5 Ways To Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Energy efficiency is something that many homeowners are striving for. Making your home more energy efficient is good for the environment, as it lessens greenhouse gas emissions and reduces the demand for non-renewable resources. What's more, it can save you a lot of money, whether it's by lowered energy bills, tax breaks or insurance premiums. 

Here are five practical ways to make your home more energy efficient.
 
1. Improve Insulation

Well insulated walls slows down the rate of heat loss during winter or heat gain in summer. This leads to less energy being used to heat up or cool down a house. You need to get in touch with a reliable contractor who can assist you in choosing the right insulation to use and to install it properly.
 
2. Upgrade Your Windows
 
Replacing your windows to more energy-efficient ones can go a long way in boosting your home's energy rating. Old windows might be leaking heat or cold air from your home; forcing your HVAC systems to work overtime. Aside from upgrading your windows, you should also consider having them tinted or using blinds or thick curtains to help control the room's temperature.
 
3. Touch Up Your Landscape
 
Surprisingly, planting shade trees and shrubs also enhances your energy savings. The foliage of a well-thought of placement of trees and plants can block infrared radiation during summer. These same trees will then be bare of leaves during winter, thereby allowing sunlight to go into the home.
 
4. Change Your Lightbulbs
 
Replacing old light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLS) can reduce your energy consumption by as much as three-quarters. You might have to shell out a bit more upfront but you'll get that back in savings. Consider this - CFLs can last for 10,000 hours and utilizes around 27 watts to generate light as bright as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. Meanwhile, an incandescent bulb only lasts 1,000 hours. You'll have to replace this bulb 10 times before it can even match the lifespan of a CFL.
 
5. Ask for Expert Advice
 
Make sure you're on the right path. Ask for an energy auditor to evaluate your home and see where you stand with regards to energy efficiency. These experts have the skills and the tools to recommend what measures you can still take. They can even verify the quality of work done by a contractor.
 
Your home is your castle, so it's only natural that you want to take care of it. Taking steps to make it more energy efficient is one way to go about this. Another is to ensure that you have the right home insurance to back you up. At D. Harrison Agency, we put our clients first by offering them policies that they can afford. Learn more about our products and services by calling our agency at (410) 559-5630. You can also request for a free quote by CLICKING HERE.