Home Energy Efficiency Strategies
Energy prices are likely to continue rising for most households in various areas of the country. Moderating your energy usage at home is an important way to keep your household expenses manageable. Here are some ways that you can use less energy without depriving yourself of the things you need to make your home comfortable.
Insulate Your Home
Dense insulation that fills gaps in your home’s wall and crawl space can help you control the temperature in your home more efficiently. Adding insulating materials makes it harder for inclement air to enter your home and it helps to keep cooled or heated air in your living space. Resultantly, your HVAC system will not have to work harder than necessary in order to keep your home at your desired temperature setting.
Protect Your Home’s Exterior
Much like insulation, weather stripping can fortify a house against the elements. With this improvement, a strong barrier deters both cold and hot air outside from permeating the exterior of a house. It will also make your house less susceptible to water intrusion from extreme weather events as well as excessive humidity.
Replace Energy Guzzling Appliances
Large appliances that have exceeded their projected lifespan probably don’t work as well as they once did. In particular, old refrigerators can be a big burden on an electric bill. Some old refrigerators run nearly continuously but still can’t reach their recommended temperature settings. Consider replacing an old refrigerator, dishwasher, or laundry machine. You may notice an appreciable difference in your monthly energy costs while also getting to enjoy the superior performance that a new model would offer.
Some strategic steps to use less energy can actually enhance the quality and comfort of your home life. In addition to saving money on a big expense every month, you can maximize your enjoyment of the time that you spend at home.
