How to Ensure Your Home is Energy Efficient Before Moving In

Choosing the right home to move into can be a complex process. You will need to consider and think through many factors before deciding which house best suits your family. One of the essential factors to find out before closing the deal is whether the home is adequately insulated. Here is how to ensure your home is energy efficient before moving in.

Note: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase. Affiliate relationships include, but are not limited to Amazon Associates, Walmart.com, and Etsy.

Photo Credit

If it's not, you might end up paying hefty energy and water consumption bills. You can look at this site, romeosfuel.com, and find out more about different aspects of heating oil used for various heating appliances. If you like the house and think it's a worthy investment, here are ways to make it more energy efficient before moving in. 

Install Storm Doors and Windows

Door and window replacement with newer, more energy-efficient versions makes sure that the home is protected from cold air drafts and heat loss. Storm doors and windows are a less expensive alternative to whole-house renovation. They can be installed without significant disruptions to the house setup.

Install Weather Stripping

Weather stripping might seem like a small project, but it goes a long way in saving energy costs over time. It seals out drafts and heat loss around windows, doors, baseboards, and pipes. You might have to carry out an energy audit first and understand how air leaks into the house to apply weather stripping effectively.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats save money on heating or cooling costs and keep you comfortable by providing consistent favorable temperature levels around the home. A programmable thermostat can help homeowners create schedules that make sense and not fluctuate too much. 

Insulate Your Attic

The attic is an often overlooked area of the house when it comes to insulating your home. If the house has air leakages, they will be more evident in this area. Heat will escape through the roof, increasing the heating costs. A professional inspection can detect air leakages in the attic leading to a long-term solution.

Insulate the Walls

Lowering air leakage by insulating walls with an additional layer of drywall, such as sheetrock or even just plywood, can help you save money on heating your home. You also reduce mold growth because the walls will stay dry at all times.

Install Low-Flow Faucets

Low-flow faucets are an easy DIY project that can make a big difference in your home's water usage. There are lots of models to choose from, with a variety of price points.

Also, understand how your appliances work. For instance, running an electric water heater at 120 degrees instead of 140 can save you some money; therefore, switch your thermostat to economy mode.

Switch from Electricity to Solar Power

Switching from relying on electricity for all or some part of the home's power needs to solar energy can reduce your carbon footprint. Solar power is clean and renewable, and the only costs you'll incur are the purchase and installation costs.

The solar panels will produce electricity at no monthly costs for 25 years or more. After that period, you might need a new installation, but subsidies are available to help eligible homeowners with the costs. 

Buy Energy Efficient Devices 

Switching from incandescent light bulbs to CFLs or LEDs can save you a considerable amount of money yearly. Also, check whether your appliances, including the HVAC unit, are energy efficient. If the devices are more than ten years old, you might want to replace them with newer, energy-efficient models.

Think of a More Energy Efficient Roof

If your roof is more than 20 years old, it may be time to replace it with one that reflects the sun's rays and reduces heat. A roof inspection may help you understand the condition of your roof and if it's time to replace it. 

Replacing the roof might be a costly venture but worth it if you plan to be in the home for a long time. A more energy-efficient roof is also worth considering because it will help lower your cooling bill during the summer months. 

As you will realize, some of these adjustments can be costly. Find out how much they will cost and what you can afford. Also, is it worth buying the home at the asking price then make the improvements, or should you go for an already energy-efficient home? 

Another alternative is to let the owner make the improvements at their cost. However, with this arrangement, the house price might go up. The best way is to take care of the costs but ask for a discount on the final house price. You'll be able to renovate to your preferences without feeling the weight of the added expenses. Note that these improvements will increase the house value meaning that you will attract a better market rate when you decide to sell.

This is a contributed post.

If you find my tips useful, feel free to buy me a coffee to support my efforts. Thank you in advance!

Want to remember this? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest Board!