Energy-efficiency is a way of handling energy needs more sustainability. It doesn’t mean lowering your energy needs, but using less energy to produce the same effects. As a result, human greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and our utility bills are minimized. Making our homes more energy efficient is one of the best things we can do to address global warming and fossil fuel depletion. Financial savings are a more immediate reward for homeowners. Making your home energy-efficient requires significant investment in the beginning and some pretty extensive projects. However, if you are considering it, we’ll give you a few advantages to push you in the right direction.
Improving comfort
As one of the staples of energy-efficient home design, insulation will keep you warm when the weather outside is cold, and maintain a pleasant chilly indoor vibe during the summer. This happens because insulation prevents the warmed or cooled air from leaving your house through thin walls. However, to achieve maximum comfort and savings, you should also seal the air gaps around the doors and windows, and replace your weathered windows for new Energy Star-rated models.
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Saving money in the long run
Here are some interesting facts about energy efficiency and money savings we’ve picked up from Evergy.gov:
- By replacing five most frequently used light fixtures or bulbs, you can save about $75 a year.
- By fixing leaky faucets, you will save 1,661 gallons of water and $35 per year.
- Low-e storm windows can save up to 33% on heating and cooling bills.
- Installation of a water heating tank can save up to 16% annually on water heating bills.
- Replacing an old toilet with a low-flush model can save up to $100 per year.
- Sealing uncontrolled air leaks around the doors and windows lowers your cooling and heating bills for up to 20%.
Of course, all the actual savings will depend on your home, climate, and other actions you decide to take (e.g., buying Energy Star-rated appliances, reducing electricity use, opting for smart devices, etc.). For example, the factor that contributes to increased energy use in Australia includes high temperatures, which have broken several records in the last couple of years. All this happened while electricity prices were on the rise. Australians had the perfect response and turned to energy-efficient practices.
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Vanquishing the energy vampires
Do you know what the first step toward achieving energy efficiency in your home is? It might seem at the first glance that it includes buying entirely new appliances, but sometimes that could create unnecessary waste and cause harm to the planet. However, some energy vampires such as old refrigerators are not supposed to be kept in the house, since they use much more energy than new units, because they need more effort to maintain the proper temperature.
Increasing the resale value
Studies conducted since the 1970s have unfailingly established that energy-efficient properties earn a higher resale value than average homes. Today, this is even more important, as millennials are stepping on the house-buying market, and they are believed to be the “greenest” generation of them all.
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Contributing to a healthier planet
Through energy efficiency retrofits, the average home built decades ago has the potential to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses it produces by 4.5 tons per year. This is an important step toward reducing the impact of climate change.
As you see, designing your house with energy-efficiency in mind brings a whole set of advantages that can improve the quality of your life, lower your monthly expenditures and make this world a healthier place. What more do you need to know?
