7 Tips for a More Earth-Friendly and Energy-Efficient Home

With the celebration of Earth Day recently and spring cleaning on the minds of countless homeowners, it’s a great time to make homes more earth-friendly and energy efficient. The truth is, with only a few small, inexpensive changes, homeowners could be on their way to saving 20% or more on monthly energy bills. Here, the home-efficiency pros from share tricks on how to start saving today.

1. Install a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat usually saves between 12% to 23% on an energy bill, and it’s also a great tool to lower carbon emissions from a home. How do they do it? Smart thermostats go beyond just programming the time of day for the system to turn on or off. A number of smart thermostats are intuitive and can detect changes in consumption patterns and home activity. They can also be programmed while you are away via an app, and alert homeowners about changes that may affect their energy bill.

“This technology saves you money and also makes life easier,” stated Service Experts’ Lisa Lange. “It’s a low-cost way to improve energy efficiency in your home immediately.”

2. Get a Heating and Cooling System Tune-up

Before the summer heat arrives, another eco-friendly move is to schedule routine maintenance for your air-conditioning system. It will help homeowners avoid major repairs during the busy season for HVAC pros and a system that performs optimally minimizes reliance on fossil fuel energy sources.

A routine servicing involves cleaning all of the system’s important components, as well as testing and making adjustments to the unit’s operating system. In addition to checking refrigerant levels and changing out air filters, the condenser located outside the house should also be cleaned and inspected.

“During your tune-up, it’s a great time to tap the expertise of an HVAC pro,” said Lisa Lange. “We encourage customers to ask about thermostat settings, when to change air filters and bring any other questions they may have about the energy efficiency of their home.”

3. Add Insulation

Adding insulation to a home is a green tip that could help save up to 20% on an energy bill. In many residences, air escapes through attics, crawl spaces and basements. If a room is drafty and has trouble keeping a consistent temperature, it may be time to inspect your home’s attic insulation. Cold floors may also be a sign that basement insulation isn’t sufficient. All of these concerns also lead to increased energy consumption, which leads to more carbon emissions.

“Many homeowners are surprised when they learn their home is under-insulated, but it’s actually quite common,” said Lange. “The good news is that, just like a smart thermostat, you can see the utility cost savings from this decision very quickly. You will also take comfort in knowing that you are helping improve our environment through reduced emissions.

4. Make Sure the House Is Airtight

Windows, ductwork, light sockets and weather stripping around doors are all areas of the home prone to leaks and heat loss or gain (in summer, no one wants steamy air seeping in). Let Earth Day be a signal to green up these areas of the house by doing some quick repairs. Replacing old weather stripping and caulking around windows are two inexpensive tasks that are relatively easy to tackle, said Lange, and will lessen the load on HVAC systems and the electrical grid too.

5. Consider An Energy Zoning System

To create a comfort zoning system for a home, a certified HVAC Expert identifies areas in a house based on its layout, sun exposures and the amount of energy demand different areas have. The HVAC pro can then design a system that precisely distributes air throughout the home balancing comfort and energy efficiency. These systems commonly involve multiple thermostats and adjustments to the ductwork. When coupled with a smart thermostat, they can dramatically improve comfort, save customers more than 30% on their energy bill and greatly reduce a home’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“How many times in a day do we heat or cool a room no one is using? It happens all the time, and it adds up to significant energy waste, and these systems are an optimal solution,” Lange said.

6. Buy Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

If a homeowner’s budget doesn’t allow for major upgrades, replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs is an affordable eco-friendly decision with a huge impact on the environment. Most LEDs will last up to seven years and use about 90% less electricity than traditional bulbs.

7. Go Solar

With as much as 30% in federal tax credits available to bring down the cost of a solar installation, there may never be a better time to install one on a home. Over their lifetime, these quality energy-producing systems can yield an average savings of about $60,000 and greatly reduce a homeowner’s cumulative carbon footprint.

“We have the best program in the country. Our experts will develop an energy savings plan that will help you get the most out of your system and show you’re making a direct positive impact on the environment,” Lange said.

To learn more about how to make a home more energy efficient, visit Midway Services today.