Looking for ways to be more eco-friendly at home? One of the best ways to lessen your environmental impact is to reduce your daily energy consumption. The following four tips will help you cut your energy consumption and live a greener life.
- Install Quality Insulation
Unnecessary heating and cooling loss contributes greatly to energy waste in the home. Make sure your home is guarded from extremely hot and cold temperatures by installing new insulation. Quality spray foam insulation is recommended to make sure that temperature in your home is easily moderated. A professional provider of spray foam insulation Maryland can provide you with a quality insulation system to keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter.
- Use Solar Energy
A great way to reduce your home’s energy consumption is to install solar panels on your property. Solar panels create energy from the sun, a completely renewable resource. When you use solar energy, you reduce your reliance on energy produced from the burning of fossil fuels. Solar energy is a much cleaner power source, and any up-front costs associated with solar panel installation will be offset by a huge reduction in your electricity bills.
- Change Your Behaviors
Your everyday behaviors can greatly impact your home’s electricity usage. Be sure to turn off all lights when you leave a room and unplug electronics when they aren’t in use. Chargers that are plugged in by not in use are known as energy vampires – they suck up electricity even when they aren’t charging anything. Finally, be sure to turn down your thermostat whenever you leave your home so that your heater and air conditioner aren’t needlessly running. Turn these minor changes into daily habits and you’ll be surprised at how some small adjustments add up to create big results.
- Use Energy Efficient Appliances
Save energy when you wash the dishes or your clothes by swapping outdated, energy-sucking appliances with modern Energy Star certified appliances. Energy Star produces have been engineered to run on much less energy than common appliances. When purchasing your new appliances, be sure to look for the Energy Star label which guarantees that the appliance will save significant energy. Switching your appliances requires a significant upfront investment, but you’ll quickly recoup the cost as you see major savings on your monthly energy bills.
Decreasing your energy usage is good for your pocketbook and the environment, too. By following these tips, you’ll dramatically reduce your home energy consumption and do your part to protect the planet.