A lot of people know about basic ways to save energy around the home, such as shutting off unused lights. However, that may not be enough to put a dent in your utility bills. Luckily, there are tons of ways you can conserve our earth’s valuable resources while saving money. Here are some excellent ways to boost your home’s energy-efficiency.
Get a Cool Roof
A cool roof can help reflect sunlight, which means it can lower the temperature of your roof. It is created from a kind of reflective material that you can find in roofing materials like paint, shingles, tiles, etc. It is an excellent investment to make if you live in a climate that frequently experiences warm weather. That way, you can reduce how much air conditioning you use.
Regularly Maintain Your HVAC System
If you want to maximize the efficiency of your HVAC system, then you need to maintain it regularly. You should get it kept at the beginning and the end of cooling and heating seasons. The company that created your HVAC system could also recommend an ideal maintenance schedule for your system. Additionally, regular maintenance will help you avoid costly repairs in the long run. Make sure you find an experienced company that offers services to maintain your HVAC in your Salt Lake City home.
Insulation
If you want to maintain the heat in your home, then you need to focus on the insulation. The right amount and the right kind of insulation can keep heat inside your home. Then you can avoid unneeded heating costs. You can look for drafts in your windows and doors and use caulk or weatherstripping to seal them. However, extensive damage on the windows and doors, such as rotten wood or cracks in the glass, may call for a replacement. To make your replacements worth it, you can look for energy-efficient windows.
Exterior Paint
A huge factor that can affect the temperature in your home is the color of your house. Certain colors can attract heat. For instance, a dark house color can help maintain heat, whereas a light color can help keep it cool. Therefore, you should get a light-colored exterior paint if you live in a warm climate and a dark color for colder climates.
Floor Coverings
Other than choosing a new color for your home, choosing the right type of flooring can create a huge impact, too. During the colder months, carpets are ideal because they keep your home warm and trap heat. Strategically placing rugs around your home is also a great way to add more warmth to certain areas. However, if you want a cooler home, then you may want to get tile flooring.
Ventilation
As stated earlier, proper insulation is key to energy-efficiency. However, another thing that can go well with proper insulation is ventilation. You can try to find ways to control ventilation in your home to reduce your heating and cooling costs. For instance, installing ceiling fans is a fantastic way to reduce or eliminate your air conditioning usage.
It does not take a lot of effort to own an energy-efficient home. You can use any of the tips above to start saving money and use fewer resources today.