Sustainable living is a goal for many homeowners in the United States, with nearly four million households using solar power for residential purposes. Making efforts to reduce consumption is beneficial for the environment and your bank account. It’s a way to harness the latent energy in sunlight, wind, and water.
Building or converting your house into a net zero home is the ultimate way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your monthly energy bill. Understanding the investments and changes you can make will help you make progress by using renewable energy sources.
The good news is that you’re in the ideal place to learn about the strategies you can use to create an energy-efficient home. Continue reading to learn more today!
Install Insulation and Seal the Home
The first thing to do when making a net zero home is to seal the windows and doors to prevent energy loss. Old windows are among the worst culprits for energy consumption. Your windows will cause your household to use 20 to 30 percent more energy for heating and cooling.
Pair your sealing efforts with new insulation for your home’s roof and walls. The insulation will hold heat and cold air for a comfortable interior environment in all seasons.
Take extra care when sealing and insulating the spaces around windows and doors. These areas are the most vulnerable to energy loss.
Invest in Continuous Ventilation
Sealing your home makes it air-tight, which is excellent news for energy use. The drawback is that your home can feel stuffy and stale. The best way to counter the staleness in your home is by installing a continuous ventilation system.
Your family and pets will enjoy a continuous flow of clean and dry air in the house. Energy Recovery Ventilation and Heat Recovery Ventilation are the best air circulation systems.
Both systems help to circulate the air in your home. The Heat Recovery Ventilation system is extra beneficial because it removes warm and stale air from your home, circulates it, and removes the heat for a comfortable interior temperature.
Buy a Solar Energy System
If you’re building a new home, consider the solar orientation when designing window locations. You can harness natural light from the sun to illuminate living spaces. The light will also provide warm and comfortable heat for your home during winter.
The injection of light and heat into your home helps to ensure a net zero house by limiting the energy you’ll use to light the home’s interior and create heat. South-facing windows are excellent if you live in a cold winter climate.
Shade-providing structures are an intelligent investment to lower heat during the summer. You’ll reduce your indoor cooling costs with these small investments and modifications.
The other way to harness sunlight is through solar panels. Consider placing solar panels on your home’s roof or yard to collect energy from the sun throughout the day.
A premium solar panel installation in St. Cloud will eliminate your electric bill and provide the power you need for appliances, lighting, heat, and air conditioning.
You can also harness solar power to charge an electric vehicle at home. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to convert your home into a net zero home.
Efficient HVAC System
Heating and cooling your home is vital to ensure comfortable interior temperatures in all four seasons. HVAC systems are expensive, and paying a bit extra to ensure an efficient system is worth it.
Look for a ductless heat pump system, as these options are far more economical than traditional HVAC systems. Forced-air and central heating systems are less efficient, costing you more money.
Geothermal heat pumps are another popular option but expensive to install and operate. Look into systems to reuse the heat in water and air from your home.
Heat recovery devices will help you recycle energy to heat your household’s air and water. It’s an excellent way to save money and help the environment.
Efficient Water Heater
Hot water benefits your physical and mental health and helps when doing laundry or washing the dishes. Heating water for your residential needs also uses a substantial amount of energy.
Research the most efficient water heater options if you’re building a new home and using net zero home principles. Look for options using the latest technologies to continue your net zero trajectory.
Buy Efficient Appliances
Appliances are a significant use of energy in the home. One of the ways you can overcome energy use and reduce your carbon footprint is by investing in Energy Star appliances for your household to enjoy. These appliances are designed to use less energy and water to conduct efficient processes and improve quality of life.
Buying Energy Star appliances protects against phantom energy loss and higher bills from energy companies. Inefficient appliances will sap electricity through the outlets when the appliance is not functioning.
Improve Your Home’s Lighting
Lighting is a significant source of power consumption for many households. Installing a solar panel system for your home will help you lower the light bill, but there are other upgrades you can make to make further progress toward becoming a net zero home.
LED light bulbs use less energy than traditional bulbs and last much longer. You can count on your new LED bulbs to last up to 10 years, making them a more cost-effective option than maintaining the status quo. Combine your government rebates on solar with LED bulbs to save money.
Reap the Benefits of a Net Zero Home Today
A net zero home is a fantastic goal, as it will save you money on power consumption while helping the environment by limiting your household’s dependence on fossil fuels. Install home insulation and invest in a solar energy system to harness renewable energy sources. Plan your home’s windows to capture natural light and heat during the colder months.
An investment in energy efficiency is a step toward a better future. Check out our Blog content for more insights and tips to enjoy a better life today!
