If you are worried about your carbon footprint and you want to do more to live sustainably, it is something that starts at home. There are lots of things homeowners can do to make their properties more energy efficient. And the whole process is not nearly as testing for you as you might expect it to be.

There are lots of changes that can be made to your home that will help you to use less energy from one day to the next. Some of them are small and others are bigger. We are going to talk about them all today and you can decide which will be most applicable to you and your living situation.

So read on now to find out more about these green, energy-saving changes and what they might mean for you. At least a handful of them will offer you something important when it comes to making your home a more energy efficient place.

Insulate The Roof

One of the first things you should think about doing is insulating the roof of your property. When you have proper insulation in place in the roof area, it makes it a lot easier for you to retain heat in the home. Heat rises, so when your heating system generates it, it will move upwards. And once it reaches the attic and roof area, it will either escape through the roof creating a lot of wasted energy or, if you have the right insulation in place, the heat will be trapped and continue to circulate in the home. Obviously, the latter is the better option.

And The Walls

As well as making sure the right insulation is in place in the roof space, it is also a good idea to do the same for the walls in the home. Heat can also escape through your home’s walls if they are not properly insulated with the right materials. That is why it is so important to take steps to insulate them with a material that is going to work for you and your property. Contact an insulation specialist to find out more about the options open to you as they will differ from person to person.

Pay Closer Attention To The Little Things

It is the little things that make quite a big difference when it comes to improving your home in terms of energy efficiency. For example, if you leave appliances running when they are not in use, you will be wasting electricity and spending more on your energy needs than you have to. That is why it is something that you should start paying more attention to. Each and every one of us are guilty of leaving a light on or something like that, and these are also things we can all change as well. So try to keep this in mind.

Have A Programmable Thermostat Installed

Having a programmable thermostat installed in your home will give you much greater control over how you heat your home and that’s something that’s really key when you are looking to use less energy. A lack of control usually results in more waste and that’s never a good thing. Programmable thermostats are becoming much more widely used and available so you should not have too much trouble getting one fitted in your home. Once it is in place, you can tweak the temperature and reduce your energy usage in small increments.

Consider Generating Your Own Renewable Energy

Renewable energy offers you the very best way to make your home greener and to reduce your unclean energy usage. You can use as much energy as you want if you are generating and storing it yourself from renewable sources such as wind and solar. Your location and your home will dictate which renewable option makes most sense for you. And although it will mean making a significant upfront investment, it will pay off in the savings you make later on. If it is a viable option for you, it is worth considering.

Upgrade To Energy Efficient Windows

Upgrading to better and more energy efficient windows is another thing you should certainly think about doing if you have not done so already. The amount of heat that escapes through your windows will have quite a big impact on how much energy you eventually end up using. So in order to keep things on track with regards to your energy usage, you should think about having your windows replaced with newer and more efficient ones. Find the best window replacement company in your area to help you make this happen.

Get Rid Of An Inefficient Boiler

If your boiler has seen better days and is no longer offering you the efficient level of performance that you want and need it to, it is certainly a good idea to think about replacing it. Inefficient boilers waste a huge amount of energy and it’s something that you cannot afford to overlook when you want to make green changes in the home. A modern, efficient and future proof boiler will serve you well for a long time to come and that is obviously vital.

Use A Ceiling Fan When Appropriate To Cool The Home

Looking for alternatives to simply relying on conventional heating and cooling systems is one of the best things you can do when it comes to lowering your energy usage. One of the best ways to keep your home cool without using the energy-sapping AC system is to instead rely on a good old-fashioned ceiling fan instead. They do a good job of circulating cool air around the space and reducing extreme heat. They might do the job better than you expect. Find a professional who can fit them for you if you think they might be of benefit to you.

Do The Laundry More Efficiently

The way in which you do the laundry will also have a big impact on how energy efficient your home is. Doing the laundry more efficiently usually means waiting and having a little patience. By only doing a load of laundry when you can fill the machine, you will end up doing fewer washes over the course of the year and that means you will use a lot less energy and a lot less water in that time as well. It is mostly about changing your habits and routines to make them more efficient.

Switch To LED Bulbs Throughout The Home

Making the switch to LED bulbs is definitely an option to consider in your home if you have not done so already. These bulbs are far more energy efficient than the old incandescent bulbs that are now going out of fashion. It might seem like a relatively small change, and it is. But there is also a lot of reasons why switching to LEDs is a big deal. Just think about how much you use the lights in your home each day. That is a lot of energy to be wasting if you are using the wrong bulbs.

Only Buy Energy Efficient Appliances

Next time the need arises for you to buy a new appliance in your home, you should try to make sure that it is an energy efficient one. That is something that lots of people still get wrong but there are rating systems that can help you to judge how energy efficient appliances are. By doing a little extra research and taking the time to get this right, you will end up making your home a much more energy efficient place going forward.

Seal Cracks And Gaps

If there are gaps or cracks present in the exterior of your home, that is going to result in cold air entering the home and warm air leaving it. From an energy efficiency point of view, that is exactly what you should be looking to avoid. That is why you should be checking for cracks and gaps that can be repaired in order to keep your home as energy efficient as it possibly can be.

Pay Attention To Energy Usage When Cooking

Cooking is another time in which lots of people unwittingly waste energy. There are many examples of this that can be called upon. For example, when you are cooking you might regularly open the oven to check the food. But all that does is let the heat escape and slows down the overall cooking process, meaning more energy is used in total. So try to pay attention to these examples of wastage and cut them out where possible.

Practice Daylighting

Daylighting is the practice of focusing on natural light in your home and doing more to rely on it during the daytime. It is important from an energy efficiency point of view because when you are relying on natural light, that means you are not relying on electrical lights to keep the home bright and light. Start small and keep doing more to increase your reliance on natural light.

Now you know what it takes to make your home more energy efficient, all that is left for you to do is start taking action. When you do so, you will find that it is easier than you previously thought to start reducing your energy consumption and living in a more eco-friendly way.