Those worried about excessive energy consumption due to usage of various electrical equipment for heating, cooling, lighting and operating home appliances can take advantage of implementing many energy-efficient home improvements. Energy efficient homes are not only Eco-friendly but also are cost effective in the long run.

For example, if the home owner can implement certain measures such as stopping air leaks and strengthening insulation in the attic, basement and walls, the house would be warmer making the residents feel comfortable during winter season.

Energy efficient improvement involves making certain alterations to the house such as plugging the air leaks and improving insulation to prevent heat losses, and is meant to enhance the efficiency in the use of energy for heating and cooling.

By properly insulating the electrical systems in the home, there will be efficient utilization of energy, reduction in power consumption and consequently decrease in power costs. Here are several methods by which one can improve efficiency in the usage of energy in his home. Analytical study and pinpointing problem areas:

The ideal method to tackle problems relating to utilization of energy in older homes or homes that were not given due importance to energy efficiency is to thoroughly assess the ‘weak areas’ in the house that are responsible for high energy consumption and areas where there is considerable scope to make improvements with the aim of enhancing energy efficiency.

The study will indicate the areas of possible leakages of hot air in the house. The examination may include areas such as air ducts, roofs, basements, and any cavities in the outer walls, entry points of various utilities, checking for any leakages through doors or windows and others.

1) Insulation of windows.

Heat losses can occur if the insulation is defective. If the windows are old with gaps or spaces around the windows, hot air will escape through windows causing heat losses or the home may have single glazed windows, which can contribute to heat losses through heat transfer.

In such situations, it is advisable to get the windows repaired or replace old windows with energy efficient ones that can stop heat losses. Regarding glazed windows, it is better to choose double or triple glazed windows, using heat reflecting glass or have polythene insulation installed to facilitate reduction of heat transfer and retain the maximum amount of heat inside the home.

Other measures such as long curtains across the windows during the winter can also contribute in further decreasing heat losses.

2) Door insulation.

If the house has glass doors, one should adopt the same methods that are employed in respect of windows in order to properly insulate them. Apart from this, ‘draft proofing’ or ‘weather stripping’ methods can be followed for plugging air leaks.

When breeze is stopped from entering rooms, it will also automatically stop hot air from escaping the house. These measures are simple and inexpensive to implement and they can contribute significantly in improving energy efficiency of the home.

One can also have insulated doors installed by an expert. These doors are strong and will assist in minimizing heat loss as they have insulation material at the center.

3) Air sealing.

Air sealing involves sealing the less prominent air flows in the house. If there is an air flow under a door, one will be able to stop it with a weather strip. However, there will be substantial amount of heat loss through gaps and holes in basements and other places.

In order to prevent heat losses from these places, it is better to engage a contractor for identifying areas of leaks and seal them to prevent heat losses.

4) Duct sealing.

If the house contains ‘reverse cycle air conditioning duct system’, there could be heat losses through gaps due to improper insulation. An expert home improvement contractor can assist in rectifying the problem areas without compromising on the performance of the system.

5) Attic improvements.

If attics are not properly insulated, they can contribute to at least 20% of the heat losses in the home. There are a number of insulation products for the roof such as conventional fiber glass or environmentally friendly biodegradable material. They are more effective than fiber glass for insulation.

6) Wall insulation.

Wall cavities can be filled up with blow-in cellulose insulation, thereby increasing the energy efficiency of the house. While new houses would have already been constructed with this energy saving method, old house should be renovated to attain the required energy efficiency.

There has been a rapid increase in cost of living all over the world over the years and the cost of energy consumption constitutes a major element of the heavy monthly bills. This has forced people to find ways of decreasing their monthly budget.

Some people use several electrical devices they do not really require. Excessive power consumption costs money and therefore, it is worthwhile to purchase only energy saving equipment.

There are specific tools that facilitate users to reduce energy costs. As producers too utilize electricity, they are well aware of appliances that utilize high wattage. Lighting is one area which accounts for major consumption of electricity.

Many people have the habit of leaving the lights turned on all through 24 hours. If it is a daily affair, it amounts to gross misuse of electricity and will have a huge impact on the overall monthly expenses. One can effectively reduce power consumption by purchasing low-wattage bulbs, like Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). They not only use lower wattage to emit powerful beam of light but also last longer.

There are bulbs of different wattage, like the lowest and the highest range. One can buy these ‘energy-efficient’ bulbs and adjust to the lowest wattage so that substantial reduction in energy consumption can be achieved.

Three way lamps are fine examples of this type of lamps. They also emit powerful beam of light similar to the normal incandescent light and yet, consume lesser watts. LED lights and Gu 10 bulbs are among the finest energy-saving lighting available these days.

Light Emitting Diode (LED) light is normally very costly at around $70 each; nevertheless, it not only has a long-life span but also assist in conserving fair measure of electricity at home. Other excellent items that can contribute to reducing energy costs include energy meters, which are complex gadgets that enable assessment of the amount of electricity each electrical point and appliance in the house utilizes.

One should connect them to an electric point or socket and then to the various devices. It is very essential to install energy meters in the house as these would point out the areas where higher number of units of electricity is consumed in the house so that corrective steps can be taken.

For example, items that utilize a lot of electric current can be replaced with energy saving lights and appliances. Back-up wall adapters are other varieties of devices that are designed to facilitate keeping the levels of electrical consumption at home within acceptable limits. Although quite complex in design and manufacture, still, these gadgets are very useful and simple to install.

After proper installation of all electrical appliances that we use daily, one can just turn them off with an easy to- operate remote control. Some electrical articles, like television utilize electric current even when switched off. This energy saving remote control device helps to shut off power when a particular equipment or gadget is not in use.

With rising energy consumption and consequent increase in the amounts of electricity bills, people are constantly on the lookout to find various methods to minimize energy consumption in their homes. Thanks to numerous technological advances, wide range of energy saving devices is now available in the market.

Low wattage bulbs, like the Gu 10 are fine examples of excellent energy-savers. Additionally, there are specialist consultants who can suggest various methods to reduce electricity consumption in the house. In case the present electricity bills are alarmingly high, one can consult them.

In the present situation, when there is heavy demand for energy and acute constraints in its availability, it is a great challenge to not only for home owners and tenants but also experts on energy sources to identify the areas of wastage in residential power consumption and energy leakages and their causes.

A saving of a thermal unit of combustible gas and a kilowatt of electricity means a corresponding reduction in the need to generate combustible gas and electricity. The requirement of water for turning turbines and the coal for the furnace would also be accordingly less. Hence, if we could make our home more energy efficient, we would reduce the burden of national power plants having to meet energy demand.

Effecting savings in residential power consumption has the advantage of slowing down the building ‘smoke piles’ and nuclear towers. Climatic conditions of the area where the residence is located, the features of the home and the daily routine of the inmates have an important bearing on residential energy inefficiency.

For instance, while wastage of heat may affect a residence in the North Dakota, wastage of energy in cooling is the highest in Texas. Water heating and lighting may be predominant in a high-rise apartment.

Inefficiency in power consumption affects every home and the following 8 factors contribute to the normal energy wastage.

1) Occupants energy consumption habits.

Residents and managers of apartments can assist in preventing wastage and reducing power consumption by about 50% through awareness and cooperative efforts. People can be motivated to take effective steps to reduce energy consumption by offering suitable incentives.

Residents can approach electricity supplier to help them with appropriate training and offer rebates. If the neighbors consume less electricity, it may be a good idea to get a few tips from them on saving energy.

2) Home electrical appliances.

Energy Star will facilitate appraisal of the present inefficiencies in usage of power so that one can get the most energy efficient models suitable to his requirements.

Refrigerators, water beds, lights, televisions, music systems, computers and washing machines and even fish tanks can cause considerable energy losses due to their outmoded designs and improper use. Energy Star appliances can contribute to a great extent to reduce power consumption.

3) Heat distribution system.

Heat distribution systems are other areas where wastages can occur. For example, air leaks in heating ducts cause a lot of wastage of energy. It is advisable to get the ducts sealed if one heating register blows a large amount of warmer air than the other register.

4) Solar gain from the sun.

Many homes consume much more power than required to cool the rooms as they get warmer due to heat from the sun warming their rooms and there is not enough shade for protection, which will be evident if we place our hands on any of the objects in the room. Gadgets like hair dryer also consume a lot of energy. It may be helpful to use a thermal curtain on the west side window.

5) Air conditioning systems.

Air conditioning systems consume abnormally high amount of power due to irregular and incorrect maintenance. In order to ensure that air conditioners operate efficiently, it is essential to enter into an annual maintenance contract. This will help in reducing energy consumption on A.C.

With outstanding advances in technology, numerous energy-efficient air conditioning systems are now available. Even after regular servicing, if the existing air conditioner consumes a lot of energy, it is better to replace it with a latest model of energy-efficient

6) Hot water heater.

Your home water heater also consumes plenty of energy. A water heater contributes to an energy loss of 40%. A proper insulation of water heaters and hot water distribution lines can minimize heat energy losses.

It is essential to set the water temperature below 120 degrees for optimum saving in energy. If ‘baseline’ electricity or gas consumption is excessive, it means that there may be a water heating problem.

7) Air leakage.

A blower door test can determine the cubic feet of air that leaks out and fills into the house per minute. It is quite common for an old house to let out 3000 cubic feet of air through the holes in a home every minute. Air sealing is the most cost-effective way to prevent the gush of air and reduce energy losses.

8) Heat loss.

The heat losses occur when heat passes through the air, cooled by an air conditioning system. Wood and several other construction materials are responsible for high consumption of energy.

This is due to thermal resistance of the structure of a home that considers ‘R-value’, thermal and air barriers, the effectiveness of doors and windows and design and quality of the structures.

A heat loss can be detected by touching the walls of the room. If they feel cold in a cold day, it means that it is a case of heat loss.