Custom Home Builders Pleasanton | How to make your home more energy efficient?
We all know the importance of saving money in a time when prices are going up. For many, that means lowering utility bills and making your home more energy-efficient. But how much do you know about how to make your home more energy efficient? There are ways to lower utility costs without having to spend a fortune on new appliances or upgrading insulation.
The first step to energy efficiency in your windows. They’re a major source of heat loss and heat gain in a house, so they have the greatest effect on your utility bills. Low-e coatings can reduce that loss by as much as 30 percent. Low-e coatings are specially designed metal oxides applied to the glass which slows down the rate at which radiant heat leaves or enters a building through windows.
Low-e window treatments come in all styles, from woodgrain finishes to beveled lookouts with patterns embossed on them. If you don’t want to change out your windows, use drapes made from heavy cloth to block out summer’s sun and winter’s cold air coming into your home through the windows. Another way to block out heat gain and loss is through window insulation kits, which can be as simple as shrink-wrap plastic sheets that cling to your windows and reduce the space between the panes of glass. A more elegant solution for large windows or patio doors is a sheet made from a material called mohair.
Insulate your home
Your home is your sanctuary from the outside world. The energy you put into it reflects on you and makes a statement about who you are. To keep your home looking good for years, certain things need to be done to maintain its appearance. One of these tasks is insulation.
Insulation will help protect against cooler temperatures in the winter and warmer temperatures in the summer which can lead to less use of air conditioning or heaters respectively. This blog post will discuss what types of insulation work best for a custom-built house, how much insulation should be used, and why it’s important to have adequate levels of insulation installed when building a new home or renovating an older one! Once you have decided what type of insulation products to use, the next step is to determine how much insulation will be needed.
The average home uses approximately 40-80 kWh worth of energy each day. An ideal range for a custom-built house would include 80%-100% R-value depending on the exterior and interior temperatures expected throughout the year. Using too little or too much can lead to overheating or freezing in your home, respectively.
Install a programmable thermostat
The first step of installing a programmable thermostat is to find out the square footage of your house. The square footage will be used for calculating how much energy you use and what size unit you need. Once that’s done, it’s time to start figuring out where the best place is to put the thermostat. It should be easy enough to access from all entrances, but not too close as to get in an accident with it when entering or exiting the home. You want it high enough off the ground so there isn’t any risk of someone tripping on it and low enough so that children can’t reach it easily.
Finally, make sure no vents are blocking its airflow, and keep in mind that the unit needs to be close enough to your furnace or boiler to get an accurate reading of the temperature. After deciding where it’s going, you need to install it. This is done by turning off all power in your home via a circuit breaker. Remove the old thermostat by unscrewing the screws holding it on and make sure there are no wires left behind before installing the new one. It should fit easily into place with just two screws holding it in place, but if not you might need extra hardware.
After that, tighten everything back up and turn your power back on after checking that all connections are tight between units. You’ll then want to program the device so that it does what you’d like when you’d like for it to do.
Replace windows with energy-efficient ones
Windows are typically made of aluminum or wood, and they help control the flow of heat. If you live in a home with older windows, consider replacing them with energy-efficient ones to save on energy bills! The average homeowner can expect to see an 18% reduction in their heating and cooling costs by installing new windows. And that’s not all: Windows will also be more comfortable as they’ll stay cleaner longer because dirt and debris won’t stick as easily anymore.
And if you’re concerned about your home’s resale value, believe it or not, installing new energy-efficient windows is one of the best renovations to make because it truly has a positive influence on property value. It doesn’t matter what type of house you live in: Kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects are always popular choices among homeowners. And that’s no surprise because these rooms tend to show their age faster than others do.
If you’re planning on renovating your kitchen or bathroom, be sure to stop by Goodwill first as they have plenty of cabinets, countertops, tiles, and appliances that can be used on your new kitchen or bathroom. And the best part is that these items are free of charge!
Use LED lights for greater energy efficiency and lower power bills
LED lights are a great way to save money on your utility bills and make your home more energy-efficient. LEDs last up to 50,000 hours and produce less heat than traditional bulbs. You can install them anywhere in your house for added convenience and use them as task lighting or accent lights depending on the room you’re working in.
They also come with an electromagnetic compatibility rating of E2 which means they’re safe to use near sensitive equipment such as TVs, computers, or medical devices like MRI machines. We offer LED light bulbs that will fit into any standard household fixture so you don’t have to worry about retrofitting anything before you start saving money! With our free shipping policy, we’ll get your order delivered right to your doorstep so all you have to do is install them and start seeing a decrease in your monthly power bill.
Add an outdoor rug to create more space for relaxing outside
The outdoor rug is a great way to add comfort and style to your patio, porch, or deck. Outdoor rugs are easy to clean and durable so they stand up well in all weather conditions. They also have the added benefit of using less energy than other flooring options because they don’t need a lot of direct sunlight or cooling air conditioning.
So whether you’re looking for a cozy spot for reading on chilly evenings or something soft underfoot when walking from the kitchen door onto the back porch, an outdoor rug can do it all! Choose an outdoor rug that matches your home’s style. If you’re planning on placing it on a wood deck, choose one with anti-skid rubber backing so it doesn’t slip out of place. For flagstone or concrete patios, look for an eco-friendly mat with natural materials like jute or grasses. Place your outdoor rug in a high traffic area, such as beside the back door to your house.
This will help protect the rug from sun damage and fading. If you have direct sunlight shining on the rug during part of the day, consider using a shade cover over the rug to help protect it from the sun. Outdoor rugs won’t last long if they’re exposed to harsh weather conditions, so use a mat that will withstand these elements without fading or wearing away.
Clean up after yourself – don’t leave dishes in the sink or dirty clothes lying around
It’s not unusual for a home to have a dish in the sink or clothes on the floor. But, these things can create a cluttered environment that isn’t good for you or your family. It feels like clutter is everywhere and it’s hard to find an empty surface to put anything down because everything has been used already. To make sure you’re not contributing to clutter in your home, take some time at night before bed when everyone else is getting ready for bed so they don’t see what you’re doing, go through all of the rooms in your house and pick up any dishes out of the sink and clothes on the floor.
Take these items to the appropriate location, be it the dishwasher or your laundry basket for dirty clothes. Make sure that any dishes in the sink are clean and that all of the counters and tables have been cleared off. When you’re done, tell yourself “I am an organized person who can keep a nice environment” and see if anything feels different about your home now.