8 Ways to Improve Energy Efficiency in Your Massachusetts Home (Part 2)

In our last blog, we looked at four ways to save on your home energy bill by improving efficiency in and around your home. In Part 2 of this post, we’ll explore four more great ways to make your home more efficient and comfortable, while saving money along the way.

1. Do your research! – Rebates and incentives are available that can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars for upgrading to high efficiency equipment. Mass Save, for example, offers no cost home energy assessments, equipment discounts, and rebates on everything from refrigerators to wireless thermostats (more on Mass Save in a future post – stay tuned!). Federal tax incentives are also available. Contact us to learn more, or to get a FREE estimate on equipment upgrades!
2. Upgrade to Energy Star® rated windows – It may not be cost effective to replace your single pane windows just to save energy, but if you plan to replace old windows for other reasons, invest a bit more and upgrade to Energy Star–rated double-pane replacements. The cost difference compared to non-Energy Star-rated windows is modest – often as little as $20-25 per window – but that upgrade could save you 15-25 percent on your monthly energy bills. If you’re not ready to upgrade your windows, be sure to weatherize with caulk and weather stripping, which can you 10 percent or more on your bills.
3. Tweak or upgrade your hot water system – Here are three great tweaks for your hot water system:
   • Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F) – that’s more than enough heat for your showers, laundry, and dishes. If you don’t know how to, just ask.
   • Insulate your hot water lines so they don’t cool off as quickly between uses. At minimum, insulate the first six feet away from your water heater.
   • Use low-flow fixtures for showers and baths. If you have very old fixtures, replace them: today’s fixtures use about half the water that fixtures made before 1990, with no detectable loss in pressure or comfort.

   And if you want to really save money heating the water in your home – a good idea, considering water heating accounts for about 20 percent of your energy bill – consider upgrading to a propane-fired conventional or tankless water heater.

4. If you buy a new refrigerator, get rid of the old one – Avoid the temptation to use the old fridge as a backup. The extra storage space could cost you $150 a year in energy bills – about two or three times the cost to operate than your new fridge. Better to upsize your new, high efficiency refrigerator than to keep your old one in the basement.

Looking for more ways to save and keep your family more comfortable all year long? Contact us to find out how!