Yes, you can make a difference to the world if you follow a few simple energy efficient home tips that will help you save money and help save our planet’s resources. Purchase energy efficient major appliances with the Energy Star label and save up to 20% on your energy bill. Make sure you have the right tools and basic supplies (e.g., duct tape, a cordless drill, screws, a tape measure, a hammer, nails, and a power saw) to help you install energy conservation products. Prepare to purchase weather stripping, caulking, and other supplies as needed.



Energy Efficient Home Tips

Water conservation

1. An Energy Star clothes washer uses 15 to 18 gallons of water per load compared to 40 gallons with a regular washer.

2. Avoid using appliances that consume a lot of water like dishwashers and clothes washers during peak hours of consumer use between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

3. Use dishwashers and clothes washers when you have full loads only.

4. Replace toilets with low-water-use models.

5. Use less water by showering rather than bathing, and install a water-saving shower head.

Heat conservation

1. Since about 60% of your energy bill is spent heating and cooling your home, you should insulate and weatherize it. These are the energy efficient home tips that require some effort on your part.

* Remove and replace damaged caulk and weather stripping around your windows and doors.

* Insulate windows by covering them inside with thin, clear, plastic film attached with two-sided tape. Get out your metal retractable tape measure and make sure you know exactly how much film you need before purchasing it.

* Consider the installation of storm doors and windows, too, if your winters are severe.

2. Energy Star refrigerators use less energy than a 75-watt bulb.

3. Lower the thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer. Purchase and install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature to your preferences. (Hint: 68˚ as a daytime temperature in the winter and 78˚ as a daytime temperature in the summer are strongly recommended.)

4. Lower the hot water temperature (but not below 120˚).

5 Wrap pipes – especially the hot water pipes – that pass through unheated areas. This job is not difficult if you use prepared insulating sleeves with slits that allow them to be pressed on and secured with duct tape.

6. Add an insulating blanket to your hot water heater.

7. Use appliances that heat your home (e.g., dryers, ovens) in the morning and evening to reduce air conditioner use in the summer and to help heat the house in winter.

8. Open the drapes on sunny days to receive the sun’s heat; close them at night and on cloudy days to preserve the warmth.

9. Keep furnace filters clean; add glass doors to your fireplace.

10. Install ceiling fans to run counterclockwise in the summer to cool rooms, and run them slowly and clockwise in the winter to move warm air back down from the ceiling to make rooms feel warmer.

Electricity conservation

1. Energy efficient homes will have incandescent bulbs replaced by compact fluorescent bulbs that provide the same degree of light more economically and last about 10 times as long.

2. Lights should be turned off in empty rooms; turn off computers at night.

3. Clean your dryer lint filter after each load.

4. Keep doors open for as short a time as possible – that means house doors and doors on refrigerators and freezers.



Energy Efficient Home Tips for Experienced Do-It-Yourselfers

Take a look at your attic, your roof, and at the general construction of your home. Do you see opportunities to reduce energy consumption by adding more insulation, installing solar panels to capture the sun’s rays, or replacing old windows with triple pane glass? Invest in a few more tools, such as a sliding miter saw to expertly cut angles, a staple gun to attach insulation, a table saw or a nail gun to help with significant energy home improvement jobs, and recapture the costs by lowering your energy bill. You may even qualify for a federal grant for improving your home’s efficiency. You can’t lose.

Article Source: http://www.energyefficienthomearticles.com

About the Author:
Scott Gray is currently a home improvement, handyman enthusiast and freelance writer who enjoys providing tips to consumers about do it yourself DIY Home Repairs for maintaining their homes.

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