Are you a parent looking for ways to spend less on utility bills and your home in general? Several areas may need addressing for that to happen. For instance, if you feel like there’s a lot of energy being wasted at home, you can order an energy audit and find out what’s using up more energy than it should. Here are some other tips for saving money on your home.
Sealing Your Leaks
Heating is the most significant contributor to your energy bill. Therefore, if you address the inefficiencies of your home’s heating and cooling system, you would have addressed a great chunk of your problems already. One of the things that lead to inefficient heating and cooling is air leakage. This occurs when outside air enters your home, and the conditioned indoor air exits uncontrollably via cracks and openings. This generally results in poor indoor air quality.
25%-30% of the energy you use for heating is wasted in trying to compensate for heat gain or loss through drafty windows. However, it also causes your HVAC to work extra hard as it tries to maintain constant temperatures. To reduce drafts, it’s crucial to seal all cracks and openings. This not only saves energy and therefore money, but it also increases comfort, which is crucial if you are a parent.
Before you start sealing your home, you first need to identify all air leaks. You must then assess your ventilation needs. Once you know how the air is leaving, then the next step should be to apply air sealing techniques and things like caulk and weatherstripping. By professionally sealing your home, you can lower your energy costs by as much as 20%.
Update or Replace Windows to Improve Energy Efficiency
If your windows aren’t too old, there are several steps that you can take to improve their efficiency. This is a cost-effective measure to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Apart from leak-proofing your windows, you should consider adding energy-efficient window coverings. You can also install a solar film to prevent too much heat from coming in.
If you have old windows, the best move would be to replace them. However, before you buy new ones, you need to think about the best windows to purchase. You choose to remain with the same frames. However, this depends on whether that option is available with your retailer. You also need to think about the frame types, glazing type, and gas fills. Apart from aesthetics, you must also consider buying windows with the ENERGY STAR label. These have been tested and shown to be highly efficient.
Save Money on Water Bills
Since you have to pay for the water that you use, it only makes sense that you use it wisely. There are several things that you can do at home to stop using too much water. For instance, you can start taking shorter showers. By reducing the length of your showers by four minutes, it’s possible to save up to 4,000 gallons of water per year. This translates to about $100 yearly. Apart from that, you can also stop running water while brushing your teeth. This is a complete waste of water. Instead, take a cup of water with you and use that to rinse off. Another effective way to reduce the amount of water you use is to install a low-flow showerhead. This way, you can lower the amount of water you use while showering by half.
These are some of the ways to save money on your home, where 48% of your energy use is from heating and cooling. If you are a parent, then you probably have lots of other financial obligations to take care of. It, therefore, makes sense to save as much money as possible. When it comes to your home’s energy efficiency, there are lots of things to tweak, but sorting out your insulation should be a priority.