Designing Energy-Efficient Homes

brown building beside body of water at nighttime

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After a while of doing your best to cut down on energy bills, you realize that there are many factors when it comes to cutting down on energy use and maximizing the amount you do use. As it turns out, your home is key to saving power, especially when it comes to heat and insulation. Visit www.simplyswitch.com for better guidance.

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According to the site MoneyPug, a platform to find the best mortgage deals, while you can’t always re-design your home to the point of making renovations you can make adjustments to it to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth and stop wasting energy. Read below to find out some ways to keep energy in your home used the way it should be. 

Check your Windows

Heat is perhaps the most expensive commodity in your home. Keeping the heat in is important. You can lose a lot of energy through your windows. First you have to see if your windows have a film installed over the glass. Investing in your window glazing could save you a lot of money, it restricts the temperature outside your home and reducing the energy you use inside your home on heating and cooling. Window frames are also key. Different frames have their own insulation properties. The right frames for your climate can help you reduce the energy used on appliances that control your inside temperature such as heaters and conditioners. 

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The color of your blinds is also important. Lighter shades can reflect heat, and darker colors attract it. Changing your blinds to a reflective surface on the back, you could reduce the energy you use to cool your home. Thick curtains can also insulate your home and fitting your blinds and pelmet tightly can make sure there is no room for air to get trapped. Ventilation openings allow heat to escape. If you have one to use in the summer, you could save money on air conditioning. 

Shade your Home

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Like heating, cooling also costs money. Think about the shading of your home and patio areas. The color of your external shading reflects solar heat better than dark colors, which will more effectively stop the warmth from entering the home. Positioning shading structures in the right places will enable you to keep the house cool. Even the types of plants can help you protect your home from heat. Evergreen plants are good for humid climates and should be positioned in the east and west. Deciduous plants are suitable for all of the other climates and should ideally be placed to the north. The landscaping around your home will help you reduce the heat that’s attracted to your property. 

Insulation & Air Leakage

Air leakage will help you enclosure the cool and hot air so that you don’t have to use more energy to make it warm or cold. What your house is made of makes a difference to how well it will insulate. Depending whether your home is made of concrete blocks, hollowed polystyrene blocks, and straw bales are more modern building materials that can provide good insulation. 

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The roof and ceiling reduce the heat gain from the roofing material passing into your home by stopping the heat transfer between the roof space and the rooms below. If your wall insulation has cavities, stud frames can help you save up to 20 percent of the energy normally used for heating and cooling. Floor insulation also matters. Cooler climates can help retain warmth and reduce the effort required from your heater and in warm climates floor insulation helps retain cool air. 

Hot Water Check

You should makes sure that your water is efficient. Low-flow showerheads use approximately half the water that conventional showerheads do while maintaining an adequate level of pressure. Hot water systems that consume less energy can help you save money and release less greenhouse emissions. Hot water storage system’s thermostat settings mean that more energy consumption. You should also spend less time in the shower and use less hot water. 

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There are many ways to design your home in such a way that you save energy. You don’t need to renovate your home to cut down on your energy use. These are mostly related to heat and cooling, which are some of the most expensive energy uses. Take these things into account and you will be able to cut down on your expenses. 

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