Energy efficiency tips for your home

Energy efficiency is not only a recent trend, but an important thing to keep in mind when building a home or a new building. Having an energy efficient home is important to the environment, and your wallet, to save not only time and money, but resources as well. We’ve gathered a few energy efficiency tips to help you have one of the best energy efficient homes on the block.

• Smart thermostats are a new trend to the energy efficiency scene but can save you a ton of money over time. Invest in installing a smart thermostat, such as a Nest, and it can save you over 10 percent of energy on heating and cooling costs over time.
• The top energy efficient homes use the natural light to their advantage. By using your window shades, you can close them on the sunny sides of your house to keep it cooler and open them up in the winter to naturally heat your home.
• Invest in energy efficient lightbulbs that are LED to help you conserve energy and make them last longer. They cost a significant amount of money up front, but the money savings over time is significant. They can help reduce energy from about a third to as much as 80 percent.
• Energy efficient homes should always use products that are labeled with the Energy Star label, which is the government’s symbol of energy efficiency. The Energy Start label comes on a wide range of products and can help save up to 30 percent on electricity bills.
• Keep your water bills low by using low-flow faucets and shower heads, as well as washing your laundry in cold water to save $63 a year.
• Simple things can help create an energy efficient home for you, such as turning off lights, appliances, and electronics that are not in use at the time. Also ensure that you change or clean filters regularly to ensure that they continue proper air flow to keep your house cool or warm.
• When planning your spring time yard projects, if you plan on planting trees, make sure they are properly places around the house to provide some shade in the summer to help you save between $100 and $250 annually in cooling costs. This is energy efficiency at its finest!
• Turn your computer off to ensure energy savings. Leaving one on all day can cost about 21 centers per day, or $75 a year. By unplugging them when you’re not using them, you’re saving energy and money. Make it easier by using a power strip so that you can turn off multiple appliances at one time that don’t need to be on all day.