Home Energy Efficiency Improvement Guide
In today's world, energy efficiency is more important than ever, and the majority of energy consumption typically happens at home. From turning off a light bulb to installing state-of-the-art solar panels, there is an endless array of options available to help homeowners and renters increase the energy efficiency of their homes. It doesn't matter if you are living in a small downtown apartment, in a single family home in the suburbs or on a large rural estate — you can find small or large ways to reduce your home's energy consumption and potentially reduce your electricity, gas or water bills.
The purpose of this resource guide is to provide insight and practical steps to help you improve outdated areas of your home that might be wasting energy and also making your energy bills higher. To guide you on this energy efficiency journey, we have divided this guide into three sections:
- Section 1: Energy-Saving Quick Fixes — Here you can find tips on the quickest and easiest home improvement projects to increase the energy efficiency of your home.
- Section 2: Weekend Projects — These tips take a bit more time and money but could provide an even bigger increase in energy savings.
- Section 3: Energy-Saving Appliances and Major Projects — If you are ready for a greater investment of money and time, this section can help you complete larger projects or decide which outdated appliances to replace with more energy efficient ones. We provide guidance on the best options to choose from.
Within each section, there are several energy-saving tips and to help you better prioritize where you want to spend your time, and we have included icons next to each tip to denote the difficulty of the project, the cost to execute the project and the energy savings you will get in return. Use the legend below to decide which projects have the right mix of difficulty, cost and energy savings for you.
Project ranking legend
Difficulty
Easily adapted habits or small tasks
Afternoon or evening projects
Full weekend projects
Significant work and energy required, usually including professional installation
Cost
Minimal to zero cost, usually less than $50
Between $50 and $100
A couple hundred dollars
Close to or above $1,000
Energy savings
A small amount of energy will be saved
You'll start to see real savings on your energy bills
You will see significant savings throughout the year, usually amounting to hundreds of dollars off your annual energy costs
These projects will truly transform your home, dramatically lower your energy consumption and reduce your energy bill
Steps you can take
This guide to increasing your home’s energy efficiency is part of Reliant’s continuing dedication to sustainability, green living and helping people to get the most out of their energy consumption. We offer a wealth of continually updated resources designed to help people improve the way they live and the way they use energy — and hopefully save a buck or two in the process. The Reliant Home Energy Checkup is a perfect place to start if you are looking to boost your home’s energy efficiency. This checkup helps you better understand your home and how it uses energy. If you use your Home Energy Checkup to help determine which projects in this guide to prioritize, you will be well on your way toward implementing cost-saving improvements that could save you plenty of energy and money in the coming months.