Home improvements that are energy efficient

Have you felt the pinch with ever rising utility bills? With sky rocketing energy costs, impending energy crisis and serious environmental problems, why not save energy and money?

To put it simply-Saving energy = saving money. Saving energy means cutting down wastage of energy and frugally using the available energy resources. While a typical family spends around $ 2000 a year on energy bills, 20 to 30 percent can be saved on the energy bill by making energy efficient upgrades.You can do this with some home improvement projects that will help you make your home energy efficient, comfortable and healthy while reducing the carbon footprint of your home. And of course your energy bills will come down.

The very first step is, to get a home energy audit done from a licensed auditor. In a home, there are many reasons for loss of energy. So instead of just upgrading and making changes in some aspects and ignoring others would not make your home fully energy efficient. The home auditor will take the whole house approach and make recommendations for you to implement..He will thoroughly evaluate all the causes of energy loss, either leakages, improper insulation, appliances you use or any other reasons. According to Energy Star, homeowners can cut down their energy use by 25 to 50 % depending on the condition of your home and the recommendations you implement. You may not be able to make all changes at the same time, but you can make changes according to the order of importance suggested by the auditor.

Appliances draw loads of energy when they are in standby mode, costing an average home around $ 100 a year. So be sure to unplug all appliances and battery chargers when not in use.

Almost half of the energy bill goes towards heating and cooling. Regular annual maintenance of the heating/cooling equipment with professional help should be done for efficient functioning. All the ducts carrying hot or cold air should be properly insulated and leaks sealed to prevent energy loss. The second biggest energy consumption anywhere between 15 to 25 percent of the annual energy usage is for water heating. Lowering the water heater’s temperature and installing low flow showerheads can significantly reduce water heating bills. Upgrade existing heating and cooling equipment and water heater to energy efficient models.

Buy only Energy Star rated appliances and products to save energy and almost $ 750 through the lifetime of the products.

Reduce your lighting cost by replacing inefficient incandescent bulbs with long lasting, energy saving lights.

Air leakage and improper attic and wall insulation cause huge loss of energy with hot air going out or cold air coming in and increasing your heating and cooling bills. Seal all the windows, doors, gaps and recesses thoroughly with caulk or weather-stripping. Add suitable window treatments for aesthetics and energy efficiency.

If windows are too old, worn out and leaky, replace them with new energy efficient windows. Double or triple pane, argon enhanced windows are better insulated and come with selective coatings to keep the heat out in summer and heat in during winter. The glass brings in lot of light in, helping you use most of daylight and cutting down artificial lighting expense.

Buy only Energy Star qualified, windows rated according to the climate zone of your region from reputed manufacturers like Champion Window. They design and even custom manufacture stylish windows

suitable for the style of your home. Their experts install the windows ensuring the best energy efficient performance.Call the company for free consultation and if you want to know customer feedback, read reviews of champion replacement windows reviews.

Invest money first in home improvement projects that make your home energy efficient and help you contribute towards energy conservation, Not only will you enjoy a comfortable, healthy home, but will also save money in energy bills in the years to come. The investment you make now will sure give you good returns.