Updated: December 2024
1. Seal the Attic and Add Insulation
You can have the current insulation level assessed by having a home energy audit or an energy assessment. The energy auditor can also make some recommendations on the best kind of insulation you can add for your house and climate. Besides adding insulation, it would help if you also sealed holes and gaps in your attic that could allow air to seep into the living areas and create drafts.
2. Switch to LED Lighting
The other way to make your old house energy efficient is by upgrading the light fittings and switching to LED bulbs. According to statistics, LED bulbs can last 25,000 hours on average, reducing electricity consumption instantly. While LED lighting can be quite expensive to purchase, the savings in your utility bills will offset the initial cost. LED lamps come in different styles, from filament to dimmable spotlights, allowing you to choose according to your preferences.
3. Seal the Floorboards
Originally, old homes would have tiles or floorboards because carpets were rare. That means that most of the old homes have bare floorboards unless covered in the recent past. Generally, floorboards allow lots of cold air into your home. You can fill in all the gaps or place some rugs over these spots to prevent cold air from penetrating through the cracks. You can fill the gaps using sealants or a thin foam that’s pushed down into the floorboard cracks.
4. Upgrade Home Appliances and Systems
Old homes are known to have leaky faucets and water-guzzling showerheads and toilets. However, it does not cost a lot, and it’s not hard to replace or upgrade to low flow and more efficient models. Some systems in the house are more important than others when it comes to energy efficiency. These systems include your boiler, HVAC unit, and major appliances like the refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, dryer, and washer.
If these appliances and systems are almost at the end of their lifespan, consider switching to energy-efficient models. Newer models use less energy and tend to be more energy-efficient, giving you the same incredible results.
5. Replace Your Doors and Windows
Your home inspector can also recommend having secondary glazing if your windows are repairable. You can use high-quality aluminum systems to color-match the windows, while you can lift out the magnetic systems in the summer months. Secondary glazing also reduces the road noise if you live in a metropolitan area, and the panels are quite discreet, and you can open them whenever you want.
Wrapping Up
Saving money on your energy bills comes from looking at your day-to-day habits and the bigger picture. Allow home inspectors from Climate Control to analyze the weak spots in your old home to help you know the changes you need. Our crew can make the process easier because they have the necessary experience to perform a more thorough assessment of energy-saving possibilities than an average homeowner.
