Through the Friends of Pfister campaign we are partnering with Rebuilding Together to provide our readers some simple tips you can take home and use right away to save money. If you want, you can take these same ideas and find a friend or family member who wants to make these changes but needs assistance. Together we can make a difference one home at a time.
Looking for ideas to become more energy efficient? Here are the top ten tips for energy efficient homes:
1. See an energy-efficient future. Energy-efficient windows that are rated by the “NFRC” or have an equivalent energy performance warranty from the manufacturer or builder can save on energy bills by keeping cold air out and warm air in during the winter season.
2. A bright idea. Buy an energy saving light bulb. Trade your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Costing from just $6, energy saving light bulbs last 12 times longer and for each bulb you fit, you could save up to $20 on your annual electricity bill or $200 over the bulb’s lifetime.
3. Construct a plan. Air-Sealed construction helps save on costs. Insist on a “blower door” test to confirm the quality.
4. Brush up on energy saving. Eliminate draughts and wasted heat by installing a inexpensive, easy-to-fix brush or PVC seal on your exterior doors. Letterboxes and keyholes should be covered too. Install insulated doors, and use double-pane glass in doors with vision panes.
5. Treat your tank & give it a jacket. An insulating jacket for a hot water tank only costs a few dollars and pays for itself within months. Fit one that’s at least 75mm (3″) thick and you could save around $40 a year. If every household fitted a jacket on their tank tomorrow we’d save over $350 million of energy every year!
6. Lofty ambitions. Insulating your loft is one of the simplest ways to save energy and you can even install it yourself. Insulate your loft today and in a year save up to $400 on energy bills.
7. Look for cavities. Around 33% of the heat lost in your home is through the walls, so insulating them can be the most cost-effective way to save energy in the home – you could save $250 to $300 on your annual heating bills! Cavity wall insulation will also keep you cool in the summer and warm in winter. It’s straightforward, inexpensive and hassle-free. If we all had our cavity walls filled tomorrow, together we’d save over $1800 million of energy a year.
8. It may not be broke but it might still need fixing! If your boiler is over 15 years old it’s probably time to replace it. By law, new boilers must now be of the high-efficiency condensing type. They can help you save up to a third on your heating bills and even if you upgrade to modern controls.
9. See double…and cut heat loss by 50%. Double glazing helps cuts heat loss through windows but 50% and could cut your heating bill by up to $200.
10. Wash away the energy bills. Consider purchasing an energy-efficient clothes washer. These models use up to 35-50% less water and up to 50% less energy per load. Choose a model with a Modified Energy Factor (MEF) of 1.6 or greater and a water factor of 8.5 or lower.
Now through April, help the Friends of Pfister campaign reach our goal of $20,000 in Pfister faucets to help communities in need. Pfister is proud to partner with Rebuilding Together to bring safer and healthier homes to communities throughout the United States. Every ‘Like’ makes a difference, see how you can help today.
