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Easy Ways to Conserve Energy and Money

By Sandford Tuey

Everyone these days wants to protect the Earth’s environment and not waste money. TOTL Building & Design wants to assist you in saving money and energy. Great ways to do both are possible as expressed below:

Appliances

Energy conservation helps reduce consumption and the cost of energy. Some of the obvious methods are the ones to do first, until you are ready for the renovations to make your home save even more money and improve your property value at the same time.

The obvious changes to do are purchase newer more high efficiency appliances. The new fridges, stoves, washer/dryers, dishwashers and hot water heaters use less energy and in the long run will put coins in your pocket. For example, a new hot water heater can warm water faster with less money and reduce the amount of water your family uses. Ensure electronics like televisions, DVDs and computers have the latest technology, especially with the ability to go into hibernation mode.

If you do not want to get rid of any older appliances or you should adjust the temperature in your fridge to not be as cold and your hot water heater to not be as hot. Unplug devices that are in safe mode because they use power when not in use. Use energy saving light bulbs and fixtures. You can also use restricting shower heads, sink fixtures, smaller water tank toilets, washing machines, clothes dryers and dishwashers. Having the latest products also can entice potential buyers.

Heating & Cooling Your Home

To heat and cool your home takes up more energy and money than people think. Try turning down your thermostat as a few degrees lower is barely noticeable. Why not install a Smart Thermostat that automatically turns itself down at night and increases the temperature in the morning. These cost saving devices can be connected to motion detectors and will know when to adjust the temperature tour liking. You can also use your smartphone to turn the temperature up if you are heading home earlier than it is programmed to do.

Installing an air conditioner can turn hot summer days into perfect relaxing environments. No more sweating inside but ensure the machine you get is easy on electricity. The new ones can be programmed to stop and reduce cold air at certain times or only kick in when your home warms up to a predetermined temperature. Make sure the air conditioner you buy is the right one for the square footage of your house or condo. Having a smaller one trying to cool down a larger area than it was designed to cool, makes it work harder and consume more electricity.

Upgrade Your Home

Lighting
Replace old incandescent light bulbs with newer compact fluorescent bulbs or the newest long lasting ones which can conserve energy. Even replacing your old chandeliers and lighting fixtures can help.

Insulation
Installing newer insulation will reduce the amount of heating and cooling costs to keep your home comfortable. Home insulation reduces your energy bills and the costs of cooling and heating your home, plus will have a reduced environmental impact. Insulation is an excellent sound absorber and can assist in reducing noise transmission through walls, ceilings and floors, making your home environment quieter. Today’s insulating can cut the cost of heating and cooling by over 40% and improves the condensation control reducing the risk of mold and insects.

Renovations for improved energy efficiency
Those with the financial means to do so can take it a step further and enhance the layout of your home and add things like automatic electric shading windows to reduce the heat from the sun entering the building. These smart windows can also shade at the touch of a button and reducing the glare from the sun.

Adding access for wind to strategically enter during the hot summer months help the breeze flow more efficiently through your home and help keep heat at bay and the interior fresh. Having wooden slats built outside the home to shade the hotter parts of your home or planting foliage and trees can help too.

Replacing doors that are more efficient in keeping warmth in and the cold out is also recommended. Not all changes have to be expensive. TOTL Building & Design can help turn your home into a smarter energy efficient one and enhance its value and energy conservation.

Reduce Your Energy Use

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