Hello World! Welcome Friends! Recently, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that “…in 2020, the combined end-use energy consumption in the U.S. by the residential and commercial sectors was about 29%.” Needless to say, that’s a pretty high percentage which could be easily reduced by increasing your home’s sustainability potential with a few simple modifications. For instance, changing elements of your interior decorating and making upgrades to your appliances all have the potential to reduce your home’s total energy usage (and reduce your energy bill). So let’s look at a few easy steps that can help you create a more eco-friendly home.
Environmentally-Friendly Interior Decorating
Your interior design choices can have an impact on your home’s overall efficiency. Minute choices have the potential to make an impact on your home’s carbon footprint; for instance a change in curtains could result in a drastic change to your utility bill and energy consumption. When most people think of thermal or blackout curtains, they imagine drab, thick fabric and patterns you might find in a motel. As it turns out, there are numerous options for attractive curtains that can help homeowners regulate their indoor temperature.
Blackout curtains block direct sunlight from penetrating your windows and warming up your home. Preventing sunlight from getting in when a room is empty will take the pressure off of your A/C system and make it easier to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. Thermal curtains help to keep warm air in and cold air out during the winter months, allowing your furnace to run more efficiently. Even a change in curtains can help reduce your energy consumption at home!
Are Your Home Appliances Eco-Friendly?
Homeowners collectively spend about $29 billion per year operating their air conditioning units alone. As one of the most important appliances in your home, your A/C unit is a lifeline during hot summers. But, if your unit is more than ten years old or still uses outdated coolants like freon, it’s unlikely to be operating as efficiently as a new model. While other household appliances like washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, and furnaces may also need to be replaced in your pursuit of home energy efficiency, a sustainable HVAC system should be the first on your list.
While replacing your curtains and upgrading your A/C system represent completely different magnitudes of change, they represent exactly what we need to combat energy inefficiency: both small changes and big changes. If modifying your home to achieve a more eco-friendly lifestyle is intimidating, start with something small. After completing a few small projects, like replacing the curtains, you’ll be ready to confront your larger roadblocks to sustainability, like your dinosaur A/C system. Every move towards sustainability protects the planet, so why not start at home.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
Never Pressure Wash These 10 Things
8 Ways To Summer-Proof Your Home
Things You Should Know About Inverter Generators
Top Tips to get the House Move You Deserve
Top-Rated Reasons To Relocate To Canada
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Toodles,
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