Small Changes with Big Results: Making Your Home Energy Efficient
Unless your home was tailored for energy savings, you can reduce your electricity bills by adding effective insulation and replacing your lighting. The most effective strategy for improving your home’s energy efficiency is to first target your home’s envelope – attic, walls, doors and windows.
You can accomplish drastic reductions in electrical costs through simple changes, most of which homeowners can easily achieve by themselves.
The Power of Thick Curtains
Using thick curtains is one of the most effective ways of protecting your home from losing heat through the windows. Those with thermal linings are a relatively cheap option. These provide climate control, which will keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Going Double Glazed
Double glazing is also an effective method of creating an insulating layer between two glass panes. It lets in as much sunlight just as single-glazed glass does, but is better at holding in heat. In Canberra, you can find double glazed doors and windows in every home, as it is starting to become the standard in most houses. In addition to its insulation benefits, double glazed doors and windows can also cut any noise pollution, says Monarowindows.com.au. This could include unwanted noises such as traffic noise, barking dogs, nearby pubs and clubs, and loud construction noise to name a few.
Consider Daylighting
Daylighting is the method of using natural light to brighten your home’s interior. It has been touted for its health and aesthetic benefits by interior designers and researchers alike. Since electrical lighting eats up a substantial percentage of your household’s electricity, utilising natural light as much as possible helps you reduce your electrical costs.
You can achieve this by doing some of these approaches:
- Skylights
- Light shelves
- Clerestory windows
- Light tubes
Homeowners who take the initiative to make these simple changes usually discover that the energy savings and health benefits are more than worth their effort.
