How to Remodel and Reduce Your Home Energy Use

It is easy to put your house on an "energy diet," stressing the benefits from "green" home improvements. Remodeling to improve energy efficiency can pay for itself by reducing your electric and water bills. Smart green remodeling solutions by consumers really make a difference in lightening the amount of money going out the door. Here are some remodeling tips to save you money and have the deepest "green" impact on your home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Understand that toilets, showers and faucets account for 60 percent of water usage in the home, according to statistics provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Replacing these items with more efficient models can save on the average 11,000 gallons of water in the year.

2. When buying or replacing appliances, look for energy efficient models. The easiest way to complete this task is to look for the Energy Star label on appliances. They are designed to use between 10 to 50 percent less energy than standard appliances, and Energy Star appliances also have met the highest efficiency standards set by the EPA and the United States Department of Energy.

3. Install a programmable thermostat to set your heating and cooling equipment to automatically match your schedule. This will keep your home cooler while you are away from home for an extended period of time. Using such climate control systems will offer savings between 10 to 15 percent on your energy bill.

4. Know that old windows can be an energy drain, as air leaks around the windows let out heated and cooled air from inside the home. Go the extra step and caulk around them to save even more money. Installing energy efficient windows can reduce you bill by 15 percent each month.