Best Ways to Be Energy Efficient

Wanting to make your home more Energy Efficient?

I am going to help those homeowners who want a simple plan to follow to increase the efficiency in their home and thus lower their electric and gas bills.  There are a ton of easy things available and others that are a little but harder.  Of course if you can start anew you have the greatest chance of making the lowest possible energy footprint in your home.

Simple things to be more energy efficient

Switch out your existing light bulbs already...TO LED's    I know this advice has been out there a long time but it's time to make it happen.  CFL's are old news and they contain harmful mercury.  So if at all possible find LED light bulbs or change out your light fixtures to ones that accept LED lighting.  Around 10x more efficient than incandescent light and more pleasing light too.  You'll also love the fact that you'll probably NEVER have to replace them.  The average life of this type of lighting is around 7 years, and the average time people stay in a house is 5 - 7 years.

Get a Programmable Thermostat... AND USE IT   Yep this is an oldie but a goodie too.  While there are tons of programmable thermostats out there I can't tell you how many times I went into peoples home to do a home energy audit and they weren't programmed etc... This is what I do but find a solution that works for you.  I like it around 69 degrees in the home - so I have the thermostat automatically set to that for our waking hours around 6:30 am on weekdays and 8am on the weekend.  It automatically goes to 62 about an half-hour to an hour AFTER I go to bed, so it is still warm when I go to bed but the temperature gradually drops once I have fallen asleep.  We don't even notice it and actually it has helped me start sleeping better.  The key is to make sure the temp goes down after you fall asleep.

For those of you are are particularly lazy or HATE programming things try the learning one pictured above.

Turn Down the hot water heater to be more energy efficient  
You probably won't even notice but do a quick double check and TURN DOWN your hot water heater to medium.

Install Energy Efficient Blinds/Curtains  
While brand new windows can be quite efficient they are also expensive and difficult to install.  A much simpler thing you can do is install some energy efficient blinds and or curtains.  Many new blind and curtains are even energy star rated and reflect heat back into the room.  At the same time closing them off in high sunlight can reflect the sun back out and keep you cool.   These are the REAL DEAL- being even the federal government realized the savings and offers a tax credit for installing them.

Turn OFF the water
This one is simple don't leave the water running. We do this every day when you brush your teeth in the morning.  Or are washing your hands.  When rinsing dishes turn it off in between dishes or use an on demand sprayer.

Spray Foam Seal the easy things
Go get some  can foam.  This stuff is easy to use and works GREAT.  Common places to seal are basement window perimeters.  Plumbing pipe penetrations bathroom, sinks etc.  Around windows(hint take the casing off and seal the gaps) Exterior foundation under siding etc...

Being Energy Efficient for the serious....

Get a home energy audit

These comprehensive audits will show you where your house is losing energy.  They even model your home based on your actual energy use using sophisticated modeling software.  This will show you your weak-points   Check with your local gas or electric company many of them partner with companies to provide these at a reasonable cost. Sometime even free. 

Upgrade your Furnace or AC Unit

It costs some money but if you have an outdated HVAC system it is probably one of the least energy efficient systems in your home.  BIG MISTAKE - we see a huge mistake on this matter every day people getting the same size HVAC unit they already have when the home could be fine with something much smaller now.  Make sure whoever you hire to install your furnace or ac unit models your home and is basing the size on the CURRENT energy needs of your home.  Not 50 years ago when you had no insulation, bad windows, and aluminum siding.  

On Demand Hot Water

Hot water sitting your tank all day getting colder then being reheated is a huge drain on your energy consumption gas or electric. On demand hot water heaters are widely available and only heat the water when you need it.  Bonus the hot water should never run out on you in the shower again!

Replace it - Windows, Doors, Light fixtures, bath fans, appliances

Easier said than done - and these things can have the longest pay off period but for top notch energy efficient performance get rid of all the "stuff" that is drawing more power than necessary.

Lastly Alternative Energy Production

OK, you have done everything on the list and you still hate paying the utility provider every month.  Well besides living in a cave and starting fires you have one more option.  

Make your own energy.  Set up a bicycle and hook it up to a generator with batteries.  Every spare chance you get START PEDDLING!    ummmm.................  no not really

We're talking wind or solar power here.  There are off the shelf solar panels you can purchase as well as wind turbines.  Or if you are particularly motivated scour Google and make your own. 

 In any event good luck and thanks for wanting to be more energy efficient!