Energy efficiency starts with your home’s exterior

More homeowners are focusing on energy efficiency to live a greener life that shows responsibility towards the planet and helps save on bills. Installing more insulation, planting trees, and installing double-pane windows are some ways to conserve energy and improve your home’s exterior.

43% of American power generation comes from carbon-free power, including solar, hydropower, and wind, according to Edison Electric Institute. If using rooftop solar panels or wind turbines doesn’t suit your home, other upgrades, from weatherproof sealing to LED lights, can improve how you use power.

What Exterior Upgrades Help Energy Efficiency?

Your exterior renovators in Ijamsville provide greener solutions starting with sealing cracks around doors and windows and new installations. Now may be the time to get those double-pane, impact-resistant windows and a metal entry door.

A new garage door also helps seal the home and comes with one of the highest home improvement ROIs.

Something as simple as painting your roof a light color can reflect heat and keep the attic cooler. A poorly ventilated or uninsulated attic can get up to 150 degrees F.

Add home insulation to the attic and below the siding. Spray foam and fiberglass are popular options.

Prevent more heat and wind from coming in by planting tall trees in strategic areas. Trees provide natural shade and give cooling vapors that prevent the “heat island” effect. Planting climbing plants over hot brick or cement walls and structures can also cool things down.

Can I Integrate the Exterior with Smart Home Improvements?

Keep the grass green without spending too much green with smart irrigation controllers that can save up to 15,000 gallons of water annually, according to the EPA. These fixtures can adjust watering schedules based on local weather feeds and seasonal needs while using very little electricity.

Smart LED lighting provides motion detection when someone or an animal approaches. Install an updated house number backlit by an LED light to make it visible at night and from afar.

Why Is It So Important?

Reducing energy costs can provide major relief on your home budget. Feel good about helping the planet reduce its reliance on dirty fossil fuels, which contribute to air pollution and ongoing climate change.

Living in a more sustainable building can be more comfortable year-round as your temperatures can remain steady. When everybody incorporates energy conservation, it can put less stress on the power grid.

This practice can reduce the need to build expensive new power plants and give workers more time to improve existing ones in the transition to a clean energy society.

Go Green with Exterior Upgrades

Focusing on energy efficiency is a smart way to upgrade your home. You’ll be making it more comfortable to live in and reducing stress on an already overheated, polluted planet.

Starting with your exterior, you can plant trees, have a better irrigation system, and add insulated siding. Don’t forget to upgrade those windows and doors to help mitigate the impact of storms and prevent heat loss.

If you enjoyed learning about home energy issues, search our website for other relevant content.

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