The world’s total electricity consumption in 2016 reached 20,863 TWh. This was a 3.2% increase compared to 2015. By 2017, electricity consumption had increased globally by 2.6 %. Over the past few years, electricity prices have risen.   

This has increased the cost of living prompting households to tighten their belts. In the interest of reducing energy costs, becoming one of the energy efficient homes reduces carbon footprint.   

How do you improve energy efficiency? Do you stop using all your electric appliances? Well, you don’t have to. There are energy efficient home ideas that will make your home greener and help you save money.   

Read on and learn five ways to save energy at home. 

1. Buy a Smart Thermostat

If you have to use your AC for heating and cooling, then buy a smart thermostat. Unlike a programmable thermostat, you can manage a smart thermostat using your smartphone. Equipped with WiFi sensors and advanced algorithms, they are more than control panels.  

Not only can it save you more than 15% on heating and cooling costs, but you can generate energy usage reports. This allows you to identify opportunities for saving. Thanks to their smart learning modes, they need less user input.

2. Replace Old Appliances with Energy Star Certified Appliances

In 2017, the average US home spent 10,399 kWh a year. This averaged to 867 kWh per month. While a large percentage went to heating and cooling, the rest went into running other appliances and lighting. 

According to Neeeco’s mass save home energy audit, As a homeowner, you can save on energy costs and have energy efficient homes. How? By replacing your old appliances with ENERGY STAR certified appliances.

For instance, if you have a pre-1995 dishwasher, replacing it with an ENERGY STAR model saves you on energy costs. Remember, you can buy one appliance after another and not as a single purchase. 

3. Insulate Your Home

If your home was built before the 1980s and has yet to receive a makeover on insulation, have it insulated. By insulating your home to current standards, you improve energy efficiency and get to live comfortably. Also, you can save 10% to 50% on heating and cooling bills. 

Before insulating your home, hire a home energy auditor. He will carry out an inspection and identify areas that need the most upgrades and others. In his report, he will recommend the best insulating material with the highest R-value.

This will depend on the local climate.

Learn more about switching to energy efficient roofing materials from this roofing contractor.

4. Install Exterior Storm Windows with Low Emissivity

Exterior storm windows have a coating of an invisible layer of metal. As such, they can reflect infrared heat into your home. This lowers your heating and cooling costs by 12% to 33%.   

Also, it translates to $120 to $330 in annual savings. These modern windows are easy to install and cost a fraction of the cost of other windows. To ensure the most savings, find the right exterior storm windows for your home. 

5. Unplug Electric Appliances When Not in Use

A refrigerator can use 1 to 2 kWh a day, a smart TV can use 80 to 400 watts while a microwave uses 1200 watts. What you need to know is that certain models may consume more power. To save on energy, unplug electric appliances not in use.  

We are talking about PCs, TVs, toasters, and other gadgets sapping electricity. By doing so, you get to save on electricity. You can also invest in a power strip.  

This eliminates the need to unplug appliances repeatedly. As such, you avoid frayed wires and cords.  

Easy Ideas to Convert into Efficient Homes

There are more ideas you can use to convert into efficient homes. You can turn off unnecessary lights, hang dry your laundry, and avoid using downlights. Other energy efficient home ideas include fixing leaky faucets and installing ceiling fans. 

Looking for more energy efficient home ideas? Bookmark our website’s Home Improvement section and stay informed.