Energy Efficient Home

An energy efficient home boasts many benefits, both for the environment and to the homeowner. However, some homeowners may feel that creating this an energy efficient home is costly and difficult. Small changes made to an existing home can produce immediate benefits and may encourage homeowners to think about bigger changes they can make in their homes that will help both the environment and themselves.

Use Less Electricity

One simple change is to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). CFLs are designed to fit into most existing light fixtures, so there is nothing to change except the bulb itself. While it is true that the initial cost of the CFL is more than an incandescent bulb, the CFL has a longer rated life and uses less electricity. Homeowners might also consider installing a motion detector for outside lighting, which will only come on when needed and will also use less electricity. Using less electricity is known to be beneficial to the environment and to an energy efficient home. The installation and use of a programmable thermostat will also use less electricity and reduce the homeowner’s carbon footprint on the environment.

Heating and Cooling Costs

Weather-stripping around doors and windows help to insulate the home and is helpful year-round to save on both heating and cooling costs. Change air filters regularly and add extra insulation around the water heater as well to help with these costs.

Use Less Energy when doing Laundry

Another simple measure homeowners can take is to decrease their use of the clothes dryer and opt to hang their clothes to dry. This not only saves on electricity, it is also easier on the clothes themselves, extending their life and keeping them looking newer longer. While many neighborhoods may prohibit the installation of an actual clothesline in the back yard, there are many good dryer racks and portable clotheslines that work well. The advantage to something portable is that the homeowner does not have to depend on perfect weather to complete their laundry chores. However, if there is a hidden area in the yard suitable for a clothesline, the homeowner might consider at least installing one line for bed sheets and larger items. Even towels and jeans can be hung to dry and then placed in the clothes dryer for a short period of time to soften.

Reduce, Re-use and Recycle Household Goods

Every home produces trash, but what is brought into the home and the way the trash is disposed of can make a big difference in having an energy efficient home. Reduce, re-use and recycle are the buzz words that come to mind in discussions about garbage and its disposal. For instance, using cloth bags that can be used again and again for groceries is a simple way to reduce what is brought into the home. If cloth bags are not used exclusively, any paper or plastic bags obtained can be used in other ways. Small plastic bags make excellent liners for small garbage cans in the home. Paper bags can be used in mailing packages or, at the very least, can be recycled. Finding household uses for empty containers is another way to re-use. An empty yogurt or margarine container is excellent for storing leftovers. Homeowners should always take advantage of any curb-side recycling offered by their neighborhood. For those who live in places that do not offer curb-side recycling, there are usually schools or churches in or around the neighborhood with bins for paper recycling, if nothing else. Think beyond newspapers, to junk mail and even the cardboard boxes that cereal, cookies, crackers and other household staples come in. Many communities also offer recycling drop-offs for glass, aluminum and plastics. Also, homeowners need to be aware that electronics require special handling when they are disposed of. Look for e-cycling drives when it is time to discard these items. This will help eliminate the landfill problem that grows bigger by the day, threatening the environment.

Composting Organic Trash

Homeowners can also benefit from composting their organic trash. This need not take up a great deal of space and the benefits to the yard can be seen almost immediately. Small kitchen containers can be a good first step for those reluctant to try composting. As the homeowner becomes more comfortable and sees the reduction in their trash and the benefits to their lawns, a larger area may be devoted in the back yard. Mulch from the compost pile can be put to good use in a home vegetable garden, which can also make a more energy efficient home.

Water Conservation and Natural Cooling

A rainwater collection system can be used to irrigate lawns and gardens, as well as any outdoor cleaning (like car washing). Taking advantage of natural low water landscaping is both attractive and makes an energy efficient home. Be sure to research the vegetables that will grow well and the best type of landscaping for the area of the country where the home is. Well-placed, large deciduous trees can provide cooling benefits to a home during hot summer months.

Eco Friendly Paint, Carpet and Tile

As homeowners become more aware of how an eco friendly home is better for the environment, they may look for more substantial changes when it comes time to make capital improvements to their homes. If a room needs to be painted, for instance, homeowners can choose latex paint, which is water based and easier to clean than oil-based paints. Latex paint is also a low volatile organic compound (VOC), producing less breathable gas and smell. No-VOC paint is also available. Homeowners can look for low- or no-VOC finishes for virtually every surface in the home. Paint, carpet and tile can all be applied with low- or no-VOC coatings and adhesives. Require contractors to use these products if the work will be done by outside professionals.

Bamboo Flooring is Quickly Renewable

For homeowners with wood flooring, bamboo is recognized as a quickly renewable natural material. Bamboo is a durable flooring product and can be used in lieu of more traditional maple or oak flooring or other flooring systems that take much longer to produce and have a more damaging effect on the environment.

Air Circulation with Reversible and Exhaust

Use more fans in the home. Add reversible ceiling fans to rooms that don’t have them and use them year-round. Exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens will pull out heat and keep these rooms cooler.

Thermal Insulation

Thermal insulation in the attic, known as a radiant barrier, is a good way to cut down on electricity, which helps both the homeowner and the environment by reducing their carbon footprint. The cost savings in air conditioning and heating will be felt immediately by the homeowner, even though the process is somewhat expensive and will take some time to recover the costs.

Thermal Windows

Likewise, if a homeowner is considering window replacement, the installation of thermal windows that allow in more natural light while also blocking ultra violet rays are a good investment. Skylights using a radiant-barrier system are another way to allow more natural light in the energy efficient home. Natural light cuts down on the use of artificial light that requires a power source, thus helping the environment by cutting down on the use of electricity.

Roof Type for a Cooler Home

When it is time to replace the roof, consider light-colored or white tile. This type of roof has been proven to reduce heat gain to the attic, keeping the house cooler.

Water Consumption

Installing low flow shower heads and toilets will reduce water consumption. Both help the homeowner, who saves money, and the environment, which benefits from less demand, produce an energy efficient home. While water is a renewable resource, clean water requires energy to process. The less water used, the less water that must be cleaned at waste water treatment plants.

Solar Power and Wind Power

One of the most drastic and expensive ways to make an energy efficient home is the installation of solar panels to power electricity and heat water. However, these costs will be recovered over time and have the added benefit of reducing the greenhouse gases that harm the environment and making an energy efficient home. Solar power is an inexhaustible power source and harnessing that power to help run a home is a responsible way for homeowners to cut down on their carbon footprint. For those whose homes are on an acre or more, or where neighborhood restrictions do not exist, wind turbines may also be installed to help cut down on the reliance of coal or nuclear electricity. Wind power, like solar power, is inexhaustible. These energy efficient home changes can pay huge benefits to the homeowner. The use of wind power usually requires the energy company to pay the homeowner for the power he produces. These systems also reduce the carbon footprint and help the environment.

Energy Efficient Appliances

Replacing worn-out appliances with energy-efficient ones is also a good way to make a more energy efficient home. Front-load washing machines use less water and soap and also are more efficient at water removal, making clothes dry faster. Homeowners should research appliance options carefully and take care to dispose of old appliances in a responsible manner.

Energy Efficient Homes are for the Greater Good

Making an energy efficient home is good for the environment, as well as the homeowner. Both will benefit from any of these changes.