If your home isn’t energy-efficient, it could be costing your hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars every year. Energy doesn’t come cheap, and wasting it is not only bad on the environment, but also bad for your wallet. The truth is that you can take some fairly simple steps to make your home more energy-efficient and to know that you’re doing your part for the environment as well as putting a few bucks back in your pocket. From replacing lights to hiring spray foam contractors Virginia, here are some great ways to make your home more efficient.
Install a Tankless Heater
One of the great benefits of a tankless heater is that it provides hot water only when it is needed. Rather than having a traditional water heater that produces standby energy losses, you can reduce your energy consumption drastically by installing a tankless heater. Essentially, as a faucet is turned on and water begins to move through the pipes, an electric or gas element will heat the water as it passes through. You’ll never have to have a “large” enough tank, just one that can heat efficiently.
Replace Incandescent Bulbs
If you’re still rocking incandescent bulbs, it’s time to make the switch to LED. A household running incandescent lights spends 11% or more of its entire energy budget just on lighting. Using LED lights instead can save you 50-75% of the energy you were using previously. While it is a larger one-time investment to replace out all of your bulbs, they tend to last for years making them a great investment overall.
Get Efficient Toilets and Shower Heads
If you replace your current showerheads with electric showers with flexible water flow technology, you can reduce the rate at which water comes out which can be a huge water saver. You can even find some that will pause the water flow until it heats up or while the bather lathers up with soap.
Another place you can become more efficient is with your toilets. Traditionally toilets are the biggest water users in a home. Rather than needing 3.5 gallons to flush, you can go with a 1.5 gallon toilet that reduces thousands of gallons of water a year. This is an easy and smart investment to make.
Insulate Your House
Lastly, checking for broken seals and making sure your home is insulated is a great way to improve efficiency. If you can fill the leaks with spray foam insulation, your home will stay more comfortable and your bill will start to lower.