As time goes on, we are beginning to witness how our actions are changing the planet, and these changes are occurring at an alarming rate. Making energy-efficient home improvements is a highly effective thing you can do to make a difference and try to reduce the development of climate change.
However, there is a lot to think about when it comes to making home improvements. The upgrades you decide to go with will require plenty of thought and planning, because ideally, they should be adding value to your home without costing you an arm and a leg. These home improvements can range from large parts of your home being altered or replaced, to simple DIY techniques. To help you on your way, here are 5 home improvements you should consider making to your home to improve its energy efficiency.
Change High-Energy Appliances
Many of the appliances in our home can be harmful to the environment and can cost us quite a lot to run. To improve the efficiency of your home, you should look at getting certain appliances replaced, such as old refrigerators, air conditioning units, and heating systems. Even something as small as using energy-efficient lightbulbs can reduce your monthly running costs. Some of these items will require care and you should consult a professional to dispose of them if necessary. During their replacement, there are other improvements you can carry out, such as sealing windows and doors, as well as improving ductwork and installing insulation, which can increase energy savings even more.
Replace Windows and Doors
Replacing windows and doors won’t only improve the energy efficiency of your home, but they also add style and a fresh look to your property, especially if you go for fashionable replacements. This will reduce drafts and heat loss, meaning you won’t have to spend as much on heating your home.
You need to make sure you do your research into window replacement companies, to ensure you don’t get overcharged and receive good value replacements. American Vision Windows is a fantastic company to consider. They have installed hundreds of thousands of windows and doors and have many happy customers, which can be seen in their reviews. You can find more information here about the windows from American Vision.
If you can’t afford to replace all the windows and doors in your home, you should definitely consider sealing them.
Improve Water System Efficiency
There are a number of ways you can save on costs that are associated with the water supply. To do so, you should install low-flow plumbing fixtures, such as toilets, faucets, and showerheads, to minimize the volume of water they use. You can purchase adjustable models, which means that they can be set manually to the preference of the user. Another great thing about installing low-flow faucets and shower fixtures is that installation tends to be fairly cheap. After a few months, the money you save on water bills will pay back the cost of their installation, which is a huge advantage of this home improvement.
Install Various Types of Insulation
Insulating your home is a simple yet highly effective method of lowering your heating bills and significantly reducing heat loss. Every part of your home can be insulated and will help in its own way. There is roof and loft insulation, which reduces heat loss and reduces heating bills. You can hire experts that install spray foam insulation Ohio to work on your roof and loft insulation.You can insulate radiators, tanks, and pipes, to decrease heat loss. Insulating the floorboards on the ground floor of your home will save you money in return. Draft-proofing your home is one of the cheapest but most effective ways to save energy and money in any building. Managing condensation and doing what you can to reduce it is an important aspect to consider.
Consider Using Renewable Energy
In order to run our homes, we tend to use non-renewable energy sources called fossil fuels. Something that is non-renewable means that it can’t replenish itself at the rate we use it, which means it will eventually cease to exist. We can use fossil fuels for many things, but the way in which they are extracted is extremely harmful to the environment and when they are used, the by-products have a negative effect on our health and the planet. Due to this, looking into renewable energy resources to run your home may be an expensive option, but it will play a big part in helping the environment and reducing your monthly running costs.
Before making this decision, you should do plenty of research into the right renewable resource for you and your area and consider the costs. In most cases, you won’t get back what you paid for the installation of the renewable energy source, but you will save money on your monthly running costs and usually have the option to sell unused energy.
Improving the efficiency of your home doesn’t only help the planet, but it also reduces running costs, which will save you money in return. Whether they are big or small, each improvement will do its part to protect the environment and save you money in the foreseeable future.