Your home is comprised of various interdependent parts, including its shell, the HVAC systems within, the appliances you use, and the lighting system, all of which affect the overall energy efficiency of your home. If one component is inefficient, it will affect the efficiency of the others.
Increasing your home’s energy efficiency is typically a matter of making small, and usually very inexpensive, improvements as well as considering the behaviors of its occupants. Here are some of the simplest and least expensive things you can do yourself to increase the energy efficiency of your home to lower your carbon footprint, reduce your utility bills, and increase your comfort level.
1. Seal air leaks. Air leaks make your heating and cooling systems work harder, increasing the amount of energy they use, and they reduce your comfort in all season. Seal air leaks around windows, doors, and service entrances with weatherstripping and caulk.
2. Replace your HVAC air filter. A dirty air filter restricts airflow to your HVAC systems and lets dust inside, and it’s the number one cause of common heating and air conditioning problems. Inspect your air filter monthly and replace it with a good-quality filter when it’s caked with dust.
3. Seal and insulate ductwork. According to Energy Star, the typical home’s ductwork loses 20 to 30 percent of the air that moves through them. Inspect your exposed ducts and seal loose joints, cracks, and holes with metal tape or mastic duct sealant.
4. Install a programmable thermostat. When properly installed and programmed, a programmable thermostat can reduce your heating and cooling bills by an average of $180 a year.
5. Install low-flow showerheads. Hot water costs you money in two ways: paying for the energy required to heat and maintain it, and the cost of the water itself. Low-flow showerheads can vastly reduce the amount of hot water you use, especially if you have a large household. Reducing your shower time by just three minutes a day can also significantly lower your water and water heating bills over the course of a year.
6. Repair dripping faucets right away. HVAC industry experts F.H. Furr Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical advises that a faucet that leaks at a rate of one drop per second will waste 200 gallons of water a year, and repairing leaks on hot water taps as soon as they begin is a good way to reduce the amount of hot water you use.
7. Replace incandescent lights. Incandescent light bulbs burn hot, releasing 90 percent of their energy as heat. By contrast, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) burn cool and use a staggering 75 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs, and they last up to ten times longer.
8. Invest in Energy Star appliances. When it’s time to replace your home’s major and minor appliances, choose models that feature the Energy Star logo, which ensures that they’ll use less energy than comparable models. While Energy Star models are typically a little more expensive, they more than pay for themselves over time, and they’re usually of higher quality, which means they’ll last longer as well.
Notes:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_ducts
http://fhfurr.com/brands-products/plumbing-products/water-heaters/water-heaters/