5 Simple Energy Conservation Ideas For Your Home

 While most potential home buyers consider their monthly mortgage payments (including principal, interest and escrow/taxes), many fail to adequately consider the other monthly expenses associated with home ownership. Perhaps the most significant of these are the costs of energy-related activities, including electricity and the heart. The purpose of this article is not to explore the many alternative heating alternatives, including solar, geothermal, etc., but rather to review some simple steps that can be taken fairly easily to make their home more energy efficient and green. . Let's look at 5 simple, basic ideas/steps to save energy.. Windows and doors: What is the energy efficiency ratio of your front door? What material are they made of? How are they hung? How much air seeps through the spaces created due to their alignment? Simply making sure your door has a bottom sweep and the spaces around the top and sides are reduced/eliminated will prevent heat leakage in the winter and air conditioning leakage in the summer. What type of blinds or curtains do you use and do you use to let thesun in when it's cold outside while keeping the sun's heat out when it's hot? When was the last time you checked your windows for air tightness, energy efficiency and tinting (if the local climate suggests it)?

2. Insulation: Every form of insulation has a certain R rating. This number indicates the amount of insulation, but are you sure that allexterior walls and ceilings are properly insulated? Doing so can potentially save you a significant amount of unnecessary energy costs.

3. Energy efficient appliances: Some household appliances, especially refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, have become much more energy efficient in recent years. How old are yours? Look at the rating to find out how much energy a particular appliance can use. When I recently replaced my fridge, the new one was much more efficient (thus costing less to run) than my 15 year old model. Similarly, today's oil and gas burners and boilers are much more efficient than they have ever been!

4. Water and toilet: Are there any dripping taps or toilets that continue to flow? Remove drips, replace faucet heads (especially in the shower) and check the efficiency of your toilets.

5. Lights/Lights: Start by trying to turn off the lights when you leave the room! What type of bulb are you using?If you don't want to waste energy and spend more than necessary, using these simple conservation methods will save money and reduce energy waste.