Conserving Energy in Your Home
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by: RogerFrost | Total views: 21 | Word Count: 610
Most people don't know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at Barrie Home inspections, we want to change that. Drastic reductions in heating, cooling and electricity costs can be accomplished through very simple changes, most of which homeowners can do themselves. Of course, for homeowners who want to take advantage of the most up-to-date knowledge and systems in home energy efficiency.
Half the energy used in your home is consumed by heating and cooling. By turning your thermostat down at night or when nobody is home. You can save 2% of your energy for every degree lowered for an eight hour period. Turning down the thermostat from 75 to 70 deg F will save 10% on heating costs.
Demand-type water heaters (tankless or instantaneous) provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't produce the standby energy losses associated with traditional storage water heaters, which will save on energy costs. Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. A gas burner or an electric element heats the water. As a result, demand water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don't need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water.
Changing the type of lighting in your home can reduce energy consumption. It is estimated that 11% of your energy costs are from lighting your home. CFL type lights use 75% less energy than regular incandescent lights and last up to 10 times longer. LED type lights last longer than CFL's and consume even less energy.
Sealing and insulating your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to make a home more comfortable and energy-efficient, and you can do it yourself. A tightly sealed home can improve comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility bills. Homeowners can do most of the work themselves performing simple tasks such as caulking windows and doors, around electrical receptacles etc.
Check your attic for leaks and visible holes. Because hot air rises, air leaks are most likely to occur in the attic. Homeowners can perform a variety of repairs and maintenance to their attics that save them money on cooling and heating. In cold weather, you may see frosty areas in the insulation caused by warm, moist air condensing and then freezing as it hits the cold attic air. Seal up the attic access panel with weatherstripping. You can cut a piece of fiberglass or rigid foamboard insulation in the same size as the attic hatch and glue it to the back of the attic access panel.
One of the most popular water savers is the dual-flush toilet. Dual-flush toilets have been used in Europe and Australia for years and are now gaining in popularity in the U.S. Dual-flush toilets let you choose between a 1-gallon (or less) flush for liquid waste, and a 1.6-gallon flush for solid waste. Dual-flush 1.6-GPF toilets reduce water consumption by an additional 30%. Changing your shower head is also a good way to conserve water without giving up any loss of comfort.
Refrigerators and freezers should not be located near the stove, dishwasher or heat vents, or exposed to direct sunlight. Exposure to warm areas will force them to use more energy to remain cool. Chargers, such as those used for laptops and cell phones, consume energy when they are plugged in. When they are not connected to electronics, chargers should be unplugged. Laptop computers consume considerably less electricity than desktop computers.
About the Author
Learn more about the Innisfil Home Inspection Company when buying in Innisfil. Visit www.innisfilrealestaateagents.info to find Innisfil Real Estate Agents who work "Fufll Out " for you.
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