12 Ways to Increase Home Energy Efficiency Before Installing Solar Panels
- Some houses need more than solar panels (Photo Credit / CC BY 2.0)
1BOG’s collective bargaining power makes going solar very affordable, but you can save even more money by making your home more energy efficient before going solar. Nearly 40% of the energy American homes consume is wasted due to poor insulation and other factors.
Implement energy efficiency measures before you go solar, and you can reduce your energy needs and the size of your solar system. A smaller size, of course, means a lower solar cost.
In addition, there are some innovative solar financing programs, such as San Francisco’s GreenFinanceSF program. This program requires your home to get an energy audit in order to qualify. The energy efficiency and solar are financed by bonds that pay the upfront costs of your solar loan. You pay it back over 20 years through your property taxes at a competitive interest rate. If you move before then, the new home owner takes over the remaining payments.
So, let’s talk about some ways to be more energy efficient and reduce your energy usage and your solar costs.
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Get a Home Energy Audit
At 1BOG, we’re big promoters of energy efficiency, and one of the biggest things you can do is get a home energy audit. It may be hard to believe (and we already said this), but nearly 40% of the energy American homes consume is wasted through poor insulation, leaky ducts, or inefficient household appliances. An energy audit conducted by a trained professional can tell you exactly where you’re loosing money. Fixing these problems can dramatically cut energy costs for the typical home. We believe energy efficiency is so important that we partnered with San Francisco-based Recurve to offer 15% off energy audits for our SF-based members.
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Use compact florescent lights (CFL) or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs
You’ve already heard this before, but it’s amazing to see how often incandescent bulbs are still used. Honest, the old incandescent bulbs use 6 times as much energy as CFLs. Multiply that times every light in your house and you’ll see you’re wasting a lot of energy—and money. As for looks, the latest CFLs and LEDs are now closer to warmth and color of incandescent bulbs.
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“Turn off those lights!”
No matter what kind of bulb you use, there’s no sense in keeping a room light on if no one is in there. Simple rule: Last one out, turn off the lights. Another solution is a motion detector. These devices turn on the lights when you enter the room and turn them off when motion sensors don’t detect any movement.
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Identify Phantom Loads/Vampire Loads
This expression comes from your television, VCRs, computers, DVD players, cell phone “bleeding” wasted energy. Although these devices are off, they or their charging systems actually on standby, wasting precious watts and cash. The easy fix is to get a power strip and turn off these devices when not in use. Power strips even come in the form of wall light switches now.
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Buy ENERGY STAR® appliances
Energy Star rated appliances sometimes cost a little more, but save you much more over time, especially for energy hogs like your old refrigerator. And when you retire that old fridge, don’t plug it in the garage as a back-up. Kind of misses the energy saving point of retiring it.
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Make your Refrigerator more Energy Efficient
Vacuum and clean condenser coils on your refrigerator twice a year. Dust insulates (warms) the liquid coolant that your poor fridge is working so hard to cool down. Also, make sure to leave space between the refrigerator and surrounding walls to allow air to circulate. And try not to position the refrigerator next to the dryer or dish washer, which will also heat the fridge up and cause it to work harder. Finally, don’t leave the refrigerator door open for long stretches while you think about what to make for dinner.
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Turn your fridge Thermostat Up
Your fridge needs to be cold, yes, but not freezing. Buy a hardware thermometer, place it in the fridge, and bump the beer chiller up to 38 degrees. Set the freezer to 5 degrees or even higher. Similarly, turn the AC up to 78 degrees, and even higher, if you’re away during the day.
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Buy a Programmable Home Thermostat and Use it
Many people buy a programmable thermostat, but don’t ever program it. Set the thermostat to turn off when you leave for work and turn on right before you get home. (Of course, if a significant other stays at home or your have a pet, program the temperature appropriately.)
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Consider Skipping the Dryer
Use a gas clothes dryer instead of an electric. Better still, use more free solar energy by hanging your clothes out to dry on a clothes line. Also, make sure you clean out the lint from the back of the dryer.
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Switch to Gas or Solar for Heating Water
Switch to gas hot water system or a solar hot water system. Heating water with electric coils is very inefficient and expensive.
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Buy a Gas Stove instead of an Electric
Gas heats more efficiently than electric. Microwave ovens are also efficient. Whatever stove you have, don’t peak to see if it’s done. This wastes heat and energy to maintain the desired temperature. Instead of peaking, set a timer and forget about it.
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Pay Attention to Heating and Cooling
Your heating and cooling systems are by the most expensive parts of your utility bills. Buy an HVAC system that is efficient. Be sure to insulate the ducts and seal up any leaks. Insulate the attic. This will keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Same for the walls. Likewise, you may need to change your windows.
There are so many more ways to save energy. We recommend you consult a professional energy audit company. Many cities now have rebates and incentives (like property assessed clean energy financing) to help defer the cost of an energy audit. You can also check with your utility’s website and PACEFinancing.org to learn about these programs.
Next up: Solar Economics & The Financial Benefits of Going Solar
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