How to Improve Energy Efficiency Without Huge Upgrades

Paying for your utilities each month can be such a pain, especially when you start seeing your utility costs go up. But if you notice a sudden increase in utility costs, it can sometimes mean that your home is simply not operating efficiently. While some people might decide to completely overhaul their home to increase efficiency, there are actually many small projects you can do that will help you out without breaking the bank or requiring too much work.

Add Extra Insulation

One of the biggest issues with home efficiency is a lack of insulation. If your home is poorly insulated it won’t be able to keep in the heat or cool that you need to keep your home comfortable. Most homes tend to lack insulation in the attic and around doorways, windows, and other entry points of their home. You can generally take care of any insulation issues over the course of a weekend, and it will start showing improvements immediately. Tackle the project one area at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed and get a team of friends together so you can handle the whole job relatively quickly.

Replace Your Windows and Doors

Old windows and doors are bad at insulating your home, which means they can make your whole house less efficient. By replacing your windows and doors with modern options you can immediately improve the efficiency of your house. And once the installation is complete you can make small changes to improve their function depending on the weather. For example, window treatments can help keep your home cool during the summer. You want to keep the sun out when it is warm outside and invite it in on cold days so you can heat and cool your house with less use of your central air system.

A Smart Thermostat

Sometimes the problem with the efficiency of your home is that you don’t actually know how much energy you are using. A smart thermostat can help to fix that problem and give you an easy way to improve your energy use. Most smart thermostats can be programmed using your habits as a baseline so you can slowly improve your efficiency. You can also use your smart thermostat when you are away to adjust the temperature of your house for maximum efficiency. A smart thermostat is easy to install as well, so it can be a simple project that makes a big impact.

With inflation ever driving the cost of living upwards, there’s no better time to modernize your home and get it running as efficiently as possible. These are just a few of the many projects you could tackle to save you money in the long run, so be sure to do your research and bring your home into the twenty-first century!

Sometimes you need the bigger projects! Check out this article to learn how to know when you need larger renovations!