If you’re tired of shockingly high energy bills or interested in establishing a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, making your home more energy efficient is a great way to start. We made a list of 5 simple ways you can cut down those costs and achieve your environmental goals.
- Switch your home’s lighting
An easy way to improve efficiency is changing up your home’s lighting situation. During the day, rely on natural light instead of lamps and overhead bulbs while inside. Not only does this reduce electricity use throughout your home, but sun beams can improve your mood and add free natural warmth to your home. Another lighting solution is switching to LED bulbs. Since LED lights use less energy over time, they save you money and significantly reduce energy consumption.
- Seal and insulate your home
If it’s been a while since you resealed or insulated your home, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to do it again. Tightly sealed homes improve indoor air quality and protect from outside elements, which reduces how hard your home works. Wall- and window-mounted air conditioners, baseboards, mail slots and attics are common culprits for air leaks, so take a walk throughout your home and double check for potential leakage spots.
- Upgrade your windows
Newer windows do a better job of regulating interior temperatures because they do not allow hot and cold air to escape. If you think you might be losing energy through your windows, it could be time for an upgrade. White Oak Construction is a trusted high-quality replacement window provider. Our team will help you pick from a wide range of windows styles, giving you exactly what you want. Best of all, our windows have a lifetime warranty, so you’ll never need to question our commitment to quality.
- Find ways to better heat and cool your home
Don’t rely on your thermostat to do all the work. Occasionally replacing air filters in air conditioners and heaters and installing ceiling fans throughout your home are two easy ways to relieve your thermostat of its duties. Since ceiling fans naturally circulate air, they can be used more frequently to reduce how often your air conditioner runs. At night, drawing curtains over windows will help insulate rooms and cut down energy usage.
- Install a storm door
Even if you have energy efficient doors in your home, adding a storm door will improve those efforts even more. Not only do they increase energy efficiency, but they also provide an extra layer of protection against both the outdoor elements and potential threats to your home. Most storm doors have low-emissary glass or protective coatings that help prevent energy loss. If you’re thinking about adding a storm door to your home, White Oak has a great selection of high-quality doors that will add to your curb appeal, provide natural light, and aid in energy efficiency.