Making sure that your home is energy-efficient can easily slice your utility bills in half. Once you reach your new home with JB Movers Los Angeles, you need to start thinking about efficiency. First, you need to understand what you’re paying for when it comes to utility bills. According to the averages made by the US Department of Energy, around 44% of bills stem from heating and cooling your home. 33% goes on lighting and cooking, 14% to water heating, and the refrigerator alone uses the remaining 9%. Once you understand how your home uses the energy, you can plan how to make your LA home more energy-efficient. With it, you can identify the places where you can save with ease. Sort your priorities based on your needs, and then make an efficiency plan for the whole house.
Start to make your LA home more energy-efficient with an audit
One of the best ways to figure out if any of your heating or cooling systems need an update is an energy audit. Now, it is understandable that buying a brand new temperature system seems like a huge investment. However, keep in mind that it can save you money for years to come, and even raise the home’s value. For a nominal charge, you can get an energy audit from most utility firms. You can see exactly if and where your heating and cooling systems may be creating a needless expense with it. A professional will analyze how the energy system in your home works and compare the findings to your utility bills. Audit contractors use equipment such as blower doors, thermometers, and infrared cameras. With them, they can spot fine details that a visual inspection can’t. Lastly, they can provide you with a list of cost-effective improvement ideas.
A cool home doesn’t have to bring a hot bill
It goes without saying that one of the most important systems in your home are the ducts that move hot and cold air around. These tubes connect to your furnace and central cooling system and can be found in walls, floors, and ceilings. Unfortunately, these ducts don’t have proper maintenance in most homes. Inspecting and sealing these ducts is easy and should be done as soon as moving services Los Angeles deliver your items to the new home. If you close up the vents and radiators in vacant rooms, you can save up to 20% on heating costs. Taking advantage of the sun’s heat is another great way to cut down on energy costs. As the day progresses, open the shades of your southern and easter windows, and close them as the sun goes down. This way the heat lingers in the home longer and keeps it warm.
By installing a programmable thermostat, you can decrease the temperatures when everyone is sleeping or when nobody is home. With this simple device, you can save more than 10% a year on expenses. When it comes to air conditioning, people usually believe that it is better to buy a larger cooling unit to increase comfort during the summer months. This is a common misconception, and in most cases, a waste of money. A unit that is too big is actually less efficient than a properly sized one. With that in mind, a smaller cooling unit will better help you unwind after your LA move. This is because room units like this are more efficient when running for longer periods of time, rather than constantly being switched on and off.
Large appliances mean large expenses, but not in your LA home!
When it comes to energy waste, large devices like washers, fridges, and stoves are the biggest offenders. The best investment you can make after your relocation is replacing worn-down appliances. When shopping for appliances, make sure to look out for the Energy Star label. Appliances with this mark are approved by the US Department of Energy for being the most efficient products in their class. Compared to models from 15 years ago, an Energy Star labeled fridge can save you between 40 and 80 dollars a year. if you multiply that by the expected 15 year lifetime of a unit, that is between 600 and 1200 dollars in savings. However, if you can’t replace a unit, it is good to know why it is costing you so much, so you can take preventive measures.
Roughly 80% of energy in washing machines is used for heating the water. There are two ways to go around this problem: using less water or using cooler water. Unless you’re working with oil or grease stains, the cold water setting on your washer will do an equally good job at cleaning your clothes. Lowering the water temperature from hot to warm will also drastically cut down the energy use. Lastly, be mindful of the positions of your devices if you want to conserve energy. For example, a stove, which produces heat, shouldn’t be placed next to a refrigerator that produces cold.
Nature can be a great ally when making your home energy-efficient
Not only is saving energy cost-effective, but it is also environmentally friendly as well! And, if you’re trying to make your LA home more energy-efficient, why not utilize the environment? With carefully positioned trees around your home, you can save around 25% of a household’s energy on heating and cooling. Annually, you’ll save between $100 and $250, which is a decent sum. The trick is to take trees that lose their leaves in the fall and plant them on the south and west sides of the help. Their branches will keep your home cool in the summer, and allow the sun to shine through in the winter. Pair this with a few indoor plants for your apartmant and you’ll have a fresh and cool home. You can reduce heating costs by planting evergreen plants and shrubs on the north and west ends of the home, thus deflecting wind.