5 Home Energy Efficiency Tips

Needless to say, finding ways to increase home energy efficiency is in everyone’s best interest — it’s great for the environment, saves homeowners money, and helps families stay comfortable throughout the year. Here are a few simple tips for making your home more energy efficient:

1) Properly insulate your home

Proper insulation also cuts down on noise pollution, permits better temperature and humidity control, and reduces the number of allergens and pests that can get into the home. It can also save up to 20% on heating and cooling bills. Sealing door trims; weatherstripping windows; insulating the attic, basement, and crawl spaces; and sealing leaky ductwork all go a long way to improving energy efficiency and reducing energy expenses.

2) Turn off lights, appliances, and plugged-in electronics when they are not in use

This is by far the easiest thing to do and it can save you 2–5% on your energy bill. We know it can be a pain to walk around the house unplugging everything, so consider outfitting your home with timers or smart devices to save you the hassle. Automate your lights with smart bulbs like those from Phillips Hue, or with smart wall outlets like the Belkin WeMo.

3) Close your drapes and curtains

In the warm months, closing your curtains or drapes on the sunny side of your home helps reduce the temperature of those rooms by limiting how much sunlight they get. Opening curtains in the winter lets more light in and increases the temperature. In both cases, you’ll reduce how hard your heating and cooling system has to work to balance those rooms with the rest of the house.

4) Clean or change your HVAC return air filters regularly

Your HVAC return vent is an integral part of your home’s heating and cooling system. Air from inside the home is pulled in through it, warmed or cooled by your furnace or AC, and then supplied to the rest of the home through supply registers. Every return vent has a filter that prevents dirt, dust, and other particles from entering your system and transported to other areas of the home. If the filter is dirty or clogged, it will reduce airflow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool you down.

The key to saving energy and money in your home is take a whole-house approach to energy efficiency. Think of each part of the home as interdependent parts contributing to your overall energy output. Improving the efficiency of any part will raise overall efficiency for the entire home, meaning less impact on the environment and more money in your wallet. Who doesn’t want that?