Boost Your Home's Energy Efficiency with These 3 Improvements

If you're thinking about renovating your home, why not do so and increase your home's energy efficiency at the same time? Check out these three energy efficiency boosting home renovations.

1. Windows. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends installing energy-efficient windows in your home to reduce energy costs. In order to choose the window that's right for your home, Energy Star provides a labeling system based on ratings from the National Fenestration Rating Council. These labels will tell you which windows perform best in your particular climate.

While energy-efficient windows can be expensive, the National Association of Realtors reports that homeowners can recoup up to 80 percent of window upgrade project costs in added home value; couple that with your annual energy savings and the upgrade becomes well worth it.

2. Cooling System. If you live in a coastal or other mild climate, you may be able to ditch the traditional HVAC system and instead, opt for quiet cool systems, an energy-efficient whole house fan system that can cool an entire home by as much as 30 degrees. This system works best when outside air is cooler than inside air. That cool air is drawn inside, replacing warmer air that is vented through the attic. With quiet cool systems, you only need to open a window to experience an immediate 10-degree drop in temperature.

3. Update Your Appliances. In addition to air conditioning and heating systems, Energy.gov reports refrigerators, dehumidifiers and hot water heaters as the worst offenders when it comes to the amount of energy used. Simply replacing outdated appliances with new, Energy Star rated, energy-efficient models will drastically reduce your home energy costs while increasing home value. Not ready to upgrade? Often performing regular maintenance will help improve your appliances' performance.

Make these three improvements to your home and you're sure to enjoy higher energy efficiency with lower energy costs. Teknik Inc. can install a quiet cool system in your San Diego home and we are also available for all other home remodeling projects. Visit TeknikInc.com to find out more about our services.