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Top 5 Features of an Energy Efficient Home

The ever-rising cost of utilities has forced us to look at ways to save money by making our homes more energy efficient. It makes good sense to save 40% or more on your monthly energy bill.

While it might seem like one should build a new house in order to incorporate energy saving measures, it does not mean that you cannot make changes to an existing home.

Here are the top 5 ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency:

Go Solar

Southern California has an abundance of a renewable energy source that can power a home – the sun.

A solar power system for your home can save you a fortune over the years. Why be beholden to the power company?

The sun is there and ready to be harnessed. Heat your home, cool your home, run your lights and appliances, and more.

Insulation

This is one of the most important features in an energy efficient home.

It makes no sense at all to install energy efficient systems for heating and cooling but neglect to insulate the house properly.

Insulation keeps the exchange of heat between the inside and outside of your house to a minimum.
New and improved insulation in your ceilings and wall cavities will make a huge difference.

Walls

In addition to insulation, your walls themselves can be major energy savers. Good walls will form an air barrier and eliminate thermal bridging through them.

Upgrade to double-framed walls, along with insulated panels that form part of the load-bearing structure, and watch your energy bills plummet.

Windows

Window design is very important. So much heat and coolness can escape if windows are old, ineffective or poorly installed.

First, have double glazed windows fitted. They are usually filled with Argon which is a good insulator. Vinyl window frames are better than aluminum because they don’t transfer as much heat.

Consider having larger windows installed on the south side of your home to make best use of warming sunshine during winter. And these needn’t overheat your home in summer. Tinted windows are also an option to help regulate temperature within your home.

Larger windows also increase the amount of natural light entering your home, thus reducing the amount of time lights are needed on.

Lighting

Some simple redesigning of lights and wiring in the home can save plenty, as well as giving a new lift to old rooms.

Switch your light bulbs from incandescent to LED. They can last up to 20 years and it is about a 90% savings.

These are only a few of the features that you can include in your home to make it more energy efficient. Obviously the more energy saving measures you incorporate, the better your savings will be. The best solution would be to consult a home remodeling specialist to work out the right balance between what you spend and what you could save as a result.

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