One of the highest expenses homeowners deal with each month is the energy bill. Think about it; your AC works overtime during the summer, some lights stay on all day, and some appliances in your kitchen have never taken a break!
Needless to say, your energy bill can leave you with a hefty hole in your wallet. But there are certain things you can do to make your home energy cost low and efficient!
Understand Where it All Goes
The most important thing you can do to make your home’s energy more efficient is figuring out exactly how it’s being used.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy:
44% of your energy bill is used in the cooling & heating of your house.
33% is used for lighting, cooking, and various other appliances.
14% is reserved for water heating.
9% is used by your refrigerator.
Now that you have a better idea of where it all goes, you can begin to formulate your energy efficiency plan.
Hot and Cold
A lot of energy can be wasted as a result of faulty or damaged ventilation ducts in your home. Lucky for you, it’s a relatively easy fix that will help keep your home cool and efficient.
Also:
Keep the air vents in unoccupied rooms closed so cool air isn’t being “wasted.” During the winter, use your heater as little as possible.
Keep the blinds drawn at the windows on the east and west sides of the home open to let sunlight in.
Close the blinds at night to ensure that heat collected in the day remains inside.
Toning Down the Big Guns
As you can imagine, big appliances like refrigerators, dryers, washers, and stoves are the biggest energy wasters in homes. This is especially true if they’re over 15 years old. It may seem like a large expense, but replacing your old appliances with new, energy-efficient ones could save you hundreds of dollars every year.
