Saving on Utilities: 4 Changes to Help Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

If you would like to save a little bit of money every month, then you might want to start thinking about some ways that you can make your home more energy efficient.

Here is a look at four upgrades and changes that are going to reduce your carbon footprint and lower your energy bills.

Switch to LED Lights

Replacing all of your old incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs could have a major impact on your energy use.

When a traditional incandescent bulb is turned on, quite a bit of energy is going to turn into heat, and that is one of the reasons why those bulbs are so inefficient.

LED bulbs, on the other hand, use just a fraction of the energy because almost all of the electricity is turned into light. Modern LED and CFL bulbs also last much longer than incandescent bulbs.

Service or Replace Your HVAC System

Even if you have a relatively new HVAC system, it still needs to be serviced at least twice a year by an experienced HVAC contractor.

A qualified, residential HVAC contractor can inspect the ducts for any signs of damage, check the fluid levels, and test the accuracy of the thermostat.

They can also tell you when your current HVAC system is nearing the end of its lifespan. As a general rule, most HVAC systems should be replaced after 15 or 20 years.

Upgrade Your Kitchen Appliances

Kitchen appliances often use thousands of dollars’ worth of electricity every year, and that is why you might want to consider upgrading to Energy Star devices.

Those devices are rigorously tested by teams of experts, and they must adhere to very strict specifications. In addition to reducing your energy bills, those appliances could also increase the value of your home.

Many buyers won’t even consider making an offer on a home if the appliances are more than a few years old.

Unplug Unused Electronics

There might dozens of devices throughout your home that are drawing power at all times, and those phantom loads could be costing you hundreds of dollars a year.

That is why you should occasionally walk through your home and unplug any devices that aren’t being used.

That includes televisions, gaming consoles, computers, and phone chargers. You can also attach some of those devices to a “smart” plug that allows you to set timers or cut off the power with a mobile app.

While some of these upgrades can be quite costly, they could save you huge sums of money over the years.

They might also increase the value of your property and make your home much more energy efficient and appealing to buyers when it comes time to put it on the market.

Tags: Energy Efficient, Saving on Utilities

Category: Save Energy