When it comes to updating your home, we all think about aesthetic upgrades to give our home the greatest increase in value. However, where the real magic can happen is in upgrading your home to be more energy-efficient. Not only will these upgrades add value to your home, but you’ll be able to immediately cash in on your investment by way of lower electricity bills each month. If you’re looking for ways to make your home more energy-efficient, here are the top five things you can do now to make a big impact.
Replace your front door.
Though this upgrade is not electrical at all, it can help your electrical system work less. A lot of heat and air conditioning can be lost from our doors and windows, especially if they are not insulated properly. This in turn puts a strain on our home’s HVAC system to outperform the loss to keep the home feeling comfortable. This then requires the home’s electrical system to work overtime, all the time, to compensate for the loss as well. By adding a new front door, you get the instant visual facelift with all the added energy efficiency benefits.
Good to Know
Cracks in doors and winows can leak out heat or AC and a strain on our home’s HVAC system to outperform the loss to keep the home feeling comfortable
Go for lower wattage light bulbs.
In many cases a standard 60W light bulb is sufficient enough to light a room. Better yet, if you can leverage natural sunlight during the day, do this as much as possible. By using high wattage light bulbs, this puts a strain on your electrical system over time and can lead to outages. Installing energy efficient lighting can also be a great addition as well to reduce the electrical load being placed on your home.
Install automatic light dimmers.
How often do we leave a light on in our home. This may not seem like a big deal, but over time it can take a toll on our home’s electrical system and increase our utility bills. By installing motion sensored light dimmers, you can better control your lighting and have the lights turn off when there is no one in the room.
Replace old outlets and switches.
This is an easy electrical upgrade (you’ll want to have an electrician do it, however) that does not require you to completely redo your home’s electrical system. Even having a licensed electrician come to check your outlets and pinpoint any that need to be replaced is a great way to ensure that your home is in top shape.
Get ceiling fans.
Not only do these add character to your home, they can help to better control your home’s internal temperature. Fans can reduce the toll placed on your air conditioning in the summer, which will in turn decrease the electrical output needed to cool your home.
Conclusion.
If you’re looking for cost-effective ways to increase your home’s electricity efficiency, then you have many options to choose from. Keep in mind that you may want to consult with an electrician first and most likely have them complete any of the above upgrades. Your home’s electrical system is important to properly maintain and you want only experts working on it to reduce the risk of electrical mishaps and fires.