Taking steps to make your home more energy-efficient can help you to save money on your energy bills, reduce your home’s carbon footprint, and even increase its value. So, what changes can you make to your home and how you live?
Well, you’ll be pleased to hear that you don’t need to spend a fortune to make your home more energy-efficient, as there are lots of small adjustments and affordable features that you can try.
Turn down the temperature
Everyone likes their home to feel warm and cozy, especially during the colder months of the year, but that doesn’t mean that you should have your thermostat turned up to the max 24 hours a day.
Simply by turning it down a few degrees, you can dramatically reduce your annual heating bill and make your home more energy-efficient. Ideally, you should lower your heating by 2 degrees to enjoy significant savings.
Invest in solar energy
A lot of homeowners shy away from investing in solar energy as they’re worried about how much it’s going to cost. However, the average price of buying and installing solar panels has dropped by around 70% in the last decade. Furthermore, there are lots of funding options available, especially for households that are on a low income.
You can find information online about the cost of solar panel installation and any potential maintenance costs, helping you to make the right choices for your home.
Add wall and loft insulation
Does your home often feel cold in the winter and hot in the summer even when your heating and cooling systems are working full out? If so, this could be because your home doesn’t have sufficient insulation.
Poorly insulated homes can lose as much as a third of their heat through the walls, with detached properties most affected. External wall and loft insulation can help your home to retain heat when it’s cold and release heat when it’s hot.
Don’t leave electrical devices on standby
Although this may seem like such a small thing, you may be surprised at just how much energy you’re wasting by leaving your electrical devices on standby.
Take a minute to walk around your home and see how many items are plugged in and switched on when they don’t need to be. Known as “vampire power,” these devices could be costing you an additional $50 per year on your electricity bill.
If you think you may struggle to remember to turn all your electrical devices off when they’re not in use, you may want to invest in a standby saver or smart plug.
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Switch to LED lightbulbs
If you’re still using traditional lightbulbs, now’s the time to make the switch. Much more energy-efficient and long-lasting, LED bulbs use around 90% less energy than standard incandescent ones.
It’s worth knowing that LED bulbs are a little bit more expensive, but as they use much less energy and last much longer, they work out more affordable in the long-run.
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