Energy costs have been skyrocketing in the past few years, Pittsburgh homeowners have discovered ways to improve their energy consumption. High consumption results in high costs but lowering dependence and consumption will have the opposite effect and end up lowering your month spend on energy bills. There are several steps that Pittsburgh homeowners can take to improve their own energy consumption and improve their energy efficiency, many of which are only little changes that can make a big difference, while some other techniques are much more difficult but can reap some serious savings .
Proper Sealing of Home
If your Pittsburgh home doesn't have proper caulking and weather stripping this could end up in, you having higher energy costs. Improper sealing is going to cause energy in the form of your heating and cooling costs to slip through these cracks. Improving the sealing of your home is a quick and affordable way that you can easily handle as a weekend DIY project to improve energy efficiency.
Investing In A New Energy Efficient Thermostat
If your Pittsburgh home doesn't not have a programmable thermostat than you should consider investing in one. Most often lowering heating costs is as easy as remembering to adjust your thermostat when no one is going to be home, but this method is often forgotten. A programmable thermostat has the advantage of you never needing to worry about adjusting the temperature when you are away or asleep improving your energy efficiency. This can end up having significant savings in the long run and will likely pay for itself in a short period of time.
Energy Efficient Windows
This is not a cheap solution, if your windows are not double or triple paned, or properly sealed, you are going to see a reduction in your Pittsburgh home's energy efficiency. Improving the quality of your homes windows and replacing them with a newer model may not be a bad idea and it is also one that will likely improve your R-value in the process. Other improvements can also be made to your existing windows, such as another layer from storm windows, which will further improve their performance.
Turning Off And Unplugging Appliances
Leaving appliances plugged in or on is a common mistake that many of us make every day. There are many things in your Pittsburgh home that sit idle and run all day without us realizing the amount of energy it consumes. A great way to lower energy costs is unplug or at least make sure the items are turned off. Turning off your electronic devices when you aren't using them or plug them into a single strip that can be turned off with a switch for convenience.
Replacing Your Old Lighting with New LED Lighting
New LED lighting is a great way to reduce energy cost by a good amount. Not only do LED bulbs last longer than standard lights and provide just as adequate lighting but they use significantly less power. These fluorescent bulbs are a wise investment for anyone looking to make a difference in their costs and cut back on their waste output as well.
The simple fact is that LEDs use much less energy. LED lighting is much more efficient, power-wise, than filament light. LED bulbs use over 75% less energy than incandescent lighting. Bright LED flood lamps use only 11 to 12 watts while creating a light output comparable to a 50-watt incandescent. The new Residential LED lighting comes in many modern styles and can be added to accident certain features of your Pittsburgh home.
There are plenty of other methods that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency of your Pittsburgh home, some of which are much more complex than others. However, some of these methods are simple and switching your homes lighting to energy efficient LED lighting can be a huge energy saver. Tatman Electric is a top-rated Team of Pittsburgh-PA Electricians that can install all of your residential LED lighting. Finally, new LED lighting can completely change the look of your home without you have to spend a fortune, by being more energy conscious we can all save money!
