An energy efficient home starts with you

Have you ever considered taking your home off the grid? That may sound a little extreme, but there are steps you can take to significantly lower your energy costs, reduce your reliance on outside energy sources and have a more positive impact on the environment.

More and more people are taking advantage of the technologies allowing average homeowners to power their homes using solar or wind power. Such an investment looks costly up front, but if done properly, you can expect full payback over a relatively short amount of time.

First steps to a more energy efficient home

Before running out and purchasing expensive equipment, you will be best served to work on improving the energy efficiency of your home as it is today.

If you want to start off simple, the easiest way to save energy is by replacing your light bulbs. You have probably already heard of compact fluorescent lamps. CFLs have come a long way and there are now lamps made to fit almost any light fixture.

By replacing just one 100 watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL, you can save up to $80 in electricity over the life of that bulb. Now think about the savings if you were to replace all of the bulbs in your house with CFLs!

Refrigerators and freezers are big energy eaters

Your refrigerator could very well be the largest consumer of electricity in your home. Older refrigerators often rank second only to electrically powered heating and cooling systems in terms of energy consumption. If your refrigerator is more than 10 years old, you can bet there can be a lot of energy saved simply by upgrading to a new model. Look for a model with a high Energy Star rating. Visit the Energy Star website for more great tips on saving energy in your home.

 

Phantom loads - the hidden consumers of power in your home

You likely have a number of items in your home that are consuming power even while not in use. These hidden power consumers can use as much power as leaving a few 60 watt lightbulbs burning in your house 24 hours a day.

Power adapters are a big consumer of power. Whether for a cell phone, laptop, power tools or anything else that requires a brick type adapter, these adapters are using power even if the device is not plugged into it. As long as it is plugged into the wall, the adapter is drawing power and converting it for use in your equipment. Your safe energy saving bet would be to unplug the device from the wall completely while not in use. By leaving them plugged in, if you have a lot of brick adapters, you could be unnecessarily burning up to 20 watts of power on a continuous basis.

Another common phantom energy consumer is electronics that remain in standby mode so they are ready for you to use. TVs, DVD players, and even some computers have standby modes. While convenient for users because of the faster start up times, they are quite the energy hogs.

What does this mean in terms of money savings? You could save up to $120 a year in electricity costs based on your current utility rates by unplugging these phantom loads. That number can go up as utility rates rise. To simplify the process, many people use power strips with an on/off switch for these appliances. Switch it off when the items are not in use.

Turning up the heat on summer cooling methods

Air conditioning during the hot summer months consumes a great deal of electricity. Besides turning your thermostat up to reduce energy usage, there are alternatives to the traditional air conditioner that can provide relief from the heat and significantly reduce the amount of time your central air conditioner needs to run.

A solar attic fan can be installed by the handy homeowner. It requires no wiring and can provide extra cooling power for up to 25 years. The solar attic fan works by preventing heat from building up in your attic, thus reducing the work your air conditioner has to perform to keep the rest of your house cool.

People in hot, dry regions can use an evaporative cooler or swamp cooler instead of a traditional air conditioner. Evaporative coolers use about a quarter of the energy required by a traditional air conditioner and work by blowing hot, dry air across a moist surface, using the water to cool the air. Unfortunately this only works efficiently in dry climates. Areas with high humidity would not benefit from an evaporative cooler.

Heating costs do not have to burn holes in your pocket

Possibly the largest energy consumer in your home is your heating system. There are several things you can do to reduce your heating bill. Perhaps the least expensive and easiest to do would be to install a programmable thermostat. You can program it to turn the unit off and on automatically to provide heat when you need it and reduce the temperature settings when you are not home or when the family is sleeping.

Adding insulation and sealing leaks in your home can also save you money on your heating bill. The easiest place to install additional insulation is in your attic. You can get advice from your local home improvement store about how much insulation is recommended.

Check doors and windows for air leaks. Allowing air to seep through cracks in your home is like throwing money out the window.

Alternative heating solutions

You can reduce your heating bill by as much as 30% by adding alternative heat sources. One such source that is growing in popularity among homes and businesses is the
Solar Air Heating system. Panels are installed on southern-facing surfaces of the home to collect heat from the sun and transfer it into the home. Such systems cost less than traditional heating systems and the savings can earn you your money back in a few short years.

Water heating solutions that save

Heating the air in your home isn’t the only heat related energy consumer. Water heaters consume a great deal of energy even when hot water isn’t needed. It takes energy to maintain the temperature of the water in your water tank so it is ready when you need it.

Instantaneous water heaters are a money and energy saving solution you might want to consider. These units heat the water only when you need it, potentially cutting your water heating costs in half when compared to traditional water heaters.

Advanced Home Energy Solutions

The projects above are only the beginning. There are more advanced technologies that could potentially make your home totally self sufficient. Imagine being able to produce your own power, drastically reducing or even eliminating your need for traditional power companies.

Two power sources that are growing in popularity are solar panels and wind turbines. In some cases, if there is a sufficient source of falling water, micro hydro power systems could be a viable solution for your home.

Altenergystore.com is an excellent source of information and products for reducing your energy consumption and generating and storing your own electricity. Welcome to the next generation in energy efficiency!