Talking energy efficiency in the home

Talking energy

efficiency in the home

South Africa is finally taking energy-saving seriously. With numerous interruptions in our electricity supply grid caused by loadshedding and a declining infrastructure, we are expected to do more with less. There is also a massive increase in the cost of power, making it a luxury that many cannot afford in great quantities. And then, let’s not even get started on greenhouse gasses and using less fossil fuel!

1. Do an energy audit

Before you blindly make upgrades, find out how much energy your home uses and where it uses more energy than it should. You can have a professional energy audit done or you can use common sense; just make a list of everything in the home that uses power and just how much power it uses. Then, look at ways that heat is lost from the home (during winter) and how much heat enters the home (in summer). This is called passive heating and cooling.

2. Stop the leaks!

When there are gaps around your windows and doors, warm air will escape and cold air will enter your home in winter, so you’ll have to turn up the thermostat. For more energy-efficient windows, check the caulking and weather stripping around your home and plug any gaps to prevent heat loss. You can also check out stylish window treatments for every room in your house.

4. Adjust the thermostat

Adjusting your thermostat even by only a degree or two can make a difference in the amount of energy your home uses. In winter, turn it down three or four degrees when you’re going out and in summer, turn it up again.

5. Get a smart or programmable thermostat

A smart or programmable thermostat will save you the effort of having to adjust the thermostat manually. You can programme it according to your schedule and it will automatically do the rest. From 2020, we also have something called Energy Performance Certification, which legally applies to all buildings larger than 1 000m2, irrespective of their purpose.

So, along these lines, there are two very good reasons to use less energy in your home: it will help you reduce your carbon footprint and it will leave you with a much smaller energy bill every month. It doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg to make the changes either. Here are some easy ways to make your home more energy-efficient. TO BUILD did an internet search to see what the experts are saying and have come up with 20 fairly easy steps that the homeowner can take to improve energy efficiency.

7. Change the filters on your HVAC unit

Your HVAC unit will work more efficiently with clean filters. For the average home, the filters will need changing every three months or so. If you have pets or suffer from allergies, you’ll need to change the filters more often; about every 45 days.

8. Install energy-efficient windows

The right windows can help regulate the temperature inside your home. There are different options when it comes to energy-efficient windows, including double or triple glazing, e-coating and vinyl windows. Find out if it’s time to replace the windows in your home.

3. Insulate

Good insulation will help keep heat inside in winter and outside in summer, so you’ll have to rely less on appliances for heating and cooling. Pay special attention to the attic and ceiling but remember to insulate the floors and walls too.

6. Install fans

Fans use only a fraction of the energy your air conditioning unit does. Save the air conditioning for only the unbearably hot days and use ceiling or electric fans the rest of the time to cool your house.

9. Plant some trees

Deciduous trees on the north and east sides of your home will provide shade and keep your home cool in summer. In winter, the bare branches won’t block the sun from shining in through the windows and heating your home when you need it. You can also find plenty of different ways to keep your lawn naturally green.

10. Install awnings

Another way to keep sunlight from heating your home in summer is to install awnings over your windows. Retractable canvas awnings are more energy efficient because they still allow for ventilation and on cold days you simply roll them back to let the warming sunlight in.

11. Know how to use window treatments

In winter, keep window treatments such as blinds, curtains and drapes open during the day to let the sunlight in and then close them at night to prevent heat from escaping. In summer, use light-coloured window treatments that will reflect the sun’s rays away from the window and keep them closed during the day.

12. Get energy-efficient appliances

Energy-efficient appliances use less electricity and water, so they’re a great investment. They can even help increase the value of your home.

13. Keep large appliances clean

When dust collects around the motor that runs a large appliance such as a fridge or washing machine, the motor needs to work harder and uses more energy. Vacuum the back of your appliances every few weeks to remove dust and pet hair.

14. Get a tankless (instant) water heater and install solar geyser

A tankless water heater gives you hot water on demand, rather than heating and storing water all the time. It costs more but you’ll soon recover the cost through energy savings. A tankless water heater takes up less space too.

SA also enjoys up to 2.5 times the amount of incoming sunlight compared with the northern hemisphere climates. As for solar geysers - surely your home should have one of these already?

16. Turn down your water thermostat

When you have to turn on the cold-water tap so you won’t burn yourself in the shower or bath, you’re wasting energy on water heating. Turn down the water thermostat to about 55 to 60 degrees for comfortably hot water.

17. Install skylights

15. Wrap your geyser and insulate the home

If you have a hot water geyser rather than a tankless water heater, you can still save energy by wrapping the tank in a blanket or other insulating material. This will prevent heat loss.

And while we are about this, check that your home is thoroughly insulated using a material and installer approved by the Thermal Insulation Productsand Systems Association of SA (www.tipsasa.co.za). The more natural light there is in your home, the less energy you’ll need for lighting. Strategically placed skylights will not only add light but ventilation too. However, remember to choose properly installed, energy-efficient skylights so they won’t contribute to heat loss in winter.

18. Choose lighter colours of paint

Lighter paint colours for interiors not only make rooms look bigger but also reflect light, so you can rely less on artificial lighting. For your home’s exterior walls and roof, lighter colours are a great way to reflect sunlight and keep your house cool.

19. Change the light bulbs

LED and CFL light bulbs use less energy than incandescent bulbs. When you’re switching to these more energy-efficient options, also consider the wattage. In rooms that you use less often or that you don’t want too brightly lit, install bulbs with a lower wattage to save even more energy. This especially applies to downlighters.

20. Air-dry

Go back to air-drying your dishes rather than letting the dishwasher do it for you. Install a clothesline outside and invest in a fold-up clothes rack so you can air-dry your laundry regardless of the weather. Then for dishwashing, rather air-dry them than let the dishwasher do it for you.