15 DIY Ideas To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Energy efficiency simply means using less energy while doing the same job resulting in a reduction in your home's energy waste and saving money. To effectively increase your energy efficiency it helps to become aware of how energy is used, where it's wasted, and how it can be used more effectively and efficiently in everyday life. We have come up with a few tips to help your home or business save energy and be more efficient.
How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Change your light bulbs to LEDs.
Wash your clothes in cold water if possible.
Air seal your home. Sealing cracks, gaps and leaks and adding insulation can save up to 10% on home heating and cooling costs.
Clean or replace all filters in your home regularly. Dirty filters make your system work harder and run longer than necessary.
Defrost your refrigerator and freezer before ice buildup becomes 1/4-inch thick to ensure your appliances are running efficiently.
During warmer months, close blinds, shades and drapes on the sunny side of your home to help keep your home's temperature cooler and reduce the work for you AC. Open shades during cooler months to let the sun warm your home.
Don't peek in the oven while baking! This is a tough one but very time you peek, the temperature can drop 25 F, making your oven use more energy to bring the temperature back up.
Don't leave your electronics on all day long. This includes smartphones, computers and the lights.
Set your thermostat Correctly. Did you know setting your thermostat to a lower temperature than normal will not cool your home faster. Rule of thumb is to set the thermostat to 78F in the summer and 68F in the winter - every degree of extra heating or cooling will increase energy usage 6% to 8%.
Using dishwashers and clothes washers/dryers at night will keep the house cooler, reduce strain on the power grid during the peak usage hours of 4 PM and 6 PM and reduce the chance of an emergency!
Turn off heated dry on your dishwasher and air dry instead.
Set your refrigerator temperature to the manufacturer's recommendation to avoid excessive cooling and wasting energy.
Replace your windows. If your home has single-pane windows, consider replacing them with more energy efficient windows, or adding solar shades or tinting film.
Turn off the oven a few minutes before cooking time runs out. Your food will continue to cook without using the extra electricity.
Watch your appliance placement. Avoid placing appliances that give off heat, such as lamps or TVs, near a thermostat.