As energy costs continue to climb, California residents are turning to high efficiency home upgrades to find relief from their utility bills. But which of these upgrades should you invest in, and what can you expect as a return on your investment? As was the case with our electrification article, you’ll find that an investment in high efficiency home upgrades goes hand in hand with a solar installation, and combining the two effectively allows you to double dip on your savings.
What are high efficiency home upgrades?
High efficiency home upgrades are appliances and systems for your home which are designed to use less power than traditional appliances. A residence with high efficiency home upgrades tends to be more desirable to buyers, as it means they won’t have to pay as much to cover their energy costs.
Which high efficiency home upgrades should I invest in?
Depending on the age of your home, the appliances that it currently has, and your budget, your quest to install high efficiency home upgrades may look different from that of your neighbor. If you purchased a modern home that came with many of the latest appliances already installed, you may have an easy road ahead of you! But if your home is older or if your appliances have aged somewhat, you will likely need to plan for a longer or larger investment. But don’t fret! There are many opportunities to save on these upgrades - there are plenty of state and federal programs that exist solely to help you make the changes we will be discussing today. You can find some of those resources here:
Once you have your budget and financing squared away, you can start to prioritize the following items for your high efficiency home upgrades project.
- Insulate Your Home
- Install Heat Pumps
- Upgrade Your Lighting
- Improve Your Thermostat
- Fortify Your Windows
- Modernize Your Appliances
- Seal Your Leaks
- Install Solar Panels
- Include a Battery
Insulate Your Home
As close as you can get to a high efficiency home upgrade shortcut, ensuring your home is properly insulated is one of the fastest and most effective projects to complete. Reduce your energy waste by ensuring your home is insulated, and you’ll be able to more cost-effectively keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Install Heat Pumps
Heat Pumps are all the rage in the high efficiency home upgrade community, and it’s easy to see why. Powered by electricity, heat pumps can move both warm and cool air into and out of your house, effectively acting as a central air system. A heat pump is a great investment for those looking to reduce their energy consumption.
Upgrade Your Lighting
The time has come to retire those old incandescent bulbs! Not only do options like LED lights save you money on your utility bills, they also save you money on replacement costs! LED lights last roughly fifty times longer and use a fraction of the electricity. You can even use lighting control apps to adjust your lighting usage from anywhere in your house!
Improve Your Thermostat
What is a smart home without a smart thermostat? With a smart thermostat upgrade, you can use pre-programmed heating and cooling patterns to lower your overall energy usage. Whether you are at home, away, or asleep, your smart thermostat can regulate the temperature in your home and save you money in the process.
Fortify Your Windows
Windows may not seem like the primary target for high efficiency home upgrades, but in the modern smart home, there is no facet that can’t be leveled up! With properly sealed and tinted storm windows, you save on your heating and cooling costs. You’ll cut down on solar heat transfer, and ensure that none of your conditioned air is getting out!
Modernize Your Appliances
It’s time to embrace electrification! For every old appliance in your home, there is a modernized, energy efficient electric alternative that could save you money on your energy bill. As you undertake these upgrades, you’ll cut back on your gas consumption, and require less overall electricity to power your home! It’s a win-win!
Seal Your Leaks
No one likes a leak, especially in your home! As with the insulation project, scouring your home for leaky windows, walls, and ducts is a powerful way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Starting with an Energy Evaluation from an experienced professional can help you identify improvement areas, and give you a plan for tackling your leaks!
Install Solar Panels
A solar installation is one of the best high efficiency home upgrades you can implement - what could be more energy efficient than producing your own clean, renewable energy? An experienced solar professional can equip you with a system that is tailored to your usage and desired outcomes, providing you with incredible value for your investment.
Include a Battery
With a battery system connected to your solar installation, you can further reduce your bills by storing the power you generate, and using it when you want. There are a couple of ways you can utilize the power your system generates:
- Maximize Self Consumption: Store solar power in your battery instead of selling to the grid so you can use it at night. This will provide a dollar offset at fair market value for any kWh cycled in this way.
- Load Shifting: Works by discharging the battery directly into the grid at peak times to benefit from the highest buyback rates.
If you’re interested in beginning the process of equipping your home with high efficiency home upgrades, a solar consultation is a great place to start. Our energy experts can help you size a system that will cover the needs of your newly upgraded home, and allow you to achieve the savings goals you want to pursue. Make an appointment today!
