People are always looking for the best deals and savings so that they can get the most for their money, but this philosophy shouldn’t only be applied to shopping sprees and vacations. You should also be looking for ways to save on your everyday costs, including your utilities. When you make your home more energy efficient, you can decrease your bills and save yourself some money.

There are various ways you may be inadvertently wasting energy in your home and costing yourself extra money, but you can fix that simply by making a couple of changes to your home and personal habits. The following are some tips on how to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

Many electronics don’t need to be plugged in on 24/7.

Electronics Usage

While some electronics and appliances need to be plugged in and running at all times, like refrigerators, many electronics don’t need to be on 24/7. Even when electronic devices are not being used, they’re still using some energy if they are plugged in which is costing you money. With that being said, turn off or unplug electronics and appliances, like computers and televisions, when you’re not using them.

Old Appliances

Older appliances, such as refrigerators and water heaters, tend to use more energy to run and function. If these appliances are over 10 years old, then it’s recommended to purchase a replacement. Spending the money on the replacements can be costly now, but this will save you money in the long run.

Dirty Filters

Whether it’s the air filter in your furnace or air conditioner, if the filter is dirty, it is more difficult to either heat or cool your home. When filters are dirty, air cannot travel through them as easily, so the unit needs to use up more energy to perform its function. Knowing this, you can prevent your home’s furnace and/or air conditioner from using excess energy by changing or cleaning the filters on a regular basis. When you replace or clean the filter, take the time to inspect the furnace or air conditioner and remove dust and other debris to further ensure the units can work efficiently. Changing the air filters in your furnace and air conditioner will also improve the air quality in your home.

Improper Heating and Cooling

If the filter is dirty, it is more difficult to either heat or cool your home. Also, add some insulation to your home.

When you’re spending time in your home, you adjust the thermostat to your desired temperature. But don’t waste money and energy by keeping the heat or air conditioning on when no one’s at home. You should either make an effort yourself to turn off your thermostat before leaving your home, or you should get a programmable thermostat to do the work for you. With smart technology, there are ways to control your home’s thermostat even when you’re away, making it easier for you to control.

An insufficient amount of insulation in your home can also cause you to spend more money on heating costs. If your home doesn’t have enough insulation, your home loses heat. As a result, you’ll probably increase the temperature to counter the heat loss, wasting energy and money in the process. You can fix this problem just by adding some more insulation. If you can still see joists in your attic, then add more so that you can’t see them. Otherwise, the recommended amount of insulation for your home is between 10 to 14 inches.

Cracks and Air Leaks

If you have cracks in your home’s foundation or near doors and windows, interior air will exit your home while exterior air enters your home. As such, any money you’re spending to heat or cool your home is being partially wasted. Check for air leaks in your home, and seal them up with weather stripping or caulk. If you are not sure if your home has air leaks, you can hire a professional to test your home and identify any leaks.

Check for air leaks in your home, and seal them up with weather stripping or caulk.

When there are cracks in your home’s foundation or structure or near its doors and windows, outside elements have a way to enter your home and cause harm. While air leaks are one issue concerning the cracks, the potential for water damage is another issue. Water can leak in through these cracks and cause flooding or water damage to your home, which is another reason why it’s important to seal them up.

In the event your home suffers water damage, get professional help from a water damage restoration service immediately. Excess water can penetrate deeper into the building materials in your home, making the damage worse with time. The sooner the damage is tended to, the lesser chance there is of it leading to severe structural damage. Water damage also often leads to mold growth, which adds to the damage and comes with its own health concerns, so you need to act quickly.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.