13 energy-efficient home upgrades that pay for themselves over time
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There are very good reasons why our collective consciousness has turned to being more energy-savvy.
Energy costs are an expensive necessity that only seem to be getting pricier, and most of the population has come around to the fact that decades of burning fossil fuels has negatively impacted the environment, making weather more volatile and endangering our future as humans living on this planet.
Whether it’s the here and now of a high energy bill or the daunting concerns of tomorrow, millions of people are turning their attention to decreasing their own footprint.
One of the best ways to do this is by swapping some of the energy-suckers in your house for more efficient options. You don’t have to throw yourself into the Dark Ages and rely on candles or the light coming off a burning woodpile to survive (save that for later); you can enjoy all the regular things you love but at a fraction of the energy footprint, and it’s cheaper than you’d think.
If you want to take a look at the energy used by each appliance in your house, there’s a free calculator online here.
Something as ubiquitous as lighting makes up about 10% of home energy costs, so if you replace all those standard incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, you can save up to 75% of that energy — keeping more money in your pocket without forgoing anything you need or skipping a beat.
Some of the efficiency fixes are simple: turn off the lights if you’re not in the room, insulate your windows, wash the dishes by hand if you can, don’t do a load of laundry for a pair of socks, and unplug your devices when you’re not using them (they're likely still using a substantial amount of energy). Some fixes like smart thermostats are more expensive upfront but make up for that by how much they save both you and the planet in the long run.
Below are 13 things that might help you cut down on your energy footprint, making your bill and environmental impact smaller without losing any convenience.
An energy-saving power switch
This energy-saving power switch draws zero energy when the switch is flipped off. Plus, it declutters the kitchen from the wandering cords of unplugged devices.
Belkin Conserve Energy Saving Power Switch, $9.95
An LED night light
Lunara is UL approved and rated to last 40,000 hours. So, according to Lunara, if you use the night light for 10 hours a day, it'll last more than 10 years.
LEDs are around 10x more energy-efficient than typical incandescent lights, so the company estimates the cost of the Lunara at $0.25 to operate.
Lunara LED Night Light with Smart Light Sensor, Pack of 2, $14.99
Bright, energy-efficient light bulbs
These Philips' light bulbs are bright and energy-saving alternatives to traditional 100W incandescent bulbs that use more energy. The company estimates you'll save $336 in energy costs. The bulb should last a little over nine years (based on three hours per day on).
These GE 13-Watt bulbs are also a great option.
Philips 433557 23W 100-watt T2 Twister 6500K CFL Light Bulb, Pack of 4, $9.94
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