How to make your home more energy efficient

Creating a home that is more energy efficient is easier than you might think. By being aware of how much energy your home uses and where you may be wasting it, you can start to make adjustments that will help save you money and energy. 

Yes, you can undertake big renovations and upgrade appliances to further your energy efficiency, but there are also small measures that will help. Here are some tips to help you lower your energy usage.

• Watch phantom power consumption: When appliances and electronics are left plugged in but aren’t in use, you are still losing energy. Plug your appliances into a power bar instead of directly into an outlet to have better (and easier) control over switching them on and off. 
• Seal windows and doors: Whether winter or summer, making sure your windows and doors are completely sealed is important. If drafts are entering your home, your air conditioning unit or furnace will use more energy trying to get your home to a comfortable temperature. Hold a candle around your window and door frames; if it flickers, you may have a draft and will need to caulk frames and install weatherstripping to help control it. 
• Automate your thermostat: Investing in a smart thermostat to control the temperature in your home can be a smart choice. You can set scheduled temperatures to adjust automatically and connect your thermostat to your phone to give you complete control of your energy savings even when you’re away from your house. 
• Clean your appliances: All of the larger appliances — fridge, dryer, furnace — have venting systems that can get clogged and full of dust and dirt, making them work harder and burn more energy. Going room to room, vacuum, dust, and clear any appliance that has air filters or condenser coils to help rid them of obstructions and improve the air flow to draw less power.
• Low-flow water devices: Water-saving plumbing fixtures will make a significant difference in your energy consumption and water bill. Low-flow showerheads and faucets tend to add air bubbles to the stream to help use less water while still keeping a steady, pressurized flow, and toilets will have less water dispersed after each flush.

If you’re ready to start saving today, try a few of these simple energy savers to get you on your path to being more energy-friendly. 

• Shut off the lights in rooms you aren’t using
• Turn off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth
• Change your light bulbs to LEDs
• Close the blinds when the weather is warmer and take in the natural light when it’s cooler
• Unplug your phone charger overnight