Living more efficiently
An efficient lifestyle is best reflected in outward actions. As consumers, the biggest area of waste we’re responsible for is our places of residence. While a more efficient home doesn’t sound like the easiest task to tackle, it can be fairly painless when looked at one step at a time.
Areas of focus
Where should we be focusing our efforts? A house is big ground to cover, so let’s narrow down our search. This won’t cover goal setting, time management, or anything else also considered in efficient living. This is about managing the house itself efficiently.
We tend to waste the most when it comes to energy. So, energy efficiency is a vital area to focus on. Especially the heating and cooling of the house.
And, go figure, we waste a lot of money… well, wasting. So, finding ways to generally be more efficient is also important.
Now, let’s look at some ways to conserve.
Ideas
Lights
Most bulbs are really inefficient, so if you’re leaving a room for any period of time, just turn the lights off. The myth about the energy it takes to turn them back on being drastic just isn’t true. You can also try replacing old bulbs with LEDs. They last longer. Their life isn’t impacted by constant switching from on to off. They’re more efficient than most other bulbs. And, these traits make them great to pair with sensors.
HVAC
Try to set your indoor temp as close to the outdoor temp as possible. The smaller the leap your heating or AC has to make, the less it will cost in the long run.
Reuse
Consider buying reusable containers for packing leftovers or lunch. Look into repairing equipment instead of always buying something new. And, consider if you already have what you need at home before making purchases. Sometimes, we buy more than we need, and that’s its own kind of waste. Buy items for their durability.
Insulation
If there are cracks or leaks in your house, then heat can escape. And, you’ll waste energy trying to keep your house at the temperature you want. So, consider adding to existing insulation, or newly insulating walls and floors. Find areas where air is leaking out of the house. Seal off cracks, apply new caulk to old windows, and add rubber seals.
Water Heater
The average lifespan of a water heater is 8–12 years. After 5 years, start checking monthly for any leaking and rusting. The earlier you catch and repair, the longer it will last. Also, try lowering the max heat on the thermostat to save energy. And, of course, try taking shorter showers (around 5–7 minutes).
Replace appliances
Yes, I said don’t always buy new things. But, if you have ancient appliances, chances are they’re pretty inefficient. So, it’d benefit you to replace them. Energy Star Certified appliances aren’t guaranteed to be the most efficient appliances on the market. But, they are a good starting point. If your new appliances have screens, check that they’re LED, so you don’t have to worry about phantom power.
Solar panels
This is a lot more time and effort intensive. But, if this is something you’re already interested in, then it would worth the cost. Most home solar panels are fairly simple to set up, and immediately help cut back on utility costs. Some energy companies will even pay you for creating your own energy. It gets tricky, but is worth looking into. Regardless, solar panels are a great way to take some of your load off the grid. Unless you don’t get a lot of sun… like Ohioans…
Tax incentives
That’s right. You can deduct some of the costs of your efficiency efforts from your taxes. Receive 30% of the cost as tax credit.
The take home
An efficient house doesn’t have to be a huge hassle. If you implement even one of these ideas, you could see savings immediately. And we’ve only addressed a few ideas! If you’re interested in more efficient living tips, keep checking back with us!
So, what do you do to live efficiently? Or what are things you’d like to pursue? What’s stopping you? Feel free to comment — let’s start a conversation!
