Energy usage is becoming an increasingly important consideration for many homeowners. The price of energy continues to rise, while wages are generally stagnant.
This means that most homeowners are looking for ways to reduce their outgoings, preferably without reducing their quality of life. It’s not an easy task.
Fortunately, taking a look at the energy efficiency of your home can really help. Your local electrician, Sydney can help to identify the energy efficiency issues in your home and even help you to rectify many of the issues.
Here are some great steps to get you started.
Page Contents
Drop Your Thermostat
Lowering your thermostat by as much as 1 degree can make a significant difference to the amount of energy you use. Chances are you won’t even notice the change in temperature at home.
But, don’t just lower it when you’re at home. Consider dropping it right down when you’re out, there is little point in heating or cooling your home when there is no one in it.
Check For Electrical Leakage
Old electrical appliances are generally inefficient and can be replaced with appliances that use electricity much more efficiently. But, this is not the only way in which you can be losing electricity, it is also possible to leak electricity into the ground, generally a result of old wiring.
Don’t forget that leaving appliances on standby will also decrease the energy efficiency of your home. Turn off all devices when you’re not using them.
Insulation
Whether you’re trying to keep your home warm or cool you’re going to need some decent quality insulation. This can be pumped into the cavities of your walls or manually added to any accessible space. It will make a big difference in the cost of heating or cooling your home.
The Water Flow
You may not have considered this but, conventional showerheads use approximately 5 gallons of water a minute. Add low flow showerheads and you won’t notice the difference in your flow rate but you will notice the difference on your energy bills!
A low flow showerhead uses just 2.5 gallons of water per minute.
Check Out Your Bulbs
Turning lights off is an obvious step towards saving energy. But, have you considered which bulbs your light fittings are using?
Replace any incandescent bulbs you have with LED’s and you’ll notice an impressive difference on your electricity bill.
Go Solar
Of course, one of the best ways of reducing your energy bills and effectively boosting your energy efficiency is to add your own solar panels to your home. It will take several years for the cost of the panels to be refurbished but, in the long term, they will dramatically reduce your energy consumption and save you a small fortune.
Storm Door
You should also consider adding a storm door to your home. This will help to protect your home from bad weather but it will also help to insulate your home, effectively making your home more energy-efficient and safer!
