Are you currently struggling with high energy costs in your home? This is a typical concern in most older houses. While age is subjective when it comes to houses, your home will begin to show signs of energy inefficiency after the first couple of decades. The good news is, these tricks can help you keep your home highly energy-efficient all-year-round.
This is how to make an old home more energy-efficient and cut on the recurrent bills.
Start With an Energy Audit
Unless you have concrete evidence of actual energy inefficiency in your home, every solution you consider will be speculative. Starting with an audit of your home can be a perfect place to commence. You only need to source the services of a professional energy auditor to assess the situation.
Most older homes go for ages without a comprehensive energy audit. Without such a report, it may be hard to find out specific areas that need improvement. A team of professional technicians from Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating can help you assess the house and provide a clear roadmap for improvements. This is a critical point to start when trying to make your home more energy-efficient.
Tune-Up Your HVAC System
If your home has seen better days, the chances are that the HVAC system is also old. Recurrent failures in your HVAC system could be the cause of the notable low energy efficiency levels. An older unit often begins to experience functionality defects over time.
If you are keen on improving energy efficiency in your old home, you could either begin by tuning up the system or replacing it altogether. A reputable HVAC installer can help you find the right design, size, and type of system that can help you ensure high levels of energy efficiency. At Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating, we have qualified technicians to help you with the process of updating or replacing your HVAC to ensure energy efficiency.
Consider a Tankless Water Heater
The kind of water heater installed in your home can affect the level of energy efficiency you experience. If your water heater is old-fashioned, the best way to address high energy costs would be to consider a modern tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters are efficient, given their high distribution rates.
Older homes that have a tankless water heating system have lower operational costs. This can help you save on costs while enjoying high energy efficiency levels. The initial cost of installing a tankless water heater is a drop in the ocean compared to the long-term costs incurred when using an older water heater system.
Insulate Your Home
Part of the reason your home may be experiencing energy inefficiency could be low air trapping capabilities. When this happens, the structure and design of the windows often come to question. Most older homes have windows that are incapable of trapping cool air during summer and hot air during Winter.
If your home has seen better days, then the windows could also be drafty. The best place to start could be by replacing these windows with argon insulated options. Modern windows come with a low-emissivity coating, which helps keep your energy levels low. The cost of window replacement and insulation could be high initially, but the long-term benefits are worth it.
Apart from the windows, other areas such as the floors and the rafters also require insulation. You could save as much as 50% of the total energy bills by just undertaking proper insulation procedures.
Opt for Energy-Efficient Bulbs
As you update your home’s HVAC system, also consider replacing the older version of bulbs in the house. Lighting is an essential function in any home. However, if you aren’t careful, the cost of lighting could also affect your home’s overall energy efficiency. Replacing the older inefficient bulbs could be the easiest way to improve energy efficiency in your home.
Most older homes still have incandescent lights, which are often less energy-efficient. Replacing such bulbs with modern energy-efficient options is a significant turning point. The best part is that you don’t have to replace energy-efficient bulbs as often due to their extended shelf life.
You could opt for compact fluorescent (CFLs) bulbs as a perfect solution. Such modern options can turn your old house into a highly energy-efficient home.
Replace Older Appliances
When trying to improve your home’s energy efficiency level, appliances should be top of your focus. An older home will likely also have more traditional, low-efficiency appliances. The process of improving your home’s energy efficiency could begin by rethinking the kind of home appliances you have.
If such appliances, including washing machines, have a low rank in the Energy Star Ranking, then you should consider a replacement. Always think about the design of the appliance when choosing an improved version. You could also consider other more practical options, such as placing your fridge at least an inch away from surfaces to ensure better air circulation.
Reconsider the Use of Space Heater
Most seasoned HVAC specialists consider space heating to have negative long-term implications. We all enjoy that nice and toast feeling derived from space heating during cooler weather. Even so, this option isn’t always the best way to heat your older home.
A typical space heater uses more energy than you can imagine. When you crank up your thermostat during Winter in a bid to heat the rooms, the actual impact on energy-efficiency is over the roof. Unless you go for a space-heating model that’s energy-efficient, you might have to make do with high energy costs.
Considering first-hand advice by competent technicians from Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating will help you find the best space heating options. Such considerations can help you make tremendous improvements when it comes to energy efficiency.
Consider Warm or Cold Water for Washer
Your washer could be a primary culprit when it comes to energy inefficiency. This applies to both older and newer homes. If you have been using hot water for your washer, this could be the main contributor to energy efficiency. Most times, your washer uses 90% of the energy to heat the water and only 10% to run the machine. If this is the case, you could use much more energy to keep the machine running.
You could consider using cold or warm water for your washer as opposed to hot water. This could be a good way to begin the process of saving on energy use. Adopting this approach for your older home will keep energy levels low and help save much more on costs.
Consider Constant Maintenance Schedules
As your home ages, varying fixtures, installations, and appliances begin to experience functionality failures. It might be hard for a non-specialist to notice such failures, more so on the HVAC system.
However, with the help of trained technicians from Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating, you can undertake regular maintenance schedules to help you repair and correct any functionality defects in the system. Considering scheduled maintenance can help improve energy efficiency levels.
Trust Our Solutions
Older homes can present multiple concerns, including energy inefficiency, which may lead to high recurrent bills. If you are in San Antonio and surrounding areas and are stuck with uneven cooling and heating patterns, then it’s time to call in Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating for top-notch services.
While at it, you can also consider our other cooling and heating services, including comfort plans, ductless systems, and indoor air quality. Contact Beyer Air Conditioning and Heating for services you can trust.
