California has already passed laws concerning implementation of low-flow appliances, so if your living quarters haven't been changed out yet, they should be. And if you're not using light bulbs that save electricity, you're spending unnecessary money.
If a property owner is doing a major remodel on an older home or rental property, then he or she may be looking at retrofitting costs. Part of that cost is estimating the time period to recoup the original investment. According to some sources, adding low flow showerheads, installing LED lights and adding home insulation bring the fastest payback period for the lowest costs, most within a one year period or less
Ways to Save:
There are advanced green certifications as LEED or ENERGY STAR, which require following many steps towards certification. But the average homeowner wishing to enhance features can do certain things that will build towards energy efficiency and more comfort without costing a lot:
- window retrofits (more expensive but will save over time) which will also enhance the value of a home to a prospective buyer;
- Replacing all the interior and exterior light bulbs with LEDs which use 25% of the energy of an incandescent bulb and may last up to 25 times longer, and save $75 or more each year.
- Efficient refrigerators may be 20% more energy efficient, and EE ceiling fans may be 50% more efficient.
- Using weather sealant for doors and decks, and check insulation for proper "R" values, and wrap your old water heater to save up to 10%.
- Waterproofing paint generally leads to a longer lasting, more sustainable building.
- Using renewably sourced construction material such as engineered woods, recycled woods, bamboo construction.
- Caulking, weatherstripping, sealing air ducts, installing a fireplace flue plug are additional ways to prevent air from escaping. Thirty percent of energy in a California home is for heating and cooling, and these measures will help to reduce escaping air.
- A Smart Thermostat allows for programmable hours for work and vacations, another way to control home expenses up to 10% annually. Find more energy management tools (EMTs) to save money.
- Xeriscaping, which calls for water conservation through low maintenance landscaping, can save over 50% of residential water use. It's not necessary that your home look like a desert in order to achieve this, but planning with the right plants will reduce the amount of water on your grass lawn.
- Greywater is repurposed water for outdoor irrigation, and may involve a small filtration unit to direct water from the house to the outside.
- Unplugging home printers and computers when not in use may save up to $200 annually in electricity costs!
Buildings in the U.S. produce about 40% of the overall CO2 emissions, and scientists are expecting the world to need 40%-70% less CO2 emissions by 2050 to counteract the worst of climate change. So energy efficiency is not just fashionable, it's important. An energy efficient home is estimated to produce 2.5 fewer tons of CO2 each year! And an energy efficient home is less costly and more comfortable to live in.
For more information, check with your local city for incentive programs in place.
Further resources:
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/consumer/financial_incentives.html
https://www.energystar.gov/rebate-finder
https://www.energyupgradeca.org/home-energy-efficiency/upgrading-your-home/
https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/home-energy-rating-system-hers-program
https://moneywise.com/a/easy-tips-for-saving-money-by-going-green
Julia Huntsman, REALTOR, Broker | www.juliahuntsman.com | 562-896-2609 | California Lic. #01188996
