Make Your Texas Home More Energy Efficient
Make Your Texas Home More Energy Efficient
The growing worldwide consciousness about global warming and protecting the environment resulted in a growing demand for "greener" or more energy-efficient home. This is true in the United States and more so in the state of Texas where residents are given investment options since 2008 to make their homes more energy efficient and save considerable amounts of Texas electricity.
Aside from the power to choose their energy options, Texas residents have other opportunities available to them in making greener and more energy-efficient homes. This includes the adoption of green building features and practices that they can apply to newly built homes. Such features and practices can significantly reduce a typical home's carbon footprint, conserve valuable water, and save significant amounts of Texas electricity that would have a direct impact on their monthly electricity bills.
Ways to Make Your Texas Home More Energy Efficient
Having a more energy-efficient Texas home can truly make a difference for the environment one household at a time. Even if really cheap electricity is available, residents should make energy efficiency an intrinsic part of their way of life and they can begin with the following ideas:
* Insulate Your Walls and Attic Properly
Heating and cooling are the largest consumers of Texas electricity in a typical home and this can be aggravated with no or incomplete insulation. Without proper insulation, your homes would require more energy to heat or cool your house. Various insulation materials include cellulose, fiberglass, and other foam insulation alternatives that can reduce the flow of heat to and from your homes making them more comfortable and energy efficient.
* Install Energy Star Qualified Windows
Old, worn-out, and leaky windows can affect your Texas electricity consumption as your homes would require more energy for heating or air-conditioning. Installing Energy Star-compliant windows can save you up to 24 percent from your electricity bills. It may cost you more at first but it is definitely more cost-effective in the long run.
* Make Your House Surroundings Greener
Summer can really heat up your homes and this would be more evident with poorly insulated homes and windows. Growing trees and shrubs around your homes can block the infrared radiation that causes this heat build-up helping your home's cooling system in the process and reduce consumption of Texas electricity.
* Go for Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)
The simple replacement of old incandescent bulbs to more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs can help you reduce your Texas electricity consumption for your lighting needs by as much as 60%. Not only that, CFLs last longer by as much as 10x the life of incandescent bulbs which actually saves you more in the long run despite the higher initial cost for CFLs.
* Say Goodbye to Your Old Refrigerators
Using old refrigerators that are not Energy Star rated will cost you more in your electricity bills than deciding to buy a new and more energy-efficient unit. A refrigerator with a top-mount freezer consumes up to 25 percent less energy as compared to an older unit of a smaller or even larger size. And if you decide to buy a unit Energy Star-compliant unit, don't make the mistake of plugging in your old unit as a back-up fridge.
* Take Advantage of New Tax Incentives
Some may argue that making their homes energy efficient is too costly to begin with. Consider the impact it will have on your Texas electricity bill in the long run. You can also take advantage of federal tax incentives offered through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which can cover the cost of your energy efficiency home improvements.
* Have Your Homes Energy Audited
Work with certified home energy auditors to help you gain a valuable assessment of your home's energy efficiency and gain good insights on how to make your homes more energy-efficient. You can also work with Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and they can help you connect with reputable agencies that can help you in this area as well as give information on how you can get energy payment assistance.
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