately when you’re not home or you’re sleeping. Make sure to have your AC serviced seasonally for optimal performance.
Use LED Lights
Energy-efficient LED light bulbs can save you money, using less energy to produce light. They also produce less heat in the process than incandescent bulbs.
Seal or Replace Leaky Doors and Windows
Air leaking around doors and windows means your HVAC system is working harder to heat and cool your home, and much of the work it is doing literally goes “right out the window.” This is especially true of places like south Florida, where hot weather means running the AC most of the year.
Old doors and windows can warp, and their weatherproofing or caulking can degrade. Contact a reputable home improvement contractor for a quote on replacing old windows and doors to increase energy efficiency.
Check Insulation
Heat and cooling don’t just leak out of doors and windows. Air also escapes through poorly insulated walls, attics, and roofs. If you haven’t considered that insufficient insulation may be contributing to high energy costs, you should check to see if your home’s insulation is up to the task. Where you live determines how many inches of insulation you need for your attic.
If you notice areas in your home that always seem warmer or colder, contact your electric company or a private contractor for an energy audit. This will help you identify sources of energy waste in your home so you can take action to correct them.
There are, of course, more than four ways to make your home more energy efficient. Some other ways to conserve energy are:
- Doing laundry in cold water
- Using a clothesline instead of a dryer
- Hanging light-filtering drapes
- Turning your hot water heater down a notch
- Turning off lights and electronics when not in use
These strategies should pay off in noticeably lower energy bills for your home.
