Producing as much energy as you use means having a zero-energy home. It also means you would have to spend no money on energy to keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer, and it can cut your carbon footprint drastically. Achieving this goal isn’t easy, but there are measures you can take to help you strive toward a zero-energy home.
Tips For Reducing Energy Consumption
- Lower your hot water use with low-flow fixtures – Low-flow shower heads and sink faucets aerate water so that users get the same effect with lower water consumption. These fixtures lower water heating costs.
- Turn off unused lights, computers and electronics – If no one’s in the room, turn everything in the room off. This habit lowers electricity use.
- Replace inefficient light bulbs with more efficient ones – As your old bulbs die, replace them with CFL, LED or halogen bulbs. These save up to 70 percent of the energy of an old incandescent.
- Increase your insulation levels – Heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer drive up HVAC costs. Insulation helps keep the air inside the house at desired temperatures.
- Seal air leaks – These leaks contribute to heat loss and heat gain. This increases the cost of heating and cooling the home.
- Replace your old air conditioning system – Look for central A/C units with a SEER of 13 or more.
- Replace single-pane glass – Old windows have insulating value of R-1. New double-pane low-U-value, low E windows can have insulating values between 3 and 5. Plus, they have a better seal which helps stop air leaks.
- Replace an old furnace – Many older furnaces have a rating of 56 to 70 percent efficiency, while the most efficient units on the market today are 97 percent efficient.
- Add a source of renewable energy – By adding solar panels or a wind turbine to your home, you can produce energy instead of just consuming it.
For more information on achieving a zero-energy home or getting a new HVAC system, contact Sun Kool Air Conditioning. We’ve served Ocala and surrounding communities for more than 25 years.
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