What’s at the top of your to-do list this year? Is it to start eating healthier or to get back in the gym? What about cleaning out the big spare room that still has a bunch of useless boxes in it? Maybe it’s something else entirely! All of these are good, but have you considered re-evaluating how energy-efficient your home is?
You’d be surprised at how much of a difference even a few energy-efficient tweaks to your home can make. With all the different ways we try and better ourselves in the new year, why not try and save a few bucks on the energy bill as well? Here are a few ways to help increase your energy efficiency in the upcoming year!
Use Energy-Efficient Windows
It might not seem like windows are responsible for losing a lot of energy, but they are! According to the Department of Energy, windows are responsible for anywhere from 25 to 30% of residential heating and cooling energy usage.
By upgrading to energy-efficient windows, you’ll prevent a lot of that excess energy from escaping from your home – saving you money in the process!
Inspect Your Insulation
Another area that valuable heat can get lost is in the places where your home’s insulation isn’t as effective as it once was. If it’s been a while since your insulation has been reinforced, then heat will escape through the cracks and gaps.
Give your insulation situation a lookover as best you can, or give a professional a call if you can’t look at it yourself. Installing new insulation can end up making your home’s air system much more efficient.
Use Power Strips
If you’re like the majority of Americans these days, you’ve got more electronics than you know what to do with! And while you might do a good job of making sure you turn them off, they still may be sucking up valuable energy.
Even when they’re turned off, appliances use something called residual, or “vampire,” energy when they’re plugged in. But by using power strips, you can avoid this problem entirely. Plug a few appliances into a power strip, and you can turn them off all together – ensuring you don’t waste electricity. As a bonus, they’ll be better protected against power surges!
Run Full Laundry Loads
It’s tempting to just wash clothes as-needed, whenever the clothes closet starts to empty. However, that wastes plenty of energy and water since the washing machine needs the same amount of energy to wash a load no matter how much is being washed.
Maximize its performance by waiting until you have full loads of laundry before washing clothes. Your wallet will thank you!
Roman Electric: Serving Milwaukee since 1929
When you need professional electrical help in the new year, you know who to call! Roman Electric has long been a household name in the area for a reason. Give us a call at 414-369-3798 to find out why our service is second to none!
