Taking steps to increase your home’s energy efficiency will save money in the long term and improve the comfort and condition of your home. The time and money invested at the start of this process will pay off in significant ways for many years to come.
The changes that will make the biggest difference include improving your insulation and ventilation, updating your heating and hot water heating equipment, and replacing old appliances with newer, more efficient ones. Because the first two projects are very involved, it is best to hire a qualified professional to do these jobs.
There are many other steps you can take that will also help. Smaller steps include locating and sealing air leaks, installing low-flow showerheads and faucets, using power strips, and replacing any incandescent bulbs with light-emitting diode (LED) lights or compact fluorescent lights (CFL). Looking for ways to save energy on an ongoing basis will also make a big difference.
MassSave provides a free, detailed home energy assessment and rebates toward insulation, lighting, and appliances. A technician will thoroughly analyze your home’s current energy use and provide a list of detailed recommendations regarding insulation, mechanical systems, and appliances.
The technician will also prioritize which changes to make first. Since every home is different, the technicians go over each level of the home, checking for adequate insulation and ventilation, looking for air leaks, and checking the efficiency of appliances and the HVAC system, if there is one.
Making changes in your home to increase its energy efficiency is a worthwhile process, whether the changes are made all at once or spread out over a period of time.