The most effective strategy for improving household energy efficiency is to target your home’s walls, attic, windows, and doors. After that, focus on improving the energy efficiency of heating, cooling, lighting, and appliance systems. Finally, consider clean energy generation (solar, geothermal).
The following basic household improvements are a good place to start:
Make sure your walls and attic are well-insulated. Effective insulation slows the rate at which heat flows out of a house in winter or into a house in summer. If your house has no wall insulation and continuous wall cavities (such as conventional stud walls), blown-in insulation can greatly improve your comfort and save enough energy to be cost-effective. If your attic is unfinished, consider upgrading its insulation.
Upgrade or replace your windows. According to www.energystar.gov, replacing old windows saves seven to 24 percent on heating and air conditioning bills, but the larger savings are associated with replacing single-glazed windows. If you’re replacing windows for other reasons, the additional cost of Energy Star-rated replacements is about $15 per window—a cost-effective upgrade that simultaneously increases comfort.
Plant shade trees and shrubs around your house. If your house has relatively poor insulation and old windows, good landscaping (particularly deciduous trees) can save energy, especially if planted on the house’s west side. In summer, foliage blocks infrared radiation, and in winter, the bare branches let this radiation come through.
Improve the efficiency of your hot water system. Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the “warm” setting (120 degrees Fahrenheit), insulate your hot water lines so they don’t cool off as quickly between uses, and use low-flow fixtures for showers and baths.
Schedule an energy audit for your home. Energy auditors and raters use specialized tools and skills to evaluate your home and recommend the most cost-effective measures to improve its comfort and efficiency. Raters can also provide independent verification of contractors’ work quality. Look to take advantage of Home Performance with Energy Star programs—most include low-cost home assessments and strong quality assurance practices and/or inspections.
