What is your carbon footprint? It’s the amount of greenhouse gases generated by your different actions. As such, your home’s carbon footprint means the total amount of greenhouse gases it produces every single day. You want to keep your carbon footprint as low as possible, which means you reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help the environment. 

It’s all very simple, yet we can be guilty of having a much larger carbon footprint than we realize. You do so many things in your home that burn energy and fossil fuels, so now’s the time to cut down on this. 

Keep reading, and you’ll find the best energy efficiency tips for a more eco-friendly home. You’ll start consuming less energy every day, and your footprint will be a mere smidge compared to what it once was! 

House with solar panels on the roof

Find Renewable Energy Sources

Non-renewable energy sources (fossil fuels) power most homes. There used to be no way to avoid this, though the renewable energy sector is making massive strides. These days, almost any homeowner can purchase and install a solar power system. This will use solar energy to power as much of your home as possible, reducing the demand for non-renewable energy sources. 

You might struggle to power 100% of your activities using solar panels, but even if you manage 50%, that’s a massive reduction in fossil fuel consumption. 

Keep an eye out for any renewable energy options in your area, and make the switch today. You might not have access to solar, but you could be near a wind farm that generates renewable energy by wind turbines.

Upgrade Your Insulation For Better Energy Efficiency

High carbon footprints usually stem from terrible energy efficiency at home. Basically, your home is bad at making the most out of the energy it calls upon. It needs lots of gas to heat up and maintain a warm temperature during the winter. Then, it calls upon loads of electricity from your AC unit to stay cool in the summer. 

Inefficient homes are terrible for the environment, but there’s one easy hack to fix this. You must make your property better at retaining heat during the winter and reflecting it in the summer. An insulation contractor will make this possible by upgrading your home’s insulation. Opt for something with a higher degree of efficiency and watch your energy usage tumble. 

Purchase More Energy-Friendly Appliances/Tech

Old technology and appliances aren’t built to use energy as efficiently as modern versions. A washing machine from 15 years ago will burn through energy far faster than a modern variant. The same goes for fridges, freezers, TVs, and even your lighting. 

Therefore, you can lower your carbon footprint and use less energy by picking up some energy-efficient appliances. Look for ENERGY STAR certified products – they’re the best options out there if you want to save energy or water usage. There’s a massive list on the ENERGY STAR website to help you get started. 

For context, you can find an ENERGY STAR washer that uses 25% less electricity and 35% less water than the average model. It’s worth investing in better and more efficient tech/appliances because it saves money in the long run, and it’s better for the planet! 

Manage Your Hot Water Usage

You can spend all your effort reducing energy usage from appliances but don’t forget about your hot water system. We’re all extremely guilty of wasting hot water – and it adds up over time. The EPA reckons the average family wastes 180 gallons of water per week! More often than not, a big chunk of this is hot water because we leave the tap running while washing up or stay in the shower for too long. 

Manage your hot water usage to avoid wasting energy and adding to your carbon footprint. It might sound extreme but set 10-minute timers whenever someone uses the shower. There’s absolutely no need to be in there for longer, and it’s a simple way to use less hot water every single day. 

Also, this might surprise you, but using a washing machine can use less energy and water than washing up. Use yours instead of letting the hot tap run to rinse off all the dishes after every meal. 

There are so many ways you can make a home more energy efficient. Of course, these tips are borderline useless without a smart thermostat. Every home should have one of these as they’re the best way to control and manage energy usage. It can take a while to make your home more efficient, but once you get there it’ll have a much smaller carbon footprint.