How to Use Energy in Your Home Efficiently

It’s a fact of life that in our modern world we are extremely dependant on energy to power all manner of devices, but that doesn’t mean we can’t aim to use that energy more efficiently. By reducing the amount of energy you use in your home you will help reduce the total cost of your energy bills as well as help reduce pollution. Here are three top tips to help your household use energy more efficiently.

1. Insulate Your Home

A home without insulation is one that does not use their energy consumption efficiently. Whether you are trying to heat or cool your home, without good insulation the harder your air conditioning systems must work to maintain the desired temperature. With quality insulation in the walls and ceiling your home will keep out the heat during summer and hold the warmth in winter for longer.

In conjunction with insulation you should ensure all doors and windows are sealed air-tight. Pick up a roll of foam door and window seal from your local hardware store today and seal up the gaps around the door and window frames. Heavy window coverings such as curtains made of fabric designed to block out noise and light will assist in insulating your home as well.

2. Replace Energy Guzzling Appliances

Manufacturers nowadays are doing their best at offering appliances with high energy star ratings – they have to if they want to remain competitive. So now is a good time to get rid of those very old appliances that are undoubtedly using energy in an inefficient manner. Clothes-dryers, fridges and washing machines are just a few of the power hungry whitegoods that should be looked at. Remember to take your old appliances to the appropriate recycling plant. And take a look at your current heating and cooling systems as well to see whether they have good energy efficiency ratings or not.

When shopping for replacements always consider quality as well as efficiency to ensure you don’t end up needing to purchase new appliances more regularly due to poor workmanship, as this will only exacerbate the world’s landfill woes.

3. Hot Water Efficiency

Heating water takes quite a lot of energy so it’s imperative that you take steps to use your hot water efficiently as well as heat it efficiently. Basic steps such as fixing leaky taps, installing low flow shower heads and installing energy efficient hot water appliances such as the dishwasher and the washing machine, are all excellent ways to improve the energy use in your home. Ensure your hot water heater does not leak and if it does install a new one. An efficient hot water unit can save you quite a bit of money so be sure to investigate all your options, and consider the cost of the different fuel types available in your given area and look for a water heater that makes the most efficient use of those fuels.

The ultimate way to reduce your energy bills and your environmental footprint is to install a renewable energy source such as solar or wind. However, by first finding ways to use energy more efficiently in your home you will subsequently require a smaller and therefore less costly renewable system eventually and that makes total financial and environmental sense!