1. Insulation/sealing:
Preventing cool/warm air from escaping your home is one of the most cost-effective steps you can take in creating an energy-efficient household. Leaks are commonly found around windows and doors, around light fixtures, HVAC units, mail slots, and much more. Ensuring your home is fully weather-stripped and sealed will both lower your energy bills and increase comfort.
2. Windows:
Windows can serve as a huge factor in your energy bill. Windows with certain tints and glazing can lower your energy bills, such as heat-absorbing tints, insulated window glazing (windows with two or more planes of glass), and reflective coatings.
As an alternative to purchasing new energy efficient windows, installing interior storm windows is less expensive and will reduce the amount of air infiltration and save energy costs.
3. LED’s and CFL’s:
Lighting your home can account for a quarter of your energy bill, and the fact of the matter is that homeowners are still using incandescent bulbs in their home. Replacing incandescent bulbs with the significantly more efficient and longer-lasting light-emitting diodes (LED’s) or compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s ) can save you more than just pocket change. They also only cost only a dollar more per bulb on average and save significantly more in return.
4. Ceiling Fans:
Using your ceiling fans more often or installing more is an important step in cutting utility costs. Though ceiling fans still use energy, using them as an alternative to air conditioning will save plenty of energy and money.
5. Landscaping:
Planting trees and shrubs can be a great long term investment as doing so efficiently can cut both your cooling and heating costs significantly. Shading your home with trees can reduce the amount of the solar heat that enters your home in the summer and act as a windbreak during the winter time.
6. Geothermal Systems:
Geothermal heat pumps (GHP’s) heat and cool a home by using the Earth’s constant ground temperature. Geothermal systems use a ground source heat pump to take heat from the ground during the winter or to reject heat into the ground in the summer time. Though they can be expensive to install, they are extremely efficient and will save you money in the long run.
7. Tankless Water Heaters:
Tankless water heaters (demand-type water heaters) provide hot water only when it is needed as there is no storage tank. Tankless water heaters are typically more expensive than storage water heaters, but they are more energy efficient and usually last longer.
AZ Insurance Team
(480) 535-5709
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