Save your money by implementing energy efficient measures
Spring is an ideal time for performing work on your home that will provide you with a pleasant stay in a relaxing and warm space, without fear of extreme coldness in the coming winter season. Also, if you are renovating your apartment or house, you can forget about the unbearable heat in the rooms during the warm summer months. But how can you make your home comfortable for any season of the year? The answer is very simple – implement energy efficient measures.
You can already start renovating your home as it can help you to improve it and make it more energy efficient. You invest in a more inexpensive and safer future with this process. Regardless of whether it is a larger project such as installing solar panels on your house for heating hot water, or a smaller project like replacing your apartment windows, your budget can be saved from further wasteful spending. With the help of experts from the largest energy efficiency project in B&H, BEEP (Bosnia Energy Efficiency Project), we have investigated which methods in the construction industry can be applied to make your home energy efficient and ultimately save you money.
1. New or additional insulation of your roof or attic
To begin with, experts in the field of energy efficiency recommend to set up good insulation of the place in which you live. Quality insulation of the roof or walls can help reduce the amount of heat that enters your home when it’s hot, or keep the heat inside when it’s cold outside. There are many roof isolation options that depend on the preferences and options you have. The most popular options are stone or glass wool, reflective film, or clay slate that absorbs moisture well and is resistant to frost.
2. Renovation, thermal insulation of facade
If you have decided to renovate the facade, use materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), or Styrofoam. Styrofoam is still used in construction as a suitable choice for wall insulation, because it is lightweight, possesses good mechanical characteristics and it is easy to install. It also has extremely low moisture absorption rates and above all, it is a great thermal insulation. However, there are other, newer, materials that could be placed on the facade that achieve higher thermal power. Inform yourself about graphite Styrofoam, a gray facade Styrofoam that contains graphite polystyrene. It is thinner compared to ordinary Styrofoam, and the graphite component in its composition results in about 20% better insulating properties to the object it is placed on. You can also cover the facade with mineral wool. By placing a mineral wool, with a fireproof facade, you get better heat and sound insulation.
3. Replacing windows and doors
In addition to the roof and walls, your windows and doors are the main source of heat loss from your home. Replace the window frames as they easily result in heat loss. The best window frames are aluminum, as well as a combination of aluminum-wood (wood on the inside of the window). Look for a window system with multiple chambers. The best systems are windows of 5 or more chambers – multilayered windows with a higher number of windows that are arranged so that their interspace is filled with noble gas. Low-e windows are the highest quality windows. Their interspace coated metal film passes sunlight, while retaining heat in the interior at the same time.
4. Use sustainable building materials
If your aim is building an energy efficient home, use materials that are environmentally acceptable. Every part of your house or apartment from the floor to the roof can be built from sustainable building materials. Use products such as old wood, recycled glass and plastic or natural materials such as bamboo, cork or linoleum. You can also reuse your wooden floors or doors, but they need to be restored.
5. Change the house lighting
In addition to heating or heat energy, most of the time, many of us use electricity in waste in our homes. With proper planning of lighting, you can replace all light bulbs with energy saving or LED light bulbs. Perhaps they initially cost more, but the long-term result is greater money savings and a longer lifespan. These light bulbs last 8 to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs, according to energy efficiency experts. Almost all energy that energy saving and LED light bulbs consume is directed towards producing light, in contrast to ordinary light bulbs with an incandescent bulb that convert a great deal of energy into heat. Also noteworthy is that energy saving and LED light bulbs do not contain a high concentration of toxic elements, such as mercury.
6. Install the ceiling fans
Instead of an air conditioning split system that consumes a lot of electricity, you can install ceiling fans in your living room and bedrooms. Fans are cheaper and do not consume as much electricity as air conditioning systems. They are also healthier because they do not accumulate harmful bacteria, which is the case with the air conditioning split systems, so your respiratory system is not compromised. The fans properly distribute the air in the room, so it is easier to maintain the optimum room temperature.
7. Replace / install programming thermostats
According to the information provided by the representatives of the BEEP project, more than 50% of the energy in our homes is used for the heating and cooling of the rooms we are staying in. The simplest way to reduce the cost of heat is to install a programming thermostat with the heating system. When it reaches the set home temperature, the temperature control system will start working. When using a thermostat, if for example you set it up one degree lower in the winter or one step higher in the summer, you will save as much as 3-5% of energy and therefore, money as well.
If you are already thinking about renovating your house or apartment, consider making a wise investment – allocate your budget to get your money back in several years. It is very important to hire a quality contractor, or consult with experts (engineers) who will help you choose modern, fully usable materials. Their use will contribute in achieving the goal of renovating your home in an energy efficient way. Implementing certain energy efficient measures is an investment you make once in your lifetime. Even if you only implement two or three measures while renovating, you will notice that not only are you saving energy and money, but the environment as well.