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5 Smart Energy-Efficient Investments for Your Home
Investing in energy-saving features for your home today will pay off for decades to come
New home ownership is an enormous responsibility and just about the biggest purchase most of us will ever make. Whether you want to save money, add value to your home or just save the environment, creating an energy-efficient home is always a smart idea that will pay off for decades to come.
Read on to find out about five great home investments that will improve energy efficiency, decrease your energy costs and even raise your home’s value in some cases, thus offering an excellent return on investment (ROI).
Attic Fans
On average, people spend 90% of their time indoors. Proper air ventilation is not only crucial for energy savings but is also critical to healthy living—from keeping a home comfortable all summer long to improving overall home health by removing pollutants and stale indoor air to improve air purity.
Designed to reduce both heat and moisture, a Solatube attic fan works with a roof-mount vent to draw hot air and moisture out of the attic, so it stays cool and mold-free, providing greater comfort for the home. By harnessing the sun’s energy, Solatube solar-powered attic fans use no electricity and cost nothing to operate once installed. The solar-powered system is also whisper-quiet and qualifies for a 26% Federal Tax Credit on purchase and installation.
Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating is an excellent way to be energy-efficient while also optimizing personal comfort. The system works by suppling warmth through a network of hot-water tubes or electric wires placed underneath the floor. Heat rises from the floor and warms objects it encounters, and these objects radiate the captured heat in return.
One of the best parts of radiant floor heating is its silence. Unlike “spot” heating systems, such as clanking and rattling radiators and noisy floor/ceiling vents, the radiant floor heating system quietly and evenly distributes heat from underneath your floor. The radiant setup allows for more efficiency when heating your home, leading to a reduction in your energy costs.
Premium Skylights
While saving energy can be as simple as switching from traditional lightbulbs to compact fluorescents, there is an even simpler way–ditching light bulbs altogether!
According to ENERGY.GOV, switching to energy-efficient daylighting solutions like tubular skylights is one of the fastest ways to cut energy bills, as an average household dedicates about 5% of its energy budget to lighting.
Solatube Tubular Skylights
Using patented technology, Solatube tubular skylights harvest daylight at the rooftop, transfer it down a highly reflective tube and distribute it evenly into an interior space through a diffuser at the ceiling — on both sunny and cloudy days — with virtually no maintenance.
They floods rooms in the home with beautiful, natural light at no cost once installed with no heat or cold transfer. Additionally, Solatube tubular skylights are quick to install and do not require major modifications to your attic or roof. Plus, as added bonus, certain Solatube tubular skylights will make you eligible for a 26% Federal Tax Credit on the product and installation.
Whole House Fan
During warmer months, an energy efficient Solatube whole house fan can help cool the home and attic by up to 30 degrees and save homeowners up to 91% off their A/C bill.
Unlike traditional air conditioners, whole house fans don’t recirculate the air in your home. Instead, the system replaces indoor air with fresh air by pulling fresh outside air through the windows and pushing hot, stale indoor air through the attic and out the vents.
Tankless Water Heaters
The idea of keeping a big barrel of water hot all day just so it’s there when you need it seems kind of old-fashioned, doesn’t it?
We agree. That’s why second on our list is tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters only start to heat the water when water passes through the tank. This model has multiple benefits, including reduced loss of standby heat, never running out of hot water, saving money on your heat bill, and a potential $300 federal tax rebate. Tankless water heaters can run off of either your electrical service or gas/propane, but be aware that the first option will require a special electrical circuit, and the second option will require proper ventilation, which shouldn’t be an issue if you invest in some of the other tips above.
Feeling inspired and want to get started on adding natural light and fresh air to your home?