Making your home energy efficient not only saves money, but it is also best for the environment. However, too often homeowners do not know which of the many products and ideas will make a significant difference.

First and foremost, a lot of cooling and heating costs are wasted by drafts at doors and windows. In addition to higher energy costs, such drafts also allow more dust and pollen into the home. Applying weather stripping can help all of these issues. Even if you have weather stripping, you may need to replace it. It may have decayed over the years, or it may be of a type that is not very efficient. And if you truly cannot weather strip, at least try to block off the drafts as best you can. Heavy drapes, preferably insulated, at all windows and the patio door will help, as will draft blockers such as the bean-bag snakes at the bottom of outside doors.

One investment that will pay for itself in time is to use fluorescent bulbs. These consume less power, but they also last longer than standard bulbs.

Most people keep their water heaters set at too high a temperature. In homes with young children it can be dangerous to have tap water delivered hot enough to scald them. There is seldom any need for it to be this hot, and it wastes money in two ways. First of all, energy is expended to heat water to an unnecessary degree. Then, since this water is too hot, cold water has to be used to make it possible to bathe or wash the hands.

Attic insulation may be inadequate, particularly in older homes. Advances in the insulation field means that products are available that can save you significantly over what was available even twenty years ago. Look not only at how much insulation you have but also the type and how well it works.

Thermostat timers are another good investment. These adjust the thermostat setting to conserve energy when you are asleep or gone. Then, before you return home, they again adjust the setting to make sure you arrive home to a comfortable temperature.

But your energy consumption habits are also important. Turn off the light when you leave the room or go out for the day. Run the dishwasher when it is full, and use the proper water level when washing small loads of clothes. Do not keep a deep freeze operating with only two or three items in it, since they are more inefficient when they are not full. Move or use the items. Few foods actually need you to preheat the oven, so eliminate that task unless preparing something that absolutely requires it. And adjust yourself rather than the thermostat if you are uncomfortable. If you are too cold, try donning a sweater or socks. If you are too hot, turn on a ceiling fan or stand fan for better cooling and circulation.

By making your home energy efficient, you will save yourself some money. But you will also help our environment by conserving resources.

With the way that the economy is these days everyone wants to save cash, by Making Your Home Energy Efficient, you will not only save cash but you will be doing your part to keep our earth green, find out how you can do this at the authors site which is full of many kinds of Home Improvements.

Tags: diy, energy efficiency, Gardening, home, home improvements

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 at 3:27 am and is filed under Gardening. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.