What is Energy Efficiency?
We talk a lot about energy efficiency around here. It’s one of our core values because we can’t reach net zero without it. But, what is energy efficiency? What does it even mean?
Energy efficiency is doing the same things you always do, but using less energy to do them. Remember when you were a kid and you’d leave the front (or back) door open and mom would yell at you and ask if you were raised in a barn? The next thing out her mouth would be something about heating (or cooling) the outdoors. Yeah, well when you heating or cooling the outdoors you are not making the best use of your energy.
Energy efficiency means that you are optimally using the energy in your home and not wasting it. You don’t have air leaking out windows, you aren’t leaving doors open, and you don’t have cold air seeping into the house through wall sockets and unsealed duct work. When your home is energy-efficient you aren’t wasting money on your electric bill, you are using exactly what you need and no more.
Before we can bother with doing things like installing solar, we’ve got to make sure the building is energy-efficient. It’s a huge waste to install solar when so much of the energy you are creating is escaping the building it’s being created for.
Ever since ENERGY STAR became such a big deal it seems like most people think that that’s the core of energy efficiency, and yes ENERGY STAR appliances are much more efficient than their counterparts. But, the truth is that energy efficiency is so much simpler. There are ton of small ways that we can improve the energy efficiency in our homes and commercial buildings.
10 Ways to Increase Energy Efficiency
- Seal your duct work. Buy a tub of duct sealant and make sure that your duct work is sealed, this includes the ducts under your home as well as where they come into your home (the vents). While it may not seem like a big deal, a lot of air can escape through those tiny cracks between the floor and the ducts.
- Check your faucets for leaks. A leak left unattended can cost you big time on your water bill. Too often we don’t even realize that there is a leak until it’s too late, and often months have passed with increased electric bills. Keep an eye on your electric bill if you notice a large increase in water or electric usage there may be a problem.
- Insulate your water heater and pipes. If you are like many of us your water heater is in your uninsulated garage, but you don’t have to insulate your entire garage to insulate your water heater. You can purchase a water heater jacket for a minimal price and install it yourself, not only reducing the energy the unit has to use to heat your water, but it will decrease the time it takes for hot water to reach other areas of your home.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Whether you go with a basic unit or one of the new fancy thermostats that programs itself based on your actions, a programmable thermostat will not only save you money but will keep your home much more comfortable.
- Wash your laundry in cold water. Your clothes will be just as clean, but you’ll save a ton of energy that is wasted just to heat the water.
- Swap out light bulbs. I bet if you take a look around your house you will find that you still have some old incandescent bulbs stealing energy. Swap those old bulbs out for new LED and CFL bulbs. These bulbs use as little as 1/10 of the energy of the old bulbs and put as just as much (or more) light.
- Replace appliances before they die. Chances are your appliances are close to 10 years old. If you are still using old non-Energy Star appliances consider replacing them with more efficient appliances before they die. You’ll not only save energy (and money) in the long-term but you’ll save yourself from the short-term headache of having to rush out and replace a dead unit.
- Clean and replace filters. Check your air filters and replace them on a regular schedule.
- Check the humidity. If you struggle with keeping your home cool enough in the warmer months you may want to check the humidity. A $10 humidistat will allow you to see the indoor humidity. If it’s too high you’ll want to purchase and install a dehumidifier. Doing this will reduce your cooling bills and make your home much more comfortable.
- Caulk leaky windows – use rope caulk to caulk those leaky windows. Did you know you are losing a ton of energy to leaky windows (even if they are new)? Those little cracks can equate to having a window (or even two) open as wide as they will go.
It doesn’t seem like much, and these are just a few of the many easy things you can do around your house to save energy and save money. Feel free to leave a comment and tell us what you’ve done to improve energy efficiency around your home or office.
