Reducing your energy consumption at home decreases your energy bills and promotes a healthy environment for future generations.
Here are some tips to follow to reduce the energy consumption of your home:
- Have your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system cleaned and serviced by a professional heating specialist annually.
- Replace your furnace air filter every 3 months or more frequently as needed in. Unclean air filters will reduce the airflow and will increase the energy consumption of your HVAC system.
- Keep your HVAC system working efficiently by making sure airflow and heating vents are not blocked by carpeting, drapes or furniture.
- Consider increasing your attic insulation to keep the heat in during the winter and to keep the heat out during the summer. Increase attic insulation to at least R 30 or R 40 depending on your local climate.
- Check your fireplace dampers to make sure they are closed when your fireplace is not in use.
- Caulk and seal any air leaks coming through your window frames and exterior door frames.
- Install programmable setback thermostats; to automatically reduce and increase the temperature of your home at night and during the day.
- Install water saving WaterSense certified high-efficiency low-flush toilets, low-flow showerheads and faucets; to reduce your water and energy usage.
- Replace your incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient CFL (compact florescent lamp) or LED (light emitting diode) light bulbs.
- Update your old appliances and electronics especially if they are more than 15 years old with more energy efficient newer models. Older appliances and electronics are less energy-efficient than newer models.
- Plug your electronic devices, computers and appliances into smart power strips, which save electrical energy by turning off your devices when they go into standby mode.
- Replace your old windows with energy efficient windows; to reduce your annual heating costs by up to 10 percent.
- Consider solar water heating and solar power generating options.
- Install motion-sensing LED outdoor lighting for both energy savings and safety.
- Wash only full loads when using your dishwasher.
- Air-dry your dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
- Replace your older dishwasher with an energy efficient Energy Star certified dishwasher, which uses less water and energy.
- Wash only full loads when using your dishwasher.
- Wash full loads of laundry using cold water.
- Replace your older clothes washer with a new energy saving high-efficiency front-loading washer. Front loading washers use 50% less energy and about 40% less water per load.
- Consider an Energy Star Certified clothes dryer when replacing your old dryer; they use 20% less energy than conventional dryers.
- Plant a rooftop garden if you have a flat roof to reduce heat loss through the roof in the winter, to reduce the heat entering your home in the summer and to create a great outdoor space for relaxing.
- Use a rain barrels to capture rainwater for watering your outdoor garden.
Follow these home energy saving tips to decrease your energy bills, to increase your home's energy efficiency and to reduce your environmental footprint.
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