SMART, SIMPLE AND SUSTAINABLE
Making your home energy efficient starts with small steps that can have a big impact
My approach to sustainability is pretty simple: By using smart, simple, environmentally friendly building practices, we can create positive change across our industry. Not only can we reduce the carbon footprint we create when we build, we can also reduce it for the homeowner who lives there day to day.
That said, it’s not just about reducing our own carbon footprint. The cost of energy is rising, and anything you can do as a homeowner to reduce your monthly hydro bills is a good thing. I think anyone could agree with that.
Making your home more energy efficient can begin with small additions or fixes that any homeowner can accomplish, right up to big structural changes that will require a pro.
BUSTING PHANTOM POWER
Even when your electronics are turned off, they could still be drawing power, and costing you money. Up to 10 per cent of your home’s electricity usage could come from this phantom power waste.
This spooky energy suck isn’t hard to manage if you play it smart. Even your device chargers will draw power when the electronics aren’t connected. Think about your bedroom: What’s plugged in next to your nightstand? If you’re like me, you’ve probably got a bedside lamp, a phone charger and maybe your laptop charger. Connecting these devices to a power bar with a timer shut-off that’s set during the work day will prevent these items from drawing excess power.
In your bathroom, keep items such as hair dryers and curlers unplugged when not in use. Devices that take a charge, like an electric shaver or toothbrush only need about an hour to fully charge and don’t need to be charged daily. Phantom power is costing most of us about $150 per year, and you can really cut down on that with just a few small changes around the house.
Installing a programmable thermostat is a smart idea to use your energy more wisely. You can set the temperature to be lower during the hours of the day you’re not home, and bring it back up to comfortable levels when you’ll be home.
Some smart models can learn your patterns, and automatically raise or lower the temperature based on your habits.
Even something as small as lowering your thermostat by three degrees while you’re at work can save you four per cent on your heating costs. Why spend excess energy heating or cooling your home when nobody’s there to feel it?
INSTALLING ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES
Energy-efficient appliances are designed to reduce energy consumption, reduce their impact on the environment, and reduce your utility bills. Compared to average models, you can see upwards of $100 per year in savings.
Often, to get the more energy efficient model, you’re paying more up front, and hoping the savings pay off in the long run. When it comes to energy-efficient appliances, this isn’t the case.
Many are available at similar price points to regular models so in this instance, it’s not a gamble to choose energy efficiency, it’s just smart.
Even for smaller appliances like blenders, do you really need a model that has a digital display? Typically they’ll drain more power than analog models for features that you’ll barely notice.
If you’re upgrading to energy efficient appliances in the near future, don’t forget to factor in whole home surge protection.
SEALING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE
The majority of our hydro spend comes from the way we heat and cool our homes. So it makes sense that if you want to make big changes to the way your home manages power, you should start from the outside of your home.
Your roof, foundation, doors, and windows will have a huge effect on whether or not your home holds its temperature well. If you live in an older home, a good place to look at is your attic. Most older homes won’t have enough insulation up there.
When installed correctly, energy-efficient, triple-paned windows and a metal roof are going to help hold your home’s temperature a lot better than older materials and prevent air leaks.
If you’re not sure where to focus your efforts on keeping your hydro costs lower, a home energy audit can help you identify the weak points in your home that leak heat, and help you create a plan of attack versus rising energy costs.
To find out about Mike Holmes, visit makeitright.ca.