Ways to Make Your Home Remodel More Energy Efficient

 

 

One of the big benefits of remodeling our home is that we have a chance to add many features that will make it more energy efficient — and help cut down on our future power bills. Since we live in California, current building codes already include many energy saving measures, and because we want to do as much as possible to reduce strain on our natural resources (and keep our gas and electric bills low), we added even more features.

5 Ways to Save Energy With Your Home Remodel

1. Insulation Everywhere! Not just in the walls of the add-on, but in the walls of the old part of the house, as well as above the ceilings and under the floor – wiring it under the bottom of the subfloor. Since we’re doing work on the house anyway, we made sure to seal all gaps and cracks in the existing house, especially around windows and doors which can settle and become loose over time.

2. Double-paned windows  When we first moved into our house, the windows were old, drafty single paned glass. Soon afterwards, we upgraded to double-paned windows, which made a world of difference in keeping the heat inside our house. All of our new windows and French doors are double paned glass. Not only do the dual layers of glass add insulation, a layer of argon gas between the two panes slows down the conduction, meaning more heat stays inside the house.

3. Solar lighting We added several skylights and sun tunnels to bring brightness into our home. A sun tunnel looks like a can light in the ceiling, and some of them are also equipped with LED bulbs inside, so during the day sunlight adds brightness, and lightbulbs are only needed when it’s dark outside. Not only does it create beautiful ambient light, anytime you can use natural light you avoid using electricity.

4. Upgrade the heating system We changed out our old, outdated furnace for a new model and added insulated ducts and sealed vents. That way, less heat is lost and more warmth stays in our home. Also, attic fans help circulate hot air (as high as 120 degrees in the summer!) out of the building, reducing the temperature inside and preventing the air conditioner from using extra electricity.

5. Energy saving appliances Switch out old appliances for energy star rated units. When shopping for appliances, look for the Energy Star symbol and bright yellow tags. This washer and dryer set is similar to the one we have in our laundry room. Often, the estimated cost of running the appliance is marked right on the tag. When researching a new refrigerator or washing machine, check out the list of available rebates for energy-efficient appliances. PG&E also offers a $50 rebate for recycling old refrigerators.

Besides saving money on monthly bills, we also wanted a home that will reflect the kind of impact we want to leave on the world. “It’s really about building a high performance home,” says Jeremy Osborne of Oz Custom Homes, “Rather than a green home, it’s about using the best materials available.”

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.