Energy Efficient Homes – Powering Down Your House

The constant increasing cost of electricity and environmental status make it more important than ever to make your home more energy efficient.

Step 1: Locate the problem

In any home there is constant room for improvement in regards to energy efficiency. Locate the most inefficient parts of your home. These things may include a poorly insulated water heater, Unwrapped pipes, poorly sealed doors and windows inefficient electronics.

Step 2: Replace inefficient electronics

Many electronics do not properly utilize electricity. Some of the most problematic devices include Televisions, Computers, Cell phone chargers and DVD players. Any device which stays in stand-by mode (usually indicated by a LED light which remains red when power is off.) When an electronic is in stand-by mode it is not actually turned off but rather using a small amount of electricity to remain active so it can quickly power on when the remote is used to turned it on. You should plug all devices into power strips and turn them off when done. Cell phone charges also draw current when they are plugged in, even if the phone is not connected and charging. These include cell phone chargers, other electronic chargers, iPod chargers, etc. The alternative is to simply unplug it when it is not in use!

Step 3: Insulate your water heater and pipes

If your hot water pipes have unheated areas where the water passes through it can cause the water heater to work harder as the water will loose heat. This causes the water heater to use more electricity to constantly reheat the water. Wrapping these pipes can greatly reduce the workload on the water heater. Furthermore if your water heater is not wrapped properly it can further cause heat loss and causes the water heat to work even harder which causes more electricity. You should wrap the water heat by wrapping the insulation horizontally and placing duct tape along the seal.

Step 4: Enjoy a more energy efficient house!

Enjoy the benefits of having an energy efficient house and knowing you are contributing to the overall general welfare of the environment.

Source by Julian Hooks

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