4 Easy Ways You Can Energy Proof Your Home in Wilmington

Published: July 01, 2022

If you’re moving to a new home, you may be wondering whether or not to finance some eco-friendly home renovations. There are, however, several low-cost and easy options available to help you achieve your energy-saving objectives. Here are some examples:

Ensure the walls and attic are well insulated

Insulated houses require less heating and cooling energy since they are more comfortable. The empty framed cavity may be filled with cellulose blown into the frame or loose-fill foam sprayed between roof joists (also known as open-cell spray foam). Whether you hire someone to blow cellulose into the vacant frame space or have a plumber install it for you, it is straightforward to insulate your home’s walls.

If you enjoy working with your hands, consider installing rigid foam insulation on the outside of walls and/or rafters or joists. To minimize chemical exposure and enhance your health and the environment, utilize low-VOC or non-toxic insulating materials.

Add weatherstripping to your doors and windows

Weatherstripping the gaps between your doors and windows not only helps you save money on your energy bills in the long run but also keeps your heating and cooling equipment from having to work extra hard, resulting in energy waste. Weatherstripping your door and window gaps will help you save money over time by preventing these leaks.

You may also want to consider installing Low-E window film or adding storm windows to further improve the energy efficiency of your home’s windows.

Make use of passive solar design features

There are several simple and inexpensive passive solar design ideas available, ranging from south-facing windows that bathe the space in a lot of light during the winter to overhangs that shade it during the summer.

During the day, you can use your windows and skylights to allow in natural light while also providing peace and quiet at night. These might help you save money on utility bills by reducing the usage of artificial illumination and cooling/heating systems, which will make your home more pleasant all year.

Install a programmable thermostat

You might save money on your energy bills if you have a programmable thermostat, which allows you to set the temperature for particular times of day or week. For example, you may change it to decrease the temperature while you are away from home or sleeping and raise it again as soon as you wake up or return home.

This way you’re not paying to heat or cool an empty house, and yet your home will be comfortable and energy-efficient when you return.

Overall, there are a variety of simple and low-cost methods to make your new house more energy-efficient, ranging from basic insulation and weatherstripping measures to passive solar design elements and programmable thermostats. You can utilize these and other approaches to ensure that your home is both pleasant and effective in the short term as well as the long run.

For more tips on moving and storing your belongings, make sure to check out the UNITS Moving and Portable Storage of Wilmington blog!