When people throw around terms like energy-saving or energy-efficiency, it often feels like a pipe dream, the reality of which involves living in a shack, generating power off the grid, and bicycling to get around.
The truth, however, is that you can achieve drastic reductions in cooling, heating, and electricity costs with simple lifestyle changes—stuff that homeowners are more than equipped to do themselves.
The fact that many of us have officially transitioned to a remote-work model and are spending far more time at home than usual means our utility bills are inching higher and higher. If there was ever a time to make your home more energy-efficient, it’s now.
We’ve prepared this piece with useful and simple tips on improving your home’s energy efficiency.
Improve Your Home’s Heating and Cooling
Heating and cooling take up the lion’s share of energy use in buildings—as much as 73 percent! Here are some simple ways to adjust your heating and cooling systems to achieve drastic changes in energy consumption:
- Install a ceiling fan and substitute it for your air conditioner as much as you can.
- Replace the air filters in your heater and air conditioner periodically.
- Turn your thermostat’s temperature down at night or when there’s no one at home.
- Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats help homeowners save money through automatic adjustments to heating and cooling appliances. They also have the added benefit of containing zero mercury.
- Install a pellet stove or a wood stove. They tend to be more efficient than furnaces.
- Draw your curtains over the windows at night to insulate the room.
Use a Tankless Water Heater
A conventional storage water heater incurs standby energy losses because it consumes power to keep the water in the tank hot. A tankless or instantaneous water heater, on the other hand, provides hot water only when needed.
The electric element or gas burner in the heater heats the cold water as it passes through the unit. You’ll also be saving water because you won’t need to store water before you can use it.
Seal and Insulate Your Home
A home that’s properly sealed and insulated can drastically increase indoor air quality and comfort while keeping your utility bills low. Here are some of the most common areas where there may be leakage:
- Electrical receptacles/outlets
- Around wires and pipes
- Mail slots
- Window or wall-mounted air conditioners
- Fireplace dampers
- Attic hatches
- Baseboards
- Window frames
- Inadequate weatherstripping around doors
- Switchplates
If you’re looking to hire an electrician in the Bay Area, consider us at TD West Electric.
As a leading residential and commercial electrical contractor in the Bay Area, we are committed to delivering excellence in all our services. Our team of expert electricians strives to provide safe and high-quality electrical services.
To schedule an electrical inspection with us or give us a call at (510) 648-1465.
