Creating an Energy-Efficient Home

This is true for making your home energy efficient.

We will guide you through the many ways to update

your home including well-known tactics along with

lesser-known tips and tricks.

“There is no one giant step that does it; it’s a lot of little steps.”

– PETER COHEN

01

ElectricityReplacing lights seem to be at the top of every-one’s list for easy energy savings and rightfully so with how often we use light sources on a daily basis.

Besides the normal living room lamps, replacing the lights in your bathroom vanity can rack up savings. Usually a vanity will have 4-6 lights in them and by replacing those will save you around $16/year and use around 35 Watts lightbulbs.

Installing dimming light switches are a great addition to your energy e�icient home. Not only can they save you money but can also be used to increase your mood and productivity.

Read those labels! The easiest way to save money with your dryer is to not use it. Read the labels and hang/air-dry anything you can. You will save money and not create extra heat in the house when drying clothes.

02

There are a handful of ways for you to make sure your refrigerator is running as e�iciently as possible.

Make sure your seals are working properly (check all the way around the doors).

Be sure your temp controls are set correctly.

Clean the back of the fridge every six months (keep the fan and condenser clean).

Keep air flow possible through-out the fridge and freezer.

03

PlumbingIt may come as a surprise, but the average person uses about 80-100 gallons of water per day!

That’s a lot of water to use for just one person, now think about if you have multiple people in your household. How can your water usage a�ect your utility bills and your impact on the environment? Keeping your water usage to a minimum is another way you can boost your green living.

Here are a few ways to cut your usage and save you some green:

High e�iciency faucets are an easy starting point. They install right at the spout and quickly cut the faucet usage in half.

Check for any leaky faucets as well, that is another easy fix to improve water e�iciency.

0404

Next up, check the shower heads and your toilet.

High e�iciency shower heads are also very easy to swap in and are no more expensive than max-flow shower heads.

The toilet can be a huge waste of water depending on a few small, easily correctable items.

The newest innovation is a dual-flush control option that comes standard in many new tanks. Dual-flush allows you to choose how much water should be used for a flush (depending on that is being flushed).

Don’t need a new toilet? Install a flush converter instead to do the same job as the dual-flush.

Be sure to check the tank, pipes and hoses as well, for leaks or cracks. A small leak can waste a lot of water or worse, turn into a big leak that will do a lot of damage to the surrounding area.

05

Start with the doors. Check the seals and inspect the glass (if any) in the door frame. Any drafts coming in will cause your energy bill to spike by allowing outside air in and making the AC/heat to work overtime.

Inspect the windows for any leaks. Do they need to be updated to a better, more insulated model?

Do they close properly or are there any cracks around the edges?

All are warning signs that you may need to replace them.

Around the HouseNow that you have the inside attended to, it is time to check the house to see if you have any areas that need to be upgraded or repaired.

06

Much of the heat and air conditioning escape through the top of the house, so check the attic for any insulation needs.

Contact a professional for this as you may have an older house and do not want to come in contact with any hazardous materials.

Don’t forget about your siding.You have the option to select siding that is made of recycled materials or choose an insulated siding that o�ers heat-saving and energy-saving qualities.

Upgrading your siding gives you the opportunity to reduce energy consumption and even protect your home from moisture inside the walls (a source for mold). In addition, it can help reduce your overall energy costs!

Some siding options are long-lasting and therefore green. But when choosing your siding, it is important to consider their thermal performance and whether the cost of adding a higher-quality siding now is worth the savings on your utility costs in the future.

07

Creating an energy efficient home is not only beneficial to your

wallet, but to the environment as well. With the above tips, you can

start to create a home that is greener, all while saving you

more of the green!

SOURCEShttp://greenlivingideas.com/2015/05/12/how-to-make-your-home-more-energy-e�icient

http://www.clarkhoward.com/5-ways-to-make-your-old-house-as-energyhttp://www.lutron.com/en-US/Education-Training/Pages/LCE/GreenBenefits.aspx

http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/roofing-gutters-siding/green-siding-options

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