One of the things you hear all the time now is the phrase ‘carbon footprint’. Although this is impacted by many things, one of the most important factors is how energy-efficient your home is during all seasons. For those that are building new homes, there are many things that can be done. But here are some ideas for those that simply want to improve the carbon footprint of their current home.
Windows
One of the first things you should consider is the quality of your windows. If the windows are worn or of poor quality, the best thing to do is to replace them with double or even triple pane windows. This can be an expensive project, however, so also think about whether filling cracks and shoring up the existing windows is an option.
Heating and Cooling
Your heating and cooling systems also are a major factor in energy efficiency, as well as your utility bills. If your furnace is over twenty years old you should think about investing in a new one. Although you can do all the research yourself, it is often better to find a contractor who has experience with energy-efficient heating systems.
You can also try to improve efficiency with simple things like:
- Keeping the filters clean
- Closing off rooms you do not use from being heated
- Making sure that drapes don't hang in front of vents and sealing your ducts
Insulation is Key
Insulation is another important part of any green strategy. There have been major improvements made in recent years to insulation so if your home is a little older have a professional come over to recommend the insulation that is best for your home and climate. You should also improve your doors and windows with weather stripping around. You can also purchase thick insulated doors for a few hundred dollars.
Also consider:
- Improving your water heater
- Adding insulation to your hot water heater. The standard water heater is on all the time, so adding some extra insulation might take up to 15% off the costs of heating water
- Installing a programmable thermostat
- Consider solar power
- Replacing all the standard light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent ones, which use 60-75% less energy than the incandescent kind and can last up to ten or fifteen times longer
- Installing low flow showerheads to cut down on water usage and save energy costs
- Clean out air conditioner filters or replace them regularly, as a dirty filter will hamper the airflow, costing you more to run your system