What Makes A Home Energy Efficient?

Energy is more likely to escape in a poorly insulated home.

FREMONT, CA: To check whether the home is energy efficient, we'll take a look at eight different ways that you can ensure your home is meeting maximum energy efficiency.

Insulate

Before doing anything else, it's time to ensure that your home is well-insulated. This proves to be an especially major issue in older houses that may have poor insulation.

In a poorly insulated home, energy is more likely to escape. However, with the proper insulation, you can protect your home and reduce energy use.

Even in newer homes, there are places you'll want to check. Attics, especially, should be checked to ensure proper insulation levels. Heat and air can smoothly escape through attic roofs, raising your bill and causing you to use more energy than needed.

Get a Smart Meter

A smart meter is essential if you're looking to monitor your home's energy usage. Unlike conventional meters, smart meters offer much more detailed results about your home's power usage.

Most notably, they provide energy readings much faster and more precisely. With hourly records on your home's energy usage, smart meters provide a detailed insight into how much power you use.

Hence you can find new, cost-saving ways to reduce energy usage and make your home more efficient.

However, you'll want to be careful when getting a smart meter, as you'll first need to ensure that it is compatible with your home's energy grid. Usually, these smart meters also come compatible with monitoring natural gas usage, making them a great addition to any home looking to use smart energy.

Solar Upgraded

If you're economically capable, consider adding some solar panels to your home. Although they're not very affordable, solar panels have decreased cost with technological advances and increased consumer demand.

However, depending on your space, you may find that the cost of getting solar panels will be reimbursed for the energy costs you save. This can be quite a complex process, so ensure that you take time to speak with professionals about just how to improve your energy usage with renewable energy.

Over time, these renewable updates should reduce your energy bill depending on where you live. You might find that it decreases your power bill to near zero.

Replace Outdated Appliances

But solar panel upgrades are just one choice you can make when making your home more energy-efficient.

If you've got old, outdated appliances, think about getting an update. Older appliances probably don't meet current energy standards, and they could be costing you more energy than you realize.

Due to this, try replacing your appliances one at a time—or all together, if possible. This ensures you're not utilizing any more energy than you should and provides you the most bang for your buck.

By cutting energy usage, you'll also participate in a global push for better, more efficient energy and smart energy.

Upgrade Windows

Even our windows can affect how much energy we're using. If your windows are old, there are likely some leaks and cracks that could be costing you energy.

That being said, experts remain careful about replacing windows for energy saving. Rather, they agree that upgrading windows—like mending problem areas—prove more cost-effective. If you're planning on substituting your hones windows anyway, you can still take the chance to ensure that you're buying an energy-efficient brand.

Start Landscaping

You can even employ energy efficiency as an excuse to beautify your yard. Landscaping has the ability to make your home more energy efficient by protecting windows from direct sunlight. This lowers your home's temperature and allows you to utilize less energy in the long run.

Unplug Unused Appliances

Ensuring your unused appliances stay unplugged can reduce your home's energy use and remain more energy efficient.  

Consider Upgrading Your Lights

Finally, consider upgrading your lights in your quest for energy efficiency for your home. Newer, more energy-efficient lights can reduce energy usage while providing even brighter, more powerful illumination.

Along with the other tips, advancing your lights can keep your home running as effectively as possible.

Final Thought

With smart energy devices and technology being developed, governments and private businesses across the globe are looking to usher in a new age of clean, renewable energy.

And that future might be nearer than we imagine. Smart energy is one of the industry's fastest-growing fields, with smart meters, solar panels, and other types of renewable energy already rising.

A world controlled by smart energy means more savings, lower costs for you, and decreased environmental impact.