How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
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Climate change is a hot topic and an ever-growing concern. Reducing emissions as well as our carbon footprint is something every Australian can do to help the environment, and preserve it for future generations. Having an energy efficient home is the best place to make a difference. Working towards becoming more eco-friendly at home has incredibly positive effects on our wallets too. Conserving energy and making your home more energy efficient will reduce your power bills and leave you with more money in your back pocket.
There are several ways to make your home more energy efficient, from smart technology to easy DIY options around the home.
Making your home energy efficient with technology:
While they can be expensive, solar panels are incredibly effective at reducing your power bill and are an eco-friendly source of power. The savings solar panels create far outweighs the cost of installation. Solar panels are a great renewable energy source, and do not produce any harmful emissions. Solar panels often generate more electricity than you will need to power your home, in fact, you can send the excess power back to the grid in return for credit – saving you even more money!
Buying energy efficient appliances is also a great way to make your home more energy efficient. Look for the Energy Star rating on appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators and more. The Energy Star rating is easy to spot, make it simple to identify the right appliances for your energy-efficient home.
Simple tips to being more energy efficient at home:
These simple tips do not require large investment, but easy behavioral and lifestyle changes which will equate to a significant reduction in energy wastage and a much lower monthly power bill.
This includes composting food scraps which you can re-use in your garden as a nutrient-dense fertilizer. This in turn reduces the amount of waste that ends up at the tip. Being aware of your food wastage will also subsequently make you consider family eating and spending habits and becoming more resourceful to avoid food waste.
Another simple yet effective trick to reduce energy wastage is by simply turning off your appliances when they aren’t in use. Jugs, washing machines, phone chargers, toasters – the list goes on. In each room in your home, there are probably three items that could be unplugged. Consider the wastage across the whole household every day, and that results in a significant yearly wastage that could save you money if avoided.
You can also change some settings on your appliances, or the way you use them, to reduce energy wastage. This includes reducing the use of your dryer, using only the cold-wash settings on your washing machine, or reducing your thermostat by a couple of degrees.
You can create draught stoppers with old pillowcases to stop warm air being lost around your door framing, or cold air creeping in. While you’re at it, seal the cracks around your windows using a seal gun for an air tight home.
How else can you make your home energy efficient?
You should also consider insulating your home with underfloor and ceiling insulation. Another slightly more expensive solution, insulation not only adds essential warmth, but also additional value to your home. Be sure to get a professional to install the insulation for you to ensure all areas are covered and the installation is to a high standard.
Before you insulate, you’ll need to make sure your roof cavity is free of birds and pests that can end up causing costly damage to the insulation. To do this you’ll need to contact bird proofing specialists. They can ensure your roof will be free from pests, as well as keeping them out for good.
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Source by Brenden Wragg