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For people who own a home, few things can be more costly than energy expenses. That is why most homeowners do everything they can to cut costs on their energy bills in every way possible. Homes with high energy efficiency can save homeowners hundreds of dollars a year and are well known to be significantly more eco-friendly.
Since everyone has concerns about the environment, it is critical to understand how home energy affects this. Home energy waste is one of the biggest reasons for excess energy usage throughout the country and accounts for over 20 percent of the average person’s home utility bills.
Sources of Home Energy Savings
Home energy expenses include more than just heating costs. Total home energy expenses include what homeowners spend on electricity, heating and cooling, and water usage. Each energy use area requires a different way to cut costs and fees and be looked at separately. There are dozens of ways that people can save money on all of these home energy bills, and much of the cost savings comes from changing out items that are less energy-efficient and finding ways to increase a reduction in usage.
Energy Efficiency and Eco Friendly
In most cases, energy-efficient products are also considered eco friendly. That is because preserving energy means less of a negative impact on the environment through fossil fuels and excess water consumption.
Not all homeowners heat with fossil fuels such as home heating oil or natural gas. However, even those people whose homes use electric HVAC units can be part of the fossil fuel chain because many U.S. electrical power plants use fossil fuels. While there are power plants that get energy from hydropower (water), nuclear, or wind, there are still many power plants in the country that rely on coal, oil, and natural gas as a generation source.
Best Ways to Go Eco
Homeowners can make significant changes in their energy and carbon footprints by buying newer appliances that conserve energy. This can include kitchen appliances, air conditioners, water heaters, HVAC systems, and furnaces.
Most appliances have an Energy Star rating on them when they are displayed for sale. If a person is shopping in-store or they do not see the energy efficiency rating, they can go to online platforms.
Online consumer and manufacturer websites are a great place to check a specific appliance and determine its energy rating. There are unique energy ratings for almost all major appliances, water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning, and major electronics. They are designed to help explain to consumers how much it costs to run the unit monthly or yearly. The information breakdown also shows how energy efficient the unit is compared to older units and other brands. This can significantly help homeowners decide what appliances are the most eco friendly to use.
Upgrading thermal windows and using high R-rated insulation can also make a significant difference in energy costs and is a great way to make a home more eco-friendly. In addition, homeowners who invest in insulated exterior doors will also find they are more eco-friendly by decreasing energy losses from drafty doorways.
In most cases, investments in upgrades such as newer energy-efficient major appliances, HVAC systems, water heaters, air conditioners, windows, and doors will result in substantial savings and an improved carbon footprint. These savings can be significant enough to pay for the upgrade within a few years.
Water Energy Savings
Because homeowners often waste an enormous amount of water, their water usage bills can become excessive. This usually stems from the inefficient sink and shower fixtures, water waste, leaky faucets, and toilets that use too much water. Some of the best ways to improve water efficiency and become more eco-friendly are changing out older toilets to newer water-conserving units, repairing any leaky faucets or piping, and replacing older sink and shower fixtures with ones that conserve water usage.
Homes that are very eco-friendly and energy-efficient have a better chance of being bought by new and existing cash home buyers San Antonio shoppers. Homebuyers are always looking for a good deal. But they are also keen on buying a home that can save them money on their energy expenses.
