subject: Home Improvement Measures To Minimize Energy Consumption [print this page] Making your home energy efficient is probably the best home improvement measure that you can take. Foremost, one needs to know about the necessary changes one has to make around the house to minimize energy consumption. You may take help of your energy provider for a detailed and comprehensive analysis of your home for energy losses. Accordingly take adequate measures to reduce the energy loss as well as consumption.
Most of the houses lose substantial amount of energy in the form of heat through gaps and opening in walls and ceilings, especially around unconditioned areas. In order to minimize this energy loss, homeowners should opt for proper insulation. There are different types of insulations available in the market, such as fiberglass, mineral wool and Cellulose insulation, which is definitely the best green insulation option. These insulation materials can be sprayed, blown-in, stapled, nailed or simply laid in the place.
Depending upon the amount of insulation required; you can choose from the available options. You may use cellulose insulation for wall and roof cavities; whereas for areas that are hard to reach, you can use spray foam insulation. Moreover, due to increased awareness among homeowners, most of them are choosing Green insulation. Furthermore both, choosing the right insulation material and its proper installation are important to maximize the benefits offered by insulation.
Proper insulation restricts the heat flow, which has a tendency to escape to cooler areas. As a result, the house remains warm during winters and cool during summers. Due to this, you can turn down the thermostat by a few degrees and save on electricity bills. Along with making the house comfortable, insulation also keeps the noise to the minimum as it act as a sound barrier as well. It resists noise transfer from one room to another or from outside to inside.
The next most important step is to seal the gaps and cracks around windows and doors. You can even replace your old aluminum and fiberglass windows with energy-efficient new windows, such as vinyl windows. Another affordable option is Replacement windows which are easy to install. Apart from this, you may also choose Energy Star rated appliances as these help in reducing energy consumption to quite an extent.
All these measures not only make the homes comfortable and energy efficient, but also provide utility savings. Moreover, measures such as air sealing, purchasing energy efficient appliances, installing insulation and New windows, boost the energy efficiency of the house can even earn you rebates which can reduce overall financial burden of the project.
