Update Light Bulbs to Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient
One very easy way to use less energy is to replace your incandescent or CFL bulbs with LEDs. Newer LED bulbs don’t require as much power to light your home. As a bonus, LED bulbs won’t heat up like an incandescent. Much of the energy used by incandescent bulbs is wasted as the bulb warms the surrounding area.
Seal Windows and Doors
Windows and doors with gaps or cracks allow air into your home. This causes your HVAC system to work harder to keep the house at a comfortable temperature, driving your energy usage up.
Find and seal air leaks around windows and doors. It’s easy and inexpensive to apply caulk and weatherstripping to reduce the flow of air into and out of your house.
Replace Insulation
Newer homes likely have proper insulation, but over time, that material can deteriorate and shift. Moisture, rodents, or the settling of the materials reduces the effectiveness of the insulation in a home.
Fiberglass batting insulation can be expected to last about 15 to 20 years. After that time, call a home inspector or energy auditor to inspect the materials and determine whether it’s time to replace or upgrade your home’s insulation.
Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient with Curtains
Use curtains or other window treatments to boost the energy-efficiency of your home. In the summer, close the curtains during the warmest part of the day to block the sun’s rays from heating up your home. When the weather gets cooler, open the curtains during the day and close them at night to help insulate the home.
Gulf Sand Home Inspection provides home inspection services to Sarasota. Contact us to schedule an appointment.