How to make any existing home more energy efficient?
Unless you are living under a rock, you already know the importance of making your home smarter and energy-efficient. Smart technology and the latest innovations are easily accessible to everyone and by making a few changes in our homes, we can significantly help our planet to become a better place to live. If you are looking for ideas to make your home more energy-efficient, we are here to help you. We have curated a list of important things you can do to make your existing home more energy-efficient without breaking your bank. Here are the 10 things you can do to make your home a greener place to live.
1. Understand your home energy consumption pattern
To make your home more energy-efficient, you need to understand your energy consumption pattern. Every home in Canada consumes energy differently and it all depends on your lifestyle. Run an energy audit of your home to understand the weak links where you are wasting energy. You can either hire a local energy auditor or do it yourself with the help of online tools. Many smart devices are available to monitor the energy consumption of different appliances at your home. Once you understand the energy consumption pattern of different devices in your home, you can make a plan and set a target to reduce energy usage.
2. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and home appliances
Replace all the traditional incandescent and CFL bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs. This action will drastically improve electricity consumption and the latest LED products last longer than the previous generation of light bulbs. You can even connect your wifi-enabled LED bulbs with your smart home devices such as Amazon Alexa or Google Nest. The latest innovations allow users to control the energy consumption of the house even from remote locations. The investment in your light bulbs is one of the best things you can do to make your home more energy-efficient.
Replace all the old home appliances with lower energy ratings with the latest products. Higher energy ratings of the home appliances will ensure less consumption and big savings on electricity bills. Set the refrigerator temperature as recommended by the product manufacturer and it will help you to avoid excessive cooling and energy wasting.
3. Use your Thermostat and air conditioners wisely
Maintaining the temperature at your home demands a significant amount of energy. Using a smart thermostat and setting the right temperature according to the climate will make your home more energy-efficient. Lower the temperature of your thermostat when you are away from home and never try to cool down your place by setting the thermostat temperature to a low value.
Smart thermostats are the perfect partner of an energy-efficient home. The efficient sensors of smart thermostats can detect your presence at home and manage the temperature accordingly. When you are away from home, smart thermostats will lower down the temperature at your home, and eventually, you will save a huge amount of money on your energy bills every year. Also, you can manage a smart thermostat from your smartphone or PC effortlessly. Understand that the air-conditioners are a big enemy of nature and always use them wisely.
4. Make use of smart home products
Smart home products can drastically reduce the energy consumption of your home and make them ultra-energy-efficient instantly. There is a myriad of smart home devices available to replace traditional electronic devices and appliances. Smart plugs, switches, and bulbs can change the way we control our electronic devices.
You can remotely control and turn off all the appliances at your home by using such smart devices and the technology is evolving every day to bring the latest innovations to our homes. So next time when you forget to turn off the bulbs in your living room or leave your air conditioner on while leaving home, the smart home device can help you to turn them off without wasting the energy till you get back home.
5. Water usage tips for an energy-efficient home
Small and innovative changes to your water usage can make your home more energy-efficient. Here are a few tips on how to improve your water usage and energy efficiency.
· Turn off running water when you are not using it. Be careful and don't waste too much water while brushing your teeth, shaving, or bathing.
· Wash your clothes and dishes in cold water. 90% of the energy used by washers is for heating the water and the remaining 10% is used to run the water flow. If you use cold water in all possible places, it will help you to save a lot of money on your energy bills.
· Switch to tankless water heaters. They are significantly energy-efficient when compared to traditional water heaters. Tankless water heaters heat the water as it flows through the lines and this will avoid excessive water being heated for you to just leave it in the tank.
· Use your clothes dryer in automatic mode to stop it once the clothes are dry enough.
· Use low-flow showerheads to reduce water usage. Gallons of water can be saved every year by reducing water wastage through showerheads.
6. Home insulation to improve energy-efficiency
Improving the home insulation will help you to save a lot of energy in maintaining the heat. Studies show that sealing air leaks through gaps and cracks can save up to 30 percent on home heating costs. Be very careful about the insulation of your attic and use a high-efficiency furnace for home heating. Use natural gas appliances certified by Energy Star for better efficiency.
7. Reduce passive power drain
Electronic devices on standby or sleep mode consume electricity in small amounts and when we look at the bigger picture this passive power consumption can be avoided to increase the energy efficiency of your home. You can control passive power usage by unplugging rarely used devices. Look for the energy star rating of the devices before purchase and make sure they offer the highest energy efficiency.
8. Dress according to the weather
Dressing for the weather can save a lot of energy usage by your AC and heater. Use warm clothing in the winter and do not depend too much on the heating system. Stay comfortable in the summer by using cooler cotton dresses and reducing air conditioner usage.
9. Use natural resources to increase energy efficiency
Use natural light and climate control techniques as much as possible. Manage your windows and doors in such a way as to bring in as much natural light as possible and reduce the electricity usage during day time. Spend your summer evenings in the backyard or by the pool to cool down your body.
10. Stay away from deceptive sales tactics
Stay away from the home-energy marketers who promise you rebates or incentives for using energy products. The government of Canada does not provide any such allowances for using energy-efficient products. Use quality products from responsible companies to increase the energy efficiency of your home.
Bottomline
You can make your home more energy efficient by taking care of the important points mentioned above. Sensible use of smart home products and energy-efficient appliances can save energy and money. As responsible citizens, everyone should initiate these steps to make their home energy efficient in all possible ways. Making your home more energy-efficient is not only about saving some money on the energy bills. It is also about saving mother earth and making our planet a better place to live for our future generations.