Are you looking to save some money around the house? Some home energy improvements may require a costly upfront investment and don’t eventually pay for themselves. What updates can slash your energy bills without cleaning out your bank account?

Here are eight ways to make your home more energy-efficient.

1. Light Your Home With LEDs

Adding LED lights is one easy and cost-effective way to lower home energy costs. They cost more than standard incandescent bulbs, but the LEDs last much longer. 

Over time, you’ll spend less money on lightbulbs. LEDs produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescent. Plus, they have a heat sink that absorbs all the heat the bulbs emit, preventing them from burning out or overheating. 

For only a few dollars more, you’ll avoid wasting money on inefficient bulbs that burn out more frequently.

2. Seal Those Windows

Another simple fix to save energy costs is by sealing windows. During the fall and winter, if there’s a leak in a window, cold air seeps in, which causes you to turn up those thermostats.

Grab some caulk and weatherstripping and get to work sealing the leaks and anywhere you feel a draft. The overall cost rings up, at the most, $30, which is much cheaper than the high energy costs you would have over a whole year of drafts.

3. Install a Smart Thermostat

Though some people are averse to putting any “smart” tech in their homes, a programmable thermostat is a practical device that will lower home energy costs. If no one is home during the day, the thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature, thus saving you from the waste of heating or cooling an empty house.

With a programmable thermostat, you can also control the temperature from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection with the related smartphone app. If you take a shopping trip and want to come home to a toasty house, adjust it with a few taps on your phone screen. A smart thermostat can help you save hundreds of dollars per year.

4. Change Your Garage Door

Your garage door probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind as an opportunity to save money on your energy bills. In colder weather, your garage door plays a valuable role in retaining heat. If it’s not well-insulated, you could be losing money each year. 

Energy-efficient garage doors keep heat from escaping. If you spend a lot of time in your garage, want to lower home energy costs or have an attached garage, updating your garage door is a wise investment.

5. Use a Low-Flow Shower Head

Yes, everyone enjoys standing under a powerful flow from their showerhead, but saving money every year by switching to a low-flow showerhead is even better. You’ll be showering in savings!

Low-flow showerheads change the water pressure, not necessarily the amount that flows through it. They have smaller holes, which create a strong water spray that still conserves energy and water. 

6. Let Laundry Air-Dry

Probably one of the cheapest home improvements that can lower home energy costs is adding a retractable clothesline, especially if you have an older dryer model. Dryers can suck up energy in no time at all. 

If you let clothes air-dry on sunnier, warmer days, you’ll reap all the benefits of exposing them to sunlight, adding freshness, disinfecting and keeping whites white. Faithfully hanging your clothes on the line will slash your monthly energy bills.

7. Replace Appliances With Energy-Efficient Ones

Though replacing your appliances is a bit more expensive, it will pay off in the long run. You don’t have to purchase a new oven, washing machine, dryer and refrigerator in one fell swoop. Instead, go one at a time.

Energy-efficient products use less electricity overall to get the same job done, and they avoid high energy bills. With energy-efficient appliances, you can save about 30% of your energy bill each year.

8. Insulate

One of the best ways to save money on energy bills over time is to insulate your attic. Heat loss is most significant in this part of your home. 

When cold weather hits, you’ll notice a drop in your energy bill. Uninsulated houses cost significantly more to heat and cool.

Upgrade to Energy Efficiency

Each of these home improvements will dramatically decrease your home energy costs. Within a month, you’ll notice savings. By choosing energy-efficient enhancements, you will end up with more money in your pocket over the years.

Written by Evelyn Long

 

About the Author

Evelyn Long is the editor-in-chief of Renovated, where she publishes home improvement and green building advice for builders and homeowners alike. 

 

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