Creating Energy Efficient Homes

The environment is a topic of much discussion and debate lately, and it’s easy to see why. Our world provides so much that is essential to our daily lives – and we get only get one of them. Wondering how you could create energy efficient homes in winter? To improve your eco-friendliness and the energy efficiency in your home specifically in the winter, use these three tips.

Turn down the thermostat

One of the easiest ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency is by turning down the thermostat. When temperatures drop in the winter months, we have a tendency to turn the thermostats up to compensate and keep us warm in the comfort of our homes. However, a high-running thermostat can be an energy suck – especially when we tend to “set it and forget it” at certain temperatures and then leave the house to go to work, run errands, have meals with friends, etc.

Instead, get in the habit of lowering the temperature on your thermostat just a few degrees. Even dropping it by three to five degrees can make a big difference in your monthly energy bill and overall energy efficiency. You can easily make up the difference of those extra degrees by wearing a sweater inside the house or sleeping with an extra blanket on the bed. Not very much hassle for a considerable energy impact!

Also, read How to Create a Greener Home

Seal all windows

Once you go through the effort of making these adjustments to your thermostat and lifestyle, the last thing you want is for a leaky window to make all your efforts go to waste. Windows that are old unsealed, and let air seep in and out can counteract your thermostat efforts and let warm air out of your home in winter. Maximize your energy efficiency by making sure that all the windows in your home are sealed tight, so as not to let extra air in or out. This will make a big difference in your home’s temperature, as well as your energy bill.

Use gas lines efficiently

Another area where you can make changes in winter to increase your energy efficiency and improve your environmental impact is with your gas lines. Make sure you have a sound gas connection for safety reasons, as well as energy efficiency. And if you’re not using certain gas lines, turn them off in winter months. The same goes with water usage – if you’re not using water in certain areas of the home, and you have separate connections, turn them off. Or at the very least turn off unnecessary water sources and be more conscious of your use of water during menial daily tasks, such as showing, shaving and doing the laundry.

It’s not difficult to reduce your carbon footprint and become more energy efficient, it just requires a little bit of awareness, and some follow up effort. Use these tips to make small but meaningful changes in your own home to improve energy efficiency. Not only will you feel better about the positive change you’re making, but you’ll also see lower energy bills each month!

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About the Author: The article is contributed by Aqib, who is passionate about green and clean technologies around the world.