Gearing Towards Energy Efficient Homes – What Steps To Take

With today’s economy and environmental concerns, building energy efficient homes has become a viable approach for many homeowners to get themselves around this pressing matter. Lowering the use of natural resources eventually minimizes gas emission and reduces cost in the long run.

Visualize your home as one whole unit. Every part of the house is a module that is interconnected with each other that work together. All of that can be considered as an eco-system within itself. Make a full assessment of your home and determine which parts contribute more. and which one does not and how to improve that.

As you may need technical advises in making your home more energy efficient, contact a Certified Energy Advisor (CEA) or any person with the authority to help you with this. CEAs are trained in energy efficiency for homes and building. As they help you assess your home, they will be able tell you which part of your home consumes more energy and how to improve them. Part of their process in assessing your home is through the use of a “Blower Door Test” where the house is de-pressurized through large fans. This is done to determine which part of your home has the least airflow and make adjustments to them.

For countries such as Canada, homeowners can get an Energy Audit Report which will show them the energy rating for their home. The report also lists down the energy deficiency parts of their home and recommends what steps to take to improve them. Once the report is provided, the homeowner is given approximately 18 months to make the adjustments to any of the work they wish to do. A second audit will then take place after the period provided for the upgrade. After the second audit, homeowner can get a rebate based on the individual expenses for the improvements that’s been made. Rebates are provided by the Federal and Provincial Government.

Though there are government programs that are available in some countries, other homeowners may have to do it on their own. Converting into energy efficient homes need not be a complicated task. There are several simple ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

First is to look for obvious gaps among doors and windows especially if your home is over 30 years old. Leaking air reduces the efficiency of the energy of your home especially during winter season. Seal the gaps using sealants that are available off the shelf. Replace old windows and doors if minor repairs are not enough to seal your home.

Another thing to look out for are gaps within electrical outlets. This can be corrected by sealing the outlets with off the shelf foam covers that you can get from your local hardware store. Attic doors are also vulnerable to unnoticeable gaps. Foam tapes can be used to seal them off.

Water heaters are often the most energy consumed devices in your home especially if they are of the older model. To maximize their energy, wrap the unit with a blanket. This will keep the water warm and not loose heat. Set the water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or 54 degrees Celsius for optimum results. Insulating water pipes with foam tubes will also further reduce heat loss.

For furnace use, it is recommended to use either a gas or oil line since both have a higher efficiency rate. Regular cleaning of filters also maximizes the output of your furnace.

The use of LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights is an excellent way to conserve energy. These lights give off more illuminating light at less the energy that the ordinary incandescent light bulb. They also have a longer lifespan which provides better saving in the long run.

Do away with Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) TVs and switch to LED monitors. CRT televisions consume more energy than LED monitors. LED monitors also provide a better viewing experience.

Gearing towards energy efficient homes is a matter of community concern. Even the most simple contribution not only leads to the savings for our costs but to the preservation of our planet Earth as well.