What Results Can You Actually Expect From Home Energy Upgrades?

The last decade has seen a surge in energy-efficient products. Everything from insulation to light bulbs delivers promises of moderate savings over the course of the year or the life of the home. While many people have experimented with what’s available, others have sat back and wondered what the actual results of making such upgrades are. The results are in, so take a look.

Seal Up the Envelope of Your Home

Image via Flickr by Swany

Matt Golden, a consultant to the U.S. Department of Energy, says to start with “improving the envelope” of your home. Upgrading items such as windows, weather seals, and insulation are all envelope improvements. You can upgrade an HVAC system, but the upgrade itself won’t stop the issue of heat seeping out of the roof or through cracks in door and window frames.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that sealing air leaks and upgrading your windows can save you between $182 and $440 per year. The saving estimates take into account the cost of the upgrades and any other costs incurred for repairs.

Go Ductless

If you can’t go ductless, repair your ducts and make sure they are sealed and properly connected. If you can go ductless, you may be surprised at the energy savings. The idea of central air is a positive point for many homebuyers. People like the fact that they can heat or cool an entire house with ease, but they miss the energy side of that process. Ductless systems have zoned climate control throughout every room of the house. A ductless system allows you to avoid heating or cooling rooms that are not being used as well as setting specific temperatures in different areas of the house if needed.

To allow for more control, look into a programmable thermostat. An “away” feature sets the temperature while you’re not at home, helping you to cut costs further. Programmable thermostats can save you up to 10 percent on your heating bill annually.

Upgrade Your Old Water Heater

Heating water can account for up to 12 percent of your utility bill. Knowing that statistic, upgrading your old water heater makes sense. If you are not able to fully upgrade your water heater, you can also look at areas such as insulating it or turning down its thermostat. You may also want to look into a tankless water heater, which heats the water when you need it rather than gathering it in a tank and heating it from this point. Simply lowering the water temperature alone can save you between 4 and 22 percent of your bill annually.

You can find many other home energy-efficient products when you decide to upgrade. The examples above are only some of the larger problem areas you may find in a home. Other equipment such as Energy Star light bulbs and power strips can add more savings to your budget. Also, don’t forget how useful the sleep or energy save mode on your computer can be. Using as many options as you can will optimize your energy bill savings.