Although first started in the United States, Earth Day is currently celebrated all over the world. It is a special day that aims to increase public awareness of the earth’s environmental issues. With Earth Day fast approaching, most people can’t help but think about how they can contribute towards saving the planet.
Making your home more energy-efficient or environmentally friendly should be on top of your list. Homeowners get the opportunity to save the planet every day, and not just this Earth Day, in five simple ways. Here is a comprehensive look at how you can achieve a more energy-efficient home today.
Invest in An Energy-Efficient HVAC System
Most people haven’t upgraded their HVAC systems within the last decade. For starters, faulty or older models use a large percentage of your total energy consumption. Heating and cooling your home, therefore, becomes a massive liability to the planet and your finances.
Ensure you invest in a modern energy-efficient HVAC system with low emissions and cost of installation. Therefore, you can easily maintain an environmentally friendly home while saving a lot of money in the long run. Equally, you could consider repairing your current HVAC system to help reduce energy consumption and emissions.
Unplug Your Old Refrigerator
Have you recently purchased a new refrigerator? Are you still leaving the old refrigerator plugged in as a backup? What you don’t know is that old-model refrigerators cost you between $50 and & 150 per year in electricity. On the contrary, new fridges (Energy Star-rated) cost between $30 and $60 to run each year.
Refrigerator efficiency has significantly improved within the past couple of decades. Making your home environmentally friendly will start by ensuring you use only one refrigerator. It will also help if you schedule refrigerator repair or maintenance whenever you notice any issues.
Let in Natural Light
Constantly heating your home during the winter has negative implications on the environment. However, a bit of sunlight can help reduce your carbon footprint. Allowing natural light into your home will ease heat transfer and provide much-needed light.
Homeowners can, therefore, turn off their heating systems and artificial lighting. However, you can only let in natural light once you invest in unimpeded and large windows. It will also help if you strategically place mirrors around your home to reduce using artificial lighting during the day.
Invest in New Energy-Efficient Appliances
It will help if you replace older appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters. Most of these old appliances are not energy-efficient and cost you a fortune in electrical bills every year. However, simultaneously replacing all gadgets can be rather strenuous.
Start by replacing appliances you often use, to help reduce your energy consumption. Make a plan to have all old machines replaced with new energy-efficient models within a year or two. It might take a bit of time, but at least you’re doing your part in saving the environment.
Switch to Fluorescent Bulbs
Did you know that about 1.5 billion sockets in American homes contain incandescent bulbs? Despite many Americans embracing energy-saving bulbs, some homeowners still use traditional bulbs. They are among the minimal energy-efficient products you can find in the market today. Incandescent bulbs waste about 90% of incoming energy on heat.
Incandescent light bulbs last only 1,000 hours and use a lot of energy. However, fluorescent light bulbs last up to 10,000 hours and consume far less electricity. Switching to fluorescent bulbs can, therefore, help save the planet while reducing your yearly electric bill. It is one of the quickest and easiest ways of ensuring your home is environmentally friendly.
Get Professional Help
Making your home more energy-efficient doesn’t have to break the bank. At Coastal Mechanical Contractors, we work within your budget to ensure your home operates efficiently and looks good. Ensure you contact us today to start making your contribution towards saving the planet.